…a
voice out of the heavens said, "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am
well-pleased."[1]
…a
bright cloud overshadowed them, and behold, a voice out of the cloud said,
"This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well-pleased; listen to Him!"[2]
He
who believes in the Son has eternal life; but he who does not obey the Son will
not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.[3]
Jesus
said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to
the Father but through me."[4]
…these
have been written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of
God; and that believing you may have life in His name.[5]
let
it be known to all of you and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of
Jesus Christ the Nazarene, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the
dead--by this name this man stands here before you in good health. He is
the stone which was rejected by you, the builders, but which became the
chief corner stone. And there is salvation in no one else; for there is
no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be
saved."[6]
For
I have been informed concerning you, my brethren, by Chloe's people,
that there are quarrels among you. Now I mean this, that each one of you is
saying, "I am of Paul," and "I of Apollos," and "I of
Cephas," and "I of Christ." Has Christ been divided? Paul was
not crucified for you, was he? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul? But by
His doing you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, and
righteousness and sanctification, and redemption, so that, just as it is
written, "let him who boasts, boast in the LORD."[7]
Therefore,
since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay
aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us
run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus,
the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the
cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of
God. For consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against
Himself, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.[8]
The reason for listing these excerpts from
scripture; apart from them being the main theme of Bible, is that they clearly
establish that Jesus alone is the source and provider of hope. These scriptures
are representative of the theme of God’s story from beginning to end. Access to
God is through Jesus only. There is no other way of reaching God than through
Jesus. No religion, no institution, no denomination, no doctrine; absolutely
nothing. Scan the panorama of religions and you will be looking at human
efforts of seeking the divine, and human methods of appeasing the yearning
within us to connect with the divine Creator.
As
Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be
lifted up; so that whoever believes will in Him have eternal life.[9]
And
I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to myself.[10]
Jesus promised he would build his Israel
using a word common in the LXX, and used of newly rescued Israel at the foot of
Mount Horeb. Jesus came to establish the renewed or spiritual Israel – the
kingdom of God. The first Israel saw the power of God in devastating plagues
culminating in the death of the firstborn of those who despised God. The first Israel witnessed the firstborn of
believers saved through the vicarious sacrificial lamb. The earthly Israel made
annual sacrifices recalling its redemption by the hand of God. The spiritual
Israel is a celebration of life as a citizens of the kingdom of God.
You
know that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your ancestors,
not with perishable things like silver or gold, but with the precious blood of
Christ, like that of a lamb without defect or blemish.[11]
For
it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins. … And it
is by God's will that we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of
Jesus Christ once for all. … For by a single offering he has perfected for all
time those who are sanctified. [12]
I cannot find any supporting evidence that
God acknowledges alternate routes that may be followed to come into his
presence. Nor do I find that Jesus having paved the road to God through his
sacrifice is prepared to allow substitute paths. So where do Churches find
authority to offer exclusive practices that if conformed to will ensure God’s
acceptance? There is no such authority or even suggestion of it. Jesus was
adamant, “I am the way, and the
truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through me.” There is only
one way to the Father, and that is through Jesus. There are no agencies or
intermediaries between God and man, other than Jesus Christ. Institutions,
groups, or people, offering a path to God that has been modified, adjusted, or
personalized, are unnecessary, and potentially ruinous to a relationship with
God.
For
we did not follow cleverly devised myths when we made known to you the power
and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we had been eyewitnesses of his
majesty. For he received honor and glory from God the Father when that voice
was conveyed to him by the Majestic Glory, saying, "This is my Son, my
Beloved, with whom I am well pleased." We ourselves heard this voice come
from heaven, while we were with him on the holy mountain. So we have the
prophetic message more fully confirmed...[13]
Luke recorded the events on the mountain as
did Matthew, but with an additional insight, “Just as they were leaving him, Peter said to Jesus, ‘Master, it is good
for us to be here; let us make three dwellings, one for you, one for Moses, and
one for Elijah’--not knowing what he said.” Peter seems to have thought that
the appearance of Moses and Elijah suggested equal ranking with Jesus, but that
misunderstanding was firmly corrected, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am
well-pleased; listen to Him!” To Jews Moses and Elijah represented the Law and
the Prophets respectively. God made it abundantly clear that Jesus was superior
to the Law and the Prophets, and the only authority to be listened to. Jesus
characterized a new and better way, not a ritualistic legal system, but a
relationship based on faith and God’s grace. Jesus was the fulfillment of
prophecy the spiritual reality, not just a promise.
