Christian. I study the GENIUS of the design and creation of the human body. PhD student (Cellular & Molecular Biology. Focus: DNA Repair, Cancer) at University of Vermont.
Musician
John 1:1–2 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God.
Few doctrines in Christianity stir as much debate, confusion, and criticism as the doctrine of the Trinity. Interestingly, the word “Trinity” itself never appears in the Bible. Neither do words like “Rapture” or “Advent.” Yet Christians across centuries have rightly believed these teachings because the truths behind them are plainly taught in Scripture.
When the Bible speaks of what we now call the Trinity, it uses the term “Godhead,” a word that appears three times in Scripture. The doctrine itself can be summarized simply—though not easily explained: there is one God who exists eternally in three persons. God is not divided, yet He is not solitary. He is one in essence, three in person.
This truth stretches the limits of human understanding. In fact, it may be impossible to fully explain. And history shows that when believers try too hard to explain the Trinity—especially in an effort to silence critics—they sometimes drift into serious doctrinal error.
One such error is polytheism, where the attempt to defend the Trinity accidentally results in three gods. That directly contradicts the clear teaching of Scripture: “The LORD our God is one LORD” (Deuteronomy 6:4), and “I am the LORD, and there is none else, there is no God beside me” (Isaiah 45:5).
Another error is modalism, the idea that God is one person who simply wears three different masks at different times. This view erases the real distinctions between the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit—distinctions the Bible clearly maintains.
The purpose of this writing, then, is not to unravel the mystery of the Trinity or reduce it to human logic, but to show plainly that the Trinity is a biblical doctrine.
Scripture itself testifies: “For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one” (1 John 5:7). And if the Bible translation you are holding omits or alters this verse, it is worth pausing to ask why one of the clearest statements on the Trinity would be removed.
The Persons of the Trinity
A person is more than a role or an appearance. A person is a distinct, self-aware, relational being—someone with identity, will, and the ability to relate to others.
The Father is described as a person in Hebrews 1:3, where Scripture speaks of the “express image of his person.” The Son is also identified as a person, as seen in 2 Corinthians 2:10, where forgiveness is spoken of as being granted “in the person of Christ.” The Holy Spirit, though not directly labeled “a person” in the same way, is clearly personal—He speaks, guides, teaches, and comforts. Jesus Himself refers to Him as the Comforter.
Each of these persons is described as fully God. The Father is God. The Son is God. The Holy Spirit is God. And yet, there are not three gods, but one God. This is not a contradiction—it is a mystery.
The Trinity Revealed in Salvation
The Bible reveals the Trinity in several powerful moments: in creation, at the baptism of Jesus, in prayer, and most beautifully, in salvation.
Hebrews 9:13–14 paints this picture clearly:
“For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh: How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God.”
Under the Old Covenant, the high priest entered beyond the second veil once a year on the Day of Atonement. He himself was sinful. The sacrifice he brought was imperfect. It could not remove sin—only cover it temporarily.
But Christ was different. Born under the law yet without sin, He did what no Levitical priest could ever do. Once—and for all—He offered Himself.
And He did not do this alone.
The Son offered Himself to the Father, through the eternal Spirit. The Trinity was fully present in the work of redemption.
This raises an important question: What role did the Holy Spirit play in this sacrifice?
Scripture answers: “Without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit” (1 Timothy 3:16).
Here is the picture. The Son of God entered the world in real human flesh and lived under the law. He faced temptation just as we do. For His sacrifice to be acceptable, He had to be perfectly sinless. Throughout His earthly life, the Holy Spirit bore witness to every thought, every action, every moment.
And when the time came for Christ to offer Himself, the Spirit testified to the Father: There is no blemish. No stain. No wrinkle. No sin.
He is righteous.
“Justified in the Spirit.” Declared perfectly righteous.
That testimony is recorded in Scripture itself: “He was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin” (Hebrews 4:15).
The sinless Son, vindicated by the Spirit, offered Himself to the Father. That offering paid the price for our redemption.
What a salvation this is. Planned by the Father. Accomplished by the Son. Testified and applied by the Spirit.
One God. Three persons. Perfectly united in saving us.
Sunday afternoon, 15th Feb 26, Faith Baptist Church Vermont
I don’t love beginning on a sober note, but sometimes that’s the only honest path to something meaningful. Stay with me—it doesn’t end where it starts.
There are truths that quietly, permanently reshape the way you see life. This is one of them.
Years ago, after visiting loved ones who had passed on, I would walk through a cemetery and read the tombstones. One detail was always the same: two dates, a birth and a death, separated by a small hyphen. That little line began to haunt me.
Every person who has ever lived has lived inside that hyphen.
Every joy and every sorrow. Every victory, every failure, every prayer whispered and every tear shed. The entire human experience is compressed into that small line between two dates. Some hyphens stretch long; others end far too soon. But every one of them is finite.
And then there’s sonder—the realization that every stranger you see has an inner life just as vivid and complex as your own. As real as my memories and emotions are to me, theirs were just as real to them. Yet when I stand before a tombstone, all of that depth—love, fear, laughter, regret—is reduced to a hyphen. I have no idea who they were. Just a line between two dates.
