Remember Who You Are

Hello Saints,

I have something I would like to share with you. Monday morning myself and a few friends were at Panera Bread just sitting around talking and enjoying our beverages. A man walked up to our table and asked if any of us would mind doing an interview on the topic of a Gambling Casino being opened in Ann Arundel County. We all agreed to do the interview but I ended up as the only one actually doing it. The reporter asked me to meet him in the parking lot for a live interview in six minutes. I was excited and thought over what I was going to say. I went outside to meet the reporter and he gave me a tour of their satellite vehicle that they do live broadcast from, we had some small talk and then came the big moment. As I did the interview I was asked how I felt about a Casino being opened in Arundel Mills. I told the reporter that there were two sides to that story and this was my take…”You have people who live in the community , who are just not happy with the characters that associate themselves with gambling coming to their community, there is a very good chance that crime will rise, and people will get so addicted to the slots that they will lose everything by taking a chance on gambling.

Then I also spoke about how the Casino could provide jobs for the area and bring money to the county. Well as I was all excited about my sudden rise to fame the Holy Spirit spoke to me and said “do not forget who you are” in other words for me to speak from a Christian perspective. Well as my interview was winding down the reporter told me to take a look around and envision a Casino across the street at Ann Arundel Mall, then he asked me “Mr. Nixon if it were up to you what would you say to this Casino being built here”? And I responded “I would not want it here, it would be more trouble rather than help”. The camera man looked at me as though he had thought I would say just the opposite.

The moral of this story is don’t forget who you are! Often times in life we get so caught up in the hype that we forget just who we are and who we belong to. It may be in our daily decision making, be it a job interview or work decision, a date, who we spend time with or even who we may decide to marry, it could be on ethical or moral issues on which we must make a choice it could be numerous things. Just remember who you are and stand up for Christ. A firm Christian decision is the best decision. 1. Deuteronomy 17:11 Act according to the law they teach you and the decisions they give you. Do not turn aside from what they tell you, to the right or to the left. Deuteronomy tells us to not turn to the left or the right but to act according to God’s law, God’s Word. In Deuteronomy, God relates to His people how they should impress upon their children His commandments. He tells them that teaching their children His commands is extremely important and they should do it at all times of the day.

We need to stop seeking worldly advice and seek God’s advice and do as He says. What kind of decision are you struggling with? Who’s opinion are you leaning on? You know some folks like to follow the crowd and base their final decision on a worldly point of view. Remember Matthew 27:1 1Early in the morning, all the chief priests and the elders of the people came to the decision to put Jesus to death. 2They bound him, led him away and handed him over to Pilate, the governor. But even when man made the wrong decision God turned it all around to be the right decision. You may have made a bad decision, regardless what it may be turn it over to the Lord, accept what Jesus did for you on the cross and live a life full of joy and peace. God’s mercy and Grace is sufficient. Come to Jesus as you are, with all your brokenness burdens and faults and bow down to the King of Kings and Lord of Lords and accept him into your life today. If you are already a Christian and you have made some mistakes along the way, remember God cares for you. You are the apple of his eye. The parable of the lost son–or prodigal son–is a well known picture of the kind of lives we all lead. It details a son who fled from the good things in life into a life of sin, his downfall and his eventual return to his old life a broken and lost son. His father welcomes him home with open arms and a glad heart. God will do the same for you. Be blessed and remember who you are. Who you belong to and what God has in store for you. If you fall down, get up! Wipe yourself off and continue to fight the good fight and run the good race. In several places in the New Testament, the Christian walk is described as a race to be run. Running in a race requires perseverance, training, and commitment–the parallels to the Christian life are clear: we should rid ourselves of all hindrances and weights holding us back. Hebrews 12.

Be blessed. Brother Nixon

20 Ways to Eat Better

The Bible tells us that all things created by God is good.

Psalms 104:14-15
He causeth the grass to grow for the cattle, and herb for the service of man: that he may bring forth food out of the earth; And wine that maketh glad the heart of man, and oil to make his face to shine, and bread which strengtheneth man’s heart.

Whatever you do, do it for the Lord. Your body is a temple for there within dwells the Holy Spirit so we should take care of the house where the spirit dwells. Now I know this is hard to swallow because there is nothing like some Fried Chicken, Fried Fish, Fried whatever, biscuits with butter dripping, mash potatoes with cream and butter , ( I like fried potatoes), Greens with some meat for flavor, Macaroni and Cheese, Pork Chops (fried), a juicy fat Steak, Cornbread (with butter of course), Jelly, Jam, French Fries, Cheese Fries, McDonalds/Burger King, Wendy’s, Churches, KFC, Fridays, Outback (restaurant food), Fried Eggs, Bacon, Omelets, and do not forget the many desserts like Cocoanut Cake, Chocolate Cake, Sweet Potato Pie, Cookies, Candy, Ice Cream and the list goes on. But you know that eating in moderation everything is ok, it’s just that it gets so good we can get a little carried away and we all know when we pray over it all is well. But think about it next time you reach for that greasy burger or fried chicken, that Ham Hock, and steak big enough for three people. We really need to eat in a more healthier manner, the foods listed above should be ate in moderation. It is also a proven fact that eating healthier is somewhat cheaper. The price of eating out is ridiculous and you all know about our cafeteria prices. So pack a good healthy meal and reap the benefits. Below are some hints I found at MSNBC. Be blessed.

20 ways to eat better — and feel great

Eat like a tourist in Greece

The sunset over your office park isn’t as stunning as the one over an Aegean beach, but a plate of grilled fish and fresh vegetables and a glass of wine is as delicious in Athens, Georgia, as it is in Athens, Greece. Plus, a Mediterranean menu can help lower your risk for heart disease and keep you slim, says Susan Mitchell, Ph.D., co-author of “Fat Is Not Your Fate” (Fireside).

If you can’t grow it, don’t eat it

A potato comes from the ground, an egg from a hen. But where did that Pop-tart come from? If your best guess is “aisle 7,” pass it up. “Unprocessed, whole foods will give you the most benefits,” says Michelle K. Berman, R.D., of Fairfax, Virginia. Processing takes out nutrients such as antioxidants and fiber, and even when chemists add them back, nothing stacks up to Mother Nature.

Read the back of the box first

“The front is all advertising,” Berman says. Flip it around for the real story. The more ingredients, the more likely it has visited a few processing plants where something artificial was mixed in, says Lydia Zepeda, Ph.D., professor of consumer science at the University of Wisconsin at Madison.

The crunchier, the better

Snacks that offer a big, satisfying crunch when you bite into them — we mean apples, celery, snap peas and nuts, not chips — keep your mouth busy longer than food you slurp. “The more you chew, the slower you eat and the more time your body has to register fullness,” Mitchell says.

You can always have more

Tomorrow. A food shortage is not imminent. Besides, anything you eat after you’re full doesn’t even taste as good. “There is a toning down of taste buds after the first few bites,” says Linda Bacon, Ph.D., professor of nutrition at City College of San Francisco. And no one loves feeling stuffed.
A frozen berry beats a fresh doughnut

Purchasing organic local produce is better for both the environment and your health, but when the nearest farm is hours away, don’t default to a package of Oreos. “Frozen, canned and fresh fruit all have comparable amounts of nutrients,” says Christine M. Bruhm, Ph.D., director of the Center for Consumer Research at the University of California at Davis.

You can’t replace real ice cream

When you’re craving Chunky Monkey, no amount of fat-free ice treat will make up for it. “Diet foods leave you feeling hungry and cheated,” says Paul McKenna, Ph.D., author of “I Can Make You Thin (Sterling).” Splurge on one scoop of the real deal and savor it. “You’ll be satisfied physically and psychologically,” McKenna says.

There’s no fruit in ‘fruit flavor’

Seeing flavor on a label is a sign the food was stripped of its real taste and a fabricated one swapped in, Bacon says. Natural only means the additive came from a plant or an animal, which may not be as healthy as it sounds. “Scientists create flavors using bacteria and call them ‘natural,’” she says. Would you buy Bacteri-Os?

If it’s not around, you can’t eat it

You’re in your cozy armchair watching “Gossip Girl” when you get an urge for Cool Ranch Doritos. If all you have to do is walk to your pantry, you’ll grab a bag and attack it. But let’s say you must put on your shoes, find your keys and drive to the store. Laziness will triumph. (Yes, sometimes sloth is a good thing!)

Table your meals

As much sitting as we do, we rarely stay put during dinner. Fifty-nine percent of young women eat on the run, a study in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association finds, and on-the-go eaters consume more total fat, as well as more soda and fast food. The less distracted and stressed you are when you dine, the more efficiently your body absorbs nutrients. Turn off the tube, step away from your desk and park the car before you dig in.

Judge food by its cover

When you have to hack through layers of packaging and plastic to get to your dinner, it’s likely to be unhealthy, Zepeda says. Plus, research indicates that perfluorochemicals in food containers may lower fertility. Companies aren’t phasing out PFCs until 2015! So do it yourself now.

Cake’s just not that into you

Sugary carbs are the bad boyfriends of the food world. They woo us with sweet nothings and leave us unsatisfied, guilt-ridden and 10 pounds heavier. The solution: Pick a snack that has your back, such as fruit, lowfat yogurt and honey. The occasional hookup with a sexy old fling is fine (hello, red velvet!), but most splurges should have your health in mind.

Don’t drink dessert

Brimming with vitamins! Bursting with energy! Store shelves are exploding with colorful, cleverly named drinks that sound healthy but are actually just sweetened water. Don’t let the labels fool you, Berman says. If it’s not skim milk, plain HO or regular coffee or tea, it’s a treat. For a healthier sip, try lemon or mint iced tea or sparkling water with a splash of juice.
Make sure you can ID the animal

You don’t have to hunt and skin your supper, but if your chicken has been molded into a nugget, who knows what you’re really chewing. And when you choose meat that’s been processed into sausage, strips or slices, you’re downing sodium and preservatives instead of healthy nutrients, says Adam Drewnowski, Ph.D., director of the nutritional sciences program at the University of Washington at Seattle. Stick to unfussed-with cuts straight from the butcher.

Fuel up in the morning, not at night

A car needs gas when it’s hitting the road, not when it’s sitting in the garage — so why do we have our biggest meal when the only energy burner on the agenda is working the remote? Instead, aim for a 550-calorie breakfast, a 500-calorie lunch, a 450-calorie dinner and a 100-calorie snack. “If you overeat at night, you’re less likely to burn off the calories,” Mitchell says.

Don’t buy food where you buy tires

In our time-crunched life, it’s tempting to grab groceries at the pump or in a store where you can get a giant box of cereal along with an ottoman. But for the healthiest food at the fairest price, visit the neighborhood grocery store. A study in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association found that convenience stores charge more for nutritious fare than supermarkets do.
Work for your dinner

Sure, you could inhale supper straight out of a bucket, but for a healthy meal, you need to invest at least a few minutes in chopping, rinsing or grilling. The result is worth the effort, Mitchell says. “When you prepare dishes yourself, you can see exactly which ingredients are going into it and make conscious choices about what you truly want to eat,” she says.

Your hips are not a fridge

Once you slice and sauté your way to a fabulous feast, you don’t have to finish every bite. “We’re conditioned to think that if we don’t devour everything on our plate, we are misbehaving,” McKenna says. But if you keep munching even after you’re full, you are using your body as a storage unit. If there’s enough left over for lunch tomorrow, pack it up and put it in the fridge. Otherwise, toss scraps in the trash. We promise we won’t tell your mom.

