Those who say yes to this question say that the essence of God is neither male nor female. This is correct, because in the book of Genesis, God creates both men and women in his image (Gen 1:27). This means that, mysteriously, God is beyond both maleness and femaleness, just as God is beyond everything else in all of creation. Those who say yes might also say that since God is beyond gender, it is simply a matter of choice whether we call him “Father” or “Mother”, and that calling God “Mother” could allow women to feel more included in church. This is the point of controversy. As with all questions of faith, the question must not be whether or not this is convenient for us, or appealing, but rather “is this true?”

How Jesus Instructs Us to Refer to God

First, let’s turn to our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ (Jude 4–5), for his guidance on this matter. In the Gospel of Luke, one of Jesus’ disciples asks him, “Lord, teach us to pray, as John taught his disciples” (Luke 11:1, ESVUK). This is Jesus’ answer to him:

² … When you pray, say: “Father, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come. ³ Give us each day our daily bread, ⁴ and forgive us our sins, for we ourselves forgive everyone who is indebted to us. And lead us not into temptation. (Luke 11:2–4)

Prayer is how we talk to and address God. Jesus teaches us that the proper way to address his heavenly Father is as “Father”. We are to address God as a kind and loving Father who is holy, and who loves us, provides for us, guides us on the right path, and forgives us of our wrongdoings. Some might reply: but doesn’t Scripture also refer to God in motherly ways? Scripture certainly does. For example, Isaiah compares God’s love for Israel to a nursing mother, but says that God’s love is even stronger:

Can a woman forget her nursing child, that she should have no compassion on the son of her womb? Even these may forget, yet I will not forget you. (Isaiah 49:15)

Yet while God does have motherly qualities in this passage and many others, it does not ever call him “Mother”. It’s important to note that if he wanted to, Jesus could have instructed us to call God our Mother, or some other term; but he did not. There is zero evidence to suggest that Jesus did not do so merely because of his cultural situation (since Jesus did many counter-cultural things during his ministry, such as talking with the woman at the well (John 4:27), etc.).

What this means is that it is perfectly fine and biblical to call God Father. It’s how God has revealed himself to humanity and is a command of the Lord Jesus himself. But to call God Mother, one has to go beyond Scripture, and assume that it’s okay—in other words, to rely on human wisdom rather than God’s wisdom. The danger in doing so is that we end up doing what the Pharisees did, which was teaching as doctrines the commandments of humans, at the expense of the commandment of God:

⁶ And he said to them, “Well did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written,

“‘This people honours me with their lips, but their heart is far from me; ⁷ in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’ ⁸ You leave the commandment of God and hold to the tradition of men.”

⁹ And he said to them, “You have a fine way of rejecting the commandment of God in order to establish your tradition! (Mark 7:6–9)

God’s Name Matters

It is also worth taking into account that in the prayer that Jesus taught us to pray, Jesus tells us to pray that God’s name be “hallowed”, or made holy (Lk 11:2). This means that God’s name is important and that how we use it matters. When commissioning the Eleven apostles for ministry, Jesus revealed to us God’s holy name. This was when he told his disciples to baptise people “in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit“:

¹⁹ Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, ²⁰ teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. (Matthew 19:19–20)

According to Jesus, the name of God is “the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit”, and this is the name into which we are baptised, and the name by which we receive all the blessings and security of the Christian life (Rm 6:3–5).

Throughout the Bible, the name of God is a significant topic. God blessed the people of Israel by placing his name upon them (Nu 6:27). God’s place of worship was only where he made his name dwell (Deut 12:4–6, 10–11, 21). We are to trust in the name of the Lord (Ps 20:7), call upon the Lord’s name in worship (Ps 116:13, 17), and are promised that those who call on the name of the Lord will be saved (Jl 2:32)—a promise which is repeated in the New Testament, with reference to Jesus (Rm 10:9–12, 13). In fact, the name of the Lord and the Lord himself are one and the same (1Ch 22:7, 10, 19), which means that God is not simply called “Father, Son, and Spirit”, he is the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

If we would not change the formula of Baptism, because doing so would render it invalid, why would we treat the way we address or pray to God any differently? If changing the name of God to “Mother” in Baptism would invalidate the Sacrament, then changing the name of God to “Mother” in prayer, or calling him “our Father and Mother”, would also bring many similar problems and uncertainties.

One of the problems it raises is that we are failing to honour God by calling him “Mother”, because he has specifically told us to call him “Father”. Another problem it raises is that we are failing to treat God’s name as holy by doing so. One other problem is that calling God “Mother” cannot be done with a clear conscience, because it is not biblical. So, those who do so will have uncertainties and doubts in their prayers, and St Paul says that “whatever does not proceed from faith is sin” (Rm 14:23). Of course, if they are prideful, they may not have doubts, yet pride is also a hindrance to prayer (1Pt 5:5–7).

“Father” Is Not a Metaphor

Some might argue by saying that when the Bible calls God “Father”, it’s only doing so “metaphorically”. That is, it’s using symbolic human terms to describe a deeper reality. This means that if the times change, and it becomes more meaningful to call God something else, we could call God “Mother” or “Parent” instead of “Father”, or in addition to Father. The issue with this argument? God has revealed himself to humanity as the Father. It’s a revelation, not a metaphor. From all eternity, God has always been the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, present with the Holy Spirit:

All things have been handed over to me by my Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him. (Matthew 11:27)

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, … (2 Corinthians 1:3)

For it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you. (Matthew 10:20)

… ² the life was made manifest, and we have seen it, and testify to it and proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and was made manifest to us— ³ that which we have seen and heard we proclaim also to you, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ. (1 John 1:1–3)

God has revealed himself as Father. It is difficult to maintain that those who speak of him as Mother are still speaking of the same God. Claiming that it’s only a metaphor when the Bible calls God “the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ”, or the Holy Spirit “the Spirit of your Father”, is worse than simply removing or changing a name or title of God. It’s messing with who God actually is.

It denies how Scripture identifies and reveals God, and instead gives us a man-made identification. The disturbing thing is that while this might not in every case be a denial of the Holy Trinity, it undermines one of the central tenants of the Trinity, which is that the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit have always been the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit from all eternity. Thus, by messing with the nature of God, it paves the way for not only undermining, but outright denying the Holy Trinity.

This is the antichrist, he who denies the Father and the Son. (1 John 2:22b)

To Which God Are We Praying?

Finally, calling God “Mother”, as well as referring to him in feminine pronouns (she, her, herself), raises the question: to which God is the person actually praying? If a pastor leading a church, for example, stands up at the front and prays a prayer to “our Heavenly Mother”, many of the people in the congregation will wonder, “Hang on a minute … Is this a prayer to the true God, or to some pagan goddess deity?” They will wonder this, because nowhere in the Bible is God called our Heavenly Mother. Furthermore, in biblical times, there were pagan goddesses that the Gentiles and faithless Israelites worshipped, such as the Asherah (1Ki 15:13; 16:33; Jer 44:25–27), yet the faithful of Israel continued to refer to God in masculine terms despite this (Is 63:16; Jer 10:10; Hos 2:16).

So, praying to God as “Mother”, or referring to him as “she”, creates confusion among people, and brings doubts about whether this prayer is really to God, or to a pagan deity. Disturbingly, this means that those who invoke “Heavenly Mother” in prayer could be praying to a demon, and not to the true God, since false “gods” or idols are demons (1Cor 10:19–22). We should not do whatever is right in our own eyes, but only what the Lord commands us.

⁸ “You shall not do according to all that we are doing here today, everyone doing whatever is right in his own eyes, ⁹ for you have not as yet come to the rest and to the inheritance that the Lord your God is giving you. … ³² “Everything that I command you, you shall be careful to do. You shall not add to it or take from it. (Deuteronomy 12:8–9, 32)

Conclusion

When we look at the Bible’s teachings, it becomes clear that we do not have the right to call God whatever we want, but rather we are to address him in the way that he has revealed and commanded. So, the Bible’s answer to this question is: no, we cannot call God Mother, because God has instructed us on what we can call him, and “Mother” is not one of them.

Of course, it’s important that Christian women are honoured and that they feel valued in the Christian life and their relationship with God. But the Church can do this by teaching and promoting God’s motherly and feminine qualities, rather than by changing the way it addresses God, and doing so in a way contrary to what he has revealed and commanded. We would do well to heed Paul’s words seriously:

³ For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, ⁴ and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths. (2 Timothy 4:3–4)

See Also

• Is God Our Father?
• Is the Bible Inerrant?
• Should We Ordain Women for Equality?
• What Does It Mean That God Created Humans in His Image and Likeness?

The post Can We Call God Our Mother? appeared first on Redemption of Humanity.

Universalism is the view which holds that all people will be saved. Although there are some variations in this view (for example, whether or not Hell exists), all universalists hold that even if some people do go to Hell, it will only be temporary, because all people will eventually be saved eternally from sin—whether they died as Christians or non-Christians. The idea of all people being saved is certainly nice, and can be very tempting for Christians to believe—but the question is: is it actually true?

In the Gospel of Luke, someone actually asks the Lord Jesus Christ the question, “Lord, will those who are saved be few?” (Luke 13:23, ESVUK). Let’s look at Jesus’ answer:

²⁴ “Strive to enter through the narrow door. For many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able. ²⁵ When once the master of the house has risen and shut the door, and you begin to stand outside and to knock at the door, saying, ‘Lord, open to us’, then he will answer you, ‘I do not know where you come from.’ ²⁶ Then you will begin to say, ‘We ate and drank in your presence, and you taught in our streets.’ ²⁷ But he will say, ‘I tell you, I do not know where you come from. Depart from me, all you workers of evil!’ ²⁸ In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when you see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God but you yourselves cast out. ²⁹ And people will come from east and west, and from north and south, and recline at table in the kingdom of God. ³⁰ And behold, some are last who will be first, and some are first who will be last.” (Luke 13:24–30)

Let’s summarise what Jesus has just said:

• Jesus likens the kingdom of God (Heaven) to a “narrow door”.
• Many will want to enter but “will not be able”.
• When the Master (Jesus) shuts the door, he will tell those who want to enter, “Depart from me, you workers of evil!”.
• Outside there will be “weeping and gnashing of teeth”.

Jesus’ answer to the question “will those who are saved be few” is fairly simple: many will want to be saved, but few will actually be saved.

“For many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able.” (Luke 13:24)

Jesus teaches the same thing using similar imagery in his sermon on the mount, in which he says: “Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few” (Matthew 7:13–14).

Jesus’ apostle, St Paul, taught the exact same thing in his first letter to the Church in Corinth. This is when he writes that that the “unrighteous” (i.e. “workers of evil”, as Jesus mentioned) will not inherit the “kingdom of God” (the same expression Jesus used for Heaven):

⁹ Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practise homosexuality, ¹⁰ nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. (1 Corinthians 6:9)

Paul’s statement is just as absolute as Jesus’: the unrighteous “will not” inherit the kingdom of God. Both Paul and Jesus provide no exceptions to this whatsoever, which settles the matter: this life is our one chance to repent and believe in Jesus.

Notice that Paul says “Do not be deceived”. In saying this, Paul is warning that we can be tricked into thinking that we will be saved, when actually we are on the road to damnation. The Prophet Solomon uses a similar expression: “There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death (Proverbs 14:12).

Universalism is a deception. It’s one of the many forms of deception that Paul warns against. Universalism deceives people with the false hope that all people will be saved, and in the process, robs many of eternal life. Universalism does this by promoting the false hope of salvation apart from trusting in Christ alone, even though Jesus and his apostles so clearly teach that there is no hope for salvation apart from trusting in Jesus:

Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God. (John 3:18)

Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him. (John 3:36)

Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. (John 14:6)

And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” (Acts 4:12)

⁷ … when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with his mighty angels ⁸ in flaming fire, inflicting vengeance on those who do not know God and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. ⁹ They will suffer the punishment of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might, …. (2 Thessalonians 1:7–10)

Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life. (1 John 5:12)

Since Universalism denies that faith in Christ is necessary for salvation, it actually directs people away from Christ, and abandons people to whatever belief or lifestyle they hold to. By abandoning people in this way, the Universalist worldview destroys the need for faith in Jesus (John 3:18), it destroys the need for repentance (Luke 13:5), it destroys the need for mission work (1 Thessalonians 2:16), and above all, it destroys love, which seeks to snatch people out of the darkness (James 5:19–20; Jude 22–23). The only thing Universalism can offer is destruction, rather than salvation.

Does God Being the Saviour of All People Support Universalism?

Some proponents of Universalism attempt to support their view by quoting 1 Timothy 4:10, which says:

For to this end we toil and strive, because we have our hope set on the living God, who is the Saviour of all people, especially of those who believe. (1 Timothy 4:10)

However, the fact that God is the “Saviour of all people” does not mean that all people will be saved. A simple analogy proves this. Let’s suppose that you’re in a village during a time of war. An enemy drone is about to drop a bomb on your house, but a soldier destroys the drone with a missile before it’s able to do so. In this case, the soldier is your saviour, because he saved you from imminent death—whether you were aware of this or not. Let’s say that the soldier then visits you and warns you that your house is being targeted, and that unless you leave now, you will die. If you choose to stay and end up getting bombed, the soldier is still your saviour, because he rescued you earlier; but you ended up dead because you didn’t trust in him.

