Foundations of Faith
MAN (I)

We have been studying beings created by God. So far these include Satan, angels, and demons. These are spiritual beings, though with the capability of appearing in human form or indwelling the bodies of men or animals. We now continue this subject with a study of the nature, character, and spiritual history of man.

What Is Man?

Who are we? Why are we here? Where did we come from? What is our significance in the Universe? These are questions often asked by man. Here are some conclusions man has reached concerning the origin and nature of the human race:”Man is the highest of all living creatures, the result of millions of years of gradual evolution from a few basic chemical elements.” “Man is a collection of chemicals with a total value of $31.” A famous philosopher has declared that “man is a useless passion,” meaning that he goes through life having intense feelings such as love, hate, lust, fear, and ambition, and all for no purpose. Centuries earlier, Shakespeare likened the human race to a poor actor who does his thing on the stage for an hour and is never heard of again. All these statements of man leave God out of the picture. If this is what man is, how utterly hopeless and depressing! The question, “What is man?” is posed in the Bible. And what a hopeful, encouraging response is given:”Thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, and hast crowned him with glory and honor. Thou made him to have dominion over the works of Thy hands; Thou hast put all things under his feet” (Psa. 8:4-9).

After “God created the heaven and the earth” (Gen. 1:1), He said, “Let the earth bring forth grass … let the waters bring forth abundantly the moving creature … let the earth bring forth the living creature” (1:11,20, 24). But when it came to God’s highest creation, He said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness … so God created man in His own image” (1:26,27). The word “created” in verses 1 and 27 means to bring into existence out of nothing. So man is a special, unique creation of God, distinct from the rest of creation.

The Image and Likeness of God

What does it mean for man to be made in the image and likeness of God? The word “likeness” refers to a resemblance of appearance or behavior. Since God is a spirit, it is not a physical but a moral resemblance. Man was created as a sinless being, morally like God. (We shall see in a later issue how this likeness was affected by man’s fall into sin.) The Hebrew word translated “image” literally means “shadow,” or a shadowing forth or representation of something or someone. The image of Caesar on a coin (Matt. 22:20) represented the man in power at that time in the Roman Empire. So man has been created to represent God on the earth. As one example of this, God delegated to man rule and authority over the plant and animal kingdoms (Gen. 1:26-29). Man, as made in the image of God, has a God-consciousness with the ability to learn about and know God through His Word, and the ability to communicate with God by prayer.

(To be continued.)

Running the Race
IMAGE AND LIKENESS OF GOD: HOW DOES IT AFFECT ME? (I)

Does the Biblical truth that we are made in the image and likeness of God make any difference in how you and I go about living our daily lives? It surely does! (At least it ought to!) Let us learn what the Bible has to say about these things.

1. Why is it a serious crime when one person murders another person? Why are not cats punished for killing mice, or humans punished for slaughtering cattle for food? Do the animal rights activists have a valid point in their bumper stickers that declare “Meat is murder”? The Bible gives a clear answer to these questions: “God blessed Noah and his sons, and said unto them,… every moving thing that lives shall be meat for you, even as the green herb have I given you all things…. Whoever sheds man’s blood, by man shall his blood be shed: for in the image of God made He man” (Gen. 9:1-6). Here we see the reason for the death penalty for murderers: Every man, woman, and child has great significance in God’s eyes, having been made in the image and likeness of God; therefore, woe to any who dares to snuff out the life of a fellow human. More generally, we have here the basis for placing value upon and showing respect to all human beings.

2. This need for respect for our fellow human beings is carried further in the New Testament: “The tongue can no man tame…. Therewith bless we God, even the Father; and therewith curse we men, who are made after the similitude [or likeness] of God…. My brethren, these things ought not so to be” (Jas. 3:8-10). When we are tempted to lash out in anger against another person, or to call that person ugly names, we must remind ourselves that we are behaving this way toward one who has been made in the image and likeness of God. Our angry name-calling must surely sting and grieve the Creator!

3. Has God given to man the liberty to use the natural resources of the earth in whatever way he pleases? Not really. As made in God’s image, man is to “have dominion over the fish … the fowl … the cattle, and over all the earth” (Gen. 1:26). Also, God has given to man the produce from plants and trees for food (1:29). On the one hand, this means that the natural resources of the earth are available for man’s use and benefit; on the other hand, there are many scriptures that tell us that we are to use these resources carefully and wisely without being wasteful.

God preserved endangered species in the ark (Gen. 6-8). He instructed Israel to leave the farm land idle every seven years to allow it to recover its fertility (Lev. 25:1-7). When the Lord Jesus miraculously multiplied the loaves and fishes to feed the 5,000 people, He instructed His disciples not to be wasteful with the leftovers (John 6:12,13). So let us follow God’s instructions and the Lord Jesus’ own example in ruling wisely over the natural resources God has graciously given to us.

(To be continued.)

Assignment 15: Write out a pair of verses in Deuteronomy 20 which speak of conservation of natural resources.

Foundations of Faith
DEMONS

In the last few issues we have had lessons on angels and on Satan, the chief of the fallen angels. For completeness of our subject, let us say a few things about the followers of Satan, known as Satan’s angels (Rev. 12:9), devils or demons (Matt. 7:22; Luke 8:27-38), unclean spirits (Matt. 12:43; Acts 8:7; Rev. 16:13), or evil spirits (Luke 7:21; Acts 19:12,13). The King James Version uses the word “devil” for both Satan and his angels. However, the words are different in the original Greek text; most other versions of the New Testament properly translate the Greek word diabolos as “devil,” referring to Satan, and the Greek word daimon as “demon,” referring to Satan’s angelic followers. The demons were created by the Son of God (compare Col. 1:13-16 with Eph. 6:12). They apparently fell along with Satan from their original state of perfection, and are ruled by Satan (Matt. 12:24-26; Rev. 12:7-9). Demons are spirit beings without bodies (Matt. 12:43,44); however, their full power seems to come from occupying the bodies of humans or beasts (Matt. 9:32,33; Mark 5:1-13; 9:17-26; Acts 19:16).

Demons have the power to cause physical disease (Job 2:7; Matt. 12:22; Luke 9:39), insanity (Luke 8:26-35), and even death (Job 1:15-19; Rev. 9:14-19), However, their power is limited by God (Job 1:12; 2:6), and they have nothing to do with many cases of illness and death (see Assignment 13).

Demons, like Satan their leader, have great knowledge, and they communicate their knowledge to people such as fortune tellers who yield themselves to demonic power (Acts 16:16-18). They also impersonate the spirits of the dead; thus through mediums (or those having “familiar spirits”) people think they are communicating with their departed loved ones (Lev. 20:6,27; 1 Sam. 28:3-8; 2 Chron. 33:6). When King Saul was in trouble, he went to a medium and asked her to bring up Samuel–who was dead–so he could get Samuel’s advice. The medium got the shock of her life when Samuel himself appeared, rather than a demon impersonator (1 Sam. 28:11-15). The Bible strictly forbids every kind of communication or playing around with evil spirits:”There shall not be found among you anyone who … practices witchcraft, or a soothsayer, or one who interprets omens, or a sorcerer, or one who conjures spells, or a medium, or a spiritist, or one who calls up the dead. For all who do these things are an abomination to the Lord” (Deut. 18:10-12, The New King James Version).

Can a born-again Christian be possessed by a demon? There is no evidence of this in the Scriptures. The Christian is indwelt by the Holy Spirit (Rom. 8:9,11; 1 Cor. 3:16; 6:19), and so cannot be demon-possessed (see also Col. 1:13; 1 John 4:4). However, the Christian can be oppressed or influenced by demons who seek to hinder him from following the Lord (Eph. 6:11-18; see May-August issues of GROWING).

Running the Race
DEMONS LURKING–KEEP OUT!

Have you ever thought it would be cool to go to a fortune teller, have seances with the dead, or observe a witchcraft ceremony? Here is just one of several experiences a young woman had when she tried to get herself out of a very deep involvement with evil spirits:

“The dark mist was swirling, alive, filled with the presence of something more monstrous than anything I had ever before encountered…. Voices shrieked in hideous laughter. ‘We’re going to kill you!’ I panicked and broke into a run. Something like a giant fist slammed into my back between my shoulders…. I tried to scream out ‘Jesus!’ but an iron hand closed upon my throat choking off the word. All I could do was scream in my mind, ‘Jesus, Jesus, help me!’ ‘He can’t help you,’ the voices shrieked…. Suddenly the grip around my throat loosened–the blackness lifted…. I could see the faces of countless demons, contorted, twisted in indescribable rage” (from The Beautiful Side of Evil by Johanna Michaelsen, Harvest House Publishers, copyright 1982; used by permission).

Ms. Michaelsen tells how she had many beautiful, peaceful, ecstatic experiences while communicating with evil spirits. But once she began to be convicted that she ought to get away from such activities and return to following the Lord Jesus, it was anything but peaceful for her. (See Assignment 14)

Ms. Michaelsen, along with others who have written on this topic, say that occult practices (that is, getting involved in the world of demons) are often disguised as innocent games. Many young people have no idea what they are getting into.
Have you ever played around with a Ouija board, tarot cards, tea-leaf or palm reading, or crystal ball gazing? Have you played Dungeons and Dragons or other fantasy role-playing games that involve casting spells or other magical arts? Do you play video games that involve the same kind of thing? Are you attracted to movies or television programs that focus on ghosts, witchcraft, communication with the dead, psychic powers? Have you ever visited a fortune teller (usually advertised today as “reader and advisor”)? Do you have a fascination with astrology or do you look to the daily horoscope for guidance?

All of these may involve dabbling in Satan’s world, the world of demons and evil spirits. The Bible warns us against astrology and turning to sources other than God and His Word for guidance: “Take … heed … lest you lift up your eyes unto heaven, and when you see the sun, and the moon, and the stars, even all the host of heaven, should be driven to worship them and serve them” (Deut. 4:15-19; see also 18:10-12 quoted earlier). Every excursion that you make into the world of demons only encourages the demons to pay more attention to you–often with tragic consequences.
If you have already gotten involved in the world of demons, confess this to the Lord and call upon Him to help you to escape from it. Seek the aid of a godly counselor as well. While you may experience much opposition from the demon world, as did Ms. Michaelsen, you will also find, as she did, that “Greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world” (1 John 4:4).

Assignment 13: Write out verses in John 9, 1 Corinthians 11, and Hebrews 12 that give causes of illness and death other than the activity of demons.

Assignment 14: Write out a verse in 2 Corinthians 11 that tells why one might find it enjoyable to be involved with demons.

Foundations of Faith
ANGELS (II)

In the previous issue we discussed some general characteristics and attributes of angels as well as the ministry they carry out.

Are There Different Ranks of Angels?

Thrones, dominions (or lordships), principalities, powers (or authorities), might, angels–these are different words found in the New Testament in reference to angels (Rom. 8:38; Eph. 1:21; Col. 1:16). These words may refer to different ranks among angels, or else different degrees of excellence or different offices and employments. Above all these is the rank of archangel, or “chief angel.” Michael is designated as “archangel” in the New Testament (Jude 9; see also Rev. 12:7); in the Old Testament Michael is “one of the chief princes” (Dan. 10:13). Possibly more than one angel occupies the rank of archangel.
High ranking angels apparently are assigned to different nations. “The prince of the kingdom of Persia” withstood the angel sent to minister to Daniel (Dan. 10:13), and Michael is “the great prince who stands for the children of [Israel]” (Dan. 12:1).
In the Old Testament we learn of two more kinds or ranks of angels–cherubim and seraphim. Cherubim served God in covering His Throne and keeping any evil from coming into His presence. They were assigned to guard the tree of life in the Garden of Eden after man’s fall (Gen. 3:24). Two golden cherubim were crafted on the mercy seat, signifying their guard over the most holy place of the tabernacle (Exod. 25:18; see also Ezek. 10). Hezekiah prayed to the “God of Israel who dwells between the cherubim” (Isa. 37:16; see also Psa. 80:1; 99:1).

Seraphim are referred to only once in the Bible:they stood above the throne of Jehovah where one of them proclaimed His holiness and glory (Isa. 6:1-3). In the same scene, one of the seraphim (meaning “burning ones”) took a burning coal and touched Isaiah’s lips, cleansing him of his sin. By these angelic creatures we see God’s glory linked with the righteous cleansing of sinners (see John 17:4). (See Assignment 11)

Do We Have Guardian Angels?

This question has become a hot topic during the past two or three years. Shelves of book stores and libraries are overflowing with books about angels and people’s experiences with angels. People are wearing angel pins on their blouses or lapels. There are angel stores, angel clubs, angel newsletters, angel hot lines, and angel seminars. Authors of angel books and lecturers at angel seminars teach people how to pray to and get in touch with their own personal guardian angel. Many people have their own “angel experiences” to tell. I remember as a child my mother telling me the story of when her mother was a child. My grandmother used to play in a crawl space underneath the barn. One day she heard her name being called and obediently came out from under the barn and ran to the house. But nobody had called her. Just then the barn collapsed in a heap!

Was it my grandmother’s guardian angel who had called her, thus probably saving her life? Thousands of people today would vehemently exclaim, “Yes!” and would hasten to tell their own angel stories. Does the Bible say anything about guardian angels? Two verses are often cited in this regard:”He shall give His angels charge over you, to keep you in all your ways. They shall bear you up in their hand, lest you dash your foot against a stone” (Psa. 91:11,12; Matt. 4:6); “Despise not one of these little ones, for I say unto you that in heaven their angels do always behold the face of My Father who is in heaven” (Matt. 18:10). These verses suggest the possibility of personal guardian angels. However, they do not support the claim made by many today that everyone in the world has one or more personal angels assigned to him/her for life. (See Assignment 12.) Even less do they support the notion that we are to try to get in touch with our personal angel or to pray to him.

The angel movement seems to be just another diabolical plan of the one who was once the highest angel of them all–Satan. It shifts people’s attention off of Christ–their Creator, Saviour and Redeemer–and onto created beings–angels. When such a person experiences a miracle or some kind of help that is unexplainable in human terms, the first person to receive credit is the guardian angel.

While there are many examples in the Bible of angels helping man (see the last issue of GROWING), there are at least as many examples of Jehovah of the Old Testament or the Holy Spirit of the New Testament warning, encouraging, guiding, or in other ways helping man. How can we tell the difference between an angel or the Lord Himself (with human voice or human form) helping us? In most cases we can’t, and should not even try. When “three men” appeared to Abraham in the plains of Mamre, it later turned out that two were angels and one was the Lord Himself (Gen. 18:1-19:1). Scripture tells us that angels are “ministering spirits, sent forth to minister” (Heb. 1:14). We are never instructed in the Bible to worship or even thank angels. Whenever we experience some kind of divine help, our thoughts, thanksgiving, and worship should immediately be directed to God Himself; if an angel was involved, it was only because he was sent and given power by God to meet my need. When the Apostle John fell at the feet of an angel to worship him, the angel said, “Don’t do it, I am your fellow servant … worship God” (Rev. 19:10; 22:8,9). While many today are seeking by meditation and mystical means to be taught and guided directly by angels, we are instructed in the Scriptures, “Let no man beguile you of your reward in … worshiping of angels, intruding into those things which he has not seen” (Col. 2:18). It would be well if there were as much attention being paid today to studying the attributes of God and the Person and work of Christ in the Holy Scriptures as there is to the study of angels!

Running the Race
Assignment 11: Bible scholars disagree as to whether “the sons of God” in Gen. 6:2,4 refer to the descendants of Seth or to angels. Read Job 1:6; 2:1; Matt. 22:30; 2 Pet. 2:4-9; and Jude 6-8, along with Gen. 6:1-5. What verses support the opinion that the sons of God were human beings, and what ones support their being angels?

Assignment 12: Write out the verse in Hebrews 1 that tells for which class of people angels are sent to minister.

Foundations of Faith
ANGELS (I)

The past three issues of GROWING have dealt with Satan, the chief of the fallen angels. Let us now look at what the Bible says about angels in general.

What Are Angels Like?

1. Angels were created by God (Col. 1:16). According to the original creation, angels are higher than man (Psa. 8:5; Heb. 2:7). According to the new creation, the redeemed children of God will be given a place higher than the angels (1 Cor. 6:3).

2. Angels are spirit beings (Heb. 1:14), and so are basically invisible. On special occasions they become visible. Sometimes they take the bodily form of humans, as when two angels came to Lot in Sodom (Gen. 19:1). Or they may appear to man as heavenly beings, that is, with wings (Isa. 6:2; Ezek. 1:6), or surrounded with bright light and dressed in shining white robes (Dan. 10:6; Matt. 28:2,3; Luke 24:4; Rev. 10:1).

3. Angels possess greater intelligence (2 Sam. 14:20), greater speed of movement (Dan. 9:21), and greater power than man (Psa. 103:20; 2 Thess. 1:7; 2 Pet. 2:11). As an example of their power, one angel killed 185,000 Assyrian warriors in one night (Isa. 37:36). However, as created beings, angels do not possess God’s attributes of being omnipotent (Dan. 10:13), omniscient (Mark 13:32; 1 Pet. 1:12), omnipresent, eternal, or infinite.

4. Angels do not intermarry and reproduce themselves (Matt. 22:30). They apparently do not age, for the same angel who appeared to Daniel (Dan. 8:16) also appeared to Zacharias and to Mary (Luke 1:19,26), 600 years later. Angels do not die (Luke 20:36).

5. While “there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents” (Luke 15:10), the angels do not know that extra-special joy of a sinner who has been saved by grace and redeemed by the precious blood of Christ. There is no evidence in the Bible that angels know God as “Abba, Father,” as the redeemed believers do.

6. Angels worship God around His throne (Isa. 6:2,3; Rev. 5:11,12), just as the redeemed children of God will do in a soon-coming day. Angels are not to be worshiped by man (Col. 2:18; Rev. 19:10), just as man ought not to be worshiped by other men (Acts 14:13-15).

7. There are large numbers of angels in existence:”10,000 times 10,000″ (Dan. 7:10; Rev. 5:11), or “an innumerable company” (Heb. 12:22).

What Is the Ministry of Angels?

1. Angels are messengers of God. Indeed, the Hebrew and Greek words translated “angel” in the Bible mean “messenger” or “agent.” It was probably the hand of an angel that wrote on the palace wall the mysterious words that pronounced the doom of King Belshazzar (Dan. 5:5,24-28). An angel gave to Daniel the prophecy of the 70 weeks (Dan. 9:20-27). Angels brought messages from the Lord to Hagar (Gen. 16:9-12), Abraham and Sarah (Gen. 18:10), Gideon (Judg. 6:11-16), Manoah and his wife (Judg. 13:3-5), Christ’s disciples (Acts 1:10-11), Philip (Acts 8:26), and Paul (Acts 27:23,24), among others. (See Assignment 9)

2. Angels are sent by God to protect, deliver, or strengthen God’s people (Psa. 34:7). “He shall give His angels charge over you, to keep you in all your ways. They shall bear you up in their hands, lest you dash your foot against a stone” (Psa. 91:11,12). People of the Bible who received this kind of help from angels include Lot (Gen. 19:1-16), Elijah (1 Ki. 19:5), Elisha (2 Ki. 6:17), Jesus (Matt. 4:11; Luke 22:43), the apostles (Acts 5:18,19) and Peter (Acts 12:7-10).

3. Angels are employed by God to bring judgment upon sinful individuals and nations. We already mentioned the destruction of the Assyrian army by an angel of the Lord. Other instances include the slaying of 70,000 inhabitants of Jerusalem (1 Chron. 21:14-17), the fatal smiting of King Herod (Acts 12:23), and the future casting of the wicked “into the furnace of fire” (Matt. 13:50).

4. Finally, it is not “all work and no play” for the angels. They are interested spectators of humankind, and seem to derive joy and pleasure in seeing souls saved and believers walking in obedience to the Lord (Luke 15:10; 1 Cor. 4:9; 1 Tim. 5:21; 1 Pet. 1:12).
We shall continue this topic next month, considering especially the role that angels play in our lives today.

Running the Race
IN WHAT WAYS DOES SATAN TEMPT AND HARASS US? (IV)

We now conclude our study from Eph. 6:14-18 of ways in which Satan tempts and harasses the Christian.

5. “Take the helmet of salvation.” Our failure regarding other parts of the armor may result in doubts arising in our minds about whether we are saved. Also, it is common for a believer who is deeply depressed to become easy prey to Satan’s whispers that he/she no longer is saved or never was saved. To combat such efforts of Satan to make us doubt our salvation, we need to be armed with the “helmet of salvation” by keeping fresh in our minds and memories those scriptures that speak of the assurance of our salvation. (See Assignment 10)

6. “Taking … the sword of the Spirit, which is the word [or saying] of God.” This reminds us not to try to fight Satan with our own wisdom. Jesus answered each of Satan’s temptations by quoting an appropriate passage from the Bible (Matt. 4:4,7,10). As we learn our Bibles better, we will be better able to respond to Satan’s temptations and harassments. “The word of God” in Eph. 6:17 refers to that particular saying of God or scripture verse that defeats Satan’s attack.

7. “Praying always … for all saints.” Satan likes for me to think that I am the only person in the world who really counts, or that I am the only one who experiences certain troubles or problems. But God wants us to get out of ourselves and begin praying for other Christians besides ourselves. On the principle of Matt. 5:7 (“Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy”), no doubt the more faithful you are in praying for other Christians, the more faithful other believers will be in praying for you.

Assignment 9: Look up the seven references just given where angels brought messages to people. Write down two or three words that describe the common theme of these messages.

Assignment 10: Give two Scripture references that provide you with assurance of your soul’s eternal salvation.

Foundations of Faith
SATAN (III)

What Are Satan’s Methods?

