We believe in one God (Monotheism) the Father Almighty (Theology Proper) maker of heaven and earth (Creatio ex Nihilo; Providence; Sovereignty) of all things visible and invisible (Spiritual Realm; Angelology)
And in one Lord Jesus Christ (Christology) the only Son of God (Eternal Sonship) begotten from the Father before all ages (Pre-existence) God from God, Light from Light (Unity of Essence) true God from true God (Generation) begotten, not made (Uncreated) of the same essence as the Father (Homoousios) Through him all things were made (Economic Trinity) For us and for our salvation (Soteriology) he came down from heaven (Humiliation of Christ) he became incarnate by the Holy Spirit and the virgin Mary (Incarnation; Virgin Birth) and was made human (Two Natures of Christ; Hypostatic Union; Dyothelitism) He was crucified for us under Pontius Pilate (Substitutionary Atonement; Historicity) he suffered and was buried (Passion of Christ) The third day he rose again, according to the Scriptures (Resurrection; Prophetic Fulfillment) He ascended to heaven (Ascension; Exaltation) and is seated at the right hand of the Father (Session of Christ) He will come again with glory (Parousia) to judge the living and the dead (Judgement) His kingdom will never end (Eternal Reign)
And we believe in the Holy Spirit (Pneumatology) the Lord, the giver of life (Regeneration) He proceeds from the Father and the Son (Filioque) and with the Father and the Son is worshiped and glorified (Trinitarianism) He spoke through the prophets (Inspiration) We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic church (Ecclesiology; Apostolicity; Oneness of the Body of Christ) We affirm one baptism for the forgiveness of sins (Sacramentology) We look forward to the resurrection of the dead (Eschatology) and to life in the world to come (New Creation) Amen.
When God gave Moses the design for the Tabernacle, He said:
"Exactly as I show you concerning the pattern of the tabernacle, and of all its furniture, so you shall make it." —Exodus 25:9
When David gave Solomon the plans for the Temple, he said:
"All this he made clear to me in writing from the hand of the LORD, all the work to be done according to the plan." —1 Chronicles 28:19
So God has a specific plan in mind when the earthly Tabernacle and Temple are built. These temporary earthly dwellings are simply shadows of the heavenly reality. There is a Temple in Heaven and an altar, as well. We see both in Revelation:
Revelation 7:15 "Therefore they are before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his temple; and he who sits on the throne will shelter them with his presence."
Revelation 8:3 And another angel came and stood at the altar with a golden censer, and he was given much incense to offer with the prayers of all the saints on the golden altar before the throne...
Hebrews seems to confirm this idea:
Hebrews 9:11-12 But when Christ appeared as a high priest of the good things that have come, then through the greater and more perfect tent (not made with hands, that is, not of this creation) he entered once for all into the holy places, not by means of the blood of goats and calves but by means of his own blood, thus securing an eternal redemption.
Hebrews 10:12 But when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God...
Many theologians, particularly Reformed and Catholic, see Christ's sacrifice as not merely earthly, but heavenly. By offering His blood on the heavenly altar, He secured salvation for all people. As this altar exists outside of time, along with God, the sacrifice is able to atone for sins past, present, and future.
It gives insight into how people before Jesus could be cleansed by His blood. It also helps us understand how His sacrifice 2000 years ago can still apply to believers today.
How was the glory of the Second Temple greater than the First?
Haggai 2:9 "The latter glory of this house shall be greater than the former, says the LORD of hosts. "And in this place I will give peace," declares the LORD of hosts.
Rabbi Rashi understood this glory to refer to the physical splendor of the Second Temple. Herod had poured money into beautifying the Temple and Rashi sees this as the fulfillment of God's promise.
In the first century, rabbis, such as Rabbi Hillel, understood it to mean that the Jews' growing devotion to the Lord, as well as anticipation of the Messiah, was the fulfillment. They saw increased learning, piousness, and faithfulness as what was meant.
However, it's noteworthy that Jews acknowledged the mystery that no fire fell from heaven to consume the consummation offering, as it did with the Tabernacle and the First Temple. Additionally, there was no peace in the Second Temple, as Israel was under Greek and Roman rule. Jews also acknowledge that God's Shekinah glory was absent from the Temple. So how can the glory of the Second Temple be greater than that of the First? Gold and silver alone cannot make the Temple more glorious than one with God's Spirit filling it!
As Christians, we know that this prophecy was fulfilled by Jesus, who visited the Temple, teaching and performing miracles. As God, His immediate physical and spiritual presence was greater than the spiritual presence of God, which remained at a distance.
