Essentials of Religion (v)

Two of the most essential elements of religion are God (or gods) and the worshipers. We have already spoken of how the Christian temple and priesthood are superior to that of other religions. We have also stated that the Christian religion is superior because it worships the one true and living God, Father, Son, and Spirit. But, so too are the worshipers in the Christian faith. The chief reason for affirming this is because they are the only ones who worship God "in spirit and in truth." Said the Lord Jesus:

"19 The woman said to Him, "Sir, I perceive that You are a prophet. 20 Our fathers worshiped on this mountain, and you Jews say that in Jerusalem is the place where one ought to worship." 21 Jesus said to her, "Woman, believe Me, the hour is coming when you will neither on this mountain, nor in Jerusalem, worship the Father. 22 You worship what you do not know; we know what we worship, for salvation is of the Jews. 23 But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. 24 God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth." (John 4: 19-24 nkjv)

All worshipers of false deities "worship what they know not." Some people say that all religions are simply different ways of finding God or being saved. However, since views about God differ so much in those religions it is unreasonable to claim that they all lead to the same God. 

Sincerity is not enough for there are many who worship false gods and goddesses and are sincere in their religion, worship, and faith. According to Jesus one must not only worship God in spirit and sincerely but in truth. Worshiping a false god does no one any good. Barnes comments in his commentary:

"In spirit - The word "spirit," here, stands opposed to rites and ceremonies, and to the pomp of external worship. It refers to the "mind," the "soul," the "heart." They shall worship God with a sincere "mind;" with the simple offering of gratitude and prayer; with a desire to glorify him, and without external pomp and splendor. Spiritual worship is that where the heart is offered to God, and where we do not depend on external forms for acceptance."

This reminds us of these words of Christ:

"This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me. But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men." (Matt. 15: 8-9 kjv)

As James spoke of "vain religion" so had Christ. "In vain" do people worship false gods. False religion involves two great errors. The first is to worship a false god. The second is to fail to worship God in the way he has prescribed. 

Bible Hub's encyclopedia says this (See here):

"False religion, as understood within the biblical context, refers to any system of belief or practice that deviates from the worship of the one true God as revealed in the Scriptures. It encompasses idolatry, heretical teachings, and any form of worship that contradicts the teachings of the Bible. False religion is often characterized by the worship of created things rather than the Creator, the propagation of doctrines contrary to biblical truth, and practices that lead people away from a genuine relationship with God." 

According to Jesus there are "true worshipers"; And, if there are true worshipers, then there are false worshipers. These are they who worship the one true God, the Father, and who worship him in spirit and in truth. They worship him as he himself has directed them. They also observe and do his commandments. These are the kinds of worshipers that God seeks.

The apostle Paul describes false religion in these words:

"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, 21 because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened. 22 Professing to be wise, they became fools, 23 and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man--and birds and four-footed animals and creeping things. 24 Therefore God also gave them up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts, to dishonor their bodies among themselves, 25 who exchanged the truth of God for the lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen." (Rom. 1: 20-25 nkjv)

This is a good description of polytheism or paganism. Such false religion is based upon lies and has an inferior description of God. True religion is monotheistic, believing in only one God. Christianity, though believing that the Father, Son, and Spirit are each God does not believe in three Gods (tritheism), for though they are three persons they are one in essence, substance, or nature. The bible teaches the trinity of the unity and the unity of the trinity. (See John 10: 30; I John 5: 7) Anything that is created cannot be God. Anything that had a beginning cannot be God. This is why Paul condemns those who are involved in "worshiping of angels." (Col. 2: 18) This is why Protestants condemn the Catholic practice of the worshiping or adoration of saints, or praying to them and seeing them as intercessors on a par with Christ. It is a false religion that worships Mary the mother of Jesus and prays to her and makes her into a kind of goddess.

The same apostle differentiates between true religion and false also in these words:

"4 Therefore concerning the eating of things offered to idols, we know that an idol is nothing in the world, and that there is no other God but one. 5 For even if there are so-called gods, whether in heaven or on earth (as there are many gods and many lords), 6 yet for us there is one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we for Him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, through whom are all things, and through whom we live." (I Cor. 8: 4-6 nkjv)

True religion is monotheistic and believes in the above creed. The above is Christianity's basic statement of faith. All their religious exercise has this as a foundation. Paul defended this creed many times. When in Athens, Greece he affirmed it. So the record reads:

"Then Paul stood in the midst of Mars' hill, and said, Ye men of Athens, I perceive that in all things ye are too superstitious. For as I passed by, and beheld your devotions, I found an altar with this inscription, TO THE UNKNOWN GOD. Whom therefore ye ignorantly worship, him declare I unto you." (Acts 17: 22-23 kjv)

"Too Superstitious" is from the Greek word "deisidaimonesteros" and is often interpreted to mean "more religious," or perhaps "overly religious," or "very religious." It involves fearing or reverencing a deity or deities, or demigods. It literally means “fearers of demons.” This fact would lend credence to the KJV's use of the words "too superstitious," for superstition often involves the spirit world. W.E. Vine says that δεισιδαιμονία literally means being "reverent to the deity" (deido, "to fear;" daimon, "a demon," or "pagan god"), occurs in Acts 17:22 in the comparative degree." 

Why does Paul refer to the deities of the Athenians as demons to be feared and worshiped, rather than as "gods" (Greek theoi)? He could have used either term in his Athenian address. He used both at times when he referred to the deities of the Polytheists in his writings. In fact, some Pagan Athenians supposed that Paul taught that Jesus was a demon or demigod. The Athenian demon servers (worshipers) said: "He seems to be a setter forth of strange gods (Greek demons): because he preached unto them Jesus, and the resurrection." (Acts 17: 18)

"Devotions" is from the Greek word "sebasma" and denotes "whatever is religiously honoured, an object of worship of temples, altars, statues, idolatrous images" (Strong). 

Notice that religious devotion must have an "object of worship." If we judge faith and religion by the quality of the deity or deities religiously served, then the faith of the Christian is superior to all other religions and belief systems. Another word, similar to "devotion" is the word "devout." It is used of people who are very religiously minded. "Devout" is from the Greek word "eulabes," an adjective literally denoting "taking hold well." It denotes one dedicated to religion.

In another place, Paul referred to all false religions, most of which are historically polytheistic, as "will worship" or "self-imposed religion." Said Paul about the religion of the Gnostics:

"These things indeed have an appearance of wisdom in self-imposed religion ("will worship" KJV), false humility, and neglect of the body, but are of no value against the indulgence of the flesh." (Col. 2: 23)

Religion and religious exercise involve both internals and externals. The internal involves the state of heart and the mind of the worshiper. The external involves religious ceremony and ritual. Paul acknowledges that false religion has "an appearance of wisdom," a "show," but not the real thing. Elaborate temples, statues of idols, choirs and symphonies, sacrifices and feasts, celebrations, finely dressed priests, numerous altars, toasts and words of praise directed to the various deities, etc., these are the stuff of religion. Some translators think that "appearance" is not the best translation and say "reputation" is a better word. The Greek word is "logon" (a form of the word 'logos'). I think it denotes in this context the rhetoric and message of the false religion, being a reference to the religious language of the various cults. It denotes "wise words," which would be a religion that promotes certain mottoes, certain maxims, proverbs, adages, slogans, formulas, keys of knowledge, etc. 

Having now seen how Christianity is the one true religion and superior to all other religions, having a superior God, temple, priesthood, and worshipers, we will next speak of another essential to religion and that is prayer.

Essentials of Religion (iv)

We contend that the new testament teaches that the incarnate Son of God, Jesus Christ, is God's singular high priest, who is superior to every old testament high priest (though they were types of Christ' priesthood), and who has no successor since he ever lives. Second, we will see how the new testament teaches that every born again believer is a priest under Christ. In theology this is called "the priesthood of believers." Proving this would also at the same be a denial of the Catholic teaching that the magisterium (bishops) are the only priests. 

In this chapter we will discuss how the priesthood is generally an essential element of religion, and how the Christian religion, the religion that is "pure and undefiled before God," has its priesthood and how it excels all other priesthoods. Some may dispute whether all religions have priests, for many say that Islam has no priests. However, they do not have a clergy either. That does not mean that priesthood is non existent in Islam however. That is because some men function as such within the Islamic religion. They have leaders, Imams, those who are in charge of the Mosques and who instruct the worshipers in how to worship God. Also, when they pray, they often intercede for others, and this is a priestly function also. In "Who Is Muhammad in Islam? Prophet, Priest, or King?" John Span writes (See here):

"Even though Islam does not have the office of a priest, per se, it still bears some resemblances to the priesthood of the Bible."

 

He goes on to show how Muhammad was an intercessor. Muslims confess that he was a prophet, and was in many respects a king. He was a leader and teacher of Allah's followers in how they are to serve and worship Allah. Who can doubt that he also acted as a mediator between Allah and his followers?

Work of a Priest

God's priests were ordained by God to offer sacrifices and to act as mediators between God and the people. Wrote Paul:

 

"1 For every high priest taken from among men is appointed for men in things pertaining to God, that he may offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins. 2 He can have compassion on those who are ignorant and going astray, since he himself is also subject to weakness. 3 Because of this he is required as for the people, so also for himself, to offer sacrifices for sins." (Heb. 5: 1-3 nkjv)

Though Paul says this of high priests, it is also true of every priest. The topical encyclopedia at Bible Hub says this about the duties of a priest in the Old Testament (See here - emphasis mine):

"The role of the priest in ancient Israel was integral to the spiritual and communal life of the nation. Priests were primarily from the tribe of Levi, specifically the descendants of Aaron, and were set apart for sacred duties. Their responsibilities were multifaceted, encompassing religious, educational, and judicial functions."

The encyclopedia then lists those functions, giving the various duties or activities of priests in Israel per the oracles of God to Moses. After looking at those several activities, we will then first speak of the priesthood of Christ and of its superiority over every other priesthood of other religions. Following that we will show how the new testament affirms the priesthood of all believers and what that means.