Satan’s chief work today seems to be directed at those who are following God. For example, we find Satan opposed to the first man and woman created by God and who enjoyed communion with God (Gen. 2:16-3:8). He was opposed to Job who “was perfect and upright, and one who feared God” (Job 1:1). He was opposed to the One whom God declared to be “My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased” (Matt. 3:17-4:11). And he is opposed to the believers in Christ who are seeking to lay hold of their “spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ” (Eph. 1:3; 2:6; 6:11-18). Satan may try to discourage believers by means of affliction and persecution (Job 1,2; 1 Pet. 5:8,9; Rev. 2:9,10). More often, it seems, he tries to get God’s people off track by means of his cunning lies, accusations, suggestions, and temptations (Gen. 3:1-5; Matt. 4:1-10; John 8:44; 2 Cor. 2:11; Eph. 6:11-18; 2 Thess. 2:9-11; Rev. 12:9; 20:8). Satan wants to keep as many souls as possible out of heaven. He seeks to accomplish this goal by blinding the minds of unbelievers (2 Cor. 4:4), and also by destroying the gospel testimony of the believers by discouragement, discontent, defeat, and depression.

Satan continues his attempt to gain equality with God (Isa. 14:14). Thus, he opposes God at every opportunity. Since the believers in Christ have become “partakers of the divine nature” (2 Pet. 1:4), Satan delights to thrust his “fiery darts” at the divine Person who indwells them. Every time we remain “strong in the Lord” (Eph. 6:10) and resist Satan’s temptations and attacks, he will flee from us (Jas. 4:7). In this way, we are privileged to manifest to the heavenly hosts the superiority of God to Satan.
Specific ways in which Satan tempts and harasses the believer are given in the current series of articles under The Race.

What Is the Character of Satan’s Present and Future Judgment?

Satan is already judged. The Lord Jesus, speaking to His disciples of His impending death, declared, “Now shall the prince of this world be cast out…. The prince of this world is judged” (John 12:31; 16:11). We also read that Christ, “through death,” destroyed “him who had the power of death, that is, the devil” (Heb. 2:14; see also Col. 2:14,15).
But if Satan was “cast out,” “judged,” and “destroyed” through the death of Christ, how is it that he seems to be very much alive and active today? It is because it was a legal sentence that was pronounced upon Satan at the cross; that sentence is yet to be carried out. (It is similar to the judgment pronounced upon King Saul and the anointing of David as the new king many years before David actually ascended to the throne; 1 Sam. 15:28; 16:13). But at the same time, the believer is privileged to view Satan as a defeated enemy. The power of God is far greater than the power of Satan, and God wants every Christian to draw upon God’s power and resources to resist Satan at all times (Eph. 6:10-18). The actual judgment of Satan will begin during the period of great tribulation that is to come upon the earth. A further stage of judgment will come upon Satan at the return of Christ to set up his 1,000-year reign over the earth. Satan’s final and eternal judgment will come to pass at the end of the 1,000 years. (See Assignment 8)

Will Satan continue to rebel against God throughout eternity? Perhaps in his heart he will, but he will be among those spoken of in Phil. 2:10,11:”At the name of Jesus every knee [shall] bow, of [beings] in heaven,… in earth, and … under the earth, and … every tongue [shall] confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”

Running the Race
IN WHAT WAYS DOES SATAN TEMPT AND HARASS US? (III)

Let us continue our study from Eph. 6:14-18 of ways in which Satan tempts and harasses the Christian.

4. “Taking the shield of faith … to quench the fiery darts of the wicked [one].” In addition to reminding us of past sins, Satan may toss other kinds of unwanted thoughts into our minds. These “fiery darts” may be blasphemous thoughts or doubting questions: “How do you know there really is a God?” “The Bible is a bunch of lies and myths.” “Jesus was an imposter, not the Son of God.” No doubt, all believers, at some time or other, have experienced some such thoughts. Most are able to dismiss them immediately as untrue. However, some believers may become very upset and agitated by such thoughts, thinking that they initiated the thoughts, and wondering if they could really be saved and think such thoughts. To protect against these “fiery darts” we need to take “the shield of faith,” that is, unwavering belief in the Word of God.
Satan may also at times plant impure pictures or profane words in our minds. I am not talking about the impure, sinful thoughts that may flood one’s mind while trying to read the Bible or pray or worship after having filled his mind with an R-rated movie/video or a pornographic magazine. Such thoughts are probably not from Satan, but from one’s own sinful flesh. However, on other occasions such thoughts may indeed be from Satan. But we have power from God–“the shield of faith”–to dismiss such thoughts immediately from our minds. Such thoughts only become sin if we dwell on them rather than immediately dismissing them.

(To be continued.)

CONGRATULATIONS!

Three of our readers completed all of the assignments for 1994. For the second straight year, the top scorer was Julie Johnson of Bedford, Pennsylvania (98.1% correct answers). Close behind were Philip Johnson of Anoka, Minnesota and Andrew Johnson of Shippensburg, Pennsylvania. Three others–Lisa and Carrie Keillor of Acton, California and Sue Butler of Ramsey, Minnesota–completed the assignments for only part of the year, but got at least 13 correct answers. Finally, Kevin Bennett of Jessup, Maryland received the back issues of GROWING in January 1995 and completed all of the 1993 assignments by the following month.

Assignment 8: Write out verses in Revelation 12 and 20 that describe the three stages of judgment to be carried out against Satan in the last days.

Foundations of Faith
SATAN (II)

What Are Satan’s Attributes?

Do you remember what you learned in earlier issues of GROWING about the attributes of God? God is self-existent, eternal, infinite, all-powerful, all-knowing, present everywhere, holy, righteous, good, gracious, love. It is well to understand that none of these are attributes of Satan! Satan is surely powerful, but his power is limited and restrained by the All-Powerful One. For example, Satan was given the freedom to afflict Job, but was restrained by God from taking Job’s life (Job 1:12; 2:6).

Is Satan all-knowing? Satan is extremely intelligent and, no doubt with the assistance of his army of demons, has accumulated a vast amount of knowledge about man in general and each individual in particular. But Satan is not omniscient; he doesn’t know all things. People often ask the question, “Can Satan read our thoughts.” Scripture does not say one way or the other, but it is probable that he cannot, since he is not God. However, he and his demons have observed each of us so long and carefully, and with such superb memory, that they probably have a pretty good idea what is going through our mind just by the look on our face or by noting the circumstances.

Can Satan be everywhere at the same time? It may seem like it when we consider the large numbers of people around the world who seem to be falling under satanic attacks or influences. However, unlike God, Satan is not omnipresent or present everywhere (Luke 4:13). Being a cherub he is able to travel very rapidly (2 Sam. 22:11); also he has a huge host of demons who assist him in his terrible work (Matt. 12:24,43-45; 25:41; Mark 5:9; Eph. 6:12; Rev. 12:7-9). This helps to explain why Satan’s influence seems to be present everywhere.

What Are Satan’s Names?

In the next issue, we shall consider Satan’s methods. Satan’s names show us much about his methods. Satan is a Hebrew word which means “adversary” or “one who opposes.” This word is found in the Old Testament a number of times in reference to human adversaries:”They who render evil for good are my adversaries” (Psa. 38:20; see also 1 Ki. 11:14,23,25; Psa. 109:4,20,29). When there is a definite article (“the”) before this word it becomes a proper name–Satan, or The Adversary.

“Devil” is from the Greek word diabolos meaning “accuser” or “slanderer” (see 1 Tim. 3:11; 2 Tim. 3:3; Tit. 2:3), or literally, “one who throws across” (that is, hurls charges at another).

“Satan” and “devil” are found together with two more names for Satan in Rev. 12:9. He is “the great dragon,” signifying his great power. And he is “that old serpent,” reminding us of the one who lied to Eve in the garden. Other names given to Satan are Apollyon, meaning “destroyer” (Rev. 9:11; the word apollyon is related to “perish” in John 3:16), and “the tempter” (1 Thess. 3:5). These several names or descriptions of Satan identify him following his fall. His title in heaven before his fall was “Lucifer [or shining one], son of the morning” (Isa. 14:12).

(To be continued.)

Running the Race
IN WHAT WAYS DOES SATAN TEMPT AND HARASS US? (II)

In Eph. 6:11 we are instructed, “Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.” Each of the pieces of armor described in this passage (verses 14-18) is designed to protect against a particular kind of temptation or harassment of Satan.

1. “Your loins [or waist] girt about with truth.” If Satan cannot keep one from becoming a child of God, he tries particularly hard to get the newborn soul entangled with a cult or false teaching of some sort (1 John 2:18-29). To prevent this, every believer must become firmly grounded in the truth of the Word of God; this is accomplished by diligently studying the Scriptures, and testing every new teaching that he/she hears or reads against the Scriptures.

2. “Having on the breastplate of righteousness.” Satan delights to remind us of our past sins–especially recent ones and those committed since we have been saved. Even though we have confessed those sins and have turned away from them, Satan may taunt our minds: “How can you call yourself a Christian when you sin like that?” When this happens to us, we must remind ourselves of the truth of our justification: “To him who works not, but believes on Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness” (Rom. 4:5; also 3:21-28; 4:1-8). If we truly believe in Christ’s atoning work on the cross, then we can confidently stand up to Satan with the “breastplate of righteousness” when he attacks us with respect to our past sins. Another thing we can do to reduce Satan’s harassment is this: don’t sin! Of course, this is easier said than done, but the more pure and holy our lives are, the less ammunition Satan will have for accusing us.

3. “Your feet shod with the preparation [or readiness] of the gospel of peace.” Another way Satan harasses the believer is to bring conflict into his/her life. The source of the conflict may be a person in our life–perhaps a family member or a schoolmate–who is difficult to get along with. If we respond to a person’s offense by defending ourselves or trying to get even, the resulting conflict will get us “off the track” with regard to following and serving Christ. This is just what Satan wants us to do! But just as we who are “justified by faith” have “peace with God” (Rom. 5:1), let us seek to be ready at all times to bring peace into a potentially explosive situation.
Satan also tempts us to pass up opportunities to witness to others about Christ. He is always ready to whisper into our minds a thousand excuses for not sharing the gospel with others: “too busy,” “too tired,” “have a headache,” “not the appropriate time,” “might not want to be my friend anymore,” etc. If our feet are shod with the preparedness of the gospel of peace, we will not allow Satan’s excuses to hinder us from going where God sends us and speaking to those to whom He directs us.

Assignment 7: Write out three verses from Romans 10, 12, and 14 that illustrate how the Christian can have his/her “feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace.”

Foundations of Faith
SATAN (I)

Introduction

We have devoted the last 22 issues of GROWING to a study of the nature, attributes, and works of God. The three Persons of the Trinity- Father, Son, and Holy Spirit- acted together to create the universe; they themselves have always existed and so are uncreated. We now begin a study of the highest created beings, namely angels and man.

The highest angel of all, and the chief enemy of God, is Satan. In this and coming issues we shall try to answer from the Scriptures a number of questions about Satan.

What Does Satan Look Like?

What pitcure comes into your mind when you read or hear the words “Satan” or “devil”? Is it a semi-human form with leering face, cunning grin, bright red suit, horns, hoofs, and forked tail? In this way Satan is often represented by artists. But actually, Satan, like all the angels, is a spiritual being without a body at all. Sometimes he may clothe himself with the body of a human or an animal (Gen, 3:1).

What Was Satan’s Rank Among the Angels?

Michael is the only angel called an “archangel” (or chief angel). Yet, even he dared not bring a strong rebuke against Satan, but said, “The Lord rebuke you” (Jude 9). Michael recognized that Satan possessed a dignity higher even than his own. Thus, it would appear that Satan is the highest of all the angels.

A picture of Satan’s early position before God is given in Ezek. 28:14,15:”You are the anointed cherub that covers, and I have set you so; you were upon the holy mountain of God…. You were perfect in your ways from the day that you were created, till iniquity was found in you.” Those particular angels known as “cherubim” (this word is the plural form of “cherub”) served God in covering His Throne and keeping any evil from coming into the presence of God (see Gen. 3:24; Exod. 25:17-22; Isa.37:16; Ezek. 10). So Satan, as originally created by God, occupied a very high and important position in connection with the throne of God.

Why Did Satan Fall from His High Position?

A description of Satan’s fall is found in Isa. 14:12-15:”How are you fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning!… For you have said in your heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God…. I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the Most High. Yet you shall be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit.” In a word, it was PRIDE that was Satan’s undoing (see 1 Tim. 3:6). He already occupied the highest position of any created being, but still was not content. He wanted more! (Do you know any Christians who are never content with what they have? See Heb. 13:5.) He wanted to be “like the Most High” -God Himself!

Where is Satan Now and What is His Postion?

Many think of Satan only as the king of hell and “prince of the devils” (Matt. 12:24). But he is more. What are the titles given in the Scriptures to fallen Satan? He is “the god of this world [or age]” (2 Cor. 4:4; John 12:31); he has “the kingdoms of the world” at his disposal (Matt. 4:8); he is “the prince of the power of the air” (Eph. 2:2).

Another common misconception is that Satan’s greatest activity takes place in taverns, theaters, and the like. But it seems from Scripture that he is most active in places where Christians and seekers of God may be found. Satan has trained a human army of false teachers. These pretend to be “apostles of Christ,” just as “Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light” (2 Cor. 11:12-15). (See Assignment 6)

We shall study the attributes, methods, and present and future judgement of Satan in the next issues of GROWING.

Running the Race
IN WHAT WAYS DOES SATAN TEMPT AND HARASS US? (I)

Let us draw some lessons from the ways in which Satan tempted Eve in the garden and the Lord Jesus in the wilderness.

1. The primary reason for Satan’s fall was pride-the desire for a higher place than God had given him. Perhaps Satan’s most common way of tempting man to sin is by stirring up is pride. He tempted Eve by appealing to her pride: “You shall be as God, knowing good and evil” (Gen. 3:5). Just so, he tempts us today to exalt ourselves to a place of equality with God or independence of God. It is a place where I am sitting on the throne, I am in control of my own destiny. In place of depending upon God for all things, we are encouraged by Satan through our well-meaning earthly instructors to be self-confident and assertive, to elbow our way to the top, and to fight for our rights.

2. We read of three ways in which the Lord Jesus was tempted by Satan in the wilderness. The first was to provide food for Himself (after fasting for 40 days) by turning the stones into bread (Matt. 4:3). Here, like his temptation of Eve, Satan tried to get Jesus to act independently of the will of His Father. And in like manner, Satan is always busy trying to distract the Christian from seeking to know and to do God’s will.

3. Satan tempted Jesus to jump off the roof of the temple to display to the people in the courtyard below how the angels would protect Him from harm (Matt. 4:6). In a similar way, Satan tempts us to engage in risky, unwise, dangerous or sinful behavior, with the idea that all we have to do is pray for God’s forgiveness and protection from harm. However, Satan carefully avoids reminding us of the scripture, “God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man sows, that shall he also reap” (Gal. 6:7).

4. In the third temptation, Satan offered Jesus “all the kingdoms of the world” if He would fall down and worship him (Matt. 4:8,9). Likewise, Satan tempts us with the glitter of material wealth and possessions and with the promise of fame, promotion, high position, athletic prowess, or earthly glory. Satan may not come right out and say that we have to bow down and worship him to gain these things. However, the end result often is not much different- an 80 hour work week, ruined health, and little or no time with the Lord, with the assembly, or with family.

(To be continued.)

Assignment 6: Write out verses in Job 1, Zechariah 3, and Ephesians 6 that tell of places where Satan is active.

Foundations of Faith
GOD THE HOLY SPIRIT (VI)

What Is the Fruit of the Holy Spirit? (Continued)

In the previous issue we showed how the Lord Jesus Christ displayed the ninefold fruit of the Spirit:”love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance” (Gal. 5:22,23). The Holy Spirit wants to teach us about our Saviour and attract our hearts to Him. The more we get to know and appreciate our Lord, the more we shall show that fruit in our lives.

In this issue we shall try to define these nine characteristics by way of contrast with their opposites.

1. Love. The most obvious opposite of love is hate (1 John 3:14-16). Another opposite of love is selfishness:”Love seeks not her own” (1 Cor. 13:5). This “agape” love is a very active quality. It seeks the blessing and benefit of others, often at a cost to itself. Therefore, a third opposite of love is indifference. (See Feb94 for more on love.)

2. Joy. Opposites of joy are sadness, gloom, depression, or despair. 1 Thess. 5:14,16 brings the opposites together:”Comfort the fainthearted [or depressed]…. Rejoice evermore.” David, when King Saul sought to kill him, despaired of ever being free of those trying circumstances (1 Sam. 27:1). At the opposite extreme, Paul and Silas “sang praises unto God” in the jail of Philippi (Acts 16:25). How do you respond to the difficult circumstances in your life?

3. Peace. One opposite of peace is war or fighting. Rather than having “a quarrel against any,” we are to “let the peace of God rule in [our] hearts” (Col. 3:13,15). The Lord Jesus proclaims, “Blessed are the peacemakers” (Matt. 5:9). This includes (1) those who seek to bring peace between warring parties (1 Sam. 25:24-35; Phil. 4:2); (2) those who try to live peaceably with all people (Rom. 12:18; 15:19); and (3) those who bring the “gospel of peace” to lost souls (Rom. 10:15). Another opposite of peace is anxiety, worry, or fear. A woman came to the Lord “fearing and trembling,” and was told, “Go in peace” (Mark 5:33,34). The apostle Paul writes, “Be careful [or anxious] for nothing, but … let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God … shall keep your hearts and minds” (Phil. 4:6,7). Joy has to do with our response while in the middle of a problem. Peace has to do with our attitude in the face of a possible problem that may–or may not–happen in the future.

4. Longsuffering. Since this word in the original Greek language means “long-tempered,” the opposite obviously is short-tempered. The Bible tells us to “put off … anger, wrath [or short temper]” and to “put on … longsuffering [or long temper]” (Col. 3:8,12). There may be people in our lives who are difficult to get along with. We must pray often to the Lord for the ability to be longsuffering (Eph. 4:2,3) and “slow to wrath” (Jas. 1:19) toward such people.

5. Gentleness. This word is generally translated “kindness” in the New Testament (Eph. 2:7; Tit. 3:4). “Be kind [or gentle] one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another” (Eph. 4:32). The opposite is cruelty, harshness, or severity (Heb. 11:36).

6. Goodness. The opposite of this word in the New Testament is not badness or evilness. Rather, it is lack of concern or apathy. The Lord’s parable of the Good Samaritan clearly shows the contrast (Luke 10:25-37). You all remember the story. The priest and the Levite lacked concern for the robbed and wounded man lying in the road. The Samaritan, on the other hand, was good in the sense that he helped the man. (See Dec93 for more on goodness.)

7. Faith. “We walk by faith, not by sight” (2 Cor. 5:7). So the opposite of faith is the attitude, “Seeing is believing.” In order to be saved, we place our trust in the Lord Jesus Christ who died for our sins on the cross. We did not see Him do it, but we believe what the Bible says about it. Once we are saved, we continue to live and walk by faith. We have confidence in God to supply all our needs (Phil. 4:19). However, we are often tempted to trust in objects that we can see rather than in God whom we cannot see. These objects may include walls, swords, our fellow man, and ourselves (Deut. 28:52; Psa. 44:6; 118:8; Prov. 28:25,26). (See Assignment 4)

8. Meekness. The opposite of this is aggressiveness or assertiveness. A macho person would be the opposite of a meek one. The macho man or woman does not admit to any weakness or wrongdoing. Such a person is generally very defensive (and often offensive). A meek person will receive reproof or insult or injury without defending self and without trying to get even. A meek person will give up his/her rights, if necessary, to magnify God’s rights and God’s glory. (See Assignment 5)

9. Temperance. Since another word for this is self-control, the opposite is out-of-control. What part of our bodies is most likely to get out-of-control? James 3 tells us it is the tongue. “The tongue is a little member and boasts great things…. The tongue is a fire…. It defiles the whole body…. The tongue can no man tame…. Out of the same mouth proceed blessing and cursing” (verses 5-10). Another opposite of temperance is incontinence (2 Tim. 3:3). This word in Scripture seems particularly tied to lack of control of one’s sexual desires (1 Cor. 7:5). The apostle Paul reminds us that our “body is the temple of the Holy Spirit” (1 Cor. 6:19). We must always use every part of our body, soul, and spirit to bring honor and glory to God (1 Cor. 10:31).

This concludes for now our study of God. We have discussed the nature and attributes of God, the Holy Trinity, and details concerning the Person and work of God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. Later we shall return to a consideration of the death of Christ as it relates to the doctrine of salvation. In the next issue we shall begin a study of created beings, starting with Satan and other angels, and then going on to a study of man.

Running the Race
Assignment 4: Write out verses in Psalm 52, Proverbs 3, and Jeremiah 13 that speak of man trusting in something other than the Lord.

Assignment 5: Write out a verse in Numbers 12 in which a man is described as being “very meek.” Also, write out a verse in this same chapter that illustrates this man’s meekness.

Foundations of Faith
GOD THE HOLY SPIRIT (V)

What Is the Fruit of the Holy Spirit?

We learned in the December 1994 issue of GROWING that a most important work of the Holy Spirit is teaching the believer about the Lord Jesus Christ (John 16:13-15). Such teaching helps us to follow Christ’s perfect example for us (1 Pet. 2:21-23) and to exhibit the fruit of the Spirit in our lives.

What is the fruit of the Spirit? It may be described as the attitudes and behavior of Christ reproduced in the lives of believers. It consists of “love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance” (Gal. 5:22,23).

While teaching His disciples about bearing fruit, Jesus tells them (1) “Abide in My love“; (2) “these things have I spoken unto you that My joy might remain in you”; and (3) “My peace I give unto you” (John 14:27; 15:10,11). Do you see the connection? The disciples (that is what you and I are) bear fruit by allowing the love, joy, peace, and other attitudes of Christ to come out in our lives. We can also see Christ in the other six aspects of the fruit of the Spirit.

4. “The Lord is longsuffering, not willing that any should perish” (2 Pet. 3:9; see also 1 Tim. 1:16).

5 and 6. “Take My yoke upon you and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart…. For My yoke is easy [literally, gentle] and My burden is light” (Matt. 11:29,30).

7. “Good Master, what shall I do…?” (Luke 18:18). “Some said, He is a good man” (John 7:12).

8. The Lord Jesus, being the eternal Son of God, did not really need to have faith in God. He fully knew who He was and who His Father was. But the Scriptures declare Him as “Faithful and True” (Rev. 19:11; see also 2 Thess. 3:3).

9. See Assignment 3.

(To be continued.)

Running the Race
HOW DOES THE HOLY SPIRIT AFFECT OUR DAILY LIVES? (IV)

Scene: Teen-age Sunday school class.

