The Bible makes claims about the creation
of the universe, the nature of the God who created the universe and
reigns supremely over it, and the fate of mankind. If these claims are
true, then the Bible is the most important book in the history of
mankind. If the Bible is true, then it holds the answers to life’s
biggest questions: “From where did I come?” “Why am I here?” and “What
happens to me when I die?” The importance of the Bible’s message demands
it receive fair consideration, and the truthfulness of its message is
observable, testable, and able to withstand scrutiny.
The writers of the Bible claim that the Bible is God’s very Word. The apostle Paul writes that “all Scripture is God-breathed” (2 Timothy 3:16).
That is to say, all the words recorded in the original writing of
Scripture originated from the mouth of God before ever reaching the
minds and pens of the biblical writers. The apostle Peter also writes
that “prophecy never had its origin in the human will, but prophets,
though human, spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy
Spirit” (2 Peter 1:21).
The phrase “carried along” is indicative of a sail being propelled by
the wind. That is, the writing of Scripture was directed by the Holy
Spirit. The Bible does not originate with man and is, then, a product of
God and carries the authority of God.
At this point, it is important not to let circular reasoning become the
justification for believing the Bible. We cannot say that one should
believe the Bible simply because the Bible says it should be believed.
If, however, the truth claims of the Bible are found true whenever it is
possible to test their veracity or are proved true during historical
and scientific discovery, then the internal claims of the Bible’s own
trustworthiness are more compelling. The internal evidence works in
tandem with the external.
The internal evidence of Scripture’s veracity provides many compelling
arguments for why one should believe the Bible. First, the unique
message of the Bible sets it apart from other religious texts. The
Bible, for instance, teaches that mankind is inherently evil
and deserving of eternal death. If man were responsible for the content
of the Bible, the view of humanity would not be so dark—we tend to make
ourselves look good. The Bible also teaches that humans can do nothing
of themselves to remedy their natural state. This, too, goes against
human pride.
The unity of the biblical message is further reason for why one should
believe the Bible. The Bible was written over a period of approximately
1,550 years, with at least 40 human writers, most of whom did not know
each other and were from varying backgrounds (king, fisherman, tax
collector, shepherd, etc.). The Bible was written in various
environments (desert, prison, royal court, etc.). Three different
languages were used to write the Bible, and, despite covering
controversial subjects, it carries one harmonious message. The
circumstances surrounding the writing of the Bible would seem to
guarantee its fallibility, and, yet, the message from Genesis to
Revelation is uncannily consistent.
Another reason why one should believe the Bible is its accuracy. The
Bible should not be confused with a science textbook, but that does not
mean that the Bible does not speak to issues that are scientific in
nature. The water cycle was described in Scripture centuries before it
was a scientific discovery. In some cases science and the Bible have
seemed to be at odds with each other. Yet, when science has advanced,
the scientific theories have proved wrong and the Bible proved right.
For example, it used to be standard medical practice to bleed patients
as a cure for illness. Many people died because of excessive blood loss.
Now medical professionals know that bloodletting as a cure for most
diseases is counterproductive. The Bible always taught that “the life of
a creature is in the blood” (Leviticus 17:11).
The Bible’s truth claims concerning world history have also been
substantiated. Skeptics used to criticize the Bible for its mention of
the Hittite people (e.g., 2 Kings 7:6).
The lack of any archaeological evidence to support the existence of a
Hittite culture was often cited as a rebuttal against Scripture. In
1876, however, archaeologists discovered evidence of the Hittite nation,
and by the early 20th century the vastness of the Hittite nation and
its influence in the ancient world was common knowledge.
The scientific and historical accuracy of the Bible is important
evidence of the Bible’s trustworthiness, but the Bible also contains
fulfilled prophecies. Some of the biblical writers made claims about
future events centuries in advance. If any one of the events predicted
had occurred, it would be astounding. But the Bible contains many, many
prophecies. Some of the predictions were fulfilled in a short amount of
time (Abraham and Sarah had a son, Peter denied Jesus three times, Paul
was a witness for Jesus in Rome, etc.). Other predictions were fulfilled
hundreds of years later. The 300 messianic prophecies fulfilled by
Jesus could not have reasonably been fulfilled by one person unless some
greater power was involved. Specific prophecies like Jesus’ birthplace,
activities, manner of death, and resurrection demonstrate the
preternatural accuracy of Scripture.
When it is put to the test, the Bible is proved true in every area. Its
truth extends to the spiritual, as well. That means that when the Bible
says the Hittite nation existed, then we can believe that there were
Hittites, and when the Bible teaches that “all have sinned” (Romans 3:23) and the “wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23),
then we need to believe that, too. And, when the Bible tells us that
“God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still
sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8) and that “whoever believes in [Jesus] shall not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16), then we can and should believe that, also.
The oldest religion in the world is the worship of the One True God, as stated in Genesis 4:26, “At that time people began to call on the name of the Lord.” The name they called upon was Yahweh
(Latinized as “Jehovah”). The fact that they “began” to call on this
name indicates a change in society—for the first time, people were
organizing and identifying themselves as worshipers of God. This
happened during the lifetime of Enosh, Adam’s grandson through Seth,
about 250 years after the first couple was expelled from Eden.
