The Image of the Invisible God (Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus)

 The Image of the Invisible God (Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus)

One of the great struggles of my life is to consistently have the right view of who God is in my mind. To be fair my health issues of depression and OCD compound the problem but, really, I think we all have this struggle to some degree.

After all, we know that the Devil is a liar and will take any and all opportunities to steal our joy and peace in God. One of the best ways to do that is to skew our view of who God is. To try and make Him out to be merciless, ungracious or unloving – even a tyrant. 

So how do we maintain a Biblical view of the God of the New Covenant? The God who indeed hates sin but is also abounding in mercy, grace and love?

The short answer? Look to Jesus.

The Scriptures are abundantly clear that if we want to know what God is really like then we must come to Jesus. Colossians tells that Jesus is “the image of the invisible God” (Col 1:15). “He is the image of God” (2 Cor 4:4) and “He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of His nature…” (Hebrews 1:1-3).

God the Father instructs us likewise. When Peter began babbling on the Mount of Transfiguration, the Father spoke and said “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him.” (Mat 17:2-8). And when the disciples asked Jesus about the Father He said “Whoever has seen Me has seen the Father.” (John 14:9)

So when we are confused or in doubt about who God is – look and listen to Jesus. Read the prophecies about Him, read His own words, read what the Apostles said about Him, pray to Him and simply...

 “Turn your eyes upon Jesus

Look full in His wonderful face

And the things of earth will grow strangely dim

In the light of His glory and grace”

“Looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith..” (Heb 12:2a)

Can people be saved without hearing about Jesus Christ from a missionary?

Many young people have asked me that question. I’ve shared my beliefs on the topic with them but here I would like to write them down. 

I believe that the Bible teaches all humans have an opportunity to be saved before they die and I will outline some reasons why I believe that. 

Many Calvinists would disagree with me but, for what it’s worth, many other men of God would agree that all people have some type of opportunity for salvation. Men, to my understanding, such as Justin Martyr (and other patriarchs), Erasmus, Ulrich Zwingli, John Wesley, Matthew Henry, G. Campbell Morgan, Billy Graham and C.S. Lewis to name a few. 

We know that salvation is needed because of sin, salvation is only accomplished at the cross of Christ and salvation can only be attained by faith before death. These statements are Biblically true throughout the history of humankind before and after Christ and also throughout the geography of mankind. 

John Stott, an Evangelical powerhouse, has said:

“I believe the most Christian stance is to remain agnostic on the question… The fact is that God, alongside the most solemn warnings about our responsibility to respond to the gospel, has not revealed how he will

deal with those who have never heard it. We have to leave them in the hands of the God of infinite mercy and justice, who manifested these qualities most fully in the cross.”

However, no less than Billy Graham, went further and said this later in life:

“I believe that there are other ways of recognizing the existence of God—through nature, for instance—and plenty of other opportunities, therefore, of saying ’yes’ to God.”

Graham was not into universalism at all - he maintained that the only way to God was through Jesus - but allowed for other ways to come to this realization. 

What I Am Not Saying 

Before we start let me be clear about what I am NOT saying. I am not suggesting that there is any other way to be saved except by Christ Himself. Only Jesus saves. 

I am also not saying that I believe in Universalism – the idea that everyone makes it to heaven despite their faith choices. 

Nor am I implying that we don’t need missionaries. The more missionaries the better (see Romans 10 below). I just think there are additional means for God to use to preach the Gospel. 

Romans 10: 13-15

This passage is probably the most obvious one that exhorts the necessity of evangelists and missionaries along with Jesus’ Great Commission. And I readily admit it makes me think twice about my belief on the matter. While I firmly believe in the necessity of missions I also believe that God can, if necessary, use other means. 

There is also much Scriptural evidence to suggest that God can reveal the Gospel to people in other ways (see below for Genesis 3:15, Psalm 19, Romans 1:19-20 and Colossians 1:23). With all of these Scriptures in mind let us ponder the main question of this blog.

Genesis 3:15 and Oral Traditions

The promise of Genesis 3:15 was made immediately after humankind sinned in the Garden of Eden. The Gospel itself was contained in Genesis 3:15. This promise and prophecy of a future “Savior” would have been orally passed down from generation to generation until Moses wrote it down around 1446-1406 B.C. This is one plausible reason to believe that many people who have not had contact with Israel or the Church have indeed had contact with the promise of the gospel.