Watching ‘Top Chef’ isn’t cooking

We love food shows, too, but zoning out in front of the TV with a container of greasy moo shu pork is kind of missing the point. “Cooking has become a spectator sport,” Drewnowski says. “People watch and think, If only that chef could come cook for me!” No need to whip up a seven-course meal, but you can pick up tips about combining flavors and using fresh ingredients.

Cut yourself a break!

If you follow these rules most of the time but occasionally crave a fast food fix, a slice of pizza or a brownie, go for it. You can happily resume your healthy plan once you satisfy the urge. “We all have to relax a bit,” Drewnowski says. “If you want fried chicken now and then, enjoy it!”

Bro. Nixon

Our Daily Bread

Hello Saints,

It is good to give a man/woman something to eat, like a piece of Fish. It is better to teach them how to fish so that they can get their own, whenever in need. Based on that I am sending you information to “Our Daily Bread” web site. This is a very good site that has been around for years. It has scripture for the day with a breakdown of what is being taught. Please at your convenience visit this blessed web site and share it with others. For those tech people out there with the high speed cell phones and PDA’s they even have software that you can use to download the Daily Bread scripture to your cell phone and get daily updates. There is nothing like being ready for battle and in order to be prepared for spiritual battle (which we face daily) you need to read God’s living word daily (which is your sword). Enjoy and God bless.
copy and paste this link into your browser – enjoy!!

http://www.rbc.org/odb/odb.shtml#

Bro. Nixon

Your Sins are Forgiven

Luke 7:36-50 36) One of the Pharisees asked him to eat with him, and he went into the Pharisee’s house, and took his place at table. 37) And behold, a woman of the city, who was a sinner, when she learned that he was at table in the Pharisee’s house, brought an alabaster flask of ointment, 38) and standing behind him at his feet, weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears, and wiped them with the hair of her head, and kissed his feet, and anointed them with the ointment. 39) Now when the Pharisee who had invited him saw it, he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet, he would have known who and what sort of woman this is who is touching him, for she is a sinner.” 40) And Jesus answering said to him, “Simon, I have something to say to you.” And he answered, “What is it, Teacher?” 41) “A certain creditor had two debtors; one owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. 42) When they could not pay, he forgave them both. Now which of them will love him more?” 43) Simon answered, “The one, I suppose, to whom he forgave more.” And he said to him, “You have judged rightly.” 44) Then turning toward the woman he said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I entered your house, you gave me no water for my feet, but she has wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. 45) You gave me no kiss, but from the time I came in she has not ceased to kiss my feet. 46) You did not anoint my head with oil, but she has anointed my feet with ointment. 47) Therefore I tell you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven, for she loved much; but he who is forgiven little, loves little.” 48) And he said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.” 49) Then those who were at table with him began to say among themselves, “Who is this, who even forgives sins?” 50) And he said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.”

Often times it is easy to look at other people faults, mistakes errors what have you and say ummph umph umph and shake our heads in discuss. Sin is sin and usually when we point our fingers at someone else our thumb is pointing right back at us. We see other peoples sins and wonder how in the world could they have done that. The Bible tells us that all have sin that there is none righteous among us except through the blood of Jesus. So next time someone talks about you, point their finger at you or even try to judge you just remember that we all fall short. If you are the one that is judging then STOP because it is only through Christ that we are saved. Remember how Christ pulled you out the miry clay, the dirt that you were doing, the placing you were hanging, the sinful activities you were participating in and some of you are Christians and still dwelling in wickedness. Remember that it is only because of the blood of Jesus that we are saved, and free from the wrath of God over sinfulness. Jesus paid it all, money, silver, or gold could not have paid the price for sin. Jesus is the way the truth and the light. Accept Him into your life today. Repent, turn away from your wicked ways and be saved. If you see a brother or sister straying, reach out and turn them back around. If that brother or sister refuses then let them go on and keep them in prayer. But never, again I say never be so quick to judge because we each have so much in our own lives to reflect on and to judge then to worry about others. Truth is that if a light was shinned on the things that go on (darkness) some of you will be scattering like roaches when the light is flipped on. Do something good today, treat someone with kindness especially those that treat you wrong (the bible says it is like placing hot coals on their head they will not be able to stand it). Give, press down, shaken together and your Father who is in heaven will meet all your needs. Be a blessing to someone not a burden. Share the Good News about Jesus death , Resurrection and the great news that He will return. Be blessed and be strong. Bro. Nixon

A Powerful Message

A Powerful Message!

AFTER A FEW OF THE USUAL SUNDAY EVENING HYMNS, THE CHURCH’S PASTOR SLOWLY STOOD UP, WALKED OVER TO THE PULPIT AND, BEFORE HE GAVE HIS SERMON FOR THE EVENING, HE BRIEFLY INTRODUCED A GUEST MINISTER WHO WAS IN THE SERVICE THAT EVENING.

IN THE INTRODUCTION, THE PASTOR TOLD THE CONGREGATION THAT THE GUEST MINISTER WAS ONE OF HIS DEAREST CHILDHOOD FRIENDS AND THAT HE WANTED HIM TO HAVE A FEW MOMENTS TO GREET THE CHURCH AND SHARE WHATEVER HE FELT WOULD BE APPROPRIATE FOR THE SERVICE.

WITH THAT, AN ELDERLY MAN STEPPED UP TO THE PULPIT AND BEGAN TO SPEAK.

‘A FATHER, HIS SON, AND A FRIEND OF HIS SON WERE SAILING OFF THE PACIFIC COAST,’ HE BEGAN. ‘WHEN A FAST APPROACHING STORM BLOCKED ANY ATTEMPT TO GET BACK TO THE SHORE. THE WAVES WERE SO HIGH, THAT EVEN THOUGH THE FATHER WAS AN EXPERIENCED SAILOR, HE COULD NOT KEEP THE BOAT UPRIGHT AND THE THREE WERE SWEPT INTO THE OCEAN AS THE BOAT CAPSIZED.’

THE OLD MAN HESITATED FOR A MOMENT, MAKING EYE CONTACT WITH TWO TEENAGERS WHO WERE, FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE THE SERVICE BEGAN, LOOKING SOMEWHAT INTERESTED IN HIS STORY.

THE AGED MINISTER CONTINUED WITH HIS STORY, ‘GRABBING A RESCUE LINE, THE FATHER HAD TO MAKE THE MOST EXCRUCIATING DECISION OF HIS LIFE: TO WHICH BOY
WOULD HE THROW THE OTHER END OF THE LIFE LINE. HE ONLY HAD SECONDS TO MAKE THE DECISION.

THE FATHER KNEW THAT HIS SON WAS A CHRISTIAN AND HE, ALSO, KNEW THAT HIS SON’S FRIEND WAS NOT. THE AGONY OF HIS DECISION COULD NOT BE MATCHED BY THE TORRENT OF WAVES.

AS THE FATHER YELLED OUT, ‘I LOVE YOU, SON!’ HE THREW OUT THE LIFE LINE TO HIS SON’S FRIEND. BY THE TIME THE FATHER HAD PULLED THE FRIEND BACK TO THE CAPSIZED BOAT, HIS SON HAD DISAPPEARED BENEATH THE RAGING SWELLS INTO THE BLACK OF NIGHT.

HIS BODY WAS NEVER RECOVERED.

BY THIS TIME, THE TWO TEENAGERS WERE SITTING UP STRAIGHT IN THE PEW, ANXIOUSLY WAITING FOR THE NEXT WORDS TO COME OUT OF THE OLD MINISTER’S MOUTH. ‘THE FATHER,’ HE CONTINUED, ‘KNEW HIS SON WOULD STEP INTO ETERNITY WITH JESUS AND HE COULD NOT BEAR THE THOUGHT OF HIS SON’S FRIEND STEPPING INTO AN ETERNITY WITHOUT JESUS. THEREFORE, HE SACRIFICED HIS SON TO SAVE THE SON’S FRIEND. ‘

HOW GREAT IS THE LOVE OF GOD THAT HE SHOULD DO THE SAME FOR US. OUR HEAVENLY FATHER SACRIFICED HIS ONLY BEGOTTEN SON THAT WE COULD BE SAVED. I URGE YOU TO ACCEPT HIS OFFER TO RESCUE YOU AND TAKE A HOLD OF THE LIFE LINE HE IS THROWING OUT TO YOU IN THIS SERVICE.’

WITH THAT, THE OLD MAN TURNED AND SAT BACK DOWN IN HIS CHAIR AS SILENCE FILLED THE ROOM.

THE PASTOR AGAIN WALKED SLOWLY TO THE PULPIT AND DELIVERED A BRIEF SERMON WITH AN INVITATION AT THE END. HOWEVER, NO ONE RESPONDED TO THE APPEAL. WITHIN MINUTES AFTER THE SERVICE ENDED, THE TWO TEENAGERS WERE AT THE OLD MAN’S SIDE. ‘THAT WAS A NICE STORY,’ POLITELY STATED ONE OF THEM,’BUT I DON’T THINK IT WAS VERY REALISTIC FOR A FATHER TO GIVE UP HIS ONLY SON’S LIFE IN HOPES THAT THE OTHER BOY WOULD BECOME A CHRISTIAN.’

‘WELL, YOU’VE GOT A POINT THERE,’ THE OLD MAN REPLIED, GLANCING DOWN AT HIS WORN BIBLE. A BIG SMILE BROADENED HIS NARROW FACE. HE ONCE AGAIN LOOKED UP AT THE BOYS AND SAID, ‘IT SURE ISN’T VERY REALISTIC, IS IT? BUT, I’M STANDING HERE TODAY TO TELL YOU THAT STORY GIVES ME A GLIMPSE OF WHAT IT MUST HAVE BEEN LIKE FOR GOD TO GIVE UP HIS SON FOR ME. YOU SEE…I WAS THAT FATHER AND YOUR PASTOR IS MY SON’S FRIEND.

Prayer: Father, God bless this E-mail sender in whatever it is You know he or she may be needing this day! Amen

“I would rather live my life as if there is a God and die to find out there isn’t, than live my life as if there isn’t and die to find out there is.” Author Unknown

Temptatations all around / Texting while driving

Hello Saints It does not take a rocket scientist to figure this out. Texting while driving is dangerous!!! Last Sunday the CC Male Choir, a group of men at my church that I can say I am proud to be a part of, went to a nursing home to sing. As usual one of us had to preach and it was my turn. I preached a sermon from the book of 2 Samuel 11:1-4 about David and Bathsheba and temptation and how it leads to sin and how sin leads to death. Also I spoke about Joseph how when he was tempted he ran from the temptation, not giving it a chance to overtake him. The same goes for answering that cell phone when driving (without the proper equipment, like a Bluetooth headset) and especially for texting while driving. I must admit, I have done it before and it is a shame. When you text and drive you lose focus and you are not as alert as to when you give your full attention to the activity of driving. This may cause an accident which could be very fatal. As with temptations, when you give into the temptation no matter what they may be as described in Galatians 5:19 – 21 which reads : 19The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; 20idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions 21and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God. then you find yourself giving in to one of these sins which lead to a terrible accident which could have fatal consequences. Anyway I just want to remind you all that we must stay alert to those terrible temptations that so often present their selves to us and we must stay alert to our driving. So next time you are tempted to do wrong or even tempted to text while driving think about the consequences.

 

Be blessed. Brother Nixon

It’s a Safety Hazard for those who Text while Driving Text messaging is a convenient way to pass information, get quick updates and save time. We don’t realize that we may be endangering ourselves and others in the process of rushing and taking short cuts like texting while driving.

