Triplets of Unity: Triune God, One Will – Christ’s Earthly Ministry and Church

 

Each member of the Trinity played a special role in the incarnation. God the Father gave His only begotten Son (John 1:14; 3:16, Hebrews 1:5-6), Jesus Christ, Who was conceived through the Spirit’s power (Luke 1:35). The Word, or Christ, was God (yet distinct from God the Father) and present from the beginning (John 1:1-2), He was the Creator, the Life-Giver, and the Light Who overcame the darkness (John 1:3-5)

The Word became flesh so that man could experience His grace and truth (John 1:14) and see the image of the invisible God (Colossians 1:15). God the Father was pleased that in Jesus Christ the Son would be the fullness of the Godhead, or all Three Persons of the Trinity bodily (Colossians 1:19; 2:8,9), As Isaiah foretold, the Name of the Son would also be the Counsellor (the Spirit Who guides us) and the Everlasting Father (Isaiah 9:6-7).

Those who walked the earth with Jesus were privileged to see God in the flesh, and subsequent believers have been blessed to read of Him in Scripture. When we realize that we are sinners in need of a Savior (Romans 3:23) and that Jesus Christ died for our sins, was buried, and rose from the dead (1 Corinthians 15:1-4), we are indwelled from the moment of salvation by the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 1:13-14) Who teaches us that we are children of God the Father (Romans 8:16).

Just as we now know Christ through the revelation of the Spirit, it is through our knowledge of and relationship with Jesus that we can know the Father (John 14:8-9). From an early age, Jesus knew that He must do His Father’s business (Luke 2:49), and in His earthly ministry, His very food was to do His Father’s will and to finish His work (John 4:34).

The Scriptures are largely silent on much of Jesus’ childhood, but Luke tells us that the Child grew not only physically but strong in Spirit, filled with wisdom, and the grace of God (the Father) was upon Him (Luke 2:40). Thus we see in Jesus the effects of and interaction with the other Two Persons of the Trinity

Jesus faithfully honored His Father (John 8:49), did good works in His Father’s name (John 10:25,32), and prayed to the Father (Matthew 11:25; Luke 10:21; John 11:41). In His model prayer, He also taught His disciples to pray to the Father (Matthew 6:9; Luke 11:2). He told the Samaritan woman at the well to worship the Father in Spirit and in truth, just as she was coming to realize that He was the Messiah, or Christ (John 4:21-26).

At Gethsemane, Jesus prayed to the Father for the cup to pass from Him if that were possible; for the Father’s will to be done; and for the Father to keep you and me (John 17), giving us eternal life by knowing “thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.” (v. 3). Thus, Jesus Himself clearly recognized the distinction between Himself and the Father.

When Jesus was on the cross, He prayed to the Father to forgive those who crucified Him (Luke 23:34), and His last words acknowledged the other Two Persons of the Trinity, as Jesus commended His Spirit to the Father (Luke 23:46).

Yet at that moment that He became sin to appease God’s wrath at all sinners (2 Corinthians 5:21), Jesus could not call out to His Father, but only to His God (Matthew 27:46; Mark 15:34), because Holy God the Father could not look on all the sin Jesus Christ bore for us. After Jesus died, the Father raised Him from the dead through the power of the Holy Spirit. Without the Trinity acting as Three distinct Persons united in one will, the crucifixion and resurrection that is the defining miracle of Christianity would not be possible.

After He arose from the dead, Jesus Christ told Mary Magdalene that He would ascend to His Father (Who was also her Father), and to His God (Who was also her God; John 20:17). Jesus told His followers that after He ascended to Heaven, the Comforter, or Holy Spirit, would be with them always, remind them of Jesus Christ, and teach them (John 14:16,26;15:26; 16:7). This promise was realized at Pentecost, when the Spirit descended on the apostles like cloven tongues of fire (Acts 2:1-4), giving power to Peter and the others to preach truth. .

By Divine inspiration, Peter then spoke clearly of the Trinity: This Jesus hath God raised up, whereof we all are witnesses. 33 Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, he hath shed forth this, which ye now see and hear (Acts 2:32-33).

Paul also clarified that God the Father raised Jesus from the dead using the power of the Holy Spirit, and that same Spirit gives believers new life and power to mortify the flesh (Romans 8:10-11) when they trust in the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 15:1-4) as the only Way to the Father (John 14:6).

Since His ascension, Jesus Christ the Son has been seated at the right hand of God the Father (Hebrews 1:3), mediating and interceding for us, hearing the prayers brought from believers to Him through the Holy Spirit. Paul tells us that through Christ, we have access by one Spirit unto the Father (Ephesians 2:18).

