The Challenge of the Christian Theology and more …
/ Ewald Frank
Язык: Английский
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10. God’s confession
- Preface
- Introduction
- Does all happen by chance?
- The time is near
- The only valid measuring rod
- The old dispute
- Self-evidence?
- The testimony of historians
- History confirms it
- God’s confession
- God manifests Himself
- In heaven and on earth
- The Lord visits His prophet
- The »I am«
- Was the Son born in heaven?
- Spirit and Truth
- Very peculiar
- Respect for the Great Mystery
- Everyone defends his or her own doctrine
- The rock
- The Great Commission
- Thou shalt have no other gods …
- Maryology
- Believe as the Scripture says
- An unbelievable tragedy
- The end-time
- A challenge to all
- No one can bypass Jesus Christ
- New creation
- The Son and the sons and daughters of God
- The two beginnings
- The course of church history
- No man’s influence
- Conclusion
Whatever God says in His Own Word is His confession. He has revealed Himself in His Word and has also manifested His attributes.
We have to deal seriously with this subject which penetrates our heart and our soul. The question is, Does the overwhelming majority of Christianity believe in a God who was produced by a formula? Fundamental questions are before us, which we can no longer sweep aside. Not interpretation of scripture, or tradition, which have a beginning in time and space, but »Sola scriptura« — alone the Scripture with its eternal, unchanged validity is the only foundation of true faith. We have to map and follow the footsteps of God right from the beginning, when He stepped out of eternity into time. Eternity has no beginning and will have no end; time began and time will end. Man cannot search out eternity, it is pure speculation. God, the Eternal One, is not an object for our guesswork. We only know as much as He revealed unto us.
He who is the Highest speaks for Himself. Here we shall give opportunity for Him to answer us by His Word. Every Bible question has a Bible answer. After all the disputes within the course of church history, all the arguments about the Godhead have to be put to the test, and be evaluated from the Scriptures which alone give light. The unshakeable foundation of the apostles and prophets, as found in God’s Word, is the only valid measuring rod. Men have erred from the beginning, as Paul so fittingly writes, »… yea, let God be true, but every man a liar …« (Rom. 3: 4). Whether dressed in purple or in shining white, as a prince or as a pauper: every human being, without exception is born into this world as a liar, and whoever does not say precisely what God says is still lying.
Only if the Eternal One manifests Himself, can we follow Him in His revelations. At the beginning we meet Him as Creator, not as Father. In all of the Old Testament He is referred to 6,700 times as the »Lord God«. Only in the New Testament is He introduced as Father through the Son. This fact is of countless importance; because only in Jesus Christ, the Son, God has become our heavenly Father.
We have to start with the Old Testament; it’s the foundation of the New. The Lord Jesus and the apostles only taught from the Old Testament, since the New was not yet written. They proved that everything concerning the first coming of the promised Messiah was fulfilled. If Dr. Clarence Larkin, a famous historian, counted correctly, 109 predictions from the Old Testament were fulfilled at the first advent of Christ. Altogether 845 quotes from the Old Testament are found in the New and exactly 333 of them refer to Jesus Christ. In the announcements of the Old Testament both sides of the Redeemer were spoken of, the divine and also the human.
Let us look at God in His manifestations and revelations (theophanies) since the beginning of time through the Old Testament until His self-revelation in the Son in the New Testament and finally right to the moment when time ceases and eternity begins. Then the manifestation of the Son merges into God from Whom He came forth, »And when all things shall be subdued unto him, then shall the Son also himself be subject unto him that put all things under him, that God may be all in all.« (1 Cor. 15: 28). As God was throughout eternity so will He be forever despite the various manifestations and revelations. The timely interruption by the fall of man has made the numerous revelations necessary to accomplish His plan of salvation.
On Mount Sinai the words of the Almighty bound His people forever. »Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God is one Lord: And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might …« (Dt. 6: 4-9). In the New Testament: »Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments is: Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God is one Lord; And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: … And the scribe said unto him, Well, Master, thou hast said the truth; for there is one God, and there is no other but he.« (Mk. 12: 29-32).
The most important creed for Israel exists in four words: Adonai Elohenu Adonai Echad — Lord Elohim Lord alone. Correctly translated it should read, Yahweh Elohim, Yahweh one . This is the true witness of God and His prophets, agreeing with the witness of the Old and the New Testament. Thus saith the Lord, »Ye are my witnesses … and my servant whom I have chosen, that ye may know and believe me, and understand that I am he; before me there was no God formed, neither shall there be after me. I, even I, am the Lord, and beside me there is no saviour … I am God.« (Isa. 43: 10-12). God never speaks of Himself in the plural, let alone as different persons. Neither was this done by any prophet. It is a teaching, an interpretation, which gives birth to misunderstanding. God’s people in prayer never addressed God in plurality.
Paul emphasises this fact concerning God in this way, »… seeing it is one God …« (Rom. 3: 30). There is no uncertainty in his following statement; on the contrary, he emphasises »seeing« — in reference to the only one God and ends his letter with the following utterance, »To God, the only wise , be glory through Jesus Christ forever. Amen.« The Apostle Jude also finished the writing of his epistle, »… to the only wise God, our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen.«
(v. 25).