Reasons Not to Send Text Messages while Driving The American Automobile Association conducted a survey that brought up some shocking revelations about how dangerous and life threatening it really is. So, do take a look at some of the following: • The risk of car accidents increases by about 50% for those send text messages while driving. • 42% of those who drive in the state of Tennessee do text messaging while they drive. • Nearly 13 states in the US have already banned text messaging while driving. • About 10 states ban student drivers from text messaging. • In 2 states, school bus drivers are banned from text messaging. • 58% of teenagers confessed to text messaging while driving Today’s busy, fast paced generation needs to be educated about the consequences of text messaging while driving. More and more States need to gear up to create awareness about its dangers. Responsible parents need to reinforce good driving habits to their teens by practicing it themselves. Too many accidents are caused on the roads due to acts of carelessness like text messaging. To prove your case in such an event, consult the best known personal injury lawyer in this field to represent you.

Faith Pleases God

I was just reading daily devotions at Rick Warren’s website and thought I would share this with you all. Faith is powerful and it pleases God. Keep the faith. Be blessed.
Gary

Faith, Not Feelings, Pleases God
Rick Warren
From PurposeDriven.com
In our Devotionals series, Pastor Rick Warren discusses the Bible passages that inspire him the most. Today’s Devotional is based on this passage:

“Everything on earth has its own time and its own season” (Ecclesiastes 3:1 CEV).

“Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked I will depart. The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; may the name of the Lord be praised” (Job 1:21 NIV).

When you are a baby Christian, God gives you a lot of confirming emotions and often answers the most immature, self-centered prayers—so you’ll know He exists. But as you grow in faith, He will wean you of these dependencies.

God’s omnipresence and the manifestation of His presence are two different things. One is a fact; the other is often a feeling. God is always present, even when you are unaware of Him, and His presence is too profound to be measured by mere emotion.

Yes, He wants you to sense His presence, but He’s more concerned that you trust Him than that you feel Him. Faith, not feelings, pleases God.

The situations that will stretch your faith most will be those times when life falls apart and God is nowhere to be found. This happened to Job. On a single day he lost everything: his family, his business, his health, and everything he owned. Most discouraging—for thirty-seven chapters, God said nothing!

How do you praise God when you don’t understand what’s happening in your life and God is silent? How do you stay connected in a crisis without communication? How do you keep your eyes on Jesus when they’re full of tears? You do what Job did: “Then he fell to the ground in worship and said: ‘Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked I will depart. The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; may the name of the Lord be praised’” (Job 1:20–21 NIV).

Tell God exactly how you feel. Pour out your heart to God. Unload every emotion that you’re feeling. Job did this when he said, “I can’t be quiet! I am angry and bitter. I have to speak!” (Job 7:11 TEV).

He cried out when God seemed distant: “Oh, for the days when I was in my prime, when God’s intimate friendship blessed my house” (Job 29:4 NIV).

God can handle your doubt, anger, fear, grief, confusion, and questions.

You can learn more about how to expand your faith by reading The Purpose Driven Life.

http://www.purposedriven.com/

Salvation

www.GotQuestions.org

Question: “What is salvation? What is the Christian doctrine of salvation?”

Answer: Salvation is deliverance from danger or suffering. To save is to deliver or protect. The word carries the idea of victory, health, or preservation. Sometimes, the Bible uses the words saved or salvation to refer to temporal, physical deliverance, such as Paul’s deliverance from prison (Philippians 1:19).

More often, the word “salvation” concerns an eternal, spiritual deliverance. When Paul told the Philippian jailer what he must do to be saved, he was referring to the jailer’s eternal destiny (Acts 16:30-31). Jesus equated being saved with entering the kingdom of God (Matthew 19:24-25).

What are we saved from? In the Christian doctrine of salvation, we are saved from “wrath,” that is, from God’s judgment of sin (Romans 5:9; 1 Thessalonians 5:9). Our sin has separated us from God, and the consequence of sin is death (Romans 6:23). Biblical salvation refers to our deliverance from the consequence of sin and therefore involves the removal of sin.

Who does the saving? Only God can remove sin and deliver us from sin’s penalty (2 Timothy 1:9; Titus 3:5).

How does God save? In the Christian doctrine of salvation, God has rescued us through Christ (John 3:17). Specifically, it was Jesus’ death on the cross and subsequent resurrection that achieved our salvation (Romans 5:10; Ephesians 1:7). Scripture is clear that salvation is the gracious, undeserved gift of God (Ephesians 2:5, and is only available through faith in Jesus Christ (Acts 4:12).

How do we receive salvation? We are saved by faith. First, we must hear the gospel—the good news of Jesus’ death and resurrection (Ephesians 1:13). Then, we must believe—fully trust the Lord Jesus (Romans 1:16). This involves repentance, a changing of mind about sin and Christ (Acts 3:19), and calling on the name of the Lord (Romans 10:9-10, 13).

A definition of the Christian doctrine of salvation would be “The deliverance, by the grace of God, from eternal punishment for sin which is granted to those who accept by faith God’s conditions of repentance and faith in the Lord Jesus.” Salvation is available in Jesus alone (John 14:6; Acts 4:12) and is dependent on God alone for provision, assurance, and security.

© Copyright 2002-2009 Got Questions Ministries.

Repent

Repentance

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Religion vs. Repentance

Many think the word repent means “to get your act together” or to “get religion” or “fly straight”; as if we could. Repentance requires taking in a whole new point of view; looking at it God’s way. God simply asks us to turn. This is the way we accept His gift. When we do, certain outcomes are promised. If we don’t, or we “turn back”, alternate outcomes are promised.

Look And Live
Numbers 21:8-9 (NIV) The Lord said to Moses, “Make a snake and put it up on a pole; anyone who is bitten can look at it and live.” …Then when anyone was bitten by a snake and looked at the bronze snake, he lived.

Let’s imagine ourselves in this situation. Poisonous snakes have bitten everyone, and while we are not dead yet, the prospects do not look good. Suddenly a voice yells out: “We must do something. We must save ourselves!” But how? Various ideas surface such as: “If you run around in frantic activity it will work out the poison!” A few people try this, and die trying. Others, by staring at their bites, go totally berserk into a frenzy of panic. Alternately, some try to convince themselves that they are not bitten, or that the snakes were not poisonous, and form little groups to delude each other while dying. And here’s a person selling “snake oil” which purports to be an antitoxin, but makes people even worse.

Enter Moses who says, “If you look at the bronze snake that has been lifted up on this pole, you will live. If you do not, no matter what else you do, you will die.” Now let’s really picture how we might react, having been given this revelation. “He must be kidding,” we would think. “Do nothing? Just look? How insulting a solution! What part do we play in it?” Moses responds, “Cease your activities. Just look, and live!” Really now, if you had been there, would you have believed it? Do you believe God’s solution today?
John 3:14 (NIV) [Jesus:] “Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the desert, so the Son of Man must be lifted up.”

We all have been bitten, and sin is coursing through our veins. It will most certainly lead to death. There is only one solution, but it is an offense to our ability to save ourselves.
John 6:40a (NIV) “For my father’s will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life.”

John 6:29 (NIV) Jesus answered, “The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent.”

Turn Or Burn
Luke 13:3b (NIV) “But unless you repent, you too will all perish.” [This is often termed the "Turn or Burn" passage.]

Matthew 4:17 (NIV) From that time on Jesus began to preach, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near.”

Matthew 3:2 (Phi) “You must change your hearts and minds, for the Kingdom of Heaven has arrived!”

Mark 6:12 (TEB) So they went out and preached that people should turn away from their sins.

Acts 2:38 (NIV) Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.”

The Two Ways

The “way” we are looking: 1) will make sense if we look long enough; 2) will create desire to move in that direction; and 3) will lead to something. First, we will look at how this applies to man’s way.
Proverbs 14:12 (NIV) There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death.

If our line of sight is along our own way, or the way of the world, then this will begin to make sense to us as we continue to meditate on it, even if the way we are looking is really stupid. With this mind set, desire will spring up, which is the fuel that will lead us to destruction.

Any sin would do as an example, but let’s take bitterness. If someone has done evil to us, the more we think about it, the more it will make sense to hate them, to burn with anger, to feel again the hurt. As we focus on the way of revenge, desire takes root and bitterness sets in. And where does this all lead?
James 1:14-15 (NIV) But each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.

Ezekiel 18:23-31 (NIV) “Do I take any pleasure in the death of the wicked?” declares the Sovereign Lord. “Rather, am I not pleased when they turn from their ways and live?… Because he considers all the offenses he has committed and turns away from them, he will surely live; he will not die… Repent! Turn away from all your offenses; then sin will not be your downfall. Rid yourselves of all the offenses you have committed, and get a new heart and a new spirit. Why will you die, O house of Israel?”

Ezekiel 33:11 (NIV) … “I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that they turn from their ways and live. Turn! Turn from your evil ways!…”

Man’s Way And God’s Way Contrasted
Ephesians 4:17-24 (NIV) So I tell you this, and insist on it in the Lord, that you must no longer live as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thinking. They are darkened in their understanding and separated from the life of God because of ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts. Having lost all sensitivity, they have given themselves over to sensuality so as to indulge in every kind of impurity, with a continual lust for more. You, however, did not come to know Christ that way. Surely you heard of him and were taught in him in accordance with the truth that is in Jesus. You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off the old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.

Ephesians 2:1-3 (Phi) You were spiritually dead through your sins and failures, all the time you followed this world’s ideas of living, and obeyed the evil ruler of the spiritual realm, who is indeed fully operative today in those who disobey God. We all lived like that in the past, and followed the desires and imaginings of our lower natures, being, in fact, under the wrath of God by nature, like everyone else.

Galatians 5:16 (NIV) So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature.

What Are You Looking At?

It has been said that “a righteous man does whatever he wants , but only wants to do the will of God.” The “only wants” part comes from reckoning our carnal selves crucified with Christ. We do this by quickly repenting when we are caught meditating on sin, turning to God. If we do not, and give the “way of the world” its chance, our desire to sin will grow. Unconsummated carnal desire is corruption and death, even if we do not actually commit the sin.
Matthew 5:28-29 (NIV) “But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart. If your right eye causes you to sin, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell.”

Desire itself is not the problem. The problem is the object of our desire. Desires are meant to be consummated, not to burn on uncrucified or spent on sin. Knowing how we function, God promises and gives us new desires by His Spirit, which makes righteousness an “easy yoke” to the repentant. We turn; He empowers. We lose “our” lives; He makes us new creations with a new mind, new desires (heart), and new works (fruit).
Romans 8:5-9 (NIV) Those who live according to the sinful nature have their minds set on what that nature desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. The mind of the sinful man is death, but the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace; the sinful mind is hostile to God. It does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so. Those controlled by the sinful nature cannot please God. You, however, are not controlled by the sinful nature but by the Spirit, if the Spirit of God lives in you.

Looking At It God’s Way

So how can we break out of the death-spiral of the way of sin seeming right, creating desire, and leading to destruction? We must repent; we must turn or perish. But to what? If we turn to just another of “man’s ways” we have just set our sights down another road to death. Instead, we must find out what God’s will, God’s way, is and turn to that.
Ephesians 5:15-17 (NIV) Be very careful, then, how you live, not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. Therefore, do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is.

Back to our example of bitterness, if we turn from fantasizing about actually hurting the perpetrator in some vengeful way to just wallowing in hurt, pain, and pity instead; this is not repentance. Repentance is taking in God’s point of view; looking at it His way.
Ephesians 5:8-10 (NIV) For you were once in darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness, and truth) and find out what pleases the Lord.

Note that if God by His grace reveals something to us that we can turn to, it may not make sense right away. In our example of bitterness, God’s will is forgiveness! “Ridiculous, that would not be right,” is our first reaction. (Again, any sin will do as an example.) But if we do not allow our eye to flinch as we take in God’s perspective, if we keep staring at it, we will find that it is good, pleasing, and perfect. Beyond “seeming right”, it really is right.

