Forwarded from Road to Tribulation
Man’s sin separates him from God. If man is to escape hell, God must make some sort of provision to pay the penalty for man’s sin. Clearly, Christ’s death on the cross is the payment for all man’s sin provided by God. The question of eternal security hinges on whether this provision pays for all of man’s sin. At this point, the opponents of eternal security confuse the issue by dividing sin into categories: past and future, bad and worse, confessed and unconfessed. This is like trying to divide a barrel of black oil into six compartments. Even if we do so, the oil in each compartment is still black, and it is still oil. Most of those who believe a Christian can lose his salvation do not believe God’s provision covers all sins. If eternal security is a theological possibility, then Christ’s death must be powerful enough to burn up this entire barrel of sin, not just two or three compartments. God’s provision must pay the debts accrued by all our sins irrespective of time, degree, or confession. In Hebrews 10, the Holy Spirit compares the sacrifice of bulls and goats with the sacrifice of God’s Son. Once a year, the people had to return to Jerusalem to offer another sacrifice for their sins of that past year, leaving with a clean slate. Since their sacrifice did not deal with future sins, they had to keep sacrificing every year. But the sacrifice of Jesus ended such need. The Word of God says that what was not possible through the sacrifice of bulls and goats was possible through the sacrifice of the Lamb of God.
Three Greek words emphasize this possibility. The first word is ephapax which means “once for all.” It’s mentioned in the New Testament referring to Christ’s death as payment for our sins. The second word is diēnekes which means “forever” and “everlasting.” It was used to say the sacrifice of Christ was good forever. The last Greek word is perielein which translates “to take away.” It’s used for casting away the anchors holding a ship back, and for removing the noose from a man’s neck. Man’s sin has become a hangman’s noose around his neck, but Christ’s death has removed the noose once and for all.
Eternal security is not only a theological possibility; it’s a reality. Hebrews 10 makes it clear that God’s provision has completely blotted out and destroyed all our sins once and for all. Christ’s death sufficiently and efficiently covered the sins of believers from Adam to Christ, and from Christ until today.
Three Greek words emphasize this possibility. The first word is ephapax which means “once for all.” It’s mentioned in the New Testament referring to Christ’s death as payment for our sins. The second word is diēnekes which means “forever” and “everlasting.” It was used to say the sacrifice of Christ was good forever. The last Greek word is perielein which translates “to take away.” It’s used for casting away the anchors holding a ship back, and for removing the noose from a man’s neck. Man’s sin has become a hangman’s noose around his neck, but Christ’s death has removed the noose once and for all.
Eternal security is not only a theological possibility; it’s a reality. Hebrews 10 makes it clear that God’s provision has completely blotted out and destroyed all our sins once and for all. Christ’s death sufficiently and efficiently covered the sins of believers from Adam to Christ, and from Christ until today.
"Thou shalt not avenge, nor bear any grudge against the children of thy people, but thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself: I [am] the LORD."
— Leviticus 19:18 (KJV)
http://blb.org/kjv/lev/19/18/
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— Leviticus 19:18 (KJV)
http://blb.org/kjv/lev/19/18/
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Blue Letter Bible
Leviticus 19 :: King James Version (KJV)
Leviticus 19 - Thou shalt not avenge, nor bear any grudge against the children of thy people, but thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself: I [am] the LORD.
"36 Master, which [is] the great commandment in the law? 37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. 38 This is the first and great commandment. 39 And the second [is] like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. 40 On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets."
— Matthew 22:36-40 (KJV)
http://blb.org/kjv/mat/22/36/
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— Matthew 22:36-40 (KJV)
http://blb.org/kjv/mat/22/36/
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Blue Letter Bible
Matthew 22 :: King James Version (KJV)
Matthew 22 - Master, which [is] the great commandment in the law?
WHY DID THE 1ST CENTURY PEOPLE OF ISRAEL FOLLOW CHRISTS TEACHINGS WITHOUT THE NEW TESTAMENT.
