The God who is three in One.

                               

The God we worship is beyond our comprehension. We defend and proclaim the doctrine of the Godhead, our God is one – yet three. Certain groups such as Jehovah Witnesses distort this mystery. The make Jesus a ‘lesser god’ which makes them polytheistic – something the Bible condemns. Islam cannot say Jesus is God the Son, and they have no concept of the Holy Spirit. However the Bible is not silent in teaching the mystery of God being one, yet three.

Genesis 1:26. Begins the mystery when it says ‘Let us make man in our image. He wasn’t talking to the angels, for they are created beings. One of the loveliest clues about God is the threefold expression used to in Numbers 6:24-26. ‘The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face to shine upon you, and be gracious to you; the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace. Is the term, ‘Lord’ referring to one or to three?  The same can be said about Isaiah 6:3 where the threefold praise of the Seraphim is recorded. “Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord God of Hosts!

Jesus solves the mystery – a little –in Matthew 28:19-20. There, Jesus instructs His apostles to baptize in ‘the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit’. This is why the Christian Faith has its own threefold benediction. 2 Corinthians 13:14 “The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all. Now, go back to Numbers 6:24-26 and after each mention of ‘Lord’ insert Father, then Son, then Holy Spirit. And recall what Jesus said about ‘The Name!’ The Biblical teaching on ‘The Name’ is one of vital importance, often lost on the Gentile mind. Many see it as simply a name. The Bible sees it as representing the very essence of God. We cannot be baptized into the name of the Cedar tree for it cannot possess us. But when we are immersed into The Name we are placed in the very nature, the very essence, the very person of God.

There is much more to be said on this insight into the mystery of mystery, God Himself. On the tail of this article will be some references you might like to consider to grasp a deeper understanding.

In closing, let’s look at 1 Kings 18. There is the record of Elijah’s contest with the priests of Baal. This took place on Mount Carmel. The God who answered by fire was to be recognized as the true God. The priests failed. When it was Elijah’s time he rebuilt the altar of Yahweh. Slaughtered the animal then drenched it with four (4) large jars of water, three times. Four (4) is significant. It speaks of the earth, weakness and God’s power. Remember what God chooses from 1 Corinthians 1:27, the weak things of this earth to confound the mighty. The water was poured out three times over the offering. Then the fire fell. Again, the Triune God was involved, represented by the thrice applicant of the water.

Maybe this could help in the understanding of Christ’s cry from the cross “My God, My God, why have you forsaken me. For the first and last time in Eternity past and future the Godhead, the Three in One, had been sundered. This was the awful reality that confronted Jesus in Gethsemane.

Much, much more should be said, could be said on this awesome mystery. You can pursue it through a study of the Biblical verse below.

Psalm135:1. 136:1-3. Daniel 9:19. Revelation4:8. We talk about being indwelt by the Holy Spirit – He is our seal. Ephesians 1:13. We believe that Jesus abides in our Spirit Colossians 1:27. Do you understand that the Father’s presence is also within? 1 John 2:23. God isn’t divided.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      

I've been crucified - yet I'm alive

Heaven, however defined, seems to be the heart’s goal after life on earth. Most people imagine it to be an improved version of earth in which they simply make an entrance through death. Trouble with that is Heaven would quickly become the type of Hell we have made earth to be.

According to the Judeo-Christian Bible holiness is the atmosphere of Heaven. That poses a problem for Humankind. None of us would pass the moral and spiritual ‘X-Ray’ investigation of our heart and mind. Also, from the Bible’s pages it is evident that there is only a certain quality of life capable of enjoying the atmosphere where God dwells.

What does the Scriptures reveal about our inner condition that makes us unacceptable to scrutiny by the Lord? ‘Sin’ would be the most common descriptive word. Fair enough. But what causes this offensive moral, spiritual, relational force? Romans 6:6 defines it as ‘The Old Man.’ We may not like the Biblical explanation for the ‘Old Man’s’ existence, as given in Genesis 3, the sad fact however is, we are infected and indwelt by It. People try all types of moral and spiritual cosmetics to soften, dilute or disarm ‘the Old Man’s’ expressions and power so as to pass Heaven’s ‘X-Ray’. There is only one way to pass the test. That is to have this indwelling Heaven offending ‘monster’ removed.

How?

This would require a death and removal experience and at the same time a replacement to fill the void created by the ‘Old Man’s’ expulsion. All this is beyond our human capacity. For it to happen the Lord God of Heaven must choose to do it on our behalf and give us an indication that it has worked. Here again is another aspect of the wonder, the mystery and the power of the cross of Christ. The words of Galatians 2:20 unveil to our mind what Heaven has done to our soul: ‘I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ lives in me…’

When Christ was crucified He accomplished and fulfilled a myriad of Biblical symbolisms, prophecies, justifications with death dealing removal of the ‘Old Man’. In Romans 6 Paul says we were ‘co-crucified with Christ.’ It was there on the cross Jesus saw you down the tunnel of time and reached out, embraced you into His agony, death, burial and resurrection. For you that only became a personal reality when you heard and believed the good news of Jesus and the purpose of His crucifixion and resurrection.

