“Now these are the gifts Christ gave to the church: the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, and the pastors and teachers. Their responsibility is to equip God’s people to do his work and build up the church, the body of Christ. This will continue until we all come to such unity in our faith and knowledge of God’s Son that we will be mature in the Lord, measuring up to the full and complete standard of Christ. Then we will no longer be immature like children. We won’t be tossed and blown about by every wind of new teaching. We will not be influenced when people try to trick us with lies so clever they sound like the truth. Instead, we will speak the truth in love, growing in every way more and more like Christ, who is the head of his body, the church.” (Ephesians 4:11-15 NLT)
“For this reason the Jews persecuted Jesus, and sought to kill Him, because He had done these things on the Sabbath. But Jesus answered them, “My Father has been working until now, and I have been working.” Therefore the Jews sought all the more to kill Him, because He not only broke the Sabbath, but also said that God was His Father, making Himself equal with God. Then Jesus answered and said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He sees the Father do; for whatever He does, the Son also does in like manner. For the Father loves the Son, and shows Him all things that He Himself does; and He will show Him greater works than these, that you may marvel. For as the Father raises the dead and gives life to them, even so the Son gives life to whom He will. For the Father judges no one, but has committed all judgment to the Son, that all should honor the Son just as they honor the Father. He who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent Him. Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life. Most assuredly, I say to you, the hour is coming, and now is, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God; and those who hear will live. For as the Father has life in Himself, so He has granted the Son to have life in Himself, and has given Him authority to execute judgment also, because He is the Son of Man. Do not marvel at this; for the hour is coming in which all who are in the graves will hear His voice and come forth—those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of condemnation. I can of Myself do nothing. As I hear, I judge; and My judgment is righteous, because I do not seek My own will but the will of the Father who sent Me.” (John 5:16-30 NKJV)
“Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. “If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also; and from now on you know Him and have seen Him. Philip said to Him, “Lord, show us the Father, and it is sufficient for us.” Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you so long, and yet you have not known Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; so how can you say, ‘Show us the Father. Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me? The words that I speak to you I do not speak on My own authority; but the Father who dwells in Me does the works. Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father in Me, or else believe Me for the sake of the works themselves. “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father. And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask anything in My name, I will do it.” John 14:6-14 NKJV)
I have learned that it is very easy to get “out of balance” in just about any area of my life. This is especially true in my understanding of “God.” There are so many different voices in this world, saying so many different things, when it comes to how to describe “God.” Each voice tries to tell me who “God” is, how He (or She, or it) operates, what He (or She, or it) expects (or demands), how He (or She, or it) relates to me (or doesn’t), and how I’m supposed to live in relationship to Him (or Her, or it). I need something (or someone) to bring balance to all of these voices before I lose my balance, and fall off the tightrope on which I am walking. That’s where Jesus comes in.
(By the way, according to Scripture the best way to refer to “God” is “He,” especially since Jesus is the mirror image of the Father and it is obvious that Jesus is male.)
To quote Bill Johnson, “Jesus is perfect theology.” The Bible, from cover to cover, is an autobiography about Jesus. Therefore Jesus is the final “filter” or “lens” through which all Truth flows. I am going to wrap up this series of blogs by sharing a method (“filter” or “lens”) that I believe the Spirit has given me to keep a “balanced” (accurate) understanding of Jesus, the Father, myself, and those around me.
When I am seeking understanding of any verse or passage of Scripture I begin with asking my Teacher (Holy Spirit) to reveal Truth as I study the Word. From a position of submission to His leading I open myself up to whatever He teaches me remaining willing to have my current understanding challenged, changed, and/or confirmed. .
Next, I consider the setting of the verse or passage, both contextual/grammatical (verse to passage to chapter to book to testament to the entire Bible) and cultural (author, time of writing, culture in which it was written, etc.).
Reminder: as critical as these things are, the Word is a living document to be believed from the heart regardless of the degree of my current understanding. The teaching of the Spirit overrides the understanding of my mind.
Last, As I seek out what the Word reveals about Jesus, the Father, myself, and those around me, I run the verse or passage through the following “filter” or “lens” by asking a progression of questions.
- How does my current understanding line up with the Garden of Eden prior to sin?
- How does my current understanding line up with the New Earth after sin and Satan have been removed?
- How does my current understanding line up with Heaven?
- How does my current understanding line up with the words and works of Jesus and His disciples as demonstrated in the Gospels and Book of Acts?
The Holy Spirit is in no way limited to, or bound by, this approach. However, since He led me in establishing this “filter” or “lens” my view of Jesus (Brother), The Father (Papa Daddy), myself, and those around me has radically changed. I am experiencing greater freedom than ever before. The Truth that I have received, believed, and conceived has set me free!
Please ask the Holy Spirit if this approach might help you. And don’t forget…
…Eric’s Life Lesson # 118: “Only when I truly see Jesus am I able to accurately see the Father, myself, or those around me.” Part 8: Perfect Balance (God and Man)