The same is true of the Christian faith. God did save the world, when he sent his Son, Jesus, who made amends for all our sins by dying for us on the cross, and so God is truly the Saviour of all people. But Jesus and his apostles warn us that if we reject what Jesus has done for us, we will remain in our sins, by rejecting our once-for-all perfect sin offering (Hebrews 10:10–14). So, if someone dies in their sins, it’s not because God is not their Saviour—it’s because they chose not to trust in him, as Jesus and Paul so clearly say:

I told you that you would die in your sins, for unless you believe that I am he you will die in your sins.” (John 8:24)

And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins. (1 Corinthians 15:17)

¹ And you were dead in the trespasses and sins ² in which you once walked … ⁸ For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, ⁹ not a result of works, so that no one may boast. (Ephesians 2:1–2, 8–9)

Jesus Christ: Our True and Only Hope

Contrary to the false hope, deception, and uncertainty of Universalism, the Bible gives us true hope and certainty in Jesus Christ. Jesus’ apostle, St John, says:

I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God that you may know that you have eternal life. (1 John 5:13)

Through faith in Jesus Christ, Christians can have the assurance and certainty that they will be saved eternally. This is not because of anything they have done or anything that is in them, but through their God-given faith, they have received all the benefits of Jesus’ sinless life, death, and resurrection (Romans 6:3–5; 1 Peter 2:24). After saying that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God, St Paul offers the following words of comfort:

And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God. (1 Corinthians 6:11)

Paul is saying that till the day we die, it’s never too late to repent, and receive the righteousness that Jesus clothes believers with. In true, biblical Christianity, there is no hope apart from Christ. Our only hope is Jesus. And this is the greatest comfort anyone can receive.

So, repent, and receive Jesus today as your only Saviour and Lord, if you haven’t already done so.

See Also

• What Is Repentance?
• Is Jesus the Only Way to Heaven?
• How to Go to Heaven
• What Is Heaven?

The post Will All People Be Saved? appeared first on Redemption of Humanity.

Yes, the Bible teaches that the Lord Jesus Christ is still a human even to this day, and that he will be for all eternity. A couple of decades after the Lord Jesus Christ died, was resurrected, and ascended into Heaven, St Paul still referred to Jesus as a human, when he said:

⁵ For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, ⁶ who gave himself as a ransom for all, which is the testimony given at the proper time. (1 Timothy 2:5–6, ESVUK)

The word for man/men in this passage is literally “human/humans” in the original Greek of the text. Paul is saying that Jesus is “the human” who intercedes for all “humans”. Furthermore, note that Paul uses the present tense for the verb “intercede”, meaning that “the man” Jesus is currently interceding right now. Altogether, according to Paul, it is not a “spirit” who is interceding for us, nor an “angel”, but it is “the man Christ Jesus” who is currently, and will always be, interceding for the human race. It’s as the book of Hebrews says: Jesus’ priesthood for humans will continue forever (Heb 7:23–25), and:

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and for ever. (Hebrews 13:8)

Jesus’ humanity and priesthood will never end. Furthermore, Jesus himself prophesied early on in his ministry that after he dies, he would raise up his own body again, according to St John:

¹⁸ So the Jews said to him, “What sign do you show us for doing these things?” ¹⁹ Jesus answered them, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.” ²⁰ The Jews then said, “It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and will you raise it up in three days?” ²¹ But he was speaking about the temple of his body. (John 2:18–21, ESVUK)

According to this text, the body that died and was buried in the tomb was raised up again, by none other than Jesus himself. In his resurrection appearances, Jesus had the same human body that he had died in, only now it was also glorified, which was why St Mary Magdalene at first didn’t recognise him (Jn 20:15–16). In fact, Jesus strongly stressed that his human body was the same body that he died in, by showing his disciples the wounds in his hands, feet, and side from his crucifixion, and even inviting his disciples to touch the wounds, so that they knew they were physical wounds:

²⁴ Now Thomas, one of the Twelve, called the Twin, was not with them when Jesus came. ²⁵ So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord.” But he said to them, “Unless I see in his hands the mark of the nails, and place my finger into the mark of the nails, and place my hand into his side, I will never believe.”

²⁶ Eight days later, his disciples were inside again, and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.” ²⁷ Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here, and see my hands; and put out your hand, and place it in my side. Do not disbelieve, but believe.” ²⁸ Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God!” (John 20:24–28)

Some might argue, “But couldn’t Jesus have had a spirit body, that only looked like a human body?” The problem with this is that Jesus denies this pretty much word-for-word:

See my hands and my feet, that it is I myself. Touch me, and see. For a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have.” (Luke 24:39)

The word for “spirit” here is the same word used in reference to the Holy Spirit, and can also refer to ghostly apparitions or good/evil spirits (i.e. angels and demons), depending on the context. The point of Jesus’ words is that non-bodily or non-physical entities do not have flesh and bones, which Jesus does have. Therefore, holding to the myth that Jesus is only a spirit is not an option for true Christians. True Christians will gladly affirm the Bible’s teaching that Jesus is still a human.

It’s also worth noting that in Paul’s epistle to the Colossians, he says about Jesus: “For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily” (Colossians 2:9). For Paul (and all the other New Testament authors), there is no contradiction to the fact that “deity dwells bodily” in Jesus. Jesus’ humanity does not (and never did) cancel out his Godhood or deity. St John affirms that “the Word” (Jesus) “was God” (Jn 1:1) and that “the Word became flesh and dwelt among us” (Jn 1:14). Jesus is, and will always be, the God-man.

I Believe in the Resurrection of the Body

In the Third Article of the Apostles’ Creed, Protestant and Roman Catholic Christians around the world confess every Sunday “I believe in … the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting” (Eastern Orthodox Christians also confess this in the Nicene Creed). The good news is that just as Jesus was raised from the dead in the same body in which he died, Christians will also receive their bodies back in the resurrection, just like him. In fact, there will be a bodily resurrection of everyone in the world—both of the wicked and the righteous (Acts 24:14–15), but only those who trust in Jesus will go to the resurrection of life, rather than judgement (John 5:24, 28–29). Just as Jesus’ body was transformed, so too will the bodies of Christian believers:

²⁰ But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ, ²¹ who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself. (Philippians 2:20–21)

In fact, Jesus’ bodily resurrection is a guarantee of our own bodily resurrections. Paul says that Christians will participate in a resurrection just like Jesus’ resurrection in his first letter to the Corinthians, when he says, referring to Christians who have died as “those who have fallen asleep”:

But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. (1 Corinthians 15:20)

In calling Jesus the firstfruits of Christians who will be resurrected, Paul is saying that just as Jesus received back his body, which was then transformed to perfection, we too will receive back our same human bodies, and have them transformed to perfection. We are guaranteed this in the Sacrament of Holy Baptism, in which the Holy Spirit unites us to Christ’s death and resurrection (Romans 6:3–5).

What Does This Mean for Us?

So, what does it mean for us that God the Son—Jesus Christ—became a human, died and rose again as a human, and will be a human forever?

First, it is God’s loving way of demonstrating that he will always be for humans, not against us. There is probably no greater honour to humanity than that the immortal God, who created us, loved humanity so much that he actually became one of us, and even died as one of us, in order save us—even though we are sinners (Jn 1:1–14; Rm 3:23; Heb 2:14–18)!

Second, it tells us that God, who created human beings in his image (Gen 1:26–27), has said that the body is good! The body is not a hindrance to spirituality, but rather a fundamental and inseparable aspect of who we are, and a blessing of God (1Thes 5:23–24).

Third, it tells us that God highly values our bodies. Some of us might think that our bodies are ugly, or disproportionate, but God loves you just the way you are—and always will (Ps 139:13–14). God wants you to care for your body, and he wants you to believe in Jesus, so that he can make your body his holy temple in which he lives (1Cor 3:16–17). In fact, God loves your body so much that—through faith in Jesus—he will not let it waste away forever, but will one day bring it back to life and to everlasting perfection—as it was intended to be.

Jesus Christ is, and will always be, the God-man. The Eternal Son of God who lives forever to make intercession for us before God the Father in Heaven, with the Holy Spirit.

See Also

• Is Jesus God?
• Does God Love Me?
• What Is the Incarnation of God?
• What Does It Mean That God Created Humans in His Image and Likeness?

The post Is Jesus Still a Human? appeared first on Redemption of Humanity.

⁷ But as you excel in everything—in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in all earnestness, and in our love for you—see that you excel in this act of grace also. ⁸ I say this not as a command, but to prove by the earnestness of others that your love also is genuine. ⁹ For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you by his poverty might become rich. (2 Corinthians 8:7–9, ESVUK)

In this passage of Scripture, the “act of grace” that St Paul is referring to is the “taking part in the relief of the saints” (2Cor 8:4), which was a financial freewill offering given to the churches in Jerusalem that were suffering from poverty (1Cor 16:3). The Gentile churches of Macedonia, in a surprising act of generosity, contributed to this charitable cause, even contributing beyond their means, by their own will (2Cor 8:1–6).

The church in Corinth also expressed a desire to help the church in Jerusalem, and so in this passage of Scripture, Paul is encouraging them to fulfil their desire to help, not beyond their means, but according to what they’re able to give (2Cor 8:8–15). The purpose is so that there may be fairness in the churches, and that if the church in Corinth is ever in trouble financially, the other churches can pitch in and help them in their time of need (2Cor 8:13–15).

The passage that we first read above (2Cor 8:7–9) is the motivation for why the churches in Corinth ought to do this: because the Lord Jesus Christ himself, who sets the example for us to follow (1Pt 2:21), did it. As the one and only Son of God (Jn 3:16), Jesus Christ was rich in every way. Because Jesus created everything, and was never himself created (Jn 1:1–3, Col 1:16–17), everything rightfully belongs to Jesus. He lacks nothing. Yet, in spite of this, Jesus gave up every heavenly comfort to be born in this world into a poor family that could only afford two turtle doves, rather than a lamb, for Mary’s ceremonial purification, according to the Law of Moses (compare Lk 2:24 with Lev 12:6–8). Jesus’ own ministry was wrought with difficulties as well, as Jesus himself said (referring to himself as the Son of Man):

“Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head.” (Luke 9:58)

Jesus had no permanent home during his three-year ministry. Finally, and most significantly, Jesus gave up immortality, to take our sins upon himself on the cross and die the death we deserved, in spite of his sinlessness (1Pt 2:21–24). This act of grace of Jesus was so that we could be enriched. Jesus became poor so that we might become rich.

When we think of being “rich” nowadays (the word Paul originally used in that passage is from the Greek word plouteó [πλουτέω]), we usually picture stacks of money, private jets, or palaces. But that’s not what the Bible is talking about here. After all, Jesus uses this same word (plouteó) in the parable of the rich fool, which talks about a foolish rich man who tells himself to just relax and enjoy the riches he amassed in life, but then dies suddenly and unexpectedly. The lesson is:

So is the one who lays up treasure for himself and is not rich [from plouteó] towards God.” (Luke 12:21)

These are the “riches” that St Paul is talking about. Jesus became poor so that we might be rich towards God. Rich in faith towards him, faith that manifests itself in love. Rich in confidence, but also fearful reverence, towards him. Rich in obedience towards him. In other words, St Paul is talking about spiritual richness. The same kind of spiritual richness that allows even us to give generously (not just our money, but also our time, energy, and possessions), just like the Macedonian and Corinthian Christians.

Our small acts of grace are only possible because of Jesus’ ultimate act of grace. If Jesus had not died for our sins—our wrongdoings—and come back to life on the third day (Ac 2:32), then we would still be dead in our sins (1Cor 15:17). But Jesus has died, he has risen, and he is alive today, seated at the righthand of God the Father almighty. Jesus ascended into Heaven not so that he could get away from the troubles and poverty of the Earth. Far from it. Jesus ascended “in order to fill the whole universe” (Eph 4:10). Jesus fills all things so that just as he poured out his grace for the world on the cross, he could continue giving his grace to more and more people, which he does by the power of the Holy Spirit, who seals Christians for the final day of judgement and redemption (Eph 4:30).

The Lord Jesus Christ keeps on giving generously, even beyond what we sinners deserve. Paul also uses the same word “plouteó” when describing how Jesus gives his riches to those who call on him in faith. He writes:

… ⁹ because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. ¹⁰ For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved. ¹¹ For the Scripture says, “Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame.” ¹² For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, bestowing his riches [from plouteó] on all who call on him. ¹³ For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” (Romans 10:9–13)

When or if we’re successful in life, we tend to think of ourselves as lords, so-to-speak. That is, as people who either rose to the ranks because of our hard work, or who had the privilege of being born in the ranks, and who therefore rightfully deserve the glory. But that’s not true. We’re not lords, but beggars. Beggars who have received all good things from God our Father (Jas 1:17), and who continue to rely on God for all good things in life.

If we were earthly lords (i.e. kings and queens), we would probably keep most, or at least a large portion, of the riches to ourselves. But Jesus isn’t like that. Jesus is a Lord unlike any other human lord, because Jesus does not withhold any of his riches from his followers, but shares all of his riches with those who call on him. Jesus, the Lord of all the universe (Ac 10:36), is the Lord who gave the ultimate act of redemption on the cross for us sinners and the Lord who keeps on giving. The Bible promises that the Lord Jesus bestows his riches—his riches of salvation and eternal life—on all who call on him—all who call on him as their resurrected Lord and Saviour.

If you’re ever finding that you lack meaning in your life; if you’re ever struggling to find hope; if you find yourself wondering how to find joy again, then know this: that Jesus Christ enriches your life in every meaningful way. All the meaning that you might lack; the hope and joy that you might have lost; the enthusiasm that you once might have had for life; all of these you can find in Jesus Christ, your Lord and Saviour, who keeps on giving his riches out of his abundant grace and love. Remember that although Jesus’ poverty led to his death on the cross, after the cross came the joy of his resurrection and ascension.

Jesus promises that we all have our crosses to carry (Mt 16:24), but by the power of the Holy Spirit, he promises to be with us throughout all our trials (Mt 28:20; Jn 16:12–15). So, we need not despair or be worried. Jesus, the Lord who gives, ensures that all our daily needs are met (Mt 6:9, 11). Jesus, the Lord who gives, lives in the hearts of Christian believers (Eph 3:17). Jesus, the Lord who gives, eternally saves all who call on his name (Rm 10:13). Jesus became poor temporarily so that we might be rich eternally; rich towards God, and in the salvation that Jesus has promised to all who believe in him.

