The bible is a book that has been written to provide man with the knowledge of his creator, God. One could say that it is the biography of God dictated by his Spirit and written down by various men over a period of some 1500 years. The revelation of God, more specifically of who God is and why he alone is God came to man over a long period of time beginning with Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. The complete revelation of the character of God culminated with the death of Jesus Christ on the cross some 2000 years ago, the event that revealed to man that GOD IS LOVE because it was his love that compelled him to provide the sacrifice that delivered man from the clutches of death. The word ‘Revelation’ in the original Greek is the word Apocalupto from which we get the word ‘Apocalypse’. Although the word ‘apocalypse’ conjures up visions of horrible warfare and destruction, the biblical meaning is a simpler one; it means to take the lid off, as for example from a pot to reveal the contents inside. The bible then is the written form of the revelations that have come to mankind over the millennia through the acts of God that have revealed to us his very heart and soul.
As opposed to mystical religions such as Hinduism and Buddhism that philosophize that it is impossible to truly understand or know God; biblical Christianity claims that not only is it possible to know and understand God, the very purpose for which the bible has been written is to provide man with the knowledge of his creator. Furthermore, to those who believe that which is written God gives his Holy Spirit so that the written word becomes living experience in them, they come to know God first hand through interaction with their maker through the Spirit of God that dwells in them. Having the Holy Spirit indwelling a person that believes is the equivalent of living with the very author whose autobiography one might be reading. For example if you were reading Gandhi’s autobiography, the experience of what you were reading would be so much richer if Gandhi was actually living with you to explain what was meant by the words you were reading. So those who read the bible and believe that which they read have the very author of the book living in them to make alive the meaning of the words that they read. Without the Holy Spirit to bring alive the words being read, the bible is just another book! There are many scholars who read it, study it, teach it, that can quote passage and verse verbatim yet the words they read never become energized in their hearts by the Holy Spirit which God never gives to them! And why does God not give them the Holy Spirit? Simply because they never believe the words that they so diligently read and study! Much like the Pharisees of Jesus’ day who knew the letter of the written word but never knew its power because they never believed; so too the majority of so–called ‘Christian’ pastors, teachers and seminarians do not believe that which they read; and therefore they never have the gift of the Holy Spirit, and their churches become social clubs where bingo rules not the Spirit of God! The operative word of biblical Christianity is BELIEVE, and though many claim to believe God alone knows the hearts of men and therefore he alone knows those who truly believe and those who merely mouth the words, pay mere lip service to him. Those who actually believe do indeed receive the gift of the Holy Spirit and they truly come to know God, to experience him and to them God is no longer a mystery. Expressions such as ‘the Lord works in mysterious ways’ are hogwash because for believers God has made his ways clear, he has given them more knowledge about himself than they can possibly comprehend in a lifetime.
The purpose of this study is to share with my readers the knowledge God has given me of himself through my study of his written Word, the Holy Bible. First of all let me say that God’s Word tells us that it is not only possible for all believers to know him, it is commanded that we should study to know him. Secondly in the body of Christ which is the group of all people who believe in him, whether living or dead, God himself has appointed certain people, men and women, to be teachers and guides to help everyone acquire a full and mature knowledge of God. Jesus warned us that many would come in his name and claim to be his prophets, his teachers, set themselves up as guides appointed by him; truly there is no shortage of people who claim to speak in his name, some of them with big multimillion dollar ministries. However the onus for separating truth from error, wheat from chaff falls upon each individual believer and becomes their responsibility to be not ensnared by false prophets.
15Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. (2 Timothy 2:15, King James Version)The following scriptures teach us that not only is it possible to know God, we have all the necessary tools at our disposal to know him better than we know ourselves.
- 13Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come. (John 16:13, King James Version)
- 20And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may know him that is true, and we are in him that is true, even in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life. (1 John 5:20, King James Version)
- 27But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him. (1 John 2:27, King James Version). A little clarification is required on this scripture; the bible does not suggest that we do not need any human teachers just that those whose truly believe have the Holy Spirit to be able to evaluate the truth or falsehood of any teaching or preaching that they hear. As mankind we learn much from each other and thus acquire knowledge at a faster pace but God has provided each of us the Holy Spirit that we may not be misled by false teachers if we ourselves study the Word of God!
- 24But let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth me, that I am the LORD which exercise lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness, in the earth: for in these things I delight, saith the LORD. (Jeremiah 9:24, King James Version)
- 8This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success. (Joshua 1:8, King James Version). I personally do not believe in ‘HOW TO’ formulas, how to get rich in 6 days, how to become spiritually strong in 7 and other such instant success formulas. However if there is a formula for you to grow strong spiritually then it is expressed in the preceding scripture. And the formula in one word is ‘MEDITATION’! Not TM but biblical meditation which means to study the bible and then mull over and over and over in your mind that which you have read. It is meditation or dwelling in your mind upon that which you have read with your eyes that leads to the opening of your spiritual ears and energizes, makes alive, brings revelation to your heart, soul, mind, and even your body of who God your creator truly is.
Though the above information may not have a direct connection the topic of this article, God and Language I felt it was necessary to lay a foundation for the direction in which this study will be proceeding. What I am attempting to do here is to share with all who read my knowledge of God that has been given to me over many years of study. The basic question to which I am attempting to provide an answer is, WHO IS GOD? More precisely the question should be rephrased as WHAT IS GOD? Or WHAT IS IT THAT MAKES GOD, GOD? Biblically speaking we have all heard of the TRINITY of God, a subject that has been much misunderstood, and many libraries may be filled with the amount of misinformation that has been written on this topic. God has revealed himself in the bible as three distinct persons that are yet one; during the course of this study I will this explain this seeming contradiction by expounding upon the following topics:
- Who is God the Father
- Who is The Son of God, more specifically the ONLY BEGOTTEN SON OF GOD, JESUS CHRIST
- Who is The Holy Spirit
All religions, and the books that are attached to them, speak of the spiritual worlds. It is unfortunate that people try and see literal meanings to those words, for the higher worlds command the lower ones, but do not function in time and space. They rather function on the basis of soul/desire, which in turn results in forms, that we perceive as matter. It is a verb of light, that descends from creation to the creatures, and the holy books are written to describe in physical terms spiritual realities. That's where our problem lies with attaining the knowledge hidden in these books. There's a ciment wall between us and the spiritual reality! And the wall can only de disolved by abiding by the single law of all of creation, Love thy neighbour as you Love thyself. For we all are one fragment of the human soul!
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