Teacher: Last week I promised to relate a couple of true stories that illustrate the Holy Spirit’s work of prompting the believer to prayer or other actions.
A friend of mine, Jean Huang of Baltimore, Maryland, told me this story about 20 years ago. A few years previous she was serving as a missionary nurse in Honduras. She had just begun receiving training in helping mothers during labor and performing deliveries. When her instructor became ill and returned to the United States, Ms. Huang was left to run the clinic by herself.

One day a woman named Mary came into the clinic in active labor. A few minutes later she delivered a child. To the dismay of both Mary and Ms. Huang, the child was born dead. That evening Mary’s husband came into the clinic, drunk and carrying a pistol. He was very angry that the child had died and he blamed the nurse for having killed it. There he stood, pointing the pistol at Ms. Huang; there she stood trembling, facing him. Suddenly, he turned and walked out of the building.

Ms. Huang related this incident in a letter to her family in Pennsylvania. One dear elderly lady, hearing the story, asked what day and hour the incident occurred. It turned out that at that very hour, the Holy Spirit had impressed this lady with the thought that Ms. Huang was in trouble and that she should pray for her.

Thus, the Holy Spirit found a willing servant who obeyed His prompting to pray, and He provided a wonderful answer to that prayer.

Katy: That reminds me of a story my mother told me of a couple named Ted and Nell. Ted was stationed at a mission center in Vietnam in 1961 during the war. His wife waited in neighboring Thailand for his return. One evening the Viet Cong attacked. Guns and artillery were blazing everywhere. The mission personnel hurried to their shelters and stayed for two hours. Returning later to the mission center, they found no civilians wounded, only light casualties among the government troops, and the mission center unharmed.
Weeks later, Ted and Nell learned that a friend of Nell’s in Australia had awakened in the middle of that very night with the strong impression that Ted and Nell were in special need. She got up and prayed for her friends, and she found out later that the Lord had wonderfully answered her prayer.

Teacher: Thank you, Katy. Isn’t it exciting to know that God is real and living? He knows all of our needs and He helps His people in wonderful ways.

Tom: Yes, and it really is encouraging to realize that sometimes God allows us to be a part of His work in helping others.

Teacher: I have another story which shows that the Holy Spirit does not always have to speak to people directly and supernaturally to stir them into action. In this story, the Holy Spirit spoke to a certain woman through a news report on the radio.
Francis and Edith Schaeffer told this story in one of their books. Mrs. Schaeffer had the radio on one evening in 1947 when the program was interrupted by a news flash that a plane was in distress over the Atlantic Ocean. Realizing that her husband was flying home from Europe that same night, she gathered her three young daughters together and they knelt down and prayed.

At that same moment, midway between Europe and North America, Mr. Schaeffer was also praying. The co-pilot had just come out and told the passengers to put on their life jackets. Both engines on one wing of the DC4 had stopped.
Just as everybody could see the waves breaking below them and were preparing for the crash, suddenly the two engines started. They proceeded safely to Gander, Newfoundland. Later the pilot told Mr. Schaeffer that he just could not explain it. He said it was very rare that two engines stop on one wing; when it does happen, one can be absolutely certain they are not going to start again. Mr. Schaeffer responded, “I can explain it. My Father in heaven started them because I was praying.” Many hours later he learned that his family was praying too.

Assignment 3: There is no verse that states specifically that the Lord Jesus had temperance (or self-control). Write out a verse from 1 Peter 2 and a verse from the prophecy concerning Christ in Isaiah 53 that demonstrate His self-control.

Foundations of Faith
GOD THE HOLY SPIRIT (IV)

What Is the Work of the Holy Spirit in Christians? (Continued)

The Holy Spirit guides the believer. Individuals in the church at Antioch, while praying and fasting, were directed by the Holy Spirit to send out Paul and Barnabas as missionaries (Acts 13:1-3). During one of his missionary journeys, the Apostle Paul was directed by the Spirit not to go to Asia nor to Bithynia, but rather to Macedonia (Acts 16:6-10). Such guidance is not just for “spiritual giants” like the Apostle Paul, but “As many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God” (Rom. 8:14). In a later issue we shall discuss in much more depth this matter of spiritual guidance and knowing the will of God for our lives.

What Are Some Ways One May Respond to the Work of the Holy Spirit?

Being filled with the Holy Spirit. Let us begin with the most ideal response of the believer to the work of the Holy Spirit and work down. We are exhorted, “Be not drunk with wine … but be filled with the Spirit” (Eph. 5:18). What does it mean to “be filled with the Spirit”? Does it mean that there can be a greater measure of the Holy Spirit indwelling us at some times than at others? No, remember that the Holy Spirit is a Person; He either dwells in us (if we are believers in Christ) or He doesn’t (if we are unbelievers). The first part of verse 18 helps us to understand the second part. To be drunk with wine means to be under the influence of it or totally controlled by it. So to be filled by the Spirit means to be totally controlled by the Spirit, or allowing the Spirit to work freely in our lives and being totally obedient to His directions for us.

Common behaviors of those filled with the Spirit in Bible times included speaking prophetically (Luke 1:41-45,67-79), testifying of Christ (Acts 2:4,14-36), and preaching the gospel with great boldness (Acts 4:31). (See Assignment 2)

We are told in Gal. 5:17 that “the flesh lusts against the Spirit and the Spirit against the flesh, and these are contrary the one to the other.” Thus, in every area of our life in which we, in self-will, are retaining control and allowing the flesh to act, we are keeping the Holy Spirit from having control and thus are limiting the degree to which we are filled with the Spirit.

Grieving the Holy Spirit. The commandment given to believers, “Grieve not the Holy Spirit” (Eph. 4:30), is sandwiched among commands against stealing, lying, using bad language, and having bitterness and anger toward others. When we sin in these and other ways, we force the Holy Spirit to give up His normal activities in us–such as guiding us in our service for Christ, helping us in our praying and understanding of the Scriptures, and teaching us about Christ. Instead, the Spirit must turn His attention to pleading with us to recognize, confess, and turn away from our sin.

Quenching the Holy Spirit. A fire is quenched when it is put out and not allowed to carry out its natural effect of burning. The Holy Spirit is quenched when He has a burning desire to do a particular work in a believer’s heart, and that person ignores or disobeys the Spirit’s instructions. In order not to quench the Spirit, we are told, “Despise not prophesyings” (1 Thess. 5:19, 20). If the Holy Spirit gives one a message–say, a word of rebuke or warning–to give to me, and I toss it off, or throw it back in the face of the messenger, I am despising the prophesying (or message given from God) and thus am quenching the Spirit.

Committing blasphemy against the Holy Spirit. The three responses–being filled with, grieving, or quenching the Holy Spirit–considered above apply to believers in Christ. However, it is important to state at the outset that committing blasphemy against the Holy Spirit can only be done by an unbeliever. The Pharisees claimed that when Jesus cast out demons, He did it by the power of Beelzebub, the prince of the demons (Matt. 12:22-24). Jesus responded by saying, “All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men; but the blasphemy against the Holy Spirit shall not be forgiven unto men” (verse 31). The unpardonable sin, then, is being in such opposition to Christ as to give Satan credit for the works that Christ or His servants have done through the power of the Holy Spirit. This results from a steady course of unbelief and rebellion against God, and cannot possibly be committed by a true believer in Christ.

Running the Race
HOW DOES THE HOLY SPIRIT AFFECT OUR DAILY LIVES? (III)

We continue to listen in on a teen-age Sunday school class where the pupils are discussing ways they experienced the working of the Holy Spirit in their lives during the previous week.

Teacher: Tom, you have been patiently waiting to speak.

Tom: Something weird happened to me Friday afternoon. I was driving home from college on the freeway and all of a sudden this thought came into my mind, “Get off at the next exit and take the back roads the rest of the way home.” It didn’t make any sense to do that because it would have taken at least a half hour longer.

Katy: So what did you do?

Tom: I didn’t do anything, and a couple of miles past the exit I got into the longest traffic backup I have ever experienced. There was a bad accident several miles ahead and it took two hours longer than usual for me to get home.

Susan: Something like that happened to me once.

Tom: Do you think the Holy Spirit was the One who put that thought into my mind?

Teacher: Yes, I certainly do. I guess you will pay more attention next time something like that happens. Katy, you had your hand up.

Katy: Last Monday I was walking to school and just like a bullet the name of my best friend in first and second grade popped into my head. I hadn’t even thought about her for the past five years since she moved away. Could that have been the work of the Spirit?

Teacher: Quite possibly. What did you do then?

Katy: I started praying for her. I wasn’t saved when she and I played together. But now that I am saved, I have begun praying that she will be saved too.

Teacher: Is that the end of the story?

Katy: For now it is. But I want to find out where she lives and write to her.

Teacher: Excellent! Katy’s experience reminds me of a couple of true stories. Don’t let me forget to tell them to you next week.

(To be continued.)

Assignment 2: (a) Give the verses in Acts 6, 7, and 13 that tell us that Stephen and Paul were filled with the Holy Spirit. (b) Based on the chapters just mentioned, describe the actions of each of these men when filled with the Holy Spirit.

WELCOME TO GROWING

With this issue we begin the third year of publication of GROWING which is devoted to describing the fundamental doctrines of the Bible. If you are missing some or all of the 1993 and 1994 issues, please notify the Editor or Distributor who will be pleased to send you the copies you need at no cost to you.

Foundations of Faith
GOD THE HOLY SPIRIT (III)

What Is the Work of the Holy Spirit in Christians? (Continued)

The Holy Spirit gives spiritual gifts to the believer. In 1 Corinthians 12 we find lists of several different spiritual gifts given to believers by the Holy Spirit. These include the word of wisdom, the word of knowledge, faith, healing, miracles, prophecy, discerning of spirits, tongues, interpretation of tongues, apostles, teachers, helps, and government (1 Cor. 12:8-10,28).

We shall study each of these gifts in detail in a later issue. But let us make some general points at this time. First, a believer’s spiritual gift helps to define his or her special role and responsibility in the Church, the body of Christ. Just as the human physical body has many different members (eyes, ears, arms, legs, heart, liver, muscles, nerves, etc.), so the body of Christ, the Church, has many members with many different gifts and many different roles to play. And in order for the local church or assembly of believers to function properly, each member must be ready and willing at all times to use his/her spiritual gift for the benefit of the whole assembly.

Second, based on what you have just read, you may be asking the question, “How do I know what my own special spiritual gift is?” The Bible doesn’t come right out and tell us how to find out what our gift is. But a good starting point is given us in the question asked by Saul of Tarsus when he had just been converted:”Lord, what wilt Thou have me to do?”
This is what each believer in Christ should be asking of the Lord. And if we are truly sincere about wanting to serve the Lord and to do what He wants us to do, He will show us work to be done and people with needs and will burden our hearts to do something about those needs. A person with one kind of gift will often be especially sensitive to one kind of need or work to be done, and a person with a different gift may be sensitive to a completely different area of need. If you keep track of the persons and situations that concern you each day, and what you do to help in each situation, after a while you may see a pattern forming that will help to define what your spiritual gift is.

Third, since we have been studying the three Persons of the Holy Trinity in the past few issues, it is well to see that the entire Trinity is involved in this matter of spiritual gifts:”There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. And there are differences of administrations [or services], but the same Lord. And there are diversities of operations [or effects or outcomes], but it is the same God who works all in all” (1 Cor. 12:4-6). So while the gifts are given by the Holy Spirit, the person who receives a gift is not free to do whatever he/she wishes with this gift. Rather, that person is to be subject to the Lord in the use of that gift in service for the Lord (verse 5) and for building up the body of believers (verses 7,25). And finally, each time we faithfully use our spiritual gift as directed by the Lord Jesus, we are to leave the results with God who “works all in all” (verse 6). It is He who brings about the desired effect in the heart and life of the one to whom we have ministered. We are not to be discouraged if the use of our gift does not immediately yield positive results. (See Assignment 1)

Running the Race
HOW DOES THE HOLY SPIRIT AFFECT OUR DAILY LIVES? (II)

Scene: Teen-age Sunday school class. The members of the class are discussing different ways in which they recognized the Holy Spirit working in them during the previous week. In the last issue, we heard from Susan, Jim, Sarah, and Joanne. Now Robert has his hand raised.

Teacher: Yes, Robert.

Robert: I learned that it isn’t very pleasant having the Holy Spirit living in me.

Teacher: Could you explain what you mean, Robert?

Robert: Well, um, I did something wrong to one of my friends. I lied to him. Really, I was just kidding, but he believed my lie. And ever since then I have been worrying about it, I haven’t been able to eat very well, I haven’t been able to sleep very well, and I try to avoid my friend whenever I see him. If I didn’t have the Holy Spirit, I would probably feel a lot better.

Teacher: Class, do you think Robert made a mistake in receiving Christ as his Saviour? Why is the Holy Spirit making Robert feel miserable?

Susan: Robert reminds me of Psalm 32 which speaks of King David feeling miserable until He confessed His sin unto the Lord.

Tom: I heard somewhere that real happiness can only be where there is real holiness, and to be holy we need to confess and repent of our sins daily–both to the Lord and to those we sin against.

Teacher: Those are very good points both of you made. Yes, I believe one of the most important works of the Holy Spirit, as His name suggests, is to help the believer to become holy himself. Can anyone think of a verse that suggests that holiness leads to happiness?

Katy: The Lord Jesus said, “Blessed [or happy] are the pure in heart, for they shall see God” (Matt. 5:8).

Teacher: Excellent! So Robert, why don’t you try confessing your lie to your friend, and report back to us next week what happens. Now, what other ways have any of you experienced the working of the Holy Spirit in your lives during the past week?

(To be continued.)

Assignment 1: (a) Find and write out a verse in Philippians 1 that speaks of persons who did not use their gift in subjection to the Lord. (b) Find and write out verses in Acts 17 that illustrate the truth of 1 Cor. 12:6, namely, that speak of people having totally opposite responses to the same preaching.

ANSWERS TO ASSIGNMENTS FOR 1994

1. Jas. 2:15,16 (write out).

2. (1) illustrates mercy; (2) grace; and (3) pity.

3. Eph. 5:2,25; Rom. 5:8 (write out).

4. John 14:15,21,23,28 (any two); 1 John 4:21 (write out).

5. John 1:14-18: “The Word was made flesh and dwelt among us … we beheld His glory … John bore witness of Him … grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.”

6. Isa. 61:1 (write out); the speaker is Jesus (Luke 4:18-21). In Isa. 61:1, “Lord God” or “Jehovah God” refers to God the Father, while the speaker is God the Son, and “the Spirit” is God the Holy Spirit.

7. The holiness of the Father is shown in Psa. 22:3 and Luke 1:49; that of the Son is in Luke 1:35; and that of the Spirit in Luke 1:15,35,41,67 (write out at least three verses).

8. The Father indwelling the believer is shown in Eph. 4:6; the Son in Col. 1:27; and the Holy Spirit in 1 Cor. 6:19 (write out three verses). (Note that the assignment erroneously referred to chapter 6 rather than chapter 4 of Ephesians.)

9. The Father will reward us openly (6:4,6,18), forgive us (6:14), feed us (6:26), and clothe us (6:30), The Father will not reward certain ones (6:1), will not forgive the trespasses of certain ones (6:15). (Write out portions of six verses.)

10. He referred to Himself as the Son of man with power on earth to forgive sin (Mark 2:10) and as the Lord of the sabbath (2:28). Also, by saying to the paralytic, “Arise, and take up your bed, and go your way into your house” (2:11), He referred indirectly to His divine omnipotence.

11. Characteristics of Jehovah in Isaiah 43 and of the Lord Jesus Christ: Creator (43:1; John 1:3; Col. 1:16); Redeemer (43:1; Gal. 3:13; Col. 1:14; Rev. 5:9; etc.); One who is with us (43:2,5; Matt. 28:20; Heb. 13:5); Holy One (43:3; Luke 1:35; Acts 2:27; 3:14); Saviour (43:3; Matt. 1:21; Luke 2:11; 1 Tim. 4:10; 2 Pet. 3:18; etc.); God (43:12; John 1:1); no other Saviour (43:11; Acts 4:12); the I AM (43:13; John 8:58); King (43:15; 1 Tim. 1:17; 6:16; Rev. 19:16); One who has power over the sea (43:16; Matt. 8:26); One who gives water to drink (43:20; John 4:10-14).

12. Matt. 24:36; John 8:28.

13. John 13:15; Phil. 2:5; 1 Pet. 2:21; 1 John 2:6 (write out).

14. A man with an unclean spirit cried out, “What have we to do with Thee, Thou Jesus of Nazareth?” (Mark 1:23,24). Another man with an unclean spirit cried out, “What have I to do with thee, Jesus, Thou Son of the most high God?” (Mark 5;7). To the best of my knowledge, there was only one other occasion recorded in Scripture where one addressed the Lord Jesus Christ directly by His personal name, Jesus. Blind Bartimaeus cried out, “Jesus, Thou Son of David, have mercy on me” (Mark 10:47). And even in this case, when others tried to get him to be quiet, he dropped “Jesus” and cried, “Thou Son of David, have mercy on me,” at which Jesus responded to him and healed him.

15. The Son of Man has power on earth to forgive sins (Mark 2:10) and He has authority over the sabbath (2:28) (write out).

16. Arguments against the swoon theory: (1) The soldiers observed that Jesus was already dead, and just to make absolutely sure, one of them pierced His side–and obviously His heart–with a spear (John 19:33,34). (2) Jesus’ body was wound up with a long linen cloth, with about 70 pounds of spices wrapped up with the body as a preservative (John 19:39,40). (3) The women who came to the tomb were collectively not strong enough to roll away the stone. So how could Jesus, even if somehow He could have survived the crucifixion, have summoned up enough strength to wriggle out of the grave clothes, roll the stone away, and then walk for seven miles with no evidence of pain or weakness (Mark 16:1-3; Luke 24:13-31).

17. Surely Joseph, the owner of the tomb, would have been able to identify it later; also two of Jesus’ followers were watching intently during the burial, knowing that they would want to find it on Sunday morning (Matt. 27:57-61). Then, when the women came on Sunday morning, it was at the rising of the sun, so they were able to see where they were going (Mark 16:2).

18. The Spirit led Amasai to side with and help out David (1 Chron. 12:18). By the Spirit God has garnished the heavens (Job 26:13). The Spirit empowered One to preach, heal, proclaim liberty, and to comfort (Isa. 61:1,2).

19-1. Mercy is helping people in their misery and troubles, while grace is doing good or showing favor to those who deserve just the opposite.

19-2. God’s love is self-sacrificing (Eph. 5:2) and is independent of the behavior of its object (Rom. 5:8) (write out verses). (For other acceptable answers, see the February issue.)

19-3. The Holy Trinity is a term that describes the one God who exists in three Persons–Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Each of the three Persons of God knows what the other two are thinking, planning, speaking, and doing at every moment throughout time and eternity, and all are in perfect agreement with one another’s thoughts, plans, and deeds.

19-4. (1) The three Persons of God are united in Their thoughts and wills, in contrast to the pagan gods who were always disputing with one another (Psa. 40:8; Luke 22:42; John 16:14). (2) They are united in Their attributes and abilities, in contrast with the pagan gods who were very specialized (Psa. 90:2; Mic. 5:2; Heb. 9:14). (3) They are united in their actions, such as the creation of the universe (Psa. 102:25; John 1:3; Job 26:13).

19-5. God, as Father, chastens us (Heb. 12:7) and He holds us securely in His hand (John 10:29).

19-6. Jesus Christ was fully God (John 1:1 and 10:30) and fully Man (Luke 1:31 and Matt. 4:2).

19-7. Jesus Christ’s being born of a virgin was necessary to show that He was both fully human and at the same time fully God.

19-8. Jesus is referred to as holy, totally separate from evil (Heb. 7:26). Also, the believer’s new, Christ-like nature “cannot sin” (1 John 3:9) and so therefore Jesus Christ Himself could not and cannot sin.

19-9. Christ was/is Prophet (John 1:18), Priest (Heb. 2:17,18), and King (Rev. 19:16).

19-10. The resurrection of Christ provided unmistakable evidence that He was truly the Son of God and that He had truly completed the work of redemption that He was sent to carry out. Before the resurrection, the disciples showed a great deal of anxiety and fear, and were already beginning to scatter. The resurrection filled them with boldness in their testimony for Christ and united their hearts together.

19-11. Psa. 139:7; Acts 5:3,4; etc. (write out).

19-12. Responses will vary according to individual experience.

Foundations of Faith

Running the Race

Foundations of Faith
GOD THE HOLY SPIRIT (II)

What Is the Work of the Holy Spirit in Christians?

In the previous issue, we discussed the work of the Holy Spirit in convicting sinners and in bringing about new birth or spiritual life in an individual. Let us now examine the benefits the Holy Spirit gives to an individual who has become a believer in Christ.

The Holy Spirit indwells the believer. The Lord Jesus told His disciples shortly before His crucifixion, “The Spirit of truth … dwells with you and shall be in you” (John 14:17; also Rom. 8:9). The Spirit dwelling with them referred to the Spirit’s activity in Old Testament times (see Nov94 for more about this). The Spirit actually dwelling in the believer began when the Holy Spirit came down on the day of Pentecost. Another way of expressing the truth of the Holy Spirit dwelling or living in the believer is given in 1 Cor. 6:18,19 as an argument against sexual sin:”Flee fornication…. Don’t you know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit which is in you?” Have you ever thought much about the awesome responsibility you have now that the Holy Spirit dwells in you? Everywhere you go the Holy Spirit goes with you. Everything you read or watch or listen to, the Holy Spirit has to read, watch, or listen to with you. Herein lies the great importance of understanding, as discussed in the previous issue, that the Holy Spirit is not just an impersonal force, but a real, living, Person–equal with God the Father and God the Son.