Don’t trust in earthly riches that perish. Trust in the eternal spiritual riches of Jesus Christ, who gives out of his grace abundantly to all who believe in him. Then we will truly be enriched by Jesus Christ in every way. And then, by Jesus’ grace, with the help of the Holy Spirit, we’ll be empowered to give our time, energy, and possessions to others, as we are able, to the glory of God the Father.

See Also

• True Blessedness (Luke 11:27–28)
• What Is a Christian?
• Does God Love Me?
• In What Sense Did Jesus Empty Himself? (Philippians 2:7)
• In What Sense Is Jesus the Son of God?

The post The Lord Jesus Christ Enriches Us (2 Corinthians 8:1–15) appeared first on Redemption of Humanity.

To answer the question of what the sin of blasphemy against the Holy Spirit is, it is best to carefully examine the relevant Bible passages. They are given below.

Mark’s Gospel

²² And the scribes who came down from Jerusalem were saying, “[Jesus] is possessed by Beelzebul,” and “by the prince of demons he casts out the demons.” ²³ And [Jesus] called them to him and said to them in parables, “How can Satan cast out Satan? ²⁴ If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. ²⁵ And if a house is divided against itself, that house will not be able to stand. ²⁶ And if Satan has risen up against himself and is divided, he cannot stand, but is coming to an end. ²⁷ But no one can enter a strong man’s house and plunder his goods, unless he first binds the strong man. Then indeed he may plunder his house.

²⁸ “Truly, I say to you, all sins will be forgiven the children of man, and whatever blasphemies they utter, ²⁹ but whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit never has forgiveness, but is guilty of an eternal sin”— ³⁰ for they were saying, “He has an unclean spirit.” (Mark 3:22–30, ESVUK)

Matthew’s Gospel

²² Then a demon-oppressed man who was blind and mute was brought to [Jesus], and he healed him, so that the man spoke and saw. ²³ And all the people were amazed, and said, “Can this be the Son of David?” ²⁴ But when the Pharisees heard it, they said, “It is only by Beelzebul, the prince of demons, that this man casts out demons.” ²⁵ Knowing their thoughts, he said to them, “Every kingdom divided against itself is laid waste, and no city or house divided against itself will stand. ²⁶ And if Satan casts out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then will his kingdom stand? ²⁷ And if I cast out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your sons cast them out? Therefore they will be your judges. ²⁸ But if it is by the Spirit of God that I cast out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you. ²⁹ Or how can someone enter a strong man’s house and plunder his goods, unless he first binds the strong man? Then indeed he may plunder his house. ³⁰ Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters. ³¹ Therefore I tell you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven people, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven. ³² And whoever speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come. (Matthew 12:22–32)

Luke’s Gospel

⁸ “And I [Jesus] tell you, everyone who acknowledges me before men, the Son of Man also will acknowledge before the angels of God, ⁹ but the one who denies me before men will be denied before the angels of God. ¹⁰ And everyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but the one who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven. ¹¹ And when they bring you before the synagogues and the rulers and the authorities, do not be anxious about how you should defend yourself or what you should say, ¹² for the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you ought to say.” (Luke 12:8–12)

What Blasphemy Against the Holy Spirit Is Linked to

First, take note of Mark’s passage. After the Lord Jesus mentions the eternal sin of blasphemy against the Holy Spirit, Mark says, “for they were saying, “He has an unclean spirit” (emphasis added). Mark uses that special word “for” to explain why Jesus warned the people about blaspheming the Holy Spirit: because they were saying that he had an unclean spirit (i.e. a demon). Thus, in Mark, blasphemy against the Holy Spirit is related with saying that Jesus performs miracles not by the Holy Spirit (as he does, according to Mt 12:28), but rather by an unclean spirit or a demon.

Second, take note of Matthew’s passage. Matthew says, “Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters. Therefore I tell you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven people, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven” (Mt 12:30–31). Here, note that Jesus says “Therefore”—or “For this reason”—”I tell you”. This directs our attention to what Jesus just said in the previous sentence: “Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters” (Mt 12:30). Thus, in Matthew, blasphemy against the Holy Spirit is related with not siding with Jesus, thus putting oneself against him, and refusing to gather with him.

Third, take note of Luke’s passage. Observe what comes directly before Jesus’ warning against blasphemy against the Holy Spirit: “And I tell you, everyone who acknowledges me before men, the Son of Man also will acknowledge before the angels of God, but the one who denies me before men will be denied before the angels of God” (Lk 12:8–9). Jesus, by speaking about blasphemy against the Holy Spirit directly after warning his disciples against denying him before people, is linking the two together. Thus, in Luke, blasphemy against the Holy Spirit is related with publicly denying Jesus, as opposed to publicly acknowledging him.

It’s important to note that in the above Bible passages, Jesus does not explicitly define blasphemy against the Holy Spirit. Rather, he describes what is linked or associated with blasphemy against the Holy Spirit. To summarise: blasphemy against the Holy Spirit is linked with when one says that Jesus performs miracles by the power of Satan, when one doesn’t side with Jesus, thus putting him or herself against Jesus, and refuses to gather with him, and when one publicly denies Jesus.

Have I Committed Blasphemy Against the Holy Spirit?

With all this being said, we now get to the question that every Christian asks who has come across this passage: have I committed blasphemy against the Holy Spirit? A sin so great that it is the only sin that is eternal and that can never be forgiven by God?

The short answer is: no, you have not—at least not as long as you still have time to repent and believe in Jesus. In fact, it’s impossible to commit this sin before the moment we die. The reason why it’s impossible to commit the sin of blasphemy against the Holy Spirit while we still live—and why we can say this with absolute certainty—is because Jesus forgave the Apostle Peter.

Why Jesus Forgiving Peter Is Significant

In the passage from Luke above, Jesus said that whoever publicly denies him will be denied before the angels of God, and he said this just before warning against blaspheming the Holy Spirit. We know from the Bible, however, that while Jesus was unjustly put on trial before his death and crucifixion, Peter denied Jesus three times. We read, in Luke’s Gospel:

⁵⁹ And after an interval of about an hour still another insisted, saying, “Certainly this man also was with [Jesus], for he too is a Galilean.” ⁶⁰ But Peter said, “Man, I do not know what you are talking about.” And immediately, while he was still speaking, the cock crowed. ⁶¹ And the Lord turned and looked at Peter. And Peter remembered the saying of the Lord, how he had said to him, “Before the cock crows today, you will deny me three times.” ⁶² And he went out and wept bitterly. (Luke 22:59–62)

As we can see from this heart-wrenching account, Peter betrayed his Lord by publicly denying him three times, and felt terrible afterwards. According to Jesus’ earlier saying, a person who denies him publicly will also be denied before the angels of God. However, despite this, after Jesus rose again from the dead, Jesus found Peter and forgave him:

¹⁷ [Jesus] said to [Peter] the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” Peter was grieved because he said to him the third time, “Do you love me?” and he said to him, “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my sheep. ¹⁸ Truly, truly, I say to you, when you were young, you used to dress yourself and walk wherever you wanted, but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will dress you and carry you where you do not want to go.” ¹⁹ (This he said to show by what kind of death he was to glorify God.) And after saying this he said to him, “Follow me.” (John 21:17–19)

What this shows is that even someone who has denied the Lord in his or her lifetime—a sin that is linked with blasphemy against the Holy Spirit—can still be forgiven by God. Forgiveness comes when a person repents of their denial and puts their faith in Jesus as their only Saviour, just as Peter did. In fact, the Apostle Paul said that he was even worse than Peter—describing himself as the foremost (or chief) of sinners (1Tim 1:16). But after that, Paul says:

But I received mercy for this reason, that in me, as the foremost, Jesus Christ might display his perfect patience as an example to those who were to believe in him for eternal life. (1 Timothy 1:17)

Paul, who was infallibly inspired by the Holy Spirit when he penned (or dictated to a scribe) this letter to his disciple, Timothy, described himself as the chief of sinners. This means that if Paul was forgiven by Jesus, even though he was the worst sinner, you can most definitively be forgiven, since you are not the worst sinner.

So, Then, What Is Blasphemy Against the Holy Spirit?

This brings us back to our original question: what, then, is blasphemy against the Holy Spirit—the one and only sin that can’t be forgiven? In Matthew, Mark, and Luke, Jesus links blasphemy against the Holy Spirit with saying that Jesus performs miracles by the power of Satan, not siding with Jesus, thus putting oneself against him, and refusing to gather with him, and publicly denying Jesus. In and of themselves, these do not fully constitute blasphemy against the Holy Spirit. What does ultimately constitute blasphemy against the Holy Spirit is when one does these things without repenting of them.

The best way of explaining this is by looking at the rest of the New Testament. This is because when we encounter difficult passages, like the passages on blasphemy against the Holy Spirit, we can often understand them better by looking at easier—and sometimes more numerous—passages which can shed light on them. The sin of blasphemy against the Holy Spirit is not mentioned anywhere else in the entire Bible—it’s only found in the three pericopes mentioned at the beginning of this article. However, elsewhere in the New Testament, there is actually one—and only one—other sin that is also said to be unforgiveable, and that is the sin of unbelief till death—the sin of dying in a state of not having believed in Jesus for salvation. This is plainly taught in the following passages (and many more), which, as we can see, are more numerous than the handful of passages on blasphemy against the Holy Spirit:

Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned. (Mark 16:16)

Whoever believes in [Jesus] is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God. (John 3:18)

Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him. (John 3:36)

⁴⁵ But when the Jews saw the crowds, they were filled with jealousy and began to contradict what was spoken by Paul, reviling him. ⁴⁶ And Paul and Barnabas spoke out boldly, saying, “It was necessary that the word of God be spoken first to you. Since you thrust it aside and judge yourselves unworthy of eternal life, behold, we are turning to the Gentiles. (Acts 13:45–46)

… when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with his mighty angels ⁸ in flaming fire, inflicting vengeance on those who do not know God and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. ⁹ They will suffer the punishment of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might, ¹⁰ when he comes on that day to be glorified in his saints, and to be marvelled at among all who have believed, because our testimony to you was believed. (2 Thessalonians 1:7b–10)

But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing upon themselves swift destruction. (2 Peter 2:1)

¹¹ And this is the testimony, that God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. ¹² Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life. (1 John 5:11–12)

As sinners, we all deserve eternal punishment (Rm 3:23), which is why our only chance of salvation is to accept the free gift of God, which is eternal life in Christ Jesus, while there’s still time to do so (Rm 6:23). It’s too late to repent and believe in Jesus after you die, because: “it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgement” (Heb 9:27). The reason why unbelief till death is an unforgiveable sin is because unbelief is refusal to accept God’s salvation in Christ Jesus. It is the equivalent of refusing to hang on to the life jacket that God has thrown to us, as we were drowning in the sea of our sins. This life is the one chance to grab hold of it and be saved, but the unbeliever who dies in his or her sins has failed to do so.

So, we have not one, but two unforgiveable sins: unbelief till death, and a mysterious sin called blasphemy against the Holy Spirit—or do we? Are these two different sins, or rather the same sin with a different name? When we look at the three passages that mention blasphemy against the Holy Spirit, and examine the three things that are linked with it, all three of them involve disbelieving in Jesus. Attributing Jesus’ miraculous powers to Satan rather than the Holy Spirit, choosing not to side with Jesus and refusing to gather with him, and publicly denying him, are all acts of (profound) unbelief. When looked at in this light, the other New Testament passages which talk about unbelief till death help explain what Jesus meant by blasphemy against the Holy Spirit. Namely, they explain that when a person continues to remain in a state of unbelief till the day they die, that is when they have committed blasphemy against the Holy Spirit—a sin for which they will be eternally guilty and will never receive forgiveness.

Therefore, when we compare Jesus’ teachings on blasphemy against the Holy Spirit with what the rest of the New Testament teaches on unbelief till death, it becomes clear that these are not two different things but the same. The eternal sin—blasphemy against the Holy Spirit—is none other than the sin of refusing or failing to believe in Jesus till the day you die. Every other sin can be forgiven, if only one repents of it and turns to the Lord Jesus in faith for forgiveness, by the grace and power of the Holy Spirit (1Jn 1:8–10).

Why Blasphemy Against the Holy Spirit Specifically (Rather Than the Son or the Father)?

An interesting question to ponder is why Jesus called the sin of unbelief till death blasphemy against the Holy Spirit, specifically, rather than blasphemy against God the Father, or blasphemy against himself (the Son). After all, technically, to disbelieve till the day you die is also blasphemy against Jesus and the Father. While the Bible doesn’t directly answer this question, we can come to an educated guess based upon biblical evidence as to why unbelief till death is a sin against the Holy Spirit more than anything.

The Holy Spirit is the Third Person of the Trinity (e.g. Mt 28:19; Ac 5:3–4), whose primary work on the Earth today is not to glorify himself, but to testify and point all people to Jesus (Jn 16:14–15), the Second Person of the Trinity (Jn 1:1, 14; 20:28; Col 2:9). Jesus said:

“But when the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father, he will bear witness about me. (John 15:26)

Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you. ⁸ And when he comes, he will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgement: ⁹ concerning sin, because they do not believe in me; ¹⁰ concerning righteousness, because I go to the Father, and you will see me no longer; ¹¹ concerning judgement, because the ruler of this world is judged.

