Thursday, June 13, 2013

Trinity and Divinity, Part 5, Hebrews 1:1-12

Before proceeding, I have a little confession. I've been referring to Hebrews 1:8 for quite a few years, and have read the chapter many times. But for some reason it wasn't till preparing for this that I really followed and understood the writer's full train of reasoning in it. As will be seen, that fuller understanding augmented rather than changed my understanding of Hebrews 1:8.

Hebrews 1:1 God, after He spoke long ago to the fathers in the prophets in many portions and in many ways, 2 in these last days has spoken to us in His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the world.

In these first two verses, the writer sets up a pattern of parallel contrasts. Here, it's limited human prophets vs. the Son, though that will not by the primary contrast in the chapter. Human prophets were “long ago”, and were limited human beings. The Son, however, is described both as the Co-Creator and as the “heir of all things”. This latter cannot be true unless the son is not a “thing”, created.

(I)n these last days has spoken to us in His Son,” is interesting, though perhaps a rabbit trail. One's immediate thought is, “Well of course! The prophets spoke and their words were written down. Jesus spoke, and His words and story were written down.” Not so fast! There were prophets in the church as well. Agabus and the daughters of Philip are mentioned in the Book of Acts. Paul spoke of prophecy as a gift of the Spirit in Romans 12 and 1 Corinthians 12. And then Paul spoke, in Ephesians 4:11, of prophets as being one of Jesus' gifts to the church. So, taken together all these passages mean: 1.) New Testament prophets are means in which believers are, “ spoken to ... in His Son;” the Son is speaking in them; 2.) God, Who is speaking in these New Testament prophets, includes the Son (Jesus, Who gave the prophets) and the Holy Spirit (Who gives prophecies).

3 And He is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature, and upholds all things by the word of His power.

Chapter and verse divisions in the Bible are later, human, “inventions” that make the Bible easier to use. So this sentence really is part of the thought in verse 2. Where verse 2 speaks of the Son as the uncreated Creator, this verse firmly shows that the Son is God: in glory; in nature; in power. Isaiah 42:8 points out that God does not give His glory to any other, so that the Son radiates God's glory means that the Son is God. “(E)xact representation” cannot be explained away by saying that a really good portrait or sculpture is a representation of a person. Not so! A portrait is two-dimensional; the real person is three-dimensional. A sculpture is made of stone or metal, and is not living, unlike the real person. “(E)xact representation” can only be true if the Son is God. And no “thing”, a creature, can uphold all creatures. Only the Creator, God, can do that.

And this verse states the the Son's power is not limited: not to within creation; there is no creature that is not subject to the Son's sustaining power. Again, the Son is not created, but is the uncreated Co-Creator.

When He had made purification of sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, 4 having become as much better than the angels, as He has inherited a more excellent name than they. 

Here the writer of Hebrews sets up the contrast that will be the topic of the rest of the chapter – the Son vs. the angels. This contrast is devastating to the Arian theology of the Watchtower Bible & Tract Society, in further showing that the Son is God, and in showing that the Son is not angel (not even the chief angel). Two differences com into view in this verse and a half. First, the Son's name, the “Son”; second, and less obviously, the Son's position of power and authority. The writer has already precluded understanding the Son as a created “thing”. So “Son” (and “Father”) express relationship and intimacy, not creature-hood and/or inferiority. This relationship and intimacy set the Son apart from the angels. Angels do not have such a relationship with God. Sitting down on a throne means the Son is in a position of power and authority; the angels serve the One with that power and authority.

5 For to which of the angels did He ever say, "YOU ARE MY SON, TODAY I HAVE BEGOTTEN YOU"? (Psalm 2:7) And again, "I WILL BE A FATHER TO HIM AND HE SHALL BE A SON TO ME"? (2 Samuel 7:14)

Verses 5 and 6 are the closest Hebrews 1 comes to lending support to Arianism, yet they fall short, and are amenable to a better interpretation. Were the Son a creature – an angel or something unique and “other” - God would have said, “Today I have made you.” What was done, however, is that the Father-Son relationship was established within the One, uncreated, God.

