5 Therefore, I urge elders among you, as your fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and one who is also a PARTAKER OF THE GLORY that is to be revealed: ² shepherd the flock of God among you, exercising oversight, not under compulsion but voluntarily, according to the will of God; and not with greed but with eagerness; ³ nor yet as domineering over those assigned to your care, but by proving to be examples to the flock. ⁴ And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory. ⁵ You younger men, likewise, be subject to your elders; and all of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because GOD IS OPPOSED TO THE PROUD, BUT HE GIVES GRACE TO THE HUMBLE (1Pet5:1-5).

Peter’s teaching in this short passage primarily concerns the duties and attitudes of those who have oversight of God’s people. They should not be domineering or haughty but  set an example of humility, as indeed does Peter, describing himself as a “fellow elder”. As Jesus and Paul indicated, Peter aka Cephas (the Rock) could have boasted of being rather more than that (Gal2:7-8; Mt16:18). But as is often the case, in the context of what I am expounding I am drawn to narrative  and phrases that do not necessarily pertain to the  key message of a particular passage but provide insights concerning the true nature of the gospel, the destiny of the elect and God’s broader benign providence.

In this case such comments pertain to the glorious destiny of God’s elect. For not only was Peter a fellow elder and a witness of Christ’s sufferings but “one who is also a PARTAKER OF THE GLORY that is to be revealed” (v1). The apostle is of course referring to the return of the Lord Jesus Christ who most assuredly will be the focus of that glory.  However, God’s elect (and only they) are to be κοινωνός^G2844  with respect to it. As Bible Hub’s word study indicates, that means they partake or share in that which is κοινωνός’s  genitive, in this case δόξης (glory). Peter is not merely saying they are fellow partakers in the sense that he describes himself as a fellow elder, they share in the glory itself.

That is in accordance with Paul’s teaching that “if (we are) children, then heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs WITH Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him so that we may also be glorified WITH Him” (Rom8:17NASB). One might have expected Jesus Christ to be sole heir-apparent to such glory, but whether or not we are comfortable with it, that is not the bible’s teaching. God has appointed fellow-heirs who will have a share in Christ’s glorious destiny as his corporate spouse. That is why “those whom (God) foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters” (Rom8:29NASB). As Peter goes on to write, such conformity to Christ’s nature required that His joint-heirs, even whilst in mortal flesh,  “become partakers (κοινωνός again) of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world on account of lust” (2Pet1:4).

Whilst the elect may have been conformed to Christ’s nature and will have shared in His suffering, unlike Him they are not destined to be what they shall become by sovereign right or personal merit; their evolution was shaped by God’s mercy, His sovereign choice and an abundance of grace, with which they have willingly cooperated. The latter (personal application) particularly applies to Peter’s reference to “escaping the corruption that is in the world on account of lust”. Paul also, when he is rightly understood, makes clear that that is something that requires our personal attention and effort.  Nevertheless, just as Sarah had been obedient to her husband Abraham, calling  him lord (1Pet3:6), so shall the Bridegroom always take precedence over His corporate Spouse (Rev19:7).

If, like me, you feel unworthy even to be considered “a partaker of the glory” as I have defined it, then I’m sure even Peter will have felt the same way. For Jesus once cautioned him, “Satan has desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat” (Lk22:31). That is why Peter and all true believers are genuinely “clothed with humility” as they contemplate these matters, and in their dealings with their fellow believers and all people of good will, not least “because God is opposed to the proud, but he gives grace to the humble” (v5).

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4 Therefore, since Christ has suffered (death) in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same purpose, because the one who has suffered (death) in the flesh refrains from sinning, ² so as to live the rest of the time in the flesh no longer for human lusts, but for the will of God. ³ For the time already past is sufficient for you to have carried out the desire of the Gentiles, having pursued a course of orgies, lusts, debauchery, drunken revelry and abominable idolatries. ⁴ In all this, they are surprised that you do not run with them in the same excesses of debauchery, and they slander you; ⁵ but they will give an account to Him who is ready to judge the living and the dead. ⁶ For the gospel has for this purpose been preached even to those who are dead, that though they are judged in the flesh as people, they might however live in the spirit according to the will of God (1Pet4:1-6).

The Christian life can be defined in many ways and Peter’s opening statement provides a key element to what should be the believer’s mindset. That is to live as one who has “died to the flesh”  resulting in  “πέπαυται” with regard to sin. Some bible versions (e.g. KJV, NASB) translate the Greek as “ceased from sin”, which is fine as long as it is understood that it is we who stop sinning, not (as I once imagined) that because Christ has died for me, I am no longer regarded as sinning even when I do. Not that any believer can go on to live a perfectly sinless life, but that he/she as far as possible refrains from wilful sin. Or as Peter perfectly expresses the matter, the true believer “lives the rest of the time in the flesh no longer for human lusts, but for the will of God” (v2).

The unbeliever’s nature

In terms of what the apostle goes on to write concerning his readers’ previous life as Gentiles it needs to be remembered that this, like all epistles, is a pastoral letter to specific communities, not an evangelistic sermon. “Orgies, lusting, debauchery,  drunken revelry and abominable idolatries” is absolutely not a valid depiction of the typical non-Christian’s life style or mindset. But clearly it had been in the case of some or perhaps many of the believers to whom the apostle was addressing or he would not have written it. But as Paul in particular has made clear, what is true of all unbelievers including the many who seek to live decently and worthily, is that as long as they are in human flesh they can never be entirely free from its dominating influence. That is what Paul described as “the body of this death” (Rom7:24), being the worldly, materialistic and sometimes lustful  inclinations of the bodily members as their senses are processed by the brain.

The preceding passage in Rom7 better described what Paul meant: “I find then the principle that evil is present in me, the one who wants to do good. For I joyfully agree with the law of God in the inner person, but I see a different law in the parts of my body waging war against the law of my (spiritual) mind, and making me a prisoner of the law of sin, the law which is in my body’s parts” (vv21-23). This earlier post explains this in more detail, but the point in the context of 1Peter is that this Rom7 scenario is not the case for the Christian, who as Paul followed up that statement affirmed “However, you are not in the flesh but in the spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you” (8:9).

The lust of the flesh

Relatedly, whilst the Christian (hopefully) is not involved in orgies, drunken revelry and debauchery, the “lusts of the flesh” also pertain to more seemingly respectable activities and mindsets considered in Peter’s earlier teaching regarding worldliness, materialism and self-centredness. These are also not “in accordance with the will of God” (v6). That brings us on to the more contentious issue regarding the gospel being preached “even to those who are dead, that though they are judged in the flesh as people, they might however live in the spirit according to the will of God” (v6).

The principles and arguments concerning this concept were considered a couple of posts ago concerning Christ’s descent into Hell. Contrary to the many commentaries that would say otherwise, that certainly pertained to people who have died and whose spirits resided in Hell/Hades. And so, I am clear, does the reference here. As defined earlier, among other things the Christian is one who “lives the rest of the time in the flesh no longer for human lusts but for the will of God” (v2). Those who have not heard or responded positively to the gospel cannot entirely have done so, for such requires not only self-discipline but spiritual resources and graces that are only available to the Christian. But remember,  God’s “elect” are those whom God has “predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son” (Rom8:29), and in Christ’s words “no one can come to Me accept they be drawn by the Father” (Jn6:44). As I trust I have shown, God’s elective choice of individuals to become intimately associated with His Son is a central tenet of New Testament teaching – reject that and you might as well dismiss the bible, starting with the Pauline epistles that are permeated with this doctrine.

God’s merciful intentions

Once the tripartite context of predestination has not only been proven but understood, it will be both unsurprising and expedient that the God who is described as love personified (1Jn4:8), the Saviour of all men (1Tim4:10) and the Desirer that all people are ultimately saved/healed and come to a knowledge of the truth (1Tim2:4) also is merciful towards the vast majority who have died devoid of the resources of gospel grace. I ask you, should not the spirits of these dead, having been  judged and appropriately punished for avoidably sinful activities whilst in the flesh, have the opportunity to repent  and submit to Christ’s Lordship in order  that for the rest of eternity they might  “live in the spirit according to the will of God”?

Of course they and indeed all of us will not always be in the spirit, for human destiny is to be reclothed in a physical framework that is not to be depicted as the “body of death”, into which every newly born spirit is currently planted in accordance with God’s will. Why the Father chose to act in such a way in response to the Fall has been made  very clear to me and is set out in my book, together with how what many are likely to regard as speculative and overly optimistic on my part is entirely reconcilable with Scripture as a whole.  

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²¹ Corresponding to (the deliverance of Noah’s family through water), baptism now saves you through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, not through the  laying aside of the pollution of the flesh, but through an appeal to God from a good conscience— ²² (Christ being) at the right hand of God, having gone into heaven, after angels and authorities and powers had been subjected to Him (1Pet3:21-22).

This short text closing 1Pet3 is widely regarded as difficult, and in this instance I agree with that assessment. That is primarily because it concerns baptism, its precise nature and effect, and whether or not it should be practiced on infants. At the one extreme, some believe infant baptism to be crucial for salvation, Augustine typically (for him) asserting that all unbaptized infants who die in infancy must endure “mild sensual pain” for all eternity^[NOTE#1] . Others, including myself in the past, regarded paedo-baptism as unbiblical and purposeless, and that even as an adult it was purely symbolic – I was converted at 18, and not untypically of others in the Evangelical Calvinist congregation I attended, I did not get baptized until five years later.

Unlike the majority of later Evangelicals, Martin Luther supported paedo-baptism, validly asserting that “Were child baptism wrong, God would certainly not have permitted it to continue so long, nor let it become so universally and thoroughly established in all Christendom”. The same principle would surely also apply to the real presence of Christ at the Eucharist, which Luther continued to affirm, but most within the breakaway and fragmented movement that he unwittingly generated do not.

The witness of Scripture

For those relying upon Scripture alone, it is difficult to be clear on the matter of whether babies born to Christian parents should be baptized. This passage from Peter implies that is not the case in view of its reference to conscience, and by implication faith, neither of which normally apply to babies. I say “normally”, for John the Baptist was leaping and praising the Saviour whilst still in Elizabeth’s womb – surely the exception to prove the rule. However, keep in mind that faith in Christ is a gift that God gives when and to whom He chooses (Eph2:8). There are also passages that refer to a believer’s household being baptized, which may suggest but does not positively affirm the inclusion of young children.

The witness of Tradition

In terms of Church history and Tradition, the situation is nearly as murky. I’ll let a robot do the talking:

“Paedobaptism (infant baptism) was not the norm in the first century, where baptism was typically for adult believers. However, it emerged gradually from the late 2nd century, becoming more common in the 3rd century, and was eventually considered universal by the 4th-5th centuries. Early church writers like Tertullian, Irenaeus, and Origen debated its propriety, and theological developments, particularly AUGUSTINE’s views on original sin were crucial in cementing its widespread acceptance.”

 [Google AI overview in response to “paedobaptism in the early church?”– my highlighting].

Theological architect and influencer extraordinaire

It’s that man again! Since the expansive prophetic insight I received regarding the interpretation of Scripture that led to the writing ofmy book together with these ongoing posts, I have come to repudiate virtually every distinctive teaching of Augustine.  I’m therefore wary of any doctrine he has heavily influenced, and he is cited in the AI overview as the major influence in the Church establishing the practice of paedo-baptism. Thankfully, he upheld the Church’s teaching and practice concerning the real presence of Christ’s body and blood and the sacrificial nature of the Holy Eucharist. As ever, his testimony to its reality is supremely erudite.  For, do not mistake me, the clue’s in his name, Augustine was certainly august. His writings concerning the Divine Liturgy/Mass were also thoroughly orthodox, biblical  and in accordance with the living Tradition of the Orthodox/Catholic Church.

However, that was not the case with some of his more novel perspectives: on the economy of grace, the role of Torah under the Old Covenant, the depth of human depravity, the nature of original sin, and his rejection of effectual free will, natural law, premillennialism and (crucially when interpreting Paul’s writings) trichotomy – the existence of the human spirit. Much of his novelties  turned the teaching of the  2^nd and early3^rd century theologians on its head. Whilst Augustine was not the initiator of all the theological perspectives to which I have referred, an examination of each will show that he more than anyone else ensured that such formularies and their outworking formed the basis of the theological dogma that was established in the early middle ages, especially in the Western Church. Even for later Roman theologians, their mantra would invariably be “if Augustine taught it, it must be so”.  [This earlier post refers].

The comparison with circumcision

In terms of the case for paedo-baptism, Paul compares it to circumcision, which was practiced on babies, where he writes: “In (Christ)  also you are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ: buried with Him in baptism, wherein also you are risen with Him through the faithfulness of the operation of God, who has raised Him from the dead” (Col2:11-12). Circumcision was a sign that a person, whether adult or baby, had entered a  covenantal relationship with God. This of itself did not guarantee their eternal wellbeing, which would be up to the individual’s future conduct. In terms of the Christian, in Paul’s words “In Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision means anything, but faith working through love (Gal5:6).

No silver bullet to sainthood

In other words, the same surely applies to baptism. To take an extreme example, Adolf Hitler was baptized (and confirmed) as a Catholic but evidently did not go on to  lead a saintly life or walk in the footsteps of the Prince of Peace. And I am convinced that Peter is saying here, not only that baptism does not refer to bodily cleansing, but that it does not of itself materially change a person’s nature i.e. “the laying aside of the pollution of the flesh” as I have legitimately translated “οὐ σαρκὸς ἀπόθεσις ῥύπου”. Also, contrary to the Roman Church’s Augustinian inspired teaching that the Orthodox Church rightly rejects, a baby does not bear the guilt of Adam’s Edenic sin, rather man by nature suffers from the moral and spiritual effects of ancestral sin, which is where Peter (and Paul’s) “pollution of the flesh” comes in. As the latter taught, even if Christ be in you “the body is (still) dead because of sin whereas the spirit is alive because of righteousness (Rom8:10NASB).  In view of that, a Christian should become morally better than others. But if he or she does so, it is not down to infant baptism per se, but to the subsequent sacraments of grace, the ongoing work of the Holy Spirit, divine teaching  and by faithfully following in the footsteps of Christ.

An open-minded conclusion

In terms of adult baptism, the book of Acts in particular indicates that being baptized does result in the forgiveness of past sins (2:38), which in view of the previous paragraph is not an issue for babies. And. Peter indicates, it is not the water itself that initiates salvation, but the response of a good conscience, which in the context must incorporate faith in Christ as one’s Lord and Saviour.

Whether as an infant or adult, baptism is certainly not an optional extra but a necessary act of initiation into the Christian faith.  Parents who are personally convicted, or more likely in the case of Catholics and Orthodox have been taught by their church to baptize their newly born children should surely do so. They should see it in the context of placing their child under the covenantal care of the Church and their  own parental teaching. That is in the hope and expectation (but by no means certainty) that  their child will pursue the path of Christian discipleship through life.

Broader context

In terms of God’s providential care and intelligible justice that I have been continually focussing on, everyone is to be judged according to their own righteousness or lack of it. An unrepentant evil man’s baptism or indeed any church sacrament he subsequently receives will be of no avail.  As for those whom God has called to become “conformed to the image of Christ” such that they become His joint-heir and corporate spouse, baptism is the gateway by which all the  means of grace necessary to accomplish such a destiny become accessible. 

Notes

#1 – Latin: paena sensus . (cf. New Advent: Catholic Encyclopaedia under headings “Unbaptized infants”, “Limbo” and the “Teaching of St Augustine”).

¹⁸ For Christ also suffered for sins once for all time, the just for the unjust, so that He might bring us to God, having been put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit; ¹⁹ in which He also went and made proclamation to the spirits in prison, ²⁰ who at one time were disobedient, when the patience of God kept waiting in the days of Noah, during the construction of the ark, in which a few, that is, eight persons, were brought safely through the water. (1Pet3:18-20).

Moving on to 1Pet3, and as ever I am not providing a systematic commentary but focussing on text that has direct relevance to the broader benign providence I have been outlining. This has been placed in context in the above abstract (verses 18-20).

Easter Saturday

Having referred to the event we celebrate on Good Friday (v18), Peter moves on to what many understand to be the events of the day between Christ’s crucifixion and  resurrection, His descent into Hell (cf. Eph4:9). That is, that through the mercy of God, the bulk of humanity alive at the time of the Flood who ignored Noah’s warning and perished have subsequently received a proclamation of hope from Jesus Himself. Likewise, as Peter indicates in the next chapter (4:6) do all the dead have opportunity to hear the Good News so that although having been punished in the flesh “they might live according to God in the spirit”.

Where’s the problem?

This is (for many) another “problem verse” that becomes thoroughly intelligible once one understands the context of gospel salvation within God’s broader reconciliatory plans. But firstly, in terms of divine justice, these imprisoned spirits were given the opportunity to repent and acknowledge Christ’s lordship; they were not to be betrothed as His eternal Bride, nor did they escape punishment, for in the case of these prediluvians they had been imprisoned for centuries.

The eluded context

The key point relates to the context of gospel salvation within God’s broader salvific plans for humanity. That happens to be the core subject matter of “The Little Book of Providence” and these posts pertaining to it. A proper understanding is required of what gospel salvation is from and what it primarily is for. The former can be summarized in one short statement of Paul – Rom7:24-25; its purpose also in Rom8:29 and its eschatology in Rev5:10. Those verses and their context certainly take some explaining (see full verses and related posts below). Once their wondrous implications have been grasped, then no question should remain regarding the relevance and urgent need to preach the gospel to the living with regard to Peter’s teaching here that those who failed to hear or respond positively to it in life should be given hope and the possibility of repentance in death.

The focus of the bible

A related point is that the bible does not set out the totality of God’s plan for His creation but concerns His stratagem for the reconciliation of a people to Himself to act, in Peter’s words, as His royal priesthood. Canonical scripture therefore focuses on  the key structures and players within that Plan: Jesus Christ,  Israel and the Church, whilst God’s rationale and intentions towards the rest of humanity have, in accordance with God’s purposes and timing, remained something of a mystery (cf. Enoch ch93 v10).

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Quoted texts and related posts

Rom7:24-25a  “Wretched man that I am! Who will set me free from the body of THIS death? ²⁵ Thanks be to God (it is) through Jesus Christ our Lord! 

Related post: https://richard-777.blog/2020/10/29/the-body-of-this-death/

Rom8:29 “For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren”

Rev5:9b-10 “You purchased people for God with Your blood from every tribe, language, people, and nation.  You have made them into a kingdom and priests to our God, and they will reign upon the earth.”

Related post: https://richard-777.blog/2023/01/19/what-salvation-means/

Enoch93:10(Charles numbering): “And at the close (of the seventh “week”) shall be chosen the elect righteous of the eternal plant of righteousness, to receive sevenfold instruction concerning all His creation”.

Related post: https://richard-777.blog/2022/03/21/the-apocalypse-of-weeks/

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¹³ Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every human institution, whether to a king as the one in authority, ¹⁴ or to governors as sent by Him for the punishment of evildoers and the praise of those who do right. ¹⁵ For such is the will of God, that by doing right you silence the ignorance of foolish people. ¹⁶ Act as free people, but do not use your freedom as a  cloak for evil, but as bond-servants of God. ¹⁷ Honour all people, love the brotherhood, fear God, honour the king.¹⁸ Servants, be subject to your masters with all respect, not only to those who are good and gentle, but also to those who are harsh. ¹⁹ For this finds favour, if for the sake of conscience toward God a person endures grief when suffering unjustly. ²⁰ For what credit is there if, when you sin and are harshly treated, you endure it with patience? But if when you do what is right and suffer for it you patiently endure it, this finds favour with God. ²¹ For you have been called for this purpose, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you would follow in His steps, ²² He who committed no sin, nor was any deceit found in His mouth; ²³ and while being abusively insulted, He did not insult in return; while suffering, He did not threaten, but kept entrusting Himself to Him who judges righteously; ²⁴ and He Himself brought our sins in His body up on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by His wounds you were healed. ²⁵ For you were continually straying like sheep, but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls (1Pet2:13-25).

Pilgrims to be good citizens

The previous post concerned what Peter had been teaching regarding the need for Christians to  live as “strangers and aliens” in the present world, looking towards “a new heaven and a new earth where righteousness dwells” (next chapter). Not conforming to the ways and attitudes of the majority, such pilgrims were in danger of being regarded with suspicion, even hostility by the Gentile people and authorities amongst whom they lived. Hence Peter wrote:  “Behave commendably among the Gentiles, so that with respect to the things through which they slander you as evildoers, they may in view  of your good works that they have witnessed, glorify God on the Day of Visitation” (v12). The apostle is now indicating how that is worked out in practice.

Kings and civic leaders should be respected and submitted to (vv13-14). They have been appointed in accordance with God’s will so that they might punish wrongdoers and commend those who do what is lawful and right. Paul had written on similar lines in Rom13:5-7, describing such leaders as the servants of God, even though as a  Roman citizen he was likely under the authority of the manic Christian-hating Emperor Nero at the time of writing. So there may be an element of generalization in the teaching, but for most Christians, in most places, most of the time, the truth holds that the authorities are there to uphold the good and supress lawlessness, in accordance with God’s wishes for an ordered society. Believer need to be those who, regardless of whether or not they receive it, are worthy of commendation for their behaviour within society. As well as “loving the brotherhood”, Christians are to “honour all people” and “honour the king” (v17), regardless of the latter’s religion or lack of it.

Called to suffer

Just as much as Paul, Peter is aware that Christians are what they are because they have been called of God (v21). Likewise, he confirms that as followers of Christ, they should expect suffering, ill treatment  and persecution, just like their Master. As a result of  sacramental provision and divine teaching, the true Christian has inner resources that others do not. If others who do the right thing are ill-treated or maligned for so doing, they understandably may feel aggrieved, upset or bitter. But as Peter indicates here, the Christian should “patiently endure it” (v20). Jesus went further, saying that when we are persecuted  or ill-treated we should “jump for joy!” (Lk6:23), especially if it is “for the sake of the Son of Man” (same verse). And the latter is not confined to evangelistic activity, but to anything we do in order to be faithful to the Lord’s teaching that others may oppose.  Here indeed is a test of faith and discipleship: following in the Master’s footsteps (v21) resulting in eternal rewards that the Christian’s abusers and disparagers shall never attain.

The penultimate verse speaks of Christ taking our sins upon Himself on the cross – not only so that we might be pardoned but “in order that we die to sin and live for righteousness”. Continuing a life of sin is not an option, as the writer to the Hebrews particularly made clear (10:26-30), a passage I covered in a previous post. As Peter affirms in the final verse, whilst we once strayed as sheep, we have now returned to the Bishop of our souls.

All sheep are “of God”

In terms of the broader benign providence I have been outlining regarding the majority who have not been called of God to serve His Son (v21; cf. Jn6:44), there’s something of a clue in Peter’s expression “we once strayed as sheep”. We can only have strayed from something existential, that being the light of Christ in the human spirit that governs the conscience (cf. Jn1:9 strictly KJV^NOTE1). Whilst most, but not all^NOTE2 defer to conscience, attaining a measure peace when they follow its guidance and guilt when they do not, the “fleshly lusts that war against the soul” (1Pet2:11) are ever inclined to lead the non-believer astray.

Whilst I would not wish to push the animal analogy too far, “sheep” in the New Testament, especially in Jesus’ illustrations, consistently refer to those who are “of God”^NOTE3, whereas wolves and particularly goats, the latter most definitively in the bible’s definitive judgement passage (Mt25), represent those who are of the devil. Just as tares cannot become wheat (Mt13), goats don’t convert to sheep, rather some of the lost sheep get found and “return to the Shepherd of their souls”. And by that Good Shepherd’s wounds, His personal flock have been healed/saved so that they might indeed die to sins and live for righteousness (v24).

Notes

NOTE#1  In terms of the translation of Jn1:9, it is hardly likely that John writing in the late first century would be informing his readers that the Light (Christ) “is coming into the world” (some more modern translations)

NOTE#2  Devoid of compassion, truth and a functioning conscience, these are the children of the devil.

NOTE#3  Check all New Testament references to “sheep” HERE

¹¹ Beloved, I urge you as foreigners and strangers to abstain from fleshly lusts, which wage war against the soul. ¹²  Behave commendably among the Gentiles, so that with respect to the things through which they slander you as evildoers, they may in view  of your good works that they have witnessed, glorify God on the Day of Visitation (1Pet2:11-12).

There is plenty more on which to comment in the next couple of verses of 1Peter. Firstly, his reference to his readers as “foreigners and strangers”. In his second letter Peter will expand on that idea when he speaks of the disciple of Christ “looking for new heavens and a new earth [Greek: γῆ] where righteousness dwells” (2Pet3:13). In the same passage, which (God willing) I shall come to in a future post, Peter’s language if taken literally suggests that he anticipates  our cosmic landscape to be somewhat transformed at or after Christ’s coming. That is why I have highlighted the Greek in his reference to a new earth, γῆ^G1093   emphasizing the physical, solid, material, earthly nature of at least a part of what is to follow in the age to come.

Foreigner and strangers

The main point the apostle is making concerns the fact that the true disciple of Christ should not regard himself as being entirely at home – not so much with respect to planet earth, but concerning what the bible refers to as the κόσμος^G2889 , being the current world order and its values.  St John had expressed the matter quite adamantly: “Love not the κόσμος, neither the things that are in the κόσμος – if any man love the κόσμος , the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the κόσμος , the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the κόσμος. (1Jn2:15-16).

This is a hard saying, and Jesus is no easier (e.g. Mt16:25). It is unlikely to be lived out by the many who are Christians in name only, but by true disciples of Christ, whom Scripture affirms shall attain to the first resurrection (Phil3:11; Jn6:54; Rev20:5-6) or if alive at the time be “raptured” (Lk17:34-36; 1Thes4:16-17). In Paul’s words  such individuals are  “pressing on towards the goal for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus” (Phil3:13-14). My book explains the context of God’s elect  within His broader salvific agenda, whilst this earlier post focuses  on the passage from Philippians.

Flesh versus spirit

Regarding John’s teaching I have highlighted “lust” as  it takes us on to Peter’s second point. As foreigners and strangers we should “abstain from fleshly lusts, which wage war against the soul” (v11). Highlighting here is to point out that what wars against something cannot be derived from it. It is affirming my interpretation of that pivotal passage in Rom7 concerning the battle between the flesh and the spirit. Paul was not referring to the Holy Spirit as so many infer but the human spirit which pertains to the soul. With Peter there is no lexical confusion; with Paul, in view of the fact that the Greek text was written without casing or punctuation, there unfortunately is. Peter and Paul (when the latter is rightly interpreted) affirm that the source of human sin is not the God-given soul (the spiritual part of us that returns to God at physical death – Eccles12:7) but  what I refer to as the procreated intellectual vessel (body and brain) that is finally buried or incinerated. This has profound  implications regarding the nature and outworking of original sin, also covered in an earlier post.

All true humanity shall glorify God

Peter’s final point in this short passage is about as far removed from my former “Reformed” theological perspective as it is possible to get. That is that Gentiles/non-Christians shall glorify God on the Day of Judgement for the good works Christians have performed (v12), and (by implication) endorse the rewards and honours Christ’s true disciples shall receive for so doing. Jesus spoke along similar lines in Mt5:16: “Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your Father which is in heaven”.

That is because unlike the Protestant Reformers, Jesus and Peter knew that mankind (most but not all of it) is not rotten to the core, but has an innate sense of justice and fairness. But then is it not an observable reality that most people regardless of any religious faith genuinely applaud and delight in people past and present who have performed acts of bravery, heroism or made substantial contributions to humanitarian wellbeing and the like? And the latter virtues should certainly apply to  God’s elect, who are assuredly not intended to be merely “an assembly of justified sinners”. As Paul told Titus, they are those who have been “redeemed from all iniquity and purified to God as a peculiar people with a zeal to do good works” (Tit2:14).

The Day of Visitation

How much more then shall all men and women of good will glorify God for Jesus Christ when He comes to judge the world with His saints (1Thes3:13; Jud1:14), especially when it is shown and understood what our glorious Saviour and Lord has achieved though the victory of the Cross. This will occur on what Peter describes as the “Day of Visitation”. More usually referred to as the Day of Judgement, it is also depicted as the Restoration of all things (Acts3:21), the Regeneration (Mt19:28) and the dreadful Day of the Lord (Mal4:5). Of those alive at the time only God’s elect shall be entirely delivered from it  (1Thes4:16-17).

The rest of humanity will need (so much) to be enlightened, in many cases rebuked, and in the case of the truly wicked, despatched for age-enduring punishment. The latter are the children of the devil, described by Jesus in parables as goats or tares. Such could never worship or serve the One who is the pinnacle of Goodness, Truth and Light, concerning all of which they know nothing. The rest shall embark on yet to be disclosed activities (1Jn3:2) within Peter’s longed-for new heavens and new earth. Righteousness shall certainly dwell there, for Satan and his minions will have been despatched and John’s “κόσμος” will have been replaced by the rule of Christ with His saints.

REFERENCED TEXTS (in order quoted)

Mt16:25 For whoever wants to save his life will lose it; but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.

Phil3:11 in order that by some means I (Paul) may attain to the resurrection from the dead.

Jn6:54 The one who eats My flesh and drinks My blood has(present tense) eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.

Rev20:5-6 The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were completed. This is the first resurrection. ⁶ Blessed and holy is the one who has a part in the first resurrection; over these the second death has no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ, and will reign with Him for a thousand years.

Lk17:34-35 I tell you, on that night there will be two in one bed; one will be taken and the other will be left. ³⁵ There will be two women grinding at the same place; one will be taken and the other will be left. 

1Th4:16-17 For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. ¹⁷ Then we who are alive, who remain, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord.

Ecles12:7 Then the dust will return to the earth as it was, and the spirit will return to God who gave it.

1Th3:13 So that He may establish your hearts blameless in holiness before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all His saints.

Jud1:14 It was also about these people that Enoch, in the seventh generation from Adam, prophesied, saying, “Behold, the Lord has come with many thousands of His holy ones

Acts3:21 (Jesus) whom heaven must receive until the time of restoration of all things, about which God spoke by the mouths of His holy prophets from ancient times

Mt19:28  Jesus said to them, “Truly I say to you, that you who have followed Me, in the regeneration when the Son of Man will sit on His glorious throne, you also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.

Mal4:5 Behold, I am going to send you “Elijah” the prophet before the coming of the great and terrible day of the Lord

1Jn3:2a Beloved, we are now children of God, but it has not appeared as yet what we will be.

⁴ And coming to (Christ) as to a living stone which has been rejected by people, but is elect and precious in the sight of God, ⁵ you also as living stones are being built up as a spiritual house for a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices that are acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. ⁶ For this is contained in Scripture: “Behold, I am laying in Zion a choice stone, a precious cornerstone, and the one who entrusts himself to Him will not be put to shame.” ⁷ This has great value then for you who believe; but for unbelievers, (He is) “a stone which the builders rejected that became the chief cornerstone,” ⁸ and, “a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense”. They stumble because they are disobedient to the word, and to this they were also appointed. ⁹ But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, so that you may proclaim the excellent qualities of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvellous light (1Pet2:4-9).

The main point I want to make from this next section of 1Peter pertains to the context of God’s royal priesthood within broader benign providence. As is often and intentionally the case within these posts, the points I draw out from a particular passage are not necessarily the main theme that the author, in this case Peter, wished to impart. His narrative primarily focuses  on Christ being the most precious and important component  of the “household of God”. Also the fact that many people, most notoriously members of God’s chosen people under the Old Covenant, have rejected that “chief cornerstone”, whereas blessed are those who entrust themselves to Him, themselves becoming “living stones” of that metaphorical house of God.

But I am not here primarily to exegete the passage – others can do far better, including the  artificial intelligence (AI) analysis that is available these days. Rather, I am forever looking for clues and insights regarding  the broader benign providence that I believe I am intended to draw to the churches’ attention, together with the related  negative but necessary deconstruction of certain established theologies by which God’s munificent plans for broader humanity have been obscured.

In terms of this particular passage, by “broader humanity” I refer to the many people who are NOT “a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession”, nor could they be apart from an act of sovereign grace on God’s part (cf. Jn6:44 and the explicit or more frequently implicit references to predestination by Peter, John and Paul in particular). If alive at the time, such people (the vast majority) shall not be “raptured” so as to be delivered from God’s awesome “Day of Wrath”. Nor shall they be corporately married to the Lord of glory (Rev19:7), still less come to share His throne (Rev3:21). But many, not all, shall finally receive admittance into God’s eternal Kingdom, having demonstrated by their actions and attitudes in life the reality of their true humanity (cf. Mt25:31-46), a passage  devoid of so much as an implicit reference to religion or religious faith, “merely” to compassionate love – the essence of God.

 There is much more that could be said on that point, and it has been, but with reference to the royal priesthood, its members are intended to offer spiritual sacrifices to God but also to “proclaim the excellent qualities of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvellous light” (v9). Many translations translate ἀρετὰς ἐξαγγείλητε along the lines “show forth the praises” (e.g. KJV, NKJV, NIV, EHV). Of course, those privileged to be amongst that blessed assembly should praise God for the grace that has been shown to them, but as in the NASB translation I have utilized Peter is also if not primarily referring to proclaiming and expounding to those who have not been so blessed, the truly excellent qualities and intelligible goodness of God’s character and actions.

That will virtually be impossible for some (including myself in the past) who understand God to have chosen them regardless of any inherent merit on their part to enjoy unimaginable privileges and eternal joy, whilst for the rest of humanity, in view of the fate that awaits them it would have better if they had never been born. From the more prevalent Arminian or “moderated Calvinist” Evangelical perspective,  God is One who will deliver people from eternal miseries providing they are fortunate enough to have heard and understood a faithful and accurate presentation of the gospel.

That of course very much depends on their cultural, religious and societal heritage, the historical formation of which our sovereign God has (seemingly) passively overseen and thereby facilitated, along with a proliferation of Christian sects and denominations with their varying accounts of what is actually required for salvation. Even having lived in the nominally Christian United Kingdom for 70+ years, there are very few people I have met outside my particular  church circles who have instinctively understood  what was required of them to be “saved”, still less could those billions brought up as (say) Muslims or  the myriads of souls who have  lived within  unevangelized pagan or dictatorially atheistic regimes.

 Of course, many more liberal Evangelical, Anglican, Catholic and Orthodox Christians do believe and are able to declare from the heart that God is good and loving, but regrettably only by themselves or their churches rejecting, obscuring, rationalizing or at best “holding forth in mystery” some essential gospel truths, such as the bible’s irrefutable teaching on predestination and post-mortem punishment. That together with the unintentional but unavoidably dire depiction of God’s nature and providential intentions depicted by those who primarily seek to be faithful to the bible as they have been taught it is the inevitable outworking of the binary (saved or damned) soteriology that I am systematically adducing to be in error.

The God I have come to know and have delineated in The Little Book of Providence most assuredly can be proclaimed to all humanity as excellent, magnanimous and gracious in character. And although His ways are indeed  at times difficult to fathom, their rationale has been made much clearer to me, which I have also set out in that book and some recent posts. For God must be shown to be both fair and just, if from a human perspective He is  also perceived to be loving and kind, let alone accord with the bible’s depiction as love personified (1Jn4:8). As I showed in the previous post, He is the very image of Jesus Christ, or rather vice versa – our gracious loving Lord is the very Eikon of God (Heb1:3), of Whom the Psalmist prophetically wrote that “All the earth shall worship You, and shall sing to You; they shall sing to Your name (Ps66:4).

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2 Therefore, rid yourselves of all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and slander, ² and like new-born babies, long for the reasonable and unadulterated milk of the word, so that by it you may advance in respect to salvation, ³ if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is kind (1Pet2:3 – my translation)

The Lord IS kind (honest!)

I merely want to pick up on the highlighted phrase in verse 3: “the Lord is kind”. The Greek text  χρηστὸς ὁ κύριος could also legitimately be translated as “the Lord is gentle” or “the Lord is pleasant”, even “the Lord is useful” but the latter would hardly do Him justice. A point of grammar is that “the Lord” ( ὁ κύριος) is nominative (i.e. the subject) and kind/gentle/pleasant or whatever (χρηστὸς) is the adjective describing that Subject. “The Lord” could be referring to Jesus Christ – it almost certainly would be if Paul were writing (cf. 1Cor8:6), but Peter could be referring to God (the Father). In a sense it doesn’t matter, for if you have seen the One you have seen the Other – in terms of nature, that is. Disciple Philip needed to be enlightened about that (Jn14:9), and note that Jesus was referring to Himself as He had revealed His character during His earthly ministry (“How long have I been with you, Philip?”).

Jesus – the Eikon of God

As I pointed out in a much earlier post pertaining to that passage in John, Jesus’ gentle rebuke of Philip challenges a lot of theology, not least the Calvinism I grew up with. The idea that the Man Christ Jesus was “the exact representation of (His Father’s) nature” (Heb1:3NASB) challenges so many  tenets of Reformed and other traditional bible-based theology. For Jesus Christ, as He amply demonstrated in His earthly ministry was kind; He was compassionate towards all who were needy, tolerant towards the genuinely ignorant, and intelligibly reasonable and fair in all His judgements (cf. Mt7:2). The God of the Bible as so many have come to understand Him is none of those things, and indeed the likes of Augustine, Luther and the Protestant Reformers regarded God’s nature as barely comprehensible to human reason, even in the case of those who were being sanctified and according to Paul already possessed the mind of Christ.

The usual translations

So coming back to our opening point about the translation of χρηστὸς ὁ κύριος, it is perhaps no surprise that most bible versions are reluctant to translate the phrase literally and simply as “the Lord is kind”, as can be demonstrated using Biblegateway. Some bible versions refer to “the kindness of the Lord” but in the Greek, ὁ κύριος is nominative not genitive – the latter implies that kindness (or whatever) is a quality God possesses and may choose to exercise rather than what He is by nature. John’s statement that “God is love” (1Jn4:8), for example, is even more powerful – both words are nominative: love is what God is, and love (ἀγάπη) assuredly incorporates kindness.

Echoes of Psalm 34

Many simply translate the phrase as “the Lord is good”, no doubt with Ps34:8 in mind: “Taste and see that the Lord is “טוֹב”” As to what the Hebrew טוֹב^H2896 actually means, check out Biblehub – it translates as “good, pleasant, agreeable, beneficial, beautiful, best, better, bountiful, cheerful, at ease, fair, favour, fine, glad, goodly, graciously, joyful, kindly, loving, merry, pleasant, precious, prosperity, ready, sweet, wealth, welfare, well-favoured” . Take your pick! The Greek χρηστὸς^G5543 specifically emphasizes kindness, gentleness and pleasantness.

Other versions such as the King James take the phrase to be “God is gracious” – but then that is perhaps as close to kindness as the early Reformer translators dare get, but it’s not really a valid translation of χρηστὸς. If Peter intended “grace” or “gracious” he more likely would have employed  χάρις or its derivatives, as he did on eight occasions in his first epistle. Apart from which, grace as the KJV authors understood it was for the chosen few; towards the rest they understood the Creator to be anything but kind, gentle or pleasant.

Pardon my literalism

My task has been to show that such sincerely held perspectives (which were mine also for 28 years) are a misinterpretation of Scripture and a travesty of the truth concerning God’s nature and especially His providential intentions. If I appear to be over-literal and pedantic in the task of proving it, so be it.  It has been the method I’ve employed throughout this process, and (I am clear with the Spirit’s help) it has enabled me for the first time in my life to understand Scripture such that it becomes thoroughly coherent.

Why we got it so wrong

Very briefly to close, there are two main reasons why God’s nature and providential purposes have been misunderstood. The first is the interpretation of Scripture as a whole, for which reason I believe I was intended to write The Little Book of Providence (see small-print postscript). The second reason is the fact that whilst God’s nature should be intelligible to those created in His image, God’s ways  are entirely another matter: “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways And My thoughts than your thoughts (Is55:9).

The prime example is God’s extraordinary, seemingly detached superintendence of Satan and his empire in the current age, and the related utilization of evil and suffering in the world that He so loves (cf. Jn3:16; Eph6:12). I have been shown the latter pertains to His purposes for those He most loves (because they love and serve His Son) in preparation for their eventual glorification (Heb2:9-11 cf. Rev10:7). This was touched upon in my previous Halloween post and was dealt with in a little more detail in the one prior to that (“Ransomed from Futility”).

[These posts pertain to an expansive revelation concerning divine providence. It was the result of a prophetic insight received by the author, who believes the process he is involved with is itself a fulfilment of scriptural prophecy, both canonical and extra-canonical – more particularly Revelation chapter ten and two related passages from the Book of Enoch (ch93:8-10 and ch104:11-13 Charles edition numbering). The full picture is set out in “The Little Book of Providence”  and summarized in 95 theses HERE ].

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Halloween may not be directly to do with the devil, but for those of us who believe in his existence, the Prince of Darkness is certainly alluded to in the sinister, scary and implicitly evil characters depicted in the festival in the form it is now celebrated. It originates from the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain which marked the end of the harvest and the beginning of winter. Those ancient celebrators also believed it to be a time when the spirits of the dead (including evil ones) were most likely to break into the physical world👻. The name itself derives from the Eve of All Hallows, a Christian festival established by the early church to be held on 1^st November, commemorating all “saints” believed to be in heaven, October 31st being a day set apart to prepare for it.

As to why I suggest that it is not entirely inappropriate for the leader of the realm of darkness  be commemorated by Christians, my previous post supplies most of the answers. To summarize, if it were not for Satan, forget Halloween, there would be no Christmas or Easter either. The “Word of God” would not have temporarily been made “a little lower than the angels” and taken on human flesh. If Satan had not successfully deceived Eve and Adam, then mankind would not have had the need of a Saviour. At worst they may have required a divine Leader as their Example, but not One who would go on to die for sin, be resurrected and further glorified.

The ascent of man

But then the stupendous implications of verses, especially some found in Hebrews, could not apply:

“For it was fitting for (Christ), for whom are all things, and through whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to perfect the Forerunner of their salvation through sufferings. ¹¹ For both He who sanctifies and those who are sanctified are all from one Father; for this reason He is not ashamed to call them His own brethren” Heb2:10-11)

I ask you, to which of the angels would Jesus have made that last statement? None, I suggest, not even to the former Arch-Angel Lucifer prior to his rebellion. Indeed, that is likely why he rebelled, i.e. God’s incredible plan to raise the sons of earth to heights that even the angels of Heaven may not attain (cf. Rev3:21 & 19:7😲). For what were the ingredients  for such children of dust to be raised to divinity as Christ’s kith and kin and corporate bride? I have highlighted them above: sin, suffering and sanctification through Christ’s blood, none of which would have been available if evil and oppression had not entered the world.

The Lackey of God

Satan’s treachery has effectively facilitated God’s Plan for the people who were the source of that former angel’s resentment. For God is incapable of sin and could never be legally responsible for initiating evil and suffering in the world. Yet as just demonstrated from Scripture, such was beneficial, even necessary in fulfilling God’s plans for humanity, starting with those God has chosen for Christ (Jn17:6). Satan has thereby unintentinally become the Lackey of God, facilitating the preparation for the glorious ascent of those he most hates and resents.

Nevertheless, he still exercises authority in the world, not through Halloween’s witches, vampires and zombies but via certain human beings whom, like Cain of old, he possesses and controls (1Jn3:12). Satan is still an awesomely powerful being, the ruler of the forces of darkness with which Christians in particular must wrestle (Eph6:12). In terms of the relatively harmless spooky-fun festivities of the season, if Satan is to be thought of at all it should certainly be with a sense of wariness and caution, but in view of the above, perhaps also with a measure of derision and pity.

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¹⁷ If you address as Father the One who impartially judges according to each one’s work, conduct yourselves in fear during the time of your stay on earth; ¹⁸ knowing that you were not RANSOMED with perishable things like silver or gold FROM YOUR FUTILE WAY OF LIFE inherited from your forefathers, ¹⁹ but with precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb unblemished and spotless. ²⁰ For He was foreknown before the foundation of the world, but has appeared in these last times for your sake ²¹ who through Him are believers in God, who raised Him from the dead and glorified Him, so that your faith and hope are in God. ²² Since you have purified your souls in obedience to the truth for a sincere love of the brethren, fervently love one another from the heart, ²³ for you have been born again not of seed which is perishable, but imperishable, that is, through the living and enduring word of God. ²⁴ For, “All flesh is like grass and all its glory is like the flower of grass. The grass withers, and the flower falls off, ²⁵  but the word of the Lord endures forever.” And that is the Good News message which was preached to you (1Pet1:17-25).

Λυτρόω?

Probably the most interesting aspect of this passage is Peter’s reference to the Christian being “λυτρόω”, usually translated as “ransomed”, being a payment made to obtain the release of a captive. The context is Peter’s opening statement that the believer who addresses God as Father needs to live and act in the light of One “who impartially judges according to each one’s work” (v17). In terms of the payment for the ransom, it is notable that whilst “silver and gold” are normally regarded as precious and enduring such as when  Paul contrasts gold and silver with wood and stubble in 1Cor3:12, these “precious metals” are nothing in comparison to the yet more precious blood of Christ.

Ransomed from what?

In terms of what the Christian has been delivered from, some might expect it to be along the lines of “going to hell when you die”. But as I am in the business of demonstrating, that is never the context of gospel salvation in the epistles, whereas it is the context of Mt25:31-46 concerning the “sheep” and “goats” and how they  dealt with their fellow man. That is a passage in which religious faith is neither mentioned nor implied. Likewise in Jesus’ parable concerning the rich man and Lazarus (earlier post) in which “Dives” was informed that the reason he was suffering in Hades whilst Lazarus was being comforted pertained to their respective material conditions in life (Lk16:25). Also, by implication, that the rich man (like the M25 “goats”) had done nothing to alleviate Lazarus’s suffering and poverty though he had more than adequate resources to have done so.  

No, what the Christian has primarily been delivered from is referred to by Peter as a “futile way of life, inherited from your forefathers” (v18). Given that the people to whom Peter was addressing are likely to have  predominantly been converted Jews, some commentators believe that to be referring to redundant aspects of Torah observance that were no longer applicable to the Christian. That could be the case in part, but given that “the precious blood of Christ” was not exclusively shed for Jews, there is a much broader perspective  – the whole of humanity. That “futile way of life” resulted from the Fall – Eve and Adam’s disobedience, Satan’s trickery, and (dare I say it) God’s plans for humanity.

The Fall and God’s part in it

 I dare say it for Paul confirmed as much:  ^“For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it, in the certain hope that the creation itself also will be set free from its slavery to corruption into the freedom of the glory of the children of God” (Rom8:20-21). Note my highlighting: it was God , not the devil, still less mankind who willingly subjected itself to futility, albeit it was the devil’s evil and mankind’s disobedience that were legally responsible for that seeming catastrophe. Note also that Paul speaks of creation as a whole being set free from its slavery to corruption. That cannot be referring to God’s elect, for as Peter is indicating in this passage, Christians have already been set free from such. Yet, writes Paul, God’s intention is that all creation is indeed “set free from its slavery to corruption”.  However, the apostle is even more adamant and quite repetitive concerning the fact  that God does not intend that all come to a saving knowledge of Christ in the present age. That privilege and the responsibilities that go with it falls to “those whom He foreknew and predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son (Rom8:29). They shall be Christ’s bride; they shall share His throne (Rev3:21); others will not. Yet all true humanity^NOTE1 shall in due course be “freed from slavery to corruption” and the futility of existence to which Peter is referring, into Paul’s “freedom of the children of God”.

For truly, the Eden incident was  far from a catastrophe for mankind, but it was so for the devil (and his seed^NOTE2 ), and also had dire consequences for the Godhead, culminating at Calvary. Such a statement, to put it mildly, may appear counter-intuitive, but I speak of the very long term  and God’s ultimate purposes for humanity. If God had not been willing to oversee the introduction of sin and evil in the world, then His Word would not have become flesh, and chosen members of the human race would not have become intimately associated with the Man Christ Jesus as His brethren and sisters and corporate spouse. The people to whom I refer are God’s elect, who (nota bene) are classified in Scripture as the “Church of the firstborn ones” (Heb12:23)  and the “firstfruits of creation” (Jam1:18). As recently considered,  firstborn and firstfruits infer pre-eminence but also the fact that many more shall follow. Whilst God is incapable of evil, the divine principle pertaining to His actions is that the end justifies the means – a willingness for His beloved Son to be  slaughtered at Calvary being the ultimate example.

Rationale for the Fall

 Likewise, the Eden “catastrophe” was the means by which children of dust could ultimately be raised to divinity. Satan’s seeming victory resulted in mankind, starting with God’s elect, being destined for a status superior to angels and former angels such as Lucifer – because they were, as a direct result of the Fall, to become intimately associated with the Lord of Glory. Sinners needed to be sanctified, yet “Both He who sanctifies and those who are sanctified are all from One, for this reason (Christ) is not ashamed to call them brothers and sisters” (Heb2:11). What is more, the havoc Satan caused provided the ideal environment for those who are to be so raised: a struggle against evil  and the suffering that goes with it – the grist for glory (cf. Heb2:10).

Futility in context

Finally, a point about Peter and Paul’s reference to futility and a futile way of life. This is relative to God’s ultimate purpose for mankind in the current age, which was to have a living and intimate relationship with Himself and prepare for still greater intimacy and glory in the ages to come. As a result of the Fall, such is currently restricted to those whom by free grace He chooses to, in Peter’s words “be born again, not of seed which is perishable, but imperishable, that is, through the living and enduring word of God” (v23). A part of what such believers have been redeemed from is the devil and his influence on the ways of the world (Eph2:2) and his disruption of the propagation and reception of the Gospel (cf. Mt13:19).

This is not to say that everyone else’s existence is in the usual sense of the word, futile. All who in life have made a difference for good towards others and society effectively leave this world a better place than they found it. They shall gain God’s approval, as Scripture more explicitly affirms shall those like Mt 25 “sheep”, who through their compassion towards those in need (i.e. “Christ” Mt25:40) will gain admittance into God’s kingdom.

Our merciful, magnanimous God is concerned for the wellbeing of all people of good will. He knows the current plight Satan’s treacherous influence on the world has placed us in – as did Paul: “We know that the whole creation groans and suffers the pains of childbirth together until now. And not only they but also we ourselves being the first fruits of the Spirit  groan within ourselves, waiting eagerly for our adoption as (God’s) sons and daughters, the redemption of our body!” (Rom8:22-23).

NOTE#1 – By “true humanity” and  indeed “people of good will”, I do not refer to everyone born of woman, only those (thankfully the majority) who retain the seed of humanity (1Jn3:9 strictly NASB). Others, starting with Cain, are ἐκ τοῦ πονηροῦ = “of the Evil One”  (1Jn3:2). Their spirits were created by God but not planted by Him  but by the Adversary (Mt15:13). They are described by Jesus, John and Paul as “children of the devil”. They were indeed Paul’s “vessels adapted^G2675 for destruction” – if you have understood this post you will know for what purpose. Such in secular terms  would be described as psychopaths, but by no means all are criminal (au contraire 2Cor11:13). Respectable or otherwise, they are devoid of conscience, compassion and truth and shall play no positive part in God’s future Kingdom as far as Scripture permits us to foresee. This is the mystery of evil, considered in more detail in  The Little Book of Providence chapter six.