¹² “I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. ¹³ When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. ¹⁴ He will glorify me, for he will take what is mine and declare it to you. ¹⁵ All that the Father has is mine; therefore I said that he will take what is mine and declare it to you. (John 16:13–15)

This is similar to when Jesus the Son, during his time on the Earth, lived not to glorify himself, but to glorify his Father in Heaven (Jn 8:49–50), the First Person of the Trinity. Furthermore, we know from the Bible that the Holy Spirit is the one who brings people to faith in Jesus Christ and makes people Christians (1Cor 2:10–14). For this reason, to resist the message of salvation in Jesus (the Gospel), or to speak against it, is to resist and speak against the Holy Spirit, who brings to us the message and testifies to it, and who lives and works within those who proclaim Jesus. This is exactly what we see happening in the following account in the early Church’s history, when the Deacon Stephen said to the unbelieving Jews:

⁵¹ “You stiff-necked people, uncircumcised in heart and ears, you always resist the Holy Spirit. As your fathers did, so do you. ⁵² Which of the prophets did your fathers not persecute? And they killed those who announced beforehand the coming of the Righteous One, whom you have now betrayed and murdered, ⁵³ you who received the law as delivered by angels and did not keep it.”

⁵⁴ Now when [the Jews] heard these things they were enraged, and they ground their teeth at [Stephen]. ⁵⁵ But he, full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. ⁵⁶ And he said, “Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.” ⁵⁷ But they cried out with a loud voice and stopped their ears and rushed together at him. ⁵⁸ Then they cast him out of the city and stoned him. And the witnesses laid down their garments at the feet of a young man named Saul. ⁵⁹ And as they were stoning Stephen, he called out, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” ⁶⁰ And falling to his knees he cried out with a loud voice, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” And when he had said this, he fell asleep. (Acts 7:51–60)

Here, we see a stark contrast between Stephen, a Christian Jew, and the unbelieving Jews. Stephen, who testified to Jesus Christ, was full of the Holy Spirit. But the unbelieving Jews, who opposed Stephen’s message about Jesus, resisted the Holy Spirit. This account is a fulfilment of what we saw Jesus say to his disciples earlier, in Luke’s account on the blasphemy against the Holy Spirit, when he assured them that when they get persecuted, the Holy Spirit will teach them what they ought to say (Lk 12:8–12).

So, in light of the above evidence, it seems that the reason why Jesus calls the eternal sin of unbelief till death blasphemy against the Holy Spirit, rather than blasphemy against the Father or the Son, is because the Holy Spirit is the Evangelist of the Trinity, who works through Christians to testify to Jesus in the world. So, to resist or speak against the Christian Gospel is to resist or speak against the Holy Spirit and his testimony. The Holy Spirit is the truth (1Jn 5:6–8), and those who resist him and his message resist the truth of God in Christ Jesus. Those who do so till the day they die have chosen, by their own fault, to be separated from God eternally. But thanks be to God that he continues to send the Holy Spirit into the world to bring people to faith in Jesus (1Cor 2:10–14), so that all who believe may receive the free gift of eternal life in Jesus our Saviour.

See Also

• Who Is the Holy Spirit?
• Is the Holy Spirit God?
• Is the Holy Spirit a Person or Force?
• Is Jesus the Only Way to Heaven?

The post What Is Blasphemy Against the Holy Spirit? appeared first on Redemption of Humanity.

St John the Baptist was given a divine mandate by God to proclaim a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins (Mk 1:4). He was prophesied to do so by the prophets Malachi (Mal 3:1) and Isaiah (Is 40:3), who said, according to the way St Mark quoted them:

“Behold, I send my messenger before your face, who will prepare your way, ³ the voice of one crying in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight,’” (Mark 1:2–3)

According to these prophecies, John baptised people in order to prepare the way of the Lord. When one examines the Hebrew of the text in Isaiah, one will notice that the word for “Lord” in Isaiah is actually “Yahweh”, God’s personal name. In other words, John is preparing the way for God almighty himself. This is one of the passages which teaches the deity or divinity of Jesus, because the Gospels identify the Lord as Jesus himself, which means that he fulfils a prophecy that was made for God. In the Bible, no human is ever attributed to fulfilling a prophecy that was made for God himself; only Jesus is, because as the Bible teaches, he is God (cf Jn 1:1, 14).

John Baptised to Reveal Jesus

So, what does it mean that John baptised to prepare the way of the Lord? First, John explains, in the book of John chapter 1, that he came baptising in order that Jesus—the one who ranks before him—might be revealed to Israel:

²⁹ The next day he saw Jesus coming towards him, and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! ³⁰ This is he of whom I said, ‘After me comes a man who ranks before me, because he was before me.’ ³¹ I myself did not know him, but for this purpose I came baptizing with water, that he might be revealed to Israel.” ³² And John bore witness: “I saw the Spirit descend from heaven like a dove, and it remained on him. ³³ I myself did not know him, but he who sent me to baptize with water said to me, ‘He on whom you see the Spirit descend and remain, this is he who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.’ ³⁴ And I have seen and have borne witness that this is the Son of God.” (John 1:29–34)

The time when Jesus was most clearly revealed to Israel by John was when John baptised Jesus. During the baptism of Jesus, Heaven itself was revealed in the sky, the Holy Spirit visibly descended upon him like a dove, and God the Father publicly declared Jesus to be his Son:

⁹ In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. ¹⁰ And when he came up out of the water, immediately he saw the heavens being torn open and the Spirit descending on him like a dove. ¹¹ And a voice came from heaven, “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.” (Mark 1:9–11)

This was why John could say to his disciples, “I have seen and have borne witness that this is the Son of God”—because John had heard the Father himself declare it in Jesus’ baptism. Jesus’ position as the Son of God refers to his unique special relationship with the Father, a relationship which the Bible teaches Jesus has had for all eternity (Jn 1:1–18). Aside from the fact that it clearly means he is not the Father, it points to his full equality with the Father (Jn 5:18–23). So, John baptised to publicly reveal Jesus for who he really is: the Son of God.

John Baptised to Prepare People for Jesus

Second, John also baptised to prepare people for the coming of Jesus. As specified earlier, Mark says that his baptism was a baptism of repentance, for the forgiveness of sins, which means that the people who came to John were people who wanted to repent of their sins. They expressed their repentance in confessing their sins before him at his baptism:

⁴ John appeared, baptizing in the wilderness and proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. ⁵ And all the country of Judea and all Jerusalem were going out to him and were being baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins. (Mark 1:4–5)

Repentance is more than just feeling sorrow or contrition over one’s sins, although that’s part of it. It’s when one turns their entire person or being to God—when we depend on God and trust him above all else. Repentance results in two ways of living. First, forsaking the things that displease God, which is sin (Isaiah 59:2, 15; Col 3:5–10). And second, pursuing, seeking, and loving the things of God (Lk 3:8; Jn 14:15; Col 3:1–4, 12–14). When the people went to be baptised by John, they did so because they wanted to receive forgiveness from God and to live for him, not themselves. By bringing people to repentance, John was preparing the way for Jesus, because a person who truly repents is a person who actively seeks and desires the truth of God, and so they will recognise Jesus as their Lord, the Son of God. This is what Jesus taught, when he said:

¹⁶ My teaching is not mine, but his who sent me. ¹⁷ If anyone’s will is to do God’s will, he will know whether the teaching is from God or whether I am speaking on my own authority. (John 7:16–17)

So, we see from the Bible that John the Baptist came to prepare the way of the Lord by baptising people in the Jordan River. And his purpose for baptising people was to reveal God, as the man Jesus Christ, to Israel, and to prepare the people for Jesus’ coming by bringing them to repentance.

John’s Baptism Points to Jesus as Baptiser

Finally, John’s baptism pointed to a greater baptism. John said, “I have baptized you with water, but he [Jesus] will baptize you with the Holy Spirit” (Mark 1:8). We saw a similar teaching in the reading above from John’s Gospel. John’s baptism points towards the ultimate baptism: Jesus’ baptism with the Holy Spirit. Jesus first baptised his disciples with the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost, when the Holy Spirit came upon the disciples and manifested himself visibly as tongues of fire (Ac 2:1–13). Today, Jesus baptises us with the Holy Spirit when we receive the sacrament of Baptism. Jesus links the outpouring of the Holy Spirit with Christian Baptism, when he declared:

Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. (John 3:5)

While Jesus can certainly baptise a Christian with the Holy Spirit prior to Christian Baptism (Ac 10:44–48), especially if they died before they could get baptised, the blessing of Baptism is that it assures us that our union with Christ’s saving death and resurrection is as real as the water that we were washed with (Rm 6:3–5). Jesus baptises us with the Holy Spirit so that we can be temples of the Holy Spirit, precious to God (1Cor 3:16–17). He also does so to remind us that just as we have been baptised into God’s holy name (Mt 28:19), God calls us to live a holy life (1Pt 1:15–16). We cannot do this perfectly. But when we turn our entire being to God, seeking not only our salvation from him alone, but also help from him in our sanctification, we know that we will have the requests that we ask for (1Jn 5:14–15), and that he will help us be prepared for his Son’s second coming.

See Also

• What Is Baptism?
• Does Baptism Save?
• In What Sense Is Jesus the Son of God?
• Who Is the Holy Spirit?

The post Why Did John the Baptist Baptise People? appeared first on Redemption of Humanity.

The Bible’s Answer

Introduction

When this article talks about “women’s ordination”, it’s specifically referring to women being ordained into the office of pastor, not the office of deaconess. In the New Testament, the office of pastor is called “overseer/bishop” (from ἐπίσκοπος, episkopos) or “elder/presbyter” (from πρεσβύτερος, presbuteros) (see Ac 14:23; 20:28; 1Tim 3:1–7; Ti 1:5–9). While the terms “overseer” and “elder” are not brought up in the Gospels in regards to pastors, the office of apostle is, which is from ἀπόστολος (apostolos), meaning “one sent out”.^[1] According to the New Testament, the twelve apostles were all elders (pastors) (Ac 15:6, 22; 1 Pet 5:1–2), so, in this way, the Gospels do refer to the office of pastor.

The Lord Jesus’ Stance on Ordination

The Gospels tell us that the Lord Jesus Christ called and ordained (ἐποίησεν [epoieisen] in the Greek, which means “he ordained” or “appointed”)^[2] twelve men as apostles, whom he sent out to preach and cast out demons. St Mark says:

And [Jesus] went up on the mountain and called to him those whom he desired, and they came to him. And he appointed twelve (whom he also named apostles) so that they might be with him and he might send them out to preach and have authority to cast out demons. He appointed the twelve: Simon (to whom he gave the name Peter); James the son of Zebedee and John the brother of James (to whom he gave the name Boanerges, that is, Sons of Thunder); Andrew, and Philip, and Bartholomew, and Matthew, and Thomas, and James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus, and Simon the Cananaean, and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him. (Mark 3:13–19, ESVUK)

It is these same twelve apostles (with the obvious exception of Judas Iscariot) with whom Jesus exclusively met at the end of his earthly ministry, to commission them to baptise and teach all nations, as leaders of the New Covenant Church. St Matthew says:

Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. And when they saw him they worshipped him, but some doubted. And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” (Matthew 28:16–20)

These twelve men are the only people whom Jesus called and ordained as apostles in his earthly ministry, and so Jesus, who is God Almighty in the flesh (Jn 1:1–3, 14), restricted the pastoral office to men only. It’s important to note that Jesus highly exalted women when he walked the Earth. Jesus defended a woman who was unfairly criticised (Mt 26:10–13), valued Mary Magdalene’s testimony as equally as a man’s (Jn 20:17), saved an adulterous woman’s life who was harshly condemned (Jn 8:7–11), and in general talked with both women and men as equals (Jn 4:27–29). In light of this, Jesus could have easily ordained Mary Magdalene as an apostle, or Joanna, or Suzanna, or his mother if he wanted to. But he didn’t; he specifically and intentionally chose all men. Why? Because, as he said in his High Priestly Prayer, his choice of the twelve was all in accordance with the eternal will of God the Father. He said:

And now, Father, glorify me in your presence with the glory I had with you before the world began. “I have revealed you to those whom you gave me out of the world. They were yours; you gave them to me and they have obeyed your word. Now they know that everything you have given me comes from you. … As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world. (John 17:5–7, 18)

Just as Jesus faithfully followed his heavenly Father in appointing twelve men as apostles, St Paul, Christ’s apostle (1Cor 1:1), faithfully followed his Lord, Jesus, by only allowing certain qualified men to enter into the pastoral office (1 Timothy 2:11–15; 3:1–7; Ti 2:5–9; see also 1Cor 14:33–38).

Let a woman learn quietly with all submissiveness. I do not permit a woman to teach or to exercise authority over a man; rather, she is to remain quiet. For Adam was formed first, then Eve; and Adam was not deceived, but the woman was deceived and became a transgressor. Yet she will be saved through childbearing—if they continue in faith and love and holiness, with self-control. The saying is trustworthy: If anyone aspires to the office of overseer, he desires a noble task. Therefore an overseer must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, sober-minded, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, …. (1 Timothy 2:11–15; 3:1–2)

This does not in any way make women (or men who are not called to be pastors) inferior to men who are called to be pastors, as if the office of pastor were some kind of litmus test for a person’s worth (which is a horrible distortion of the truth). It is simply a biblical example of the fact that women are not the same as men, and that while both are equal in God’s eyes (Gen 1:27), they also have their own unique God-given roles and responsibilities (e.g. Eph 5:22–33), which should be honoured, not denigrated.

However, there are some people who say that while the Lord Jesus did indeed restrict the apostles to just men, he nevertheless permitted women to perform the necessary functions of a pastor. Therefore, they argue, women should be ordained as pastors. Since one of the primary functions of a pastor is teaching and exercising authority over a congregation specifically during public church worship, the remainder of this article will examine if the Gospels do, indeed, endorse women to do such a thing.