In our example, if we move from bitterness to forgiveness, we find out that God’s way is the best “revenge”, that forgiveness is like “pouring coals over the heads” of our enemies. If we forgive instead of wallowing in bitterness, the perpetrator’s grip over us is broken, and we find that we were only hurting ourselves. If we continue to take in God’s point of view, then after time we will look back at the old way and say “What was I thinking? Ridiculous!” So do not grow impatient if God’s way does not immediately appeal to you; keep staring at it.
James 1:25 (Phi) But the man who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and makes a habit of so doing, is not the man who hears and forgets. He puts that law into practice and he wins true happiness.

Ps 34:5,8 (NIV) Those who look to him are radiant; their faces are never covered with shame… Taste and see that the Lord is good.

The Gift Of God That Goes With Repentance: New Appetites
1 Peter 2:2 (NIV) Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, now that you have tasted that the Lord is good.

Ps 119:104-105 (NIV) I gain understanding from your precepts; therefore, I hate every wrong path. Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path.

Ps 16:11 (NIV) You have made known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.

2 Peter 1:3-4 (NIV) His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.

Rom 12:1-2 (NIV) Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God; this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is, his good, pleasing, and perfect will.

Warnings To Those Who Hanker To “Look Back”
Isaiah 30:15 (NIV) This is what the Sovereign Lord, the Holy One of Israel, says: “In repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength, but you would have none of it.”

Philippians 3:19 (NIV) Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is their shame. Their mind is on earthly things.

2 Peter 2:21-22 (NIV) It would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than to have known it and then to turn their backs on the sacred command that was passed on to them. Of them the proverbs are true: “A dog returns to its own vomit,” and “A sow that is washed goes back to wallowing in the mud.”

Luke 9:62 (NEB) To him Jesus said, “No one who sets his hand to the plow and then keeps looking back is fit for the kingdom of God.”

The Urgency Of Repentance
Isaiah 55:6-7 (NIV) Seek the Lord while he may be found; call on him while he is near. Let the wicked forsake his way and the evil man his thoughts. Let him turn to the Lord, and he will have mercy on him, and to our God, for he will freely pardon.

Rom 2:4 (Phi) Are you, perhaps, misinterpreting God’s generosity and patient mercy towards you as weakness on his part? Don’t you realize that God’s kindness is meant to lead you to repentance?

Acts 17:30 (NIV) In the past God overlooked such ignorance, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent.

James 5:19-20 (Phi) My brothers, if any of you should wander away from the truth and another should turn him back on to the right path, then the latter may be sure that in turning a man back from his wandering course he has rescued a soul from death, and in so doing will “cover a multitude of sins.”

Rev 3:3 (Phi) “Remember what you were taught. Hold to those things and repent.”

The Object Of Desire
1 John 2:15-17 (Phi) Never give your hearts to this world or to any of the things in it. A man cannot love the Father and love the world at the same time. For the whole world-system, based as it is on men’s desires, their greedy ambitions and the glamour of all that they think splendid, is not derived from the Father at all, but from the world itself. The world and all of its passionate desires will one day disappear. But the man who is following God’s will is part of the permanent and cannot die.

Matthew 6:32-33 (Phi) That is what pagans are always looking for; your Heavenly Father knows that you need them all. Set your heart first on his kingdom and his goodness, and all these things will come to you as a matter of course.

Col 3:2 (NIV) Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.

Ps 101:3a (NIV) I will set before my eyes no vile thing.

Rom 13:14 (NIV) … clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of your sinful nature.

Ps 105:4 (NIV) Look to the Lord and his strength; seek his face always.

Ps 119:36-37 (NIV) Turn my heart toward your statutes and not towards selfish gain. Turn my eyes away from worthless things; preserve my life according to your word.

Acts 2:38 (TEB) Peter said to them, “Turn away from your sins, each one of you, and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ, so that your sins will be forgiven; and you will receive God’s gift, the Holy Spirit.”

Turn Or Burn
2 Tim 2:19 (NIV) “The Lord knows those who are his,” and “everyone who confesses the name of the Lord must turn away from wickedness.”

When at first we hear “repent or perish”, it seems harsh. But as we turn, we see that it is an incredible gift to have something to turn to. If not for God’s love, our only option would be to perish. But the grace of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ has appeared. To have the option to turn is sweet indeed.
Acts 3:19 (NIV) “Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord.”

Hebrews 12:2a (NIV) Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith.

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The Names of God

The Names of God
by Lambert Dolphin

Old Testament (The Hebrew Scriptures, or Tanach):
EL: God (“mighty, strong, prominent”) used 250 times in the OT See Gen. 7:1, 28:3, 35:11; Nu. 23:22; Josh. 3:10; 2 Sam. 22:31, 32; Neh. 1:5, 9:32; Isa. 9:6; Ezek. 10:5. El is linguistically equivalent to the Moslem “Allah,” but the attributes of Allah in Islam are entirely different from those of the God of the Hebrews. ELAH is Aramaic, “god.” Elah appears in the Hebrew Bible in Jer. 10:11 (which is in Aramaic, and is plural, “gods”). In Daniel (the Aramaic sections) Elah is used both of pagan gods, and of the true God, also plural. Elah is equivalent to the Hebrew Eloah which some think is dual; Elohim is three or more. The gods of the nations are called “elohim.” The origin of Eloah is obscure. Elohim is the more common plural form of El. Eloah is used 41 times in Job between 3:4 and 40:2, but fewer than 15 times elsewhere in the OT. See the Catholic Encyclopedia entry on Elohim.

ELOHIM: God (a plural noun, more than two, used with singular verbs); Elohim occurs 2,570 times in the OT, 32 times in Gen. 1. God as Creator, Preserver, Transcendent, Mighty and Strong. Eccl., Dan. Jonah use Elohim almost exclusively. See Gen. 17:7, 6:18, 9:15, 50:24; I Kings 8:23; Jer. 31:33; Isa. 40:1.

EL SHADDAI: God Almighty or “God All Sufficient.” 48 times in the OT, 31 times in Job. First used in Gen. 17:1, 2. (Gen. 31:29, 49:24, 25; Prov. 3:27; Micah 2:1; Isa. 60:15, 16, 66:10-13; Ruth 1:20, 21) In Rev. 16:7, “Lord God the Almighty.” The Septuagint uses Greek “ikanos” meaning “all-sufficient” or “self-sufficient.” The idols of the heathen are called “sheddim.”

ADONAI: Lord in our English Bibles (Capitol letter ‘L ‘, lower case, ‘ord’) (Adonai is plural, the sing. is “adon”). “Master” or “Lord” 300 times in the OT always plural when referring to God, when sing. the reference is to a human lord. Used 215 times to refer to men. First use of Adonai, Gen. 15:2. (Ex. 4:10; Judges 6:15; 2 Sam. 7:18-20; Ps. 8, 114:7, 135:5, 141:8, 109:21-28). Heavy use in Isaiah (Adonai Jehovah). 200 times by Ezekiel. Ten times in Dan. 9.

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JEHOVAH: LORD in our English Bibles (all capitals). Yahweh is the covenant name of God. Occurs 6823 times in the OT First use Gen. 2:4 (Jehovah Elohim). From the verb “to be”, havah, similar to chavah (to live), “The Self-Existent One,” “I AM WHO I AM” or ‘I WILL BE WHO I WILL BE” as revealed to Moses at the burning bush, Ex.3. The name of God, too sacred to be uttered, abbreviated ( . . . . ) or written “YHWH” without vowel points. The tetragrammaton. Josh., Judges, Sam., and Kings use Jehovah almost exclusively. The love of God is conditioned upon His moral and spiritual attributes. (Dan. 9:14; Ps. 11:7; Lev. 19:2; Hab. 1:12). Note Deut. 6:4, 5 known to Jews as the Sh’ma uses both Jehovah and Elohim to indicate one God with a plurality of persons.

JEHOVAH-JIREH: “The Lord will Provide.” Gen. 22:14. From “jireh” (“to see” or “to provide,” or to “foresee” as a prophet.) God always provides, adequate when the times come.

JEHOVAH-ROPHE: “The Lord Who Heals” Ex. 15:22-26. From “rophe” (“to heal”); implies spiritual, emotional as well as physical healing. (Jer. 30:17, 3:22; Isa. 61:1) God heals body, soul and spirit; all levels of man’s being.

JEHOVAH-NISSI: “The Lord Our Banner.” Ex. 17:15. God on the battlefield, from word which means “to glisten,” “to lift up,” See Psalm 4:6.

JEHOVAH-M’KADDESH: “The Lord Who Sanctifies” Lev. 20:8. “To make whole, set apart for holiness.”

JEHOVAH-SHALOM: “The Lord Our Peace” Judges 6:24. “Shalom” translated “peace” 170 times means “whole,” “finished,” “fulfilled,” “perfected.” Related to “well,” welfare.” Deut. 27:6; Dan. 5:26; I Kings 9:25 8:61; Gen. 15:16; Ex. 21:34, 22:5, 6; Lev. 7:11-21. Shalom means that kind of peace that results from being a whole person in right relationship to God and to one’s fellow man.

SHEPHERD: Psa. 23, 79:13, 95:7, 80:1, 100:3; Gen. 49:24; Isa. 40:11.

JUDGE: Psa. 7:8, 96:13.

JEHOVAH ELOHIM: “LORD God” Gen. 2:4; Judges 5:3; Isa. 17:6; Zeph. 2:9; Psa. 59:5, etc.

JEHOVAH-TSIDKENU “The Lord Our Righteousness” Jer. 23:5, 6, 33:16. From “tsidek” (straight, stiff, balanced – as on scales – full weight, justice, right, righteous, declared innocent.) God our Righteousness.

JEHOVAH-ROHI: “The Lord Our Shepherd” Psa. 23, from “ro’eh” (to pasture).

JEHOVAH-SHAMMAH: “The Lord is There” (Ezek. 48:35).

JEHOVAH-SABAOTH: “The Lord of Hosts” The commander of the angelic host and the armies of God. Isa. 1:24; Psa. 46:7, 11; 2 Kings 3:9-12; Jer. 11:20 (NT: Rom. 9:29; James 5:4, Rev. 19: 11-16).

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EL ELYON: ‘Most High” (from “to go up”) Deut. 26:19, 32:8; Psa. 18:13; Gen. 14:18; Nu. 24:16; Psa. 78:35, 7:17, 18:13, 97:9, 56:2, 78:56, 18:13; Dan. 7:25, 27; Isa. 14:14.

ABHIR: ‘Mighty One’, (“to be strong”) Gen. 49:24; Deut. 10:17; Psa. 132:2, 5; Isa. 1:24, 49:26, 60:1.

BRANCH: (tsemach), The Branch: Zech. 3:8, 6:12; Isa. 4:2; Jer. 23:5, 33:15.

KADOSH: “Holy One” Psa. 71:22; Isa. 40:25, 43:3, 48:17. Isaiah uses the expression “the Holy One of Israel” 29 times.

SHAPHAT: “Judge” Gen. 18:25

EL ROI: “God of Seeing” Hagar in Gen. 16:13. The God Who opens our eyes.

KANNA: “Jealous” (zealous). Ex. 20:5, 34:14; Deut. 5:9; Isa. 9:7; Zech. 1:14, 8:2.

PALET: “Deliverer” Psa. 18:2.

YESHUA: (Yeshua) “Savior” (“he will save”). Isa. 43:3. Jesus is the Greek equivalent of the Hebrew “Joshua.” The latter is a contraction of Je-Hoshua. (“Christ”, the anointed one is equivalent to the Hebrew Maschiah, or Messiah). [See Wikipedia article].