In Paul’s ministry to the Gentiles, he was constantly led by the Spirit, Who inspired his preaching (Acts 18:5)  and instructed him not only in spiritual matters (Acts 17:16) but in highly practical decisions regarding his ministry, such as where to travel and where not to go (Acts 19:21; 21:4). Paul describes the mystery of God, and of the Father, and of Christ (Colossians 2:2,3) which was not revealed before the incarnation.

2 Corinthians 13:14The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, be with you all. Amen. 

© 2013 Laurie Collett

Reposted from the archives

Eden’s Triplets of Mercy: Sin, Judgment and Redemption

 

As we have seen throughout Scripture, God’s Word expresses His Triune Nature as Father, Son and Holy Spirit by clustering significant concepts, people and objects in groups of three. Some of the earliest triplet patterns occur in Genesis 2, with the description of the Garden of Eden introducing the central.theme of the Bible. Man is sinful and deserves God’s judgment, but God’s mercy saves him.

This garden was Paradise on earth, created by God for man’s enjoyment (v. 8). God filled the garden with three types of trees: every tree that is pleasant to the sight, and good for food; the tree of life also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of knowledge of good and evil (v. 9).

Through the first two types of trees, God blessed man with beautiful scenery, delicious food, and the promise of perfect life free of aging, illness or pain. The third tree of knowledge of good and evil was a test of man’s faith, submission and obedience. Adam and Eve failed that test by doubting God’s Word, pridefully seeking their own desires rather than pleasing God, and disobeying His commandment (Genesis 3:1-6).

Their rebellion led to guilt (v.7, 10), loss of fellowship with God (v. 10) and suffering the consequences of God’s judgment. This included a threefold curse on the serpent (v. 14-15), on Adam (v. 17-19), and on Eve (v. 16). But God in His mercy restored fellowship by seeking them out as they hid from Him (v.9), covered their sin with animal skins (v. 21), and expelled them from the Garden (v. 22-24).

Although the expulsion from Eden was part of the judgment and consequence of Adam and Eve’s sin, it was also an act of mercy. Had God permitted them to remain in the Garden of Eden, they could have eaten from the tree of life (v. 22). This would have given them eternal life, which would be more of a curse than a blessing. They would have lived forever in their fallen state, continuing to experience the endless toil of physical labor (v. 17-19), the strife of relationships broken by sin (v. 16), and sorrow (v. 16-17).

Instead, God in His mercy had them leave. The duration of their physical life ravaged by sin would be limited (v. 19), and God would give Eve a son whose descendant would bruise Satan’s head (v. 15).  In so doing, God began His perfect plan of redemption, not only for Adam and Eve, but for everyone who would believe in His Son as Deliverer, Lord and Saviour (John 3:16; 1 Timothy 1:1; 2 Peter 1:11). The animal skins with which God clothed Adam and Eve required the shedding of blood, foreshadowing the shed blood of Christ, the perfect Sacrifice Who cleansed us from all our sins, past, present and future  (Romans 5:9; Revelation 1:5).

God watered the Garden of Eden with four rivers defining three lands or countries: Havilah, Ethiopia, and Assyria (Genesis 2:11, 13, 14). Based on current geography, it is difficult to determine from this description the exact former location of the Garden of Eden, as the global flood in Noah’s day would have considerably altered the terrain.

Through their future inhabitants, these three lands remind us of man’s sin, God’s judgment, and His restoration. Havilah was a source of three treasures: gold, bdellium and onyx (v.12). But it also was the dwelling place of Israel’s enemies: the sons of Ishmael (Genesis 25:16-18), as well as the Amalekites (1 Samuel 15:7)

Ishmael represents the consequences of man taking matters into his own hands, rather than trusting God and waiting on the Lord’s perfect timing. God had promised to give Abram (Abraham) and Sarai (Sarah) a natural born son in their barren old age; to make Abraham’s descendants as numerous as the stars; and to give him the Promised Land to inherit (Genesis 15:1-7). As part of a sign to Abraham confirming this promise, God asked him for an offering of three beasts: a heifer, a she goat, and a ram, each three years old (v. 9).

Had Abram and Sarai only waited for God’s perfect timing, they would not have sinned before they heard the rest (and best) of the promise: God would make Abraham the father of many nations, He would be God to him and his descendants, and he and his descendants would possess the land of Canaan forever (Genesis 17:4-8).

But Sarah accused the Lord of keeping her from childbearing, violated God’s plan for marriage by giving her maid Hagar to Abraham, and persuaded him to have a child by her. Because of Ishmael, the son of this adulterous liaison, Hagar hated Sarah, Sarah wanted to be rid of Hagar, and Abraham was caught in the middle (Genesis 16:2-6).