Mary Proclaimed the Gospel (John 20:17–18)

Perhaps the most commonly cited Gospel passage in support of this is John 20:17–18, which takes place shortly after Jesus rose from the dead and appeared first to his disciple, St Mary Magdalene. It says:

Jesus said to her, “Do not cling to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father; but go to my brothers and say to them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’” Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples, “I have seen the Lord”—and that he had said these things to her. (John 20:17–18)

This passage is a wonderful example of one of Jesus’ female disciples faithfully proclaiming the Gospel to fellow believers. Matthew 28:1–2, 7–8, Mark 16:9–11, and Luke 24:8–11 say exactly the same thing, except Matthew and Luke also mention that there were some other women with her. But Mary and the other women’s proclamation did not take place during public church worship. Therefore, it cannot be used as a proof text for the ordination of women. It’s also worth noting that Mary proclaiming the Gospel to others, in other words, evangelism, is not a task that’s exclusively for pastors. Jesus commands all people, whether they’re pastors or not, to acknowledge him before others:

And I tell you, everyone who acknowledges me before men, the Son of Man also will acknowledge before the angels of God, but the one who denies me before men will be denied before the angels of God. (Luke 12:8–9)

Jesus was not ordaining Mary into the pastoral office in John 20, in the same way that he wasn’t ordaining the formerly demon-possessed man into the pastoral office by telling him to proclaim how much he had done for him:

The man from whom the demons had gone begged that he might be with him, but Jesus sent him away, saying, “Return to your home, and declare how much God has done for you.” And he went away, proclaiming throughout the whole city how much Jesus had done for him. (Luke 8:38–39)

In these examples, location and situation are the two key factors for ascertaining that Mary and the formerly demon-possessed man did not perform an exclusive function of pastors. Jesus, on the other hand, did perform the exclusive work of a pastor, because he proclaimed the Gospel and exorcised demons from people in the synagogues, during public worship. For example, Mark 1:39 says, “And [Jesus] went throughout all Galilee, preaching in their synagogues and casting out demons.”

Some Women Followed Jesus (Luke 8:1–3)

Another Gospel passage that could be cited regarding this is Luke 8:1–3, which talks about Jesus’ mission work and his travel companions. It says:

Soon afterwards he went on through cities and villages, proclaiming and bringing the good news of the kingdom of God. And the twelve were with him, and also some women who had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities: Mary, called Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone out, and Joanna, the wife of Chuza, Herod’s household manager, and Susanna, and many others, who provided for them out of their means. (Luke 8:1–3)

As we can see, this passage highlights that in addition to the twelve apostles, there were also some women who followed Jesus throughout his ministry, “who provided for them out of their means”. The word for “provided” here is “διηκόνουν” (dieikonoon), which means “to be an attendant, i.e. wait upon (menially or as a host, friend, or (figuratively) teacher)”.^[3] The word for “means” is “ὑπαρχόντων” (hooparkhontown), which means “things extant or in hand, i.e. property or possessions:—goods, that which one has, things which (one) possesseth, substance, that hast.”^[4] In other words, Luke is saying that the women generously provided for Jesus and the twelve’s physical and material needs. It says nothing about them preaching during public church worship, so again, this passage cannot be used as a proof text for women’s ordination.

It’s worth noting that we get the word “deacon” from the same word used in the text, “διηκόνουν” (dieikonoon). This is an office that the twelve established to provide for the physical and material needs of Christians, so that the twelve could “devote [themselves] to prayer and to the ministry of the word” (Ac 6:4). It was this same position that Phoebe held, who also provided for the Church’s physical and material needs as a deaconess (see Rm 16:1–2).

Furthermore, the task of following Jesus, like the women did here, is also not exclusive to pastors. Jesus commands all people to follow him:

And he said to all, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it. (Luke 9:23–24)

As stated under the previous heading: location and situation are key. If an example were given of a woman in the Bible teaching and preaching during public church worship, then proponents of women’s ordination might have a point. But such a passage does not exist—not only in the Gospels, but the entire Bible. In the Gospels, Jesus never commissioned a woman to preach in public church worship, nor does he ever endorse this teaching.

Anna the Prophetess (Luke 2:36–38)

The following two Gospel passages are also worth examining. The first is Luke 2:36–38, which mentions a prophetess called Anna, who gave thanks to God upon seeing the Baby Jesus:

And there was a prophetess, Anna, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was advanced in years, having lived with her husband seven years from when she was a virgin, and then as a widow until she was eighty-four. She did not depart from the temple, worshipping with fasting and prayer night and day. And coming up at that very hour she began to give thanks to God and to speak of him to all who were waiting for the redemption of Jerusalem. (Luke 2:36–38)

Indeed, there are examples of prophetesses in the New Testament (Ac 21:9). Anna was a faithful woman who worshipped God with prayer and fasting daily. Three things can be said about this passage.

1. A prophet/prophetess is not an elder/pastor/shepherd, according to the Bible, but a different and distinct office (Eph 4:11–12). So, while pastors can be prophets as well, not all prophets are necessarily pastors. The gift of prophecy typically involves predicting future events (Ac 21:8–11) as well as bringing encouragement to others from the Word of God (Ac 15:32), but this is distinct from preaching in public church worship, which Paul clearly outlines for elders and overseers in 1 Timothy 3:1–7 and Titus 1:5–9.
2. In this passage, Luke is careful to mention that Anna did not make a public utterance, but that she limited her communication only to those who were waiting for the redemption of Jerusalem (Lk 2:38), by using the phrase τοῖς προσδεχομένοις (tois prosdekhomenois)—”to those waiting for….”^[5] Thus, Anna performed an act of evangelism here, as opposed to having preached a sermon.
3. The final point, which ties all three together, is that this event happened in the boundaries of Old Covenant temple worship, and according to Exodus and Leviticus, only men who were descended from Aaron could be priests (Ex 28:1; 29:29–30; Lv 21:1–24; 22:1–16).

So, again, because Anna was not performing a necessary function of pastors—teaching and exercising authority over a congregation specifically during public church worship—this passage cannot be used in support of women’s ordination.

The Women at Jesus’ Crucifixion (John 19:24b–27)

The other passage worth considering is John 19:24b–27, which talks of St Mary, the mother of Jesus, Mary, the wife of Clopas, Mary Magdalene, and the Apostle John remaining by Jesus’ side at his crucifixion:

So the soldiers did these things, but standing by the cross of Jesus were his mother and his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to his mother, “Woman, behold, your son!” Then he said to the disciple, “Behold, your mother!” And from that hour the disciple took her to his own home. (John 19:24b–27)

Again, this passage gives us a great example of women (as well as St John) who faithfully stayed by Jesus’ side till his death. But every Christian is called to be faithful to Jesus (Mt 16:24), so, once again, this adds nothing to the argument of those who advocate for women’s ordination. The role of a pastor specifically involves preaching and exercising authority during public church worship, something which the women here did not do, or in any other example in the Holy Gospels.

Conclusion

This article was written because there are some people who, in their attempts to support the ordination of women as pastors, claim that Jesus and the four Gospels allow women to perform all of the essential functions of a pastor. To the contrary, in this article we’ve shown that our Lord Jesus Christ did not endorse or allow the ordination of women in the four Gospel accounts. Instead, he restricted the apostolic office to men only during his earthly ministry.

We’ve shown that the passages that are brought up in favour of women’s ordination are not actually examples of women preaching in the context of public church worship, and so cannot be used as proof texts for women’s ordination. And we’ve shown that while Jesus could have appointed women as elders, since many faithfully followed him, he only appointed twelve men, a precept which Paul and the entire Christian Church followed faithfully since then. So, did Jesus support women’s ordination in the Gospels? The Bible’s answer is: no, he did not.

See Also

• Is Women’s Ordination Biblical?
• Is Homosexual Marriage Biblical?
• Is Infant Baptism Biblical?
• Did Jesus Go to Church?

Footnotes

[1] “Strong’s G652 – apostolos,” Blue Letter Bible, accessed June 19, 2023, https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/g652/kjv/tr/0-1/.

[2] “Strong’s G4160 – poieō,” Blue Letter Bible, accessed June 20, 2023, https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/g4160/kjv/tr/0-1/.

[3] “Strong’s G1247 – diakoneo,” Blue Letter Bible, accessed June 15, 2023, https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/g1247/kjv/tr/0-1/.

[4] “Strong’s G5224 – hupotasso,” Blue Letter Bible, accessed June 15, 2023, https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/g5224/kjv/tr/0-1/.

[5] “Luke 2 – Meyer’s Commentary,” BibleHub, accessed July 6, 2023, https://biblehub.com/commentaries/meyer/luke/2.htm.

Bibliography

BibleHub. “Luke 2 – Meyer’s Commentary.” Accessed July 6, 2023. https://biblehub.com/commentaries/meyer/luke/2.htm.

Blue Letter Bible. “Strong’s G1247 – diakoneo.” Accessed June 15, 2023. https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/g1247/kjv/tr/0-1/.

Blue Letter Bible. “Strong’s G4160 – poieō.” Accessed June 20, 2023. https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/g4160/kjv/tr/0-1/.

Blue Letter Bible. “Strong’s G5224 – hupotasso.” Accessed June 15, 2023. https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/g5224/kjv/tr/0-1/.

Blue Letter Bible. “Strong’s G652 – apostolos.” Accessed June 19, 2023. https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/g652/kjv/tr/0-1/.

The post Did Jesus Support Women’s Ordination in the Gospels? appeared first on Redemption of Humanity.

The Bible’s answer to this question is no; God gives each person in the world plenty of chances to repent and thereby make themselves friends with God in this lifetime, as he himself wants everyone to come to repentance (2Pet 3:9). But he does not give us any more chances to repent after we die. The Word of God declares:

… But as it is, [Jesus] has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself. ²⁷ And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgement, ²⁸ 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 9:26b–28, ESVUK)

As the above passage clearly says, all people will “die once” only, and after we die “comes judgement”, which refers to God’s final and just verdict on whether we will end up with him or apart from him in eternity (Mt 25:46). This will take place, according to the Apostle Paul, at the judgement seat of Christ (2Cor 5:10), who is to come on an unknown day and hour (Mt 24:42–44) as the Final Judge of the living and the dead (2Tim 4:1).

Who Are Those Who Eagerly Wait for Jesus?

When Hebrews 9:28 says that Jesus will come to “save those who are eagerly waiting for him”, it’s not talking about just any person who might be pleased to see him—but those who actually believe in him. This requires some explaining.

Ordinarily, every person would be condemned at God’s judgement, because we are all sinners who violate God’s commandments on a daily basis and fall short of God’s glory (1Ki 8:46; Rom 3:10–12, 23), making us his enemies (Rom 5:10) and worthy of eternal punishment (Mt 25:46). But because Jesus, in his infinite love, bore our sins in his body on the cross and died the death we deserved (Heb 9:28; 1Pet 2:24), each person in the world is given a chance to receive full forgiveness from God in this life on Earth and avoid the judgement that they deserve. The Lord Jesus Christ explained how to avoid this judgement that comes right after death in the following words:

²¹ For as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, so also the Son gives life to whom he will. ²² The Father judges no one, but has given all judgement to the Son, ²³ that all may honour the Son, just as they honour the Father. Whoever does not honour the Son does not honour the Father who sent him. ²⁴ Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgement, but has passed from death to life. (John 5:21–24)

As Jesus said, referring to himself as the Son, anyone who listens to him and believes what the Father says about him—for the Father affirms everything that the Son says (Jn 5:37–38)—”does not come into judgement”, but has passed from death to eternal life. In other words, when we believe the central truth about Jesus, that he died for all your sins personally on the cross to save you (Ti 2:13–14), and rose again from the dead on the third day (1Cor 15:3–4; Rm 10:9), we receive the redemption from sin’s consequences that Jesus won for us (Col 1:13–14). We may no longer fear death, because Jesus is the Resurrection and the Life (Jn 11:25–26), in whom there is no condemnation (Rom 8:1). Jesus is the Way and the Truth and the Life—the one and only way to God the Father (Jn 14:6). Jesus then says:

²⁸ Do not marvel at this, for an hour is coming when all who are in the tombs will hear his voice ²⁹ and come out, those who have done good to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil to the resurrection of judgement. (John 5:28–29)

Those who believe in Jesus are sanctified by the presence of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit in their hearts (Jn 14:23; 1Cor 3:16–17; Eph 3:16–19), which is how they are able to do “good” despite being sinners, whereas those who disbelieve continue to do the “evil” that all people by default do (Rom 8:7–8). Hence, those who refuse to believe that Jesus is their crucified and risen Saviour are, in Jesus’ own words, “condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God” (Jn 3:18).

Where Does Repentance Come in?

We spoke about faith (or belief) in Jesus earlier, but that’s not quite the full story. The fullest expression of the way to salvation is summed up in the word “repentance” (Lk 24:46–47), which is not a righteous act, but a change of attitude, with God at work in our hearts (2Tim 2:25), consisting of both contrition and faith (Mk 1:15; 2Cor 7:10). We repent when we are truly sorry for our sins and believe in Jesus as our only Lord and Saviour (Ac 4:12; 16:31). The result of repentance is a changed life, which revolves around loving and serving Jesus (Lk 3:8; Jn 14:15). A person who repents is, from that moment on, a Christian (Lk 15:7; Jn 1:12).