Some religious groups
today teach that the Ten Commandments are still in effect and must govern life
and religion. Some groups believe everything in the Bible is to be adhered to;
others believe only the New Testament is authoritative as a guide to religious
belief and activities. In his teaching on appropriate decorum in gatherings
Paul made the comment, “… God is a God not of disorder but of peace.”[14]
I ask myself a simple question, “Where do all conflicting religious theories
come from?” The answer is equally simple – the Bible. Of course since the Bible
is fully integrated and no contradictions exist, the fault lies with those who
interpret or misinterpret its writings. The argument over what portion of the
Bible is authoritative today is part of the issue. Do we take the Bible in its
entirety, the Old Testament, or the New Testament? Therein lies the problem.
Tradition insists those are the questions requiring answers, but I would
suggest there is another option.
The option I believe
that would bring clarity and possibly unity would be to listen to the voice on
the mountain, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well-pleased; listen to
Him!” Luke advised that Peter’s recommendation to build three tents venerating
Moses, Elijah, and Jesus, was uttered out of ignorance. God’s command to listen
to Jesus, was emphasized when the cloud lifted and Jesus was alone. It is
unfortunate that this event is generally regarded as a rebuke to Peter’s
presumptiveness. At the baptism of Jesus, and again on the mountain, God spoke
from heaven saying, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well-pleased,”
those were God’s words confirming his relationship with Jesus. On the mountain
God added the command to listen to Jesus – only to Jesus. Jesus didn’t teach
institutional life, he taught kingdom life. He had no interest in building
earthly institutions, only the spiritual kingdom of God. He died not to prolong
life on earth, but to provide life eternal. He said his way was simple not like
the burdensome way Jews were accustomed to. He taught that each person had to
take up the cross and follow in his footsteps, not programed institutional
membership. Why are there so many Churches? I would say it is because people do
not pay attention to God’s command to listen to Jesus. One modest principle
needs to be reckoned with; all Churches, and there are hundreds of them, can’t
all be right, but, all Churches can be wrong. The same principle applies to all
theories and teachings.
The Bible is not a religious
or Church text book. The Protestant Bible is made up of sixty-six unique
writings, it is a library of separate works. There is agreement and
confirmation among the authors. There are prophecies written centuries before
their fulfillment recorded in writings long after they were prophesied. The
entire library of God inspired works are harmonized around the theme of
creation, fall, and redemption. All sixty-six accounts express the glory and
love of God. The beginning of God’s story was the creation of man and
banishment of humans from paradise. The conclusion of God’s story was the
sacrifice of Jesus on the cross, providing for the redemption of man and the
re-entry of people into paradise. The timeless principles of Jesus’ teaching
are primarily in the four gospels, but also elsewhere in other inspired
writings. The regulations and orders in the “New Testament” are confined to the
time in which they were given. From the early pages of God’s story the
redemption of people, God’s special creation, can be followed to its completion
in Jesus on the cross, and his glorious resurrection. God accomplished what he
determined to do.
Therefore,
since we are justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ
… through whom we have obtained access to this grace in which we stand; and we
boast in our hope of sharing the glory of God. … But God proves his love for us
in that while we still were sinners Christ died for us. … Therefore, just as
sin came into the world through one man, and death came through sin, and so
death spread to all because all have sinned-- … Therefore just as one man's
trespass led to condemnation for all, so one man's act of righteousness leads
to justification and life for all. … For just as by the one man's disobedience
the many were made sinners, so by the one man's obedience the many will be made
righteous.[15]
Whatever Adam messed
up, Jesus fixed up. Through Adam the human race was banned from paradise,
through Jesus the human race can enter paradise. That concluded God’s story,
the collected account of God’s love redeeming man. The balance of the so called
“New Testament” provides insight into the growth and spread of the kingdom of
God. The scriptures reveal human error in interpreting what was important, and
the proclivity of humans to follow their own ideas. The commands and injunctions
in writings after the cross were for people in the end times of the Jewish
nation. The period when the kingdom of God was in its gestation phase. That was
the period Jesus spoke of saying,
For
the Son of Man is to come with his angels in the glory of his Father, and then
he will repay everyone for what has been done. Truly I tell you, there are some
standing here who will not taste death before they see the Son of Man coming in
his kingdom.[16]
Look!
He is coming with the clouds; every eye will see him, even those who pierced
him; and on his account all the tribes of the earth will wail. So it is to be.
Amen.[17]
I
am coming soon…[18]
See,
I am coming soon![19]
Those
who are ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation,
of them the Son of Man will also be ashamed when he comes in the glory of his
Father with the holy angels. And he said to them, "Truly I tell you, there
are some standing here who will not taste death until they see that the kingdom
of God has come with power.[20]
There are as many
theories regarding the end of the age as there are denominations, and likely
more. There are as many doctrines, ordinances, and commandments as there are
Churches, and probably more.