About that early form of worship we have no information concerning
formal instructions from God or set traditions on how the people carried
out their worship. We can assume that sacrifices were involved, since
Cain and Abel had understood the need for individual sacrifices a
generation prior (Genesis 4:3–4). All Moses tells us of that first “religion” is that they knew God’s name and they called upon Him.
Satan corrupts and divides. It wasn’t long before the pure religion of
calling upon God’s name was corrupted by idolatry and divided into
literally hundreds of religions. By Noah’s day, the name of God had been
all but forgotten, and “every inclination of the thoughts of the human
heart was only evil all the time” (Genesis 6:5). The next time we read of anyone calling upon God’s name is in Genesis 12:8; that’s when Abraham “built an altar to the Lord and called on the name of the Lord.”
The oldest pagan religion for which we have evidence of an organized
following is Egyptian. The Egyptian culture with its many gods was
already well established by the time described in the latter part of Genesis and the book of Exodus. Abraham had dealings with a wealthy, growing Egypt and its pharaoh (Genesis 12:10ff).
At the time of Moses in the 15th century BC, the Lord once again revealed His name (Exodus 3:14)
and codified religion for the Israelites. Required as part of calling
upon the name of Yahweh was the forsaking of all other gods (Exodus 20:3–4). In the midst of a pagan, polytheistic world, the monotheism of the Hebrews stood out as a light in a dark place.
The religion we know as Christianity is really a continuation of God’s
plan for the Israelites. The gospel is “the power of God that brings
salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the
Gentile” (Romans 1:16).
So, the history of the world involves a cycle of God’s revealing
Himself to mankind, man’s falling away from that knowledge, and God’s
restoration of the truth. Tracing that line of truth all the way back to
Genesis 4:26 and the promise of Genesis 3:15, one could even say that the worship of God in Christ is the world’s oldest religion.
The death of Jesus and His subsequent resurrection are the single most
important events since the creation of the world. It was through the
death of Christ that God took those who were “alienated” from Him due to
sin and “reconciled [them] by Christ’s physical body through death to
present [them] holy in his sight, without blemish and free from
accusation” (Colossians 1:21–22). And through Christ’s resurrection God has mercifully “given us new birth into a living hope” (1 Peter 1:3).
As with most of the events it records, the Bible does not give us the
exact date that Jesus died. But we can figure it out with a fair degree
of accuracy.
Even though the world’s timeline is historically divided between BC (before Christ) and AD (anno domini—“in
the year of our Lord”), Jesus Christ was actually born between the
years 6 and 4 BC. We arrive at this date based on the death of Herod the Great,
who was procurator of Judaea from 47 BC until he died in 4 BC. It was
“after Herod died” that Joseph and Mary with the infant Jesus were told
to return to Israel from Egypt (Matthew 2:19).
A number of factors allow us to pinpoint the year of the death of Jesus. We know that John the Baptist commenced his ministry in AD 26, based on the historical note in Luke 3:1. Jesus probably began His ministry soon after John began his. Jesus then ministered for the next three and a half years, approximately. So, the end of His ministry would have been c. AD 29–30.
Pontius Pilate is known to have ruled Judea from AD 26–36. The crucifixion took place during a Passover (Mark 14:12),
and that fact, plus astronomical data (the Jewish calendar was
lunar-based), narrows the field to two dates—April 7, AD 30, and April
3, AD 33. There are scholarly arguments supporting both dates; the later
date (AD 33) would require Jesus to have had a longer ministry and to
have begun it later. The earlier date (AD 30) would seem more in keeping
with what we deduce about the start of Jesus’ ministry from Luke 3:1.
Much has happened on the world stage since the time of Christ, but
nothing has ever eclipsed the magnitude and meaning of what happened in
AD 30—the death and resurrection of the Savior of the world.
The first Scriptures that come to mind in regard to selling in the church are Matthew 21:12-13; Mark 11:15-17; and Luke 19:45-46,
all of which describe the incidents (there were two) when Jesus
“cleansed” the Temple. When He saw the kinds of activities that were
being carried on in His Father’s house, He became very angry. Clearly,
this was not what the Temple was built for.
Jesus regarded both merchants and customers guilty of desecrating the
temple. Items being bought and sold included "doves" and other animals
for sacrifice (John 2:14).
Also present were those who exchanged one currency for another. This
was needed because Roman coins and other forms of currency were deemed
unacceptable for temple offerings. Evidently, both merchants and money
changers were charging such excessive rates that the temple marketplace
took on the atmosphere of a thieves’ den (vs. 13).
Obviously, selling books, having a raffle, doing fundraising, etc., is
different from what was going on in the temple. Jesus was not
necessarily angry that they were selling in the temple, but rather that
selling was becoming the focus instead of God. Jesus was also angry that
the money-changers were taking advantage of people, many of whom were
poor, who needed their services. Doves and other animals were required
for the offering, and tithes in acceptable currency were also a
requirement.
Such is not the case in today’s churches. Purchases in a church
bookstore, for example, are entirely voluntary. No purchase is necessary
to attend worship. If a church does decide to sell something inside the
church, it should make sure that the selling does not receive undue
attention and does not draw away from worship and the teaching of God’s
Word. Selling should also never be made “high-pressure.”
A church should definitely provide for the financial needs of its pastor(s) and any other full-time ministers. First Corinthians 9:14
gives the church clear instruction: “The Lord has commanded that those
who preach the gospel should receive their living from the gospel.” We
pay people to prepare and serve our physical food; shouldn’t we also be
willing to pay those who see to our spiritual food? And, honestly, which
is more important—physical food or spiritual food—based on Matthew 4:4?
