The Bible, The God and A God
I know missionaries that spent over ten years writing a Bible for those that use a language where no Bible had been written. The authors of the new Bible noted the problems (discrepancies) but understood that the problems had to be included as they were in the original Bible. This is to say that most non-believers have not spent a great amount of time noting the problems that they call discrepancies. Many non-believers tend to feel that they are perhaps among the first to note the problems. They are not. The problems are discussed in the universities that give PhD’s to students that may soon become a minister at a church.
The problems have always been there. I am writing this paper to correct a problem that is often called a mystery and it concerns the Blessed Trinity, that is the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. The Bible says that the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit are one and this is often translated to be the number “one.”
There are verses that seem to make the Trinity a mystery. This may not be a mystery in your case but I have noted the problem in more than one church. In Greek or Hebrew “one” may be translated to be the only one of its kind or unique, that is to say, not necessarily the number “one.”
God came to earth in human form to give His life for our sins. There are some that have a PhD in Bible studies that believe this is a mystery. I find it quite unusual for those that have studied the Bible to call this a mystery. It is not a mystery as I read the Bible. I have read the Bible well over 20 times. I see no mystery. I took Bible Study Fellowship and it is a course that takes seven years to complete. It is only a mystery if it was taught to you to be a mystery.
I do suppose that if you dwell on certain verses in the Bible that you can make it a mystery. It is only a mystery if you ignore parts of the Bible. If you look at all of the relevant verses in the Bible, it becomes clear that it is not a mystery or a problem. The verse that says that the Father and I (Jesus) are “one” may be the beginning of the so-called mystery. This is a mystery in some churches that has been a fixed belief (Creed) that is part of the church and no matter what is said by others there will be no change In their belief. The belief has been fixed for hundreds of years. It will not be changed. There are churches that may be more liberal and allow the Creed of the church to be changed. The ability to change the Creed varies greatly with the church. Of course the Trinity is “one” in mindset, but not one as in the number “one.”
I note that my actual Father and I are also “one” in many ways, and this is not unusual. I was brought up in a family where there was one father, a mother and two children, but it was “one” family. While we are “one” family we may sit beside each other as we are individuals. We have one family and we are “one” in many ways. My Father and I had similar ideas or thoughts and could be called “one” if you considered only these areas. Again, note that “one” may be translated in Hebrew or Greek to mean “the only one of its kind or unique.”
In this case, the problem or mystery is that God came in the form of Jesus Christ. Of course, God did come to earth in the form of Jesus Christ and real human form – but Jesus Christ is “a God.” Jesus Christ is not “the God.” It states in the BibIe that Jesus is God’s Son. It says that Jesus and God are one. They are no doubt “one” in mind but also individuals. It is noted in the Bible that Jesus (a God) sits at the right hand of the Father (the God). If you were actually “one as a number,” then it would be difficult for the Son to sit at the right hand of the Father.
Therefore, Jesus came to earth (a God) to sacrifice his life for you and I. He gave His life for us. The perfect sacrifice. Note, however, that He prayed to his Father to remove the Cup from Him. He did not want to be crucified on the cross. He desperately prayed to His Father that He be removed from the crucifixion.
Jesus did not pray to Himself He prayed to His Father. You and I never pray to ourselves, but we pray to God (the God) through Jesus Christ (a God). We end our prayers, “in the name of your Son our Lord Jesus Christ.” Jesus Christ is our Priest, and He makes our prayers acceptable to “the God.” If the Bible inferred that Jesus prayed to Himself, it would of course be a mystery.
The following are verses that show that I am correct in my thinking. Only a few verses are included. There are many more if you choose not to dwell on certain verses. These verses are from the NIV Bible. The terms “the God” and “a God” are unusual.
John 20:28 Thomas said in response, “My Lord and my God”
Comment: Jesus is God, i.e. “a God”, but not the Father. Jesus is the Lord of Thomas. Jesus is usually referred to as Lord. Lord and God may have the same meaning.
John 20:29 Response of Jesus, “Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”
Comment: Then Jesus accepts the words of Thomas that He is “a God” and not “the God” i.e. “the Father.” Again, Lord and God may have the same meaning.
1 Corinthians 1:9 “God is faithful, who has called you into fellowship with his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.”
Comment: “the God” has a Son “a God”.
Luke 22:42 “Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but your will be done."
Comment: “a God” prays to his Father, “the God.”
Matthew 26:64 “’You have said so,’ Jesus replied. But I say to all of you: From now on you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven.”
Comment: “a God -Jesus Christ” at the right hand of “the God”.
John 1:18 “No one has ever seen God, but God the One and Only, who is at the Father's side, has made him known.” -
Comment: Jesus is at the Father’s side - “a God” and not the Father. “a God” - the one and only at the Father’s side. Important - Jesus is normally referred to as Lord.
1 Corinthians 8:6 “Yet for us there is but one God, the Father, from whom all things came and for whom we live; and there is but one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom all things came and through whom we live.”
Comment: That is to say but one God, the Father,"the God” and, but one Son, “a God,- Jesus Christ. ” Then there would be but one Holy Spirit. Therefore, they are three in number and also unique.
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