As the Temple is now destroyed, we can have confidence that this is the only possible interpretation of the prophecy.
Over the last three days, I shared Scriptures that show times when God answers prayer immediately, when God waits a long time to answer prayer, and when God explicitly says, "no" to prayer. I think these Scriptures are helpful for us in a variety of ways.
1. They show us that God can, and does, answer prayer. In Elisha's case, it was his persistence. In Hezekiah's case, it was God's grace. In Tabitha's case, it was Peter's faith.
2. They encourage us to continue in prayer, even when it seems like God doesn't hear us. In Israel's case, He was giving grace to the Canaanites until their sin had been too much. In Hannah's case, He was waiting for her to surrender completely to Him. In Zechariah and Elizabeth's case, He was waiting for the right time to answer.
3. When our prayers seem unanswered, they give us insight into possible reasons. In Moses' case, God had already told him, "no," but he kept asking anyway. In David's case, it was judgement for his sin. In Paul's case, it was to keep him humble.
So long as our prayers are made honestly, sinlessly, and faithfully, God encourages us to continue to beseech Him and to continue in prayer. He hears our prayers — He does! So know that you aren't being ignored by God, He may simply want you to trust Him and have patience.
Deuteronomy 3:23, 25-26 And I pleaded with the LORD at that time, saying, 'Please let me go over and see the good land beyond the Jordan, that good hill country and Lebanon.' But the LORD was angry with me because of you and would not listen to me. And the LORD said to me, 'Enough from you; do not speak to me of this matter again.'
2. David pleads for the life of his baby
2 Samuel 12:15b-16,18a And the LORD afflicted the child that Uriah's wife bore to David, and he became sick. David therefore sought God on behalf of the child. And David fasted and went in and lay all night on the ground. On the seventh day the child died.
3. Paul's thorn
2 Corinthians 12:7-9a So to keep me from becoming conceited because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to harass me, to keep me from becoming conceited. Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me. But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness."
Three times God answered prayer, but only after a long time:
1. The Israelites
Exodus 12:40 The time that the people of Israel lived in Egypt was 430 years.
Exodus 2:23 During those many days the king of Egypt died, and the people of Israel groaned because of their slavery and cried out for help. Their cry for rescue from slavery came up to God.
Exodus 3:7-8a Then the LORD said, "I have surely seen the affliction of my people who are in Egypt and have heard their cry because of their taskmasters. I know their sufferings, and I have come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up out of that land to a good and broad land, a land flowing with milk and honey..."
2. Hannah
1 Samuel 1:4-7a
On the day when Elkanah sacrificed, he would give portions to Peninnah his wife and to all her sons and daughters. But to Hannah he gave a double portion, because he loved her, though the LORD had closed her womb. And her rival used to provoke her grievously to irritate her, because the LORD had closed her womb. So it went on year by year.
1 Samuel 1:10 She was deeply distressed and prayed to the LORD and wept bitterly.
1 Samuel 1:19b-20 ...and the LORD remembered her. And in due time Hannah conceived and bore a son, and she called his name Samuel, for she said, "I have asked for him from the LORD."
3. Zechariah & Elizabeth
Luke 1:5,7,13
In the days of Herod, king of Judea, there was a priest named Zechariah, of the division of Abijah. And he had a wife from the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth. But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and both were advanced in years. But the angel said to him, "Do not be afraid, Zechariah, for your prayer has been heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John."
When Elisha came into the house, he saw the child lying dead on his bed. So he went in and shut the door behind the two of them and prayed to the LORD. Then he went up and lay on the child, putting his mouth on his mouth, his eyes on his eyes, and his hands on his hands. And as he stretched himself upon him, the flesh of the child became warm. Then he got up again and walked once back and forth in the house, and went up and stretched himself upon him. The child sneezed seven times, and the child opened his eyes.
2. Isaiah 38:1-5
In those days Hezekiah became sick and was at the point of death. And Isaiah the prophet the son of Amoz came to him, and said to him, "Thus says the LORD: Set your house in order, for you shall die, you shall not recover." Then Hezekiah turned his face to the wall and prayed to the LORD, and said, "Please, O LORD, remember how I have walked before you in faithfulness and with a whole heart, and have done what is good in your sight." And Hezekiah wept bitterly. Then the word of the LORD came to Isaiah: "Go and say to Hezekiah, Thus says the LORD, the God of David your father: I have heard your prayer; I have seen your tears. Behold, I will add fifteen years to your life.