The encyclopedia gives us the following activities of a priest in Israel (emphasis mine).

"1. Offering Sacrifices: One of the primary duties of the priests was to offer sacrifices on behalf of the people. This included burnt offerings, grain offerings, peace offerings, sin offerings, and guilt offerings. The Book of Leviticus provides detailed instructions on how these sacrifices were to be conducted. Leviticus 1:9 states, "The priest is to burn all of it on the altar as a burnt offering, an offering made by fire, a pleasing aroma to the LORD."

The above text from Hebrews mentions some of these very things, such as "offering gifts and sacrifices for sins," and in teaching the worshipers in the service of God. As we will see, Christ as high priest fulfilled all the functions of a priest and offered himself as a sacrifice for sin. All lessor priests, i.e. all believers, though they do not offer animal sacrifices for sin, nevertheless offer other kinds of sacrifices and offerings. Wrote Paul: "Therefore by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name." (Heb. 13: 15 nkjv) Peter also wrote: "you also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ." (I Peter 2: 5 nkjv) 

This is not what a select group within Christendom do but what all believers do, for they are all a "spiritual house" (or temple), and a "holy priesthood," and "offer spiritual sacrifices." Peter also wrote: "But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light." (I Peter 2: 9 nkjv)

In Romans 15:16 Paul uses the term "priestly service" in the context of his ministry to the Gentiles, saying that he is offering them to God as a pleasing offering. 

"2. Maintaining the Tabernacle/Temple: Priests were responsible for the upkeep and service of the Tabernacle, and later the Temple. This included ensuring that the sacred space was kept holy and that all rituals were performed according to divine instructions. Numbers 18:5 emphasizes this duty: "You are to perform the duties of the sanctuary and of the altar, so that wrath will not fall on the Israelites again."

These are things that Christ the high priest does, for he oversees the temple in heaven, and the church which is his temple, and the individual temple of every believer. Believers also perform these functions for they oversee both their individual temple service and that of the local church of which they may be members.

"3. Teaching the Law: Priests were also tasked with teaching the Israelites the Law of God. They served as instructors and interpreters of the Torah, guiding the people in understanding and applying God’s commandments. Malachi 2:7 highlights this role: "For the lips of a priest should preserve knowledge, and people should seek instruction from his mouth, because he is the messenger of the LORD of Hosts."

This is what all Christians are called to do. This is especially true of those who become pastors or elders in the church of God. But, all are to teach. Christian parents are to teach their children. All are to bear witness to their neighbors and support missionaries. Many bible verses teach this. 

"4. Mediating Between God and Man: As mediators, priests represented the people before God and God before the people. They interceded on behalf of the Israelites, offering prayers and sacrifices to atone for the sins of the nation. Hebrews 5:1 reflects this mediatory role: "Every high priest is appointed from among men to represent them in matters relating to God, to offer gifts and sacrifices for sins."

This function Christ fulfills as the "one mediator between God and man" (I Tim. 2: 5). As priest and mediator he "intercedes" and prays for his people. "He ever lives to make intercession for them." (Heb. 7: 25) The Lord's people also share in Christ' mediation for they too mediate and intercede in their prayer lives. Also, as priests, they, like their high priest, represent God to others when they teach others the word of God; And they represent others to God when they pray to God on their behalf. (Matt. 5: 44; I Tim. 2: 1-2; James 5: 16) All these are functions of priests.

"5. Conducting Ritual Purifications: Priests were responsible for performing rituals of purification, which were necessary for maintaining the holiness of the community. This included diagnosing and cleansing leprosy, as well as purifying those who had become ceremonially unclean. Leviticus 14:11 describes this process: "The priest who performs the cleansing shall present the man to be cleansed, along with these offerings, before the LORD at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting."

Christ the great high priest fulfills this function when he saves the repenting and believing sinner, purifying him or her through his word and blood. Believers also are involved in this purification, both for themselves and for others when they act as soul winners in bringing the lost to Christ. The word of God cleanses. So wrote the Psalmist when he wrote: "How can a young man cleanse his way? By taking heed according to Your word." (Psa. 119: 9 nkjv) Paul also speaks of "the washing of water by the word." (Eph. 5: 26) Believers do this to themselves and to others. Peter spoke to them saying "you have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit" (I Peter 1: 22 nkjv). John also said "everyone who has this hope within him purifies himself." (I John 3: 3 kjv) Then there is the baptism of water which ceremoniously purifies the believer. So Ananias said to Saul (who became Paul the apostle) - "And now why tarriest thou? arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord." (Acts 22: 16 kjv)

"6. Blessing the People: The priests were also charged with blessing the people in the name of the Lord. The Aaronic Blessing, found in Numbers 6:24-26, is a well-known example: "The LORD bless you and keep you; the LORD make His face shine upon you and be gracious to you; the LORD lift up His countenance upon you and give you peace." 

Christians are to bless others, and they often do this when they say "God bless you." Wrote Peter:

"Finally, all of you be of one mind, having compassion for one another; love as brothers, be tenderhearted, be courteous; not returning evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary blessing, knowing that you were called to this, that you may inherit a blessing." (I Peter 3: 8-9 nkjv)

Paul said: "Bless them which persecute you: bless, and curse not." (Rom. 12: 14 kjv; See also I Cor. 4: 12; 14: 16) He also spoke of "the cup of blessing which we bless" (I Cor. 10: 16) The "we" here is not a special class of pastors, as in the Catholic religion, but stands for all believers. 

7. Judicial Responsibilities: In addition to their religious duties, priests often served as judges in legal matters, particularly those involving religious law. Deuteronomy 17:9 instructs, "Go to the Levitical priests and to the judge who is in office at that time. Inquire of them, and they will give you the verdict."

This is a function of all believers. So Paul wrote:

"1 Dare any of you, having a matter against another, go to law before the unrighteous, and not before the saints? 2 Do you not know that the saints will judge the world? And if the world will be judged by you, are you unworthy to judge the smallest matters? 3 Do you not know that we shall judge angels? How much more, things that pertain to this life? 4 If then you have judgments concerning things pertaining to this life, do you appoint those who are least esteemed by the church to judge? 5 I say this to your shame. Is it so, that there is not a wise man among you, not even one, who will be able to judge between his brethren? 6 But brother goes to law against brother, and that before unbelievers!" (I Cor. 6: 1-6 nkjv)

So, in conclusion we say that the Christian priesthood excels every other priesthood of any other religion. There is no high priest who can equal Jesus Christ. The priesthood of believers sets them in a high and lofty position and they are well rewarded for their service.

Essentials of Religion (iii)

In the preceding chapter we introduced this area of our subject and showed how a temple is an integral part of religion, and Christianity is no exception. We showed that the physical body of Christ is called the temple of the Lord by Christ himself, and also that he confesses to be "greater than the temple" that was built by either Solomon or Herod. We also pointed out how today there is no physical building that the new testament calls the Christian temple. It is true, as we will see, that both an individual believer and the local church are said to be God's temple, but neither the believer's body nor the social body of believers are  buildings in the normal sense. Though many call the meeting house a church or temple, technically that is not true. Rather, the church meets in a building, the people who compose the assembly (i.e. the members) being the church (which comes from the Greek word "ekklesia" and denotes an assembly of people or citizens). The same is true with being a temple, it being not a physical structure but an assembly of baptized believers.

Though there is no physical building on earth today that God recognizes as his temple, yet there is a temple in heaven and will be a new temple building in the millennial age to come. 

The Heavenly Temple

There are several references in the Book of Revelation to this heavenly temple.

"Then the temple of God was opened in heaven, and the ark of His covenant was seen in His temple. And there were lightnings, noises, thunderings, an earthquake, and great hail." (Rev. 11: 19 nkjv; See also Rev. 15: 5-6)

In the Book of Hebrews we also have these texts:

"Now of the things which we have spoken this is the sum: We have such an high priest, who is set on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens; A minister of the sanctuary, and of the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, and not man." (Heb. 8: 1-2 kjv)

"But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building." (Heb. 9: 11 kjv)

Speaking of the priests who served in the old testament temple, the writer of Hebrews also wrote:

"They serve at a sanctuary that is a copy and shadow of what is in heaven. This is why Moses was warned when he was about to build the tabernacle: “See to it that you make everything according to the pattern shown you on the mountain.” (Heb. 8: 5 niv)

There is some disagreement among theologians as to whether "the true tabernacle which the Lord pitched and not man" or "a greater and more perfect tabernacle not made with hands" is an allusion to the physical body of Christ or to the temple in heaven. 

Barnes in his commentary says:

"By a greater and more perfect tabernacle - The meaning is, that Christ officiated as high priest in a much more magnificent and perfect temple than either the tabernacle or the temple under the old dispensation. He performed the great functions of his priestly office - the sprinkling of the blood of the atonement - in heaven itself, of which the most holy place in the tabernacle was but the emblem." 

Barnes thinks that the greater antitypical temple is the temple that is in heaven. Gill writes in his commentary this way however:

"by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building; meaning the human body of Christ, which was greater than tabernacle of Moses...and this is a tabernacle which God pitched, and not man; which was reared up without the help, of man: Christ was not begotten by man, but was conceived in the womb of a virgin, under the power of the Holy Ghost; he came not into the world in the way of ordinary generation, but in a supernatural manner; and so his human body is a tabernacle, not of the common building, or creation, as the word may be rendered, as other human bodies are."

I find both of these views true. However, I think Barnes' view to be what it alluded to. The old testament temple, though a literal building, was nevertheless full of symbolism. The same may be said of other literal or physical things. The cross of Christ was literal but also a sign of other things. Many Christians believe that the great pyramid of Giza is also symbolic. 