God promised to make Ishmael the father of innumerable descendants (v. 10), just as He did for Isaac, Abraham and Sarah’s promised son born after Ishmael. But unlike Isaac, Ishmael would be a curse, and not a blessing, to Israel, for he would be a wild man; his hand will be against every man, and every man's hand against him (v. 12). The world today is still reeling from the impact of radical Islamists tracing their roots back to Abraham through Ishmael. 

The Amalekites, also inhabitants of Havilah, were another thorn in Israel’s side. As the Hebrews fled from Egypt, Amalek attacked them in a fierce battle at Rephidim. Israel prevailed while Moses prayed, assisted by Aaron and Hur (Exodus 17:10-12). God swore that the Lord will have war with Amalek from generation to generation (v. 16).

God used the Amalekites and Canaanites as an instrument of His judgment against the Hebrews for complaining about Him, lacking faith in His promise by believing an evil report about the Promised Land, and planning to disobey Him by returning to Egypt (Numbers 14). The judgment was threefold: they would be struck by pestilence and the sword; the adults would die in the wilderness (except for Joshua and Caleb who brought a good report); and the children would wander in the wilderness for 40 years before entering the Promised Land.

As severe as this sounds, it was a lesser punishment than they deserved for their lack of faith despite God’s faithfulness, His signs demonstrating His great power, and the report from Joshua and Caleb of the land flowing with milk and honey. But God pardoned them (v. 20), for He is longsuffering, and of great mercy, forgiving iniquity and transgression (v. 18).

The Amalekites continued to threaten Israel (Judges 3:13; 6:3, 7:12), and God commanded King Saul to kill every one of their people, herds and flocks (1 Samuel 15:1-3). But Saul disobeyed God by sparing the life of their king and the best of the livestock. This sin cost Saul dearly, for God judged him by taking away his kingship (1 Samuel 15:7-35). Yet He restored a Godly king to Israel by selecting and anointing David (1 Samuel 16:1-13), a man after God’s own heart (1 Samuel 13:14; Acts 13:22) who ultimately defeated the Amalekites (1 Samuel 31).

Because of God’s great mercy, He does not give us what we deserve, namely eternal punishment in hell, for we are all sinners (Romans 3:23; 6:23). His holiness, perfection and justice (1 Samuel 2:2) demand that sin be punished, but He reconciled us to Himself by the atoning sacrifice of His Son (Romans 5:10-11), Who was crucified, buried, and rose again on the third day so that all who trust Him have everlasting life (1 Corinthians 15:1-4).

We see God’s mercy daily (Lamentations 3:22-23,32) as He works all things together for our good (Romans 8:28), protects us from the full consequences of our transgressions, and gives blessings to mitigate the judgment He requires. Sometimes He allows us go through trials, knowing that they will strengthen our faith, conform us to the image of His Son, and equip us to help others going through similar trials by giving us compassion, wisdom and experience,

Like Havilah, the other two lands comprising the Garden of Eden, namely Ethiopia and Assyria, also have lessons for us regarding man’s sin, God’s judgment, and His restoration. Praise God that even from the beginning, He knew that man would sin, requiring judgment, but that He had a plan to redeem us! 

© 2015 Laurie Collett

Reposted from the archives

Triplets of Faith: Everlasting Gospel

 

Photo by ForestWander 2011

Even in Florida, cooler mornings remind me to thank God for changing seasons. These evoke memories of admiring majestic mountains painted so vividly from autumn’s palette, as I breathe in the aroma of crisp leaves crunching underfoot and hickory smoke from a wood-burning stove, and savor warm apple cider spiked with cinnamon, cloves and honey. 

God designed man in His own Triune image, to seek Him, to know Him, and to love Him as our Savior, Father and Creator of all. How can so many fail to realize this basic truth?

He equipped our body with senses, working together so perfectly to perceive all the beauty of His universe. These cry out to our mind that only a Supreme Designer could do this. And in our spirit, the seat of our emotions and soul, we long for the love, joy and peace (Galatians 5:22) found only in fellowship with Him. Only the fool says in His heart there is no God (Psalm 14:1; 53:1), for the universe declares His glory (Psalm 1:11), and all who deny it are without excuse (Romans 1:18-25)

God is unchanging, for Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, and today, and forever (Hebrews 13:8). Yet He has revealed the specifics of His plan for mankind in different ways to different peoples throughout Bible history. Scripture speaks of three true Gospels, or Good News of salvation, given by God’s grace as a freely given, unmerited gift that sinful man does not deserve and cannot earn (Ephesians 2: 8-9).

