Category Archives: GOD

GOD, How was Jesus “the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world?”

How was Jesus “the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world?”

HOW WAS JESUS “THE LAMB SLAIN FROM THE FOUNDATION OF THE WORLD?”

by Shawn Brasseaux

The phrase appears a solitary time in the King James Bible—Revelation 13:8. “And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.” When attempting to understand a verse, it always helps to look for other verses containing similar words or phrases. Scripture should be compared with Scripture; after all, every verse is related to at least one other verse. This method of cross-referencing increases the likelihood of exegesis (interpreting the text as Almighty God intended) and minimizes the possibility of eisegesis (interpreting it to fit our own biases and preconceived ideas).

We find something similar in 1 Peter chapter 1: “[19] But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot: [20] Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you, [21] Who by him do believe in God, that raised him up from the dead, and gave him glory; that your faith and hope might be in God.”

Long before Adam was created and placed on the Earth, long before he sinned in the Garden of Eden, long before Calvary’s crosswork was ever accomplished to undo the damage of sin, that crosswork had already occurred in the mind of the triune Godhead. Jesus Christ’s destiny was predetermined long before He ever became a man, and long before there ever was a creation. Nothing in His earthly life occurred fortuitously; even His miraculous birth and graphic death were in the Godhead’s eternal plan! “Lo, I come to do thy will,” Messiah Jesus, quoting Psalm 40, told His Father at His incarnation (Hebrews 10:7-9). If you read verses 10-22 of Hebrews chapter 10, you will see the cross!!

God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit—in their omniscience (all-knowledge)—could actually look into the future, down the corridor of time, to see that the Son would suffer and die on Cavalry’s cruel cross. All three Persons would cooperate to work to that end. It was all settled fact in Heaven before it even came to pass on Earth. Notice the Apostle Peter’s astounding sermon delivered in Acts chapter 2: “[22] Ye men of Israel, hear these words; Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you by miracles and wonders and signs, which God did by him in the midst of you, as ye yourselves also know: [23] Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain: [24] Whom God hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death: because it was not possible that he should be holden of it.”

NOTE: We are pleased to (at last) unveil our new five-part Bible study video series! The theme is Israel’s covenants. I hope and pray that you will be edified, encouraged, and enlightened by these 5 1/2 hours of study! Click here to enjoy them on YouTube! 🙂

Also see:
» What is a “daysman?”
» What does God mean, “I am Alpha and Omega?”
» Why is Jesus Christ called “The Word of God?”

BIBLE VERSIONS AND MANUSCRIPTS, Did Jesus ever claim to be God?, Did Jesus ever claim to be God?, GOD

Did Jesus ever claim to be God?

DID JESUS EVER CLAIM TO BE GOD?

by Shawn Brasseaux

Skeptics of the true and full Deity of Jesus Christ argue that He never claimed to be God. Can we substantiate or refute their accusations? “For what saith the Scriptures?”

Concerning His temptations, we read in Matthew 4:5-7: “[5] Then the devil taketh him [Jesus Christ] up into the holy city, and setteth him on a pinnacle of the temple, [6] And saith unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down: for it is written, He shall give his angels charge concerning thee: and in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone. [7] Jesus said unto him, It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.” It is interesting that, in verse 7, Jesus quoted Deuteronomy 6:16—with “Lord” synonymous with “LORD”/“JEHOVAH.” In other words, Jesus used the warning about tempting JEHOVAH God and told Satan he should not tempt Him. Why? He was JEHOVAH God in human flesh. The Lord Jesus took a passage about God and applied it to Himself. Jesus thought He was JEHOVAH God and He claimed He was JEHOVAH God. (See parallel, Luke 4:9-12.)

Matthew 9:2 reports: “And, behold, they brought to him [Jesus Christ] a man sick of the palsy, lying on a bed: and Jesus seeing their faith said unto the sick of the palsy; Son, be of good cheer; thy sins be forgiven thee.” “This man blasphemeth,” the audience said in verse 3. “Who can forgive sins but God only?” (Mark 2:7). Who alone can forgive sins? According to the witnesses, Jesus said He was God by forgiving the man’s sins.

Christ Jesus declared in Matthew 12:8, “For the Son of man is Lord even of the sabbath day.” (See the parallel verse, Mark 2:28.) The Sabbath Day honored JEHOVAH God (Genesis 12:1-3; Exodus 20:8-11). Jesus Christ claimed that He was “Lord even of the sabbath day.” Who did Jesus believe He was? JEHOVAH God!

Turning to Matthew chapter 19: “[16] And, behold, one came and said unto him [Jesus Christ], Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life? [17] And he said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God: but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments.” (See the parallel passage, Mark 10:17-19.) This man approached Jesus and addressed Him as, “Good Master.” Jesus inquired why he called Him “good,” seeing as to “there is none good but one, that is, God.” In other words, Jesus asked, “Are you calling Me ‘God?’” (This truth is obscured in modern English translations. Here is one of many reasons why we use the King James Bible!)

After Israel’s religious leaders unsuccessfully attempted thrice to trap Jesus in His words, He offered them a spiritual riddle (which they could not answer). Matthew chapter 22: “[41] While the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them, [42] Saying, What think ye of Christ? whose son is he? They say unto him, The son of David. [43] He saith unto them, How then doth David in spirit call him Lord, saying, [44] The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, till I make thine enemies thy footstool? [45] If David then call him Lord, how is he his son? [46] And no man was able to answer him a word, neither durst any man from that day forth ask him any more questions.” (See parallels, Mark 12:35-37 and Luke 20:41-44.) The only way Jesus could be both “Lord” of David and “son” of David is if He were fully God (“Lord”) and fully Man (“son of David”). Of course, the unsaved religious leaders had the Old Testament Scriptures but no spiritual enlightenment because they chose to be ignorant.

Now, we get to the strongest passages on this subject. Matthew 26:63-66 is our first: “[63] But Jesus held his peace. And the high priest answered and said unto him, I adjure thee by the living God, that thou tell us whether thou be the Christ, the Son of God. [64] Jesus saith unto him, Thou hast said: nevertheless I say unto you, Hereafter shall ye see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven. [65] Then the high priest rent his clothes, saying, He hath spoken blasphemy; what further need have we of witnesses? behold, now ye have heard his blasphemy. [66] What think ye? They answered and said, He is guilty of death.” (See parallels, Mark 14:61-64 and Luke 22:66-71.)

While various denominationalists vehemently reject the deity of the Lord Jesus Christ, they still have these verses in their Bible versions (and they cannot deny it!). During Jesus’ trial, the high priest commanded Him to declare once and for all if He was “the Christ, the Son of God” (verse 63). Jesus replied, “Thou hast said” (verse 64)—paraphrased, “You have said it!” Still, Jesus added: “Hereafter shall ye see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven” (verse 64). The high priest was immediately outraged: he tore his garments and twice pronounced a charge, “Blasphemy!”

Evidently, what flustered the high priest was not so much Jesus’ reply “Thou hast said.” No, what deeply rattled him was that Jesus took it a step further: “Hereafter shall ye see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven.” The Lord did not have to say, “I am the Son of God,” to be accused of blasphemy. No, He merely had to declare, “You will see the Son of Man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven.” “Sitting on the right hand of power” was surely Messianic, as Psalm 110:1 predicted many centuries earlier that Christ would sit at the LORD’s right hand. Moreover, the “coming in the clouds of heaven” was especially inflammatory, as the high priest recalled Psalm 68:4: “Sing unto God, sing praises to his name: extol him that rideth upon the heavens by his name JAH [JEHOVAH], and rejoice before him.”

It would be downright preposterous to say that Jesus never claimed to be God Himself. After all, Israel’s religious accused Him of blasphemy and purposed to put Him to death (see Leviticus 24:11-16)! They assumed He was making Himself to be God—otherwise they would not have bothered to execute Him!

Mark 11:17 reports: “And he [Jesus] taught, saying unto them, Is it not written, My house shall be called of all nations the house of prayer? but ye have made it a den of thieves.” The Jerusalem Temple, Jesus said, was “my house.” In John 2:16, He said of the same Temple: “And said unto them that sold doves, Take these things hence; make not my Father’s house an house of merchandise.” The Temple was both Jesus’ Temple and His Father’s Temple. Who was Jesus claiming to be, then? On whose behalf was He speaking?

On to John 5:17-18: “[17] But Jesus answered them, My Father worketh hitherto, and I work. [18] Therefore the Jews sought the more to kill him, because he not only had broken the sabbath, but said also that God was his Father, making himself equal with God.” Why do they want to take the life of Jesus? See, the unbelieving Jews are well aware of whom He declares to be. There is nothing difficult for them to understand, and if we let the verses speak (without wearing our denominational eyeglasses), we will see them for what they really say as well.

We read in John 8:58, “Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am.” Here is an interesting form of the verb “to be.” Jesus did not say, “Before Abraham was, I was.” No, He said, “Before Abraham was, I am.” Why did He say it this specific way? Notice the cross-reference, Exodus 3:14: “And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM: and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you.” This was JEHOVAH God speaking to Moses, and JEHOVAH said His name was, “I AM THAT I AM,” or the shortened form, “I AM.” John 8:58 is Jesus claiming to be the JEHOVAH God of Exodus 3:14! (By the way, the “Jehovah’s Witness” New World Translation says in John 8:58, “Before Abraham came into existence, I have been.” Furthermore, there is no Exodus 3:14 marginal reference—they know exactly what Jesus said, but they hide this truth from their readers and members so as to uphold their theological traditions.)

