C H A P T E R

4

Biblical Concept of God

Let’s turn to the “Word” and read what it has to say concerning the nature of God in contrast to the Christian world’s general philosophy. Starting with Genesis 1:26-27 we read, “And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness:... So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.”

Man Is in the Image of God

In Webster’s Dictionary we find that image means, “a representation of a person or thing; a copy; likeness.” The actual Hebrew word is, tselem, (tseh’-lem), means “resemblance; hence a representative figure...” Therefore, God made man to resemble Himself—in His image. This doesn’t sound like a mystery, does it? If God’s creation of man in His likeness was only metaphorical, then perhaps Seth was only a metaphor, for Genesis 5:3 says, “And Adam lived an hundred and thirty years, and begat a son in his own likeness, after his image; and called his name Seth.” It is believed that Moses wrote the first five books of the Bible. If this is true, why would Moses use a metaphor in one instance in Genesis and not in another? It should be quite clear that man is in the image of God, not that God is in the image of man. Many feel that this concept lowers God to man’s level. On the contrary, it elevates the stature of man.

How can anyone take biblical teaching literally, yet still believe that man is NOT like God, but that God is like some nebulas essence that pervades the universe without any body, parts, or passions? If God spoke the truth in Genesis 1:26-27 (and He certainly did for He doesn’t lie), then man IS in the image of God; and this knowledge lets us know a lot about God. When He said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness,” that is exactly what He meant and what He did.

Let’s take a look at a couple of verses that many have trouble understanding: “God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent.” (Numbers 23:19.) And, “I am God, and not man.” (Hosea 11:9.) Do these verses point out that man is not literally made in the image of God? No they don’t. Neither do they point out that God cannot look similar to man. Man is human and worldly, until he is sanctified and resurrected. God is a perfect being, unlike the sinful frailties of man. Because of His perfection, He is God and not man. We are man and woman, and not God.

The Plurality of God

The Hebrew word for God, as used in Genesis 1:26-27, is elohiym (el-o-heem’), which is a “plural” form of the word. What does the word “plural” mean? It means, “more than one.” So lets read that scripture once again: “And God said, Let US make man in OUR image, after OUR likeness:... So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.”

When we take the literal interpretation of this verse, we cannot come up with any other conclusion than there being more than one God involved in the creation, for the use of the words, “us” and “our,” certainly refers to more than one. Who was God speaking to if there was no one there but Himself? Doesn’t it sound like there had to be someone else present? Could it have been God the Father and our Lord, Jesus Christ, and could others have been involved in the creation? Indeed, there could have been! Remember God’s questioning of Job from Chapter 2? (Job 38:4, 7.) Job was with God when the earth was created. We don’t know if Job was involved with the creation, but he was there at the time and was one of those sons of God who shouted for joy.

There are other things that could be learned from the study of this one scripture (Genesis 1:26-27). The Bible reads, “so God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male AND female created he them.” The man and the woman were both created in the image of God. Now the creator is not hermaphrodite, being both male and female in one. If so, having been created in the image of God, each of us would be hermaphroditic; but that is not the case. As stated earlier, the word used for God is, “elohiym,” being plural. When we read that God created both male and female in His image, we are really being told that the plural God, or Gods, created both male and female in “their” image—in the image of a male and of a female.

Gods Many and Lords Many

The Apostle Paul taught the Corinthians, “For though there be that are called gods, whether in heaven or in earth, (as there be gods many, and lords many,) But to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him.” (1 Cor. 8:5-6.)

There are those who like to believe that the terms God and Lord used in these verses refer to an earthly “false” god, or to an earthly lord such as one being called the “lord of the realm,” but this is stretching it some. Both words, “God” and “gods,” as used in these verses, come from the Greek word, theos, refering to “deity.” The words “Lord” and “lords,” both come from the Greek word, kurios, meaning “supreme in authority ... controller ... God, Lord, master...” The usage of the terms here, “Lord” or “lords,” might be interpreted as either a deity Lord or an earthly lord. However, notice that Strong’s Concordance points out that in giving the meaning of the Greek word, kurios, that both terms, “God” and “Lord,” are capitalized, indicating their divine status.

In these verses (1 Cor. 8:5-6), Paul is writing to the Corinthians concerning idols and false Gods, but in doing so he ALSO acknowledges that there are many gods in the heavens when he said in a parenthetical expression, “as there be gods many, and lords many.” If there were no other real gods anywhere, he could have left out that assertion. Just before that statement he also said, “whether in heaven or in earth.” Again, he could have just as easily said, “For though there be that are called gods on earth,” but he did not. He was, indeed, acknowledging that there ARE more than one god in heaven. Paul said there are many lords and many gods, but he also said that the only ones we are concerned with are God the Father and God the Son, the latter being Jesus Christ.

There are other verses in the Bible that many do not understand relating to this subject. For example, in Isaiah 45:5 we read: “I am the Lord, and there is none else, there is no God beside me:...” (Isa. 45:5.) This is a true statement when taken in context to whom we are to worship. Besides the Lord, there is no other God to whom we are to give complete affection. We all know that there are many fathers in the world, as there are many sons, but a particular son is to honor only one father, his natural father, not all the others. And so it is with the Lord our God. He is the sole aim of our devotion.

Jesus the Express Image of the Father

Not only is man in the image of God, but our Savior is in the exact image of the Father. Paul wrote to the Hebrews, declaring, “God ... Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the world; Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person....” (Heb. 1:1-3.)

Here we find that Jesus is in the precise image of His Father, which helps explain the Savior’s statement that so many misunderstand: “... he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Shew us the Father?” (John 14:9.) Because of His faithfulness in suffering for our sins, Jesus received the same brightness and glory possessed by the Father, and being in the “express” image of the Father, just as Seth was in the image of his father, Adam (Gen. 5:3), He sat down on the right hand of the Father, not the right hand of Himself.

These scriptures are often used to show that Jesus and His Father are one and the same. However, He was only speaking of their being identical (the express image) and of their oneness in their work. Our Lord went on to clarify this in the next verse when He said, “Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works.” (v. 10.) This indwelling is in the same sense that Christ dwells in us.

The Separateness of the Godhead

Turning again to John 14, let’s read verse 24: “He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings: and the word which ye hear is not mine, but the Father’s which sent me.” Jesus here declares that the words He speaks does not come from Him, but from the Father which sent Him. If Christ and the Father are one and the same, why did He use such confusing language? But it is not confusing language, it is very plain and simple; they are two distinctly separate individual personages. This is also pointed out in verse 26 where Jesus said that the Holy Ghost is sent by the Father in the name of the Son—again, pointing out the separateness of the three personages.