From Genesis 1 until now, there has always been the cycle of time: “the evening and the morning were the first day.” And so it has been ever since. “To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven” (Ecclesiastes 3:1).
There was a season in my life when my biggest worry was whether dinner would be beans or jollof rice. Now my concerns are heavier, more complex. Time has a way of doing that.
Time itself is a strange thing. When did it actually begin? When did the first shadow move across the ground? When did the sand in the hourglass start to fall? When did the clock begin to tick?
John 1:1 — In the beginning was the Word.
“The beginning” refers to that precise moment on the number line when time started counting. If you could build a time machine and travel backward as far as possible, you would reach that point—and no further. And when you arrived, you would find that God was already there.
And if you traveled forward to the farthest possible future, to the end of time itself, you would discover the same truth: God is already there.
For God, there are no dates flanking the line, just have the hyphen. And even that image falls short, because God is not bound by time at all. Every event that has ever occurred in the universe has happened within time’s number line. God exists outside of it.
“I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty” (Revelation 1:8).
Try, for a moment, to think beyond time. What would that even be like?
We struggle with this because we are creatures of time. We measure life in years, distance in hours, and even speak of God as existing in “eternity past”—though “past” itself is a time-bound word. Still, Scripture tells us this much: before time existed, God is.
Jesus hints at that eternal reality in John 17:5: “And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was.” Before creation, before time, the Godhead existed in perfect unity and glory. Our time-bound minds cannot fully grasp what that means.
And then something astonishing happened.
When the Word became flesh, God did not merely step into His creation—He stepped into time itself.
“But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law” (Galatians 4:4).
The God who exists outside the number line looked at a single moment within it and declared, This is the fullness of time. And then He entered it.
In His humanity, the eternal Son received a birthdate—though He had existed forever. He accepted a death date—though death could not hold Him. The timeless One subjected Himself to seasons, to waiting, to hunger and weariness, to joy and grief.
He experienced betrayal and sorrow, suffering and death—and then resurrection. He knew the weeping that endures for the night and the joy that comes in the morning. The eternal Word, the Lord Jesus Christ, lived the entire human story inside the hyphen.
Why does this matter?
Two verses tell us why.
First, “For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly” (Romans 5:6). The Eternal One entered time to redeem those bound by it.
Second, “For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need” (Hebrews 4:15–16).
He experienced the full ebb and flow of human life so that, when we suffer within our hyphen, we do not suffer alone.
He who had no beginning accepted a birth. He who could not die accepted death. So that those of us bound by time might live forever.
What a God we serve. What a God we serve.
Sunday Afternoon Service, Faith Baptist Church Vermont, 1st Feb. 2026.
13When Jesus came into the coasts of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, saying, Whom do men say that I the Son of man am? 14And they said, Some say that thou art John the Baptist: some, Elias; and others, Jeremias, or one of the prophets. 15He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am? 16And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. 17And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven.
This may be the most important question ever asked: Who is Jesus? Every person, at some point, must face it, whether they realize it or not.
Over the centuries many answers have been offered. He has been called a prophet, a teacher, a miracle worker, a political savior, a moral example, a social reformer, a highly evolved spiritual guide, even a spirit brother of Lucifer. Some simply see Him as a good man.
Scripture, however, does not leave Him in a category of human speculation. The purpose of this blog is to explore from the Bible what it teaches about the deity of the Lord Jesus Christ, especially for those in Christian circles who are being led astray by false teaching, whether through deliberate distortion or sincere misunderstanding of the Text. The question is too important to ignore and the answer too vital to leave unclear.
For those who already hold the Bible to be true, I ask only this: as we examine the evidence, consider the arguments as a whole. Try not to disengage when a particular point feels weaker than you might expect. Often clarity comes not from one statement standing alone, but from the cumulative weight of the evidence taken together. For those that have no doubt about this, I urge you to read as well. There is encouragement for you as we venerate our Lord Jesus Christ.
1. Old Testament Prophecies Point to His Deity
We are familiar with Isaiah 9:6. “For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder:” And we can all collectively agree that this prophecy is made concerning the Lord Jesus (verse 7 makes this clearer). Verse 6 continues by saying “and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.” Here, the Lord Jesus bears the title of God.
In Micah 5:2, we see the eternal origin of the Savior. “But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting. In fulfillment of this prophecy, the Lord Jesus was born in Bethlehem Ephratah centuries later and came from the tribe of Judah. Yet His origin is not confined to the manger. It stretches back into eternity, from everlasting.
2. The Works of Christ Prove His Deity
a. Creation and Sustenance
John 1:1-3. “1In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2The same was in the beginning with God. 3All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.
Verse 14 of this chapter tells us that “the Word was made flesh,” and later in the chapter, the Word who was made flesh is identified by John the Baptist as the Lord Jesus Christ. We are also familiar with Genesis 1:1, which says, “In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.” The Gospel of John reveals that the creation described in Genesis was accomplished through the Word, who is the Lord Jesus Christ.