The Gospel of the Kingdom (Matthew 24:14), directed to the Jews and the nation of Israel (Psalm 98:2-3), tells of Jesus Christ as the coming King of His Kingdom. The Gospel of Grace (Acts 20:24) allows Gentiles as well as Jews to be saved by their faith in the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ as the only way to Heaven (1 Corinthians 15:1-4; John 14:6). And the Everlasting Gospel (Revelation 14:6-7) warns of judgment by the One True God Who is to be worshipped as the Creator.

The basis of the Everlasting Gospel, as well as of the other two true Gospels, is faith (Romans 1:17) that God is the Creator, Who is Who He says He is. and Who will do what He has said He will do. The Gospel is Good News to those who believe it, but judgment to those who reject it. Faith in the One true God results in eternal, abundant life with Him (John 3:16; 5:2410:10), but disbelief results in eternal damnation in hell (John 3:18), forever separated from His light and love (Luke 16:23-26).

The Everlasting Gospel was first revealed to Adam and Eve, and it will be confirmed shortly before Christ returns as Righteous Judge, King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Even before Christ revealed the Gospel of Grace to Paul, allowing Gentiles who placed their faith in Him to share in salvation, there were occasional Gentiles throughout preceding Bible history who were saved by faith in what was known about God at that time.  These included Rahab (Hebrews 11:31), Ruth (Ruth 1:16), and the Roman centurion (Mark 15:39). Jews as well as Gentiles were saved by faith that God was Creator of all, worthy of our praise, worship, and obedience (Hebrews 11).

The Gospel of the Kingdom is the Good News of salvation to Jews who trusted in Jesus as their promised Messiah during His earthly ministry and those who will do so during the Tribulation. And the Gospel of Grace is the Good News of salvation to Gentiles (and Jews) who placed their faith in the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ as the only way to Heaven (1 Corinthians 15:1-4).

Although the third Gospel, the Everlasting Gospel, promises judgment rather than salvation, it is still Good News to the nation of Israel and to the faithful remnant who refuse to worship the beast during the Tribulation, because it means that their ordeal will soon be over as Christ returns to defeat the Antichrist and the enemies of Israel at the battle of Armageddon (Revelation 16:16).

Just before the Vial Judgments of the Tribulation, the angel will preach the Everlasting Gospel to people of every nation, kindred, and tongue. The message will be a warning to fear God, give Him glory, and worship Him, as the hour of His judgment is come. God is to be feared, glorified and worshipped as the Creator of Heaven, earth and sea, making this an Everlasting Gospel known since Adam and Eve. (Revelation 14:6-7). Those who follow this warning and die in the Lord will be blessed forever more, resting from their labors and honored thereafter by their works (Revelation 14:13).

Praise God that all who have been saved before the Tribulation will have a heavenly perspective on these events, viewing them unfold from above, for God will spare us from the wrath to come! Meanwhile, may we have the patience of the saints, keeping the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus (Revelation 14:12).

© 2013 Laurie Collett

Triplets of Faith: Three True Gospels

 

Christians believe in one God, yet He is a triune God: God the Father; Jesus Christ the Son; and the Holy Spirit. Aspects of His triune nature are reflected in His creation, attributes, incarnation, earthly ministry, crucifixion, and resurrection, to name but a few.

So it is not surprising that throughout Biblical dispensations, there are three true Gospels: the Gospel of the Kingdom (Matthew 24:14), the Gospel of Grace (Acts 20:24), and the Everlasting Gospel (Revelation 14:6-7). All of these are “Good News,” which is the meaning of the word “Gospel,” to those who place their faith in God, but judgment to those who do not (2 Corinthians 2:14-17).

Paul also refers to “another gospel,” (Galatians 1:6-9, 2 Corinthians 11:1-4) or false gospel that results in damnation rather than salvation because it requires that good works must be added to faith for a person to be saved (Colossians 2:8;18-23; Hebrews 6:1; 9:14). The preacher of such heresy is condemned even more than those who believe it (Galatians 1: 8-9).

God is unchanging (Hebrews 13:8; James 1:17), so how can there be three true Gospels? Although God made different covenants with mankind throughout Biblical history, the common element is our faith in Him (Genesis 15:6; Romans 4:1-11; Hebrews 11). Without faith, it is impossible to please Him (Hebrews 11:6). Previously, now, and in the future, salvation is by His freely given grace, solely through our faith in Him, and not in our own works in a futile attempt to earn our entrance to Heaven (Ephesians 2: 8-9).