#SEEDTOSOW
A question I ask none believers when I present the gospel, to inform them of the following. The disciples and the early followers never went ministering with the NT, so how did Christianity spread so rapid? over 60 years before the NT was fully compiled. None of us knew personally, the early disciples, the Word is our disciples with faith in His Word, John 3:16-17. How did the message of salvation in Christ spread so quickly when the early Christians were being persecuted and killed, but many still came to the Truth in Christ without a NT, how? It simply boils down to the Holy Spirit teaching them from the Old Testament scripture.
And I quote "I am telling you the truth: he who believes has eternal life". (John 6:47) or "Salvation is to be found through him alone; in all the world there is no one else whom God has given who can save us" (Acts 4:12) or ‘I have made you a light for the Gentiles, so that all the world may be saved.’ (Acts 13:47) I could list many more, but the fact is when the disciples spoke these words, upon hearing, His Word, His Spirit inspired holiness in these early Old Testament believers (Ps. 143:10).
Scripture promised that someday God would put His Spirit in His people in a way that would cause them to live according to His statutes (Ezek. 36:27, Jer 31:31-33). This is the promise that Jesus made to his disciples a oneness with God, The Father and the Holy Spirit. Other OT Verses also mention the Holy Spirit, words 1st century Israel and Gentiles would of been fully versed in, such as: 1 Samuel 10:6, 1 Samuel 10:10 or Isaiah 63:11-14 but there is many more to be found, upon study.
Finally in the NT Jesus says in John 3: 6-8 "Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the spirit, gives birth to spirit” true Christians should not be surprised at my saying, “You must be born again” The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone of the Spirit”. Christian do not lie, Jesus is not the “Best Deceiver” his Word is Truth and like I originally said Christianity did not rely on a Book, it was built, spread and cemented in the actions and Words of Our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
John 1 - “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
May the peace of Christ be with you.
Christ is Life. John 3:16.
#SEEDTOSOW
A question I ask none believers when I present the gospel, to inform them of the following. The disciples and the early followers never went ministering with the NT, so how did Christianity spread so rapid? over 60 years before the NT was fully compiled. None of us knew personally, the early disciples, the Word is our disciples with faith in His Word, John 3:16-17. How did the message of salvation in Christ spread so quickly when the early Christians were being persecuted and killed, but many still came to the Truth in Christ without a NT, how? It simply boils down to the Holy Spirit teaching them from the Old Testament scripture.
And I quote "I am telling you the truth: he who believes has eternal life". (John 6:47) or "Salvation is to be found through him alone; in all the world there is no one else whom God has given who can save us" (Acts 4:12) or ‘I have made you a light for the Gentiles, so that all the world may be saved.’ (Acts 13:47) I could list many more, but the fact is when the disciples spoke these words, upon hearing, His Word, His Spirit inspired holiness in these early Old Testament believers (Ps. 143:10).
Scripture promised that someday God would put His Spirit in His people in a way that would cause them to live according to His statutes (Ezek. 36:27, Jer 31:31-33). This is the promise that Jesus made to his disciples a oneness with God, The Father and the Holy Spirit. Other OT Verses also mention the Holy Spirit, words 1st century Israel and Gentiles would of been fully versed in, such as: 1 Samuel 10:6, 1 Samuel 10:10 or Isaiah 63:11-14 but there is many more to be found, upon study.
Finally in the NT Jesus says in John 3: 6-8 "Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the spirit, gives birth to spirit” true Christians should not be surprised at my saying, “You must be born again” The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone of the Spirit”. Christian do not lie, Jesus is not the “Best Deceiver” his Word is Truth and like I originally said Christianity did not rely on a Book, it was built, spread and cemented in the actions and Words of Our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
John 1 - “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
May the peace of Christ be with you.
Christ is Life. John 3:16.