The Holy Spirit anoints the believer. “You have an unction [or anointing] from the Holy One and you know all things” (1 John 2:20; also 2 Cor. 1:21, 22). By the Holy Spirit’s anointing the believer receives the capacity to understand and enjoy the truths concerning God the Father and God the Son. Notice what the Lord Jesus told His disciples about the work of the Spirit:”He will guide you into all truth…. He shall glorify Me…. He shall take of mine and shall show it unto you” (John 16:13-15). In other words, one of the most important works of the Holy Spirit is to teach the believer about the Lord Jesus Christ. And this is so that the believer might learn to follow that perfect Example (Phil. 2:5-8; 1 Pet. 2:21-23), to “walk even as He walked” (1 John 2:6), and to manifest the fruit of the Spirit (Gal. 5:22,23) which are the behaviors and attitudes of Christ.
Another aspect of the anointing of the Holy Spirit is found in Acts 10:38:”God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power; who went about doing good” (also Matt. 3:16). Just so, the Spirit anoints the believer with power and ability to serve and worship God (Acts 1:8).

Do you remember from Sep94 the meaning of the word, “Christ“? Christ means “the anointed One.” We noted in that issue that the Lord Jesus was anointed to carry out the three offices of Prophet, Priest, and King. Believers in Christ, as anointed by the Holy Spirit, are privileged to share in this three-fold ministry. We are empowered by the Spirit to speak for God on earth as His prophet-messengers; we are made priests to worship God (1 Pet. 2:5); and we shall one day reign with Christ over the earth (2 Tim. 2:12; Rev. 5:10; 20:4-6).

The Holy Spirit seals the believer. Have you ever seen a letter sealed with sealing wax? The melted wax dripped onto the letter or the envelope seals it shut. But more importantly, the personal seal of the individual sending the letter, pressed into the hot wax, unmistakably identifies the sender. Just so, the Holy Spirit’s seal on a believer is a mark of ownership. It tells us unmistakably that we belong to God (see Rom. 8:14-16). “Having believed, you were sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise…. Grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, whereby you are sealed unto the day of redemption” (Eph. 1:13; 4:30; also 2 Cor. 1:22).

The Holy Spirit serves as an “earnest” for the believer. What does this mean? An earnest is a pledge, a down payment, a performance bond. The “Holy Spirit of promise … is the earnest of our inheritance” (Eph. 1:14; also 2 Cor. 1:22; 5:5). Thus, the Holy Spirit who indwells the believer is the pledge and foretaste of all of the blessings which are yet to be ours when we get to heaven.

The Holy Spirit baptizes the believer. John the Baptist contrasted the work he was doing, baptizing in water, with the work of the coming Christ who would baptize with the Holy Spirit (Matt. 3:11). The Lord Jesus, after His resurrection, reminded His disciples of this, saying, “You shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now” (Acts 1:5). These words were fulfilled a couple of weeks later when the Holy Spirit came down on the day of Pentecost and the believers, gathered together in one place, were filled with the Holy Spirit (Acts 2). All of these believers were Jews who were followers of Christ. The next time we read about baptism with the Holy Spirit is when the Holy Spirit came upon Cornelius and other Gentiles who believed the gospel (Acts 11:15-17). The meaning of this baptism is given to us in 1 Cor. 12:13:”For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free.” “Baptism” literally means “immersion,” or being covered completely by water or some other substance. Believers in Christ–both Jew and Gentile–have been totally immersed in the Holy Spirit so as to be united together into one body, all with the same purpose, goal, and object. This baptism of the Holy Spirit into the body of Christ occurs at the same time as the indwelling, anointing, and sealing–that is, upon trusting and receiving Christ as our personal Saviour and Lord.

Additional works of the Holy Spirit, what it means to grieve or quench or blaspheme against the Holy Spirit, and how to know that one has received the Holy Spirit will be discussed in the next issue of GROWING, if the Lord has not come yet.

Running the Race
HOW DOES THE HOLY SPIRIT AFFECT OUR DAILY LIVES?

Scene: Teen-age Sunday school class.

Teacher: Last week we discussed a number of ways the Holy Spirit works in the life of the Christian. Now does anyone remember the homework assignment I gave to you last week? (Several hands shoot up.) Okay, Susan.

Susan: We were to write down specific ways in which we recognized the Holy Spirit working in us during the week.

Teacher: Very good, Susan. The floor is open now. What did you all learn about the Holy Spirit last week?

Jim: A friend of mine invited me over to watch an X-rated video in his home since his parents were away. At first I was thinking of going, but the Holy Spirit convicted me of the fact that I would be taking Him along with me and that my “body is the temple of the Holy Spirit.” So I didn’t go.

Teacher: Good for you, Jim. This is an example of why He is called the Holy Spirit. Yes, Sarah.

Sarah: My older brother was teasing me pretty badly and I was getting really angry and trying to think how I could get even with him. Then a verse I had memorized just a few weeks ago came into my head, “Love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who despitefully use you and persecute you” (Matt. 5:44). I believe it was the Holy Spirit who brought that verse to my attention, and it took away all my bitterness toward my brother.

Joanne: I didn’t do as well as Sarah did. My mother asked me to help her, but I was in a grumpy mood and I mouthed off at her. I was convicted at once of my sin, and this, I am sure, was the work of the Holy Spirit. I confessed to my mother and proceeded to help her and she forgave me. But after that I kept feeling so wicked and defiled and defeated in my Christian life. But once again, I believe it was the Holy Spirit who reminded me that God’s seal was on me, that my sins had all been atoned for on the cross, and that my heavenly Father still loved me, even though I failed so many times.

Robert: I learned that it isn’t very pleasant having the Holy Spirit living in me.

Teacher: Could you explain what you mean, Robert?

(Our space has disappeared for this issue. We will have to wait till next month to find out what Robert was talking about.)

Assignment 19: The following is a review quiz based on the 1994 issues of GROWING.

1. (Jan.) In your own words, tell how mercy and grace differ from each other.

2. (Feb.) Write down two features of God’s love and write out a verse that illustrates each of these features.

3. (Mar.) From what you learned in the March issue of GROWING, how would you best describe, in a couple of sentences, the Holy Trinity?

4. (Apr.) Write down three ways in which the concept of the triune God is different from the concept of three Gods. Write out a Scripture verse to back up each of the three ways.

5. (May) Write out two ways–each with a supporting verse from the Bible–in which God relates to us as Father.

6. (Jun.) Write out two verses that show that Jesus Christ was fully and truly God, and two verses that show that He was fully and truly Man.

7. (Jul.) Why was it necessary that Jesus be born of a virgin?

8. (Aug.) Give two arguments–and write out a verse for each–why Jesus could not sin.

9. (Sept.) Name three offices filled by Christ, and write out a verse to support each one.

10. (Oct.) Why was the resurrection of Jesus Christ necessary for the formation of the Christian Church?

11. (Nov.) Write out two verses that show that the Holy Spirit is God.

12. (Dec.) Write out a recent incident in your own experience that shows how the Holy Spirit has worked in your life.

Foundations of Faith
GOD THE HOLY SPIRIT (I)

Introduction

In our doctrinal studies concerning the nature of God, beginning in the July 1993 issue of GROWING, we first considered the attributes of God, and then the holy Trinity (that is, one God existing in three Persons–Father, Son, and Holy Spirit). Then we spent several issues discussing two specific Persons of the Trinity–God the Father and God the Son.

We now come logically to a consideration of God the Holy Spirit, sometimes called the Third Person of the Trinity. Why do people often refer to God the Father as the First Person, God the Son the Second Person, and God the Holy Spirit the Third Person of the Trinity? I don’t know for sure, since Scripture does not say it. Perhaps it comes from the order given in Matt. 28:19, “Teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost [or Spirit].” Also, it may have to do with the fact that it was the Father who sent the Son into the world (John 5:23; 1 John 4:14), and it was both the Father and the Son who sent the Holy Spirit into the world following the resurrection and ascension of Christ (John 14:16,26; 15:26; Gal. 4:6).

Is the Holy Spirit a Person?

If by “Person” we mean a human being, or a being clothed in a human body, the answer is “no.” But if by “Person” we mean a rational being with personality, intellect, emotion, and will, the answer is “yes.” This is an important point since some groups, such as the Jehovah’s Witnesses, believe that the Holy Spirit is merely a term to describe the impersonal force of God which moves His servants to do His will. But what does the Bible say about the Holy Spirit? The Holy Spirit speaks (Acts 13:2; 21:11); He testifies (John 15:26; Heb. 10:15); He reproves (John 16:8); He teaches (John 14:26); He guides (John 16:13); He leads (Rom. 8:14); He forbids (Acts 16:6); He has a will (Acts 15:28); He can be lied to (Acts 5:3); He can be grieved (Eph. 4:30).

Later on when we discuss the truth of the Holy Spirit indwelling the believer, we shall clearly see the importance of understanding the Holy Spirit to be a real Person and not just an impersonal force.

Is the Holy Spirit God?

The Holy Spirit is clearly identified with God in Acts 5:3,4:”But Peter said, Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit?… You have not lied unto men, but unto God.” Furthermore, the Holy Spirit has the attributes of God. He is eternal (Heb. 9:14), all-powerful (Job 33:4; Eph. 3:16), all-knowing (John 16:13; 1 Cor. 2:10,11), present everywhere (Psa. 139:7), and, as indicated by His very name, He is holy.

How Did The Holy Spirit Work in Old Testament Times?

In the Old Testament we find the Spirit coming from time to time, briefly and temporarily, in order to work in man or in the earth for very specific purposes. The following are a few examples:

“The Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters” in preparing the earth for the creation of man (Gen. 1:2).

The Spirit of God filled Bezaleel to provide him with wisdom, knowledge, and skill in designing and making the furniture of the tabernacle (Exod. 31:1-11).

The Spirit of God came upon King Saul and stirred him up to carry out military action against the enemies of Israel (1 Sam. 11:1-11).

The Spirit of God came upon the Prophet Azariah, giving him a word of exhortation and warning to bring to King Asa (2 Chron. 15:1-8; see also Neh. 9:30; Ezek. 2:2; 3:24). (See Assignment 18)

The Holy Spirit “moved” or worked through holy men of God, not only to bring messages (or prophecies) from God to His people, but also to write down these messages along with historical events so that we might have the holy Scriptures, the Bible, today (2 Pet. 1:20,21).

And finally, making the transition from the Old to the New Testament, the Holy Spirit played a very important role in the Incarnation of Christ (that is, His coming to earth as a Man) and in the life of Christ on earth. The child that the Virgin Mary bore was conceived by the Holy Spirit (Matt. 1:18-20; Luke 1:35). And the Lord Jesus carried out His earthly ministry “in the power of the Spirit” (Luke 4:14; Matt. 3:16).

What Is the Work of the Holy Spirit in Christians?

The Holy Spirit’s first work on behalf of Christians is preparing them in their sinful condition to be saved.

The Holy Spirit reproves or convicts sinners. The Lord Jesus instructed His disciples:”When He [the Holy Spirit] is come, He will reprove the world … of sin, because they believe not on Me; of righteousness, because I go to My Father, and you see Me no more; of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged” (John 16:8-11). The Holy Spirit not only helps us in many ways after we become saved, but He is very active in the initial work in our hearts that leads to our salvation. We find in this passage that the Holy Spirit convicts mankind of three things:(1) our sin and need of a Saviour; (2) God’s righteousness or justice in showing mercy to repentant sinners; and (3) God’s justice in punishing those who follow Satan in rejecting Christ and not repenting of their sin.

By the way, speaking of our sin and need of a Saviour, what do you think is the worst possible sin for man to commit? Is it murder? rape? adultery? homosexuality? abortion? This passage tells us that it is the sin of not believing on the Lord Jesus Christ; in other words, it is being too proud to admit that one is a bad enough sinner to need a Saviour, or being so proud as to think that one can earn salvation by himself through his own good works. What about you? Are you committing this sin?

The Holy Spirit gives new birth or spiritual life. In our natural state, we are “dead in trespasses and sins” (Eph. 2:1)–spiritually dead, having no life in God’s estimation, no communication with God. Every one of us needs to be made spiritually alive. We need to be “born again.” Jesus told Nicodemus, “Except a man be born of water [a picture of the Word of God] and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God” (John 3:5). Later, Jesus says, “It is the Spirit who quickens [or gives life]; the flesh profits nothing” (John 6:63; see also Rom. 8:11). So the Holy Spirit not only convicts sinful men and women of sin, righteousness, and judgment, but brings spiritual life to our poor, needy souls.

In the next issue we shall consider a variety of ways in which the Holy Spirit works in the lives of those to whom He has given new birth.

Running the Race
Assignment 18: Write out verses in 1 Chronicles 12, Job 26, and Isaiah 61 that describe works of the Spirit.

Foundations of Faith
EVIDENCES FOR THE RESURRECTION OF CHRIST

We have devoted the last four issues of GROWING to a study of God the Son. None of the things we have learned about the Lord Jesus Christ, God’s eternal Son, would have any value for us if He had not risen from the dead. For this reason, Satan is very active in finding ways to cast doubts on the truth of the resurrection of Christ. Thus, it is of great importance that we have a clear understanding of the evidences for the resurrection. First we shall consider nine important scriptural facts relating to the resurrection of Christ. Then we shall give scriptural responses to four false theories that try to explain away the resurrection.

Nine Facts Relating to the Resurrection of Christ

1. He was pronounced dead. The soldiers “came to Jesus and saw that He was dead already.” But just in case there had been any mistaking that Jesus was truly dead, “one of the soldiers with a spear pierced His side” (John 19:33,34; see also Mark 15:43-45).

2. He was wrapped in cloth with spices. Nicodemus brought a hundred litra (about 70 pounds) mixture of spices, and he and Joseph took “the body of Jesus and wound it in linen clothes with the spices” (John 19:39,40). The spices wrapped up in the layers of cloth helped to cement the layers together.

3. The tomb was sealed. The chief priests, to prevent the body from being stolen, “made the sepulchre sure, sealing the stone, and setting a watch” (Matt. 27:66). In addition to placing a large rock at the entrance of the tomb, a seal was placed on the rock–perhaps a cord stretched over the rock with a wax seal with the governor’s imprint securing it to the sides of the tomb as described in Dan. 6:17. If anyone tried to move the stone the seal would be broken and Roman law would be violated.

4. The stone was taken away. The stone was not rolled away so that Jesus could come out, but rather to display an empty tomb (Matt. 28:2-4).

5. The tomb was empty. The fact that the tomb was empty was witnessed by at least six persons (Matt. 28:1-13; John 20:3-8).

6. The tomb was not quite empty. While the body was gone, the grave clothes were still in the tomb–all wrapped up the way they had been wound around the head and body (Luke 23:53; John 20:6,7). The way the grave clothes were lying on the floor of the tomb strongly suggested that the body had miraculously passed through the clothes without disturbing them (John 20:8).

7. Jesus appeared to many witnesses following the resurrection (Matt. 28; Mark 16; Luke 24; John 20,21; Acts 1; 1 Cor. 15:1-8). Some 26 years after the resurrection, the Apostle Paul wrote to the believers in Corinth that of the 500 or more eyewitnesses of the risen Christ, “the greater part remain unto the present” (1 Cor. 15:6), just in case there might be any who doubted the resurrection.

8. The disciples’ lives were transformed. Before they knew of Christ’s resurrection, the disciples showed a great deal of anxiety and fear (Luke 22:54-61; John 20:19). But after Christ appeared to them, they became very bold in their testimony for Christ (Acts 2-5). What but the resurrection of Christ could have transformed the cowardly disciples into fearless, courageous witnesses for Christ?

9. The sabbath was replaced by the first day of the week as the day of worship. The Jewish people were then (and still are) strongly attached to the sabbath, or Saturday, as their holy day, their day of worship (Exod. 20:8). Something very awesome must have happened to have persuaded the early Christians–all brought up in the Jewish religion–to abandon the sabbath and start meeting together on the first day of the week (Acts 20:7). That awesome happening was the resurrection of Christ.

Four False Theories Concerning the Resurrection of Christ

Theory 1. Christ never actually died on the cross, but only swooned. This theory suggests that Christ was in a sort of coma and only appeared to have died. Later He was revived by the cool air of the tomb, got up, and walked away. (See Assignment 16)

Theory 2. Christ’s body was stolen away by the disciples (Matt. 28:13). Against this theory is the fact of the grave clothes lying in the tomb, neatly wrapped just as when the body had been laid in the tomb. Also, very shortly after the crucifixion, the disciples started preaching to their fellow Jews the fact of Christ’s death and resurrection. What could possibly have been their motive in stealing the body and preaching a lie, especially since such teaching placed them in danger of imprisonment and death (Acts 12:1-6)?

Theory 3. All of Christ’s supposed post-resurrection appearances were only hallucinations. In other words, the disciples, along with many others, only imagined that Christ appeared to them. Against this theory one can argue that it is most unlikely for two people to have the same hallucination at the same time, and most of the reported appearances of Christ after His crucifixion were to groups of people ranging in number from seven to over 500. Furthermore, those who claimed to see Jesus alive again after the crucifixion also had conversations with Him, touched Him, gave Him food and watched Him eat it, or first mistook Him for someone else (Luke 24; John 20:14-16,27; 21:15-22). These surely are not evidences for a hallucination. Note also that these “hallucinations” suddenly came to an end after eleven people watched Christ ascend bodily into heaven (Acts 1:4-13).

Theory 4. Everyone went to the wrong tomb; the empty tomb was not the one Christ was buried in. This theory can be answered very directly and logically. Since there was so much at stake in this matter, and since the Jewish leaders very much wanted to keep the disciples from spreading word concerning the resurrection of Christ, surely they would have found the right tomb and produced the body–if the body had been there! (See Assignment 17)

What is it that has given courage and boldness, not only to Christ’s disciples, but to countless believers around the world through over 19 centuries of the history of the Church–the courage to be burned at the stake, thrown to the lions, fired from their jobs, or disowned by their families rather than give up their faith in Christ? It is the knowledge–based on many strong evidences–that the Christ who died for us is Risen Again!

Running the Race
Assignment 16: What arguments are suggested in John 19:33,34,39,40, Mark 16:1-3, and Luke 24:13-31 in opposition to Theory 1? (Note that in Luke 24:13, 60 furlongs or stadia are equivalent to about seven miles.)

Assignment 17: What other arguments against Theory 4 can be drawn from Matt. 27:57-61 and Mark 16:2?

Foundations of Faith
GOD THE SON (IV)

Names and Titles of God the Son

Lord Jesus Christ. About 70 times in the New Testament our Saviour is called by this three-part name. Why three names? Wouldn’t one be enough?

Jesus is His human, personal name. The Hebrew form of Jesus is Joshua and means “Jehovah is Saviour” (Matt. 1:21).

Lord is another word for “master” (sometimes used of slave-owners). Lord also identifies Jesus as the LORD or Jehovah of the Old Testament. For example, Jehovah says He is “the first and … the last” and the Lord Jesus says, “I am the first and the last” (Isa. 44:6; Rev. 1:17).

By the way, did you notice that “LORD” in the previous paragraph was spelled with a capital “L” and small capitals “ORD” instead of lower case “ord”? Whenever you see LORD spelled this way in the Old Testament, it indicates that it is a translation of the Hebrew word Jehovah which was the name God used in relation to His chosen people, the nation of Israel. On the other hand, the word “Lord” in the Old Testament (with lower case “ord”) usually is a translation of the Hebrew word “adonai” which is the common word for a human lord or master.

Thus Lord is a title of respect, authority, and superiority. I believe it is significant that we never once read of Christ’s disciples addressing Him by His personal name, Jesus. Rather, they always used titles of respect, such as Lord, Master, or Teacher when addressing Him. (See Assignment 14)

Most of our readers are familiar with Rom. 10:9:”If you shall confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord … you shall be saved” (JND translation). These words had a very special meaning to the Christians in Rome. The Roman emperors at that time required that their subjects take an oath of loyalty by saying, “Caesar is lord.” The Christians refused to do this, at the risk of being thrown to the lions. Instead, they pledged their allegiance to Jesus Christ by saying, “Jesus is Lord.” Who is your Lord? It is impossible to know Jesus Christ as our personal Saviour without also owning Him as our Lord and Master–the new Boss of our lives.

Christ means “the anointed One.” The Hebrew word for “anointed” is “Messiah.” So “Christ” is the Greek translation of the Hebrew word “Messiah.” The children of Israel were taught to look for the Messiah who, as a descendant of King David, would eventually bring righteousness and peace to the nation of Israel and to the entire world, but would also be a suffering Servant (2 Sam. 7:13; Isa. 11; 52:13-53:12; Dan. 9:25,26; Luke 2:26; 3:15; John 1:41; 4:25,29).

In summary, the name Jesus makes us think of all that He was as a Man on earth, including His teachings, His sinless life, and His sacrificial death so He could be our Saviour. The name or title Lord reminds us of His supreme authority over us. And the name Christ suggests His greatness as One sent by God to perform a special work on earth, and who has returned to His home in heaven.

Let us briefly consider two other titles given to our Saviour.

Son of God is an expression of His deity, His being co-equal with God the Father.

Son of Man requires a bit more explanation. This is the title by which Jesus most often referred to Himself. For example, “Whom do men say that I, the Son of Man, am?” (Matt. 16:13). Every man, woman, and child born into this world is a son (or daughter) of man. But none of us would dare refer to ourselves as “the son of man.” The Old Testament tells us of one called “the Son of Man” who is coming to set up an everlasting kingdom over the earth (Dan. 7:13,14). When Jesus rightfully applied this title to Himself, the Jewish leaders resented it (see Matt. 26:64). It is an expression of His being fully Man, but in a totally unique way, that is, being also fully God at the same time. (See Assignment 15)

The Offices of Christ

Do you still remember the meaning of the word Christ? If not, refer back to the previous section.

In the Old Testament, the act of anointing a person with oil (by either pouring or smearing oil on the person) was a mark of appointment by God for a special office. Anointing was used in connection with three offices:(1) priest of Israel (Lev. 8); (2) king of Israel (1 Sam. 10:1; 16:3,13); and (3) prophet or preacher on behalf of Jehovah (Isa. 61:1). The priest represented the people before God, the king represented God in ruling and guiding the people, and the prophet (literally “one who speaks for another”) brought God’s message to the people.

Christ, the anointed One, fulfills all three of these offices. As Prophet He has revealed the nature of God (in His perfect, holy life) and the message of God (in His teaching) to the people. As Priest He has first of all offered Himself as the supreme sacrifice for sin and now is at God’s right hand, praying for us and helping us (John 17:9; Heb. 2:17,18; 4:15,16; 7:25-27). As King and Lord He rules the hearts of the believers now and will yet in the future return to establish His kingdom over the entire earth (Col. 1:13; Rev. 19:16; 20:4).