The temple God as architect described to Moses, and later first built by Solomon, was a copy, figure, or pattern of 1) the temple in heaven, and 2) of God himself, and 3) of the person of Christ in his incarnate state. It is also a picture of God's plan of salvation through the atoning sacrificial blood of Christ. But, on this we must not address now for it gets beyond the scope of this series and if done would take up several other chapters. With still having many other essential elements of religion to address, we must not tarry here. However, the bible student should read the book of Hebrews to see the significance of the temple and its ordinances and ceremonies. The old testament temple is also almost identical to the temple that Ezekiel envisioned for the millennial age. It also in some ways typifies the spiritual body of Christ, which is, as we will see, also a temple.

In the book of Revelation there is frequent mention of the heavenly temple and there are a number of items in that temple, such as altars, the ark of the covenant, the throne of God, etc. Also, of course, are various groups of worshipers, such as the various order of angels, and redeemed men and women, i.e. "the spirits of just men made perfect." (Heb. 12: 23; See also Rev. 6: 9) In fact, it was into this heavenly temple that Christ entered after his death and presented his blood on the mercy seat located there. Wrote Paul:

"For Christ has entered, not into holy places made with hands, which are copies of the true things, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God on our behalf." (Heb. 9: 24 esv)

"But into the second part (holiest place in the temple) the high priest went alone once a year, not without blood, which he offered for himself and for the people’s sins committed in ignorance." (Heb. 9: 7 nkjv)

These verses say that Christ went into the heavenly temple and there offered his blood for atonement. That act within the heavenly temple was signified when upon his death on the cross we read that "the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom" (Matt. 27: 51 kjv) for Christ entered the holy place to sprinkle his blood on the mercy seat, the place of propitiation of sin.

Promise of a New Temple

In the old testament there were prophecies of the destruction of the old testament temple and the building of a new temple. So prophesied Daniel:

“And after the sixty-two weeks Messiah shall be cut off, but not for Himself; And the people of the prince who is to come Shall destroy the city and the sanctuary." (Dan. 9: 26 nkjv)

This was fulfilled in A.D. 70 when the Roman general Titus destroyed the city and the temple. Jesus himself had foretold of this, saying to his disciples as they spoke to Christ of the greatness of Herod's temple:

"Then Jesus went out and departed from the temple, and His disciples came up to show Him the buildings of the temple. And Jesus said to them, "Do you not see all these things? Assuredly, I say to you, not one stone shall be left here upon another, that shall not be thrown down." (Matt. 24: 1-2 nkjv)

No doubt the apostles also warned the Jews of this coming fate for the Jewish leadership in seeking to condemn Stephen said - "we have heard him say, that this Jesus of Nazareth shall destroy this place" (Acts 6: 14 kjv). 

Along with the old testament prophecies of the destruction of the Hebrew temple was the promise of a new temple to take its place. This promise is in some respects fulfilled now but in other respects will not be fulfilled till we enter into the one thousand years of Christ' reign on earth.

“Then speak to him, saying, ‘Thus says the LORD of hosts, saying: “Behold, the Man whose name is the BRANCH! From His place He shall branch out, And He shall build the temple of the LORD; Yes, He shall build the temple of the LORD. He shall bear the glory, And shall sit and rule on His throne; So He shall be a priest on His throne, And the counsel of peace shall be between them both.” ’(Zech. 6: 12-13 nkjv)

Many bible commentators and theologians believe this is fulfilled in the building of the church and that is somewhat true. However, it ought not to be limited to that, for there will surely be a new temple built of stones, gold, and precious stones, with all the furniture belonging to it, in the millennial age to come. How do we know this? From the several passages that speak of the millennial age to come and of the presence of the temple. One of those is this familiar text:

"Now it shall come to pass in the latter days That the mountain of the Lord's house Shall be established on the top of the mountains, And shall be exalted above the hills; And all nations shall flow to it. 3 Many people shall come and say, "Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, To the house of the God of Jacob; He will teach us His ways, And we shall walk in His paths." For out of Zion shall go forth the law, And the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. 4 He shall judge between the nations, And rebuke many people; They shall beat their swords into plowshares, And their spears into pruning hooks; Nation shall not lift up sword against nation, Neither shall they learn war anymore." (Isa. 2: 2-4 nkjv)

By "house of God" is meant the millennial temple. We know this because of the description of it in the prophecy and because of the time period which it is realized, which is the millennial age, when there is no more war on earth, when Christ is on earth ruling the nations, and when all nations are united in worship of Christ. The last several chapters of the Book of Ezekiel (40-48) describe this glorious temple and cannot be interpreted in a non literal manner.

Though many try to prove that the above prophecy is completely fulfilled now in the new testament church, that view is not tenable. Those who hold to this view will often begin their commentary on this prophecy by stating that the prophecy must not be taken literally, it not only being given in figurative language but also fulfilled figuratively too. As long as there is war among the nations, however, with each possessing arsenals for war, this prophecy cannot be said to be realized. Not only that, but such spiritualizers of prophecy are inconsistent in interpreting some things in the prophecy literally and other parts non literally. Wrote one commentator on this point (See here - emphasis mine):

"Some interpreters reject the literal meaning of Ezekiel 40–48, and view the description as figurative of the New Testament Church. They go to great lengths to explain away the measurements and specifications of the temple building. Such a symbolic view seems forced. A natural reading of the text points to a literal physical temple. The golden rule of interpretation is: “When the plain sense makes good sense, seek no other sense.”

Next, let us notice another text about a future temple, one in which theologians once again interpret differently. The risen Lord Jesus Christ says to John in the Book of Revelation:

“He who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the temple of My God, and he shall go out no more. I will write on him the name of My God and the name of the city of My God, the New Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven from My God. And I will write on him My new name." (Rev. 3: 12 nkjv)

"I will make" is from the Greek word ποιήσω (poiēsō) and is an active verb in a future tense (indicative case). For this reason alone we cannot find the fulfillment of it when a person believes and is baptized and becomes a member of the church. Another reason is because "he who overcomes" is from a present tense participle and literally means "he who is overcoming," denoting what one is steadily doing in life and service to Christ, to the ones who ultimately are victorious through Christ. But, that does not occur until a man's race is run, until he finishes his course or life. Another reason is because the other things in the text occur in conjunction with being made a pillar in the temple and those things are yet future for the believer, such as having the name of God and the city of God written on him, as well as the new name of Christ. 

So, it is better to see the fulfillment of this prophetic promise in the millennial age via Ezekiel's glorious temple and Isaiah's house in the top of the mountains, and even in the eternal ages following, even though we are told that in the new heavens and earth in the age following the millennial age that there will be no more temple. (Rev. 21: 22) But, more on that later.

I do not doubt that by being made a "pillar" in the temple is metaphorical in the same way that Paul refers to certain other apostles as being pillars in the church. (Gal. 2: 9) We use that expression today when speaking of those leaders in a community or when people say "he is a pillar of strength." 

That is not to say however that the mystical body of Christ, or the church assembly, is not also a fulfillment of old testament prophecy about a greater temple. 

A Believer is a Temple

"Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? If anyone defiles the temple of God, God will destroy him. For the temple of God is holy, which temple you are." (I Cor. 3: 16-17 nkjv)

"Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own?" (I Cor. 6: 19 nkjv)

Every man's body, whether believer or unbeliever, is a tabernacle or temple. (II Peter 1: 14; II Cor. 5: 1; etc.) The question then becomes - "what god dwells in your temple?" Every saved man in Christ has God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit especially dwelling in him. So Christ promised:

"Jesus answered and said to him, “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him." (John 14: 23 nkjv)

The indwelling presence of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit is what makes one's body a holy place, a holy temple. God dwells in the inner man, in a man's heart, in his soul and mind, in his center or core of being. He dwells in the spirit of a believer, and the spirit of the believer tabernacles in the body of the believer. Thus, the body, via the spirit, becomes a temple or house of the Lord. How wonderful and glorious a thought is this! This means a believer can live in the temple and never exit it. As previously stated, the believer entering into Christ is an entering into the greater temple, which is Christ himself. Once he has entered into Christ, he cannot ever leave. Why would he? To be there is the greatest of all joys. In fact, the Greek word that gives us our word "enthusiasm" means "God within." Also, as stated, when Christ enters into the believer, ever to stay and abide, the believer becomes a temple.

Because of this a believer can praise, worship, and offer prayers to God at any time. His heart becomes a sanctuary where Christ sits enthroned as Lord, King, Priest, and Prophet. Ego or self no longer sits in the heart, nor any other god or idol. By the presence of God in a believer's heart, soul, mind, and spirit the believer's body becomes a most holy place. Just as the blood of the sacrificial lamb was sprinkled on the temple's altar of sacrifice, so it is mystically sprinkled on the believer's heart. So writes Paul in Hebrews: "Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience." (Heb. 10: 22 kjv; See also Heb. 12: 24; I Peter 1: 2)

Not only is the believer a temple because of the Lord's entering and making his home in his heart, and a holy place therefore, and a mercy seat for propitiation, but the other things in the Hebrew temple are also within the believer. In his heart, as we will later see when we come to speak of the Christian altars, there is an altar, both an altar of incense for prayer, and an altar of sacrifice, a place to present our offerings of praise and our gifts to God. What a glorious temple is this inner Christian temple! It is a beautiful place where the believer enjoys the presence of God and this is often confessed when the believer is engaged in fervent prayer and praise, and when musing and deeply meditating upon God, his word, works, and ways.

The Church Temple

"And what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For you are the temple of the living God. As God has said: “I will dwell in them And walk among them. I will be their God, And they shall be My people." (II Cor. 6: 16 nkjv)

"Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone, in whom the whole building, being fitted together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord, in whom you also are being built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit." (Eph. 2: 19-22 nkjv)

If we say that the church is a temple, as Paul does in the above verse in second Corinthians, then that seems to suggest that it is a finished building. But, the second text in Ephesians seems to teach that the temple is not yet a finished construction, for it is growing into a temple. In the text we see where some of the construction has been completed, some still ongoing, and the completion yet future. 