6 And when He again brings the firstborn into the world, He says, "AND LET ALL THE ANGELS OF GOD WORSHIP (Deuteronomy 32:43 & Psalm 97:7) 

Firstborn” has two meanings in Scripture: the first one born among multiple children; one who is preeminent or the heir. The first meaning doesn't work, even within the idea that the Son is a creature (an idea already precluded). The second does work: the Son is preeminent over creation, of which the Son is Co-Creator. There are at least two important things to understand in the command that the angels worship the Son. First, they are inferior (positionally) to the Son. Superiors do not worship inferiors; peers do not worship peers. Second, only God is to be worshiped. So, in pointing out the fact that the Son is not an angel, the writer also shows that the Son is God.

7 And of the angels He says, "WHO MAKES HIS ANGELS WINDS, AND HIS MINISTERS A FLAME OF FIRE." (Psalm 104:4) 8 But of the Son He says, "YOUR THRONE, O GOD, IS FOREVER AND EVER, AND THE RIGHTEOUS SCEPTER IS THE SCEPTER OF HIS KINGDOM. 9 "YOU HAVE LOVED RIGHTEOUSNESS AND HATED LAWLESSNESS; THEREFORE GOD, YOUR GOD, HAS ANOINTED YOU WITH THE OIL OF GLADNESS ABOVE YOUR COMPANIONS." (Psalm 45:6-7) 

Verses 7 and 8 culminate the servant-served contrast between the angels and the Son. Angels are specifically called servants in verse 7, and then verse 8 expands on the authority of the Son. Apparently, there are two ways, “Your throne o God,” could be translated, the other being, “God is your throne.” That latter doesn't make sense, unless one needs to avoid a clear statement that the Son is God. And that's what Hebrews 1:8 is, a clear statement that the Son is God in a context that identifies the Son as the uncreated Co-Creator served by and sustaining the highest of creatures (angels).

10 And, "YOU, LORD, IN THE BEGINNING LAID THE FOUNDATION OF THE EARTH, AND THE HEAVENS ARE THE WORKS OF YOUR HANDS; 11 THEY WILL PERISH, BUT YOU REMAIN; AND THEY ALL WILL BECOME OLD LIKE A GARMENT, 12 AND LIKE A MANTLE YOU WILL ROLL THEM UP; LIKE A GARMENT THEY WILL ALSO BE CHANGED. BUT YOU ARE THE SAME, AND YOUR YEARS WILL NOT COME TO AN END." (Psalm 102:25-27) 

A key fact may or may not be obvious in the verse and its source in Psalm 102. Clearly, as quoted here in Hebrews, “ YOU, LORD” refers to the Son. While those words are not present in the sentence the writer of Hebrews quotes, it is present throughout the Psalm. And “LORD” there in Psalm 102 is the Divine name, YHWH! So many/most of the intended First Century audience for the book of Hebrews would have recognized that, in using this quote from Psalm 102, the Son was being equated with God.

Once again, the Son is spoken of as the Creator. The contrast in these verses between creation being subject to time and aging and the Son being ageless and unchanging show that the Son is eternal, a characteristic of God alone.

13 But to which of the angels has He ever said, "SIT AT MY RIGHT HAND, UNTIL I MAKE YOUR ENEMIES A FOOTSTOOL FOR YOUR FEET"? (Psalm 110:1) 14 Are they not all ministering spirits, sent out to render service for the sake of those who will inherit salvation?

The writer of Hebrews returns to the contrast between the Son and the angels. The Son is at rest; the angels are at work serving believers. The Son is the ruler (of creation); the angels are servants.

In detail and taken as a whole, Hebrews chapter 1 devastates the Arian theology of the Watchtower Bible & Tract Society! The Son, Jesus, is the Co-Creator of every creature. The Son speaks as God. The Son is eternal. The Son is as superior to the angels as a king is superior to His servants. The Son is directly identified as God.