NOTE#2 – The devil’s seed are referred to in the Protoevangelium (Gen3:15), defined as per note#1.

¹³ Therefore, prepare your minds for action, remain sober, set your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. ¹⁴ As obedient children, do not be conformed to the former lusts which were yours in your ignorance, ¹⁵ but like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves also in all your behaviour; ¹⁶ because it is written: “You shall be holy, for I am holy.” ¹⁷ If you address as Father the One who impartially judges according to each one’s work, conduct yourselves in fear during the time of your stay on earth; (1Pet1:13-17).

Context

The opening “therefore” pertains to the astonishing nature of human salvation within the New Covenant, which as considered in the previous post intrigued the very angels of heaven. A Christian who has at least begun to grasp the stupendous nature of his or her future destiny is the one most likely to comply with Peter’s exhortation to set their  hopes completely on God’s gracious intentions towards them when Jesus Christ returns (v13).

Incentives to be holy

Such that has been revealed to me concerning the wonders of the Christian’s destiny was reviewed in the previous post. But thinking back to my much earlier perspectives, if one regards being a Christian as primarily a form of spiritual insurance policy against future damnation, the sober-minded contemplation and preparation Peter calls for is less likely to be the case; one’s hopes and aspirations are more likely to be focussed on the things of this world that James warned us about in the previous epistle.

God’s impartial judgement

That is especially the case if, as I used to believe, the whole salvation process is “all of grace and all of God”. For sure, He alone initiates it, but thereafter it is very much down to the believer to “work out his own salvation with fear and trembling” (Phil2:12). As verse 17 asserts, God judges everyone impartially, according to their own works. That places (or should place) the Christian at a great advantage (next paragraph), but the notion that Christ’s personal righteousness is imputed to the believer would make a nonsense of passages such as this, as it does of so much Scripture, not least that of Paul. As quoted in this paragraph, the latter affirms with Peter (v17) that our conduct as Christians on earth should be regarded with a measure of fear as well as joy and hope.

The privileges and responsibilities of election

Peter refers to “your former lusts (that were committed) in ignorance” (v14). Whilst ignorance is by no means bliss, not least in spiritual matters, I have been at pains to point out from  Scripture, again contrary to what I once understood as a Calvinist, that God is more merciful to the ignorant than He is to those He has called to be His own, who should know better (cf. Amos3:2) . And as recently considered, Christians being under the New Covenant not only have a knowledge of God’s law and the example of Jesus Christ’s life on earth, they have the spiritual resources at their disposal to help transform their former way of life. “So if the word spoken through angels proved unalterable, and every violation and act of disobedience received a just punishment (under the Old Covenant), ³ how will we possibly escape if we are careless of so great a salvation?” (Heb2:2-3)

So, concludes Peter quoting Scripture, “like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves in all your behaviour; because it is written: ‘You shall be holy, for I am holy’.” That is what JHWE told His people under the Old Covenant: “You shall be holy towards me: for I the Lord am holy, and have separated you from other people, that you should be My own” (Lev20:26). For those like Martin Luther who understood God’s nature to be incomprehensible to human reason, this presents a difficulty. Those who recognize that man has been created in God’s image will know that Peter and the Scripture he was referring to are not asking the impossible.

God’s holiness is infinitely superior in degree, but cannot be alien in nature to those who have been created in His own image. Every good trait that we possess derives from Him. And applying all available means of grace and following the example of our Master and Saviour, the Christian is well able to comply with the requirements of those set apart to be the heirs of God and joint-heirs with Christ.

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¹² It was revealed to (the OT prophets) that they were not ministering (prophecies) concerning themselves, but regarding those things which now have been announced to you through those who preached the gospel to you in the Holy Spirit sent from heaven—things into which angels earnestly desire to look into (1Pet1:12).

The superiority of the New Covenant

The featured verse relates to the point I was emphasizing in the previous post, that there are aspects concerning the New Covenant and the Good News (gospel) pertaining to it that wondrously transcend the provisions, promises and revelations provided to God’s chosen people under the Old Covenant.

In terms of spiritual provision, the sprinkling of animals’ blood has been replaced by the precious and powerful blood of the Lamb of God that ultimately shall rid the world of sin (cf. Jn1:29). For the present, the blood of sprinkling (previous post) is only able to both pardon and purge people God has chosen to be united with His Son (cf. Jn6:44). They are God’s elect who “have received the first fruits of the Spirit”. Even so, like Paul they groan within themselves, waiting eagerly  their adoption as sons, being the redemption of the body.” (cf. Rom8:23). Who are these “elect” – heirs to a throne? More than that, they are “heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him so that we may also be glorified with Him” (Rom8:17).

A theology of glory?

I make no apology for such a theology of glory, both in terms of the Christian’s destiny and the salvific processes leading up to it. Yet both are entirely predicated by a theology of the Cross. It has everything to do with the Word who became flesh, suffered and died at Calvary, was resurrected and ascended to glory. What is more, if sin had not entered the world, and you and I were not by nature sinners, the only begotten Son of God would not needed to have taken on human flesh to remedy the situation. For it is as a result of our first parents’ disobedience that the One who was second only to God the Father was temporarily  made a little lower than the angels and became Man.

Firstborn and first fruits

Such divine condescension is the origin and ultimate reason for mankind’s glorious destiny – because the One who humbled Himself for our benefit has  become Prince of the Universe (Mt28:18). God’s elect are also described as “those whom (God) foreknew and predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son  so that (Christ) would be the Firstborn (forerunner/leader/representative) among many brothers and sisters” (Rom8:29).

Yet this elect, as the first fruit of God’s earthly creation (Jam1:18), are themselves depicted as “the Church of the firstborn” (plural) [Heb12:23]. First fruit and firstborn are expressions that are indicative of pre-eminence. But as with Christ (the Firstborn from the dead) and His people (the Church of the firstborn), it is an indication that more shall follow, and my book (linked below) sets out how such broader benign providence can be deduced from the whole of Scripture.

Resolving the mystery of evil

In view of the above, is it any wonder that the angels “earnestly desire to look into (these matters)? Yet some of their number, headed by Lucifer, had earlier rebelled on learning their Creator’s plans, especially His intention to elevate members of the human race into a familial, indeed  a marital relationship with One who is superior to the angels (cf. Heb2 vv5,11,16; Rev21:9). [This is a great mystery but I speak concerning Christ and the Church].

Lucifer, that former arch-angel of light whom we now know as the Adversary (Satan) believed he had gained his revenge at Eden. But as God well knew and recent posts have attested, the evil and suffering that resulted from his successful enticement of our first parents into sin were necessary ingredients and grist in the progression of mere children of dust to joint-heirship with Christ and an inheritance in the heavenlies (previous post).

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^{[These posts pertain to an expansive revelation concerning divine providence. It was the result of a prophetic insight received by the author, who believes the process he is involved with is itself a fulfilment of scriptural prophecy, both canonical and extra-canonical – more particularly Revelation chapter ten and two related passages from the Book of Enoch (ch93:8-10 and ch104:11-13 Charles edition numbering). The full picture is set out in “The Little Book of Providence”  and summarized in 95 theses HERE ]}

1 Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who reside as strangers, scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, who are chosen ² according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, by sanctification of the spirit so as to obey Jesus Christ and be sprinkled with his blood: May grace and peace be multiplied to you. ³ Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great loving kindness has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, ⁴ to obtain an inheritance which is imperishable, undefiled, and will not fade away, reserved in the heavens for you, ⁵ who are protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. ⁶ In this you greatly rejoice, even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials, ⁷ so that the proof of your faith, being more precious than gold which perishes though tested by fire, may be found to result in praise, glory, and honour at the revelation of Jesus Christ; ⁸ and though you have not seen Him, you love Him, and though you do not see Him now, but believe in Him, you greatly rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, ⁹ obtaining as the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls. ¹⁰ Of which salvation the prophets have enquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you: ¹¹ Searching exactly what, or what manner of time the spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow (1Pet1:1-11)

Moving on to 1Peter, the apostle’s opening verse concerns the fact that those who become the disciples of Christ do so because they have been chosen of God. This of course concurs with Paul and every other New Testament writer who refers directly or indirectly to predestination. In Jesus’ words, “No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him” (Jn6:44). Given it is all God’s work, it happens by a person’s soul/spirit being sanctified (v2), in the sense of being set apart for Christ and having been spiritually enabled to discern that He is the Way, Truth and Life.

The blood of sprinkling

Ongoing sanctification in terms of purification is a work of the Holy Spirit, but also involves being “sprinkled with Christ’s blood” (v2). That expression harks back to  the sprinkling of animal’s  blood upon congregations in Old Testament times. That was a foreshadowing of the Eucharist, which in turn infers that Peter (along with the writer to the Hebrews in 12:24)  were referring to a ceremonial act in which Christ’s blood (or that which contains it) is received, not merely a remembrance or symbolization. The latter also fails to satisfy the obligations of John chapter six concerning the need to eat Christ’s body and drink His blood in order to be raised to eternal Life (v53) and attain the first resurrection (v54).

Such is  “the blood of Jesus Christ that cleanses  us from all sin” (1Jn1:7), “καθαρίζει” (cleanses) being a present indicative active verb; such forgiveness and cleansing also being subject to our walking in the light as Christ is in the light (same verse). Surely the Apostle John was being prophetic when he cautioned concerning how the Spirit still testifies to Christ’s presence on earth:

“This is the One who has come through water and blood, Jesus Christ; not in the water only, but  in the water and in (ἐν^G1722) the blood. It is the Spirit who testifies, because the Spirit is truth. For there are three that testify: the Spirit and the water and the blood; and these three are into the one (1Jn5:6-8)?

Chosen to be heirs

After Peter’s opening blessing (vv1-2) the narrative proceeds by affirming again that it was not the believer’s choice to “get saved” but that we have been born again because God has caused it (v3), and that it was made possible through Christ’s resurrection from the dead. God’s initiation is evidenced again by reference to an inheritance (which is rarely if ever the recipient’s choice). And what an inheritance! – one that is “reserved in the heavens (plural -οὐρανοῖς )”. If you have been following my posts you will know that I do not take that to be referring to the soul going to heaven, particularly in this instance, because as Peter goes on to write, it pertains to a salvation that is “ready to be revealed in the last days” (v5).

Salvation within the New Covenant

In the meantime, Peter was aware that like himself and his Master before him, the believers he was addressing were likely to experience trials and tribulations (vv6-7). As recently considered, these were both necessary and beneficial for those with such a destiny, and would result in “the salvation of their souls”. But note what follows – “Of which salvation the prophets have enquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you” (v10). Salvation within the New Covenant sealed in Christ’s blood was not merely to avoid going to Hell. That would hardly have been an issue for the aforementioned prophets, still less for the angels, who Peter goes on to write “desire to look into these matters”.  It rather pertains to the “glory that should follow the suffering of Christ” (v11) and the precise nature of the New Testament’s Good News  that so intrigued the angels (v12 – next post), the more stupendous aspects of which have not generally been acknowledged or taught by the churches, for reasons I suggested in a recent post .  

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5 Come on now you rich people, get weeping and howling for the miseries that await you! ² Your wealth has rotted and your garments have become moth-eaten. ³ Your gold and your silver have corroded, and their corrosion will serve as a testimony against you and will consume your flesh like fire. It is in the last days that you have stored up your treasure! ⁴ Behold, the pay of the labourers who mowed your fields, and which has been withheld by you, cries out against you; and the outcry of those who did the harvesting has reached the ears of the Lord of armies. ⁵ You have lived for pleasure on the earth and lived luxuriously; you have fattened your hearts in a day of slaughter. ⁶ You have condemned and put to death the righteous person; he offers you no resistance. ⁷ Therefore be patient, brothers, until the coming of the Lord (James5:1-7).

Unlike the previous related warning from James (ch4) regarding loving the world resulting in being at enmity with God, this yet more ominous tirade almost certainly concerned people outside the church, members of which may have suffered at their hands. That is suggested by verse 7: “Therefore be patient, brothers, until the coming of the Lord”. Note incidentally that this is typical of apostolic appeals regarding what the believer should be looking forward to: not so much “going to heaven when you die” but the return of the Lord Jesus, or particularly in Paul’s case, the resurrection of the body (note especially Rom8:23). As that verse explicitly states, it is not until that point that the Christian becomes a fully adopted member of God’s family.

What about Job?

Returning to James’ tirade, one might wonder whether God  intrinsically has a problem with people who are materially wealthy? Not so, the prime example being (in today’s terms) a millionaire named Job. God delighted in him, to the point of challenging the devil to find any fault in him. And after Job’s well chronicled ordeals God rewarded him by making him wealthier still! But then man has been made in the image of the Lord of the universe, and as we have just seen, God’s elect who are a kind of first fruits of humanity (Jam1:18) and the “firstborn” (leader/representative) of the human family (Heb12:23 ) are currently being conformed into the image of their Firstborn (Rom8:29) so as to be adopted into the bosom of God’s family, where untold wealth and privilege both spiritual and material must surely abound.

The current world order

No, the problem with earthly riches is who currently possesses them and how they are utilized. It’s back to the previous chapter/post concerning the “κόσμος”,  i.e. the current world order and its way of thinking and acting. That’s why James was insisting Christians should not be taken up with it – to do so opposes God’s plans for His people in the current age. Whilst, as just considered, it is possible to be both wealthy and virtuous, James well knew that that was not generally the case, certainly in his day. Hence verses 4-6, asserting that most of the super-rich were dishonest, stingy, unjust tyrants, either in the way they had obtained their wealth or in their defrauding of those who had laboured for them. They weren’t just accumulating riches, they were heaping up trouble for themselves come Judgement Day, starting at the point of their death (cf. the rich man and Lazarus).

The mystery of providence

As was the case with “Dives”, many of the people James was slating will have enjoyed a lavish, relatively untroubled life. That, as Jesus had warned, could be a problem in itself . This pertains to a separate but related issue, and is a key component of the providential mystery I have been unravelling in my book. I won’t expand on it here other than to say that it pertains to God’s supremely equitable nature on the one hand and humanity’s ultimate destiny on the other. Jesus’ esoteric comments in Lk6:24-25 taken alongside Lk16:25, Mk9:49 and Heb2:10 provide a clue to this mystery, which is considered in a little more detail in this earlier post.

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What is the source of quarrels and conflicts among you?  Is the source not your pleasures that wage war in your body’s parts? ² You lust and do not have, so you commit murder. And you are envious and cannot obtain, so you fight and quarrel. You do not have because you do not ask. ³ You ask and do not receive, because you ask with the wrong motives, so that you may spend it on your pleasures. ⁴ You ADULTERESSES, do you not know that friendship with the world is hostility toward God? Therefore whoever wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. ⁵ Or do you think that the Scripture says to no purpose, “the spirit that He has made to dwell in us yearns with jealousy”? ⁶ But He provides greater grace, for which reason it is said, “God is opposed to the proud, but gives such grace to the humble.” ⁷ Submit therefore to God. But resist the devil, and he will flee from you. ⁸ Come close to God and He will come close to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded. ⁹ Be miserable, and mourn, and weep; let your laughter be turned into mourning, and your joy into gloom. ¹⁰ Humble yourselves in the presence of the Lord, and He will exalt you (Jam4:1-10).

Within the opening verse there are echoes of Paul in Rom7 where he wrote of the conflict between the spirit and the flesh (wrongly understood by many to be referring to the Holy Spirit and the flesh). There are no lexical ambiguities in Peter’s brief reference to this subject where he speaks of “fleshly lusts that war against the soul” (1Pet2:11). James is citing this internal battle between the God-given spirit and the lusts of the body to be the cause of the fighting, disputes and hostilities that had arisen amongst the believers to whom he was writing.

Note the feminine

James’ accusations, referring even to lusts that result in murder, might suggest he was addressing a pagan audience, but that simply cannot be the case. Firstly, because like all the New Testament epistles, this is a pastoral letter, but secondly because he refers to his audience as “adulteresses”, i.e. in the feminine. This is obscured in some translations, e.g. the King James Version, which translates Μοιχαλίδες as “adulterers and adulteresses”, and the International Standard Version as simply “adulterers”. Frankly such translations are theologically inept, implying that James has inter-human adultery in mind. That may have been another of his addressees sins but it is not what James is referring to here. As just stated, the use of the feminine (adulteresses) affirms that it is God’s chosen people to whom James is referring. In the Old Testament, Israel was often depicted as an adulterous wife,  whilst in New Testament terms, the Church is regarded as the bride of Christ and in Revelation becomes His wife.

Befriending the world

Such an understanding of what Christians are (and one day shall be) can be a helpful prerequisite to the key message of this passage, which for many is the most challenging. That is what James writes concerning believers who are “friends of the world” becoming the enemies of God. Don’t misunderstand James: Christians should be friends of the earth (cf. Rev11:18b), but not friends of the κόσμος^G2889, i.e. the current world order and its way of thinking and acting. For those who are “a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession” are unsurprisingly intended to be pilgrims in this spiritually barren land. As Peter also wrote: “we are looking for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells” (2Pet3:13). I have highlighted “new earth” for reasons that will follow shortly.

In explaining his statement concerning loving the world being at enmity with God, James adds the statement in verse 5 which I believe is best translated as “Do you think that the Scripture says to no purpose, “the spirit that He has made to dwell in us yearns with envy”? Given that he is addressing Christians, James could be referring to the Holy Spirit, for JHWE declared Himself to be jealous concerning Israel’s idolatry – so might the Holy Spirit be aggrieved at the believer’s love of money and possessions which the bible on several occasions refers to as idolatry. The quoted scripture (from where, no one seems to know) could equally be referring to the human spirit á la Rom7. That is the God-given spirit provided to everyone (cf. 1Thes5:23) that continually strives with the flesh within Paul’s “body of this death”. In either case the Holy Spirit is able to give more grace to the Christian, at least to those who show humility by acknowledging their need of such divine enabling (v6).

The physicality of the Christian’s destiny

In terms of why I highlighted “new earth” in Peter’s statement, it is to make the point that it is not morally wrong to wish for material comforts and pleasures. We are material beings, and after a temporal period of what the bible describes as “sleep” following physical death, shall always be so. “For I tell you a mystery; we will not all sleep, but we will all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet; for the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed”. In terms of exactly how we shall be and what we shall do, the Scriptures provide limited information. But we do have the witness of the One described as the firstborn from the dead (Col1:18). We know that in His resurrection body Jesus ate breakfast with His disciples and moved around in an extraordinary fashion. He had earlier stated that He looked forward to sharing wine with His disciples in His Father’s kingdom (Mt26:29).

So whilst in the age to come, God’s elect (in particular) will no doubt encounter unfathomable spiritual blessings, given that they are the corporate Bride of Christ they shall no doubt also enjoy material privileges and benefits, superior but not necessarily alien to what the privileged and wealthy within the current world order experience. The point James is making to his readers is don’t strive for, still less live for such material benefits right now. In the case of those who are being prepared to be the Bride of Christ, that is a form of idolatry. Strive rather for God, for Christ, His kingdom and His righteousness, trusting that the One  who feeds the ravens and clothes the lilies will ensure that the essentials of life are provided for as long as God intends us to sustain our pilgrimage on earth.

I am the first to acknowledge that much of this is more easily said than done, but an awareness of the eschatological matters I have raised hopefully makes James’ exhortations more intelligible and with God’s grace more attainable.

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3 Do not become teachers in large numbers, my brothers, since you know that such will potentially be liable for  greater condemnation. ² For we all stumble in many ways. If anyone does not stumble IN WORD, he is a perfect man, able to control the whole body as well. ³ Now if we put the bits into the horses’ mouths so that they will obey us, we direct their whole body as well. ⁴ Look at the ships too: though they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are nevertheless directed by a very small rudder wherever the inclination of the pilot determines. ⁵ So also the tongue is a small part and yet it boasts of great things. See how great a forest is set aflame by such a small fire! ⁶ And the tongue IS a fire, the very world of unrighteousness; the tongue is set among our members as that which defiles the whole body and sets on fire the course of our life, as if set on fire by hell. ⁷ For every species of beasts and birds, of reptiles and creatures of the sea has been tamed by humanity. ⁸ Yet no one among mankind can tame the tongue; it is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. ⁹ With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse people WHO HAVE BEEN MADE IN THE LIKENESS OF GOD; ¹⁰ from the same mouth come both blessing and cursing. MY BROTHERS, THESE THINGS SHOULD NOT BE SO. ¹¹ Does a spring send out from the same opening both fresh and bitter water? ¹² Can a fig tree, my brothers, bear olives, or a vine bear figs? Nor can salt water produce fresh (Jam3:1-12).

James’ teaching here is profound and aptly illustrated. Ships’ rudders and horses’ mouth bits are tiny in comparison to what they control or steer, and yet they do just that. Similarly a single dropped match can initiate a forest fire. And, writes James, such is the human tongue. At the individual level it can morally corrupt one’s whole life (v6). Morality is more usually judged by what one does, or in the religious sphere what one believes. But James infers that an essential test of a person’s integrity is what and how they communicate. As is clear from vv9-10, James is not exclusively speaking of pagan society, he is referring to at least some of the people to whom he is writing – believers who bless their God on the one hand and curse those made in His image on the other.

In James’ day, human speech was by far the most usual form of communication. Not many could write, and what was written could not easily be disseminated – there was no printing press. All that has changed, hence my title: tongue, ink and keyboard.

The power of print

Fast forward fifteen centuries and we see the Church and the world turned upside down by the spoken word and the power of the printing press. The transformation brought about by Luther’s Reformation movement could not have happened without that revolutionizing technology. Remarkably (at least to those who refuse to acknowledge the book to be inspired), Enoch1, which few if any academics deny was written at least 2000 years ago, appears to have foretold such an event – the passage I have in mind is recorded in the opening verses (7-8) at note #1. The idea of large numbers of people writing books and widely distributing them would have been an alien concept at the time Enoch was written – and it is followed by something even more extraordinary (below).

Internet & Social Media

As is becoming increasingly evident, the power of words propagated through the internet is a still more potent influence – potentially for good, but also for evil. In terms of James’s teaching, if he were writing in the present day, I am sure he would have referred to “trolling”. The tongue and the damage it can cause has been amplified, firstly by the printing press and more recently by the internet. In particular, social media when it is utilized to slander or malign others or wilfully distort societal or religious realities. Where Christians are involved, as regretfully is sometimes the case, James would no doubt again conclude; “brothers and sisters, these things should not be so” (v10).

Digital Printing

Also relating to the word and how it is propagated, the passage from Enoch’s ancient prophecy at note#1 continues in a still more extraordinary vein (vv11-13). For it refers to books being given (i.e. freely distributed) to “the righteous”, who clearly must be scattered throughout the world. That effectively would require digital printing, such as  PDF downloads, an invention of the 1990s! I have written more on this in an earlier post. It may not be directly related to the passage in hand or the subject of this post, but I dare believe, it does relate to the process to which they pertain.

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Note #1 – A Prophecy of Enoch

7 And now I know this mystery, that sinners will alter and pervert the words of righteousness in many ways, and will speak wicked words, and lie, and practise great deceits and write books concerning their words...
 11. However, when they write down truthfully all my words in their languages, and do not change or minish ought from my words but write them all down truthfully- all that I first testified concerning them. 12. Then, I know another mystery, that books will be given to the righteous and the wise to become a cause of joy and uprightness and much wisdom. 13. And to them shall the books be given, and they shall believe in them and rejoice over them, and then shall all the righteous who have learnt therefrom all the paths of uprightness be recompensed (Enoch104: 7-14 - Charles translation - my highlighting).

The Little Book of Providence:

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⁴ What use is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith, but he has no works? Can such faith save him? ¹⁵ If a brother is without clothing and in need of daily food, ¹⁶ and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and be filled,” yet you do not give them what is necessary for their body, what use is that? ¹⁷ In the same way, faith also, if it does not possess works, is DEAD, BEING BY ITSELF. ¹⁸ But someone may well say, “You have faith and I have works; show me your faith without the works, and I will show you my faith by my works.” ¹⁹ You believe that God is one. You do well; the demons also believe, and shudder. ²⁰ But are you willing to acknowledge, YOU FUTILE PERSON, that FAITH WITHOUT WORKS IS USELESS? ²¹ Was our father Abraham not justified by works when he offered up his son Isaac on the altar? ²² You see that faith was working with his works, and as a result of the works, faith was brought to completion; ²³ and the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “And Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,” and he was called a friend of God. ²⁴ You see that A PERSON IS JUSTIFIED BY WORKS AND NOT BY FAITH ALONE (Jam2:4-24).

Be in no doubt, James is referring here to faith that justifies before God, asserting that unless it is accompanied by works it does not avail for that purpose. Saving faith therefore cannot be merely a matter of belief or trust. As James points out even devils believe in the one true God – and shudder (v19). Nor, as I once believed, is it sufficient to trust in Jesus Christ and that He died for my sin. A psychopath could do that, indeed some have confessed as much – without any repentance on their part. Still less is saving faith as Luther defined it – “a living, bold trust in God’s grace, so certain of God’s favour that it would risk death a thousand times trusting in it”. Less still: “if men only believe enough in Christ they can commit adultery and murder a thousand times a day without periling their salvation”. Of course that “table talk” statement was hyperbole on Luther’s part, but it cannot remotely be extrapolated from saving faith as James understood it. More troubling for Luther and his followers, such a notion diametrically opposes the teaching of the Apostle Paul: “Know this with certainty – no immoral or impure person or covetous man has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God” (Eph5:5).

“Trust” is insufficient; faith is required, and the point James is making is that saving faith by its very nature cannot be devoid of works. What is implicit to such a definition, and is also the point being made in the context of the broader benign providence I am presenting, is that genuinely good works such as the Mt25 “sheep” exhibited must derive from a form of faith. This pertains to natural law (innate spiritual faculties) and is set out in detail in chapter 3 of The Little Book of Providence from which I will briefly quote to finish. The extract also indicates how James’ and Paul’s teaching on faith and works are essentially the same – they just approach it from different angles.  

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“The apostle James makes it clear that works are relevant to (or referenced within) the process of justification, but unlike Paul, he is not referring to the outward requirements of Torah, but the practical outworking and evidence of a formed faith:

“How does it help, my brothers, when someone who has never done a single good act claims to have faith?” (Jame2:14)

And again:

“You believe in one God; that is creditable enough, but even the demons have the same belief, and they tremble with fear. Fool! – do you not realize that faith without works is useless?” (James2:19-20)

James goes on to the give examples of how Abraham and Rahab the harlot were justified by their actions. He concludes:

“You see now that it is by works and not only by believing that someone is justified” (Jam2:24)

By that he means there needs to be a reference to works, i.e. to see that fruit is produced confirming the faith to be formed. It is not really the work itself that justifies but the faith from which it springs, for an evil person may perform the very same act for self-centred reasons but it will never be from faith and they will not be justified. James is not contradicting Paul, who was addressing the problem in the churches initiated by the Judaic exclusivists that Peter had also had to contend with in Jerusalem that were insisting that Christians be circumcised and keep Torah (Acts15:7-11). We know Paul is referring to the Torah when he speaks of the Law in this context when he says elsewhere that the Law was given 430 years after God’s Covenant with Abraham.

James would agree with Paul that only perfection would suffice if justification were on the basis of perfect obedience to the Law, and then it would no longer be by grace, it would be a wage.  Likewise, Paul would agree with James when he insisted that nobody can be justified without the good deeds that flow out from faith, showing that it is formed. For deeds in the form of kindness and compassion are not merely the evidence of faith, they are its efflux.

Expressed another way there cannot be love (agape) without formed faith being present, for love flows out from faith; they are effectively a part of the same. James affirms with Paul, the Jewish Law has been replaced for the Christian by the royal law of love for neighbour (Jam2:8), a law which the Christian himself must fulfil (Gal6:2), by which he shall be judged. It is a law of the spirit rather than the letter and is written in the heart.  Paul regarded himself as being outside the Law, yet at the same time under a law; that of Christ (1Cor9:21).

Anyone who shows kindness to his “neighbour” out of compassion or a sense of duty is justified by faith within the Universal Covenant being a “doer of God’s law” as both James and Paul have re-envisaged it (Rom13:9-10); and that applied to many Gentiles who did not have the Law (Torah) but are a law for themselves (Rom2:14) which they endeavour to obey, whereas as shall be shown in chapter six, some people (the children of the devil) do not”. [Excerpt from The Little Book of Providence chap.3]

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8If you truly KEEP THE ROYAL LAW FOUND in Scripture, “LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOUR AS YOURSELF,”  you are doing the right thing. 9But if you show favouritism, you sin and are convicted by the law as lawbreakers. 10For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it. 11For he who said, “You shall not commit adultery,” also said, “You shall not murder.” If you do not commit adultery but do commit murder, you have become a lawbreaker. 12Speak and act as those who are going to be judged by the law that gives freedom, 13because judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. MERCY TRIUMPHS OVER JUDGMENT (Jam2:8-13).

βασιλικός = royal/preeminent

The law in question; “love your neighbour as yourself” is βασιλικός^G937 in at least two senses. It is royal in that it is behaviour that befits people who are royal or one day shall be. For those whom the King of kings regards as His own brothers and sisters (Heb2:11), and also as His corporate wife who shall share His throne (Rev3:21 & 19:7), are destined for royalty and divinity. Indeed, His chosen people already serve as what Peter described as God’s royal priesthood (1Pet2:9).

“Love your neighbour as yourself” is also βασιλικός in the sense of being preeminent amongst all of God’s laws. According to Paul, the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command “Love your neighbour as yourself. It is therefore a summation of God’s laws: for, says Paul, “You shall not commit adultery, you shall not murder, you shall not steal, you shall not covet,” and IF THERE IS ANY OTHER COMMANDMENT, it is summed up in this saying, “You shall love your neighbour as yourself” (Rom13:9).

Duty to God?

 It may astonish many that duty to God is not directly mentioned in Paul’s summary of the Law – it all expressed in terms of our relations with other human beings. Likewise in Jesus’ definitive passage on final judgement, there is no mention of religion or any knowledge of Jesus Christ as Saviour, only one’s response to one’s fellows. Hence, “When did we help You Lord when you were so in need?” “Truly I tell you in as much as you helped the least of these whom I regard as My own kindred, you did it to Me” (cf. Mt25:40). This pertains to what I have described earlier as the Cosmic Christ – a key element to the vastly broader benign providence I have been outlining.

 According to Jesus (who should know), loving God is in fact the first commandment, but He who told certain Pharisees that “if you were blind (i.e. ignorant) you would have no sin” (Jn9:41) well knows one can only love or delight in what is known and understood concerning the Object of one’s love.  And unless the matter has been faithfully and accurately presented through a hearing of the gospel, that will certainly not be the case. Regretfully and for all sorts of reasons,  the vast majority of people will either be ignorant or misinformed concerning God’s nature and providential intentions, which is ultimately what my writing is intended to address.

Duty to mankind – No excuses

However, we all know ourselves and how we would wish to be treated by others. Failure to comply with the first commandment is excusable  – you cannot possibly “love with all your heart and mind and soul” what you do not know or barely understand. No such proviso can be made with the second – Paul’s summation of the Law and James’ royal law – love for neighbour. As Mt25 indicates, those who by their acts of compassion have fulfilled the spirit of Law#2 are effectively treated as if they had also fulfilled Law#1, being finally received into God’s kingdom. For effectively they have served “Christ” as representative Son of Man – v40), albeit unless they have known Him as their personal Saviour they cannot receive the same inheritance as those who have  been sanctified (Heb2:11; Acts20:32). That is why I have been outlining three soteriological categories, for there is a further grouping who couldn’t give a toss about God or man, only themselves – narcissistic psychopaths (criminal or otherwise), devoid of compassion, conscience or truth, depicted in the New Testament’s definitive passage on final judgement as “goats” and elsewhere as “children of the devil”.

Paul vs James – different approach, same principles

 James approaches the matter of law keeping from a different angle to Paul, albeit still affirming love for neighbour to be preeminent. Let those, writes James (v10), who imagine themselves to be keeping God’s law remember that if they fail in even one respect, they are lawbreakers. And as the context indicates, that is most likely to be in the more subtle area of favouritism. Whilst being careful to observe their religious duties, never so much as contemplating theft, murder, adultery and the like, God’s law can breached by a derisory or condescending attitude to people less materially or intellectually gifted than oneself.

As James concludes this section, the most serious breach of all  is to lack both compassion and mercy, “because judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful” (v13). And as the previous verse (12) indicates, that “anyone” includes the Christian, who in view of the divine mercy and kindness he/she has already received has less excuse than anyone. Jesus makes this clear in a parable (Mt18:21-35). The unforgiving servant was shown mercy by the king who forgave all his debts, yet that servant was unwilling to show any mercy towards others who had much smaller debts owed to him. This greatly angered the king as a result of which the unmerciful servant ended up (albeit temporarily) in a place he would rather not be “until he had paid back all he owed” (v34).

Blessed are the merciful

And with broader providential implications in mind, Christ’s rendering of the beatitudes affirms that all who are merciful shall be shown mercy. Anyone who imagines that non-Christians are incapable of genuinely exercising mercy and compassion towards others and/or that God does not pay regard to such matters is profoundly in error, as once was I. Jesus’ extended teaching in Mt25, devoid of any reference to religion, surely affirms as much, as does James’ brief conclusion: mercy triumphs over judgement.

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1My brothers and sisters, believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ MUST NOT SHOW FAVOURITISM. 2Suppose a man comes into your meeting wearing a gold ring and fine clothes, and a poor man in filthy old clothes also comes in. 3If you show special attention to the man wearing fine clothes and say, “Here’s a good seat for you,” but say to the poor man, “You stand there” or “Sit on the floor by my feet,” 4have you not discriminated among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts? 5Listen, my dear brothers and sisters: HAS NOT GOD CHOSEN THOSE WHO ARE POOR IN THE EYES OF THE WORLD TO BE RICH IN FAITH AND TO INHERIT THE KINGDOM He promised those who love Him? (James2:1-5)

The first four verses of James chapter two largely speak for themselves. Christians should not show favouritism, especially to those who come into their places of worship. Judging people by their wealth of apparel or lack of it is far removed from how God considers these matters. Indeed, James goes on to suggest, it is almost diametrically the opposite – and that is the aspect on which I will briefly focus.

In verse 5, James, like all other contributors to the New Testament who make reference to the matter (most profusely Paul), affirms that those who are to inherit God’s kingdom do so as a result of God’s sovereign choice. And whilst Paul in particular is careful to maintain that divine election is not on the basis of merit, there is a general observation to be made. Both Paul and James make it, as indeed does Jesus in His comments regarding the rich young ruler who declined to follow Him in view of his personal wealth (Mk10:17-22). Whilst (nota bene) the narrative records that Jesus nevertheless loved him (v21), He comments to His disciples concerning how difficult it is for the wealthy to enter the Kingdom, applying the well-known analogy of the camel and needle.

Paul made a similar observation to James when he wrote, “Brothers and sisters, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth.  But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong.  God chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are,  so that no one may boast before Him” (1Cor1:26-29).

Referring back to the rich young ruler, his folly was to imagine that what he would ultimately attain as an inheritor of God’s kingdom could in any sense be inferior to what was available to him in the present as a wealthy mortal man. On reflection how could that be the case? But then, unlike ourselves, he did not have access to the teaching of the New Testament which speaks of barely imaginable glory, both spiritual and physical, for we shall have a material body. Glories such as being corporately betrothed to the Son of God, even to share His throne and (by implication) His domain (Rev3:21). For in Paul’s language we become “joint-heirs with Christ, providing we share in His sufferings in order that we might share in His glory” (Rom8:17).

Such stupendous prospects have tended to be obscured and over-spiritualized by the churches, partly I suspect through neo-platonic influences such as possessed by arch-influencer Augustine of Hippo. And yet I believe this to have been in accordance with God’s purposes for the Church (and its evangelism), which I allude to in my book and from which I will briefly quote to finish:

“If the stupendous benefits and holistic (spiritual and material) nature of future service in God’s Kingdom had been historically appreciated, all and sundry may have wished to force their way into it once again (Mt11:12). That is why certain inessential mysteries of the Kingdom have been veiled through much of the gospel age even from the Church: so that the rich, the mighty, the proud and the glory-hunters might be detracted by the shame of the cross of Christ and humble cruciform service as His disciples; whilst the humble, the gentle, the poor in spirit and in material possessions who are rich in faith will be the true inheritors of the Kingdom and the earth. Such is the teaching of James and such is the wisdom of God”. [Quote adapted from “The Little Book of Providence” chapter three].

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19My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, 20because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires. 21Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the WORD PLANTED IN YOU, which IS ABLE TO SAVE you. 22Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. 23Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror 24and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. 25But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it—not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do. 26Those who understand themselves to be religious and yet do not keep a tight rein on their tongues deceive themselves, and their religion is worthless. 27Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world (James1:19-27).

Completing our comments on the first chapter of James, I have headed the post “The Implanted Word”, for the adjective ἔμφυτον is significant. I remember from my Evangelical days this passage from James primarily being used evangelistically. The mirror illustration (v23-24) was utilized to be referring to someone hearing the gospel regarding their own sinfulness, reflecting upon it but instantly forgetting what they have perceived about themselves and their need of a Saviour. That could be a suitable illustration but it is not what James is referring to here.

The word (or Word) in question cannot be referring to the bible or the gospel, which are external entities. The word James is referring to is implanted (Greek: ἔμφυτον). That may indeed be the result of hearing the gospel or reading the bible but James’ “word” is something that has already been received by the individual, having been divinely implanted in his heart. It relates to the spiritual gift referred to in the previous post where James wrote “He chose to give us (Christians) birth through the word of truth” (v18). And as suggested at the start of this paragraph “word” might well be capitalized for it is divine in nature, being the light of Christ, who described Himself as the Way, the Truth and the Life, and who John actually depicted as the Word of God (Jn1:1). As James also wrote (v25), it can also be regarded as a law or governing principle by which we order our lives. It is something that has been implanted within the Christian under the New Covenant:  “I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people” (Heb10:16).

As all will agree, hearing a sermon or reading the bible does not of itself make a person a Christian – unless and until they receive into themselves what has been heard or read. That becomes the implanted word that James is referring to here. That will be a problem for some Christians because James writes that this word is able (δυνάμενον) to save you (v21). Not that it has saved you or is bound to do so, but that It has the power and potential to attain to it. But as the remainder of the chapter indicates, the rest, albeit aided by grace, is rather up to us. That is the context of the mirror illustration – not an unbeliever hearing the gospel or reading the bible and then rejecting what it says about them, but a Christian accepting or rejecting something that has already been divinely implanted by the Spirit.

Regardless of what Luther might have intimated, James is in line with Jesus, Paul and every other New Testament writer concerning what is required of those who by the grace of God and as a result of His sovereign choice have received the implanted word of truth. It pertains to what we say and do as much as our religious activity and beliefs. As the chapter concludes: “Those who understand themselves to be religious and yet do not keep a tight rein on their tongues deceive themselves, and their religion is worthless.  Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to have concern for orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world” (vv26-27).

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16Don’t be deceived, my dear brothers and sisters. 17Every good thing that is given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the FATHER OF LIGHTS, who does not change like shifting shadows. 18He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of first fruits of all He created (James1:16-18).

Moving on to James’ epistle, the first 15 verses speak of a matter concerning which I have already written much. That is the nature of the Christian life being something of a trial. Counterintuitively, James teaches that when the believer is tested and tried, he/she ought to be joyful – for such testing is necessary for perseverance which in turn leads to perfection in the sense of completeness (vv2-4), albeit we can never be entirely perfect as long as we are in this earthly body (Rom8:23).

Continuing the counterintuitive theme, those who are materially poor should delight in their exalted status (v9) – that pertains to what was considered in the previous post concerning Christians being the firstborn, reiterated shortly by James (below) in terms of being the first fruits of creation. Wealthier believers need to take care however, not to delight in their material prosperity, for that aspect of their existence may be taken away at any time and certainly will be at physical death (v11). Seemingly having more to lose, the prosperous may be tested all the more should hardship come, whereas for  poor and afflicted believers things can only get better. And ultimately they  surely will – in the form of a crown of Life (v12).

But the short passage I want to focus on in this post, quoted at the start, concerns a comment James makes concerning God being the Father of lights. He is also the Father of Light (singular) but that is not the point James is making; nor does the Greek refer to heavenly lights as the NIV augments the translation. James is referring to gifts God provides for us that I am clear are not restricted to matters of the spirit. I commented on the statement in my book from which I will briefly quote:

“As well as the light of reason and conscience, the loving Creator also works through His Holy Spirit in the gifts and talents He provides to mankind, for “every good gift and every perfect gift is from above and comes down from the Father of lights (Jam1:17). These gifts are by no means all religious in nature. The Father of lights can reveal something of Himself and His all-embracing providence in music, art, poetry and many aspects of human endeavour. An artistic creation or composition that inspires or elevates is likely to have been the result of its human creator being themselves inspired. Anyone who genuinely admires and appreciates such work is honouring and welcoming something of God into their heart; for everything that is truly worthy, every good and perfect gift has derived from Him. Within the literary arts, any play, book, drama, even comedy that challenges people’s prejudices and encourages a more considered, open-minded or compassionate way of life is a preparation for the gospel.

And it was God, not the devil who provided wine to gladden the hearts of men (Ps104:15)for as Paul had affirmed in one of his sermons, our loving Creator wishes His human creation to be happy as well as holy (Acts14:16-17). An artistic outpouring that creates a sense of longing and wonder that people would not otherwise experience creates the void which ultimately can only be filled by God Himself. Science and learning are also gifts from the God who would not only have all men to be healed and restored but come to know the truth (1Tim2:4).

At the natural level of revelation, something of God’s providence and power are seen in the magnificence of creation and in the more wholesome aspects of human talent and industry described above, to which much could be added. The Christian is assuredly not to “despise everything pertaining to the senses” as Augustine had asserted^Cit#1 for not all that is sensed in the mind merely excites the flesh but can also uplift the spirit. These are gifts to be appreciated and cultivated; albeit not to be embraced as if they themselves were the culmination of beauty or joy, for the Christian should discern that their Apotheosis is to be perceived through them not in them.  [Citation #1 Augustine “Of the morals of the Catholic Church” chap. 20].

[Quote from The Little Book of Providence – chapter 5]

Of course, as our short extract from Hebrews concludes, the greatest gift God has given to mankind is spiritual in nature: “He chose to give us birth through the Word of truth, that we might be a kind of first fruits of all He created”(v18)

That “birth” is to be born again of water and the Spirit and is currently restricted to those who are the elect of God. But then as the passage concludes, such are a kind of first fruits of the created order, the wondrous providential implications of which I considered in some detail in the previous post concerning the Church being the assembly of the firstborn.

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18You have not come to a mountain that can be touched and that is burning with fire; to darkness, gloom and storm; 19to a trumpet blast or to such a voice speaking words that those who heard it begged that no further word be spoken to them, 20because they could not bear what was commanded: “If even an animal touches the mountain, it must be stoned to death.”  21The sight was so terrifying that Moses said, “I am trembling with fear.”  22But you have come to Mount Zion, to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem. You have come to thousands upon thousands of angels in joyful assembly, 23TO THE CHURCH OF THE FIRSTBORN, whose names are written in heaven. You have come to God, the Judge of all, to the SPIRITS OF THE RIGHTEOUS MADE PERFECT, 24to Jesus the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel (Heb12:18-24)

The writer to the Hebrews is contrasting Mt Sinai with Mt Zion the heavenly Jerusalem. Sinai was where the children of Israel rested having been divinely delivered from slavery in Egypt. The mount before which they encamped is described in the opening verse as burning with fire, darkness, gloom and storm. It was a scary prospect for sure since God would manifest Himself upon it and deliver His Ten Commandments, but as the account in Ex19 sets out it was not all bad news. For God had commanded Moses to tell the people:

“Now then, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be MY OWN POSSESSION among all the peoples, for all the earth is Mine;  and YOU SHALL BE TO ME A KINGDOM OF PRIESTS AND A HOLY NATION.’ These are the words that you shall speak to the SONS OF ISRAEL.” (Ex19:5-6)

The context and role of “God’s people”

Note, all the earth is God’s, but the people of Israel were to be His own special people – a holy nation that would be a beacon for the world and act as His Kingdom of priests. That was the context of Israel within God’s providential care of the world – and that is the role the Church has today. In Peter’s words:  “You are a CHOSEN people, a ROYAL PRIESTHOOD, a holy nation, God’s SPECIAL POSSESSION, that you may declare the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His wonderful light” (1Pet2:9).

My thesis in context

The primary theme of this section of Hebrews undoubtedly focusses on the superiority of the New Covenant over its predecessor, both in terms of approachability and efficacy. But as is often the case within this process, subsidiary or seemingly incidental statements within the text are drawn to my attention, and as above I highlight them in capitals. For I am here to establish and demonstrate that God’s chosen people of both the Old and New Covenants are not the totality of those He loves and for whom He has wondrous plans. Rather, Israel succeeded by the Church are, as quoted from Exodus and 1Pet, chosen, priestly and royal: God’s own special people. And as our passage from Hebrews affirms, in terms of how the elect of God  relate to the rest of humanity, they are its FIRSTBORN (v23). The firstborn as Scripture uses the term have a superior, overseeing and representative role, but it is amongst people who are familial and shall ultimately come to share their destiny. James also refers to this concept when he writes: “Of His own will (God) brought us (Christians) forth by the word of truth, that we should be a kind of first fruits of those He has created” (1:18).

“First” in every sense

“FIRSTborn” / “FIRSTfruits” – first in rank but also first in time and first in sequence, i.e. many more shall follow. But how to prove this? In terms of rank/superiority, God declared of His servant David, “I will appoint him as my firstborn, the most exalted of the kings of the earth” (Ps89:27). In terms of time and sequence, we have seen earlier in Heb12 (v2) that Jesus is the pioneer/leader of His disciples, yet He is also described as the firstfruit of them that sleep (1Cor15:20) and the “firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything He might have the supremacy (Col1:18).

So crucially, and with wondrous providential implications, the Church is described here in Heb12 as the assembly of the firstborn (plural). But equally so, I believe, where Paul wrote “As in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive; but everyone in his own rank (Greek: hekastos de en to idio tagmati): Christ the first fruits; afterwards those who are Christ’s at His coming (1Cor15:22-23). Paul also describes the Church as the body of Christ or simply “Christ” (1Cor12:12). The first fruits cannot be referring to Jesus – He cannot be made alive in the future. For note also from our text, indeed the same verse (23), the writer when contrasting Sinai with Zion, speaks of the latter comprising God, Jesus, the firstborn (elect), the angels and the spirits of the righteous having been made perfect. Most Christians assume the latter is referring to the elect but they have already been mentioned (as the firstborn). Even God and Jesus are only referred to once! This is no tautology but (to those who can receive it), the many to whom I have been referring who are not the elect of God (cf. Rom8:29) but those like the Mt25 sheep, whom I have shown in a previous post were justified by “faith” evinced by love, being an aspect of natural law^Note#1, as defined in the post before last (re Heb11).

For the many who in view of their mistaken understanding of what Christian salvation is from^Note#2 and what it is for^Note#3, will not accept such broader benign providence, they need to be able to explain why the Church is described as the assembly of the firstborn and the first fruits of creation, given how those terms are used elsewhere in Scripture, i.e. pre-eminent but familial and with more to follow. As for my thesis, it cannot be proven in this or any other brief post on a particular passage, but has I believe with God’s help been systematically proven from Scripture as a whole in The Little Book of Providence.

NOTE#1 – “NATURAL law” – something of a misnomer given that its author, enlightener and beneficiary is respectively Christ (Col1:16), Christ (Jn1:9KJV) and “Christ”(Mt25:40).

NOTE#2 What salvation is from – Not to nullify ancestral sin and a depraved soul but to rectify what Paul describes as “the body of this death”, being the procreated intellectual vessel inherited from our first parents (cf. Rom7:24,25 & 1Thes4:4)

NOTE#3 – What salvation is for: Not “so that we might go to heaven when we die” but so as to receive an inheritance with those who are being sanctified, corporate marriage to Jesus Christ and a share in His domain (cf.  Acts20:32; Rev19:7; Rev3:21😲)

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12 Therefore, since we also have such a great crowd of witnesses surrounding us, let’s rid ourselves of every obstacle and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let’s run with endurance the race that is set before us, ² looking only at Jesus, the pioneer-leader and perfecter of the faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. ³ For consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. ⁴ You have not yet resisted to the point of shedding blood in your striving against sin; ⁵ and you have forgotten the exhortation which is addressed to you as sons, “My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, Nor faint when you are punished by Him; ⁶ For whom the Lord loves He disciplines, And He flogs every son whom He accepts.” ⁷ It is for discipline that you endure; God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom his father does not discipline? ⁸ But if you are without discipline, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate children and not sons. ⁹ Furthermore, we had earthly fathers to discipline us, and we respected them; shall we not much more be subject to the Father of spirits, and live? ¹⁰ For they disciplined us for a short time as seemed best to them, but He disciplines us for our good, so that we may share His holiness. ¹¹ For the moment, all discipline seems not to be pleasant, but painful; yet to those who have been trained by it, afterward it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness (Heb12:1-11).

Focussing on the phrases I have highlighted, I am reasonably certain that Paul is not the author of Hebrews, but whoever is the author employs Paul-like language with regard to the course the Christian has been set. He regards it as a race/struggle/conflict (Greek: ἀγῶνα). Paul went further, equating the Christian’s life to an athlete competing along a race-track (σταδίῳ). What? “Didn’t you know that those who run in a race all run, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may win!” (1Cor9:24).

Verse 2a is often translated as Jesus being the author of the Faith – more accurately He is the pioneer-leader, in the sense of being the first in the procession of many who would follow Him. As we know, His life involved much suffering culminating in His crucifixion at Calvary. So, given Jesus’ status as  pioneer-leader, the Christian’s life should not be expected to be a bed of roses. I commented on this passage in my book, explaining also the rationale behind our suffering:

“Suffering and consequently the existence of evil is a necessary part of deification which requires human beings to be, as it were, stretched or go beyond themselves in order to be fitted for such a destiny. The Son of Man set the pattern: He tasted death for every man for our salvation, but there is something else we are told about His death:

Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him, endured the cross and despised the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God (Heb12:2)

The highlighted phrase is not the one on which one would normally focus. The Godhead’s love for humanity and the Son of God’s obedience and suffering to deal with our sin are rightly the usual focal points. But Jesus’ awareness of the joy and glory awaiting Him is nevertheless referred to and it hints at what is being adduced in this chapter: the divine principal that suffering is beneficial, indeed necessary for those who are to be glorified. Jesus might appear to be the exception, for He is worthy of glory through divine birth right. Nevertheless:

It was fitting for Him, for whom are all things and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through suffering, for both He who sanctifies and those who are being sanctified are all of one, for which reason He is not ashamed to call them brethren (Heb2:10-11).

