The first person of the
triune God is the
one carrying the title,
Father. And those who are curious about such
things will at once ask why that
God should first of all reveal Himself
as a
Father. Have you ever thought of it?
Of course we can have no idea of God in His essence. That is a
realm strange to us. And that is why that He has come down to the level of
our experiences to make Himself known. We can know God only
relatively. We have to compare Him with the things we know.
Now it is true that under ordinary circumstances, the father in
the family is the ruler of the family. He is also the provider
. And he loves his family. So God has used this figure to make
us understand that He is like the ideal loving father of an earthly
family in His relation to us. What better illustration could He have chosen?
Can you suggest one?
And this brings up another point that we should remember. Our concept
of God is going to be limited to our concept of an earthy father. May
I ask just how much one is going to think of God as a loving father
if that one comes from a broken home in which there was strife and no respect
for either father or mother? Just what is the concept carried by the average
school child of today? Will it help that child to understand about God
? Before God, a father has a great responsibility these
days.
I understand that in some countries morality is so low that when a child
is born it is often hard to identify the father, So the law is that the child
must bear the maiden name of the mother. So there the children do not bear
the name of the father, but of the mother. How is a missionary in such a
country going to explain God as a father?
And so it goes in the so-called civilized countries of the world, The
father has lost his place in the family, if there is a family,
And would it be to the advantage of the enemy if he could erase morality
so that this aspect of God could not be learned?
Our Lord Himself emphasized the title of Father and used
it in illustrations. He asked if a real father would give a child a
stone if it was asking for bread.
We can understand a little more now why the apostle stressed the duties
of a father in Ephesians and Colossians. Every father
today who professes the faith has the responsibility of doing his
very best in every duty so as to show forth the character of God. His
actions are going to show a lot more than words ever can. And if he is going
to bring up his family in the fear and admonition of the Lord, here
is the place to start. Let the children know what the word father means
by example.
God is pictured to us as a Father who knows the
needs of His children, who rewards them, who has made promises
and will keep them, who loves His Son, who gives gifts to His children
, who is a merciful Father, and who pities His children. Consider
this; Would God the Father cast off any of His children and not claim
them?
GOD THE SON
We considered the subject,
God the Father. There has been little contradiction
of the fact that the
Father is God. But some have denied that
Christ
was really
the Son, and therefore not deity. So let us go to
Isa.
45 for some background.
Elohim is the word for God in Gen. 1:1. E1
is God in contrast to the gods of the heathen. See it in Gen. 14:18
. Jehovah is the I AM that was revealed to Moses at
the burning bush. Check these with the Companion Bible and read Appendix 4.
Isaiah 45:1. THUS SAITH JEHOVAH...
3. I, JEHOVAH...AM THE ELOHIM OF ISRAEL.
5. I AM JEHOVAH...THERE IS NO ELOHIM BESIDE ME. 6. I AM JEHOVAH, AND
THERE IS NONE ELSE. 7. I, JEHOVAH DO ALL THESE THINGS. 8. I, JEHOVAH HAVE
CREATED IT.
11. THUS SAITH JEHOVAH, THE HOLY ONE OF ISRAEL, AND HIS MAKER.
13. SAITH THE JEHOVAH OF HOSTS.
14. THUS SAITH JEHOVAH ..SURELY E[ IS IN THEE; AND THERE IS NONE ELSE,
THERE IS NO ELOHIM.
15, VERILY THOU ARE AN EL THAT HIDEST THYSELF, 0 ELOHIM OF ISRAEL,
THE SAVIOUR.
17. BUT ISRAEL SHALL BE SAVED IN JEHOVAH.
18. FOR THUS SAITH JEHOVAH THAT CREATED THE HEAVENS; ELOHIM HIMSELF
THAT FORMED THE EARTH AND MADE IT...I AM JEHOVAH; AND THERE IS NONE ELSE.
