Consider, for example, the very fact that the universe can be understood through mathematics. With the aid of math, we’ve been able, with astonishing precision, to figure trajectories, velocities, the needed fuel to put satellites in orbit, men on the moon, and probes on Mars. That’s really quite strange if you think about it—that is, if you think that we and the universe are simply the products of random chance. As author James Nickel inquires: “Why does a mere product of man’s autonomous mind [namely, mathematics] accurately model the workings of the physical world?” (p. xix*). Good question. Interestingly, when brought face to face with this reality, “[h]umanistic mathematicians and scientists answer using terms like ‘incredible, unreasonably effective, and mysterious’” (Ibid.*). Mysterious only if God is taken out of the picture. Perfectly reasonable, otherwise. The same God who ordered the universe made humanity (in His image, Genesis 1:26-27) with a mind to understand and appreciate that order.

And order there is. The world around us is filled with it–filled with threes, for example. There are three types of human hair: terminal, vellus, and lanugo. Three human capacities: thought, word, and deed. Three primary particles to the atom: proton, neutron, and electron. Three aspects of the universe: time, space, and matter—each a trinity in itself (as far our day-to-day life is concerned): time (past, present, future); space (height, width, depth); matter (solid, liquid, gas). We could go on. Interestingly, we even like the sound of three. Just take note of speakers and writers, and the way they phrase statements in threes. Julius Caesar said “Veni, vidi, vici (I came, I saw, I conquered).” Thomas Jefferson wrote, “[W]e pledge to each other our lives, our fortunes, our sacred honor.” Abraham Lincoln spoke of government “of the people, by the people, for the people.” We even pare statements down to make them triplets: Winston Churchill actually spoke of “blood, sweat, toil and tears,” but that didn’t ring like, well, you know. There’s something about three (Not surprisingly, God uses threes repeatedly throughout the Bible–who can name some?).

But perhaps that seems too cute, too easily refuted, unimpressive, unpersuasive. What about what follows? Ever heard of the Fibonacci sequence? I hadn’t until about a year ago. It’s a numerical sequence popularized in the thirteenth century by a mathematician named Leonardo of Pisa (yes, same as the tower) who later adopted the name Fibonacci (“son of Bonacci”). Written out, it looks like this: 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21, 34, 55, 89, 144, 233, 377….” Note that the third number is always the sum of the previous two. What’s this seemingly obscure sequence have to do with evidence for design? Well, this sequence actually occurs with some frequency in nature. In fact, in 1963, a periodical entitled The Fibonacci Quarterly began to be published by an organization called “The Fibonacci Assocation,” and “[t]he sole purpose of this publication [was] to document the occurrence of this sequence in nature!” (p. 240*). It would require a lot of material to keep such a publication going for long (and it’s still going). Below is just a taste of the examples of this fascinating sequence in nature:

Example #1: Pinecones & Pineapples

If you look at the base of a pinecone, and trace the spiral arrangement of the sections, you’ll notice it numbers three spirals one way, and five the other, or five one way and eight the other, or as in the photographs below (sorry no pictures, ran into technical difficulties), eight one way, thirteen the other. Though the numbers may vary, all pinecone arrangements follow the Fibonacci sequence. A similar phenomenon is observable in pineapples.

Example #2: Sunflowers

The Fibonacci sequence is present in the seed configuration of sunflowers. Numbering the spirals one way, then the other, one discovers multiple patterns within the Fibonacci framework: eight and thirteen, twenty-one and thirty-four, thirty-four and fifty-five, fifty-five and eighty-nine, and eighty-nine and one hundred forty-four (p. 241).

Example #3: Genealogy of the Male Bee

The male bee has only one parent, the female bee. The female bee, however, has two parents, a male and a female. Drawing out the male bee’s family tree, we see the Fibonacci sequence being played out before our very eyes: one male bee, one parent, two grandparents, three great-grandparents, five great-great grandparents, eight great-great-great grandparents, and so on.

Example #4: The Human Hand

Measuring the phylanges (finger bones) and metacarpal bones of the human hand, one discovers that our very bodies (in part, at least) are based on the Fibonacci sequence (Google for great pictures of this).

Conclusion

Many other examples could be cited. We could discuss the structure of a music scale, phyllotaxis in trees, the shape of a nautilus shell, etc.–each following with amazing regularity this same sequence.

Inquiring minds want to know: “Why does mathematics, a product of the human mind, explain the universe?” “Why are there so many observable patterns in nature?” “Why should anything at all make sense if there was no One to give it sense?” Christians believe God offers satisfying answers to all these questions, and a great many more. What do you think?