Once again we see that what makes an assembly of believers a temple is the presence of God within the group, "a dwelling place of God." Being a temple, the believer enjoys temple delights when assembled. Mystically there is an altar of incense, an altar for presenting gifts and sacrifices, a table of shewbread, priests, manna, and the presence of angels. Though we will focus on these things separately as we proceed in upcoming chapters, let us give a sample of verses that show this to be true.

"Therefore by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name. But do not forget to do good and to share, for with such sacrifices God is well pleased." (Heb. 13: 15-16 nkjv)

Christ is the heavenly manna or bread. (John 6: 31-58) and he is feasted upon in the assembly of saints. Also, the word of God is bread and is received and eaten when the church meets. 

Christ is the great high priests and all of his people are priests and as such act as priests when involved in church worship and service. But, more on that later in our series. (See I Peter 2: 9) 

In the church we also find the altar of incense which stands for prayer. The temple of the church is a "house of prayer" and their prayers there are compared to incense. 

"Let my prayer be set forth before thee as incense; and the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice." (Psa. 141: 2 kjv)

Also, angels are often present in the assembly of believers. (See I Cor. 11: 10; Heb. 12: 22-23)

No Temples?

“But Solomon built Him a house. “However, the Most High does not dwell in temples made with hands, as the prophet says: ‘Heaven is My throne, And earth is My footstool. What house will you build for Me? says the LORD, Or what is the place of My rest?" (Acts 7: 47-49 nkjv)

“God, who made the world and everything in it, since He is Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples made with hands. “Nor is He worshiped with men’s hands, as though He needed anything, since He gives to all life, breath, and all things." (Acts 17: 24-25 nkjv)

These verses seem to counter the idea that God dwells in a temple, whatever that temple is, whether it be the old testament temple, or the temple in heaven, or in the believer or in the church, or in the millennial age. But, we must not make that inference. Wrote Gill in his commentary on the first text:

"...he did indeed dwell in his temple, but he was not confined to it, nor included in it, or circumscribed by it; and so much Solomon himself suggests, when he expresses his wonder at his dwelling on earth, seeing the heaven of heavens could not contain him, and still less the house which he had built, 1 Kings 8:27..." 

Gill on Acts 17 passage

"Dwelleth not in temples made with hands; such as were the idol temples at Athens; nor in any other edifices built by man, so as to be there fixed and limited; no, not in the temple at Jerusalem: but he dwells in temples that are not made with hands, as in the temple of Christ's human nature, in which the fulness of the Godhead dwells bodily, and in the hearts of his people, who are the temples of the Holy Ghost. This strikes at a notion of the Athenians, as if God was limited, and circumscribed, and included within the bounds of a shrine, or temple, though it is not at all contrary to his promises, or the hopes of his own people, of his presence in places appointed for divine worship, but is expressive of the infinity and immensity of God."

I believe that is what is intended in those two passages. But, what about this text?

"And I saw no temple therein: for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it." (Rev. 21: 22 kjv)

Barnes in his commentary gives us the right interpretation. He says:

"And I saw no temple therein - No structure reared expressly for the worship of God; no particular place where he was adored. It was all temple - nothing but a temple. It was not like Jerusalem, where there was but one house reared expressly for divine worship, and to which the inhabitants repaired to praise God; it was all one great temple reared in honor of his name, and where worship ascended from every part of it. With this explanation, this passage harmonizes with what is said in Revelation 2:12; Revelation 7:15."

We should keep this in mind when we think upon the promise of being made a pillar in the temple of the Lord and dwelling in the house of the Lord forever. In the New Jerusalem and in the new heavens and earth, the whole realm of which will be a temple. 

PB Church Requests Questions

Grace Primitive Baptist Church of Pearl, Mississippi (See here) has a list of Elder David Pyles sermons and writings and at the bottom of the page they have a link for "Submit Questions." I thought about leaving a question or two but did not do so because I think it would be ignored. But, perhaps some of our readers might want to go there and ask some questions, such as I would like to see asked and answered. I would begin with asking - "did the first generation of 'Primitive Baptists' in the 1830s - 1860s generally believe in the gospel means position or not? If they did not, can you show where they did not?" I wonder if David would respond to someone else who asks that question and what his answer would be? What think ye?

Essentials of Religion (ii)

"The LORD is in His holy temple" 

(Psalm 11: 4 nkjv)

"But the LORD is in his holy temple: 

let all the earth keep silence before him" 

(Hab. 2: 20 kjv)

In this chapter we will focus our attention on how a "temple" is an essential component of religion. The religion of the Jews is based upon the old testament (or covenant) as given first by God to Moses who in the Pentateuch (first five books of the bible) gave detailed instruction on all the essential elements of the religion of God as given to the nation of Israel. In the Pentateuch we find instruction on how God was to be worshiped, and we read of laws that governed all worship and service to God, information about a temple and its construction, use, and purpose, about holy days and religious feasts, about religious rites and ceremonies, etc., the things we listed in the previous introductory chapter. We will first focus on God's temple. 

A temple is also known as the house of God and a place of worship, where prayer and praise would be given to God, and where the worshipers could experience communion with God. The Temple that God commanded to be built for him was also designed by him, he being the grand architect. A temple then is a physical structure built as a house for the God who is worshiped. It was nearly always very elaborate and costly to build. After all, it would be an insult to God to build him a shack in which to dwell. 

AI gives us this summation on the importance of temples in religion:

"Temples hold significant importance in various religions as sacred spaces for worship, connection with the divine, and spiritual practice. They serve as centers for religious rituals, prayer, and meditation, offering devotees a place to connect with their faith and receive guidance. Temples also play a crucial role in community building and cultural preservation, often serving as landmarks and spaces for social gatherings and artistic expression." 

Nearly all of the primitive religions had temples, and in the scriptures we read about "the temple of idols" (I Cor. 8: 10) and of "the temple of Diana" (or "Artemis" - Acts 19: 27). Paul also when in Athens no doubt saw and perhaps entered into the glorious temple of Athena (Acts 17) on the mount there ("Parthenon"), the remnants of which still remain to this day and which I was privileged to see when I was in Athens many years ago. Paul gave a wonderful sermon there on the Areopagus ("Mars Hill"), a small hill northwest of the "acropolis." 

The Temple in Athens is a gigantic structure with ornate columns and sits high on the mount (or acropolis) in Athens and no building is allowed to be built so as to obscure the view of that Temple. I also got to travel to some of the Greek islands (of which there are many) and most of them had temples too. In fact, all around the world we see the remnants of ancient temples as connected with all the major religions. A temple to God (or the gods) is an essential element of religion.

The Jewish Temple, either as built first by Solomon (with David his father's input) or later by king Herod, was such a beautiful and magnificent structure. In fact, in the days of Christ we find the apostles, while walking around the temple, pointing out to Christ its illustrious beauty. (Matt. 24: 1) Speaking of Zion, the place of the Lord's temple, the psalmist said: "For Your servants take pleasure in her stones, And show favor to her dust." (Psa. 102: 14) This is what the apostles were doing. Notice how even the dust underneath the temple was praised. The whole site was "holy." It was so because it was "set apart" and made special, being consecrated for religious purpose. To see the importance of the Jerusalem temple in the old testament, let us notice some texts where the temple is held in the highest esteem.

"But as for me, I will come into Your house in the multitude of Your mercy; In fear of You I will worship toward Your holy temple." (Psa. 5: 7 nkjv)

This text shows that the temple was held in such high esteem that every Jew who was not in the temple or in Jerusalem nevertheless prayed facing Jerusalem from wherever they were. Also we see one of the many times where the temple is synonymous with "house of God." 

"One thing I have desired of the LORD, That will I seek: That I may dwell in the house of the LORD All the days of my life, To behold the beauty of the LORD, And to inquire in His temple." (Psa. 27: 4 nkjv)

"And in His temple everyone says, “Glory!”" (Psa. 29: 9 nkjv)

The temple was a place of prayer and praise, but also a place to meditate upon the word of God and often times to receive enlightenment, "to inquire" of the Lord. Notice also this further testimony from the inspired psalmist: "When I thought how to understand this, It was too painful for me--Until I went into the sanctuary of God; Then I understood their end." (Psa. 73: 16-17 nkjv) 

By "sanctuary" is meant a holy place, and often referred to the Temple, especially to the innermost room called "the holiest of all." So God instructed Moses, saying - "And let them make me a sanctuary; that I may dwell among them." (Exo. 25: 8 kjv) It was such an enjoyable place to the psalmist that he wanted to never leave it, to "dwell" there always. Further, as we will see, there is a temple in heaven, and into that house David expected to enter at death and dwell there forever. So he said "Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever." (Psa. 23: 6 kjv) It was a place of beauty and inspiration.

The Christian Temple

If a temple is an essential part of any religion, then where is the Christian temple? Mormons, who claim to be Christian, say that buildings such as the Mormon Tabernacle in Salt Lake City, Utah, is their chief temple. Many Christians call their local churches temples. Not only that, but semi religious organizations, like the Freemasons, put a lot of emphasis on building temples, each lodge being a representation of a temple. They also speak of each Mason building his own spiritual temple. Jews today, though they no longer have a singular temple building in Jerusalem, nevertheless Reformed Jews call their synagogues temples as in "Temple Beth Israel." 

In Christianity there are several temples recognized, as we will see. The new testament teaches that the physical body of Jesus is a temple of God. Likewise his spiritual body, or the church (body of all believers in Christ) is a temple. Also, the physical body of each believer is declared to be a temple of God. There is also a belief in the heavenly temple, in the "third heaven." Finally, many Christians believe that there will be a magnificent temple built in the millennial age to come, but no such temple in the ages to follow. 

