XVDHMAK@VCUVM1 (Michael Kline) (01/17/90)
Part 2. How do the three persons of God reveal themselves to us?
Here we begin to see how the Bible reveals God. We shall see that God
is revealed as God( the combination of all three), the Father, the Son,
Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit. We shall see that many times The
scriptures tell us that "God" does something, and then will also tell us
that Jesus and/or the Holy Spirit does this as well.
WHO WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE RESURRECTION OF JESUS CHRIST? ===========>
God - Acts 17:30-31 - "Such former ages of ignorance God, it is true,
ignored and allowed to pass unnoticed; but no He charges all people
everywhere to repent - that is, to change their minds for the better and
heartily to amend their ways, with abhorrence for their past sins.
(31)Because He has fixed a day when He will judge the world righteously
(justly) by a Man Whom He has destined and appointed for that task, and He
has made this credible and given conviction and assurance, and evidence to
everyone by raising Him from the dead."
God, the Father - Galatians 1:1 - "Paul, an apostle - special messenger
appointed and commissioned and set out - not from (any body of) men nor by
or through any man, but by and through Jesus Christ, the Messiah, and God
the Father Who raised Him from among the dead."
Jesus Christ, the Son - John 2:19-21 - "Jesus answered them, Destroy
(undo) this temple and in three days I will raise it up again. (20)Then the
Jews replied, It took forty-six years to build the temple (sanctuary), and
will You raise it up in three days? (21)But He spoke of the temple which
was His body."
The Holy Spirit - Romans 8:11 - "And if the Spirit of Him Who raised up
Jesus from the dead dwells in you, (then) He Who raised up Christ Jesus
from the dead will also restore to life your mortal (short-lived,
perishable) bodies through His Spirit Who dwells in you."
Here we see that not only "God" raised Christ, but we also the Father,
the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
This being the first comparison posted in this "study", let's go on to
some questions of the other ways. As I said in part 1, if an "other" way
were just a different representation of our God, then we would need to
see a Trinity, and all three parts of this "other" god doing the same
thing. It seems to me in one of these other gods, 1 part created the world,
one destroyed it, and one rebuilt it. As we go on, we will see that "God"
did all of this. The other gods do not tell the same story.
In many cases, as referenced back to part 1, they do not tell me to go
north to get to Washington DC, but try to convince me to go West to
California and accept something I was not looking for in the first place.
Another way to put it, If I want to go north to Washington DC to see the
President of the United States, they will tell me to go West to California
to see the Vice President of Mobil Oil or something like that. Then they
try and convince you that the VP of Mobil Oil is just as important as the
President. After much discussion and confusion, you have totally forgotten
that you were going to see the President, and that you wanted a Federal
Bill passed, and you have missed your original destination and goal.
WHO REDEEMS US? =====================================================>
God, the Father - John 6:44 - "No one is able to come to Me unless the
Father Who sent Me attracts and draws him and gives him the desire to come
to Me, and (then) I will raise him (from the dead) at the last day."
Jesus Christ, the Son - John 12:32 - "And I, if and when I am lifted up
from the earth (on the cross), will draw and attract all men (Gentile as
well as Jew) to Myself."
The Holy Spirit - I Corinthians 12:3 - "Therefore I want you to
understand that no one speaking under the power and influence of the (Holy)
Spirit of God (ever) can say, Jesus be cursed! And no one can (really) say,
Jesus is (my) Lord, except by and under the power and influence of the
Holy Spirit."
There is a good lesson for us Christians in these verses. God must call
the sinner, and brow beating and the like will not work. I believe it is
Billy Graham that has a group that goes before him and prays for a period
of time before he meets in any city or country.
Mike Warnke had a good way of putting it as well, "Most Christians
think that witnessing is writing 'Jesus' on the end of their finger and
shoving it down someone's throat."
This is not to discount the "flames" on some of the non-Christian lists
where non-Christians will look at Christians who are in error and attempt
to say "All Christians behave as such and such". Comparisons have come
trying to say that the Klu Klux Klan and the like are Christian
organizations and prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that all Christians use
the Bible to condone their hate.
WHO SANCTIFIES THE BELIEVER? ========================================>
God, the Father - Jude 1:1 - "Jude, a servant of Jesus Christ, the
Messiah, and brother of James, (writes this letter) to those who are called
(chosen), dearly loved by God the Father (and separated, set apart), and
kept for Jesus Christ:"
Jesus Christ, the Son - I Corr. 1:2 - "To the church (assembly) of God
which is in Corinth, to those consecrated and purified and made holy in
Christ Jesus, (who are) selected and called to be saints (God's people)
together with all those who in any place call upon and give honor to the
name of our Lord Jesus Christ, both their Lord and ours:"
The Holy Spirit - I Peter 1:2 - "Who were chosen and foreknown by God
the Father and consecrated (sanctified, made holy) by the Spirit to be
obedient to Jesus Christ, the Messiah, and to be sprinkled with (His)
blood: My grace (spiritual blessing) and peace be given you in increasing
abundance -that spiritual peace to be realized in and through Christ,
freedom from fears, agitation passions and moral conflicts."
Still more to come, but so far we see that God is one, and there is but
one God, and there are 3 persons in that God. And, those 3 persons are
consistent. They operate as one being, our God, so steadfast, so patient,
so loving, so sure. Praise be to God!
In His Love,
Michael A. Kline, Sr. SSE
VDH, Technical Support
(804)786-1559
XVDHMAK at VCUVM1
ALEWIS --VDH Ann M. Lewis 300AINLE--VDACS Brian Ainley
JFAIRSER--VDH Jack Fairservice