And later in Hebrews:

Though He were a Son, He learned obedience by the things which He suffered, and having been perfected He became the author of eternal salvation for all who obey Him (Heb5:8-9)   –  [Excerpt from The Little Book of Providence – chapter 7 (theodicy)]

Returning to the text, the Christian’s suffering also takes the form of divine discipline, as “for whom the Lord loves  He disciplines” (v6). The rest of the verse could literally be translated as “He straps to a pole and flogs (Greek – μαστιγοῖ) everyone He receives as a son”. Or in Jesus’s own evangelism – “follow Me and prepare to be crucified”, for why else would you “take up your cross” (cf. Mt16:24)? Or in Paul’s language: “If we are children, then we are heirs of God and joint-heirs with Christ, providing that is that we share in His sufferings in order that we might share in His glory” (Rom8:17).

That is probably not the kind of evangelism many are used to, and I am employing some hyperbole. But the same people probably understand that Christian discipleship is primarily the means by which we avoid going to hell when we die, which is what I am in the business of showing misrepresents what Christian salvation is for. Jesus deals with that issue in Mt25 (sheep and goats) and Lk16 (rich man and Lazarus). That in turn pertains to natural law and common faith as considered in the previous post. The Lord (in His references to becoming His disciple), Paul (in reference to who are heirs of God and joint-heirs with Christ) and the writer to the Hebrews here in reference to being accepted as a son of God (v6) pertains to the proportionally few that the Father chooses, ultimately to be corporately married to His Son (Jn6:44; Rev19:7) and come to share His domain (cf. Rev3:21).

I have explained above why suffering is needed, which in turn explains why God permitted sin to enter the world (cf. Rom8:20). In terms of chastisement,  “He disciplines us for our good, so that we may share His holiness. For the moment, all discipline seems not to be pleasant, but painful; yet to those who have been trained by it, afterward it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness” (vv10-11).

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11¹Now faith is the certainty of things hoped for, a conviction about things not seen.  ²For by it the people of old gained approval…  ⁶And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for the one who comes to God must believe that He exists, and that He proves to be One who rewards those who seek Him  (Heb11:1,2,6) [Full chapter HERE ].

The bible isn’t arranged systematically like a catechism, but if you want a definition of faith, Hebrews chapter 11 is the place to go. Faith is special, for it justifies a person before God and it is something that pleases Him (v6). The rest of the chapter provides examples of men and women of old whose faith caused them to do exploits, all of them good and pleasing to God. Yet as many commentaries point out, Heb11’s definition and outworking of faith is not exhaustive – faith, even restricted to the religious sphere, is multifaceted.

Broader context

So given that the primary purpose of my writing is to demonstrate that God’s benign providence extends beyond the Jews of the Old Testament and Christians of the New, I will rehearse from Paul’s writings a facet of faith that has universal implications, being an aspect of natural law – the role of conscience. That is a human faculty that some, most notably, the 19^th century Evangelical-turned-Catholic St John Henry Newman described as “anterior to the Gospel and supreme over all other human faculties providing everyone with a clear and sufficient object of faith”^[CIT#1]. The passages I have in mind from St Paul I believe show that to be the case.

Faith and conscience

That is regarding his teaching on whether the Christian should eat food offered to idols (1Cor8). In the opening verses, the apostle makes clear that it was ok to do so: “Now food will not bring us closer to God; we are neither the worse if we do not eat, nor the better if we do eat” (v8). But this followed his proviso in v7:  “However, not all people have this knowledge; but some, being accustomed to the idol until now, eat food as if it were sacrificed to an idol; and their conscience being weak is defiled”. More shockingly (for some), Paul goes on to say that as a result of that believer’s failure to respond to his conscience on the matter he is brought to utter ruin (v11). Yet what had this believer done wrong? He had eaten meat that he was permitted to eat, or more likely today, he had drunk alcohol that he was at liberty to drink. Yet he was brought to a state of ruin. Why? – because he had defied his conscience and thereby defiled it. And that pertains to what conscience is and to Whom it relates (cf. Jn 1:9 strictly KJV^NOTE#1; cf. Mt18:6^NOTE#2). In the same context in Rom14:23, Paul affirms “the one who doubts is condemned if he eats, because his eating is not from faith; and whatever is not from faith is sin.

Religious faith and common “faith”

So, what is faith in that context? – it is not faith in God or Christ, this individual had that or he would not be worrying whether or not to consume the particular item. The issue was not God and what He forbids or allows but conscience, showing the latter to be indeed an object of faith. For, writes Paul, whatever is not from faith is sin, which taken with the illustration provided indicates that whatever conscience dictates is what one should do or not do. But given that the conscience is universal, that must apply to the non-Christian as much as the believer. Therefore, whoever seeks to act according to their conscience may be regarded as exercising a form of faith.

As 2^nd century Clement of Alexandria described it – “it is that common faith which lies beneath as a foundation that is built upon and consummated in those who come to faith in Christ”^CIT#2. For it effectively pertains to faith in Christ – not as a cognisant personal Saviour but as the One who has provided light to the human spirit, manifested through the working of conscience. Some (indeed most) take heed to it, others such as psychopaths are devoid of conscience, along with a sense of compassion or any compulsion to tell the truth. This is what separates those who are of God from those like Cain who are ἐκ τοῦ πονηροῦ (1Jn3:12). Likewise, the Mt25 sheep’s distinction from the goats – their innate sense of compassion arising from conscience, causing them (however feebly and imperfectly) to perform acts of kindness to those in need, whom Christ equated to Himself (v40) . [This in turn shows how the Mt25 sheep were justified by faith, not works – but note religious faith was not an issue]

The limitations of natural law

Yet for those like the Hebrews addressees who are to “gain an inheritance among those who are being sanctified” (Acts20:32), a good conscience alone is insufficient – a knowledge of Christ as personal Saviour, acting as their High Priest and Sanctifier is required. Such fulness of salvation is what the gospel, the New Testament and Hebrews in particular are primarily concerned with. The broader providential picture concerning God’s dealings with His whole creation has, in accordance with the divine Will, been obscured and barely understood, at least until these very last days (cf. Book of Enoch (ch93:8-10 and ch104:11-13 Charles edition numbering).

NOTE #1 In terms of the translation, it is hardly likely that John writing in the late first century would be informing his readers that the Light (Christ) “is coming into the world” (some translations)

NOTE #2 re  Mt18:6  “The context (v2) makes it absolutely clear that Jesus is not on this occasion referring to His adult disciples that He also sometimes describes in such a way; nor was He anticipating those infants who would go on to “receive Jesus as their personal Saviour” or become baptized Catholics, for it was an inclusive observation concerning all young children who were placed into His loving embrace. Their belief in Jesus refers to what is innate to all very young lives – the internal witness of the light of Christ (the Word/Reason – Logos) through Whom their souls were created, guaranteed in their case not (yet) to have been obscured or distorted by the lusts of the flesh or impurities of the mind, which when combined with a growing awareness of transgressing God’s law defiles the conscience and extinguishes Life (Rom7:9)” [Quote from The Little Book of Providence chapter 3].

CITATION #1 John Henry Newman: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grammar_of_Assent

CITATION #2 Clement of Alexandria (A.D.153-217) The Stromata Book V chap. 1

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²⁶ For if we go on sinning wilfully after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, ²⁷ but a terrifying expectation of judgment and the fury of a fire which will consume the adversaries. ²⁸ Anyone who has ignored the Law of Moses is put to death without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. ²⁹ How much more severe punishment do you think he will deserve who has trampled underfoot the Son of God, and has regarded as profane the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified, and has insulted the Spirit of grace? ³⁰ For we know Him who said, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay.” And again, “The Lord will judge His people.” ³¹ It is a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God… ³⁶ For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God, you may receive what was promised (Heb10;26-31&36).

Whoever said the bible was easy? The Protestant Reformers claimed it was “perspicuous” regarding essential doctrine – I no longer believe that, and Hebrews chapter 10 is a classic case. Those of my former ilk (Calvinist Evangelical) have difficulty explaining the above passage in the context of their doctrines of grace alone and perseverance of the saints in particular.

I will briefly comment on the phrases I have highlighted and attempt to reconcile this with rest of the chapter. We may not know who wrote Hebrews, but we do know that whoever  wrote vv1-25 also wrote vv26-31, yet the way the earlier section is often understood, they may appear to conflict.

The addressees

Firstly, to whom is this dire warning addressed? I am afraid (for many) there is no question but that it is addressed to Christians – those who have “received a knowledge of the truth”, i.e. they have laid hold ( λαβεῖν) of it. I have emphasized the verb as this does not refer to those who merely hear the gospel but to those who take it to their hearts and act upon it. Apart from which, mere hearers and rejectors cannot have “profaned the blood of the covenant by which (they) were sanctified” (v29) for they never where sanctified. Likewise v30, “The Lord will judge His people” – those who have never heard,  have not understood or rejected the gospel  are not in that category.

Which gospel?

It will have been less of an issue when this epistle was written, but in the above context we also have to ask “to which gospel are we referring?”. Having been an Evangelical for the first 28 years of my Christian life and then a Catholic for 25 years to date, I know there to be substantial and potentially soteriologically fatal differences in terms of what it means to be a Christian, both psychologically (in terms of what must be believed) and sacramentally.

Surely we all continue to sin?

Equally problematic for many is the writer’s reference in verse 26 to there being no further sacrifice for sins for those who continue wilfully to sin. As most commentaries I have read rightly suggest, “continuing wilfully to sin” is not referring to a Christian on occasions falling into temptation, yielding and thereby sinning. Even serious sins can be dealt with where there is genuine repentance. Apostatizing in this context is returning to a sinful way of life, that having been enlightened and consecrated by the Spirit, one knows to be displeasing to God. Applying other biblical terms it is wilfully to depart from the Light that is Christ’s Way, Truth and Life and returning to darkness and spiritual death. What further Sacrifice therefore remains, given that even the ultimate and Perfect Solution for sinfulness attained by Jesus Christ has been of no avail to such a person?

Resolving conflicts

In terms of the seeming conflict within chapter 10, it is necessary to reconcile the above warning with the  earlier section regarding Christ’s perfect and once-for-all sacrifice for sin. In particular verse 10: “By (Christ’s obedience to God’s will), we have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once and for all (time).” Also v17-18 regarding the promised new covenant: “ ‘(My people’s) sins and lawless acts I will remember no more’ – and where these have been forgiven there is no longer any sacrifice for sin”. Many (like myself in the past), epitomized by Martin Luther, believe that once one comes to put one’s faith in Christ as Saviour, then any sins committed in the future, i.e. as a Christian, will not be counted against the believer, even (said Luther on at least one occasion) should they repeatedly rape and murder. Admittedly, that was hyperbole on his part, but it indicates he has misunderstood not only the writer to the Hebrews but (as I spent a number of posts demonstrating), also his more favoured Apostle Paul. And it goes without saying, such sentiments can scarcely be reconciled with the teaching of Christ.

Reconciliation within Heb10 occurs when one understands “sinning wilfully after receiving the knowledge of the truth” (v26), to be referring to an overall way of life that utterly opposes the Way and Life that the disciples of Christ are intended to have. And as the same writer referred to earlier, it applies to those “who have once been enlightened and have tasted of the heavenly gift and have been made partakers of the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come, and then have apostatized, (cannot be) restored again to repentance, since they again crucify to themselves the Son of God and put Him to open shame” (Heb6:3-6).

Implications good and bad

This surely puts paid to “guaranteed perseverance of the saints” and salvation being all of God and all of grace. Don’t misunderstood me, it is all thanks to Jesus Christ and His obedience to God’s wondrous plan of salvation for humanity – but those who in Jesus’s language “overcome” and in Paul’s terms “gain the prize” play their part in it. For as I have been showing in many earlier posts, this is as much Paul and Jesus’ teaching as it is the writer to the Hebrews.

Bad news and a salutary warning for some, but in accordance with expectations for those like myself who know our God to be not merely merciful to the few but fair and magnanimous towards all. And not least to those who through ignorance and for cultural reasons have never been enlightened to the truth of the gospel. That is anyway a matter of sovereign choice, restricted to those whom the Father has foreordained to draw to Christ so that they might be re-formed into His Son’s image and fitted for imminent glory (cf. Jn6:44; Rom8:29; Rev3:21😲).  So we “all have need of endurance such that when you have done the will of God, you may receive what was promised”(last verse).

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Hebrews Chapter 9 – Key Themes and Points

SUMMARY: Heb9 contrasts the old covenant tabernacle and its sacrificial system with the superiority of Christ’s sacrifice and the new covenant, showing that the former were shadows pointing to the heavenly reality found in Jesus. Christ, as the ultimate High Priest, entered the heavenly sanctuary once with his own blood, achieving eternal redemption and providing a way for all believers to approach God, thus ending the need for repeated animal sacrifices. 

THE EARTHLY TABERNACLE AND ITS SERVICES:  The tabernacle had a “holy place” accessible to priests and a “holy of holies” (the most holy place) only accessible to the High Priest once a year to make a sacrifice for sin.  Inside the Holy of Holies was the ark of the covenant, containing a golden jar of manna, Aaron’s rod, and the Ten Commandments, all under the cherubim symbolizing God’s presence.  The tabernacle’s rituals and laws, including the sprinkling of blood, were external regulations designed to point to Christ. The Old Testament required blood for cleansing and the forgiveness of sins. 

CHRIST’S SUPERIOR WORK AND THE NEW COVENANT: Jesus is the High Priest of a new, superior covenant who entered the heavenly sanctuary, not an earthly one, with his own blood. By offering himself once for all time, Jesus achieved eternal redemption for humanity. His sacrifice and shed blood cleanse both the conscience and the believer from sin, opening the way to God. The physical veil that separated the Holy Place from the Holy of Holies was a symbol of Christ’s flesh; when it was torn at his death, the path to God was revealed. Unlike the repeated animal sacrifices of the Old Covenant, Christ’s single, perfect sacrifice is a permanent and completely effective solution to sin. 

IMPLICATIONS FOR BELIEVERS: Believers in Christ are freed from the need for endless animal sacrifices. His one sacrifice secures eternal redemption, allowing believers to serve the living God. Christ will appear a second time, not as a sacrifice for sin, but for the salvation of those who are waiting for him. 

Once again I have quoted Google’s Artificial Intelligence generated overview of a chapter from Hebrews [The NASB text is available HERE ]. In the context of what these posts are about, this can be a useful exercise regarding the vexatious but necessary negative dimension to this task; that is to identify where and how I believe many Christians have misinterpreted Scripture, particularly that which impacts or obscures the vastly broader (3 soteriological category) divine providence to which I have been testifying. The AI sources are not quoted on this occasion but last time (re Heb8) they were broadly Evangelical and I suspect that is the case here. I have highlighted in underlined green where I believe some clarification or qualification  is required.

QUOTE: “The Old Testament required blood for cleansing and the forgiveness of sins”. RESPONSE: – to which I would add “as in a sense does the New Testament”. I say “in a sense” for unlike the Old Covenant, the physical shedding of blood is indeed no longer required, but a continual and repeated offering pertaining to Christ’s shed blood is provided in Heaven and required on earth. In terms of heaven, “every high priest is appointed to offer both gifts and sacrifices; so it is necessary that (Christ) also has something to offer” (Heb8:3). So have having suffered on the Cross, Christ still offers up sacrifices pertaining to that Sacrifice, otherwise He would no longer be a High Priest. As to what is required on earth, Luther and his followers came to reject the established teaching of both the Western and Eastern Church that the Eucharist/Mass/Divine Liturgy to be a sacrifice.  And most of Luther’s followers outside the Lutheran Church also rejected the real presence of Christ’s body and blood in the bread and wine that is offered. For the first 28 years of my Christian life I did the same, although how I ever squared that with John chapter six, especially verses 51-58, I cannot imagine . What finally affirmed the matter for me was a more detailed study of the early Church Fathers’ writings.

QUOTE: “By offering himself once for all time, Jesus achieved eternal redemption for humanity”.  RESPONSE: “Redemption” in the sense of being “bought back” from the power of sin and its consequence is not provided to all humanity but only to those “foreknown by God and predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son” (Rom8:29). However Scripture also affirms that “(Christ) is the atoning sacrifice for our sins; and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world “(1Jn2:2). For in that act of atonement Christ became sin (2Cor5:21 check Greek). Quoting from my book:

 “If He became sin, it must be human sin in its totality, not an act of substitutionary atonement for select individuals or groupings. Jesus had come in the likeness of sinful flesh so that sin in the flesh should be condemned (Rom8:3). Yet through His resurrection His chosen people can also be set free from the domination and bondage of sin by sharing in Christ’s life. “If the Son shall make you free then you shall be free indeed”. So for the many, including those living before its historical occurrence the benefit of the atonement is expiatory, annulling the penalty of universal sin. For the few (proportionately speaking) it is both expiatory and cathartic through sacramental participation. For the latter it cleanses from sin’s guilt and power by being able to purify the soul and unite it with the life of Christ”  [Excerpt Little Book of Providence ch.3).

QUOTE: “His sacrifice and shed blood cleanse both the conscience and the believer from sin”. RESPONSE: The above quote from my book distinguishes between those who “merely” benefit forensically from the Atonement (1Jn2:2) and those for whom “the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without blemish to God, cleanses the conscience from dead works to serve the living God” (Heb9:14).

QUOTE: “Christ will appear a second time… for the salvation of those who are waiting for Him.  RESPONSE: In terms of to whom “those who are waiting” refers, I will leave it to Paul to provide some amplification:  “For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive; but everyone in his own class ^{[Greek: hekastos de en to idio tagmata]}: Christ the first fruits; afterwards those who are Christ’s at His coming [1Cor25:22-23]. The key to that statement being – who is, or rather who are “Christ the first fruits”? An earlier post provides the solution which reinforces the broader benign providence I have been adducing. Such is also inferred from the universal dimension to Christ’s atonement referred to above (re: 1Jn2:2 cf. 2Cor5:19).

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Hebrews Chapter 8 – Key Themes and Points

1. JESUS AS THE HIGH PRIEST: The chapter begins by affirming that Jesus is our High Priest, seated at the right hand of God in the heavenly sanctuary. Unlike earthly priests who continually offer sacrifices, Jesus has completed His work and now intercedes for humanity.
2. THE TRUE TABERNACLE: It highlights that the earthly tabernacle, built according to God’s instructions, was merely a copy of the true heavenly tabernacle where Jesus serves. This distinction underscores the greater reality of Christ’s ministry compared to the Levitical priesthood.
3. THE NEW COVENANT: The chapter introduces the concept of a new covenant, which God promised through the prophet Jeremiah. This new covenant is characterized by internal transformation, where God’s laws are written on the hearts and minds of His people, fostering a direct and personal relationship with Him.
4. INADEQUACY OF THE OLD COVENANT: The old covenant is described as having faults, primarily due to the inability of the people to uphold it. God declares that the first covenant is now obsolete, making way for the new covenant, which offers forgiveness and a more profound connection with God.
5. BETTER PROMISES: The new covenant is established on better promises, emphasizing the sufficiency of Christ’s sacrifice and the transformative power it brings to believers. This covenant ensures that all will know the Lord, from the least to the greatest, highlighting inclusivity in God’s relationship with His people. [AI Commentary – derived from 5 Sources^NOTE#1 ]

In the many years I have been plodding through the bible, on a chapter-by-chapter basis in the case of the New Testament, this is the first time I have resorted to Artificial Intelligence  to a summarize a chapter. [The NASB text for Heb8 can be found HERE]. I have utilized AI partly because the Hebrews text is quite complex and somewhat repetitive with regard to the current theme (Christ’s Melchizedekian priesthood – covered in the previous post). But it is mainly because I am not primarily here to provide commentaries (a robot might well do better), but to draw out texts from virtually every chapter of the New Testament that are not necessarily the main theme of the passage but nevertheless provide indicators of the broader benign providence set out in my by book  that these posts are supplementing.

Christ’s work not finished

Obviously I have examined Heb8, and I find the AI summary to be broadly in line with my own understanding. Given the five sources^NOTE1   utilized by AI appear to be doctrinally Evangelical, it is not surprising I have at least one reservation. That pertains to point one, and the reference to Jesus having “finished His work”, the context obviously being the salvation of humanity. I would say it is anything but finished – He is working now to that end, and has more to do to complete our salvation in the future (Phil3:20-21). In terms of the present, the writer to the Hebrews employs  what might appear to be a surprising term for our Lord’s current work (which assuredly is continuing)  in order that the Christian might “be saved to the uttermost” (Heb7:25), namely His intercession on our behalf. To that end Jesus has been made a λειτουργὸς^G3011   (verse 2), literally, a worker belonging to the people or “Public Servant”. However the nature of His work is something that no one else could hope to accomplish, even dare I say, YHWE Himself.

Jesus – uniquely qualified

However, God’s beloved Son can act as High Priest – because He is also fully a Man.  “For since He Himself was tempted in that which He has suffered, He is able to come to the aid of those who are tempted” (Heb2:18). Likewise “we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things just as we are, yet without sin”. And surely,  “it was fitting for us to have such a high priest, holy, innocent, undefiled, separated from sinners, and exalted above the heavens” (Heb7:26).

Although neither Christ nor indeed anybody need to suffer death to atone for human sin ever again, that once-for-all Sacrifice at Calvary is presented/spot-lighted repeatedly in Heaven. For as Heb8:3 affirms: “For every high priest is appointed to offer both gifts and sacrifices; so it is necessary that this (High Priest) also has something to offer”. What our Lord offers can only be Himself – as Priest and Victim. Likewise on earth, but that is for a later post.

The monarchical status of the Father

Trinitarianism may not be unbiblical but it is non-biblical. The related parlance scarcely fits in with what is being considered here. The Monarch of the universe cannot be a priest, but His only begotten Son can be, now that He has been incarnated as a Man. I frequently refer to this ordering within the Godhead, for the Monarchical status of the Father is crucial to a vital theme in my thesis. That pertains to what Paul as 13^th apostle was chosen to reveal to the world and act upon – (Matthias had replaced Judas as #12). Paul sets that out in Eph3 and Rom11vv11,12,15,30) – the secret plan hidden in God (the Father) that had been obscured from earlier generations and all pre-Pauline prophets, even, initially at least, Jesus Himself (cf.Mt15:22-24; Mt10:5-7; Mt10:23; Acts1:7). Later in His ministry He alluded to it in parables, but it was clearly not clearly understood by His disciples, even Peter (Acts10:9-16 & 11:17-18). That secret being that in the current age, fullness of salvation and spiritual Life should be granted to Gentiles as well as Jews (Acts11:18 again).

There is not space to explain it all here, but it is indicative of two levels of salvation – for Gentiles were to be offered forgiveness, i.e. saved after a fashion, but not “given an inheritance amongst those who are sanctified” (Act20:32) . But then such a concept is illustrated here in Hebrews under point 4 of the AI summary. The New Covenant is superior to the Old – God’s people of the Old Testament could be “saved after a fashion”, whilst those under the New Covenant  experience an internal transformation by which they can “be saved to the uttermost” (Heb7:25). As we will see later in Hebrews, whilst the blood of bulls and goats did atone for sins (e.g. Lev16)^NOTE#2, the blood of Christ not only pardons but purges^NOTE#3 those to whom it is applied. And as just considered, the risen, ascended Christ, following His experience and suffering on earth now acts as High Priest, “having obtained a more excellent ministry, to the extent that He is also the mediator of a better covenant, which has been enacted on better promises” (Heb8:6).

NOTE #1 AI quoted sources: Executable Outlines, Bible Hub, Talktotheworld, Biblevise, BibleRef.

NOTE #2 When the writer to the Hebrews states later that  “it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins” [10:4], the key word is ἀφαιρεῖν, meaning to take away in the sense of completely remove. That is more than to atone or pardon, which the OT such as Leviticus chapter 16 affirms certain animals’ blood could do under the Aaronic priesthood.

NOTE #3 Some translations of Heb1:3 (e.g. the KJV) try to make out that our sins were purged at Calvary. That is not what the Greek relays:  “Katharismon” (purification or cleansing) is a noun, not a verb. The NIV and NASB better translate the verse as “When He had made (a) purification of sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high”. The blood of sprinkling (as Heb12:24 refers to it) must be applied.

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For this Melchizedek, king of Salem, priest of the Most High God, who met Abraham as he was returning from the slaughter of the kings and blessed him, ² to whom also Abraham apportioned a tenth of all the spoils, was first of all, by the translation of his name, king of righteousness, and then also king of Salem, which is king of peace. ³ Without father, without mother, without genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but made like the Son of God, he remains a priest perpetually. ⁴ Now observe how great this man was to whom Abraham, the patriarch, gave a tenth of the choicest spoils… ¹⁵ And this is clearer still(!), if another priest arises according to the likeness of Melchizedek, ¹⁶ who has become a priest not on the basis of a law of physical requirement, but according to the power of an indestructible life. ¹⁷ For it is attested of Him, “You are a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.” (Heb7:1-4; 15-17NASB)

Don’t get your hopes up

I include this excerpt from Heb7 because I am systematically going through each chapter of the New Testament, drawing out those elements which support my thesis (or indeed might be perceived as challenging it), that God’s benign providence extends well beyond those who are “the elect” – the future bride of Christ (Rev19:7 cf. 3:21). It is not included because I claim to have a full understanding  of this passage – i.e. exactly who (or Who) Melchizedek was or is. But not for the first time it is helpful to refer to the Book of Enoch to fill out some of the detail, which if not entirely to be relied upon at least provides a workable theory, more particularly regarding Melchizedek ’s origins. [We simply cannot do this from canonical Scripture alone].

According to 2 Enoch

2 Enoch suggests Melchizedek was the son of Nir, Noah’s younger brother. Nir would not have been mentioned in biblical genealogies such as in Lk3 as only the firstborns are included. Nir’s wife Sopanima, who had been barren became pregnant in her old age. Somewhat prefiguring Joseph and Mary, her husband believed her to have been unfaithful . His resultant confrontation with his wife resulted in her falling dead at his feet. However her child survived and emerged from her corpse as a fully developed speaking infant. As a result of this miraculous birth, the child named Melchizedek is recognized to be a priest. According to 2 Enoch Melchizedek is then taken to paradise by Archangel Michael to be protected from the coming flood. The text also sets out a succession of priesthood, with Melchizedek being a key figure  extending from Enoch and his descendants (Methuselah, Nir) to Melchizedek himself. 

Enoch – an invaluable reference source

This clearly goes beyond anything recorded in the Old or New Testaments, but does not obviously contradict it. I am open to the 2 Enoch account being accurate in view of what I have discovered in 1 Enoch, namely that it necessarily fills in some important gaps in our understanding of what happened on earth pre-flood, indeed the reason for the flood itself. I also believe it to contain prophecies that have been fulfilled  and are indeed currently being fulfilled. These are set out in the posts linked below.

Superiority over the Aaronic priesthood

Regardless of who exactly Melchizedek is or was, the fact that his priesthood is of the same order as that of Jesus could do nothing to detract from the broader benign providence I have set out. It could only potentially enhance it, especially perhaps for Old Testament folk living before the incarnation and ascension of Jesus as our High Priest in Heaven. The mystery of Melchizedek is intriguing, but has no obvious impact upon Christian faith or praxis. The more intelligible point being made in Heb7 is that the priesthood of which Christ has become High Priest and the Covenant pertaining to it are superior to the Aaronic priesthood of the Old Covenant it replaces. Now that certainly does impact upon Christian faith and the life of the Church and will be considered in the next few posts

My posts pertaining to the Book of Enoch:

ENOCH EXPLAINS GEN6:1-2

BOOK OF ENOCH PROPHECY OF DIGITAL PRINTING

THE APOCALYPSE OF WEEKS (1 Enoch)

BOOK OF ENOCH – FINAL PIECE OF THE JIGSAW

⁹ But, beloved, we are convinced of better things of you – things that accompany salvation, even though we are speaking in this way. ¹⁰ For GOD IS NOT UNJUST SO AS TO FORGET YOUR WORK AND THE LOVE WHICH YOU HAVE SHOWN toward His name, by having served and by still serving the saints. ¹¹ And we desire that each one of you demonstrate the same diligence so as to REALIZE THE FULL ASSURANCE OF HOPE until the end, ¹² so that you will not be sluggish, but imitators of those who through faithfulness and endurance inherit the promises. ¹³ For when God made the promise to Abraham, since He could swear an oath by no one greater, He swore by Himself, ¹⁴ saying, “indeed I will greatly bless you and I will greatly multiply you.” ¹⁵ And so, having patiently waited, he obtained the promise. ¹⁶ For people swear an oath by one greater than themselves, and with them an oath serving as confirmation is an end of every dispute. ¹⁷Similarly God, desiring even more to demonstrate to the HEIRS OF THE PROMISE  the fact that His purpose is unchangeable, confirmed it with an oath, ¹⁸ so that by two unchangeable things in which it is IMPOSSIBLE FOR GOD TO LIE, we who have taken refuge would have strong encouragement to hold firmly to the hope set before us. ¹⁹This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, a hope both sure and reliable and one which ENTERS WITHIN THE VEIL, ²⁰ WHERE JESUS HAS ENTERED AS A FORERUNNER for us, having become a high priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek (Heb6:9-20).

Now for the good news

After the writer to the Hebrews’ warning about falling from grace (previous post), he is able to comfort the original readers of his letter with a welcome but/however – “we are convinced of better things of you – things that accompany salvation!” (v9). And the rest of this passage is largely good news also – especially that which I have capitalized above. But firstly note why the writer has confidence about his readers’ eternal estate. In verse 10 the opening conjunction is  γὰρ = for which reason, or “it follows from what I have just been saying” – the reason I have this confidence in you is that “God would not be so unjust as to forget your works and your love (v10). Again it affirms that our salvation (and our assurance of it) is not primarily related to our state of mind (as Luther would effectively have asserted), it pertains to what we do  and how we live. God would be unjust if He did not acknowledge and reward these things, says the writer.

Grounds for assurance

In the next verse (11) he indicates that we can know a measure of assurance, indeed “realize the full assurance of hope”. What? – if we believe strongly enough that Christ died for our sins and look to His finished work at Calvary for our salvation? No, do that by all means, but salvation is rarely if ever expressed in such terms in Scripture. [Such concepts are entirely absent from the evangelistic preaching in the Book of Acts]. Rather this assurance will be attained “if we demonstrate the same diligence” with respect to the aforementioned works of love. And if  you seek more generally for texts regarding assurance of salvation, it is much the same principle (e.g., 1Jn2:3-5; 1Jn3:14; 1Jn3:7). [Contrary to what I believed as an Evangelical and used to sing about (”I know Whom I have believed and am persuaded”… etc – 2Tim1:12), when rightly translated, is not referring to assurance of salvation – see earlier post]. This is actually good news, for it is problematic reliably to assess how strongly and firmly we  believe something, “trust” or “wholly rely” on something or Someone. If you have read a non-partisan Luther biography you will see this is something he struggled with. It’s easier to assess what we love and so act upon, and thankfully that’s Christ’s method of assessment also, as the Mt25 “sheep” found to their delight.

Heirs of the promise

More briefly, the other highlighted good news concerns God’s elect – that they are “the heirs of the promise” (v17). The writer was referring to the promises given to Abraham that were ratified by God swearing by Himself that He would honour them. And, wrote Paul, “if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s descendants, heirs according to promise” (Gal3:29). “Promises, promises” – but these can be wholeheartedly relied upon, for the even better news concerns the One who gave them.

Jesus – our Forerunner

The God of the Bible can do anything, one might imagine. Thankfully that is not the case. He cannot change (in nature) and He cannot lie. Verse 18 affirms the latter. That is why “we have strong encouragement to hold firmly to the hope set before us” (v18). As to the nature of that hope, it is expressed here in terms of “entering the veil”. That is referring to the holy of holies that under the Old Covenant none but the High Priest could enter. It is referring to entering the very presence of God, which as becomes clearer later in Hebrews (ch10) is not just referring to future glories but  is a present reality for the Christian, a mystery to be discussed in later posts. Like everything else relating to such privileges it has become possible because “Jesus has entered as a Forerunner for us” – as High Priest according to the order of Melchizedek.

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6 Therefore leaving the elementary teaching about the Christ, let us press on to maturity, not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God, ² of instruction about washings and laying on of hands, and about the resurrection of the dead and eternal judgment. ³ And this we will do, if God permits. ⁴ For it is impossible, in the case of those who have once been enlightened and have tasted of the heavenly gift and have been made partakers of the Holy Spirit, ⁵ and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come, ⁶ and then have fallen away, to restore them again to repentance, since they again crucify to themselves the Son of God and put Him to open shame. ⁷ For ground that drinks the rain which often falls on it and produces vegetation useful to those for whose sake it is also tilled, receives a blessing from God; ⁸ but if it yields thorns and thistles, it is worthless and close to being cursed, and it ends up being burned.⁹ But, beloved, we are convinced of better things of you – things that pertain to salvation! (Heb6:1-9)

Despite the encouraging last verse, this is a troublesome passage for many Christians, perhaps especially those of my former (Calvinist) ilk. That not only pertains to personal assurance of salvation but to an essential feature of their faith tradition, the final and perhaps sweetest petal of the Calvinist’s T.U.L.I.P – perseverance of the saints. It undermines the all-of-grace theology I at one time understood to be biblical truth. That is why I now delight in this passage, whilst  taking heed of its intended warning. For it has been necessary to deconstruct some of Augustine’s and much of Luther’s distinctive teaching on this subject so as to demonstrate God’s intelligible goodness, kindness and  fairness towards all true humanity, not just those He is preparing to be corporately married to His Son (Rev19:7). For this purpose I have utilized the Apostle Paul’s writings as much as I have the writer to the Hebrews.

In terms of our featured passage, the writer wishes to move on from the basics of “how to get saved” to stronger meat suited to the more mature Christian regarding how she/he might grow in grace and in knowledge of the Truth. He is writing to those whom he knows have indeed “been enlightened and have tasted of the heavenly gift and have been made partakers of the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come (vv4,5). Be assured that means they were indeed “saved”. They will have understood that regarding their own eternal estate and will have appeared as such to everyone else. In other words, this passage is absolutely referring to “falling from grace”, i.e. not persevering as saints. Such people, says the writer, act as if Christ had never been crucified on their behalf – but since He has, they are effectively “crucifying Him again to themselves” (v6).

The Hebrews writer refers in verse 6 to those who “have fallen away” [Greek: παραπεσόντας]. But how is that to be determined? Contrary to what Martin Luther might have said, it is not exclusively  a matter of belief or conviction, i.e., whether or not one continues “firmly to believe Jesus has died for one’s sins” or suchlike. As the illustration provided in verses 7&8 should make clear, it is a matter of what one goes on to produce in one’s life. Those who have fallen away “yield thorns and thistles” rather than “producing vegetation useful to those for whose sake it is also tilled”.

As is always the case whether it be the writer to the Hebrews, Paul or Jesus who is saying it, final judgement is on the basis of works, not beliefs. For faith that saves can never be alone, it is always accompanied by works or “fruit”. But those works are not merely the evidence of faith, they are its efflux. They flow out from it because of what this divinely provided gift  called faith actually is. My definition is not dissimilar to that of 2^nd century Clement of Alexandria who stated that “Faith is that which of itself and from its own resources chooses at once what is best” (my highlighting). How exactly I describe it and how such a definition reconciles the teaching of Paul with James (and indeed Jesus) is set out in chapter three of The Little Book of Providence.

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 ¹For every high priest taken from among men is appointed on behalf of men in things pertaining to God, in order to offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins; ² he can deal gently with the ignorant and misguided, since he himself also is beset with weakness; ³ and because of it he is obligated to offer sacrifices for sins, as for the people, but also for himself. ⁴ And no one takes the honour to himself, but receives it when he is called by God, even as Aaron was. ⁵ So also Christ did not glorify Himself so as to become a high priest, but He who said to Him, “You are My Son, today I have begotten You”; ⁶ just as He says also in another passage, “You are a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.” ⁷In the days of His flesh, He offered up both prayers and supplications with loud crying and tears to the One able to save Him from death, and He was heard because of His piety. ⁸ Although He was a Son, He learned obedience from the things which He suffered. ⁹ And having been made perfect, He became to all those who obey Him the source of eternal salvation, ¹⁰ being designated by God as a high priest according to the order of Melchizedek (Heb5:1-10).

Given that the letter to the Hebrews was written sometime in the second half of the first century (probably pre-AD70), the “high priests taken from among men” (v1) is likely to refer to priests appointed for service in the Jewish temple. Jesus has been made High Priest “according to the order of Melchizedek” (v6), but according to the writer to the Hebrews, the latter existed throughout the Old Testament period alongside (or arching over) the Aaronic priesthood. Likewise priests continue today, to lead (under bishops) their congregations and administer the sacraments.

Priesthood of ALL believers

But is not the whole Church “a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession (1Pet2:9). Absolutely, but that only becomes truly meaningful in the context of a sacerdotal Church.  Each participant of the Mass/Divine Liturgy^NOTE1 effectively acts as a priest by joining in the sacrificial offering of the Eucharist, receiving the sacrament in prayer and thanksgiving, offered in the hands of the celebrant, who in persona Christi acts as a high priest of the New Covenant, approaching the holy altar to offer the pure gift with incense. Unlike the Great High Priest of Whom the writer to the Hebrews speaks, high priests taken from among men, “since he himself also is beset with weakness is obligated to offer sacrifices for sins, as for the people, but also for himself (v3).  Thereby the Church as a spiritual house and a holy priesthood offers up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God by Jesus Christ (1Pet2:5).

Providential implications

As ever I am looking for any broader providential implications, and they follow from what has just been written concerning the priesthood of all believers. For if the Church be a priesthood it cannot be offering sacrifices exclusively for itself. It also exists for the benefit of “the ignorant and misguided” (v2).  The Church shares in the sacrificial offering with her Head. Those outside her therefore must potentially benefit; not just from her enlightenment and good works within wider society but through her priestly intercession and sacrifice. Once the implications of this are worked through, it resolves many biblical tensions and explains the broader reconciliatory picture painted particularly by Paul.

That in turn pertains to justification within the eluded Universal Covenant. It is not directly linked to association with the Church but through an association with the cross of Jesus Christ (cognisant or otherwise) who has atoned for the sin of the world. That leads to an indirect association with the Church as God’s royal priesthood making present that historical Sacrifice. Thereby all people of good will benefit in an expiatory (guilt removing) and propitiatory (God appeasing) sense from the sacrifice that the Christian faithful as God’s nation of priests offers on the world’s as well as its own behalf at the Eucharist. But only those partaking of the body and blood may benefit in a salvific or soul-healing sense, for which reason Catholics say, “Lord I am not worthy that you should enter under my roof but only say the word and my soul shall be healed”.

NOTE#1 Both the Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox Church regard their Eucharist as a sacrifice, a re-enactment, a means of nourishing the faithful and providing forgiveness of  sins. Luther rejected the sacrificial nature of the Mass, which as well as other consequences of his actions, I proposed in chapter one of the “Little Book of Providence” were foretold in scripture.

4 Therefore, we should fear if, while a promise remains of entering His rest, any of you may appear to have come short of it. ² For indeed we have had good news preached to us, just as they also did; but the word they heard did not benefit them, because they were not united with those who listened with faith. ³ For it is we who have faith that enter that rest, just as He has said, “As I swore in My anger, They certainly shall not enter My rest.” Yet His labours were finished from the foundation of the world. ⁴ For He has said somewhere concerning the seventh day: “And God rested on the seventh day from all His toil”; ⁵ and again in this passage, “They certainly shall not enter My rest.” ⁶ Therefore, since it remains for some to enter it, and those who previously had good news preached to them failed to enter because of disobedience, ⁷ He again sets a certain day, “Today,” saying through David after so long a time just as has been said before, “Today if you hear His voice, Do not harden your hearts.” ⁸ For if Joshua had given them rest, He would not have spoken of another day after that. ⁹ Consequently, there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God. ¹⁰ For the one who has entered His rest has himself also rested from his labours, as God did from His. ¹¹ Therefore let’s make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will fall by following the same example of disobedience (Heb4:1-11).

In terms of the  “rest” to which the writer refers, it originates in the example he has just given (ch3) concerning the Israelites, who having been delivered from slavery in Egypt rebelled against their God-appointed leader Moses and acted treacherously and idolatrously against their God. In spite of Moses’ plea to God to take the punishment upon himself, it was determined that the culprits themselves rather than Moses should take the blame and  so “not enter into My rest”. Thankfully for humanity the same principle did not apply when Jesus willingly took our punishment upon Himself. Indeed the Father was insistent at Gethsemane  that His Son should undergo such suffering on our behalf. But as I have already demonstrated from Hebrews (for those who can receive it) Christ’s suffering was not only beneficial for us but for Himself. He was crowned with glory and honour because of His suffering [Ἰησοῦν διὰ τὸ πάθημα] and in order that He should be perfected (Heb2:9-10), especially no doubt with regard to His High Priestly and juridical functions (2:17-18).

The writer of Hebrews affirms that the ultimate reason for many of God’s people’s disobedience was that they had not received the message of good news (concerning their deliverance and the promised land) with faith.  He fears that that may be the case for some believers who have heard the Gospel, seemingly acted upon it, but do not continue in the faith. It needs to be emphasized (especially in view of some commentaries I have seen) that this is not just a matter of belief (that Christ had died for their sins) but of obedience. The connection between faith and obedience being that some shall depart from the Way of Christ and His teaching because they never truly believed in the first place. This was clearly what the Hebrews writer was indicating concerning Moses’ dissidents in v2 taken with v11 of our passage. As that final verse affirms, it is not just a case of resting, trusting or believing but striving (“make every effort” ) to enter God’s rest – for “we should fear if, while a promise remains of entering His rest, any of you may appear to have come short of it” (v1). 

As the change of tense suggests in verse 10, there is not just a future but a present sense in which the true believer enters God’s rest. As JHWE assured Moses: “My presence will go with you and I shall give you rest” (Ex33:14). And Jesus: “Come to Me, all you who labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest (Mt11:28). As most will recognize “rest” pertains to peace and security, not inactivity. Likewise regarding a future rest: that could be said to be Heaven for those who (in bible terms) have fallen asleep. Ultimately it relates to what the Apostle Peter sought after, and like “the promised land” it is as material as it is spiritual: “We, in accordance with His promise look for new heavens and a new earth where righteousness dwells” (2Pet3:13)

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¹² Take care, brothers and sisters, that there will not be in any one of you an evil, unbelieving heart that falls away from the living God. ¹³ But encourage one another every day,  as long  (that is) as it can still be described as “today,” so that none of you will be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. ¹⁴ For we have become partakers of Christ if and only if^note1  we keep the beginning of our commitment  firm until the end.¹⁵ While it is said, “Today if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts, as when they provoked Me.” ¹⁶ For who provoked Him when they had heard? Indeed, did not all those who came out of Egypt led by Moses? ¹⁷ And with whom was He angry for forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose dead bodies fell in the wilderness? ¹⁸ And to whom did He swear that they would not enter His rest, but to those who were disobedient? ¹⁹ And so we see that they were not able to enter because of faithlessness (Heb3:12-18).

The writer to the Hebrews continues to warn against the possibility of the Christian falling from grace “through the deceitfulness of sin” (v13). And, just as I have headed this short post, the catalyst for falling into sin and its consequences can be summarized as unbelief or faithlessness. For the Christian, that is not necessarily that one ceases to believe in Christ as Saviour, but as in Jesus’ parable of the seed choked by thorns one can become distracted by “the deceitfulness of riches” (Mt13:22) such that (ironically) one fails to persevere on the path that actually leads to greater riches (spiritual and material) than this current world could ever offer. For faith (Greek: πίστις) and its derivatives is not just referring to belief but to faithfulness (same word in Greek). That is evident in the final two verses of our passage (above). Those who were destroyed by God  before they could enter the promised land “were disobedient” (v18). Yet the passage concludes “And so we see that they were not able to enter because of faithlessness” (v19)

The example the writer to the Hebrews is using is that of God’s people of the Old Testament whom Moses brought out of bondage in Egypt. They began to mutter, complain and doubt God’s promises – His and Moses’ assurances that they would remain under divine protection until they attained the promised land and “entered His rest”. Likewise the  recipients of the Epistle to the Hebrews had “become partakers of Christ” , that is “if and only if they keep the beginning of their commitment firm to the end” (see note #1 re the conditional clause).

Perseverance not guaranteed

Such warnings concerning falling away from the Faith are not restricted to Hebrews, there is Jesus (too numerous to mention), but also Paul. Referring to the Jews as the natural branches and Christians as those who had been grafted in: “You might well say then, “Branches were broken off so that I might be grafted in.” Quite right, they were broken off for their unbelief, but you stand by your faith. However, do not be conceited, but fear; for if God did not spare the natural branches, He will not spare you, either. ²² See then the kindness and severity of God: to those who fell, severity, but to you, God’s kindness, if you continue in His kindness; for otherwise you too will be cut off” (Rom11:19-22).

As someone who has always taken the bible very seriously, I wonder these days how I could ever have believed in the guaranteed “perseverance of the saints”. I have subsequently been shown that that doctrine along with the rest of Calvin’s “TULIP” can   be largely^Note2 disregarded, together with the dire cosmic outcomes for the bulk of humanity that result from it.

No ordinary day

Finally, there is an intriguing statement in verse 13  in which the writer to the Hebrews anticipates a Day coming that shall be like no other day. “Today”, he implies, could never do it justice. It is sometimes described in Scripture as a  Day of Wrath, and observing our world as it is now and frankly  has always been, that is no surprise. The truly  wicked who would never bow the knee to Jesus Christ shall be ignominiously dealt with (2Thes1:8 cf. Enoch1:1); many more shall have cause to mourn for their sins and ignorance of their Saviour during their lifetime (Rev1:7), whilst the saints of God who have been raptured or (if deceased) resurrected shall return with their Lord in triumph (1Thes3:13).

But what then shall be initiated? Jesus described such a time as the renaissance or re-birth (Mt19:28), Luke as the universal restoration (Acts3:21) and the liberation (Lk21:28), John as the millennium of Christ’s rule with His saints (Rev20:4-5) and Paul as the restoration of the physical creation (Rom8:21). Whatever precisely unfolds at Christ’s return, those whom the writer to the Hebrews describes as “having becoming a partaker of Christ” (v14) is the best place to be for those privileged (but also obligated) to have been enlightened concerning the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

NOTES

Note #1  εἴπερ – an infrequently used strengthened conditional clause meaning “if it is indeed the case that” or in modern parlance “if and only if”…   

Note #2 – TULIP= Total depravity/Unconditional election/Limited atonement/Irresistible grace/Perseverance of the saints. As considered in the previous post, election is indeed unconditional (in terms of innate merit/deservedness) but pertains to calling and embarking upon the Way, not completing the course.

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3 Therefore, holy brothers and sisters, partakers of a heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our confession: Jesus; ² He was faithful to Him who appointed Him, as Moses also was in all His house. ³ For He has been counted worthy of more glory than Moses, by just so much as the builder of the house has more honour than the house. ⁴ For every house is built by someone, but the builder of all things is God. ⁵ Now Moses was faithful in all God’s house as a servant, for a testimony of those things which were to be spoken later; ⁶ but Christ was faithful as a Son over His house—whose house we are, if and only if** we hold firmly to our confidence and the boast of our hope to the end (Heb3:1-6).

A short passage that provides enlightenment concerning Jesus as High Priest as well as those over whom He presides in that capacity. Starting with the latter, they are the holy ones or “saints”, by which is denoted that they have been set apart by God. Also, that they are not merely “justified sinners”, but a people who are morally and characteristically being conformed to the image of Jesus Christ (Rom8:29). These chosen ones are “partakers of a heavenly calling (κλήσεως)” – a Greek word that also has the sense of being invited, the “heavenly” reference indicating by Whom.

The nature of our calling

 Referring back to our considerations of Paul’s writings and his frequent direct or more often indirect references to predestination, the calling/invitation is the aspect of gospel salvation that is “all of grace”. That it is not say it is a matter of random chance, for “whom He foreknew He predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son”(Rom8:29). The point Paul constantly makes is that election is not on the basis of inherent virtue or accumulated good works – that apostle, formerly Saul of Tarsus, being a classic example. He had been a fanatical Christ-hating saint-slaughtering zealot. Yet God foreknew that once confronted by the risen Christ  and empowered by the Holy Spirit  he would make a great apostle; for as Paul affirmed, he had been created for that very purpose.

As the writer to the Hebrews more than anyone makes clear, the calling/invitation and divine enabling (cf. Jn6:44) to embark upon the Way of the Cross is where the all-of-grace paradigm ends. Thereafter it is self-effort,  self-discipline and faithfulness aided by the Holy Spirit and sacraments of grace. Thereby, in Paul’s language, one is enabled  to “complete the course” and attain “the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus” (Phil3:14). [I take every opportunity to re-iterate this truth, for it is vital to an appreciation of God’s justice and fairness towards all people, especially when taken in the context of the tripartite soteriology and resultant broader benign providence being outlined].

Christ uniquely qualified to be High Priest

The Lord Jesus Christ is the perfect High Priest and the previous post explained why: “Therefore, in all things (Jesus) had to be made like His brethren, that He might be a merciful and faithful High Priest in things pertaining to God, to make a propitiation for the sins of the people, since that He Himself has suffered, being tempted, He is able to aid those who are tempted” (Heb2:17-18).

Moses the servant, Christ the Son

The passage then compares Jesus with Moses. The latter was a great leader, who also effectively acted as a high priest for the people under his charge. He interceded for them, attempted to propitiate God’s anger for their frequent disobedience and faithlessness. He even offered to take God’s threatened punishment of the people upon himself: “Moses returned to the Lord and said, “Alas, this people has sinned a great sin. They have made for themselves gods of gold.  But now, if you will forgive their sin—but if not, please blot me out of your book that you have written.” (Ex32:31-32).

So in those regards, Moses might be seen as a “type” of Christ, but the writer to the Hebrews makes clear who is by far the greater of the two. Both were appointed by God (v2) but whereas Moses had been faithful as a servant of God’s house, Jesus had been faithful as a Son over His. More fundamentally, the house that Christ rules over could never have come into existence if it were not for the achievements of its Leader and Saviour.

The House of the Lord

For as considered in the previous post/passage, Jesus was the Archetype and author of His people’s salvation, especially through the suffering that He endured on their behalf (2:10). It is His house and He effectively was its builder, “whose house we are, if and only if** we hold firmly to our confidence and the boast of our hope to the end” (v6), which rather goes back to the points being made in my second paragraph.