Think of Job who lived in the land of Uz around the time of the patriarchs (c.2000-1800). He existed before the nation of Israel and in a land that was likely not near the patriarchs (Uz was probably in northern Arabia) and yet he was a “man (who) was blameless and upright, one who feared God and turned away from evil.” Job 1:1. There is no question that this man was saved (as we understand the term today). 

Creation – the Second Book

It has been said that God gave two books to humanity. One, of course, is the Bible. The second is Creation itself. And on this topic the first book has much to say about the second. It is simply obvious from Scripture that nature reveals God to us. 

Psalm 19:1-4a

“The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork. Day to day pours out speech, and night to night reveals knowledge. There is no speech, nor are there words, whose voice is not heard. Their voice goes out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world.” 

Romans 1:19-20 

For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse.

The Human Conscience and the Holy Spirit

We also know that every human is endowed with a conscience to remind them of God and His ways. The Holy Spirit can also convict people wherever they are and whatever knowledge they or may not have at the time. 

If Romans 1 can say that all humanity is “without excuse” then that means they have made a choice to reject God. And if they have made a choice to reject God then, it would follow, they would have had a choice to receive Him as well. And I believe many have received Him at the heart level where there are no words. 

Direct Revelation of God

Also the Bible is full of God revealing things to people directly via angels or visions from the Holy Spirit. That is not to say that anyone can just say God told them something - but if it aligns rightly with Scripture then these are also real possible ways for people to come to know Christ on a personal level. 

Cornelius was a Gentile who had not yet heard the Gospel but because he was already “a devout man who feared God with all his household, gave alms generously to the people, and prayed continually to God.” (Acts 10:2), God sent him an angel to tell him to contact Peter the Apostle. Peter later preaches the Gospel to Cornelius and he eagerly receives it. 

Conclusion 

Colossians 1:23

“If indeed you continue in the faith, stable and steadfast, not shifting from the hope of the gospel that you heard, which has been proclaimed in all creation under heaven, and of which I, Paul, became a minister.” 

Here “all creation under heaven” can also be translated “to every creature under heaven”. Either way Paul seems to be saying that the Gospel will be proclaimed to everyone one way or the other (and perhaps even if it is not in written or verbal form).  God can reveal Himself, and thus the Gospel, to anyone He wishes. 

I believe that if a person has come to know the one true God through any of these ways then that person has also come to know Jesus Christ – because God is Jesus and Jesus is God. If a person sincerely seeks God, encounters God, surrenders to Him and puts their faith in Him then they have been saved by the Gospel of Christ – even if they don't know all the details. 

What a blessing to know that our good and gracious God allows all humanity to have an opportunity to know of Him.

5 Examples of How Jesus' Treated Women

I may not be the best person to write this blog post but nevertheless it’s on my mind to do it. I’ve always admired the way Jesus treated women. 

I was raised by a strong woman who was a bit ahead of her time. She made sure that I knew how to do “women’s work” as well as the work I learned from my dad. She knew I would need those skills when I moved out on my own and she wanted to instill in me that idea that women and men, as much as they may be different at times, are indeed equal. 

Flash forward a few years and I am married to a strong woman as well. She balances career and home life in a way that is rarely matched and I admire her for this. And it doesn’t take long to know that my daughter is also growing into a strong woman – world watch out!

This is not a politically feminist post but it is a post of admiration for women and the hardships they have had to overcome and are overcoming. 

First of all, when it comes to understanding Jesus’ interactions with women, we must also understand the overwhelmingly patriarchal time and place in which He lived. His actions and words were often revolutionary in the society of his time. Here are 5 examples of women who crossed paths with Jesus Christ:

#1 The Woman At the Well

"A woman from Samaria came to draw water. Jesus said to her, “Give me a drink.” (For his disciples had gone away into the city to buy food.) The Samaritan woman said to him, “How is it that you, a Jew, ask for a drink from me, a woman of Samaria?” (For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans.) Jesus answered her, “If you knew the gift of God, and who it is that is saying to you, ‘Give me a drink,’ you would have asked him, and he would have given you living water.”  John 4:7-10

For a first century Jewish man it was unheard of to talk to a women alone. Then there is the fact that she is a Samaritan woman and the Jews had no use for the Samaritans. Add to that the fact that we later learn that she had a rather dubious reputation when it came to relationships. 