What is saving faith? It is our belief that God is Who He says He is (Matthew 16:15-17; John 1:12; 11:27) and that He will do what He has said He will do. By definition, it goes beyond what we can see and fathom intellectually (Hebrews 11,1), yet it is supported by visible evidence throughout God’s creation of Him as the Supreme Designer (Psalm 19:1). Faith only results in salvation if the object of that faith is the one true God, the Holy Trinity of Father, Son and Spirit.

Even unsaved people have “faith” that a chair they have never sat in before will support their weight, or that a pilot they have never met is capable of safely flying them to their destination. Evolutionists have “faith” that eons of time and astronomical odds result in creation of life from inanimate matter, and increasingly complex life forms from simpler ones, even though there is no observable evidence of these theories that defy known laws of thermodynamics.  

These types of misplaced “faith” do not result in forgiveness of sins or eternal life, for only the fool says in his heart that there is no God (Psalm 14:1).and worships the created being rather than the Creator (Romans 1:25).

When we try to determine whether another person will keep their promise, we examine their character, intentions and their ability to carry out those intentions. We may believe that a spouse wants to support and encourage us throughout our lifetime, and they may have a good and faithful character so that they sincerely want to do so. Yet humans have limited power and finite time on earth, so they may fall short of their promise due to physical or mental infirmities or even untimely death (Job 14:1; James 4:14).

When we believe the promises of God, it is because we have faith not only in His character and intentions, but also in His ability to fulfill those promises. We believe that He is love (1 John 4:8), truth (Deuteronomy 32:4; Psalm 71:22; John 18:37), and light (1 John 1:5), and that He therefore wants only the best for His children (Matthew 7:11; Romans 8:28) and will never lie (Titus 1:2).

Because God is perfectly holy (Leviticus 11:44,45, etc.) and just.( Job 4:17;8:3, etc.), He must punish sin and separate Himself from those who sin, unless they are redeemed by the perfect sacrifice of His Son (Romans 3:25; 1 John 2:2; 4:10).

God has unlimited ability to fulfill His good intentions toward us because He is omnipotent, with infinite power (Genesis 18:14; Jeremiah 32:17,27) omniscient, with infinite knowledge of all things past, present and future (Psalm 139:1-6); and omnipresent, so that He can be anywhere and everywhere, accompanying us in any and every circumstance (Psalm 139:7-11). He will never leave nor forsake His children (Hebrews 13:5).

Future posts will explore how God progressively revealed and will reveal Himself to those who believe in Him, through the Gospel of the Kingdom (Matthew 24:14), the Gospel of Grace (Acts 20:24), and the Everlasting Gospel (Revelation 14:6-7).. Praise God that His promises can be trusted, and that faith in Him brings eternal life!

© 2013 Laurie Collett

Reposted from the archives

Judgment and Deliverance by Water

 

Painting by Lidia Kosenitzky 2009 (wikimedia)

Water in the Bible may represent God’s blessings of physical and spiritual sustenance and healing. But the Lord gives and He takes away (Job 1:21), and He can use water as an instrument of His omnipotent wrath as well as His infinite love.

God used water to judge mankind for their sin when He destroyed the vast majority of men and living creatures in a global flood, sparing only faithful Noah and his family (Genesis 6:17). Thankfully, He promised that He would never again destroy the whole earth by water, and He gave us the rainbow as His sign of that promise (Genesis 9 :11-15).

Nonetheless, God continued to use the destructive force of water and localized flooding as an instrument of judgment, as in the ”overflowing flood ’’ that destroyed the city of the Philistines (Jeremiah 47:2). While sparing the Israelites and allowing their escape from captivity as He parted the Red Sea waters (Exodus 14::21-29; Nehemiah 9:11). He released the waves just in time for the pursuing Egyptians to drown (Psalm 106:11).

Other examples of water as a barricade preventing passage until God miraculously intervened include His drying up the Jordan waters so the Israelites could pass over (Joshua 4:23,) and Elijah and then Elisha parting the waters to cross the Jordan (2 Kings 2:8,14). Oceans and other great bodies of water tend to isolate peoples and nations, particularly before modern times of air travel. In the new heaven and new earth, there will be no more sea (Revelation 21:1), perhaps representing the unity of all the saints throughout eternity, and free passage to one another at the speed of thought!

God used the violent power of water to punish Jonah for his disobedience (Jonah 2:3-5), as his boat was tossed about in the storm, he was plunged beneath the waves, and he was swallowed by a great fish. But once he learned his lesson and prayed to God for mercy, the whale vomited so that the waves could cast Jonah safely onto dry land (Jonah 2:10). Similarly, the churning waves in a storm tested the faith of Jesus’ disciples while revealing His supernatural power to save them (Matthew 8:24-27).