Sunday, June 9, 2013

Trinity and Divinity, Part 4, Acts 5:1-11 & Psalm 139:1-10

Acts 5:1 But a man named Ananias, with his wife Sapphira, sold a piece of property, 2 and kept back some of the price for himself, with his wife's full knowledge, and bringing a portion of it, he laid it at the apostles' feet. 3 But Peter said, "Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and to keep back some of the price of the land? 4 "While it remained unsold, did it not remain your own? And after it was sold, was it not under your control? Why is it that you have conceived this deed in your heart? You have not lied to men but to God." 5 And as he heard these words, Ananias fell down and breathed his last; and great fear came over all who heard of it. 6 The young men got up and covered him up, and after carrying him out, they buried him. 7 Now there elapsed an interval of about three hours, and his wife came in, not knowing what had happened. 8 And Peter responded to her, "Tell me whether you sold the land for such and such a price?" And she said, "Yes, that was the price." 9 Then Peter said to her, "Why is it that you have agreed together to put the Spirit of the Lord to the test? Behold, the feet of those who have buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out as well." 10 And immediately she fell at his feet and breathed her last, and the young men came in and found her dead, and they carried her out and buried her beside her husband. 11 And great fear came over the whole church, and over all who heard of these things.

This is a reasonably straightforward – if more than a bit scary – story. Understanding the historical context may be helpful. Weeks or months earlier, on the day of Pentecost, some 3000 people became Christian believers. And more were added in the following days and weeks. The festival season from Passover through Pentecost drew Jewish people from all over the world, and as Acts 2 makes clear, that was the case for many of the new believers. They remained in Jerusalem to learn their new-found faith, being far from home, far from the occupations that kept roofs over their heads and food on their tables. So they had significant immediate needs, which new believers who did live in and about Jerusalem covered by voluntarily selling properties and giving the proceeds for the church to distribute as needed. It was temporary (these folks eventually went home or built new lives there), but very necessary.

This is the context for Ananias and Sapphira's actions. As Peter pointed out, Ananias and Sapphira were under no obligation to sell their property. And, having sold it, they were under no obligation to give the entire proceeds to the church. Where Ananias and Sapphira got in trouble was that in presenting their gift they lied about what their gift was. In other words, had Ananias said, “We sold our property, and here is a portion of the proceeds,” nothing would have happened to them. But helping their fellow (?) believers was, at best, secondary to Ananias' and Sapphira's purpose. They wanted respect from the Apostles and the Christian believers, but a respect for something more than what they had done. So they lied – as they understood it, to the Apostles and, through incidental bystanders, to the church. Peter informed Ananias (and later, in more general terms, Sapphira) that they didn't merely lie to men, but to the Holy Spirit, who Peter stated is God. And this was no casual, careless, imprecise, comment! Peter was explaining to Ananias what he had done and the gravity of what he had done! Peter did not (and would not!) pronounce God's judgment carelessly!

Psalm 139:1 O LORD, You have searched me and known me. 2 You know when I sit down and when I rise up; You understand my thought from afar. 3 You scrutinize my path and my lying down, And are intimately acquainted with all my ways. 4 Even before there is a word on my tongue, Behold, O LORD, You know it all. 5 You have enclosed me behind and before, And laid Your hand upon me. 6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; It is too high, I cannot attain to it. 7 Where can I go from Your Spirit? Or where can I flee from Your presence? 8 If I ascend to heaven, You are there; If I make my bed in Sheol, behold, You are there. 9 If I take the wings of the dawn, If I dwell in the remotest part of the sea, 10 Even there Your hand will lead me, And Your right hand will lay hold of me.
This passage – indeed, the entirety of Psalm 139 – speaks of two unique aspects of the nature of God, omniscience and omnipresence. Only God is omniscient and omnipresent.

Verse1 sets the context of the person to which the Psalm refers, and verse 4 reiterates it. The Psalmist is speaking of God, using the Divine name by which God revealed Himself to Moses and Israel. Thus, “You” in verses 2, 3 and 5 refer to God. Verse 6 is at once an expression of wonder and a statement of the fact that the idea of God knowing all and being present everywhere is beyond human reason and understanding. The Creator is beyond the understanding of the created … what a shock! And then comes verse 7. The Psalmist states that God's Spirit is Omnipresent. That leaves but two options. Either God's Spirit is 1.) something impersonal, the expression of God's power, or 2.) the Holy Spirit is a person, which would mean that verse 7 states that God's Spirit is God.

As I pointed out in this 2011 blog post, http://soapypetesbox.blogspot.com/2011/08/personhood-and-deity-of-holy-spirit.html, the Scriptures preclude Option 1, stated above. Scripture attributes knowledge, understanding, thought, speech, consciousness, emotions, will, authority, hearing, sight, judgment and abilities to have fellowship, reveal and teach. These characteristics can only mean that God's Spirit, the Holy Spirit is a person. Therefore, Psalm 139:7 can only mean that the holy Spirit is God.