There are as many
thoughts on God’s kingdom as there are teachers and student, maybe more.
There are as many
sources of authority as there are religions, definitely more.
If we all looked to Jesus, what would the
religious landscape look like? Removing the human factor would result in
harmony and unity, but that is only possible if we heed the divine command
concerning Jesus, “listen to him!”
Therefore,
since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay
aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us
run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus,
the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the
cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of
God. For consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against
Himself, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.
Look to Jesus, fix your eyes on him; that
may sound simple, but it’s not. It is very difficult to give up traditions, or,
to leave the comfort of a Church, although that is not a necessity. Even in the
worst of situations there is reward that comes from enduring conforming to
rituals. Why question what has been the norm since the fourth century CE? I
made the choice to move away from an organized Church, it doesn’t matter which
one, since they are all basically alike. My choice brought with it doubts and
concerns; sometimes I feel that it would be less stressful to go and sit in a
pew, or to attend a mid-week study to placate my anxiety over leaving what had
been such a huge part of my life. But, on the other hand I have a peace not
experienced in decades of Church involvement. I believe for the first time
since I started attending Church I am beginning to understand freedom in
Christ.
Therefore
do not let anyone condemn you in matters of food and drink or of observing
festivals, new moons, or sabbaths. These are only a shadow of what is to come,
but the substance belongs to Christ. Do not let anyone disqualify you,
insisting on self-abasement and worship of angels, dwelling on visions, puffed
up without cause by a human way of thinking, and not holding fast to the head,
from whom the whole body, nourished and held together by its ligaments and
sinews, grows with a growth that is from God. If with Christ you died to the
elemental spirits of the universe, why do you live as if you still belonged to
the world? Why do you submit to regulations, "Do not handle, do not taste,
do not touch"? All these regulations refer to things that perish with use;
they are simply human commands and teachings. These have indeed an appearance
of wisdom in promoting self-imposed piety, humility, and severe treatment of
the body, but they are of no value in checking self-indulgence.[21]
Paul’s argument was not only to Jews
returning to their old way of life, it embraced any form of ritualism that
undermined the freedom of living in Christ. As a believer and follower of Jesus
I am in God’s kingdom; religious regulations from the Jewish era or first
century Christianity are not to be imposed on my service to God. Human
standards, and regulations are usually inconsistent with reality. Reaching back
to the first century for directives on living for Jesus today is bound to
produce difficulties in practice. The circumstances existing in the period
prior to the end of the Jewish age, circa 70 CE, were unique and specific to
that time. It seems that every denominations has its own process of determining
what is applicable today and what was cultural and applicable to that time
only. Needless to say that denominations vary in their results. All sixty-six
works in the divine library apply to ancient times; customs, rules, regulations
are confined to that time. What extends throughout history and time are the
principles of life and service, the revelation of God’s love and grace, and the
story of God. Some people need to find laws and commands from the scriptures,
without them they don’t feel they can serve God. Others take refuge in their
interpretation of scripture and consider it binding on them. I think I’ll take
my stand on, listening to Jesus.
For
I have been informed concerning you, my brethren, by Chloe's people,
that there are quarrels among you. Now I mean this, that each one of you is
saying, "I am of Paul," and "I of Apollos," and "I of
Cephas," and "I of Christ." Has Christ been divided? Paul was
not crucified for you, was he? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul? But by
His doing you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, and
righteousness and sanctification, and redemption, so that, just as it is
written, "let him who boasts, boast in the LORD."
The differences of allegiance in the Corinthian
Christian community has been the subject of many sermons and lessons seeking to
have members be more cohesive and unified around congregational programs. That
however, was not Paul’s purpose in writing; the supremacy of Jesus was his
concern. The supremacy of Jesus ought to be our primary concern; that belief is
not communicated by preaching, or verbally, it is communicated through
behaviour and life. The supremacy of Jesus in our lives is communicated through
the way we interact with others. Having Jesus govern your life does not require
a person to leave his or her Church. If a Church encourages kingdom life and
supports Jesus as Lord of your life, it is functioning as a fellowship group.
We are servants of Christ and our allegiance is to him alone. We serve our Lord
and are under his rule, and not to be judged by anyone, but him.
When I consider how my light is spent
Ere half my days in this dark world and wide,
And that one talent which is death to hide
Lodg'd with me useless, though my soul more bent
To serve therewith my Maker, and present
My true account, lest he returning chide;
"Doth God exact day-labour, light
denied?"
I fondly ask. But Patience to prevent
That murmur, soon replies: "God doth not need
Either man's work or his own gifts; who best
Bear his mild yoke, they serve him best. His state
Is kingly. Thousands at his bidding speed
And post o'er land and ocean without rest:
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