First Timothy 5:17–18
says, “The elders who direct the affairs of the church well are worthy
of double honor, especially those whose work is preaching and teaching.
For the Scripture says, ‘Do not muzzle the ox while it is treading out
the grain,’ and ‘The worker deserves his wages.’” There are several
points made in this passage. Church elders should be honored, and this
honor includes wages. Those elders who serve the church well—especially
teachers and preachers—should receive double honor. They have
earned it. It would be cruel to work an ox while denying it grain, and
we should take care not to treat our pastors cruelly. Let them share in
the material blessings of the congregation they serve. Our pastors are
worth more than many oxen.
There is nothing spiritual about making a pastor “suffer for the Lord.”
Yes, a pastor has been divinely called to his ministry, but it does not
follow that a congregation should say, “Let God take care of him.” God
says the local church is responsible to take care of him and his family.
Caring for the spiritual needs of a congregation is an important
work—probably more important than other things we normally spend money
on, such as meeting our physical needs, maintaining our vehicles, and
entertaining ourselves. See 1 Corinthians 9:7.
It is true that the apostle Paul supported himself as he ministered in Corinth (1 Corinthians 9:12).
He drew no salary from the Corinthians. But he made it clear that he
did this as a voluntary sacrifice on their behalf, “that in preaching
the gospel I may offer it free of charge, and so not make full use of my
rights as a preacher of the gospel” (verse 18). Paul did take wages
from other churches (2 Corinthians 11:8). His arrangement in Corinth was the exception, not the rule.
Sometimes a church is just not able to provide sufficient finances for a
pastor. The pastor in such cases is forced to be bi-vocational, having
no choice but to work outside the church to support his family. This is
regrettable but sometimes necessary. It is usually better for a pastor
to be paid full-time so he can fully dedicate himself to the Lord’s work
of ministering to and shepherding the congregation God has entrusted to
him.
Every church receives some type of tithes or offerings.
Be it via “passing the plate” or setting a box in the back of the
sanctuary or some other collection method, a church needs funds to
operate. How the church uses those funds is important, as the church has
responsibilities to its members, to its surrounding community, and to
God.
First, a church has a responsibility to its members. The very first church, the one begun in Jerusalem on the Day of Pentecost,
took special pains to meet the practical needs of their members: “God’s
grace was so powerfully at work in them all that there were no needy
persons among them. For from time to time those who owned land or houses
sold them, brought the money from the sales and put it at the apostles’
feet, and it was distributed to anyone who had need” (Acts 4:33–35).
We see that the money was brought to the leaders of the church, who
were responsible for the distribution of the money based on need. Food
was also being distributed to the widows among them (Acts 6:1).
The apostles in Jerusalem, in affirming Paul’s ministry among the
Gentiles, asked that he should “continue to remember the poor” (Galatians 2:10).
So, charitable work to benefit the poor within the church should be
part of a church’s budget. Later, Paul lays out some guidelines on who
should receive aid from the church and who should depend on another
source for their sustenance (1 Timothy 5:3–16).
Various local churches in the first century also took up offerings to
help other churches in need. Specifically, the church in Jerusalem was
suffering from persecution and a famine, and the church in Antioch
pitched in to help (Acts 11:29). Paul later took love gifts from Galatia (1 Corinthians 16:1), Corinth (1 Corinthians 16:3), and Macedonia and Achaia (Romans 15:25–26) to Jerusalem. He was accompanied by emissaries from Berea, Thessalonica, Derbe, and the province of Asia (Acts 20:4).
Second, a church has a responsibility to its surrounding community.
Outreach is necessary. “As we have opportunity, let us do good to all
people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers” (Galatians 6:10).
This verse sets the priority—God’s family first—but we are also to seek
ways to “do good” to everyone. Of course, this must involve evangelism (Acts 1:8). A healthy church should be sending out missionaries (see Acts 13:2–3) or at least supporting missionaries in various fields of service.
A church that loses its outward focus, as evidenced by where it spends
its money, is showing signs of spiritual weakness. Church consultant and
author Thom S. Rainer, in his book Autopsy of a Dead Church,
states that one of the symptoms of a dying church is that the percentage
of the budget for members’ needs keeps increasing, while the money
earmarked for outreach decreases.
Third, a church has a responsibility to God. Our Lord knows His church (Revelation 2:2, 9, 13, 19), and He commands that His Word be preached (Romans 10:14; 2 Timothy 4:2) and that “the mystery of Christ” be proclaimed (Colossians 4:3). Delivering the gospel is job one. Anything that furthers that goal should be given priority, and paying the pastor
is part of that goal. “The elders who direct the affairs of the church
well are worthy of double honor, especially those whose work is
preaching and teaching. For Scripture says, ‘Do not muzzle an ox while
it is treading out the grain,’ and ‘The worker deserves his wages’” (1 Timothy 5:17–18). Those who faithfully minister the Word of God should receive due compensation for their work (see also 1 Corinthians 9:11).
Wisdom regarding a church’s expenditures is necessary, and we should be praying for that wisdom (James 1:5).
It is common for churches in Western society to have costly equipment
inside even more costly buildings that require costly maintenance and
are sure to need costly repairs. There is nothing sinful about a fine
building or nicely kept grounds, and we have nothing against steeples or
pipe organs or cappuccino bars or laser light shows. But we wonder
sometimes if the money would be better spent supporting another
missionary or aiding the poorer churches around the world.