Running the Race
WATCH YOUR TONGUE!

Jesus, Lord, Christ, Jehovah, God.

How do we treat these names and titles? Do we give them all the respect and honor that is due to the Owners of the names? Are God the Father and God the Son glorified, built up, magnified, made larger and more precious in the minds of our fellow man whenever their names are spoken by our lips?

Many of us are exposed daily to people who use God’s names in a careless, thoughtless, disrespectful way (see Exod. 20:8). It is very easy for us to fall into the habits of speech of those about us. We hear “Oh my God” as an expression of surprise, and “Jesus Christ!” as an expression of anger or disgust. Then there are euphemisms or substitute words that are thought by some to be less offensive, such as “gee” and “gee-whiz” (slang for Jesus), “gosh” and “golly” (slang for God), “cripes” (slang for Christ), and “goodness” (slang for God, as in “my goodness” and “for goodness’ sake”).

Let us be careful to watch our tongues. As indicated in the prayer the Lord gave to His disciples, let us seek to “hallow,” or keep holy, the names of God and of Christ whenever we speak those precious names.

Assignment 14: In Mark 1 and 5 we find two instances of men addressing Christ by His personal name, Jesus. Provide the references for these two instances and describe what kind of men these were.

Assignment 15: Write out two verses in different parts of Mark 2 that give examples of the kind of power or authority the Son of Man has on earth.

Foundations of Faith
GOD THE SON (III)

Could Jesus Sin?

Practically every student of the Word of God would agree that the Lord Jesus Christ did not sin during His life here on earth. But a debate has been going on for centuries as to whether the Lord Jesus could have sinned. Some teach that just as the first Adam had the capability of sinning, so the Last Adam, Jesus Christ, because He was fully Man, had this same capability.

What does the Bible say about this? First, not only does it say that Christ “did no sin” (1 Pet. 2:22), but that He “knew no sin” (2 Cor. 5:21) and “in Him is no sin” (1 John 3:5).

Second, in several places Christ is called “holy” (Luke 1:34; Acts 3:14; Heb. 7:26). Holiness supposes the knowledge of good and evil and total separation from the evil (2 Tim. 2:21). Adam is never referred to as “holy.”

Third, Christ was and is fully God as well as fully Man. If it were possible for Him to sin, then it would also be possible for God to sin.

Fourth, some argue that Christ’s temptation in the wilderness by Satan had no meaning if Christ was incapable of yielding to that temptation. But that is not a valid argument. If one tests a bright metal to see if it is gold and it turns out to be pure gold, was it foolish to do the test in the first place? Just so, Christ’s temptation by Satan only helped to prove His sinless perfection.

Fifth, in 1 John 3:9 we read, “Whosoever is born of God … cannot sin, because he is born of God.” If the believer possesses a new, Christ-like nature that “cannot sin,” then surely Christ Himself, whose nature we possess, could not sin. (Further information on this topic may be obtained from the editor of GROWING.)

What Can We Learn from the Teachings, Life, and Death of Christ?

There is a vast amount of important instruction to be gained from a study of the teachings, life, and death of Christ. We could very well take another year or two in GROWING discussing these things. However, we shall wait and take up different teachings of Christ as they tie in with basic biblical doctrines that will be considered in later issues of GROWING. Also, we shall delay a detailed study of the death of Christ until we come to the doctrine of salvation. That leaves us with the life of Christ to consider here.

We all are well aware of the tremendous importance of the death and resurrection of Christ as regards our eternal salvation. But what about His life? Is there value to the Christian in learning how Christ lived His life as a Man on earth?

One characteristic of the life of Christ that is of utmost importance has already been considered earlier in this issue as well as the July issue. This is the absolute sinlessness of Christ. He would not have qualified as the Saviour of sinners had He possessed the tiniest hint of sin in Himself.

As to Christ’s life in general, we are taught that He is our example for us to follow. Now some of you may ask, “How can I follow an example like that when He is God and I am only human?” The simple answer is this:He asks you to. And whenever God asks the believer to do something, we can be absolutely certain that He will supply all of the needed power and ability to do it. (See Assignment 13)

Space will permit only a bare outline of the many ways in which Christ’s life is an example for our lives:

Christ’s Purity of Heart and Life

1. He did not sin (John 8:46; 14:30; 19:4,6; 1 Pet. 2:22).

2.He obeyed His parents (Luke 2:51).

3. He obeyed His heavenly Father (John 4:34; 6:38; 8:28,29).

4.He is pure and holy (Heb. 7:26; 1 John 3:3).

Christ’s Attitudes Toward Others

1. Toward His parents (Luke 8:19-21; John 19:26,27).

2. Toward dinner hosts (Luke 7:44-46; 10:38-42).

3. Toward children (Matt. 18:1-5; Mark 10:13-16).

4. Toward social outcasts (Matt. 9:9-13; John 4:9).

Christ’s Attitudes in Various Circumstances of Life

1. He was self-sacrificing (Matt. 8:20; John 4:31-34).

2. He was meek (Matt. 11:29; Mark 15:3).

3. He was humble (Matt. 11:29; John 13:14,15; Phil. 2:5-8).

4. He was sensitive and compassionate (John 11:35).

5. He had peace and self-composure (Mark 4:37,38; John 18:3-6).

Christ’s Actions

1. He listened and asked questions (Luke 2:46).

2. He did not yield to Satan’s temptations (Matt. 4:1-11).

3. He dealt wisely with souls in need of salvation (John 4).

4. He spent much time in prayer (Matt. 14:23; Mark 1:35; Luke 6:12).

5. He didn’t act precipitously or rashly (John 11:1-6,17).

6. He spoke encouraging words (Matt. 8:10; 15:28; John 1:47; 14:1-3,16-18,27).

Christ’s Responses to Those Who Opposed and Mistreated Him

1. He was patient (1 Pet. 2:20-23).

2. He was calm and gentle and held His peace (Matt. 26:50,63; 27:12-14).

3. He forgave His enemies (Luke 23:34).

4. He withdrew or hid Himself from His enemies (Matt. 12:14,15; John 10:39,40).

5. He reasoned with His opponents (Matt. 12:1-8,10-12; 15:1-6; 22:23-46).

Christ’s Responses to Man’s Sin

1. He rebuked those with wrong thoughts about Himself (Matt. 16:21-23; Luke 9:52-56).

2. He patiently instructed self-centered ones (Luke 9:46-48; 22:24-27).

3. He showed anger toward hypocrites and those who dishonored His Father (Matt. 23:23,27,28; John 2:13-16).

Christ’s Work

1. He was a tireless preacher (Mark 1:21-35).

2. He often spoke in parables (Matt. 13; 20:1-16; Luke 15).

3. He was never satisfied with doing less than the best (Matt. 8:15,26; Mark 6:34-44; John 2:10).

4. He ministered personally by touch to those whom He healed (Mark 1:31; 7:33; 8:23; 9:27; Luke 5:13; 13:13).

5. He performed many miracles in private, without a stage (Mark 7:36; 8:26; Luke 5:14; 8:56).

It is an immensely profitable study to go through the four Gospels and notice how the Lord Jesus lived His life and responded in a whole variety of situations. What a challenge it is to each one of us to seek to live our daily lives as Christ lived His. Let us be learning continually to ask ourselves, “What would Jesus have said or done in these circumstances?” And let us daily ask the Lord to help us, by the power of the Holy Spirit, to walk just as Christ walked.

Running the Race
Assignment 13: Find and write out four verses–one in each of John 13, Philippians 2, 1 Peter 2, and 1 John 2–that indicate that Christians are to follow Christ’s example in their lives and walk.

Foundations of Faith
GOD THE SON (II)

What Is the Evidence for the Existence of Jesus Christ?

There are some people in the world today who declare that the Bible by itself is not a valid history book and that there is no evidence outside of the Bible for the existence of the Jesus of the New Testament. What answer can we give to such people?

There are, in fact, a number of lines of evidence outside of the Bible for the existence of Jesus. Tacitus, the renowned historian of the Roman Empire, wrote early in the second century about the Christians:”The name Christian comes to them from Christ, who was executed in the reign of Tiberius by the Procurator Pontius Pilate.”

The Jewish historian, Josephus, in the latter part of the first century, mentioned Jesus in His book, Antiquities of the Jews. He referred to Jesus as “a wise man … a doer of wonderful works,” who was condemned to the cross by Pilate, and who “appeared to [His disciples] alive again the third day.”

Archaeological digs have yielded the Christian symbols of the cross and the fish dating to the first century. And in 1945, a sealed tomb was discovered near Jerusalem and dated at about 50 A.D. On one of the caskets were the words, “Jesus, help”; on the other, “Jesus, let him arise.” (Further evidences may be obtained from the editor of GROWING.)

By the way, have you ever wondered how the fish became a Christian symbol (often seen today on bumper stickers)? The Greek word for fish is ichthus, and each of the five Greek letters in ichthus stands for a word:Iesous CHristos THeos Uios Soter (“Jesus Christ, Son of God, Saviour”).

Why Was Jesus Born of a Virgin?

Do you remember the story in Genesis 18 where the Lord appeared to Abraham, along with two angels, all having the appearance of men? Now, why didn’t Christ come into the world like that? Because, if He had, He would not have been fully human, but only the Son of God taking an outward human form. Christ’s being born of a woman showed that He was fully human. Furthermore, His miraculous birth by a virgin, through the power of the Holy Spirit, showed that He was fully God as well as fully man. Those who deny the virgin birth of Christ deny the true deity of Christ–that He was the Son of God.

His being fully Man made it possible for Christ to represent man on the cross and truly to suffer physically, mentally, and spiritually for man’s sin. His being fully God made it possible for Him to suffer infinitely–to pay the full price required by God to make atonement for sin. Christ’s deity also demonstrates God’s perfect righteousness in judging the sin of man. God did not create a sinless being to suffer and die for man’s sin, but He sent His eternal, uncreated, co-equal Son for this purpose.

Another important consequence of the virgin birth is that Christ did not inherit the fallen, sinful nature of Adam (technically called “original sin”) like every other person born into the world (Psa. 51:5; 1 Cor. 15:47).

Now in the Incarnation of the Son of God, that is, when “God was manifest in the flesh” and “dwelled among us” (1 Tim. 3:16; John 1:14), we are told that Christ “made Himself of no reputation [or emptied Himself]” (Phil. 2:7). This leads us into the next point:

Of What Did Christ Empty Himself?

When the eternal Son of God came down from heaven and became a Man on earth, did He empty Himself of His deity (being God)? Certainly not! He never ceased to be fully God, even when He became fully Man. Did He empty Himself of His divine attributes (having all power, all knowledge, etc.)? Again no, but He did empty Himself of His divine rights as Son of God to use those attributes at all times. He “took upon Him the form of a servant” (Phil. 2:7), He subjected Himself to His Father, never saying or doing anything apart from His Father’s will (John 5:19,30; 6:38; Rom. 15:3; Heb. 10:7). (See Assignment 12)

Christ also emptied Himself of the outward display of glory and majesty that He once enjoyed–and now enjoys again–in heaven. There was no room for Him in the inn, He had no place to lay His head, people called Him a devil, they spit in His face, they crucified Him. How contrary all this was to His eternal glory and majesty!

Do you remember an instance in the life of Christ where He allowed His glory and majesty to shine out for a short while? (Hint:Read Matt. 17:1-9).

CONGRATULATIONS!

Two persons completed all of the assignments for 1993. They are Julie Johnson (97.1% correct answers) and Andrew Johnson (91.6%), both of Bedford, Pennsylvania. One other person, Christopher Ochieng of Ruiru, Kenya completed over half of the assignments. Thirteen others sent in at least one set of assignments. We would be delighted to have many more of you doing the assignments in 1994.

Running the Race
DOING THE FATHER’S WILL

It was noted earlier in this issue that the Man Christ Jesus subjected Himself in every way to the will of His Father. One of the ways Satan tempted Him in the wilderness was by suggesting that He turn stones into bread since He had had nothing to eat for 40 days. Jesus’ well-known response was, “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God” (Matt. 4:4).

There was nothing sinful in and of itself in what Satan asked Jesus to do. The point is that Satan tried to get Jesus to take an action without reference to the will of His Father. Since Jesus hadn’t been told by His Father to provide bread for Himself, He didn’t do it.

One of Satan’s major activities today involves distracting the followers of Christ from seeking to know and to do God’s will. Have you ever had thoughts like these: “I deserve a break; therefore I am going do what I want to do this time.” “I don’t have time to find out what God wants me to do; I’ll just do what seems best.” “If I ask God, He might tell me not to do it, so I will go ahead and do it without asking Him.”

Christ is our example. If you belong to Christ, and you truly believe that God is wise and good and that His will and ways are perfect, then be diligent to find out and carry out His will for your life.

(There will be more on this very important aspect of Christian living in later issues of GROWING.

Assignment 12: In the June 1994 issue of GROWING we learned that Jesus Christ, as Son of God, was omniscient, knowing all things. Find a verse in Matthew 24 and another one in John 8 that show that Jesus did not draw upon His infinite store of knowledge apart from His Father’s will.

Foundations of Faith
JESUS CHRIST–WHO IS HE?

Scene:Religious Studies class at Learnwell University.

Professor Esser:Who can describe for the class the nature of Jesus Christ?

Eunice the Unitarian:He was a great human teacher, but no more.

Moses the Muslim:He was a prophet like Muhammad.

Gordon the Gnostic:He was a spirit being who only appeared to be human.

Kristina the Christian Scientist:He was his mother Mary’s ideal of what God would be like if He could appear on earth in person.

Spencer the Spiritualist:He was the Son of God, just as we all are sons of God.

Jennifer the Jehovah’s Witness:He was God’s highest created being; in fact, He and Michael the archangel were the same person.

Morris the Mormon:He is the highest of the spirit children of God.

Christopher the Christian:According to the Bible, He is fully God and fully man, united in a miraculous way in one Person.

Prof:Chris, since virtually all that we know about Jesus Christ is what we find in the Bible, and since you are the only one who referred to the Bible as the source of information about Jesus Christ, I would like to ask you to give us specific evidences from the Bible to support your statement that Jesus Christ is both fully God and fully Man.

Chris:Could you give me the weekend to prepare?

Prof:Certainly.

Scene:Same place, the following Monday.

Prof:Are you ready, Chris?

Chris:Yes. Let me first give evidences for the deity of Christ.

Prof:Excuse me. Would you define for the class the word “deity”?

Chris:Deity is the state of being God.

Prof:Thank you. Please proceed.

Chris:I have several lines of evidence from the Bible that show that Jesus Christ was fully and truly God.

(1) He claimed equality with God when He said, “I and My Father are One” (John 10:30). Also the Gospel of John opens with, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” We are told in John 1:14-18 that “the Word” is the same as Jesus Christ. (See Assignment 10)

Jen:Excuse me, Chris, but the expression, “I and My Father are One” doesn’t necessarily imply that Jesus thought He was equal with God.

Chris:Well, the Jews thought that was what He meant, because they took up stones to stone Him for speaking blasphemy. And Jesus didn’t try to tell them that they misunderstood Him.

Jen:Um, well, anyway I also want to correct the wording of the verse you just quoted. The best translation, the one we Jehovah’s Witnesses use, says, “And the Word was a god.” There is no definite article in front of “god.”

Chris:You are quite correct about there being no definite article there; however, the best Greek scholars disagree with you as to how it should be translated. In fact, three other times in that same chapter the word “God” is found without a definite article in the Greek text and in none of those places (John 1:12,13,18) is it translated “a god” in your Bible.

Jen:Hmm, I’ll have to check that out.

Chris:Let me proceed.

(2) He is referred to as “Son of God” in many places in the New Testament (Matt. 14:33; 1 John 4:15). Now in Job 1, angels are referred to as “sons of God,” and in the New Testament, Christians are referred to as “sons of God” (Rom. 8:14). But never do we find an individual other than Jesus Christ calling himself–or being called–“the Son of God.”

(3) He is the exact representation of God (Heb. 1:3) and the revealer of God (John 1:18). How could anyone less than God Himself be described in these terms?

(4) He came from God and returned to God (John 3:13; 14:2).

(5) In contrast to Jen’s statement that Jesus and Michael the archangel are the same persons, the Bible tells us that Jesus was better than the angels (Heb. 1:4-14).

(6) He received worship from men and women on a number of occasions (Mark 5:6; Luke 19:37-40; John 20:28), and claimed equal honor with God the Father (John 5:23). In contrast, the apostles (Acts 10:25,26; 14:13-15) and angels (Rev. 19:10; 22:8,9) refused worship from men.

(7) He manifested a number of divine attributes, that is, characteristics that are reserved for God alone. These were (a) eternal existence (John 1:1; 8:58); (b) omnipotence (having all power), including the declaration that He was the Creator Himself, not just the highest created being (John 1:3), along with the performing of a great number and variety of miracles while on earth (John 7:31); and (c) omniscience (knowing all things) (John 2:24,25; 6:64; 16:30). The Apostle Paul summed it up well:”In [Christ] dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily” (Col. 2:9).

(8) He is frequently identified as being the same as Jehovah of the Old Testament. Both are Shepherd (Psa. 23:1; John 10:11); both are the I AM (Exod. 3:14; John 8:58); both are the First and the Last (Isa. 44:6; Rev. 22:13); both are a Stone of stumbling and a Rock of offense (Isa. 8:13,14; 1 Cor. 1:23; 1 Pet. 2:3-8); both are King for ever (Psa. 10:16; Luke 1:31-33). (See Assignment 11)

(9) He lived a perfectly sinless life (John 8:46; 2 Cor. 5:21; 1 Pet. 2:22; 1 John 3:5).

(10) He rose bodily from the grave (John 20,21; 1 Cor. 15:4-7) and ascended bodily into heaven (Acts 1:9).

Prof:That was a very thorough job, Chris. Does anyone have any questions for Chris before he gives the evidences for Jesus Christ being a Man?

Eunice:Why can’t we just agree that Jesus was a great human teacher, like Buddha, Confucius, and others, and drop this business about His being God?

Prof:Chris, would you like to respond to Eunice?

Chris:Certainly. I would just ask Eunice a question:What should we think of a man who claims to be God but really isn’t? There are two possibilities:either (1) he is a boldfaced liar who deliberately deceives His hearers to lend authority to His teaching or because he is on an ego trip; or (2) he is self-deceived, mentally ill like many persons today living in insane asylums who claim to be God. When we examine the life and teachings of Christ, do we find any evidence of the abnormalities and instability found in a person who is mentally deranged? No. Rather, we find the people marveling at His wisdom and rationality (Matt. 13:54; 22:22). And what evidence do we find of an egomaniac in the One who stooped to wash His disciple’s feet (John 13:4-12), and who escaped to a mountain when the people wanted to make Him a king (John 6:15)? Jesus couldn’t possibly have been accepted as a great teacher and at the same time be either a liar or a lunatic!

Eunice:Well, then, maybe the writers of the Gospels and the Epistles made up all that stuff about Jesus performing miracles and being raised from the dead to make it look like he was God and to gain a greater following for their new religion.

Chris:What do you do with all of those Old Testament prophecies that were fulfilled by the birth, life, death, and burial of Christ? [See the February 1993 issue of GROWING for examples.] And even more important, how could the Christian message ever have been accepted on such a broad scale–in spite of persistent efforts by the Jewish leaders to stamp it out–if it had been founded upon a bunch of lies and myths. There were too many people around who had actually been healed by Christ, or who had witnessed His miracles, or had seen Him after His resurrection (1 Cor. 15:4-7) who confirmed the facts being taught by the apostles. And why would the apostles be willing to die for that which they knew to be false?

Prof:You make good arguments, Chris. Now how about the evidences for His humanity.

Chris:In all of the following ways He showed He was human:He was conceived in Mary’s womb (Luke 1:31), He was born in the usual manner for humans (Luke 2:5-7), He was circumcised (Luke 2:21), He grew in stature (Luke 2:52), He aged (John 8:57), He got hungry (Matt. 4:2) and thirsty (John 19:28), He ate (Luke 24:43) and drank (John 19:30), He got tired (John 4:6) and slept (Mark 4:38), He died (Matt. 27:30) and was buried (Matt. 27:60). Furthermore, He experienced and expressed human emotions such as affection and sympathy (John 11:35,36), compassion (Matt. 9:36), feeling troubled and in mental agony (Luke 22:44; John 12:27), and desiring the company of others (Matt. 26:40). To be sure, there were miraculous elements in all of this. For example, He was born of a virgin (Matt. 1:23), He was totally without sin (John 8:46), and He laid down His life by His own power and will (John 10:18). But this doesn’t take away from His being fully human. Rather it means that He was more than human–He was God as well.

Prof:What do you think was the purpose of the Son of God coming to earth and becoming a Man?

Chris:There are a number of things I would list:(1) He came to reveal God to man and help man to communicate with God (1 Tim. 2:5); (2) He came to provide a sacrifice for man’s sin by dying on the cross (Matt. 1:21; Heb. 9:26) (He could not have represented us on the cross if He had not been fully human); (3) as a Man He experienced trials and troubles so that He might be fully able to understand us, sympathize with us, and help us (Heb. 2:17,18; 4:15,16); (4) He came to be an example for those who believe in Him and follow Him (John 13:15; Phil. 2:5; 1 Pet. 2:21).

Prof:Thank you, Chris. I have learned a lot myself from your presentation; you have given me much to think about. (Bell rings.) Class dismissed.

GOD THE SON–FURTHER QUESTIONS (I)

When Did His Existence Begin?

God the Son, like God the Father, has always existed. In addition to the verses Chris used for this, there are two Old Testament scriptures, prophetic of Christ, that speak of His eternal existence. In Isa. 9:6 He is called “the everlasting Father,” or “Father of eternity.” Then in Mic. 5:2 we read:”But you, Bethlehem Ephratah … out of you shall He come forth unto Me that is to be ruler in Israel, whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting.”

When Did He Become God’s Son?

No doubt all who believe in the deity of Christ also believe that He existed eternally. However, some who clearly accept His eternal existence (such as the popular radio preacher, John MacArthur, as well as teachers and writers of the past such as F.E. Raven and C.A. Coates) teach that He became the Son of God in the Incarnation (that is, when He became a Man).

