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?