After Jesus healed the blind man, John 9:35-38 says: “[35] Jesus heard that they had cast him out; and when he had found him, he said unto him, Dost thou believe on the Son of God? [36] He answered and said, Who is he, Lord, that I might believe on him? [37] And Jesus said unto him, Thou hast both seen him, and it is he that talketh with thee. [38] And he said, Lord, I believe. And he worshipped him.” How could Jesus be a servant of the God of the Bible if He allowed someone to worship Him? Apparently, He assumed He deserved that worship. He believed He was the God of creation! (Compare Acts 10:25-26 and Revelation 19:10.) By the way, the 1901 American Standard Version has a footnote here that asserts Jesus was nothing but a mere “creature” and not at all the “Creator!” Friends, you cannot get more blasphemous than these “Bible translators!!!”

While Jesus walked in the Temple, He had an interesting conversation with unbelieving Israel in John 10:29-33: “[29] My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand. [30] I and my Father are one. [31] Then the Jews took up stones again to stone him. [32] Jesus answered them, Many good works have I shewed you from my Father; for which of those works do ye stone me? [33] The Jews answered him, saying, For a good work we stone thee not; but for blasphemy; and because that thou, being a man, makest thyself God.”

The cults emphasize verse 29—“Jesus said His Father is ‘greater than all,’ meaning Jesus is not God!” Yet, they deliberately skip verse 30 for obvious reasons—“I and my Father are one.” Both Jesus and Father God are one in Deity: both are fully God. How do we know this is what Jesus meant? Why, we read verses 31-33. “The Jews answered him, saying, For a good work we stone thee not; but for blasphemy; and because that thou, being a man, makest thyself God.” Who did they believe Jesus claimed to be? (Years ago, I spoke with a friend brainwashed in a Deity-of-Christ-denying cult. His face turned red and he grew quite angry when his whole argument centered on verse 29 was demolished after I had him read verses 30 and 33!!! He refused to discuss the matter any further, and I politely left his presence. That was the last time we spoke in-person about Scripture.)

We read in John 19:6-7, at Jesus’ trial before Judaean Governor Pontius Pilate: “[6] When the chief priests therefore and officers saw him, they cried out, saying, Crucify him, crucify him. Pilate saith unto them, Take ye him, and crucify him: for I find no fault in him. [7] The Jews answered him, We have a law, and by our law he ought to die, because he made himself the Son of God.” (See Leviticus 24:11-16.) The only way they could justly put Jesus to death is if He had professed to be Deity! This is right along the lines of John 10:29-33 and John 5:17-18 (already discussed).

John 20:28 is our last Deity verse of Christ’s earthly ministry: “And Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and my God.” If Jesus were not God, then why did He allow Thomas to apply such titles to Him? Jesus should have said, “Thomas, do not called Me ‘my Lord’ and ‘my God.’ I am but a Man, and not God.” Why did Jesus not rebuke Thomas? Thomas’ words were warranted, highly appropriate; they needed no criticism! The “Jehovah’s Witnesses,” still endeavoring to maintain their church tradition, answers by arguing that Thomas uttered an expression of amazement. In other words, “O wow, O Lord, O God, Jesus, You really are alive! It actually is You!” This is a flimsy and wanting interpretation, as Thomas would have then been guilty of taking JEHOVAH’S name in vain (Exodus 20:7). Thomas would be worthy of death! There is no way Jesus would have let someone use God’s name so flippantly. It is for this reason that we reject the “Jehovah’s Witnesses” here as well.

“Let God be true, but every man a liar” (Romans 3:4).

Also see:
» “No man hath seen God at any time?”
» Why did Jesus say, “My God, my God?”
» Does it matter what Bible version I use?

GOD, Why is Jesus Christ called “The Word of God?”

Why is Jesus Christ called “The Word of God?”

WHY IS JESUS CHRIST CALLED “THE WORD OF GOD?”

by Shawn Brasseaux

This epithet is exclusive to the Apostle John’s writings—the Book of John, the Book of 1 John, and the Book of the Revelation. It, or its abbreviated variant “The Word,” appears seven times in the whole Bible canon. John’s Gospel Record is designed to underscore Jesus Christ’s Deity. (Compare the openings of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. John 1:1-4 is unique to John; Matthew, Mark, and Luke all begin their accounts with events relating to Christ’s humanity.) It is thus not surprising that John’s special phrase, “the Word of God,” is intended to accentuate Christ’s Deity:

  • John 1:1: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”
  • John 1:14: “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.”
  • 1 John 1:1: “That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life;….”
  • 1 John 5:7: “For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one.”
  • Revelation 19:13: “And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God.”

The term “word” carries the idea of communication. In Greek, it is logos. Depending on the context, logos can be rendered as—“preaching,” “something said,” “utterance,” “reason,” “saying,” “speech,” “talk,” “account,” and so on. Think of our related English words logic and logo. A “logo,” for example, is a symbol or design that represents a group, idea, line of products, and so on. This symbol conveys a message. The Greek word is the same line of thought.

According to Scripture, there are three Members/Persons in the Godhead or Trinity—Father, Son, and Holy Ghost (Matthew 28:19; 2 Corinthians 13:14; 1 John 5:7). Unless they make themselves known in a special way, we cannot see them with our human eyes. The Person of Jesus Christ (God the Son) is a representative of the Godhead. Turn to John 14:6-9: “[6] Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. [7] If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also: and from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him. [8] Philip saith unto him, Lord, shew us the Father, and it sufficeth us. [9] Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Shew us the Father?”

What the Father and the Holy Spirit want us to see and know, Jesus Christ reveals it to us so we can see and know. If we want to see how God lives, all we have to do is read the Four Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John). This is how God conducted His own life in His own human flesh. Even today, we can see God living His life in human flesh. This is the Church the Body of Christ (all present-day believers in Jesus Christ). It is called “the Body of Christ” because it is His life being manifested through Christians—we are His arms, His legs, His hands, His feet, and His voice. We accurately portray His life as we walk daily in faith in His Word to us (more on this later).

Father God sent Jesus Christ as His spokesman to the nation Israel. For example, John 7:16: “Jesus answered them, and said, My doctrine is not mine, but his that sent me.” God the Father had given some information to Jesus Christ, so Jesus Christ could then relay it to Israel. Jesus is the Spokesman of the Godhead. He is “The Word of God” in this sense.

Now, read Matthew 15:24: “But he answered and said, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” Hebrews 3:1: “Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle [sent-one] and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus;….” When Jesus Christ left Earth and ascended back into Heaven, He sent His 12 Apostles to be His spokesmen to Israel. They were to repeat what He taught them.

Matthew chapter 10: “[5] These twelve Jesus sent forth, and commanded them, saying, Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not: [6] But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel…. [16] Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves.” And verse 40: “He that receiveth you receiveth me, and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me.” Mark 3:14: “And he ordained twelve, that they should be with him, and that he might send them forth to preach,….” John 20:21: “Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you.” Finally, John 13:20: “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that receiveth whomsoever I send receiveth me; and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me.”

God the Father sent Jesus Christ as His Messenger, and Jesus Christ sent messengers (12 Apostles) to Israel. If Israel rejected the 12 Apostles, they were really rejecting Jesus Christ who sent them, and they were rejecting God the Father who sent Jesus Christ to them in the first place.

After His ascension into Heaven, the Lord Jesus Christ sent the Apostle Paul to be His spokesman to us Gentiles. Look at two verses. Firstly, Acts 22:21: “And he said unto me, Depart: for I will send thee far hence unto the Gentiles.” Now, Acts 26:17: “Delivering thee from the people, and from the Gentiles, unto whom now I send thee,…..” Paul thus wrote in Romans 11:13: “For I speak to you Gentiles, inasmuch as I am the apostle [sent-one] of the Gentiles, I magnify mine office:….” And, remember Jesus’ words in John 13:20: “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that receiveth whomsoever I send receiveth me; and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me.” If we reject Paul, then we reject God’s messenger to us!

Whenever there were appearances of God in the Old Testament economy, they were Jesus Christ in pre-incarnate forms. It was not Father God, and it was not the Holy Spirit. First Timothy 6:16: “[Jesus Christ] Who only hath immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto; [God the Father; verse 13] whom no man hath seen, nor can see: to whom be honour and power everlasting. Amen.” And John 1:18: “No man hath seen God at any time, the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.” Colossians 2:9: “For in him [Christ] dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.” The way we see and hear Father God is by paying attention to Jesus Christ: He is the one Mediator between God and men.

First Timothy 2:3-6: “[3] For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour; [4] Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth. [5] For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; [6] Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.” As God, Jesus Christ can take God by the hand. As Man, He can take man by the hand. He thus joins them together through His finished crosswork at Calvary. The barrier of sin is demolished because Jesus Christ died for our sins. Without God communicating that information through Jesus Christ, and then Jesus Christ giving that information to Paul, we would not know it.

Jesus Christ is thus “The Word of God”—the embodiment of the whole message God wants to give to mankind! In 1 John 1:1, Jesus is called “the Word of life,” meaning God’s entire communication to man can be summarized as “life.” If we want to see what true life is really like, how God designed it to function for His glory, we look to “the Word of life,” the Lord Jesus Christ! If we want eternal (spiritual) life, we look to the Lord Jesus Christ! John 14:6: “Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.”