There is an interesting story found in the fourth and fifth chapters of Acts. After being released by Annas and Caiaphas for preaching and healing, Peter and John went back and reported to their people. Upon hearing their report, the people committed to give all they had to the work of the Lord. But there was a couple named Ananias and Sapphira who did not give their all, they lied and held back some as they gave to the Apostles for the work. “But Peter said, Ananias, why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost, and to keep back part of the price of the land? Whiles it remained, was it not thine own? and after it was sold, was it not in thine own power? why hast thou conceived this thing in thine heart? thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God.” (Acts 5:3-4.)

Was this statement of Peter’s an indication that God and the Holy Ghost are the same, or is it an indication that lying to one is the same as lying to the other because they both work for the same cause and have the same mind and purpose. Peter’s statement does not necessarily prove the former, but it can very easily indicate the later. This story is pointed out because these verses can be confusing to some who do not understand the true nature of the Godhead.

In a splendid book by Norman Grubb entitled, Rees Howells Intercessor, reference is made to a noted British preacher at the turn of the twentieth century named Evan Hopkins. The Rev. Hopkins was noted for his discourses on the Holy Spirit. Reese Howells recorded that during a convention, “He [Hopkins] made it plain that He [the Holy Ghost] is a Person, with all the faculties of a Person, exactly like the Savior. He has intelligence, love and a will of His own; ...” (p. 39.) Later Rees Howells expressed his personal encounter with the Holy Ghost and said, “It never dawned on me before that the Holy Ghost was a Person exactly like the Savior. He said that as the Savior had a body, the Holy Ghost “dwells in the cleansed temple of the believer,” and that “He is a Person.” (pp. 39-40.)

God is not some all mystical incomprehensible being. The Father is a separate entity from the Son, who is a separate individual from the Holy Ghost. They are three distinct, detached, and separate personalities; they are different in form but identical in love and purpose. This is pointed out numerous times in the Bible. For example, when our Savior was baptized the Spirit of God descended like a dove (meaning gently and peacefully), and the voice of the Father declaring from the heavens, “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” (Matt. 3:13-17.) Now here we have Jesus standing in the water, the Holy Ghost descending upon Him, and then the Father’s voice from the Heavens. How, and why, would our Savior descend upon Himself, and also speak from the Heavens at the same time? He was not a ventriloquist trying to deceive someone, nor was He trying to confuse or deceive the onlookers. In this case, the Bible makes the distinction between the three of them quite clear.

During His great intercessory prayer that we referred to earlier, who was Jesus praying to? Was it himself? All indications are that He was alone at the time, so why in the world, or out of the world, would He do such a thing? When the reader takes time to read John 17 they will see that it indicates, very clearly, that Jesus was speaking to someone other than Himself. In that prayer He spoke of He and His disciples becoming one, even as He and the Father are one. Let’s read part of what He had to say during this great prayer: “That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me. (John 17:21.) His disciples are all to be one in Christ as He is one in the Father. Now, if He and the Father are really one in the same person, does this verse mean that He and His disciples will become one in the same person, also? This is not quite what He meant. It is their oneness in purpose, as mentioned earlier.

Let’s consider another reference. When our Redeemer suffered in Gethsemane, who was it He prayed to? Was it Himself? No, it was the Father. Go to Matthew 26 and read that account. It also shows very plainly that He was humbly beseeching the Father, not Himself. Why would He ask the Father “... if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt”? (Matt. 26:39.) “... My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work.” (John 4:34.) If He and the Father were really one in the same person, He would not have asked such a question. Was Jesus really asking Himself to let the cup pass from Himself? No, he could have done it without putting on such a deceitful show; and He is anything but deceitful. As He said, He was doing the will of the Father, NOT His own. “... I can of mine own self do nothing ... because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me. ... For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me.” (John 5:30; 6:38.)

Next, let’s consider Matthew 27 just before the Master gave up the ghost: “And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?” (Matt. 27:46.) Our Savior was a real human being. Jesus of Nazareth suffered in great agony as He was nailed to a big wooden symbol of the false god, Tammuz (a cross). He was on the brink of fulfilling His destiny of becoming Jesus the Christ, the redeemer of all mankind. It was the most serious and profound moment in all history. At His greatest time of anguish, Jesus was not calling out to Himself but to a real Father.

Let’s consider Paul; another interesting statement he made is found in Hebrews 5:8-9: “Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered; And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him.” Notice here that Jesus, the Son, had to LEARN obedience, and then He was MADE perfect. If he was indeed God, as portrayed in the Trinity concept of Diety, would He not have already been “perfect,” and not have to learn to be obedient?

Not long after the physical resurrection of Christ, we have Stephen’s testimony of the divinity of God the Father and His Son Jesus Christ. As the disciple Stephen was to be stoned, he looked up into Heaven and saw the resurrected Christ standing at the right hand of God the Father. Our Lord was not standing at the right hand of Himself. Stephen saw two separate personages in the Godhead at that same moment, not just one; and at that same time, he was filled with the Holy Ghost. This makes three separate members of the Godhead, and it was no deception or fable on Stephen’s part. Why would he make up such a fallacious story just at the moment he was preparing to meet those same personages? (See Acts 7:51-60.) Even the Apostles Creed, and the more current version of the Nicean Creed, states that Jesus ascended into heaven and, “sitteth at the right hand of God, the Father Almighty.” However, being a true statement, in itself, it is inconsistent with the rest of the Nicean Creed and other such creeds that have influenced man’s concept of God.

In the eighth chapter of John we learn, “It is also written in your law, that the testimony of TWO men is true. I am one that bear witness of myself, and the Father that sent me beareth witness of me.” (John 8:17-18.) Here it is clear that there are two who bear witness of the Son’s work: Jesus, Himself, is one, and the Father is the other.

In Elane Durham’s account of her near-death experience, she tells of her renewed knowledge of God the Father, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost. In so doing she said, “When I was completely enmeshed and encircled in the love and understanding of my Lord Jesus Christ, I could feel God the Father and the Holy Spirit in that love, too. I had always thought of the three of them as “one,” being best expressed as the Holy Trinity. But now I knew with some surprise that they were separate entities. Yet just as I had become one with Christ, so were they one with each other, and the whole concept of “oneness” as taught by Jesus in the New Testament suddenly made perfect sense to me. While they had completely separate identities, Jesus and God and the Holy Spirit were absolutely “one” in love. This love was unconditional, overwhelming, and denoted a complete unity of purpose between the three of them.” (I Stand All Amazed, p. 38.)

