Bible Question:
Please define God. I am putting together a primer for Life in Christ Jesus. As some of you know, I serve the Lord in Japan, and need your input. Remember, don't take for granted that all people know everything about Christianity (like Americans :-)) I will be asking for other definitions in the future. Please help me to think of other things that should be defined in order to understand Life in Christ Jesus for those who do not live in 'Christian' countries. Also, though I would appreciate 'simple' Scriptures to help in the definition, know that Scripture *alone* is not understood by a good portion of the world. Use commonly understood terms and concepts, and common sense. Many thanks and blessings in Christ Jesus, charis |
Bible Answer: Dear charis, This is not so much an answer to your question but an encouragement for you. It's thrilling to hear that you are putting together a primer on the Life that Christ offers us. Many Christians think that the only barrier between God and man is that man sins (thinks, feels, and acts contrary to the law of God). But, as you know, man's core problem is that he is born spiritually dead. We are born dead in trespasses and sins Rom 5:12; Eph 2:1. This spiritual death, separation from God, is the root of the branches (sins we commit). Many times evangelical Christianity offers altar calls to come forward and get sins forgiven but we leave people in the dark as to the fact that they were dead 'in Adam' and Christ came to give 'life', spiritual union with God. When I first heard this message (and verified it through the scriptures) I had been a Christian for 29 years! I went back and read the gospels (especially John) and LIFE popped out at me from everywhere! I saw that my need was not only for forgiveness but for LIFE. I just thought that Jesus wanted into MY life. I didn't understand that He IS my life Gal 2:20. A forgiven dead man is still dead. Christ raises us to new spiritual life Rom 8:2 and forgives the sin that killed us so that we will never die again. In fact, that is one of the analogies I use when explaining the gospel. If a man dies from cancer and you resurrect him, but don't cure what killed him (cancer), he will just die again. If you just cure his cancer, but leave him dead, you have not helped him. You must do 2 things. Cure his cancer (what killed him) and raise him to life. Only then have you truly restored life to Him. What a wondrous thing Christ has done for and in us! He raises us to eternal life in Christ and forgives what killed us! Anyway, growing up in the U.S., I don't have much insight into Eastern culture or thinking. But I would probably start with the concept of God as creator. Every culture looks at creation, sees the beauty and design there, and wonders who made it. Creation teaches us that God exists but it doesn't tell us much about what God is like. That is where Christ comes in. He is the exact representation of the Father. In fact, eventually you can go to John chapter 1 to demonstrate that Christ Himself was the Creator. The Trinity is a difficult concept for Americans, I don't know how open the Japanese are to it. But it must be spiritually understood and accepted be faith in the long run anyway. I pray that God will bless you and guide you as you endeavor to share the message of 'Christ in you, the hope of glory.' You may want to repost your question in the queue, brother so that others will see it. Blessings in Christ, Bill Mc |