In the beginning God....
We get so caught up on things we don't fully understand as God's church and huge schisms are wrought because of our various interpretations, theories and reasonings. When it comes to the Genesis account, for some reason, of which I could guess, God didn't reveal all to us and this in itself is a spiritual lesson that he wants us to go deeper with Him into spiritual truths and relationship.
It is the glory of God to conceal a thing, but the glory of kings is to search out a matter. Prov 25:2
A natural analogy of this would be looking at the surface of a leaf with the natural eye as opposed to studying it under a powerful microscope. The intricacies of God's creation is overwhelming in its diversity, order and creativity "up close and personal".
The other observation for this would be that God wants us to trust Him, believing that "He exists and that He is the rewarder of those who diligently seek Him" (Heb 11:6). We need to believe that God is who He says He is, and can do what He says He can do.
If God has raised Christ from the dead, and to date many others, who's to say He couldn't create the world and all in it as opposed to what secular scientists theorise about. It is all speculation and theory seeming none of us were there to watch it happen (except the God and all the angelic host.). People could argue on both sides of the spectrum, more I would say for our Creator God, the awesome Trinity who spoke matter into being.
"Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth? Declare, if you have understanding.
Who determined its measures, if you know? Or who stretched the line on it?
Whereupon were its foundations fastened? Or who laid its cornerstone,
when the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy? Job 38:4-7
Now although I started this blog on a very controversial subject and I would not like to argue over who or who doesn't believe, what does everything, in reality, come down to?
I said therefore to you that you will die in your sins; for unless you believe that I am he, you will die in your sins." Jn 8:25
Salvation can only be found in Jesus Christ, there is no other way. (Acts 4:12) Christ died for the ungodly (Rom 5:6) so that we can be forgiven. He laid down His life for us (Jn 10:17-18) so that our life could be found in Him. There is forgiveness in Him alone, as John testified of Him, "behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world." (Jn 1:29)
"All things were made through Him. Without Him was not anything made that has been made. In Him was life and the life was the light of men." Jn 3:4
There is life in Jesus Christ, as in Him we live and move and have our being. (Acts 17:28) "The word became flesh and dwelt among us" (Jn 3:14) and "as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His Name". (Jn 3:12) Jesus said, "most certainly, I tell you, unless one is born again, he can't see the Kingdom of God." (Jn 3:3)
The life Jesus Christ gives us, is not just physical but spiritual, as He explains, "that which is born of flesh is flesh. That which is born of spirit is spirit" (Jn 3:5-6). Our spirits come alive, refreshed by the life-giver, when we believe in Him. Spiritual things can only be discerned by the spirit not the flesh. The born again life is spiritual life, in abundance, to the full and overflowing, the life that God intended for us to walk and move in.
The natural analogy Jesus used to explain this was with the wind which blows. The wind is unseen, except for the effects it has on physical things. Because it is unseen, we cannot see from where it starts or finishes but we can hear it rustling through the leaves and so too, we can't see the spiritual renewal in our hearts by the Holy Spirit but we can see the effects, changes in our behaviour, attitudes and our love for Father God. We get a desire to know Him, to go deeper into our relationship and the things of God, and as Jesus testified, "whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life" (Jn 3: 15-16). This eternal life begins when we believe as opposed to judgement for the one who hasn't believed, "because he has not believed in the name of the one and only Son of God."
Instead of all the arguments we tend to focus on, why don't we concentrate on the most important thing? :-
"One who believes in the Son has eternal life, but the one who disobeys the Son won't see life but the wrath of God remains on him." (Jn 3:36)
The most important thing for us is to help those who don't know Jesus to pray that they too will taste of this living water. Keep on praying for our loved ones that God would reveal the light to them that they too can share in this eternal life freely given through our faith and belief in Him. It's all about Jesus. This is the most important thing, salvation is found in Him.
There is a thirst in the hearts of men and women for spiritual life, as God has set eternity into the heart of every person and we can help them find this life in Jesus Christ, Saviour of the world.