Contamination of the water is a terrible judgment, as in the Egyptian plague of waters turning to blood (Exodus 7:17-24; Psalm 105:29). To punish the Israelites for their sin of idolatry, Moses ground up the golden calf and added the powder to their drinking water (Exodus 32:20); During the Tribulation, the waters will again be contaminated as the star Wormwood falls into the sea, polluting one third of the water (Revelation 8:10-11).

Elisha purified barren water with salt (2 Kings 2: 19-22), foreshadowing Christ’s commandment that believers be the salt of the earth (Matthew 5:13), comforting and restoring those marred by the sinful world. Moses turned bitter water to sweet with a medicinal branch (Exodus 15:23-25), and Jesus Christ Who is the Righteous Branch (Jeremiah 23:5; 33:15) purifies our sinful souls.

When believers are born again by placing their faith in the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 15:1-4) as the only Way to eternal life (John 14:6), the indwelling Holy Spirit makes each of us a source of living water to refresh the world (John 7:38) by sharing God’s Word and His love.

But sadly, our remaining sin nature sometimes pollutes our testimony. As James reminds us, the same fountain cannot give forth sweet and bitter water (James 3:11-12), and if we allow our sin nature to gain control, what we spout forth is poison not fit for others to consume (James 3:8). But if believers yield to the Spirit, He can use the living water, or Scripture spoken in love, flowing from us to help cleanse others from sin-sickness and to be a healing force for good and for salvation.

With every instance of God’s judgment through water He has provided deliverance for those who are faithful and obedient to Him. Noah and his family found refuge in the ark floating safely above the flood waters, which was echoed in baby Moses floating in his basket to escape infanticide as he was rescued by Pharaoh’s daughter (Exodus 2:10). In their angry pursuit of the escaping Israelites, the Egyptians perished in the Red Sea, but God made a way through the raging waters for His chosen people.

God chastised Jonah by enclosing him in a watery grave for three days and nights, foreshadowing God’s ultimate plan of salvation as Jesus Christ rose from the dead to conquer sin and death forever (John 3:16; Romans 5:12-21). The prince of the power of the air (Ephesians 2:2) may control the waves, but even he must cease and desist when the Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6) rebukes the storm. Praise God that He is not only the Righteous Judge (Psalm 9:8; Revelation 19:11), but also our Savior, Deliverer and Redeemer! (Isaiah 47:4; 60:16)

© 2013 Laurie Collett

Reposted from the archives

Triplets of Womanhood: Three Marys

 

Just as God portrays His Triune nature in patterns of three throughout His Word, His nature, and His creation, it is not surprising that there are three women named Mary in close association to Christ in His earthly ministry. These are Mary, mother of Jesus (Luke 1-2), Mary Magdalene, Jesus’s disciple from the time He cast out seven demons from her (Mark 16:19), and His close friend Mary of Bethany, sister of Martha and Lazarus (Luke 10:38-42; John 11:2). These women were bound to Jesus by love as His family, follower, and friend.

There are also three additional women named Mary described in less detail in Scripture, but also worthy of mention. One of these is referred to as "the other Mary" (Matthew 27:61), also known as the mother of the disciples James and Joses (Matthew 27:55-61); and as the wife of Cleophas (John 19:25). The second is the mother of John Mark (Acts 12:12); and sister to Barnabas (Colossians 4:10), who opened her home to the disciples to meet for prayer (Acts 12:12). The third is Mary of Rome, whom Paul thanked for her "many labors" in support of his ministry to the Roman Christians (Romans 16:6).

These three women: the “other Mary,” the mother of John Mark, and Mary of Rome, are known for their association to Christianity by being relatives of the first missionaries and by their service to the early church. All six of these women have much to teach us about the Biblical ideal of womanhood.

“Mary” in the New Testament is the Greek equivalent of the Old Testament Hebrew names “Miriam,” given to the sister of Moses and Aaron (Exodus 15:20-21), and “Mara,” the name Naomi adopted to reflect her great sorrow in bereavement (Ruth 1:20). The name means bitterness, sorrow, or trouble, reflecting the pain, grief and tribulation each woman bore, though in differing circumstances. 

The root word of this name is the same as for the spice known as myrrh, a bitter, fragrant and costly herb. In symbolic terms, myrrh may represent the bitterness of childbirth, mandated by the curse of sin (Genesis 3:16); the joys of motherhood (Proverbs 23:22-25); and the priceless value of Biblical womanhood, exemplified by the Proverbs 31 woman.