The simple reason for why repentance is necessary, is because evil is incompatible with God (1Jn 1:5–6). God is holy—that is, separate from evil, and those who dwell in his presence must also be holy (1Pet 1:15–16). It’s true that the Lord Jesus Christ gives Christians his holiness, by the power of the Holy Spirit, so that we can stand in God the Father’s presence (1Cor 1:30). But because of original sin, we still sin and fall short of God’s holiness every day, which is why repentance must be a daily event (Ps 38:3–4, 18; Mt 6:9–13). We must daily die to sin (Rom 6:6–7), so that we can continue to receive God’s mercies (Pr 28:13–14). The good news is that God is faithful, and has promised to forgive all those who do repent from the heart, as the Apostle John teaches:

⁷ But if we walk in the light, as [God] is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin. ⁸ If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. ⁹ If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:7–9)

But we can only repent in this lifetime. It’s too late to change our minds about sin and Jesus after we die, and stand before the judgement seat of Christ (2Cor 5:10). If we die in unbelief, then we have sealed our own fate to eternal damnation in Hell (Mk 9:43–48), despite the fact that God mercifully calls all people to repent to be saved (2Pet 3:9). So, don’t provoke God by putting off repentance and assuming you will live another day (Ps 32:6; Mt 4:7). If you have not yet repented, do so right now, by confessing your sins to God, and putting your faith in Jesus as the only Son of God and the Saviour of the world, who died for you, rose again, and ascended into Heaven (Lk 24:51), so that you may live with him in Heaven forever (1Th 5:9–10).

See Also

• Who Is Jesus Christ? (Summary)
• Is Jesus the Only Way to Heaven?
• What Is Repentance?
• How to Go to Heaven

The post Does God Give Us a Second Chance to Repent After Death? appeared first on Redemption of Humanity.

In the first five days of the biblical account of creation, God created the heavens and the Earth, and filled our planet with animals and vegetation. After the fifth day, God looked down on his creation and “saw that it was good” (Gen 1:25, ESVUK). On the sixth and final day of creation, God created human beings as the pinnacle of his creation, because unlike any other creature on Earth, God created human beings in his image and likeness. After seeing his creation with human beings in it, God saw that it was not just good, but “very good” (Gen 1:31). Genesis 1:26–27 declares:

²⁶ Then God said, ‘Let us make humankind in our image, according to our likeness; and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the wild animals of the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps upon the earth.’ ²⁷ So God created humankind in his image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. (Genesis 1:26–27, NRSV)

There have been many discussions by theologians on what exactly it means that humans are created in God’s image and likeness. What it ultimately comes down to, though, is the following main points.

1. God has given humanity higher value than any other creation.
2. God has made humanity like himself.
3. God has created humanity to be his representatives on Earth.
4. God has created humanity to have everlasting fellowship with him.

In the next few sections, we will explain in more detail each of these meanings, and look at their Scriptural foundations.

God Gave Human Life the Highest Value

The Bible itself doesn’t give us an exact definition of what the image and likeness of God in humanity is. It does, however, tell us about the implications of humanity being created this way. Dr Martin Luther, in his Lectures on Genesis 1–5, observes that God created nature and the animals without any deliberation or counsel (“Let the earth produce,” etc.), but with humanity, God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness” (Gen 1:26, ESVUK, emphasis added).^[1] He comments:

But here, when He wants to create man, God summons Himself to a council and announces some sort of deliberation … This indicates that man is a creature far superior to the rest of the living beings that live a physical life, especially since as yet his nature had not become depraved. (Luther’s Works Volume 1, 56)

As for how God could summon himself to a counsel, Luther says that the phrase “Let us make,” “is aimed at making sure the mystery of our faith, by which we believe that from eternity there is one God and that there are three separate Persons in one Godhead: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.”^[2] In other words, God can logically speak in the first-person plural because he is a Holy Trinity, as revealed in later biblical passages (e.g. Mt 28:19; Jn 17:3; 20:28–29; Ac 5:3–4).

From the very beginning, God has always treated human life much higher than plant and animal life. We see this in the fact that after the worldwide flood of Genesis 8, God gave Noah, his family, and the rest of humanity the permission to not only eat plants, but also animals. We read:

² The fear of you and the dread of you shall be upon every beast of the earth and upon every bird of the heavens, upon everything that creeps on the ground and all the fish of the sea. Into your hand they are delivered. ³ Every moving thing that lives shall be food for you. And as I gave you the green plants, I give you everything. (Genesis 9:2–3, ESVUK)

God’s desire for humanity to rule over the animal kingdom is proof of his gracious election of humans as possessing the greatest intrinsic value over all creatures. The Lord Jesus says as much, when teaching that while God cares for little sparrows, despite their apparent insignificance, humans “are of more value than many sparrows”, and that God has even numbered all the hairs of our heads (Lk 12:7). Furthermore, right after giving humanity the permission to kill animals for nourishment, God then establishes the death penalty for anyone or anything that kills humans (whether the culprit be a human or animal), on the basis that humans are made in God’s image:

⁵ And for your lifeblood I will require a reckoning: from every beast I will require it and from man. From his fellow man I will require a reckoning for the life of man. ⁶ “Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed, for God made man in his own image. (Genesis 9:5–6)

Not only does humanity being created in God’s image and likeness function as the basis for the protection of every human life, but it also functions as the basis for why all humans deserve to be treated with respect and dignity. St James teaches this, when teaching on the need for taming our tongues:

⁹ With [the tongue] we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse people who are made in the likeness of God. ¹⁰ From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things ought not to be so. (James 3:9–10)

King David’s prayerful contemplation of God’s loving care towards humanity prompted him to write Psalm 8. In it, David compares the vastness and beauty of the galaxies above to the smallness and insignificance of a single human, which prompts him to ask, “what is man that you are mindful of him, and the son of man that you care for him?” (Ps 8:3–4). David goes on to say:

⁵ Yet you have made him a little lower than the heavenly beings and crowned him with glory and honour. ⁶ You have given him dominion over the works of your hands; you have put all things under his feet, ⁷ all sheep and oxen, and also the beasts of the field, ⁸ the birds of the heavens, and the fish of the sea, whatever passes along the paths of the seas. (Psalm 8:5–8)

Unlike the animals, God has crowned humanity with glory and honour, and even though humans are “a little lower than the heavenly beings”, that is, the angels, this is only a temporary thing, because one day Christians will judge the angels (1Cor 6:3). Furthermore, although both humanity and some angels fell into sin, Jesus did not come to Earth to help the fallen angels, but rather all of fallen humanity (Heb 2:16–17). God shows a special interest in and love for humans that is unparalleled to any other creature, because in order to save humanity from sin, God not only became a true human just like us, but he even gave up his life to ransom us from our sins by his blood. This took place when the Second Person of the Holy Trinity, Jesus Christ, who was born of the Virgin Mary (Jn 1:1–14), was crucified on a Roman cross, where he bore all our sins (1Pt 2:24), died, and rose again from the dead on the third day (Php 2:5–8). The Lord Jesus said, referring to himself as the Son of Man and of God:

¹⁴ And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, ¹⁵ that whoever believes in him may have eternal life. ¹⁶ “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:14–16)

God went to such self-sacrificial lengths to save humanity from sin’s consequences because we alone are created in his image and likeness.

God Created Humans Like Himself

Now that we have discussed the implications of humans possessing the image and likeness of God, we can move on to discuss what exactly this image and likeness consists of. In Dr Luther’s Lectures on Genesis 1–5, he affirms St Augustine and the other Church Doctors’ understanding of the image of God in us being the powers of the soul, that is: the memory, the mind or intellect, and the will, a Trinitarian constitution which reflects God’s own Trinitarian nature.^[3] To this, though, Luther correctly adds that these have become severely damaged after Adam and Eve’s fall into sin.^[4] He also affirms the Doctors’ understanding that the likeness or similitude of God in us refers to the perfection of that image through grace, namely, that “the intellect is enlightened by faith, the memory is made confident through hope and steadfastness, and the will is adorned with love.” Dr Steinmann also affirms that the image of God consists of superior human abilities and the power of reason.^[5]

All this is to say, in summary, that God has made humans like himself—not physically, but spiritually. God is light (1Jn 1:5) and love (1Jn 4:8, 16), and because humans are created in his image and likeness, we are able to reflect God’s light and love in the world by our words and deeds (Mt 5:14–16; Jn 13:34–35; 1Jn 3:23). The Lord Jesus said:

I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life. (John 8:12)

The key emphasis here is that humans in and of themselves do not possess light, but rather we derive our light from the True Light, who is Jesus, by following him. We are only created in the image and likeness of God, but we are not the image of God or the exact representation of his being. Only one person fits the latter description, and that is Jesus, the God-man, who is “the brightness of [God’s] glory and the express image of His person” (Heb 1:3, NKJV). Consequently, when we choose not to follow Jesus and walk our own way instead, we exhibit the darkness of our sins.

In regards to humans possessing a will, this can be seen in the fact that God gave Adam and Eve alone the commandment to not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil (Gen 2:16–17), indicating that they not only had the capacity to comprehend morality, but also the choice of whether or not to obey God, which is the function of the human will. Since the Fall, our will has been so damaged that we cannot choose to love God, unless the Holy Spirit first converts us to the Faith (Rom 8:5–9; 1Cor 12:3) through the Word of God, as it is spoken or written (the Bible) (1Thes 1:4–5; 2:13; 2Tim 3:14–16). On a similar note, the Epitome of the Formula of Concord says: “Even our first parents before the fall did not live without the Law. They had God’s Law written into their hearts, because they were created in God’s image (Genesis 1:26–27; 2:16–17; 3:3)” (FC Ep VI 2).^[6] The Law of God in our hearts is our conscience—the moral compass inside each person which compels us to do good and gives us contrition when we do evil (Rm 2:14–16). Furthermore, the Bible says:

Also, [God] has put eternity into man’s heart, yet so that he cannot find out what God has done from the beginning to the end. (Ecclesiastes 3:11, ESVUK)

Because we have eternity in our hearts, we are able to ponder and seek for things that transcend this world, such as truth, beauty, life after death, as well as the existence of an almighty Creator. This affirms that humans possess an intellect and memory far unlike that of the animals. The fourth-century bishop, St Gregory of Nyssa, in The Great Catechism, summarises the image of God as being all that characterises God, in the following words:

Since, then, one of the excellences connected with the Divine nature is also eternal existence, it was altogether needful that the equipment of our nature should not be without the further gift of this attribute, but should have in itself the immortal, that by its inherent faculty it might both recognize what is above it, and be possessed with a desire for the divine and eternal life. In truth this has been shown in the comprehensive utterance of one expression, in the description of the cosmogony, where it is said that man was made “in the image of God”. For in this likeness, implied in the word image, there is a summary of all things that characterize Deity; and whatever else Moses relates, in a style more in the way of history, of these matters, placing doctrines before us in the form of a story, is connected with the same instruction.” (The Great Catechism, Chapter V)^[7]

Indeed, to be created in God’s image and likeness simply means that God created us to live forever, to know him, and to desire the divine and eternal life that God himself lives. Finally, God’s image and likeness in us includes the perfection that Adam and Eve possessed in Paradise, which was lost after the Fall. Just as God himself is perfect in every way, both in his goodness and functional attributes (Deut 32:4; Jer 32:17; Mk 10:27; 1Jn 1:5), so too was everything about Adam and Eve perfect—their bodies functioned without flaw, their minds were sharp, and their hearts truly pure. We know that Adam and Eve were perfect because prior to their sin, there was no sin, death, or decay in the world (Rm 5:12–14; 8:19–23), and because only those who are innocent, holy, and blameless can dwell in the Holy God’s presence (Is 6:1–7; Rev 21:27). After discussing Adam and Eve’s perfection in Paradise, Luther sums up the image of God in the following words: “Therefore that image of God was something most excellent, in which were included eternal life, everlasting freedom from fear, and everything that is good.”^[8]

God Created Humans Like Himself So That We May Represent Him

Dr Gordan J. Wenham, in the Eerdmans Commentary on the Bible, says that in the ancient world, it was widely believed that kings were in the image of God, in the sense that they were the god’s representative and governed the Earth on his behalf.^[9] He continues on to say: “Though Genesis does not define what constitutes the image of God in man, it implies that it is those human characteristics that enable him to fulfill his duty of ruling the earth and filling it with his own kind.” Because humans are more like God than any other creature it was fitting that God chose humans to rule over creation, as opposed to any other creature.

Both before and after God created humankind in his image and likeness, God issued forth the plan and command for humans to have dominion over all creatures of the Earth, which indicates that the image of God is, indeed, linked with God’s desire for humanity to act as his earthly representatives. Genesis 1:28 declares:

²⁸ And God blessed them. And God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth.” (Genesis 1:28)

This passage indicates that being created in God’s image and likeness is connected with participating in God’s works, because just as God rules over all the Earth as Lord (Ps 97:5), so too does God want humans to rule over all the Earth in his stead. The fact that we are God’s representatives means that we ought to rule over the Earth in love, for just as justice and righteousness are the foundation of God’s throne (Ps 97:2), so too are humans to practise justice and righteousness (Deut 16:20; Ps 11:7). Part of this involves being responsible stewards who care for God’s creation, as Genesis 2:15 makes clear:

The LORD God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to work it and keep it. (Genesis 2:15)

Just as Adam worked in the Garden of Eden to preserve it, so too are humans today to take care of the animals and environment around us. There is no indication whatsoever in Scripture which suggests that humans can mistreat animals or the environment on the basis that we are above them; in fact, this is outright condemned by the Bible (Pr 12:10). Furthermore, in the same way that God is the Creator of all things (Gen 1:1), God also commands all humans (who do not have the spiritual gift of celibacy) to be co-creators with him, by getting married, and giving birth to children, who are also made in God’s image and likeness (Gen 2:24; 5:1–3; Mal 2:15).