Romans 1:20- “For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse”

* Source cited in article: Mathematics: Is God Silent? by James Nickel

²² Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord. ²³ For the husband is head of the wife, as also Christ is head of the church; and He is the Savior of the body. ²⁴ Therefore, just as the church is subject to Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in everything. ²⁵ Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her, ²⁶ that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word, ²⁷ that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish. ²⁸ So husbands ought to love their own wives as their own bodies; he who loves his wife loves himself. ²⁹ For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as the Lord does the church. ³⁰ For we are members of His body, of His flesh and of His bones. ³¹ “For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.” ³² This is a great mystery, but I speak concerning Christ and the church. ³³ Nevertheless let each one of you in particular so love his own wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband.

All too often, it seems the passage above is reserved exclusively for Bible studies geared toward marriage enrichment, or for wedding ceremonies. In these settings, the obvious focus is on how God intends husbands and wives to treat one another and how our earthly marriages should operate. I personally can’t recall another circumstance or context under which I’ve studied this passage in any real depth. While the aforementioned occasions are certainly appropriate times to consider such instruction, it seems there is an even greater lesson to be learned from this idea of marriage than how a husband and wife are to coexist. There is no doubt the Bible teaches that the marriage relationship is vitally important and should be adhered to as designed by God. But the Spirit also makes it clear in the passage above that marriage is, in reality, a type of an even more important and intimate relationship – the union Christ has with His church.

The institution established all the way back at creation in Genesis 2 points ahead thousands of years to what’s revealed on the last few pages of scripture – the marriage supper of the Lamb. And throughout scripture, which is literally bookended by the subject, marriage is consistently used to describe the intimate relationship God desires to have with His people.

There are several passages in the Old Testament that refer to God being like a husband to Israel in how He cared for, loved, provided for and protected them. (Jer. 3:1-14;Jer. 31:31-33). Yet, despite all God did, the frequent, sad reality was unfaithfulness on the part of the people. Many times the idolatry of the nation was likened to harlotry (Jer. 3:2). The prophet Hosea was even told to take a prostitute for a wife and her illegitimate children as his own because that is basically what God’s people had become. The Old Testament ends rather bleakly with God bringing charges against His people for the mess they’d made of their physical and spiritual marriage covenants.

Mal 2:11

11 Judah has dealt treacherously, And an abomination has been committed in Israel and in Jerusalem, For Judah has profaned The LORD’S holy institution which He loves: He has married the daughter of a foreign god.

Yet, as dysfunctional as things seem to be left when the Old Testament closes, there is equal hope as the New Testament opens with the coming of the Bridegroom. That is the language John the Baptist uses to refer to Jesus (John 3:29) and even how Jesus refers to Himself (Matt. 9:15). Following a very similar pattern to the traditional Jewish wedding custom of the time, Jesus:

• Left His Father’s house to travel to the bride’s home (Phil. 2:5-8)
• Paid the required price for the bride (Acts 20:28; I Peter 1:18-19)
• Established a covenant with the bride (Matt. 26:26-29)
• Left to make living arrangements for His bride back at His father’s house (John 14:1-4)
• Will come back for His bride without warning/unannounced/unexpected (I Thess. 5:1-2; Matt. 24:42-44)

Christ did all of this because He loves us, He wants to save use and wants to be united with His church. He has made this possible through the covenant He established by His blood. That was the price to purchase the church. When we think about all Christ did for us so that we can be united with our Lord forever, and remember that He did it while we were still sinners, it makes it much easier to make the kind of commitment that is required. When we accept and obey the gospel we are betrothed to Christ. We are committed and dedicated to Him. We see this same marriage analogy used several places in the New Testament (Rom 7:4; 2 Cor. 11:2-3). We are to be sanctified and set apart for Him. This requires us to give up some things we might have grown accustomed to. We can’t be friends of the world any longer. The Spirit doesn’t mince any words when He writes through James:

Jas 4:4-5

4 Adulterers and adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.

5 Or do you think that the Scripture says in vain, “The Spirit who dwells in us yearns jealously”?

There is a commitment that needs to be made. But we are shown that it is well worth any sacrifice we might make here on earth. Some of scripture’s concluding scenes in The Revelation of Jesus Christ; some of the final images we are left with are of the marriage of the Lamb and the bride. While what God set in motion at the very beginning is still somewhat of a mystery for us, He leaves us with some insight.

In Revelation 21, John is shown the bride, the Lamb’s wife. The Spirit describes what John sees the best we are able to comprehend it. But if I were to summarize his vision it would be: beauty, purity, safety and a wonderfully intimate relationship with God and His people. It says in that beautiful description:

• There is no temple – the Lord and the Lamb are the temple
• The throne of God is there
• “They shall see His face, and His name shall be on their foreheads”

What was described of Eden just before the creation of marriage seems to be restored and enhanced. This is what God intends our relationship to be with Him and His Son. And He has done everything possible to allow this to be our reality:

• He has created us in His image
• Given us His Son as a sacrifice for our sins
  • To purchase and redeem us
  • To sanctify and cleanse us
  • Given us His Spirit to help in that process as we wait

Let’s use everything God has given us to be ready and prepared when He returns.