Myrrh was one of the gifts presented to Jesus as a young child to symbolize that He came to die (Matthew 2:11); it was offered to Him on the cross (Mark 15:23); and it was used to anoint His body for burial (John 19:39-40). And yet it was also included in the holy anointing oil used in Old Testament worship (Exodus 30:23; Psalm 45:7-8); it purified women such as Queen Esther (Esther 2:12); and it perfumed the marriage bed. (Proverbs 7:17-18; Song of Solomon 1:13,3:6;4:14).

In keeping with Divine triplets in Scripture, there were three Marys present at the crucifixion of Jesus (John 19:25).  Mary, mother of Jesus, came to the cross by submission to God’s calling her to carry His Son (Luke 1:28-38).  Mary Magdalene came by Christ’s mercy as He freed her from demonic possession (Mark 16:19); and Mary of Cleophas came by her relationship with Christ’s followers, for she was the close relative of two disciples.

These three Marys present at the cross of Christ therefore represent the three-step process by which every born-again believer (John 3:3-8) comes to know Christ and places their faith in His death, burial and resurrection (1 Corinthians 15:1-4) as the only Way to Heaven (John 14:6). First, we have some association with Christians who share the Gospel with us; then we ask Christ for His mercy to forgive us and spare us from eternal death that our sins deserve (Romans 3:23); and finally we submit to His perfect will for our life (James 4:7), all through the power of the Holy Spirit.

Praise God that He gave us victory (1 Corinthians 15:55-57) over sin, death and hell! Three Marys witnessed the evidence of His resurrection firsthand as they came to anoint His body at the tomb, only to find that He had risen! These three were Mary Magdalene (Matthew 28:1; Mark 16:1; Luke 24:10; John 20:1), Mary the mother of James (the “other Mary;” Matthew 28:1; Mark 16:1), and the mother of Jesus, as one of the women that were with Mary Magdalene at the cross (Luke 24:10).

Each of these women has a unique story, yet with common themes that illustrate how we can lead lives pleasing to Lord Jesus Christ. Like the three Marys, may we turn from the bitterness of sin to the joy of salvation and the blessings of serving Him!

© 2015 Laurie Collett

Reposted from the archives

Directions

 

Photo by MacieKlew 2015

I had a dream that I was walking in the streets of New York City at dusk. I needed to go home and was looking for the train station. I had set out in a rush, assuming I was headed in the right direction, but I soon realized that I was lost and heading into a bad section of town. There were tracks along the street and then a dead end, with an open area where construction was going on, but only one man was working there.

I asked him for directions to the train station, but he looked puzzled. “You know you’re headed the wrong way, don’t you?”

“OK, so how do I get there?” I asked defensively.

“Some girls go this way,” he said, indicating with his right hand. “It takes longer – about 3 or 4 hours -- but it doesn’t aggravate their allergies.”

“I can’t be walking that long – I have to get home tonight.”

He shrugged his shoulders and pointed to his left. “That way will take you about 25 minutes.”

So I thanked him hurriedly and took off on the second path, trying not to breathe too deeply, as I am prone to allergies. About half an hour later I found myself on a busy street, but nothing looked familiar, and I still saw no signs of the train station.

I went into a hotel lobby to ask for directions. A party was going on, and some of the guests seemed to know me, but I didn’t recognize them. One of the women invited me to help myself to gourmet food from the lavish buffet, and another asked me to join her at karaoke.

I knew I had to get going if I had any hope of making it home before nightfall, but I reasoned that one of the women might offer me a lift home, as the party seemed to be wrapping up. But it dragged on and on, and I excused myself to go to the ladies’ room, hoping that I could slip out unnoticed.

Once in the ladies’ room, I realized to my horror that my purse was missing! I mentally retraced my steps, wondering if I had left it in the lobby, near the buffet, or in the room where they were singing karaoke, or even worse, if one of my long-lost “friends” had taken it! As I ran out to look for it, one of the women grabbed my arm and dragged me over to the microphone to sing a duet with her.

I didn’t want to make a scene, so I attempted to sing along, even though I had never heard the song before and there were no words on the screen. I attempted to read her lips and follow the notes she was singing, but soon realized I was embarrassing myself and her, and the others were laughing. Even worse, my hopes of finding my purse, reaching the train station, and getting home grew increasingly dim.

I awoke in a panic, realizing that if we don’t get the right directions, we’ll never get to the right destination. What seems to be a short cut not only wastes our time, but may prevent us from getting there at all. Time once lost can never be regained; opportunities wasted lead to loss of rewards; and wrong decisions can have disastrous consequences.