The goal of the church should be to do the work of God in the world. And everything should be done to the glory of God (1 Corinthians 10:31). The early church “devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer” (Acts 2:42).
Perhaps these actions—spreading the Word, fellowshipping with one
another, observing communion, and praying—should be a basic guide to how
a church uses its offerings.
In both modern and ancient times, a medium is a person who communicates
with spirits, usually apart from the use of witchcraft. A medium is,
literally, an “intermediary” between the spirit world and ours. The
Bible condemns the practice of mediumship, and attempting to speak to the dead, through séances or other means, is expressly forbidden.
Sometimes mediums are called “channelers,” as they allegedly “channel”
communication from the dead to the living. A medium might only
communicate with one or more specific spirits (called “familiars” or
“familiar spirits”), or the communication may be spread across many
different spirits. The messages may come audibly, visually, or through
physical sensations. Modern mediums distinguish themselves from
psychics, who only read the “energies” of a person or place and do not
communicate with actual spirits. (The term “psychic medium” can confuse
the issue.) Also, a medium is not necessarily a witch, wizard, sorcerer,
or necromancer, since mediums believe that their communication with the
spirit world is an inherent ability. The fictional character Cole Sear
in the movie The Sixth Sense would be considered a medium.
Mediums are referenced in several passages of the Old Testament. In Leviticus 20:27 mediums are condemned along with “spiritists.” Deuteronomy 18:10–11
echoes Leviticus and expands it, including diviners, sorcerers,
witches/wizards, anyone who casts spells, and anyone who practices child
sacrifice.
King Saul’s sinful use of a medium is recorded in 1 Samuel 28.
The prophet Samuel was dead, and King Saul was frustrated that God had
ceased telling him what to do through prophets or dreams. So the king,
in direct violation of God’s Law and his own previous command, told his
men to find a medium who could communicate with Samuel (1 Samuel 28:3). This medium conjured Samuel,
and Saul communicated with the dead prophet. Theologians discuss
whether this conjuring was a physical reappearance of Samuel or merely
an image of him. There is also some question whether or not the medium
actually meant to conjure Samuel, as she seems to have been the most
surprised at his appearance—“When the woman saw Samuel, she cried out at
the top of her voice” (verse 12). Perhaps she was a fraud who did not
expect to actually see a spirit, or perhaps she was expecting to
communicate with her “familiar” and not with Samuel directly. Either
way, God seems to have allowed Samuel’s conjuring in order to drive home
His point to Saul. The prophet’s message to Saul was one of doom
(verses 17–19), and he died the next day. First Chronicles 10:13–14 reveals that Saul’s interaction with the medium was an important part of why he was dethroned and his dynasty cut short.
In the New Testament, sorcery and other associated practices are considered inappropriate, sinful activities for any Christian (Acts 8:9ff and 19:19).
Since the primary purpose of these activities is to communicate with
spirits, it is correct to include mediumship in these New Testament
warnings.
It should be noted that the spirit a medium conjures is not the
spirit of a deceased person (the case of Samuel speaking to Saul was a
rare exception). Jesus’ story of the rich man and Lazarus in Luke 16:18–31
gives strong evidence that, once a person is dead, his soul remains in
either heaven or hell. Thus, the spirits who communicate with mediums
are lying spirits (see 1 Kings 22:23)
who deceive people into believing their lost loved ones are
communicating to them. When grieving parents seek out a medium to put
them in touch with their dead child, they don’t realize the spirit who
speaks to them is actually a demon
pretending to be their child. Any involvement with such practices,
including asking mediums for guidance, is strongly warned against in the
Bible.
The Bible records God appearing to people,
performing amazing and undeniable miracles, speaking audibly, and many
other things that we do not seem to witness today. Why is this? Why was
God so willing to reveal and prove Himself in Bible times, but almost
seems "hidden" and silent today?
God used miracles and direct communication with people in order to
reveal to them His character and nature, as well as His plans and
commands. His first miracle – creation – was the primary evidence of
God’s existence and exhibited many of His attributes. From what was
made, man could conclude that God is powerful, sovereign, and good. The
creation was His first declaration to mankind. “The heavens declare the
glory of God; and the expanse proclaims His handiwork” (Psalm 19:1).
Following creation, God spoke to people to further declare Himself and
to inform man of His law and His ways. He first spoke to Adam and Eve,
giving them commandments to follow and, when they disobeyed, pronouncing
a curse upon them and their descendants. He also assured them, and all
mankind, that He would send a Savior to redeem us from sin. Thereafter,
God spoke to Moses, giving him the law for His people to follow. He
performed miracle after miracle to verify His existence to His people
and to build their faith in Him. In addition, He spoke to His prophets
so they would write down His words, words which were preserved for us in
the Bible.
When Jesus came to earth, He also performed miracles to prove that He was indeed the Son of God and to foster belief in Him (Matthew 9:6; John 10:38).
After His miraculous resurrection, He enabled His disciples to continue
performing miracles in order to prove they were truly His, again so
that people would believe on Him who sent them. So why does God no
longer speak audibly to us?