All of this information helps us to grasp what a revolutionary action this was by our Saviour. The Samaritan woman went on to believe that Jesus indeed had the “living water” and she became a missionary to her town and the whole area. 

#2 The Woman Caught in Adultery

"The scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in adultery, and placing her in the midst they said to him, “Teacher, this woman has been caught in the act of adultery. Now in the Law, Moses commanded us to stone such women. So what do you say?”

…And as they continued to ask him, he stood up and said to them, “Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her.”

Jesus stood up and said to her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?” She said, “No one, Lord.” And Jesus said, “Neither do I condemn you; go, and from now on sin no more.”]]  John 8:3-5, 7, 10-11

If you’re wondering “Where was the man who had participated in this act of adultery?”  - you would be in good company. These “religious” men had no real concern for the Law of God. They simply wanted to trap Jesus and they victimized a woman in the process. 

Jesus’ answer left them stunned and ashamed as they walked away from the woman. Jesus saved her from the masses and did not condemn her. He did, however, instruct her to stay away from such destructive behavior in the future (apparently this was a consensual act). 

#3 The Woman With the Alabaster Box

"But Jesus, aware of this, said to them, “Why do you trouble the woman? For she has done a beautiful thing to me. For you always have the poor with you, but you will not always have me. In pouring this ointment on my body, she has done it to prepare me for burial. Truly, I say to you, wherever this gospel is proclaimed in the whole world, what she has done will also be told in memory of her.” Matthew 26: 10-13

A woman (perhaps Mary, Lazarus’ sister) had crashed the party and began to break a flask of alabaster and anoint Jesus with it. Judas, knowing this ointment was worth about a year’s wages, was indignant and asked why it wasn’t sold and given to the poor (Judas conveniently had access to the funds given to the poor). 

Remarkably, Jesus commends this culturally unusual act and rebukes His disciples. He goes even further saying, to everyone’s amazement, that her “beautiful” act would be recalled whenever the Gospel was preached throughout space and time.

#4 Mary, Jesus’ Mother, at the Cross

“When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to his mother, “Woman, behold, your son!” Then he said to the disciple, “Behold, your mother!” And from that hour the disciple took her to his own home.”  John 19:26-27

It seems Jesus’ mother, Mary, had been widowed by this point and widows were amongst the most marginalized of people at that time.  In the midst of unimaginable suffering while on the cross, Jesus thinks of His mother and makes sure that she will be taken care of after his imminent death.  What a tender loving heart! 

#5 The Women Witnesses of the Empty Tomb

But on the first day of the week, at early dawn, they went to the tomb, taking the spices they had prepared. And they found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they went in they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus.

While they were perplexed about this, behold, two men stood by them in dazzling apparel. And as they were frightened and bowed their faces to the ground, the men said to them, “Why do you seek the living among the dead? He is not here, but has risen.” Luke 14:1-6

“They” were a group of women which included Mary Magdalene. Again to understand the culture is so important. In first century Palestine women were not considered credible witnesses. In that context, the fact that Jesus Christ chose these women to discover his empty tomb and be the very first witnesses to His resurrection is mind boggling. 

For the Gospel writers to record it is also amazing. A first century writer would never use female witnesses if they wanted to truly establish something. Ironically this has become a convincing element in the belief of the resurrection. 

As we can see in these five examples (and there are more) Jesus had a tender heart towards women of all backgrounds. He treated them with the dignity they deserved despite the cultural backlash He received at the time. 

7 Reasons Why I Am No Longer King James Version Only

I used to believe that the only acceptable translation of the Bible was the King James Version – otherwise known as “KJV – Only”. 

I have had (and continue to have) many wonderful mentors who were/are KJV-Only still and I love and respect them. They have taught me much, helped me much and continue to do so. However, I cannot in good conscience remain in a KJV-Only stance myself. I am very thankful for the variety of translations of the Bible in the English language. Some are certainly better than others, and some serve different functions than others but I am grateful since so many other languages have only one or maybe even no translation in that language. 

