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The Apostle Paul often expresses his recognition of God’s forgiveness in his life, yet being mindful of what he was like and for what God had forgiven him.  What a wonderful example for us to follow.

1 Timothy 1:12-16 [NASB]
I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has strengthened me, because He considered me faithful, putting me into service, even though I was formerly a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent aggressor.  Yet I was shown mercy because I acted ignorantly in unbelief; and the grace of our Lord was more than abundant, with the faith and love which are found in Christ Jesus.  It is a trustworthy statement, deserving full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, among whom I am foremost of all.  Yet for this reason I found mercy, so that in me as the foremost, Jesus Christ might demonstrate His perfect patience as an example for those who would believe in Him for eternal life.

I was looking at the Athanasian Creed recently and found myself asking if anyone could be saved if the doctrines in this creed are necessary for obtaining eternal life.  Even folks I know who affirm their belief in the trinity would hard pressed to say that they even understood what the tenets of this creed espouse.  Here are a few points that are made about the creed by R. C. Sproul as found at Christianity.com.

Quicumque vult - this phrase is the title attributed to what is popularly known as the Athanasian Creed. It was often called the Athanasian Creed because for centuries people attributed its authorship to Athanasius, the great champion of Trinitarian orthodoxy during the crisis of the heresy of Arianism that erupted in the fourth century. That theological crisis focused on the nature of Christ and culminated in the Nicene Creed in 325. . .

Never pay back evil for evil to anyone.  Respect what is right in the sight of all men.  If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all men.  Never take your own revenge, beloved, but leave room for the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay,” says the Lord.  “But if your enemy is hungry, feed him, and if he is thirsty, give him a drink; for in so doing you will heap burning coals in his head.”  Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. [ Romans 12:17-21 NASB]

. . . and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. . . For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.  Matthew 6:12,14,15 (ESV)

From these words spoken by our Lord, we know that we need to be concerned about forgiving others.  Like so many other aspects of the Christian walk, forgiveness can be difficult to nail down since it is something that takes place in the heart and mind of the believer.  I recently read an article* about forgiveness that helped shed some light on this topic.  There were five points listed about what forgiveness is not. Here they are.

And this is eternal life, that they know you the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent. John 17:3 (ESV)

Recently there was a debate at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School.  This debate centered around the trinity and as the name of the school would suggest, both sides in this debate believe in the trinity.  The question was: Do relations of authority and submission exist eternally among the persons of the Godhead?

Behold, I tell you a mystery; we will not all sleep, but we will all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet; for the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. For this perishable must put on the imperishable, and this mortal must put on immortality. But when this perishable will have put on the imperishable, and this mortal will have put on immortality, then will come about the saying that is written, “DEATH IS SWALLOWED UP IN VICTORY. O DEATH, WHERE IS YOUR VICTORY? O DEATH, WHERE IS YOUR STING?” The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law; but thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. (1 Corinthians 15:51-57 NASB)

HTML clipboardThen Jesus said him, “Begone Satan!  For it is written, You shall worship the Lord your God, and serve Him only.”  (Matthew 4:10 - NASB)
John Wilson was a printer and author, born in Scotland in 1802.  He later moved to America and was a staunch defender of Unitarianism.  His work on “Scripture Proofs and Scripture Illustrations of Unitarianism” is a great source of Biblical knowledge concerning the unity of God.  For a short biography of John Wilson you can go to:  http://www.famousamericans.net/johnwilson1/ .  His other Unitarian publications comprise “Scripture Proofs and Scripture Illustrations of Unitarianism” (1833; 3rd ed., London and Manchester, 1846; abridged, Boston, part i. ; new ed., New York, 1847); “The Concessions of Trinitarians” (Manchester, 1842 ; Boston, 1845) ; ” Unitarian Principles Confirmed by Trinitarian Testimonies” (Boston, 1855-57).  The following is a paragraph that summarizes the topic that only the Father was the one whom the apostles worshipped.

God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM” and He said, “Thus you shall say to the sons of Israel, ‘I AM has sent me to you.’”  God, furthermore, said to Moses, “Thus you shall say to the sons of Israel, ‘The LORD, the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you ‘ This is My name forever, and this is My memorial-name to all generations.”   Exodus 3:14 & 15 NASB

The following article from Christianity Today caught my attention, not specifically because it was about the Roman Catholic Church’s stance on the use of Yahweh, and not only because of the consideration of the use of that word in songs and prayers, but more generally in the use of the word Yahweh.

Hebrews 3:12 & 13 (NASB)
See to it, brothers, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God. But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness.