From One Believer To Another

From One Believer to Another

If this is your first time visiting this blog, “Welcome!”

As you read, I pray you’ll not see me as being angry at anyone. Firm at times with some, I’ll agree with that. I know that no matter what a person has gone through, things they’ve said or done, or still doing for that matter, there’s a 50/50 chance of my having sought forgiveness for doing the exact same thing at one time or another. I know the battle is not against flesh and blood my friend.

Throughout this blog you will find me quoting things heard on the radio. You’ll not find the names of those who said these things in the posts. I do document their names, the date, time, and radio station call sign on my copy of the original document. I do not publish these details because our mission should be to expose the false teachings not to personally attack the person.

If you should continue reading my friend, you will find the Anthanasian Creed being exposed for what it is, a false doctrine. The word of God having the final say. My trusting in He who knows hears and sees all things, the God of the [Bible].

Thursday, June 30, 2016

Thomas Had To See To Believe, What Must You Do?

“that you may with one mind and with one mouth glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.” Apostle Saul (who is also called Paul), Romans 15:6 (NKJV)

In the precious and beautiful name of Messiah Yeshua “Jesus,” greetings.

Who actually died on the cross for the sin of the world?  We’re going to take a look at Thomas’ use of the words “My Lord and my God” found in John 20:28 (NKJV). 

Then He said to Thomas, “Reach your finger here, and look at My hands; and reach your hand here, and put it into My side. Do not be unbelieving.” And Thomas answered and said to Him, “My Lord and my God!” Jesus said to him, “Thomas, because you have seen Me, you have believed.  Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” And truly Jesus did many other signs in the presence of His disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name.  John 20:27-31 (NKJV)

Before we look into Thomas’ use of the words “My Lord and my God,” let’s see why Yeshua spoke these things to Thomas to begin with.  The [Biblical] explanation behind it all.  The red letter words above are Yeshua’s.  One more thing, the words “that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God,” it’s very important we leave them just the way they are.  Believing Messiah Yeshua “Christ” is the Son of God that is.

John 20:25: Now Thomas, called the Twin, one of the twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. The other disciples therefore said to him, “We have seen the Lord.” So he said to them, “Unless I see in His hands the prints of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe.”

The time passed between John 20:25 and 20:27-31, is eight days (John 20:26). 

Thomas must have witnessed Yeshua’s death on the cross.  There’s no reason to believe otherwise.  If he’s needing to see actual evidence of Yeshua’s [crucifixion] death on the cross to believe, he knew exactly what to look for if Yeshua happened to make [another] appearance.  Obviously Thomas didn’t miss Yeshua this other time, and he believed.

The followers of the Anthanasian Creed, justify that Thomas believes the Son is God when he said “My Lord and my God.”  Their response is typically, if not, “Why didn’t Jesus rebuke Thomas after saying it?” This is their reason for them to believe the [Bible] supports “the Son is God”.  So they think.  The fact of the matter is, Yeshua agreed with Thomas.  Since it’s the [Bible] telling us Thomas is one that [now] believes because he said “My Lord and my God,” let’s not jump to any conclusions as to what it is he’s actually confessing to here. 

I can safely the [Bible] doesn’t give us Thomas’ reason(s) for saying these words.  It also doesn’t give the freedom to make them say/mean whatever we wish, either.  When it comes to the word of God, the [Bible], and with whatever is said about it, looking to be [Biblically] correct, it will agree.

Lest we forget, Yeshua’s earthly ministry lasting three and a half years.  There’s a good chance of Thomas hearing something directly from Yeshua during the three plus years he walked with Him.  Something causing Thomas to say “My Lord and my God”.  I have a hard time believing Thomas’ first encounter with Yeshua came the moment he said “My Lord and my God” found in John 20:28.

I actually heard a pastor say Thomas’ words are “all a person needs to know”.  I heard this just a few weeks ago.  This pastor is a follower of the Anthanasian Creed.  That’s it, according to this pastor, Thomas’ “My Lord and my God” settles the matter.  As far as this pastor is concerned, for those looking for [Biblical] evidence of the Son of God being “the Son is God,” God, they need look no further than John 20:28.
  • If that were the case, if one verse of [Scripture] is all that’s needed to establish one’s system of belief why are the followers of the Anthanasian Creed tampering with other verses of [Scripture] to meet their needs?  Wouldn’t that one verse be “all a person needs to know”?  Since we’re talking about a verse of [Scripture] here, wouldn’t it agree with the word of God in its entirety?  Of course it would.
There’s no [Biblical] evidence of the Son of God being “the Son is God”.  There’s no [Biblical] evidence of there ever being, or yet to come, “the Son is God”.  Being in agreement with [Scripture] that is.  It obviously came in 325-AD.  It’s found in the Anthanasian Creed.