There are several reasons for this. As noted above, God has already
spoken, and His words have been miraculously kept for us down through
the ages. Now we have the completed canon of scripture, and we need no
further miracles to “validate” the Bible. In His perfect Word is
everything we need “for doctrine, for reproof, for correction and
instruction in righteousness” (2 Timothy 3:16). The Bible is complete and is perfectly able to make us “wise to salvation through faith in Christ Jesus” (2 Timothy 3:15), a “more sure Word of prophecy to which we would do well to take heed” (2 Peter 1:19).
We need nothing more, and we are not to seek extra-biblical
revelations. To do so calls into question the efficacy of Scripture
which God has declared to be sufficient.
Second, we have within us the Holy Spirit whom God has given to us to “lead us into all truth” (John 16:13). He speaks to us continually, teaching us, and reminding us of all things that Jesus taught (John 14:26), guiding, correcting, and convicting us of sin (John 16:8).
God is indeed “speaking” to us today through the Holy Spirit, who is
certainly not hidden. Another reason for God’s seeming concealment is
alluded to by the prophet Habakkuk: “The just shall live by his faith” (Habakkuk 2:4).
God does not give His people a continual chain of miraculous signs; He
expects them to trust what He has already done, search the Scriptures
daily, respond to the Holy Spirit within, and live by faith, not by
sight (Matthew 16:4; John 20:29).
Finally, let us remember that even in those times when it seems that God
is doing nothing, He is still the sovereign Lord of all creation, and
He is constantly at work, bringing about the fruition of His perfect
plan. One of the best examples of God’s “hidden” working is the book of
Esther, in which God is never mentioned, but which plainly shows His
sovereign hand at work from beginning to end.
Before considering if we will actually be
able to see God the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, we need to
establish that they are three Persons. Without delving too deeply into
the doctrine of the Trinity,
we need to understand that the Father is not the same Person as the
Son, the Son is not the same Person as the Holy Spirit and the Holy
Spirit is not the same Person as the Father. They are not three Gods.
They are three distinct Persons, yet they are all the one God. Each has a
will, can speak, can love, etc., and these are demonstrations of
personhood. They are in absolute perfect harmony consisting of one
substance. They are coeternal, coequal and co-powerful. If any one of
the three were removed, there would be no God.
So in heaven, there are three Persons. But will we be able to actually see them? Revelation 4:3-6
gives us a description of heaven and the throne that is occupied by God
and by the Lamb: “the one sitting there had the appearance of jasper
and carnelian… a rainbow resembling an emerald encircled the throne.
Before the throne… a sea of glass, clear as crystal.” Since God dwells
in “unapproachable light” and is one “whom no one has seen or can see” (1 Timothy 6:16), God is described in terms of the reflected brilliance of precious stones. First Corinthians 2:9
says, “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what
God has prepared for those who love him.” Because of God’s holiness, it
may be that we will never be able to look upon His face, but again, this
is speculation.
Revelation 5:6
tells us that in heaven, the Lamb stands in the center of the throne
and there are descriptions of Him clothed in brilliant white. Since the
Lamb represents Christ Jesus, and we know that human eyes have beheld
Him after His resurrection and glorification, it seems reasonable to
conclude that in heaven, we will be able to look upon our Lord and
Savior.
The Holy Spirit, by the very nature of His being, is able to move at
will and take various forms. When Jesus was baptized, the Holy Spirit
descended on Him in the form of a dove (Matthew 3:13-17). At Pentecost, the Holy Spirit was accompanied by a loud rushing noise and was seen as tongues of fire (Acts 2:1-4). It may not be possible to see the Holy Spirit unless He chooses to manifest Himself in some form, but that is speculation.
Mere mortals do not have the ability to grasp the wonders of heaven—it
is entirely beyond our comprehension. Whatever heaven is like, it will
far exceed our wildest imaginings! All we know is that we will be
worshiping our great God and full of wonder that He died to save
sinners.
Answer:
The most difficult thing about the Christian concept of the Trinity is
that there is no way to perfectly and completely understand it. The
Trinity is a concept that is impossible for any human being to fully
understand, let alone explain. God is infinitely greater than we are;
therefore, we should not expect to be able to fully understand Him. The
Bible teaches that the Father is God, that Jesus is God, and that the
Holy Spirit is God. The Bible also teaches that there is only one God.
Though we can understand some facts about the relationship of the
different Persons of the Trinity to one another, ultimately, it is
incomprehensible to the human mind. However, this does not mean the
Trinity is not true or that it is not based on the teachings of the
Bible.
The Trinity is one God existing in three Persons. Understand that this
is not in any way suggesting three Gods. Keep in mind when studying this
subject that the word “Trinity” is not found in Scripture. This is a
term that is used to attempt to describe the triune God—three
coexistent, co-eternal Persons who make up God. Of real importance is
that the concept represented by the word “Trinity” does exist in
Scripture. The following is what God’s Word says about the Trinity:
1) There is one God (Deuteronomy 6:4; 1 Corinthians 8:4; Galatians 3:20; 1 Timothy 2:5).
2) The Trinity consists of three Persons (Genesis 1:1, 26; 3:22; 11:7; Isaiah 6:8, 48:16, 61:1; Matthew 3:16-17, 28:19; 2 Corinthians 13:14). In Genesis 1:1, the Hebrew plural noun "Elohim" is used. In Genesis 1:26, 3:22, 11:7 and Isaiah 6:8,
the plural pronoun for “us” is used. The word "Elohim" and the pronoun
“us” are plural forms, definitely referring in the Hebrew language to
more than two. While this is not an explicit argument for the Trinity,
it does denote the aspect of plurality in God. The Hebrew word for
"God," "Elohim," definitely allows for the Trinity.