What was left behind when Jesus rose from the tomb? The ‘Old Man’ of our soul. For if Jesus embraced us on the cross, He held on to us in His resurrection. Faith infuses us with the knowledge that we share in His resurrection life. He shares our life through the presence of His Holy Spirit. That answers the question raised above as to the quality of life required for Heaven. It is resurrection life! It also solves the problem of the ‘X-Ray’ investigation of our inner life. There is no evidence of that corrupt, offensive and antagonistic presence of the ‘Old Man’ of the soul.

How do we celebrate this unseen yet very real life and destiny transforming reality? Roman 6 links it with baptism. The Holy Spirit takes us in a moment of time when we accept Jesus Christ as our Saviour and Lord and puts us into Christ and his experience on the cross. This then is expressed outwardly by a personal immersion in water as a testimony and identification with and for Jesus Christ. Acts 2:38 and 8:38-39 plus 1 Peter 3:18-22.

Where does all this lead us?

We begin a journey of discovery, worship, service and spiritual battles with forces opposed to Jesus Christ and His purposes. Some of those matters we have looked at before and others are still to come. However, in the concluding words of Galatians 2:20 ‘the life I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.’

 

©Ray Hawkins August 2015.

The Untouchable Name

Babylon is the city and power, spiritually, militarily and politically, spoken against in the Bible. Its history as recorded details a concerted attempt to oppose the Yahweh and His purposes. Genesis 10:8-12 and 11:1-9. This city became the foundation and the fountain-head of the occult. Isaiah and Jeremiah have strong word to say about and against Nimrod’s creation. The book of Revelation lays plain Yahweh’s wrath and judgement stored up for a coming day.

Why is the Lord so implacable towards Babylon? It is more than its opposition to the person of Yahweh, for such can be forgiven. The issue is expressed through personalising the city’s boast. Such inflammatory words became a declaration of war. Isaiah 47:8 ‘Now then, listen, you wanton creature, lounging in your security and saying to yourself, “I AM, and there is none beside me…” (Nineveh had same spirit ‘she said to herself, “I AM, and there is none besides me”’ Zephaniah 2:15). To use the words ‘I am’ in such a way is to claim the untouchable Name. It is to challenge the legitimacy of the Lord God’s right to be God alone.

We become aware of God’s unique, untouchable Name in His call to Moses at the burning bush. ‘God said to Moses, “I AM THAT I AM:” and he said, “Thus shall you say unto the children of Israel I AM has sent me to you.”’ Exodus 3:14. Here also is His framework for the Covenant the Almighty made with Israel, for it is bound up in His Name. In giving to the Nation (and through them to us) the Ten Commandments God stresses ‘You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain; for the Lord will not hold him guiltless that takes his name in vain.’ Exodus 20:7.

Mystery Babylon (Revelation 17:5) not only takes Yahweh’s Name in vain, it wants to, plans to, and will fight to claim it. That is why the Scriptures are so loud in their call for people to get out of this city. Its defeat and doom is spelt out in Yahweh’s word. To ignore such a call is to share in the consequences of the judgement.

The Eternal’s defence of His untouchable Name has implications for Jesus. It is recorded, especially in the Gospel by John that the Man of Galilee lay claim to being ‘I AM’. His use of such terms as ‘I am the Bread of Life’ or ‘I am the Good Shepherd’ may seem unthreatening, however, there is no getting away from John 8:58. ‘Jesus said to them, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I AM.”’ To His disciples in John 13:19 He makes a similar claim. In the Greek it reads “From now I tell you before it happens, that you may believe when it happens I AM.” Then in Gethsemane when Judas and soldiers came to capture Jesus He twice mentioned that He was ‘I AM’. On the second occasion the soldiers fell backwards and tumbled over.

Now how do we as followers of Jesus Christ know he isn’t on the same trajectory of judgement as Babylon? Have we sure and certain evidence that His claim is valid? Here is where the battle ground of faith is fought. The Bethlehem Baby, the Calvary Christ, is He the Son of God and the ‘I AM’? If so how do we know? By His resurrection from the dead! His claim is vindicated as well as His mission of redemption. Once again we are confronted by the words of Thomas in the upper room when he said “My Lord and My God.”

The untouchable Name will have no rivals. Nor will it allow those who take it in vain or pollute its holiness escape discipline and loss of reward. I AM is the unique revelation of our eternal God and the wonderful, wonderful and amazing fact is, by faith in Jesus as the Christ, the Son of God, our Saviour, we honour that Name (Philippians 2:10-11). In it we are baptized according to Matthew 28:19; Go...teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit…’

 

©Ray Hawkins 27^th July 2015