SUPPLEMENTAL #1: THE CHIEF SPEAKER

To better reinforce in our minds what the title “The Word of God” is actually conveying as pertaining to Jesus Christ, turn to Acts chapter 14: “[9] The same heard Paul speak: who stedfastly beholding him, and perceiving that he had faith to be healed, [10] Said with a loud voice, Stand upright on thy feet. And he leaped and walked. [11] And when the people saw what Paul had done, they lifted up their voices, saying in the speech of Lycaonia, The gods are come down to us in the likeness of men. [12] And they called Barnabas, Jupiter; and Paul, Mercurius, because he was the chief speaker.” Focus on “the chief speaker” at the close of verse 12. In Greek, it is, “ho hegoumenos tou logon.” As Paul was the “chief speaker [logos]” of the Paul–Barnabas duo, so Jesus Christ is the “chief speaker” among the Members of the Godhead.

SUPPLEMENTAL #2: THE HOLY BIBLE

“The word of God” is also a title of the Holy Bible. Hebrews 4:12, for example: “For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.” In Scripture, we find the communication from God. The only way to know the Living Word of God (Jesus Christ) is through the Written Word of God (Holy Scripture). While far beyond the scope of this study, there is a very close affinity between the Living Word and the Written Word. Both are necessary to learn everything the Godhead has to tell us.

Also see:
» Did not God send messengers to Gentiles prior to Paul’s apostleship?
» Has God’s Word failed?
» Does Jesus Christ save us, or does the Gospel save us?

“Whom no man hath seen nor can see”—who is this in 1 Timothy 6:16?, GOD

“Whom no man hath seen, nor can see”—who is this in 1 Timothy 6:16?

“WHOM NO MAN HATH SEEN, NOR CAN SEE”—WHO IS THIS IN 1 TIMOTHY 6:16?

by Shawn Brasseaux

First Timothy 6:16 reads: “Who only hath immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto; whom no man hath seen, nor can see: to whom be honour and power everlasting. Amen.” Who is this, He “whom no man hath seen, nor can see?”

Years ago, this verse puzzled me also. If you have not yet noticed the difficulty, start with verse 13 and read through to verse 16: “[13] I give thee charge in the sight of God, who quickeneth all things, and before Christ Jesus, who before Pontius Pilate witnessed a good confession; [14] That thou keep this commandment without spot, unrebukeable, until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ: [15] Which in his times he shall shew, who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings, and Lord of lords; [16] Who only hath immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto; whom no man hath seen, nor can see: to whom be honour and power everlasting. Amen.”

Did you get the impression that verse 16 claims that no one has seen, or can see, Jesus Christ? Is this the proper reading of the verse though?

Try John chapter 1: “[1] In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. [2] The same was in the beginning with God. [3] All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. [4] In him was life; and the life was the light of men…. [14] 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.” Now, 1 John chapter 1: “[1] That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life; [2] (For the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and shew unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us; )….”

Over 500 believers saw Jesus Christ after His resurrection. Even in His glorified (heavenly, ascended) state, Saul of Tarsus saw Him. First Corinthians chapter 15: “[3] For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; [4] And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures: [5] And that he was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve: [6] After that, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep. [7] After that, he was seen of James; then of all the apostles. [8] And last of all he was seen of me also, as of one born out of due time.”

Notice Acts 22:13-15: “[13] Came unto me, and stood, and said unto me, Brother Saul, receive thy sight. And the same hour I looked up upon him. [14] And he said, The God of our fathers hath chosen thee, that thou shouldest know his will, and see that Just One, and shouldest hear the voice of his mouth. [15] For thou shalt be his witness unto all men of what thou hast seen and heard.” (Paul heard Jesus Christ and saw Him in Acts chapter 9.)

Scripture is quite clear that Jesus Christ was made flesh and dwelt among men. He was not only seen by human eyes, but was also touched with human hands. We just surveyed a few verses to prove this point. First Timothy 6:16 therefore must be referring to someone else when it says, “whom no man hath seen, nor can see.” This cannot be Jesus Christ. Who is it then?

The chief reason why 1 Timothy 6:13-16 is so challenging is that it is a single sentence in the King James Greek text and now transferred into English! Our Apostle Paul used nearly 70 Greek words to form it; it translates to over 90 English words. (If this “short” sentence intimidates you, take a look at Ephesians 1:3-14!) With such massive sentences, it is easy to get lost in pairing clauses, connecting nouns to their pronouns and adjectives, and so on. If we can take each verse at a time, though, it will become easier to grasp. We are not so much interested in covering every little point of 1 Timothy 6:13-16. Our primary goal is to demystify verse 16.

Back to 1 Timothy 6:13-16 for some cursory analysis!

“[13] I give thee charge in the sight of God, who quickeneth all things, and before Christ Jesus, who before Pontius Pilate witnessed a good confession;….” There are five persons here. Firstly, there is Paul (writing and commanding). Secondly, there is Timothy (whom Paul is writing and commanding). Thirdly, there is God (the Father is inferred). Fourthly, there is Christ Jesus. Fifthly, there is Judaean governor Pontius Pilate.

“[14] That thou keep this commandment without spot, unrebukable, until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ:….” Here, we have only two persons—Timothy and our Lord Jesus Christ.

“[15] Which in his times he shall shew, who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings, and Lord of lords;….” There is only Jesus Christ here.

“[16] Who only hath immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto; whom no man hath seen, nor can see: to whom be honour and power everlasting. Amen.”

Verse 16 is where it gets especially tricky. How many persons are here in this verse? At least one. Who is the first person? He “only” has immortality—no one else is like Him. To be “mortal” means “subject to death;” “immortal,” consequently, means “unable to die.” Appealing to what we established at the beginning of the sentence, and using the process of elimination, we can figure out who this is. Is it Paul? Timothy? Pontius Pilate? Of course not. They were all subject to die—and did die. That leaves two possibilities—Father God and Jesus Christ. Father God never possessed a physical body, so He was never on the verge of dying anyway. Jesus Christ, however, assumed a physical body and did die.

(Colossians 2:9 says, “For in him [Christ—verse 8] dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.” The emphasis here is on the word “bodily.” There is a physical body likened unto ours. It is something that can be seen and has been seen. God the Father and God the Holy Spirit cannot be seen directly, but they can be seen indirectly in the Person of Jesus Christ [God the Son]. Jesus Christ is their representative, the Spokesman and Representative for the Trinity/Godhead.)

Jesus was resurrected, never to die again. As of this moment, He alone has been resurrected. He is the unique Person of the universe. He is a spirit being, still in a physical body that cannot and will never again die. He alone has immortality. “Dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto” would also be true of Jesus Christ.

The semicolon between “unto” and “whom” in the middle of verse 16 splits the thoughts to make them easier to grasp. “Who only hath immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto; [different person] whom no man hath seen, nor can see: to whom be honour and power everlasting. Amen.”

The “who only hath… can approach unto” has already been established to mean Jesus Christ. The “whom no man hath seen, nor can see” must refer to someone else. As noted earlier, there are too many verses that prove that Jesus Christ was seen of men and can be seen of men. Returning to our list of people in verse 13, we use the process of elimination once again. It would be totally absurd for Scripture to say no man has seen or can see Paul, Timothy, or Pontius Pilate. The only person not accounted for is now Father God. Father God has to be Him “whom no man hath seen, nor can see.”

A colon, not a comma, immediately follows this, and the Bible text reads thereafter, “…to whom be honour and power everlasting. Amen.” This would have to be referring back to the beginning of the verse. The word “power” links to “Potentate” in verse 15, and the “only Potentate” (powerful), “the King of kings and the Lord of lords,” is none other than Jesus Christ (cf. Revelation 17:14 and Revelation 19:16).

In summation, with the persons’ names added, personally, I would read the passage as follows: “[13] I [Paul] give thee [Timothy] charge in the sight of God, [God/Father] who quickeneth all things, and before Christ Jesus, who [Jesus Christ] before Pontius Pilate witnessed a good confession; [14] That thou [Timothy] keep this commandment without spot, unrebukable, until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ: [15] [Our Lord Jesus Christ] Which in his times he shall shew, who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings, and Lord of lords; [16] [Our Lord Jesus Christ] Who only hath immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto; [God/Father] whom no man hath seen, nor can see: to whom [our Lord Jesus Christ] be honour and power everlasting. Amen.”

Also see:
» “No man hath seen God at any time?”
» Is the Trinity/Godhead a biblical concept?
» Can Jews who believe in God, the Father, but who reject Jesus, be saved from eternal damnation?

GOD, How can God be “jealous” and not be guilty of sin?

How can God be “jealous” and not be guilty of sin?

HOW CAN GOD BE “JEALOUS” AND NOT BE GUILTY OF SIN?

by Shawn Brasseaux

“They [Israel] provoked him to jealousy with strange gods, with abominations provoked they him to anger. They sacrificed unto devils, not to God; to gods whom they knew not, to new gods that came newly up, whom your fathers feared not. Of the Rock that begat thee thou art unmindful, and hast forgotten God that formed thee” (Deuteronomy 32:16-18).