In Betty Eadie’s book, she also testifies of the separateness of God the Father and Jesus Christ. Speaking of her experience, she wrote, “... Jesus Christ was there. I understood, to my surprise, that he was a separate personage from God our mutual Father. My Protestant upbringing had taught me that God the Father and Jesus Christ were one being.” (Embraced by the Light, p. 47.)

This separateness of God the Father and Jesus can be found in John 20:11-17. Recall as Mary Magdalene stood outside the Lord’s sepulchre weeping, and as she did so, our resurrected Lord appeared to her. As she approached Him He said to her, and I’m sure in a most gentle manner, “Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God.” Now, was Jesus ascending unto Himself? No! He was ascending unto His literal Father. Not only that, but He also points out that He, like his brethren, has a God that He honors, as they have a God that they are to honor.

God Is Not Without Body, Parts and Passions

Jesus Christ was resurrected with a physical body, and since He is also in the express image of the Father, it’s clear that the Father also has a body. If God made man in His image, and He certainly did, God must have a body, also. Why would Jesus have a resurrected body and God the Father not have one? The Master said to his disciples, “... The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do: for what thing soever he doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise.” (John 5:19.) Since Jesus was resurrected, and He cannot do anything but what He saw the Father do, then that tells us the Father also must have been resurrected.

Not only does God have a physical resurrected body, He also has physical parts to His body, contrary to some religious creeds that say, “There is but one living and true God, everlasting, without body, parts, or passions; ... And in unity of this Godhead there be three Persons of one substance, power, and eternity: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost.” How do we know this? We have His Word on it. The Bible mentions God’s mouth (Isa. 11:4), His eyes (Ezra 5:5), face (Ex. 33:11), hand (Ex.16:3), finger (Ex.3:18), and if the Lord has a footstool He must have a foot (Ex. 24:10;1 Chron. 28:2). What of those passions? Is not the love of God (Rom. 5:5) a passion? We know He is a jealous God (Ex. 20:5) and that He can become angry (Ex. 4:14). The list, of course, could go on and on. Now, are all the above not parts and passions?

Elane Durham wrote of God’s physical characteristics in these words: “In awe I drew nearer, ... until I saw in the light’s core the outline of a man—a glorious being apparently made of light that seemed more golden in color than the radiance that shown all about him. And though I thought of Him as light, He certainly had all the physical aspects and substance of a man. I saw His hands, His arms, His body, His neck, His head—I even noted His facial characteristics, though I am at a loss to describe them now. Yet withall He was a being of power and glorious light so incredible that I could not really comprehend Him. But I do remember His eyes! They were so clear and bright—yet there was color to them—a beautiful blue color outlined in deeper blue that made me think of the color of the distant ocean on a clear day.” (I Stand All Amazed, p. 30.)

At this point, let’s turn to Daniel and consider three particular verses. In Chapter Seven he said, “I beheld till the thrones were cast down, and the Ancient of days did sit, whose garment was white as snow, and the hair of His head like the pure wool: His throne was like the fiery flame, and His wheels as burning fire. A fiery stream issued and came forth from before him: thousand thousands ministered unto Him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before Him: the judgment was set, and the books were opened. ... I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of Man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him.” (Dan. 7:9-10, 13.)

It should be clear that the “Ancient of days,” as described here, is none other than God the Father, and that the “one like the Son of man,” is His son, Jesus the Christ. Note the description of the Father’s person. He is described as a personal being of form and substance. Those who believe in the impersonality of God find such belief here put to the test. And although it is not the only description of God in the Bible, still, if it were, wouldn’t it be just as valid a description of Him as if there were a hundred of such descriptions? These verses in Daniel plainly points to the fact that the Father and the Son are clearly two distinct intelligent personalities.

The “thousand thousands” who minister unto Him, and the “ten thousand times ten thousand” standing before Him are intelligent beings who praise and worship Him. It was this same heavenly vision revealed to John when he wrote, “I beheld, and I heard the voice of many angels round about the throne, and the beasts and the elders: and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands.” (Rev. 5:11.)

The Spirit of Worship

The people at the time of Christ were deeply intrenched in idolatry and image worship—the worship of that which was physical; that which was tangible; something they could see and touch. At Jacob’s Well, the Master said to the Samaritan women who questioned Him: “Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews. But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.” (John 4:22-24.)

Speaking of the people in general, Jesus said that they neither knew what or whom they worshiped, nor did they have an accurate concept of their true God. He told her, “for salvation is of the Jews.” Jesus is, by mortal birth, of the Jews, meaning He is of the literal blood line of the real tribe of Judah. Metaphorically speaking, He is also Salvation and Truth, and the Father is to be worshiped in “spirit and in truth.”

The popular scripture that is cited in the defense of God being only a spirit reads, “God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.” (John 4:24.) This is better understood when we recognize that we are to worship the Father in spirit instead of in the physical, as did the pagan idol worshipers or the outward observers of rituals as pertaining to the Law of Moses. When Jesus said that we are to worship the Father in Spirit, that does not mean that the Father is not also physical as well as spiritual. The physical is not to be worshiped. We are to worship the spiritual substance, the life giving force within. Our worship is to be a spiritual communion with the Father, as moved upon by the Holy Spirit. Our worship is to be spiritually personal, not physically public.

God Is Not the Author of Confusion

I have heard many very eloquent sermons trying to explain the who, what, why and how of God. Very articulate preachers attempt to illustrate how God is the Father and how we become His children. Sophisticated sermons are given trying to show why the Father came and lived in this world to become our Redeemer, and how He dwells in us as the Holy Spirit. Hearing or reading some of these attempts at explaining the so-called mysterious nature of God can be quite perplexing; but, “... God is not the author of confusion...” (1 Cor. 14:33.)

God does not have to be eloquent, articulate or sophisticated to teach us the simple truth about Himself. In fact, Jesus teaches us quite plainly. While speaking to His disciples about the Holy Ghost and declaring His own divine Sonship, He said, “Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full. These things have I spoken unto you in proverbs: but the time cometh, when I shall no more speak unto you in proverbs, but I shall shew you plainly of the Father. At that day ye shall ask in my name: and I say not unto you, that I will pray the Father for you: For the Father himself loveth you, because ye have loved me, and have believed that I came out from God. I came forth from the Father, and am come into the world: again, I leave the world, and go to the Father. His disciples said unto him, Lo, now speakest thou plainly, and speakest no proverb.” (John 16:24-29.) So we find that Jesus was not preaching metaphorically nor in proverbs when speaking about Himself and the Father. He was not confusing; He was speaking “plainly.” And His disciples finally came to understand that He spoke plainly. The question now is, When will we come to understand it?

