With the heaviest heart I have had in years I write praying and pleading for the people of Haiti.  Having been there many times over the last 8 years I can imagine the devastation and it takes my breath away.  I ask for you to pray fervently for the people of Haiti and for the relief efforts that have begun.  Pray that the Lord works miracle upon miracle to meet physical and spiritual needs.  If you have the ability to send a monetary gift to the Red Cross or World Vision please do it.  God honors and blesses the gifts and prayers of His children.  Let’s react boldly and compassionately.

My heart is also heavy because, today, Pat Robertson stated that the people of Haiti are under a curse because they made a deal with the devil years ago.  He basically stated that they are receiving the results of their own spiritual deal with the devil.  My response is: Shame on you Mr. Robertson!  Shame on you!  The Lord will judge us teachers more strictly because we stand as representatives of God’s Word.  How dare you declare that you somehow know God’s mind and will in this disaster.

Fellow Christians, stand boldly against this arrogant pharisaical thinking.  Pray for Mr. Robertson’s soul.  Pray that the Christian church is remembered for being a source of compassion and outreach during devastating event.  Jesus has left us on the planet to be His body of grace and compassion.  He clearly tells us that we are not to judge.  We are called to spread His redemptive work of the cross and the empty tomb.  May we today, and every day, be motivated by grace.

Peace!

Tom

Attached is a file of verses that help us understand where we get our understanding of our doctrine of the Trinity.  It is not an exhaustive list.  It is meant to be a discussion starter.  I will add to it as discussion on this site brings up new verses.  As you read over these verses remember that our Lord inspired men to write over 2000 years and still maintained this kind of pin point precision.  Our God is an AWESOME God!

Peace!

Tom

Matthew 28:18-20 states, “Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.  Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.  And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (NIV)

There are many other verses that can, and will, be used further in this posting, but let’s begin with this verse since it comes from the Jesus’ mouth just before He leaves His disciples.

“All authority in heaven and earth has been given to me.”

- Properly understood, “all” means all!  Jesus didn’t say “some” authority, or “most” authority, but “all authority”.  By the way, “authority” is the same as power and control.  In this section Jesus claims to have all authority and power under His control, whether it is in heaven or on earth.

- This statement alone has to put Him into direct conflict with Almighty God, or into direct equality with God.

“Therefore go…”

-  Jesus is saying, since I have all authority, I have the authority to direct your life’s direction.  No prophet has ever dared to direct the lives of others in his own name.  Prophets always spoke with the authority of God (“hear the word of the Lord!”)  Jesus does so under His own authority, “…as I have commanded you.”.  He does not direct us on the authority of anyone else, but His own.

“In the Name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit”

-  Notice that there are 3 distinct persons referenced here.  Notice the “the”…This use of the article tells us that we are dealing with distinct individuals.  Why isn’t  “Name” plural “Names”?  It would only make since that Jesus should have said, “…in the Names of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.

-  “Name” is singular because there is only one God.  Just as in the Old Testament sons were circumcised in the name of Jehovah, the New Testament disciples are baptized into His one Name, but Jesus goes on the describe that one God as “Father”, “Son” and “Holy Spirit”.  From Jesus’ on lips we hear Him describing the Trinity.

“Teaching them to observe all that I have commanded”

-  Jesus once again claims divine authority as He tells His disciples, and us, to obey His commands.  We are told repeatedly in the Scriptures to obey the Word of the Lord, and His Word only.  No prophet anywhere in Scripture spoke with such authority.  They never demanded obedience to their Words, but to the Word of the Lord.  Jesus must be equal to God to demand our observance to His Word.

“And lo, I will be with you always, even unto the end of the age.”

-  Jesus is clearly ascribing to Himself the divine attribute of omnipresence (present everywhere).  Great men of the Old Testament heard these same words spoken to them from Almighty God.

Lastly, Jesus leaves this world leaving no doubts.  His meaning is clear.  One would have to change the meaning (He didn’t really mean to say that.  This is what he really means.) to get anything else.  Since these are Jesus’ last words before ascending into heaven and leaving His disciples, I suggest we take them literally.  Especially with the supporting verses that will soon be added to this posting.

Peace!

Tom

The verses as promised.  They will be added to in the future, but certainly enough to chew on at this point.