Rev. 22:17

17 The Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” And let him who hears say, “Come!” And let him who thirsts come. Whoever desires, let him take the water of life freely.

As the early Christians traveled through the Roman Empire preaching the message of Christ they spoke with people of diverse cultures, ethnicities, education and heritage. The book of Acts provides insight into how many of these people reacted to hearing the gospel.  The passage quoted above (Acts 13:45) is the reaction of many of the Jews who lived in Antioch (in Pisidia). Unfortunately, their reaction is not based on an evaluation of truth but on their emotions.  Paul and Barnabas were garnering a lot of attention from the people in Antioch.  Backing up into verse 43, it says almost the whole city had come to listen to them preach. When these individuals saw the attention Paul and Barnabas were receiving they became envious. Their reaction to the gospel was now based on their emotions and not an objective evaluation of the things being taught by Paul and Barnabas.

This is not the first time envy had blinded people from accepting the truth of the gospel.  In fact envy was what ultimately drove the leaders of the Jewish people to put Jesus to death. In John 11:48 these leaders lamented of the influence Jesus was amassing and the impact it would have on their position of power and prominence. In John 11:48 it reads,  ”If we let Him (Jesus) alone like this, everyone will believe in Him, and the Romans will come and take away our place and nation.”  Then in Matthew 27:18 is states Pilot knew the Jews had delivered Jesus to the Roman authorities out of envy.  Their reaction to Jesus’ message was the same as would later be seen by many of the Jews in Antioch. They were not basing their reaction towards Jesus on the evaluation of truth.  They were basing their reaction on the envy because as Jesus’ prominence grew among the people their power and influence diminished.

Envy is just one example in the scriptures of an emotion or bias that pushed people away from the truth. Although not expressly stated, it is implied in Luke 18:18-23 the man commonly referred to as the rich young ruler did not accept Christ because Jesus had told him he must sell all his goods to give to the poor.  He walked away from Jesus because of his selfish love of earthly possessions.

There are many emotions and biases that can obstruct peoples’ ability to objectively evaluate the truth.  It may be envy, a love for possessions, an unwillingness to change, the desire to be right about current beliefs, or maybe even the love one feels for others that obstructs people from seeing truth.   But these things have no actual bearing on truth. Truth exists outside of our own emotions, biases, experiences, and beliefs. Contrary to popular belief, truth is not in the eye of the beholder.  Truth is absolute.

Acts 17:10-12 provides an example of people who removed emotion and bias, and gave Paul and Silas’ message an objective evaluation. In verse 10 of that chapter Paul and Silas arrive in Berea where the Jews there were more ‘fair minded’ and ‘searched the scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so.’ These men and women were not caught up in emotion. They were not plagued with the envy that seemed so common amongst those hearing the gospel for the first time. They simply opened up the word of God and evaluated the teachings of Paul and Barnabas against the only authoritative source of truth – the Bible.  This is the example we need to follow.

This is much easier to do in theory then it is in practice.  It is difficult to remove emotions and biases when evaluating religion.  Religion has always been, and likely will always be, an emotionally charged subject.   Its significance is paramount to anything else.  But this highlights how important it is to identify and remove emotions and biases in the interpretation of the word of God.  The Jews in Antioch in Acts 13 allowed their emotions to obstruct their evaluation of truth.  Unlike the Jews in Berea, they were not looking in the scriptures to evaluate Paul and Barnabas’ message.  They were blinded from truth because they were uncomfortable with its result.  What we have to realize is though the truth may reveal an uncomfortable reality, the acceptance of truth will ultimately lead to a beautiful reality.

I remember, since it was only 15 months ago, holding my firstborn, a daughter, for the first time and I hope never to be able to forget it. In my arms was a piece of me, sharing obvious genetic traits, probably predisposed to certain desirable and undesirable personality wiring as well. Yet, for all that, she was pure, untainted, more so than she ever would be again. I marveled as I beheld and studied her.

There was no possibility of malice. She couldn’t conceive of hate. She was unable to deceive or act in a false manner that hid her true character. She was incapable of jealousy, being already wired by the Lord to crave the pure things she really needed. There was no chance of her slandering others or causing any hurt with her tongue. She will, sad as it is, be taught these things by the world. But back then, my daughter was everything I should strive to be–blameless. As Jesus said regarding little children, “…of such is the kingdom of Heaven.” Matt.19:14

It is a wonder, no doubt, to take your firstborn into your arms. And then you begin thinking about all that goes into the making and you see a type, or shadow, that is so obvious it goes unsaid–at least I’ve never heard it commented on that I recall.