Forwarded from FREE SPEECH ON FIRE (Free Speech On Fire)
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DISCIPLES OF JESUS CHRIST WE NEED TO COME TOGETHER TO FELLOWSHIP ALL THE MORE AS WE SEE THE DAY OF THE LORD'S RETURN COMING SWIFTLY!
"HE THAT ENDURES TO THE END SHALL BE SAVED." - JESUS CHRIST
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DISCIPLES OF JESUS CHRIST WE NEED TO COME TOGETHER TO FELLOWSHIP ALL THE MORE AS WE SEE THE DAY OF THE LORD'S RETURN COMING SWIFTLY!
"HE THAT ENDURES TO THE END SHALL BE SAVED." - JESUS CHRIST
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The Future After Covid-19
To those who are watching, listening, and paying attention, it is obvious the world is rapidly changing, and not for the better. Quite the opposite. This lurch toward darkness revolves around a small cabal of evil individuals, who believe wholeheartedly in the old saying “never let a good crisis go to waste”. In today’s ‘lockdown’ world, which many credulously believe is just a phase, with blind optimism, they fearfully digest the delusion peddled by the corporate press that once this virus passes, life will go back to normal. In reality, the life we knew, but a moment ago, is drifting away, week by week. I fear, for many this will prove to be too much, and they are not preparing themselves mentally for what is to come - well, this is the point of this post. I’d like to add the reason behind this post, is frankly because I am fearful and sad, but not for me, for the world and the oceans of souls that are blindly following a narrative that leads to your destruction. I am of sain mind, honest ask my psychiatrist, I am not depressed and happy with the Lord in my heart, meaning I am not at all suicidal, my thoughts are clear and I wrote this to bring clarity, and peace once you're aware what's of behind the curtain. I have added numerous links after many statements to show my thought process, please bear in mind, I could of added multiple different links and the article would have been page after page of links, so don’t attack my choice of evidence its up to you to study for yourself the purpose of this writing was for me to put pen to paper and to organise my thoughts, this is the outcome so I suggest you do the same starting now……to read more click here The Future After Covid-19.
The above is the opening of a 10'000 word writing on The Future After Covid-19. Click through to read the rest. We dont know the time or the hour, but we know the signs. This writing sees a narrarive full of deceit (Matthew 24), so look behind the smoke and mirrors or fall to the Danger of Being Deceived by Men: in the Deception of the End times.
https://bugwans.blogspot.com/2020/05/to-those-who-are-watching-listening-and.html
Christ is Life. John 3:16. @ChristIS
To those who are watching, listening, and paying attention, it is obvious the world is rapidly changing, and not for the better. Quite the opposite. This lurch toward darkness revolves around a small cabal of evil individuals, who believe wholeheartedly in the old saying “never let a good crisis go to waste”. In today’s ‘lockdown’ world, which many credulously believe is just a phase, with blind optimism, they fearfully digest the delusion peddled by the corporate press that once this virus passes, life will go back to normal. In reality, the life we knew, but a moment ago, is drifting away, week by week. I fear, for many this will prove to be too much, and they are not preparing themselves mentally for what is to come - well, this is the point of this post. I’d like to add the reason behind this post, is frankly because I am fearful and sad, but not for me, for the world and the oceans of souls that are blindly following a narrative that leads to your destruction. I am of sain mind, honest ask my psychiatrist, I am not depressed and happy with the Lord in my heart, meaning I am not at all suicidal, my thoughts are clear and I wrote this to bring clarity, and peace once you're aware what's of behind the curtain. I have added numerous links after many statements to show my thought process, please bear in mind, I could of added multiple different links and the article would have been page after page of links, so don’t attack my choice of evidence its up to you to study for yourself the purpose of this writing was for me to put pen to paper and to organise my thoughts, this is the outcome so I suggest you do the same starting now……to read more click here The Future After Covid-19.