3. Acts 9:36-40
Now there was in Joppa a disciple named Tabitha, which, translated, means Dorcas. She was full of good works and acts of charity. In those days she became ill and died, and when they had washed her, they laid her in an upper room. Since Lydda was near Joppa, the disciples, hearing that Peter was there, sent two men to him, urging him, "Please come to us without delay." So Peter rose and went with them. And when he arrived, they took him to the upper room. All the widows stood beside him weeping and showing tunics and other garments that Dorcas made while she was with them. But Peter put them all outside, and knelt down and prayed; and turning to the body he said, "Tabitha, arise." And she opened her eyes, and when she saw Peter she sat up.
For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen asleep. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. — 1 Corinthians 15:3-7
Paul quotes this creed in his first Epistle to the Corinthians, which he wrote around 54 CE. However, we note that Paul states he "delivered to you" meaning he had conveyed this creed to the Corinthians when he visited them, between 50 and 52 CE. "As of first importance" suggests we can date Paul delivering this creed early on, so 50 CE is reasonable.
When did Paul receive this? If Jesus died around 33 CE, then only 17 years passed between then and Paul delivering this creed to the Corinthians. Scholars (such as NT Wright and Gary Habermas) believe Paul received this creed during his visit to Jerusalem around 37 CE. This places the creed no more than 4 years after Jesus' death and resurrection.
Why is this significant? This shows that the confession that Jesus died for our sins and was raised on the third day is a creed that was developed during the time of eyewitnesses. It was not a later development, as many critics try to assert. Even Dr. Bart Ehrmann, a New Testament critic, acknowledges this (although, in fairness, he considers it probable, but not certain).
Christianity did not develop its core doctrines over time. They were present among the very first members of the Church.
"He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation." — Colossians 1:15 ESV
"Firstborn" in this verse does not mean that Jesus was created, as many, such as Jehovah's Witnesses believe. Firstborn refers to the primacy Jesus has over all creation. It's important to keep Scripture in its context.
Likewise, when Paul says all who are led by the Spirit are sons of God (Romans 8:14), it means "sons" in the sense of receiving the inheritance (v 17). It's improper to translate it as "sons and daughters" because of the context of the passage. Daughters did not receive an inheritance, but sons did. For that reason, Paul calls all believers sons of God.
Is it fair for God to send people to hell for eternity for sins they committed in a relatively short life?
If Person A slaps Person B in the face, Person A could face 30 days in jail.
If Person A stabs Person B in the face, Person A could face up to 20 years in prison.
If Person A batters Person B's head so that they are permanently disfigured or disabled, Person A could face life in prison.
If Person A murders Person B, Person A could face the death penalty.
We see these judgements as just. Why? Many reasons, but among them is the consideration of temporality. A slap in the face won't leave much damage and Person B will recover physically quickly, and mentally fairly quickly.
We can see that stabbing Person B in the face will take much longer to heal, will certainly leave a scar, could make chewing and talking difficult, and could take years to recover from the trauma.
Naturally, how long an offense against someone takes to recover from should be a consideration in the judging of the person who commits the offense.
However, there is a third Person in the examples above, and in each scenario given, this Person has also been on the receiving end of an offense. That Person is God and the offense is sin.
When considering an offense against God, we must take in to account whether the offender is able to pay the debt that the offense creates. Apart from Christ, no one can pay that debt, and so the debt stands indefinitely.
So now, I want to focus on a second consideration: how long is that Person (God) offended for?
Well, God is not bound by time - He is eternal. Therefore, as long as that sin remains, it remains an affront to God, with no 'expiration date', so to speak.
As long as the person who committed the sin is alive, they may find redemption in Christ and that sin will be washed away. However, if this person should die apart from Christ, there is nothing left but judgement.
So the sin is eternal against God and eternally remains unattoned for. Now, consider: is the punishment of eternal hellfire unjust? No! Although the sin may have only taken seconds to commit, since it was committed against an eternal God, the offense itself is eternal. And so, the punishment must also be eternal.
This post prompted by hearing one to many times an atheist ranting about eternal damnation for temporary offenses being unjust. God is just.
