Bible Believers' Newsletter 282
"We focus on the present Truth – what Jesus is doing now. . ."
ISSN 1442-8660Christian greetings in the precious Name of our Lord Jesus Christ; we welcome you once again in the precious Name of our Lord Jesus Christ; we are pleased you could join us in fellowship.
In this issue we will study water baptism in Light of God's unchanging Word, according to the record of history, and the teachings of notable Church leaders through the ages. This will lead us to the most important revelation of the whole Bible, the supreme Deity of our Lord Jesus Christ. I John 4:6, "We are of God: he that knows God hears us; he that is not of God does not hear us. By this we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error".
This Newsletter serves those of like precious faith and whosoever will receive the truth is welcome to feed their soul from the waters of the River of Life. Everything presented should be confirmed personally in your own Bible.
Your Brother in Christ
Anthony Grigor-Scott
The Passion
July 13, 2003 — It was a matter of pride for Gibson that the film should be as realistic as possible, not just in its language and settings, but also by accurately portraying the intense violence inflicted on Jesus. The film shows Jesus' flesh flailed during whippings, blood spurting as nails are hammered into His hands, and ribs protruding from His chest. "By the time audiences get to the crucifixion scene, I believe there will be many who can't take it and will have to walk out," said Caviezel, a devout Christian himself. "And I believe there will be many who will stay and be drawn to the truth."
One person who saw an early cut at a screening in Los Angeles said: "The film is strongly eucharistic. There is a beautiful juxtaposition of images that cuts from the stripping on Calvary to the unwrapping of the bread to be used at the last supper. Fabulous stuff." Gibson, who had Latin Mass said every morning during the shoot, believes that in some way the filming was divinely blessed. "There is an interesting power in the script," he told an interviewer on the set. "A lot of unusual things have been happening—good things, like people being healed of diseases. A guy who was struck by lightning while we were filming the crucifixion scene just got up and walked away."
. . . an ad hoc committee of nine respected Catholic and Jewish scholars privately submitted to Gibson an 18-page report on a draft of the screenplay, asking him for changes—a report that was leaked to the press. "A film based on the present version of the script . . . would promote anti-Semitic sentiments," they wrote.
"Viewers without extensive knowledge of Catholic teaching about interpreting the New Testament will surely leave the theatre with the overriding impression that the bloodthirsty, vengeful and money-hungry Jews had an implacable hatred of Jesus." The scholars particularly objected to scenes they say are not consistent with Gospel accounts: showing Jews having the cross built in the temple at the direction of Jewish officials, paying "blood money" for the crucifixion and physically abusing Jesus beforehand. . ." Full story: timesonline.co.uk
I saw a Beast rise up out of the Sea
Is it just a 'coincidence' or a sign of the times that the Euro coins and notes of every member nation feature a woman riding a beast? It is the reconstitution of the Roman Empire which will crush and tread down all opposition by the ruthless power of her image, the United States of America. Revelation 17:3-5, "I saw a woman sit upon a scarlet coloured beast which was full of blasphemous names, having seven heads and ten horns. And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet, and adorned with gold and precious stones and pearls, having in her hand a golden cup full of abominations and the filthiness of her fornication."
"And on her forehead was a name written: MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH". Full story: originofnations.org
Leading Journalists expose the Myth of a Free Press
Eighteen award-winning journalists from the book Into the Buzzsaw, edited by Kristina Borjesson, were prevented by corporate media ownership from reporting major, incredibly revealing news. Some were even fired or laid off. These journalists have won numerous awards, including several Emmys and a Pulitzer. Full story: cooperativeresearch.org wanttoknow.info
Use of DU Munitions at Lancelin Likely
July 2, 2003 — Visiting former US Army Major Dr. Rokke, the former director of the Pentagon's Depleted Uranium project said while he had no proof of the use of the DU munitions at the training facility it was "100 per cent likely" that the US had used the facility to test DU munitions.