God Created Humans Like Himself So That We May Have a Relationship with Him

Original Righteousness

Dr Philip Melanchthon, in the Apology of the Augsburg Confession, says that the image and likeness of God entails the original righteousness that Adam and Eve possessed in the Garden of Eden.^[10] Commenting on this, he writes:

What else was this image and likeness other than that man was created with wisdom and righteousness so that he could apprehend God and reflect God? Mankind was given the gift of knowing God, fearing God, and being confident in God. This is how Irenaeus and Ambrose interpret the likeness of God. Ambrose not only says many things to this effect, but especially declares, “That soul is not, therefore, in the image of God, in which God is not [dwelling] at all times.” Paul shows in Ephesians 5:9 and Colossians 3:10 that the image of God is the knowledge of God, righteousness, and truth. Lombard is not afraid to say that original righteousness “is the very likeness to God which God implanted in man.” (Apology of the Augsburg Confession II (I) 18–21)

In like manner, the Heidelberg Catechism states: “God created [people] good and in his own image, that is, in true righteousness and holiness, so that they might truly know God their creator, love him with all their heart, and live with God in eternal happiness, to praise and glorify him” (HC Q.6).^[11] Right after God created Adam and Eve in his image and likeness, he gave them the commandments to rule over the animals (Gen 1:28) and work in the Garden (Gen 2:15), which they followed faithfully, implying that the image of God is connected with having harmonious fellowship with God.

In the beginning, God had planned for Adam, Eve, and all their children to have everlasting, perfect fellowship with him in Paradise. The original righteousness of humanity was that which allowed Adam and Eve to dwell directly with God in the Garden of Eden, where God walked among them without hiding his presence (Gen 3:8). But all this changed after Adam and Eve disobeyed God by eating the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thus wanting to put themselves in God’s place by deciding for themselves what was right and wrong (Gen 2:16–17; 3:1–7). After this, they were cast out from the Garden, lost fellowship with God (Gen 3:22–24), and sin and death entered creation (Rm 8:19–23). As a result of their rebellion, Adam and Eve lost their original righteousness and inherited the curse of original sin, which they passed on to all subsequent humans (Rm 5:12–14), in response to which God hid his presence from humanity in a cloud of fire from then on, and ceased dwelling with us directly, due to our sins (Ex 19:9, 18; 33:18–23).

The Human Soul

Furthermore, the image and likeness of God is linked with possessing a soul, because the moment God created Adam, he made him “a living soul”:

And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul. (Genesis 2:7, KJV)

The Catechism of the Catholic Church gives a good definition of the soul, in the following words: “In Sacred Scripture the term “soul” often refers to human life or the entire human person. But “soul” also refers to the innermost aspect of man, that which is of greatest value in him, that by which he is most especially in God’s image: “soul” signifies the spiritual principle in man” (CCC 363).^[12] The Bible says that “God is spirit” (Jn 4:24, ESVUK), so because humans have both a body and soul—a physical and spiritual aspect to our being—we can know and love God. The fifth-century Christian theologian, St Augustine, affirmed this in The City of God, when discussing that according to Scripture, the body and soul make up the whole human:

For who is prohibited from saying, in colloquial usage, That man is dead, and is now at rest or in torment, though this can be spoken only of the soul; or He is buried in such and such a place, though this refers only to the body? Will they say that Scripture follows no such usage? On the contrary, it so thoroughly adopts it, that even while a man is alive, and body and soul are united, it calls each of them singly by the name “man,” speaking of the soul as the “inward man,” and of the body as the “outward man,” as if there were two men, though both together are indeed but one. But we must understand in what sense man is said to be in the image of God, and is yet dust, and to return to the dust. The former is spoken of the rational soul, which God by His breathing, or, to speak more appropriately, by His inspiration, conveyed to man, that is, to his body; but the latter refers to his body, which God formed of the dust, and to which a soul was given, that it might become a living body, that is, that man might become a living soul. (The City of God, Book XIII, Chapter 24)^[13]

Thus, the image of God is not only related to our roles on Earth and our physical and mental capabilities, but more importantly also to the innermost part of our being, the spiritual component, which is of highest value. Jesus clearly taught a distinction between the human body and soul, and that the soul continues to live on after death, when he said:

And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell. (Matthew 10:28)

Because God has created us with a soul, we alone can have fellowship with him, unlike any of the animals, who live in God’s world, but do not have the capacity to know or love him. In light of everything that has been discussed so far, when we pursue a relationship with God, when we live according to his commandments, and when we faithfully represent him and care for his creation, we are fulfilling what it truly means to be human. This is because at the heart of humanity lies the image and likeness of God. But when we reject or ignore God, when we don’t follow his commandments, and when we behave cruelly towards one another and the animals, we not only rebel against God, but also human nature, and behave more like beasts with no understanding than humans (Ps 32:9).

Jesus Christ Is the Image of God

When Adam and Eve sinned against God, they lost their original righteousness, and henceforth that aspect of the image of God has been destroyed in humanity. Paul confirms this in saying that there is not a single righteous person in the world (Rm 3:10–12) and that from Adam, sin and death spread to all humans (Rm 5:12–14). There is, however, one person who never committed a single sin, and that person is Jesus Christ, the righteous (Heb 4:15; 1Pt 2:22; 1Jn 2:1). Throughout his life, Jesus not only lived in perfect communion with his heavenly Father and the Holy Spirit (Jn 5:19–20; 8:29; 15:26; 16:13–15), but he is the very incarnation of God himself (Jn 1:1, 14), and thus the very embodiment of truth (Jn 14:6), righteousness, wisdom (1Cor 1:30), and eternal life (1Jn 1:1–4). Moreover, the Bible teaches that Jesus created humanity in the beginning, along with everything else in existence (Col 1:16–17). For these reasons, Scripture says that Jesus is not only in the image of God, but that he is the image of God:

[The Son] is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. (Colossians 1:15)

In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. (2 Corinthians 4:4)

Because Jesus lived a perfect life, he lived more like a human than any other human in existence, because in doing so he truly fulfilled what it means to be in the image of God. Although we have failed to live up to the image of God in us, the good news is that when we abide in Jesus by faith, the Holy Spirit conforms us back to the image of Jesus Christ, in whose image humanity was originally created:

For those whom [God] foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. (Romans 8:29)

⁴⁵ Thus it is written, “The first man Adam became a living being”; the last Adam became a life-giving spirit. … ⁴⁹ Just as we have borne the image of the man of dust, we shall also bear the image of the man of heaven. (1 Corinthians 15:45, 49)

And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit. (2 Corinthians 3:18)

The work of Christ on the cross and in his resurrection reverses the effects of the Fall of Eden. When we put our faith in Jesus as our only Saviour, we have peace with God (Rm 5:1), and Jesus, who atoned for all our sins on the cross and intercedes for us (Heb 9:24–29), gives us full access to God the Father, by the Holy Spirit (Eph 2:18; Heb 10:19–22). Because of this, when a Christian dies, he or she will not be damned, but instead raised to everlasting life and fellowship with God in Heaven, from where we will await the resurrection of our bodies that will be like Jesus’ glorious resurrected body at his second coming (1Cor 15:20–23; 40–49). In Revelation, St John caught a glimpse of what this eternal fellowship looks like in the new Heaven and Earth, in which God will once again dwell directly with redeemed humanity forever—referring to all the saints who die having believed in Christ (Rev 22:3–4). Commenting on the restoration of God’s image in Christ, Dr Luther writes:

What we achieve in life, however, is brought about, not by the dominion which Adam had but through industry and skill. … Therefore we retain the name and word “dominion” as a bare title, but the substance itself has been almost entirely lost. Yet it is a good thing to know these facts and to ponder them, so that we may have a longing for that coming Day when that which we lost in Paradise through sin will be restored to us. We are waiting for that life for which Adam also should have waited. And we duly marvel at this and thank God for it, that although we are so disfigured by sin, so dull, ignorant, and dead, as it were, nevertheless, through the merit of Christ, we wait for the same glory of the spiritual life for which Adam would have waited if he had remained in his physical life, which was endowed with the image of God. (Luther’s Works Volume 1, 67–68)^[14]

While the process of the Holy Spirit conforming Christians to Christ’s image will never be finished in this life on Earth, it will be finished the moment we die, or when Jesus returns in glory before then to judge the living and the dead (1Cor 15:50–52; 2Tim 4:1). On that day, we will finally live out our humanity fully with God in the way he originally intended, which will bring the redeemed in Christ everlasting satisfaction in their eternal home.

Conclusion

When the Bible says that God created humankind in his image and likeness, it means: that God gave humans higher value than any other creature; that God made humans like himself; that God created humans to represent him; and that God created humans to have eternal fellowship with him. More specifically, it means that God gave humans a mind, memory, and will like his, a conscience so that they can love good like him, a soul so that they can have fellowship with him, and that God originally made humanity righteous.

Although we lost that righteousness by sinning against God, he gave Christians the Holy Spirit through his spoken and written Word, who conforms them back to the image of Jesus Christ, our Creator and Redeemer, throughout our lives on Earth. This process will finally be complete when we arrive in our heavenly home. While God does love the animals and angels, he loves humans more than any other created being because we alone bear his image and likeness. Thanks be to God for his eternal love towards us.

Notes

[1] Martin Luther, Luther’s Works Volume 1: Lectures on Genesis Chapters 1–5, ed. Jaroslav Pelikan (Saint Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1958), 56.

[2] Luther, Luther’s Works Volume 1, 57.

[3] Luther, Luther’s Works Volume 1, 60.

[4] Luther, Luther’s Works Volume 1, 62.

[5] Andrew E. Steinmann, Called To Be God’s People: An Introduction to the Old Testament (Eugene, Oregon: Wipf & Stock, 2006), 92.

[6] Paul Timothy McCain, Edward A. Engelbrecht, Robert C. Baker, and Gene Edward Veith, eds, Concordia: The Lutheran Confessions (Saint Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 2006), 486.

[7] Gregory Nyssen, “The Great Catechism,” in The Church Fathers. The Complete Ante-Nicene & Nicene and Post-Nicene Church Fathers Collection: 3 Series, 37 Volumes, 65 Authors, 1,000 Books, 18,000 Chapters, 16 Million Words, trans. William Moore, M.A., and Henry Austin Wilson, M.A., ed. Philip Schaff (London, England: Catholic Way Publishing, 2014), 27807, Kindle.

[8] Luther, Luther’s Works Volume 1, 65.

[9] Gordon J. Wenham, “Genesis,” in Eerdmans Commentary on the Bible, ed. James D. G. Dunn and John W. Rogerson (Grand Rapids, Michigan: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 2003), 39.

[10] McCain et al., Concordia: The Lutheran Confessions, 78.

[11] Christian Reformed Church in North America and Reformed Church in America, Heidelberg Catechism (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Faith Alive Christian Resources, 2011), https://www.crcna.org/welcome/beliefs/confessions/heidelberg-catechism.

[12] Catholic Church, Catechism of the Catholic Church. 2nd ed. (Huntingdon, Pennsylvania: Our Sunday Visitor, 2000), https://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0015/__P1B.HTM.

[13] Aurelius Augustinus, “The City of God,” in The Church Fathers. The Complete Ante-Nicene & Nicene and Post-Nicene Church Fathers Collection: 3 Series, 37 Volumes, 65 Authors, 1,000 Books, 18,000 Chapters, 16 Million Words, trans. Marcus Dods, D.D., ed. Philip Schaff (London, England: Catholic Way Publishing, 2014), 11829, Kindle.

[14] Luther, Luther’s Works Volume 1, 67–68.

Bibliography

Augustinus, Aurelius. “The City of God.” In The Church Fathers. The Complete Ante-Nicene & Nicene and Post-Nicene Church Fathers Collection: 3 Series, 37 Volumes, 65 Authors, 1,000 Books, 18,000 Chapters, 16 Million Words. Translated by Marcus Dods, D.D., edited by Philip Schaff. London, England: Catholic Way Publishing, 2014. Kindle.

Catholic Church. Catechism of the Catholic Church. 2nd ed. Huntingdon, Pennsylvania: Our Sunday Visitor, 2000. https://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0015/_INDEX.HTM.

Christian Reformed Church in North America and Reformed Church in America. Heidelberg Catechism. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Faith Alive Christian Resources, 2011. https://www.crcna.org/welcome/beliefs/confessions/heidelberg-catechism.

Luther, Martin. Luther’s Works Volume 1: Lectures on Genesis Chapters 1–5. Edited by Jaroslav Pelikan. Saint Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1958.

McCain, Paul Timothy, Edward A. Engelbrecht, Robert C. Baker, and Gene Edward Veith, eds. Concordia: The Lutheran Confessions. Saint Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 2006.

Nyssen, Gregory. “The Great Catechism.” In The Church Fathers. The Complete Ante-Nicene & Nicene and Post-Nicene Church Fathers Collection: 3 Series, 37 Volumes, 65 Authors, 1,000 Books, 18,000 Chapters, 16 Million Words. Translated by William Moore, M.A., and Henry Austin Wilson, M.A., edited by Philip Schaff. London, England: Catholic Way Publishing, 2014. Kindle

Steinmann, Andrew E. Called To Be God’s People: An Introduction to the Old Testament. Eugene, Oregon: Wipf & Stock, 2006.

Wenham, Gordon J. “Genesis.” In Eerdmans Commentary on the Bible, edited by James D. G. Dunn and John W. Rogerson, 32–71. Grand Rapids, Michigan: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 2003.

The post What Does It Mean That God Created Humans in His Image and Likeness? appeared first on Redemption of Humanity.