The Holy Bible is quite clear when read outside the realm of tradition. As already stated, God is not some all mystical incomprehensible being. The Father is a separate being from the Son, who is a separate being from the Holy Ghost. They are three, distinct, detached, and separate individuals, being only different in form but identical in love and in complete unity of purpose.

God the Father is a real Father, and only through His Son, Jesus the Christ, can we return to live with Him once again. There is hardly a doctrine in the Bible as clear as the one that defines the true nature of God and His Gospel.

At this point I would like to make it clear that I am sensitive to the fact that there are very sincere followers of Christ within the varied Protestant denominations, within the Roman Catholic faith, and among those faiths which claim to be neither Catholic nor Protestant. I would also like to point out that it is not my purpose to be unkind to any member of any Christian faith, or make light of their sincere beliefs, for there are many sincere, devout, and faithful believers in Jesus throughout the Christian world, and I know that such beliefs are very personal to them.

However, I must also ask this: If the Catholic religion is all so wrong, as Protestants believe, why do Protestants so tenaciously cling to so many of the false beliefs and traditions the Catholic fathers came up with in the beginning, even after throwing off so many other beliefs and traditions of the Roman church during the Reformation? The answer to that question, for this author at least, is truly a mystery.

The basic reason why the so called Holy Trinity, Triune God, three-in-one doctrine is so common is because it has been part of the human psyche for so long. In modern-day terminology, one might say that the stubbornness in holding to such a dogma, generation-after-generation, has make it part of the DNA structure of the Christian world. However, no matter how one will wrest the scriptures in an attempt to justify that doctrine, neither the Bible, nor Jesus, or the Apostles talk of a Trinity.

In the previous chapter we covered the aspect of the Nicean Creed and the resulting doctrine that the Godhead consists of three personages, while at the same time they are only one God—the “three-in-one” doctrine. Speaking of that “three-in-one” concept, A. J. Pollock, writing for The Central Bible Truth Depot in London, England, once called the, “One in Three and Three in One, a mystery beyond the creature’s comprehension, but not beyond the grasp of faith.”

Mr. Pollock may not realize that there can be such a thing as a false faith: that is, a faith in that which is not sound or true no matter how sincerely believed. For example: untold millions believe in the Islamic, Hindu, Buddhist, and various other religions referred to by the Christian world as pagan. There are those who have faith in Satanic and Luciferion cults, and there are the millions who have faith in the political fundamentals of Socialistic-Communism and political slavery. All of these people have faith, do they not? As the “three-in-one” doctrine is not beyond the grasp of faith of many Christians, as Mr. Pollock said, neither are any of what man can devise be beyond the grasp of faith of those who either ignorantly, or knowingly, choose to believe the relevant philosophies. I am not trying to be unkind here, but It should be obvious that faith in a particular doctrine does not necessarily make that doctrine true, no matter how serious and genuine the believer might be. Neither does not accepting truth make it untrue. A falsehood is always false, even when accepted as a truth; and truth is always true, regardless of how vehemently rejected.

I am not attempting to delve into each and every false doctrine perpetrated by Satan and his henchmen, but to partly expose how paganism has altered the facts concerning the true nature of God. The great deceiver has not only maintained false theology down through the centuries, but has influenced most every Christian faith with many pagan philosophies. This keeps us off balance, confused, and estranged from the true knowledge of God, which is “life eternal.”

With all their professed scholarship, the general Christian world appears to be, as the Apostle Paul would have put it, “Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth,” and “they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.” (2 Tim. 3:7, and 4:4 respectfully.) As I read scripture, it appears that man has attempted to define God, not the other way around.

C H A P T E R

5

Fatherhood of the Son

Let’s take a moment and consider the confusion surrounding the doctrine of the Fatherhood of both the Father and of the Son. In doing so, there are four aspects of that Father-Son relationship that needs to be considered: 1) our Heavenly Father as our literal Parent; 2) both the Father and the Son as Creators and Fathers; 3) Jesus as Father to those who accept the Gospel plan; and 4) Jesus is Father through divine investiture of authority.

The Father of Our Pre-mortal Spirits

First off, there is a Father in Heaven, who is the literal Father of our individual spirits, as well as the individual spirit of Jesus the Christ. Each of us were begotten of Him “spiritually” before we came to travel this earth. All upon this earth was begotten of Him.

In many circles there is some question or confusion as to the names of Heavenly Father and that of Jesus Christ. For the sake of our discussion, and to help keep things clear and simple, we will refer to our Heavenly Father as either Father, or “Elohim,” and to Jesus Christ by His name or that of “Jehovah.” A lengthy discussion as to their names is not the subject of this chapter and we will not venture there. Suffice it to say, our Heavenly Father, Elohim, is the literal spiritual Parent of the entire human race.

In support of this theses, was it not Jesus who taught us to pray by saying, “Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name” (Matt. 6:9); and we read the words of Paul as he wrote to the Hebrews: “Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live?” (Heb. 12:9). To help us understand the truth, let’s turn to Colossians as we read where Paul, in speaking of Christ, says:

15. Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature:

16. For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:

17. And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.

18. And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence.

19. For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell. (Col. 1:15–19).

The Apostle Paul taught that Jesus was the “firstborn of every creature.” This must mean in the pre-earth state since He was not the “firstborn” in the mortal state. However, He was the first to be resurrected, being the “firstfruits of them that slept,” the “first begotten of the dead.” (1 Cor. 15:20, 23; Acts 26:23; Rev. 1:5.)

Jesus’ being the “firstborn of every creature” is reiterated in Hebrews 1 and 6 where it says: “And again, when he bringeth in the firstbegotten into the world, he saith, And let all the angels of God worship him.” See also Romans 8:28-29 where it is stated that Christ is the “firstborn among many brethren.”

The term, “only begotten of the father,” as it applied to Jesus (John 1:14), refers to the fact that Jesus was the only one born both spiritually and physically of the Father. Therefore, it is not improper to speak of Jesus Christ as being our Elder Brother in the Spirit, for He was, indeed, the “firstborn” of all of our Heavenly Father’s children. In a very real sense, He Is our Elder Brother.

Elohim and Jehovah are Creators and Fathers

Secondly, God is the creator of the heavens and the earth. But He did not create the elements, they have always existed. God only “organized” those elements to create what He did; and because of His creations He is called Creator. The creators of the United States of America are known as our Founding “Fathers.” In like manner, Elohim is called the “Father.”

