Muncie Times, Muncie, Delaware County, 18 August 1994 — Page 18

The Muncie Times, Thursday, 18 August 1994, Page 18

mueiOM i Jesus, as God's Son, represented His Father on Earth

There is no other God in heaven or in earth beside Him. In Dent. 32:39, the scripture said: "See now that I, even I, an El, and there is no god with me: I kill and I make alive: I wound, and I heal: neither is there any that can deliver out of my hand." God is one, there is none else., "Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God is one Lord." Deut. 6:4 Elohim is the only one that is God. 'I am the Lord, and there is none else. There is no God beside me. I girded thee though thou hast not known me. That they may know from the rising of the sun, and from the west, that there is none beside me. I am the Lord, and there is none else, Isa. 45: 5,6. "For I am the Lord thy God, the Holy One of Israel, thy Savior; Ye are my witnesses, saith the Lord, and my servant whom I have chosen: that ye may know and believe me, and understand that I am He: before me there was no God formed. Neither shall there be after me. I, even I, am the Lord: and beside me there is no saviour... I am the Lord, Your Holy one, the Creator of Israel, your king." Isa. 43:3,10,11,15. What am I doing in these quotations, is showing that God is the only one who is God. He created the heavens alone Isa. 44:24;46. These scriptures are from the Old Testament, which shows the oneness of the Godhead. There is no one equal with God: "Remember the former things of old: for I am God; and there is none else; I am God, and thee is none like me." Isa. 46:9. To show that there would be

Bishop W.J, Duncan, D.D.

none else, God said "Hearken unto me. Oh Jacob and Israel my called, I am He: I am the first, I also am the last." Isa 48:12 44:6,8. The mystery in this is that God has declared Himself to be the only God. Why then are the terms God, Father, and Christ used. This shows God's promise to bring salvation to the world. Let us look a God's redemptive process. And there was no man found to redeem man from sin, God had to come. The search was made in Jeremiah 5:1, for a man but none was found. A search was made in Ezekiel 22:30 and none was found. In the book of Psalms the scripture said, "They that trust in their wealth, and bow themselves in the multitude of their riches: None of them can by any means redeem his brother, nor give to God a ransom for him. For the redemption of their soul is precious, And it ceaseth for ever... But God will redeem my soul form the power of the grave: for He shall receive me Selah. Psalm 49: 6-8,15; Hosea 13:14. When it was seen that there was no intercessor, God had to bring about the redemption. This made it necessary for God to change His position from Elohim to redeemer: "And He saw that there

was no man, and wondered that there was no intercessor: therefore his arm brought salvation unto him and his righteousness, it sustained him." Isa. 59:1-6. God's operation had to be changed to the position of Sonship. "Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign: Behold a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Emmanuel." Isa. 7:14. Matthew picks up this scripture and quote: "Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us."

Matt. 1:23.

This brought in the Sonship. This son is the very God of the Old Testament. Jehovah is the one who came to save. Note this: "The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, prepare ye the way of the Lord, make straight in the desert a highway for our God... O Jerusalem, that bringest good tidings, lift up thy voice with strength lift it up, be not afraid: say unto the cities of Judah, behold your God: Isa. 40:3,9. The very God of Israel is coming to save the world. This is a mystery. How can he who is Spirit come into the world? Yet in Isaiah the scripture says again: "Strengthen ye the weak

hands, and confirm the feeble knees. Sat to them, that are of a fearful heart, be strong, fear not: behold, your God will come with vengeance, and save you. Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped." Isa. 35:3-5. Matthew picked up this scripture and said: "Now when John had heard in the prison the works of Christ, he sent two of his disciples, and said unto him, art thou he that should come, or do we look for another? Jesus answered and said unto them, and shew John again those things which ye do hear and see. "The blind receive their sight, and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have the gospel preached unto them. And blessed is he, whoever shall not be offended in me." Matt. 11:2-5. This is Jehovah of the Old Testament who came as Christ into the world to save the world from sin. "Verily thou art a God that hidest thyself, O God of Israel, the Saviour." Isa. 45:15. 'I even I, am the Lord: and beside me. there is no saviour... Yea, before the day was I am He: and there is none that can deliver out of my hand: I will work and who shall let it." Isa. 43:11,13; John 10:

28-30.

"For unto you is bom this day in the city of David a Saviour. Which is Christ the Lord." Luke 2:11. "And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, Justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the gentiles.

believe on in the world, received up into glory." I Tim. 3:16. The mystery of God, and of the Father, and of Christ is that the very God who is that Spirit, came in flesh to redeem man from sin. Let's look at a few scriptures which repeat the term father, God and Christ and why they are used as so. "But hath in due times manifested his word through preaching, which is committed unto me according

to the

commandment of God our Saviour: To Titus, mine own son after the common faith: Grace, mercy, and peace, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ our Saviour." Titus 1:3,4. "Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ." Titus 2:13. "Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, according to the promise of life which is in Christ Jesus. To Timothy, my dearly be-loved son: Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord." I Tim. 1:1-2. This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief... Now unto the King Eternal, Immortal, Invisible, the only wise God be honor and glory for ever. Amen." I Tim. 1:15,17. I purposely gave these scriptures to show the interchangeable terms that are used for the Father and of Christ.