His comments come ahead of his planned tour of the Lancelin Training facility on Sunday and follow an announcement today that the US military would be using the training facility from July 6-8 for bombing practice. The practice is part of a visit by the nuclear powered aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson and her battle group . . .
Dr. Rokke said it was laughable that the Australian Government and the Australian people allowed a foreign power to contaminate the West Australian coastline through bombardment and weapons testings . . . "They said they weren't using DU weapons in the US and then Congressman Jim McDermott in Seattle Washington found out they were. What you have got to understand is that the US doesn't care. Australia is so low on the totem pole that you people just don't matter" . . . Full story: us.altnews.com.au
Genetically Modified Food
London, July 7, 2003 — Dr. Arpad Pustzai found himself propelled from a life of grateful obscurity into the centre of an astonishing political maelstrom that would cost him his job, his reputation and his health.
His crime was to question the safety of genetically modified food. His interview on ITV's World in Action lasted just 150 seconds, but that was long enough to reveal his ground-breaking research suggesting rats fed genetically modified potatoes suffered stunted growth and damage to their immune systems.
It triggered a controversy that put him on a collision course with the Government, the biotech industry and the scientific establishment . . .
Full story: gmwatch.org
Water Baptism – in the Light of God's Holy Bible
The most important of all revelations is the supreme Deity of our Lord Jesus. Jesus Christ is God manifest in the flesh. He was Emmanuel: God with us—not a second, third or any other fraction or person, but the One Person of "God manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached to the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory" (I Timothy 3:16).
I John 1:1-4 describes Jesus as, "That which was from the beginning, which we have heard [the Logos], which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of Life. (For the Life was manifested, and we have seen, and bear witness, and declare to you that eternal Life, which was with the Father and was manifested to us). That which we have seen and heard we declare to you, that you also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with His Son Jesus Christ [Who is the one Person of God manifest in virgin-born flesh]. And these things we write that your joy may be full".
Jesus taught how the majority are always wrong on Spiritual matters:
Matthew 7:13-14, "Enter in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leads to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leads to Life, and few there be that find it". Clearly the vast majority who call upon the lovely Name of our Lord Jesus believe Him to be the second or third part of a Trinity, a completely unscriptural word and a pagan concept that did not enter Christendom until the era in which the Roman Catholic church was organized at the First Nicaea Council of AD325.
We stand with Jesus: John 5:39, "Search the Scriptures; for in them you think you have eternal Life: and these are they which testify of Me." And Paul: Romans 3:4, "Let God's Word be true, but every man a liar; as it is written, That you may be justified in your sayings, and may overcome when you are judged." Ephesians 2:20, "And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief corner stone."
Let us establish the true oneness of the godhead and Scriptural water baptism in the Light of God's Holy Bible. This will strengthen our newer brethren, and provide a useful compendium of Scripture references for those who wish to witness to the faith and even write their own tracts.
One of the most straight-forward ways of shattering the dogma of the Trinity is to understand Scriptural water baptism:
Ephesians 5:5, "There is only one Lord, only one Faith and only one water baptism for the remission of past sins." As Christians, we are duty bound to ourselves and to God to first attain the faith of the apostles and prophets so that our water baptism is Scriptural and not in vain.
The word 'baptize' means to immerse under water, not to sprinkle or pour a little water over the new believer:
Acts 10:47, "Can any man forbid water that these should not be baptized?"
John 5:23, "John also was baptizing at Aenon because "there was much water there."
Acts 8:39, "And they went both down into the water, both Philip and the Eunuch; and he baptized him."
Acts 8:59, "They came up out of the water."
Romans 6:4, "We are buried with Him by baptism into death."
Romans 6:5, "We have been planted together in the likeness of His Death".
Jesus said. "He that believes and is baptized shall be saved" (Mark 16:16). Peter said, there were eight saved by water in Noah's time, "the like figure whereunto even baptism does also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God), by the resurrection of Jesus Christ" (I Peter 3:20-21).