GAOL: “Redeemer” (to buy back by paying a price). Job 19:25; For example, the antitype corresponding to Boaz the Kinsman-Redeemer in the Book of Ruth.

MAGEN: “Shield” Psa. 3:3, 18:30.

STONE: Gen. 49:24

EYALUTH: “Strength” Psa. 22:19.

TSADDIQ: “Righteous One” Psa. 7:9.

EL-OLAM: “Everlasting God” (God of everlasting time) Gen. 21:33; Psa. 90:1-3, 93:2; Isa. 26:4.

EL-BERITH: “God of the Covenant” Used of Baal in Judges 9:46. Probably used originally to refer to the God of israel.

EL-GIBHOR: Mighty God (Isa. 9:6)

ZUR: “God our Rock” Deut. 32:18; Isa. 30:29.

Malachi calls Messiah “The Sun of Righteousness” (Malachi 4:2).

Isaiah calls Messiah “Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God (El Gibhor), Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace” (Isa. 9:6).

‘Attiq Yomin (Aramaic): “Ancient of Days,” Dan. 7:9, 13, 22.

MELEKH: “King” Psa. 5:2, 29:10, 44:4, 47:6-8, 48:2, 68:24, 74:12, 95:3, 97:1, 99:4, 146:10; Isa. 5:1, 5, 41:21, 43:15, 44:6; 52:7, 52:10.

“The Angel of the Lord: ” Gen. 16:7ff, 21:17, 22:11, 15ff, 18:1-19:1, 24:7, 40, 31:11-13, 32:24-30; Ex. 3:6, 13:21, Ezek. 1:10-13. Seen in the theophanies, or pre-incarnate appearances of the Son of God in the OT (See I Cor. 10:3 NT).

FATHER: 2 Sam. 7:14-15; Psa. 68:5; Isa. 63:16, 64:8; Mal. 1:6.

THE FIRST AND LAST: Isa. 44:6, 48:12.

New Testament Scriptures, (Greek):
KURIOS: (kurios) “Lord” Found some 600 times in the NT.

DESPOTES: (despotes) “Lord” 5 times: Lu. 2:29; Acts 4:24; 2 Pet. 2:1; Jude 4; Rev. 6:10.

THEOS: (yeos) “God” (equivalent to the Hebrew Elohim), 1,000 times in the NT. In the NT all the persons of the trinity are called “God” at one time or another.

I AM: Jesus upset his generation especially when He said, “Before Abraham was, I AM,” John 8:58. Note also his claim to be Jehovah in such phrases as “I AM the Light of the world,” “the bread of life,” living water,” “the Resurrection and the Life,” “the Way, Truth and the Life” in John’s Gospel. From the Hebrew OT verb “to be” signifying a Living, Intelligent, Personal Being.

THEOTES: “Godhead” Col. 2:9; Rom. 1:20.

HUPSISTOS: “Highest” Mt. 21:9.

SOTER: (soter) “Savior” Luke 1:4 7.

WORD: (logos) John 1:1ff

ALMIGHTY: (pantokrator) 2 Cor. 6:18, Revelation, 9t, e.g. 19:6.

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JESUS: Derived from the Hebrew “Joshua” (Y’shua) or “Je-Hoshua” meaning JEHOVAH IS SALVATION.

CHRIST: is equivalent to the Hebrew ‘Messiah’ (Meshiach), “The Anointed One.”

Other NT Titles for Jesus: Shepherd of the Sheep; Master; King of kings; Lord of lords; Bishop and Guardian of our Souls; Daystar, Deliverer, Advocate, Last (or Second) Adam, Ancient of Days, Branch, Chief Cornerstone, Immanuel, First Born, Head of the Body, Physician, Rock, Root of Jesse, Stone, Potentate; Chief Apostle; Great High Priest; Pioneer and Perfecter of our Faith (or Author and Finisher); Lamb of God; Lamb Slain before the Foundation of the World; Lord God Almighty.

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LOGOS: “The Word of God” John l; Rev. 19:13.

SOPHIA: “The Wisdom of God,” referring to Christ, refers back to Proverbs (I Cor. 1,2)

Father, Son, Holy Spirit: Christian orthodoxy has always understood God to be One God in Three Persons (Elohim). In The NT each person of the godhead is called “God” and “Lord” at least once.

Names for the Holy Spirit: Counselor; Comforter; Baptizer; Advocate; Strengthener; Sanctifier; Spirit of Christ (not the same as the spirit of Christ); Seven-Fold Spirit (Rev.); Spirit of Truth; Spirit of Grace; Spirit of Mercy; Spirit of God; Spirit of Holiness; Spirit of Life. Symbolized in OT and NT by (l) breath or wind; (2) fire; (3) water; (4) oil; (5) light; (6) a dove.

The Deity of the Lord Jesus Christ: Most Study Bibles have notes which give references to the Deity of our Lord Jesus Christ. Here is what the Scofield Study Bible Notes say:

(1) In the intimations and explicit predictions of the O.T. (a) The theophanies intimate the appearance of God in human form, and His ministry thus to man (Gen. 16:7-13; 18:2-23. especially v. 17; 32. 28 with Hos. 12:3-5; Ex. 3:2-14). (b) The Messiah is expressly declared to be the Son of God (Psa. 2:2-9), and God (Psa. 45:6, 7 with Heb. 1:8,9; Psa. 110. with Mt. 22:44; Acts 2:34 and Heb. 1:13; Psa. 110.4 with Heb. 5:6; 6. 20:7. 17-21; and Zech. 6:13). (c) His virgin birth was foretold as the means through which God could be “Immanuel,” God with us (Isa. 7:13, 14 with Mt. 1:22, 23). (d) The Messiah is expressly invested with the divine names (Isa. 9:6, 7). (e) In a prophecy of His death He is called Jehovah’s “fellow” (Zech. 13:7 with Mt. 26:31). (f) His eternal being is declared (Mic. 5:2 with Mt. 2:6; John 7:42).

(2) Christ Himself affirmed His deity. (a) He applied to Himself the Jeho-vistic I AM. (The pronoun “he” is not in the Greek; cf. John 8:24; John 8:56-58. The Jews correctly understood this to be our Lord’s claim to full deity [v. 59]. See, also, John 10:33; 18:4-6, where, also “he” is not in the original.) (b) He claimed to be the Adonai of the O.T. (Mt. 22:42-45. See Gen. 15:2, note). (c) He asserted His identity with the Father (Mt. 28:19; Mk. 14:62; John 10:30; that the Jews so understood Him is shown by vs. 31, 32; John 14:8, 9; 17. 5). (d) He exercised the chief prerogative of God (Mk. 2:5-7; Lk. 7:48-50). (e) He asserted omnipresence (Mt. 18:20; John 3:13); omniscience (John 11:11-14, when Jesus was fifty miles away; Mk. 11:6-8); omnipotence (Mt. 28:18; Lk. 7:14; John 5:21-23; 6. is); mastery over nature, and creative power (Lk. 9:16. 17; John 2:9, 10:28). (f) He received and approved human worship (Mt. 14:33; 28: 9, John 20: 28, 29).

(3) The N.T. writers ascribe divine titles to Christ (John 1:1; 20. 28; Acts 20:28; Rom. 1:4; 9:5; 2 Thess. 1:12; 1 Tim. 3:16; Tit. 2:23; Heb. 1:8; 1 John 5:20).

(4) The N.T. writers ascribe divine perfections and attributes to Christ (e.g. Mt. 11:28; 18:20, 28:20; John 1:2, 2:23-25; 3:13; 5:17; 21:17; Heb. 1:3, 11, 12 with Heb. 13:8; Rev. 1:8,17,18; 2:23; 11. 17; 22:13).

(5) The N.T. writers ascribe divine works to Christ (John 1:3. 16:17, Col. 1:16, 17; Heb. 1:3).

(6) The N.T. writers teach that supreme worship should be paid to Christ (Acts 7:59, 60; 1 Cor. 1:2; 2 Cor. 13:14, Phil. 2:9, 10; Heb. 1:6; Rev. 1:5, 6; 5. 12, 13).

(7) The holiness and resurrection of Christ prove His deity (John 8:46; Rom. 1:4).

Philippians 2 is the great Chapter on the kenosis or self-emptying of the Lord Jesus Christ when He became a man. His equality with the Father as the Son of God is stated here.

Note also John 5:18 “This was why the Jews sought all the more to kill him, because he not only broke the sabbath but also called God his Father, making himself equal with God.”

A well-known NT passage of mine is Romans 9:5 “…to them (the Jewish race) belong the patriarchs, and of their race, according to the flesh, is the Messiah (who is) God who is over all, blessed for ever. Amen.”

ALPHA AND OMEGA: The First and the Last, The Beginning and The End (Rev. 1).

Additional Reading: Names of God, by Nathan Stone

The Trinity
Notes on the Trinity

by “Richard Young” (richard_e_young@hotmail.com)

These notes briefly comment on the idea of Jesus being God in human flesh and the idea of the trinity (the One God consisting of three persons).

The unique thing about Jesus is that he was fully man and fully God. That is, He is God come in the flesh. So, just as the tabernacle was the place where God dwelt among the Israelis so was Jesus. That is why John wrote:

“And the Word [i.e., God - see John 1:1] became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.” (John 1:14).

In the Old Testament we see God clothe Himself in a cloud, a pillar of fire (see Ex 13:21), and as a man when He appeared to Abraham (see Gen 18). [Jesus was tempted but without sin, His death was because He was punished for our sins which were put upon Him, I'll not dwell on this aspect of the incarnation but go into the main idea of the trinity].

The concept of the “trinity” is that God consists of three persons who are one in being and nature. The concept of the “trinity” is not something that one just reads a verse or two and says “so there it is!” The word itself is not a translation of any word or phrase found in the Bible. The concept is derived and “falls out” of the evidence. Without Jesus’ revelation when He was on earth I would say that the idea of the trinity would be difficult to determine from the Hebrew Scriptures, for after all, Deuteronomy 6:4 states “the LORD is one.” But, because of Jesus, we are forced to re-examine our first impression understanding of this statement. Here are the pieces:

(1) Jesus speaks to the Father in the second person. Jesus refers to the Father and the Holy Spirit in the third person. Jesus refers to His will being distinct from His Father’s “not my will but yours be done.”

(2) The Father, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit are all referred to as God. Each is described as deserving of worship by us something only God Himself is worthy of.

(3) The Scriptures clearly teach that “the LORD is one” and that there are “none besides Him.”

From these pieces the idea of God’s nature being more complex than we would have imagined emerges. The question then needs to be addressed as to exactly what “one” means in Deuteronomy 6:4. Consider what Jesus said about His relationship to the Father. Jesus said that He and the Father were one (see John 17:22). Jesus wants us to be one as He is one with the Father. Further, when God created man and woman He desired that they be united as “one flesh” (Gen 2:24). This could not simply be a reference to the bearing of children, which are in a sense, a one flesh result of their union. It must refer to the marriage itself, for certainly they were “one flesh” before they bore any children. This concept of “one” then does not then refer to a uniform or homogeneous state of being; men and women are very different (despite what some feminists would have you believe) and the members of the body of Christ are also very different. Individuals who are united in marriage do not lose their individual traits, such as their own thoughts, emotions, etc. And a married couple does not have the same blood type after they were married if their blood types were different before they were married. If the members of the body of Christ were to become a “uniform and homogeneous” being then we each would lose our identity as “self” and what would emerge would be something akin to an eastern religious “cosmic consciousness.” The “oneness” must refer not to a homogeneous singularity. The oneness of the marriage and the body of Christ are reflective of the nature of God Himself.