The Temple of Christ's Body

"Then answered the Jews and said unto him, What sign shewest thou unto us, seeing that thou doest these things? Jesus answered and said unto them, Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up. Then said the Jews, Forty and six years was this temple in building, and wilt thou rear it up in three days? But he spake of the temple of his body. When therefore he was risen from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this unto them; and they believed the scripture, and the word which Jesus had said."(John 2: 18-22 kjv)

The physical body of Christ was the superlative temple for "in him dwells all the fullness of the godhead bodily." (Col. 2: 9) In the preceding texts about the old testament temple we saw mention of the fact that the divine"glory," called the "shekinah," was present in it. Shekinah is the English transliteration of a Hebrew word meaning"dwelling" or "settling" and denotes the presence of God in a place. God was especially present in the Temple, dwelling even more particularly in that part of the temple called "the most holy place" and between the two cherubim upon what was called "the mercy seat." So we read where "the glorious presence of the LORD filled the Temple of God." (II Chron. 5: 14)

The "Cloud of Glory," often referred to as the Shekinah, represents the manifest presence of God dwelling among His people, particularly in the context of the Old Testament. This divine presence was most notably associated with the Mercy-Seat, the cover of the Ark of the Covenant, which resided in the Holy of Holies within the Tabernacle and later the Temple.

Within the incarnate Son of God dwelled the shekinah glory, but it was veiled in human flesh. The beauty of Christ was not in his physical appearance but in his inner self. This glory was often unveiled so that his glory was revealed (unveiled) or manifested. This was true on the mount when Christ was transfigured in his outward appearance and appeared along with Moses and Elijah. At that time Peter, James, and John are said to have seen "his glory," as if the veil of his human flesh were removed. (Luke 9: 32) Every miracle Christ performed manifested this inner divine glory. So the apostle John writes: "This beginning of miracles did Jesus in Cana of Galilee, and manifested forth his glory." (John 2: 11 kjv)

Several times in the old testament we read where "the glory of God filled the temple" that Solomon built. (See II Chron. 5: 14; Eze. 43: 5; 44: 4; I Kings 8: 11) The glory in Christ, however exceeds all the glory of the old temple. It is an "excellent glory" (II Peter 1: 17; II Cor. 3: 8-11). 

The most excellent glory that existed in Christ is also seen in these words of the apostle John:

"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God...And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth." (John 1: 1, 14 nkjv)

Many translations say "tabernacled among us" rather than "dwelt among us." But, we could as easily translate it as "templed among us." But, not only was the glory of God seen in the inner self of Christ, but his body was also glorious, though temporarily veiled. His body in its normal appearance was not beautiful, as the prophet said: "He has no form or comeliness; And when we see Him, There is no beauty that we should desire Him." (Isa. 53: 2 kjv) But, when Christ was on the mount, and when he appeared to the disciples after his resurrection, his body was no longer without beauty, form, and comeliness. 

The body of Christ, as the true temple or tabernacle of God, was glorious for several reasons. First, because God specially built or made it via the supernatural virgin birth. So we read in Hebrews: "Therefore, when He came into the world, He said: “Sacrifice and offering You did not desire, But a body You have prepared for Me." (Heb. 10: 5 nkjv) This body was both humble and glorious. Wrote Paul: "who shall fashion anew the body of our humiliation, that it may be conformed to the body of his glory" (Phil. 3: 21 esv). 

The same body that was lowly and without beauty is the same body that was beautiful and glorious. That "body of humiliation" was such because it was made "in the likeness of sinful flesh" (Rom. 8: 3) and intended to be a veil over its true glory. It was not sinful flesh, but holy non sinful flesh. What it appeared to be was not what it really was.

As glorious as was Solomon's temple, much more is the body of Christ. As God dwelt in the temple and there revealed his will, and would there be worshiped, so God dwelled especially in his incarnate Son and through him and his being made flesh revealed mysteries to the worshipers of Jesus. As the shekinah glory filled the old testament temple so it does in Christ, for in him dwelt "all the fulness of the Godhead bodily" (Col. 2: 9). How proper then is the idea of temple suit Christ! 

When a person believes in Christ and receives Christ (John 1: 12-13), he then becomes one with Christ, as in a marriage covenant. Christ says to believers as Adam said to his wife Eve, who was made from a rib bone of Adam - "This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh" (Gen.2: 23). In this union a believer enters into Christ and Christ enters into the believer. In entering Christ one enters into God's true temple and there remains, abiding in that temple. When Christ enters into the believer, he makes the believer a temple. On that we will have more to say in the next chapter. All are called to enter into Christ by faith and there worship God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The temple at Jerusalem was every way a most illustrious type of Christ.

Christ, the Messiah, was prophesied by Isaiah to be God's temple or sanctuary. Wrote him: "He will be as a sanctuary, But a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense To both the houses of Israel, As a trap and a snare to the inhabitants of Jerusalem." (Isa. 8: 14 nkjv) This is why Christ said - "But I say unto you, That in this place is one greater than the temple." (Matt. 12: 6 kjv) That is, he is greater than any temple built of stones or by finite men. When Christians pray they pray with their faces, hearts, and thoughts focused towards Christ who is the greater temple.

In the next chapter we will continue to look at the temple of the Christian religion.

Essentials of Religion

"If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man's religion is vain. Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world." (James 1: 26-27 kjv)

In this series we will speak of the essentials of religion, especially as spoken of in the holy scriptures. Years ago I preached a message to the church I pastored titled "Five Things Necessary For Religion." After about fifty years later I want to return to that theme, with however some additions so that it is now far more than five essential things. 

I have heard some sermons through the years where I heard a preacher say "religion cannot save you sinner; only Jesus can save you." Ironically I would hear some of these same preachers sing "give me that ole time religion, give me that ole time religion..." Of course, what they meant to say was this: just being involved in religious activities or being members of a religious group or performing some religious exercises, does not guarantee salvation or acceptance with God. We see this from these words of Christ:

"Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity." (Matt. 7: 22-24 kjv)

Here are people who had religion but were never known by the Lord and who go to Hell. Jesus also often spoke against the religious leaders of his day, be they Sadducees or Pharisees, declaring that they were lost in sin in spite of all their religiosity. See for instance his rebuke of them in Matthew chapter twenty three. 

But, we must not go to extremes or "throw the baby out with the bathwater" when we speak against "religion." For the fact is, we are saved by truly and sincerely embracing the Christian religion as defined in the new testament scriptures. The text above from James, the Lord's brother, shows us that there is both a "vain religion" and a "pure and undefiled religion," and "that before God." False religions will not be of any use to anyone, and can actually be a means of sealing one's doom. 

The 1689 London Baptist Confession of Faith in chapter ten of "Effectual Calling" write this in section 4:

"4. Others not elected, although they may be called by the ministry of the Word, and may have some common operations of the Spirit, yet not being effectually drawn by the Father, they neither will nor can truly come to Christ, and therefore cannot be saved: much less can men that receive not the Christian religion be saved, be they never so diligent to frame their lives according to the light of nature and the law of that religion they do profess." (Mt 22:14; 13:20-21; Heb 6:4-5;  Jn 6:44-45,65; 1Jn 2:24-25; Ac 4:12; Jn 4:22; 17:3)

If this is true (and it is), then 1) accepting the Christian religion (which is to accept the gospel) is necessary to be eternally saved, and 2) following any other religion saves no one.

Excluding God, the object of worship in religion, what are the essentials or component elements of "religion." In fact, how does the dictionary define "religion"? The above image gives the most simple definition, which is a sociological one. Other sources give much longer definitions. Essentially it is the worship of a deity and involves doing the bidding of that deity, or being engaged in service to him or her.

However, we cannot exclude the deity being religiously served. True religion only exists where the true deity is worshiped. All vain and false religion that does not worship only "the one true and living God" (Jer. 10: 10; I Thess. 1: 9; etc.) saves no one. 

Word Study

The sociological definition in the above heading is good simple concise definition of "religion." However, it does not detail the essential elements of religion, which is what we will do in this series. Many other social scientists also are concerned about studying the world's religions, as are theologians, and so in many colleges you can find classes in "the sociology of religion," and in the role of religion in psychology, and in "the philosophy of religion" (a class I took in college), etc. But, how do the scriptures speak of the idea of religion? As we will see, some texts give the word "religion" (or its cognates, such as worship, serve, etc.) a negative connotation, and others give a positive connotation. In the text above from James we have both kinds of religion referred to. Notice these texts about what Paul said about his native religion.

"My manner of life from my youth, which was at the first among mine own nation at Jerusalem, know all the Jews; Which knew me from the beginning, if they would testify, that after the most straitest sect of our religion I lived a Pharisee." (Acts 26: 4-5 kjv)

"For ye have heard of my conversation in time past in the Jews' religion, how that beyond measure I persecuted the church of God, and wasted it: And profited in the Jews' religion above many my equals in mine own nation, being more exceedingly zealous of the traditions of my fathers." (Gal. 1: 13-14 kjv)

Vine's NT Words says this about the Greek words translated "religion":

"Religion (threseia) signifies religion in its external aspect (akin to threskos), "religious worship," especially the ceremonial service of "religion;" it is used of the "religion" of the Jews, Acts 26:5; of the "worshiping" of angels, Colossians 2:18, which they themselves repudiate (Revelation 22:8-Revelation 22:9)...in James 1:26-James 1:27 the writer purposely uses the word to set in contrast that which is unreal and deceptive, and the "pure religion" which consists in visiting "the fatherless and widows in their affliction," and in keeping oneself "unspotted from the world." He is "not herein affirming...these offices to be the sum total, nor yet the great essentials, of true religion, but declares them to be the body, the threskeia, of which godliness, or the love of God, is the informing soul" (Trench)."

In the Galatians passage the Greek word is "ioudaismos" and means religion of the Jews and on this word Vine says that it "denotes "the Jews' religion," and stands, not for their religious beliefs, but for their religious practices, not as instituted by God, but as developed and extended from these by the traditions of the Pharisees and scribes. In the Apocrypha it denotes comprehensively "the Government, laws, institutions and religion of the Jews." 