Having the privilege of turning the keys of faith to unlock the Kingdom of heaven to the Israelites, the Samaritans, and we Gentiles, Peter said, "Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the Name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins" (Acts 2:38). Since baptism is important to salvation and means to immerse, not sprinkle, I am confident that if you have not been baptized correctly, and in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ, that you will run to the water in repentance and obedience while grace is still available.
Scriptural Water Baptism is in the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ:
Jesus taught, "That repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His Name, beginning at Jerusalem" (Luke 24:47).
Peter obeyed saying, "Repent and be baptized every one of you in the Name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins and you shall receive the promised Gift of the Holy Spirit" (Acts 2:38-39). And on the day of Pentecost about 3,000 Israelites and proselytes were born-again and baptized in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Peter unlocked the new birth to the Samaritans and "they were baptized in the Name of the Lord Jesus; then they laid hands on them, and they received the Holy Ghost" (Acts 8:16-17).
Next Peter turned the key of faith for the Gentiles, "To Jesus Christ all the prophets witness that, through His Name, and whosoever believes in Him will receive remission of sins. And while he was yet speaking, the Holy Spirit fell on all who heard the Word. And those of the circumcision who had come with Peter were astonished, because the Gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out on the Gentiles also. . . And he commanded them to be baptized in the Name of the Lord" (Acts 10:43-48).
Paul re-baptized all those who had been baptized other than in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, such as those of Ephesus who had been baptized for repentance by John. "When they heard this they were baptized in the Name of the Lord Jesus" (Acts 19:3-5). Acts 4:10-12, "There is none other Name under Heaven whereby we must be saved".
Revelation and repentance followed by Scriptural water baptism in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ for the remission of past sins is the answer of a good conscience towards God, resulting in justification and salvation by grace through faith (I Peter 3:21).
Colossians 3:17, "Whatsoever you do in word or in deed do all in the Name of the Lord Jesus".
Until and unless you have been baptized in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ, you have not been baptized in the Name (singular) of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost as Jesus commanded in Matthew 28:19 and Luke 24:47.
The Bible is the story of God expressing His Attributes thereby changing His form from the eternal Spirit alone with His thoughts to the manifestation of those thoughts in the glorified flesh of His Family. Since our Lord Jesus Christ came in His Father's Name (John 5:43), and God is our progenitor, His Name is also our Family name. Ephesians 3:14-15, "I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, from whom the whole Family in heaven and earth is named". Since the Man Jesus was Emmanuel—God manifest in flesh—"In who dwelt the fullness of the Godhead bodily" (Colossians 2:9), we are to be baptized in His Name.
Water baptism must be in the Name of the crucified One:
I Corinthians 1:12-15, "Now this I say, that each of you says, I am of Paul; or I am of Apollos; or I am of Cephas; or I am of Christ. Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you, or were you baptized in the name of Paul?"
"I thank God that I baptized none of you, but Crispus and Gaius; lest any should say that I had baptized in my own name".
The Name Jesus means Jehovah Saviour (Faussets Bible Encyclopedia, p. 359). Every son comes in his father's Name, so when we are born-again and baptized, we receive the Name of our heavenly Father as Jesus received that Name before us. Christians know that the Name of the Son was Jesus, called Emmanuel in fulfilment of prophecy because He was the fullness of God with us (Isaiah 7:14; Matthew 1:21-23). When Jesus was baptized in the Jordan He was overshadowed by the Shekinah in the form of a dove and became the Christ or anointed One. When He overcame in the garden of Gethsemane He became Lord. There are many Jesus', many lords (I Corinthians 8:5) and many christs or anointed ones (Matthew 24:24), but there is only one Lord Jesus Christ, and it is His Name we take in baptism.
The Name of the Father is Lord Jesus Christ, the Name of the Son is Lord Jesus Christ, and the Name of the Holy Ghost—which is 'what' God is (John 4:24)—is Lord Jesus Christ (John 14:26).