Here are 7 reasons why I am no longer KJV-Only. Some reasons are more personal testimony and some are more about fact-checking (but they are certainly not exhaustive). For a full and fair treatment of this topic I highly recommend you read “The King James Only Controversy” by James R. White. 

One last note - this is not an anti-KJV blog post. It is simply expalining my reasons for not being KJV-Only. 

#1 Reaching the Lost

I soon began to realize that the old English of the King James Version was simply not meeting the needs of the youth I was trying to reach and serve in a rural town who had never really been to church before. To me, it was not enough to say that “We shouldn’t dumb the Bible down but rather smarten the people up.” That didn’t ring right to me. Jesus always went out seeking the sinner, the tax collector and others who were not very “educated”. 

It is certainly no sin to have a modern translation in today’s English. We should be wary of putting any unnecessary stumbling blocks in the way of reaching the lost with the Gospel. 

#2 My Pride

If I’m honest, I also began to realize that in my heart I was harbouring a sense of superiority over other Christians who did not use the KJV only. I thought to myself “Are all other believers just not very smart?” Little did I know how many brilliant Bible-loving scholars and laymen had searched out the issues of texts and translation and come to an honest opinion that was different than mine. 

It was really the epitome of pride and I realized I was also putting an unnecessary stumbling block on my fellowship with other believer

#3 But What About Those Missing Verses?

Having said those two things though, I still had concerns about missing verses and different ways of translating certain verses and different manuscripts. So, for the first time in my life I put aside all the emotions and I read a book that treated the topic fairly (from both sides) – “The King James Only Controversy” by James White. Finally I understood why there were differences in the translations (and in some manuscripts) – after all it is just as much a sin to ADD to the Word of God as it is to TAKE AWAY from it. This helped me immensely and the following points will flesh that out.

“It is refreshing to read a work that simultaneously reflects the unswerving commitment to devout orthodoxy (i.e. doctrine) and a sane exposition of the facts.”  D.A. Carson on “The King James Only Controversy” 

#4 Tradition and the Textus Receptus (Received Text)

Many of us grew up with the KJV and its beautiful poetic style and that’s part of the reason we are uncomfortable with new versions. However, just because something is unfamiliar does not mean it is inaccurate. 

The truth is when Erasmus wrote the Textus Receptus (on which the King James Version is based) he was attacked by many Christians because it was a change from what had been the traditional text of the day - Jerome’s Latin Vulgate. To one such concerned Christian he wrote: “You must distinguish between Scripture, the translation of Scripture and the transmission of both. What will you do with the errors of the copyists?” 

In this statement by Erasmus himself we see him stating that there is a difference between the Scripture (in the original languages) and the varied translations of that Scripture. Only the original Greek and Hebrew manuscripts can tell us what the Word of God is. 

As White says “There is nothing wrong with tradition, as long as we do not confuse tradition with truth.” 

Desiderius Erasmus

#5 Scribes Aren’t Perfect

In addition Erasmus affirms in that quote the fact that the copyists (or scribes) of those manuscripts sometimes made mistakes or even well meaning “adjustments”. 

White writes: “The scribes of old made errors, too. Even the best professional scribes had bad days… they often worked in the cold or the heat, and their lighting was almost always inferior to a good fluorescent lamp. Many of them had to work long hours at what they were doing. Fingers cramped, backs ached… All of these things contributed to the simple fact that there is not a single handwritten manuscript of the Bible, in Greek or Hebrew, that does not contain, somewhere, an error, an oversight, a mistake. To err is human.”

Having said all of that though he then quotes Philip Schaff who estimated that there were only 400 variants that affected the sense of the passage, and only 50 of those were actually important. He asserted that not one affected “an article of faith or a precept of duty which is not abundantly sustained by other and undoubted passages, or by the whole tenor of Scripture teaching.”

In other words whatever differences there may be between the KJV and some modern translations – none of them affect the vital and essential doctrines of our faith. Both teach conservative orthodoxy. “That is a fact that any semi-impartial view will substantiate.” White

Truly God’s Word has been preserved for us from every generation – including more modern translations such as the ESV (which I now use).