Scripture uses the title “jealous God” six times for JEHOVAH:

  • Exodus 20:4-5: “[4] Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. [5] Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me;”
  • Exodus 34:14: “For thou shalt worship no other god: for the LORD, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God:”
  • Deuteronomy 4:24: “For the LORD thy God is a consuming fire, even a jealous God.”
  • Deuteronomy 5:8-9: “[8] Thou shalt not make thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the waters beneath the earth: [9] Thou shalt not bow down thyself unto them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me,”
  • Deuteronomy 6:15: “(For the LORD thy God is a jealous God among you) lest the anger of the Lord thy God be kindled against thee, and destroy thee from off the face of the earth.”
  • Joshua 24:19: “And Joshua said unto the people, Ye cannot serve the LORD: for he is an holy God; he is a jealous God; he will not forgive your transgressions nor your sins.”

Envy (not the same as “jealousy”) is a sin when we commit it (Romans 1:29; Romans 13:13; 1 Corinthians 3:3; Galatians 5:21; et al.). Wanting what others have—envy, coveting—is a sin. Jealously, however, involves wanting what belongs to you when someone else is using it for his or her pleasure.

Just as there is a godly anger (Matthew 5:22; Mark 3:5; Ephesians 4:26), there is a godly jealousy, God’s righteous jealousy. In the Old Testament, God continually reminded Israel that He was “jealous” over her. Prior to going into the Promised Land under Joshua, Moses warned Israel of her previous idolatrous ways. Once Israel went into that land, they were to destroy the pagan heathens and their idols (Exodus 34:11-17). Yet, even in God’s Promised Land, the Jews established pagan shrines to worthless idols (1 Kings 14:22-24; Psalm 78:58)! The LORD wanted Israel to Himself, and yet they ignored Him and adored vain, inanimate idols.

The Apostle Paul, filled with the Holy Ghost, warned members of the Body of Christ in Corinth about provoking the Lord to “jealousy” by fellowshipping with devils (1 Corinthians 10:20-22). Paul was “jealous” over the Body of Christ, instructing us to avoid satanic deception by holding to the doctrine in his epistles. Second Corinthians 11:1-4: “[1] Would to God ye could bear with me a little in my folly: and indeed bear with me. [2] For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ. [3] But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. [4] For if he that cometh preacheth another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if ye receive another spirit, which ye have not received, or another gospel, which ye have not accepted, ye might well bear with him.”

Throughout the Holy Scriptures, we see references to God as “jealous:”

  • Deuteronomy 32:16: “They provoked him to jealousy with strange gods, with abominations provoked they him to anger.”
  • Deuteronomy 32:21: “They have moved me to jealousy with that which is not God; they have provoked me to anger with their vanities: and I will move them to jealousy with those which are not a people; I will provoke them to anger with a foolish nation.”
  • Ezekiel 8:3: “And he put forth the form of an hand, and took me by a lock of mine head; and the spirit lifted me up between the earth and the heaven, and brought me in the visions of God to Jerusalem, to the door of the inner gate that looketh toward the north; where was the seat of the image of jealousy, which provoketh to jealousy.”
  • Ezekiel 36:5: “Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Surely in the fire of my jealousy have I spoken against the residue of the heathen, and against all Idumea, which have appointed my land into their possession with the joy of all their heart, with despiteful minds, to cast it out for a prey.”
  • Ezekiel 36:6: “Prophesy therefore concerning the land of Israel, and say unto the mountains, and to the hills, to the rivers, and to the valleys, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I have spoken in my jealousy and in my fury, because ye have borne the shame of the heathen:”
  • Ezekiel 39:25: “Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Now will I bring again the captivity of Jacob, and have mercy upon the whole house of Israel, and will be jealous for my holy name;”
  • Nahum 1:2: “God is jealous, and the LORD revengeth; the LORD revengeth, and is furious; the LORD will take vengeance on his adversaries, and he reserveth wrath for his enemies.”

God wants His people all to Himself—He does not want us mingling with the world’s idols (crucifixes, statues, religious paintings, selfishness, materialism, et cetera). In His omnipotence and omniscience, God is justified in being jealous over us because He alone deserves our praise, worship, dedication, and honor. After all, He is our Creator and our Saviour (if we have trusted in Him for salvation!).

SUPPLEMENTAL: THE LAW OF JEALOUSIES

In Numbers 5:11-31, part of the Mosaic Law, we read about something called “The Law of Jealousies.” To better understand how God being “jealous” is justified and not sin, we see what the (non-sinning) “jealous” husband was to do in the Mosaic system when he suspected his wife as being unfaithful.

Numbers chapter 5: “[11] And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, [12] Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, If any man’s wife go aside, and commit a trespass against him, [13] And a man lie with her carnally, and it be hid from the eyes of her husband, and be kept close, and she be defiled, and there be no witness against her, neither she be taken with the manner; [14] And the spirit of jealousy come upon him, and he be jealous of his wife, and she be defiled: or if the spirit of jealousy come upon him, and he be jealous of his wife, and she be not defiled: [15] Then shall the man bring his wife unto the priest, and he shall bring her offering for her, the tenth part of an ephah of barley meal; he shall pour no oil upon it, nor put frankincense thereon; for it is an offering of jealousy, an offering of memorial, bringing iniquity to remembrance.”

Numbers chapter 5: “[16] And the priest shall bring her near, and set her before the LORD: [17] And the priest shall take holy water in an earthen vessel; and of the dust that is in the floor of the tabernacle the priest shall take, and put it into the water: [18] And the priest shall set the woman before the LORD, and uncover the woman’s head, and put the offering of memorial in her hands, which is the jealousy offering: and the priest shall have in his hand the bitter water that causeth the curse: [19] And the priest shall charge her by an oath, and say unto the woman, If no man have lain with thee, and if thou hast not gone aside to uncleanness with another instead of thy husband, be thou free from this bitter water that causeth the curse: [20] But if thou hast gone aside to another instead of thy husband, and if thou be defiled, and some man have lain with thee beside thine husband: [21] Then the priest shall charge the woman with an oath of cursing, and the priest shall say unto the woman, The LORD make thee a curse and an oath among thy people, when the LORD doth make thy thigh to rot, and thy belly to swell; [22] And this water that causeth the curse shall go into thy bowels, to make thy belly to swell, and thy thigh to rot: And the woman shall say, Amen, amen. [23] And the priest shall write these curses in a book, and he shall blot them out with the bitter water: [24] And he shall cause the woman to drink the bitter water that causeth the curse: and the water that causeth the curse shall enter into her, and become bitter.”

Numbers chapter 5: “[25] Then the priest shall take the jealousy offering out of the woman’s hand, and shall wave the offering before the LORD, and offer it upon the altar: [26] And the priest shall take an handful of the offering, even the memorial thereof, and burn it upon the altar, and afterward shall cause the woman to drink the water. [27] And when he hath made her to drink the water, then it shall come to pass, that, if she be defiled, and have done trespass against her husband, that the water that causeth the curse shall enter into her, and become bitter, and her belly shall swell, and her thigh shall rot: and the woman shall be a curse among her people. [28] And if the woman be not defiled, but be clean; then she shall be free, and shall conceive seed.”

Numbers chapter 5: “[29] This is the law of jealousies, when a wife goeth aside to another instead of her husband, and is defiled; [30] Or when the spirit of jealousy cometh upon him, and he be jealous over his wife, and shall set the woman before the LORD, and the priest shall execute upon her all this law. [31] Then shall the man be guiltless from iniquity, and this woman shall bear her iniquity.”

Also see:
» Was God unfair to punish us for Adam’s sin?
» Was God unfair in striking Uzzah dead?
» Why did God get angry with Balaam in Numbers 22?

BIBLE VERSIONS AND MANUSCRIPTS, GOD, Which belongs in Romans 8:16 and Romans 8:26 in the King James Bible—“the Spirit itself” or “the Spirit Himself?”, Which belongs in Romans 8:16 and Romans 8:26 in the King James Bible—“the Spirit itself” or “the Spirit Himself?”

Which belongs in Romans 8:16 and Romans 8:26 in the King James Bible—“the Spirit itself” or “the Spirit Himself?”

WHICH BELONGS IN ROMANS 8:16 AND ROMANS 8:26 IN THE KING JAMES BIBLE—“THE SPIRIT ITSELF” OR “THE SPIRIT HIMSELF?”

by Shawn Brasseaux

Notice the following verses as they appear in the Authorized Version King James Bible. Romans 8:16 reads: “The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:….” And, verse 26: “Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.” 

Textual critics and their followers fault the King James Bible because it uses the pronoun “itself” when referring to God the Holy Spirit. As you can see, it was surely not a mistake because the word appears twice. Why did our 1611 translators use this pronoun instead of employing the term “Himself?” Did they not regard the Holy Spirit as a Person? Were they denying the Deity of the Holy Spirit? Let us investigate!

Usually, when people criticize the King James Bible and offer some “better translation” or “better reading,” they are not qualified to make such a determination. I know because I used to be one of those people. Ignorant of Bible history, ignorant of Bible languages, and ignorant of sound Bible doctrine, I too was a detractor of the King James Bible. What caused me to change my position?

Firstly, instead of questioning my Bible, I decided to quit playing the hypocrite. If I claimed to be a “Bible believer” then I had better believe the Bible. I stopped being a Bible doubter and turned into a Bible believer. Do not misunderstand me; I had trusted Jesus Christ alone as my personal Saviour many years earlier. However, during that time, I had been taught that the King James Bible had mistakes and that I could not trust it 100 percent. Nevertheless, one day, I determined that if the King James Bible was trustworthy enough for me to depend on its Gospel of Grace as means of my getting into Heaven, then surely the rest of it was also true and worthy of my faith. If I could rely on its testimony for the major issue (justification unto eternal life), then why not believe the rest of its words?

