An Illusion for the Ages

Does Christianity Have A Sacred Cow?

Let’s take a little time to look at what may well be an illusion for the ages. Please forgive me for asking this question out loud but does Christianity have a sacred cow? We all know there are some things we should never question or think about, but let’s go ahead and do it anyway. This will take some bravery on your part but don’t worry! You are totally free to reject everything you are about to read. I just want to share a few thoughts with you that may help you see things in a new light.

Should You Pledge Allegiance?

Beloved, I am your friend and fellow believer in Jesus Christ. We both believe He was born of a virgin and suffered and died a cruel death on the cross for our sake. We both believe he rose from the dead on the third day and now sits at the right hand of God. He is our Savior and Shepherd and High Priest. He is the only begotten Son of God and our Messiah! I suspect we both cherish these truths but there is something else to consider too. Should you pledge allegiance to an old religious dogma that is simply an illusion fabricated by the imaginations of men? This is such an important question that it only makes sense to consider it carefully. You know… understand your options, pray and ask God for insight. Study. Take your time. Sleep on it.

Before the Trinity Was Ever Formulated

Most of us have spent much, if not all of our lives, believing that the only legitimate, safe and orthodox teaching about God and Jesus is the Trinity. I have some shocking and very good news for you though. There is a Biblically harmonious, comprehensible and wonderfully straightforward conception of God and Christ that you should at least learn about. Before the trinity was ever formulated there was a belief that was held by almost all believers in the first three centuries of our faith. You may be totally satisfied with the old wine of Trinitarian dogma, but perhaps not. Regardless, you owe it to yourself to at least see if there is a better alternative.

Ancient Christian Beliefs

There are ancient Christian beliefs that are much more Biblical than the Trinitarian dogma that holds sway over the Body of Christ today. Let’s take a look at what most “primitive” Christians believed long before the church fathers did their work and wrote their creeds. Before these philosopher/theologians assembled under the dubious auspices of a Roman emperor named Constantine there was a simplicity of faith that even unlearned and illiterate believers understood and loved. Many of them died for it.

Those Who Have Eyes to See

Jesus spoke about those “who have eyes to see but see not.” On the other hand some claim to see things that aren’t even there, teaching things that never appear in the Bible. Scripture speaks to this notion in the words of the prophet Ezekiel. “The word of the LORD came to me: “Son of man… Say to those who prophecy out of their own imagination; Hear the word of the LORD! This is what the Sovereign LORD says: Woe to the foolish prophets who follow their own spirit and have seen nothing!… Their visions are false.” (Ezekiel 13:1-3,7) No less a personage than Martin Luther himself freely admitted “It is indeed true that the name Trinity is nowhere to be found in the Holy scriptures, but has been conceived and invented by man.” Dr. Benjamin Warfield explains “The doctrine of the trinity lies in the New Testament rather in the form of allusions than in express teaching.” These “allusions” form the basis of the trinity.

Children See Things in the Clouds

Children see things in the clouds. “See! There’s a fish and that one looks just like a bird!” It is innocent fun for children to point out what they see in their own lively imaginations. Best of all is when your companions can also see what you see! This is just harmless child’s play and is great fun. Can you imagine sentencing children to death who don’t see what you want them to see? Would you want to kill them? Does that sound even remotely Christian or is it a profoundly evil impulse? But that’s exactly what happened when church councils created creeds based on what theologians imagined seeing in the “allusions” of scripture. Paraphrasing now, “So, you want to be saved? You better see what we see.. otherwise you’ll be damned and we may have to kill you!”

A Matter of Life and Death?

The Roman Empire (the same empire that crucified Jesus) quickly began to enforce its newly written creeds with violence! Accepting or rejecting the Trinity became a matter of life and death. What would any sensible person do? The typical response eventually became, “Well of course I see what you see! It’s perfectly clear!” Many said, “If our religious leaders claim to see that God is a trinity of three persons then I see it too!” The threat of death had a powerful effect on how well believers could see the new Trinitarian belief about God and Jesus! But, did they really see? There were many who paid an awful price to maintain their integrity. I’ve looked long and hard at the pages of the Bible and I can’t see three co-equal persons at all. All I see in scripture is One God the Father, and His only begotten Son, the man Christ Jesus. My heart is at peace with this and my mind is satisfied too. Now… what about you? What do you see?

PS: Yes… these are radical thoughts aren’t they? Then again, Jesus was pretty radical Himself. Imagine that! Now, shake up your friends! Encourage them to think about these things too. Share a link to wonderfultheology.com with someone today. You’ll be doing them a favor. God Bless.

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The Revelation of God

Is God Trying to Reveal Himself to You?

We pray that God will bless our feeble efforts and reveal Himself to you. We confess though, that giving you a revelation of God and Christ is beyond our ability. It requires nothing less than a sovereign act of God. “No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal Him.” (John 3:35) In another place Jesus said, “No one comes to the Father except through me.” (John 14:6) And again, “No one can come to me except the Father who sent me draws him.” (John 6:44) Our joy and hope is that you will discover for yourself what Christ has shown us and now wants to reveal to you.