Scriptural Water Baptism according to recorded History:
If you have any false ideas that history can prove water baptism in any other way than in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ, I advise you to read the histories and find out for yourself. The following is a true record of a baptism which took place in Rome AD100 and was reproduced in TIME Magazine, December 5, 1955. "The deacon raised his hand, and Publius Decius stepped through the baptistery door. Standing waist-deep in the pool was Marcus Vasca the woodseller. He was smiling as Publius waded into the pool beside him. 'Credis?' he asked. 'Credo,' responded Publius. 'I believe that my salvation comes from Jesus the Christ, Who was crucified under Pontius Pilate. With Him I died that with Him I may have Eternal Life.' Then he felt strong arms supporting him as he let himself fall backward into the pool, and heard Marcus' voice in his ear—'I baptize you in the Name of the Lord Jesus'—as the cold water closed over him."
Right up until the truth was lost (and did not return until this last age—that is from Nicaea till the turn of the 20th Century) they baptized in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ. But it has come back. Satan can't keep the revelation down when the Spirit wants to give it.
Yes, if there were three Gods, you might very well baptize for a Father, and a Son, and a Holy Ghost. But the revelation given to John was that there is one God and His Name is Lord Jesus Christ, and you baptize for one God and only one. That is why Peter baptized the way he did at Pentecost. He had to be true to the revelation which was, "Let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God has made that same Jesus, Whom you have crucified, both Lord and Christ." There He is, "The Lord Jesus Christ."
If Jesus is both Lord and Christ, then He (Jesus) is, and cannot be else but "Father, Son, and Holy Ghost" in one Person manifested in the flesh. It is not "God in three persons, blessed trinity," but One God, one Person with three major Titles, with three offices manifesting those Titles. Hear it once more. This same Jesus is "both Lord and Christ." Lord (Father) and Christ (Holy Spirit) is Jesus, for He (Jesus) is both of them (Lord and Christ).
"The triune and trinity formula was not uniformly used from the beginning, and up until the third Century, baptism in the Name of Christ only was so widespread that Pope Stephen, in opposition to St. Cyprian, said that baptism in the Name of Christ was valid. But Catholic missionaries, by omitting one or more persons of the Trinity when they were baptized, were anathematized by the Roman Church. Now the formula of Rome is "I baptize thee in the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost" (Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition., Vol. 3, p. 365-366).
"Everywhere in the oldest sources, it states that Baptism took place in the Name of Jesus Christ" (Encyclopaedia Britannica, Vol. 3. p. 82).
"Whoever has received this sacrament bares indelible to all eternity the mark of Christ" (Ibid, Vol. 3, p. 84).
"The early church always baptized in the Name of the Lord Jesus until the development of the Trinity doctrine in the 3rd Century; afterward they were baptized in the Name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost" (Canney Encyclopedia of Religion, p. 53).
"Persons were baptized at first in the Name of Jesus Christ, or 'in the Name of the Lord Jesus.' Afterwards, with the development of the doctrine of the Trinity, they were baptized in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost."
"It must be acknowledged that the formula of the threefold name does not appear to have been employed by the primitive Church, which, so far as our information goes, baptized 'in' or 'into' the name of Jesus, or Jesus Christ (or the Lord Jesus), without reference to the Father or the Spirit" (Canney Encyclopedia of Religions, p. 53).
"The true doctrine of the sacrament of baptism is not taught by the Roman Church. Baptism given by heretics in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost with the intention of performing what the Church performs, is not true baptism" (Catholic Encyclopedia, Vol. 2, p. 259).
"Catholics acknowledged that Baptism was changed by the Catholic Church" (Catholic Encyclopedia, Vol. 2, p. 263).
