by J. K. Gossett [Note: This is a reprint from J.K. Gossett's book The Gospel in Newsprint]
Today we present for your consideration the eighth article on the seven basic pillars of Christianity as set out in Ephesians 4:4-6. Just as there is one body, one Spirit, one hope, one Lord, one faith, and one baptism, there is one God. This has been the case from eternity. “In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth,” is the first sentence in the Bible, a majestic statement indeed.
The God Who is the subject of this study is the Father of our spirits and the Creator of our bodies. He is the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, Lord of heaven and earth, and the One in Whom we live and move and have our being. We are truly His offspring. It is before God that we live and before Him we will stand in the day of judgment.
God is the source of all blessings, temporal and spiritual. “While the earth remaineth, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease” (Genesis 8:22). God “maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good and sendeth rains on the the just and on the unjust” (Matthew 5:45). In spiritual matters, all spiritual blessings are in Christ and in the church (Ephesians 1:3; 5:22-27).
For those inclined to deny or doubt the existence of God, the psalmist wrote: “The heavens declare the glory of God; the firmament sheweth his handiwork. Day unto day uttereth speech and night unto night sheweth knowledge. There is no speech nor language, where their voice is not heard” (Psalm 19:1-3).
The God of heaven is the God of love, mercy, kindness, longsuffering, and forgiveness. He is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. He is also the God of wrath, anger, and punishment. Countless examples in the Old Testament remind us that God will not tolerate sin. Jesus Himself said, “Except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.” Those who think they can sin with impunity should consider this Scripture: “But the fearful and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolators, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death” (Revelation 21:8).
For those who do not like the idea of one body, or one Lord, or one baptism, or one God, there is no alternative. Either one must accept the truth and live, or reject the truth and die.
No comments:
Post a Comment