In God’s family planning a man’s seed unites with his wife’s egg and a new creation is conceived, brought into being, and that child is half-father and half-mother. It is a living soul per that expression in Gen.2:7. As the Hebrew language has it there, certain animals and humans have the breath of life so that they are living souls. Basically, they are animate, vibrant beings or entities. Science calls these organisms and although the Bible’s living soul seems narrower to me in reading the Flood narrative, it’s good enough for the purpose here. This happens at conception, when the child becomes, genetically speaking, what it will remain for the rest of it’s life. God is involved and has more to do.

God tells Israel that He ‘formed them in the womb’ in Isaiah 44. He is The Father of Life. So it should surprise us not at all that God does the forming in the womb. In Isaiah 44 its usage is metaphorical, but it’s easily deduced that He does so in reality too. More obviously though is Jeremiah 1:5 where God says quite explicitly that “I formed you in the belly”.

In the creation of man, God took raw material–dirt–and formed it into a living soul, after breathing into it the breath (spirit) of Life. At conception, God takes raw material–donated by a father and mother–and does the same thing. It is His work and only He can do it. Yet, there’s more.

Ecc. 11:5 ”As you do not know the way the spirit comes to the bones in the womb of a woman with child, so you do not know the work of God who makes everything.”

Zec.12:1 “…Thus declares the LORD, who stretched out the heavens and founded the earth and formed the spirit of man within him…”

We are tripartite beings: Body, Soul and Spirit (I Thes.5:23). And while we, as proud, young parents, might like to take a lot of credit for our children, the real work was done by God. We only supplied parts, but His contribution was all the labor. So God truly is the Father of Life. All life originates with Him and is impossible without Him.

A new life also begins at baptism as we are told in Romans 6. A new spirit is given by God, but this time it’s His own Spirit. God does the work in the womb and He also does the work in baptism. Col.2:12 calls it the powerful working of God! So, in spite of what many might have you believe, immersion is not a human work. After all, we are just getting dunked in water–hardly work. God does the heavy lifting through His son Jesus Christ.

Is this any different from our physical births? I donated sperm and my wife an egg…that is all. God made a child. He does the exact same thing in the new birth. A willing sinner is dipped in water…that is all. God makes him or her a child of faith–renewed, a new creation as guiltless as…

A Newborn Babe.

The Apostle Paul made an inspired prediction in 2 Thessalonians 2:3: “…that Day [the Judgment Day] will not come unless the falling away comes first…” He promised the Church would see an apostasy, a day when many among the Church would reject the teaching of Christ in favor of their own religious inventions.  This isn’t the only time Paul promises this kind of collapse among Christians.  He told Timothy in 2 Timothy 4:3-4, “For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; 4 and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables.”

Not only does Paul predict that there would be a falling away, he also explains when.  Again in 2 Thessalonians 2:7: “For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work…”  In other words, it was already happening.  The ideas and innovations, the people and processes that would ultimately pervert the Church were already at work among the churches in the first century.

What changed? Where did the Church go astray? Among many things, the Church grew to grossly misunderstand baptism.  From the very beginning the Church and greater Christian community has been torn between very different doctrines on baptism.  This confusion was apparent in the first century and it’s still apparent today.  There are as many ideas on baptism in the world as there are churches in the world.  

What’s all the confusion about?

SYMBOLISM IN BAPTISM

More and more the religious world would have us to believe that baptism in water doesn’t actually do anything it just represents something that’s already been done.  Many people believe that baptism is “an outward sign of an inward change”. Evangelicals, Pentecostals, and much of the protestant world takes this position that salvation comes first and baptism can come later as a demonstration of the redemption you’ve already received.  People are taught to believe that baptism only symbolizes their salvation and nothing more.  You may be surprised to know the Bible never teaches this. 

Baptism is a symbol, but it’s not only a symbol. Romans 6 explains that baptism, immersion in water, symbolizes the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ, but also how by baptism we participate in the same spiritual process. Romans 6:3-6: “do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? 4 Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. 5 For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection, 6 knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin.”

 Like the body of Jesus died on cross, our body of sin dies in water.  Like Christ was buried in the tomb, our bodies are fully submerged in a watery grave.  And like Jesus came forth from the tomb with renewed life, we emerge out of the waters of baptism freed from sin. In this sense there’s really no symbolism at all.  He explains that if we were baptized into Jesus were literally baptized into his death (he says just that in verse 3).  By baptism he says were untied with Christ.  We die with him, we are buried with him, and by his resurrection we are raised from the waters without sin.