Colossians 1:15-17. “15Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature: 16For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: 17And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.
Some may argue that the phrase “firstborn of every creature” means that Christ Himself is a created being, merely the first to be created. However, that is not what this passage teaches! The very next verse states that all things were created by Him. If Christ were Himself a created being, this would lead to an impossible conclusion, that Jesus created Himself. If He did not exist prior to creation, then creation itself could not exist.
Scripture clarifies this further in verse 18, where Christ’s being called “firstborn” speaks not of origin, but of preeminence. It is a title of supremacy and authority over all creation. Not only is the Lord Jesus the Creator of all things, He is also their Sustainer. As the passage declares, “By him all things consist.”
b. Forgiving sins
Mark 2:5-7. “When Jesus saw their faith, he said unto the sick of palsy, Son thy sins be forgiven thee. But there were certain of the scribes sitting there, and reasoning in their hearts, Why doth this man thus speak blasphemies? Who can forgive sins but God only?”
In one sense, the scribes are not entirely wrong. Isaiah 43:25 records the words of God: “I, even I, am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake, and will not remember thy sins.” The answer to their question, “Who can forgive sins but God only?” is no one. Only God has the authority to permanently erase the record of sin.
What the scribes fail to recognize is that the One standing before them, who speaks forgiveness with divine authority, is God Himself.
c. Authority of God
People often say, “Only God can judge me,” usually as a way to avoid accountability or deflect correction. That discussion is for another time. What Scripture makes clear, however, is that the authority to judge as God has been given to the Lord Jesus Christ.
John 5:22. “For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son
3. The Worship of Christ Demonstrates His Deity
It is inbuilt in the heart of man to worship. A person who refuses to worship God will inevitably direct that worship toward someone or something else. In the passage below, we see Peter—yes, a Jew, yes, an Apostle of the Lord Jesus (a topic for another blog, as there are no living Apostles today according to Scripture)—being worshipped by a man.
If you ever find yourself in a position, whether by your own rise or by the elevation others give you, where people seek to worship you, your response must be like Peter’s.
Acts 10:25-26. “And as Peter was coming in, Cornelius met him, and fell down at his feet and worshipped him. But Peter took him up, saying, Stand up; I myself also am a man.”
So if I should not worship man, what about an angel? Surely an angel deserves worship.
Revelation 22:8-9. “And I John saw these things, and heard them. And when I had heard and seen, I fell down to worship before the feet of the angel which shewed me these things. Then saith he unto me, See thou do it not: for I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren the prophets, and of them which keep the sayings of this book: worship God.”
The angel’s response makes it clear: “I am not a man, but I am thy fellowservant. You cannot worship me. Worship God.” So, I cannot worship man, and I cannot worship angels. But what about the anointed cherub that covereth, as in Ezekiel 28:14? Surely that is a step higher.
During the temptation of Jesus, this cherub offered the same challenge:
Matthew 4: 9-10. “And saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me. Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.”
The lesson is clear: man, angels, and cherubim are not worthy of worship. Only God is. If Jesus were not God and still accepted worship, He would be the greatest fraud, no different from Lucifer, who tried to entice mankind to worship him.
Yet angels are commanded to worship Him (Hebrews 1:6), and every knee will bow to Him—on heaven, on earth, and under the earth—everywhere (Philippians 2:10).
The Lord Jesus did not reject the worship of them in the ship, and Thomas
Matthew 14:33 Then they that were in the ship came and worshipped him, saying of a truth thou art the Son of God.
John 20:27-28. 27Then saith he to Thomas, Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side: and be not faithless but believing. 28And Thomas answered and said unto him, my Lord and my God
4. The Father Calls the Son “God”
Hebrews 1:8. “But unto the Son he saith, Thy throne O God, is for ever and ever: a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of thy kingdom.”
If God the Father Himself calls the Son “God,” then what more is there to discuss?
5. It was God that was manifest in the flesh
1 Tim. 3:16. And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.
When we compare Scripture with Scripture, we see that the Word, Jesus Christ, was manifest in the flesh, as described in John 1. 1 Timothy 3:16 makes it unmistakably clear that the One who was manifest in the flesh is God Himself. Jesus is God.
6. It was God that died on the Cross
1 John 3:16. Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.
Who laid down His life for us? Jesus Christ. This verse makes it clear that it was God Himself who gave His life. Therefore, Jesus is God.
7. The Blood of redemption was God’s
Acts 20:28. Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.
Notice carefully: who is the “he” that purchased the church of God with His own blood? God. And Scripture elsewhere tells us that we are redeemed by the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ. Bible with Bible, Jesus is God.
8. No mere mortal could claim to be the Savior of man
Hosea 13:4. Yet I am the Lord thy God from the land of Egypt, and thou shalt know no god but me: for there is no savior beside me.
This verse makes it unmistakably clear: there is no Savior apart from the Lord your God.
9. Religious leaders knew He claimed to be God
John 5:16-18. And therefore did the Jews persecute Jesus, and sought to slay him, because he had done these things on the sabbath day. 17 But Jesus answered them, My Father worketh hitherto, and I work. 18 Therefore the Jews sought the more to kill him, because he not only had broken the sabbath, but said also that God was his Father, making himself equal with God.
