23. KNOWING GOD
DR.EARL PARVIN
12/24/21
The Apostle Paul in writing to the Believers at the church in Rome began his treatise by stating unequivocally “what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them” [Ro.1:19]. Paul is particularly concerned for these Christians who are living in a cosmopolitan atmosphere of virulent open sin. He wants to warn them for “18 The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of people, who suppress the truth by their wickedness” [V18].
This warning is particularly relevant for our 21st century academic world where evolution is taught as fact thus “suppressing the truth” [NIV]. I suggest Politicians & some Judges pay attention. It would seem that we in the 21st Century are seeking to replicate the Roman Empire!
So much for God’ s “visible qualities” as stated in the Ten Commandments [Ex 20]. Now Paul bears down by saying “20 For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse” [V.20].Paul certainly knows how to make an air-tight case. Ignorance of the facts is no excuse. The verdict will be, Guilty on all counts as charged. Are you not excited that when we as Christians stand before the Judge of the earth that we will have the best Advocate, Jesus Christ the Righteous along- side representing us. “If anybody does sin, we have an advocate with the Father—Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world..“ [1 Jn 2].
Now let us consider God’s “Invisible Qualities”. Paul sets the stage for the believers to start their research of the subject at hand. What are God’s Invisible Qualities? Those qualities which are, according to the Greek word [aorata] not seen with the naked eye; therefore, they are to be “seen” another way.
The time frame is determined which is…”since the Creation of the world”. Further Paul determines the subjects specified are: first, His “Eternal Power” [not just power to create] it is special power and second, His “Divine Nature” [NIV] or “God-Head” [KJV]. Finally Paul sets one more parameter to guide their thinking, God’s Invisible Qualities are recognized “being understood by what has been made”. Ah, there is one answer. His Invisible Qualities are to be seen “indirectly” by what He has done so perfectly, and the first time. Versus the evolutionary trial & error over eons of time. In fact so perfectly, scientists have misjudged those perfectly created things from which they have discerned Natural Laws and deified them to essentially make God unneccary. I note Wikipedia’s definition, “Natural law (Latin: ius naturale, lex naturalis) is a system of law based on a close observation of human nature, and based on values intrinsic to human nature that can be deduced and applied independent of positive law (the enacted laws of a state or society). According to natural law theory, all people have inherent rights, conferred not by act of legislation but by "God, nature, or reason." Please note these words “natural law” are not found in the Bible, yet are attributed to “God, nature, or reason” when they deny His importance. I think the operative word is “discerned”.
As I ponder the questions, it seems first of all to examine the first clue: what is this Eternal Power. The Greek word translated “power” is [dunamis] from which we get dynamite. It may be translated “omnipotent” but with the modifying adjective it would seem the emphasis is projecting a specific hidden factor. What does the modifier imply? The Greek word is [aidios] meaning “always existing”. His power is not only “absolute” & all powerful but “forever” implying that this power He exercised to “bara” Hebrew for “create” is also to “sustain” [3 The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word” [Heb 1:3]. “ He is before all things, and in him all things hold together [Col 1:17].
Next we shall tackle the second of God’s Invisible Qualities, His “Divine Nature”. The Greek term is [theioteis]. The root word is [theos] which is standard for “deity”, any God or god; therefore, the spelling becomes important refining the meaning to the deity of the Bible is referenced here. Furthermore the dictionary also allows for this word to mean “divinity & Godhead”. Interesting “Godhead” is the choice of the KJV, while the NIV chose “Divine Nature”. I normally use the NIV translation, which is accurate, but here I choose the KJV. Here is why. Both translations are correct.
The text references the Creation time; therefore, I am reminded the term for Diety in the Genesis account is [Elohim] which clearly indicates The “Godhead” nature manifest as Father, Son & Holy Spirit. [The pagan world, of which these believers came, understood the concept of the gods being manifest or “avatar”].
Now we are directed to consider why even with both of these “not seen” attributes anyone not accepting CHRIST AS SAVOUR is without excuse. These things “have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made”. What has been made? We are about to discover what a Greek speaker would immediately “understand” by the Greek word [poiamasin]. This word comes from the root [poieo] which means to make a piece of “art” or “poetry”. The word used here is from a sub root [poiama] which borrows the root thought and applies it to “anything made with the kind of craftsmanship or artistry of a poet or artist!” Obviously Paul is referencing the acts of Creation.
The word, [poiamasin], is used again, and the only other time, in another setting, still making reference to creation. “10 For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do” [Eph 2:10]. Without question mankind was the “handiwork” of The Master Craftsman when one considers His design as displayed in DNA, RNA & PROTEIN. We know that all three of the Godhead were operative in “Then God said, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness” [Gen 1:26].
Please note this verse is located in a passage in chapter 2 of Ephesians which begins with this information, “As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, 2 in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient [Eph 2:1-2]. So sin had corrupted God’s perfect mankind; therefore, Paul is not speaking here about the original perfect creation. Rather he is reminding them “4 But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, 5 made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved [vs 4-5]. Notice, Adam &Eve are still alive and expulsed from the Garden of Eden. So, what is dead and made alive? Would it be one’s spiritual life?
Not only did God liven the believer who was dead in sin, but “if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has gone, the new is here!” [2 Cor. 5:17]. How is that possible? The same Craftsman from the original Creation made the Renovations so we could serve Him as we were originally made to serve before sin entered. I was intrigued by the adjective modifying creation “new”.
I believe it is important to recognize what really happened to Adam & Eve when they sinned. We have a way of glossing over the significance of the damage the Adamic Nature actually does. To be restored from that damage cost Christ His Life, yes! But the sinner’s devotion to God had to be RECREATED because as was quoted above it was dead [Eph. 2:1-2]. Note also “ When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, 14 having canceled the charge of our legal indebtedness, which stood against us and condemned us; he has taken it away, nailing it to the cross [Col 2:13-14]. What these passages are saying to me is this, mankind can only be committed to and influenced by Elohim God in his spiritual life. When Adam & Eve sinned by not obeying they Spiritually died [Greek “nekros”]. That was a very real and complete death...”spiritual death” It would require a miracle to restore spiritual life from & by the life Giver. Physical death to the body was promised too. God predicted it would be a living reality. Dying they would die. Entropy is a reality to all life. The warning was obvious, do not eat from this one. He said, “You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; 17 but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat from it you will certainly die” [Gen 2:16-17]. That included the tree of life!
The word for created here is [kitisis] meaning “creation”. The word for “new” is [kainos] meaning new in “character” which means that which distinguishes a person. It evidently conveys that a person gets a new created character. A distinguishing character trait of a person born again from an old sin-filled life which he has to clean up! He often has to make new friends. [I note that this idea is used again by Paul “15 Neither circumcision nor uncircumcision means anything; what counts is the new creation. [Gal 6:15]. It was serious teaching, “character training”: “ who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil” [Heb 5:14].
CONCLUSION
Surely these two Invisible Qualities are not God’s only Invisible Qualities. Wonderfully they are very powerful. Word concepts strain to do them justice. They only titillate for more knowledge of Him Who has revealed the Father by His Incarnation becoming flesh and tabernacling among us until it was time to fulfill the Father’s will for which He was sent. “Who, being in very nature[a] God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; 7 rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature[b] of a servant, being made in human likeness. 8 And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death— even death on a cross! [Phil 2:6-8].
Is it not interesting that the very thing chosen by God to reveal His Invisible Qualities, “Biblical Creation” is the very thing which the Devil inspired Darwin to debunk to help an unsuspecting sleeping society to ignore? It is to be expected from a frustrated seminarian who like Jonah tried to escape reality by an extended boat tour.