Prior Book | Prior Chapter | Prior Verse | Next Verse | Next Chapter | Next Book | Viewing NASB and Amplified 2015 | |
NASB | Matthew 3:15 But Jesus answering said to him, "Permit it at this time; for in this way it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness." Then he *permitted Him. |
AMPLIFIED 2015 | Matthew 3:15 But Jesus replied to him, "Permit it just now; for this is the fitting way for us to fulfill all righteousness." Then John permitted [it and baptized] Him. |
Subject: Character of Purpose |
Bible Note: Dear Daniel, Words mean something. They must be understood to have meaning and logical consequences. My summation of your teachings arose wholly out of your own words. God gave us language before the Fall (Genesis 2:16). He gives us a verbal revelation, and Christ is the Word incarnate (John 1:1; Hebrews 1:1-2). If words are that important to Him, how can we esteem them but just as highly? Everyone is a theologian, whether they recognize the fact or not. Each of us builds an organization of our perceptions into patterns that seem to make sense to us. Even denying a theology is a kind of theology. The real issue is not if we have a theology, but whether we have good theology or bad theology! We are commanded to "destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ." (2 Corinthians 10:5 ESV) Furthermore, we are told to absolutely avoid anything that is not of "sound doctrine" (1 Timothy 1:8-10). Paul asserted, "We have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge [epignosis] of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to Him, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God." (Colossians 1:9a-10 ESV) Jesus assured us that we would be set free by truth (John 8:32). Although love is the summum bonum in terms of Christian virtues (1 Corinthians 13), it is not the foundation of our faith. We are saved by grace through faith (Ephesians 2:8), not by love, as you assert. The only love that a lost person has is the love of the world (1 John 2:15). Love isn't even the greatest attribute of God. We are told that He is love (1 John 4:8b). But nowhere does it emphasize the love of God as it does His holiness. We are told that He is thrice holy (Isaiah 6:3; Revelation 4:8), not that He is thrice loving. Even when God speaks of Himself, His emphasis is not love. Assuming that a lost person -- dead in their sins (Ephesians 2:1b) -- could manifest love for something other than himself, it would still be insufficient to clear him of his guilt before God. God never, ever acquits the guilty (Exodus 34:7), regardless of what they think, say, or do. Sin always receives its due (Romans 5:12). Furthermore, what is the single greatest commandment? I'm sure that you remember. It is to "love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength." (Matthew 12:30 ESV) Think about this. Have you ever really loved the Lord with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength? (You certainly haven't with your mind if you discount the importance of doctrine.) I know that I have not! God needn't go on with any further commandments, for we are doomed by the greatest commandment! Young man, you are looking at love as a meritorious means of redemption. This denies the fundamental message of the Gospel, and drains grace from it completely. It also misrepresents love entirely. Love is always a matter of doing (John 3:16; John 14:21; 1 John 5:3). It starts out with knowing, for love is never mindless. Biblical love is the visible evidence of the work of regeneration God has performed in a believer (Galatians 5:22). The tree is always known by its fruit (Luke 6:44). Let's be extremely careful we get the Gospel message correct for the sake of those to whom we preach (Romans 10:14), and that we may not draw the condemnation of Galatians 1:8. In Him, Doc PS All sentient creatures freely make behavioral choices in full accordance with their natures. We can discuss the nature of the human will, but it pales into insignificance if we error in our understanding of the Gospel. |