Tag: God the Father

One God

~ iolaHC ~ Leave a comment

1Timothy 2:5-8 For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time. Whereunto I am ordained a preacher, and an apostle, (I speak the truth in Christ, and lie not;) a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and verity. I will therefore that men pray every where, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting. 

‘One God’ – One here means one in individuality, not unity (1Cor. 8:6; Eph. 4:4-6). There are three separate persons in the Trinity, and they are also one in unity (John 17:11, 21-22; 1Jn. 5:7; Deut. 6:4).

‘Mediator’ [Greek: mesites] is a middle person to reconciles two parties at enmity – God and man (Gal. 3:20). Christ is the mediator of the new covenant (2:5; Heb. 8:6; 9:15; 12:24). This again is proof that Christ and God are separate Persons, for a mediator is the middle person mediating between TWO other persons who are at enmity with each other.

‘Ransom’ [Greek: antilutron] ransom. Compare with lutron as used in Matthew 20:28; Mark 10:45; Titus 2:14 and Hebrews 9:12. Lutron signifies a ransom paid for the redemption of a captive, and antilutron signifies ransom or exchange of one person for another, or the redemption of life for life.

‘To be testified in due time’ – The testimony of the ransom to be given in its own times or in due season.

‘Whereunto I am ordained a preacher, and apostle … a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and verity.’ I am appointed a herald, an apostle to teach Gentiles the whole truth.

‘Lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting.’ It was a common custom among Jews to lift up their hands in prayer. It was their way of making entreaties and requests. This was to be done without wrath or hatred toward any person; without an unforgiving spirit; and without reasonings and disputings within over what was being prayed for.

The Only Wise God

~ iolaHC ~ Leave a comment

1Timothy 1:17 Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be honour and glory for ever and ever. Amen. 

‘Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God.’ Four facts about God the Father: [1] The King eternal [Greek: basilei, ton and aionon] meaning the King of the Ages (cp. Isa. 9:6; Jer. 10:10). [2] Immortal [Greek: aphthartos] incorruptible. The same word translated to show the spirit and soul of man as not being corruptible (1Pet. 3:4); and other things as being incorruptible and immortal (Rom. 1:23; 1Cor. 9:25; 15:52; 1Pet. 1:4, 23). If God is immortal, and man’s spirit is immortal (1Pet. 3:4), then it is a settled fact that the inner man is just as immortal as God. [3] Invisible [Greek: aoratos] (Col. 1:15-16; Rom. 1:20; Heb. 11:27). The word means not in sight, unseen, or concealed. Invisibility consists more of distance than substance. Cities or other material objects cannot be seen even 30 kilometres away. At this distance they are invisible. Objects concealed are invisible. Anything out of eyesight is invisible. God, angels, and other spirit beings are thus invisible. They can appear or disappear at will. They have been seen with the natural eyes many times, proving that invisibility must be understood with them as with all other invisible things that can become visible. [4] The only wise God (cp. 1Tim. 6:16). God is the source of wisdom and immortality. But He is not the only one that has wisdom and immortality, for Christ, the Holy Spirit, angels, and the inner man also have wisdom and immortality.

There are eighteen proofs that God can be seen: God has been seen with a body (John 4:24). Man was made bodily in God’s image (Gen. 1:26-27; 9:6). God ate food with Abraham (Gen. 18:8). Jacob wrestled with God (Gen. 32:24). Seventy-four men ate with God (Ex. 24:1-11). Moses saw God face to face out of His glory (Ex. 33:11; 1Tim. 6:16), and he saw His back parts when he requested to see His glory (Ex. 33:18-23). Joshua and all Israel saw Him (Jos. 5:13-15). Gideon saw God (Jdg. 6:11-23). Samson’s parents saw Him (Jdg. 13:3-23). David saw God (1Chron. 21:16-17). Job saw God (Job 42:5). Isaiah saw and described God (Isa. 6:1-13). Amos saw the Lord (Amos 9:1). Ezekiel described God (Ezek. 1:26-28; 10:20; 40:3 with Ezek. 43:7; 7; 47:1-6). Daniel described God, even His clothes, body, and hair (Dan. 7:9-14; 10:5-6). Stephen saw God and Christ (Acts 7:56). John described God (Rev. 4:2-5; 5:1-7). All will see God (Rev. 21:3-4; 22:4).

Emptied Himself

~ iolaHC ~ Leave a comment

John 5:17-18 But Jesus answered them, My Father work hitherto, and I work. Therefore the Jews sought the more to kill him, because he not only had broken the sabbath, but said also that God was his Father, making himself equal with God. 

God the Father works on all days in upholding Heaven and Earth and running its infinite mechanism; He works in providence, watching over and caring for all creation of dependent creatures, so here Christ worked in healing on the sabbath, in providing food for the hungry, and performing acts of mercy and love. This was the true principle of sabbath observance if there is to be any recognition of one day above another (Rom. 14:5-6). We are not to rest in indolence or merely rest from physical and mental toll, but we are to follow the divine examples and “do good on the sabbath days” (Mat. 12:12; Mark 2:27-28; 3:4; Luke 6:9; 13:16; John 7:22-23; Gal. 4:9-10).

‘Hitherto, and I work’ refers to the delegated authority given to Jesus Christ by the Father (John 5:19-40; Heb. 1:1-2). He was working the works that the Father gave Him to do.

‘But said also that God was his Father’ This was another reason for wanting to kill Him. All Jews considered God as their Father, but here they understood Him to mean that God was His personal Father making Him equal with God. Before becoming man, Jesus was equal with both the Father and the Holy Spirit. He had a spirit body and all the natural attributes and powers like them; but in becoming man He laid aside this God-form and “emptied Himself” to be like man (Php. 2:5-11).