The above is the opening of a 10'000 word writing on The Future After Covid-19. Click through to read the rest. We dont know the time or the hour, but we know the signs. This writing sees a narrarive full of deceit (Matthew 24), so look behind the smoke and mirrors or fall to the Danger of Being Deceived by Men: in the Deception of the End times.
https://bugwans.blogspot.com/2020/05/to-those-who-are-watching-listening-and.html
Christ is Life. John 3:16. @ChristIS
Blogspot
The Future After Covid-19.
To those who are watching, listening, and paying attention, it is obvious the world is rapidly changing, and not for the better. Quite the o...
Forwarded from Christ is Life - Seeds to Sow
The doctrine of a crucified God, which was to appear, and really did appear, as folly wherever it was proclaimed, spread itself so rapidly over the whole globe that only one hundred and sixty years after the death of Christ Tertullian, the Christian writer, could thus address the pagans: “We are but of yesterday, yet we have filled all your places, cities, islands, castles, warehouses, palaces, legislative assemblies, and courts of justice; we have left you only your temples. For what war were we strong enough and sufficiently armed, for what active forces were we equal, were it not an established principle of our religion rather to be killed than to kill? Indeed, we needed no arms, no insurrection; by the mere threat of division we could have made war on you. Were we, with our great numbers, to be removed from your midst to a distant country, you would certainly have to tremble for the great change it would make in business and other important affairs. Then you would be unable to find willing subjects, and more enemies than citizens would be left to you.”
WHAT IS GOD?
A) He is love, He knows everything, He has a special name, He is our creator, He is a sustainer, He receives prayer, He is worshipped, He is a communicator.
Many false god's throughout time need prayers, require traditions and daily rituals to be worshipped, this is organised relgion. Whereas the one True God of the Bible, is a spirtual God and wants a relationship with His creation through the Spirit.
When He's honoured, praised and worshipped, receives prayers, He being the True God, is the only God who communicates with believers, through scripture, throughtout time, through faith not traditons all of this is revealed;
He then proceeds to renew us through the Spirit of God, we change supernaturally, again to renew us making us whole, this is done to bring is back to the Garden. He works with us on a one to one level, its a personal relationship, He is a communicative God, a spirtual God, not religious, the biggest problem with religion is Man.
JESUS IS THE GOD OF THE OLD TESTAMANT
1) He knows everything - Psalms 147:5, 2 Kings 8:39. John 2:25.
2) He has a special name - Acts 2:21, Romans 10:13 but read Romans 10 in full - Q) who is this talking about?, Acts, 4:12 Q JW need to consder, but the Father is Jeohovah and Jesus is Jehovah. Exodus 3:13-15
3) God is the creator - Psalms 102:25-27, Hebrews 1:10-12 quotes & applies to Jesus, John 1:3 The world made through him, Colossians 1:16 All things were created, by Him and for Him - Isaiah 44:24 - I am the Lord, am the maker of all things.
4) He is the sustainer - keeps everything going. Acts 17:28, in Him we live. Hebrews 1:3, upholds all things., Job 38:31-37, Psalms 104:1-35 (more here https://bible.knowing-jesus.com/topics/God-Sustaining-Creation)
5) He receives prayer - John 14:14 in my name, Acts 7:59 receives my spirit. Job 22-27. (Many more can be found here 👉 https://bible.knowing-jesus.com/topics/God-Answers-Prayer)
6) He is Worshipped - Matthew 4:10 - serve Him, Hebrew 1:6 - Worship Him, Revelation4:9-11, 5:12-14 - Father & Son. (Take one OT verse from here 👉 (https://bible.knowing-jesus.com/topics/Worship,-Of-God-Alone)
May the peace of Christ be with you all.
Christ is Life. John 3:16.
A) He is love, He knows everything, He has a special name, He is our creator, He is a sustainer, He receives prayer, He is worshipped, He is a communicator.
Many false god's throughout time need prayers, require traditions and daily rituals to be worshipped, this is organised relgion. Whereas the one True God of the Bible, is a spirtual God and wants a relationship with His creation through the Spirit.