So is baptism just a symbol? Is it just an outward sign of an inward change? Not according to the Bible.  Baptism is actually the means by which we make the change. This is why he says “baptism into Christ”.  If we are in Christ already before baptism this phrase makes no sense at all.  Why would he suggest being baptized into Christ if we’re already in him?  That’s like announcing that you’re going to church when you’re already here.      

MECHANISM OF BAPTISM

This article uses the word baptism and the phrase immersion in water as though they are one in the same.  I do believe they are one in the same but not everyone does.

A growing number of people believe that baptism in the Bible doesn’t even involve water at all.  Of course they acknowledge this isn’t always the case – Jesus and John went down into the water – but the idea is that most of the time that the Bible talks about baptism it’s referring to an invisible spiritual process by which God immerses us with the Spirit and cleanses us from our sins.

There are obvious reasons people take this position. The direct relationship between baptism and our salvation blatant and abundant throughout the Bible.  The Bible does teach that baptism is for salvation… The Apostle Peter says in 1 Peter 3:21, “There is also an antitype which now saves us – baptism…” Jesus says in Mark 16:16, “He who believes and is baptized will be saved…”  People that don’t want to believe that baptism in water is necessary for salvation have to believe that passages like this refer to some other kind of baptism.  Their conclusion then is that baptisms in these scriptures refer to a spiritual baptism in which God applies his grace apart from any visible action of our own. The second reason some people resist the idea that a baptism in water is necessary for salvation is that they also reject the idea that works have a role in our redemption.  This relatively modern innovation suggests that baptism isn’t something you do it’s something that’s done to you.  The Bible teaches it’s both.

Even during the early years of the apostasy when all of this confusion about baptism was being born, no one believed this. The ancient writers in the apostate church didn’t agree on much but they unanimously taught that baptism is an essential step in the plan of salvation and secondly that baptism involves real water. Justin Martyr, Clement of Alexandria, Irenaeus, Tertullian, Hippolytus, and Origen all agreed that baptism was a literal application of water through which we are saved.

More important than the historical evidence is the biblical evidence. Salvation is not something we can achieve on our own; it’s by God’s grace we are saved. However, this doesn’t mean we have nothing to do.  People often teach that salvation is unconditional but no one actually believes that.  You may not believe that you have to baptized, but do you believe that you have to believe?  Of course you do, everyone understands that.  Don’t forget, though, anything you have to do is a condition.  Baptism is no different. 

Baptism is a real, physical process using real water and has spiritual consequences. In Acts 8:36 when the Ethiopian eunuch decides he’s ready to accept Jesus, do you remember what he says, “See, here is water. What hinders me from being baptized?” In Ephesians 5 when the Apostle Paul is explaining how a man ought to love his wife he mentions that we are cleansed by washing of water.  Ephesians 5:25-26: “Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her, 26 that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word…”  This washing of water, baptism, is the tool God uses to cleanse us from our sins.  By the Word of God we are saved and it’s by baptism that we submit to that Word. The Apostle Peter even goes so far as to that we are saved through water… 1 Peter 3:20-12: “…the Divine longsuffering waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight souls, were saved through water. 21 There is also an antitype which now saves us–baptism (not the removal of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God), through the resurrection of Jesus Christ…” Like the waters of the flood lifted up Noah and his family and saved them from the wicked world, so the waters of baptism separate us from our sins.  He even clarifies that although baptism saves us, it’s not a regular bath, it’s not the removal of bodily dirt, it’s not a physical cleansing, it’s a spiritual cleansing, “the answer of a good conscience towards God.”    

EFFECTS OF BAPTISM

The world has all kinds of ideas about how you can be saved.  The most popular process projected right now is what many people call the “Sinner’s Prayer”.  This is a prayer that supposedly you can say to be saved.  You just talk to God, acknowledge your sins, accept his grace, and accept Jesus as your savior, all through this prayer.

Although prayer is important, just saying a prayer will not save you.  There’s no such thing as the sinner’s prayer in the Bible.  In fact we have one good example of how prayer alone cannot save you.  When Paul saw Jesus on the road to Damascus he absolutely believed, but was he saved?  Not yet. The Bible says he prayed for the next three days.  Then was he saved?  Not according to the Bible.  By the time Paul gets to Ananias he’s seen the savior, he’s prayed to God, but still he’s not saved.  What’s left to do?  Acts 22:16 Ananias says to Paul: “And now why are you waiting? Arise and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord.” If ever the prayer of a sinner could save anyone it would have saved Paul, but it didn’t save him and it won’t save you.  You must be baptized.  Here’s why… 

Baptism is for our salvation.