The New Catholic Encyclopaedia on page 59 states that until the 11th Century, baptism throughout Christendom was by immersion according to Acts 2:38 and elsewhere in the Bible, and that it was not until after AD325 that sprinkling in three Titles was practiced.
"Christian Baptism was administered using the words "in the Name of Jesus." The use of a Trinity formula of any sort was not suggested in the early Church history. Baptism was always in the Name of the Lord Jesus until the time of Justin Martyr when Triune Formula was used" (Hastings Encyclopedia of Religion, Vol. 2, p. 377-378, 389).
"Name was an ancient synonym for "Person." Payment was always made in the name of some person referring to ownership. Therefore one being baptized in Jesus' Name became His personal property. "You are Christ's" (ibid, Vol. 2, p. 377 on Acts 2:38).
"The early Church always baptized in the Name of the Lord Jesus until the development of the Trinity. Afterward they were baptized in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Ghost" (Hastings Dictionary of the Bible, p. 83).
It has been customary to trace the institution of the practice to the words of Christ in Matthew 28:19, but the authenticity of this passage has been challenged on historical as well as textural grounds. It must be acknowledged that the formula of the threefold name, which is here enjoined, does not appear to have been used by the primitive church, which so far as our information goes, baptized "in" or "into" the Name of Jesus, or Jesus Christ, or the Lord Jesus, without any reference to the Father or the Spirit" (Ibid, p. 88).
"The original form of words was into the Name of Jesus Christ or Lord Jesus. Baptism into the trinity was a later development" (Scribners Dictionary of the Bible, Vol. 1, p. 241).
"The term "Trinity" was originated by Tertullian, a Roman Catholic Church Father" (New International Encyclopedia. Vol. 22, p. 477).
"The term Trinity was used by Theophilus of Antioch in AD180" (Encyclopedia America, International Edit. Vol. 27, p. 116).
The Trinity doctrine of the Catholic faith is this:
"We worship one in trinity, but there is one person of the Father, another of the Son, and another of the Holy Ghost. The glory equal—the majesty co-eternal." The doctrine is not found in its fully developed form in the Scriptures. Modern theology does not seek to find it in the Old Testament. At the time of the Reformation, the Protestant Church took over the doctrine of the Trinity without serious examination" (New International Encyclopedia, Vol. 22, p. 476).
"The doctrine of the Trinity did not form part of the Apostles' preachings, as this is reported in the New Testament" (International Encyclopedia, 1st Edit. Vol. 18, p. 226).
"No record of the Trinitarian formula can be discovered in the Acts of the Apostles" (New International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, Vol. 1, p. 396).
"The Catholics made this statement concerning their doctrine of the Trinity to defend the dogma of the assumption of Mary in an article by Graham Green: 'Our opponents sometimes claim that no belief should be held dogmatically which is not explicitly stated in the Scripture but the Protestant churches have themselves accepted such dogma as the Trinity for which there is no conformity in the Gospels'" (Life Magazine, October 30, 1950, Vol. 29, No. 18, p. 51).
Scriptural Water Baptism according to Church Leaders:
Martin Luther, "Baptism is a Greek word and may be translated 'Immerse.' I would have those who are to be baptized, to be altogether dipped".
John Calvin, "The word 'baptize' signifies to immerse. It is certain that immersion . . . was the practice of the Primitive Church".
John Wesley, "The Bible term, 'Buried with Him by baptism' alludes to the ancient manner of baptizing by immersion".
Wall, "Immersion was in all probability the way in which our blessed Saviour, and for certain, the way in which all early Christians were baptized".
Brenner, "For the first thirteen hundred years, baptism was an immersion of the person under water".
Stoudza, "The verb 'baptize' has only one meaning. It signifies to plunge. Baptism and immersion are identical. To say baptism by sprinkling would be to say immersion by sprinkling".
Jeremiah, "The ancients did not sprinkle the candidate, but immersed him".
Whitfield, "It is certain that the word 'buried' in the text, Romans 6:4, alludes to the matter of baptizing by immersion".