In Isaiah 48:16 and 61:1, the Son is speaking while making reference to the Father and the Holy Spirit. Compare Isaiah 61:1 to Luke 4:14-19 to see that it is the Son speaking. Matthew 3:16-17
describes the event of Jesus' baptism. Seen in this passage is God the
Holy Spirit descending on God the Son while God the Father proclaims His
pleasure in the Son. Matthew 28:19 and 2 Corinthians 13:14 are examples of three distinct Persons in the Trinity.
3) The members of the Trinity are distinguished one from another in
various passages. In the Old Testament, “LORD” is distinguished from
“Lord” (Genesis 19:24; Hosea 1:4). The LORD has a Son (Psalm 2:7, 12; Proverbs 30:2-4). The Spirit is distinguished from the “LORD” (Numbers 27:18) and from “God” (Psalm 51:10-12). God the Son is distinguished from God the Father (Psalm 45:6-7; Hebrews 1:8-9). In the New Testament, Jesus speaks to the Father about sending a Helper, the Holy Spirit (John 14:16-17).
This shows that Jesus did not consider Himself to be the Father or the
Holy Spirit. Consider also all the other times in the Gospels where
Jesus speaks to the Father. Was He speaking to Himself? No. He spoke to
another Person in the Trinity—the Father.
4) Each member of the Trinity is God. The Father is God (John 6:27; Romans 1:7; 1 Peter 1:2). The Son is God (John 1:1, 14; Romans 9:5; Colossians 2:9; Hebrews 1:8; 1 John 5:20). The Holy Spirit is God (Acts 5:3-4; 1 Corinthians 3:16).
5) There is subordination within the Trinity. Scripture shows that the
Holy Spirit is subordinate to the Father and the Son, and the Son is
subordinate to the Father. This is an internal relationship and does not
deny the deity of any Person of the Trinity. This is simply an area
which our finite minds cannot understand concerning the infinite God.
Concerning the Son see Luke 22:42, John 5:36, John 20:21, and 1 John 4:14. Concerning the Holy Spirit see John 14:16, 14:26, 15:26, 16:7, and especially John 16:13-14.
6) The individual members of the Trinity have different tasks. The Father is the ultimate source or cause of the universe (1 Corinthians 8:6; Revelation 4:11); divine revelation (Revelation 1:1); salvation (John 3:16-17); and Jesus' human works (John 5:17; 14:10). The Father initiates all of these things.
The Son is the agent through whom the Father does the following works: the creation and maintenance of the universe (1 Corinthians 8:6; John 1:3; Colossians 1:16-17); divine revelation (John 1:1, 16:12-15; Matthew 11:27; Revelation 1:1); and salvation (2 Corinthians 5:19; Matthew 1:21; John 4:42). The Father does all these things through the Son, who functions as His agent.
The Holy Spirit is the means by whom the Father does the following works: creation and maintenance of the universe (Genesis 1:2; Job 26:13; Psalm 104:30); divine revelation (John 16:12-15; Ephesians 3:5; 2 Peter 1:21); salvation (John 3:6; Titus 3:5; 1 Peter 1:2); and Jesus' works (Isaiah 61:1; Acts 10:38). Thus, the Father does all these things by the power of the Holy Spirit.
There have been many attempts to develop illustrations of the Trinity.
However, none of the popular illustrations are completely accurate. The
egg (or apple) fails in that the shell, white, and yolk are parts of the
egg, not the egg in themselves, just as the skin, flesh, and seeds of
the apple are parts of it, not the apple itself. The Father, Son, and
Holy Spirit are not parts of God; each of them is God. The water
illustration is somewhat better, but it still fails to adequately
describe the Trinity. Liquid, vapor, and ice are forms of water. The
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are not forms of God, each of them is God.
So, while these illustrations may give us a picture of the Trinity, the
picture is not entirely accurate. An infinite God cannot be fully
described by a finite illustration.
The doctrine of the Trinity has been a divisive issue throughout the
entire history of the Christian church. While the core aspects of the
Trinity are clearly presented in God’s Word, some of the side issues are
not as explicitly clear. The Father is God, the Son is God, and the
Holy Spirit is God—but there is only one God. That is the biblical
doctrine of the Trinity. Beyond that, the issues are, to a certain
extent, debatable and non-essential. Rather than attempting to fully
define the Trinity with our finite human minds, we would be better
served by focusing on the fact of God's greatness and His infinitely
higher nature. “Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge
of God! How unsearchable his judgments, and his paths beyond tracing
out! Who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been his counselor?”
(Romans 11:33-34).
Answer:Since Adam and Eve were naked in the Garden of Eden before the Fall (Genesis 3), and since there will be no curse in the New Earth (Revelation 22:3), some speculate that, in eternity, we will be naked as well. While there would be nothing wrong with glorified believers in heaven being naked (there will be no lust there), it does not seem to be the case that believers will spend eternity naked.Angelic beings and those who have been redeemed are described in the Bible as wearing some kind of garments. In Daniel’s vision, the messenger (either an angelic being or apre-incarnate appearance of Christ) was dressed in linen with a belt of fine gold around his waist. Similarly, the angel guarding Jesus’ tomb is described as wearing garments: “His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow” (Matthew 28:3).InRevelation 4:4, thetwenty-four eldersaround the throne of God wear white clothing and golden crowns.Revelation 3:5tells us that those who belong to Christ will be “dressed in white.” In the Bible’s depictions of the residents of heaven, clothing is often mentioned. There is never a hint that anyone there is unclothed.In heaven, we will not be naked as Adam and Eve were before they sinned. Their nakedness was indicative of their innocence and sinlessness. We have never been in a sinless state, so, when we get to heaven, we are pictured as being covered by the “clothing” provided by the sacrifice of Christ (Revelation 3:18).