John 8: 58-59. Jesus said unto them. Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am. 59 Then took they up stones to cast at him:
You do not need to be an English scholar to notice that this sentence is grammatically unusual. Jesus is deliberately identifying Himself with the God who revealed Himself to Moses as “I AM” in Exodus 3:14. His Jewish listeners understood exactly what He was claiming, and their immediate response was to pick up stones to kill Him.
10. “Son of God” is God!
I have also heard the argument that Jesus is only the Son of God and not God. Consider this passage, which shows that claiming to be the Son of God is, in fact, a claim to be God.
John 10:30-33. 30 I and my Father are one. 31 Then the Jews took up stones again to stone him. 32 Jesus answered them, Many good works have I shewed you from my Father; for which of those works do ye stone me? 33 The Jews answered him, saying, For a good work we stone thee not; but for blasphemy; and because that thou, being a man makest thyself God. 34 Jesus answered them, Is it not written in your law, I said, Ye are gods? 35 If he called them gods, unto whom the word of God came, and the scripture cannot be broken; 36 Say ye of him, whom the Father hath sanctified, and sent into the world, Thou blasphemest; because I said, I am the Son of God.
The Jews were not trying to stone Him for His good works. They were accusing Him of blasphemy because, by calling God His Father and claiming to be the Son of God, He was asserting His own divinity.
I know this is longer than what I normally share, but I hope it has been deeply rewarding and encouraging. If it was not God Himself who paid the price for our sins, the righteous wrath of God would remain unsatisfied. Yet by believing that God, the Eternal Word, took on flesh, lived as a man, died, and rose again according to the Scriptures, we can receive eternal life. What a God! What a Savior!
Wednesday Night Bible Study; October 8, 25. Faith Baptist Church, Vermont.
I really love traveling by air. There’s just something about it that makes me come alive. I love being in airports—the atmosphere, the movement, the endless possibilities of where people are headed. I even love being on the plane itself. Believe it or not, I enjoy the plane food too. The whole experience stirs up a kind of joy in me that’s hard to explain.
But what I love most is watching people. Airports feel like windows into so many untold stories. I see the mother cradling her baby, the child fussing in line, the businessman gripping his briefcase, the young guy with headphones, what’s he listening to, I wonder? And behind every face, I imagine a whole world of emotions.
Maybe someone just got the best news of their life and is practically floating. Maybe another is grieving deeply, holding back tears. One person might be celebrating a big promotion, while another just lost their job. Someone may have bought this ticket with excitement, while another used their very last savings just to get here.
Airports remind me that we’re all carrying something invisible. More than luggage, we carry our hopes, our struggles, our private joys, and our hidden heartbreaks. And for a moment, in that busy space, all those stories are traveling side by side.
The word is sonder. It is a beautiful, newly coined term that describes the sudden realization that everyone around you is living a life as rich and complicated as your own. Each person carries their own mix of dreams, fears, routines, and struggles, even as they pass by unnoticed in the rush of daily life.
Then the plane begins to climb. Hundreds of feet become thousands, and soon tens of thousands. Faces blur into dots, cars shrink into toys, neighborhoods fade into faint clusters of lights. From up here, the worries and stories of the people below seem invisible. Their lives, so urgent and pressing on the ground, appear almost insignificant from this height.
The best flights catch either sunrise or sunset, when the horizon glows with colors no artist could capture. And there, hanging above it all, is the Sun, a blazing sphere of fire, unimaginably massive, and I am glad it is sitting 150 million kilometers away. I marvel at how something so vast and powerful shares the same universe with us fragile humans with our fleeting desires, our worries, our small but deeply felt needs. From the window of an airplane, it all feels both humbling and holy: the smallness of our lives against the backdrop of such immensity, and yet the undeniable beauty in both.
But then I find my thoughts turning to the one thing we all share: an appointment with death. In that busy space, every single person, without exception, has that same appointment waiting. White and die, black and die, rich and die, poor and die, old and die, young and die, sorrowful and die, joyful and die. Death is the great equalizer.
And I wonder, as those countless faces pass by, have they ever truly contemplated their mortality? Do they understand the weight of that appointment?
Hebrews 9:27 comes to mind: “And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment.”
Do they know that there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved—only Jesus? Looking down at the lights of those neighborhoods, I find myself pondering: is there a community there that knows this truth, that cares enough to guide others toward the only way of escape? Then my eyes lift to the sun, blazing in its glory, and I offer a silent prayer of gratitude. Grateful that I am no longer in enmity with the God who opens his mouth and stuff like that comes flying out. Grateful that I am held, not by fear, but by grace, under the gaze of a Creator so vast and yet intimately near.
I’ve been reflecting for a while now on what it really means to steal. When we think of a thief, we often picture someone breaking into a house, robbing a bank, or holding someone at gunpoint. Truthfully, I don’t know anyone personally who fits that description—no armed robbers, no internet scammers, no shoplifters or pickpockets in my close circle. (Maybe a few loose cannons here and there, but nothing too wild.)