The True Oneness of the Godhead:
God revealed Himself in the Old Testament as Jehovah-Jireh, the Lord our Provider (Genesis 22:14), Jehovah-Rapha, the Lord our Healer (Exodus 15:26), Jehovah-Nissi, the Lord is our Banner (Exodus 17:15,) Jehovah-Shalom, the Lord is our Peace (Judges 6:24), Jehovah-Raah, the Lord is my Shepherd (Psalms 23), Jehovah-Tsidkenu, the Lord is our Righteousness (Jeremiah 23:6), Jehovah-Shammah, the Lord is Present (Ezekiel 48:35). But none of the Old Testament saints ever suggested from these Titles that God is a Sextet or double Trinity.
"Jehovah," means "the Self-existent One," not six; not even two or three. This one Lord of the Old Testament Who was many things to His people finally became our Saviour, manifesting all of these Attributes in "Jesus," Whose Name means "The Self-existent Saviour." "You shall call His Name Jesus, for He shall save His people from their sins" (Matthew 1:21 and Isaiah 45:15, 21). The great Jehovah became our Saviour, and all God's fullness dwelleth in Him.
In the Old Testament, a new revelation on the Name of God or a different appearance (as in the burning bush) did not mean another God, but merely the One God revealing Himself to man. What better way could there have been for God to reveal His true nature and love for man than to prepare Himself a "body of flesh" to dwell among men (Hebrews 1:1-3.)
Jesus is Prophet, Priest, and King—Son of man, Son of God, Son of David and Son of Abraham, not three persons or gods, but three distinct Offices reflecting dispensation claims at different times from His birth to the Millennium. We believe in three—Father, Son, and Holy Ghost—manifestations or dispensation claims of One God (Isaiah 41:4; Revelation 1:8, 17-18).
Trinitarianism is Unscriptural Babylonian Paganism and is the Mark of the Beast that will be Forced during the Tribulation:
Small wonder Trinitarianism leads to Confusion. "The chief and fundamental difference between Judaism and Christianity is that the former is committed to pure and uncompromising monotheism and the latter subscribes to the belief in the trinitarian nature of the divine Being—to the unconditional monotheism of Judaism the doctrine of the Trinity is profoundly objectionable, because it is a concession to polytheism or, at any rate, an adulteration of the idea of the one, unique, indefinable, and indivisible God."
"The revolutionary feat of early Mosaism was the complete break with the cults of the many deities and the unconditional and unreserved espousal of the only God. God is one as a unity of oneness that cannot be divided" (Jonathon David Publishers, 1943, p. 15).
"The word Elohim is one of the more general words for God and is plural in form. This is what is usually known as the plural of 'majesty or eminence', or the plural of 'fullness or greatness'." It is not uncommon in the East to use the plural to express the idea of the singular in an intensified form. The singular of Elohim means strength, power, or might, and the plural is simply an intensifying of the singular meaning. There is no idea of making God more than one by the use of the plural form Elohim" (Ralph E. Knudsen, Christian Beliefs, 1947, p. 26).
"By far the most frequent form used by Old Testament writers is the plural Elohim, but they use it regularly with singular verbs and adjectives to denote a singular idea" (The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, p. 1254).
"The plural form of Elohim has given rise to much discussion. The fanciful idea that it referred to the Trinity of persons in the Godhead hardly finds now a supporter among scholars. It is either what grammarians call the plural of majesty, or it denotes the 'fullness of divine strength, the sum of the powers displayed by God." Colossians 2:9-10 states, "For in Him (Jesus) dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily. And you are complete in Him, who is the Head of all principality and power" (Dr. William Smith, Dictionary of the Bible, p. 216).