Secondly, I quit repeating what others said about the Bible versions issue and started doing firsthand research for many years. I read up on world history, church history, and Bible history. I compared various Bible versions (in English and Greek). The more I studied, the more I realized the less I had been told all those years prior. While many had downplayed it as petty, I came to understand the Bible versions issue to be one of the most important matters in life. After justification and salvation unto eternal life in Christ, the Bible versions debate is the second most critical issue. The third is dispensational Bible study (which time and space, unfortunately, do not allow us to discuss here).

Now, we reread Romans 8:16: “The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:….” And, verse 26: “Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.” The King James Bible is criticized for having “the Spirit itself… the Spirit itself” since nearly all modern English versions say “the Spirit Himself…. the Spirit Himself” (including the New King James Version). To avoid controversy altogether, some versions will say “that very Spirit,” “the same Spirit,” or “God’s Spirit.” (Cleverly, they use neither “itself” nor “himself.”)

Notice the following classic anti-KJV rant as it pertains to this issue: “The King James translators did not believe in the personality of the Holy Spirit. They called Him an ‘it.’ The word should be ‘Himself’ rather than ‘itself!’ The Holy Spirit is a ‘Him’ and not an ‘it!’” Some have even gone so far as to change the King James text when reading it aloud. One Bible commentator, for example, when writing about Romans 8:16, actually removed “itself” entirely and replaced it with a bracketed “Himself.” This is not an isolated incident. Many do it, which only further plays into the confusion.

The above careless handling of the Scriptures is the result of nothing more than laziness on the faultfinder’s part. He likely does not view this as an opportunity to make the truth clearer; he, in his sinful mind, sees it as a chance to sit in judgment of God’s Holy Word and take its place as the final authority. After all, the man has been taught to have an anti-King-James-Bible position at his seminary, Bible College, university, local church, Bible class, and so on. He has learned from so many that the King James Bible and its underlying Greek text is “marred with mistakes.” This brainwashing has caused him to imagine an error everywhere he looks in the Authorized Version. God needs his education to “fix” or “improve” the Bible. He cannot turn one page of the Authorized Version without making that damnable critical remark, “This is a poor translation… the ‘oldest and best’ manuscripts read, blah, blah, blah….” It is sad, but it is true. Long ago, I was there, my friends. Never do I want to return to such pathetic spiritual ignorance!

When a preacher or theologian complains “itself” should be “Himself,” the average Bible reader automatically shouts, “Amen!” After all, the speaker went to seminary for many years. They should be able to tell us “just what God meant in His Word,” right? Well, just remember, not everyone who stands in the pulpit with a Bible is a servant of the God of the Bible. Not everyone who names the name of Jesus Christ is a servant of Jesus Christ. Not everyone who reads Greek and Hebrew believes the Bible text in Greek and Hebrew! (The same could be said of English-speaking people and the English Bible!) No one will bother to research why “itself” appears where it does in the Bible text… but we will. We want answers, and we are determined to find them!

So, why did our 1611 translators write “itself” twice? Here is how the Textus Receptus, the Greek text underlying the King James Bible New Testament, reads at the problematic points of Romans 8:16 and Romans 8:26:

Greek — Aὐτὸ τὸ πνεῦμα … αὐτὸ τὸ πνεῦμα
Transliteration — auto to pneuma … auto to pneuma
Translation — itself the Spirit … itself the Spirit

“Auto” must be rendered “itself” and not “himself” because “spirit” is a neuter noun (neither masculine nor feminine). You cannot have a male emphatic pronoun (“himself”) modify the neuter noun “pneuma,” and neither can you have a female emphatic pronoun (“herself”) modify the neuter pronoun “pneuma.” To be faithful to the Greek language of the New Testament, you must translate it as, “the Spirit itself.” (Since English and Greek are structured differently, we have to rearrange the words for the English to make sense—“itself the Spirit” in the Greek order is correctly read in English as, “the Spirit itself.”) The King James Bible is true to Greek here; you cannot say this about modern English versions. Contemporary translators altered the Bible text just to make it easy reading; of course, they did violence to Scripture in not adequately carrying the Greek thought.

The Holy Spirit is certainly a Person, but we do not need to violate the Greek Bible in Romans 8:16 and Romans 8:26 to prove it. For example, the Holy Spirit is said to be God in Acts 5:3-4. The Holy Spirit has the ability to know information and teach with words, so He must be a Person rather than some inanimate force (1 Corinthians 2:10-13). The Holy Spirit is said to “dwell,” or live, within the Christian that is His “temple” (2 Timothy 1:14; 1 Corinthians 6:19). The Holy Spirit can speak and warn, as 1 Timothy 4:1 and Acts 28:25 say. The Holy Spirit can be “grieved,” or saddened, which certainly means He is a Person because only a rational Being has emotions (Ephesians 4:30). We could go on and on with dozens of other verses, but these are enough to prove that the King James Bible translators believed in the Deity and Person of the Holy Spirit. They were also superb Greek, Hebrew, and English scholars. Above all, they let that Holy Spirit use them in a mighty way. Now, we can benefit because we have their Holy Bible. Beloved, may we never get that critical, ungrateful, conceited, pessimistic attitude that so many anti-KJV people suffer from today.

CONCLUSION

Dear friends, we see that our King James Bible translators had a valid linguistic reason for handling Romans 8:16 and Romans 8:26 the way they did. They are unfairly criticized here (as in numerous other places).

“Spirit” in Greek (pneuma) is neuter, without gender; “itself” (auto) also being genderless, is the proper pronoun to modify “Spirit.” “Spirit itself”—not “Spirit Himself”—is the correct reading in both verses. There is no mistranslation… except in the modern versions! The next time you hear someone complaining about “the Spirit itself” in the King James Bible as being wrong, just remember to write that individual off as ill-informed. Maybe they just do not know any better; or, perhaps they are willfully ignorant. Whatever the case, they are wrong. They do not have a clue about how the Greek language works and how our 1611 translators knew the Greek language more than they and all their “theological heroes” will ever know.

Here is indisputable proof of how English-speaking people have been trained to attack our King James Bible, the English Bible, in extremely unfair ways. May we guard against the Adversary’s subtle attacks of always trying to question God’s Word (Genesis 3:1)!

Also see:
» Is “excellent” a King James mistranslation in Philippians 1:10?
» Why does the King James Bible say, “pisseth against the wall?”
» Is the King James word “borrow” a mistranslation in Exodus 3:22?

DISPENSATIONAL BIBLE STUDY, GOD, GRACE (CHRISTIAN) LIVING, Is grieving the Holy Spirit forgivable?, Is grieving the Holy Spirit forgivable?, Is grieving the Holy Spirit forgivable?

Is grieving the Holy Spirit forgivable?

IS GRIEVING THE HOLY SPIRIT FORGIVABLE?

by Shawn Brasseaux

Recently, I heard a denominational preacher say that grieving the Holy Spirit was not forgivable. Is he correct? Or, is he one of the many pastors leading our churches today who does not have a clue about what the Bible really says? We will investigate and see “For what saith the Scriptures?”

Only one verse in the Bible talks about “grieving the Holy Spirit.” That Scripture is Ephesians 4:30: “And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.” Actually, if you noticed, the Bible says that the Holy Spirit has “sealed”—branded as God’s property, preserved or secured—us Christians until “the day of redemption.” Romans 8:23 defines that “day of redemption” as follows: “And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.” The “day of redemption” is the bodily resurrection of Christians—commonly called the Rapture. It will occur to close this the Dispensation of the Grace of God, that Israel’s prophetic program resume where it paused nearly 2,000 years ago.

Ephesians 4:30 says that the Holy Spirit will never leave the Christian. The warning in Ephesians 4:30 is not “grieve not the Holy Spirit or He will forsake you.” Ephesians 4:30 does not read, “Grieve not the Holy Spirit, lest you not be forgiven.” This would imply a loss of salvation, which is evidently what that aforementioned denominational preacher believed. He did not give his church members any assurance or confidence. All he did was generate doubt in their minds. I was not surprised because the man has been an apostate on a variety of subjects for decades. Had he had a better reputation for Bible handling, I would have given him the benefit of the doubt that he had merely misspoken. Knowing what I know about his theology, however, I am quite convinced that he meant just what he said—“It is hard to do, but when you do it, grieving the Holy Spirit is unforgivable.”

How could this well-known preacher be so wrong, though? Friend, you would have to ask him and let him tell you. I do know that he does not approach the Bible dispensationally—that is his main problem. He, like many, is so denominationally minded that religious tradition means more to him than the words of the Almighty God. This very topic would be a case in point. What happened here is that he confused grieving the Holy Spirit with blaspheming against the Holy Spirit. The latter is often called “the unpardonable sin,” and rightly so. Jesus Christ Himself warned His audience that if they spoke against (blasphemed) the Holy Spirit, it would never be forgiven them. Notice the Bible’s two references to blasphemy against the Holy Spirit. Do not take my word for it. Look at the verses—and notice where they are in the layout of Scripture!