Following directions is key to success in any project, even in the earthly realm, but they must be the right directions. If we are trying to install a computer system, it will do us no good to follow directions written for assembling a bookcase, and the end result will leave us sorely disappointed.

Having the right direction is essential to our eternal destiny. All roads do not lead to Heaven, but only the path of faith in Jesus Christ, Son of God and God Himself, Who died to pay for our sins, was buried, and rose again on the third day (1 Corinthians 15:1-4), that all who trust Him would have eternal life (John 3:16).

Jesus said, “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life, and no one comes to the Father but by Me” (John 14:6). He also emphasized that He alone is the narrow Gate leading to Heaven, which few find, because they go the way of the broad gate, which leads to death and destruction (Matthew 7:13-14).

The way of the world, which offers short cuts to success, extravagant lifestyle, popularity, and recognition, may seem to lead to these rewards for some people, at least for a time or even for a lifetime. But what good are these temporal rewards if a man loses his soul while seeking them? (Matthew 16:26; Mark 8:36)

Some who choose the way of the world are disappointed and broken early on, which may be a blessing in disguise if it leads to recognizing that man’s sin nature deserves nothing but eternal punishment in hell (Romans 3:23; 6:23); that he cannot do enough good deeds to outweigh his sin (Ephesians 2:8-9); and that he desperately needs the Savior Who paid for his sins in full to set him free (Romans 3:25; 1 John 2:2; 4:10).

Following the world’s signposts to success may seem easier and more fulfilling, as so many unsaved people believe, but that path leads only to ultimate destruction and death if it bypasses the Savior (Proverbs 14:12; 16:25; Ephesians 2:1-3). We cannot expect the world to give us the right directions, which may be why there was only one person in my dream giving directions at all, and he provided a warning about the short cut that was cryptic at best.

Satan is the great deceiver (John 8:44; 2 John 1:7), so he will gloss over the dangers of following the world and highlight the pleasures of sin, which Scripture tells us last only for a season (Hebrews 11:25). Lost souls may encourage believers to join in their pastimes, but they are seldom motivated for concern for our welfare. Once we sink to their level, they may even revel in our distress, as did the audience for the karaoke duet fiasco in my dream.

Pleasurable activities in the world now ruled by the devil may seem to be their own reward, but they are a poor and empty substitute for true fulfillment in walking with the Lord (Romans 8:1,4; Galatians 5:16,25). Only He can lead us to high places in Him (Habakkuk 3:19; Ephesians 1:3; 2:6).

Time wasted on these seemingly innocent pursuits (Hebrews 12:1) may result in losing God’s best opportunities He has planned for each of His children since before the beginning of time (Jeremiah 29:11; Romans 8:29-30; Ephesians 1:5,11). God gave us free will to accept salvation or reject it. Once we are born again (John 3:3-8), we still have free will to make the right choices that will lead us closer to Him (James 4:8), or the wrong choices that will lead us astray (Psalm 51:1-4).

Making the right choices requires trusting God, Who has all wisdom (Psalm 139:6), power (Jeremiah 32:27) and love (1 John 4:8), with all our heart, rather than our own limited understanding. If we consult Him before embarking on our daily journey, rather than turning to Him as a last resort once we get in trouble, He will direct our paths (Proverbs 3:5-6).

Once we are truly saved, we will never lose our salvation (John 10:28-29; Romans 8:39). But bad decisions have consequences that may lead to loss of fellowship with and joy in the Lord (Psalm 51:12), loss of God’s best blessings for our life on earth (James 4:3), loss of eternal rewards (1 Corinthians 3:11-15), and even loss of life, if our conscience becomes so seared that God will get more glory from our death than from our testimony (1 Corinthians 5:1-5).

Born-again Christians desiring to follow Christ must walk a fine line between being in the world, where we can witness and minister to the lost, and of the world, where there is no distinction between us and the lost in our lifestyle, character, and behavior (John 17:11-15; 2 Corinthians 6:14). We must have spiritual discernment that recognizes and protect us from the negative effects of sin (Matthew 7:15-23), perhaps symbolized in the dream by allergies.

If we have allergies, we still go about our daily lives, but we avoid locales that will aggravate our nasal passages and immune systems, even if it means taking a longer or less convenient route. And if our conscience is attuned to God’s still, small voice (1 Kings 19:12), we will stay away from temptation.

May God grant us wisdom to use His Word as a lamp unto our feet and a light unto our path (Psalm 119:105), to lead us by His direction to our eternal home in Heaven! May we not get lost in the back alleys, but follow the narrow, straight path of salvation by His grace!

© 2017 Laurie Collett

Reposted from the archives