While the Bible never specifically states that Christ was eternally the Son, it certainly implies it when it tells us that God the Father sent the Son into the world (John 3:16; 1 John 4:9,10,14). In other words, He didn’t become a Son by reason of His birth as a Man, but was the Son of God before being sent by His Father. The relationship of son to a father need not imply a subordinate or inferior position. We all know business firms that have names like “Johnson and Sons.” In many cases, the father and the sons may be equal partners in the firm.

No doubt the names of “Father” and “Son” used to describe the relationship between the first and second Persons of the Godhead are intended to show us the deep and continual love that existed between them (John 14:31; 15:9,10; 17:23). The relationship of Abraham and his son Isaac whom he loved (Gen. 22:2) is a picture of the love between God the Father and God the Son. Doesn’t the fact that Christ died for our sins become all the more precious to our souls when we realize that His own Father sent Him from His side to do that work for us!

(To be continued.)

Running the Race
WHY ME?

“Why does everything happen to me? Why do I have so many problems? It almost seems as if God isn’t there, or doesn’t care about me.” Maybe some of our readers have felt this way, or perhaps have known someone who has voiced a complaint like this.

The fact that the all-powerful, all-knowing, all-wise Son of God has become a Man and is personally acquainted with the full range of human experience Himself offers much help and hope to us.

Are you poor and needy? So also was Jesus (Matt. 8:20; Mark 12:15). He preached in a borrowed boat, rode into Jerusalem on a borrowed donkey, and was buried in a borrowed tomb.

Do you feel alone in the world, and neglected by those who ought to love you? So also was Jesus. “He came unto His own, and His own received Him not” (John 1:11). His own disciples “forsook Him and fled” (Matt. 26:56).

Are you misunderstood, unfairly treated, charged with other people’s wrongdoings? So also was Jesus. He was called a glutton and a wine drinker (Matt. 11: 19). False charges were brought against Him and an unjust sentence carried out against Him.

Does Satan tempt you and put terrible suggestions in your mind? So also did he tempt Jesus (Matt. 4:1-10).

Do you ever feel great agony and conflict of mind? So also did Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane as He thought about the cross that loomed before Him (Luke 22:44).

Do you ever feel like you are in darkness, as if God has left you? So did Jesus, except that with Him it was an awful reality there on the cross (Matt. 27:46), while for David (Psa. 22:1) and for you it only seems like God has forsaken you.

Isn’t it comforting to know that whatever we may be going through, we have a loving Saviour who has gone through all that and much, much more Himself while a Man on earth? And furthermore, our risen Saviour is now carrying out a ministry of help to all of His own who are experiencing problems of any kind (Heb. 2:18).

Knowing this, let us not forget to cast all our cares and burdens upon Him (1 Pet. 5:7).

(Parts of this article were adapted from Holiness by J.C. Ryle.)

Assignment 10: In Mark 2 Christ refers to Himself in at least three different ways that indicate His deity. How many of these can you identify?

Assignment 11: In Isaiah 43 we find a number of characteristics of the Lord or Jehovah that are also characteristics of the Lord Jesus Christ of the New Testament. Please list these characteristics and also see if you can find some of the New Testament references where they apply to Christ.

Foundations of Faith
GOD THE FATHER

A Parable

“What shall I do now,” Mike wondered to himself. “I’ve really made a mess of my life.” And he had. He had borrowed $25,000 from his father with the idea of starting a business partnership with his best friend in a distant city. But the deal turned sour, and instead of returning the money to his dad, he bought a cool red sports car with it. He had a neat time with his car, made lots of friends with it–until he totaled it one night while intoxicated. Miraculously, he escaped injury. However, since he had paid so much for the car he couldn’t afford collision insurance. So now he had nothing! Zilch! “Dad’s going to be furious when he finds out his $25,000 is totally gone, with nothing to show for it. But I guess I can’t hide it from him forever.”

Mike returned home and told his dad everything. “What can I do to make it up to you? he asked his father. “I’ll get a job, and in my spare time I’ll paint the house, inside and out, and take care of the yard. I’ll do the washing and ironing for Mom and scrub the floors every week.”

“Mike,” Dad replied comfortingly, “I can tell from your attitude that you have learned some very important lessons of life. If you want to do those things, I’m not going to stop you, but I just want you to know that I accept you back, no strings attached. You are my son, and I love you with all my heart! I am thankful to God that you didn’t get killed. Let’s get your mom and sister and go out to the steak house and celebrate your homecoming!”

This parable is, of course, a modern-day version of Christ’s parable of the Prodigal Son in Luke 15. One of the lessons pictured for us in that parable is the love of God the Father for his children, even for those who backslide into sin and displease the Father.

For Whom is God a Father?

God is the Father of all who believe in His Son for salvation. Do you, my Christian friend, ever spend time thinking about the relationship you now have with God? Let us consider the different layers of God’s blessings upon true, born-again Christians:(1) we have been delivered from an eternity in the lake of fire and outer darkness (that is in itself worth everything, isn’t it?); but more than this, (2) we have been given the assurance of eternal life in heaven with Christ Himself, rather than eternal nothingness (wow! that is really gracious of God!); but even more, (3) God has brought us into relationship with Himself–all three Persons (remember what you learned about the Trinity in the last two issues?). As God the Father He has made us His children, His sons (Rom. 8:16; 1 John 2:13; 3:1). As God the Son He has made us members of His body and in heaven we will be His bride. As God the Holy Spirit He has come to us and dwells within our minds and hearts so that He might continually be able to teach us, guide us, remind us, and warn us.

In what ways does God relate to us as Father?

1. He has affection for us, is our Friend (John 16:27).

2. He chastens us, that is, He instructs us by allowing us to experience trials and testings–“the school of hard knocks”–and helping us to learn to respond properly (that is, with trust and dependence upon Him) to these problems (Heb. 12:5-11; John 15:1,2). Note in Heb. 12:9,10 that in contrast to the chastening our parents give us (sometimes inconsistent, or unfair, or extreme, or in anger), our heavenly Father’s chastening of us is always “for our profit, that we might be partakers of His holiness.”

3. He holds us in His hand, keeps us safe and secure for all eternity (John 10:29), and never forgets us (Isa. 49:15).

4. He gladly hears and responds to our prayers and petitions (Matt. 6:9; 7:11; 18:19; John 15:16).

5. He is merciful and compassionate (2 Cor. 1:3,4; Psa. 103:10-13).

6. He teaches us and reveals to us His will for our lives (Matt. 12:50; 16:17).

7. He rewards our faithfulness to Him (Matt. 6:4,6,18). (See Assignment 9)

God is the Father of the Second Person of the Trinity, also known as the Son of God and the Lord Jesus Christ. We shall consider this relationship in the next issue in connection with God the Son.

God is the Father of the nation of Israel. “Thus saith the Lord, Israel is My son, even my firstborn” (Exod. 4:22). “Is not [the Lord] your Father who has bought you?” (Deut. 32:6). “Thou, O Lord, art our Father, our Redeemer” (Isa. 63:16; 64:8). This fatherhood refers to the parental care that God showed to the nation of Israel as a whole, and does not mean that every individual Israelite was a born-again child of God.

God is, by creation, the Father of all mankind. Adam was “the son of God” (Luke 3:38), having been created by God. The Prophet Malachi wrote, “Have we not all one Father? has not one God created us?” (2:10). The Apostle Paul, speaking to unbelievers in Athens, said, “We are the offspring of God” (Acts 17:29). The sense in which God is Father of all mankind is very limited and restricted compared to the wonderful blessings of His being Father of the believers in Christ.

Running the Race
OUR HEAVENLY FATHER AND OUR HUMAN FATHERS

What is your human father like? Does he remind you of your heavenly Father? “Not much,” some of you may be thinking. “Oh, I know he loves me and all that, but he’s always so busy and doesn’t have time for me. And he’s awfully strict sometimes. And he favors my two sisters over me. And he sometimes blows up when he doesn’t get his way.” Other fathers may be even worse–verbally, emotionally, physically, and even sexually abusive to their children.

How can you properly relate to God as your Father if you have experienced a negative relationship with your human father? If your father doesn’t love you, is it possible for you to know God as a loving Father? Yes, just as it is possible to relate to Christ as Lord even if you have a mean and cruel employer. The key is to study what the Bible says about God as Father. Several references are given earlier in this issue as starters; then you might use a Concordance to find other biblical references to the Father. Identify those areas in which your human father is unlike your heavenly Father and ask God for help in reflecting Him before your children if and when you should become a parent. Finally, ask God for the ability to identify any sinful ways in which you respond to your father’s negative or abusive behavior –such as bitterness, evil-speaking, or self-pity.

Assignment 9: Read Matthew 6; write out portions of six verses that tell what the Father will do for us, and portions of two verses that tell what the Father won’t do for us.

Foundations of Faith
THE HOLY TRINITY (II)

In the March issue of GROWING we looked at scriptures in both the Old and New Testaments that expressed the truth of the Trinity:one God manifested in three Persons–Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

Adherents of the Jewish and Muslim religions as well as those of certain sects and cults reject the doctrine of the Trinity, claiming that the Christians have three Gods while they have only one. Christians, on the other hand, insist that we worship and serve only one God, even though God is revealed in three Persons. We shall now consider ways in which the concept of the triune (three in one and one in three) God is different and distinct from the concept of three Gods.

Unity of Abilities

Do you remember learning about Greek and Roman mythology in school? There were the goddess of fertility, the sun god, the rain god, the sea god, the goddess of wisdom, the god of war, and on and on. Each individual god or goddess had a special ability that distinguished him or her from all the others. Not so with the Trinity. Father, Son, and Holy Spirit all have the same abilities and skills, all know the same thing, and all are equally able to help those who call upon God.

Unity of Thought and Will

If you don’t remember anything else about the Greek and Roman gods and goddesses, you will remember that they were constantly at odds with one another –arguing, disagreeing, and jealous of one another, and the like. Not so with the triune God:The Son said to the Father, “I delight to do Thy will” and “Not My will, but Thine be done” (Psa. 40:8; Luke 22:42). And here is how the Lord Jesus described the work of the Holy Spirit:”He shall glorify Me, for He shall receive of Mine and shall show it unto you” (John 16:14).

Unity of Attributes

To give just a few examples, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are eternal (Psa. 90:2; John 1:2; Mic. 5:2; Heb. 9:14). They are omnipotent or all-powerful (Eph. 1:19; 3:16; 2 Cor. 12:9). They are omniscient or all-knowing (Psa. 139:4; Luke 11:16,17; John 21:17; 1 Cor. 2:10,11). They are omnipresent or present everywhere (Jer. 23:23,24; Matt. 18:20; Psa. 139:7). (See Assignment 7)

Unity of Action

Father, Son, and Holy Spirit all were active in the creation of the universe (Psa. 102:25; John 1:3; Col. 1:16; Gen. 1:2; Job 26:13). All were involved in the Incarnation, that is, God the Son becoming a Man (Luke 1:26-35), and in anointing the Lord for His earthly ministry (Matt. 3:16,17). All three were involved in the death of Christ and His work of redemption (Rom. 8:32; 1 John 4:10,14; John 10:18; 1 Pet. 2:24; Heb. 9:14), as well as in His resurrection (Acts 2:24; John 10:18; 1 Pet. 3:18).

Some False Teachings Concerning the Trinity

1. Jews, Muslims, Jehovah’s Witnesses, Mormons, and other groups acknowledge that there is one God, but do not accept that the Son and the Holy Spirit are co-equal with God the Father. For example, Jehovah’s Witnesses teach that Jesus is the same as Michael the archangel, God’s highest created being. (See John 1:1; 5:23; 10:28-38; and 20:28 to answer this error.)

2. A number of cults teach that the Holy Spirit is only an impersonal force, not a divine Person with intellect, emotion, and will. (See John 14:26; 16:8; Rom. 8:11; and Eph. 4:30 to answer this error.)

3. Other groups teach a sort of progressive Trinity. They say that God initially revealed Himself as Father, then as Son in the God-Man Jesus Christ, and presently as Holy Spirit, but never as three Persons all at the same time. (See John 14:26; 17:1-26; 1 John 4:10 to answer this error.)

Why Is This Important?

Some of you may be thinking at this point, “So what? I don’t have any problem with the doctrine of the Trinity, but at the same time I don’t understand what’s the big deal. Why is it important to me?”
Good question. There are a number of reasons why it is important to us:

1. It is important to have an accurate understanding of God if we are to worship Him properly (John 4:24).

2. Our salvation depends on the Trinity. If God had merely created an angel or a man to serve as the suffering sacrifice for mankind’s sin, would this not have been the most unjust act in the history of the universe? And if it was a sinless creature who died for our sins, rather than the holy, spotless Son of God, how could we be sure that He would remain without sin throughout eternity? (If our Redeemer were just an angel, and were to fall into sin like another very high angel once did–Isa. 14:12-15–wouldn’t that dash to pieces our salvation?) If He were only a finite creature, how could we be sure that He was capable of making atonement for all of our sins? If there was no God in heaven when Jesus Christ was suffering on the cross, whose wrath was poured out upon Him (Psa. 88:6,7), and who forsook Him (Matt. 27:46)?

3. The fact that God is Father, Son, and Spirit emphasizes the love and fellowship that exists within His own being (John 1:18; 15:9). And God invites all of us to enjoy His love and fellowship (1 John 1:3; Jude 21).

4. Some people have the idea that God created man because He was lonely. But given the eternal fellowship enjoyed mutually by the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, we can be sure that God was never lonely. Therefore, God did not need to create. This fact makes it all the more wonderful that God, in fact, did create man in His own image, and did make it possible for finite, sinful man to be brought into a close relationship with the infinite, personal, holy God by His grace. So the truth of the Trinity causes us to praise Him all the more!

5. Have you ever heard one justify his sinful behavior by saying, “I’m only human”? The born-again child of God, however, is not “only human.” We have the Holy Spirit indwelling us, and so closely is the Spirit linked with the Father and the Son that we are told in Scripture that the Father and the Son are in us as well (see Assignment 8).

So with the love, grace, wisdom, and power provided to us by the triune God indwelling us, we have all the ability we could possibly need to overcome the trinity of evil–the flesh, the world, and Satan–that daily opposes us. Praise His Name!

In the next issues we shall study in more detail the three Persons of the Trinity separately.

Running the Race
Assignment 7: Find and write out verses in Psalm 22 and Luke 1 that speak of the holiness of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

Assignment 8: Find and write out verses in Ephesians 6, Colossians 1, and 1 Corinthians 6 that speak of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit indwelling the believer.

A RIDDLE

Bobby and Billy were born the same day, can hardly be told apart, and have the same mother and father. What is their relationship? Do you think you know? Oh, by the way, Bobby and Billy are not twins.

If you are stumped, you will find a big clue in the next article, and the answer at the end of this issue.

Foundations of Faith
THE HOLY TRINITY (I)

Our topic in this and the next issue of GROWING is the Holy Trinity. What is the Trinity? It is a term that describes the one God who exists in three Persons–Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. In one sense God is one, and in another sense God is three. The word “Triunity,” or its adjective, “triune”–meaning three in one and one in three–captures the thought more exactly.

Just how God can be three and one at the same time is a mystery that no biblical scholar can honestly claim to understand. So if you have difficulty understanding the Trinity, don’t panic! You might ask why the Christians came up with a doctrine that they couldn’t even understand, and tried to describe God using the words “Trinity” and “triune” that are nowhere found in Scripture. It is because these words and concepts seem to be the best way of fitting together the different scriptures that describe God, such as those that speak of (1) God being one God,(2) the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit all being God, and (3) God the Son praying to God the Father and sending the God Holy Spirit.

While we will have difficulty understanding the exact relationships of the three Persons of the Trinity, let us try to learn what the Bible teaches us about the one God who exists in three Persons. Perhaps it would be helpful to contrast the Trinity with an example from our own human experience. Have you ever known a set of identical twins, or better yet, identical triplets? These sets of individuals are genetically identical. They started out as a single fertilized egg but broke into two or three parts early in the embryo stage and developed into separate individuals. Such twins or triplets not only look alike, but they often think and act alike.

Is the Trinity like identical triplets? No, not really; the Persons of the Trinity are far more alike in every way than even identical triplets. Triplets are separate, distinct individuals. While they may think and act in similar ways, yet their thinking and acting is distinct and separate from one another. For example, one may be writing a letter, another reaching for a snack, and the third one reading a book–all totally unaware of what the others are thinking, feeling, and doing. The three Persons of God, on the other hand, are so united that each one knows what the other two are thinking, planning, speaking, and doing at every moment throughout time and eternity; more than that, they are all in perfect agreement with one another’s thoughts, plans, and deeds. Unlike some identical twins and triplets, there is never, never any argument or conflict or jealousy among the three Persons of God.

But enough for introductions and contrasts. Let us see what the Bible itself says about the Holy Trinity.

The Oneness of God

“Hear, O Israel; the Lord our God is one Lord” (Deut. 6:4). “I am God, and there is none else” (Isa. 46:9). “There is but one God” (1 Cor. 8:4-6; also Eph. 4:4-6).

Note that in Deut. 6:4, the Hebrew word for “one” can have the thought of a composite unity, such as many grapes making up “one cluster” (Num. 13:23), or a man and a woman marrying and becoming “one flesh” (Gen. 2:24), or three divine Persons making up “one God.”

The “Threeness” of God

1. The Father is God. “There is … one God and Father of all” (Eph. 4:4-6; also 1 Pet. 1:2).

2. Jesus Christ is God. “Thomas … said unto [Christ], My Lord and my God” (John 20:28; also 5:23). “I and My Father are one” (John 10:30-38). “The Word was God” (John 1:1). (See Assignment 5)

3. The Holy Spirit is God. “Why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit?… You have not lied unto men, but unto God” (Acts 5:3,4). “God has revealed them unto us by His Spirit:for the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God” (1 Cor. 2:10).

The Trinity in the Old Testament

There is no direct revelation of the Trinity in the Old Testament, but this is implied and hinted at in many Old Testament scriptures.

“In the beginning God [Elohim, a plural noun] created [a singular verb] the heaven and the earth” (Gen. 1:1). “Let us make man in our image” (Gen. 1:26; 3:22). “I am the first, I also am the last…. Now the Lord God, and His Spirit, has sent Me” (Isa. 48:16). (See Assignment 6)

The Trinity in the New Testament

“Teach all nations, baptizing them in the name [singular] of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost” (Matt. 28:19). “The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost be with you all” (2 Cor. 13:14).

(To be continued.)

Running the Race
WHAT IS THE CHRISTIAN’S RESPONSIBILITY TO THE TRINITY?

To the Father

“I seek … the will of the Father who has sent Me” (John 5:30). “Prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect will of God” (Rom. 12:2; also Heb. 13:21).

To the Son

“For whom He did foreknow, He also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of His Son” (Rom. 8:29). “We all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory” (2 Cor. 3:18).

To the Holy Spirit

“Be filled with the Spirit” (Eph. 5:18). “Grieve not the Holy Spirit” (Eph. 4:30). “Quench not the Spirit” (1 Thess. 5:19).

May it become the daily prayer of each one of us that we would learn to know and be faithful to do the Father’s will, that we would be conformed more to the image of Christ so that His life might shine out in our lives, and that we would be filled with the Holy Spirit, allowing Him liberty to have full control of our lives.

Answer:Bobby and Billy, along with brother Benny, are TRIPLETS.Assignment 5: What evidence is given later in John 1 as to the identity of “the Word”?

Assignment 6: Write out a verse in Isaiah 61 that refers to the Trinity. According to Luke 4, who is the speaker in Isaiah 61?

Foundations of Faith
THE MORAL ATTRIBUTES OF GOD (IV)

Does God Give Till It Hurts?

He surely does! He gives and gives and then gives some more. And not just the leftovers. God cares enough for mankind to give the very Best. And what is that “Best” which God has given for us? “God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son.”

The love of God might be defined as that attitude which places such a value on another person that it seeks the welfare of the other–often at a cost to oneself–without demanding or seeking or expecting anything in return. There is no better illustration of the love of God than the giving of His Son for sinners. As we gaze upon the cross of Calvary, we can say with awe and worship, “God surely did give till it hurt!”

In addition to being a self-sacrificing kind of love, this is a love that gives even to the unlovable. Our love for others is often an “if” love or a “because” love, as in, “I will love you and be your friend if you will do such and such for me, or because you always treat me so nicely. But God’s love is an “in spite of” love, as in, “In spite of all the terrible things you have said and done against me, yet will I continue to love you and do all I can to help you achieve the greatest happiness and the highest blessings. Aren’t you glad that God loves you in this way, rather than loving you only if you are lovable and perfectly without sin? (See Assignment 3)

Finally, let us summarize the features of God’s love as presented in the Scriptures:

1. God’s love is everlasting and unchanging (Jer. 31:3; Rom. 8:38,39).

2. God’s love finds value in its object (Isa. 43:4).

3. God’s love is independent of the behavior or attractiveness of its object (Deut. 7:7; Hos. 3:1; Rom. 5:8; Eph. 2:4).

4. God’s love delights to bring deliverance and blessing (Deut. 4:37; 23:5; Isa. 43:4-6; Hos. 11:1,4; 1 John 3:1).

5. God’s love may have to bring pain to its object to achieve the greatest blessing (Prov. 3:11,12; Heb. 12:6; see also Prov. 27:5,6).

6. God’s love is self-sacrificial (John 3:16; Rom. 5:8; 1 John 4:7-10).

Running the Race
HOW SHOULD WE THEN LIVE (in View of God’s Moral Attributes)? (IV)

What should be our response to the wonderful love of God that led Him to give His only begotten Son to die for you and me? Why, to show that same love in our own lives! Can we do it? No, not in our own strength. God’s love is supernatural; it can only be produced in us through the Holy Spirit who indwells every believer in Christ. Also, it is produced in proportion as we meditate upon and appreciate God’s love for us. “The fruit of the Spirit is love” (Gal. 5:22). “If God so loved us, we ought also to love one another” (1 John 4:11).

Whom are we to love?