Firstly, the Lord Jesus affirmed in Matthew 12:31-32: “[31] Wherefore I say unto you, All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men: but the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven unto men. [32] And whosoever speaketh a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but whosoever speaketh against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world, neither in the world to come.” Secondly, Mark 3:28-30, the parallel passage: “[28] Verily I say unto you, All sins shall be forgiven unto the sons of men, and blasphemies wherewith soever they shall blaspheme: [29] But he that shall blaspheme against the Holy Ghost hath never forgiveness, but is in danger of eternal damnation. [30] Because they said, He hath an unclean spirit.”

People do not know how to handle verses dispensationally so they try to make them all fit together, applicable to and descriptive of one event. Instead of approaching the Bible dispensationally, they mix Israel’s verses with verses about the Church the Body of Christ. That is, they take the “grieving” of the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 4:30) and equate that with “blasphemy against” the Holy Spirit (Matthew 12:31-32; Mark 3:28-30). This will not work—this is why church people get confused. God’s Word is not being rightly divided. Dispensational boundaries are not being respected. Second Timothy 2:15 says: “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” Paul in Ephesians 4:30, and Jesus in Matthew 12:31-32 and Mark 3:28-30, are talking about totally separate matters, in totally separate dispensations, to totally separate audiences.

Never once does the Apostle Paul, in his Books of Romans through Philemon, warn any of the Gentile believers that they (or we, the Church the Body of Christ) should be careful not to speak a word against the Holy Ghost. We are never told that blaspheming against the Holy Spirit is something Christians can even do in the Dispensation of Grace. Again, check the Pauline epistles of Romans through Philemon. Never once is any member of the Body of Christ guilty of blaspheming against the Holy Spirit; nor is there a warning that a Christian can commit such a sin. Blasphemy against the Holy Spirit was a sin that unbelievers committed. More specifically, it was what unbelieving Israel was guilty of doing in her prophetic program: ultimately, it was a national sin. Remember, Jesus Christ’s earthly ministry—including Matthew 12:31-32 and Mark 3:28-30—were spoken to and about the nation Israel and her prophetic program (Matthew 10:5-7; Matthew 15:24; John 4:22; Romans 9:5; Romans 15:8). Paul is “the apostle of the Gentiles” (Romans 11:13), God’s spokesman to us Gentiles, Paul being the man to whom God entrusted the mystery program, the Dispensation of the Grace of God, and the Church the Body of Christ (Ephesians 3:1-11).

Israel had rejected John the Baptist whom Father God had sent to them (John 1:6). They had rejected Jesus Christ, God the Son, by nailing Him to Calvary’s cross (although that was forgiven—Luke 23:34; cf. Matthew 12:32 and Mark 3:28). When the Holy Spirit came down from Heaven in Acts chapter 2, and filled the 12 Apostles, unbelieving Israel began to persecute those men for preaching Jesus Christ. Time and time again, Israel demonstrated her complete disinterest in becoming God’s people. By Acts chapter 7, Stephen, filled with the Holy Ghost, condemned Israel for repeatedly rebelling against God. Israel took Stephen and stoned him, the culmination of the nation’s refusal to listen to the Holy Spirit’s testimony during the Acts period. Israel would blaspheme the Holy Spirit no longer. She fell before God nationally, and her prophetic program was paused, albeit temporarily (see Romans chapter 11). For more information, see our two related studies linked at the end of this article—“Have I blasphemed against the Holy Spirit?” and “Why did Jesus Christ stand in Acts 7:55-56?” Time and space do not permit us to discuss these in-depth topics here.

“GRIEVE NOT” THE HOLY SPIRIT OF GOD?

Now that we understand that the blasphemy against the Holy Spirit does not apply to us in this the Dispensation of Grace, whereas grieving the Holy Spirit does apply to us, how specifically do we “grieve” Him? “And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.” Let us do a brief word study, surveying related verses.

The same Greek word for “grieve” (lopeo) is elsewhere rendered in our King James Bible as—Herod “sorry” for having to behead John the Baptist to please Herodias’ daughter (Matthew 14:9), the Apostles “sorry” upon hearing of Jesus’ death (Matthew 17:23), the “sorrowful” and materialistic rich man who went away after refusing to sell his possessions (Matthew 19:22; Mark 10:22—“grieved”), the Apostles “sorrowful” when they learned of Christ’s betrayal (Matthew 26:22; Mark 14:19), Christ “sorrowful” on the night before His death (Matthew 26:37), Christ said His disciples would be “sorrowful” when He would leave them (John 16:20), Peter was “grieved” when Jesus asked him the third time if he loved Him (John 21:17), the weaker Christian is “grieved” when the stronger brother uses his liberty to offend him (Romans 14:15), Paul’s writing to Corinth made these wayward Christians “sorry” (2 Corinthians 2:2; 2 Corinthians 7:8-9,11), Paul did not intend to “grieve” the Corinthians by reproving them for all their mistakes (2 Corinthians 2:4-5), Paul and his ministry companions being as “sorrowful” and yet alway rejoicing (2 Corinthians 6:10), we are encouraged to “sorrow not” concerning those Christians who have died and gone on to be with the Lord (1 Corinthians 4:13), and the circumcision believers during the Antichrist’s reign will be in “heaviness” (1 Peter 1:6).

In light of the above verses, when Scripture says “grieve not the holy Spirit of God,” we appreciate the gravity of the term “grieve.” It carries the meaning of intense sorrow, sadness, or distress—very strong language. When we walk contrary to what the indwelling Holy Spirit wants to do in and through us, we make Him immensely sad or sorrowful. Why? We are living contrary to who we are in Jesus Christ. By the way, we see that, contrary to what cults teach, the Holy Spirit is a Person, not a “force.” Only something living could be “grieved” (a force does not experience emotions). Let us look at some other related verses.

We are instructed in 1 Thessalonians 5:19: “Quench not the Spirit.” The idea here is “hinder not the Spirit.” Philippians 2:13 explains: “For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.” When we stop the indwelling Holy Spirit from working in us, then He is displeased (in the words of Ephesians 4:30—“grieved”). That is, when we refuse to take a stand by faith on the grace doctrines committed to the Apostle Paul, we are devoid of God’s power. The Holy Spirit needs that sound Bible doctrine to work in us; otherwise, we will fall back on the flesh and engage in worldly behavior. Sin will dominate us if we ignore God’s grace given to us in Christ (and communicated to us by the epistles of the Apostle Paul).

First Thessalonians 2:13 adds to what we have already discovered: “For this cause also thank we God without ceasing, because, when ye received the word of God which ye heard of us, ye received it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which effectually worketh also in you that believe.” Faith/trust in the rightly divided Word of God is the key to have God’s power working in and through you, friend! This is how you avoid grieving the Holy Spirit. First Thessalonians 4:1 says: “Furthermore then we beseech you, brethren, and exhort you by the Lord Jesus, that as ye have received of us how ye ought to walk and to please God, so ye would abound more and more.” This is the opposite of grieving the Holy Spirit. Grieving the Holy Spirit is when you displease God in your Christian walk, when your conduct does not match your identity in Christ. You are living like a sinner when you should be living like a saint!

The “grieving” of the Holy Spirit, while tragic, is most certainly forgivable. In fact, if it were not forgivable, not even Christians would ever go to Heaven. There has never been a Christian believer on Earth who lived a sinless life. All Christians past or present have been guilty of preventing the Holy Spirit from working in their lives at some point. It could have been instances of bad thoughts, times of lying or gossiping, cases of idolatry (self-worship, people-worship, education-worship, et cetera), phases of pride, instances of violence, times of profanity, situations of denominational doctrines, and so on. These were all future when the Lord Jesus Christ died. We have been forgiven them for Christ’s sake (Ephesians 4:32—forgiveness is in the context of Ephesians 4:30 I might add!). Now, we need to learn from those mistakes, walking daily in the forgiveness that Father God has given us.

We read the following in Ephesians 5:18, “And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit.” The implication is that, while all Christians have the indwelling Holy Spirit, He does not control them at all times. To wit, they frequently “quench” Him (1 Thessalonians 5:18). They are “grieving” Him at those times (Ephesians 4:30). When the Spirit of God is not guiding the Christian, the condition is called carnality (“carnal” meaning “fleshly”)—see 1 Corinthians 3:1-3. This is certainly forgivable, though, as we have already stated. But, let us take it a step further.

You can see the two extremes of carnality by looking at Paul’s two epistles to Corinth and his epistle to Galatia. The Corinthians were motivated by human wisdom whereas the Galatians were motivated by human works, the Mosaic Law. Corinth embraced the wisdom of men; Galatia embraced the Law of Moses (non-dispensational Scripture). Both groups of Christians were operating apart from God’s grace; therefore, their lifestyles were not pleasing to Him. They were all “grieving” the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 4:30)—they were all hindering and saddening Him. “Which things also we speak, not in the words which man’s wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual” (1 Corinthians 2:13). The Holy Spirit does not use man’s wisdom to teach spiritual truths. Additionally, the Spirit of God will never lead a believer in the Dispensation of Grace to be under the legalistic demands of religion (including the Law of Moses). “But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law” (Galatians 5:18). But, does that mean we can live however we please? No!

The Law has no place in our lives as righteous people (1 Timothy 1:9)—a law system only shows us that we need a Saviour, and we already recognized this truth when we came to Christ as Saviour. As Christians, God’s grace teaches us how to live—unlike the Law, Grace equips us with the power necessary to walk in the ways of righteousness. Titus 2:11-15 says: “[11] For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, [12] Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; [13] Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; [14] Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works. [15] These things speak, and exhort, and rebuke with all authority. Let no man despise thee.”