Answer:Matthew 22:30speaks of people after the resurrection not participating in marriage—they become "like the angels." However, this does not mean people are genderless. The masculine, not neuter, pronoun is used many times to describe angels (and HE was like...HIS appearance was like, etc.). So there is no real indication that the angels are genderless beings.There is nothing in the Bible that indicates people will lose or change their gender in heaven. In the book of Revelation (chapters 21-22), it seems that God is making things not just like they were in the Garden of Eden, but even better. Remember that gender is not bad--it is actually a good thing. God created Eve because Adam needed someone to complement him. Marriage (impossible without different genders), the model relationship between a man and a woman, is a picture of Christ and the church. The church is the bride and Christ is the groom (Ephesians 5:25-32).Although it is not explicitly taught in the Bible, it seems most likely that people retain their gender after death. Our genders are a part of who we are. Gender is more than physical—it is part of our very nature and part of the way we relate to God. Therefore, it seems that gender will be perfected and glorified in eternity. It is also noteworthy that Jesus retained His gender after His death and resurrection.
Answer:InMatthew 22, the Sadducees, in an attempt to discredit Jesus, came to Him with a question regarding marriage and the resurrection. Jesus answered them with these words: “At the resurrection people will neither marry nor be given in marriage; they will be like the angels in heaven” (verse 30). Jesus teaches here that marriage is a relationship to be enjoyed in this life, but it will not carry forward into the next life. While we do not lose our identity in heaven (Luke 16:23), we will not hold the same relationships that we do on earth. Our existence will be quite different from what we are used to here. The fact that there is no marriage in heaven implies at least two other things: 1) There will be no procreation in heaven; the number of the redeemed is set, and, with no death, there will be no need to propagate the race. 2) There will be no sexual intercourse in heaven. The appetites and desires of this world will give way to higher and infinitely more gratifying delights in the world to come.For centuries, the temple and its sacrifices were at the heart of worship, but once Christ came and offered Himself as the ultimate sacrifice, the temple system and its sacrifices were no longer needed (John 4:22-23). They were “copies of the heavenly things,” and the earthly temple was only “a copy of the true one” in heaven (Hebrews 9:23-24). In the same way, the marriage relationship is a picture of our relationship with Christ (Ephesians 5:31-32). Once we are present with Christ, the illustration will no longer be needed. We will have the reality, which is far better than any earthly representation. This is why Jesus is called the Bridegroom, the Church is called His Bride, and our celebration in heaven is called the Wedding (John 3:29;Matthew 22:1-14;Revelation 19:7-9).
Answer:The night before Jesus was crucified, He told His disciples that He would be leaving them and that they could not go with Him (John 13:33). Peter asked where He was going and why they couldn’t go with Him, and Jesus assured them that they would follow Him eventually (John 13:36-37). Jesus said, "In my Father's house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also" (John 14:2-3).This saying of Jesus has confused many because of the King James Version’s rendering of the words “house” and “mansions.” The Greek word translated “house” means “an abode,” literally or figuratively, and, by implication, “a family.” The word translated “mansions” or “rooms” means literally “the act of staying or residing.” So, putting the Greek together, Jesus is saying that in God’s home (heaven) there will be many people in the family of God all abiding together. Within God's heavenly house, Christians will live in the presence of the Lord. This is quite different from the idea of rows of mansions on streets of gold, which is the image many people have of what Jesus was saying.Jesus Christ prepares a place in heaven for His own, those who have come to Him in faith, and the Holy Spirit prepares the redeemed on earth for their place in heaven.Revelation 7:9tells us that there will be a "great multitude in heaven that no one could number" all standing before the throne. Here, again, the imagery is of multitudes together, not living separately in different mansions.
Answer:The Bible describes heaven in great detail in Revelation chapters 21-22. Nowhere in those chapters is the possibility of sin mentioned. There will be no more death, sorrow, crying, or pain (Revelation 21:4). The sinful are not in heaven, but in the lake of fire (Revelation 21:8). Nothing impure will ever enter heaven (Revelation 21:27). Outside of heaven are those who sin (Revelation 22:15). So, the answer is no, there will be no sin in heaven.What does that mean for us? If there is no possibility of sin, does that mean we will no longer have a free will in heaven? Perhaps in heaven, our ability to choose will be similar to that of the angels. The angels had a one-time choice to obey God or follow Satan. There is no possibility of further angels sinning and joining Satan in his rebellion. The holy angels are "elect angels" (1 Timothy 5:21). Similarly, the elect in heaven will be "sealed" in their decision to forsake sin and trust in Christ. We will not even have the choice to sin. At the same time, having been delivered from sin and evil, and viewing the wonderful glories of heaven, we would not choose sin even if we had the choice.