1. We are to love God (Matt. 22:37). (See Assignment 4)

2. We are to love our brothers and sisters in Christ (1 Pet. 1:22; 2:17).

3. We are to love our neighbors (Matt. 22:39).

4. We husbands are to love our wives (Eph. 5:25).

5. We are to love our enemies (Matt. 5:43-48).

Thus, just as God’s love extends to the entire world (John 3:16), so is our love as God’s children to go out to all people. At the same time, we are commanded by God not to love (or value) those things that are opposed to Him:

1. A position of honor in this world (Luke 11:43).

2. Material wealth or “mammon” (Luke 16:13; 2 Pet. 2:15).

3. “Darkness rather than light” (John 3:19).

4. “The praise of men more than the praise of God” (John 12:43).

5. “The things that are in the world” (1 John 2:15,16).

Finally, let us list some of the characteristics of this supernatural love that we Christians are to display in our lives:

1. “Love works no ill to his neighbor” (Rom. 13:10). Who is our neighbor? It is not limited to the person living next door. It may include our brothers and sisters, parents, teachers, or schoolmates as well.

2. “Knowledge puffs up, but love edifies [or builds up]” (1 Cor. 8:1). It is a natural desire of every one of us to want to be first and best–numero uno! But love leads us to help and encourage others to develop their skills and talents and to grow spiritually, even though they may some day surpass us in these areas.

3. “Love suffers long [or is long-tempered, as opposed to short-tempered] … is not easily provoked [or stimulated to anger]” (1 Cor. 13:4,5). It counts to ten–or one hundred–before responding to an offense.

4. “Love … is kind,” willing to forgive others “even as God for Christ’s sake has forgiven you” (1 Cor. 13:4; Eph. 4:32).

5. “Love … vaunts not itself, is not puffed up” (1 Cor. 13:4), that is, it does not boast, or brag, or in any way draw attention to itself.

6. “Love … does not behave itself unseemly” (1 Cor. 13:5), that is, in an unbecoming or shameful manner.

7. “Love … seeks not her own” (1 Cor. 13:5). One opposite of love is hate (1 John 3:14,15); another is selfishness.

8. “Love … thinks no evil” (1 Cor. 13:5). Literally, this means that love does not keep a record of the evil done to oneself; in other words, it does not hold grudges.

9. “Love … rejoices not in iniquity” (1 Cor. 13:6). Suppose someone, sometime in the past, has rebuked you for a fault or a sin. Then you hear about that person falling into a sin or getting into trouble. How do you react? Do you gloat? (See also Prov. 24:17,18.)

10. “Love shall cover the multitude of sins” (1 Pet. 4:8), instead of broadcasting another’s failures all around.

11. “Let all your things [that is, everything you say and do] be done with love” (1 Cor. 16:14).

Let each of us pray that we may grow in our appreciation of God’s perfect love for us, and that we may thus increase in the living out of His love to those about us.

Assignment 3: Find and write out two verses in Ephesians 5 that tell us that God’s love (in the Person of His Son) is self-sacrificing. Also, find and write out a verse in Romans 5 that speaks of God’s love to those who aren’t very lovable.

Assignment 4: Write out at least two verses from John 14 and one from 1 John 4 that tell how we can show God that we love Him.

WELCOME TO GROWING

With this issue we begin the second year of publication of GROWING. If you are reading GROWING for the first time, we want to welcome you. Each issue of GROWING generally will include an article on a fundamental doctrine of Scripture under the heading of “FOUNDATIONS.” In 1993, doctrinal themes included the authority of the Bible, the divine inspiration of the Scriptures, and the attributes of God. In addition, articles on practical Christian living appear under the heading of “THE RACE.” Our readers are encouraged to complete the ASSIGNMENTS and send them to the editor every two months.

If you are missing some or all of the 1993 issues of GROWING, please notify the Editor or Distributor who will be pleased to send you the copies you need at no cost to you.

If you have not yet sent in all of the ASSIGNMENTS for 1993, you may still do so through February 1994 and remain eligible for an award. Don’t worry if you can’t figure out the answers to some of the ASSIGNMENTS. They were designed to be challenging.

Foundations of Faith
THE MORAL ATTRIBUTES OF GOD (III)

Does God Give Us What We Deserve?

Do you remember the story about the prophet Elisha and his servant when they were surrounded by the Syrian army with horses and chariots? (2 Kings 6). The servant cried out, “Alas, my master, What shall we do?” Then the Lord made all the enemy soldiers blind, and Elisha led them to the King of Israel in Samaria. The King of Israel, delighted at this turn of events, eagerly sought to kill the enemy soldiers. However, Elisha forbad him. Instead, he commanded that they be given food and water and then sent back to their own country.

Here we have an example of the attributes of mercy and grace. These are special aspects of the attribute of goodness discussed in the previous issue. In God-inspired mercy, Elisha forgave or pardoned the captive Syrian army and prevented the King of Israel from killing a single one of them. In grace, Elisha did even more:he set a feast before them (verse 23)!

Let us define and contrast mercy and grace, and compare them with another related attribute, that of pity. Pity denotes sorrow felt for another’s suffering or misfortune, but without necessarily making any attempt to help the person. The priest and the Levite who saw the man lying on the road, robbed and wounded, may have felt pity for the man, but did not lift a finger to help. It’s like when we see a car with its hood up and a man or woman standing helplessly beside it, and we think, “I really feel sorry for that person,” and drive right on by.

Mercy is pity in action; it takes the next step of providing help for the person in need. The good Samaritan not only had pity upon the man lying in the road, he went to his aid. He showed mercy. (See Assignment 1)

Now what about grace? This goes even further than mercy. Grace denotes positive favor and blessing shown to those who do not deserve it, in fact, who deserve just the opposite. It is more than offering your left cheek to the bully who slugs you on your right cheek:it is going out and buying a box of chocolates to give to the bully. Let us now describe and illustrate the pity, mercy, and grace of God.

Quick now:what is the shortest verse in the English Bible? I’m sure most of you know it. In this verse (John 11:35) we have an example of the Lord Jesus’ pity and sympathy toward the sorrowing relatives of Lazarus who had recently died. But the Lord Jesus did not stop at showing pity. He cried out, “Lazarus, come forth,” and raised him from the dead. What a tremendous display, not only of divine power, but of divine mercy!

God shows both mercy and grace in saving sinners. Notice the progression from mercy to grace in the following passages in Ephesians and Titus:”But God who is rich in mercy, for His great love wherewith He loved us, even when we were dead in sins, has quickened us [or given us life] together with Christ,… and has raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus; that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us through Christ Jesus. For by grace are you saved through faith” (Eph. 2:4-8). “For we … were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving various lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another. But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared, not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us … that being justified by His grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life” (Tit. 3:3-7).

It surely is wonderful to know that God in His mercy has saved us and pardoned us of our sins, delivering us from the coming judgment which we surely deserve. And it is even more wonderful to know that God in His grace has brought us–who deserve eternal separation from Himself–into a close relationship with Himself as His children, and has given us the assurance of an eternity of nearness to Himself and His Son.

Running the Race
HOW SHOULD WE THEN LIVE (in View of God’s Moral Attributes)? (III)

Just as God has marvelously shown His mercy and grace to us, He expects us to pass it on to others. “Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful” (Luke 6:36). Let that which comes “out of your mouth … minister grace unto the hearers” (Eph. 4:29). “Grow in grace” (2 Pet. 3:18).

Assignment 1: Find and write out a passage in James 2 that illustrates having pity but not mercy.

Assignment 2: Suppose you have had an operation and are unable to go to school for three weeks: (1) Your best friend Michelle comes over each day to cheer you up and also brings you the class notes and the homework assignments. (2) That nerdy shrimp, John, whom you have frequently teased and belittled, comes over each day and helps you work those difficult algebra problems. (3) Your friend Marcy calls up and says, “I’m sure sorry you aren’t feeling well. I hope you get well soon. Goodbye.” Which of these three friends illustrates pity? mercy? grace?

ANSWERS TO ASSIGNMENTS FOR 1993

1. Col. 3:22,23.

2a. Exod. 34:6; Psa. 23:6; 33:5; Rom. 2:4; Gal. 5:22; and many others.

2b. The following example of the goodness of God was sent in by one of our readers: When I was seven or eight years old I was put in the hospital with spinal meningitis and encephalitis. Either one of these diseases can cause a person to be crippled for life, and I had both at the same time. My parents have told me that there was a multitude of people that were praying for me at that time. By the goodness and grace of God, I recovered from those diseases with no noticeable disabilities! Praise the Lord!

3. Gen. 2:16-18; Jon. 4:4,9; John 12:28.

4a. Grace, mercy, goodness in Rom. 11, and grace in Eph. 1.

4b. Among the Ten Commandments of Exod. 20:3-17, the first two commandments were violated in Rom. 1:23,25; the fifth in verse 30; and the sixth, seventh, ninth, and tenth in verse 29.

5a. Matt. 12:3,4; 12:40; 12:41; 12:42.

5b. Matt. 4:4 and Deut. 8:3; Matt. 4:7 and Deut. 6:16; Matt. 4:10 and Deut. 6:13; Matt. 5:21 and Exod. 20:13; Matt. 5:27 and Exod. 20:14; Matt. 5:31 and Deut. 24:1; Matt. 5:33 and Lev. 19:12; Matt. 5:38 and Exod. 21:24; Matt. 5:43 and Lev. 19:18.

6. The following answer was submitted by one of our readers: The Dead Sea Scrolls are leather and papyrus manuscripts found in caves and ruins in the wilderness of Judea. The first manuscripts were discovered accidentally by a shepherd boy in 1947. Since then many others have been found. The manuscripts contain letters, Essene teachings, hymns, etc. But the most important of the manuscripts were the portions of the Old Testament Minor Prophets, Isaiah, and other books. The oldest of the manuscripts are books of the Bible and are dated well before the birth of Christ.

7. The two genealogies are the same between Abraham and David. They are different in three ways: (1) The one in Luke 3 goes all the way back to Adam; (2) the one in Matthew 1 follows the line of David’s son Solomon down to Joseph while the one in Luke 3 follows the line of David’s son Nathan down to Mary’s father Heli; (3) some of the mothers are mentioned in the genealogy in Matthew.

8. Gen. 49:5-7 says that Simeon and Levi will be scattered in Israel. Josh. 19:1,9 says that the tribe of Simeon did not have their own unique inheritance but lived in the land given to the tribe of Judah. Josh. 21:1-42 says that the tribe of Levi did not have their own unique inheritance but were given cities in the lands of all the other tribes of Israel.
9. 187 years (from birth of Methuselah to birth of Lamech) + 182 years (from birth of Lamech to birth of Noah) + 600 years (age of Noah at beginning of the flood) = 969 years from birth of Methuselah to the flood. Similarly, 182 + 600 = 782 years from birth of Lamech to the flood. Since Lamech lived a total of 777 years, he died five years before the flood. Since Methuselah lived a total of 969 years, he died in the same year as the flood began. We are not told whether Methuselah died before the flood or in the flood, but the meaning of his name, “When he is dead it shall be sent,” suggests that he died just before the flood.

10. The following answer to the question by the Lord Jesus, “Why should I let you in to heaven,” was submitted by one of our readers: Lord Jesus, you say in your Holy Word in John 14:10-3 that you will prepare a place for those that believe in God the Father and in yourself. I have accepted the free gift of salvation that I read about in Eph. 2:8,9 and have believed on you as my personal Lord and Saviour. According to John 3:16, having believed on you, I won’t perish but will have everlasting life. Since I came to you as a helpless, hell-deserving sinner and trusted in your finished work on Calvary’s cross as my means of salvation, you promise in John 6:37 that “him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.”

11. It was contrary to God’s law for the children of Israel to make images of anything on earth or in heaven (including their God whose name was Jehovah).

12. The angel of the Lord killed 185,000 of Sennacherib’s soldiers one night, so he turned around and went back to Assyria. Note: There was a crucial typographical error in this question: the reference should have been 2 Ki. 19:35,36. Those who were misled by the incorrect reference did not lose any points.

13. 1 Ki. 9:15.

14. 1 Thess. 1:5-10; 2:13; Heb. 4:12.

15. Jas. 1:22.

16. Thamar (or Tamar), Rachab (or Rahab), Ruth, and the wife of Urias (Bathsheba). These four women all had black marks against them. The first two were prostitutes, Ruth belonged to a nation (Moab) that was despised by the Israelites, and Bathsheba was involved in an adulterous affair with King David. Their inclusion in the genealogy of Christ is yet another mark of Christ’s love for the unlovely, for social outcasts, and for sinners.

17. Gal. 3:16.

18a. Worm (Psa. 22:6), bulls of Bashan (verse 12), lions (13,21), heart like wax (14), tongue like a potsherd (15), dogs (16,20), unicorns (21).

18b. Forsaken by God (Psa. 22:1), hands and feet pierced (verse 16).

19. His intent was to deceive Ahimelech.

20. Luke 13:34.

21. Rom. 8:18,28,31-39; 2 Cor. 4:17; Heb. 12:6-11.

22. Josh. 10:12,13; Matt. 1:20,23; John 11:43,44.

23a. Exod. 14:20-28; Josh. 3:15-17; 6:20; 1 Ki. 17:16,22; 18:38; 2 Ki. 4:35; 6:6; Dan. 3:22-27; 6:16-23; Mark 4:39; 5:15, 34,41,42; 6:41-44; John 12:43,44; and many others.

23b. The following incident showing God’s great power was submitted by a reader: My grandfather left his brief case (containing money and valuable personal items) on the sidewalk of the passenger pick-up area of a busy airport. When he came back about six hours later after discovering he had forgotten it, it was still there!

24. Adam and Eve (Gen. 3:8) and Jonah (Jon. 1:3).

25. Rom. 11:33.

26. Prov. 9:10 and 2 Tim. 3:15.

27. Matt. 5:28; Jesus spoke these words.

28-1. Prov. 10:17 or 12:1 or 15:10. Prov. 13:18 or 15:5 or 31 or 32.

28-2. Mic. 5:2 and Matt. 2:1-8, and many others.

28-3. The Bible tells about (1) real people with real names, (2) real geographical places, and (3) specific points of time in the history of man.

28-4. Answer may vary from person to person.

28-5. Prov. 8:27; Isa. 40:22.

28-6. Exod. 20:l; 2 Sam. 23:2; Jer. 1:9; Acts 1:16; 1 Cor. 2:13; 2 Tim. 3:16; etc.

28-7. Gen. 1:1; Exod. 2:24; Mal. 3:16; Eph. 1:4,5,9,11; 2:4; Col. 1:16; Heb. 1:1,2.

28-8. Psa. 90:1,2.

28-9. (a) Omniscient; (b) omnipresent; (c) sovereign.

28-10. Transcendent (Psa. 104:1); omnipresent (verse 3), omnipotent (2,3,5); good (10-18,28), wise (24); sovereign (29), eternal (31).

28-11. Rom. 12:9.

28-12. The following response was submitted by one of our readers: I earned a very high “B” grade in one of my classes last semester. The professor was righteous in giving me a “B” but he would have demonstrated goodness if he had given me the extra point or two I needed to get the “A”.

Foundations of Faith

Running the Race

Foundations of Faith
THE MORAL ATTRIBUTES OF GOD (II)

Is God Fair?

Once I had to fly to the West Coast on short notice, resulting in having to pay full fare, about $1,000, for my ticket. I sat next to a man who paid less than $300 for his advance purchase ticket. Was it fair? Yes, because all the different fares, and the conditions attached to each, are public knowledge. The Lord Jesus told a parable about a man who hired laborers early in the morning to work in his vineyard for a penny for the day. As the day progressed, he hired additional laborers, even as late as one hour before quitting time. He then gave each worker a penny, regardless of when they started. Was he fair? Yes, because he gave to each one what he had agreed to give them when he hired them. (If he wanted to give proportionately more to those who started later in the day, that was his privilege as the boss.) God created man with the ability to sin and rebel against Him. But now He condemns to eternal judgment those who continue in that rebellion until they die. Is He fair? Yes, because God has sent His own Son to live a perfect, holy life as a Man upon earth, and then to bear the punishment that rebellious man deserves because of his sin; the free gift of eternal salvation is available to all who will take it.

God is righteous; God is just and fair. He does not play favorites; He is no respecter of persons (Acts 10:34); it is not possible for anyone to bribe Him or bargain with Him. All of His acts are perfectly consistent with one another. He establishes the rules, the rewards, and the penalties, and no one is unfairly treated when the rewards and penalties are distributed. “Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?” (Gen. 18:25). “The Lord is righteous in all His ways” (Psa. 147:17).

Our salvation is closely linked with God’s righteousness. Sometimes I ask people the question, “When you come to God confessing your sins and asking Him to save you, why should He save you?” Often they will answer, “Because of His love,” or “He is merciful,” or “He is a forgiving God.” These are not the correct answers. It is not possible for a holy God simply to turn His head the other way and overlook or pardon our sin. Rather, He is able to show mercy to us and forgive us only because His justice, His righteousness, already has been satisfied. His holy judgment has been fully executed upon our sin through the sufferings and death of His Son Jesus Christ on the cross who “bore our sins in His own body on the tree” (1 Pet. 2:24).

Was it fair for the sinless Son of God to suffer God’s judgment instead of the sinners themselves? If He had been forced to do so against His will it would indeed have been unfair. But in His infinite love for sinners, He voluntarily, willingly died on the cross in place of the sinner. It was His right and privilege, as God, to do so. As a result of God’s righteousness in dealing with our sins in this way, we who have placed our faith in the Lord Jesus Christ for salvation are pronounced righteous, or justified. This means that the entire record of our sins, iniquities, and offences against God and man has been totally erased. “Being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ” (Rom. 5:1). In view of this pronouncement of righteousness upon those of us who are saved, it surely is worthy of God that we should seek always to live righteously (Rom. 6:12,13), dealing honestly and fairly with everyone, not playing favorites, having no respect of persons (Jas. 2:1-9), rewarding or praising those who do well, and reproving those who do evil (Gal. 6:1; Prov. 17:15).

Does God Help Only Those Who Help Themselves?

In Psalm 107 we read of different ways God has helped His people. He has delivered them from the hand of the enemy (107:1-9); delivered them from bondage and prison brought about by their own rebellion (107:10-16); delivered from sickness and death, again brought about by their own foolishness and transgressions (107:17-22); and delivered from persecution (107:23-32). Each type of deliverance called forth the exclamation, “Oh that men would praise the Lord for His goodness, and for His wonderful works to the children of men!” (107:8,15,21,31).

Yes, God is good, and the word “good” in the Bible usually carries with it the special thought of being helpful. Do you remember the story of the “good Samaritan”? This man was characterized as being helpful to the one who had been robbed and beaten. As we can see in Psalm 107, God’s goodness is not limited to those who help themselves. Rather, God seems to take delight in helping–doing good–to people who are totally unable to help themselves. The apostle Paul, through continually depending upon the Lord, learned by experience that his “strength [was] made perfect in weakness” (2 Cor. 12:9).

In response to God’s great goodness to us, we are called upon to “do good and to communicate” (Heb. 13:15,16), that is, to share our time, energy, talents, and material goods with others who are in need. Our display of goodness is not to be limited to those who help themselves or to those who are good to us. Rather, Christ urged His disciples, “Do good to those who hate you” (Matt. 5:44).

(To be continued.)

Running the Race
HOW SHOULD WE THEN LIVE (in View of God’s Moral Attributes)? (II)

Have you ever:

Tripped a runner who was challenging you for the lead in a race?

Underreported your income from tips and miscellaneous sources on your income tax return?

Copied your schoolmate’s homework or his/her answers on an examination?

Not pointed out to your waitress that she totalled your restaurant bill incorrectly–in your favor?

Treated two people differently, simply because they had different skin color? because one was rich and the other poor? because one was smart and the other dumb? or because one was a good athlete and the other was not?

Bought a car from another party and misrepresented the selling price on the title so that you wouldn’t have to pay so much tax?

Found the $20 bill your friend lost and didn’t tell her?

Advertised your car as in good running condition, all the while knowing that the engine was on its “last legs”?

All of the illustrations given above are examples of unrighteous, that is, dishonest, illegal, unfair, or unjust, behavior. Having just given some examples of unrighteous behavior, let us now illustate how goodness added to righteousness is better, and more Christ-like, than righteousness alone.

Suppose a landlord charges fair rental rates, carries out his responsibilities in maintaining the property, and only evicts the tenant who does not keep his part of the contract. Such a landlord would be considered righteous. However, if a tenant cannot pay the rent because he has lost his job, the landlord has the privilege, if he is a good man, of not evicting the tenant and of helping him to find a job.

If I slip on my neighbor’s icy sidewalk and break a leg, I have a legal right to sue him for damages. However, I have the privilege of being an example to him of Christ in doing good to him by not suing him, and further, by helping him in the future to keep his sidewalks shoveled.

If my friend has lost the $20 her mother gave her to buy groceries and I happen to find it and return it to her, I am righteous. However, suppose I help her look for it, and we don’t find it, and I know that her mother will beat her when she returns home empty-handed. If I give her $20 out of my own pocket, I am showing goodness to my friend.

If I am trying to sell my car, and I freely tell the potential buyers what things may need fixing, I am righteous. However, if in addition to that, I lower the price to help a poor fellow who desperately needs a car to get to his job, I am showing goodness.

(To be continued.)

Assignment 28: The following is a review quiz based on the 1993 issues.

1. (Jan.) Write out two verses in Proverbs, one that speaks of the results of refusing reproof, and one that speaks of the results of receiving reproof.

2. (Feb.) Write out (a) a verse in the Old Testament that gives a prophecy concerning Christ and (b) a verse in the New Testament that gives the fulfillment of that prophecy.

3. (Mar.) What three kinds of details are found in the Bible that identify it as a book of history?

4. (Feb.-Jun.) What piece of advice you have learned (either from GROWING or from some other source) about the best way to study the Bible.

5. (May) Write out a verse that shows that the Bible teaches that the earth is a sphere and not flat.

6. (Jun.) Write out at least one verse that identifies the author of the Scriptures.

7. (Jul.) Write out two verses that show that God is a Person, that is, a rational being with personality, intellect, emotion, and will.

8. (Aug.) Write out a verse that tells how long God has existed.

