Sunday, June 30, 2024

June 30th - Elementary Teaching About Christ

 “Therefore leaving the elementary teaching about the Christ, let us press on to maturity, not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God, of instruction about washings and laying on of hands, and the resurrection of the dead and eternal judgment.” (Hebrews 6:1-3)

Of all of the mistranslations of Scripture into English, Satan’s crown jewel in my opinion is the translation of the Greek words "krimatos aioniou" as “eternal judgment”. Fortunately, there are a few Bible translations that Satan has not been able to influence. Here are two of the three I am familiar with…

“…of the teaching of baptisms, of laying on also of hands, of rising again also of the dead, and of judgment age-during” (Young’s Literal Translation), and

“…of the teaching of baptizings, besides the imposition of hands, and the resurrection of the dead, and of judgment eonian.” (Concordant Literal Translation)

What the writer of Hebrews is talking about is moving on from basic teaching that all Christians should be aware of to the maturity of knowing all of what God has planned for humanity. The elementary teachings I find are…

1. Jesus is the Savior of the world
2. The grace of God saves humanity, not good works
3. All creation will be reconciled to God
4. God the Father will be All in all
4. Our faith is to be in that plan of God the Father, and His Son, Christ Jesus

Paul summarizes this for me as follows:

“But now Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who are asleep. For since by a man came death, by a man also came the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all will be made alive. But each in his own order: Christ the first fruits, after that those who are Christ’s at His coming, then comes the end, when He hands over the kingdom to God the Father, when He has abolished all rule and all authority and power. For He must reign until He has put all His enemies under His feet. The last enemy that will be abolished is death. For He has put all things in subjection under His feet. But when He says, All things are put in subjection, it is evident that He is excepted who put all things in subjection to Him. When all things are subjected to Him, then the Son Himself also will be subjected to the One who subjected all things to Him, so that God may be ALL in ALL.” (1 Corinthians 15:20-28)

"...the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may be giving you a spirit of wisdom and revelation in the realization of Him, the eyes of your heart having been enlightened, for you to perceive what is the expectation of His calling, and what the riches of the glory of the enjoyment of His allotment among the saints, and what the transcendent greatness of His power for us who are believing, in accord with the operation of the might of His strength, which is operative in the Christ, rousing Him from among the dead and seating Him at His right hand among the celestials, up over every sovereignty and authority and power and lordship, and every name that is named, not only in this eon, but also in that which is impending: and subjects all under His feet, and gives Him, as Head over all, to the ecclesia which is His body, the complement of the One completing the ALL in ALL." (Ephesians 1:17-23)

December 23rd - Merry Christmas Israel!

"For a Boy, He is born to us; a Son, He is given to us, and the Chieftainship shall come to be on His shoulder, and one shall call His ...