Essentials of Religion

1. Temple or place of worship

2. Priests

3. Worshipers

4. Prayer

5. Praise and Adoration

6. Altars

7. Religious Rules 

8. Sacrifices

9. Rites and Ceremonies

10. Oracles and Sacred Writings.

11. Holy or Feast Days

12. Religious Duties (religious life)

13. Creed or Confession of Faith

14. Belief and religious feelings (psychological)

Some might include other things, things that are not essential, but accompaniments, such as:

1. Relics and holy objects

2. Anointings

3. Ordinations

4. Etc.

As we will see, there are both internal and external elements of religion, what corresponds to the thoughts and emotions of the worshipers, and what corresponds to the physical activities of the worshiper. In our next chapter we will begin examining each of these listed essentials one by one. We will show how in all these essentials that the Christian religion far excels that of all other religions.

Divine Justice Issues (XXXI)

Is eternal punishment fair?

“Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels...And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.” (Mattt. 25: 41, 46 esv) 

"when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with his mighty angels in flaming fire, inflicting vengeance on those who do not know God and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus.  They will suffer the punishment of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might, when he comes on that day to be glorified in his saints, and to be marveled at among all who have believed, because our testimony to you was believed." (II Thess. 1: 7-10 esv)

These are two of the many texts of scripture which uphold the teaching of eternal punishment. Some who deny eternal punishment will sometimes argue that the word "eternal" (Greek "aiōnios") does not mean unending but simply means for a long time. But this is totally untenable. The same word is used for "eternal life" that is used for "eternal punishment." So, if we say that the punishment comes to an end then we will also have to affirm that the life will also come to an end. Also, the same Greek word is used when it speaks of God as being eternal. 

Some also want to say that "eternal punishment" denotes annihilation or extermination. But, again, this is not tenable. Dr. Robert Peterson at Ligonier (See here or here) writes under the heading "Annihilation or Eternal Punishment" that there are "six main arguments" that annihilationists use to prove their proposition. He gives those arguments in these words (emphasis mine):

"First is an argument based on the Bible's use of fire imagery to describe hell. We are told that fire consumes what is thrown into it, and so it will be for the lake of fire (Rev. 19:20; 20:10, 14, 15; 21:8)—it will burn up the wicked so that they no longer exist.

Second is an argument based on texts that speak of the lost perishing or being destroyed. Examples include unbelievers perishing (John 3:16) and suffering "the punishment of eternal destruction" (2 Thess. 1:8).

Third is an argument based on the meaning of the word eternal. In hell passages, it is claimed, eternal means only pertaining to "the age to come" and not "everlasting."

Fourth is an argument based on a distinction between time and eternity. Annihilationists ask: how is it just of God to punish sinners for eternity when their crimes were committed in time?

Fifth is an emotional argument that God Himself and His saints would never enjoy heaven if they knew some human beings (let alone loved ones and friends) were perpetually in hell.

Sixth is an argument that an eternal hell would tarnish God's victory over evil. Scripture declares that God will be victorious in the end; He will "be all in all" (1 Cor. 15:28). We are told that this idea seems hard to reconcile with human beings suffering endlessly in hell."

Dr. Peterson responds to these arguments and shows how they are not valid. He cites texts which speak of people being "tormented forever." (Rev. 14: 10-11; 20: 10) You cannot torment a person who no longer exists. Nor can you separate torment from consciousness. A person who has no cognition cannot suffer torment. We see this fact verified in the story of the rich man and Lazarus and of their conscious experience and condition in the afterlife (Luke 16) where we find the rich man in the fires of Hell (Hades) saying that he is "tormented in this flame." (Luke 16: 24) 

I like these words of Dr. Peterson:

"Fourth is the argument that it is unjust of God to punish sinners eternally for temporal sins. It strikes me as presumptuous for human beings to tell God what is just and unjust. We would do better to determine from His Holy Word what He deems just and unjust."

In answer to the question in the heading above, Google AI gives this Overview:

"Whether eternal punishment is fair is a complex theological and philosophical question with no universally agreed-upon answer. Some argue that it is a just punishment for sin, reflecting the gravity of offending a holy and infinite God. Others argue that it is an unfair disproportionate punishment, as a finite sin does not warrant an eternal penalty." 

In answering this question we must resort to the syllogism I offered in chapter three.

1. All that God wills and does is just. 

2. God willed and did A. 

3. A is just

This is essentially the same thing that Dr. Peterson stated in the above citation which I particularly liked. 

Transgression of God's law must be punished. That is a foundational principle of God's government and of his law and order. Forgiveness of sin cannot be given apart from satisfaction to law and justice. The question then becomes whether eternal torment in the fires of Hell is a just recompense. The scriptures teach that "every transgression and disobedience" receives from God "a just recompence of reward." (Heb. 2: 2 kjv) God is the lawgiver and the judge of all and therefore it is his right to dictate what is criminal and what is the punishment for crimes committed. So the scripture says:

"For the LORD is our judge, the LORD is our lawgiver, the LORD is our king; he will save us." (Isa. 33: 22 kjv)

"There is one lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy: who art thou that judgest another?" (James 4: 12 kjv)

Since God is the Creator of all, he has the sovereign right to make law and to command all to keep it. He also has the right to decree what the punishment will be for any violations of his law. Most believers in God will acknowledge this much. But some will object that God is being too harsh and cruel in sentencing sinners to unending punishment and torments. Some even criticize God by saying that he should be more lenient, perhaps only giving a slap for violations or put sinners on probation. 

The doctrine of eternal (or endless) punishment will rarely be accepted by those who are condemned by God. To them it will always appear to be a case of "cruel and unusual punishment" and which makes God to be cruel, harsh, severe, and tyrannical. This reminds me of that old hymn by hymnist Isaac Watts wrote titled "Show Pity Lord" where he writes these lyrics:

Should sudden vengeance seize my breath, 

I must pronounce thee just in death; 

And if my soul were sent to hell, 

Thy righteous law approves it well.

Like the penitent thief on the cross on the right side of Christ who said to the other impenitent thief "we are suffering justly for our crimes" (Luke 23: 41), so all those who go into Hell's eternal prison should confess the same as Isaac Watts says in league with the words of the penitent thief. 

The denial of eternal punishment gives the wicked hope; For even if he goes to the prison of Hell for his crimes, he will eventually "serve his time" and be able to leave Hell and enter Paradise. Or, if the wicked believes in annihilation at death, he will have no fear of judgment in the afterlife to deter him from sin. The denial of eternal punishment is the actual belief of all those who believe in universal salvation. It is also the belief of most Muslims and of other religions. One Muslim web page says this (See here):

"If the Qur’an and Hadith taught eternal hell, I wanted to know. So I dove into a study of both. I arrived at an undeniable conclusion: Islam does not teach eternal damnation for anyone. Here are seven reasons why Islam rejects the concept of eternal hell — for Muslims and everyone else." (emphasis mine)

Interesting is the fact that this Muslim is arguing against other Muslims who affirm that the Koran teaches endless punishment. Therefore it seems that Muslims are divided on the question as are Christians, except that eternal punishment in Islam seems to be a minority view whereas in Christianity it is the major view.

If everyone who goes to Hell will eventually serve his or her time and then be given release and right to enter Heaven, then it seems that the atoning sacrificial death of Christ becomes unnecessary. This is in fact the view of Muslims who reject the idea of Christ's sacrificial death, arguing that Allah has provided no substitute for any and that Allah is able to forgive sin apart from any satisfying of justice for those sins. They believe that it is unjust for a person to be punished for another persons' crimes, a question we have already addressed.

Matt Slick at CARM writes (See here - emphasis mine) under the heading "How just is the God of Islam?":  

"If a person commits a sin such as murder or theft, should that person be punished? The obvious answer is yes. But why should he be punished?

There are two primary reasons we can offer why someone who commits a sin should be punished. First, he has broken the law of God; and if God does not exercise punishment, then what is the purpose of the law? To not exercise punishment for sin is to permit the sin to exist without consequence. Second, he has harmed others; and if he is not punished, others will be encouraged to do the same.

Therefore, we can conclude that it is proper to exercise judgment/punishment for the crimes committed by individuals.

If the same person who has committed a sin, such as murder or theft, says that he is sincerely sorry for what he has done and that he would never do it again, should society excuse him from punishment? Maybe, maybe not.

God is holy and righteous; and if he didn’t carry (out) a punishment for sins, he would be allowing evil to exist without consequence. The result would be, essentially, to condone evil; and since God cannot do that, His justice requires that a proper punishment be incurred for each sin.

Likewise, if God did not punish someone because that person said he was sorry and would not do it again, then is God being just? After all, if he did not exercise the punishment for breaking his law, he is then permitting evil to exist without proclaiming its error or dealing with its consequence."

This is a good summation of the biblical teaching on forgiveness and on punishment for sin (or crime). 

Slick writes further:

"In Islam, a Muslim who commits murder and thievery can ask Allah for forgiveness and receive that forgiveness without Allah exercising any punishment whatsoever. According to Islam, Allah may forgive that person–if he so chooses. But doesn’t that mean the righteous judgment of Allah is not satisfied? Doesn’t it mean that the sin has essentially been ignored by forgiving it; and that the Law of God, though broken, has resulted in no punishment? Is this just–not to exercise punishment for the sins committed? It is not. No, for we have already established that punishment is the proper and righteous response to sin. Declining to punish is to avoid satisfying the law of God."

This is the teaching of the Christian scriptures. God is not only a God of love, mercy, grace, compassion, longsuffering and forbearance, but he is a God of justice and wrath against sin, one who hates iniquity and who will in no instance "clear the guilty." (Exo. 34: 7) Habakkuk says "Your eyes are too pure to look on evil; you cannot tolerate wrongdoing." (1: 13 niv) God cannot simply overlook sin, for it would be against his holy and righteous character and would encourage people to break his laws and to have no fear of divine retribution. And, as we will see, the "punishment will fit the crime" in God's sentencing sinners to eternal punishment. 