What exactly does “oneness” then mean? The Hebrew word used for God as one “echad.” Echad can mean one as in “one goat,” “one day,” “one stone,” etc. However, it can also refer to a plural unity such as in a composite whole. For example, in Num 13:23 echad refers to a cluster of grapes. And in Gen 11:6 those who built the tower of Babel are referred to as “one people.” When we refer to a person we know that the “one” person consists of several distinct components (emotions, thoughts, hands, heart, liver, etc.). Yet we all understand all of these parts constitute “one person.” Echad was the word to describe the “one flesh” of marriage (Gen 2:24). Since God is referred to as “echad” in the same way as man and woman are referred to as “echad” this heavily implies that the oneness of marriage reflects the oneness of God. We also see echad used very intensely in Ezekiel 37:15-28 in the prophecy of the “two sticks” of Israel and Judah becoming one. In that prophecy we have a representative picture and the actuality. Examine the passage carefully and you will see that the intent of the two sticks is to be a picture that Ezekiel first shows to the captive Jews in Babylon. The idea is that they would remember this message as they go about their daily activities and would pick up sticks (for building cooking fires, for example) and be reminded of this promise of God and have hope. In Ezek 37:17 the sticks don’t fuse together into a single stick. It appears that this was representative of the reality of what happens in God’s hand in Ezek 37:19. Even then, Judah and Israel contain distinct tribes (after all, one must know who the Levites are for priests and who the tribe of Judah is from which the Messiah will come). So the oneness of the two sticks in Ezekiel’s hand obviously is a representative oneness and echad in Ezek 37:17 could be easily translated as “united.” But, nevertheless, the oneness of Israel and Judah still consists of many individuals from twelve distinct tribes. The individuals do not become a homogeneous consciousness or a physical singularity of any sort. We are dealing on a spiritual level of oneness, which is reflective of God’s nature. The “oneness: we observe in marriage and the other examples are shadows of the reality of the oneness within God.

Now the true nature of God’s oneness we can only describe by how it appears to us from what Jesus said and did. The best words we have to describe the members of the trinity seem to be as “persons.”

October 27, 2000

What doth it profit thee to enter into deep discussions concerning the Holy Trinity, if thou lack humility, and be thus displeasing to the Trinity? For verily it is not deep words that make a man holy and upright; it is a good life which maketh a man dear to God. I had rather feel contrition than be skillful in the definition thereof. If thou knewest the whole Bible, and the sayings of all the philosophers, what should this profit thee without the love and grace of God? –Thomas a Kempis (1380-1471), Of the Imitation of Christ

Notes on the Trinity
by Helen Fryman Setterfield (bhs4light@sbcglobal.net)

The concept of the Trinity is present from the opening verse of the Bible, actually. The word “God” in Genesis 1:1 is “elohim.” This is not a simple plural of the word ‘god.’ The plural of that word, which means ‘two,’ is “eloh.” “Elohim” means “three or more.”

In Deuteronomy 6:4, we have the resounding,

“Hear O Israel, the LORD our God, the LORD is one!”

“God” is, there again, “Elohim.” What is also interesting is that the last word of that, the word “one” is the word “echad.” “Echad” means unity in plurality. It is the same word used regarding marriage in Genesis. 2:24, when a man is to leave his mother and father and become one with his wife. The word which is NOT used there to mean “one” is “yachid.” “Yachid” means a unique singularity.

Now go to Isaiah 9 — the famous Christmas verse:

“For unto us a child is born
to us a son is given,
and the government will be on his shoulders.
And he will be called
Wonderful Counselor,
Mighty God,
Everlasting Father,
Prince of Peace.”

Now go to Isaiah 44:6 –

“This is what the LORD says — Israel’s King and Redeemer, the LORD Almighty:
I am the first and I am the last;
Apart from me there is no God.”

Please cross reference this with Jesus’ words to John in Revelation 1:17-18 –

“Do not be afraid.
I am the First and the Last.
I am the Living One.
I was dead, and behold I am alive for ever and ever.”

Check the Gospel of John, opening sentences, opening chapter:

“In the beginning was the Word. And the Word was with God and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. [Remember Genesis 1:1 -- "In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.:] …. The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.”

Please note also that the absolutely correct translation of the Greek is “…and God was the Word,” – I urge you to look it up.

And remember Jesus words’ at the end of Matthew: “…baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit….” and, again, Jesus’ words defining eternal life in John 17:3 clearly equate Him with the Father.

And so, although we may not understand the Trinity with our human minds very well, the doctrine of the Trinity is present in the Bible from the first. Jesus is God Himself in the flesh, and it was because this was His very claim that the Pharisees were so outraged and attempted several times to stone Him.

THE TRINITY (GENERAL)

God is a trinity of persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. The Father is not the same person as the Son; the Son is not the same person as the Holy Spirit; and the Holy Spirit is not the same person as Father. They are separate persons; yet, they are all the one God. They are in absolute perfect harmony consisting of one substance. They are co-eternal, co-equal, and co-powerful. If any one of the three were removed, there would be no God. A further point of clarification is that God is not one person, the Father, with Jesus as a creation and the Holy Spirit as a force (Jehovah’s Witnesses). Neither is He one person who took three consecutive forms, i.e., the Father who became the Son who then became the Holy Spirit (United Pentecostal). Nor is the Trinity an office held by three separate Gods (Mormonism). The chart below should help you to see how the doctrine of the Trinity is derived from Scripture. The list is not exhaustive, only illustrative. “I am the LORD, and there is no other; besides Me there is no God” (Isaiah 45:5).

T H E T R I N I T Y (ATTRIBUTES)

Father Son Holy Spirit
Called God Philippians 1:2 John 1:1,14 Acts 5:3-4
Creator Isaiah 64:8; 44:24 Colossians 1:15-17 Job 33:4,26:13
Resurrects 1 Thessalonians 1:10 John 2:19, 10:17 Romans 8:11
Indwells 2 Corinthians 6:16 Colossians 1:27 John 14:17
Everywhere 1 Kings 8:27 Matthew 28:20 Psalms 139:7-10
All knowing 1 John 3:20 John 16:30 1 Corinthians 2:10-11
Sanctifies 1 Thessalonians 5:23 Hebrews 2:11 1 Peter 1:2
Life giver Genesis. 2:7 John 1:3; 5:21 2 Corinthians 3:6,8
Fellowship 1 John 1:3 1 Corinthians 1:9 2 Corinthians 13:14
Eternal Psalms 90:2 Micah 5:1-2 Romans 8:11
A Will Luke 22:42 Luke 22:42 1 Corinthians 12:11
Speaks Matthew 3:17 Luke 5:20; 7:48 Acts 8:29
Love John 3:16 Ephesians 5: 25 Romans 15:30
Searches the heart Jeremiah 17:10 Revelation. 2:23 1 Corinthians 2:10
We belong to John 17:9 John 17:6
Savior 1 Timothy 1:1; 2:3 2 Timothy 1:10
We serve Matthew 4:10 Colossians 3:24
Believe in John 14:1 John 14:1
Gives joy John 15:11 Romans 14:17
Judges John 8:50 John 5:21,30

Some Unique Scriptures
Revelation 1:7-8 Jesus was the Almighty.
Genesis 17:1 And the Almighty was God.

John 8:58 Jesus was the “I Am”
Exodus 3:14 and the “I Am” was God

Acts 3:14 Jesus was the “HOLY ONE”
Isaiah 43:15 and the “HOLY ONE” was God

John 8:24 Jesus is the “I Am He”
Isaiah 43:10 and the “I Am He” was God

Revelation 22:13 Jesus is the “First and the Last”
Isaiah 44:6 and the “First and the Last” was God

I Corinthians 10:4 Jesus was “The Rock”
Psalm 18:31 and “The Rock” was God

II Corinthians 11:2 Jesus was the “One HUSBAND”
Jeremiah 31:32 and the “One HUSBAND” was God

Matthew 23:8 Jesus was the “ONE MASTER”
Malachi 1:6 and the “ONE MASTER” was God

John 10:16 Jesus was the “One SHEPHERD”
Isaiah 40:11 and the “ONE SHEPHERD” was God

Acts 4:12 Jesus was the “ONE SAVIOR”
Isaiah 45:21 and the “ONE SAVIOR” was God

Luke 1:68 Jesus was the “ONE REDEEMER”
Isaiah 41:14 and the “ONE REDEEMER” was God

Revelation 19:16 Jesus was “LORD OF LORDS
1 Timothy 6:14 Jesus was “LORD OF LORDS
Deuteronomy 10:17 and the “LORD OF LORDS” was God

Philippians 2:10 Every knee must bow to Jesus
Isaiah 45:23 Every knee must bow to God

John 1: 3-10 Jesus was the “ONE CREATOR”
Isaiah 44:24 Jesus was the “ONE CREATOR”
Genesis 1:1 and the “ONE CREATOR” was God

John 1:49 Jesus was “KING OF ISRAEL”
Isaiah 44:6 and the “KING OF ISRAEL” was God

Deuteronomy 4:35 The Lord He is God, there is NONE else beside him

Deuteronomy 4:39 there is None Else

Deuteronomy 6:4 the Lord our God is ONE Lord

Deuteronomy 32:39 I even I, am He and THERE IS NO GOD WITH ME

1 Kings 8:60 The LORD is God – There is None Else

2 Kings 19:15 You ALONE are the only true God

Psalm 86:10 You are God, YOU ALONE

Isaiah 42:8 I am Jehovah, and to no one else shall I give my own glory

Isaiah 43:10,11 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 SAVIOR.

Isaiah 44:6 I AM THE FIRST, AND THE LAST: AND BESIDE ME THERE IS NO GOD

Isaiah 45:5 I am the Lord, and there is NONE ELSE, THERE IS NO GOD BESIDE ME

Isaiah 45:6 There is NONE beside Me. I am the Lord and there is NONE else.

Isaiah 45:15 you are a God, the /god of Israel, a Savior.

Isaiah 45:22 turn to me and be saved. For I am God, and there is no one else

Isaiah 48:11 I will not give my glory unto another.
Isaiah 45:5

Isaiah 48:12 I am he, I am the first, I also am the Last. Revelation 1:8

Hosea 13:4 I am Jehovah your God, there was no God except me, and there was no savior but I.