**  εἴπερ – an infrequently used strengthened conditional clause meaning “if it is indeed the case that” or in modern parlance “if and only if”…   

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For in subjecting all things to (mankind), He left nothing that is not subject to him. But now we do not yet see all things subjected to him. ⁹ But we do see Him who was made for a little while lower than the angels, namely, Jesus, because of His suffering death crowned with glory and honour, so that by the grace of God He might taste death for everyone. ¹⁰ For it was fitting for Him, for whom are all things, and through whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to perfect the Archetype of their salvation through sufferings. ¹¹ For both He who sanctifies and those who are being sanctified are all from One; for this reason He is not ashamed to call them brothers and sisters (Heb2:8-11) 

Firstly note in the opening two verses, the transition of the personal pronoun (him) in v8 to a capitalized version (Him) in v9. This affirms what I wrote in the previous post that vv5-8 is referring to humanity, not exclusively to Jesus . Most bible versions have this right but not all – the latter presumably having a problem with the implication that all that has been created (including the angels)  will be under mankind’s control. As I explained, this has all and everything to do with Jesus and how God’s elect as a kind of first fruit for humanity shall relate to the appointed Lord of the Universe.

ἐξ ἑνὸς ?

To be writing as I do I certainly believe myself to have received prophetic insights, but there are aspects of this passage that go beyond my knowledge. That especially applies to verse 11 where the writer to the Hebrews states that Jesus and His disciples are  ἐξ ἑνὸς  – i.e., either they are both the same or derive from the same source which (in view of LJC) can only be God. So are human beings inherently divine? – one would imagine not. Yet they are made in the image of One who is, and through sacramental participation God’s elect are already “partakers of the divine nature” (2Pet1:4).

In terms of destiny “it has not yet been revealed what we shall be but we know that when He appears we shall be just like Him”. (1Jn3:2). As affirmed in the previous post, mankind’s destiny (certainly for the human elect) is inextricably linked to that of Jesus Christ, Lord of the Universe. They are to  be as Man and Wife, once the latter has made herself ready (Rev19:7). Likewise, they are kith and kin, for it is also to be noted from verse 11 that the reason Jesus is not ashamed to call his disciples brothers is because (“for which reason”) He and they are ἐξ ἑνὸς .

The NEED for suffering

What has been made clear to me yet appears a mystery to most Christians is the essentiality of sin and suffering for those who are to be raised to glory. Paul affirms it, Hebrews indicates why, and points to the fact that this principle even applied to our sinless Saviour. Verse 9 states explicitly that it was because of Jesus’ suffering death that He was crowned with glory and honour. What is more: “It was fitting for Him, for whom are all things and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to make the Archetype of their salvation perfect through suffering (v10). And later in Hebrews:

“Though He were a Son, He learned obedience by the things which He suffered, and having been perfected He became the author of eternal salvation for all who obey Him” (Heb5:8-9)

In Jesus’ case His suffering could have nothing to do with personal purification, for He was without sin. It pertained to His personal capacity and office, especially that of High Priest:

“Therefore, in all things (Jesus)had to be made like His brethren, that He might be a merciful and faithful High Priest in things pertaining to God, to make a propitiation for the sins of the people, for in that He Himself has suffered, being tempted, He is able to aid those who are tempted” (Heb2:17-18)

His awareness and personal experience of human suffering also prepares Him for His role as Supreme Judge of humanity. It set a pattern and example for those who as co-heirs must support Him as priests, kings and judges; they are to share in Christ’s glory but must firstly share His suffering:

Now if we are children, then we are heirs: heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ; if indeed we share in His sufferings in order that we may also share in His glory  (Rom8:17)

The PURPOSE of suffering

Regarding the previous few posts, this is the  advantage that human beings have over the angels of heaven: a personal day-to-day experience of sin and suffering. Such might not be advantageous if human destiny were to be confined to the spiritual realm: a blissful stasis beholding the vision of God’s glory, wonderful though that is for those who have “fallen asleep” as Scripture describes the temporary separation of body and spirit in heaven.

But the emphasis from the Old Testament prophesies, the gospels, the epistles and Revelation as far as the next age is concerned is for the elect of God to be “the children of the resurrection” (Lk20:36). For the believer’s destiny once resurrected does not merely consist in beholding but participating with God in eternal union with His Son. But as with any marriage, howsoever the Bridegroom may relate to His Father through eternity so must His Bride for they are now in union; and whatsoever His Son’s activity and domain, so shall His co-heirs share in it.

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⁵ For it is not to the angels that God has subjected the inhabited earth that is to come about which we are speaking. ⁶ Yet someone has testified somewhere, saying, “What is man, that You think of him? Or a son of man, that You are concerned about him? ⁷ You have temporarily made him  lower than angels; You have crowned him with glory and honour; ⁸ You have put everything in subjection under his feet.” For in subjecting all things to (mankind) He left nothing that is not subject to him. But we do not as yet see all things subjected to (mankind). ⁹However, we do see Him who was (also) temporarily made lower than the angels, namely, Jesus, who  as a result of His suffering death was crowned with glory and honour, so that by the grace of God He might taste death for everyone (Heb2:4-9).

Some commentaries I have seen imply that this passage is all about Jesus. As the opening verses suggest it also concerns the glorious destiny of mankind. It’s not all about Jesus but it is all because of Him, what He did for us and the fact that He became a Man: “The Word became flesh and dwelt amongst us” (Jn1:14). Above all it is because He died on the Cross and rose again. The Word of God was incarnated, died, was resurrected and glorified. None of those things would have happened if sin had not entered the world. Satan believed himself to have gained a supreme victory at Eden whereas he effectively shot himself in the foot. I am in the process of explaining why and the letter to the Hebrews is the ideal material.

In terms of translations, οἰκουμένην (v5) might best be described as the inhabited earth. It is the same word used  as when Satan displayed  all the kingdoms of the earth to Jesus during His temptations (Lk4). In terms of vv7-8, some translations infer man (and Jesus) was made a little lower than the angels; others that for a short time or temporarily they were made lower than the angels. I have taken it to be the latter, as the point being made, particularly about Jesus, was that although (as the previous few posts have considered) He has always been superior to the angels, taking the form of a man He became (or appeared to be) lower than they.

Angels are indeed superior in terms of their power, majesty, authority and function compared to man in mortal flesh. The point being made is that this is a temporary arrangement, as was hinted at in the last but one post/passage that concluded: ¹⁴ Are (the angels) not all ministering spirits, sent out to provide service for the sake of those who will inherit salvation? (Heb1:3b-14).

AUTHORITY OVER WHAT?

But note the passage says that we do not currently see all things under man’s authority, yet purely in terms of the current arrangements on earth that is not the case. Man is supreme over all earthly  creation – he controls it all, albeit in view of the Fall, not terribly well. In Genesis, mankind was given authority over all things: “Rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and over every living creature that moves on the ground” (Gen1:28); and that applied, even after the Fall.

However, the writer to the Hebrews declares: “In subjecting all things to (mankind) He left nothing that is not to be subject to him,  but we do not as yet SEE all things subjected to (mankind)”. To which he adds “but we see Jesus!!!” – and we all know what happened to Him in that regard: “Jesus came up and spoke to (His disciples), saying, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me (Mt28:18). Note also the astonishing (and for some, perplexing) statement that it was as a result of His suffering that Jesus was crowned with glory and honour (v9) – and a few verses later, the writer to the Hebrew writes something even more astonishing (next post).

Paul affirmed that suffering is a prerequisite for glory (Rom8:17; 2Tim2:12), Hebrews shall explain why! This is the mystery of evil – why a God who is love personified facilitated the introduction of sin into the world (cf. Rom8:20), knowing the suffering it would cause for its people and His own Son. And this is why so many angels, headed by Lucifer had a problem with His plan, yet through their vengeful response at Eden and Calvary, they have unwittingly facilitated it!

FUTURE PROSPECTS FOR HUMANITY

As our featured text indicates, there are aspects of creation that are not currently under mankind’s control, but they shall be – not under angels but under man. What are they? May I suggest, the entire universe: everything that has been created and has yet to be established in the universe, or should I say multiverse. Unless, that is, you reject Paul’s teaching that “all things were created by Christ, through Him and for Him (Col1:16). Planet earth, this miniscule spec within a seemingly empty, stunningly enormous and ever expanding universe is of supreme significance  because the Word of God made flesh lived and died on it, so that in the words of our passage, He might taste death for everyone (v9).

And in terms of God’s elect, who are “a kind of first fruit for all creation” (Jam1:18), they are the corporate bride of Christ. And if you are a married man, for what do you wish? Surely that your wife should share and participate in all that is yours, which in the case of Christ is His universal domain, not to mention a living, loving  and enduring relationship with the In-Laws (cf. Heb1:5).

If this is currently too wondrous to contemplate, join the club.

יִצְחָ֔ק

2 For this reason we must pay much closer attention to the things we have heard, SO THAT WE DO NOT DRIFT AWAY. ² For if the word spoken through angels proved unalterable, and every violation and act of disobedience received a JUST PUNISHMENT, ³ how will we escape if we NEGLECT SO GREAT A SALVATION? After it was at first spoken through the Lord, it was confirmed to us by those who heard, ⁴ God also testifying with them, both by signs and wonders, and by various miracles and by gifts of the Holy Spirit according to His own will (Heb2:1-4).

I mentioned in my introductory post to the letter to the Hebrews that Martin Luther didn’t like it very much. This is one reason why – the phrases I have capitalized above relating to the possibility of a Christian “drifting away” from the faith . The writer to the Hebrews amplified this warning a few chapters later when he writes:  ^“For it is impossible, in the case of those who have once been enlightened and have tasted of the heavenly gift and have been made partakers of the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come, and then have fallen away, to restore them again to repentance, since they again crucify to themselves the Son of God and put Him to open shame” (Heb6:4-6).

I will comment on that in more detail when we get to chapter six. But briefly, it could be taken to imply that once a Christian falls into sin there is no possibility of repentance. That is absolutely not the case as both human experience and Jesus’s parables such as the prodigal son and the 99+1 sheep typify. What it does however mean is that “once saved, always saved” is a no-no. Either the Protestant Reformers are right and the writer to the Hebrews is wrong or vice versa; both cannot be right. But as I have been consistently demonstrating, Paul when rightly understood teaches nothing different, it’s just that Hebrews is more explicit on the matter.

And, counterintuitively for many, this is great news. It confirms our God to be the fair and intelligibly good Creator the “Little Book of Providence” proves Him to be. That would not be the case if the path to glory were all of grace. God is fair to all and a Rewarder of those who in Jesus’ oft-repeated words “overcome”  (Rev2:7,11,17,26 ch3:5,12,21 ch21:7), or in Paul’s language, for those who “win the race” and “gain the prize” (Phil3:14; 1Cor9:24).

(Jesus) sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, ⁴ having become SUPERIOR TO THE ANGELS, to the extent that He has INHERITED A MORE EXCELLENT NAME than they. ⁵ For to which of the angels did He ever say, “You are My Son, TODAY I HAVE BEGOTTEN YOU”? And again, “I will be a Father to Him And He will be a Son to Me”? ⁶ And when He again brings the Firstborn into the world, He says, “And let all the ANGELS OF GOD WORSHIP HIM.” ⁷ And regarding the angels He says, “He makes His angels winds, And His ministers a flame of fire.” ⁸ But regarding the Son He says,  “Your throne, O GOD, is forever and ever, And the sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of His kingdom.⁹ You have loved righteousness and hated lawlessness; and BECAUSE OF THIS GOD, YOUR GOD, HAS ANOINTED YOU with the oil of joy above Your associates.” ¹⁰ And, “You, Lord, in the beginning laid the foundation of the earth, and THE HEAVENS ARE THE WORKS OF YOUR HANDS. ¹¹ They will perish, but You remain; and they all will wear out like a garment, ¹² and like a robe You will roll them up; like a garment they will also be changed. But You are the same, and Your years will not come to an end.” ¹³ But to which of the angels has He ever said, “Sit at My right hand, until I make Your enemies a footstool for Your feet”? ¹⁴ Are they not all ministering spirits, sent out to provide service for the sake of those who will inherit salvation? (Heb1:3b-14)

So having provided a purification for sins (previous post), Jesus sat down at the  right hand of God. The writer to the Hebrews then proceeds to demonstrate how far the Lord Jesus Christ (i.e. as God-Man) is superior to the angels. He does so in terms of statements that God the Father will have been made about His Son that would not apply to any angel. This does not detract from what I have  emphasizing about the monarchical status of the Father within the Godhead, rather it establishes it. Particularly verse 9: “You have loved righteousness and hated lawlessness; and BECAUSE OF THIS GOD, YOUR GOD, HAS ANOINTED YOU with the oil of joy above Your associates.”

But the Lord Jesus Christ’s superiority over the angels (and all of us) is supremely evident in the verse that follows it: “You, Lord, in the beginning laid the foundation of the earth, and THE HEAVENS ARE THE WORKS OF YOUR HANDS (v10)”. And as Paul had written: 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.

So affirming such authority the writer to the Hebrews poses a few questions : “To which of the angels did God ever say, “You are My Son, today I have fathered You”? And again, “I will be a Father to Him and He will be a Son to Me”? (Heb1:5). And “To which of the angels has He ever said, “Sit at My right hand until I make Your enemies Your footstool”? (Heb1:13). So regardless of any ordering within the Godhead, who would not with disciple Thomas declare of Jesus: “My Lord and my God!” (Jn20:28).

Angels and the elect of God

In terms of the angels’ role, the passage concludes: “Are they not all ministering spirits, sent out to provide service for the sake of those who will inherit salvation? (v14)  With that in mind I shall pose some further questions: To which of the angels did JESUS ever say: “I regard you as my own kith and kin” (cf. Mt12:50); “I who sanctify you and you who are being sanctified ARE ALL OF ONE, therefore I am not ashamed to call you my brothers and sisters” (Heb2:11). And to which of the angels has Christ ever said, “My Father has chosen you to be my corporate Bride through eternity, even to share my throne” (cf. Rev3:21; 19:7).

Need I go on?   It largely pertains to the fact that the Word of God has been incarnated as a Man, not an Angel. And if Jesus Christ has authority over the angels, then so (in due course) shall those He regards as His corporate Bride. “In due course” for two things need to happen for that to come about. Firstly, we need to be saved/purged/purified from sins of the flesh (covered in previous post). Secondly (and not currently available), we need a new body. Yes, “even we ourselves who have the first fruits of the Spirit  groan within ourselves, waiting eagerly for our adoption as sons and daughters, being THE REDEMPTION OF OUR BODY! (Rom8:23)

Suffering – the grist for glory

No wonder some of the angels rebelled when they learnt of God’s plans for humanity, whilst the rest still long to look into these matters (1Pet1:12). The supreme irony at Satan’s expense is that the rebellion he led and the damage he inflicted on the world, together with the human suffering that resulted from it, has enabled humanity rather than the angels to be perfected for the greater glory, as Christ’s corporate bride. Paul provides further hints to this mystery in Rom8:20-21; the writer to the Hebrews still more so in Heb2:10, whilst the matter is worked out in more detail in “The Little Book of Providence”.

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When (Jesus) had BY HIMSELF PURGED OUR SINS, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high (Heb1:3b King James Version)

cf.

When (Jesus) had MADE A PURIFICATION OF SINS**, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high (Heb1:3b)

 [**καθαρισμὸν τῶν ἁμαρτιῶν ποιησάμενος]

———————————————————

I have focussed on a single verse (in fact half a verse) for this post as it is crucial to a right understanding of the mystery of the Cross and what Jesus achieved for us at Calvary. Most reading this are likely know that the New Testament was written in Greek, whilst those who have studied this dead language with its lack of punctuation will know that texts can be ambiguous in terms of how they should be translated. That especially applies to word order. For example, the above KJV translation (or should I say mistranslation) understands the “by Himself” to be relating to the Hebrews writer’s statement concerning the Cross whereas most translations  assume it more likely pertains to the previous statement regarding sustaining all things (v3a).

KJV – An invalid translation

That anomaly is debatable and therefore excusable whereas how the KJV continues its translation is neither. It has deceived many including myself in the past, inferring that the sins of believers were purged at Calvary. What the Greek actually relays is that a purification for sins was provided by Christ’s death on the Cross. “καθαρισμὸν” is a noun not a verb. Sins were not purged (verb), a purification (noun) for sins was provided. We have to avail ourselves of it – the blood must be applied (Jn6:53-58). And there is no reference to “our sins”. It’s not your sin, not my sin, not His chosen people’s sin – simply SIN! That, incidentally  is why John could write: “Christ Himself is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours, but also for those of the whole world” (1Jn2:2).

The multifaceted mystery of the Cross

This is vast subject so I can only briefly summarize. As just quoted from 1Jn, Christ’s death was an atoning sacrifice for all humanity. It propitiated God’s anger at sin in the world. Through subsequent sacramental participation, it provides a means of cleansing (purging) sin in individual believers (1Jn1:7). And more mysteriously for many, it provided the means by which the world and its people could ultimately be reconciled to God. In Paul’s language: “Having made peace through the blood of His cross, God would reconcile all things to Himself by Christ, whether they be things on earth or things in heaven (Col1:20).

🎶Born to raise the sons of earth… 🎶

Jesus’ death on the cross is I believe the most important event in universal history. It  brought about the means by which the seemingly disastrous events at Eden could be remedied. Mankind fell, whilst Satan fell for a trap. That seeming catastrophe for mankind brought about a future re-ordering of species – through the Word of God’s incarnation as a Man. The sons and daughters of earth shall not only be reconciled to God in pre-Edenic innocence, but starting with those who are given a second birth whilst still in mortal flesh they shall ultimately be raised to glory and divinity. This will be considered shortly for it pertains to Heb2:5-12 and will be introduced in the next post concerning Jesus’ standing amongst the angels (1:4-9).

Reconciling with the rest of Scripture:

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1 God, after He spoke long ago to the fathers in the prophets in many portions and in many ways, ² at the end of these last days has spoken to us in the person of a Son, whom HE APPOINTED heir of all things, THROUGH whom He also fashioned the ages. ³ And He is the radiance of God’s glory and THE EXACT REPRESENTATION OF HIS NATURE, and upholds all things by the word of His power.

Briefly, a word on the previous 1-chapter epistle to Philemon, only to say that I won’t comment on it at all, for uniquely in terms of New Testament epistles it has no direct relevance to the subject in hand, being the breadth of God’s benign providence. Written by Paul it is of course worthy of study and I found a useful commentary here for those who wish to do so. I now move on to Hebrews which in contrast to Philemon is packed with doctrinal issues that require study in the context of our subject matter. That is why I have restricted my first passage to just the opening three verses!

Luther’s nemesis?

Martin Luther was not the first to challenge some earlier assumptions that the epistle to the Hebrews was written by Paul, and in this regard he is almost certainly right. But he had more serious concerns that the epistle appeared to contradict some of Paul’s teaching, especially concerning grace and perseverance, and that is certainly the case in terms of how ML interpreted Paul. At best, Luther believed Hebrews needed to be read alongside other scriptures to be properly understood. Rather I suggest it is Paul who needs to read alongside other scriptures (especially the teaching of Christ) in order that Paul should not be misinterpreted. And should Paul contradict Jesus, dump the apostle and hearken to the Lord of the universe – but there is no need, for Paul rightly interpreted contradicts no one!^NOTE#1

Not a favourite with the Reformers

But back to Hebrews, and it will soon become evident why Luther along with other Protestant Reformers had a problem with it. I have agreed with Luther (and virtually all commentators these days) that Paul did not write Hebrews, yet the opening verses concerning the Lord Jesus Christ and His status within the Godhead is in accordance with the great apostle in that it clearly affirms the monarchical status of the Father. For God appointed His only begotten Son to be heir of all things, by which appointment LJC is affirmed supreme over all creation, indeed the One through Whom all things were created (v2). Nevertheless an appointee cannot meaningfully be equated with the appointer yet both can be equally divine and of the same essence.  Just as with human appointments, he who is appointed is equally human to the appointer.  It is a question of order and authority, not essence or nature as the writer to the Hebrews is just about to inform us with regard to our Lord.

An exact representation of the Father

Some may have a problem with my comments regarding an order within the Godhead. I am not concerned, for most of the earliest Church Fathers who had not  been reliant on Scripture alone but had received the Faith from the apostles or their immediate appointees were considered by the post-Nicene church  to be tending to “subordinationism” ^NOTE#2.

However, for Luther and the Reformers a more problematic consideration might be the inverse reality that the Lord Jesus Christ is so similar to His Father in nature – in the writer to the Hebrews words, He is “the exact representation” (v3). And that equally applied to how He  conducted Himself in His earthly ministry (examine Jesus’ response to Philip’s request in Jn14:9 – the telling phrase being “How long have I been with you”).

Thanks to the Gospels we have a reasonably comprehensive account of what Jesus was like as a Person. In certain circumstances and in certain company He could certainly appear fearsome, yet overall most would discern He was compassionate, merciful and gracious. Jesus the Nazarene could be described as saintly-plus, the plus being that unlike even the best of saints He was totally without fault. What is more His justice and judgements were thoroughly comprehensible, His teaching often illustrated by situations from human life.

This accords with God the Father as far as, for example, the apostle John was concerned, who described the Creator as love personified (1Jn4:8). But I know as a former Calvinist it is far removed from God as the Protestant Reformers understood Him in terms of His comprehensibility, kindly nature and equitable dealings with humanity as a whole. I cannot expand upon that here but if you have been following my posts or read my book you will already know of what I speak, and this  will be developed as we proceed through Hebrews.

NOTE #1 i.e. in terms of salvation, moral requirements and judgement. Paul however discloses new revelation with respect to God’s secret plan for the Gentiles which Jesus did not delineate during His earthly ministry (cf. Eph3:9-11; Rom11:11,12,15,30)

NOTE #2  Neither Paul, the Hebrews writer, most early Fathers nor I are ontological subordinationists – study further HERE.

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3 Remind (Cretan believers) to be SUBJECT TO RULERS, TO AUTHORITIES, to be obedient, to be ready for every good work, ² to slander no one, not to be contentious, to be gentle, showing every consideration FOR ALL PEOPLE. ³ For we too were once foolish, disobedient, deceived, enslaved to various lusts and pleasures, spending our life in malice and envy, hateful, hating one another. ⁴ But when the KINDNESS OF GOD OUR SAVIOUR AND HIS LOVE FOR MANKIND APPEARED, ⁵ He saved us, NOT ON THE BASIS OF WORKS which we did in righteousness, but in accordance with His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit, ⁶ whom He richly poured out upon us through Jesus Christ our Saviour, ⁷ so that being JUSTIFIED BY HIS GRACE we would be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life (Titus3:1-7)

Be subject to authorities

Firstly, note how Paul exhorts Titus to remind those believers under his charge to be subject to rulers and authorities.  Just as Christ came not to be served but to serve, so the Church is currently serving with Him, or it could be said on His behalf  – as the Body of Christ on earth. As His future partner and co-heir she is destined for glory, but for now, far from “ruling with Christ” the Church is His suffering Body, servant to the world. Whilst Christians as individuals may attain positions of authority within society, even preside over a country, that will be because  they have been deemed fitted for the task and/or have been voted in by the populace, or in the case of monarchies have succeeded to the throne. It will not be because they are Christian, nor will it necessarily be the case that they are fitted and worthy of their rank.

In the age to come it will be a different matter. God’s elect will rule with Christ because they were His faithful disciples. And unlike the present arrangements, it will always be the case that they are fitted and worthy for such duties –  Rom8:29 indicates why that is the case! Not only fitted, but as the corporate Bride of Christ, of royal pedigree and possessing a divine nature (2Pet1:4). It is to be noted that in Jesus’ parables  relating to rewards, the nature of the rewards is sometimes expressed in terms of increased territorial authority  – e.g. Lk19:17; cf. Rev2:26-28😲.

At peace with the world

Secondly, the believers are to “show consideration to all people”, and the subsequent verse indicates that Paul is referring to non-believers. As he writes elsewhere, as far as it is possible, be at peace with all people (Rom12:18).

The kindness of God

Thirdly, Paul refers to “the kindness of God and his love towards humanity” (v4). But as I have frequently indicated, the apostle well knows and never tires of reminding us that only those predestined to the role can obtain gospel salvation. As Jesus affirmed, no one is innately capable of coming to Him as Saviour unless the Father draws them (Jn6:44). And as Paul asserts in the very next verse, the criterion for gospel salvation is not good works but God’s mercy and sovereign choice. There is no greater “good work” than to hear the Gospel, take God at His word and choose the arduous, self-disciplined path of Christian discipleship. If that were of ourselves it would be salvation on the basis of good works. But, teaches Paul, it is through God’s mercy and sovereign choice that we come to that position – “justified by God’s grace” (v7).

But the principle point I am making  is that God’s “kindness and love for humanity” cannot be referring exclusively to gospel salvation, or else far from being kind and loving, God would be a Monster, wilfully withholding the saving remedy from the bulk of humanity, whom (He well knows) are innately incapable of receiving it. At least that would be the case if gospel salvation pertained to “going to Heaven when you die” – it does not.

Salvation and SALVATION

As I sometimes quip, gospel salvation is not for the  proverbial “world and his wife”, it is for Christ and His (Rev19:7). God desires that all should ultimately be saved and come to acknowledge of the truth (1Tim2:4), not that all should marry His Son or share His Son’s throne (Rev21:2 & 3:21). In other words, there is salvation and there is SALVATION. However, the former (lower case) does not pertain to being “saved” in the present age, and Paul summarizes precisely why in Rom7:24-25 – this earlier post expounds. As for the age to come, not the Father, not the Son but  “the Holy Spirit AND THE BRIDE (nota bene) say, “Come”. And let him that hears say, Come. And let him that is thirsty come. And whoever wishes, let him take the water of life freely (Rev22:17)!

¹¹ For the grace of God has appeared, BRINGING SALVATION TO ALL PEOPLE, ¹²instructing us to deny ungodliness and worldly desires and to live sensibly, righteously, and in a godly manner in the present age, ¹³ looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our GREAT GOD AND SAVIOR, Christ Jesus, ¹⁴ who gave Himself for us to deliver us from every lawless deed, and to purify for Himself A PEOPLE FOR HIS OWN POSSESSION, ZEALOUS TO PERFORM GOOD WORKS (Titus2:11-14).

The first two chapters of Titus are full of good things taught by Paul, but most of it has no direct relevance to what I’m primarily seeking to impart, namely regarding the breadth of our loving Creator’s benign providence. The above passage is a notable exception, especially the capitalized phrases. The first verse summarizes the situation, and the Greek word order indicates it should be translated as I have above, which accords with the NASB and some other translations, but not the KJV. That reads “For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men” which is very different from “For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all people (NASB).

God’s personal possession

But in terms of gospel salvation, we know from Paul’s teaching that is absolutely not the case. God has no intention whatsoever of bringing all people to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ, at least not in the present gospel age. As the last featured verse indicates, Christians, like elect Jews of the Old Testament, are “a people for God’s own possession”, not the totality of those for whom Christ died or who are loved by God. The Church are described in Hebrews as the assembly of the firstborn ones (12:23). They are a “kind of first fruit” for all humanity (James1:18), the first to trust” (προηλπικότας) in advance of the returning Christ (Eph1:12). “First___” indicates order not exclusivity.

For contrary to the implications of the KJV translation, many in the current gospel age will not have had the opportunity to hear a faithful rendition of the Good News. They do not know about “the grace of God” and how it should be applied. Yet as Paul teaches elsewhere, God desires that all  humanity are ultimately saved and come to a knowledge of the Truth (1Tim2:4).

Manner of life

But for those who are given the blessing and responsibilities of being “God’s personal possession”, how are they to live? Paul describes it as living “sensibly, righteously and in a godly manner” (v12). Contrary to the emphasis of my Evangelical days, Paul does not regard the Church as merely “an assembly of justified sinners”  but a people who have been purified for divine service and who  are zealous (ζηλωτὴν) for good works (v14). Notice also that Paul doesn’t here or indeed anywhere particularly urge Christians to look forward to going to heaven when they die (which he describes as “falling asleep” – 1Thes4:13&15,) but joyfully to await the appearing of Jesus Christ from Heaven. For He will herald in the new age, an essential element of which for the Christian shall be “the redemption of the body” (Rom8:23).

God – the Father

Finally, this  is virtually the only instance Paul refers to LJC as God whereas more typically he insists that “for us there is only one God – the Father, FROM whom are all things, and we exist FOR Him; and one Lord – Jesus Christ, BY whom are all things, and we exist THROUGH Him” (1Cor8:6). The monarchical status of the Father and the fact that  aspects pertaining to timing, dispensations and kingdom personnel are under His personal authority (cf. Mt20:23; Mk13:32; Acts1:7)  is essential to understanding certain mysteries that I am unravelling. That especially applies to what Paul was referring to in Eph3:9-12 concerning the secret plan hidden in God (the Father), being the mystery of the Gentiles unforetold spiritual inheritance (cf. Rom11:11,12,15) that has such profound implications to broader providence.

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1 Paul, a bond-servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ, for the faith of THOSE CHOSEN OF GOD and the knowledge of the truth which is according to godliness ² in the hope of eternal life, which God, who cannot lie, promised long ages ago, ³ but at the proper time revealed His word in the proclamation with which I was entrusted according to the commandment of God our Savior; ⁴ To Titus, my true son in (our) shared faith: Grace and peace from God (the Father) and Christ Jesus our Saviour.

God’s elect

Commenting briefly on Paul’s introduction to his letter to Titus, I am immediately struck once more by Paul’s (in this case indirect) reference to the fact that those who respond positively to the Gospel do so because they are the “chosen of God” or are “God’s elect” (v1). It is not as some commentate, that God favours these people because they have exercised faith in Christ, rather they exercise faith in Christ because God has enabled them to do so. That is not just Paul’s consistent teaching, it is also Christ’s affirmation recorded  in Jn6:44. Likewise in Acts (13:48), Luke records  “When the Gentiles heard (the Gospel), they were glad, and glorified the word of the Lord: and as many as were ordained to eternal life believed”.

I refer to this matter frequently, partly because I am systematically going through the New Testament chapter by chapter, and Paul in particular constantly alludes to it, sometimes directly (e.g. Rom8:29), other times by his descriptions of believers such as here in Titus. Frankly, if you reject predestination, you might as well reject Paul, albeit as I have just shown he is no maverick; Jesus, Luke and John affirm it also, just not in page after page of holy writ.

Reconciling predestination with divine justice and love

The other reason I highlight the issue is because my primary purpose is to affirm God’s loving nature and munificent providence. Yet if, as so many still believe, one is either saved by the gospel or else damned to perdition, then at best God’s character is incomprehensible to human reason and at worst barbaric, given that a key constituent of the doctrine is that human beings are innately incapable of coming to gospel salvation without divine enabling.

Such condemnation of the incapable is opposed to the God-given human instincts of justice, goodness and fairness, remembering also that men and women were made in the image of the invisible God, i.e. in accordance with His nature. Whilst that nature was besmirched by the Fall, in the Christian at least it is being renewed and restored such that Paul declared “we have the mind of Christ”. Yet the Christian’s instincts regarding justice, goodness and fairness, though restored and refined, remain basically the same. He/she knows these qualities are essential components of love of which Father God is declared to be the embodiment (1Jn4:8).

The only resolution

All is resolved once the three soteriological categories I have been explicating are acknowledged (the Little Book of Providence sets this out). Gospel salvation pertains to embarking upon the road to glory; it is not the means by which the soul goes to heaven after death – Mt25 sheep vs goats, and the rich man vs Lazarus relate to that outcome . The former narrative contains no reference whatsoever to religious faith whilst the latter incorporates other reasons why Lazarus and Dives experience what they did post-mortem – Lk16:25.

One would think that avoiding hell would be a no-brainer yet Jesus cautioned His would be followers carefully to weigh up the pros and cons before embarking upon a course of discipleship, like a man building a tower or a king going to war (Lk14:28-33). Those who follow the Way “must lose their own life for the sake of Christ and the gospel” (Mk8:35). They must suffer with Christ in order to be glorified with Him (Rom8:17).

For the elect are “the heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ” (same verse) – and history as well as Scripture indicates they are very much a minority. Yet if your current understanding of the Gospel does not match the heralding of the Christmas angels: “Good news of great joy to all people” (Lk2:10), you are currently misunderstanding it. It must at least be potentially good news for all, but that cannot be the case if “predestination” pertained to who goes to heaven or hell; thankfully it does not. This is an error/mystery  that even the true Church has not fully comprehended or articulated (in the RCC’s case until Vatican2).

The endurance of the Church

And yet the Church, as the body of Christ on earth has prevailed and historically fulfilled her primary function. For the Lord “has never ceased to gather a people to Himself so that from the rising of the sun until its setting a pure sacrifice is offered to His name”. As universal sacrament for the world, the Catholic and Orthodox Church in West and East has ensured that the fullness of sacramental provision necessary for gospel salvation has been provided, such that the ones called out to be the people of God may be supplied for divine service now, whilst being prepared for a yet more glorious role in the ages to come. As for God’s broader salvific intentions, canonical Scripture (cryptically) and the Book of Enoch (explicitly) foretold this to be a mystery that would be unfolded in the lattermost days.

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⁹ Make every effort to come to me soon; ¹⁰ for Demas, having loved this present AGE, has deserted me and gone to Thessalonica; Crescens has gone to Galatia, Titus to Dalmatia. ¹¹ Only Luke is with me. Take along Mark and bring him with you, for he is useful to me for service. ¹² But I have sent Tychicus to Ephesus. ¹³ When you come, BRING THE OVERCOAT which I left at Troas with Carpus, and the books, especially those parchments. ¹⁴ Alexander the coppersmith did me great harm; the Lord will repay him according to his deeds. ¹⁵ Be on guard against him yourself too, for he vigorously opposed our teaching. ¹⁶ At my first defence no one supported me, but all deserted me; may it not be counted against them. ¹⁷ But the Lord stood with me and strengthened me, so that through me the proclamation might be fully accomplished, and that all the Gentiles might hear; and I was rescued out of the lion’s mouth. ¹⁸ The Lord will rescue me from every evil deed, and will bring me safely to His heavenly kingdom; to Him be the glory through the ages.  Amen (2Tim4:9-18)

My text for today is 2Tim4:13 – “When you come, BRING THE OVERCOAT which I left at Troas with Carpus, and the books, especially those parchments”. On second thoughts, may be not. Paul’s writing here lacks depth and spiritual profundity. The point I’m playfully making is to demonstrate what I pointed out a few posts ago that Paul would not have regarded himself as composing Scripture. These are pastoral letters and need to be understood in that context.

Humanly speaking, some might wish that Paul (and all NT writers) had written a series of systematic theological treaties such as you would find in a catechism. They would be less open to wildly divergent interpretations. Better still if Jesus Himself had written a Book to be passed on to the Church through the ages. If either were the case I may well have remained a supporter of “Sola Scriptura”, believing also in the related Protestant maxim regarding “the perspicuity of Scripture” – the idea that that the essentials of what the bible was imparting would be understood by everyone. If such had been God’s strategy rather than the bible in the form it has taken, whilst there might still have been heretics and misdemeanours amongst those who regarded themselves as Christian, the Church herself is more likely to have remained one united body through the centuries.

God’s final mystery [cf. Rev10:7]

But that was never God’s purpose or intention, any more than it was that the world should be devoid of sin, evil and suffering (cf. Rom8:20). In terms of the Church, God is bound to have known (as to an extent did Peter in 2Pet3:16) that Paul’s writings in particular were likely to be misunderstood by many and result in division amongst God’s people.

And so history has proven, especially through the influence of Augustine and a certain German Augustinian monk a thousand years later, both of whom construed their theology, anthropology and presentation of the gospel through the prism of their own innovative interpretations of the Apostle to the Gentiles’ writings. As to the mystery of why strategically God appeared to facilitate such divisions within the Church and disasters in the world (cf. Is45:7), it has been made very clear to me and I endeavour to explain the Rationale in the final two chapters (6 &7) of “The Little Book of Providence”.

World/Age/Earth

The only other point of relevance to the project in hand that I can make from these concluding remarks of Paul concerns his reference to Demas as having “loved this present age”, or as it more usually translated “world” (e.g. NASB). The Greek  “αἰών”   is strictly “age” not “world”, but that’s fine providing it is understood in the sense of κόσμος  (world order and its moral state) not  γῆ  (planet earth). God’s good earth is to be loved and cared for – those who most contribute to its ruin have been warned of the consequences (Rev11:18).

The Lord Jesus Christ, on the other hand shall bring an end to “Κόσμος” (the current world order) when He comes with His saints to initiate a new “αἰών”. At that point Christ together with those who have been fitted for the role (Rom8:29)  are to reign within “a new heaven and renewed earth where righteousness dwells” (2Pet3:13; cf. Rev5:10).

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⁶For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure has come. ⁷ I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith; ⁸ in the future there is reserved for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day; and not only to me, but also to all who long for His appearing (2Tim4:6-8).

I have written before about assurance of salvation, making the point that it is only when Paul was virtually on his death bed that he could speak with the confidence he shows in this passage. If with Paul you can also say (if you spoke biblical Greek) “ὁ καιρὸς τῆς ἀναλύσεώς μου ἐφέστηκεν”  – then accept my condolences. You are very ill and about to die. Or as translated above: “the time of my departure has arrived” (v6). As he also affirmed: I have finished the race, I have kept the Faith (v7). It’s over – completed. Paul was no ordinary man, he was an apostle. He may well have been given insights concerning his life, its course and its end. Almost like Jesus on the cross he  is virtually saying to His Father in Heaven “Into your hands I commend my spirit”. For most of us, even if we are very ill we do not know  for certain that our death is at hand.

Perseverance not guaranteed

I labour this point to demonstrate that Paul is not affirming “assured perseverance of the saints”. That is a component of the all-of-grace theology that I am  necessarily deconstructing. “Necessarily”, because Paul frequently makes statements that challenge that hypothesis (including in my recent 2Tim posts). But so did Jesus in His parable of the sower. Seed that fell on stoney ground sprung into life, resulted in joy until hardships came and the person fell away – the point being the individual and those who observed him would regard him as a Christian. Likewise seed that falls on thorny ground reflecting individuals who respond positively to the gospel but “the deceitfulness of riches” detracts them such that they become unfruitful. Paul gives as example  of such a few verses after our passage – Demas “who has forsaken me having loved the things of this present world” (v10).

 It could be argued that the above are examples of Christians who become unfruitful or useless rather than those who lose their salvation, but in other cases Paul speaks of  baptized believers who clearly departed from the Faith altogether – they have reprobated (2Tim3:8) or been “ruined” (1Cor8:11). And as he says of himself, “I have kept the Faith”, indicating that such was not inevitable.

God IS fair

I make an issue of this  also to demonstrate God’s goodness, fairness and providential justice in His dealings with everyone. If salvation were all of grace, that could never be the case. Whatever else God was, He could never be said to be fair. But fairness is an essential component of love, as any good parent knows. Reformation theology implies otherwise, but our heavenly Parent is fair to all as I have consistently demonstrated from Scripture. This will be more evident once it is understood that assurance of salvation and election does not pertain to souls going to heaven but to what happens to the living and dead at the end of the age (cf. Jn6:54; 2Tim4:8).

The Mt25 “sheep” clearly had no such assurance (vv37-40) but were  to their surprise accepted into Christ’s Kingdom. “Assurance” pertains to the attainment of glory.  In earlier writing Paul had stated:  I do not regard myself as having achieved it as yet; but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus (Phil3:13-14). That “prize”, “goal” and “high calling” was not merely to go to heaven but at due time to receive the glory that goes with being a joint-heir with Christ as a member of God’s elect (Rom8:17).

WHEN Paul receives his crown

For, note from the 2Timothy passage when he expected to receive his “crown of righteousness”. It was not at the point of death (which he describes elsewhere as falling asleep) but some time in the future (v8). It would not be on his day (of death) but on “that day” which is clearly referring to Christ’s return: “the Day of His appearing”  – the day he knew he would be resurrected. “For I tell you a mystery; we will not all sleep, but we will all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet; for the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed! (1Cor15:51-52).

A measure of assurance IS attainable

So having insisted and demonstrated from Scripture that perseverance in the path to glory is not guaranteed, a measure of peace and assurance is attainable, even if we are not like Paul on our deathbed. It is ultimately communicated by the Holy Spirit witnessing with our spirit (Rom8:16); the Holy Spirit being given to us to enable our hearts to become filled with love for God, and others (Rom5:5).  Paul’s reference to the “love of God poured out in the heart” is a genitive of origin. It refers not so much to God’s love for us or ours for Him but to the impartation of the divine quality of love engrafted by the Spirit such that we come to love others more as God loves them.

This is in the context of partaking of the divine nature by which we come to possess more of what God possesses: especially holiness aligned with love; God being love and thrice holy. Loving the Lord in our hearts, thrilled by His goodness and coming ourselves to possess the love of the Father towards the rest of humanity, we may be confident we are being saved and heading for victory.

Practical evidence

Yet even this can be subjective; assurance of salvation in Scripture is more often expressed in terms of actions rather than feelings:

We know we have passed from death unto life because we love the brethren. He who does not love his brother remains in death (1Jn3:14).

Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments. He who says, “I know Him” and does not keep His commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God is perfected in him. By this we know we are in (Christ) (1Jn2:3-5).

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4 I solemnly exhort you (Timothy) in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is about to judge the living and the dead, and by His appearing and His kingdom: ² preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; correct, rebuke, and exhort, with great patience and instruction. ³ For the time will come when they will not tolerate sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance with their own desires, ⁴ and they will turn their ears away from the truth and will turn aside to myths. ⁵ But as for you, use self-restraint in all things, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, fulfil your ministry (2Tim4:1-5).

Mankind to be judged by a Man

In his opening exhortation to Timothy, Paul typically distinguishes between God and His anointed (“Christ”) Jesus, affirming also that it is the Man Christ Jesus who will be doing the judging – “For not even the Father judges anyone, but He has given all judgment to the Son” (Jn5:22). And as I have pointed out in the past, He will be applying criteria that are thoroughly intelligible to human reasoning (Mt7:2 & 25:40).

Itching ears

Paul continues to warn Timothy (and by extension ourselves) concerning future adverse church developments – this time with regards to doctrine and teaching. He knows there will be a tendency for people to reject sound doctrine and desire what is more pleasing to the ear. That in turn would lead to teachers becoming established within the churches who will happily pander to those needs. He describes it as ear tickling (Greek: κνηθόμενοι). In Paul and Timothy’s day, the solution was relatively straight forward – anything that departed from what the apostles and their immediate appointees (such as Timothy) had taught was likely to be suspect. That was especially the case if it made the Christian pilgrimage less arduous and demanding.

The problem today is  more complex in view of the career of the churches in the 2000 years since Paul and Timothy. The divisions and fragmentations that have occurred mean that it is no longer the case that what one has heard and understood in one’s youth, unlike for Timothy, was of necessity the truth. I am clear that is true in my case. Similarly, if my writing appears to be presenting a very different account of the gospel to what you have previously understood, it doesn’t mean it is not the truth. The test to be applied is that which Paul indicates – how does it compare with what the Church understood to be the Truth at its outset? That is, how does it compare (allowing for non-systemic legitimate developments)  with what the earliest Church writers understood to be gospel truth? For they had received such from the likes of Timothy, Philemon and Titus or their immediate appointees (which takes us into the early 2nd century).

Where to start?

But don’t start your comparison with this current nonentity (yours truly), start with 4^th century Augustine and observe how some of what he taught goes beyond what could be regarded as authentic development, but turned key  aspects of that earlier teaching on its head. As I have been  outlining, that particularly pertains to the role of natural law, the depth of human depravity, rejecting the tripartite nature of man, soul creationism and premillennialism, narrowing the scope of God’s benign providence, denying mankind any effectual free will to do good, and redefining the role of Torah and the economy of grace.

Augustine did not initiate all the above novelties but did more than anyone to ensure the Church moved forward on such a basis. He is key because he is undoubtedly the greatest influencer of medieval Western theological developments as well as the darling of the Protestant Reformers – a  doctor of the Church that Luther declared (at the influential Heidelberg Controversy) to be Paul’s most faithful interpreter of the first millennium. This is covered in earlier posts too numerous to mention and summarized in chapter one of the Little Book of Providence.

The ultimate test

So whereas Timothy will have been very clear how to proceed and what to expect after reading Paul’s exhortations, for Christians today it is more difficult. The earlier paragraph suggests a possible approach, which thanks to the internet is not impossibly arduous or expensive. Clearly, what I have been publishing for the last decade or so I believe to be the truth – certainly not infallible but prophetically inspired. The more I read and (I trust) come to understand the Apostle Paul, the less I am inclined to “tickle ears” with talk of simplistic believism, guaranteed perseverance or all-of-grace/all-of-God salvation.

But the ultimate test will be whether or not what I have presented is “owned of God”, such that more and more come to perceive it to be the truth – not entirely new revelation (which it could never be) but a clarification of what has already been revealed in the indisputably Spirit-breathed scripture of the Bible. And that is a process that as recent posts have indicated^[1] I believe to have been foretold in  the non-canonical but nevertheless sacred “words of the blessing of Enoch, by which he shall bless the elect and the righteous who will be living in the day of tribulation when all the wicked and godless are to be removed” (1Enoch1:1).

[1]:  See also  Enoch prophecy regarding current times

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 ¹⁴ You (Timothy), however, continue in the things you have learned and become convinced of, knowing from whom you have learned them, ¹⁵ and that from childhood you have known the sacred writings which are able to give you the wisdom that leads to salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. ¹⁶ All Scripture is breathed out by God and is beneficial for teaching, for rebuke, for correction, for training in righteousness; ¹⁷ so that the man of God may be proficient, equipped for every good work (2Tim3:14-17).

Firstly, one should consider what were the sacred writings (ἱερὰ γράμματα) that Timothy would have known from his childhood. Of course, they cannot have been what all Christians today most rely upon, being the New Testament. None of its writing would have even been penned when Timothy (17-97AD) was a lad. So Paul would have been referring to the Old Testament, and contrary to what I once believed as a Protestant, that would have been 46 books including deuterocanonical writings such as Tobit, Judith, Maccabees and Wisdom.

The latter should be regarded as canonical Scripture for although (unlike Enoch – to follow) it may not be directly quoted in the New Testament, teaching and sayings from it are alluded to, including some by Jesus Himself (see list at Note #1). These books, included within the Catholic and Orthodox bibles, were also used as proof texts by the early Church Fathers (including the mighty Augustine, beloved by Protestants). Much more could be said on the composition of the biblical canon and the concept of “sola scriptura”- and it has been in chapter five of The Little Book of Providence (accessible below).

Defining “Scripture”

Paul describes Scripture as literally being “breathed out by God” (Greek: θεόπνευστος). This is obviously not dictation, rather what is written is as it were infused with divine breadth. The writer will express himself in his own words and style, such that what Paul writes is generally recognized as distinctly “Pauline”. The letter to the Hebrews is deemed by most authorities not to be written by Paul, partly for that reason.

But did Paul regard himself as actually “composing Scripture”? Unlikely, rather he was composing pastoral letters, albeit they  certainly  contained divinely authoritative statements and commands, for he declared them to be so. However, his fellow apostle Peter did effectively define Paul’s writings as Scripture when he wrote:  “as in all (Paul’s) letters, speaking in them of these things, in which there are some things that are hard to understand, which the untaught and unstable distort, as they do also the rest of the Scriptures, to their own destruction” (2Pet3:16)

The book of Enoch

Finally on this subject, what about the book of Enoch?  I have referred to it on many occasions, for although I am clear it should rightly have been excluded from the canon, I am equally clear that it comes under the category of what Paul referred to as “sacred writings” (v15) that  have been divinely inspired. For Enoch contains prophecies, many of which have come to pass, whilst some may be happening right now😲. This earlier post refers.

NOTE #1 – EXAMPLES OF DEUTEROCANONICAL REFERENCES/ALLUSIONS

• Matthew 6:14-15 and Sirach 7:14
• Matthew 27:43 and Wisdom 2:15,16
• Luke 6:31 and Tobit 4:15
• Luke 14:13 and Tobit 4:7
• John 10:22 and 1 Maccabees 4:59
• Romans and Wisdom, clay and the potter
• Romans 11:34 and Wisdom 9:13
• 2 Corinthians 9:7 and Sirach 35:8
• Hebrew 1:3 and Wisdom 7:26
• Hebrews 11:35 and 2 Maccabees 7:7

“The Little Book of Providence” – a prophetically inspired seven-part synopsis of the Bible

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But realize this, that in the last days difficult times will come. ² For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, slanderers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, ³ unloving, irreconcilable, malicious gossips, without self-control, brutal, haters of good, ⁴ treacherous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, ⁵ holding to a form of piety yet negating its power; avoid such people as these. ⁶ For among them are those who slip into households and captivate weak women weighed down with sins, led on by various impulses, ⁷ always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. ⁸ Just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so these men also oppose the truth, men of depraved mind, disqualified with regard to the faith. ⁹ But they will not make further progress; for their foolishness will be obvious to all, just as was that also of Jannes and Jambres (2Tim3 vv1-9)

“In the last days, difficult times shall come”, writes Paul. This must be referring to that time immediately preceding the return of Jesus Christ. The Latter also warned  of disasters to come at such a time in Mt24:7, and unlike Paul’s warning, that included international strife (wars) and natural disasters such as storms and earthquakes. But before returning to Paul, notice the good news that Jesus signified. For He follows his statement with:  “But all these things are merely the beginning of birth pains”! (v8).Indeed, a few verses later Jesus suggests that far from despairing, when the Christian observes these things, he/she should rejoice, “recognizing that (the coming of Christ) is near, even at the door!” (v34).

If a woman is approaching labour and doesn’t experience pain, something is wrong – the birth my not happen or may be she imagined it all. Likewise, if everything were currently reasonably hunky-dory with the world and the Church, it would suggest the “restoration of all things”(Acts3:21) that shall occur at Christ’s coming would be a long way off. That is, if Jesus and Paul are to be believed (so count me in).

The intended role of the Church

This will appear rather counter-intuitive for many Christians. For surely, say they, the Church was established to be light and salt to the world – the means of inaugurating God’s Kingdom on earth. Surely, things should be getting progressively better, not worse.  That might be the case if the Church were anything like it was intended to be. It is and has been for many years divided and consequently to a degree corrupted such that it cannot effectively fulfil its intended function. As to why God has permitted such a state of affairs, the final two chapters of my book endeavour to explain. In a sentence God has deemed evil, suffering and division in the world and the Church to be necessary for the fulfilment of His purposes for humanity.