Though we are not saved by works, we are saved unto (the goal being) good works. Ephesians 2:8-10 sets forth this simple truth: “[8] For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: [9] Not of works, lest any man should boast. [10] For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.” God does not save us just to keep us out of Hell. He wants to live His life in and through us. This is accomplished by we learning of the provisions He has given us in Jesus Christ His Son. We study the Pauline epistles, Romans through Philemon, and we believe what we read. Then, we apply by faith the verses to the details of our lives, and the Holy Spirit brings to life in our lives those verses we read and believed. This is how we “grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby [we] are sealed unto the day of redemption.” Since He has “sealed” (preserved) us until the day we go to Heaven, it only makes sense that we, until we leave this planet, cooperate with Him by faith! When we make a mistake—and we will—He will be grieved but we will be forgiven. How do we recover? We renew our minds and trust with our hearts the grace principles found in the Pauline epistles!

Also see:
» Have I blasphemed against the Holy Spirit?
» Why did Jesus Christ stand in Acts 7:55-56?
» What is the Lord’s will for my Christian life?

GOD, How can God hear all the prayers of all Christians?, How can God hear all the prayers of all Christians?, PRAYER

How can God hear all the prayers of all Christians?

HOW CAN GOD HEAR ALL THE PRAYERS OF ALL CHRISTIANS?

by Shawn Brasseaux

Friend, have you ever wondered how God can hear the prayers of millions of Christians all around the world? Are these words not all thoroughly jumbled by the time they get up to Heaven? All the speculation aside, does the Bible provide any light on this subject? Let us see!

At its most basic level, prayer is an “inner-man” issue. Long before words are uttered using physical lips and literal tongues, a heart attitude (thoughts) forms those words. Thus, technically speaking, before any audible voice (vocalization) occurs, God reads the human thoughts underlying the prayer. Scripture says that God “knows” and “tries” the hearts of men. The idea here is an intimate evaluation or examination. Above all, He is looking for faith, any soul that trusts His Word: “But without faith it is impossible to please him; for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him” (Hebrews 11:6). Notice how God scrutinizes the heart of every person:

  • 1 Kings 8:39: “Then hear thou in heaven thy dwelling place, and forgive, and do, and give to every man according to his ways, whose heart thou knowest; (for thou, even thou only, knowest the hearts of all the children of men; )”
  • 1 Chronicles 28:9: “And thou, Solomon my son, know thou the God of thy father, and serve him with a perfect heart and with a willing mind: for the LORD searcheth all hearts, and understandeth all the imaginations of the thoughts: if thou seek him, he will be found of thee; but if thou forsake him, he will cast thee off for ever.”
  • 2 Chronicles 6:30: “Then hear thou from heaven thy dwelling place, and forgive, and render unto every man according unto all his ways, whose heart thou knowest; (for thou only knowest the hearts of the children of men: )”
  • Psalm 7:9: “Oh let the wickedness of the wicked come to an end; but establish the just: for the righteous God trieth the hearts and reins.”
  • Proverbs 15:11: “Hell and destruction are before the LORD: how much more then the hearts of the children of men?”
  • Proverbs 17:3: “The fining pot is for silver, and the furnace for gold: but the LORD trieth the hearts.”
  • Proverbs 21:2: “Every way of a man is right in his own eyes: but the LORD pondereth the hearts.”
  • Matthew 9:4: “And Jesus knowing their thoughts said, Wherefore think ye evil in your hearts?”
  • Mark 2:6-8: “[6] But there was certain of the scribes sitting there, and reasoning in their hearts, [7] Why doth this man thus speak blasphemies? who can forgive sins but God only? [8] And immediately when Jesus perceived in his spirit that they so reasoned within themselves, he said unto them, Why reason ye these things in your hearts?”
  • Luke 5:22: “But when Jesus perceived their thoughts, he answering said unto them, What reason ye in your hearts?”
  • Luke 16:15: “And he said unto them, Ye are they which justify yourselves before men; but God knoweth your hearts: for that which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God.”
  • Luke 24:38: “And he said unto them, Why are ye troubled? and why do thoughts arise in your hearts?”
  • Acts 1:24: “And they prayed, and said, Thou, Lord, which knowest the hearts of all men, shew whether of these two thou hast chosen,”
  • Acts 15:8-9: “[8] And God, which knoweth the hearts, bare them witness, giving them the Holy Ghost, even as he did unto us; [9] And put no difference between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith.”
  • Romans 8:27: “And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God.”
  • 1 Corinthians 4:5: “Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts: and then shall every man have praise of God.”
  • 1 Thessalonians 2:4: “But as we were allowed of God to be put in trust with the gospel, even so we speak; not as pleasing men, but God, which trieth our hearts.”

Since God is God, He knows every intricate detail in His creation. He is aware of every thought, whether good or bad. If He could create the heaven and the earth ex nihilo, spoken and brought out of nothing, and the Bible leaves no doubt about it, then nothing about His abilities should surprise us. If He designed and fashioned the first human heart from nothing—“heart” here is the innermost being, not the physical blood-pumping muscle—then He knows precisely how it operates. He knows where those thoughts/attitudes/feelings are stored and how to access them. This is an important concept that millions upon millions of church members need to learn even today.

We must be careful to not simply repeat words we find on a prayer card or in a prayer book. People around us can only hear those words that we speak, but God can see right into the heart. He knows whether we are sincerely communicating to Him, having a heart-to-heart conversation, or just guilty of following some religion’s demands. We can fool anyone and everyone into thinking we have good intentions—however, God is not deceived. He looks beyond audible words, right into our (invisible) thoughts, our innermost being. He knows whether we are thinking about His Word, willing to pray according to sound Bible doctrine, or simply mindlessly repeating some pre-written prayer just so we can gratify our priest, preacher, denomination. Remember this well, friend, remember this well! Again, remember this well, friend, remember this well!

There is something else to consider regarding the topic of prayer. Concerning believers in Christ, there is an indwelling Holy Spirit (third member of the Godhead). Earlier, we looked at Romans 8:27. Now we read it with the verse previous. The Bible declares in Romans 8:26-27: “[26] Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. [27] And he that searcheth the hearts [Father God] knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God.”

God the Father searches (examines) the hearts, and the Holy Spirit intercedes for us when we pray. Verse 34 says Jesus Christ sits at God’s right hand and intercedes for us as well. First Timothy 2:5 tells us, “For there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus.” We approach God the Father in prayer on the basis of the merits of His Son, Jesus Christ, and His selfless sacrifice on Calvary for our sins. This is the meaning of, “Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ” (Ephesians 5:20).

Ultimately, prayer is an intricate collaboration between the three members of the Godhead. We pray to God the Father, approaching Him by the merits of God the Son, enlightened and empowered by God the Holy Spirit. All three Persons play a role in our prayer life. The Holy Spirit, who lives in the hearts of us Christians, knows our prayer before we even speak it. Furthermore, we do not have to worry about God having an “information overload,” or all the prayers being jumbled. The triune Godhead is all-powerful, so all three Members can process all of those millions of prayers every day, without any difficulty.

Also see:
» What about the “sinner’s prayer?”
» How do I pray with the Apostle Paul?
» How can I have an effectual prayer life?

BIBLE VERSIONS AND MANUSCRIPTS, GOD, Is Jesus Christ God’s “one and only Son” or “only begotten Son?”, Is Jesus Christ God’s “one and only Son” or “only begotten Son?”

Is Jesus Christ God’s “one and only Son” or “only begotten Son?”

IS JESUS CHRIST GOD’S “ONE AND ONLY SON” OR “ONLY BEGOTTEN SON?”

by Shawn Brasseaux

One of the disadvantages of modern English Bibles is that they tremendously alter the way English-speaking Christians think and converse. Phrases that have been associated with Christianity for decades or centuries have been dropped because they have been reworded. Consequently, many Christians use new Bible terms and employ new phrases because they are using new “bibles.” They are saying things differently than the standard way Christians have stated biblical teachings for centuries (this allows for intentional, and even deliberate, doctrinal modifications). With modern English versions now competing with the 405-year-old King James Bible, there is no longer a common Christian voice. Every church member is now quoting from his or her own “preferred” Bible translation. Remember, to obtain a copyright, translators of all modern English versions must make substantial word changes to the Bible text. With every new translation comes a further weakening of the one Christian voice God intended. Just listen to Christian people as they all read the same verse from their favorite version—it is nothing but convolution and confusion!

Take the issue of calling Jesus Christ “God’s one and only Son” (modern versions) versus “God’s only begotten Son” (King James Bible). You used to hear and read “God’s only begotten Son” in Christian preaching and literature. Now, you usually hear and read “God’s only and one Son.” On the surface, this seems insignificant. However, it is a serious problem. Firstly, some Bible readers are calling Jesus one thing and other Bible readers are calling Him something else. Secondly… well… let us just say it communicates a major doctrinal error we must skillfully expose and swiftly correct!

The expression “only begotten” is the Greek word monogenes, which literally means, “only generated.” It appears six times in the King James Bible—John 1:14, John 1:18, John 3:16, John 3:18, Hebrews 11:17, and 1 John 4:9. The one in Hebrews is about Isaac; the other five refer to Jesus Christ. We will look briefly at those verses now:

  • John 1:14: “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 1:18: “No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.”
  • John 3:16: “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.”
  • John 3:18: “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.”
  • Hebrews 11:17: “By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac: and he that had received the promises offered up his only begotten son,”
  • 1 John 4:9: “In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him.