Saturday, June 8, 2013

Trinity & Divinity, Part 3, John 8:12-59

This is adapted from a post about John 8:58 and its context. And at that point a difficulty appears. The context of John 8:58 is more than 80% of the 59-verse 8th chapter of John! This post ain't gonna be brief!

John 8:12 Then Jesus again spoke to them, saying, "I am the Light of the world; he who follows Me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the Light of life." 13 So the Pharisees said to Him, "You are testifying about Yourself; Your testimony is not true." 14 Jesus answered and said to them, "Even if I testify about Myself, My testimony is true, for I know where I came from and where I am going; but you do not know where I come from or where I am going. 15 "You judge according to the flesh; I am not judging anyone. 16 "But even if I do judge, My judgment is true; for I am not alone in it, but I and the Father who sent Me. 17 "Even in your law it has been written that the testimony of two men is true. 18 "I am He who testifies about Myself, and the Father who sent Me testifies about Me." 19 So they were saying to Him, "Where is Your Father?" Jesus answered, "You know neither Me nor My Father; if you knew Me, you would know My Father also."
Setting the scene, this passage begins an extended dispute about the nature of Jesus. On several levels, the skeptical Jewish leaders are unable and refuse to see beyond what they can see in front of them, i.e. very superficially. So, looking at things in this passage. Twice in these 7 verses Jesus used the phrase, “I am”. Innocuous in Greek, this would at least have been irritating to the ears of the Jewish religious leaders present, as “I Am” is the meaning of the Divine Name by which God identified Himself to the Jewish people. In the verses above and in those that follow, that irritation can be seen, and Jesus kept prodding that sore spot.

Who, but the Creator, can claim to be the “Light of the world”? The world is a creature; no creature can claim to be its light! Only the Creator can make such a claim.

It's easy to overlook, but in verses 16-19, in claiming to be a witness along with the Father and in verse 19 (notice that Jesus switches from “the Father” to “my Father”), Jesus is stating that He and the Father are peers, equals. In the Jewish Scriptures – in Isaiah 43-45, for instance – God repeatedly states that there is no God besides Himself, that He has no peers.

John 8:20 These words He spoke in the treasury, as He taught in the temple; and no one seized Him, because His hour had not yet come.
Why would it be remarkable that no one seized Jesus? Unless Jesus was claiming something of Himself – that He was God – for which such seizure would be an appropriate response?

John 8:21 Then He said again to them, "I go away, and you will seek Me, and will die in your sin; where I am going, you cannot come." 22 So the Jews were saying, "Surely He will not kill Himself, will He, since He says, 'Where I am going, you cannot come'?" 23 And He was saying to them, "You are from below, I am from above; you are of this world, I am not of this world. 24 "Therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins; for unless you believe that I am He, you will die in your sins."
Jesus continues to irritate the Jewish religious leaders, on a couple of levels. Showing some of their irritation, they start to get snidely personal with Jesus, with more and worse to come. First, Jesus tells them they will die in their sins. Really? How can Jesus know this? Who but God has the authority to tell them that their sin offerings and such will mean nothing? Then there's Jesus' statement of where He is from. He isn't claiming to be from the Moon or Jupiter or some distant galaxy. Jesus is stating that He is not part of creation, but is the Creator! Note the word “Therefore” in Jesus statement and where/how He used it: He said that His knowledge that the Jewish leaders would die in their sins derives from His not being part of creation (i.e. not knowledge revealed to a creature such as a prophet).