1. Mark 16:16: “He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned.”
2. 1 Peter 3:21: “There is also an antitype which now saves us—baptism…”

By baptism we receive Christ.

1. Romans 6:3: “Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death?”
2. Galatians 3:27: “For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ.”

Through baptism our sins are forgiven.

1. Acts 22:16, Ananias said to Paul, “And now why are you waiting? Arise and be baptized, and wash away your sins…”
2. Colossians 2:11-12: “In Him you were also circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the sins of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ,12 buried with Him in baptism, in which you also were raised with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead.”

Acts 2:38 says several things that are accomplished by baptism. Peter has preached to the Jews about Jesus.  They were pricked in their hearts.  They realized they killed the savior.  Acts 2:37: “Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, ‘Men and brethren, what shall we do?’”  And Peter said to them in verse 38,  “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.’” Baptism is that last step when our sins are forgiven and, he says, we receive the Holy Spirit. This is exactly what Jesus was talking about in John 3:5 when he says we must be born again.  “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.” When we are cleansed by the waters of baptism we are renewed by the indwelling of the Spirit.   

Have you been washed by the blood Jesus through baptism in his name? Thank God for his promise of salvation to those who obey!

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 print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and put my hand in His side, I will not believe.’ And after eight days His disciples were again inside, and Thomas was with them, Jesus came, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, ‘Peace to you!’ Then He said to Thomas, ‘Reach your hand here, and look at my hands; and reach your hand here, and put it into My side. Do not be unbelieving, but believing.’ 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.’ [John 20:24-29]

Until recently, I always wondered why Thomas would not believe. Here was Jesus, the Son of God. Thomas spent over three years listening to Jesus explain truths concerning His Father, His death, and His resurrection. Thomas watched as five loaves and two fish feed five thousand men plus women and children. Was he not the one in John 11 who was willing to die with Christ, proving a level of commitment to Him and to His word.

Yet, is it not in most of us to want to see the impressive before we commit to belief? We say things like, “That sounds too good to be true. I will believe it when I see it.” and “Seeing is believing.” It is right that we should want some proof or validation for what we have not seen. Validation through evaluation of visible evidence gives us greater security that the beliefs we hold are right. We gain confidence when we know because we have seen.

However, we are not always going to be able to see. Not many will have an opportunity to visit every continent and country around the world. We have confidence in the existence of those continents and countries because trustworthy men have shared their experiences with us. For this reason, we can be thankful for Thomas’s unwillingness to believe without seeing Jesus. Thomas saw the nail prints in Jesus’s side. He was able to put his hand in Jesus’s side. His response to this was an overwhelming belief that this was the same Jesus he watched die on the cross.

Certainly none of us will see Jesus in the flesh. We will never put our hand in His literal side. However, we can have confidence that what we read concerning Jesus’s resurrection is true, because a doubting man like Thomas willingly tested the evidence. Thomas looked at Jesus, and knew that this could only be Jesus Christ the Son of God. There was no other alternative. All the evidence pointed Thomas to that fact. All evidence written for us points to that same fact.

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 believing you may have life in His name. [John 20:30-31]

May we seriously consider the evidence written for us, that we might come to the conclusion Thomas came to: Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God. He was manifested in the flesh. He did many wondrous works in the sight of his disciples. He did die for our sins. He has risen. He will return to bring His saints to glory.

That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, concerning the Word of life– the life was manifested, and we have seen, and bear witness, and declare to you that eternal life which was with the Father and was manifested to us– that which we have seen and heard we declare to you, that you also may have fellowship with us; and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ. And these things we write to you that your joy may be full. [I John 1:1-4]

The Wrath of God is an attribute of God.

The scriptures reveal to us that our Lord is wrathful with good reason. In the book of Nahum chapter one verses one through six. Nahum tells us that our God is wrathful.

An oracle concerning Nineveh. The book of the vision of Nahum of Elkosh. The LORD is a jealous and avenging God; the LORD is avenging and wrathful; the LORD takes vengeance on his adversaries and keeps wrath for his enemies. The LORD is slow to anger and great in power, and the LORD will by no means clear the guilty. His way is in whirlwind and storm, and the clouds are the dust of his feet. He rebukes the sea and makes it dry; he dries up all the rivers; Bashan and Carmel wither; the bloom of Lebanon withers. The mountains quake before him; the hills melt; the earth heaves before him, the world and all who dwell in it. Who can stand before his indignation? Who can endure the heat of his anger? His wrath is poured out like fire, and the rocks are broken into pieces by him.
Nahum 1:1-6

The Lord’s wrath is not like our wrath. Here the Lord tells us that he is wrathful against his enemies. In Deuteronomy chapter 32 we are told that the Lord takes vengeance upon his adversaries, and repays those who hate him. Paul reinforces this telling us that, “the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth.” (Romans 1:18) The Lord is not filled with anger as we are. Rather our Lord is filled with righteous indignation against all who oppose him.