There are really only two options. Either God is 1) overreacting and "flying off the handle," or "making a mountain out of a molehill," for breaking God's law or 2) sin is extremely heinous and deserves eternal punishment. God is viewed by many as either too severe or too lax.

He writes further:

"In Christianity, every sin is dealt with by God in one of two ways. Either God satisfies the law by exercising his punishment upon the sinner by sending him to eternal damnation, or he places the sins of the person on Jesus Christ who suffers the punishment in place of the person. Either way, the justice of God is never ignored. It is proper that sin be dealt with by a punishment relative to the sin. To neglect to do so is to avoid being just. Therefore, we see that the God of Christianity is just because no sin goes unpunished."

 

Every religion that has the Creator forgiving sin without any satisfaction to divine justice has the adverse consequences that Slick points out. If there is no such satisfaction, and every criminal is forgiven and given no punishment every time he repents or says that he is sorry, then there will not be any respect for God's law, and people will be encouraged to sin for they will say to themselves "I will sin and then say 'I repent' and go on and do it again and again." There will be no fear of God. The same is true in regard to human government as Paul said.

"For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to evil. Do you want to be unafraid of the authority? Do what is good, and you will have praise from the same. For he is God's minister to you for good. But if you do evil, be afraid; for he does not bear the sword in vain; for he is God's minister, an avenger to execute wrath on him who practices evil." (Rom. 13: 3-4 nkjv)

But this is also superlatively true when it comes to fearing God and his authority. God is also "an avenger to execute wrath on him who practices evil." People who have no fear of God or punishment in the afterlife lack restraints upon their evil ways. Fear of punishment by citizens for breaking the laws of the nation is a restraint upon criminal activity, and the easier it is for crimes to be committed without being caught and without severe judgment the easier it is to choose to commit crime. 

Saved Without Satisfying Justice

Unlike Islam and other religions that show the Deity forgiving sins apart from any punishment for sin or satisfaction to justice, Christianity does not. God justifies sinners on the basis of the law being satisfied by the substitutionary sacrifice of Christ. Notice how this is what Paul affirms in these words:

"For there is no difference; 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, 25 whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed, 26 to demonstrate at the present time His righteousness, that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus." (Rom. 3: 22-26 nkjv)

Barnes Commentary says:

"That he might be just...refers to the fact that God had retained the integrity of his character as a moral governor; that he had shown a due regard to his Law, and to the penalty of the Law by his plan of salvation. Should he forgive sinners without an atonement, justice would be sacrificed and abandoned. The Law would cease to have any terrors for the guilty, and its penalty would be a nullity. In the plan of salvation, therefore, he has shown a regard to the Law by appointing his Son to be a substitute in the place of sinners; not to endure its precise penalty, for his sufferings were not eternal, nor were they attended with remorse of conscience, or by despair, which are the proper penalty of the Law; but he endured so much as to accomplish the same ends as if those who shall be saved by him had been doomed to eternal death." 

Under "Arguments Against Eternal Punishment as Fair" we have these points given by AI:

 

"Disproportionality: Some argue that a finite sin should not warrant an eternal punishment.

Lack of Opportunity for Redemption: The concept of eternal punishment may be seen as eliminating the possibility of redemption for those who repent later.

God's Love and Mercy: The concept of eternal punishment may be seen as contradicting God's love and mercy.

Unnecessary Cruelty: Some argue that eternal suffering is cruel and unnecessary, even if it is a consequence of sin." 

The only way to prove that eternal punishment is too severe is to lesson the heinousness of sin. But, it is the other way around for eternal punishment demonstrates the greatness of rebellion against God, which all transgression of God' law is.

 

Some want to know why Jesus needs not to suffer eternally to save from eternal punishment. Dr. John Piper responds to this we these words (See here):

"Now, the Bible does not say explicitly how this works. But just as we learned the demerit of sin by looking at God’s appointed penalty for it — namely, eternal punishment — so also we learn the merit, or the worth, of Christ and his suffering by looking at the achievement of it — namely, salvation for millions of hell-deserving sinners. So, the question becomes, What is it about the worth of Jesus and his suffering that makes it sufficient to remove the punishment of millions of sinners?" (Emphasis mine)

Though we may not fully grasp how it is so, nevertheless we are assured by the scriptures that Christ suffered the equivalent of eternal torment in his sufferings as a substitute for the sins of others.

Next he writes the following and cites from the learned Jonathan Edwards.

"Let me read you the answer given by Jonathan Edwards and then say a word about it. This comes from a sermon he preached in 1729 entitled “The Sacrifice of Christ Acceptable.” Here’s what he says: 

 

'Though Christ’s sufferings were but temporal [that is, not eternal], yet they were equivalent to our eternal sufferings by reason of the infinite dignity of his person. Though it was not infinite suffering, yet it was equivalent to infinite suffering, for it was infinite expense. His blood which he spilled, his life which he laid down, was an infinite price because it was the blood of God, as it is expressly called. Acts 20:28, “The church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.” His life was the life of that person that was the eternal Son of God, though it was the life of the human nature. Now, upon this account, the price offered was equivalent to the demerit of the sins of all mankind, [and] his sufferings equivalent to the eternal sufferings of the whole world. (Works of Jonathan Edwards, 14:452)'"

That is the way Christian apologists answer the objection.

With this chapter we end our series on issues that people have with God's acts and judgments. Though there are several ways where many think God is being unfair, they are wrong to think that way. God is just and whatever he does is right and just even if we cannot fully grasp it completely.

Divine Justice Issues (XXX)

In this chapter we will look at question number nine given in our opening chapter. It asked: "Was it right for God to create beings who he foreknew would rebel and be punished forever for it?" 

To some extent we have already made several observations as the question is connected with several of the other questions in the list, especially with the problem of evil. To answer this question one must first show that God does have absolute foreknowledge of all future events and things. Then we may proceed to consider whether having this ability to foresee the future makes God responsible for everything that comes into existence or occurs, and why God chooses to prevent some possible occurrences but not others. If we had the power to see into the future (a theme or plot in many books and movies such as in the movie "Paycheck" or movies involving the concept of a "time machine"), what burden or responsibility would that put on us? 

The claim that divine foreknowledge makes God culpable for human actions is a complex theological issue rooted in the tension between God's omniscience (all-knowing) and human free will. It arises from the argument that if God knows everything that will happen, including human choices, then those choices are predetermined, and God, not the individual, is ultimately responsible. If God knows and therefore determines every action, including evil, does that make God the author of evil and thus culpable for human actions? 

By the same reasoning we may ask whether God is responsible for the sins of his creatures because he made them capable of sinning by giving them free will. We have already asked whether it would be viewed as just for God to bring into existence people such as Hitler, Stalin, or Judas since he knows what evils that they would do and whether it would be better if God had not brought into existence all who he foreknew would reject his offers of mercy? We spoke of this difficulty when we applied "product liability" laws to God. God made a product (angels and humans) who he knew would cause harm. We also looked at it from the legal reasoning that uses the "but for" argument. But for God making creatures with the ability to sin, with free will, there would have been no sin and no sorrow and death.

We might ask everyone who studies this subject - "what would you do if you had foreknowledge of the future?" Some no doubt would try to make money from the stock market or by betting on games (as was a theme in the movie "Back To The Future"). Would you use it to prevent any and all crimes? Or, would you use that ability to commit crime, the perfect crime? 

If you did know the future, does that mean you can change it? Most movies on this theme suggest yes. In the movie "Terminator" a man and a android go back in time for the purpose of changing the future. In fact, the man who comes back from the future ends up becoming his own father! Another similar question asks whether God's foreknowledge is causative. Or, does God foresee only what he has first determined shall come to be? Or, does he see some things that he does not cause or predetermine to be? Or, does God foresee things that might have been but are not? This is called "middle knowledge" by theologians. 

"Perhaps the strongest scriptural support for middle knowledge, and therefore for Molinism, comes from the use of counterfactuals in the Bible. Counterfactuals are “if-then” statements about situations or choices. For example, Jesus explicitly says, twice, that under different circumstances certain people would have made a different free choice of whether or not to repent (Matthew 11:21–23; Luke 10:13). Jesus also refers to different outcomes under different circumstances (Matthew 26:24; John 14:2). God also references different choices leading to different results in the Old Testament (Exodus 9:15; Isaiah 48:17–19). Further, the Bible clearly states that God allows us to make choices contrary to His preferences (Matthew 23:37; 2 Peter 3:9; Psalm 5:10; Isaiah 30:1)." (From Got Questions - See here - emphasis mine)

In other words, God not only sees what shall be but what could have been. He sees all possibilities. Notice this passage:

"Then He said to me: “Son of man, go to the house of Israel and speak with My words to them. For you are not sent to a people of unfamiliar speech and of hard language, but to the house of Israel, not to many people of unfamiliar speech and of hard language, whose words you cannot understand. Surely, had I sent you to them, they would have listened to you." (Eze. 3: 4-6 nkjv)

This passage is an instance that supports the theological concept of middle knowledge. God knows what creatures would do in various circumstances, even if those circumstances never actually occur (counter factuals). 

This text also is important to keep in mind in regard to several other questions we have already addressed in regard to God's justice. Why did God not send Ezekiel to those other peoples? If he wanted them to have listened to Ezekiel's message from God, then why did he not send Ezekiel to them? Obviously God did not want them to hear the message, which message is a means of salvation. God could just as well have said the same thing to other peoples, such as to the American Indians in the centuries before the white man brought the word of God to them. So, it could be said of them "surely, had I sent you to them sooner, they would have listened to you." 

In another case we see something similar. Said God to Jeremiah the prophet: "So you shall speak all these words to them, but they will not listen to you. You shall call to them, but they will not answer you." (Jer. 7: 27 esv)

In the Ezekiel case, God does not send Ezekiel to other nations even though he knew that they would listen to his message and heed it, but in the case with the Jeremiah passage, God sends Jeremiah to preach to those who he knows in advance will reject his message. Also, we see another instance where God does foresee the free choices of his creatures, although some deny that God foresees the free choices and acts of his creatures. But more on that shortly.