Jesus took Father’s assignment in creating this world. It might be said the Elohim was the architect and Jesus the contractor. As an architectural engineer may be called the builder of a large skyscraper, and the general contractor the builder, then they both are builders and “creator” of that structure; they are the building’s “fathers.” So, in like manner, Jesus Christ, the literal Son of Father, is rightly called “The Everlasting Father.” (Isa. 9:6).

Jesus Is Father of Those Elohim Hast Given Him

In another sense, Jesus Christ is the “Father” of those who accept His gospel of salvation. In His great intercessory prayer He prayed in behalf of His followers, those the Father had given Him. We shall not take the time and space to quote the lengthy passage, so I ask the reader to turn to John 17:1-24 and read the beautiful account there of His prayer to the Father in behalf of His disciples.

All who become sons and daughters unto God do so by compliance to the laws and ordinances of the Gospel of Christ. Jesus becomes our Father through the new birth, and through Him we are also Father Elohim’s. Jesus beseeched the Father in these words: “I pray not for the world, but for them which thou hast given me; for they are thine. And all mine are thine, and thine are mine; and I am glorified in them.” (John 17:9-10.)

Jesus applied this father-son relationship to the ungodly as he addressed the boastful Jews who claimed Abraham as their father: “They answered and said unto him, Abraham is our father. Jesus saith unto them, If ye were Abraham's children, ye would do the works of Abraham. ... Ye do the deeds of your father. ... Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. ... When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.” (See John 8:39-44.) Moving on to a parable found in Matthew we metaphorically read that “...the tares are the children of the wicked one,” and those whom the Father hath given to be the children of Christ are the “good seed” (Matt. 13:38)—indicating Jesus being the Father. All of us can become begotten sons and daughters of God, “...for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel.” (1 Cor. 4:15). So, as the devil is considered the father of the wicked, so is Jesus Christ the Father of the righteous. Thus, we have the designation of Jesus Christ being both the Father and the Son.

Jesus Is Father Through Divine Investiture of Authority

Jesus Christ, the son, represents Father Elohim in power and authority. This is true of Him in His pre-earth state as Jehovah; during His mortal state as Jesus of Nazareth; and in His resurrected state as Jesus the Christ, the Messiah. The Father placed His name upon the Son, for Jesus said He came in His Father’s name (John 5:43), and the works He does is in His Father name (John 10:25). And even though Jesus said, “I and my Father are one” (John 10:30; 17:11, 22), yet He declared, “My Father is greater than I” (John 14:28). Jesus ministered in and through the Father’s name; and, in actual fact, His ministry is that of the Father because of their oneness of purpose.

Also, Jesus speaks for the Father as though He is the Father, just as the angel in Exodus spoke for Jehovah as though he was Jehovah, “... for my name is in him,” the Lord said of the angel. (Ex 23:21.) In like manner the Lord sent an angel to John the Revelator, which angel spoke in the name of Jesus Christ. This angelic being was so impressive that John “fell down to worship before the feet of the angel,” but the angel forbade him from doing so. (Rev. 1:1; 22:8-9.) Then the angel spoke as though he was Christ, saying, “And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last.” (Rev. 22:12–13.) It wasn’t the angel who was to “come quickly”; nor was the angel the “Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last.” The Lord had placed His name upon the angel, just as the Father had placed His name upon the son. So as the angel spoke in the first person for Christ, as though he was the Christ, Jesus speaks in the first person for the Father, as though He is the Father.

Jesus is not the Father of our spirits, for of all the spirit children of Elohim, our Heavenly Father, Jesus Christ, or Jehovah, was the firstborn. We are all simply His younger brothers and sisters. Elohim is the Father of our spirits, He being our Heavenly Father. Jesus Christ is “The Everlasting Father,” in that He “fathered” this world through creation; He is the Father of the gospel plan and of those whom Elohim hast given Him in the gospel; and Jesus is the Father through divine investiture of authority from Elohim.

C H A P T E R

6

Crowning Events

To help us have a fuller understanding of the love of Jesus Christ, let’s begin this chapter with a review of the climactic events of His temporal existence. Pondering the earthly life and character of Jesus, we must not overlook the fact that He was not only divine, He was also human. In His heart rested a deep and abiding love for a world of lost brothers and sisters. His willingness to be approachable and publicly associated with known sinners, and to share the shame of their iniquity, shows the unmeasured charity and condescension which He rendered toward all. Never was He known to turn a deaf ear to a plea for relief of anguish, pain or suffering.

Our Savior was born of a mortal mother and of an Immortal Father. (Luke 1:26-35.) That birth gave Him the weaknesses of human mortality but the attributes of God. He could choose which of these two attributes He would exercise during His earthly ministry as He worked out His own salvation, as each of us must do. He had the option of exercising His agency, or free will, by making choices, and the fact that He made choices throughout His life here in this wicked world is amply attested to in scripture.

The climax of the Masters’s perfect life came in the garden of Gethsemane, and from there to His being proven on Calvary’s hill. As we learn of this willing sacrifice in the garden and upon the cross, we find the world’s supreme example of unwavering devotion to the Father’s will. Obedience to His Father’s wish was His only desire, and salvation for His Father’s children His only concern.

In Gethsemane’s Garden

After leaving the upper room on the night of His betrayal, Jesus went to the Garden of Gethsemane, located across the brook Kedron and at the foot of Mount Olivet. The evening preceding the crucifixion, Gethsemane became the scene of the beginning of our Savior’s agony for the sins of all mankind.

The scriptures point out that while in Gethsemane Jesus was accompanied by three of His most trusted friends, Peter, James and John. He said to them, “... sit ye here, while I go and pray yonder.... My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death: tarry ye here, and watch with me.” (Matt. 26:36-38; Mark 14:32-34.) Then, as the record indicates, He “went a little further, and fell on his face, and prayed.” (Matt. 26:39; Mark 14:35.)

The statement that He fell on his face indicates that he must have been overwhelmed with the realization of the great commission He took upon Himself to be the one and only Messiah, the Savior of the world. (Isa. 43:3, 11.) Was our Lord wrestling within Himself? Was He weak because of the stress of trying to conform His will to the will of the Father? On this point the scriptures are not clear. It is unfortunate, though, that many of us do not allow Our Savior enough credit for being mortal, and for having human feelings as mortals have. Yes, our Lord did have mortal weaknesses, but He never gave in to them as we do. (Heb. 4:15.)