The Wrath of God is the perfect and justified response to sin.

Psalm 5:5 tells us that, “The foolish shall not stand in thy sight: thou hatest all workers of iniquity.” Psalm 7:11 tells us that “God judgeth the righteous, and God is angry with the wicked every day.” Our God is fill with righteous indignation. Our God is angry against sin!

Or do you presume on the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God’s kindness is meant to lead you to repentance? But because of your hard and impenitent heart you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath when God’s righteous judgment will be revealed. He will render to each one according to his works: to those who by patience in well-doing seek for glory and honor and immortality, he will give eternal life; but for those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, there will be wrath and fury.
Romans 2:4-8

If God did not react in this manner towards sin. He would not be God. God would not be Holy if the evil deeds did not move him in righteous indignation to wrath.

The perfect Love of the God is meaningless without Wrath

I John 4:9-10 tells us that Christ’s sacrifice is the perfect expression of God’s Love. Paul in Romans 5 helps us understand the full impact of the sacrifice of Christ. He tells us that we were the enemies of God without the sacrifice of Christ. “For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life.” (Romans 5:10) The passages in Deuteronomy and Nahum should make it quite evident of the consequences of being the enemy of God. But, that is the point! Without any consequences, the sacrifice of Christ is meaningless. In fact could it be called a sacrifice if it purchased nothing? Christ’s sacrifice carries the weight it does because it saves us from God’s wrath!

 For they themselves report concerning us the kind of reception we had among you, and how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God, and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come.
1 Thessalonians 1:9-10

The Wrath of God is without a doubt a aspect of the nature of God. It is his ultimate expression against all unrighteousness. Yet, he has given us a way of escape through his son, if we will but take it.

Freud’s paradigm agrees with scripture in some respects.  The Bible describes us as tripartite beings made up of spirit, soul, and body (1 Thessalonians 5:23).  In a rough, imperfect way, the spirit corresponds to Freud’s Superego; the soul to the Ego; and the body to the Id.  The Bible also unveils a struggle between spirit and body (aka Superego and Id if you will)  best illustrated by Paul in Romans 7.  However, Freud and the Bible part ways in the diagnosis and prescription for humanity’s internal conflict.  Where Freud perceives human beings as completely physical in their makeup, the Bible presents man as part physical, part spiritual.  While both agree that the body’s desires are in and of themselves amoral, the Bible contends that a spiritual being should not be directed by fleshly impulses.  In short, Freud sides with the Id over the Superego while the Bible sides with the spirit over the body.

A Freudian approach ultimately removes individual accountability.  Freudian psychoanalysis depicts the struggle between Superego and Id as the fault of external forces.  The influence of parents, church, the Bible, teachers, etc., are the culprits behind the Superego’s overdeveloped strictures.  In other words, you feel guilty because the standards of others are making you feel guilty, not because you are truly guilty.  Therefore, guilty feelings are dismissed as phantom pangs, false indicators of wrong doing.  Since the source of one’s guilt is an Id repressed by an externally influenced Superego, the counselee should ignore the Superego and follow the Id, thereby removing the false sense of guilt.

The Bible soundly disagrees.  Behavior lies at heart of humanity’s disease.  Guilt is created when one violates their standards by following what they want to do instead of what they ought to do.  The Bible prescribes confession and repentance as the solution.  A person is healed when they acknowledge wrong doing, accept responsibility, and commit to change.  Even when this process is performed apart from the Bible, it promotes the well-being of its practitioner.  However, when practiced in conjunction with God’s will, the practitioner finds the ultimate internal cleansing.  God empowers this process with the cleansing power of Christ’s blood.  Eternal redemption liberates the conscience and ushers in true internal peace.

Matthew 16:18

Jesus spoke these words to his disciples after Peter confessed that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God.  It is the opinion of this writer, that Jesus was referencing all of the apostles as “this rock” and not just Peter.  This opinion is supported by other passages pointing the apostles as the foundation of the church.   In Ephesians 2:20 Paul writes the church is “built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Himself being the chief cornerstone.”  In addition, when John sees the New Jerusalem in Revelation 21 he describes the wall of the city as having, “twelve foundations, and on them were the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb (verse 14).

These passages describe the unique role the apostles played in beginning stages of the church.  They continued Jesus’ work by proclaiming Him the Son of God to the world and acting as witnesses of His resurrection.  But the apostles were more than just couriers.  In Matthew 28:18-20 Jesus passed authority to the disciple in what is commonly called the great commission.  Jesus said, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.  Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”  The words of the apostles carried the weight and authority of the words of Jesus.  As the apostles preached His message the Holy Spirit would bring to remembrance all the words Jesus spoke to the them (John 14:26) and guide them in all truth (John 16:13).  Their words carried this authority because, in reality, they were the words of Jesus and of God.