9. (Aug.-Oct.) Which of God’s divine attributes is illustrated in (a) Psa. 139:1-6? (b) Psa. 139:7-12? (c) Rom. 9:20?

10. (Oct.) What attributes of God are mentioned or implied in Psalm 104? (Give a verse to support each attribute you list.)

11. (Nov.) Rom. 12:1 speaks of how we should present our bodies a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God. Write out a part of a verse elsewhere in this chapter that exhorts the believer to behave in a holy way (though without referring to the words “holy” or “holiness).

12. (Dec.) Can you think of an incident in your life that illustrates someone being righteous but not good?

Foundations of Faith
THE MORAL ATTRIBUTES OF GOD (I)

Introduction

In the last three issues we discussed the divine attributes of God, that is, those that are His alone, such as His transcendence and omnipotence. God has additional attributes, such as holiness, love, and faithfulness, which He encourages us to display as well. These we call God’s moral attributes.

Can We Find a Friend So Faithful?

So goes the familiar hymn, “What a Friend We Have in Jesus.” God is true to His Word. He is faithful to fulfill all that He has promised, both to His own blood-bought children and to those who persist in rejecting Him. “The faithful God … keeps covenant and mercy with those who love Him and keep His commandments … and repays those who hate Him” (Deut. 7:9,10).

Just as God is true to Himself and His Word, so should we, the children of God, be faithful to Himself and His Word as well as true to our own word, that is, our promises and commitments to others (Eccl. 5:4,5). We are to be faithful to God in the use of our time, our material possessions, and our spiritual gifts (Matt. 24:45,46; Luke 16:10,11; 19:17).

How Does God Put Up with Sinners?

Have you ever stopped to think–with utter amazement–about how much sin and unfaithfulness God has had to endure just in your life? God is longsuffering. He does not quickly retaliate against a sin or offence. Rather He offers men and women, boys and girls repeated opportunities to turn to Him to receive His salvation.

“Thou, O Lord, art longsuffering, with plenty of mercy and truth” (Psa. 86:15). “The Lord is … longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish” (2 Pet. 3:9).

The more we consider God’s longsuffering toward us, the more we should be motivated to display this attribute toward others. There may be people in our lives who are difficult to get along with. We must ask the Lord for the grace to be longsuffering [instead of short-tempered] toward such (Eph. 4:2,3; Col. 3:12,13; Jas. 1:19).

What Does God Think of Sin?

The truth of God’s longsuffering may give the false impression that God tolerates sin. Nothing could be further from the truth! God is holy; He cannot tolerate sin in His presence (although, praise His name! He is frequently longsuffering toward the sinner). Since God exhorts the believers to “abhor that which is evil” (Rom. 12:9), it is clear that holiness goes far beyond the simple absence or avoidance of sin in oneself. Holiness is abhoring, hating sin. God is “of purer eyes than to behold evil” (Hab. 1:13).

In the presence of God and His absolute holiness, Isaiah became acutely aware of His own utter unholiness:”I am a man of unclean lips” (Isa. 6:1-5). In a similar way will we gain a more realistic appreciation of our own sinfulness and lack of holiness as we learn to compare ourselves against the standard of God’s perfect holiness. To this end, we are exhorted by the Lord, “Be holy, for I am holy” (Lev. 11:44; 1 Pet. 1:15).

(To be continued.)

Running the Race
HOW SHOULD WE THEN LIVE (in View of God’s Moral Attributes)? (I)

“I swear upon a stack of Bibles that I’m telling you the truth!” Have you ever heard anyone make such a statement? Perhaps you have said it yourself. Do you have a reputation in your family and among your friends of always telling the truth and always being faithful to your word? If so, you shouldn’t ever have to swear to God to get others to believe you. The Old Testament law commanded that those who made a vow or oath must keep it, and that they must not swear by God’s name while speaking a falsehood (Lev. 19:12; Num. 30:2). But the Lord Jesus instructed His disciples not to swear (or make an oath) at all, but simply say, “yes, yes” or “no, no” (Matt. 5:33-37); in other words, just speak the plain, unvarnished truth at all times.

“Dad, last week I tried telling my friend Bob how to be saved. Ever since then he and his friends have been making fun of me, calling me a `Jesus freak’ and a `fanatic.’ I feel like punching them in the nose!”

Maybe some of our readers have experienced persecution for their faith. The apostle Paul tells us of the longsuffering which Jesus Christ showed toward Him, “for a pattern to those who should hereafter believe on Him to life everlasting” (1 Tim. 1:15,16). Our persecutors would like nothing better than to see us break down and become angry and “lose our religion” as they would call it. But if we hold out with longsuffering and pray for them and try to do good to them in return (Matt. 5:44), some of them will be impressed with the reality of our faith and may desire that salvation for themselves.

Scene: On the way home from the Christian youth group meeting.

Ken: Hey, Tom, I’ve got a copy of the latest Playboy. Would you like to see it when I’m finished with it, that is, if I haven’t cut out all the good pictures?

Tom: I don’t think God would be very pleased with that. Don’t you remember what we learned this afternoon about the holiness of God and about fleeing fornication (1 Cor. 6:18)?

Ken: But we’re not really doing anything wrong. It’s just looking at pictures.

Tom: I believe there is a verse in the Bible that says something about one who looks on a woman to lust after her committing adultery with her in his heart. (See Assignment 27)

Ken: I guess God doesn’t want us to have any fun at all does He?

Tom: Well, I don’t know what to say about that.

Joe, the youth group leader (coming up behind): May I break in? Remember the next verse after “Flee fornication”?

Ken and Tom: No.

Joe: It says, “Don’t you know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit which is in you…? For you are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body.” One of the best ways of showing your appreciation to God for the great price that was paid by His Son for your salvation is to keep yourself holy so that the Holy Spirit who indwells you will have the greatest freedom to teach you and use you in God’s service. Oh, and by the way, when you get married, I believe that you will discover a side benefit of remaining sexually pure, both in body and in mind–a more satisfying and enjoyable relationship with your wife. God’s “commandments are not grievous” (1 John 5:3), but are designed to bring the greatest possible blessing, joy, and peace to those who keep them.

(To be continued.)

Assignment 27: Where in Matthew 5 is this verse found, and who spoke these words?

Foundations of Faith
THE DIVINE ATTRIBUTES OF GOD (III)

Who Is in Control?

God is always in control of all things. Even when He gave Satan permission to harass Job, God retained control over the situation and did not permit Satan to overstep the prescribed bounds (Job 2:6).

God is sovereign. He is supreme in power, rank, and authority. No one tells Him what to do. He is free to do whatever He wills to do at all times to carry out His eternal purposes. Listen to God’s own statements of His sovereignty:”I … will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show mercy on whom I will show mercy” (Exod. 33:19). “I am God … and I will do all my pleasure…. I have purposed it, I will also do it” (Isa. 46:9-11). The apostle Paul, through the Holy Spirit, makes a strong appeal to God’s sovereignty:”O man, who are you who replies against God? Shall the thing formed say to Him who formed it, Why have You made me thus?” (Rom. 9:20).

If you are saved, God tells you that He has “chosen you to salvation” (2 Thess. 2:13; also Eph. 1:4; 1 Pet. 1:2). What is the basis for such a choice? Certainly God’s foreknowledge of all things is involved. He has always known who would be praying for us, who would share the gospel with us, etc. Still, ultimately, it is His choice, and this should cause each one of us who has been saved to fall on our knees before God and give Him all the glory and honor for His sovereign grace in choosing, calling, and saving us. Well might we join with the hymn writer, Isaac Watts, in asking:

Lord! why am I a guest?
Why was I made to hear Thy voice,
And enter while there’s room,
When thousands make a wretched choice,
And rather starve than come?

If God chooses whomever He wills to be saved, then why should I bother to do the work of an evangelist? Because God asks you and me to (2 Tim. 4:5). He is pleased to employ His blood-bought children–you and me–to work out His purposes on this earth. Just as He graciously provided persons in your life and mine who faithfully pointed us to Christ, so He desires to use each one of us who has been saved by His grace.

Is There Anyone So Wise as God?

In the August 1993 issue we discussed God’s attribute of omniscience. Not only does God possess all knowledge, but He has the ability to apply that knowledge in His words and works in a most marvelous way. In short, God is wise, and His wisdom infinitely surpasses that of any created being. Three times in Scripture He is described as “the only wise God” (Rom. 16:27; 1 Tim. 1:17; Jude 25).

No doubt the greatest displays of God’s wisdom are found in His creation and in His plan of salvation. First, as to the creation of the universe:”O Lord, how manifold are Thy works! in wisdom hast Thou made them all; the earth is full of Thy riches” (Psa. 104:24; also 104:1-23; Prov. 3:19; Jer. 10:12).

As to the plan of salvation, the apostle Paul sought to show in Romans 11 that neither Jews nor Gentiles have in any way deserved salvation. The nation of Israel had been God’s chosen people but they forfeited this special place because of wickedness and rebellion against God. The Gentiles as a whole had lived in idolatry, not having any desire for the one true God. So “God concluded them all in unbelief, that He might have mercy upon all” (verse 32). (See Assignment 25)

This attribute of the wisdom of God serves as a link with the series of attributes that we shall consider in the next two or three issues, namely, the moral attributes of God. The moral attributes are those that God shares with His children. God alone possesses the divine attribute of having all wisdom; on the other hand, He graciously has made it possible for His children to have a measure of that wisdom as well. God does not force this wisdom upon us, but gives it to those who ask for it:”If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God” (Jas. 1:5). “Get wisdom,” for “wisdom is the principal thing” (Prov. 4:5-7). “Be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom” (Col. 1:9).

May we learn to value the wisdom that God possesses in Himself, and may we ask Him often for wisdom to apply the knowledge we have gained from His Word in a right way in our daily lives.

Running the Race
HOW SHOULD WE THEN LIVE (in View of God’s Divine Attributes)? (III)

“Why did my purse have to be stolen? Why didn’t God prevent it?” Many things happen to us that perplex us, that tempt us to wonder whether God is really in control after all. There is evil and injustice and suffering everywhere. Can’t God do something about it? Has Satan gotten the upper hand? No, God has not given up His sovereign control over all things. There are many possible reasons why God may allow people to suffer. He may be warning unsaved people of the far greater suffering to come if they do not repent. He may be chastening a believer to help him/her to learn to trust Him or appreciate His grace. Or He may be simply testing us to see whether we are content to acknowledge the sovereignty that is rightly His. “All that is in the heaven and in the earth is Thine … O Lord, and Thou art exalted as Head above all” (1 Chron. 29:11,12).

May God help each of us to accept the fact that He is the sovereign Creator and we are the creatures; He is free to do what He wants to do, and all His ways are right, just, holy, good, and loving–even though we may not always understand His purposes.

How would a person who is wise respond to the following questions or statements?

1. “Say, Honey, what do you say we build our house right here on the sandy shore of this lake?” (See Matt. 7:24-27).

2. “Son, I have been noticing that you sometimes drive too fast. May I suggest that you try to slow down a bit?” (“He who hearkens unto counsel is wise,” Prov. 12:15).

3. “I’m going to quit my job; I’d rather go fishing than work all the time.” (See Prov. 6:6-8.)

4. “Look, son, forget that stuff about finding God’s will for your life. I want you to go to Harvard.” (“Be not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is,” Eph. 5:17.)

5. “Let’s go pester Mr. Crankyshanks and watch him lose his temper again.” (“The wisdom that is from above is … peaceable,” Jas. 3:17. “He who wins souls is wise,” Prov. 11:30.)

Assignment 25: As the apostle Paul considers God’s wise and wonderful plan of salvation, he breaks out with a hymn of praise. Find this hymn in Romans 11 and copy it out.

Assignment 26: Find verses in Proverbs 9 and 2 Timothy 3 that tell us how we can become wise.

Foundations of Faith
THE DIVINE ATTRIBUTES OF GOD (II)

How Powerful Is God?

Who is the strongest man you have ever seen or heard of? According to the Reader’s Digest Almanac of 1985, V. Alexeev of the USSR lifted a weight of 1,411 pounds in the 1972 Summer Olympics. In the Bible we read of mighty Samson who “took the doors of the gate of the city and the two posts and went away with them, bar and all, and put them upon his shoulders, and carried them up to the top of a hill” (Judg. 16:3). But what is this compared with the power of God? God is omnipotent, that is, He possesses all power. If all the stars in the universe could be put into a large sack, omnipotent God could carry them as easily as if they were a single grain of sand. God is so powerful, He created the universe by simply speaking a word:”By the word of the Lord were the heavens made; and all the host of them by the breath of His mouth…. He spoke, and it was done; He commanded, and it stood fast” (Psa. 33:6,9).

God’s infinite power isn’t revealed only with regard to huge, massive objects, such as causing the waters of the Red Sea to pile up while the children of Israel walked across on dry land (Exod. 14:21-30). God has the power to create tiny things as well, such as putting together the marvelous atom (see the May 1993 issue) or causing a baby to be born to Abraham and Sarah long after their natural ability to have children had passed. (See Assignment 23)

Where Is God?

Many of our readers may be too young to remember when a couple of Russian cosmonauts returned to Earth and reported, “There is no God; we didn’t see Him anywhere out in space.” How blind they were (not to mention unscientific)! For while God indeed is invisible and cannot be seen with our eyes, His work is clearly visible:”The heavens declare the glory of God, and the firmament [or sky] shows His handiwork” (Psa. 19:1). But the Bible tells us even more than this:God is omnipresent, that is, present everywhere. This is not to say that God is a part of everything (such as the trees, lakes, snails, houses, etc.) as taught by some. No, God is totally, absolutely distinct, above, and beyond everything that He created. But at the same time He is present everywhere throughout His creation. For many people this is good news; for others it is bad news. First the good news:

Have you ever been lost in the woods? ever tried to drive home on roads that were a sheet of ice? ever been in a boat when a sudden storm came up? ever been attacked by a mugger? Wherever we may be and whatever our circumstances, we can have the assurance that God is present.

Now the bad news:Have you ever tried to hide from God because you were ashamed of what you had done and were afraid of His judgment? Be assured that God caught you in the act, and knows exactly what you did and where you are at all times. (See Assignment 24)

“The eyes of the Lord are in every place, beholding the evil and the good” (Prov. 15:3). “Where shall I flee from Thy presence? If I ascend up into heaven, Thou art there; if I make my bed in hell, behold Thou art there…. The darkness and the light are both alike to Thee” (Psa. 139:7-12).

(To be continued.)

Running the Race
HOW SHOULD WE THEN LIVE (in View of God’s Divine Attributes)? (II)

“I can’t do it! I just can’t do it!” How often have you said these words, or heard others say them? You may be struggling with an algebra problem, trying to thread a tiny needle, looking for your misplaced keys, learning to hit a baseball, making pie crust, or debugging a computer program. We all, from time to time, face difficulties and obstacles in life. How do we deal with them? Is there any way to avoid them? We often rush into a new project with great energy and enthusiasm and self-confidence, only to find that it isn’t as easy as we anticipated. Sometimes we give up in frustration; or sometimes at this point we finally decide that it is time to begin praying about it.

I believe the teaching of the Bible that God is omnipotent encourages us to seek His help with every new project and activity we begin. It may be many times each day that we do this. We may be at school, at home, at work, or at play. God wants us to trust in His almighty power and ability in all things. “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not unto your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths” (Prov. 3:5,6). And when you find that you have indeed received help from the Lord, be sure to give Him all the glory.

“I know I shouldn’t be looking at the pictures in this magazine, but nobody needs to know it.” “Since there aren’t any supermarket personnel around, I am going to help myself to a couple of these candy bars.” Every time the Holy Spirit warns us about something we are about to do, Satan is right behind, whispering, “Nobody will know.” Even if no human being knows what you are doing, God surely does. Even more, the Lord Jesus does, and He keenly felt and suffered on the cross for that very sin that you are about to commit. And the Holy Spirit also knows, and is grieved by it and is hindered from His proper work in and through you. Next time you are tempted to do something you shouldn’t, remember that you have an audience–omnipresent God.

If you become hardened in your sin, omnipresent, invisible God has unique ways of becoming visible, after a fashion. For example, He may allow your sin to be discovered by your parents or a Christian friend. “Be sure your sin will find you out” (Num. 32:23).

It was noted above that God’s omnipresence is “bad news” to those who are trying to hide from Him. But if you stop and think about it, the “bad news” is not really all that bad. Rather, it will be a real blessing if the knowledge of God’s omnipresence motivates us to live every moment of our lives in such a way that we have nothing to be ashamed of and no reason to hide from God. If we seek to do only those things that are pleasing to Himself, we will enjoy His presence with us at all times (Exod. 33:14, and in [His] presence is fullness of joy” (Psa. 16:11).

(To be continued.)

Assignment 23: List at least four examples from each of the Old and New Testaments of God’s miracles or acts of great power; give references. Then describe an incident in your own life, or else in the life of someone you know or have read about, in which God’s great power has been revealed.

Assignment 24: Give two instances in the Bible where people tried to hide from God; give references.

Foundations of Faith
THE DIVINE ATTRIBUTES OF GOD (I)

Introduction

The attributes of God can be divided into two categories. First, there are the divine attributes which are His alone, such as being eternal, all-powerful, and all-knowing. Second, there are His moral attributes, such as holiness, longsuffering, and love, which He encourages us to show forth as well. We shall begin with a study of the divine attributes of God.

Who Created God?

We take for granted that everything we see around us has been created or made by someone–either by God or by His creatures. But what about God Himself? How did He come into existence? Who made Him? The answer is:no one created God. God is self-existent. God said to Moses, “I AM THAT I AM [or literally, I am I WHO AM]” (Exod. 3:14). Jesus repeated this when He said, “Before Abraham was, I am” (John 8:58). Another has written that God is “the living, unchanging, self-existent one, necessarily independent of all others” (F. W. Grant). All of God’s acts are from Himself–issuing from His own will. He does not receive direction from one yet higher than Himself.

How Long Has God Existed?

“Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever Thou hadst formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, Thou art God” (Psa. 90:1, 2). God is eternal. Not only will God have no end, but He never had a beginning! I cannot grasp this concept with my finite mind, but that is what the Bible teaches us.

How Great Is God?

An ant is of far greater complexity than a one-celled amoeba. An ape is of far greater complexity than an ant. And man –made in the image of God and possessing a spirit–is orders of magnitude higher than an ape. But what about God? God is transcendent, that is, He is infinitely higher and greater than the highest created beings (man and angels), above and beyond all things. One implication of God’s transcendence is that God is not a slave to the laws of the universe and of nature of which He is author. He can override them at will, although normally He does not interfere with them. (See Assignment 22)

How Stable Is God?

Do you know someone who is moody? up one day and down the next? totally unpredictable in his responses to you? God is not at all like that. He never differs from Himself. He cannot change for the better or the worse. He isn’t more loving at one time and more righteous at another. With Him “is no variableness, neither shadow of turning” (Jas. 1:17). God is immutable or unchanging.

When we come to God we don’t have to worry about what kind of mood He is in today. His love is steadfast and constant, unlike the ups and downs of human love. His holy wrath toward sin is uniform and unchanging, unlike our tendency to be angry toward any sin that harms or hurts us personally but tolerant of sinful activities that give us pleasure. “I am the Lord, I change not” (Mal. 3:6; also Psa. 102:25-27). “Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and today, and for ever” (Heb. 13:8).

How Much Does God Know?

God is omniscient, that is, He possesses all (“omni”) knowledge (“science”). He has no need to learn, has never learned, and cannot learn. “Who has directed the Spirit of the Lord, or being His counselor has taught Him? With whom took He counsel, and who instructed Him, and taught Him in the path of judgment, and taught Him knowledge, and showed to Him the way of understanding?” (Isa. 40:13,14; see also Rom. 11:34). God knows the future as thoroughly as the past. “I am God … declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done” (Isa. 46:9,10; also 42:9; Acts 15:18).

(To be continued.)

Running the Race
HOW SHOULD WE THEN LIVE (in View of God’s Divine Attributes)? (I)

“I’m tired of having people tell me what to do. From now on, I am going to do what I want to do!”

“I want you to play another game with me. After all, I am not going to be living much longer.”

“Sometimes it seems as if God is so far away from me–like He doesn’t care for me any more.”

“How can I ask God to help me with my calculus homework? I’m sure He doesn’t understand calculus any more than I do.”

Do you see a pattern in these statements? Each of them betrays a lack of understanding or appreciation of the divine attributes of God. When I want to do my own thing, be in total control over my own life, then I am challenging the self-existence and transcendence of God. When I assert my desire to do my own will, then I want to be on the throne instead of God; I am displacing God from that position He alone can rightly occupy as the self-existent and transcendent One.

When I desire to do things because I see life passing me by and having not much more time to enjoy the pleasures of life, I am forgetting that God is eternal and that if I am in Christ, I have eternal life. So often we behave as if our eternal life in heaven isn’t going to be nearly as interesting as this present life. If this is what you think, you ought to begin reading The Travel Guide to Heaven,* found in all Christian bookstores and Christian homes.

Sometimes we may get the impression that God is not paying any attention to us. Job went through more physical pain and mental anguish in the course of a few days than most of us experience in a lifetime. But had God abandoned him or forgotten about him? Obviously not, as we read in the interesting Book of Job. The psalmists, while writing prophetically of Christ, must have personally experienced times when God seemed to be at a distance from them (Psa. 22:1,2; 69:13-20; 88:14). Sometimes it may be our own fault that God seems to be far away from us (Deut. 28:15,23; Psa. 66:18). At other times, God may be testing our faith or training us for some area of service. But let us ever keep in mind that God is immutable, unchanging, always the same.

Twenty or 30 years ago, when a group of teenagers was asked the question, “Do you think God understands radar?” nearly every one replied, “No.” But how could the Creator of the universe fail to know everything there is to know about His own creation (Psa. 147:4; Luke 12:6,7)? God is omniscient. Listen to the psalmist: “O Lord, Thou hast searched me and known me. Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising, Thou understandest my thought afar off…. For there is not a word in my tongue but lo, O Lord, Thou knowest it altogether” (Psa. 139:1-6).

(To be continued.)

*Also known as “The Holy Bible.”

Assignment 22: Find in Joshua 10, Matthew 1, and John 11 three instances of God overriding His natural laws.