And yet, the more I think about it, the more I realize—I’ve stolen before. Not (always) in the headline-making kind of way, but in the quiet, socially acceptable ways we often overlook. The truth is, theft wears many masks. Some are violent. Others are quiet, respectable, even rewarded. But in the end, the heart behind them might not be so different. I’ll speak in general terms, not (just) to protect myself legally, but to point out something bigger: many of us have stolen time, energy, or trust.
We may not rob our bosses at gunpoint, but we steal in subtler ways—arriving late to work, leaving early, stretching lunch breaks, scrolling on our phones while on the clock, or finding ways to avoid responsibility while still drawing a paycheck. It’s easier to justify because no one gets physically hurt and there’s no dramatic confrontation. But is it any less dishonest?
Most people—hopefully—would never dream of scamming innocent victims online. They’d never run a “Yahoo Yahoo” scheme or defraud someone out of their life savings. But many of those same people, without a second thought, will log into a friend’s Netflix account to binge a show, even though it’s against the provider’s terms. We don’t see it as stealing—but morally, is it really that different from breaking into Netflix HQ and walking out with ₦8,500 each month?
The same goes for pirated movies—downloading from cracked sites, or streaming from sketchy corners of the internet. It might not look like theft, but it’s the same as sneaking into a filmmaker’s home, raiding their pantry, and walking out with their groceries—over and over again. Copying pages from a copyrighted book without permission? That’s theft in a single dose. Selling that material for profit? That’s theft on steroids.
And then there’s borrowing money and never paying it back—not because you can’t, but because the lender hasn’t followed up, or you assume it doesn’t matter to them. Even if it won’t land you in jail, you’re not off the moral hook. How about with time? If something is fixed for a certain time and people leave jobs that could have paid by the hour to be present, and you start late, isn’t that same as robbing them of the money they could have made if they had not showed up for you.
So many other examples.
Please, don’t be mad at me. I am just trying to establish that we are thieves in need of repentance, while I tell you the major reason I am writing this.
The Tale of Two Thieves
Given that lengthy introduction, I bring you this true story from the Bible in the Gospel Book of Luke 23.
32 And there were also two other, malefactors, led with him to be put to death. 33 And when they were come to the place, which is called Calvary, there they crucified him, and malefactors, one on the right hand, and the other on the left……39 And one of the malefactors which were hanged railed on him saying, If thou be Christ, save thyself and us. 40 But the other answering rebuked him, saying Dost not thou fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation? 41 And we indeed justly; for we receive the due reward of our deeds: but this man hath done nothing amiss. 42 And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom. 43 And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To Day shalt thou be with me in paradise.
In Matthew 27:44, these malefactors are described as ‘thieves’. Both were thieves. Both were receiving just punishment for their crimes. Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death…”. Both were inches away from the Savior. One thief refused to believe and put his hope by faith in Christ alone and died to eternally receive the full wage for his sin. The other with his dying breathes put his confidence in Christ alone, and went on to the experience the rest of Romans 6:23 “…but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”
Now that we have established that you are probably a thief, somehow (no offense), I wonder which kind of thief you will be.
Numbers 21: 5-9. And the people spake against God, and against Moses, Wherefore have ye brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? for there is no bread, neither is there any water; and our soul loatheth this light bread. 6And the Lord sent fiery serpents among the people; and much people of Israel died. 7Therefore the people came to Moses, and said, We have sinned, for we have spoken against the Lord, and against thee; pray unto the Lord, that he take away the serpents from us. And Moses prayed for the people. 8And the Lord said unto Moses, Make thee a fiery serpent, and set it upon a pole: and it shall come to pass, that every one that is bitten, when he looketh upon it, shall live. 9And Moses made a serpent of brass, and put it upon a pole, and it came to pass, that if a serpent had bitten any man, when he beheld the serpent of brass, he lived.
Hello friends,
I recently came across a passage in the Bible that really struck me, and I felt compelled to share a few thoughts with you.
One of the most common responses Christians hear when sharing the gospel is: “I’m good.” What that usually means is, “I’m not perfect, but I’m not that bad. I’m better than most.” We tend to compare ourselves with the likes of Hitler, Stalin, murderers—the worst of the worst—and feel justified by comparison.
But Scripture challenges that logic in a profound way.
In Numbers 21, we see God sending fiery serpents among the Israelites—not because they committed heinous crimes, but because they grumbled.
Yes, grumbling.
That everyday complaining we all do without thinking—probably something you and I have already done today. It’s one of the “smaller sins” we rarely take seriously. But in God’s eyes, even grumbling was worthy of death.
“For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.”- Romans 3:23. “The wages of sin is death”- Romans 6:23.
Sin isn’t about being worse than someone else. It’s about falling short of God’s righteousness. And when held up to that standard, we all fall woefully short.
“All our righteousness are as filthy rags;” Isaiah 64:6.