The scriptures make it clear that as the church was established it followed the instructions and ordinances provided by the apostles.  On the day of Pentecost after hearing about their guilt in hanging the Son of God on the cross the convicted multitude desperately looked to the apostles and asked, “Men and brethren, what are we to do (Acts 2:37)?”  Upon hearing Peter’s instructions those who believed gladly complied and continued to follow their teaching.  “Then those who gladly received his word were baptized; and that day about three thousand souls were added to them.  And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread and in prayers (Acts 2:41 & 42).”  From these passages the apostles’ role of establishing doctrine and ordinances of the church is clear.  When answering the question from the multitude they provided instruction on how an individual accepts the risen Christ as their savior (Acts 2:38).  Then after the multitudes’ conversion it was the apostles’ teaching and instruction that lead the church.  This pattern continues through the book of Acts and the letters written by the apostles in the New Testament.

The teaching and example the apostles provided is the foundational basis of the church.  God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit provided them with the capability and authority to establish the doctrine and operation of the church.  Even though the apostles are long dead and buried the necessary teachings and example they left behind are preserved in the word of God.  Like the multitude on the day of Pentecost, questions of “what are we to do?” should still be directed to the apostles’ doctrine and teaching.  Their words and deeds carry the same authority today as they did when they were first spoken.  The doctrine they preached is the doctrine the church is to follow.  The organization and function of the church they taught is the organization and function the church is to follow.  The path to salvation they proclaimed is the path to salvation.  Their example and teachings are ancient landmarks meant to guide the church in truth and holiness.  The church should strive to follow their teachings and build upon the foundation they established.

The teachers of the Law in Christ’s time were backwards in a lot of ways. Traditions that were younger than the Old Testament itself were given equal weight to those scriptures. Many of those traditions weren’t even Jewish in origin, much less scriptural, as some were pinched from Babylon and Persia–especially regarding the more esoteric aspects of understanding the cosmos and such. The Greeks also influenced Jewish thought, like Philo of Alexandria. Still others, like the rule of Corban, were simply to satisfy their own innate selfishness, though they never would have admitted so. I wonder sometimes if this kind of rubbish wasn’t dreamed up just so that the common man, who would have no inkling of these things, would bow to the superior intellect and depth of understanding of the rabbis.

Jesus taught the Law and its true meaning only. He did so simply, straightforwardly and without relying on foreign (in every sense of the word) ideas. Because He did so the Jews marvelled at his teaching because he taught as one having authority–as if He had written it Himself. Where the scribes and lawyers had, over centuries, piled and heaped extraneous, not to mention copious, bylaws on top the Law, Jesus took them ALL the way back to its original intent; not to the meaning “between” the words (as if there were “mysteries” hidden therein as that day and age were fond of), but the meaning of the words themselves.

Judging by the reactions that His teaching received, I think we can see a stark contrast between Jesus’ teaching and those of His contemporaries. When a well-meaning Jew listened to Jesus it’s like a light came on and they realized that they had been misled by the scribes and Pharisees. I might even be so bold as to say that they perceived that they had always known that they were being deceived. The Lord’s teaching was substantive, meaningful and cut to the chase. This would no doubt have revealed the rabbis’ teaching for what it was–empty, abstract and superficial. Of course, synagogue rulers and the scribes, et al saw this too, but it provoked them to jealousy. When you take yourself as seriously as they undoubtedly did (and expected everyone else to), it cannot have been easy to be revealed as a joke.

Not only was Jesus’ teaching real, but the nature of the teacher must have had something to do with it as well. Jesus was a teacher, true, but He was–is–a shepherd to the very core of His being too. Sheep respond to their shepherd’s voice. They do not search for a shepherd either. I think people that heard Him could tell that He truly did care about them. Now I’m not saying that there were no caring and nurturing rabbis, but I know that Jesus certainly cared more.

Evidently, this was evident to all. Like any good shepherd, whose care for the lost sheep of Israel was both genuine and total, Jesus called disciples to Him because that is what shepherds do. His disciples were, like sheep, simply waiting for their master to call. While the passages that actually show us Jesus literally calling disciples to follow Him are remarkable, there is also an embedded inevitability to it as well that jumps off the page. You read and are not surprised at all when they drop what they are doing to follow Him.

The rabbis, when beginning their careers, did not call disciples because no one would have answered their calls. They could not call disciples had they wanted to. They were not shepherds. Jesus was different. And Jesus cared.

Jesus is still different. And He still cares.