That is a supreme act of love on the Father’s part 😯 – in view of the implications for His only begotten Son . Through His life, death and resurrection, mankind (starting with the elect) is not destined  merely to return to the Adamic innocence of Eden, but through the arduous course set out for the children of dust we shall be raised to the heights of glory as co-heirs with Christ (Rom8:17) . The events of Calvary were central to that outcome, as in turn were the seemingly dire events of Eden, exactly as they transpired. God has always known what He’s doing but few, even if Christian if they are honest, will currently comprehend it.

Context of Paul’s warning

So returning to 2Tim, is Paul referring to unsavoury characters of the world or of the Church? It is surely primarily the latter. Remember, Paul wrote this letter whilst imprisoned in Rome when Nero was emperor. The secular society of his day would have been at least as bohemian and often depraved as anything we might experience today.  Roman unbelievers were not primarily the people Paul was telling Timothy to avoid (except to evangelize), regrettably it was fellow church members he had in mind. This is further suggested by his reference to the fact that such were “holding to a form of piety/religion” (v5) yet some were “characters of a depraved mind” who would be “disqualified (ἀδόκιμοι) from the Faith” (v8). 

Reasons to be cheerful

A depressing prospect for people of the current age whether they be inside or outside the Church? For many of the latter it may be, for whether they use the label or not they are effectively post-millennialist. Not so yours truly and not so the consensus of the pre-Nicene Church, as the likes of Irenaeus and Church historian Eusebius affirm, as of course does the last book in the bible, albeit symbolically. But Paul and Jesus’ prophecies also accord with historical reality, but especially in the Latter’s case also bring reasons to be cheerful. If the labour pains seem to be growing, the baby must be on its way, being “the restoration of all things”. So, when you observe these calamities, know that it is near, even at the door.

²⁰ Now in a large house there are not only gold and silver implements, but also implements of wood and of earthenware, and some are for honour while others are for dishonour. ²¹ Therefore, if anyone cleanses himself from (what is dishonourable), he will be an implement for honour, sanctified, useful to the Master, prepared for every good work (2Tim2:20-21).

Paul’s illustration concerns the significance of personal holiness and sanctification. The context is not directly evangelistic (Paul’s teaching rarely is – he is writing pastoral letters). The “large house” is referring to the Church – not a building as such but the people the Apostle Peter describes as “a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession” (1Pet2:9) Those within the Church who diligently cleanse themselves from impurity and sin become vessels (or implements) fit for honourable use by the Master.

This process of purification pertains to turning away from unrighteousness and a  pursuing righteousness in all aspects of life. Those who are sanctified and made holy show themselves to be vessels of honour – instruments useful to the Master. Such usefulness cannot merely be an internal spirituality but also a readiness for every good work that God has “prepared in advance for His people to walk in” (Eph2:10).

As the preceding passage indicates, by no means all within the Church are honourable vessels: “Among them are Hymenaeus and Philetus, men who have gone astray from the truth, claiming that the resurrection has already taken place; and they are jeopardizing the faith of some” (vv17,18). Paul goes on to add, “But the Lord knows those who are His”(v19), indicating of course that some within the visible Church are not His.

A misinterpreted parable

Yet neither are all such “children of the devil, yet some may be. That brings me on to a yet more interesting illustration – that of Jesus Christ’s parable of the darnel/tares/weeds planted by the evil one (Mt13:24-30). So many commentators appear wrongly to understand that Jesus is referring to the Church, whereas it is Paul’s illustration above that refers to the Church. There can be no argument, for in this instance the Lord explains the meaning of His parable to the disciples in vv36-43.

The key verse is 38: the “field” is the world, and Satan has planted his seed within it, whom Jesus describes as the children of the Evil One. This mystery is firstly referred to in the bible in the so-called Protoevangelium: “And I will put enmity between you (Satan) and the woman, and between your seed and her Seed; He shall bruise your head, And you shall bruise His heel” (Gen3:15) – an  earlier post explains in a little more detail. Jesus later alludes to this issue of satanic planting in Mt15: “Every plant, which my heavenly Father hath not planted, shall be rooted up” (v13).

Such “planting” and satanic seeding will make little sense to traducianists (who do not believe the eternal/spiritual essence of man is given to him at birth but is derived from corruptible sperm and ovaries). More generally and widely it will be a mystery to the many who understand there to be two rather than three spiritual categories of mankind, i.e. that everyone who has not been called and chosen to be a disciple of Christ is effectively a child of the devil. Read the Mt13 parable again and it will be evident that does not fit the case if the “field” refers to the world. The matter does not pertain to conversion – i.e. soiled wheat being restored (saved) but the planting of juxtaposing seed  from birth. It pertains to who is of God and who is of the devil (cf. 1Jn3:10).

My book** sets out more conclusively why there are indeed three soteriological categories. That in turn has massive implications to divine providence, in terms of God’s stewardship and purposes for all true humanity. That is why I have focussed more on Jesus’ illustration than Paul’s. But it is the latter that is referring to the Church and its perennial composition whereas the earlier parable pertains to a broader providential mystery that I believe has intentionally been sustained until these last days (cf. Rev10).

**The LITTLE BOOK OF PROVIDENCE: a seven-part synopsis of the bible: – available as a paperback from Amazon or FREELY as a PDF file HERE.

(Timothy), my child, be empowered by the grace that is in Christ Jesus. ² The things which you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, entrust these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also. ³ Suffer hardship with me, as a good soldier of Christ Jesus. ⁴ No soldier in active service entangles himself in the affairs of everyday life, so that he may please the one who enlisted him. ⁵ And if someone likewise ++competes as an athlete, he is not crowned as victor unless he competes according to the rules. ⁶ The hard-working farmer ought to be the first to receive his share of the crops. ⁷ Consider what I say, for the Lord will give you understanding in everything. Remember Jesus Christ, risen from the dead, descendant of David, according to my gospel, ^9]for which I suffer hardship even to imprisonment as a criminal; but the word of God is not imprisoned. ¹⁰ For this reason I endure all things for the sake of the elect, so that they also may obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus and with it eternal glory (2Tim1-10).

Moving on to 2Timothy chapter 2,, in the opening passage Paul reinforces what I have been emphasizing in recent posts concerning the active role of the Christian – in order that “they also may obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus and with it eternal glory” (v10). The Christian is to be like a soldier (v4), an athlete competing for a prize (v5 cf. 1Cor9:24) and a hardworking farmer (v6).

But the main point I want to make concerns the likes of Timothy himself and men like him. Paul instructed the one he regarded as his spiritual “child” (v1) to “entrust (his teaching) to faithful men who will be able to teach others also”(v2). Such a didactic principle has implications that as a former Evangelical I gave little thought to, yet in view of Church history it is a vital consideration in determining whether or not we are standing in the Truth. I will quote from my book capitalizing those phrases that most pertain to the issue:

“One needs to reflect upon the MISSIONARY JOURNEYS OF PAUL in the middle of the first century: their geographical extent and the numerous individuals that would have been appointed by Paul and his fellow missionaries. Firstly, consider such biblical personages as Timothy (c. AD17-97), Titus (c. AD13-107) and Philemon (timeline uncertain) to whom Paul wrote epistles, and envisage the numerous and worthy men they in turn will have appointed to continue the ministry in accordance with Paul’s instructions. Finally, reflect on the second century Church and its writers and perceive that it is quite impossible that ALL KNOWN WITNESSES FROM THAT ERA COULD HAVE BEEN IN ERROR concerning the essentials of gospel truth.  For 2nd century Irenaeus’ testimony (below) affirms the churches at that time had a reasonably uniform understanding of the essentials of the faith:

“The Church having received this preaching and this faith although scattered throughout the whole world yet as if occupying one house carefully preserves it. She also believes these points of doctrine just as if she had one soul and one and the same heart and proclaims and teaches them and hands them down with perfect harmony as if she only possessed one mouth. For the churches which have been planted in Germany do not believe or hand down anything different, nor do those in Spain or Gaul. . . But as the sun, that creature of God is one and the same throughout the whole world, so also the preaching of the truth shines everywhere and enlightens all men that are willing to come to a knowledge of the truth [Irenaeus against heresies Book I chap. 10 para 2]

Even if such a report of ecclesiological unity were exaggerated, the point is surely made: the essentials of gospel salvation were known and taught by the second and third century churches. We may therefore SAFELY REGARD ANTE-NICENE TEACHING AND PRAXIS AS NORMATIVE, at least FOR MATTERS ESSENTIAL TO GOSPEL SALVATION, allowance being made for a progressive deepening and maturing of the faith over time through the action of the Holy Spirit and the collective sense of the faithful. But any subsequent progressive revelation cannot pertain to the requirements for gospel salvation: its means of initiation and any essential provisions for ongoing sanctification.

Given that it was not until the fourth or fifth century that theology was moulded into any precision and doctrines were systematised utilizing a relatively recently agreed plenary canon of Scripture, the particular interpretations that Late Antiquity exegetes came to when interpreting the abstruse pastoral letters of Paul in particular needed to have been tested against the universal witness of the immediate post-apostolic Fathers. For the latter had not been entirely reliant upon the precarious process of biblical exegesis using texts written in a language with which the Latin Fathers in particular were unfamiliar.

The faith “once for all delivered to the saints” had been received by them either from the apostles themselves or direct appointees such as Timothy. What they had received must have incorporated ALL OF PAUL’S TEACHING THAT WAS ESSENTIAL TO THE PRACTICE OF THE FAITH. It follows that there can be nothing essential to gospel salvation that could be discovered, recovered or re-interpreted by Augustine or any of his successors four centuries later, let alone fifteen centuries later by the Protestant Reformers. It is quite impossible that the second and third century churches could have been uniformly in error concerning such matters as the nature of repentance (that it pertained to moral reform, not acknowledging oneself to be morally bankrupt and hateful to the core) or the economy of grace (that God had provided certain spiritual faculties to fallen man: natural precepts by which he had effectual free will to desire and do some good such as exercise compassion and practice justice, albeit not to be raised to eternal life apart from gospel grace).

It will have been necessary to understand these matters, not only to discern the true essence of human nature and the disposition required for saving faith, but ALSO TO GIVE THE CREATOR DUE PRAISE FOR HIS GRACIOUS MAGNANIMITY TOWARDS THE HUMAN RACE. [Excerpt from The Little Book of Providence chapter five (progressive revelation).]

⁸Do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord or of me His prisoner, but join with me in suffering for the gospel according to the power of God, ⁹ who saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace, which was granted to us in Christ Jesus from all time, ¹⁰ but has now been revealed by the appearing of our Saviour Christ Jesus, who abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel, ¹¹ for which I was appointed a preacher, an apostle, and a teacher. ¹² For this reason I also suffer these things; but I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed, and I am convinced that He is able to protect what has been committed to my charge until that day. ¹³ Hold on to the example of sound words which you have heard from me, in the faith and love which are in Christ Jesus. ¹⁴ Protect, through the Holy Spirit who dwells in us, the good deposit which has been entrusted to you (2Tim1:8-14)

Death is abolished😲

Moving on to Paul’s second letter to Timothy, I have selected the passage which most impacts upon the subject matter under consideration, being the breadth of God’s benign divine providence. Potentially the most exiting statement is in verse 10, that our Saviour Jesus Christ has abolished death. For sure, most Christians understand that by dealing with mankind’s sin, Jesus opened the way by which individuals might attain to life after death. But that death itself should be “Καταργήσαντος”, i.e. totally eradicated is something truly to thrill the soul.

It is almost too wonderful to relate, albeit clearly there are aspects to Christ’s victory over death that have yet to be realized – but they were inaugurated at Calvary. And for the Christian that starts with abolishing what Paul describes as “the body of this death” (Rom7:24), by which aided by the Holy Spirit the believer is enabled to “put to death the deeds of the body and Live” (Rom8:13) – a subject covered in an earlier post.

Elective grace

The other highlighted phrases pertain to matters to which  I have also frequently referred. Firstly (verse 9), that a Christian’s calling is by grace alone. It has no reference to the performance of good works or God’s foreknowledge that an individual would of his own volition forsake the earthly aspirations he had for his own life and choose the narrow, arduous path of following Christ. Now that would be the ultimate good work – never a matter of grace alone. Saul of Tarsus was himself the classic example of elective grace, being the archenemy of Christ and his people up to the point of his conversion.

But the related point being made is that it is only the calling that is all of grace, not going on to complete the course, or in Paul’s language, winning “the prize of the upward calling of God in Christ Jesus” (Phil3:14). What? Did you not know that those who run in a race all run, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may win! (1Cor9:24).

Perseverance of the saints?

That leads on to my second point  that the doctrine of guaranteed perseverance of the saints is a no-no. [If you still think otherwise, wait till we get to Hebrews, albeit it should be evident enough from the tenor and tone of Paul’s letters on the subject]. For 28 years I did think otherwise, and in the context of 2Tim as a young Evangelical I remember singing with gusto “I know Whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep that which I’ve committed unto Him against that day”. Refer to verse 12 (above) and see how that statement of Paul’s is better translated (the Complete Jewish Bible and Mounce’s Revers Interlinear concur).

The Greek text and context make it clear – Paul is not referring to what a believer has committed to God but to what God has entrusted to him (τὴν παραθήκην μου φυλάξαι). And that does not refer to all believers – Paul is alluding to his calling as an apostle (v11) – a deposit that God has committed to his charge, likewise the good deposit that Timothy has received to be a leader within the Church (v14). It has no direct reference to personal assurance of salvation.

God’s equitable justice

These points (galling for many) concerning calling and perseverance need to be reaffirmed as they are essential to demonstrating God’s fairness and munificent providence as well as resolving the related  “divine justice/predestination/free will” conundrum considered in more detail in a recent post.

That longed-for resolution also hangs on the fact that there are not two but three soteriological outcomes, alluded to as recently as the previous post  under the subheading “God is good”. But then affirming God’s divine benevolence is pivotal to everything I write, together with the blessings that flows from it towards His whole creation, and “especially those who believe” (1Tim4:10 cf. Enoch93:10Charles).

*The LITTLE BOOK OF PROVIDENCE: a seven-part synopsis of the bible: – available as a paperback from Amazon or FREELY as a PDF file https://richard-777.blog/free-download-of-pdf/

⁶ But (a widow) who indulges herself in luxury is dead, even while she lives. ⁷Give these instructions as well, so that they may be above reproach. ⁸ But if anyone does not provide for his own, and especially for those of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever (1Tim5:6-8)

⁶ Godliness actually is a means of great gain when accompanied by contentment. ⁷ For we have brought nothing into the world, so we cannot take anything out of it, either. ⁸ If we have food and ^[g]covering, with these we should be content. ⁹ But those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap, and many foolish and harmful desires which plunge people into ruin and destruction. ¹⁰ For the love of money is a root of all sorts of evil, and some by longing for it have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs (1Tim6:6-10)

Context

1 Timothy 5 concerns respectful interactions within the church, especially regarding elders and  widows. The final chapter (6) provides instruction and advice to leaders such as Timothy as to how they should minister to their flock.

Unlike Paul’s comment in the previous chapter/post concerning God being the Saviour of all humanity, there is nothing in these final two chapters of the apostle’s first letter to Timothy that directly impacts upon the broader benign providence I am explicating. Having said that I have quoted a couple of short passages from each chapter which do have a bearing on the subject. That is because they indicate the nature of true saving faith as opposed to  what many (including myself in the past) understand by “getting saved”. The all-of-grace, faith-alone, once-saved-always-saved portrayal is  challenged by so much that Paul has written – the above two excerpts from these two chapters are just examples.

God is good

And this is wonderful news for humanity – Evangelicals (in particular) have it wrong. Luther and Calvin were wrong: God is good, even from a human perspective. He is fair to all; we are to be judged by what we do and in light of what we know, not by whether or not we have confidence that Christ died FOR ME, or are “resting in the Saviour’s merits” or “looking to the finished work of Christ and appropriating it to myself” or suchlike. Likewise, Augustine’s assertion that the vast swathe of humanity is to be damned is a travesty. As his Church now acknowledge, all people of good will may “go to heaven when they die”, regardless of their religion. But only those God calls into the true Church  shall receive the divine teaching and sacramental provision such that if they are faithful to the Way they shall be fitted to rule and reign with Christ as His corporate Spouse. The truly evil  will not be pardoned  but shall be punished in  Hell, fairly and proportionately. Of these, the totally unsalvable who have lost any semblance to the divine image (i.e. they’re no longer truly human, so unsaltable) shall be punished and then eradicated. And so, as per the previous post re 1Tim4, God is indeed the Saviour of all true humanity, but especially to those who believe.

Not faith alone

But as just indicated, gospel salvation does not pertain to faith alone. Paul warns in chapter five that the rich widow who lives merely to indulge herself in luxury “is dead whilst she lives” (5:6). That is regardless of whether she believes Christ has died for her sins, or else Paul would be misrepresenting the truth. The man who neglects his own household (still more the needs of others), can “believe” what he likes, but he has denied the Faith (5:8). It is crucial to recognize (many commentaries do not) that Paul is not saying these people are merely ungrateful or set bad examples, they are “dead” and rejectors of the Faith. That indicates that “the Faith” cannot consist merely of believing, but of acting and living out one’s life as a saint (i.e. one set apart to be holy).

Whilst Luther acknowledged that it was appropriate, respectful and an act of gratitude for a Christian to be holy and do good works, he believed these did not in any sense contribute to their salvation. On the contrary, said he,  “if men only believe enough in Christ they can commit adultery and murder a thousand times a day without periling their salvation”. Ok, this was intentional hyperbole, but the point is it totally misrepresents Paul’s writing and turns Christ’s teaching on its head. “The Faith” is not about believing alone, but doing and being, such that men and women who entirely fail to live in accordance with Christ’s teaching have departed from the Faith. Luther’s serial killing adulterer had seemingly not departed as long as he “believed strongly enough in Christ” or was convinced Christ had died for His sins. This, as I have been showing, is a travesty.

Good News for the poor

Moving on to the quote from chapter 6, any version of Christianity that infers that financial prosperity is systemic to Christian discipleship is at best suspect, at worst apostate. Godliness with contentment is the attitude of the true Faith (6:6). If Christians who are rich use their resources well, that is a good thing, but the idea of becoming a disciple of Christ to attain prosperity diametrically opposes Christ’s own teaching – the desire for material wealth in this life being a form of idolatry (Col3:5).

Worthy of praise

I write these things, not deliberately to disturb or annoy people of my former ilk, but because the all-of-grace theology I grew up with results in eschatological outcomes that debauch God’s munificent providence in terms of His dealings and designs for those He has created in His own image. My apologies to any I have offended, but the Psalmist was right: the God of the bible is intelligibly good and worthy of everybody’s praise: “O praise the Lord, all you nations: praise Him, all you people” (Ps117:1).

The LITTLE BOOK OF PROVIDENCE: a seven-part synopsis of the bible: – available as a paperback from Amazon or FREELY as a PDF file https://richard-777.blog/free-download-of-pdf/

Author’s Facebook page HERE

⁹ It is a trustworthy statement deserving full acceptance. ¹⁰ For it is for this we labour and strive, because we have set our hope on the living God, who is the Saviour of all mankind, ESPECIALLY of believers (1Tim4:9-10)

Many Christians, not least those of my former ilk, have problems with these two verses from 1Timothy concerning God being the Saviour of all mankind ESPECIALLY of those who believe. It appears to undermine many Christians’ raison d’être, indeed the very purpose of the gospel as they understand it. As a former Evangelical myself I remember questioning my pastor about the verse. I was assured that theologians were working on the matter; the matter being the meaning of “μάλιστα” rightly translated as I have quoted from the NASB as “especially”. Presumably, these theologians are still working on it for “μάλιστα” is “μάλιστα” – it can only be translated as “especially” or some very similar synonym/phrase such as “chiefly” or “most of all”. It cannot be translated as “specifically”, “exclusively” or “that is” which is what many would have expected Paul to have written in this context. The Greek word’s usage can be verified by examining every occurrence of μάλιστα^G3122 in the New Testament on bible hub and noting that in all cases it can only sensibly mean what has just been stated.

Other attempts to explain this verse in the context of traditional binary soteriology include the notion that Paul is referring on the one hand to human life and on the other to a soul’s eternal destiny. The problem is that whilst God certainly sustains all life, He does not in any sense save everybody from the disasters of life, even from an early grave. A significant proportion historically have through no fault of their own or their parents failed to survive infancy. Paul must therefore be referring to people’s eternal estate. For, after all, why did God create man in His own image in the first place? It was surely that as the pinnacle of His creation along with the angels, we should come to know Him, worship Him and enjoy Him – if not in this life, then in that which follows.

Others argue that Paul meant that God is the only One who can save anyone. But note, Paul is referring here to God the Father as Saviour, not Jesus Christ, who is indeed the only One by whom any can be saved (in the gospel sense). But regardless of that – “μάλιστα” (=especially) simply cannot be made to fit that meaning. Others again (μάλιστα😊 Arminian Evangelicals) say Paul is making the point that Christ’s atonement was unlimited – He died for all. He did, but, as they would agree, only those who come to know Him as their personal Saviour are saved in the gospel sense. So again, μάλιστα” cannot be made to fit the bill.

No, either Paul is being dangerously clumsy with his wording, or he is theologically unsound (in which case we cannot really trust his teaching at all) OR he means exactly what he writes. That is effectively that there is salvation and there is SALVATION – which is precisely the case I have been making throughout. The latter is what I mean by gospel salvation, the sacramental and teaching provisions for which are only available in the Church. But then as I have been reminded of only today watching Pope Francis’ funeral, the Church (Paul’s “household of God”) is itself meant to be as saving sacrament for the world. Not only because it propagates a saving message, but because, as the late Pope’s life and legacy epitomized,  it is intended to be  an expression of God’s love and paternal care for the world.

Through its charitable agencies (such as RCC’s CAFOD), the Church seeks to remedy the consequences of famine, natural disaster and social injustice that have always beset the current age. Yet, as with the Jews in the Old Testament, the Church is described as “a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession”. A priesthood for whom, do we imagine? It can only be for the rest of the world. God’s intention is to restore our planet, not for His chosen people alone but through His chosen people. Yet in the process the Church (i.e. its true members) are “saved” in a special sense, so that they might be equipped to serve God and be a blessing to humanity in the present age, whilst being fitted for a  yet more glorious role as the corporate bride of Christ in the age to come.

Salvation for all?

My task has been to explicate a vastly broader benign providence than traditional bible-based Christianity has previously envisaged, not to make the case for absolute universalism. Paul on the other hand could be, here in 1Tim4:10 and a couple of chapters earlier regarding God’s wish all people are saved and come to a knowledge of the truth (2:4). He may have been given personal insights concerning what is to happen in future epochs (cf. Eph2:7). Unlike him, I have not been “caught up into paradise to hear unspeakable words which it is not lawful for a man to utter” (2Cor12:4). I have to rely on what has been at least implicated in Scripture. So going back to Jesus’s teaching, He indicates that some people are  beyond salvation (Mk9:50). That implies they could never repent or change from what they have become – whatever enlightening or post-mortem processing they might receive. They refuse to be saved.

Yet even if that is the case, God can still be regarded as the Saviour of all humanity. For, if given further opportunity to repent and having been enlightened with gospel truth (which is assuredly not the case for the majority in this life  – cf. 1Pet4:6), a soul still refuses to acquiesce, God, however loving, would not force anyone against their will to act and be what they are incapable of doing and being – most especially to love and serve Christ. But then such a soul might no longer be regarded as fully human – if there is not so much as a flicker of resemblance to the divine image, at the heart of which is love. And so, it could be said, for all true humanity, God is their Saviour, but more immediately and gloriously so for those who having believed (and shared in Christ’s suffering), become the heirs of God and co-heirs with His Son (Rom8:17).    

*The LITTLE BOOK OF PROVIDENCE: a seven-part synopsis of the bible: – available as a paperback from Amazon or FREELY as a PDF file  HERE

Author’s Facebook page HERE

3 It is a trustworthy statement: if any man aspires to the office of bishop, it is a fine work he desires to do. ² A bishop, then, must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, temperate, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, skilful in teaching, ³ not overindulging in wine, not a bully, but gentle, not contentious, free from the love of money. ⁴ He must be one who manages his own household well, keeping his children under control with all dignity ⁵ (but if a man does not know how to manage his own household, how will he take care of the church of God?), ⁶  not a new convert, so that he will not become conceited and fall into condemnation incurred by the devil. ⁷ And he must have a good reputation with those outside, so that he will not fall into disgrace and the snare of the devil. ⁸ Deacons likewise must be men of dignity, not insincere, not prone to drink much wine, not greedy for money, ⁹ but holding to the mystery of the faith with a clear conscience. ¹⁰ These men must also first be tested; then have them serve as deacons if they are beyond reproach. ¹¹ Women must likewise be dignified, not malicious gossips, but temperate, faithful in all things. ¹² Deacons must be husbands of one wife, and good managers of their children and their own households. ¹³ For those who have served well as deacons obtain for themselves a high standing and great confidence in the faith that is in Christ Jesus. ¹⁴ I am writing these things to you, hoping to come to you before long; ¹⁵ but in case I am delayed, I write so that you will know how one should act in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and foundation of the truth  (1Tim3:1-15)

Bishops and deacons

In the context of what this project is about I am not especially interested in what is required of a good bishop or deacon. All I will say is that Paul’s requirements are exactly what one would expect them to be. Indeed all, apart from the ability to teach and provide leadership, are qualities one would expect to be realized by those who are the elect of God. Attributes required for those who would be leaders within the Church is undoubtedly the focal point of the passage, but as is  often the case, it is more peripheral comments that draw themselves to my attention, for they more directly affect the issue at hand, being the breadth of God’s benign providence.

The household of God

That must include Paul’s description of the Church in verse 15 – the “household of God” and the “pillar and foundation of the truth”. It is the former for its inhabitants are intended to become the kith and kin of Jesus Christ: “For both He who sanctifies and those who are sanctified are all from One; for this reason He is not ashamed to call them brothers” (Heb2:11). I say “intended to become” for clearly far from all the current members of the “household” shall attain to such glory, for many have been called into the Church but relatively few shall be chosen (Mt22:14).

Paul regarded all within the Church who have been baptized as having been saved – “Or do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus have been baptized into His death? Therefore we have been buried with Him through baptism into death, so that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too may walk in newness of life” (Rom6:3-4).

But not all do walk “in newness of life”, for many, not least in the true Apostolic churches (East and West), were baptized as infants and brought up as children of the Church but have subsequently chosen a different path for their life. As for those that remain: “Now in a large house there are not only gold and silver implements, but also implements of wood and of earthenware, and some are for honour while others are for dishonour. Therefore, if anyone cleanses himself from (wickedness), he will be an implement for honour, sanctified, useful to the Master, prepared for every good work” (2Tim2:19-21)

Evaluating the cost of discipleship

But then Christian discipleship is not for everyone. Jesus cautioned about even contemplating it without a careful evaluation of the pros and cons: “If anyone comes to Me and does not put Me before his own father, mother, wife, children, brothers, sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be My disciple. Whoever does not carry his own cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple. For which one of you, when he wants to build a tower, does not first sit down and calculate the cost, to see if he has enough to complete it? Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation and is not able to finish, all who are watching it will begin to ridicule him, saying, ‘This person began to build, and was not able to finish!’ (Lk14:26-30).

Note the Lord’s reference to calculating the cost. In all seriousness, how can this possibly be referring to “avoid going to hell when you die”? What evaluation is need for that? As I have been explaining from the rest of Scripture that is not the issue here. It is not that to which the Gospel pertains. However, to become “an heir of God and joint heir with Christ certainly is (Rom8:17). None shall attain to it unless they are prepared to “lose their life so that they might find it” (Mt16:25)  being one of the proportional few who have been “predestined to become conformed to the image of God’s Son” (Rom8:29).

The pillar and foundation of the truth

In terms of this subheading, I used to regard that as the bible. Not so, says Paul – the Church is the pillar and foundation of the truth. And any who have studied the writings of the early Church Fathers will know that that was God’s intention. For the first few centuries of the Christian era there was no unified or agreed cannon of scripture. Even thereafter it was never intended that gospel truth be determined by personal interpretations of the bible but  from a faithful and ecclesiological transmission of the deposit of faith, both written and oral tradition (2Thes2:15). The sole sacred depository of that faith was the Holy Catholic Church. Her task was to guard, preserve and teach that deposit which she rightly asserts is immutable.

Faithful to the Deposit?

But here is where a problem arises, for there are aspects concerning that deposit which I have been shown were not protected but rather mutated, not exclusively but primarily through the influence of one Aurelius Augustinus (AD354-430). He shortly after his conversion (from Manichaeism) became Bishop of Hippo, and is formally recognized within Roman Catholicism as a saint of highest esteem – a Doctor of the Church. Truly, my conscience will not permit me to accede, believing as I do that he subverted the earliest Church’s teaching on key issues such as free will, natural law (innate spiritual faculties), human nature after the Fall, the economy of grace, premillennialism and the role of Torah in the Old Testament, combinedly turning the God who is Love’s munificent providence into a cosmic horror show.  A short summary of my convictions expressed in a thesis is to be found HERE.

Yet I have remained a member of his church, knowing her to be the western flank of the true “household of God”, which as Christ promised to Peter would never be entirely prevailed against. She along with the Eastern Orthodox Churches, regardless of doctrinal differences (i.e. errors) and mysteries yet to be unravelled, provide now and have always provided everything that is necessary in terms of sacrament and teaching for faithful followers of Christ to become fitted for a glorious inheritance as the elect of God.

Scripture – Catalyst for error, arbiter for truth

When one has concluded that even the true church has fallen into error, largely through key theologians misinterpreting Scripture during its most formative years in terms of formalizing doctrine for posterity, one perceives how the bible can be a catalyst for error. But, thanks be to God, it is also an arbiter for truth. If any doctrine appears to make God out to be a Monster, inflicting “mild sensual pain” upon unbaptized infants through the ages (a la Augustine) and predetermining that the bulk of humanity should experience an eternity in hell “so that it might be shown what had been due to all” (ditto), yet at the same time (rightly) declaring that our loving Saviour Jesus Christ was the exact and express image of God His Father in nature and predisposition, we have to conclude certain doctrine to be in error. And whilst the outworking of Augustine’s narrow, fatalistic soteriology may have become abhorrent to post-Conciliar Catholic ears, the scriptural interpretations that lay behind it are still evident in the Bible translations utilized by Catholics and in various references within the Catechism, and  of course the man himself is still highly revered.

This is still more called into question when having examined the writings of those who were tutored either by the apostles themselves, or by the likes of Timothy, Philemon and Jude or their immediate appointees, we find they presented a God who was very different in nature and intentions to Augustine’s. Is this an oversimplification? Possibly, given that I am certainly a simpleton in comparison to the indisputably august Doctor of Grace. Nevertheless, a reading of, say all known 2^nd and 3^rd century theologians and Church historians should affirm that I am broadly correct, and these days such study is easily and cheaply achievable thanks to the internet.

So having said the bible is the final arbiter of truth, it is still not scripture alone. Reference to the early Fathers’ writing is also required to understand what had been explained to them as gospel truth, and (certainly in my case) to determine which is the true “household of God” – the Church where alone are dispensed the mysteries of heavenly grace.

Yours truly

As for what I do and am doing in this post, it is most irregular. I would not dare attempt it if I were not clear I had received a prophetic calling to do so. Here I stand… oh but we won’t go there – my aims could hardly be further removed from the one who famously made that utterance, not merely in terms of theology, but regarding what I intend should be the final configuration of the churches (Jn17:11).

The LITTLE BOOK OF PROVIDENCE: a seven-part synopsis of the bible: – available as a paperback from Amazon or FREELY as a PDF file https://richard-777.blog/free-download-of-pdf/

Author’s Facebook page HERE

⁸ Therefore I want the men in every place to pray, lifting up holy hands, without anger and dispute. ⁹ Likewise, I want women to adorn themselves with proper clothing, modestly and discreetly, not with braided hair and gold or pearls or expensive apparel, ¹⁰ but rather by means of good works, as is proper for women making a claim to godliness. ¹¹ A woman must quietly receive instruction with entire submissiveness. ¹² But I do not allow a woman to teach or to exercise authority over a man, but to remain quiet. ¹³ For it was Adam who was first created, and then Eve. ¹⁴ And it was not Adam who was deceived, but the woman was ^[i]deceived and  has become a wrongdoer. ¹⁵ But she will be saved through childbirth—if they continue in faith, love, and sanctity, with moderation (1Tim2:8-15)

Unlike Paul, I have no pastoral responsibilities in the Church whatsoever, so I will only comment briefly on the apostle’s teaching concerning how women should behave in Church. I keep an open mind as to whether Paul’s teaching should be taken as a timeless injunction or adapted for the world as it is today – the Genesis reference suggests to me it cannot be treated as entirely anachronistic. I am more interested in Paul’s theological reasoning behind his views on women, starting with who ultimately was responsible for the Fall. Humanly speaking it was indeed Eve, but to be fair it was she rather than Adam that Satan targeted for his deception, and she  then went on to persuade her husband. If Adam had been targeted, he might have done likewise, but Satan went for Eve and Paul at least would be clear in his mind why that should be (v13).

Ultimate responsibility

In terms of who was ultimately responsible for the Eden incident I’m also with Paul:

¹⁸“For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us. ¹⁹ For the eagerly awaiting creation waits for the revealing of the sons of God. ²⁰For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it, ²¹in the expectation (ἑλπίδι^G1680) that the creation itself also will be set free from its slavery to corruption into the freedom of the glory of the children of God” (Rom8:18-21).

The final verse is consistent with the broader benign providence I have been presenting. Verse 20, which must relate to the Fall, does not make God the author of sin. Being sovereign and omniscient He would have foreseen Satan’s deception and our first parents falling for it, but He permitted events to take their course knowing it to be the means by which His purposes for humanity would best be fulfilled. The previous post explains the divine rationale in more detail which I won’t repeat here.

Saved by childbirth

In terms of 1 Tim2:15 and women being “saved by childbirth”, I do not pretend to be certain of the matter, but applying a principle I frequently refer to, including in the previous post, I would make the following suggestions. Firstly, contrary to some bible translations, I believe Paul is referring to gospel salvation – but not getting saved but staying saved. Contrary to what I once believed (once saved / always saved), perseverance is by no means guaranteed – it is not “all of grace” whereas calling and initially responding in faith to the message of the gospel is – “For by grace you have been saved through faith; and this is not of yourselves, it is the gift of God;  not a result of works, so that no one may boast (Eph2:8-9). The women Paul refers to had been saved and were in the Church, that is why he goes on to write “if they continue in faith, love, and sanctity”, etc. That in itself indicates that Paul did not believe in “the perseverance of the saints”, and he believed that in view of Genesis’ creation order and women’s role in the Fall, they were innately more likely to fail in the Faith than men.

Single is better

This is where the contents of the previous post are brought to bear. But firstly, Paul cannot be inferring that it is preferable or essential for women to have children, for elsewhere he writes that ideally, like men, they should remain single in order best to serve the Lord (1Cor7:34). But whether a woman has children or remains a virgin, they have one thing in common through their child-bearing faculties: pain and discomfort. Whether it be the agony of bringing forth a child, or periods and menopause, the result, albeit to varying degrees, is suffering, which Jesus in particular equates to “salting”. As the previous post explains, suffering is the prerequisite for glory, as indeed does Heb2:9-10 with regard to the Lord Jesus Christ and Rom8:17 regarding His followers. Indeed, Heb2:9 states categorically that the Man Christ Jesus, having been made (like us) a little lower than the angels was crowned with glory and honour because of the suffering of His death (Greek interlinear), and that is effectively reaffirmed in the verse that follows (10): “For it was fitting for Him, for whom are all things, and through whom are all things, in BRINGING MANY SONS TO GLORY, to PERFECT the Originator of their salvation THROUGH SUFFERINGS”.

SALVATION and salvation

As I have explained more extensively, the glory that comes with being a joint-heir with Christ is the outcome, purpose and intention of gospel salvation. It results from those who have been predestined to it being enabled to relate to God whilst in mortal flesh and be provided with the spiritual resources and divine teaching to become conformed to the image of His Son (Rom8:29). This is what elsewhere Paul refers to as the “prize of the high calling of God” (Phil3:14) – and far from being all of grace (apart from the calling), he describes it as being like an athlete competing in a race for a prize that few will attain (1Cor9:24).

That is what I mean by “SALVATION”, but it is not the “salvation” referred to in 1Tim that God wishes all to attain, albeit the lower case version is glorious enough and just as gracious and magnanimous on God’s part. All salvation ultimately relates to be delivered from a corruptible body and environment to have a place in God’s eternal kingdom, the salvific distinction pertaining to capacity and timing . Far from detracting from “God’s gospel of grace”, such broader benign providence surely magnifies it – affirming John’s truly Good News that God did not send Christ into the world to condemn the world but that through Him the world might be saved.

The LITTLE BOOK OF PROVIDENCE: a seven-part synopsis of the bible: – available as a paperback from Amazon or FREELY as a PDF HERE  

2 First of all, then, I urge that requests, prayers, intercession, and thanksgiving be made on behalf of all people, ² for kings and all who are in authority, so that we may lead a TRANQUIL AND QUIET LIFE in all godliness and dignity. ³ This is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour, ⁴ who desires that  ALL PEOPLE ARE saved AND TO COME TO A RECOGNITION OF THE TRUTH. ⁵ For there is one God, and one mediator between God and mankind, the Man Christ Jesus, ⁶ who gave Himself as a ransom FOR ALL, the  EVIDENCE FOR WHICH IS TO BE GIVEN at the proper time. ⁷ For this I was appointed as a herald and an apostle (I am telling the truth, I am not lying), as a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth (1Tim2:1-7).

Saviour of all?

First of all, then, it is to be noted that Paul urges prayer to be made for all people, most especially those in authority. That is because his desire for the Church of God is that it can live peaceably within the community “with all goodness and dignity” – a sentiment to which I would add nothing. What is of course more interesting is what the apostle goes on to write in verse 4 – that God our Saviour desires/wishes/intends that all people be  “σωθῆναι”   which I along with most bibles have translated as “saved”. You will note I have used lower case within the highlighted phrase (above), for as I have been explaining, there is salvation and there is SALVATION – and this is not referring to the latter, at least not in the context of the current age.

God does not intend that all come to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ in the present; He has ensured that it cannot happen. That is the consequence of Paul’s teaching on predestination, namely that as a result of the Fall men and women are innately incapable of coming to a saving knowledge of  Jesus Christ. It is a matter of grace and sovereign Choice.  Paul was a classic example, he was in the business of destroying Jesus Christ and His people at the point of his conversion. More generally, as Jesus Himself put it, “No one can come to Me except the Father who sent Me draw him” (Jn6:44) – a concept repeated numerous times and  in numerous ways by the Apostle Paul. Those who reject or disregard that teaching cannot really claim to be “bible-believing Christians”. Their problem is, taking on board that scriptural precept makes no sense at all if one believes that one is either saved or damned. Especially with  a God like this, who is described by John as love personified (1Jn4:8), and who desires that all people are “σῴζω”. As in English, the Greek word for “saved” has a range of meanings. Systemically σῴζω^G4982  relates to the idea of  RESCUE, and in our context, as most Christians would agree, it pertains to rescue from the impact of the Fall.

Given that God is sovereign, what He desires or wishes must come to pass. And Paul is saying that God wishes that all eventually come to acknowledge the Truth, especially (no doubt) concerning the Lord Jesus Christ – who He is and what He has done on mankind’s behalf. Most will not have grasped the matter and acted upon it in their lifetime, so they will not have been prepared to receive and experience what the elect of God shall experience as “the Bride of Christ”. Nevertheless, many shall (like the Mt25 sheep) be graciously admitted to God’s eternal Kingdom, in the process being reunited with those they have loved and lost in life. They can then be prepared and fitted for whatever God has planned for the human race in the ages to come, which is assuredly not “Requiem Aeternum” – that pertains to spirits who having cast off their mortal coil and are described in Scripture as being asleep – prior to the resurrection and glorification of their bodies. For those who, by grace alone, were called into the Church and persevered in the faith, their preparation will already have taken place, hence their more immediate role with Christ within the kingdom He is to establish  at His coming (cf. Eph1:10).

The mystery of evil

As ever, there is a third grouping. They shall not acknowledge the Truth even when it is clearly presented to them, nor shall they respond positively to the glorious revelation of Jesus Christ at His coming. For such are “vessels fitted for destruction” that Paul describes in Romans chapter nine. As such they lack the innate capacity or inclination to acknowledge the One who is the summation of goodness, having known only evil and falsehood in their lives. Such shall be punished fairly and proportionally and in accordance with their capability. For Paul clearly states that their souls or spiritual vessels were κατηρτισμένα^G2675 – i.e. adjusted or adapted for the purpose of committing evil (Rom9:22). Though created by God they were not planted by Him but by Satan (Mt15:13; Mt13:38;1Jn3:12).

Believe it or not, their creation was a wondrous act of love on God’s part. That was in view of the consequences for the Godhead: the Word of God condescending to become a Man, who would suffer terrible afflictions and die in His thirties so as to deal with the outcome. But our God is neither a sadist nor a masochist – He permitted the Fall and exacerbated it with the creation of these barely human reprobates because, as we shall see, it was necessary  in order for true humanity to fulfil its glorious destiny. These people, who look like but do not properly act as members of the human race might be defined in secular terms as as psychopaths. In many cases like the example of Pharoah in Rom9, they are people of wealth and privilege. As such, they may well receive the adoration of many in their lifetime  – that is until their true legacy is laid bare.

Being devoid of conscience, compassion and truth, there is no (Rom7-style) inner conflict that the unconverted Saul of Tarsus had experienced. Their flesh (i.e. body and brain) and their ill-functioning spirit being united in evil ensure this eluded sub-category of sinners are free indeed to carry out their narcissistic and invariably destructive activity. Yet like Satan himself they serve an essential purpose within God’s extraordinary plan for humanity, concerning which some of His angels, following Lucifer’s lead, rebelled and fell. The rest accepted the unexpected new pecking order (cf. Heb2:5) which was a direct result of One who was superior to all angels being incarnated as a Man, then sanctifying others such that  “both He that sanctifies and they who are sanctified ARE ALL OF ONE: for which cause (Christ) is not ashamed to call them brethren” (Heb2:11). Faithful angels are nevertheless captivated, ever desiring “to look into the matter” (1Pet1:12).

The mystery of evil

The providential role that fallen angels and wicked humans have is hinted at in Rom9:23, but more fundamentally so in Heb2:10 with respect to God’s rationale for the existence of evil and suffering. Without it and a divine Saviour to deal with it, the sons of Earth having remained in Edenic innocence, could never have been  raised to divinity. For note from Hebrews that suffering is a prerequisite for glory, even for One who is sinless (2:9-10), still more so for His sanctified but imperfect followers (Rom8:17). Such is the mystery of evil and it is explained  more fully in chapter six and seven of the Little Book of Providence and, just as importantly, reconciled with the rest of Scripture.

A ransom for all

Verse 6 is equally interesting and revealing, especially when translated as I have. The key word being  μαρτύριον^G3142  which as bible hub affirms pertains to a testimony or the provision of evidence. I believe I have now shown in my book that Christ gave Himself as a ransom for all at Calvary, at the same time explaining that the benefits of that Sacrifice apply at two levels – forensic (providing pardon for the many) and participatory for those who come to know Him as their Saviour and Sanctifier. Whilst Christ atoned for the sins of all,  the aforementioned who at the last refuse to acknowledge His Truth, Personage, Saviourhood and Universal Reign can have no part in His kingdom and shall rightly be excluded and punished. But regrettably, post-mortem punishment and processing will not be restricted to the satanic.

The need for purging

Christ has atoned for the sins of the world, but pardon for sin is one thing, being fitted to play a part in Peter’s longed for “kingdom where righteousness dwells” is another. Some painful self-enlightenment, re-education, even purgatorial punishment will be needed in the case of those whose mortal sins have caused hurt to others, especially where these were never confessed or punished in life. “All shall be salted with fire, salt being a  good thing; but if the salt becomes unsalty, with what will you make it salty again? (Mk9:49-50) – the latter referring to the aforementioned unsalvable – they refuse to be saved.  The wise should discern that such post-mortem (and Day of Wrath) punitive action in no way detracts from God’s lovingkindness – it is only fair and just for the sake of those who have been victims of cruel and abusive behaviour. Contrary to the teaching of many, who reluctantly conclude that whatever else God may be He cannot be said to be fair, are mistaken. Fairness is an essential component of love as any loving parent should realise (as do their children), and God is Father of all.     

The truth of Christ’s atonement being for sin not just selected sinners surely follows from what Paul has declared concerning God’s universal benevolence in verse 4. The Father of mankind desires that all those that can be made serviceable become subjects of His eternal Kingdom. Like any father, He does not wish that all and sundry corporately marry His Son, only those who have been prepared for such an honour during their earthly lifetime through a personal knowledge of their future Spouse. So shall it be said: “Let us be glad and rejoice and give honour to God: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and His wife has made herself ready” (Rev19:7).

 ¹⁷ Now to the King of the ages, immortal, invisible, the one and only God, be honour and glory to the ages of the ages, Amen.¹⁸ This command I entrust to you, Timothy, my son, in accordance with the prophecies previously made concerning you, that by them you fight the good fight, ¹⁹ keeping faith, and a good conscience which some have rejected and suffered shipwreck in regard to their faith. ²⁰Among these are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I have handed over to Satan, so that they will be taught not to blaspheme (1Tim1:17-20)

Again, I have highlighted points for comment in the context of the broader benign providence being presented. This is perhaps one of the clearest indicators of Paul’s monotheism in the sense of there being one Person who is God (μόνῳ Θεῷ), and He is invisible (v1). The apostle never refers to Jesus as God, rather He is the Lord and Master. But He is also the incarnated Word, the only begotten of the Father and (prior to His incarnation) consubstantial with the invisible God, yet “for our sakes He became Man”. However, God’s elect are already partakers of the divine nature and in due course shall be co-inheritors OF God, WITH Christ (Rom8:17). “Christ” means One who has been anointed;  He sits at God’s right hand. Once resurrected or if alive at His coming, those who have been prepared for it (the elect) shall be reclothed in a glorious body and shall be Christ’s kith and kin, His corporate Spouse i.e. absolutely like their Lord and Master, for they shall be without sin.

Not just Paul

This is not a Pauline quirk: the writer to the Hebrews declared, “(Christ) who sanctifies and those who are sanctified are all from One ; for this reason (Christ) is not ashamed to call them brothers (Heb2:11). Likewise John, “Beloved, we are already the sons of God, and it has not yet been revealed exactly what we shall be: but we know that when (Christ) shall appear, we shall be like Him” (1Jn3:2). But we could never be in any substantive sense like or consubstantial with the  “immortal, invisible, the one and only God (v1), apart that is from reflecting His nature, which for the elect should in measure already be happening (Eph5:1 μιμηταὶ= imitators, not merely followers).

A theology of glory

This is unashamedly a theology of glory (that Luther detested), albeit predicated by a theology of the cross, without which such a glorious transformation of sinful children of dust could never have taken place. And if sin had not entered the world, the Word of God would not have be incarnated as a Man to be its Saviour. This emphasis on glorification, together with a recognition of the monarchical status of the Father is necessary for an understanding of a central tenet of the broader benign providence being disclosed. Paul described it in Eph3 as “the fellowship (or administration) of the secret (plan) hidden in God”. Its  practical outworking is Rom 11 vv11,12,15,30, namely that in the current age, elect Gentiles would come to “share an inheritance with those being sanctified” (Acts26:18) as a result of the Jews’ failure in their appointed mission. That had been to be a light to the world  as “God’s kingdom of priests and a holy nation” (Ex19:6).

If Israel had fulfilled its mission, the prophecies of the Old Testament would have stood (e.g. Is60:3; Zech8:23). Gentiles would not in the current age have been “saved” in the gospel sense – i.e. sanctified so as to be fitted for the kind of glory I have been describing (Acts26:18). They would, by acknowledging Jesus Christ as Lord, “merely” have had the opportunity to be pardoned, and so like Lazarus and the Mt25 sheep, finally accepted into God’s eternal kingdom.

Paul is rarely if ever taken literally in Rom11 (e.g. v11) because such a scenario (fulness of salvation restricted to Jews and proselytes) would make little sense, if (as most understand it) gospel salvation referred to “going to heaven when you die” or avoiding perdition, rather than that to which it truly pertains. That is to be pardoned and empowered to live a holy life, serving and pleasing God even whilst in mortal flesh, in preparation to be joint inheritors with Christ and all that entails (Rom8:17).  

Paul’s drastic remedy

As Paul wrote to Timothy, such a glorious prospect requires “keeping faith, and a good conscience which some have rejected and suffered shipwreck in regard to their faith” (v19). Such were Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom Paul “delivered to Satan so that they will be taught not to blaspheme” (v20). He did something similar for an immoral believer at Corinth “for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus” (1Cor5:5). I commented on this in an earlier post with which I shall close.

“The verse (1Cor5:5) is variably translated but what the original Greek infers is that the man in question should be handed over to Satan for “DESTRUCTION OF THE FLESH”. This confuses many for they do not understand what Paul means by σαρκός (flesh). He is referring to the physical component of man as a whole (body and brain) that is procreated from his parents. It is that which the apostles Peter and Paul respectively refer to as our tent/tabernacle (2Pet1:13-14) or vessel (1Thes4:4), housing the God-given soul/spirit. As I have been adducing from Scripture it is not the eternal spiritual component but its temporary mortal housing, i.e. the procreated body and brain that is the source of mankind’s problem with sin. As Paul well knew, such was the case with the immoral passions that were dominating the unrepentant member of the Corinthian church to whom the apostle was referring. His drastic solution, which as some commentators have rightly observed is not a timeless injunction for churches but pertained to apostolic authority within their era, was to “deliver the person to Satan”, whom we learn elsewhere has authority over sickness and death (cf. Lk13:16 & Heb2:14).

Contrary to how many interpret the crucial teaching of Rom7:7-25, the “flesh” cannot be referring to the “sinful nature”, for Satan would hardly be in the business of destroying that; rather he would wish to nurture it such that the sinful passions derived from it would continue to war against the soul (1Pet2:11). It rather infers the individual would experience sickness and physical suffering (a la Job) – thus shall that immoral believer  have been salted with fire rather than salt (Mk9:49KJV) – an earlier post explains.