#6 1 John 5:17 (The Comma Johanneum)

Earlier we talked about how some scribes made well-meaning adjustments or even additions to the texts in order to shore up the evidence against a certain heresy etc. This is what scholars called “Expansion of piety” – adding to the text in order to “aid” God’s Word. However we know that adding to God’s Word is just as serious a problem as taking away from it. 

Erasmus’ first edition of the Textus Receptus did not include 1 John 5:7 (also known as the Comma Johanneum) because “…it was not found in any Greek manuscript of 1 John that Erasmus had examined.” When someone challenged Erasmus on why he did not include the Comma Johnanneum in his Greek text, he, in return, challenged the man to find even one manuscript that contained it and said if he found he would put it into his Greek text.

Finally someone found a manuscript that had it and so Erasmus kept his word and put it into the third edition of is text and it then made it into the KJV. However, even that one manuscript was highly suspicious as it came from an old enemy of Erasmus, whose only intention was probably to refute Erasmus. This is one passage where the evidence seems very clear that it was not in the original text.

#7 Further Notes

> It is also good to remember that the KJV has some missing portions of verses that the modern translations include.

> Erasmus was a Roman Catholic priest and, although he often rebuked the corruption within that church, he dedicated the Textus Receptus to Pope Leo X.

> Majority does not always mean accuracy. We have more Byzantine texts (on which much of the Textus Receptus is based) than the other text types but that is because the Byzantine texts came largely later on in Church history when the persecution had died down and the Church was more stable.

> As it stands the Bible clearly teaches the very important doctrine of the Trinity even without 1 John 5:7. In fact, the early church fathers, though they were embroiled in the debate over the Trinity did not quote 1 John 5:7 apparently because it simply did not exist at their time. 

 “For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.” Hebrews 4:12

The Pharisee and the Tax Collector: Which One Are We?

The parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector (found in Luke 18:9-14 – see below for text) always gives me pause because it is so tricky to not end up, even unwittingly, like the bad example of the Pharisee.

This parable is introduced with this statement:  “He also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and treated others with contempt…”

Jesus then presents his audience with two characters. In that day and age of 1st century Israel, the Pharisee was well thought of while the tax collector was the epitome of a traitor and thought of as the scum of the earth. Undoubtedly Jesus’ audience would have been rooting for the Pharisee. 

We begin with the Pharisee and it soon becomes evident that he trusted in his own righteous acts (he says “I” 5 times) and then had contempt for the tax collector.  Commentator, David Guzik, gives a pointed thought here:

“The connection between those who trusted in themselves that they were righteous and those who despised others is almost inevitable. If I credit myself for a supposed great and spiritual walk with God, then it is an easy thing to despise another for their supposed low and carnal walk with God.” 

Ain’t that the truth? Comparison with others almost always ends up poorly.

Now comes the tax collector – he “would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, a sinner!’”  The humility and utter despair of his own righteousness is obvious. But a profound truth lies hidden in the original Greek. To quote Dr. Craig Blomberg, New Testament Professor, “…the verb translated “have mercy” is the same verb from which we get the word propitiation, which is an atoning sacrifice.”

The text does not say whether the tax collector brought an animal sacrifice but it tells us that he cried out for an atoning sacrifice – a propitiation – of the kind only Jesus Christ could give. This is how all people must come to God and it is a foreshadowing, I believe, of those coming to God through Christ’s atoning death and resurrection (remember when this parable is told Jesus’ sacrifice had not yet happened).  

And guess what? It turns out to be the tax collector who comes away justified and not the Pharisee. Not as though just saying we are a sinner and “sounding” humble is enough – the tax collector showed true and deep repentance. 

Jesus ends the parable with these words: “For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”

Dr. Bruce Demarest tells the story of when he preached extensively on this parable at a local church and then asked a church leader to come up and close in prayer. Among other things, the church leader said:

“Father, we’re so grateful that we’re not like this Pharisee.”

Wow. It’s so easy for us to miss the point of this parable.

“God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” James 4:6, 1 Peter 5:5 and see also Proverbs 3:34

Luke 18:9-14

“He also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and treated others with contempt:

“Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector.

The Pharisee, standing by himself, prayed[fn] thus: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector.

I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I get.’

But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, a sinner!’

I tell you, this man went down to his house justified, rather than the other. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”