When He's honoured, praised and worshipped, receives prayers, He being the True God, is the only God who communicates with believers, through scripture, throughtout time, through faith not traditons all of this is revealed;
He then proceeds to renew us through the Spirit of God, we change supernaturally, again to renew us making us whole, this is done to bring is back to the Garden. He works with us on a one to one level, its a personal relationship, He is a communicative God, a spirtual God, not religious, the biggest problem with religion is Man.
JESUS IS THE GOD OF THE OLD TESTAMANT
1) He knows everything - Psalms 147:5, 2 Kings 8:39. John 2:25.
2) He has a special name - Acts 2:21, Romans 10:13 but read Romans 10 in full - Q) who is this talking about?, Acts, 4:12 Q JW need to consder, but the Father is Jeohovah and Jesus is Jehovah. Exodus 3:13-15
3) God is the creator - Psalms 102:25-27, Hebrews 1:10-12 quotes & applies to Jesus, John 1:3 The world made through him, Colossians 1:16 All things were created, by Him and for Him - Isaiah 44:24 - I am the Lord, am the maker of all things.
4) He is the sustainer - keeps everything going. Acts 17:28, in Him we live. Hebrews 1:3, upholds all things., Job 38:31-37, Psalms 104:1-35 (more here https://bible.knowing-jesus.com/topics/God-Sustaining-Creation)
5) He receives prayer - John 14:14 in my name, Acts 7:59 receives my spirit. Job 22-27. (Many more can be found here 👉 https://bible.knowing-jesus.com/topics/God-Answers-Prayer)
6) He is Worshipped - Matthew 4:10 - serve Him, Hebrew 1:6 - Worship Him, Revelation4:9-11, 5:12-14 - Father & Son. (Take one OT verse from here 👉 (https://bible.knowing-jesus.com/topics/Worship,-Of-God-Alone)
May the peace of Christ be with you all.
Christ is Life. John 3:16.
Knowing-Jesus
13 Bible verses about God Sustaining Creation
A topical Bible which shows the most relevant Bible verse for each topic
BIBLE SAYS GOD CANT DIE SO JESUS IS FALSE
Muslims and others say "the bible says god does not die, so he is not god, because he died, but Christians worship the ever living God. The Father, The Son and The Holy Spirit.
Whoever says a question like theses to deny the divinity of Jesus is probably referencing Psalms 118 or Habakkuk 1:12 where a phrase states "I shall not die" and "we shall not die" but it never says "God does not die" see in Habakkuk 1:12 “Art thou not from everlasting, O LORD my God, mine Holy One? we shall not die.” this is a pray from Habakkuk to YHWA also please read" Psalms 118 in full, this also describes a pray to YHWA and he says in Psalms 118:17 I shall not die, but live, and declare the works of the LORD" why? Because belief in our Lord Jesus Christ brings eternal salvation this is what these two Old Testament scriptures are talking about.
May the peace of Christ be with you all.
Christ is Life. John 3:16.
Muslims and others say "the bible says god does not die, so he is not god, because he died, but Christians worship the ever living God. The Father, The Son and The Holy Spirit.
Whoever says a question like theses to deny the divinity of Jesus is probably referencing Psalms 118 or Habakkuk 1:12 where a phrase states "I shall not die" and "we shall not die" but it never says "God does not die" see in Habakkuk 1:12 “Art thou not from everlasting, O LORD my God, mine Holy One? we shall not die.” this is a pray from Habakkuk to YHWA also please read" Psalms 118 in full, this also describes a pray to YHWA and he says in Psalms 118:17 I shall not die, but live, and declare the works of the LORD" why? Because belief in our Lord Jesus Christ brings eternal salvation this is what these two Old Testament scriptures are talking about.
May the peace of Christ be with you all.
Christ is Life. John 3:16.