A similar principal may be observed with regard to Christ’s descent into Hades to preach to lost souls: “For this reason was the gospel preached to those that are dead, that having been judged according to men in the flesh, they might LIVE ACCORDING TO GOD IN THE SPIRIT” (1Pet4:6; see also 1Pet3:19-20). Peter’s teaching confounds the many who do not believe God ever gives second chances. But as I explain in my book this is not referring to God’s elect – the future Bride of Christ who must serve the Lord NOW and “put to death the deeds of the body” NOW whilst in mortal flesh (Rom8:13). Nor shall ALL the rest be willing to call on the name of the Lord and be spared from destruction on the “Day of the Lord” that Paul refers to in this passage (v5). For some who like Cain are the devil’s children (1Jn3:12) will never willingly bow the knee or come to serve Christ, the Source and Summit of all that is good. The three soteriological categories indicated here and throughout my writing are not dependant on this or any particular passage of Scripture but can be traced from Genesis through to Revelation. Such I have done in The Little Book of Providence; a free PDF of which is available at the link below.

*The LITTLE BOOK OF PROVIDENCE: a seven-part synopsis of the bible: – available as a paperback from Amazon or FREELY as a PDF file https://richard-777.blog/free-download-of-pdf/

Author’s Facebook page HERE

Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus according to the commandment of God our Saviour, and of Christ Jesus, who is our hope,² To Timothy, my true son in the faith: Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.³ Just as I urged you upon my departure for Macedonia, to remain on at Ephesus so that you would instruct certain people not to teach strange doctrines ⁴ nor to pay attention to myths and endless genealogies, which give rise to useless speculation rather than advance the plan of God, which is by faith, so I urge you now. ⁵ But the goal of our instruction is love from a pure heart, from a good conscience, and from a sincere faith. ⁶ Some people have strayed from these things and have turned aside to fruitless discussion, ⁷ wanting to be teachers of the Law, even though they do not understand either what they are saying or the matters about which they make confident assertions.⁸ But we know that the Law is good, if one uses it lawfully, ⁹ realizing the fact that law is not made for a righteous person but for those who are lawless and rebellious, for the ungodly and sinners, for the unholy and worldly, for those who kill their fathers or mothers, for murderers, ¹⁰ for the sexually immoral, homosexuals, slave traders, liars, perjurers, and whatever else is contrary to sound teaching, ¹¹ according to the glorious gospel of the blessed God, with which I have been entrusted .¹² I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has strengthened me, because He considered me faithful, putting me into service, ¹³ even though I was previously a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent aggressor. Yet I was shown mercy because I acted ignorantly in unbelief; ¹⁴ and the grace of our Lord was more than abundant, with the faith and love which are found in Christ Jesus. ¹⁵ It is a trustworthy statement, deserving full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, among whom I am chief. ¹⁶ Yet for this reason I found mercy, so that in me as the chief of sinners Jesus Christ might demonstrate His perfect patience as an example for those who would believe in Him for eternal life (1Tim1:1-16)

Moving on, Paul now writes to one he describes as his “son in the faith” (v2), Timothy (timeline c. AD17-97), so not that much younger than the apostle. He firstly encourages him to instruct certain believers not to be distracted with speculative theories, genealogies and myths. This project potentially lends itself to such distractions which I try to avoid, although there is one genealogy I’ve drawn attention to in an earlier post taken directly from the Old Testament, for it does have implications to the broader benign providence being presented, i.e., the post-diluvian patriarchs. But with Paul, the ultimate goal of my considerations should be that the disciples of Christ (who as a first step need to be re-united) come to possess “love from a pure heart, from a good conscience, and from a sincere faith” (v5). That is some way removed from depictions I hear, especially but not exclusively from Evangelicals, of the Church being essentially “an assembly of justified sinners”.

The churches Paul founded or pastored he wished (indeed required) to be like the church of Rome in his day “full of goodness, filled with all knowledge and able to admonish one another (Rom15:14). In starkest contrast, Luther once made the assertion that “if men only believe enough in Christ they can commit adultery and murder a thousand times a day without periling their salvation”^[1]. No doubt some  intended hyperbole on the Reformer’s part, but it is about as far removed from Pauline Christianity as it is possible to get.

Context of Paul’s self assessment

Such misconceptions have been re-enforced by misrepresentations of what Paul goes on to write in this chapter describing himself as “the chief of sinners”. It should be perfectly obvious from the narrative that the apostle is referring to his pre-conversion life as persecutor-in-chief of the infant Church of Jesus Christ. Again, that reinforces the point made in the previous post that Paul’s calling like everyone else’s was all of grace. Who could innately be less worthy of salvation than the chief persecutor of Christ’s Body?

The apostle’s new nature

That was Saul of Tarsus, but in terms of Paul the apostle, “Our exalting is in the testimony of our conscience, that in holiness and godly sincerity, not in fleshly wisdom but in the grace of God, we have conducted ourselves in the world” (2Cor1:12). For once called, that is where the all-of-grace paradigm ends, otherwise Paul will have effectively wasted his breath and ink. As in the previous post, Paul does not merely exhort, he commands regarding the need for holy living(2Thes3:6). Later in 1Tim1 he writes of those who have “shipwrecked their faith” (v19) – shipwrecks are rarely salvable.

God’s true nature

As I have been emphasizing, those who become joint heirs with Christ, whilst rewarded beyond measure or deservedness, must necessarily have contributed to their glorious estate, sharing in the suffering of their Co-heir (Rom8:17). I thank God indeed that final salvation is not all of grace. The Creator is magnanimous for sure, but He is also fair to all. As third century Origen intimated, God even punishes with good intentions in mind; “a just and good God in that He confers benefits justly and punishes with kindness; since neither goodness without justice nor justice without goodness can display the real dignity of the divine nature”^[2]. This summarizes in one sublime sentence everything I am seeking to impart concerning our Creator and his Christ.

Doctor of grace or calamitous colossus?

A century or so later, Augustine, largely through his interpretation of Paul, his fierce conflict with Pelagius and (above all) his unprecedented clout, ensured such deific munificence was turned on its head. From any reasoned human perspective God’s nature became barbaric, His plans for humanity a cosmic horror show^[3], whilst men and women were deemed to be innately depraved, incapable of “any good thing, whether in thought or will, affection or in action^[4]. Such demonstratively perverse anthropology and derogation of what Paul refers to in our passage as “the glorious gospel of the blessed God” (v12) is why this process has had to involve a deconstruction of virtually every distinctive doctrine of Augustine. I emphasize “distinctive” for substantial elements of that (humanly speaking) aptly named Bishop’s teaching were sound, orthodox and supremely erudite. No wonder it is said to this day, “If Augustine taught it, it must be so”. So here we all are.

To follow

In terms of how Paul dealt with those within the Church who disregarded his moral teaching, the apostle’s method was surprising and frankly mystifying for many (v20) – to be covered in the next post.

CITATIONS

[1] Am I making this up? – Copy the quote and paste in Google and you’ll see Luther actually suggested this together with what his supporters thought about it

[2] Origen de Principiis  Book II chap. 5 para3

[3] The City of God Book XXI http://www.newadvent.org/fathers/120121.htm

[4] “On Rebuke and Grace” chapter 3 

¹³But we should always give thanks to God for you, brothers beloved by the Lord, because God HAS CHOSEN YOU FROM THE BEGINNING for salvation AS FIRST FRUITS through sanctification OF the spirit^NOTE#1  and faith in the truth. ¹⁴ It was for this HE CALLED YOU through our gospel, that you may OBTAIN THE GLORY OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST. ¹⁵ So then, brothers, stand firm and hold on to the traditions which you were taught, WHETHER BY WORD OF MOUTH OR BY LETTER from us. ¹⁶ Now may OUR LORD Jesus Christ Himself and GOD OUR FATHER, who has loved us and given us age-enduring comfort and good hope BY GRACE, ¹⁷ comfort and strengthen your hearts in every good work and word. [2Thes2:13-17]

A short closing statement by Paul. As usual, I have capitalized the points for comment, which in most cases have been said many times before. As far as I’m concerned that’s a good thing, showing it to be the consistent teaching of Paul in his epistles. None more so than the first point, “God HAS CHOSEN YOU FROM THE BEGINNING”. Truly, anyone who rejects predestination might as well reject Paul’s teaching altogether – its systemic within his writing. Yet so many Christians effectively do reject it, or at least ignore it, or like Luther say it’s advisable not to dwell upon it or preach about it. And no wonder, for the implications within the traditional dualistic (saved/damned) context are frankly odious in terms of both divine and human nature. My former hero Jean Calvin was quite open about the latter: “all men’s thoughts, inclinations and efforts are corrupt and viscous”, whilst regarding young infants, such he thought were “odious and an abomination to God; their very natures being a seedbed of sin^[NOTE2] .

 Having trashed humanity, when it came to the deity, the Reformers were unsurprisingly more circumspect. What might appear a, cruel and hateful providence from any human perspective is explained as being the actions of a Being who is esoterically holy, ineffable, so thoroughly incomprehensible. However, the biblical reality is this: Jesus Christ is an exact reflection of His Father’s nature (Heb1:3), yet man in his regenerated state is said (by Paul) to possess the mind of Christ (1Cor2:16) . Man was made in the image of the invisible God, i.e. according to the divine nature; and Christians already partake of that nature (2Pet1:4) and are in the process of being conformed into Christ’s own image (Rom8:29).

It follows that what is discerned to be hateful, cruel and odious to man at his best is likewise to Jesus Christ and likewise to God, albeit with a certain proviso. For God’s ways are sometimes  incomprehensible, such as His deliberate intention to permit evil and suffering in this world (cf. Rom8:20). But once such a rationale has been explained (as now it has been), God will be seen to be what Scripture declares Him to be – Love personified (1Jn4:8). But a deity could never be said to be loving or compassionate if he punished people mercilessly and eternally for doing what he knows they are incapable of doing. That would be the case when predestination is understood within a dual rather than tripartite context that I have been explaining in recent posts.

A KIND OF FIRST FRUIT

A broader benign providence is indicated in the first featured verse (13) where Paul speaks of Christians being the first fruits of human salvation. That is understandably omitted from most bibles (exceptions include the Legacy Standard and Lexham English versions) as that phrase is only included in the earliest manuscripts. But James says as much in Jam1:18.

MANY CALLED, FEW CHOSEN

Note in verse 14, Paul writes that the Thessalonian converts had been called through the gospel, and that calling is indeed all of grace (v16). Yet as Jesus affirmed, many are called but few are chosen. These Thessalonian church members had “got saved”, but only those who persevere shall be chosen to inherit the promises of Christ – i.e. corporate matrimony with the Lord of glory; even to share His throne (Rev3:21; 21:9). As Paul writes in the same verse, those chosen shall “obtain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ”. That is not merely to observe it but to obtain and share in it. If you’re uncomfortable with that and feel unworthy even to be considered, join the club, but it is the apostle’s consistent teaching when rightly translated (e.g. Rom8:17). But then how could it be otherwise for those who are joint heirs, not just OF Christ but WITH Christ? (same verse).

WRITTEN AND ORAL TRADITION

Verse 15 indicates that the true Church has never relied on Scripture alone but also what was passed on orally by the apostles. Most crucially, this will have included precisely how the Eucharist should be observed and of what it consisted, a matter that cannot be clearly discerned from Scripture alone. Given the radical divisions within the churches on the subject, this is where reference to the teaching of the early Church Fathers is essential. Personally, I found their descriptions to be quite consistent – but it was contrary to what I had understood and practiced for the first 28 years of my Christian life (this post refers).

RE CHAPTER 3

This short passage closing 2Thes2 has contained plenty of theological (albeit indirect) allusions to the broader benign providence I have been outlining. The final chapter, whilst containing sound advice, or should I say instruction (cf. v6) regarding Christian conduct, does not really impact upon any of the distinctive doctrines pertaining to this project, so I shall shortly move on to 1Timothy.

NOTES

[1] Most translations infer “BY the Spirit” but if Paul intended that he would most likely have included the preposition ὑπὸ, being an indicator of causation or agency. Of course, the post-Augustinian church largely rejects the idea that humans possess any spirit to be sanctified. It is not that important in this instance as it is certainly the work of the Holy Spirit that is involved in sanctifying the Christian, but not acting alone.

[2] Quote from Calvin’s Institutes of the Christian Religion – Second Book chap. 1 para 8

“Now we ask you, brothers and sisters, regarding the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him, ² that you not be quickly shaken from your composure or be disturbed either by a spirit, or a message, or a letter as if from us, to the effect that the day of the Lord has come. ³ No one is to deceive you in any way! For it will not come unless the APOSTASY WILL HAVE COME FIRST, and the MAN OF LAWLESSNESS is brought to light, the son of destruction, ⁴ who opposes and exalts himself above every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, displaying himself as if he were a god. ⁵ Do you not remember that while I was still with you, I was telling you these things? ⁶ And you know what restrains him now, so that he will be revealed in his time. ⁷ For the MYSTERY OF LAWLESSNESS is already at work; only He who now restrains will do so until He is removed. ⁸ Then THAT LAWLESS ONE will be disclosed, whom the Lord will eliminate with the breath of His mouth and bring to an end by the appearance of His coming; ⁹ that is, the one whose coming is in accord with the activity of Satan, with all power and false signs and wonders, ¹⁰ and with all the deception of wickedness for those who perish, because they did not accept the love of the truth so as to be saved. ¹¹ For this reason God will send upon them a DELUDING INFLUENCE SO THAT THEY WILL BELIEVE WHAT IS FALSE, ¹² in order that they all may be judged who did not believe the truth, but took pleasure in wickedness”. [2Thes2:1-12]

I have come my own ideas about what and to whom the above prophecy pertains, but because (unlike Paul) the matter has not been revealed to me by God but is my own supposition, and the fact that it would unavoidably cause offence to many, I shall not spell out my interpretation in case I’m wrong. Verse 8 suggests I may be, for it implies the “man of lawlessness” will be living at the time of Christ’s second coming. However, Paul was an apostle, not a prophet, and in terms of timings many commentators would agree that his writings suggest he understood the Parousia to be very imminent – possibly occurring in the lifetime of those to whom he wrote (recent posts refer).

Instead, I will quote from my book a  reference to this matter in the context of the Lord’s own teaching, leaving it with those who have wisdom to reflect upon the matter, and like myself keep an open mind. I also link HERE a related post regarding an Enoch prophecy which, for those who can receive it, may clarify the issue further.

Preaching on the Mount of Olives, Jesus as a Prophet in his own right drew upon the prophecies of Daniel regarding a sacral atrocity which God had revealed to Him would take place at some point before His return. This event is expressed in terms of the Temple, but as a result of the restructured timeline to enable elect from every nation to be brought into the messianic fellowship, certain prophetic promises have been deferred, such as the removal of the wicked from the earth, global peace, security for the Holy Land and universal acknowledgement of Christ’s Kingship. These will instead be fulfilled after the Parousia. What was thwarted or not completed at the first coming would be repeated at the second, such as reconciling certain “parents and children”^{(Mal4:5-6; Lk1:17)} in time for the Lord to come to realize His Kingdom “to order it and establish it with judgement and justice”^Is9:7. That is what John the Baptist believed he was preparing for with respect to Israel. In His sermon Jesus had drawn His hearer’s attention to a prophecy in Daniel^Mt24:15 which foretold that a man and his supporters would come to “profane the sanctuary, abolish the perpetual sacrifice and appoint the appalling abomination”^Dan11:31. This was directly alluding to Antiochus Epiphanes, outlined in more detail in 1Maccabees1.

The deuterocanonical account, missing from Protestant Bibles, sets out how some renegade Jews collaborated with this evil prince, leading many others to abandon the Holy Covenant and live without the Law as Gentiles, effectively bringing about an apostasy. Antiochus and his men desecrated the Temple, removing the altar with its ornamental trimmings and libation vessels, and installed an idle (a statue of Zeus) in its place. But Jesus clearly had something else in mind, for Antiochus’s activities were some two hundred years before Jesus’ re-iteration of the prophecy concerning the abomination (or idol) that He said would in the future cause desolation by being appointed a place that was not intended for it (let the reader understand 😲)^note1 and would supplant the daily sacrifice^{cf. Dan12:11}. 

Jesus implied it related to an occurrence preceding the destruction of the temple but in view of Paul’s new revelation, it would refer to an event in the Church, affirmed by the fact that it is contextually linked with the global distress (tribulations) and the second coming. Jesus’ prophecy came very close to being realized in terms of the Temple in the early 40’s when self-styled deity Emperor Caligula planned to place statues of himself in the sanctuary and dispatched an army under Governor Petronius to implement his plan, but the Jewish people managed to persuade the governor to countermand his Emperor who was assassinated shortly afterwards.

Daniel’s depiction does not align with any sacral issues leading up to the Temple’s destruction in the 70AD siege of Jerusalem; apart from which, dreadful though the Jewish-Roman war was, it was eclipsed as recently as the last century by the Great War and Jewish Holocaust, and certainly did not threaten the continued existence of mankind. So, most commentators recognize that the Daniel 12 prophecy was not fulfilled in AD70. It is said to be a sealed prophecy, the meaning of which would be hidden until the time of the end (v4).

What we are also told in Daniel is this: “From the time of the turning aside of the perpetual sacrifice^note#2 and appointing the desolating abomination”^Dan12:11 up to the time when the “fragmentation of the authority of the holy people is over”^Dan12:7 will be a period of 1290 days (3.5 years or “times”).  Blessed will be those who persevere and attain a further 45 “days”^Dan12:12 up to the resurrection^Dan12:2. Let those with wisdom seek to interpret this in light of Church history, Paul’s teaching concerning the mystery of lawlessness^2Thes2:7, the unveiling of the Lawless One^2Thes2:8 and the popular defection^2Thes2:3 from the Church that must have occurred before the Day of Christ arrives. [Extract from The Little Book of Providence chapter one].

NOTE #1 – Mt24:15; Mk13:14: A unique reinforcement of a warning; usually Jesus would say, “He who has ears let him hear”. The comment is unlikely to have been added by the synoptic gospel writers to draw attention to their own text which itself would be an unparalleled occurrence within a gospel narrative. It was therefore Jesus’ warning, and He would appear to have had future readers of the Scriptures in mind.

NOTE  #2 – Daniel’s “perpetual sacrifice” as understood to be referring to the Holy Eucharist affirmed in Hippolytus’ “Fragment from Commentaries” “On Daniel”  2nd  fragment (para 22)

To the church of the Thessalonians in God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: ² Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. ³ We ought always to give thanks to God for you, brothers and sisters, as is only fitting, because your faith is increasing abundantly, and the love of each and every one of you toward one another grows ever greater. ⁴ As a result, we ourselves speak proudly of you among the churches of God for your perseverance and faith in the midst of all your persecutions and afflictions which you endure. ⁵ This is a plain indication of God’s righteous judgment so that you will be considered worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you indeed are suffering. ⁶For after all it is only right for God to repay with affliction those who afflict you, ⁷ and to give relief to you who are afflicted, along with us, when the Lord Jesus will be revealed from heaven with His mighty angels, ⁸ in flaming fire dealing out retribution to those who do not know God, and to those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. ⁹ These people will pay the penalty of age-enduring destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power, ¹⁰ when He comes to be glorified in His saints and marveled at among all who believe on that day (because our testimony to you was believed) ¹¹ concerning which we pray for you always, that our God will consider you worthy of your calling, and fulfill every desire for goodness and the work of faith with power, ¹² so that the name of our Lord Jesus will be glorified in you, and you in Him, in accordance with the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ (2Thes1:1-12).

I have bolded the points on which I will briefly focus. Taken in order, note again (vv1-2) Paul’s trait of carefully distinguishing between “God our Father” and the Lord Jesus Christ. For this apostle, who unlike the other twelve, never knew Jesus in the flesh, only as He appeared to Him in His glorified state at His conversion, “There is only one God – the Father, from whom are all things, and we exist for Him; and one Lord, Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we exist through Him” (1Cor8:6). I have commented on the significance of this divine ordering in recent posts.

Secondly, note Paul’s praise of the Thessalonian church such that he boasts of them to other assemblies concerning their perseverance in the face of persecution. But why should he “speak proudly” of  them (v4) if  it were, as I once believed, “all of grace”, perseverance guaranteed? He knows that is not the case, many in churches elsewhere do not persevere, as Jesus also make clear in His revue of the Asian churches in Revelation, as more dogmatically does the writer to the Hebrews (ch6).

Thirdly and relatedly, it is not simply the case that his Thessalonian readers had “got saved”, they needed to show themselves to be “worthy of the kingdom of God for which you are suffering” (v5). Or as Paul wrote elsewhere more dogmatically, “we are heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him so that we may also be glorified with Him” (Rom8:17NASB). This in turn relates to God’s fairness and justice: “After all, it is only right for God to repay with affliction those who afflict you and to give relief to you who are afflicted (vv6,7).

Not for the faint hearted

Then Paul refers again to the Day of the Lord, and it appears a scary prospect. As most bible versions rightly identify, the burning fire relates to what is to be done to human beings, not as, for example, the NASB might suggest by its use of punctuation that it is merely referring to the accompanying angels’ appearance. Remember at this point, the coming of Christ relates to what Paul has referred to as “the Good News of God”, and what Luke described in Acts as “the universal restoration”. Yet the way this chapter tends to be interpreted, it is to be the time when virtually everyone is burnt to a cinder or worse still tortured in flame for all eternity.

I say, “virtually everyone”, in fact it would be everyone on the planet given that in Paul’s first letter he had outlined matters relating to the rapture. As is also referred to in other texts on the subject, the saints are first removed from the earth and then come with their Lord to judge the earth. Even, discounting the rapture, historic cultural and religious formation has ensured that the majority will not have heard, still less understood the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Even amongst Christians, having been firstly (for 28 years) an Evangelical Calvinist, then (also for 28 years to date) a Catholic, I know what each respectively understand they are to do in response to the gospel is markedly and potentially fatally different (regarding fiducial disposition and sacrament). Even within the true Church (currently divided between East and West), referring back to my quotation from Rom8:17 concerning suffering with the Lord, few may be found worthy to be “glorified with Christ”.

Seemingly, the “Good News of God” and “universal restoration” is to be  a cosmic horror show. If I were still an Evangelical, or indeed anything like an orthodox Catholic, I would frankly struggle to alleviate that depiction, no doubt muttering under my breath like the Protestant’s  founding fathers, “So be it, let God be God”. But now I say, not so – let God be the God of the bible, of whom His gracious and merciful incarnated Son was the exact representation (Col1:15); a God who takes no pleasure in the death of the wicked but desires that all who can be should ultimately be healed and come to a knowledge of the truth. And yet One who affirmed by His Son (Jn6:44) and frequently  reiterated by His faithful apostle Paul that men and women are innately incapable of responding to the gospel of Jesus Christ – it is a matter of God’s elective choice. 

The resolution

The key issue is what Paul meant by those who “do not know God”  and “do not obey the gospel”. Those who do not know God are those are not of God, but like Cain are of the devil (cf. 1Jn3:10; 1Jn3:12; Mt15:13; Mt13:39). Numerous earlier posts refer.  In terms of  not obeying the gospel, one can only obey or refuse to obey what is clearly known and understood. As I have already indicated, it will  be a very small proportion of those currently occupying the planet who truly understand the gospel of Jesus Christ and how they are to respond to it.

The central aspect of the “Day of the Lord” will (of course) be the revelation of the Lord Jesus Christ Himself in all His glory, but also what it means to obey His gospel and submit to His Kingship. Even then, and even knowing the consequences, some will refuse to acquiesce – I have referred to them already. Many more shall come to believe, understand and (as stated in a few verses time) admire. To them it could be said as it was to Thomas: “Because you have seen Me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” The latter are the elect. They, through the faith they were gifted from God (Eph2:8) had “trusted in advance” ( Eph1:12 προηλπικότας) in the Saviour, and they shall be blessed indeed: “when (Jesus Christ) comes to be glorified in His saints and marveled at among all who believe on that day (just as our testimony to you was believed).

Lexical ambiguities

Not many bible versions translate v10 as I have. The issue is word order, which in biblical Greek is problematical in the sense of being flexible and therefore ambiguous. Two years studying biblical Greek at Bible college hardly makes me an expert, but for those who are more expertise, I suggest the word order indicates that Paul is saying that Christ shall be glorified in His saints and that He shall be admired by many more who come to believe on that day. It is not just the Greek word order, but that Paul added, as it were, in parenthesis, “just as you believed our testimony (when we came to you)”. Also, what he writes in the subsequent verse (11) directly pertains to the “on that day” which logically would immediately proceed it rather than being inserted a phrase earlier as in some translations (e.g. NASB).

Regardless of these lexical uncertainties, in view of everything else I have come to appreciate (or rather believe I have been shown) regarding God’s providential intentions, I am confident on the matter. It also in accordance with what Scripture infers concerning the vast majority who have died or will die before Christ’s coming, most of whom will also have been ignorant of the true gospel – again, in view of ethnic/cultural/religious developments and divisions/apostacy amongst the churches. As referred to in the epistles of Peter, the Good News of Jesus Christ is preached to those who have died  “that though they have been judged in the flesh as people, they may thereafter live in the spirit according to the will of God” (1Pet4:6).

For sure, these matters have not been clearly and unambiguously delineated in Scripture. By “these matters” I more generally refer to God’s broader benign providence, which as I have demonstrated from Scripture (canonical and ex-canonical) was never intended to be clarified until these last days (see footnote).

_{[These posts pertain to an expansive revelation concerning divine providence. It was the result of a prophetic insight received by the author, who believes the process he is involved with is itself a fulfilment of scriptural prophecy, both canonical and extra-canonical – more particularly Revelation chapter ten and two related passages from the Book of Enoch (ch93:8-10 and ch104:11-13 Charles edition numbering). The full picture is set out in “The Little Book of Providence”  and summarized in 95 theses]}

*The LITTLE BOOK OF PROVIDENCE: a seven-part synopsis of the bible: – available as a paperback from Amazon or FREELY as a PDF file https://richard-777.blog/free-download-of-pdf/

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²³ Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you entirely; and may your SPIRIT AND SOUL AND BODY be kept complete, without blame at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. ²⁴ Faithful is He who calls you, and He also will do it. ²⁵ Brothers and sisters, pray for us. ²⁶ Greet all the brothers and sisters with a holy kiss. ²⁷ I put you under oath by the Lord to have this letter read to all the brothers and sisters. ²⁸ May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you (1Thes5:23-28).

The preceding passage which can be read HERE concerned Christian conduct, but as ever I am focussing on texts which have particular relevance to the matter in hand, being the breadth of God’s benign providence. From a human perspective, divine providence could be said to start with how God made us, more particularly what He made us to be, namely (and astonishingly) beings made in His own image (Gen1:26]. So, if the Creator were a man, that is what we would be and always should be, but He is not a man but a deity. Although it is something I (typically) gave little or no thought to in my Evangelical days, our destiny is quite reasonably theosis,  or as the Western Church refers to it, divinization. But then there is “the Fall”, so, doesn’t that put paid to that plan, albeit it was God’s sovereign wish? No, our God is not a Loser – Satan did not get the better of Him at Eden.

As I explain in my book, Satan fell for a trap. Maddened by God’s plan to elevate the sons of earth to heights potentially surpassing that of angels like himself, Lucifer rebelled and went on unwittingly to help provide the means for that to be accomplished – through his seeming victory at Eden! That started with the need for God’s only begotten Son to act as humanity’s Saviour by being incarnated as a Man. It is a Man not an angel that has been incorporated into the Godhead, and that Man regards His human followers as His own kith and kin (Heb2:11) and His corporate Bride who shall one day share His throne (Rev19:7 &3:21).  But there is another reason why fallen man living in fallen world is destined for such unimaginable glory, and again Satan and his domain have unintentionally provided the agency. For there are two related and eternal principles: He who is to lead must first serve; they who are to be glorified must first suffer (Rom8:17&20 / Heb2:10) . The Lord Jesus Christ set the pattern on both counts.

I may appear to have digressed from the subject of this post, but it sets the scene as to why men and women have been composed as they are, comprising body, soul and spirit – the latter component being the very essence of God, as even Genesis suggested:

And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul (Gen2:7).

And in terms of human procreation, Scripture supports the creationist:

The dust will return to the earth as it was, and the spirit will return to God who gave it (Eccles12:7).

In terms of the tripartite nature of man that Paul refers to in  1Thes5:23, Wikipedia provides a good background to how the subject has been understood and developed by the churches through the  centuries  HERE. In addition, you can see what I wrote more briefly on the subject in The Little Book of Providence below:

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Primarily through Augustine’s influence and his prosecution of the Pelagian controversy, the post-Nicene Church defected from the orthodox  tripartite understanding of most earlier Fathers who believed man to be comprised of body, soul and spirit; the latter being provided directly from God and the means by which one receives sound reason and a pure conscience, the Light of Christ by which little children cannot but “believe” in Jesus the Word (Mt18:6). This has exacerbated difficulties when interpreting Paul’s epistles; the “spirit” not being conceived by most readers to be a separate entity (a component of human nature) distinct from the Holy Spirit.

 Paul refers more frequently than others to the human spirit because of his substantial handling of the inner struggle concept, especially in Roman chapter seven. On one occasion he refers to body, spirit and soul together (1Thes5:23) in terms of them being sanctified as a whole. Likewise, the writer to the Hebrews speaks of the word of God penetrating between soul and spirit as it does between the joints and marrow (Heb4:12). The latter two materials of the body are closely related yet distinct, as are the soul and spirit. Justin Martyr spoke of the soul housing the spirit just as the body houses the soul^[1] the latter being a kind of ethereal interface formed in the outline of the body enclosing the spirit – invisible when it leaves the body at death yet clearly visible in the realm it inhabits prior to resurrection (cf. Lk16:23).

 Irenaeus concurred: the soul possessing the figure of the body in which it dwells^[2] whilst “the complete man is composed of flesh, soul and spirit. One of these does indeed preserve and fashion the man – this is the spirit; whilst as to another it is united and formed – that is the flesh; then comes that which is between the two – that is the soul which sometimes when it follows the spirit is raised up by it but sometimes it sympathises with the flesh and falls into carnal lust“^[3]. In the New Testament the Greek word for soul (psuche) is sometimes translated as “life” for it more often relates to the physical: “Take no thought for your “psuche” what you shall eat or what you shall drink” (Mt6:25) [Excerpt from The Little Book of Providence chapter two]

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The above was written in the context of the chapter that concerned “original sin” – the key point being made thereafter that the source of human sin was the body (including the brain), not the God-given spirit that “incorporates” the conscience. The spirit (in view of its divine Origin) is the source of every good desire and inclination that fallen man possesses whereas the flesh (again in view of its origin – fallen Adam) often opposes God’s law, wishing to please only itself. That tension/dichotomy is what Paul is referring to in Rom7. Relatedly, God’s Holy Spirit is a Facilitator not a faculty – for example, it is the believer who must “put to death the deeds of the body” (Rom8:13) by following the instincts of the spirit rather than the flesh, as per Irenaeus’ depiction above. In other words, salvation is not all of grace but is aided by grace, the believer being empowered by the Holy Spirit and indwelling Christ.

That is so that the people God has chosen for His Son, having disciplined their lives in accordance with His teaching, shall be ready to play an immediate and intimate part in the Kingdom to be established under Christ at His coming. The vast majority will not be in that category, but possessing the spirit (albeit not the Spirit), they instinctively know what is good, right and noble. And  Jesus Christ being the living embodiment of such qualities will draw all true humanity to Himself, especially once it has been clarified what he has done on their behalf. As ever, there will be a third grouping, devoid of a functioning spirit and working conscience who hate what is good and so will refuse to bow the knee to Christ at His appearing. As Paul would later write to the Thessalonians, affirming the three categories I have been adducing: “(These wicked) shall be punished with age-enduring destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of His power; when (Christ) shall come to be glorified in His saints, and to be admired in all them that believe on that day, just as our testimony among you was believed” (2Thes1:9-10).

CITATIONS

[1]  Justin on the resurrection chap. 10

[2]  Irenaeus against heresies Book II chap. 19 (6)

[3] Irenaeus against heresies Book V chap. 9 para 1

²² Slaves, obey those who are your human masters in everything, not with eye-service, as people-pleasers, but with sincerity of heart, fearing the Lord. ²³ Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord and not for people, ²⁴ knowing that it is from the Lord that YOU WILL RECEIVE THE REWARD OF THE INHERITANCE. It is the Lord Christ whom you serve. ²⁵ For the one who does wrong will RECEIVE THE CONSEQUENCES OF THE WRONG WHICH HE HAS DONE, and that without partiality (Col3:22-25)

Context

Completing our posts on Col3, I have highlighted the points on which I will briefly focus. Again, it is not because they are the principal themes of Paul’s exhortation to the Colossians but because they follow on and reinforce what has been my focus in the last few posts, namely God’s election and calling of certain individuals to an extraordinary inheritance. The focus of Paul’s teaching here  is how such individuals should behave in the meantime as slaves/servants/employees regarding their human masters. My interest is how and why the recipients of Paul’s letter or indeed anyone should have such phenomenally Great Expectations in the first place (cf. C Dickens; Rev3:21😲). That will again involve challenging the Reformed Protestant theology I grew up with, especially that pertaining to grace and perseverance. I’m sorry but “all-of-grace” and “rewards” (v24) are incompatible.

So is Paul’s last point concerning those who do wrong receiving the consequences of their wrongdoing. What – even if they are Christians? Yes, absolutely. God is fair to all – or in Paul’s frequent reference to the matter,  He is impartial, or “no respecter of persons”. He says much the same in 2Cor5:10 – “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive compensation for his deeds done through the body, in accordance with what he has done, whether good or bad”. But I focus here on Paul’s reference to “the reward of the inheritance” (v24).

Initiation all of grace

In terms of “all-of-grace”, confusion arises since there is an aspect of predestination/salvation/inheritance that is absolutely all-of-grace, and that is who enters the race in the first place. Paul is a classic example, having previous been the chief persecutor of the infant Church of Jesus Christ.  “Race” is Paul’s  language, not mine. What? “Didn’t you know that those who run in a race all run, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may win!”(1Cor9:24). The winners’ medal  being the  “prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus” (Phil3:14). Note my apostrophe – for thankfully there will be many winners, but it shall not be the bulk of humanity. For God loves the world and its people (Jn3:16), but He does not wish for all to be married to His Son (Rev19:7). They require special preparation, involving self-effort and a bundle of grace – not just to be presented to their Bridegroom (Jud1:24), but for what shall follow afterwards (Rev5:10).

THAT is what gospel salvation is for – not to determine “who shall go to heaven when you die”. That infrequently referred to subject in the bible pertains to Mt25 (sheep and goats) in which it is to be noted that neither religion nor religious faith is mentioned or even inferred – merely the exercise of compassionate love or the lack of it, i.e. whether or not individuals fulfilled the spirit of God’s law and showed themselves to be “of God” (cf. Rom13:9; 1Jn4:7). Not all do, hence the Mt25 “goats” (cf. 1Jn3:12) and the three categories I have been outlining.

God’s love for the non-elect

Scriptural proof: the rich young ruler – ^“Jesus looked at (the rich young ruler) and loved him. “One thing you lack,” he said. “Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” At this the man’s face fell. He went away sad, because he had great wealth. Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, “How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God!” (Mk10:21-23).

Why did Jesus love this man? Because the Saviour loves sinners? Be assured, Jesus and His Father hate everything pertaining to sin – because it opposes all that is good and holy, and because it is hurtful and harmful to those who have been created in His image. Jesus does not love Satan, the ultimate sinner, nor those who through progressive moral self-abasement become his children – devoid of conscience, compassion and truth. No, Jesus loved this man because of what was good in his life. He revered God and His laws and endeavoured with all his heart to keep them (v20). He failed to become a follower of Christ because of his personal wealth – he thought he had too much to lose?! What folly, in view of my previous paragraph, but except we be the elect of God we will not discern these matters – and such divinely provided wisdom is all of grace.

Then, once one has understood oneself to be a joint-heir with Christ (Rom8:17), it is so much easier to act serenely in one’s dealings with earthly masters, as Paul exhorts in this passage. Likewise what place or indeed what cause could there be for envying the rich and powerful of this world? What can compare with being, not just a joint heir of Christ (that would do for me), but a joint heir with Him – inheriting all that He is to inherit, and regarded by the Lord Himself as His own brethren and sisters? (Heb2:11). Unlike Pip in Great Expectation, the precise details of the faithful Christian’s incorruptible inheritance have been obscured. In view of Paul’s mystical experience in the third heaven, he may have been enlightened on the matter, but they are words that he was not permitted to share (2Cor12:4).

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¹¹In (Christ) you were also circumcised with a circumcision performed without hands, in the removal of the body of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ, ¹² having been buried with Him in baptism, in which (act of baptism) you were also raised with Him, through  the faithful working of God in raising Him from the dead. ¹³ And when you were dead in your wrongdoings and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He made you alive together with Him, having forgiven us all our wrongdoings, ¹⁴ having cancelled the handwriting of ordinances which was hostile to us; and He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross [Col2:11-14].

Firstly, a point of translation: the only version that appears to agree with my rendering is the “Complete Jewish Bible” and (unsurprisingly) Young’s Literal Translation. More typical rendering of v12 are like the NASB:  “having been buried with Him in baptism, in which you were also raised with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead”. This even applies to Catholic editions of the bible, but given the RCC firmly believes in infant baptism, how can it possibly be the case that newborns can have “faith in the working of God”. The key words are ἐν ᾧ (in which), and the parsing makes clear that Paul is saying it is in the act of baptism itself that one is raised to life with Christ. NASB readers may be less likely to believe in infant baptism (I personally keep an open mind – it is unclear both from Scripture and Church history), but even with believers’ baptism the phrase διὰ τῆς πίστεως τῆς ἐνεργείας τοῦ θεοῦ implies that it is God’s faith/faithfulness that is being referred to, not the one being baptized (note Young’s Literal Translation).

It is still more important to attend to the detail  in verse 14. Paul is saying that the “handwriting of ordinances” have been cancelled, indeed “nailed to the cross”.  This is most likely referring to the Torah, but more comprehensively the written law – i.e. the requirement to fulfil the letter of God’s Law which Scripture affirms man by nature simply cannot do. The point being that if this was “cancelled” and “nailed to the cross”, it can no longer be a requirement for anybody. No one is to be condemned for failing to do what, as a result of the Fall, has become impossible for them. But only those who through baptism and an ongoing participation in the sacraments of grace, who die with Christ and are raised to newness of life who can be “saved” in the gospel sense. In terms of what they are saved from, Paul referred to it a few verses earlier as “the body of flesh”, and dealt with it more comprehensively in Rom7:15-25 where he describes it as the “body of this death”.

 As I explained in an earlier post, Paul was referring to the instincts  or governing principle of the bodily senses as they are processed through brain that are in conflict with that of the inner self or spirit. It is only the Christian who, empowered by the Spirit is enabled  “to possess his own vessel in sanctification and honour” (1Thes4:4). For such is required for those whose bodies are to become the temple of the Holy Spirit, having been elected to be the “ heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, if indeed we  suffer with Him so that we may also be glorified with Him (Rom8:17).

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2 I want you to know how great a struggle I have in your behalf and for those who are at Laodicea, and for all those who have not personally seen my face, ² that their hearts may be encouraged, having been knit together in love, and that they would attain to all the wealth that comes from the full assurance of understanding, resulting in a true knowledge of God’s mystery, (pertaining to) Christ, ³ in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. ⁴ I say this so that no one will deceive you with persuasive arguments. ⁵ For even though I am absent in body, I am nevertheless with you in spirit, rejoicing to discern your orderly manner and the stability of your faith in Christ. ⁶ Therefore, as you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, ⁷ having been firmly rooted and now being built up in Him and established in your faith, just as you were instructed, and overflowing with gratitude. ⁸ See to it that there is no one who takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception in accordance with human tradition, in accordance with the elementary principles of the world, rather than in accordance with Christ. ⁹ For in Him all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form [Col2:1-8].

More references to “mysteries” in this passage – in particular, God’s mystery pertaining to Christ (v2). And according to Paul, in the incarnated Word is hidden “all treasures of wisdom and knowledge”. As the apostle goes on to explain, the reason he is making this point is so that the Colossian believers should “be built up in (Christ) and established in their faith, just as they had been instructed” (v7). In terms of how they had been instructed – keep in mind that will have been by Paul himself and/or men he had appointed; not by reading the New Testament which had yet to be compiled.

Paul cautions they should be aware of philosophers who deceive with “human traditions” – the “elementary principles” of the world”. This is a term (Greek: στοιχεῖα) Paul uses several times – in Gal4:3&9; Col2:20 and here in Col1:8. In all these contexts it tends to be used in a derogatory sense of “rudimentary teachings”, whereas the teaching of Christ goes beyond the rudimentary and in some cases subvert it.

In terms of the Faith, perhaps the most encompassing of these teachings is the idea that the Christian must lose his life in order to find it (Mt16:25) – no human philosophy would support that. Relatedly, Paul’s assertion that  “the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world” (Gal6:14). Why so, Paul? It was because of “the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ”. That was said in the context of Paul’s conflict with the Judaisers, who were insisting on Christians being circumcised – another “elementary principle” in Paul’s eyes. What really mattered, he said was to become “a new creation in Christ”.

Finally, Paul describes Christ as One in whom “all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form” (v8). That is perhaps not surprising given that the Lord is the incarnated Word of God.  What is more startling is that His followers can themselves become partakers of the divine nature (2Pet1:4). Or rather, Peter says, we become such “having escaped the corruption that is in the world on account of lust”. As I have been explaining, and more to the point, so has Paul – that is something that requires the believer’s cooperation with grace and a measure of self- discipline.

As the apostle said of himself in the context of competing for the “prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus” (Phil3:14), “I strictly discipline my body and make it my slave, so that, after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified!” (1Cor9:27). Paul’s language concerning races, prizes, winning and disqualification in the gospel context may mystify some readers – it was covered in a recent post on Philippians chapter three…

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“Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I am making up what is lacking in Christ’s AFFLICTIONS on behalf of His body, which is the church” (Col1:24)

I said Colossians chapter one wasn’t easy (previous post). So much so that I’ll just restrict myself to a single verse for this post. I have read a number of commentaries, and they all (rightly) affirm that Paul cannot be saying that there was anything deficient about Christ’s suffering on the cross. It achieved, in full, the redemptive purposes which God intended for it.

That is one reason I have capitalized “afflictions” [Greek Θλίψεων], for as a number of commentators have pointed out that word is never used in respect of Christ’s sufferings at Calvary, which would more likely be “Παθήμασι”, used earlier in the verse regarding Paul’s experiences. Nevertheless, the deficiencies he mentions do refer to “Christ”, but which Christ?

A great mystery

This relates to what Paul (from his language) appeared to regard as the greatest mystery of all time, when he wrote “For this reason a man shall leave his father and his mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh. This is a great mystery but I am speaking with reference to Christ and the church”. (Eph5:31-32). He speaks of two (man + woman) becoming one (flesh) and directly relates this to Christ and the Church becoming one body.

 Numerous times the apostle refers to the Church as the body of Christ and on several occasions simply as “Christ” (1Cor12:12). Effectively he does so again when he wrote: “Do you not know that your bodies are parts of Christ? Shall I then take away the parts of Christ and make them parts of a prostitute? (1Cor6:15). Likewise: “For just as the body is one and yet has many parts, and all the parts of the body, though they are many are one body, so also is Christ”. (1Cor12:12)

Going back to Paul’s conversion and his encounter with the risen Lord, what did Jesus say to him: “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting ME?” Not “Why are you persecuting My followers/My Church/My people” but “why  are you persecuting ME”. “Who are You, Lord?”  asks Saul, to which the Lord replied, “I am Jesus whom you are persecuting” (Acts9:4-5). The Lord’s language is uncompromising, He insists on referring to the Church as Himself: Jesus/Christ.

The resolution

It should be clearer to what Col1:24 refers: the fact that Paul delighted in his sufferings on the Colossian believers’ behalf, for it supplemented the affliction that the Church as Christ’s body should experience in the present. But this is not just an issue for heroes of the Faith such as Paul, but each member of the body. For they are to be “heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him so that we may also be glorified with Him” (Rom8:17).

Providential implication

In view of the above – the fact that God’s elect on earth are existentially the very body of Christ; they are joint-heirs with the incarnate Word of God, and shall be corporately married to the Lamb and share His throne, (Rev3:21), it should be evident that these cannot be the totality of humanity who are to gain access God’s eternal kingdom.  Rather they are to be its princes, or else Christ Himself would be neither royal nor divine: “For both He who sanctifies and those who are sanctified are all from One; for this reason He is not ashamed to call them brothers” (Heb2:11).

That wondrous news is what these posts are seeking to demonstrate. And it is not based on texts such as this alone but scripture in its entirety. But in the context of “Christ” referring to the Church, check out this final text concerning what shall occur at Christ’s coming, keeping in mind that it cannot be the Lord Jesus Christ Himself who shall be “made alive” – Christ, the first fruits must be referring to the Church:

“For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive; but everyone in his own class: Christ the first fruits; afterwards those who are Christ’s at His coming” (1Cor15:22-23) 😲

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²¹ And although you were previously alienated and hostile in attitude, engaged in evil deeds, ²² yet He has now reconciled you in His body of flesh THROUGH DEATH, in order to present you before Him holy and blameless and beyond reproach— ²³  IF INDEED (εἴ γε) you continue in THE faith firmly established and steadfast, and not shifting from the hope of the gospel that you have heard, which was proclaimed in all creation under heaven, and of which I, Paul, was made a minister (Col1:21-23).

This opening chapter of Colossians is packed with theology, some of which is far from easy to unpack. Paul is addressing Gentiles who were previously alienated from and hostile to the values and principles of the gospel. That pertained to the fact that they had been, like everyone by nature, “in the flesh” (Rom7:5). It is necessary to refer back to Romans fully to understand what Paul is intimating here, particularly where he writes that the Colossian believers had been reconciled (to God) “in His body of flesh THROUGH DEATH”.

Of course, Paul is alluding to Christ’s death on the cross, and possibly in view of certain heresies that were developing, the fact that it was His actual body (flesh and blood) that suffered and died (cf. 1Jn4:2). But it is not just the Saviour’s death that Paul will have had in mind, but also the believer’s. What? Didn’t you know that we died with Him when we were baptised? Better let Paul do the persuading:

“What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin so that grace may increase? ²Far from it! How shall we who died to sin still live in it? ³ Or do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus have been baptized into His death? ⁴ Therefore we have been buried with Him through baptism into death, so that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too may walk in newness of life. ⁵ For if we have become united with Him in the likeness of His death, certainly we shall also be in the likeness of His resurrection, ⁶ knowing this, that our old self was crucified with Him, in order that OUR body of sin might be  done away with, so that we would no longer be slaves to sin (Rom6:1-6)

So, contrary to many of the commentaries I have seen on the internet, it is not just about Christ’s death, resurrection and righteous living, but OUR’s also. “Our old self was crucified with Him so that OUR body of death might be done away with” so that we may come to walk “in newness of life”. THAT is why the Colossians were now reconciled to God – not just because through Christ’s death their sins had been pardoned, but because they now were “no longer slaves to sin”. Their lives were no longer dominated by the desires of the flesh (old self) but by the impulses of the spirit or “inner man”. As Paul wrote, speaking of his pre-converted state:

“For I joyfully agree with the law of God in the inner man, but I see a different law in the parts of my body waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin, the law which is in my body’s parts. ²⁴ Wretched man that I am! Who will set me free from the body of this death?” (Rom7:22-24)

But now that “body of death” has been destroyed, effectively by Christ’s death and the believer’s participation in it through baptism. It is therefore not merely a matter of forensics, still less the imputation of Christ’s righteousness (which makes a nonsense of so many scriptural exhortations, especially Christ’s own teaching). For sure, ongoing grace in terms of forgiveness and cleansing are needed for the believer to be “presented before God holy and blameless and beyond reproach“ .

As John affirmed, “If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us – but if we walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin”(1Jn1:7&8). Returning to our Colossians text, THAT is how, according to Paul, the Christian can be “presented  before (God) holy and blameless and beyond reproach” (v22).

I have hopefully demonstrated the believer’s active participation in that process, and this is also the case in terms of perseverance. For Paul qualifies the Colossians state of reconciliation and sanctity with a caveat: “if indeed (εἴ γε) you continue in the faith firmly established and steadfast, and not shifting from the hope of the gospel that you have heard”(v23). The Greek (εἴ γε) is emphatic – these blessings are conditional upon our continuance in the faith, being the gospel Paul and the apostles had proclaimed to the churches of their day.

Regretfully, in view of historical developments within the churches, unlike the original recipients of Paul’s letter at Colossi, there is no guarantee that all who regard themselves as Christians were ever “in the Faith” in the first place. That particularly pertains to my quote from 1John (above) regarding being cleansed by the blood (see also Jn6:53-54). This yet more foundational issue was covered in an earlier post regarding my 95 theses.  

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¹⁵ (Christ) is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation: ¹⁶ for IN Him (not BY Him – some versions) 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. ¹⁷ He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together. ¹⁸ He is also the head of the body, the church; and He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that He Himself WILL COME TO HAVE FIRST PLACE IN EVERYTHING. ¹⁹ For it was THE FATHER’S GOOD PLEASURE for all the fullness to dwell in (Christ), ²⁰ and through Him to reconcile all things to Himself, whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of His cross (Col1:15-20)

Moving on to Colossians, this is the Apostle Paul’s portrayal of the Lord Jesus Christ. The true picture is reflected in His name/title:

i) “LORD”, refers to His pre-eminence over everything that has been created – “the firstborn of all creation” (v15). Paul (and indeed John when describing the pre-incarnate Logos) are careful in their use of prepositions  to depict the LJC/Logos as the One IN (ἐν^G1722) whom and THROUGH (διά^G1223) whom and FOR ( εἰς^G1519)  whom all things were created. [Not strictly BY whom – that was the Father].

ii) “JESUS” refers to His Saviourhood; and note the universality/cosmic nature of God’s purposes in Christ: “through Him to reconcile ALL THINGS to Himself, whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace THROUGH THE BLOOD OF HIS CROSS (v20). Yet by no means do all men and women have a personal interest in that blood, which is necessary for salvation. For in Paul’s language they had not been  “predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son”. Indeed, proportionally very few shall (in Paul’s language again) “attain the prize of the high calling of God”. And that applies even to those within the Church as Revelation suggests (e.g. 3:4). And yet, sticking with Paul,  “the CREATION ITSELF is to be be set free from its slavery to corruption into the freedom of the glory of the children of God” (Rom8:21).

iii) “CHRIST” is not a surname but another title: God’s Anointed One.

Providential implications

But how are the above seemingly divergent prospects for humanity to be reconciled? It comes back to our featured passage concerning who the Lord Jesus Christ is.  Paul describes Him as the firstborn, being the most ancient, supreme leader and representative of all that has been created. It would surely be surprising if the bulk of what God has created IN His Son and FOR His Son was destined for the cosmic wastepaper basket.

