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NASB | John 3:16 ¶ "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. |
AMPLIFIED 2015 | John 3:16 ¶ "For God so [greatly] loved and dearly prized the world, that He [even] gave His [One and] only begotten Son, so that whoever believes and trusts in Him [as Savior] shall not perish, but have eternal life. |
Subject: Who is Jesus' God? |
Bible Note: Hi CDB, I’ll respond to a question asked of me by a couple of you recently of which is, What’s necessary for one to be saved. I open with the apostle’s Paul and Silas’ reply to the jailer just after their miraculous release from prison bonds, “They said: “Believe on the Lord Jesus and you will get saved, you and your household.” 32 And they spoke the word of Jehovah (according to 7 Hebrew Translations) to him together with all those in his house. 33 And he took them along in that hour of the night and bathed their stripes; and, one and all, he and his were baptized without delay. “ Yes, believing who Jesus is and what he taught is paramount to having divine approval. But more is needed since even the Demons believe. Jesus’ half brother says at James 2:19, “ You believe there is one God, do you? You are doing quite well. And yet the demons believe and shudder.” Along with that believing the previous verse, verse 18 tells us that we must have “faith and works” to be pleasing to God. Notice though that verse 19 also mentions believing that there is one God. If Jesus is “a god” and Jehovah is Almighty God, then does this verse present a problem with this theology? I’ll allow the Scriptures to respond. 1 Corinthians 8:5 answers saying, “For even though there are those who are called “gods,” whether in heaven or on earth, just as there are many “gods” and many “lords,” 6 there is actually to us one God the Father, out of whom all things are, and we for him; and there is one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom all things are, and we through him.” I will refrain from commenting and allow God’s holy spirit to direct understanding to those whom he draws, as John 6:44 says concerning Jesus “No man can come to me unless the Father, who sent me, draws him”. Thus, what we do with what we have learned and believe must be included. Jesus put it this way at John 14:12, “He that exercises faith in me, that one also will do the works that I do.” Here Jesus tells us that faith in him and the doing of his works are to be included. Jesus’ primary work while on earth was according to his own words were as recorded for us at John 18:37 to Pilate’s question, “Well, then, are you a king?”, Jesus replied: “You yourself are saying that I am a king. For this I have been born, and for this I have come into the world, that I should bear witness to the truth. Everyone that is on the side of the truth listens to my voice.” As the Scriptures show, the truth to which he bore witness was not just truth in general. It was the all-important truth of what God’s purposes were and are, truth based on the fundamental fact of God’s sovereign will, His right as Creator to rule and His ability to fulfill that will. By his ministry Jesus revealed that truth, contained in “the sacred secret,” mentioned in Eph. 1:9,10 as being God’s Kingdom with Jesus Christ, the “son of David,” serving as King-Priest on the throne. Again at John 17:6,26 are Jesus’ words and they tell us another all-important truth where he says, “I have made your name manifest to the men you gave me . . . I have made your name known to them and will make it known, in order that the love with which you loved me may be in them.” This is emphasized by it being the first thing Jesus prayed for in his model prayer of Matthew 6:9 “‘Our Father in the heavens, let your name be sanctified. “ or “treated holy” or “held sacred”. Yes, Jesus and his followers are “known” for using God’s name, Jehovah and treating it very very special, since it’s the highest name in all the universe. Well, “The conclusion of the matter, everything having been heard, is: Fear the [true] God and keep his commandments. For this is the whole [obligation] of man. 14 For the [true] God himself will bring every sort of work into the judgment in relation to every hidden thing, as to whether it is good or bad. Eccl. 12:13. I hope you enjoyed reading this, as I enjoyed writing it. I hope too that it was non-controversial as I'm trying. Tara1 |