John 8:25 So they were saying to Him, "Who are You?" Jesus said to them, "What have I been saying to you from the beginning? 26 "I have many things to speak and to judge concerning you, but He who sent Me is true; and the things which I heard from Him, these I speak to the world." 27 They did not realize that He had been speaking to them about the Father. 28 So Jesus said, "When you lift up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am He, and I do nothing on My own initiative, but I speak these things as the Father taught Me. 29 "And He who sent Me is with Me; He has not left Me alone, for I always do the things that are pleasing to Him." 30 As He spoke these things, many came to believe in Him.The religious leaders come to the point … the point toward which Jesus had been goading them: "Who are You?" Jesus has been controlling this argument, but they think they have Him! Here in these verses Jesus acknowledges what they can see – He is fully human – but then He uses that “I am” phrase, and even more blatantly. In verse 12, Jesus said, "I am the Light of the world“; in verse 18, Jesus said, "I am He who testifies about Myself”. So to speak, Jesus buffered His “I am” claim with “the light of the world” and “who testifies ...”. Not so verse 28! There Jesus makes a clear claim: “I am He” (in the Greek, “egw eimi”, “I am”).

The Father “taught”, “sent”, is “pleased” by Jesus – “the Word became flesh”, and thereby subjected Himself to human limitations. As a child, Jesus had to learn to speak, to walk, to read, etc., as any human. But did not cease being “the Word”; Philippians 2 says a bit more of this, including the other side of Jesus coming, that Jesus chose to come, to become human.

John 8:31 So Jesus was saying to those Jews who had believed Him, "If you continue in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine; 32 and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free."
“My word”? Not in the third person possessive, “God's” or “the Father's” word, but in the first person, “My”. That word is Jesus' word. And it is Jesus word that can set men free! No creature could say this! Only God can make such claims!

John 8:33 They answered Him, "We are Abraham's descendants and have never yet been enslaved to anyone; how is it that You say, 'You will become free'?" 34 Jesus answered them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who commits sin is the slave of sin. 35 "The slave does not remain in the house forever; the son does remain forever. 36 "So if the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed.
A bit a racial pride here on the part of the religious leaders. Jesus points them to a deeper level; their slavery to sin. And claims that He, the Son, has the authority to set them free. Again, a claim no creature could make!

John 8:37 "I know that you are Abraham's descendants; yet you seek to kill Me, because My word has no place in you. 38 "I speak the things which I have seen with My Father; therefore you also do the things which you heard from your father." 39 They answered and said to Him, "Abraham is our father." Jesus said to them, "If you are Abraham's children, do the deeds of Abraham. 40 "But as it is, you are seeking to kill Me, a man who has told you the truth, which I heard from God; this Abraham did not do. 41 "You are doing the deeds of your father." They said to Him, "We were not born of fornication; we have one Father: God."
Note one thing Jesus said that the Jewish leaders did not dispute: that they were seeking a pretext to kill Jesus. Why? Because Jesus had been claiming to be God! At this point the dispute about personal origins took a nasty turn. Jesus pointed out that the leaders' actions – seeking to kill Him – contradicted their claim to be Abraham's descendants. The leaders' response was, essentially, “At least we're not bastards, like you!” And then claimed God was their Father ...

John 8:42 Jesus said to them, "If God were your Father, you would love Me, for I proceeded forth and have come from God, for I have not even come on My own initiative, but He sent Me. 43 "Why do you not understand what I am saying? It is because you cannot hear My word. 44 "You are of your father the devil, and you want to do the desires of your father. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth because there is no truth in him. Whenever he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own nature, for he is a liar and the father of lies. 45 "But because I speak the truth, you do not believe Me.
Like I said above, Jesus was in control of this argument from the start. And Jesus was ready for their claim in verse 41. Who could make the claim – a serious claim, not lashing out in an insult – such as Jesus made in verse 44. And don't miss what Jesus says of Himself in verses 44-45; people speak from their nature; Jesus spoke the truth; therefore Jesus' nature is truth. Yet another claim only God can make!

John 8:46 "Which one of you convicts Me of sin? If I speak truth, why do you not believe Me? 47 "He who is of God hears the words of God; for this reason you do not hear them, because you are not of God." 48 The Jews answered and said to Him, "Do we not say rightly that You are a Samaritan and have a demon?" 49 Jesus answered, "I do not have a demon; but I honor My Father, and you dishonor Me. 50 "But I do not seek My glory; there is One who seeks and judges. 51 "Truly, truly, I say to you, if anyone keeps My word he will never see death."
Don't miss something Jesus stated: His words, spoken from His nature (per verse 45), are the words of God! And keeping Jesus' word will result in eternal life. More insults: calling Jesus a demon-possessed Samaritan (insinuating that Jesus was a demon-possessed half-breed bastard).