Good night one and all, keep fighting the good fight and remember it’s a beautiful name. Christ is Life. John 3:16
JAMES 3:5-18 KJV
"5 Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth! 6 And the tongue [is] a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell. 7 For every kind of beasts, and of birds, and of serpents, and of things in the sea, is tamed, and hath been tamed of mankind: 8 But the tongue can no man tame; [it is] an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. 9 Therewith bless we God, even the Father; and therewith curse we men, which are made after the similitude of God. 10 Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be. 11 Doth a fountain send forth at the same place sweet [water] and bitter? 12 Can the fig tree, my brethren, bear olive berries? either a vine, figs? so [can] no fountain both yield salt water and fresh. 13 Who [is] a wise man and endued with knowledge among you? let him shew out of a good conversation his works with meekness of wisdom. 14 But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth. 15 This wisdom descendeth not from above, but [is] earthly, sensual, devilish. 16 For where envying and strife [is], there [is] confusion and every evil work. 17 But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, [and] easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy. 18 And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace.". @ChristIS
"5 Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth! 6 And the tongue [is] a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell. 7 For every kind of beasts, and of birds, and of serpents, and of things in the sea, is tamed, and hath been tamed of mankind: 8 But the tongue can no man tame; [it is] an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. 9 Therewith bless we God, even the Father; and therewith curse we men, which are made after the similitude of God. 10 Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be. 11 Doth a fountain send forth at the same place sweet [water] and bitter? 12 Can the fig tree, my brethren, bear olive berries? either a vine, figs? so [can] no fountain both yield salt water and fresh. 13 Who [is] a wise man and endued with knowledge among you? let him shew out of a good conversation his works with meekness of wisdom. 14 But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth. 15 This wisdom descendeth not from above, but [is] earthly, sensual, devilish. 16 For where envying and strife [is], there [is] confusion and every evil work. 17 But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, [and] easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy. 18 And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace.". @ChristIS
DONT CONFUSE JESUS WORDS IN JOHN 8:44.
Nowhere in Christendom does its say the devil has a father, that’s Mormonism. Jesus is not saying literately your father is the devil. No that is putting words in Jesus mouth and is wrong, He is highlighting His spiritually difference, He was Good, the I AM in v58.
Think about these questions
“Why do they teach Greek and Hebrew at the seminary?
Don’t we already have good English translations?”
Dr. James Voelz posted a blog in January where he offered the following analogy to explain why we need the original languages: “The difference between reading the NT in English, on the one hand, and knowing Greek and interpreting the NT with it, on the other, is like the difference between watching an NFL game on a 12” black-and-white TV and being at the game.” a really good analogy as it affirms the importance of Greek without undermining the confidence in the English.
Note: It is not possible for all meanings and nuance to come across in English, also note translators do their best to bring across what is most important for the reader to understand. When a decision is really significant, translations sometimes flag it in a footnote. However, not all translation decisions rise to that level of significance. In that case, they are left unmarked and the reader is not aware of the thought process that went on behind the scenes.
Now consider (John 8:44) of the KJB, for example: The KJV, along with all English translations, construes the final αὐτοῦ as a neuter pronoun whose antecedent is τὸ ψεῦδος. “The devil is a liar and the father of it (= falsehood).”
There is another possibility, however. The pronoun αὐτοῦ could be a masculine pronoun referring to the devil. In that case it says, “The devil is a liar and so is his father.” If you are reading John in English, you are completely unaware of this possibility. The translator has decided on your behalf to suppress it. And there may well be good reasons for this, the Bible never speaks of the devil having a father. So the alternative translation “The devil is a liar and so is his father.”
What might that mean?
Cyril of Alexandria actually takes the verse this way, so we can use him as a model of how someone might explain and defend that interpretation.