It is no wonder (and I believe was foretold in Scripture) that confusion has arisen. For it is indeed the case that for the present God has exclusively chosen “a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession”(1Pet2:9), just as He did with the Jews in the Old Testament (Ex19:6). And largely thanks to how the mighty Augustine came to interpret Paul’s epistles in the 4^th/5^th century, the understanding, more particularly in the Western Church, has prevailed that, according to the bible, everyone else can go to Hell. As Augustine more diplomatically expressed this providential dilemma: “God willed that many more are left under punishment than are delivered from it, so that it may thus be shown what was due to all [1]

In order that God’s munificent providence can be shown for what it is, rather than something to be derided within a Monty Python sketch [2], it has been necessary systematically to deconstruct the distinctive teachings of Augustine and those such as Luther and Calvin who built upon them. I am doing so to the best of my ability in these posts, in my 95 theses and more comprehensively in The Little Book of Providence.

Citations

[1] Augustine “De Civitates Dei” XXI chapter 12

[2] Recitative: “Oh Lord, please don’t burn us, don’t grill or toast your flock” [Cleese, Gilliam, Idle, Chapman, Jones] Courtesy “The Meaning of Life” (1983)

 צְחָ֔ק

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4 REJOICE IN THE LORD always; again I say, rejoice! 5 LET YOUR GENTLENESS BE KNOWN to all people. The Lord is near. 6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and pleading with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. 8 Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, IF THERE IS ANY EXCELLENCE AND IF ANYTHING WORTHY OF PRAISE, think about these things. 9 As for the things you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you…  20 Now to our GOD AND FATHER be the glory forever and ever. Amen. 21 Greet every saint in Christ Jesus. The brothers who are with me greet you. 22 All the saints greet you, especially those of Caesar’s household. 23 The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ BE WITH YOUR SPIRIT (Phil4:4-9; 20-23).

As ever, I have drawn out (in capitals) those comments from Paul’s letters that affirm what I have been attesting (and where necessary deal with any passages that might appear to refute it, but there is none such here). His exaltation to rejoice pertains to the Philippians’ Lord and his. They are in Him (v4) and He is near to them (v5). By “Lord” (Κύριος), Paul is always referring to Jesus Christ. Likewise, by “God” (Θεός), he is always referring to the Father, as is evident in verse 20: “Now to our GOD AND FATHER be the glory forever and ever”. [I considered this issue in more detail in the previous post.]

In terms of how the apostle wished the Philippians to relate to others including those outside the Church, he exhorts them to “Let your GENTLENESS be known to all people”. And having urged Ephesian Christians to be “imitators of God” (5:1), he clearly he must regard the Creator as being “ἐπιεικὲς”  also. As biblehub affirms, that word has a range of meanings encompassing being “gentle, mild, forbearing, fair and reasonable”. Paul’s God (once properly understood) is all of those things, and the elect of God as His imitators are intended to act likewise.

Paul also exhorts the Philippians to dwell on the positive: if there is ANYTHING good about something, delight in it. That will include aspects of life that are not directly related to the practice of the Faith (v8) whereas in the next verse he is referring to that which clearly is: “As for the things you have LEARNED AND RECEIVED AND HEARD AND SEEN IN ME, practice these things”. With Paul it is never a case of do what I say, not what I do, he is a perfect example of Christian living, for he in turn is an imitator of God and His Anointed.

Finally, note the benediction: “The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ BE WITH YOUR SPIRIT”. Unlike Augustine and the later Church, Paul affirms man to be comprised of body, soul and spirit. Everyone possesses a spirit (1Thes5:23), Christian or otherwise (except they be twice dead – Jud12), and it is reflected in the outworking of conscience.  But the Christian’s spirit is empowered by the enabling grace of Christ, by which believers can override and control the instincts of the flesh such that they “know how to POSSESS THEIR VESSEL in sanctity and honour” (1Thes4:4).

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4 Therefore, my beloved brothers, whom I long to see, my joy and crown, stand firm in the Lord in this Way, my beloved. ² I urge Euodia and I urge Syntyche to live in harmony in the Lord. ³ Indeed, true companion, I ask you also, help these women who have shared my struggle in the cause of the gospel, TOGETHER WITH CLEMENT as well as the rest of my fellow workers, whose names are in the book of life (Phil4:1-3)

Moving on to chapter four, we cannot be certain that the Clement referred to in this passage was Clement of Rome (aka Pope Clement I – Bishop of Rome, late first century, regarded as the first Apostolic Father), but traditionally that is thought to be the case. Certainly, the Epistle of Clement to the Corinthians is considered one of the earliest known Christian works after the New Testament and was likely written in the late first century. 

These posts are primarily concerned with Scripture and its interpretation, but I also make reference to the writings of the earliest Fathers, and what I find is this: I delight in them. Even taken as a whole, the writings of the late first, second and early third Christian writers cannot provide a comprehensive picture of what the early church believed, but what I have found is that the overall tenor of their writing accords with my own biblical interpretations whilst diverging significantly from  what I believed for many years as an Evangelical.

Clement and election

So, skimming through Clement’s epistle, which can be referenced HERE,  the opening greeting affirms that the Church are those “that are called and sanctified by the will of God, through our Lord Jesus Christ”. That affirms predestination/election – the fact that only those God chooses for Himself are saved; no one has an innate ability to come to Christ for salvation (cf. Jn6:44). Of course, that accords with my former Calvinist beliefs, but unlike the rest of Clement’s teaching, the Reformers’ theology is far removed from the Christmas angels’ declaration of “Good News of great joy that shall be to all people”.

The issue regarding election is context, in particular what the New Testament writers mean by “salvation” (see below). Clement’s opening greeting to the Corinthians is on similar lines to that of Paul’s to the Ephesians: “He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him in love. He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will” (Eph1:5).

 It follows that many Christians, including myself in the past are effectively saying that those God does not choose to be corporately betrothed to His Son (Rev21:9) and share the throne of Christ (Rev3:21) are bound for Hell. It is ludicrous when one thinks about it and, I have concluded, largely results from Augustine’s interpretation of Paul’s epistles.

So having said I delight in reading the earliest writings of the post-apostolic Church, that cannot apply to Augustine, still less Luther or Calvin – largely in view of what the latter gentlemen write regarding God’s nature (at best, incomprehensible; at worst, barbaric) and the scope of His benign providence, despite sacrificing His Son to save the world that He loves. Clement refers to God’s nature and providence  in the context of how the Christian is to imitate God: “Let us be kind one to another after the pattern of the tender mercy and benignity of our Creator” (chapter 14). [Who can imagine Augustine writing that three centuries later?]

Truly, it were better that Christians today do not “imitate God” (Eph5:1) if they understand the Creator to be as Augustine, Luther and Calvin depicted Him. Thankfully, Clement’s God, like mine, “does good to all, but most abundantly to us who have fled for refuge to His compassions through Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom be glory and majesty for ever and ever (chapter 20).

In terms of what God requires of us, Clement’s emphasis is very different from Luther’s: the first century saint warned that Christians, regardless of how strongly they understand themselves to be trusting in Christ, shall be under God’ condemnation “unless we walk worthy of Him, and with one mind do those things which are good and well-pleasing in His sight” (chapter 21).

Clement and justification

So, did Clement affirm justification by faith? Absolutely: “we, too, being called by His will in Christ Jesus, are not justified by ourselves, nor by our own wisdom, or understanding, or godliness, or works which we have wrought in holiness of heart; but by faith” (chapter 32). But clearly not faith alone or indeed anything new-fangled, for he continues, being “that faith through which, from the beginning, Almighty God has justified all men. Likewise Paul in Rom1:17b: As it is written, “The just shall live by faith” Where was it written, when, by whom and in what context? ( Hab2:4) Another post refers.

Order within the Godhead

Clement also affirms the monarchical status of God the Father when he wrote: “The apostles have preached the gospel to us from the Lord Jesus Christ; Jesus Christ [has done so] from God. Christ therefore was sent forth by God, and the apostles by Christ. Both these appointments, then, were made in an orderly way, according to the will of God” (chapter 42). Clement along with most of the earliest Fathers were deemed by the post-nicene Church to be “subordinationist” with regard the Lord Jesus Christ’s status. But he was only reflecting Paul’s own teaching that “there is only one God – the Father, FROM whom are all things, and we exist FOR Him; and one Lord – Jesus Christ, BY whom are all things, and we exist THROUGH Him” (1Cor8:6) [see also 1Cor11:3 cf. Rev1:1].

I have to raise this thorny issue as it is necessary to understand some of the concepts I have been outlining, not least regarding Paul’s reference in Eph3 to the secret plan that had been hidden in God from previous ages  – and therefore from pre-apostolic prophets, and I mean all of them (cf. Mt3:7; Mt10:23; Mt16:28). Only then shall Rom11 vv11,12,15 and 30 be taken seriously, by which I mean literally😲, the providential and dispensational implications of which are gigantean (see also Acts11:17-18).   

Other Pauline appointees

Even if Paul’s Clement is not the author of the epistle to the Corinthians, consider such biblical personages as Timothy (c. AD17-97), Titus (c. AD13-107) and Philemon (timeline uncertain) to whom Paul wrote epistles and envisage the numerous and worthy men they in turn will have appointed to continue the ministry in accordance with Paul’s instructions. Then, reflect on the second century Church and its writers and perceive that it is quite impossible that all recorded witnesses from that era could have been in error concerning vital aspects of gospel truth.  For 2^nd century  Irenaeus’ testimony affirmed that the churches at that time had a reasonably uniform understanding of the essentials of the faith. An earlier post refers

And historian Eusebius who chronicled their beliefs and practices (same post) affirmed that the 2^nd/3^rd century Churches’ understanding of  free will, natural law, anthropology and the economy of grace are along the lines of what I have been setting out rather than Augustine’s narrower fatalistic position that the Western Church (in particular) went on to utilize, unavoidably demeaning God’s magnanimous salvific program that He has accomplished through our Lord Jesus Christ.

¹⁷ Brothers, join in following my example, and observe those who live according to the pattern you have in us. ¹⁸ For many live, of whom I often told you, and now tell you even as I weep, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ, ¹⁹ whose end is destruction, whose god is their appetite, and whose glory is in their shame, who have their minds on earthly things. ²⁰ For our citizenship is in the heavens, from where we also eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ; ²¹ who will transform the body of our lowly condition into conformity with His glorious body, by the exertion of the power that He has even to subject all things to Himself  (Phil3:17-21).

Contrary to many Evangelical commentaries I have observed, Paul is not here referring to those outside the Church and weeping for the souls of the unsaved. This is a pastoral letter to Christian converts in Philippi, it would hardly be necessary to counsel them not to follow the ways of gentile unbelievers. There was a more insidious danger within, for which reason they should “follow my example and observe those who live according to the pattern you have in us (leaders)”. For clearly there were many in the church who had their mind on earthly things – as surely applies today and has always been the case.

Gentiles outside the Church in first century Greece were not so much enemies of the cross, most were ignorant of it or its significance. And as Paul made clear often enough in his several references to predestination, unless God had called and enabled them they could never have “been enlightened and have tasted of the heavenly gift and have been made partakers of the Holy Spirit, and tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come” (Heb6:4-5). It is such of these who fall away who face the condemnation to which Paul is referring here, as the writer to the Hebrews (to Luther’s chagrin) goes on to affirm (6:6-8). As for those outside the Church, their eternal fate was dependant on criteria Jesus set in His sheep/goat parable (Mt25), being the definitive New Testament passage on final judgement, in which religion or religious faith are neither mentioned nor implied. An earlier post explains why.

The individuals Paul was concerned about were those within the church who were likely to lead others astray by their manner of life (“walk”). These people who will have understood themselves to have been saved, having (effectively) “made a decision for Jesus” by being baptized and incorporated within the Church. But they also believed they could otherwise continue much as before. No, teaches Paul, they needed to “put off the old self which is corrupt being governed by deceitful lusts and be renewed in the spirit of your mind” (Eph4:22-23)”.

They were no longer to “mind earthly things”, by which Paul did not mean they should be so spiritually minded as to be of no earthly use, but that they should in Jesus’ words “not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal; store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal; for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Mt6:19-21).

Finally, having said that the Christian’s citizenship is in heaven, Paul rarely if ever expresses the believer’s hope in terms of “going to heaven when you die” but rather to await the coming of Christ from heaven (v20). For it is at that point that the Christian, be they alive or deceased at the time, the Lord shall “transform the body of our lowly condition into conformity with His glorious body” (v21). That is the apotheosis of gospel salvation for Paul rather than the repose of the soul in heaven, still less the frankly unbiblical concept of “requiem aeternum“.

Blissful as it surely must be for disembodied spirits to be at rest whilst observing the heavenly mysteries, Paul describes such a condition as “being asleep” (1Cor15:6,18; 1Thes4:13). And when you or I fall asleep at night, what do we wish for? – pleasant dreams for sure, but hopefully to awake in the morning. As Paul expresses it elsewhere: “We ourselves, having the first fruits of the Spirit, groan within ourselves, waiting eagerly for our adoption as sons, being the redemption of our body! (Rom8:23)

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 “That I might attain to the resurrection from the dead. ¹² Not that I have already obtained it or have already been perfected, but I am pursuing it  so that I may also possess that for which I was also possessed by Christ Jesus. ¹³ Brothers, I do not regard myself as having achieved it yet; but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, ¹⁴ I press on toward the goal for the prize of the highest calling of God in Christ Jesus. ¹⁵ Therefore, all who are mature, let’s have this attitude; and if in anything you have a different attitude, God will reveal that to you as well; ¹⁶ however, let’s keep living by that same standard to which we have already attained” (Phil3:11b-16)

As a former Calvinist, I’m not sure how I ever came to terms with the above passage, particularly as it was scribed by the Apostle Paul, who effectively became the prism by which I interpreted the rest of scripture. That is no longer the case, not just because I’m no longer an Evangelical, but because of the way I’ve come to interpret Paul results in him no longer being a doctrinal maverick; his teaching accords with every other New Testament writer, even with Jesus Himself (which is just as well when you think about it).

The First Resurrection

Starting with Paul’s reference to “attaining to the resurrection” – surely everyone is to be resurrected? That is biblically indisputable, but according to Revelation there are to be two resurrections. That is also indicated by Jesus when He said of those who eat His flesh and drink His blood that they would be resurrected on the last day (Jn6:54 cf. vv39,40,44). Again, that would be an empty promise if there were only one resurrection. Paul is clearer still, the resurrection to which he is referring (v11) is something he was seeking to attain.

What is more, at the point he was writing here to the Philippians he was by no means certain he would attain it (vv12-13). And as he wrote elsewhere: “I strictly discipline my body and make it my slave, so that, after I have preached to others, I myself might not be disqualified” (1Cor9:27). Disqualified from what – going to heaven when he died? I think not – that is not what Paul or any other New Testament is usually referring to in the context of gospel salvation. It was however what Jesus was referring to in His Mt25 sheep and goat parable, where it is to be noted that neither religion nor religious faith is so much as mentioned or even implied. No, Paul’s goal was the “the prize of the highest calling of God in Christ Jesus”. 🤔 What? Didn’t you know that those who run in a race all run, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may win (1Cor9:24).

The Covenant of Promise

This is scarcely the language of “all of grace” or “once saved always saved”. What is all of grace, and indeed predetermined by God, is who shall enter that race by being elected and incorporated within the Covenant of Promise. Even then, God has been fair to all, for such who are so predestined are called to a life of holiness and self-discipline in order that they might attain an inheritance with the sanctified (Acts20:32). What is more, as with God’s chosen people of the Old Testament, those within the Covenant of promise who wilfully default shall be dealt with more sternly than those who had no opportunity to enter in the first place (cf. Amos3:2; Heb6:4-8).

Isaac – progenitor of the elect

Whilst Abraham may be regarded as the father of faith, Paul indicates it was Isaac who is progenitor to the children of promise, and such are the Church (Gal4:28). But by no means all  the Church, for as Jesus makes clear in Revelation, it is only those who overcome who shall attain to the promises of Christ (Rev3:21😲). That surely aligns with what Paul is affirming here, with his language of striving, races and prizes.

These assertions are bound to disturb many, especially those of my former ilk. But taken in the context of the broader benign providence that I have been outlining, it is truly good news. Why? Because it affirms what the Church broadly believed and taught pre-Augustine (earlier post refers), namely that God is good, even from a reasoned human perspective. He is loving, compassionate and fair to all.

But do not mistake me, He also has grace aplenty, ensuring that in the ages to come, not just those predestined to be “a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession” but all true humanity shall receive abundantly more than they deserve; made possible by our Lord’s hard-earned victory at Calvary over Satan, sin and death.

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3 Finally, my brothers , rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things again is no trouble for me, and it is a safeguard for you. ² Beware of the dogs, beware of the evil workers, beware of the false circumcision; ³ for we are the true circumcision, who worship in the spirit of God and take pride in Christ Jesus, and put no confidence in the flesh. ⁴ Though I myself could boast as having confidence even in the flesh. If anyone else thinks he is confident in the flesh, i have more reason: ⁵ circumcised the eighth day, of the nation of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the Law, a Pharisee; ⁶ as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to the righteousness which is in the Law, found blameless. ⁷ But whatever things were gain to me, these things I have counted as loss because of Christ. ⁸ More than that, I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them mere rubbish, so that I may gain Christ, ⁹ and may be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own derived from the Law, but that which is through Christ’s faithfulness, the righteousness of God on the basis of faith, ¹⁰ that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death; ¹¹ if by some means I may attain to the resurrection from the dead. [Phil3:1-11]

I have bolded what I take to be the key points from this passage:

Firstly, Paul urges the Philippian church to be wary of the “false circumcision” (Greek  κατατομήν), the Christian being the true circumcision (Greek: περιτομή). There is an element of sarcasm in his use of the word κατατομήν, signifying those who mutilate themselves. The Christian on other hand is circumcised in heart. But actually, that was intended to be the case for God’s people of the Old Testament. Yes, they were to be circumcised in the physical sense but that was to be a pointer to something more internalized as the following texts indicate:

“Circumcise therefore the foreskin of your heart, and be no more stiffnecked” (Deut10:16)

“The Lord thy God will circumcise thine heart, and the heart of thy seed, to love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul” (Deut30:6)

“Circumcise yourselves to the Lord, and take away the foreskins of your heart, ye men of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem” (Jer4:4)

Secondly, in terms of righteousness as defined by the Law (Torah) Paul declared himself to be blameless. That was hardly making the point that the Law was impossible to keep, as many have understood him. But Paul is here referring to the externals of the Law – circumcision, fasting, feast days and the like (cf. Gal4:10), which as a Pharisee he had perfectly observed. But he is making it clear that this is not what determines whether one is righteous in God’s sight.

So, what does count as the righteousness of God, being that of which God approves? It ultimately pertains to Christ and His obedience even to death – Christ’s faithfulness [Greek: τὴν διὰ πίστεως Χριστοῦ], usually translated as “faith in Christ”, whereas the genitive indicates it is referring to Christ’s own faith(fulness).

The righteousness that God requires of His people does not pertain to observing the externals of Torah but to faith, which in the case of the Christian is faith in Jesus Christ:  “that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death” (v10). And as Paul indicates in the following verse, and still more in the passage that follows (next post), this is to attain a goal that is by no means guaranteed or “all of grace” –  that “by some means I may attain to the resurrection from the dead” (v11) 😲This must be the first resurrection (Rev20:5-6), for everyone is to be resurrected at some point – there would be no need to “attain” to that (cf. Jn6:54).

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2  ⁵ Have this attitude which was also in Christ Jesus, ⁶  who, existing in the form of God, did not consider
equality with God something to be grasped, ⁷ but emptied Himself by taking the form of a bond-servant and being born in the likeness of men. ⁸ And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death: even death on a cross. ⁹ For this reason also God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, ¹⁰ so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, ¹¹ and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. ¹² So then, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; ¹³ for it is God who is at work in you, both to desire and to work for His good pleasure. ¹⁴ Do all things without complaining or arguments; ¹⁵ so that you will prove yourselves to be blameless and innocent, children of God above reproach in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as luminaries in the world, ¹⁶ holding firmly the word of life, so that on the day of Christ I can take pride because I did not run in vain nor labor in vain. [Philipp2:5-16]

As a reminder to any readers following my posts, I am not endeavouring to provide comprehensive textual commentaries. Far more erudite and exhaustive compilations can be found elsewhere. I am not primarily a theologian – rather I am setting out what I believe the Spirit has shown me concerning how Scripture is to be interpreted.

Having set out the full picture in The Little Book of Providence I am complementing that by going through each chapter of the New Testament, drawing out evidence for the broader benign providence being disclosed; at the same time attending to any passages whose usual interpretation might appear to challenge such divine munificence. There is none such in this passage from Philippians, on the contrary:

Paul affirms (v9) that God highly exalted Jesus, the self-styled Son of Man, in part due to His obedience and suffering for mankind’s sake. For His humility also, “being in the form of God, He did not consider equality with God something to be grasped”. On the contrary, the Son of Man (as Jesus always described Himself) was insistent that “My Father is greater than I” (Jn14:28). Even after His glorification, Jesus affirmed that certain matters (with respect to timing and staging) were under His “Father’s own authority” (Acts1:7 cf. Mk13:32). I am always careful to restrict myself to the language of Paul and Jesus Himself regarding Father, Son and Spirit’s interrelationships.

Do not mistake me, like Thomas I affirm Jesus as “my Lord and my God” (Jn20:28); all things were created through Him and for Him, and as this passage affirms, everyone in heaven, hell and on earth will one day be required to bow the knee  to Jesus (or else). Yet the monarchical status of the Father, sometimes lost in trinitarian parlance, must be recognized in order to grasp some of the concepts I am outlining. That especially applies to a disclosure of Paul’s that was (humanly speaking) the catalyst to this whole project. That is the explanation and outworking of  Paul’s “fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ” (Eph3:9KJV).

Secondly, Paul affirms the need for the believer to “work out his own salvation”. That cannot easily be reconciled with the concept of salvation being “all of grace”. For sure, perseverance is dependent upon grace, as is our election to the Covenant of Promise in the first place.

The latter (election)  is all of grace, the former (perseverance) is not; the latter is a gift; the former Paul describes as a course to be run that not all shall complete; a winner’s prize that few shall attain (1Cor9:24 & Phil3:14). What is more, at the point he wrote that statement (to the Philippian church) he was by no means certain he would attain it himself (see also 1Cor9:27).

In Jesus’s language (in Revelation) it is those who overcome who shall attain to glory – if it were “all of grace” and “all of God”, Christ’s language (and Paul’s) would be meaningless. But, as I have been spelling out, this does not pertain to “going to Heaven when you die” (refer rather to Mt25:31-46 & Lk16:25).  I am speaking of what the bible actually means by gospel salvation. In Paul’s language it is attaining to the prize of the high calling of God. In Revelation it is depicted as corporate marriage to the Lord of Glory – even to share His very throne (3:21). It should be evident that few shall attain to such glories.

Yet many more shall be accepted as citizens of God’s Kingdom and be re-untied with those they have loved and lost. Whereas a third category shall do neither, instead receiving post-mortem punishment [e.g., 1Jn3:12; Jude 12; Jn8:44; Mt25:41]. These three soteriological categories are delineated from Scripture in The Little Book of Providence.

 The final point (highlighted in v15) is that God’s elect are intended to “shine as luminaries in the world”. That is what the true Church is intended to be; not merely “an assembly of justified sinners” but (as Paul writes elsewhere) those who have been “redeemed  from every lawless deed, purified for Himself as  a people for His own possession, zealous to perform good works” (Titus2:14).

And such “good works” are not an end in themselves or merely out of a Christian’s gratitude for their salvation. They are so that those Paul has just described as luminaries should benefit the world, whom God loves and intends ultimately to redeem. For this is the Good News: that “the eagerly awaiting creation is awaiting the revealing of the sons of God. For creation has been subjected to futility, not of its own choice, but because of Him who subjected it, in the certain hope that the creation itself also will be set free from its slavery to corruption into the freedom of the glory of the children of God (Rom18:19-21).

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1 Paul and Timothy, bond servants of Christ Jesus, to all the saints in Christ Jesus who are in Philippi, including the overseers and deacons: ² Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. ³ I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, ⁴ always offering prayer with joy in my every prayer for you all, ⁵ in view of your participation in the gospel from the first day until now. ⁶ For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work among you will accomplish it  until the day of Christ Jesus. ⁷ For it is only right for me to feel this way about you all, because I have you in my heart, since both in my imprisonment and in the defence and confirmation of the gospel, you all are partakers of grace with me. ⁸ For God is my witness, how I long for you all with the affection of Christ Jesus. ⁹ And this I pray, that your love may overflow still more and more in real knowledge and all discernment, ¹⁰ so that you may discover the things that are excellent, that you may be sincere and blameless for the day of Christ; ¹¹ having been filled with the fruit of righteousness which comes through Jesus Christ, for the glory and praise of God.

Moving on to Paul’s letter to the Philippians, the opening greeting is from Paul and Timothy, but the text being in the first-person singular is obviously Paul’s. The church at Philippi appears to have been an assembly with whom the apostle was well pleased – as he was with Rome and Ephesus – less so the Galatian church for reasons considered in an earlier post. The verse I will briefly focus on is v6: “I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work among you will accomplish it  until the day of Christ Jesus”.

Recalling my time as an Evangelical (1970-1998), this verse tended to be used as a proof-text for the doctrine of “perseverance of the saints”. In fact it was virtually the only text utilized, there not being many (if any) more to choose from. As I have been affirming in earlier posts, if Paul were teaching “once saved always saved”here it would contradict quite a lot else that he has set out, as well as contradicting the teaching of Jesus and His other apostles, especially whoever penned the letter to the Hebrews. No, Paul’s confidence in verse 6 pertained to the assembly he had founded rather than any individual. This is perhaps most clearly identified from the last phrase “until the day of Christ Jesus”. That “day” can only be referring to the Lord’s second coming, and no individual believer in the first century would live to see that.

In terms of what we know about the church founded at Philippi, the city was largely destroyed by earthquakes around the 7^th century CE, but the church is represented today by the  Metropolis of Philippi, Neapolis and Thassos, a part of the Greek Orthodox Church, that I have come to regard as the eastern flank of the true Body of Christ.

Paul’s prayer for them was not merely that they should function as befits “an assembly of justified sinners”, but  that  “their love might overflow as they grow in knowledge and  discernment,  discovering the things that are excellent”. Thereby God would complete the good work he had begun in them so that they might be blameless until the day of Christ; filled with the fruit of righteousness  through their ongoing relationship with Jesus Christ. And as Paul will go on to expound in chapter two, such progress would be through a careful imitation of their Lord’s life and character.

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6 Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. ² Honor your father and mother (which is the first commandment with a promise), ³ so that it may turn out well for you, and that you may live long on the earth. ⁴ Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord. ⁵ Slaves, be obedient to those who are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in the sincerity of your heart, as to Christ; ⁶ not by way of eye-service, as people-pleasers, but as slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart. ⁷ With goodwill render service, as to the Lord, and not to people, ⁸ knowing that whatever good thing each one does, he will receive this back from the Lord, whether slave or free. ⁹ And masters, do the same things to them, and give up threatening, knowing that both their Master and yours is in heaven, and there is no partiality with Him. ¹⁰ Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might. ¹¹ Put on the full armour of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil. ¹² For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. ¹³ Therefore, take up the full armour of God, so that you will be able to resist on the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm. ¹⁴ Stand firm therefore, having belted your waist with truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, ¹⁵ and having strapped on your feet the sure footing of the gospel of peace; ¹⁶ in addition to all, taking up the shield of faith with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. ¹⁷ And take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is God’s declaration (Eph6:1-17).

This is part of Paul’s final recorded address to the Ephesian Church. In terms of vv1-11, the key point is that the Christian, whether a parent or child, servant or master, employee or employer, is ultimately a servant of Christ and must act accordingly. Much of this will have been counter-intuitive in Paul’s day. Many slaves will have hated their master (sometimes with good reason), and so will have performed their duties begrudgingly or at best out of eye-service, in Paul’s language, as “people pleasers”. Many masters of that time will have regarded their slaves as barely human resources to be exploited. Modern working practices are usually somewhat more enlightened, yet even today, the application of these principles as employers or employees can be transformative – a profound witness to the reality of our Faith.

That is especially the case if we actually believe verse 8: “knowing that whatever good thing each one does, he will receive this back from the Lord”. Contrary to the emphasis of certain Christian traditions, our God is a rewarding God. He delights in our doing those things which please Him and repays the practitioner handsomely, occasionally in this life, always in the next.

THE NATURE OF THE FOE

The Christian is enabled to please God in ways that others are not, and that pertains to the spiritual armoury at his disposal. But it is not for human battle, for, says Paul, there is a realm of evil extraneous to humanity; a sophisticated principality of wickedness that endures as a force in the world to the present day:

“Our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places” (v12).

The verse is addressed to Christian believers, but the One who remembers the needs of sparrows is aware that the activity and influence of this evil realm impinges upon the whole human family and all created life. It will appear to many that we arein fact wrestling against flesh and blood, for the diabolical activity that Paul was referring to is largely exercised through the human agencies under its control. These are the human seed the bible variously refers to as the wicked (Old Testament), children of the devil, the compassionless “goats” of Mt25 or the darnel poisoning the wheat that must remain until harvest in Mt13.

Of course, the rest of humanity sins and causes plenty of trouble as well, the more so for being led astray and corrupted by Satan who deceives the world through the people he controls. But God holds Satan rather than mankind personally accountable for the world being in the state it is; he will pay by far the greater price, as will his human agents. Reference is first made to this satanic herd in the protoevangelium (“I will make enemies of you (Satan) and the woman, and of your seed and her Seed – Gen3:15).

This rarely observed (or understood) reference to the devil’s seed applies to an eluded sub-category of the unsaved, whom I systematically delineate applying the whole of Scripture in “The Little Book of Providence”. For, paradoxical as it may appear, an awareness of the satanic forces that Paul is alluding to in our featured passage, along with the individuals under their control, is essential to ascertain the broader benign providence outlined in my book and within these posts.

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²² Wives, subject yourselves to your own husbands, as to the Lord. ²³ For the husband is the head of the wife, as Christ also is the head of the church, He Himself being the Saviour of the body. ²⁴ But as the church is subject to Christ, so also the wives ought to be to their husbands in everything. ²⁵ Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her, ²⁶ so that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with a proclamation***, ²⁷ that He might present to Himself the church in all her glory, having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that she would be holy and blameless. ²⁸ So husbands also ought to love their own wives as their own bodies. He who loves his own wife loves himself; ²⁹ for no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ also does the church, ³⁰ because we are parts of His body. ³¹ For this reason a man shall leave his father and his mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh. ³² This is a great mystery, but I am speaking with reference to Christ and the church. ³³ Nevertheless, as for you individually, each husband is to love his own wife the same as himself, and the wife must see to it that she respects her husband [Eph5:22-33]

From a pastoral perspective, this passage concerns how husbands and wives should relate to each other. Not being a pastor (or a husband for that matter) I am as ever more interested in the theological perspective – how Christ relates to His Bride-to-be and the fact that the Church is  described as the body of Christ. Paul, more than any other contributor to Scripture, uses the word “mystery”, and he appears to regard this one as the greatest of them all – that in some mystical sense, just as husband and wife become one flesh, so does Christ with the Church (vv31-32).

Paul does not set out the full implications of “this great mystery” (v32), still less can I. What the illustration does reinforce is the fact that the Church is quite special. In Peter’s words, she is “a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvellous light”. These could never be the proverbial “world and his wife”, it is Christ and His, whom according to Revelation shall share a throne with their Husband (Rev3:21). These are the elect, the majestic ones (Ps16:3), called out from the world to be God’s own personal possession. Yet, all the earth is God’s – He loved the world enough to sacrifice His Son to save it (Jn3:16).

This is the nature of the mystery that I am in the business of setting out. It is not new revelation (nor could it be), but a new interpretation of what the bible as a whole is  surreptitiously disclosing. But do not mistake me, regardless of the vastly broader benign providence I am adducing, this passage is clear enough that it is only the Church as body of Christ that is currently being saved: “Christ also is the head of the church, He Himself being the Saviour of the body (v23). Not “all people of good will”, indeed not even the “sheep” Jesus refers to in Mt25 – the elect having already been raptured at that point.

All such good folk shall “go to heaven when they die” or if alive at Christ’s return become citizens of God’s kingdom. That is what Jesus was referring to in Mt25 (in which religion is not so much as mentioned), but it is not what Paul or scripture usually means by “salvation” or attaining “eternal life” – all of which is explained in my book.

It is the Church alone that Christ is sanctifying “that He might present to Himself the church in all her glory, having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that she would be holy and blameless”.  This is not possible for anyone else, and Rom7:24-25 best summarizes why, if only it were understood.Relatedly, only the Christian is provided with the spiritual resources by which he may “possess his vessel in sanctification and honour (1Thes4:4). That ultimately is for the occasion when Heaven shall declare: “Let us be glad and rejoice and give honour to Christ: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and His wife has made herself ready” (Rev19:7).

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5 Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children; ² and walk in love, just as Christ also loved you and gave Himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God as a fragrant aroma. ³ But immorality or any impurity or greed must not even be named among you, as is proper among saints; ⁴ and there must be no filthiness and silly talk, or coarse jesting, which are not fitting, but rather giving of thanks. ⁵ For this you know with certainty, that no immoral or impure person or covetous man (that is an idolater), has an inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. ⁶ Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. ⁷ Therefore do not be partakers with them; ⁸ for you were formerly darkness, but now you are Light in the Lord; walk as children of Light ⁹ (for the fruit of the Light consists in all goodness and righteousness and truth), ¹⁰  endeavouring to learn what is pleasing to the Lord [Eph5:1-10].

“Be imitators of God”, writes Paul. This requires some deliberation, whilst fans of Martin Luther might wish to sign off here. Why? – because according to the initiator of the Protestant Reformation, God’s nature is (at best) incomprehensible. From a human standpoint, applying Reformed interpretations, He appears to be a Monster – creating beings in His own image, the vast majority of whom are to receive eternal torment after their death for failing to do what Scripture  affirms they were incapable of doing, a doctrine (predestination) repeatedly acknowledged by Paul and effectively reaffirmed by Jesus, John and Luke.

In view of the standard (dualistic) interpretation, many “bible-believing Christians”, however unwillingly, denigrate God’s goodness and justice as well as the effectual nature of Christ’s saving work – asserting that all non-Christians are heading for a lost eternity. In reality, very few within the Protestant churches, even within the dogmatically “Reformed” Evangelical circles that I once inhabited, present the gospel in such dire or fatalistic terms, effectively by sweeping predestination under the carpet.

 As for the Roman Catholic Church, since Vatican II (1960s), she has moderated her former stance of “extra Ecclesiam nulla salus” [no salvation outside the Church] to the position that “Divine providence (shall not) deny the assistance necessary for salvation to those who without any fault of theirs have not yet arrived at an explicit knowledge of God and who, not without grace, strive to lead a good life” (Vatican II – Lumen Gentium 16).

No doubt this is in part due to a growing awareness that in view of religious and cultural developments through the centuries, God’s redemptive purposes could hardly be restricted to the proportional few who have the opportunity to hear the Gospel, let alone positively respond to it. Vatican II had also been influenced (as was I) by John Henry Newman’s profound reflections on universal revelation and the role of conscience. It is however necessary that such enlightened post-Conciliar reflections be more clearly underpinned from Scripture, especially if those to whom fidelity to the Book is paramount are to give the matter due consideration.

So, my appeal is to Scripture in its totality, starting with the Christmas Angels’ proclamation in Luke that the gospel is “Good News of great joy that shall be to all people”. My task has primarily involved  deconstructing the distinctive teachings of Augustine and the Protestant Reformers regarding law, grace, free will and the role of conscience. Only then can God’s nature be shown for what it is – genuinely good, loving and fair to all – a deity who, in accordance with Paul’s urgings, can be imitated by creatures made in His image, especially those “predestined to be re-formed into the image of Christ” (Rom8:29).      

In terms of “imitators”, Bible Hub appropriately comments that the Greek word (μιμηταὶ)  pertains to “a positive imitation that arises by admiring the pattern set by someone worthy of emulation, i.e. a mentor setting a proper example…the supreme model being God Himself (see Eph5:1)”. Exactly, so how could the Christian be expected to “μιμηταὶ” a Being if His nature and behaviour were incomprehensible, inexplicable and demonstrably unfair? [I explained how predestination is to be reconciled with human free will and God’s equitable justice in the previous post].

WHO SHALL INHERIT THE KINGDOM?

The other point I particularly want to draw out from this passage is from verse 5: “For this you know with certainty, that no immoral or impure person or covetous man (i.e. an idolater), has an inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God”.  The Church Paul was addressing may have “known these things with certainty” – I am less sure that is the case today. Rather, many understand avoiding immorality, impurity, covetousness and the like to be appropriate and desirable, whereas Paul also insists it is quite essential.

There is never faith without works with Paul; nor merely “standing in the grace of Christ”. Still less, Luther’s assertion that “if men only believe enough in Christ they can commit adultery and murder a thousand times a day without periling their salvation”. Ok, this was his use of hyperbole to make the point that  God’s grace is greater even than the sins of the world. But even that misrepresents Paul in terms of an individual’s salvation, and no such sentiments are to be found in the teaching of Jesus.

Relatedly, Luther defined saving faith as “a living, bold trust in God’s grace, so certain of God’s favour that it would risk death a thousand times trusting in it”.  I repeat again Paul’s words: “know with certainty, that no immoral or impure person or covetous man (i.e. an idolater), has an inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God”. There is no qualification concerning grace or faith, and it is not untypical of Paul’s  in this area, especially once it is grasped that his references to the actions of the spirit (such as in Rom8:13) often are referring to the human spirit (aka “inner man”) rather than the Holy Spirit.

The apostle summarizes his perspective on God’s thoroughly intelligible judgements and equitable justice in Romans 2, which many regard as anomalous in view of how they have come to interpret the rest of his teaching:

God will repay everyone as their works deserve. For those who aimed for glory, honour and immortality by persevering in good works, there will be eternal life, but for those who out of jealousy have taken for their guide not truth but injustice, there will be the fury of retribution. Trouble and distress will come to every human being who does evil – Jews first but Greeks as well; glory and honour and peace will come to everyone who does good – Jews first but Greeks as well. There is no favouritism with God (Rom2:6-11).

How the above is to be reconciled with Scripture as a whole is set out  in:

The LITTLE BOOK OF PROVIDENCE: a seven-part synopsis of the bible: – available as a paperback from Amazon or FREELY as a PDF file HERE.

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¹⁷ So I say this, and solemnly charge you in the Lord, that you are to no longer walk just as the Gentiles also walk, in the futility of their minds, ¹⁸ being darkened in their understanding, excluded from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the hardness of their heart; ¹⁹ and they, having become callous, have given themselves up to indecent behavior for the practice of every kind of impurity with greediness. ²⁰ But you did not learn Christ in this way, ²¹ if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught in Him, just as truth is in Jesus, ²² that, in reference to your former way of life, you are to rid yourselves of the old self, which is being corrupted in accordance with the lusts of deceit, ²³ and that you are to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, ²⁴ and to put on the new self, which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth. ²⁵ Therefore, ridding yourselves of falsehood, speak truth each one of you with his neighbor, because we are parts of one another. ²⁶ Be angry, and yet do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, ²⁷ and do not give the devil an opportunity. ²⁸ The one who steals must no longer steal; but rather he must labor, producing with his own hands what is good, so that he will have something to share with the one who has need. ²⁹ Let no unwholesome word come out of your mouth, but if there is any good word for edification according to the need of the moment, say that, so that it will impart grace to those who hear. ³⁰ Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. ³¹ All bitterness, wrath, anger, shouting, and slander must be removed from you, along with all malice. ³² Be kind to one another, compassionate, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you. [Eph4:17-32]

The opening verse describes Paul as “solemnly charging” or “testifying in the Lord” concerning the instruction he is about to impart to the Ephesian Church. He is not merely advising, even exhorting, but requiring that they act in the way he describes, and he does so with the Lord’s personal authority. What his readers must do (as must we if we are true Christians) he summarizes as “putting off the old self” and “putting on the new” (vv22-24). The “old self” pertained to their former way of life as Gentile non-believers. “Bitterness, wrath, anger, shouting, slander and malice” is to be replaced by “kindness, compassion and the forgiveness of others” (vv31-32).

Even the Christian may on occasions be guilty of returning to the former ways of the old self, at which times we grieve the Holy Spirit (v30). But, as Paul affirms here and elsewhere, if there is no substantive change from the old ways to the new, we are not true disciples of Christ, whatever we “believe” or claim to believe – for a disciple is marked out by his endeavours to follow the ways of his Teacher and Master. That is the outworking of genuine faith – not merely “standing in the grace of God” or “believing Jesus died for my sins”. That of itself is  not sufficient.

Luther, for one, would no doubt disagree with that last statement.  Yet if he truly had understood Paul, he would have become positively apoplectic about the apostle’s teaching that the manner of life and nature that is to be formed in the Christian is “in accordance with God’s own nature” (v24). Still worse, that as Christians we are to be “imitators of God” (opening verse of next chapter).

For Luther firmly believed (indeed had to believe for his theology to work) that God’s nature and character were incomprehensible to man. Alternatively, what love, compassion and fairness meant to man must mean something quite different when applied to his Creator. For particularly in view of the indisputably biblical doctrine of predestination and election, he (not unreasonably) presumed that God could be neither loving, compassionate or fair in any humanly intelligible sense given that He had predetermined that the bulk of humanity were to be condemned to eternal misery – effectively because they had not done what they were innately incapable of doing (cf. Jn6:44).

The problem with that notion (Oh where should one start?) is that, particularly in the Old Testament, God declares Himself to be compassionate,  kind and just; One who has “no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live” (Ezek33:11).

The  second problem being that man was created in the image of the invisible God – i.e. in accordance with His nature. And in the Christian that once fallen nature is being repaired and restored such that we become more like Christ. In Paul’s language: “For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son” (Rom8:29).

Thirdly, Jesus was the exact representation (εἰκὼν) of the invisible God (Col1:15), even during His earthly ministry (Jn14:8-9). Following Him is how we become “like God in the world” (Eph5:1) – and it is obvious that that cannot pertain merely to pardon, forgiveness and belief, but to sanctification and holy living.

The three soteriological categories

The predestination/divine justice/human free will conundrum, along with virtually other “tension” in Scripture is resolved once it is understood that there are not two but three categories of humanity:

1. the elect whom God has called out of the world to be  “a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession” (1Pet2:9);
2. the bulk of humanity who though not “saved” from the corrupting influence of Paul’s “body of this death” (cf. Rom7:24-25), being the “old self” that Paul has been referring to in the featured passage, yet who nevertheless show by their moral restraint and compassion towards others that they are “of God” (1Jn4:7; Mt25:40);
3. children of the devil  – the twice dead (in flesh and spirit), devoid of conscience, moral restraint, compassion or any compulsion to speak the truth (Jude12; 1Tim4:2; Mt25:45; Jn8:44)

The context of “election” 

Within such a tripartite context, election does not refer to who does or does not “go to heaven when you die” (Mt25 sheep/goats passage deals with that, a passage in which religion is not so much as mentioned). Election pertains to who is inaugurated into the Covenant of Promise. Note in the Old Testament, Isaac was elected, his half-brother Ishmael was excluded – both were Abraham’s children, both were circumcised and both had been blessed by God and Abraham.

In New Testament terms, election/predestination pertains to who, through incorporation into the Church, is thereby given the opportunity to (in Paul’s language) embark upon a “race to win the prize of the high calling of God” (1Cor9:24 & Phi3:14). Access to these exclusive covenants (as with Isaac and Paul) is all of grace – acquisition of the prize is assuredly not as Paul’s depiction makes clear. In Jesus’ words it pertains to those who, aided by grace, finally “overcome” (Rev2:7,11,17,26 ch3:5,12,21 ch21:7)

 Of course, the proof texts provided above of themselves won’t hack it. What is needed to support such a case is a coherent recapitulation of the whole bible. With God’s help I believe such has been provided in “The Little Book of Providence”, a free PDF of which is available HERE. Regrettably for many, this has involved substantial deconstruction of Luther and to a large extent Augustine, in terms of their theological law/grace/free will distinctives upon which so much of the Western Church (in particular) has come to rely.

But only in so doing can God’s goodness and justice be  perceived when applying the reason and perspectives God has given to us as rational creatures. And  only then shall the disastrous cosmic outcomes resulting from Augustinian/Lutheran derived theology (both men having rightly affirmed that proportionately few were favourably destined) – be translated in to the munificent broadscale benign providence that God through Christ always had in store for the world and species that He so loves (Rom8:20-21 cf. Rev10).  

4 “Therefore I, the prisoner of the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called, ² with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, ³ being diligent to keep the UNITY OF THE SPIRIT in the bond of peace. ⁴ There is one body and one Spirit, just as you also were called in one hope of your calling; ⁵ ONE LORD, ONE FAITH, ONE BAPTISM, ⁶ one God and Father of all who is over all and through all and in all. ⁷ But to each one of us grace was given according to the measure of Christ’s gift. ⁸ Therefore it says, “When He ascended on high, He led captive the captives, And He gave gifts to people.” ⁹ Now this expression, “He ascended,” what does it mean except that HE ALSO HAD DESCENDED INTO THE LOWER PARTS OF THE EARTH? ¹⁰ He who descended is Himself also He who ascended far above all the heavens, so that He might fill all things. ¹¹ And He gave some as apostles, some as prophets, some as evangelists, some as pastors and teachers, ¹² for the equipping of the  saints for the work of ministry, for the building up of the body of Christ; ¹³ until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the  knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ. ¹⁴ As a result, we are no longer to be children, tossed here and there by waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of people, by craftiness in deceitful scheming; ¹⁵ but speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, that is, Christ, ¹⁶ from whom the whole body, being fitted and held together by what every joint supplies, according to the proper working of each individual part, causes the growth of the body for the building up of itself in love”. [Eph4:1-16]

Continuing my chapter-by-chapter examination of the New Testament I would remind readers that I am not aiming to provide a commentary as such but am focussing on those aspects which impact upon the broader benign providence I have been outlining, set out in full in “The Little Book of Providence” accessible HERE. So here in Ephesians chapter four, my post heading “Christ’s descent into Hades” is not intended to reflect the central theme of Paul’s teaching. That statement is a mere aside (v9); Paul’s focus  is unity  – one Lord, one faith, one baptism, and the gifts the Spirit has given to the Church in order that she might grow and  be “built up in love” (v16).

Nevertheless, Christ’s descent into “the lower parts of the earth” is referred to, and as most rightly understand, it is referring to the Saviour’s descent into the place of the dead (Hades) on Easter Saturday. This is derived from a verse in 1st Peter:  “For this cause was the gospel preached also to them that are dead, that they might be judged according to men in the flesh but live according to God in the spirit”. [1Pet4:6]

Note that Peter opens the statement with “For this cause”. What cause is that? It pertains to the judgement God will make “of both the living and the dead” (previous verse). So, the Saviour of the world preached the Good News in Hades (including those being punished, for the context makes clear that those being addressed had been condemned because of how they had lived their lives in the flesh). This is affirmed in a related passage of Peter:

“Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive by the Spirit, ¹⁹ by whom also He went and preached to the spirits in prison who had been disobedient as the Divine longsuffering waited in the days of Noah while the ark was being prepared” (1Pet3:18-20)

So what was this good news that Jesus preached to these imprisoned spirits – that they should rot in hell for the rest of eternity? Not according to Peter: “so that having been judged according to men in the flesh they should  live according to God in the spirit”. And no doubt our Lord would have explained to them the grounds for such a gracious provision, being the death He had just experienced and His resurrection to follow. Such post-mortem munificence on God’s part is a problem for many Christians. It undermines the raison d’être of gospel salvation as they currently understand it. It should become more intelligible once the purpose of gospel salvation (cf. Rom7:24-25) and its context within God’s broader redemptive strategy for humanity (Rom8:19-23 cf. Rev10:4-7) has been properly understood.  

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Thesis #95 of 95  If the assertions of my theses are broadly correct, the final mystery John was told not to write about (concerning the little book - Rev10) is likely to pertain in nature to the broader providence I have been outlining.

BIBLICAL REFERENCES

Rev1:1 The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to show to His servants (the church) the things which must soon take place”

Rev10:2-4 (The angel) had in his hand a little book which was open. He placed his right foot on the ‘sea’ and his left on the land; and he cried out with a loud voice, as when a lion roars; and when he had cried out, the seven peals of thunder uttered their voices. When the seven peals of thunder had spoken, I WAS ABOUT TO WRITE; and I heard a voice from heaven, saying, “Seal up the things which the seven peals of thunder have spoken, AND DO NOT WRITE THEM.

Rev10:10  I took the little book from the angel’s hand and ate it, and in my mouth it was sweet as honey; and when I had eaten it, my belly was embittered.

COMMENTS

In its opening verse  the Book of Revelation is announced as “the revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to show to His servants (the church) the things which must soon take place” (Rev1:1). For sure, it was a disclosure often presented in symbolic terms, but nevertheless John’s task was to write down everything he saw and heard as a testimony to the churches. Yet there was one unique exception: the contents of the little book referred to in chapter ten, the words concerning which he was instructed not to record. We are (literally) only given a flavour of what that might contain: sweet as honey to the taste buds but creating bitterness in the abdomen. 

It may not be especially radical for my final thesis to be suggesting that the subject matter of Revelation’s “little book” is likely to pertain in some way to divine providence. However, the reference to sweetness and bitterness infers to me that what was revealed within this mystical booklet [Greek: βιβλαρίδιον] appeared delightful to the taste but had the effect of making that which had previously been ingested bitter and by implication ripe for excretion. (I take κοιλία to be referring to the abdomen, gut or belly, as per KJV, rather than stomach as in some translations).

What of course is radical is what I have set out in my little book on the subject. That at the personal level has a similar bitter-sweet impact in terms of my new as opposed to past understanding of God’s providential intentions towards humanity and the true nature of the gospel.

The need to deconstruct

The vastly broader benign providence I have been drawing out from scripture required a substantial deconstruction of the Augustinian derived theology that the Western Church (in particular) has long relied upon. Galling as that will be for many, it results in cosmic outcomes that are comparatively sublime – comprehensible, gracious and generous, yet fair to all. In the starkest contrast to the God of Augustine and Luther, I have portrayed a deity who is equitable, loving and compassionate in the sense that those terms are usually understood. That in turn accords with the Creator who described Himself as “the God of tenderness and compassion, slow to anger, rich in faithful love and constancy” (Ex34:6) and whose character was perfectly reflected in the life and ministry of Jesus Christ.

Conclusion

So ends these brief commentaries on each of my 95 theses, the listing of which I first published on Halloween 2017 – the 500th anniversary of a far more well known version. That triggered events that turned the church and the world upside down. Given my personal intellectual limitations and present obscurity, these theses and the Little Book of Providence to which they relate will only gain traction if they are “owned of God”. If so it can only have been the Holy Spirit who inspired and enabled me to put these things together. In view of the extraordinary encounters to which I have been testifying I dare to believe that to be the case.