The New International Version (NIV), which is perhaps the most popular modern English “bible” today, completely eliminates “begotten” from the above verses. Rather than reading “God’s only begotten Son,” it says “God’s one and only Son.” The same is true of other popular modern translations—English Standard Version (ESV), Contemporary English Version (CEV), Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB), The Message (MSG), New Living Translation (NLT), Revised Standard Version (RSV), New Revised Standard Version (NRSV), and New American (Catholic) Bible (NAB). In all fairness, it should be pointed out that the New American Standard Bible (NASB), New King James Version (NKJV), and American Standard Version (ASV), keep the phrase “only begotten” in all five verses (agreeing with the King James Bible). Although, in John 1:18, the NASB has the phrase “only begotten God” rather than “only begotten Son,” thereby supporting the ancient Arian heresy that Jesus was some “created God!”

So, friend, I bet you are wondering why we could not call the Lord Jesus merely “God’s one and only Son?” It is technically incorrect—especially for a so-called “bible”—to call Jesus “God’s one and only Son.” God has many sons according to the Bible (no matter what version you use!). For example, angels are called “the sons of God” (Job 38:7). Adam, the first man, being a direct creation of God, is called “the son of God” (Luke 3:38). In John 1:12, we read about believing Jews who became “the sons of God.” We members of the Church the Body of Christ are called “the sons of God” (Romans 8:14). See, friend, God has millions of “sons.” It is therefore foolish when so-called “educated” Bible translators call the Lord Jesus “God’s one and only Son.” They are outright contradicting these verses—even in their own translations! Moreover, they are demonstrating their Bible ignorance in yet another manner.

Why is the term “begotten” so important? Why should we use the King James Bible expression “the only begotten Son of God?” “Begotten” is a unique title; thus, to eliminate it is to diminish the Lord Jesus Christ’s special status as “begotten.” Why is “begotten” so important when referring to Him? “Begat” means “to give life to.” The first 16 verses of Matthew chapter 1 easily demonstrate this. You can read about numerous men fathering sons. For example, verse 2 says: “Abraham begat Isaac; and Isaac begat Jacob; and Jacob begat Judas and his brethren….” This verb “begat” is related to the adjective “begotten.”

When the King James Bible calls Jesus Christ “God’s only begotten Son” in the Book of John and in the Book of 1 John, it links back to an Old Testament concept found in the Book of Psalms. If we remove “begotten,” as the modern English versions have done, then we lose the connection to Psalm 2:7, which says: “I will declare the decree: the LORD hath said unto me, Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee.”

Now, when did Jesus Christ become the “only begotten Son of God?” When was Psalm 2:7 fulfilled? The common assumption is when He was born in Bethlehem of Judaea. However, the Bible teaches something else. Acts 13:33-34 makes the truth quite plain: “[33] God hath fulfilled the same unto us their children, in that he hath raised up Jesus again; as it is also written in the second psalm, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee. [34] And as concerning that he raised him up from the dead, now no more to return to corruption, he said on this wise, I will give you the sure mercies of David.” According to the Apostle Paul, led by the Holy Spirit to preach Acts 13:33-34, Psalm 2:7 is properly interpreted as being fulfilled at Jesus Christ’s resurrection. It was at the resurrection that Father God gave Jesus life—He became God’s “only begotten Son” at His resurrection in the tomb. For reinforcement, we look at some auxiliary verses.

  • Hebrews 5:5: “So also Christ glorified not himself to be made an high priest; but he that said unto him, Thou art my Son, to day have I begotten” (According to the writer of the Book of Hebrews, Father God resurrected Jesus in order to ordain Him as Israel’s high priest.)
  • Revelation 1:5: “And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood….” (The expression “first begotten of the dead” again tells us that “begotten” is connected to resurrection. “First begotten” is defined even further in Colossians 1:18, which we appeal to next.)
  • Colossians 1:18: “And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence.” (God the Son, Christ Jesus, is called “the firstborn from the dead” because His resurrection is the first of many subsequent resurrections.)

CONCLUSION

Father God has many sons, but He has one “only begotten Son.” It is therefore incorrect to call Jesus “God’s one and only Son” as some modern English versions do. The Lord Jesus Christ is rightly called in the King James Bible, “the only begotten Son of God.” Furthermore, the word “begotten” refers to His resurrection, actually, not His birth in Bethlehem as often supposed (cf. Acts 13:33-34). Jesus Christ is the first son that Father God has raised from the dead: He is the “firstborn from the dead” and “first begotten of the dead” in the sense that there are more sons to follow Him in resurrection. (This is why Christ is called “the firstfruits” of resurrection in 1 Corinthians 15:23. Firstfruits are the few plants that ripen before the main harvest matures.) Father God resurrected Jesus Christ. He will resurrect Israel’s believing remnant one day. He will also resurrect us the Church the Body of Christ one day. All of these sons of God are one giant line of resurrected beings in Father God’s purpose and plan. As of right now though, Jesus Christ is “the only begotten Son of God.” Leave the King James Bible text alone and just believe it and rejoice in its simple truths!

Saints, please remember us in your monthly giving. You can donate securely here: https://www.paypal.me/ShawnBrasseaux, or email me at arcministries@gmail.com. Do not forget about Bible Q&A booklets for sale at https://arcgraceministries.org/in-print/booklets-bible-q-a/. Thanks to all who give to and pray for us! 🙂

Also see:
» What does God mean, “I am Alpha and Omega?”
» What does “Lord of Sabaoth” mean?
» Did Jesus “empty Himself?”

BIBLE VERSIONS AND MANUSCRIPTS, Did Jesus “empty” Himself?, Did Jesus “empty” Himself?, GOD

Did Jesus “empty” Himself?

DID JESUS “EMPTY” HIMSELF?

by Shawn Brasseaux

Philippians 2:7 reads in the King James Bible: “But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:” Some modern versions read Jesus “emptied himself” in the place of “made himself of no reputation.” Why does this matter?

THE MODERN VERSIONS

The Greek word rendered “made himself of no reputation” in our King James Bible is handled elsewhere.

  • “emptied himself” (American Standard Version, Amplified Version, English Standard Version, Holman Christian Standard Bible, New American Standard Bible, New Revised Standard Version, Revised Standard Version, Roman Catholic New American Bible, and Jehovah’s Witness New World Translation).
  • “made Himself of no reputation” (21st Century King James Version, New King James Version).
  • “he gave up everything” (Contemporary English Version).
  • “laid aside his mighty power and glory” (Living Bible).
  • “he gave up his place with God” (New Century Version).
  • “he made himself nothing” (New International Version).
  • “he gave up his divine privileges” (New Living Translation).
  • “but He poured Himself out to fill a vessel brand new” (The Voice).

As you can see, these modern versions are a slippery theological slope. The majority of them want Philippians 2:7 to say Jesus “emptied himself.” Note that even the Jehovah’s Witness version reads this way.

It should be noted that Amplified Bible’s translators carefully inserts bracketed comments lest their wording confuse: “but emptied Himself [without renouncing or diminishing His deity, but only temporarily giving up the outward expression of divine equality and His rightful dignity] by assuming the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men [He became completely human but was without sin, being fully God and fully man].” Of course, had they just left “made himself of no reputation” alone, it would be unnecessary to add the bracketed words “without renouncing or diminishing His deity, but only temporarily giving up the outward expression of divine equality and His rightful dignity.”

The word (kenoo) “he made himself of no reputation” means while Jesus never quit being God, He did not go around demanding people serve Him. He was not the issue. He did not make His reputation as God the issue. As the perfect Man, He had come to serve God the Father. He was equal to God the Father (verse 6) but He chose not to exercise the right of being served as God would be served. Rather than issuing commands (as God), He obeyed them (as Man).

The Bible says in Matthew 20:25-28: “[25] But Jesus called them unto him, and said, Ye know that the princes of the Gentiles exercise dominion over them, and they that are great exercise authority upon them. [26] But it shall not be so among you: but whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister; [27] And whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant: [28] Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.”

As God, Jesus had a reputation. But He did not make that an issue when He became a Man. Rather, He submitted to His Heavenly Father. “O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt…. O my Father, if this cup may not pass away from me, except I drink it, thy will be done” (Matthew 26:39,42). As we would say, He did not “go around strutting His stuff.” He did not walk about with a vain, pompous bearing, head held high and chest sticking out, expecting to impress others.

Philippians chapter 2: “[5] Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: [6] Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: [7] But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: [8] And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.”

Jesus Christ did not “empty himself” as some modern English Bible translations suggest. That would be heresy! Jesus could not stop being who He was (His first nature was that He was God). Friend, you cannot change your nature. However, you can act contrary to your nature. This is what Jesus did. It was not Jesus’ nature to behave as a Man, for He was God. However, He added a new nature to Himself—a human nature—so He could behave as a man. Thus, Jesus had two natures: He was fully God, and, in addition, fully Man. “For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily” (Colossians 2:9). “For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus” (1 Timothy 2:5).

Second Corinthians 8:9 summarizes: “For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich.”

Also see:
» Is the Trinity/Godhead a Scriptural teaching?
» Can Jews who believe in God, the Father, but who reject Jesus, be saved from eternal damnation?
» Is the Holy Spirit a Person or a force?