FrogPaste
The Nicene Creed with some theological terms:
We believe in one God (Monotheism)
the Father Almighty (Theology Proper)
maker of heaven and earth (Creatio ex Nihilo; Providence; Sovereignty)
of all things visible and invisible (Spiritual Realm; Angelology)
And in one Lord Jesus Christ (Christology)
the only Son of God (Eternal Sonship)
begotten from the Father before all ages (Pre-existence)
God from God, Light from Light (Unity of Essence)
true God from true God (Generation)
begotten, not made (Uncreated)
of the same essence as the Father (Homoousios)
Through him all things were made (Economic Trinity)
For us and for our salvation (Soteriology)
he came down from heaven (Humiliation of Christ)
he became incarnate by the Holy Spirit and the virgin Mary (Incarnation; Virgin Birth)
and was made human (Two Natures of Christ; Hypostatic Union; Dyothelitism)
He was crucified for us under Pontius Pilate (Substitutionary Atonement; Historicity)
he suffered and was buried (Passion of Christ)
The third day he rose again, according to the Scriptures (Resurrection; Prophetic Fulfillment)
He ascended to heaven (Ascension; Exaltation)
and is seated at the right hand of the Father (Session of Christ)
He will come again with glory (Parousia)
to judge the living and the dead (Judgement)
His kingdom will never end (Eternal Reign)
And we believe in the Holy Spirit (Pneumatology)
the Lord, the giver of life (Regeneration)
He proceeds from the Father and the Son (Filioque)
and with the Father and the Son is worshiped and glorified (Trinitarianism)
He spoke through the prophets (Inspiration)
We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic church (Ecclesiology; Apostolicity; Oneness of the Body of Christ)
We affirm one baptism for the forgiveness of sins (Sacramentology)
We look forward to the resurrection of the dead (Eschatology)
and to life in the world to come (New Creation)
Amen.
11 months ago (edited) | [YT] | 2
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A Temple in Heaven.
When God gave Moses the design for the Tabernacle, He said:
"Exactly as I show you concerning the pattern of the tabernacle, and of all its furniture, so you shall make it." —Exodus 25:9
When David gave Solomon the plans for the Temple, he said:
"All this he made clear to me in writing from the hand of the LORD, all the work to be done according to the plan." —1 Chronicles 28:19
So God has a specific plan in mind when the earthly Tabernacle and Temple are built. These temporary earthly dwellings are simply shadows of the heavenly reality. There is a Temple in Heaven and an altar, as well. We see both in Revelation:
Revelation 7:15
"Therefore they are before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his temple; and he who sits on the throne will shelter them with his presence."
Revelation 8:3
And another angel came and stood at the altar with a golden censer, and he was given much incense to offer with the prayers of all the saints on the golden altar before the throne...
Hebrews seems to confirm this idea:
Hebrews 9:11-12
But when Christ appeared as a high priest of the good things that have come, then through the greater and more perfect tent (not made with hands, that is, not of this creation) he entered once for all into the holy places, not by means of the blood of goats and calves but by means of his own blood, thus securing an eternal redemption.
Hebrews 10:12
But when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God...
Many theologians, particularly Reformed and Catholic, see Christ's sacrifice as not merely earthly, but heavenly. By offering His blood on the heavenly altar, He secured salvation for all people. As this altar exists outside of time, along with God, the sacrifice is able to atone for sins past, present, and future.
It gives insight into how people before Jesus could be cleansed by His blood. It also helps us understand how His sacrifice 2000 years ago can still apply to believers today.
Hopefully, this was informative and encouraging!
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How was the glory of the Second Temple greater than the First?
Haggai 2:9
"The latter glory of this house shall be greater than the former, says the LORD of hosts. "And in this place I will give peace," declares the LORD of hosts.
Rabbi Rashi understood this glory to refer to the physical splendor of the Second Temple. Herod had poured money into beautifying the Temple and Rashi sees this as the fulfillment of God's promise.
In the first century, rabbis, such as Rabbi Hillel, understood it to mean that the Jews' growing devotion to the Lord, as well as anticipation of the Messiah, was the fulfillment. They saw increased learning, piousness, and faithfulness as what was meant.
However, it's noteworthy that Jews acknowledged the mystery that no fire fell from heaven to consume the consummation offering, as it did with the Tabernacle and the First Temple. Additionally, there was no peace in the Second Temple, as Israel was under Greek and Roman rule. Jews also acknowledge that God's Shekinah glory was absent from the Temple. So how can the glory of the Second Temple be greater than that of the First? Gold and silver alone cannot make the Temple more glorious than one with God's Spirit filling it!
As Christians, we know that this prophecy was fulfilled by Jesus, who visited the Temple, teaching and performing miracles. As God, His immediate physical and spiritual presence was greater than the spiritual presence of God, which remained at a distance.