As we recall the event, the scriptures say that Jesus prayed, “O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt.” (Matt. 26:37; Mark 14:36.) It was as if He was saying, “I know what has to be done, but is there another way?” Perhaps, as with Abraham and Isaac, the Father had another option. Nevertheless, if there was no other way, He was willing to do His Father’s will.

The Savior was not trying to shirk His duty. He knew full well what it was. He knew that besides Him there was to be no other savior. It was a hard task He took upon Himself. First and foremost, though, Jesus was more desirous of the divine plan than serving His own interests. He was willing to suffer, if need be, for those who could not save themselves. The love of Jesus Christ was so great that He chose to sacrifice His pleasures for our eternal joy.

The scriptures continue the story by saying that the Master went to His disciples whom He left to watch: “... and findeth them asleep, and saith unto Peter, What, could ye not watch with me one hour? Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” (Matt. 26:40-45; Mark 14:37-38; Luke 22:39-46.) The scriptures state that three times this occurred.

Perhaps what Jesus was trying to share with His disciples was that He had to go through something that they could not comprehend. Possibly it was His spirit that was willing, and indeed, it was His flesh that was weak. He had a choice to make: His Godly spirit was willing to follow Father’s plan, but His mortal body, subject to infirmities, was weak.

The agony of Jesus started in the garden, and we are told that He began to be “sorrowful and very heavy.” In fact, He told His disciples, “My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death.” (Matt. 26:37-38; Mark 14:33-34.) Why was He sorrowful even unto death? Was it because He knew that the next day He would be crucified? No! It was because He knew He had to suffer for the sins of all of Father’s children, and that His suffering was to start in that Garden—alone. The agony He endured in Gethsemane, in solitude, would later be crowned by His suffering and death on the cross, which would then be observed by the world.

What our Redeemer experienced in the garden when He bled at every pore we may never know, at least in this mortal life. And the suffering He endured at this time we cannot now comprehend. Rest assured, however, that His suffering was such that no one who has ever lived on this earth, or who ever will live on this earth, has, or will, suffer to the extent that Jesus suffered at that time.

It has always been believed that Jesus made an atonement for sin while on the cross. This is partly true. That is where the atonement culminated. However, with all due respect to the cross and its tremendous importance, most of Christendom has overlooked the relevance of the previous garden scene and its unparalleled significance. The anguish that our Redeemer underwent in Gethsemane was of such magnitude that the suffering caused the greatest of all to tremble because of pain and bleed at every pore. Suffering both body and spirit, He sweat great drops of blood. Luke records an account of what took place. “And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly: and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground.” (Luke 22:44.) Here is where the Son of God began the atonement of shedding His blood for the sins of the world.

Accepting the Cup

God uses a lot of symbolism in teaching His people, as the Bible clearly indicates. The name, Gethsemane, means “oil-press.” The garden could have been named after an olive press that was kept there for the extracting of oil from the olives grown in the area. Olives were placed in soft wicker baskets that were then squeezed in a screw-press. As the press was turned, hundreds of pounds of pressure were exerted to force the oil out of the olives, which oil flowed into crocks.

Try to recall, which may be difficult to do, all the pain, suffering, and agony you have so far experienced in your life, physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually—all of it. For some that’s quite a lot. Place all that pain inside you at one time. Can you imagine the agony? Now take all the pain that all the members of your family have experienced, or ever will experience, and place those pains inside of you, also. Consider all the pain everyone in your city, state, country, and even the world has experienced, and also receive those pains at the same time. We cannot even begin to comprehend the cumulative pain. Yet Jesus did. It was so great that He appealed to the Father, “if it be possible, let this cup pass from me.” He didn’t ask it just once, He asked it three times. Nevertheless, He knew it was His offering that was necessary. There was to be no other way. The pressure within Him was so enormous that some of His capillaries probably burst, and blood oozed and dripped to the ground. As stated before, man cannot comprehend the agony Jesus must have suffered for all the world’s sin.

We must remember, the Master was not forced, but He chose, by means of His free will, to atone for the sins of the world. Sins have been and are being committed. Justice must be satisfied and penalties paid, and our benevolent Benefactor chose to pay those penalties for all of mankind. The overwhelming weight of this single act has never been known by mortal man, other than our Lord and Savior, Himself.

Jesus grappled with the choice to be made, and His mind was probably open in remembrance of the faith of past disciples. From the beginning of time, those disciples trusted in His coming atonement and made their choices to follow Him—sacrificing their lives for righteousness’ sake. It is likely that He reflected back many hundreds of years when the Prophet Isaiah received the words of the Lord: “For I am the Lord thy God, the Holy one of Israel, thy Savior ... I, even I, am the Lord; and beside me there is no savior.” (Isa. 43:3, 11.) With confidence, with hope, with adoration, with expectation, those past prophets and faithful saints looked forward to the coming of their Messiah. Our Savior knew it. Could He let them down? No! He could not!

There are those who suffer such torture of body and mind that they actually give up struggling and die. As we try to imagine torment, sorrow, pain and anguish of all types, the pain that Jesus endured in that Garden was still the greatest of all. With crushing blows from the world of sin, He could have shrunk and died, but He did not. He knew it was not to be finished in that manner, so He endured it.

The great Messianic prophet, Isaiah, spoke prophetically for our coming Redeemer. While in Gethsemane, alone, as His disciples slept, Isaiah records the words of Jesus: “I have trodden the winepress alone; and of the people there was none with me: for I will tread them in mine anger, and there blood shall be sprinkled upon my garments, and I will stain all my raiment.” (Isa. 63:3.)

The Way of the Cross

After being betrayed by a kiss from a friend, the abuses of being slapped in the face, odiously spit upon, mocked with repulsive words, treacherous accusations at illegal trials, scourged with a whip wherein strands were woven with sharp pieces of metal and broken bone until His back was raw, having a crown of thorns pressed into His brow (Matt. 26:67-68, 27:26; Mark 14:65, 15:15; Luke 22:63-65; John 19:1), the Master, with His Godlike powers, could have destroyed the whole lot of them; for to Pilate He proclaimed, “Thou couldest have no power at all against me, except it were given thee from above.” (John 19:11.) Nevertheless, as the God He was, Jesus suffered it in meekness and lowliness of heart. He accepted the long and arduous journey to the mount of Golgotha with a crown of needle-like thorns pressed into His brow, resulting in punctures and gashes from which seeped and dripped more of His priceless blood. There, on Golgotha, with few words, He preached His second, and greatest, sermon on the mount.

