The Truth About the Trinity

There are those who deny the Trinity of God.  Some of them say that the Trinity is not taught in the Bible because the word Trinity does not appear in it. 

There are many verses or passages in the Bible that describe One God in Three Persons.  However, none are clearer that this one: 

“And it is the Spirit who bears witness, because the Spirit is truth.

For there are three that bear witness in heaven:

the Father, the Word, and the Holy Spirit;

and these three are one.”

(1John 5:6-7 NKJV) [1]

Note:

Many Bible scholars point out that much of 1John 5:6-7 does not appear in the earliest manuscripts or in early translations from the original Greek into other ancient languages.  I would point out that 1John 5:6-7 has been accepted in English translations of the Bible since the 15^th Century and may be accepted as Biblical instruction.  Readers requiring further proof that God is indeed One God in Three Persons are referred to my post dated 7 November 2019.  The verses quoted in that post include:

Deuteronomy 6:4-7
Matthew 28:19
2Corinthians 14:14
1Peter 1:2
1Corinthians 12:4-6
Ephesians 4:4-6

The Trinity is proclaimed in many other Bible verses as well.

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[1] https://biblehub.com/nkjv/1_john/5.htm

 

She is Gone

When a Christian dies, the part of them that is not of the physical body, goes to be with Jesus. (Philippians 1:21-23)  It is far better to be “at home with the Lord” than it is to remain here.  Our earthly life is filled with good and bad experiences alike, but when we leave we go to be with Jesus in heaven (2Corinthians 5:1), “He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.” (Revelation 21:4 ESV) 

My wife died one month ago after suffering a long time with Alzheimer’s disease.  God blessed us with wonderful help from enhabit Hospice, which made it possible for me to care for her in our home.  My sister also stayed with my wife once or twice a week to provide me with the opportunity to run errands or take an afternoon off.  I will never forget the help she gave us. 

Christians who must stay here for a while longer grieve when our saved, born again loved ones die in the Lord, but we do not grieve in the way those who do not believe, those who have no hope, grieve. (1Thessalonians 4:13)   For we have the blessed hope, the confident expectation, of spending eternity in the glory of God’s presence forever. 

Nevertheless, it has been month of sadness.  The Lord has been my strength.  His strength has revealed itself in my weakness. (2Corinthians 12:9-10) All the credit belongs to Him.  The praise, honor, and glory are His.  Amen. 

Now, please join with me to echo the Apostle Paul and declare:

 

“Death is swallowed up in victory.”
“O death, where is your victory?
O death, where is your sting?”

(1Corinthians 15:54-55 ESV)

 

 

Are You Ready?

A friend and I were talking about someone who had just passed away.  My friend said, “Tomorrow isn’t promised to any of us.” 

Jesus taught us about it in the following parable: 

Someone in the crowd said to him, “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.”  But he said to him, “Man, who made me a judge or arbitrator over you?”  And he said to them, “Take care, and be on your guard against all covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.”  And he told them a parable, saying, “The land of a rich man produced plentifully,  and he thought to himself, ‘What shall I do, for I have nowhere to store my crops?’  And he said, ‘I will do this: I will tear down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods.  And I will say to my soul, “Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; relax, eat, drink, be merry.”’  But God said to him, ‘Fool! This night your soul is required of you, and the things you have prepared, whose will they be?’  So is the one who lays up treasure for himself and is not rich toward God.” (Luke 12:13-21 ESV) [1] 

Therefore, it is prudent to keep ourselves ready.  Jesus told us how: 

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.  For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. (John3:16-17 ESV) [2] 

Jesus said “whoever.”  That means anyone.  It does not matter how dark your past has been.  You can be saved if you repent (turn away) from your sinful way of life and believe that His shed blood will wash you clean. (Matthew 26:28, 1John 1:7)  Believe that He gave His life to satisfy the death sentence under which you are living; God’s just penalty for all sin.  Trust Jesus.  He never fails us.  Please do it now.  Tomorrow is not promised to any of us.

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[1] https://biblehub.com/esv/luke/12.htm

[2] https://biblehub.com/esv/john/3.htm

 

Hope in Time of Need

I regret that it has been so long since my last post.  My wife is in the end-of-life stages of a terminal illness.  Caring for her needs at home and making the final arrangements for her have consumed much of my time and energy. 

I have been blessed by help from family and a wonderful hospice service.  For these, I will always be grateful. 

I am being sustained by the Word of God and by Christ living in me. (Philippians 4:13)  I know that my wife of 45 years will be with Jesus in heaven immediately after she leaves her earthly body. (Philippians 1:23, 2Corinthians 5:6-9))  Yet, for those of us who will be waiting to join her, it will be painful to live on here without her. 

The Word tells us that we who are in vital union with Christ have the blessed hope of the Rapture, when Jesus will return, accompanied by the souls of the believers who have gone before, to gather His people unto Himself: 

“But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope.  For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep.  For this we declare to you by a word from the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep.  For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first.  Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord.  Therefore encourage one another with these words.” (1Thessalonians 4:13-18 ESV)

 

“And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment,  so Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him.” (Hebrews 9:27-28 ESV)

 

I am sustained because in the meantime I can lean on Jesus.  Praise be to Him who loves us so much.

 

 

Acknowledgement:  The scriptures quoted were copied from: https://biblehub.com/

 

Jesus: Living Word and High Priest

 

“For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.  And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account. 

Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession.  For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin.  Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” (Hebrews 4:11-16 NKJV) [1]

 

Jesus Christ is the Living Word, and our great High Priest.                                        (John 1:1-2, Hebrews 9:11-12)

  

 

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[1] https://biblehub.com/nkjv/hebrews/4.htm

 

Peace Through Prayer

The Apostle Paul wrote this while he was in a Roman prison:

“Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice.  Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand;  do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.  And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:4-7 ESV) [1]

[1] https://biblehub.com/esv/philippians/4.htm

 

Will We be Ready When Jesus Returns?

“Be dressed for service and keep your lamps burning, as though you were waiting for your master to return from the wedding feast. Then you will be ready to open the door and let him in the moment he arrives and knocks.  The servants who are ready and waiting for his return will be rewarded. I tell you the truth, he himself will seat them, put on an apron, and serve them as they sit and eat!  He may come in the middle of the night or just before dawn. But whenever he comes, he will reward the servants who are ready.” 

“Understand this: If a homeowner knew exactly when a burglar was coming, he would not permit his house to be broken into.  You also must be ready all the time, for the Son of Man will come when least expected.” Peter asked, “Lord, is that illustration just for us or for everyone?” 

And the Lord replied, “A faithful, sensible servant is one to whom the master can give the responsibility of managing his other household servants and feeding them.  If the master returns and finds that the servant has done a good job, there will be a reward.  I tell you the truth, the master will put that servant in charge of all he owns.  But what if the servant thinks, ‘My master won’t be back for a while,’ and he begins beating the other servants, partying, and getting drunk?  The master will return unannounced and unexpected, and he will cut the servant in pieces and banish him with the unfaithful.” 

“And a servant who knows what the master wants, but isn’t prepared and doesn’t carry out those instructions, will be severely punished.  But someone who does not know, and then does something wrong, will be punished only lightly. When someone has been given much, much will be required in return; and when someone has been entrusted with much, even more will be required.” (Luke 12:35-48 NLT) [1]

 

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[1] https://biblehub.com/nlt/luke/12.htm