Joel 2:27 I am your God, and None Else

Zechariah 14:9 In that day shall there be ONE LORD AND HIS NAME ONE

Philippians 2:11 that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the Glory of God the Father

Matthew 23:9 For one is your Father, the heavenly one

Mark 12:29 Jehovah our god is one Jehovah

The “I AMs” of Jesus

Introduction

Now Moses was keeping the flock of his father-in-law, Jethro, the priest of Midian; and he led his flock to the west side of the wilderness, and came to Horeb, the mountain of God. And the angel of the LORD appeared to him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush; and he looked, and lo, the bush was burning, yet it was not consumed. And Moses said, “I will turn aside and see this great sight, why the bush is not burnt.” When the LORD saw that he turned aside to see, God called to him out of the bush, “Moses, Moses!” And he said, “Here am I.” Then he said, “Do not come near; put off your shoes from your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground.” And he said, “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” And Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look at God. Then the LORD said, “I have seen the affliction of my people who are in Egypt, and have heard their cry because of their taskmasters; I know their sufferings, and I have come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians, and to bring them up out of that land to a good and broad land, a land flowing with milk and honey, to the place of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites.And now, behold, the cry of the people of Israel has come to me, and I have seen the oppression with which the Egyptians oppress them. Come, I will send you to Pharaoh that you may bring forth my people, the sons of Israel, out of Egypt.” But Moses said to God, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh, and bring the sons of Israel out of Egypt?” He said, “But I will be with you; and this shall be the sign for you, that I have sent you: when you have brought forth the people out of Egypt, you shall serve God upon this mountain.” Then Moses said to God, “If I come to the people of Israel and say to them, `The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ and they ask me, `What is his name?’ what shall I say to them?” God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM.” And he said, “Say this to the people of Israel, `I AM has sent me to you.’” God also said to Moses, “Say this to the people of Israel, `The LORD, the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you’: this is my name for ever, and thus I am to be remembered throughout all generations.(Exodus 3:1-15)

John’s Gospel:

1. Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, you seek me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate your fill of the loaves. Do not labor for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to eternal life, which the Son of man will give to you; for on him has God the Father set his seal.” Then they said to him, “What must we do, to be doing the works of God?” Jesus answered them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent.” So they said to him, “Then what sign do you do, that we may see, and believe you? What work do you perform? Our fathers ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written, `He gave them bread from heaven to eat.’” Jesus then said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, it was not Moses who gave you the bread from heaven; my Father gives you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is that which comes down from heaven, and gives life to the world.” They said to him, “Lord, give us this bread always.” Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; he who comes to me shall not hunger, and he who believes in me shall never thirst. (John 6:26-35)

2. Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world; he who follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” The Pharisees then said to him, “You are bearing witness to yourself; your testimony is not true.” Jesus answered, “Even if I do bear witness to myself, my testimony is true, for I know whence I have come and whither I am going, but you do not know whence I come or whither I am going. 15 You judge according to the flesh, I judge no one. Yet even if I do judge, my judgment is true, for it is not I alone that judge, but I and he who sent me. In your law it is written that the testimony of two men is true; I bear witness to myself, and the Father who sent me bears witness to me.” They said to him therefore, “Where is your Father?” Jesus answered, “You know neither me nor my Father; if you knew me, you would know my Father also.” These words he spoke in the treasury, as he taught in the temple; but no one arrested him, because his hour had not yet come.(John 8:12-20)

3. “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door but climbs in by another way, that man is a thief and a robber; but he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. To him the gatekeeper opens; the sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice. A stranger they will not follow, but they will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers.” This figure Jesus used with them, but they did not understand what he was saying to them. So Jesus again said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. All who came before me are thieves and robbers; but the sheep did not heed them. I am the door; if any one enters by me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture.

4. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly. I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. He who is a hireling and not a shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees; and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. He flees because he is a hireling and cares nothing for the sheep. I am the good shepherd; I know my own and my own know me, as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep. And I have other sheep, that are not of this fold; I must bring them also, and they will heed my voice. So there shall be one flock, one shepherd. For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life, that I may take it again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again; this charge I have received from my Father.” (John 10:10-14)

5.[Jesus]…said to them, “Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep, but I go to awake him out of sleep.” The disciples said to him, “Lord, if he has fallen asleep, he will recover.” Now Jesus had spoken of his death, but they thought that he meant taking rest in sleep. Then Jesus told them plainly, “Lazarus is dead; and for your sake I am glad that I was not there, so that you may believe. But let us go to him.” Thomas, called the Twin, said to his fellow disciples, “Let us also go, that we may die with him.” Now when Jesus came, he found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb four days. Bethany was near Jerusalem, about two miles off, and many of the Jews had come to Martha and Mary to console them concerning their brother. When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went and met him, while Mary sat in the house. Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. And even now I know that whatever you ask from God, God will give you.” Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.” Martha said to him, “I know that he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.” Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and whoever lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?” She said to him, “Yes, Lord; I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, he who is coming into the world.” (John 11:11-27)

6. “Let not your hearts be troubled; believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And when I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also And you know the way where I am going.” Thomas said to him, “Lord, we do not know where you are going; how can we know the way?” Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father, but by me. If you had known me, you would have known my Father also; henceforth you know him and have seen him.” (John 14:1-7)

7. “I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. Every branch of mine that bears no fruit, he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. You are already made clean by the word which I have spoken to you. Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in me, and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. If a man does not abide in me, he is cast forth as a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire and burned. If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you will, and it shall be done for you. By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit, and so prove to be my disciples. As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you; abide in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love.(John 15:1-10)

8. Truly, truly, I say to you, if any one keeps my word, he will never see death.” The Jews said to him, “Now we know that you have a demon. Abraham died, as did the prophets; and you say, `If any one keeps my word, he will never taste death.’ Are you greater than our father Abraham, who died? And the prophets died! Who do you claim to be?” Jesus answered, “If I glorify myself, my glory is nothing; it is my Father who glorifies me, of whom you say that he is your God. But you have not known him; I know him. If I said, I do not know him, I should be a liar like you; but I do know him and I keep his word. Your father Abraham rejoiced that he was to see my day; he saw it and was glad.” The Jews then said to him, “You are not yet fifty years old, and have you seen Abraham?” Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am.” So they took up stones to throw at him; but Jesus hid himself, and went out of the temple.(John 8:51-59)

9. When Jesus had spoken these words, he went forth with his disciples across the Kidron valley, where there was a garden, which he and his disciples entered.Now Judas, who betrayed him, also knew the place; for Jesus often met there with his disciples. So Judas, procuring a band of soldiers and some officers from the chief priests and the Pharisees, went there with lanterns and torches and weapons. Then Jesus, knowing all that was to befall him, came forward and said to them, “Whom do you seek?” They answered him, “Jesus of Nazareth.” Jesus said to them, “I AM.” Judas, who betrayed him, was standing with them. When he said to them, “I AM,” they drew back and fell to the ground. Again he asked them, “Whom do you seek?” And they said, “Jesus of Nazareth.” Jesus answered, “I told you that I am he; so, if you seek me, let these men go.” This was to fulfil the word which he had spoken, “Of those whom thou gavest me I lost not one.” (John 18:1-9)

Added October 22, 1999

More Notes on the Trinity
by Richard Young (http://home.talkcity.com/LibraryLawn/richard_e_young/Communications.html)

The concept of the “trinity” is that God consists of three persons who are one in being and nature. The concept of the “trinity” is not something that one just reads a verse or two and says “so there it is!” The word itself is not a translation of any word or phrase found in the Bible. The concept is derived and “falls out” of the evidence. Without Jesus’ revelation when He was on earth I would say that the idea of the trinity would be difficult to determine from the Hebrew Scriptures, for after all, Deuteronomy 6:4 states “the LORD [YHWH] is one.” But, because of Jesus, we are forced to re-examine our first impression understanding of this statement. Here are the pieces:

1) Jesus speaks to the Father in the second person. Jesus refers to the Father and the Holy Spirit in the third person. Jesus refers to His will being distinct from His Father’s “not my will but yours be done.”

2) The Father, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit are all referred to as God. Each is described as deserving of worship by us ­ something only God Himself is worthy of.

3) The Scriptures clearly teach that “the LORD is one” and that there are “none besides Him.” [Scriptures will be provided later in this article that demonstrate these items].

From these pieces the idea of God’s nature being more complex than we would have imagined emerges. The question then needs to be addressed as to exactly what “one” means in Deuteronomy 6:4. Consider what Jesus said about His relationship to the Father. Jesus said that He and the Father were one (see John 17:22). Jesus wants us to be one as He is one with the Father. Further, when God created man and woman He desired that they be united as “one flesh” (Gen 2:24). This could not simply be a reference to the bearing of children, which are in a sense, a one flesh result of their union. It must refer to the marriage itself, for certainly they were “one flesh” before they bore any children. This concept of “one” then does not then refer to a uniform or homogeneous state of being; men and women are very different (despite what some feminists would have you believe) and the members of the body of Christ are also very different. Individuals who are united in marriage do not lose their individual traits, such as their own thoughts, emotions, etc. And a married couple does not have the same blood type after they were married if their blood types were different before they were married. If the members of the body of Christ were to become a “uniform and homogeneous” being then we each would lose our identity as “self” and what would emerge would be something akin to an eastern religious “cosmic consciousness.” The “oneness” must refer not to a homogeneous singularity. The oneness of the marriage and the body of Christ are reflective of the nature of God Himself.

What exactly does “oneness” then mean? The Hebrew word used for God as one is “echad.” Echad can mean one as in “one goat,” “one day,” “one stone,” etc. However, it can also refer to a plural unity such as in a composite whole. For example, in Num 13:23 echad refers to a cluster of grapes. And in Gen 11:6 those who built the tower of Babel are referred to as “one people.” When we refer to a person we know that the “one” person consists of several distinct components (emotions, thoughts, hands, heart, liver, etc.). Yet we all understand all of these parts constitute “one person.” Echad was the word to describe the “one flesh” of marriage (Gen 2:24). Since God is referred to as “echad” in the same way as man and woman are referred to as “echad” this heavily implies that the oneness of marriage reflects the oneness of God. We also see echad used very intensely in Ezekiel 37:15-28 in the prophecy of the “two sticks” of Israel and Judah becoming one. In that prophecy we have a representative picture and the actuality. Examine the passage carefully and you will see that the intent of the two sticks is to be a picture that Ezekiel first shows to the captive Jews in Babylon. The idea is that they would remember this message as they go about their daily activities and would pick up sticks (for building cooking fires, for example) and be reminded of this promise of God and have hope. In Ezek 37:17 the sticks don’t fuse together into a single stick. It appears that this was representative of the reality of what happens in God’s hand in Ezek 37:19. Even then, Judah and Israel contain distinct tribes (after all, one must know who the Levites are for priests and who the tribe of Judah is from which the Messiah will come). So the oneness of the two sticks in Ezekiel’s hand obviously is a representative oneness and echad in Ezek 37:17 could be easily translated as “united.” But, nevertheless, the oneness of Israel and Judah still consists of many individuals from twelve distinct tribes. The individuals do not become a homogeneous consciousness or a physical singularity of any sort. We are dealing on a spiritual level of oneness, which is reflective of God’s nature. The “oneness: we observe in marriage and the other examples are shadows of the reality of the oneness within God.

Now the true nature of God’s oneness we can only describe by how it appears to us from what Jesus said and did. The best words we have to describe the members of the trinity seem to be as “persons.”

Let’s look at some Scriptures pertaining to the trinity.

At the baptism of Jesus we see the following:

“Now when all the people were baptized, Jesus was also baptized, and while He was praying, heaven was opened, and the Holy Spirit descended upon Him in bodily form like a dove, and a voice came out of heaven, “You are My beloved Son, in You I am well-pleased.” (Luke 3:21-22). We see three mentioned:

1) Jesus

2) Holy Spirit

3) Father (implied by “my beloved Son”)

We see these three mentioned together at other times:

“The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with you all.” (2 Cor 13:14).

“There is one body and one Spirit, just as also you were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all who is over all and through all and in all.” (Eph 4:4-6).

Jesus later tells his disciples to “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit” (Matt 28:19).

The point of this is that we are speaking of three distinct persons. Now let’s press on to examine each of these persons.

The Father:

I don’t think I need to go into any detail here. It is pretty clear that the references to “the Father” are to God (see, for example, John 20:17). So let me go on.

The Son:

The Scriptures tell us that only God is permitted to receive worship (see Matt 4:10; Luke 4:8; Ex 20:2-5)

Yet Jesus receives worship:

“Jesus heard that they had put him out, and finding him, He said, ‘Do you believe in the Son of Man?’ He answered, ‘Who is He, Lord, that I may believe in Him?’ Jesus said to him, ‘You have both seen Him, and He is the one who is talking with you.’ And he said, ‘Lord, I believe.’ And he worshiped Him.” (John 9:35-38).

“When they got into the boat, the wind stopped. And those who were in the boat worshiped Him, saying, ‘You are certainly God’s Son!’” (Matt 14:32-33).

