Author Archives: sgibson

See Jesus, See the God the Father

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Jesus had an interesting conversation with Philip in John 14.

Philip saith unto him, Lord, shew us the Father, and it sufficeth us. 9 Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Shew us the Father? 10 Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works. 11 Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father in me: or else believe me for the very works’ sake. (John 14:8-11)

Philip desires to see God the Father. Jesus essentially says, “Here He is! He’s standing right in front of you.” (vs. 9) This was a startling revelation to Philip who, based on the context, was obviously looking elsewhere for the Father.

Jesus further confirms that when He speaks, God speaks. (vs. 10) So Jesus’ words are the very words of God which bring about the works of God. This is because Jesus is in the Father and the Father is in him. This emphasizes the close relationship between the Son and the Father, similar to that referred to in the previous lesson in this series.

For this reason, Philip should believe that Jesus and the Father are one in the same based on the confession of Jesus Himself. (vs. 11) Otherwise, Philip should at least believe “for the very works’ sake.” Philip, nor anyone else, could argue against the works performed by Jesus being the work of God, due to their miraculous nature and the power displayed.

This passage is just one example of Jesus attributing deity to Himself. There are scholars who state that Jesus never claimed to be God, but they do this only by discounting Jesus’ own words. On the contrary, Jesus said it and we need to accept it.

The Word Was God

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The Gospel of John is a unique book. It stands apart from the other gospels (Matthew, Mark, and Luke) in that it covers details of Jesus’ life which the others do not. The events in John mostly take place in Judea, whereas the other gospels focus on Galilee. John is also different in how it begins. John immediately starts with the divinity of Jesus Christ.

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 The same was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. (John 1:1-3)

The “Word” is John’s designation for Jesus. This is consistent throughout his New Testament writings (1-3 John and Revelation). It emphasizes Jesus as the incarnate Word of God. And when Jesus speaks, it is literally God speaking.

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Sermon Shorts from Spurgeon – Sermon 1: The Immutability of God

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Remember God is the same, whatever is removed. Your friends may be disaffected, your ministers may be taken away, every thing may change, but God does not. Your brethren may change and cast out your name as vile: but God will love you still. Let your station in life change, and your property be gone; let your whole life be shaken, and you become weak and sickly; let everything flee away—there is one place where change cannot put his finger; there is one name on which mutability can never be written; there is one heart which never can alter; that heart is God’s—that name Love.

“Trust him, he will ne’er deceive you. Though you hardly of him deem; He will never, never leave you, Nor will let you quite leave him.”

From the Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit, Volume 1, Sermon 1 by Charles Haddon Spurgeon

https://ccel.org/ccel/spurgeon/sermons01/sermons01.i.html

Coronavirus: The True Christian Response

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Coronavirus?  Don’t worry.  Kenneth Copeland’s got this.  He pronounced it “destroyed forever”.  Is this the true Christian response to a pandemic?

https://www.christianpost.com/news/televangelist-kenneth-copeland-calls-forth-supernatural-heatwave-to-kill-coronavirus-in-nyc.html

In March, he claimed to heal people of COVID-19 while he prayed for them as they laid their hand on their TVs.  (One wonders why he doesn’t visit hospitals.)  Then he told those who lost their jobs due to the pandemic to continue paying tithes.  (Since 10% of 0 is 0, I guess that wouldn’t be a problem for them.)  Then he said he would continue to have church services even if he had to pass out thermometers to everyone, and if someone had a fever, that he would “get it healed right there.”  (Hard to argue with that.)

Why do people listen to this guy??

The true Christian does not call down the “wind of God” upon the coronavirus and pronounce it “destroyed”. Kenneth Copeland is a charlatan who is just interested in money which he extracts from people by acting like he has special powers imbued upon him by God. Suffice it to say, he does not.

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Smoke and Mirrors Exposition

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I am sensitive to politicians who misuse Scripture. (Please note that a lot of politicians do this, regardless of political affiliation.  I fault any who do this, regardless of what letter they have after their name.)  Today I read a news article where a presidential candidate used a verse inappropriately.  I’m going to call this particular error “Smoke and Mirrors Exposition” which I define as taking a verse out of context to support an issue in which the verse has no bearing on the issue at hand.  With this particular error, oftentimes the same issue supported by the politician is clearly condemned by other passages of Scripture. Continue reading →