19. I, JEHOVAH SPEAK RIGHTEOUSNESS.
21. HAVE NOT I, JEHOVAH? AND THERE IS NO ELOHIM BESIDE ME; A JUST
EL AND A SAVIOUR; THERE IS NONE BESIDE ME.
22. FOR I AM EL, AND THERE IS NONE ELSE.
24. SURELY IN JEHOVAH HAVE I RIGHTEOUSNESS AND STRENGTH.
25. IN JEHOVAH SHALL ALL THE SEED OF ISRAEL BE JUSTIFIED, AND SHALL
GLORY.
Now read the chapter through and tell me, are Jehovah, El, and Elohim
one and the same? Is there only one God? And is not that one God
Creator, Saviour, and the only One to be worshipped? And did you
note that in verse 23 E1 says something that is repeated in Ph'p
2:107 According to this, Christ is El. And E1 is both
Elohim and Jehovah. Then who is Christ?
The Word made flesh is God. Not a god, as some would say, for
that brings in other gods and that is contrary to the very first commandment
and has to do with idolatry. As true Christians we have to recognize
the fact that Jesus of Nazareth was God, or no god at all.
Only God is to be worshipped, according to the law of
Israel. That has not been changed. Worship is ordained for Christ
in Ph'p. 2:10. 'And let all the angels of God worship Him.'
So says Hebrews 1:6.
We purposely used Isaiah 45 here because some have even tried
to make Jehovah a lesser god. The chapter speaks for itself. Jehovah
is God and there is none else. Take away Jehovah and there is no
God. Take away Jesus Christ and there is no God. The
implications are plain. There is one God, but three persons
.
GOD THE HOLY SPIRIT
The great commission of the kingdom age (
Matt 28:19) included baptizing
in the name of the
Father, and of the
Son, and of the
Holy
Ghost (Spirit). The word name is in the singular, not plural. So
Father
is not a name.
Son is not a name.
Holy Spirit is not a
name. But there is a name that includes all three. Do you know that name?
It is the name that is given to
Jesus (
Ph'p. 2:8-11). It is
first mentioned in
Psalms 7:17. It is
Jehovah Elyon {
Jehovah,
the most high God). That is the name of the one individual which consists
of three persons. What name was
Israel to make known?
We have already written about God the Father, and God the Son
. Now we take up God the Holy Spirit. The subject would fill a book,
so for a sample we take the 9 occurrences in Eph. and set them forth.
1. 2:18. The Holy Spirit is the means of access to God, the Father.
This person is one.
2. 2:22. The Holy Spirit is the Builder of the holy temple which is
a habitation of God. It is built of living stones, believers.
3. 3:5. The Holy Spirit is the Revealer. He revealed the mystery of
Christ to the apostles and prophets.
4. 3:16. The Holy Spirit is the Giver of all power and might. Here
is a purpose.
5. 4:3. The Holy Spirit is the Origin of the spiritual unity. Here
it is the genitive of origin, a figure of speech.
6. 4:30. The Holy Spirit can be grieved or offended. Read the next
two verses and see what offends the Spirit.
7. 5:18. The Holy Spirit is the Filler. He can so fill a believer
that he will overflow with psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, singing and
making melody in his heart to the Lord. He runs the cup over.
8. 6:17. The Holy Spirit carries the sword. He also provides it for
the believer to make up his panoply of armor. The Holy Spirit has given us
the Word of God.
9.6:18. The Holy Spirit is the source and power of all prayer. When
we know not what to pray for, He can make intercession for us.
Although we find much about the nature and attributes of the Father
and the Son, we do not find so much about the Spirit
. And the reason? He does not speak of Himself, but gives testimony
of the Son. Christ is the theme of the Bible from beginning
to end. And our Lord said that when the Holy Spirit was come
He would not speak of Himself, but of Christ.
So although we find a great deal about the activities of the Holy
Spirit in the Word, we do not learn very much about Himself
. He is there all the way through. He is just as omnipresent as any
other person of the Godhead.
This should set you out on a search for further information. You will
not find Him in Colossians. Look through the rest of the
post-Acts epistles of Paul for Him.