²¹ And [Jesus] said to them, “Is a lamp brought in to be put under a basket, or under a bed, and not on a stand? ²² For nothing is hidden except to be made manifest; nor is anything secret except to come to light. ²³ If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear.” ²⁴ And he said to them, “Pay attention to what you hear: with the measure you use, it will be measured to you, and still more will be added to you. ²⁵ For to the one who has, more will be given, and from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away.” (Mark 4:21–25, ESVUK)

Context

The key to understanding this passage is by looking at the context. Just before, the Lord Jesus had told his audience many parables (Mk 4:2), and Mark specifically records his telling of the Parable of the Sower (Mk 4:3–9). In it, Jesus likens the Word of God to seeds that a sower scatters on different types of soil, which represent people, and explains the different ways people react to the Word (Mk 4:13–20). After telling the parable, Jesus was alone, and his disciples, and others with him, privately asked him about the parables (Mk 4:10). Jesus replied:

¹¹ To you has been given the secret of the kingdom of God, but for those outside everything is in parables, ¹² so that “they may indeed see but not perceive, and may indeed hear but not understand, lest they should turn and be forgiven.” (Mark 4:11–12)

Here, we see two important theological truths. First, Jesus teaches that by ourselves, we cannot understand divine revelation unless God himself gives us insight.^[1] As other Bible passages teach, faith in Jesus is a gift from God the Father, through the Holy Spirit (1Cor 12:3; Eph 2:8–9). Second, this “inner circle” of followers gained insight into Jesus’ teachings because they chose to inquire further, and sought to learn what Jesus meant, unlike the others, who could have asked, but instead chose not to understand Jesus’ parables. This parallels Jesus’ teaching, “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you” (Mat 7:7). This is confirmed by Mark later, when he said, “but privately to his own disciples he explained everything” (Mk 4:34).

Nothing Is Secret Except to Come to Light

After explaining the Parable of the Sower, Jesus then says, “Is a lamp brought in to be put under a basket, or under a bed, and not on a stand? For nothing is hidden except to be made manifest; nor is anything secret except to come to light” (Mk 4:21–22). Just as a lamp is supposed to shine in the darkness without being covered, the purpose of Jesus’ parables is not to hide truth, but impart it.^[2],[3] Jesus’ parables do so in a way that “filters” the listeners, so to speak, as when filtering liquid through a fine cloth to purify it; the disciples had to take in the truth from the parables before being able to take in more truth from Jesus later, but in order to do so they had to be willing to learn.^[4]

When we look at Mark 4:21 retrospectively, from the lens of Jesus’ once-for-all sacrifice for sins on the cross and resurrection (Heb 9:27–28; 10:10, 12–14; Ac 3:14–15), the lamp could also be referring to the Gospel—the message which tells us how we can be part of God’s kingdom (that is, by accepting Jesus as our crucified and risen Saviour) (Rom 1:16).^[5],[6] In this way, Jesus is encouraging Christians to proclaim the Gospel of Christ’s marvellous light (1Pt 2:9) to the world which has been darkened by sin, rather than keep it to themselves. Because a lamp can be a metaphor for the Messiah (2Ki 8:19; Ps 132:17), it could also refer to Jesus himself, the True Light of the world (Jn 1:9–10; 8:12), who came to make known and fulfil God’s plan of salvation (Jn 3:14–16; 12:44–50).^[7]

Mark 4:22 primarily means that although Jesus’ ministry and teachings on the kingdom of God (God’s reign in Christ and his people, the Church) is presently hidden in parables, it will one day be manifested to the world.^[8],[9] This happened partially after Jesus rose again from the dead. This was when he gave his disciples a full understanding of his true identity (Lk 24:25–27), imparted upon them the Holy Spirit to teach them all things (Jn 14:16–17, 26; 20:22), and commissioned them to proclaim the Gospel, and thus build God’s kingdom, to the ends of the Earth (Mk 16:15; Ac 1:8). In this way, the Church acts as the agent through which Jesus brings the secrets of the kingdom to light in the world. This will be completed when Jesus comes again to the Earth in glory to judge the living and the dead (Mat 16:27; 2Tim 4:1), at which point every knee will bow before him “in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Php 2:10–11).

Mark 4:22 has additional eschatological implications. We will all (both Christians and non-Christians), either straight after death or when Jesus comes again, stand before Jesus Christ at his throne of judgement to personally give account for our lives—for the good we’ve done and the evil (Heb 9:27; 2Cor 5:10). There, we cannot hide anything from our Lord—for “no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account” (Heb 4:13). Not only will every good deed that went unnoticed be revealed before us and Jesus, but also every evil deed that we kept hidden, for Jesus did say “nothing is hidden … nor is anything secret except to come to light” (Mk 4:22). This is supported by Jesus’ parallel teaching in Luke 12:1–3, in which Jesus connects this saying with the need to be on guard against hypocrisy, adding, “Therefore whatever you have said in the dark shall be heard in the light, and what you have whispered in private rooms shall be proclaimed on the housetops” (Lk 12:3).

Of course, as Christians we affirm that Jesus paid our sin punishment fully on the cross (Col 2:13–14; 1Pt 2:24; 3:18), that he has forgiven us (1Jn 1:8–10), and that if we hold fast to him in faith, there is no condemnation for us (Rom 8:1). Nevertheless, we will still face the temporary consequences for our sins. If we don’t clean up our act now, and fail to repent of some sins before we die, then we will face the shame and humiliation of our misdeeds being made public in Jesus’ presence. As punishment, our Lord may deprive us of the rewards we could have received in Heaven (1Cor 3:13–15). There is also the chance that we harden our hearts so much to the point where we fall away from the faith, and thus lose the gift of eternal life (Heb 3:12–13).

Jesus’ statement that follows this, “If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear” (Mk 10:23), acts as an invitation to faith. Jesus does not force, coerce, or scare his hearers into becoming Christians; instead, he gently extends the invitation for them to do so, through the power of telling parables. This is highly effective, because parables invite us to place ourselves into the story. In using parables, Jesus goes beyond appealing to our intellect, and prompts a response from our hearts. Jesus knows that not all people have faith or will be interested in believing (Jn 2:23–24), so he calls those who are interested to follow him now. This statement also shows the importance that Jesus places on listening to him carefully—for he has the words of eternal life (Jn 6:68). There is salvation in no one else (Ac 4:12).

With the Measure You Use, It Will Be Measured to You

Then, Jesus says, “Pay attention to what you hear: with the measure you use, it will be measured to you, and still more will be added to you. For to the one who has, more will be given, and from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away” (Mk 4:24–25). Notice how Jesus said, “Pay attention to what you hear”; Jesus’ emphasis here is on the need for us to listen carefully to him. We must not only hear, but hear properly, and seek to understand the underlying message of the parables.^[10],[11] We must be willing to humble ourselves and take the position of students, seeking to learn from Christ, our Teacher (Mat 11:29; 23:12; Jn 13:13–14).

In this context, “with the measure you use, it will be measured to you” (Mk 4:24) means that the effort we put into listening to and learning from Jesus’ parables will correlate with the spiritual benefits that we receive from them. If we listen and respond with an open heart, like those in the inner circle (Mk 4:11), we will grow in understanding and receive spiritual blessings and God’s kingdom in an even greater measure; but if we do not, we will lose the kingdom altogether (Mk 4:25).^{[12],[13],[14]}

Mark 4:25 corresponds to the fact that we entered the world with nothing, and cannot take anything with us after we die except for the faith that is within us (1Tim 6:7). If our faith is in Christ before death, we will take with us all the spiritual benefits that come with it into the heavenly abode that he has prepared for us (Jn 14:1–3), which he bought for us at the insurmountable cost of his life (Mk 10:45). If our faith is not in Christ, then we will lose absolutely everything in this life, including our own souls to the everlasting fires of Hell (Mk 9:43–48; Lk 12:15–21).

Jesus’ saying in Mark 4:24 parallels what he said in Matthew 7:1–2, but in the latter, Jesus connects it with judging others, saying, “Judge not, that you be not judged. For with the judgement you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you” (Mat 7:1–2; see also Lk 6:38). In this case, Jesus’ words here can also refer to the fact that how we treat others will ultimately correspond with how God treats us when we meet him face to face. If, in faith, we treat others the way we would want to be treated (Mat 7:12), God will graciously repay us with even more kindness and goodness than we gave (Mat 6:3–6, 10:40–42; Lk 6:35; 1Cor 3:13–15).

But if we harden our hearts and repeatedly treat others cruelly or shamefully without repenting—at which point it can be said that faith no longer exists in such a person (e.g., Gal 5:19–21; 1Tim 5:8; Heb 3:12; 1Jn 3:15)—God will repay us with a punishment that corresponds to our misdeeds in Hell (Ps 37:12–13; 145:20; Pr 13:9; 15:3; Mat 24:45–51). The theme of our end corresponding to our deeds is prominent throughout Scripture, as seen in the below passages.

• “For judgement is without mercy to one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgement.” (James 2:13)
• “For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.” (Matthew 6:14–15)
• “Judge not, and you will not be judged; condemn not, and you will not be condemned; forgive, and you will be forgiven; give, and it will be given to you.” (Luke 6:37–38a)

Conclusion

There was a lot to take in from this small Bible passage. Here are three main points to take home. 1. When Jesus returns, the secrets of the kingdom will be revealed to the whole world and it will be evident to everyone that he is truly the King of Heaven and the universe (Mk 4:21–22; Rev 17:14; 19:16). Nevertheless, it will be too late for unbelievers to repent on that day (Mat 22:11–14). In the meantime, Christians are instructed to “put the lamp on the stand” by proclaiming the good news of the kingdom to others (Mat 28:19–20; Mk 4:21; 16:15).

2. If we put in the effort of listening to Jesus’ teachings, pondering them, and applying them to our lives, God will grant us spiritual blessings in even greater measure (Mk 4:23–25; Mat 7:7). Ignoring Jesus or not taking him seriously will just lead to confusion and ignorance, and potentially apostasy (Mk 4:12; Jn 6:60, 66; Heb 3:12). 3. There is no such thing as “secret sins”, because all our actions will be made public before Jesus on the last day (Mk 4:22; Lk 12:1–3). So, let’s not become prideful, but instead humble ourselves before God (Is 66:2). If we live each day by trusting in Jesus, living under his easy yoke (Mat 11:29–30), and repenting of our sins, we will have nothing to fear when we die. In Christ there is no condemnation (Rom 8:1).

To learn how to have your sins forgiven, and spend eternity with Jesus Christ, please read the following article.

• How to Go to Heaven

See Also

• What Is the Kingdom of God?
• Where Do Our Souls Go When We Die and After Judgement Day?
• Why Did Jesus Come into the World?
• What Does the Holy Spirit Do?

Notes

[1] Edward A. Engelbrecht et al., The Lutheran Study Bible (St. Louis, MO: Concordia Publishing House, 2009), 1662.

[2] Stephen S. Short, ‘Mark,’ in Zondervan Bible Commentary: One-Volume Illustrated Edition, ed. F. F. Bruce (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2008), 1111.

[3] Alan Cole, ‘Mark,’ in The New Bible Commentary, 4th ed., ed. D. A. Carson, R. T. France, and G. J. Wenham (Nottingham, England: Inter-Varsity Press, 2015), 958.

[4] Cole, ‘Mark,’ 958.

[5] Engelbrecht et al., The Lutheran Study Bible, 1663.

[6] Lou Barbieri, ‘Mark,’ in The Moody Bible Commentary, ed. Michael Rydelnik and Michael Vanlaningham (Chicago, IL: Moody Publishers, 2014), 1526.

[7] James R. Edwards, ‘Mark,’ in The Baker Illustrated Bible Commentary, ed. Gary M. Burge and Andrew E. Hill (Grand Rapids, MI: BakerBooks, 2012), 1019.

[8] Scott Hahn and Curtis Mitch, The Ignatius Catholic Study Bible: The New Testament, Revised Standard Version Second Catholic Edition (San Francisco: Ignatius Press, 2010), 73.

[9] Edward E. Hindson et al., Zondervan King James Version Commentary: New Testament (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2010), 103.

[10] Jack Norman Sparks et al., The Orthodox Study Bible (Elk Grove, California: St. Athanasius Academy of Orthodox Theology, 2008), 1335.

[11] Short, ‘Mark,’ 1111.

[12] Sparks et al., The Orthodox Study Bible, 1335.

[13] Short, ‘Mark,’ 1111.

[14] Edwards, ‘Mark,’ 1019.

Bibliography

Barbieri. 2014. ‘Mark.’ In The Moody Bible Commentary. Edited by Michael Rydelnik and Michael Vanlaningham. Chicago, IL: Moody Publishers, 2014.

Cole, Alan. 1994. ‘Mark.’ In The New Bible Commentary. 4th ed., edited by D. A. Carson, R. T. France, and G. J. Wenham. Nottingham, England: Inter-Varsity Press, 1994.

Edwards, James R. 2012. ‘Mark.’ In The Baker Illustrated Bible Commentary. Edited by Gary M. Burge and Andrew E. Hill. Grand Rapids, MI: BakerBooks, 2012.

Engelbrecht, Edward A., Paul E. Deterding, Roland Cap Ehlke, Jerald C. Joersz, Mark W. Love, Steven P. Mueller, Scott R. Murray, Daniel E. Paavola, Victor H. Prange, Robert A. Sorensen, and Michael P. Walther. The Lutheran Study Bible. St. Louis, MO: Concordia Publishing House, 2009.

Hahn, Scott and Curtis Mitch. The Ignatius Catholic Study Bible: The New Testament, Revised Standard Version Second Catholic Edition. San Francisco: Ignatius Press, 2010.

Hindson, Edward E., Daniel R. Mitchell, Barth Campbell, Mal Couch, Steven Ger, Harvey Hartman, Ronald Hawkins, Fred Smith, Jon Venema, Gary Yates. Zondervan King James Version Commentary: New Testament Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2010.

Short, Stephen S. 2008. ‘Mark.’ In Zondervan Bible Commentary: One-Volume Illustrated Edition. Edited by F. F. Bruce. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2008.

Sparks, Jack Norman, J. Richard Ballew, Metropolitan MAXIMOS, Eugen Pentiuc, Michel Najim, Peter E. Gillquist, Alan Wallerstedt, Joseph Allen, Theodore Stylianopoulos. The Orthodox Study Bible. Elk Grove, California: St. Athanasius Academy of Orthodox Theology, 2008.

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