"In this very ancient (Syriac Peschito) Version which is believed by good authorities (Gwilliam, Boners, and others) to represent a text much older than that of the Greek manuscript from which our English New Testament was largely derived, 'the Name of the Lord Jesus Messiah or Christ' appears in all four readings given." Acts 2:38; 8:16, 10:48, 19:5. This would indicate that there was a uniform mode of baptism in the early church, namely the Lord Jesus Christ (William Phillips Hall, A Remarkable Discovery, p. 70).
The Uniqueness of the Son of God:
Comprehension of the godhead can only be attained when one realizes the uniqueness of the marvellous Personage depicted in the Gospels as the Son of God. The Trinitarians have succeeded in convincing much of the world that the Son of God is an eternal second person of the Godhead. This Sonship, however, was neither eternal nor does it refer to a second Person. In simple terms, the Son of God is the expression used to describe the vessel that God ordained to manifest Himself in. To repeat: The term used to describe this man, or shall it be said this flesh that God dwelt in, is the Son of God. Whenever and wherever you find the expression, "Son of God," it is speaking of the Man, Jesus Christ.
This marvellous creation was as much man as He was God. He was a Divine fusion of Deity and humanity. Through Him, God was made flesh and became a Kinsmen Redeemer. No revelation is more fundamental to the understanding of the Godhead, the Mediatorship of Jesus Christ and even our position as redeemed sons and daughters of God.
Where and when did this Son of God come into existence? Notice the Words of Paul to the Galatians as he describes this Son of sons: "God sent forth His Son, made of a woman" (Galatians 4:4). Thus the Son of God was made of a woman just 2,000 years ago. Don't fail to see His humanity.
In Luke 1:35 when the angel came to Mary with the announcement of the miraculous birth she was soon to have, He described the Son in a most revealing way: ". . . therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of you shall be called the Son of God."
Who then was this Son of God? The angel said that He was that holy thing which was soon to be born to a virgin named Mary. That baby, that flesh, that man-child, was called the Son of God.
I Timothy 3:16, ". . . God (the fullness of His nature and character) was manifest in the flesh . . ." The Son, the man, was not eternal but begotten. John 3:16 says, "He is the only begotten Son."
The Son of God is never mentioned in the Old Testament except in a prophetic sense. He is never mentioned because He did not exist except in the mind of God as One who was to come. No Scripture speaks of an eternal son; the begotten son is familiar to all. In John 14:10, Jesus clearly explains who He is, "Don't you believe that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me? The Words that I speak to you I speak not of Myself but the Father that dwells in Me, He does the works." What could be clearer or more directly stated? Our Father, condescended and revealed Himself in His Son, a man born of a virgin. A God and a man, a God-man: Jesus said, "He that has seen Me has seen the Father." To see the Son is to see the Father. To know the Father is to know the Son.
The Bible is the story of the eternal Spirit unfolding Himself (His thoughts) through the Word to the Flesh of His Family. So when God says "us" He is speaking of Himself and the Logos or Word, which is the expression of His eternal thoughts. Understand this marvellous concept and the mystery of the Godhead becomes wonderfully clear (Genesis 1:26-28; John 1:1-3, 14).
Jesus said, "I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last" (Revelation 22:13). He is "the Beginning of the creation of God," the Word made flesh, the first God-man just 2,000 years ago (Colossians 1:18: Revelation 3:14), and the end or last of the creation of God is the fullness of Christ reproduced in the New Testament saints as will be vindicated to souls imprisoned now, in the manifestation of the Sons of God and the translation during the first resurrection (William Branham, Hebrews, p. 310-18).
"No man can say that Jesus is the Christ but by the revelation of the Holy Ghost" (I Corinthians 12:3). nl282.htmHomework: Please review the teaching sermon, A Prophet to the Gentiles
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Brother Grigor-Scott is a non-denominational minister who has ministered full-time since 1981, primarily to other ministers and their congregations overseas. He pastors Bible Believers' tiny congregation, and is available to teach in your church.
Bible Believers' Church
Gunnedah NSW
Australia 2380e-mail e-mail Bible Believers
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