Upon Calvary’s Hill

Without deviation of duty, our Savior painfully, but willingly, hung on the cross with metal spikes driven mercilessly into His hands and feet by blows from a large hammer, and had His parched and tender lips saturated with bitter vinegar and gall. As He thus hung upon that wooden tree, He raised His precious head toward His Heavenly Father and fervently pleaded for His brutal slayers, saying with all the love, forgiveness and meekness that only a God could summon: “Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do.” (Luke 23:34.) Even in the last moments of mortal life, racked with agony and pain, our benevolent exemplar was filled with great charity and an unfailing sense of forgiveness.

One of the thieves which was crucified along side of Him mockingly said, “If thou be Christ, save thyself and us.” (Matt. 27:38; Luke 23:39.) Our Master, with the power of God, could have gotten Himself down and shown to those wicked persecutors who He really was; for as He said to the accusing Jews, “... I lay down my life ... No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself.” (John 10:17-18.) However, if Jesus had saved Himself, would He have been any better than they? Therefore, having no personal pride, He meekly subordinated Himself to the will of the Father and the eternal hope of His Father’s children. “Greater love has no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.” (John 15:13.) Then, “when the sixth hour was come, there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour.” (Mark 15:33.)

Something happened at this time that had not happened before. The Only Begotten was left to finish His work alone, without any spiritual support. Even in the garden of Gethsemane an angel strengthened Him. (Luke 22:43.) However, here, there was none to lend support as He writhed in agony upon that terrible cross.

In distress and in anguish of soul, as though in shock and surprise, Jesus anxiously cried out through quivering lips with a loud voice, saying, “Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?” (Matt. 27:46; Mark 15:34.) Of all the friends that have forsaken Him and denied Him, now His closest friend, God the Father, removed Himself from His Son.

His Final Decision

God never bestows great blessings upon His people without providing heavy trials in order to prove them—to prove those individuals to see if they will keep their covenants with Him and keep in remembrance what He has done for them. For this express purpose, the Father withdrew His spirit from the Son at the time of Jesus’ greatest need. Jesus had been with his Father, talked with Him, dwelt in His bosom, knew all about heaven and about creating the earth, about the transgression of man, what was needed to ransom the sinner, and recognized that He was the only one who was capable of redeeming mankind, and the earth itself, from all sin. The light, knowledge, power, and glory with which He was clothed exceeded that of all others. Consequently, at the very moment, at the very hour when the time came for Him to offer the supreme sacrifice, the Father withdrew Himself—withdrew His Spirit so Jesus would have to endure His trials alone. All was withdrawn from him. He pled with the Father not to forsake Him. Even so, He had to experience His trials just as we experience ours. He had to suffer what we suffer, that He might be a God of understanding, of compassion, of mercy, of grace, of love.

Jesus was left alone for the first time to see what He would do. He was left to His own will. Would He get Himself down from this cross of pain and death? Would He stay and finish the work His Father sent Him to do? As always, the Son of God had a choice to make. He was no different; He had His free will to exercise, and like the rest of mankind, He had to be proven in all things, and had to discover for Himself that of which He was made.

Without any heavenly comfort or support, but with all the individual strength His tortured body could muster, and His eternal spirit summon, the Master wrestled again within Himself. He chose to tread the wine-press alone. Eventually, with torn flesh and broken heart, our beloved Master finished the work of the Father. It is written: “Jesus cried with a loud voice ... It is finished ... Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit.” Then bowing the head, He “gave up the ghost.” (Matt. 27; Mark 15; Luke 23; John 19.)

So as we rightfully worship and praise Him for His agonizing sacrifice on the cross, let us not forget His matchless agony in the garden. Let us praise Him for His gracious and unparalleled sorrow in Gethsemane where He also spilt great drops of blood as He agonizingly suffered for you and for me.

C H A P T E R

7

The Great Intercessor

We are not perfect as Jesus was perfect, therefore, we cannot inherit the Kingdom of Heaven on our own. The Apostle Paul said, “all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.” Because Adam partook of the forbidden fruit, it was appointed unto all men that they should die. Consequently, man was cut off both temporally and spiritually from God’s presence. Since the spirit never dies, and the fall had brought upon all mankind both a spiritual and temporal death (spiritually cut off from the presence of God, and dying physically) it was necessary that man be reclaimed from both deaths, the physical death as well as the spiritual. This reclamation was brought about in and through Jesus Christ. Concerning His atonement, I have heard the question asked: Why must one person suffer for the sins of another in order to reclaim that individual?

Atoning for Sin

For that understanding we must first accept that there is a universal law that says that when a law is broken, be it a natural law or manmade law, there is a consequence, be that consequence good or bad. When a law is broken, a penalty is attached, and someone must pay that penalty. Justice must be satisfied. Justice must claim the lawbreaker and execute the law and the punishment. Therefore, broken laws must be satisfied by the payment of the penalty attached to those laws.

Since justice demands payment, and because of man’s disobedience, there was no way to reclaim him from his fallen state. He was in the grasp of justice—the justice of God which relegated man to be cut off from His presence forever. Therefore, a plan had to be devised whereby man could be redeemed from the fall. The plan would require a way to pay justice her lawful dues. It would require an atoning sacrifice by one who had not sinned to appease the demands of justice.

As many know, a covenant is a contract—a contract of performance which involves two or more parties. The old Feudal system, during the middle ages, was one of agreement between differing parties—one party being the sovereign ruler, or overlord, and the other being the vassal, slave, or follower. The sovereign-lord and the vassal made agreements that the vassal would perform in a certain manner for favors such as food, housing, protection, etc., that could be offered by the overlord.

A vassal does not necessarily have to be a slave or servant to the sovereign-lord; he could simply be subject to the him, or merely a follower of the same. God’s form of government for His kingdom is actually a feudal system, and it works because there is only one Sovereign Lord who can justly administer the system. During the old Feudal years, long ago, Satan used the weakness of carnal man to administer an unjust system; that old devil creating a counterfeit of God’s holy order.

But like God’s holy order, it also had accountability. When a vassal did wrong, not only did that servant have to pay for that wrong in some way, but his sovereign-lord was also responsible to the one above him to whom he was subject, and he had to make an accounting for the actions of those under him.

In the military there is a supreme commander, then others who fall under his command. The soldier in the field is to follow his file leader, and so it is with the order of heaven. Jesus does what the Father commands and what the Father has done, and we do what Jesus commands and what He has done. Jesus Christ is our file leader, our direct link to the Father. He pleads our case before the Father’s throne. The Mediator doesn’t stand and plead between man and Himself.

Under God’s divine plan, Jesus has sworn an oath that when we keep our covenants with Him, He is under obligation to accept and deliver us. Christ is accountable to the Father, who is His Sovereign. We are accountable to Christ as our Sovereign.