But God, in His mercy, provided a way to be saved. He told Moses to lift a bronze serpent on a pole. And the instruction was simple:
“Everyone who is bitten, when he looks at it, shall live.”
That’s it. Just look. Not strive. Not sacrifice. Not argue or philosophize about better ways.
But imagine someone refusing:
“Why a serpent? Couldn’t it be something else?”
“I’d rather dunk myself in the river of Baptism—it feels more spiritual.”
“What if my good deeds outweigh my bad ones?”
“Maybe I could get a saint, a prophet, to show me another way”
But none of that would save them. Only looking would.
Just like that serpent was lifted in the wilderness, Jesus Christ—the sinless, spotless Lamb of God—was lifted up on a cross.
He bore your sin and my sin. He took the full punishment that we deserve, so we could receive His righteousness and live.
“Behold the man upon the cross!”
There is no other way. No plan B. No name under heaven that saves except Jesus Christ.
“Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved” Acts 16:31.
It took you a few minutes to read this. That’s a few minutes closer to the end of your life. Eternity isn’t something we can afford to ignore. You really do need to think about what comes next.
The judgment is coming. But so is mercy—offered freely to all who look to Jesus.
A hallmark of spiritual maturity is found in the profound sense of underservedness that characterizes a mature Christian. They navigate life with the assurance of the sacrificial act of Christ on the Cross, fully aware that, were it not for grace, they would embody the essence of evil. They are as evil, maybe more so, as those people that make the 9pm news. While they stand firm in the certainty of salvation and eternity, they acknowledge that, if by some divine declaration God were to say, “I am not saving you anymore. You be damned!”, they would receive the just retribution they deserve.
Their Christian journey is not an endeavor to earn a place on the honor roll of heaven, to ‘make heaven’, because even what people may count as righteous, is just a very filthy rag. The term ‘Redeemed’, spoken with trembling lips, both uplifts and humbles the heart. They are captivated by the profound transaction that unfolded on that sacrificial Cross, constantly pondering the questions of “what happened? Why and how did it happen? Who is He? What is my life to be now?” These inquiries propel their spiritual pursuit.
Interestingly, as their knowledge of the Savior deepens, so does their understanding of themselves. The more they grasp the reasons for their Savior’s worthiness of worship, the more they recognize their own inherent worthlessness. No longer questioning why ‘bad things’ happen to them, they wonder why any good things occur at all. Their sole objective becomes clear: “He must increase, I must decrease.” Their value is no longer tied to societal status, but being continuously stripped of pride, their worth is only dependent on the extent to which they are of service to the Saviour.
They refrain from trivializing their sins as mistakes; instead, they confront them with a stark acknowledgment of their true nature, and the weight of this realization breaks their heart. Engaged in an unceasing battle against sin, they grapple with its challenges daily. Immersed in the transformative power of the Word, it serves as the lens through which they perceive the world. Every facet of their lives undergo scrutiny through the Biblical microscope. Everything!
Upon transitioning to eternity, they find themselves adorned in a cloak of righteousness that is completely alien, recognizing the stark contrast with what he truly deserves. Their gaze turns to the Lamb that was sacrificed on their behalf, and s/he joyfully adds their voice to the ongoing rhapsody. “Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honor, and glory, and blessing. For thou hast redeemed me to God by thy blood.”
Personally: This profound relationship is neither inherited nor contagious; It is not transmitted by utterances such as ‘God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob’ or God of ***insert G.O name***. Rather, this relationship is nurtured through deliberate effort. “I aspire to know you in your purest essence -not an interpretation of you, not a borrowed perception, and certainly not through verses of songs. I yearn to understand your core identity. What defines you? What brings you joy? What stirs your displeasure? Can you lay bare your heart before me? Scrutinize my heart. Guide me onto the right path. Can we share moments in communion? My desire is to intimately know you and be known by you.
Permanently: This commitment is final and unwavering. No matter the hurdles that lie ahead, regardless of the sacrifices required, we are resolute in seeing this journey through.
Repentantly: A true disciple’s hallmark isn’t just repentance, but an ongoing journey of repentance. Such a disciple doesn’t dwell in the realm of persistent sin. Instead, there is a continual turning away from sinful ways. Repentance ushers in a profound shift in perspective, compelling the disciple to turn 180 degrees and embrace a diametrically opposite course.
Obediently: A follower of Christ is one who operates under the unequivocal authority of the Word. Engaging in prayer over matters explicitly laid out in the Bible is redundant for such a disciple. Like a dutiful soldier, they derive their directives from the Word and diligently execute them, irrespective of personal sentiments.
Immediately: There is no space for extended farewells or one last dance with sin. The call to discipleship isn’t linked to a particular age or status. It’s immediate, without delay.
Comprehensively: A disciple’s existence is singular; they lead an undivided life devoted to Christ. Whether spending time with their spouse, engaging with their children, fulfilling secular responsibilities or responsibilities in the Church, they remain steadfast in their discipleship.
Unconditionally: A disciple doesn’t stipulate conditions for their allegiance. There are no ‘if you do this, I will serve you’ clauses. The disciple embodies the resolve of Job, declaring, “Though He slay me, yet will I trust in Him.” The disciple’s devotion isn’t contingent on wealth, success, protection, or providence. It is an unflinching commitment to follow Christ, come what may.