As the Temple is now destroyed, we can have confidence that this is the only possible interpretation of the prophecy.
1 year ago (edited) | [YT] | 2
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FrogPaste
Over the last three days, I shared Scriptures that show times when God answers prayer immediately, when God waits a long time to answer prayer, and when God explicitly says, "no" to prayer. I think these Scriptures are helpful for us in a variety of ways.
1. They show us that God can, and does, answer prayer. In Elisha's case, it was his persistence. In Hezekiah's case, it was God's grace. In Tabitha's case, it was Peter's faith.
2. They encourage us to continue in prayer, even when it seems like God doesn't hear us. In Israel's case, He was giving grace to the Canaanites until their sin had been too much. In Hannah's case, He was waiting for her to surrender completely to Him. In Zechariah and Elizabeth's case, He was waiting for the right time to answer.
3. When our prayers seem unanswered, they give us insight into possible reasons. In Moses' case, God had already told him, "no," but he kept asking anyway. In David's case, it was judgement for his sin. In Paul's case, it was to keep him humble.
So long as our prayers are made honestly, sinlessly, and faithfully, God encourages us to continue to beseech Him and to continue in prayer. He hears our prayers — He does! So know that you aren't being ignored by God, He may simply want you to trust Him and have patience.
1 year ago | [YT] | 3
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Three times God's answer to prayer was "no".
1. Moses asks to go to the Promised Land
Deuteronomy 3:23, 25-26
And I pleaded with the LORD at that time, saying, 'Please let me go over and see the good land beyond the Jordan, that good hill country and Lebanon.' But the LORD was angry with me because of you and would not listen to me. And the LORD said to me, 'Enough from you; do not speak to me of this matter again.'
2. David pleads for the life of his baby
2 Samuel 12:15b-16,18a
And the LORD afflicted the child that Uriah's wife bore to David, and he became sick. David therefore sought God on behalf of the child. And David fasted and went in and lay all night on the ground. On the seventh day the child died.
3. Paul's thorn
2 Corinthians 12:7-9a
So to keep me from becoming conceited because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to harass me, to keep me from becoming conceited. Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me. But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness."
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Three times God answered prayer, but only after a long time:
1. The Israelites
Exodus 12:40
The time that the people of Israel lived in Egypt was 430 years.
Exodus 2:23
During those many days the king of Egypt died, and the people of Israel groaned because of their slavery and cried out for help. Their cry for rescue from slavery came up to God.
Exodus 3:7-8a
Then the LORD said, "I have surely seen the affliction of my people who are in Egypt and have heard their cry because of their taskmasters. I know their sufferings, and I have come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up out of that land to a good and broad land, a land flowing with milk and honey..."
2. Hannah
1 Samuel 1:4-7a
On the day when Elkanah sacrificed, he would give portions to Peninnah his wife and to all her sons and daughters. But to Hannah he gave a double portion, because he loved her, though the LORD had closed her womb. And her rival used to provoke her grievously to irritate her, because the LORD had closed her womb. So it went on year by year.
1 Samuel 1:10
She was deeply distressed and prayed to the LORD and wept bitterly.
1 Samuel 1:19b-20
...and the LORD remembered her. And in due time Hannah conceived and bore a son, and she called his name Samuel, for she said, "I have asked for him from the LORD."
3. Zechariah & Elizabeth
Luke 1:5,7,13
In the days of Herod, king of Judea, there was a priest named Zechariah, of the division of Abijah. And he had a wife from the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth. But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and both were advanced in years. But the angel said to him, "Do not be afraid, Zechariah, for your prayer has been heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John."
1 year ago (edited) | [YT] | 2
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Three times God answered prayer immediately:
1. 2 Kings 4:32-35
When Elisha came into the house, he saw the child lying dead on his bed. So he went in and shut the door behind the two of them and prayed to the LORD. Then he went up and lay on the child, putting his mouth on his mouth, his eyes on his eyes, and his hands on his hands. And as he stretched himself upon him, the flesh of the child became warm. Then he got up again and walked once back and forth in the house, and went up and stretched himself upon him. The child sneezed seven times, and the child opened his eyes.
2. Isaiah 38:1-5
In those days Hezekiah became sick and was at the point of death. And Isaiah the prophet the son of Amoz came to him, and said to him, "Thus says the LORD: Set your house in order, for you shall die, you shall not recover." Then Hezekiah turned his face to the wall and prayed to the LORD, and said, "Please, O LORD, remember how I have walked before you in faithfulness and with a whole heart, and have done what is good in your sight." And Hezekiah wept bitterly. Then the word of the LORD came to Isaiah: "Go and say to Hezekiah, Thus says the LORD, the God of David your father: I have heard your prayer; I have seen your tears. Behold, I will add fifteen years to your life.