John 8:52 The Jews said to Him, "Now we know that You have a demon. Abraham died, and the prophets also; and You say, 'If anyone keeps My word, he will never taste of death.' 53 "Surely You are not greater than our father Abraham, who died? The prophets died too; whom do You make Yourself out to be?" 54 Jesus answered, "If I glorify Myself, My glory is nothing; it is My Father who glorifies Me, of whom you say, 'He is our God'; 55 and you have not come to know Him, but I know Him; and if I say that I do not know Him, I will be a liar like you, but I do know Him and keep His word. 56 "Your father Abraham rejoiced to see My day, and he saw it and was glad." 57 So the Jews said to Him, "You are not yet fifty years old, and have You seen Abraham?" 58 Jesus said to them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was born, I am." 59 Therefore they picked up stones to throw at Him, but Jesus hid Himself and went out of the temple.
Can a finite creature know, truly know God, the infinite Creator (verse 55)? How could Abraham, who died 18 or 19 centuries before Jesus' time, see Jesus “day”? Why would that be significant to Abraham? More to the point, the question Jesus responded to in verse 58, how could Jesus have seen Abraham? That Jesus had seen Abraham is obvious from Jesus response in verse 58. But that would be true of an angel, a creature. Jesus precludes that possibility with His 4th “I am” claim”. Two basic facts must be kept in mind: the Greek, “egw eimi”, means “I am”; Jesus, Who created human speech, language, and grammar, would know how to express exactly what He meant in proper grammar! And just to make the silly idea that Jesus would use improper grammar all the less tenable and all the more silly, John included how the Jewish leaders responded. They made moves to kill Jesus, right there in the temple! Those two facts could only mean that they understood Jesus to be claiming to be God! These Jewish leaders would not kill some one randomly or for ambiguous statements! They understood Jesus' clear claim to be God! Either Jesus was committing blasphemy, or Jesus was, indeed, God. Jesus words and the leaders' response leave no other alternative meaning (unless you think it all has no meaning, and think the appropriate response is, “Yes, I will have fries with my flamingo casserole.”).

Trinity & Divinity, Part 2 - John 1:1-4

John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was fully God.
In the beginning of time - a created thing - the Word already existed; the Word is eternal. The Word was with God in the beginning. The Word's nature is fully God (this translation reflects the Greek grammatical construction of that last clause).

John 1:2 The Word was with God in the beginning.
Reiterates the Word being eternal.

John 1:3 All things were created by him, and apart from him not one thing was created that has been created.
The Word created everything, without exception.

John 1:4 In him was life, and the life was the light of mankind.
Life is part of the Word's nature, not something given to or created in the Word. This is only true of God.

In all likelihood, John was writing here to respond to and to differentiate the teachings of gnosticism from Christian teaching. Gnosticism held a dualistic view of spirit (= good) and matter (= evil). This set up for them a paradox ... how could God (= spirit = good) have created matter (= evil)? The solution was a hierarchical series of emanations descending from God which were progressively less perfectly good (or wise), until finally a sufficiently less than perfectly good (or wise) divine being was imagined that would create matter. John would have none of that! John made explicitly clear that the Word was there in the beginning (not some first-created being), that the Word was fully God, and that nothing was created without the Word having created it. John laid a clear wall, dividing Christianity from gnosticism (and other teachings that deny the Deity of the Word, Jesus).

Trinity & Divinity, Part 1

On a discussion forum I frequent, http://www.republicanoperative.com/forums/, there is an extended discussion of the Christian teaching of the Trinity - the nature of God - and a couple of immediately related topics, the Divinity of Jesus and the Holy Spirit. Since this is something which is engaging my interest and time, why not adapt some of what I post there as blog posts? So, to start:

Here's my premise: the Bible teaches that there is one God; the New Testament of the Bible identifies three persons as being God, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Since most persons calling themselves Christians who take the Bible seriously would agree that the Father is identified as God, I will skip showing that, though some passages I cite will include that fact.

Man's Nature as Seen in History

Utopian schemes – e.g. socialism, anarchism, anarcho-capitalism - ignore or deny that man is deeply flawed (or as Christians say it, sinful). This lesson was writ large in the blood of 10s of millions throughout the 20th century. Will we read, learn, and take it to heart?