Openly: The disciple bears no shame in their allegiance to their Master. Amidst the prevailing trend of self-identifications, they proudly identify as Christian.
Exclusively: A disciple of Christ acknowledges a sole Master – Christ and none other. Not Christ alongside an altar, other religions, philosophers, or even pastors. Christ stands alone. This doesn’t negate the disciple’s submission to pastoral leadership or their involvement in the Church; in fact, such interactions exemplify the interdependence of fellow soldiers accountable to each other, with Christ as the ultimate Shepherd and Captain.
So what will it cost to embrace the path of Christ? The answer is unequivocal: Everything! It will cost everything!
Matthew 16: 24-26. Then said Jesus unto His disciples, if any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever loses his life for my sake shall find it. For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?
Prov. 6: 16-19. These six things doth the LORD hate: Yea, seven are an abomination unto him: A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, an heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swiftin running to mischief, a false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among the brethren.
Sometimes, words I type jump out of the screen and scream at me ‘Hypocrite!’ This will, undoubtedly, be one of those times, and I pray for a repentant heart. As a rule of thumb, if the Bible says God hates or loves something, it is good to read that again with your glasses on. Yea, seven are an abomination unto him: A proud look… I can look at pride in 2 ways, though they are related. The first is one way the Bible describes ‘Pride’ that somehow most Christians seem oblivious of, so I will start with this one. It involves pride with respect to God.
A good way to understand ‘pride’ is to understand its opposite: humility. And it goes to say, that if God hates pride, he loves humility. Peter said something interesting in 1 Peter 5:5-7. …and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble. Humble yourselves thereforeunder the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time: casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.Did you notice the language? The path of humility is in casting all your care upon him. I can paraphrase this passage as: The proud person doesn’t consider God as his Source and Sustenance, and God resists him; the humble is completely dependent on God and falls on God, and God lifts him up. Psalm 10:4 says “The wicked, through the pride of his countenance, will not seek after God: God is not in all his thoughts.” Do you see it? A lack of a time of study of the Word is a proud look. A lack of prayer time is a proud look. A lack of fellowship is a proud look. Making plans in life without consulting God through the Scripture is a proud look! Paint this picture in your mind’s eye of a man thumping his nose, raising a clenched fist to the heavens and saying “I can do it myself God! I don’t need you! I am in charge of my life! This is my show. Don’t interfere. I am my own god now. Keep far from me and we can meet only on Sundays.” That is what happens when we leave God out of our lives whether you say those words or not. And God says “…I hate a proud look…I will resist you”. Romans 8:31 says “if God be for us, who can be against us?” Hmmm…. If God be against you, who can be for you you?
However, the humble person’s blueprint to life is in Proverbs 3:5-6.
“Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; And lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, And he shall direct thy paths.”
The second way to consider pride is in relation to others. Apostle Paul admonishes the Church in Phillipi in this way: “…in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than themselves. Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others.”Phil. 2:3b-4. Have you ever met someone like this? I have recently, a man named Dave Roy. No job is beneath them, no body is below them. Humanity needs to protect them at all cost because they are an endangered specie. It is just a rare sight in this age. It is completely counterculture. This is the age of the ‘self-esteem’ movement. “I must look out for me”. “Me first! Then, maybe, you later.” “I can’t pour from an empty cup.” Have you noticed a boom in the market for self-help? Worse is the false reality of self that is being sold to us, that makes us struggle to acquire possessions and power. It permeates everything. That is why we can use language like “Do you know who I am?” and “I don’t blame you, you don see me finish”. We place immense boastful pride in our jobs, professions, titles, bank accounts, principles, relationships and connections. Have you ever come to terms with your own mortality? Truly. You sit down in contemplation and deeply realize that you are not immortal and someday you are going to die?
1 Peter 1:24-25 For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away: But the word of the Lord endureth forever.
It is all going to burn someday. The humble doesn’t boast in any of these or puts his trust in them. Psalm 34:2 My soul shall make her boast in the Lord: the humble shall hear thereof, and be glad. The humble knows that, but for the Cross, they have no other hope. True humility flows out of intimacy with God. The more intimate a person is with God, the more humble they’ll be! The more you gaze at him, the more you study and learn about him, the more you see how filthy you are, the deeper you realize how immeasurably small you are. In his book, Isaiah in chapter 6: 1-4 saw a vision of the Lord sitting upon a throne. His response in verse 5 is this: Then said I, Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts. Sometimes, even just seeing an Angel makes people in the Bible fall down on their face, that the Angel will have to caution them not to do that. The clearer the vision of God you have, the clearer the vision of yourself. That’s when you begin to realize how worthless you are apart from him. The humble may be wealthy, or in positions of power, but the verses of the old hymn is their lifestyle:
I will not boast in anything, No gifts, no power, no wisdom; But I will boast in Jesus Christ, His death and resurrection. Why should I gain from His reward? I cannot give an answer; But this I know with all my heart – His wounds have paid my ransom.