The Anthanasian Creed is the blue print to this manmade system of belief.  Man’s interpretation of [Scripture], wrongly I might add, is its only support system.  Other than the [Bible] warning us of false doctrines, there’s no other link to it.  The mere mentioning of things found in the [Bible] doesn’t necessarily make everything attached to them [Biblically] sound.

Thomas had a very good reason for saying “My Lord and My God”.  Unlike the majority of those encounters Yeshua had with religious leaders, He was obviously in agreement with that which Thomas had to say.  Which clearly establishes it having everything to do with something Yeshua previously said.  I have serious doubts as to Thomas coming up with “My Lord and my God” from out of the blue.  Unless a person believes Thomas pulled these words out from the proverbial “rabbits hat,” “My Lord and my God” is linked to something Thomas previously learned from Yeshua.

Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me? The words that I speak to you I do not speak on My own authority; but the Father who dwells in Me does the works.” John 14:10 (NKJV)
  • The words that I speak to you I do not speak on My own authority
  • the Father who dwells in Me does the works
Thomas could have [finally] figured it out.  Better yet it being revealed to him by God.  Standing there, looking straight at “my Lord” Yeshua, and [now] believing that it’s not only He that died on the cross standing right in front of him, but the one dwelling in Yeshua is “my God” his God, too.  With Yeshua knowing these things, there’d be no need for Him to rebuke Thomas.  I’m well aware of the [Bible] not giving us the reason(s) why Thomas said “My Lord and my God” in John 20:28.  Nor does it elaborate on what Thomas meant by it.  I say this as we can only infer the meaning and our inference needs to be based on consistency throughout the Bible.  Inferring that the Son is God here is a viable alternative, until you try to support it consistently throughout scripture at which point it fails.

Jesus said to her, “Do not cling to Me, for I have not yet ascended to My Father; but go to My brethren and say to them, ‘I am ascending to My Father and your Father, and to My God and your God.’” John 20:17 (NKJV)

The [Bible] may not tell us why Thomas said “My Lord and my God,” but in the same book, same chapter twenty of John, it certainly tells us Yeshua called the God of the [Bible] “My God” His God, too.  He says it four more times in Revelation 3:12.  As you’ll see in just a little bit, twice more in Matthew 27:46.  We have Yeshua saying these words seven times, Thomas once…just a thought.

The question isn’t why didn’t Jesus rebuke Thomas, it’s was Thomas present when Mary Magdalene delivered the message given to her by Yeshua found in John 20:17?  Better yet, if Thomas wasn’t present when she delivered it to Yeshua’s brethren, did Thomas believe his fellow brethren when they told him, if they had to tell him, exactly what Mary Magdalene had to say to them?

And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a load voice, saying, “Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?” That is “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” Matthew 27:46 (NKJV)

Who actually died on the cross for the sin of the world?  Knowing the word of God endures forever, it had to be the Son of God.  The [Biblical] Yeshua.  Not God.

Lest we forget, there’s some that like to slip the word [is] in-between “Son” and “God”.  Keep a close eye on what you’re reading my friends.  Believing Messiah Yeshua “Christ” is the Son of God is very important to the salvation of one’s soul.

When it comes to the [Biblical] Yeshua’s death burial and resurrection, there’ll not be another like it.  When He said “It is finished!” on that cross (John 19:30), you better count on it being so.  It’s speaking of God’s plan of redemption and salvation for all peoples of the world.  Simply put it’s a done deal, all we have to do, individually, is to believe it.

As for Thomas’ “My Lord and my God,” I see it as the starting point of a great conversation to be had at the local coffee house.  With or without likeminded people as myself.  Teaching it the [Biblical] evidence of the Son of God being “the Son is God,” God, not a chance.  With all the [Biblical] evidence saying differently, why even it give it a second thought.

God bless.

In His Care…Jim

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