3. Acts 9:36-40
Now there was in Joppa a disciple named Tabitha, which, translated, means Dorcas. She was full of good works and acts of charity. In those days she became ill and died, and when they had washed her, they laid her in an upper room. Since Lydda was near Joppa, the disciples, hearing that Peter was there, sent two men to him, urging him, "Please come to us without delay." So Peter rose and went with them. And when he arrived, they took him to the upper room. All the widows stood beside him weeping and showing tunics and other garments that Dorcas made while she was with them. But Peter put them all outside, and knelt down and prayed; and turning to the body he said, "Tabitha, arise." And she opened her eyes, and when she saw Peter she sat up.
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The earliest Christian creed?
For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen asleep. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. — 1 Corinthians 15:3-7
Paul quotes this creed in his first Epistle to the Corinthians, which he wrote around 54 CE. However, we note that Paul states he "delivered to you" meaning he had conveyed this creed to the Corinthians when he visited them, between 50 and 52 CE. "As of first importance" suggests we can date Paul delivering this creed early on, so 50 CE is reasonable.
When did Paul receive this? If Jesus died around 33 CE, then only 17 years passed between then and Paul delivering this creed to the Corinthians. Scholars (such as NT Wright and Gary Habermas) believe Paul received this creed during his visit to Jerusalem around 37 CE. This places the creed no more than 4 years after Jesus' death and resurrection.
Why is this significant? This shows that the confession that Jesus died for our sins and was raised on the third day is a creed that was developed during the time of eyewitnesses. It was not a later development, as many critics try to assert. Even Dr. Bart Ehrmann, a New Testament critic, acknowledges this (although, in fairness, he considers it probable, but not certain).
Christianity did not develop its core doctrines over time. They were present among the very first members of the Church.
1 year ago (edited) | [YT] | 2
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"He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation." —
Colossians 1:15 ESV
"Firstborn" in this verse does not mean that Jesus was created, as many, such as Jehovah's Witnesses believe. Firstborn refers to the primacy Jesus has over all creation. It's important to keep Scripture in its context.
Likewise, when Paul says all who are led by the Spirit are sons of God (Romans 8:14), it means "sons" in the sense of receiving the inheritance (v 17). It's improper to translate it as "sons and daughters" because of the context of the passage. Daughters did not receive an inheritance, but sons did. For that reason, Paul calls all believers sons of God.
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Is it fair for God to send people to hell for eternity for sins they committed in a relatively short life?
If Person A slaps Person B in the face, Person A could face 30 days in jail.
If Person A stabs Person B in the face, Person A could face up to 20 years in prison.
If Person A batters Person B's head so that they are permanently disfigured or disabled, Person A could face life in prison.
If Person A murders Person B, Person A could face the death penalty.
We see these judgements as just. Why? Many reasons, but among them is the consideration of temporality. A slap in the face won't leave much damage and Person B will recover physically quickly, and mentally fairly quickly.
We can see that stabbing Person B in the face will take much longer to heal, will certainly leave a scar, could make chewing and talking difficult, and could take years to recover from the trauma.
Naturally, how long an offense against someone takes to recover from should be a consideration in the judging of the person who commits the offense.
However, there is a third Person in the examples above, and in each scenario given, this Person has also been on the receiving end of an offense. That Person is God and the offense is sin.
When considering an offense against God, we must take in to account whether the offender is able to pay the debt that the offense creates. Apart from Christ, no one can pay that debt, and so the debt stands indefinitely.
So now, I want to focus on a second consideration: how long is that Person (God) offended for?
Well, God is not bound by time - He is eternal. Therefore, as long as that sin remains, it remains an affront to God, with no 'expiration date', so to speak.
As long as the person who committed the sin is alive, they may find redemption in Christ and that sin will be washed away. However, if this person should die apart from Christ, there is nothing left but judgement.
So the sin is eternal against God and eternally remains unattoned for. Now, consider: is the punishment of eternal hellfire unjust? No! Although the sin may have only taken seconds to commit, since it was committed against an eternal God, the offense itself is eternal. And so, the punishment must also be eternal.
This post prompted by hearing one to many times an atheist ranting about eternal damnation for temporary offenses being unjust.
God is just.
1 year ago | [YT] | 4
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