Dear Christian, this is a ‘BE CAREFUL!’ kind of blog entry. It seems to be much more prevalent now, those things people say that make their listeners lean back, nod their heads in contemplation, chin in hand and say ‘Rhema’…’Preach’. I am reminded of Paul’s charge to Timothy:
2 Timothy 4: 1-5. I charge you therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who will judge the living and the dead at His appearing and His kingdom: preach the word! Be ready in season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables. But you be watchful in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, fulfil your ministry.
It is no wonder we have this uptake of fancy preachers and churches pulling crowds of people. The first challenge is to preachers, those that ‘labor’ over the Word in any capacity: are you a false teacher? Whether out of malicious intent or ignorance, a false teacher is a false teacher. Do you preach the Word? Do you know the Word? Do you twist words, mince words, to soothe the emotions of your followers? It is becoming increasingly prevalent that the least likely place to hear the Word of God is the church. But you will be sure to learn about business and the likes, and you will certainly be entertained. Yeah there are comedians on the pulpits now. Not funny preachers, literal comedians.
This one has been with us a while with regards to the interpretation of Scriptures: “This is what it means to me”. Paul warned Timothy that people will turn to fables instead of Scripture. Listen to what Peter has to say as well. It is a long read, but worth it.
2 Peter 1: 16-21. For we did not follow cunningly devised fables when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of His majesty. For He received from God the Father honor and glory when such a voice came to Him from the Excellent Glory: “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” And we heard this voice which came from heaven when we were with Him on the holy mountain.And so we have the prophetic word confirmed, which you do well to heed as a light that shines in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts; knowing this first, that no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation, for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.
Phew. Powerful message there. Peter reminded believers that what they taught were not fables. They were there. They saw! They heard! Who better to confirm an event than an eyewitness? The first thing to know is that no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation. The Bible does not conform to us, we conform to the Bible. Don’t add to it. Don’t embellish it. With all due respect, what you feel about the Words therein or what they mean to you personally as far as interpretation is concerned, is of little importance. How the Word and interpretation as Biblically intended affects your life and behavior is what is important. To say this another way in an example, Romans 6:23 talks about the wages of sin being death, but the gift of God is eternal life. It simply means just that. How you to choose to act on that interpretation is on you and can vary from person to person, but it means just that. Any form of ‘Did God really say…?’ ‘You shall not surely die’ and the likes that try to change the interpretation is the language of the ancient serpent. You will often find yourself having to use Scripture to interpret Scripture. That is good! If you desire to teach the Word, you must be a student of the Bible. Take it like a doctorate degree that you won’t graduate from.
To the listeners. This passage should suffice:
Galatians 1: 6-9. I marvel that you are turning away so soon from Him who called in the grace of Christ, to a different gospel, which is not another; but there are some who trouble you and want to pervert the gospel of Christ. But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed. As we have said before, so now I say again, if anyone preaches any other gospel to you than what you have received, let him be accursed.
Not all pastors are Christians o. As you dey carry eye enter market, carry sense enter Church too! The Bible is sufficient. You just need to read it for yourself. Confirm what you hear carefully and develop your convictions. Be a student of the Bible. It doesn’t matter what title the preacher has in front of his name. But then again, do you go to Church to be entertained? How often do you play that ‘judge not’ card? Even once is one time too many. The Bible was used to show you that you are in sin and you need to repent and your response is ‘judge not’. That’s a major symptom of itchy ears. Some people don’t have a regular local Church, but go to Church every Sunday, from one fancy place to the next. another symptom. When our doctrine comes from song lyrics, that may be another symptom of itchy ears. Worship leaders, no be to sing song, is it doctrinally correct? Doesn’t matter that it is Hillsong or Maverick or another group that sang it; it doesn’t matter if when you heard the song, you broke down in tears, is it doctrinally correct? And also, how is it pointing you to the Cross, or are you using it to call attention to yourself while the service is going on? Taking pictures and recordings for the Gram of you lifting holy hands. Itchy ears. When it is Bible study, fellowship is empty; when it is games, you can’t keep people away. We need to wake up from this entertainment-driven worship to worship that is in spirit and truth.
Remember, there is more than one spirit out there. But there is only one Holy Spirit. The true Author of the Text is the Holy Spirit. So if someone says ‘The Holy Spirit just told me…” “God told me to tell you”…as though there is some mysticism attached to it, pull up a Bible, crack it open, and ask him/her to show you were! The Bible is sufficient for life (2 Tim. 3: 14-17). If it is not in the Bible, or a twist/modification of teachings in the Bible, a spirit may have told him/her that, but it certainly was not the Holy Spirit! Doesn’t matter how many days they stayed on the ‘mountain’.
Bottom line is that we have to be watchful. First examine yourself to be sure that you are in the faith. Then get to know Him and be known by Him. Everything is contained in the Bible. Get to know Him for yourself. We all have that potential for your itchy ears. Draw your ear every morning and tell it “You MUST endure sound doctrine!”
Kanayo Ikeh 