“And when He again brings the firstborn into the world, He says, ‘And let all the angels of God worship Him.’” (Heb 1:6).

We see that the angels of God refuse worship:

“Then I fell at his feet to worship him. But he said to me, ‘Do not do that; I am a fellow servant of yours and your brethren who hold the testimony of Jesus; worship God. For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.’” (Rev 19:10). See also Rev 22:8-9.

Jesus is declared to be God:

“Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. For this reason also, God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” (Phil 2:5-11).

An interesting note here is the Paul stating that “bestowed on Him the name which is above every name.” YHWH is referred to as “the Name” (Hebrew, “hashem”). To say that Jesus is above every name can only mean one thing to a Jew like Paul. Only one name is above every name and that is hashem (YHWH). Thus, Paul has unmistakably referred to Jesus as YHWH.

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being…. And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.” (John 1:1-3,14). Note how John 1:1 parallels Genesis 1:1. The parallel is intentional to show that Jesus is the Creator God of Gen 1:1.

“He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities — all things have been created through Him and for Him. He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together.” (Col 1:15-17).

“For in Him all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form” (Col 2:9).

“looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus” (Titus 2:13).

Jesus is given the same titles and attributes as YHWH. Below are several parallels. For each attribute there are two sets of references. The first reference set is to Jesus and the second is to YHWH in the Hebrew Scriptures: (from The New Evidence that Demands a Verdict by Josh McDowell)

Creator: John 1:3 (Jesus); Isa 40:28 (YHWH)

Savior: John 4:42 (Jesus); Isa 45:22; 43:11 (YHWH)

Raise the dead: John 5:21 (Jesus); I Sam 2:6 (YHWH)

Judge: John 5:27; Matt 25:31-46 (Jesus); Joel 3:12 (YHWH)

Light: John 8:12 (Jesus); Isa 60:19-20 (YHWH)

“I AM”: John 8:58; 18:5,6 (Jesus); Ex 3:14 (YHWH)

Shepherd: John 10:11 (Jesus); Ps 23:1 (YHWH)

Glory of God: John 17:1,5 (Jesus); Isa 42:8; 48:11 (YHWH)

First and last: Rev 1:17; 2:8 (Jesus); Isa 41:4; 44:6 (YHWH)

Redeemer: Rev 5:9 (Jesus); Hosea 13:14 (YHWH)

Bridegroom: Rev 21:2; Matt 25:1ff (Jesus); Isa 62:5; Hosea 2:16 (YHWH)

Rock: I Cor 10:4 (Jesus); Ps 18:2 (YHWH)

Forgiver of sins: Mark 2:7,10; Jer 31:34 (YHWH)

Worshiped by angels: Heb 1:6 (Jesus); Ps 148:2 (YHWH)

Addressed in prayer: Acts 7:59 (Jesus); throughout Hebrew Scriptures (YHWH)

Creator of angels: Col 1:16 (Jesus); Ps 148:5 (YHWH)

Confessed as Lord: Phil 2:11 (Jesus); Isa 45:23 (YHWH)

Because of who Jesus is (i.e., YHWH) then we are to give Him the proper respect and worship He deserves.

Spirit:

The Holy Spirit is a person, distinct from Jesus and the Father:

“I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever; that is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it does not see Him or know Him, but you know Him because He abides with you and will be in you.” (John 14:16-17).

The Spirit teaches, testifies, convicts, lives, and is grieved:

“for the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you ought to say.” (Luke 12:12).

“When the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, that is the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify about Me” (John 15:26)

“But I tell you the truth, it is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I go, I will send Him to you. And He, when He comes, will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment” (John 16:7-8).

“You, however, are controlled not by the sinful nature but by the Spirit, if the Spirit of God lives in you.” (Rom 8:9a) See also I Cor 3:16.

“Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.” (Eph 4:30).

The Holy Spirit is God:

“And everyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man, it will be forgiven him; but he who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven him.” (Luke 12:10).

“But Peter said, ‘Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and to keep back some of the price of the land? While it remained unsold, did it not remain your own? And after it was sold, was it not under your control? Why is it that you have conceived this deed in your heart? You have not lied to men but to God.’” (Acts 5:3-4).

“Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.” (2 Cor 3:17).

The Nature of God as “One”

The Apostle John wrote in one his letters that “God is love.” This statement sounds simple but is packed with implications. First, since God is love from all eternity (without any creation) and by Himself then it must be understood with respect to God Himself. But love only has a meaning when it involves a relationship between persons. This implies that the One God – if He is love in and of Himself – must exist as a relationship. Let’s explore this concept of God being “One” a little bit further.

The relationships God has established between people (e.g., marriage partners, parent/child, king/subject, etc) are pictures of the relationship within God and between God and man. Each image presents a different facet of that relationship. Each is necessary to grasp the reality.

Consider what Jesus said about His relationship to the Father. Jesus said that He and the Father were one (see John 17:22). Jesus calls us to be one with Him, as He is one with the Father. Further, when God created man and woman He desired that they be united as “one flesh” (Gen. 2:24). This could not simply be a reference to the bearing of children, which are in a sense, a one flesh result of their union. It must refer to the marriage itself, for certainly they were “one flesh” before they bore any children. This concept of “one” then does not then refer to a uniform or homogeneous state of being; men and women are very different (despite what some feminists would have you believe). The “members of the body of Christ” are also very different. Individuals who are united in marriage do not lose their individual traits, such as their own thoughts, emotions, etc. And a married couple does not have the same blood type after they were married if their blood types were different before they were married. If the members of the body of Christ were to become a “uniform and homogeneous” being then we each would lose our identity as “self” and what would emerge would be something akin to an eastern religious “cosmic consciousness.” The “oneness” must refer not to a homogeneous singularity. The oneness of the marriage and the body of Christ are reflective of the nature of God Himself.

What exactly does “oneness” then mean? The Hebrew word used for God as one is echad. Echad can mean one as in “one goat,” “one day,” “one stone,” etc. However, it can also refer to a plural unity such as in a composite whole. For example, in Numbers 13:23 echad refers to a cluster of grapes. And in Gen 11:6 those who built the tower of Babel are referred to as “one people.” When we refer to a person we know that the “one” person consists of several distinct components (emotions, thoughts, hands, heart, liver, etc.). Yet we all understand all of these parts constitute “one person.” Echad is the word to describe the “one flesh” nature of marriage (Gen. 2:24). Since God is referred to as echad in the same way as man and woman are referred to as echad this heavily implies that the oneness of marriage reflects the oneness of God. The individuals do not become a homogeneous consciousness or a physical singularity of any sort. We are dealing on a spiritual level of oneness, which is reflective of God’s nature. The “oneness” we observe in marriage and the other examples are shadows of the reality of the oneness within God.

Now the true nature of God’s oneness we can only describe by how it appears to us from what Jesus said and did. The best words we have to describe the members of the trinity seem to be as “persons.”

Additional Resources on the Trinity

Trinity Help from C.S. Lewis (Mere Christianity)

Who Is God?

By Ray C. Stedman

God consists of three persons: Father, Son and Spirit. We cannot experience him in any other way. But though we usually list him as Father, Son and Spirit, the actual experience of God is different. We first meet the Son, by means of the Spirit, and then the Father.

The Father is the source. The Father is unseen, unknown, except as he continually embodies himself (makes himself visible) in the Son. The Son is who we see and hear and know. He is ceaselessly embodying the Father, day by day, hour by hour, moment by moment. He is perpetually revealing the Father, hitherto invisible.

The Father is logically first, but not chronologically. For the Son exists as long as the Father exists, and is coexistent with the Father. The Father acts through and in the Son. He makes himself visible only in the Son. It is in the Son that the Father becomes a part of human life, and so is born and lives and dies in human life.

The Spirit, in turn, comes from the Son . He does not embody the Son. On the contrary, God, in issuing from the Son into the Spirit becomes invisible again. The Spirit proceeds silently, endlessly, invisibly from the Son.

But the Son is not the source of the Spirit which proceeds from him. The Father is the source of both the Son and the Spirit. Back of the Son is the Father out of which the Son comes. The Spirit issues and proceeds from the Father, through the Son.

The Son therefore comes out from the invisible Father and perpetually and ever-newly embodies the Father in visible, audible, livable form, and returns again into invisible God in the Spirit.

The Spirit acts invisibly. He continually influences us with regard to the Son. He casts light upon the Son. That is his great function. He helps us to live in the Son which we know, and with reference to the Father whom we expect to see. (Ray C. Stedman, http://raystedman.org/gems.html)

Daniel Wallace’s analysis of John 1:1c.

William Mounce summarizes some of Wallace’s analysis in his book Basics of Biblical Greek. Wallace goes into more detail in his book, Greek Grammar Beyond the Basics: An Exegetical Syntax of the New Testament (Zondervan, 1995):

In English the subject and predicate nominative are distinguished by word order (the subject comes first). Not so in Greek. Since word order in Greek is quite flexible and is used for emphasis rather than for strict grammatical function, other means are used to determine subject from predicate nominative. For example, if one of two nouns has the definite article, it is the subject.

Generally speaking, when a word is thrown to the front of a clause it is done for emphasis. When a predicate nominative is thrown in front of the verb by virtue of word order it takes on emphasis. A good illustration of this is John 1:1c. The English versions typically have, “and the Word was God.” But in Greek, the word order has been reversed. It reads, kai (2532) theos (2316) en (2258) ho (3588) logos (3056) “and God was the Word”

We know that “the Word” is the subject because it has the definite article [ho, 3588], and we translate it accordingly: “and the Word was God.” Two questions, both of theological import, should come to mind: (1) why was theos [2316] thrown forward? And (2) why does it lack the article? In brief, its emphatic position stresses its essence or quality: “What God was, the Word was” is how one translation brings out this force. Its lack of a definite article keeps us from identifying the person of the Word (Jesus Christ) with the person of “God” (the Father). That is to say, the word order tells us that Jesus Christ has all of the divine attributes that the Father has; lack of the article tells us that Jesus Christ is not the Father. John’s wording here is beautifully compact! It is, in fact, one of the most elegantly terse theological statements one could ever find. As Martin Luther said, the lack of an article is against Sabellianism; the word order is against Arianism.

To state this another way, look at how the different Greek constructions would be rendered:

kai ho logos en ho theos “and the Word was the God” (i.e., the Father; Sabellianism)

kai ho logos en theos “and the Word was a god” (i.e., Arianism)

kai theos en ho logos “and the Word was God” (Orthodoxy)

Jesus Christ is God and has all the attributes that the Father has. But he is not the first person of the Trinity. All this is concisely affirmed in kai theos en ho logos.

Excellent Reference: The Biblical Basis of the Doctrine of the Trinity, by Robert M. Bowman, Jr. (Blue Letter Bible)

Other References to the Names of God:

Classic Book: The Names of God, by Nathan Stone

The Hebrew Names of God (with audio), from “Hebrew for Christians”

Names of God web site #1

The Names of God, by J. Hampton Heathley, III

Names and Titles of Jesus Christ (Blue Letter Bible)

The Name which is Above Every name, by Paul Wong (The name of the Messiah in various languages)

Response to the Extreme Exclusive Sacred Name Movement, by Paul Wong

The Trinity, by Jonathan Sarfati, Ph.D., F.M.

Christian Distinctives: The Trinity, by Glenn Miller

Christian Distinctives: The Trinity, Glenn Miler

Testing the Trinitarian Hypothesis in the Old Testament, by Glenn Miller

The Shema, by Paul Wong

Note: The “plural of Majesty” or “Royal We,” is used occasionally in English, but apparently not in Biblical Hebrew: Christian Think-Tank by Glenn Miller

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The Names Of God