The Revelation of God and Christ is Eternal Life

Does a revelation of the Father and the Son really matter? Well… Jesus gave the very keys to the kingdom of heaven to Peter just for declaring simply and plainly that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God! (Matthew 16:13-20) This simple truth was so important to Jesus that He later went on to say, “This is eternal life, that they may know thee (the Father) the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent.” (John 17:3) The Apostle John even wrote that this was the very purpose of his Gospel! “And truly, Jesus did many things in the presence of His disciples which are not written in this book; but these are written that you might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you might have life in His name.” (John 20:30-31)

Does God Believe in the Trinity?

Let’s be careful not to add anything, or take anything away from the revelation of the Father and His Son. If God wanted to endorse Trinitarian creeds and make them binding on believers He certainly would have told us! We proclaim a message that is indeed “foolishness to the Greeks and a stumbling block to the Jews”! The message of God and His Son Jesus Christ lacks the heady intellectualism of Greek philosophy and may seem foolish to some. History reveals that the proclamation of Jesus as the long awaited Jewish Messiah has (so far anyway) been a stumbling block to Israel. We say, “The Biblical revelation of God and Christ pleases God… and it pleases us too!”

The Mystery of God is a Pearl of Great Price!

We realize that some are delighted to hear these things while others are offended. Some have ears to hear but don’t hear… while others hear clearly. Some have eyes to see but don’t see… while others see clearly and rejoice. The revelation of God and Christ is indeed a “pearl of great price” and a “treasure hid in a field” and now you have found it! Quickly now! Sell everything you have to buy this truth… and never let it go! May God bless you with “all the riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the acknowledgement of the mystery of God, and of the Father and of Christ.” (Colossians 2:2) That would please us and we’re pretty sure it will please God too.

PS: If these things make good sense to you they’ll probably make good sense to your friends too. Why not send them a link to wonderfultheology.com and find out? Thanks and God Bless.

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If God is One… Who is Jesus?

Jesus is the Anointed One, the Christ

There is only one God. He is our Father. That much seems pretty clear but there is a lot of confusion about exactly who Jesus is and Christians have been pondering this for milennia. The debate about Jesus’ identity goes back a long long way. Was Jesus God Himself… the Father incarnate? Or perhaps a co-equal and co-eternal “person” in a triune Godhead? Some even speculate that Jesus Christ is Michael the Archangel. Or was He simply who He claimed to be… no more and no less than the Anointed One, the Christ? Isn’t it enough to declare that Jesus Christ is the only begotten Son of God? The miraculously conceived and virgin born Messiah? This wonderful simplicity got obscured and complicated thanks to the work of the so-called church “fathers” who gave us a near lethal dose of theology based on Greek philosophy.

Jesus Spoke His Father’s Words

Jesus said a lot of things that sound like how only God could talk. That shouldn’t surprise us since He did say the words He spoke were not His own. The Father had plainly declared “I will put my words in his mouth!” (Deuteronomy 18:18) Jesus confirmed this by saying “The words that I speak are not mine but my Father’s.” (John 14:24) Jesus came in His Father’s name, spoke His Father’s words and did His Father’s works, but that didn’t make Him God.

No Other Man Ever Spoke Like Jesus!

No other man ever spoke like Jesus. People who heard Him speak were amazed at His words. Hearing Jesus talk was like hearing God Himself! Even unbelievers said “Never a man spake like this man!” (John 7:46) Jesus’ enemies accused Him of claiming to be God but is that really true? His enemies said a lot of things about Him that weren’t true. The chief priests even paid people to tell lies about Him! Jesus never claimed to be God but He did claim to be the Christ. He said He was the Son of God and that was more than enough to stir the hatred of His enemies.

What is Jesus’ True Identity?

Jesus’ identity has been an issue from the very beginning. One day Jesus asked his disciples “Who do men say that I am?” They replied “Some say you are John the Baptist or Elijah or one of the prophets. Jesus asked again and said “But who do you say that I am?” Peter had the right answer. “You are the Christ! The son of the living God!” Jesus replied “Blessed are you Simon son of Jonah! This wasn’t revealed to you by flesh and blood but by my Father in heaven! And upon this rock I will build my church… and I will give you the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven.” If anyone ever asks you about Jesus just recite the words of Peter. “Jesus is the Christ (the Anointed One), the Son of the living God!” That’s enough. Jesus is not the Father incarnate, Michael the Archangel or a hypothetical second “person” in the trinity…. He is the Christ, the Anointed One.

Christ Was Truly a Man

We believe and declare “There is one God and one mediator between God and man, the man Christ Jesus.” (I Timothy 2:5) Hang on to this truth and never let it go. Believe it. Jesus is the Christ, the only begotten and unique Son of God, the promised Messiah, the Anointed One. He was crucified and then rose from the dead! He was one of us and He was truly a man. Indeed Christ came in the flesh!