We see another instance of the same in this text (referenced in the above citation from Got Questions):

21 "Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the mighty works which were done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. 22 But I say to you, it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon in the day of judgment than for you. 23 And you, Capernaum, who are exalted to heaven, will be brought down to Hades; for if the mighty works which were done in you had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day. 24 But I say to you that it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment than for you." (Matt. 11: 21-24 nkjv)

This is another instance of middle knowledge and of counter factuals. This text, along with the previous one from Ezekiel, show that God does not equally desire the salvation of all, for he does not give all equal opportunities to be saved, or have equal means. It is obvious that God did not sufficiently desire the repentance or salvation of Tyre, Sidon, and Sodom, and that he did not give them the same means as he did to Chorazin, Bethsaida, and Capernaum. 

These texts reveal the fact that God knows what it will take in any given case to bring a person to repentance and faith and hence salvation. He can engineer events and circumstances in the lives of people to get their attention and to make them believers. I have previously affirmed that God desires that all men be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth (as Paul stated), but also affirmed that such a fact does not mean that he desires this end to the same degree in every case. All are not given equal means towards salvation. 

We must also affirm that what God foresees as actually coming to pass in the future must come to pass for God cannot be wrong about anything. If that is not true, then no God given prophecy can be relied upon. The bible is full of examples where God revealed to his rational creatures what was sure to come to pass in the future. Many of these prophecies have been fulfilled, while others await fulfillment. Sometimes these prophecies are contingent. In other words, God says A will come to pass if B happens, but if B does not happen, then A will not come to pass. We see this type of foreknowledge in God's numerous warnings in scripture. God says "if you do A, then B will occur." These are the counter factuals that the above citation calls attention to.

Got Questions web page also has these comments (see here - emphasis mine):

"It may be hard to see how Adam and Eve’s falling into sin could bring glory to God. In fact, some might even wonder why, if God knew ahead of time all the trouble they would cause, He made them in the first place.

God is omniscient (Psalm 139:1–6), and He knows the future (Isaiah 46:10). So He definitely knew that Adam and Eve would sin. But He created them anyway and gave them a free will with which they chose to sin.

We must carefully note that Adam and Eve’s falling into sin does not mean that God is the author of sin or that He tempted them to sin (James 1:13). But the fall does serve the purpose of God’s overall plan for creation and mankind."

The traditional belief in God's omniscience (all-knowing) suggests that he has perfect knowledge of the past, present, and future. All scripture that asserts God's omniscience asserts his foreknowledge of all things. Also, omniscience cannot be divorced from God's immutability. God is therefore not adding to his knowledge nor is his knowledge ever decreasing.

God's rational creatures also have some limited ability to see the future. This is due to knowing cause and effect, and something of the laws of nature. So, we have weather forecasters, economic forecasters, etc. So Solomon wrote: "A prudent man foresees evil and hides himself, But the simple pass on and are punished." (Prov. 22: 3; 27: 12 nkjv)

Jesus spoke of those who could foresee (or predict or forecast) the weather of the future, saying:

"He answered and said to them, “When it is evening you say, ‘It will be fair weather, for the sky is red’; “and in the morning, ‘It will be foul weather today, for the sky is red and threatening.’ Hypocrites! You know how to discern the face of the sky, but you cannot discern the signs of the times." (Matt. 16: 2-3 nkjv)

Interesting is the fact that the Greek word translated "foreknowledge" (kjv) is "prognosis," the thing we want doctors to give us regarding symptoms of an illness. In medicine, it's the prediction of the probable course and termination of a disease. It's also used more broadly for predicting the outcome of any situation. 

What responsibility comes with such foreknowledge? And, if you had foreknowledge, could you change it? Or, would you? And, if you could change it, then is it not the case that you really did not see the future in the first place but only one possible version of it? 

Jesus foretold the thrice denial of knowing Jesus by Peter during the trial of Christ. 

"31 Then Jesus said to them, "All of you will be made to stumble because of Me this night, for it is written: 'I will strike the Shepherd, And the sheep of the flock will be scattered.' 32 But after I have been raised, I will go before you to Galilee." 33 Peter answered and said to Him, "Even if all are made to stumble because of You, I will never be made to stumble." 34 Jesus said to him, "Assuredly, I say to you that this night, before the rooster crows, you will deny Me three times." 35 Peter said to Him, "Even if I have to die with You, I will not deny You!" And so said all the disciples." (Matt. 26: 31-35 nkjv)

Here Peter and the other apostles were told what was going to come to pass and yet that foreknowledge did not keep it from coming to pass. One could argue that this was because they did not believe Jesus' prophecy. However, even if some of them believed it, none of them prevented it from coming to pass just as Jesus said.

Open Theism

"Open Theism is a theological view that suggests God knows everything but doesn't know everything in the future with certainty, especially regarding free choices made by humans. It's a perspective that attempts to reconcile God's omniscience with human free will. Open Theism is a relatively recent development within Christian theology, gaining prominence in the 1990s, and is often debated in relation to classical theism." (AI Overview)

The same survey of the literature on this subject has AI adding these comments:

"The future, according to Open Theism, is not fully settled or predetermined by God. It's a realm of possibilities that is still open to the choices of individuals." 

"God knows the range of possibilities in the future, but He doesn't know with certainty which of those possibilities will actually occur because they depend on human free will choices." 

"While Open Theists believe God is fully involved in the world, they also emphasize that God's actions are influenced by and adapt to human free choices." 

The bible does not picture God as having uncertain knowledge of future events as the open theist affirms. Further, the bible affirms that God foreknows the free choices of his creatures and so the proposition is false that says God cannot certainly and absolutely know what choices a creature will make. Peter made a choice to deny Christ and yet Christ foreknew it. Many examples are in the bible of this truth fact.

Under "Points of Debate and Controversy" AI also gives the following further overview.

"Omniscience: Open Theism challenges the traditional understanding of God's omniscience, which often implies a complete and pre-determined knowledge of the future." 

But the scriptures do assert that God has "a complete and predetermined knowledge of the future." So God says by the prophet:

"Declaring the end from the beginning, And from ancient times things that are not yet done, Saying, ‘My counsel shall stand, And I will do all My pleasure." (Isa. 46: 10 nkjv)

"Divine Providence: Critics argue that Open Theism weakens the traditional doctrine of divine providence, which suggests God governs all events, even those that seem to be a result of human free will."

Open theism does in fact deny what the scriptures say about God's omniscience. Also, God is able to control a world where his rational creatures are given choices or a degree of free will.  

"God's Power and Sovereignty: Some argue that Open Theism diminishes God's power and sovereignty by suggesting He is not fully in control of the future."

If God is not able to control the choices and activities of his creatures, then his power and sovereignty would be limited. But, we have already seen in this series where God did cause people to choose a certain way. He hardened Pharaoh's heart and this was behind his choice to go back on his word. We could fill pages with examples where both good and bad choices were made by God's influence, or lack thereof, on the will. God did not give up any of his control over his creatures by giving them free choice.

"The Problem of Evil: Open Theism is sometimes seen as offering a potential solution to the problem of evil by suggesting that God, while omnibenevolent, does not have complete control over events."

But open theism is no solution at all to the problem of evil, a subject we covered in the opening chapters of this series in discussing various theodicies.  

"Biblical Interpretation: Open Theists often rely on specific biblical passages to support their view, while critics counter that such passages are often misinterpreted." 

In my dialogues and debates with those from the "Church of Christ" and with a local group of Baptist churches I argued against their belief that God did not know everything. The former group would say to me "God knows all that he wants to know," implying that some things God does not know because he does not want to know those things. The latter group would cite passages that say that God came to know something as a result of what a creature chose to do or passages that say that God does not remember the sins of those he has forgiven. 

"And He said, “Do not lay your hand on the lad, or do anything to him; for now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your son, your only son, from Me.” (Gen. 22: 12 nkjv)

"For now I knew - literally, have known; not caused thee to know (Augustine), but caused others to know (Lange); or the words are used anthropomorphically (Calvin) - that thou fearest God" (Pulpit commentary).

This represents a formal recognition of Abraham's fear of God, such as a trier of facts or judge might utter in a formal hearing. It is another example of God speaking anthropomorphically or after the manner of men and is not implied that God did not know beforehand what Abraham would choose to do.

Gill's commentary says:

"...this is said after the manner of men...or this may be understood of a knowledge of approbation, that the Lord now knew, and approved of the faith, fear, love, and obedience of Abraham, which were so conspicuous in this affair, see Psalm 1:6."

The local Baptist churches referenced above, through their leading elder, use to argue with me that when God says that he will "remember your sins no more" (Jer. 31: 34; Heb. 8: 12) that this literally meant that God had no more knowledge of those sins. I found this a gross interpretation and showed how foolish it was. God does not forget, willingly or unwillingly. I affirmed that the statement means that God will never go back on his word or promise of forgiveness, that he will never formally "charge" those forgiven, as Paul said "who shall lay anything to the charge of God's elect? It is God who justifies." (Rom. 8: 33) 

I also pointed out how Paul, while writing by the inspiration of God the Holy Spirit, enumerated his past sins (all which God had forgiven) in First Timothy 1: 13. So, though God did not know (remember) in a legal sense (Paul's record had been cleaned), he still knew that Paul had committed those sins. If that is not true, then we must say that Paul knew things that God did not know, reductio ad absurdum. 

So, in conclusion we say that God created man in spite of the fact that he knew how evil he would become and that he had good reasons for so doing, even though we may not fully grasp the reasons. As we pointed out in our discussion of the problem of evil, God creates or suffers evil to exist because he intends to use that evil to bring about some greater good, whether that greater good is creature free will or to manifest his mercy, grace, goodness, etc., on the one hand, and his just wrath against that evil on the other hand.