Cyril acknowledges that the notion of the devil’s “father” presents a difficulty. He reports that interpreters before him suggested that the devil in the New Testament had an even more horrible Old Testament devil as his father. But he rejects this idea because there is no Scriptural basis for it. Instead, Cyril insists that “father” is not to be understood biologically but metaphorically. If you imitate someone’s behaviour, then that person is your “father.”
Cyril goes on to identify Cain as the one who imitates the devil. So Cyril understands the verse this way: “The devil (= Cain) is a liar, and so is his father (= Satan).” So when Jesus tells the Jews, “You are of your father the devil (= Cain),” he is really saying that they are imitating the behaviour of Cain, who is himself imitating the behaviour of Satan. Because the devil is the father of sinners, sinners are the children of the devil (1 John 3:10). The devil is the old serpent (Rev 12:9, 20:2), and sinners also are serpents, the generation of vipers (Matt. 23:33, 3:7). Hence, they needed the Lord in the form of the serpent to be lifted up for them in the cross (3:14) to save them not only from sin but also from the source of sin, the devil (Heb. 2:14).
May the peace of Christ be with you all.
Christ is Life. John 3:16.
Nowhere in Christendom does its say the devil has a father, that’s Mormonism. Jesus is not saying literately your father is the devil. No that is putting words in Jesus mouth and is wrong, He is highlighting His spiritually difference, He was Good, the I AM in v58.
Think about these questions
“Why do they teach Greek and Hebrew at the seminary?
Don’t we already have good English translations?”
Dr. James Voelz posted a blog in January where he offered the following analogy to explain why we need the original languages: “The difference between reading the NT in English, on the one hand, and knowing Greek and interpreting the NT with it, on the other, is like the difference between watching an NFL game on a 12” black-and-white TV and being at the game.” a really good analogy as it affirms the importance of Greek without undermining the confidence in the English.
Note: It is not possible for all meanings and nuance to come across in English, also note translators do their best to bring across what is most important for the reader to understand. When a decision is really significant, translations sometimes flag it in a footnote. However, not all translation decisions rise to that level of significance. In that case, they are left unmarked and the reader is not aware of the thought process that went on behind the scenes.
Now consider (John 8:44) of the KJB, for example: The KJV, along with all English translations, construes the final αὐτοῦ as a neuter pronoun whose antecedent is τὸ ψεῦδος. “The devil is a liar and the father of it (= falsehood).”
There is another possibility, however. The pronoun αὐτοῦ could be a masculine pronoun referring to the devil. In that case it says, “The devil is a liar and so is his father.” If you are reading John in English, you are completely unaware of this possibility. The translator has decided on your behalf to suppress it. And there may well be good reasons for this, the Bible never speaks of the devil having a father. So the alternative translation “The devil is a liar and so is his father.”
What might that mean?
Cyril of Alexandria actually takes the verse this way, so we can use him as a model of how someone might explain and defend that interpretation.
Cyril acknowledges that the notion of the devil’s “father” presents a difficulty. He reports that interpreters before him suggested that the devil in the New Testament had an even more horrible Old Testament devil as his father. But he rejects this idea because there is no Scriptural basis for it. Instead, Cyril insists that “father” is not to be understood biologically but metaphorically. If you imitate someone’s behaviour, then that person is your “father.”
Cyril goes on to identify Cain as the one who imitates the devil. So Cyril understands the verse this way: “The devil (= Cain) is a liar, and so is his father (= Satan).” So when Jesus tells the Jews, “You are of your father the devil (= Cain),” he is really saying that they are imitating the behaviour of Cain, who is himself imitating the behaviour of Satan. Because the devil is the father of sinners, sinners are the children of the devil (1 John 3:10). The devil is the old serpent (Rev 12:9, 20:2), and sinners also are serpents, the generation of vipers (Matt. 23:33, 3:7). Hence, they needed the Lord in the form of the serpent to be lifted up for them in the cross (3:14) to save them not only from sin but also from the source of sin, the devil (Heb. 2:14).
May the peace of Christ be with you all.
Christ is Life. John 3:16.