Answer:InLuke 23:43, Jesus declared, "Truly I say to you, today you shall be with me in paradise." The word Jesus used for "paradise" isparadeisoswhich means "a park, that is, (specifically) an Eden (place of future happiness, paradise)". Paradeisos is the Greek word taken from the Hebrew word pardes which means "a park: - forest, orchard" (Strong's). Jesus said, "Today you shall be with me "en paradeisos," not "en nephele" which is Greek for “in clouds.” The point is that Jesus picked and used the word for "a park." Not just any park but "the paradise of God" or park of God (Revelation 2:7) which for us will be a place of future happiness. Does this sound like a boring place? When you think of a park, do you think of boredom?Jesus said, "You shall worship the Lord your God, and Him only you shall serve" (Matthew 4:10). It's interesting to note that Jesus did not say "praise and serve." Even the briefest examination of the word praise in the Bible quickly shows it's a verbal thing and is for the most part singing. Worship, however, is from the heart. Worship manifests itself in praise. Serving God is worship, and Scripture is clear we will serve God in heaven. "His servants will serve Him" (Revelation 22:3).We are unable to fully serve God in this life due to sin, but in heaven "every curse will no longer be" (Revelation 22:3). We will not be under the curse of sin any longer, so everything we do will be worship in heaven. We will never be motivated by anything other than our love for God. Everything we do will be out of our love for God, untainted by our sin nature.So what will we do? My favorite thing is to learn. "For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who became His counselor?" (Romans 11:34), "in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge" (Colossians 2:3). God is the "the high and lofty One who inhabits eternity" (Isaiah 57:15). God is bigger than forever, and it will take eternity "to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth and length and depth and height, and to know the love of Christ" (Ephesians 3:18-19). In other words, we will never stop learning.God's Word says we won't have to be in His paradise alone. "I shall fully know even as I also am fully known" (1 Corinthians 13:12). This would seem to indicate that we will not only know our friends and family, we will "fully know" them. In other words, there is no need for secrets in heaven. There is nothing to be ashamed of. There is nothing to hide. We will have eternity to interact with "a great multitude, which no man could number, out of all nations and kindreds and people and tongues" (Revelation 7:9). No wonder heaven will be a place of infinite learning. Just getting to know everyone will take eternity!Any further anticipation about what we shall do in God's eternal park, heaven, will be far surpassed when "the King shall say to those on His right hand, 'Come, blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world'" (Matthew 25:34). Whatever we will be doing, we can be sure it will be wonderful beyond our imaginations!
When a loved one passes away, it's common for the bereaved to say they feel the presence of the one they've lost. Many even go to grave sites and speak as if the lost one can hear them. Others believe their loved one is watching them, blessing and protecting those they left behind.These thoughts may bring momentary comfort, but they are not only misguided, they are also dangerous. When people die, they do not becomeghostsorangels. For those who follow Christ, their spirits are taken to be in His presence (2 Corinthians 5:6-8;Philippians 1:23). Those who did not follow Christ are tormented until final judgment (Luke 16:22-23). There is nothing in the Bible to indicate that the dead have influence over events on earth. In fact, the Bible says that there are no grief, tears, or unhappiness in heaven (Revelation 21:4), which seems to preclude those in heaven from even knowing what is happening on earth.Instead of holding the dead near, the Bible warns us to have nothing to do with trying to speak with the dead.Deuteronomy 18:10-12says that God will drive out those who call up the dead.Leviticus 19:31says that meeting with a medium or spiritist defiles the one who came, andLeviticus 20:27says the punishment for being a medium or spiritist was death.There is one account of a medium in the Bible actually communing with the dead. In 1 Samuel 28, beset by the Philistines, King Saul goes to a medium (literally: "mistress of the ghost") to get advice from the late prophet Samuel. When God does allow Samuel to show up, Samuel responds "Why have you disturbed me…?" (vs. 15). Samuel was not pleased about returning his attentions to earth. He did not want to leave where he was.Only God is able to hear our prayers and answer them wisely. He is never out of our reach (Psalm 139:7-12). He is powerful enough to do what we want (Revelation 19:6). But He is also wise enough to know what we need (Psalm 147:4-5).There are two verses which, taken out of context, seem to suggest praying to the dead. The first isHebrews 12:1which starts, "Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight …" This verse directly follows a list of Old Testament people who are noted for their faithfulness to God. The "cloud of witnesses" surrounding us means Old Testament saints. But it does not mean those saints are literally surrounding us. Instead, their legacy and example permeates the church, giving us encouragement to live as we should.The second verse is used to justify praying to saints.James 5:16bsays, "The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working." Some take this to mean we should ask the righteous in heaven to pray for us. But the verse comes on the heel of several admonitions for the letter's audience to pray for healing and repentance. There is no mention of praying to the dead or asking the dead to pray for us.Praying to the dead is unbiblical. The Bible condemns it as both useless and dangerous. Very often, personal issues are left unresolved when a loved one dies. Those left behind may wish to speak the words they needed to say beforehand, in hopes that the dead can hear. If the dead was a believer, they most likely give no thought to their earthly trials. If they weren't, they will be tormented forever. Either way, they can't hear us.Instead, speak to the only One Who can bring closure to our own hearts. Tell God how you feel, what you think about the other person, and whatever regrets you may have. Jesus is the only mediator we need; because of His sacrifice "Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need" (Hebrews 4:16). The power of Christ in us brings healing, not the involvement of the dead.