Author’s FACEBOOK page HERE

Free PDF of The Little Book of Providence HERE

Large-print version suitable for mobiles HERE

_{[These posts pertain to an expansive revelation concerning divine providence. It was the result of a prophetic insight received by the author, who believes the process he is involved with is itself a fulfilment of scriptural prophecy, both canonical and extra-canonical – more particularly Revelation chapter ten and two related passages from the Book of Enoch (ch93:8-10 and ch104:11-13 Charles edition numbering). The full picture is set out in “The Little Book of Providence”  and summarized in 95 theses HERE ]}

Thesis #94 of 95 - Certain important (but non-essential) mysteries have been hidden from the Church during much of her earthly pilgrimage.

BIBLICAL REFERENCES

Acts1:7 Jesus said to them, “It is not for you (apostles) to know times or epochs which the Father has fixed by His own authority”

Eph3:9-10 (Paul) to enlighten all people regarding the plan of the mystery which for ages has been hidden in God, who created all things; so that the multifaceted wisdom of God might NOW be made known through the church to the rulers and the authorities in the heavenly places.

1Tim2:6 (Christ) gave himself as a ransom for all, the evidence for which [μαρτύριον^G3142] is to be provided in due time.

Rom8:19-21 [NASB] For the eagerly awaiting creation waits for the revealing of the sons and daughters of God. For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly but because of Him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself also will be set free from its slavery to corruption into the freedom of the glory of the children of God.

Rev10:2-4 (The angel) had in his hand a little book, which was open. He placed his right foot on the sea and his left on the land; and he cried out with a loud voice, as when a lion roars; and when he had cried out, the seven peals of thunder uttered their voices. When the seven peals of thunder had spoken, I was about to write; and I heard a voice from heaven, saying, “Seal up the things which the seven peals of thunder have spoken, and DO NOT WRITE THEM.

Mal4:5-6 Lo, I will send you the prophet ‘Elijah’ before the great and terrible day of the Lord comes. He will turn the hearts of the fathers to their children and the hearts of children to their fathers, otherwise I will come and strike the land with a curse.

Mt24:14 This gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all the nations, and then the end will come.

EXTRA-BIBLICAL REFERENCES

Enoch1:1 [opening verse] The words of Enoch to be a blessing to the elect and the righteous who will be living in the day of tribulation when all the wicked and godless are to be removed.

Enoch93:10  At the close (of the seventh ‘week’) shall be chosen the elect righteous (ones) of the eternal plant of righteousness to receive a seven-part instruction concerning all of God’s creation.

Enoch104:11-13 When they write down truthfully all my words in their languages, and do not change or remove anything from my words but write them all down truthfully, then I know another mystery, that books will be given to the righteous and the wise to become a cause of joy and uprightness and much wisdom. And to them shall the books be given, and they shall believe in them and rejoice over them, and then shall all the righteous who have learnt from them the ways of uprightness be recompensed.

COMMENTS

Note that this thesis affirms that certain important but non-essential mysteries have been hidden from the Church. By non-essential I mean non-fatal to the saving mission of the Church. As a former Evangelical, I (typically) hadn’t really thought this matter through.  For I effectively had worked on the premise that until Martin Luther came along, the churches for at least the previous 1000 years had universally failed to apprehend or teach the effectual means of deliverance from perdition.

According to Luther, even the earliest Fathers of the Church had been in darkness concerning justification and saving faith. I now know this to be an irrational absurdity and a denigration of  God’s providential care for the world. It is also  an affront to our Saviour’s historical stewardship of the very people He regards as His own Body (Col1:24).

Nevertheless, there are issues that have been hidden from the Church that although not essential to her saving mission are important. And they become positively critical as the Day of Christ’s return approaches. Some of these are identified in the verses above. I believe them to pertain to:

1. The mystery concerning the precise nature of the current and impending epochs vis-à-vis Old Testament prophecy (Acts1:7; Eph3:9-10)
2. the breadth of God’s benign providence and the scope of Christ’s atoning work (1Tim2:6; Rom8:19-21)
3.  the mystery of the Little Book (Rev10:2-4)
4. the doctrinal rectification and eventual reconciliation of the churches enabling a coherent  gospel to be preached to the world before Christ’s coming [Mal4:5-6; Mt24:14]
5. the extraordinary means by which some of the above shall come about [Enoch references]

The few verses from ex-canonical Enoch have been included as they deal with some of these issues more explicitly than the intentionally veiled references within the bible. The Book of Enoch was rightly excluded from the canon, not least in view of its opening verse. That indicates it was written specifically for the  generation of Christians that would live to see Christ’s return. The Book was nevertheless regarded as inspired writing by many of the early Church Fathers and verses from it are to be found in the New Testament (Jude vv14-15).

_{[These posts pertain to an expansive revelation concerning divine providence. It was the result of a prophetic insight received by the author, who believes the process he is involved with is itself a fulfilment of scriptural prophecy, both canonical and extra-canonical – more particularly Revelation chapter ten and two related passages from the Book of Enoch (ch93:8-10 and ch104:11-13 Charles edition numbering). The full picture is set out in “The Little Book of Providence”  and summarized in 95 theses HERE ]}

Thesis #93 of 95 - The ultimate purpose of human suffering is indicated in Heb2:10. Even the sinless Saviour was perfected for His priestly office and future glory by suffering. How much more the need for such salting and grist to be provided for the mere mortals who will come to share His glorious inheritance – hence the perennial existence of evil in the world until Christ comes to restore all things.

BIBLICAL REFERENCES

Acts3:21 Christ, the One whom Heaven must receive until the time of the restoration of all things which God has spoken of through the mouths of His holy prophets since the world began.

Rev10:7 In the days when the voice of the seventh messenger is about to sound off, then the mystery of God shall have been completed, as He announced to His servants the prophets.

COMMENTS

As the thesis indicates, the solution to the mystery of human suffering is hinted at in an extraordinary verse in Hebrews: “It was fitting for Him, for whom are all things, and through whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to perfect the originator of their salvation through suffering” (2:10). So, even the sinless Saviour was perfected for future glory by suffering. How much more the need for such salting and grist to be provided for mere mortals, some of whom will have an immediate share in His inheritance.

This is why things have always been as they have been in the world and in the Church. Suffering partnered with essential spiritual healing and progressive enlightenment are how God is drawing mankind toward its ultimate destiny as exemplified by His Son’s own experience. The suffering Jesus had endured was principally (and most would have thought exclusively) to provide for man’s redemption. Yet it also fulfilled another unexpected function as Heb2:10 shows – that is His perfection for His kingly, priestly office. Verse 17 affirms as much when it states: “Therefore in all respects (Jesus) had to be made like His brothers so that He would become a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God”.

And as royal priesthood for the world, God’s elect are expected to share in that suffering . For such are to be “the heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him so that we may also be glorified with Him” (Rom8:17NASB).

And, alluding to the previous thesis regarding Adam and Eve, none of this would have been possible if events had unfolded differently at Eden. If Satan  had not been permitted his little triumph, there would have been no glorious victory for God and His Christ, for there would have been nothing to conquer. How then could God have demonstrated the staggering extent of His love and grace if He could have spared His only Son?  If Adam had not sinned or the humanity project been rebooted, there would have been no Saviour. And what a Saviour: O felix culpa, quae talem ac tantum meruit habere redemptorum! [note 1].

Truly, it was never God’s intention merely to restore humanity to pre-Fall Adamic innocence. Rather, the Creator wished to raise  the sons of earth such that they would one day consort with the divine, partaking themselves of the divine nature (2Pet1:4). Such staggering elevation could not have been accomplished without the existence of evil and its inevitable consequence – suffering, the grist for glory. This taken with the vastly broader benign providence I have set out in my Little Book surely resolves the providential mystery of God, affirming Him to be the personification of love.

יִצְחָ֔ק

NOTE #1 –  Catholic Easter hymn: “Oh happy fault, which gained for us so great a Redeemer!”

Author’s FACEBOOK page HERE

Thesis #92 of 95 -  In choosing to retain Adam and Eve as the procreative fountainhead of humanity after their rebellion, it must have been God's intention that evil and suffering  enter the world

BIBLICAL REFERENCES

Rom8:20-21[NASB] For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself also will be set free from its slavery to corruption into the freedom of the glory of the children of God.

Mt18:7 Woe to the world in view of its stumbling blocks! Yet it is necessary [ἀνάγκη]  that such stumbling blocks come; but woe to the person through whom the stumbling blocks come!

Heb2:10 For it was fitting for Him, for whom are all things, and through whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to perfect the author of their salvation through suffering

1Jn4:8 Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love.

COMMENTS

Whether the Adam and Eve account in Genesis is taken symbolically or (as in my case) literally, it is to show that God had granted Satan permission to test humankind in her primeval infancy. And having failed that test, our loving but inscrutable God made the decision to utilize our disobedient first parents as the sin-polluted procreative fountain source for future humanity. For, as I have been demonstrating , the resultant suffering, division and ongoing struggle with Evil is no accident but a providential necessity (cf. Mt18:7).

Christ as human creation’s firstborn, in the sense of her representative/leader, epitomized such suffering and He did so on the cross. His Father (being God) had been perfectly entitled to enjoy unbroken felicity. Yet for mankind’s sake He was prepared to endure the agony of observing His only begotten Son’s humiliation and death.

WHY GOD PERMITS EVIL

If Satan had been barred from planet Earth or Adam and Eve had been erased and replaced as a result of their disobedience, Christ need not have died. But God permitted His arch-enemy what appeared to be an extraordinary victory for the sake of what He knew would be the ideal preparation for the beings created in His image to be raised from dust and prepared for a glorious destiny.

This hints at the solution to what for most Christians is the ultimate mystery of the universe: Why would a God the bible describes as love personified (1Jn4:8), permit and perpetuate evil and suffering in this world? The matter will (I trust) be given fuller resolution in the next thesis (#93) and is explained in detail in The Little Book of Providence (chapters 6 and 7).

Free PDF of The Little Book of Providence HERE

Large-print version suitable for mobiles HERE

Author’s FACEBOOK page HERE

Thesis #91 of 95 - God's strategy has always been to redeem and heal the world through a Spirit-led messianic community; the latter were never intended to be the exclusive beneficiaries.

BIBLICAL REFERENCES

Ex19:6 ‘You shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words that you shall speak to the sons of Israel.”

1Pet2:5 You (the Church), as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.

1Pet2:9 You are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvellous light.

Rom8:19-23 (NASB)  For the eagerly awaiting creation waits for the revealing of the sons and daughters of God.  For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself also will be set free from its slavery to corruption into the freedom of the glory of the children of God.  For we know that the whole creation groans and suffers the pains of childbirth together until now.  And not only that, but also we ourselves, having the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting eagerly for our adoption as sons and daughters, the redemption of our body.

COMMENTS

The subject of this thesis is a cornerstone within the broader benign providence being outlined. I have quoted three related verses from Exodus and 1Peter as their reference to Israel and the Church as a priesthood is perhaps the clearest evidence of God’s wider saving purposes for the whole planet. It places the Church and gospel in their providential context: whilst all the world is God’s, those within the covenants of promise become God’s own possession (1Pet2:9).

A few verses earlier, Peter affirmed the Church to be “a spiritual house and a holy priesthood to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God by Jesus Christ” (v5). Yet if the Church be a priesthood, it cannot be offering sacrifices exclusively for itself. It also exists for the benefit of those “who are ignorant and have gone astray” (Heb5:1-2). The Church shares in the sacrificial offering with her Head, which is Christ. Those outside her therefore must potentially benefit, not just from the “body of Christ’s” spiritual enlightenment and charitable works within wider society but also through her priestly intercession and sacrifice. As well as pointing to God’s broader saving intentions for this world (which Paul outlines in Rom8:19-23 above), such a perspective resolves numerous biblical tensions as, for those who can discern it, do these theses taken as a whole.

Author’s FACEBOOK page HERE

Thesis #90 of 95 When Ephesians 3:9-10 and especially Romans11:11-15 are taken as read and integrated within a cohesive biblical synopsis it will be appreciated that God's benign providence extends well beyond those elected to the exclusive covenants of promise. For if Paul is taken at his word, biblical salvation as we know it would not have been offered to the Gentile nations in the current age, yet the Old Testament is clear enough that people from every nation would ultimately be reconciled to God, for all the world is His and He loved it enough to send his Son to save it.

BIBLICAL REFERENCES

Eph3:9-10 (Paul) to enlighten all people regarding the administration* of the secret plan which for ages has been hidden in God (the Father) who created all things (by Jesus Christ)*; so that the multifaceted wisdom of God might now be made known by the church to the rulers and the authorities in the heavenly places  * [see Note#1 re: textual variants].

Rom11:11,12,15 I say then, (the Jews) did not stumble in order to fall, did they? By no means! But by their transgression salvation has come to the Gentiles, to make (the Jews) jealous. Now if their transgression is riches for the world and their failure is riches for the Gentiles, how much more will their fulfilment be! … For if their rejection is the reconciliation of the world, what will their acceptance be but life from the dead?

Jn3:16 For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.

Rom13:9 (NASB) For this, “You shall not commit adultery, you shall not murder, you shall not steal, you shall not covet,” and if there is any other commandment, it is summed up in this saying, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”

COMMENTS

Concluding this series of theses concerning what I have referred to as “the dispensational mystery”, I repeat, this does not concern my disclosure but the Apostle Paul’s. What I am doing that virtually no one else appears to have done is to take Paul at his word concerning what is recorded in Romans chapter 11, particularly verses 11,12,15 and 30. That pertains to God’s secret plan which he outlines, albeit cryptically in Ephesians chapter 3. “But surely (you say), Paul could not mean that if the Jews had not rejected their Messiah, ‘salvation’ would not have been offered to the Gentile nations in the current age?” “Yes”, say I, “that is exactly what Paul meant”, albeit he is referring to Salvation rather than salvation. [By ‘salvation’ I mean final absolution/pardon/divine acceptance; by ‘Salvation’ I mean being born again, raised to eternal Life resulting in “an inheritance with those who have been sanctified” (Acts26:18 cf. Rev3:21). Such a soteriological distinction has been delineated in earlier theses.

In terms of how Paul is to be interpreted in Romans 11, there would seem to be three options: a) Paul is being very clumsy in the wording he utilizes [very unlikely given he effectually repeats the same assertion three times in different ways – highlighted in the biblical reference above]; b) the apostle is a degenerate liar [I think not] or c) what he has written he has written, and he means every word of it. The problem with c) for Christians who take the bible seriously is stated in my thesis – such an assertion must be able to be “integrated within a cohesive biblical synopsis”. [I trust I have done so; I am not currently aware of any other such attempts within cyberspace].

Either the Apostle Paul is profoundly in error concerning a matter that could hardly be more important – or biblical theologians since around the time of Augustine have substantially misunderstood what the bible means by “salvation” in the gospel context. For the Old Testament makes it clear enough that God never intended to restrict His redemptive purposes to the Jews. But what He did indicate through His prophets is that Israel and the seed of Isaac were expected to form His holy nation of enlighteners for the world. As for what the New Testament actually means by salvation (what it is from and what it is for), I have been demonstrating that this likewise has been misunderstood by the churches. Relatedly, there has been a misreading of what Paul means by “death”, especially in Rom7 and 8, and what Jesus means by “life”, for example in Jn6:53 &10:10 & 20:31.

Taking Paul at his word in Rom 11 could only mean what is stated in this thesis – that fulness of salvation would not have been offered to the Gentile nations in the current age if the Jews had not rejected their Messiah. Or rather, (for that was indeed foretold to happen), it was because they went on to reject the apostolic teaching concerning Jesus after His ascension and glorification. For what Paul is referring to in His various evangelistic admonitions of his fellow countrymen is not a result of their involvement in Christ’s crucifixion but their response to the apostolic message concerning His Lordship and Saviourhood – witnessed by the miracles the apostles were carrying out in Jesus’ name. This is evident in a number of passages in Acts:

Paul to certain Jews at Antioch: “Be careful! – or what the prophets say will (future tense)happen to you: “Cast your eyes around you mockers; be amazed and perish!  For I am doing something in your own days that you would never believe if you were told of it” [Acts13:40-41]

Shortly afterwards at Corinth, preaching in the synagogue, more Jewish leaders turned against Paul and started to insult him. Paul took his cloak and shook it out in front of them, saying:

“Your blood be on your own heads; I am clean; from now on I will go to the Gentiles” [Acts18:6]

But why should Paul not have been clean (i.e. have a clear conscience) if he brought such a message of salvation to the Gentiles and the Jews had not first rejected it?  Was not such salvation envisaged for all? Clearly not: “For as a result of the Jews’ rejection, salvation has come to the Gentiles to provoke them to jealousy” (Rom11:11). It was not a matter of protocol or order (as the wording throughout Rom11 makes clear) – it was a transfer of privilege with respect to who in the current age were to be God’s chosen people – “a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession” (1Pet2:9 vis-à-vis Ex19:6). This is not about “who shall go to heaven when they die”. I have hopefully demonstrated that in earlier theses, applying what has been set out (and just as significantly, omitted) in the New Testament. It is not a matter of religious faith but the absence or presence of “ἀγάπη”, noting also that Paul has re-envisaged the summation and summary of God’s Law as love for neighbour (Rom13:9) – see note #2.

If you have just stumbled on this post/thesis, being #90 of a series of 95, you may find it all too incredible for words. But as intimated in the text of the thesis it is just one aspect of what I am clear is a cohesive package of biblical interpretations – the result (I believe) of a prophetic insight rather than pure academic study – set out in its entirety in The Little Book of Providence.

– – – – — – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

NOTE #1 Textual variants in Eph3:9 - a) "by Jesus Christ" missing from some manuscripts  b) Either "fellowship" (Greek: κοινωνία)  Or “administration” (Greek: οἰκονομία) – textual variant no doubt arising from similarity of the Greek word

NOTE #2 This should help explain why love for God  and religious faith are not so much as mentioned within the definitive New Testament passage on final judgement (Jesus’ parable of the sheep and goats). Nor in what is effectively  the only teaching we have of an individual’s post-mortem experience in heaven/hell/hades. Note why Abraham said that Lazarus was experiencing heavenly comfort and the rich man wasn’t (Lk16:25). Likewise, in Paul’s pronouncements on the requirements of God’s law, it is  expressed, indeed, summarized in terms of love for neighbour (Rom13:9). But then as the apostle John would later affirm, claiming to love God is no guarantee that one loves one’s fellow man (1Jn4:20); whereas loving one’s fellow man, particularly the act of showing compassion towards him or her is regarded as loving and serving the Son of Man Himself (Mt25:40) – who happens to be the One appointed to judge all people.]  

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Thesis #88 of 95 - Through Israel's failure, fullness of salvation, "an inheritance with the sanctified" and the "gift of eternal life" initially understood to be exclusively for the Jews has been extended to people chosen from every nation and succeeding generation.

Thesis #89 of 95 - Such a mystery was known by God (i.e. the Father) but not communicated to any other being until revealed by the apostle Paul who described the mystery pertaining to the Gentiles' unexpected inheritance as "to euaggelion mou" - MY gospel.

BIBLICAL REFERENCES

Acts26:18 I send you (Paul) to the Gentiles to open their eyes so that they may turn from darkness to light, and from the delegated authority (ἐξουσία) of Satan to God, in order that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance with the sanctified by faith in Me.

Acts11:17,18 Therefore if God gave the Gentiles the same gift as He gave to us (Jews) after believing in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I (Peter) that I should stand in God’s way?” When they heard this, they quieted down and glorified God, saying, “Well then, God appears to have granted to the Gentiles also the repentance that leads to life.”

Rom16:25 Now to him that has power to establish you (Gentiles) according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the disclosure of the mystery which has been kept secret since the world began.

COMMENTS

This continues the theme developed in the previous two theses concerning Paul’s unheeded teaching regarding the fact that gospel salvation was only provided to the Gentile nations as a result of the Jews’ rejection of their Messiah – a secret unknown to pre-Apostolic generations (Rom16:25). The reason Paul has not been taken literally in Rom11 vv11,12,15 &30 or comprehended with respect to the providential implications in Eph3:2-10 is that much of Christendom has misunderstood what Jesus, the apostles and Holy Scripture as a whole actually mean by “salvation” in the gospel context. I have been demonstrating that it is not “deliverance from perdition” but in Jesus’ words pertains to “an inheritance with the sanctified” and in Peter’s words involves “repentance that results in Life”. As the Lord also affirmed in His commission to Paul (Acts26:18), it was so that the Gentiles’ eyes might be opened so that they might turn from darkness to light. They could be delivered from the auspices of Satan into the realm of God’s Kingdom. For as a result of the Fall and the influence of “ἄρχων τοῦ κόσμου” (Jn16:11), mankind is blind to gospel truth and cannot ascertain it unless divinely aided (Jn6:44).

So, contrary to the prevailing teaching of the churches, God does not condemn mankind for that blindness, for it is innate. Observe the teaching of Christ and His late-appointed apostle. “Jesus said to (the Pharisees) “If you were blind, you would have no sin; but now that you say, ‘We see,’ your sin remains” (Jn9:41). Likewise, Paul – “Where there is no law, sin is not imputed” (Rom5:13). These are fundamental principles of divine law, justice and above all, LOVE. They again have been misconstrued by the many in view of their misunderstanding gospel salvation (summarized by Paul in Rom7:24-25). They therefore believe God is bound to condemn to Hell all who are ignorant of the true gospel. Yet in view of Jn6:44, not to mention historical ecclesiological fragmentation, that would be the bulk of humanity, including many who have understood themselves to be Christian.

The previous 80 or so theses have been outlining why that narrow and frankly barbaric perspective is a travesty of the “Good News of great joy that shall be to all people” – the principal culprit having been Augustine of Hippo. For he was the prime mover in ensuring the Church came to reject any effectual role for natural law, which Eusebius’ and Irenaeus’ testimonies affirm was broadly  accepted by earlier church fathers.

Yet the mystery revealed by the risen Lord to Paul was not apprehended even by Peter until he received a vision of the sheet of unclean animals that he was told to kill and eat (Acts11:1-18). Paul had to rebuke Peter for his reluctance even to fellowship with Gentile Christians (Gal2:11-14), affirming that the mystery Paul was disclosing was not something that Jesus had made clear to the twelve.

For at least up to and including the point of Jesus’ sermon at the Mount of Olives, it is evident that even He as Prophet was not au fait with the Father’s plans for the Gentiles or indeed the nature of the age to come (Mt5:18 vis-à-vis Col2:14 ; Mt10:23; Mt24:34; Lk13:26 Mk13:32). Such a Christological observation will be problematical to many – it shouldn’t be (Lk2:52; Acts1:6-7; 1Cor11:3). Nor would it have been such an issue to those earliest Christian writers, virtually all of whom were deemed by the post-Nicene Church to have “tended to subordinationism”. Yet these were men, many of whom will have received the gospel directly from the apostles themselves, the likes of Timothy, Titus and Philemon or their immediate appointees. They had not been dependant on biblical interpretation alone.

They affirmed the monarchical status of the Father within the Godhead and Christ’s consequential (and self-acknowledged) subordination of rank – without in any way denying His absolute divinity and consubstantiality with His Father. So with Paul, I believe “There is one God, the Father, from Whom are all things and for Whom we exist, and one Lord/Master, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things and by whom we exist” (1Cor8:6). As for the Lord Jesus Christ’s relationship with elect human beings:  “Both He who sanctifies and those who are being sanctified are all of one [ἐξ ἑνὸς], for which reason He is not ashamed to call them brethren” (Heb2:11NKJV)

I have had to raise this thorny issue, for a failure to acknowledge the Father’s monarchical status within the Godhead is likely to have been a contributing factor in the churches failing to comprehend Paul’s teaching on “the fellowship of the mystery hidden in God who created all things by Jesus Christ” (Eph3:9KJV); especially the fact that even after LJC’s ascension and glorification, timings and epoch remain under the auspices of God the Father (Acts1:6-7; Mk13:32)

Although featuring towards the end of my 95 theses, the subject of the Gentiles’ unforeseen access to fulness of salvation in the current age is the fount from which the vastly broader benign providence I have been outlining has stemmed. How it coalesces with the rest of Scripture is outlined in The Little Book of Providence.

Free PDF of The Little Book of Providence HERE

Large-print version suitable for mobiles HERE

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Thesis #86 of 95 - The current age is not the fulfilment of Old Testament prophecies in a spiritualized form but in terms of salvation history is a dispensation established to recruit Gentiles to the Messianic community.

Thesis #87 of 95 - The Gentile's unexpected, and according to Paul "unnatural" incorporation into the messianic community was to create "the fellowship pertaining to the secret (plan) hidden in God" . Although fore-ordained by the Father, this augmentation resulted from the refusal of God's first-choice nation to acknowledge their Messiah even after His resurrection and ascension to glory

BIBLICAL REFERENCES

Eph3:9-10 (Paul), shedding light on the administration (or fellowship) of the secret (plan) that in previous ages had been hidden in God; so that the multifaceted nature of His wisdom might become known through the church to the rulers and the authorities in the heavenly places.

 Acts18:6 But when (the Jewish leaders) resisted and blasphemed, (Paul) shook out his garments and said to them, “Your blood be on your own heads! I am clean, so from now on I will go to the Gentiles.”

Rom11:11 (The Jews) did not stumble so as to fall, did they? Far from it! For as a result of their rejection salvation has come to the Gentiles, to provoke them to jealousy! 

Rom11:16-17a If the first piece of dough is holy, the lump is also; and if the root is holy, the branches are as well. But if some of the branches were broken off, and you (Gentiles), being a wild olive, were grafted in among them and became partaker with them of the rich root of the olive tree, do not be arrogant toward the branches.

COMMENTS

The mysteries set out in these two related theses were the focal point of my first book “Fellowship of the Secret”. It resulted from what I am clear was a revelation from the Holy Spirit. But it was the Apostle Paul who first disclosed such mysteries. All, humanly speaking that I did was to take Paul at his word, more particularly in two of the passages quoted above – Eph3:9-12 and Romans11:11 (and related verses 12,15 and 30). Namely, that what we understand as  gospel salvation had never been envisaged (in Old Testament prophecy) for non-Jews in the current age. And it only became available to Gentiles in view of Jewish failure and unbelief.

That is unquestionably what Paul wrote, but he is hardly ever taken literally, largely in view of what the churches understand the New Testament to mean by “salvation” – i.e., that it is referring to the means by which human souls are to avoid perdition. As I have been explaining in the earlier theses that is simply not the case.

So firstly, note Paul’s rebuke to the Jewish leaders in Acts18:6 (above). Why should Paul not have been clean (i.e. have a clear conscience) if he brought such a message of salvation to the Gentiles and the Jews had not rejected it?  Was not such salvation envisaged for all? Clearly not: “For as a result of the Jews’ rejection, salvation has come to the Gentiles to provoke them to jealousy” (Rom11:11).

Much as exegetes might seek to dissemble, the Greek wording cannot be made to mean that Paul was speaking of protocol or order (i.e. preach to the Jews first then move on to the Gentiles), the transition occurred because of the Jew’s rejection of Christ and the message concerning Him. This only makes sense once it is has been understood that there is salvation and there is SALVATION. The latter was earmarked for the Jews alone in Old Testament prophecy but was to be made available to the nations through Paul’s revelation concerning the Gentile’s unexpected spiritual inheritance.

“Salvation” as foretold for the Gentile nations meant they would be enlightened by the Jews and pardoned in the name of Jesus if they acknowledged the Jewish Messiah as their Lord and Saviour. They would thereby receive absolution, for “all who call on the name of the Lord shall be spared“.

“SALVATION” on the other hand meant to be born again by water and Spirit, delivered from corruption by means of sanctification in the blood of sprinkling (Heb12:24) resulting in eternal life, being an interior communion with Christ and the Spirit, participation in God’s royal priesthood and a joint inheritance with the Lord of Glory. This privilege had been intended for Israel, chosen of God to be “a kingdom of priests and a holy nation” (Ex19:6). But the Church was now to have that role (1Pet2:9). This transfer (or more strictly augmentation) of privilege was a disclosure Paul would sometimes describe as “my Good News” – Paul being God’s chosen vessel through whom “He willed to make known the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles  – being Christ in you, the hope of glory!” (Col1:27)

The purpose of the current age

So as stated in thesis #86, in terms of salvation history, the current age exists to recruit Gentiles (Paul’s “wild olive plant”) into the Kingdom of God. In more secular terms this period has clearly been the age of discovery for the whole human race, hence its longevity. It is the time in which the world has engaged in the pursuit of knowledge, gained an understanding of science and the universe, discovered new medicines and developed ever more sophisticated means of transport and communication. This is knowledge and innovation that has progressed exponentially in the last century.

It has all been working towards an end, which is not to prepare for global annihilation and a spiritualized eternity but for global renaissance and resurrection. Jesus is to be the Initiator of that renaissance or regeneration (Greek: παλινγενεσίᾳ), the birth pangs for which we may well now be experiencing (Mt19:28; Mt24:8). And so the Saviour of the world has become the “long expected Jesus”.

Referring back to Old Testament expectations,  His shed blood was not exclusively to avail “as a fountain for sin and defilement for the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem” as Zechariah had foretold (13:1) – but for “the elect from every nation”. What is more:

“He is able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, because He always lives to make intercession for them. For such a High Priest was fitting for us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and has become higher than the heavens” (Heb7:25-26).

How the above fits in with Scripture as a whole has been set out in my book, freely available in PDF form HERE; larger print version for mobiles HERE.

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Thesis #85 of 95. The elect are not the totality of God's children but their firstborn, the first fruits of all true humanity.

BIBLICAL REFERENCES

 Heb12:23 To the general assembly and church of the firstborn ones who are enrolled in heaven, and to God, the Judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect

James1:18 In the exercise of His will He brought us forth by the word of truth, so that we would be a kind of first fruits among His creatures.

Rom8:23  We who have the first fruits of the Spirit, even we groan within ourselves waiting for the adoption, that is, the redemption of our body!

Rom8:29 Those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of his Son, so that He would be the Firstborn among many brothers.

Rom13:9 For this, “You shall not commit adultery, you shall not murder, you shall not steal, you shall not covet,” and if there is any other commandment, it is summed up in this saying, “You shall love your neighbour as yourself.”

COMMENTS

Firstly, a word about the terminology. “Firstborn” in the bible can mean in the literal sense the first  person out of a mother’s womb, for example Jesus being the firstborn of Mary. In the Old Testament the firstborn son is the one who inherits his father’s estate. It brings responsibilities as well as privilege and honour, which is why Esau incurred divine condemnation for disowning his birth right as firstborn son for the sake of a  tasty meal. However, first-from-the-womb is not what is being referred to in  the verses quoted above, either in the case of Jesus or His elect people. The title infers a superiority in privilege and authority over others, who nevertheless have a familial connection with that firstborn.

The clear and incontrovertible case is that of Jesus with respect to His faithful followers, aka the elect [Rom8:29 (above) which also indicates why they are referred to as “the elect”]. The amazing thing is not that Jesus is superior to His disciples but that He regards the latter as His own family. For as Paul affirms, the Christian is to be adopted into the bosom of God’s family, at least once his body has been redeemed (Rom8:23). [If you have been following my recent posts, you should know why that is.]

But the point of this thesis is that the elect (whose Firstborn is Christ – Rom8:29) themselves act as the firstborn of the whole human race. James also describes Christ’s people as “the first fruits of all creation” (James1:18). The writer to the Hebrews depicts the elect of God as the “church of the firstborn” (Heb12:23), the key point being that “firstborn” [Greek: πρωτοτόκων] is plural. It is not referring to Christ but His people.

Of whom are they the firstborn? It is of all who are “of God”, most of whom are not “the elect”. For as the New Testament also affirms, everyone who loves is born of God and knows God (1Jn4:7); everyone who loves his neighbour as himself fulfils the spirit and heart of God’s law (Rom13:9); everyone who possess “agape”  such that they show compassion to the needy (with whom the Son of Man personally identifies) shall be accepted into God’s Kingdom (Mt25:40).

Yet by no means are all the above “saved” in the gospel sense. For, referring back to my earlier post, that pertains to being delivered from “the body of this death” (Rom7:24-25) through a relationship with Christ and the enabling of the Holy Spirit. It enables God’s chosen ones to “put to death the deeds of the body” and have their “consciences cleansed from dead works to serve the living God” (Heb9:14). Paul also refers to God’s elect as having the “first fruits of the Spirit” (Rom8:23). In all the above cases, “first fruit” is indicative that more shall follow. Likewise, the church being “the firstborn ones” infers that they have (or are to have) an overseeing/ruling/representational role within a much larger family.

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Thesis #84 of 95 - The precise function and destiny of God's elect people has yet to be disclosed - but it in view of their designated status it must align with that of their Spouse, whose universal governance and reign of peace shall continue for ever.

BIBLICAL REFERENCES

Is9:6,7 A child will be born to us, a son will be given to us; And the government will rest on His shoulders; And His name will be called Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace. There will be no end to the increase of His government or of peace.

Mt19:28-30 At the regeneration [παλινγενεσίᾳ], when the Son of Man will sit on His glorious throne, you (the 12) also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or farms on account of My name, will receive many times as much, and will inherit eternal life. ³⁰ But many who are first will be last; and the last, first.

1Cor6:3 Do you not know that we will judge angels? How much more matters of this life?

Rev5:9-10 You (O Christ) purchased people for God with Your blood from every tribe, language, people, and nation. You have made them to be kings and priests to our God, and they will reign upon the earth.”

Rev19:7 Let’s rejoice and be glad and give the glory to Him, because the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His bride has prepared herself.”

Gen15:5 He took (Abram) outside and said, “Now look toward the heavens and count the stars, if indeed you are able to count them.” And He said to him, “So shall your descendants be. 😲 יִצְחָ֔ק

COMMENTS

Given that God’s elect are designated to be the future corporate-Spouse of Jesus Christ, one would expect they would share in His activities, which must pertain to sovereignty, rule, judgement and the like. As Isaiah foretold concerning the Church’s Bridegroom-to-be: “Unto us a Child is born; unto us a Son is given; and the government shall be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of His government and peace there will be no end, upon the throne of David and over His Kingdom, to order and establish it with judgement and justice from that time forward, even for ever”.

The concept that the Jesus people are to judge, rule and enlighten others is not restricted to Old Testament prophecies, it is evident in the gospels, epistles and Revelation, some verses from which have been quoted above. However, the qualities required for those who have already  been reconciled to God as His children are faithfulness, humility and self-discipline. That is why Jesus taught that it is next to impossible for the rich and powerful of this age to enter the Kingdom of God (Mk10:25) – they lack the humility. And ironically in view of what I am disclosing here, they believe they have too much to lose in following Christ.

That in part is because, as considered in my previous thesis, many Christians have an over-spiritualized view of the afterlife: harps, clouds, beatific visions and the like, which naturally is reflected in the churches’ evangelism. For sure, such a scenario may indeed apply to what is currently experienced in heaven, and no doubt it is more blissful than anything that could be experienced whilst in mortal flesh. But the souls of the departed are depicted in Scripture as being  asleep whereas I am referring to the soul’s ultimate destiny – when it shall be re-embodied and very much awake.

What Jesus indicates in that context is a perfected and perpetual version of what we have experienced on earth (e.g., Mt19:28-30). And given the indisputable physicality, the new age of necessity must be at least as hierarchical as the current one (cf. Mk10:40), albeit that the order shall have radically changed. For as Paul affirmed (1Cor1:26), relatively few from the higher ranks of human society have come to gospel salvation. The weak and foolish of this world are to shame the wise and mighty (1Cor1:26-27) so that no one may boast in God’s presence. [As Jesus affirmed, His disciples are necessarily “losers” in the worldly sense Mt16:25].

And there will be no boasting, for personal priorities and aspirations will be so very different. Many who seek power and privilege in the current age do so out of greed or hubris. But having in life been conformed to the image of Christ (Rom 8:29), that will not be the case for the elect of God. The apotheosis of their joy will be to see Jesus Christ and Him glorified; their greatest privilege to be that they of all people will be the most closely associated with Him. And the thrill of their hearts will be that the new earth “WILL be filled with the knowledge of the glory of God as the waters cover the sea(Hab2:14). As to yet more distant aeons, speculators might look to the skies and extrapolate.

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Thesis #82 of 95 - The Christian's ultimate destiny is bodily resurrection as Joint-Consort to the King of Kings, not "Requiem Eternam"

Thesis #83 of 95 - There is to be a new Heaven AND a new earth where righteousness dwells

BIBLICAL REFERENCES

1Cor11:30 For this reason (disrespecting the Eucharist) many among you are weak and sick, and a number even asleep.

1Cor15:51-52 I tell you a mystery; we will not all sleep, but we will all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet; for the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised!

Rom8:23 Also we ourselves who have the first fruits of the Spirit, even we groan within ourselves, waiting eagerly for our adoption as sons and daughters, i.e., the redemption of our body!

2Cor5:2  In this tent we are groaning, longing to be clothed with our dwelling which is FROM heaven [Greek: ἐξ οὐρανοῦ]

2Pet3:13 According to His promise we are looking for new heavens and a new earth, in which righteousness has been established.

COMMENTS

The essentials of these two related theses are summarized in the verses above. Firstly, that physical death, as depicted by Paul and others, is described as falling asleep and  those who have died are regarded in Scripture as being asleep. It follows therefore that what departed souls are currently experiencing in the afterlife is a temporary situation. Just as in life, sleep is a transitory and confined state of being.

The Good News is there is to be life after life-after-death, and it shall be physical in nature – both in terms of individuals’ state of being and their environment. That is not speculation but the indisputable teaching of the bible. It was demonstrated by Christ Himself after His resurrection when he met and breakfasted with His disciples. And Paul describes Jesus in this context as the first-fruit of all who sleep (1Cor15:20).

THE SOURCE OF MANKIND’S PROBLEM WITH SIN

As I have been explaining, mankind’s problem resulting from the Fall is what Paul variously describes as our “vessel” (1Thes4:4), “tent” (2Cor5:2)  “body of sin” (Rom6:6), or “body of this death” (Rom7:24). I tend to refer to this entity as our “procreated intellectual vessel”. “Procreated” to indicate its immediate and material origins and “intellectual” in that it incorporates the brain. As an earlier thesis explains, Paul’s teaching here is at the heart of what gospel salvation is for and seemingly has been misunderstood by virtually everyone. It is evident from the verse quoted from Rom8 that what Paul understands the Christian awaits so as to be adopted into God’s immediate family is the redemption of the body (v23).

Christians have traditionally understood the source of fallen mankind’s problem to be his “heart” and soul. In terms of the spiritual component’s origins, soul-creationists rightly understand that God implants our spiritual essence (that which survives physical death) within the embryo at or prior to birth. This accords with Paul and Peter’s vessel/tent language – the spiritual essence is the real us, the body and brain make up the vessel in which our eternal souls temporarily reside. That, no doubt is why Augustine came to reject soul-creationism. The implication in the context of his theology (largely adopted by the Western Church), is that man had been divinely provided with what is sin-ridden and then punished for possessing it. The alternative perspective (traducianism) is the extraordinary idea that the spiritual and eternal essence of man is derived from that which is material and temporal (sperm and ovaries). Soul-creationism (in the context of Western theology) is unavoidably God-maligning whilst traducianism is quite irrational. Both will have delighted Satan’s ears, for in the first case it depicts the Creator as perverse or hateful, and in both cases depicts man as rotten at his core.

Not so, writes Paul in Rom7:14-25 – at least, that will be seen to be the case once it is accepted that the apostle affirms man to be comprised of body, soul and spirit (cf. 1Thes5:23). Also, that his references to “flesh” literally mean flesh, not “sinful nature”. Likewise, his references to “mind” in that passage pertain not to the brain but to the moral outworking of the spirit or “inner man” (v22). The latter, Paul affirms in v20 is his true self – not his temporary vessel, but the eternal essence it houses which departs the body at death. That is itself an intellectual, memory-retraining entity (cf. Lk16:25). This contextualizes the inner mental conflict he is describing in Rom7 that results in two opposing laws or governing principles within his psyche (v23). And when the apostle speaks of “the law in my members” he is of course referring to the bodily senses as they are processed through the brain. That organ, wondrous as it is, is the ultimate, albeit temporal source of man’s problem with sin.

LOCATION AND ENVIRONMENT

2Cor5:2 when rightly translated affirms that the soul’s eternal dwelling is not “our heavenly home”, as in many bible versions, but that which is from heaven (ἐξ οὐρανοῦ), namely our resurrection body (the NASB rightly affirms this in its annotation). And as the apostle Peter (2Pet3:13) writes, the current earth is to be either renewed or replaced by another earth in which righteousness has been established” [Greek: κατοικεῖ]. It should be evident by now, even to non-premillennialists, that such cannot happen on this earth until Christ has returned.

This, like much else I have set out, will be alien to many. But unlike any theological system I am aware of, these interpretations are integrated within a cohesive synopsis of the whole bible in The Little Book of Providence. It is that intrinsic cohesion that, apart from the extraordinary experiences I have encountered, is the greatest evidence of the Holy Spirit’s enabling in this undertaking. For I know it to be far beyond anything I could possibly devise unaided.  

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Thesis #81 of 95 - There are verses in the bible that hint of absolute universalism. Given that the wicked shall undoubtedly receive post-mortem punishment, the matter should have no impact on one's conduct or life choices.

BIBLICAL REFERENCES

1Tim4:10 [NASB] – We have set our hope on the living God, who is the Saviour of all mankind, especially of believers.

Rom7:23-25 I see another law in my (bodily) members, warring against the law of my (spiritual) mind bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members. Wretched man that I am! Who will set me free from the body of THIS death? Thanks be to God, (it is) through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, on the one hand I in my mind am serving the law of God, but on the other, with my flesh the law of sin.

Rom8:20-21 For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it,  in hope  that the creation itself also will be set free from its slavery to corruption into the freedom of the glory of the children of God. 

1Pet4:6 [KJV] For this cause was the gospel preached also to them that are dead, that they might be judged according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit.

COMMENTS

Many Christians, not least those of my former ilk, have problems with the verses I have quoted, particularly the one from Paul’s letter to Timothy concerning God being the Saviour of all mankind ESPECIALLY of those who believe. It appears to undermine their raison d’être, indeed the very purpose of the gospel as they understand it. As a former Evangelical myself I remember questioning my pastor about the verse. I was assured that theologians were working on the matter; the matter being the meaning of “μάλιστα” rightly translated as I have quoted from the NASB as “especially”. Presumably, these theologians are still working on it for “μάλιστα” is “μάλιστα” – it can only be translated as “especially” or some very similar synonym/phrase such as “chiefly” or “most of all”. It cannot be translated as “specifically”, “exclusively” or “that is” which is what most would have expected Paul to have written in this context. The Greek word’s usage can be verified by examining every occurrence of μάλιστα in the New Testament on bible hub and noting that in all cases it can only sensibly mean what has just been stated.

Other attempts to explain this verse in the context of traditional binary soteriology include the notion that Paul is referring on the one hand to human life and on the other to a soul’s eternal destiny. The problem is that whilst God certainly sustains all life, He does not in any sense save everybody from the disasters of life, even from an early grave. A significant proportion historically have through no fault of their own or their parents failed to survive infancy. Paul must therefore be referring to people’s eternal estate. For, after all, why did God create man in His own image in the first place? It was surely that as the pinnacle of His creation along with the angels, we should come to know Him, worship Him and enjoy Him – if not in this life, then in that which follows.

Others argue that Paul meant that God is the only One who can save anyone. But read the verse through again – “μάλιστα” (=especially) simply cannot be made to fit that meaning. Others again (μάλιστα😊 Arminian Evangelicals) say Paul is making the point that Christ’s atonement was unlimited – He died for all. He did, but, as they would agree, only those who come to know Him as their personal Saviour are saved in the gospel sense. So again, μάλιστα” cannot be made to fit the bill.

No, either Paul is being dangerously clumsy with his wording, or he is theologically unsound (in which case we cannot really trust his teaching at all) OR he means exactly what he writes. That is effectively that there is salvation and there is SALVATION – which is precisely the case I have been making throughout. My other quotation from Romans 7 indicates how this comes about, but only when that passage is taken literally (e.g., “flesh”= bodily flesh, not “sinful nature”). As I have been explaining, the central soteriological problem he identifies in that chapter is “the body of this death”. That is, the procreated intellectual vessel in which (from a  soul-creationist perspective) the God-given spirit temporarily resides.

The result is that whilst our “inner man”/”heart”/spiritual essence/conscience  inclines us to do what Paul affirms elsewhere fulfils both the spirit and summation of God’s Law (treating others as we would ourselves – Rom13:9), we tend to act more selfishly in view of the “different law in the bodily members” (Rom7:23), i.e. the opposing impulses of the bodily senses as they are processed through the brain. So, asks Paul, who alone can deliver us from the body of this death such that we are consistently enabled to overcome our fleshly instincts?  It is our Saviour God through Jesus Christ (v25).

Thus, only the Christian can be saved from the corrupting influence of the procreated intellectual vessel whilst the soul and spirit inhabit it. In Paul’s language, only the Christian “can possess his own vessel in sanctity and honour” (1Thes4:4). The remedy for the rest is more drastic – physical death when body and brain are buried or incinerated. But except they die in infancy, their souls will have been tainted, potentially poisoned and corrupted by the lives they have lived in mortal flesh. As covered in the previous thesis, that could require what Jesus described as “salting in fire” before the soul can rest in heaven prior to bodily resurrection within “the new heavens and new earth where righteousness dwells” (2Pet3:13).

As should also be evident from the previous thesis, my endeavour has been to outline a vastly broader benign providence than traditional bible-based Christianity has previously envisaged, not to make the case for absolute universalism. Paul on the other hand could be, if he had been given insights concerning what is to happen in future epochs (cf. Eph2:7). Unlike him, I have not been “caught up into paradise to hear unspeakable words which it is not lawful for a man to utter” (2Cor12:4). I have to rely on what has been at least implicated in Scripture. So going back to Jesus’s teaching, He indicates that some people are  beyond salting or purging (Mk9:50). That implies they could never repent or change from what they have become – whatever enlightening or processing they might receive. They refuse to be saved.

Yet even if that is the case, God can still be regarded as the Saviour of all humanity. For, if given further opportunity to repent and having been enlightened with gospel truth (which is assuredly not the case for the majority in this life  – cf. 1Pet4:6), a soul still refuses to acquiesce, God, however loving, would not force anyone against their will to act and be what they are incapable of doing and being – most especially to love and serve Christ. But then such a soul might no longer be regarded as fully human – if there is not so much as a flicker of resemblance to the divine image, at the heart of which is love. And so, it could be said, for all true humanity, God is their Saviour, but more immediately and gloriously so for those who having believed (and also shared in Christ’s suffering), become the heirs of God and co-heirs with His Son (Rom8:17).    

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_{[These posts pertain to an expansive revelation concerning divine providence. It was the result of a prophetic insight received by the author, who believes the process he is involved with is itself a fulfilment of scriptural prophecy, both canonical and extra-canonical – more particularly Revelation chapter ten and two related passages from the Book of Enoch (ch93:8-10 and ch104:11-13 Charles edition numbering). The full picture is set out in “The Little Book of Providence”  and summarized in 95 theses HERE ]}.

Thesis #78 of 95 - Hell is as much a reality as Heaven and may involve sensual pain for its inhabitants.

Thesis #79 of 95 - As in life, post-mortem punishment can be for the purpose of healing as well as destruction.

Thesis #80 of 95 - God has intimated that every soul that can be healed and restored shall ultimately be so, for He takes no pleasure in the death of the wicked.

BIBLICAL REFERENCES

Luk16:24 Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus so that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool off my tongue, for I am in agony in this flame

Mk9:45-50 If your foot should be your downfall, cut it off; it is better for you to enter into life crippled than to have two feet and be thrown into hell. And if your eye should be your downfall, tear it out; it is better for you to enter into the Kingdom of God with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into hell, in which their worm will never dies nor their fire be put out. For everyone will be salted with fire – salt being a good thing but if salt has become insipid, how can you make it salty again. Have salt in yourselves and be at peace with one another.

1Cor3:14-15If anyone’s work which he has built on it remains, he will receive a reward. If anyone’s work is burned up, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet only so as through fire.

COMMENTS

This is undoubtedly a perplexing area of biblical study and not surprisingly has been a catalyst for distortions in both the practice of the Christian faith and the presentation of the Gospel. These three related theses affirm that such a place as hell exists, but also that judgemental fire can be for the purpose of purification as much as for punishment.

The featured photo is the township of Hell in Michigan, USA. Likewise, Gehenna (the hell of the bible) was named after a place on earth – the Valley of Hinnom outside Jerusalem. That had been used as a waste dump for the city, constantly smouldering and smoking. Heinous deeds were also associated with this valley during the time when Jerusalem was ruled by pagans, including the sacrifice of children.

As Jesus makes clear in his parable, the hell of the bible is a place of punishment and is best avoided. But for most attendees it is likely to be a place of learning (the hard way), self-enlightenment, purging and preparation. For there is no distinction between the fires of hell and “purgatory” either in the bible or the writings of those who had received the Faith directly from the apostle.

And whilst we have a merciful and pardoning God, pardon per se is not sufficient for souls that have been poisoned and corrupted. Pardon is one thing; fittedness to play a part in the Apostle Peter’s longed-for “new heavens and new earth where righteousness dwells” is another. Purging and salting will be necessary for some; neither can such be guaranteed to be devoid of suffering – sensual and mental.

In terms of longevity, if punishment is to be proportional – the principle applied to God’s peoples’ offences against Old Testament Law – it arithmetically cannot be eternal. The New Testament speaks of post-mortem punishment enduring for an age (Greek: αἰώνιος which tends to be translated as “eternal”). The notion that punishment in hell can be temporary should be evident from Jesus’ teaching regarding name calling. Note the gradations: “I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother shall be answerable to the court; and whoever says to his brother, ‘You good-for-nothing,’ shall be answerable to the Sanhedrin, whilst whoever says, ‘You fool,’ shall be guilty enough to experience hell fire” (Mt5:22). Think about it.

Think also about what was scripturally established in the previous few theses – that God is equitable and reasonable, even from a human perspective. What is more, He is rich in mercy. The Creator’s predisposition is as follows: “As I live!’ declares the Lord God, ‘I take no pleasure at all in the death of the wicked, but rather that the wicked turn from his way and live” (Ezek33:11). He desires that all who can be redeemed are redeemed and knows that that process will not be completed for many in this life (Jn6:44; Mt7:14).

An earlier post  citing Paul’s reference to those who are saved “as through fire” covers the subject of post-mortem judgement in a bit more detail, including what Jesus meant by the need for souls to be salted. That is the key to unravelling this more fearsome dimension to the God-who-is-love’s providential plans for humanity (Rev10:7).

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