We get so caught up on things we don't fully understand as God's church and huge schisms are wrought because of our various interpretations, theories and reasonings. When it comes to the Genesis account, for some reason, of which I could guess, God didn't reveal all to us and this in itself is a spiritual lesson that he wants us to go deeper with Him into spiritual truths and relationship.
It is the glory of God to conceal a thing, but the glory of kings is to search out a matter. Prov 25:2
A natural analogy of this would be looking at the surface of a leaf with the natural eye as opposed to studying it under a powerful microscope. The intricacies of God's creation is overwhelming in its diversity, order and creativity "up close and personal".
The other observation for this would be that God wants us to trust Him, believing that "He exists and that He is the rewarder of those who diligently seek Him" (Heb 11:6). We need to believe that God is who He says He is, and can do what He says He can do.
If God has raised Christ from the dead, and to date many others, who's to say He couldn't create the world and all in it as opposed to what secular scientists theorise about. It is all speculation and theory seeming none of us were there to watch it happen (except the God and all the angelic host.). People could argue on both sides of the spectrum, more I would say for our Creator God, the awesome Trinity who spoke matter into being.
"Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth? Declare, if you have understanding.
Who determined its measures, if you know? Or who stretched the line on it?
Whereupon were its foundations fastened? Or who laid its cornerstone,
when the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy? Job 38:4-7
Now although I started this blog on a very controversial subject and I would not like to argue over who or who doesn't believe, what does everything, in reality, come down to?
I said therefore to you that you will die in your sins; for unless you believe that I am he, you will die in your sins." Jn 8:25
Salvation can only be found in Jesus Christ, there is no other way. (Acts 4:12) Christ died for the ungodly (Rom 5:6) so that we can be forgiven. He laid down His life for us (Jn 10:17-18) so that our life could be found in Him. There is forgiveness in Him alone, as John testified of Him, "behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world." (Jn 1:29)
"All things were made through Him. Without Him was not anything made that has been made. In Him was life and the life was the light of men." Jn 3:4
There is life in Jesus Christ, as in Him we live and move and have our being. (Acts 17:28) "The word became flesh and dwelt among us" (Jn 3:14) and "as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His Name". (Jn 3:12) Jesus said, "most certainly, I tell you, unless one is born again, he can't see the Kingdom of God." (Jn 3:3)
The life Jesus Christ gives us, is not just physical but spiritual, as He explains, "that which is born of flesh is flesh. That which is born of spirit is spirit" (Jn 3:5-6). Our spirits come alive, refreshed by the life-giver, when we believe in Him. Spiritual things can only be discerned by the spirit not the flesh. The born again life is spiritual life, in abundance, to the full and overflowing, the life that God intended for us to walk and move in.
The natural analogy Jesus used to explain this was with the wind which blows. The wind is unseen, except for the effects it has on physical things. Because it is unseen, we cannot see from where it starts or finishes but we can hear it rustling through the leaves and so too, we can't see the spiritual renewal in our hearts by the Holy Spirit but we can see the effects, changes in our behaviour, attitudes and our love for Father God. We get a desire to know Him, to go deeper into our relationship and the things of God, and as Jesus testified, "whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life" (Jn 3: 15-16). This eternal life begins when we believe as opposed to judgement for the one who hasn't believed, "because he has not believed in the name of the one and only Son of God."
Instead of all the arguments we tend to focus on, why don't we concentrate on the most important thing? :-
"One who believes in the Son has eternal life, but the one who disobeys the Son won't see life but the wrath of God remains on him." (Jn 3:36)
The most important thing for us is to help those who don't know Jesus to pray that they too will taste of this living water. Keep on praying for our loved ones that God would reveal the light to them that they too can share in this eternal life freely given through our faith and belief in Him. It's all about Jesus. This is the most important thing, salvation is found in Him.
There is a thirst in the hearts of men and women for spiritual life, as God has set eternity into the heart of every person and we can help them find this life in Jesus Christ, Saviour of the world.
