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Does it matter what we believe about the nature of God? Why or why not? Can someone be saved while believing that God is other than what God is? (ie: not believing that Jesus is God, believing that the Holy Spirit is merely the divine breath of God)
Two strands for evaluation:
What does the Bible say?
What does the material universe indicate or necessitate concerning the nature of the God which created?
God is either:
An abstract force or ‘intelligence’ | A personal quantity or entity |
Non-living or a “concept” | Living |
Pervades the universe (pantheism) | A particular single or multiple entity |
In all things (panentheism) | Independent of all other things |
Everything is “god” | Only one is God |
The Biblical God is either:
One Being presented in different roles (modalism: O... |
Isaiah 48:12-16
Hearken unto me, O Jacob and Israel, My called! I am He; I am the first, I also am the last.
Mine hand also laid the foundation of the earth, and My right hand stretched out the heavens; I call to them, they stand up together.
All ye, assemble yourselves, and hear; which among them hath declared these things? The LORD hath loved him: he will do his pleasure on Babylon, and his arm shall be on the Chaldeans.
I; I, have spoken; yea, I have called him: I have brought him, and he shall make his way prosperous.
Come near unto me; hear this: I have not spoken in secret from the beginning; from the time that it was, there am I: and now the Lord GOD, and his Spirit, hath sent me.”
Perhaps the most doctrinally-important portion of the book of Isaiah, demonstrates the plurality...
Read MoreWe believe in one God, of three divine persons. Because we often say, “God … He”, we give the impression that God is a single person, which is incorrect.
“God” is one object, or organization or corporation (in the general sense) of three unique Persons Who are identical in nature, while individual and distinct in identity.
Within the corporation of God is perfect unity; each member bears the fullness of the godhead [1] none lack anything of deity. (Colossians 2:9 For in him (Jesus Christ) dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.) They are perfectly united in relationship, in will, and in purpose; there is no conflict, animosity, or disagreement whatsoever among them.
The members of the godhead are mutually deferential; the Son submits to the Father[2], and the Holy Spirit ...
Read MoreMatthew 22:1-14
And answering, Jesus again spoke to them again in parables saying, ‘The kingdom of heaven is likened to an human king, who makes marriage feast for his son, and sent his servants to call the invited to the wedding and they were not willing to come.
Again he sent other servants saying, “Tell those having been invited, ‘Look! I have prepared my dinner: my bulls and my fatlings have been killed, and all are ready! Come into the wedding.’”
But uncaring, those went away, one indeed to his own field, the one yet to his merchandise.
But the rest, taking hold of his servants, abused and slew them.
But hearing [this], the king was angered, and sending his armies, destroyed those murderers and burned up their city.
Then he said to his servants, ‘Indeed, the wedding is ready...
Read MoreI had an eureka moment one morning as I was thinking with some frustration about the reality of “church”: go to a place to sit with other people for an hour as some fellow tells you what to think about God, the Bible, and your faith, with no opportunity permitted to question, challenge, correct, or rebuke. Sit down – stand up – sing this – pray that – hear what I’m telling you, that God told me to say and don’t question it, even when you know I’m lying.
And I realized more consciously that we suffer from Rome...
Read MoreJesus told the Pharisees that, “If you were blind, you would not ever have sin. But now you say, ‘We see’, then your sin remains.” John 9:41
In other words, if any of His hearers had been incapable of seeing, they would not have been guilty of sin. Jesus is not referring to physical eyesight, but the ability to perceive and comprehend what sin is. Without that ability, a person does not have sin.
An infant is born completely incapable of such perception and comprehension, and lives a significant time before possessing those abilities. Consequently, an infant does NOT have sin at birth, nor does a child, until that time when they are capable of seeing, and comprehending what they see...
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