PS: Straightforward, Biblical and understandable. We think that’s a pretty good combination. If you appreciate what you read here at wonderfultheology.com please send a link to a few of your friends. They’ll probably enjoy it too. God Bless.

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The Name of God is Wonderful

God’s Name is Wonderful

God’s name is Wonderful and the name of Jesus Christ is Wonderful too! God told one enquirer… “Why do you ask after my name seeing it is wonderful?” (Judges 13:18) Some translations say it this way: “seeing it is secret, miraculous, a name that works miracles and is beyond human understanding. Others say God’s name is beyond comprehension and too wonderful to understand, a mystery, sheer wonder, too amazing for you to believe and supremely wonderful!”

Jesus’ Name is Wonderful Too

Isaiah’s prophesy of Christ declares “His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” (Isaiah 9:6) This makes perfect sense when you realize that Jesus came in his Father’s name. (If your father’s name is Anderson your name is likely Anderson too.) Jesus clearly said “I have come in my Father’s name …. (John 5:43) The Father’s name is Wonderful and so is His Son’s! “Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” (Philippians 2:9-11) Jesus did not claim to be the Father but he did claim to come in his Father’s name.

The Name of Jesus is a Name Above Every Name

The Apostle John saw Christ’s return and wrote “He had a name written that no one knew except Himself. He was clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called the Word of God. He has on his robe and on his thigh a name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.” (Rev 19) The name of Jesus is a name above every name!

God Promises a Great Blessing

God promises a great blessing to those who meditate on His name! The prophet Malachi said, “Then those who feared the LORD spoke to one another, and the LORD listened and heard them. So a book of remembrance was written before Him for those who fear the Lord and meditate on His name. “They shall be Mine” says the LORD of Hosts. “On the day that I make them My jewels (special treasure). I will spare them as a man spares his own son who serves him.” (Malachi 3) Meditating on God’s Name is time well spent!

Our devotional video titled “Adoration” will help you reflect on God’s Name in a spirit of reverence. Watch it and enjoy a blessing!

PS: Make someone’s day! Bless them with a link to wonderfultheology.com so they can take a look at this lovely video too. God Bless.

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The Mystery of God

The Greatest Mystery of All

The greatest mystery of all is God Himself and the greatest revelation He has ever given to mankind is His name! Before creation was unfurled like a scroll for all to read there was God… and that is the greatest mystery of all! How is it possible that God had no beginning? How can it be that He has always been? This is so far beyond our understanding that our minds cannot even begin to grasp it.

God’s Name is a Revelation of His Being

God’s very name points us toward the mystery of His eternal being. He declared to Moses that His name is “I AM THAT I AM” (Exodus 3:14) How fitting that God’s name is the first-person singular form of the verb “to be”. He is, after all, the Supreme Being, the self-existent One.

There is One… and Only One God

The God of the Bible leaves no doubt that He alone is God and beside Him there is no other! This was the fundamental truth bestowed upon the descendants of Abraham. “Hear O Israel! The Lord our God is one!” (Deuteronomy 6:4) Did you notice that God said “I AM”? He could have said “WE ARE” and declared plurality, but He did not. He declared His singularity. The coming of the promised Messiah did not change this fundamental truth! God did not become three with the birth of His Son.

The Name of God and the Name of His Son

God wants us to know Him! We should at least know His name… and His Son’s name too. The writer of Proverbs declared “What is His name and what is His Son’s name if you can tell?” (Proverbs 30:4) Jesus declared, “This is life eternal, that they would know thee, the only true God and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent.” (John 17:3) Thankfully, both God’s name and His Son’s name have been revealed! These are among “the things that have been revealed” and they “belong to us and to our children forever.” (Deuteronomy 29:29) We may not know everything but at least we can know God’s name, and His Son’s name too.

What Is God’s Name?

What exactly is God’s name? Scripture calls Him the Father but what is His name? The divine name is YHWH (There are no vowels in Hebrew and these four letters are called the tetragrammaton). Today we can only guess at the correct way to pronounce it. The same religious authorities that wanted to kill Jesus made it a crime punishable by death to even say God’s name out loud! Go figure! They should have been shouting it from the rooftops. If you insert the vowels from Adonai and Elohim into YHWH it becomes YAHWEH. Then, if you Anglicize YAHWEH it becomes Jehovah even though there are no J’s in Hebrew. What is His Son’s name? Yeshua in Hebrew, but in English speaking countries we call him Jesus.

Now You Know the Name of God!

God wants you to know His name and His Son’s name… and now you do. These are straightforward and Biblical truths that introduce us to the mystery and revelation of God. Scholars and theologians may complicate things but this is a biblical and understandable foundation. Is there more we can say about all this? Of course there is! We’ll visit this topic again in coming posts. In the meantime, we hope this short summary has blessed you and helped you put a few things into focus.

PS: If you appreciate the content you find here at wonderfultheology.com please let us know and send a link for this site to someone you care about. We don’t want your money but would love to have your help! God Bless.

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