Because of our sins we are unclean and have disqualified ourselves from being able to pay the entire price for those sins. But because of our covenant with Jesus Christ, and because He is our Sovereign Lord, He took the full measure of responsibility upon Himself for us, even though He, personally, was not accountable for those transgressions.

Abraham, who was willing to sacrifice his son, Isaac, was a foreshadowing type of the sacrifice the Father was willing to make by offering His Son. In like manner, the Father gave us His only begotten son. Our Savior meekly took the necessary punishment upon Himself in the garden of Gethsemane and upon the cross of Calvary, paying the price and atoning for that which we could not. In this way, we vassal-servants who have been faithful to Jesus, secure salvation because our Overlord, Christ, honors His part of the covenant.

The word “atonement” in the Old Testament is taken from the Hebrew word, kaphar (kaw-far), which means to cover, appease, cancel, cleanse, forgive, mercy, pardon, purge away, or to reconcile. In the New Testament it is taken from the Greek word, katallage (kat-al-lag-ay’), meaning “restoration to the divine,” and “reconciliation.” Atonement does not mean “at-one-ment,” as many like to believe. Some try to be clever when they dissect the word and think it means at-one-ment, meaning to be “one” with Jesus Christ. As important as becoming one with the Father and the Son truly is, the word atonement actually means to cover, cancel, cleanse, forgive, pardon, and reconcile the sinner. And although this purging and reconciliation is necessary to become one with Christ Jesus, the word still does not mean “at-one-ment.” The precious blood of Jesus was shed to cover our sins and wash them away, cleansing us of the disability of sin’s effect. Because of His blood we are forgiven and redeemed of God, being reconciled and restored unto the Father. The Sovereign-Lord vassal-servant relationship indeed works when there is truly a just King.

Jesus the Mediator

To enter into God’s glory we must take upon us His name, keep His commandments, and be willing to sacrifice as He sacrificed. We are to, in meekness, endure all things until the end. Yet, even after all of this, because we are unclean, we still cannot enter the Father’s kingdom. Since we cannot go to the Father we need a mediator, someone who is clean and worthy enough to go before the Father for us and plead our case. And that someone is Jesus the Christ. He is the great Mediator in our behalf so we “might receive the promise of eternal inheritance.” (Heb. 9:15.)

The reason He can intercede is because He is the only perfect and “unspotted” one, and He will appear before the throne of our Eternal Father, and in our behalf plead our case for us. He is the Counselor, and the only Counselor, who can represent us before the heavenly throne. There is none other greater than He. The Apostle Paul writes to Timothy, saying, “For there is one God, and one mediator between God and man, the man Christ Jesus; Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.” (1 Tim. 2:5-6.)

A Simple Parable

As stated earlier, when a law is broken, a penalty is attached. Justice demands the payment and executes the law, and the law inflicts the punishment. Perhaps taking a look at a simple parable can help us understand how the atonement and mediation work.

There was once a man who incurred a great debt. The time quickly arrived when the debt was due, but the debtor was unable to prepare himself for its payment. The agreement demanded payment in full, or the debtor could be thrown into prison by the creditor and his property confiscated in lieu of the debt.

The debtor, not being able to pay the debt, pleaded to his creditor: “Could you give mercy and extend the agreement until I pull a few things together. Times have been hard.”

But the creditor demanded, “It is just that you pay according to the agreement, for mercy only serves you, the debtor, while I’m still holding the bag. Besides, you know the terms and had ample time to make payment.”

There they were squabbling with each other, one pleading for mercy while the other goes without justice, and the other demanding justice while the debtor goes without mercy. Justice had the edge because it had the agreement. Mercy, on the other hand, was not written into that agreement.

Now the debtor had an older brother who learned of his younger siblings predicament. He knew the younger brother quite well, and knew him to be a good man, although quite incompetent at times. The older brother stood before the creditor as a mediator and said, “I’ll pay this man’s debts if you promise not to throw him into prison or confiscate his property. You get your money, the demands for justice will be satisfied, and his request for mercy will be granted.”

“I’ll accept your offer,” the creditor said. “Besides, if he goes to prison, it really does me no good, and his property isn’t worth the amount owed to me anyway. I will be satisfied.”

The older brother asked the younger, “When I pay for your debt, will you agree to have me for your new creditor? You must realize that if you accept the offer you will be serving a new master, and there will be new terms required. You must repent of your attitude concerning many things, but I will teach you how. Rest assured, the terms will be worth it and I will provide a way for you. And you will find peace and joy, for I will also not only be your brother but your friend as well.”

The debtor, full of gratitude, humbly accepted his older brothers’s offer.

So there it was: the bigger brother paid the price, redeeming the younger debtor from the demands of justice while, at the same time, mercy was extended.

The Surety for our Debt

Our Savior, being the only Mediator between the Father and His children, explains to the Father the faithfulness of His children in keeping their covenants and that He, Jesus Christ, has paid the price for the violation of God’s laws. He became the surety, the one liable to pay the debt or obligation of another. “By so much was Jesus made a surety of a better testament.” (Heb. 7:22.) The blood of Jesus was the price, and His death sealed the bargain. Blood was shed that the demands of justice could be met, thereby glorifying the Father by providing a proxy for His fallen children. Jesus paid the price for sin, and His merciful grace satisfies the demands of justice.

Once the demands of justice are met and the law satisfied, the sinner (the one indebted to the lawful demands of justice) has the choice of accepting that payment in his behalf through repentance and making a new covenant, or he can choose not to accept that gift. Upon repentance, the mercy and grace of Christ claim the penitent. Our Redeemer then becomes the sinner’s advocate before the throne of God the Father. Writing to the Hebrews, Paul said, “Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.” (Heb. 7:25.) So we come to understand that Jesus exists to be the mediator and make intercession for those who come to God through Him.

God’s mercy comes because of the atonement, and His grace claims the repentant. When justice exercises all its demands, mercy claims only the truly humble and sorrowful. If the grace of Christ did not claim the repentant, justice would execute the law and inflict the punishment upon the sinner. Mercy cannot rob justice, so a payment plan had to be devised for all those who could not pay. Jesus came to earth and sinlessly fulfilled His calling by suffering for all the sins of mankind in a way that no mortal can comprehend. He paid the price for sin and satisfied the law by meeting the demands of justice. Now the rest is up to us. Will we remain a slave to personal pride, the dictates of man, and the sin-filled ways of the world? Or will we humbly accept His gift and agree to follow the Still Small Voice of a new and benevolent Master? It is our choice.