Christ, the One and Only

To contemplate the fathomlessness of God is a wonderful discipline. Another great discipline is to meditate upon the richness of who He is. Today, I simply want to be saturated in Christ. The following list is a good starting point.

Jesus Christ is . . .

• completely sufficient for all matters of life and godliness (2 Peter 1:3-4)
  
• completely sufficient for creation (Colossians 1:16-17)
  
• completely sufficient for salvation (Hebrews 10:10-12)
  
• completely sufficient for redemption (1 Peter 1:18-19)
  
• completely sufficient for propitiation (1 John 2:2)
  
• completely sufficient for purification (Hebrews 1:3)
  
• completely sufficient for sanctification (Ephesians 5:26-27)
  
• completely sufficient for righteousness (Philippians 3:8-9)
  
• completely sufficient for glorification (1 John 3:2)
  
• without defect or blemish (1 Peter 1:19)
  
• the fragrant offering and sacrifice to God (Ephesians 5:2)
  
• the only God (Isaiah 45:5)
  
• the only begotten Son (John 1:14, 18; John 3:16)
  
• the fullness of all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge (Colossians 2:3)
  
• the fullness of the Godhead dwelling bodily (Colossians 2:9)
  
• the heir of all things (Hebrews 1:2)
  
• the Creator of all things (Colossians 1:16)
  
• the Beginning of creation (Revelation 3:14)
  
• the purpose of all things created (Colossians 1:16)
  
• before all things and holding all things together (Colossians 1:17)
  
• the sustainer all things by the word of His power (Hebrews 1:3)
  
• the first-born of all creation (Colossians 1:15)
  
• the radiance of God’s glory (Hebrews 1:3)
  
• the exact representation of God’s nature (Hebrews 1:3)
  
• the only Mediator between God and man (1 Timothy 1:5)
  
• the Head of every man (1 Corinthians 11:3)
  
• the Head of the body, the Church (Colossians 1:18)
  
• the Head over every power and authority (Colossians 2:10)
  
• the Physician that heals (Luke 4:23-24; 5:31)
  
• the Wall of Fire that defends (Exodus 13:21)
  
• the Friend that comforts (John 15:14-15)
  
• the Pearl that enriches (Matthew 13:45-46)
  
• the Ark that supports (Genesis 6:18; Revelation 11:19)
  
• the Rock to sustain under the heaviest of pressures (1 Corinthians 10:4)
  
• the Fortress that cannot be shaken (Psalm 18:2)
  
• the Mountain of refuge (Psalm 18:2)
  
• the Deliverer (Romans 11:26)
  
• the Shield and Horn of Salvation (Psalm 18:2)
  
• seated at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty on high (Acts 2:34; Hebrews 1:3; 8:1)
  
• with us (Matthew 1:23)
  
• better than the angels (Hebrews 1:4-14)
  
• greater than Satan (Luke 4:1-12; John 14:30)
  
• stronger than death (1 Corinthians 15:55; Hebrews 2:14)
  
• the Lamb of God (John 1:29)
  
• our Peace (Ephesians 2:14)
  
• our Hope (1 Timothy 1:1)
  
• our Life (Colossians.3:4)
  
• our Advocate (1 John 2:1)
  
• our Intercessor (Job 16:20)
  
• the Refiner and Purifier (Malachi 3:3)
  
• the Way, the Truth and the Life (John 14:6)
  
• the Strength of Israel (1 Samuel 15:29)
  
• the Root and Offspring of David, the Bright and Morning Star (Revelation 22:16)
  
• the Faithful and True (Revelation 19:11)
  
• the Faithful and True Witness (Revelation 3:14)
  
• the Author and Finisher of our faith (Hebrews 12:1-2)
  
• the Captain of our Salvation (Hebrews 2:10)
  
• the Champion (Isaiah 19:20)
  
• the Servant and Chosen One (Isaiah 42:1)
  
• the Righteous Servant (Isaiah 53:11)
  
• the Apostle and High Priest of our confession (Hebrews 3:1)
  
• the Lord of Hosts, the Holy One of Israel our Redeemer, the God of the whole earth (Isaiah 54:5)
  
• the Man of Sorrows (Isaiah 53:3)
  
• the Light of the World (John 8:12)
  
• the Son of Man (Matthew 20:28)
  
• the Son of God (Hebrews 4:14)
  
• the Vine (John 15:5)
  
• the Bread of Life (John 6:48)
  
• the Bread from heaven, the Bread of God (John 6:32-33)
  
• the Bread of God (John 6:33)
  
• the Door (John 10:7)
  
• the Chief Cornerstone (Ephesians 2:20)
  
• the chosen and precious Cornerstone (1 Peter 2:6)
  
• the Living Stone (1 Peter 2:4)
  
• the Lord and Christ (Acts 2:36; Philippians 2:10-13)
  
• the Lord of the Harvest (Matthew 9:38)
  
• the Bright Morning Star (Revelation 22:16)
  
• the Prophet, Priest, and King (Hebrews 1:1-3)
  
• the King of kings and Lord of lords (Revelation 17:14, 19:16)
  
• the King of the nations (Jeremiah 10:7; Revelation 15:3)
  
• the King of the ages (Revelation 15:3)
  
• crowned with glory and honor (Hebrews 2:9)
  
• our Sabbath rest (Hebrews 4:9)
  
• our Righteousness (Jeremiah 23:6; 1 Corinthians 1:30)
  
• the Wonderful Counselor, the Mighty God, the Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6)
  
• the chief Shepherd (1 Peter 5:4)
  
• the great Shepherd of the sheep (Hebrews 13:20)
  
• the Shepherd and Guardian of our souls (1 Peter 2:25)
  
• the Lord God of hosts (Isaiah 47:4)
  
• the Banner for the peoples (Isaiah 11:10)
  
• the Lion of Judah (Revelation 5:5)
  
• the Word of God (John 1:1; Revelation 19:13)
  
• the Word of Life (1 John 1:1)
  
• the Rock of Salvation (Psalm 62:2; 89:26; 95:1)
  
• the Rock of Israel (Isaiah 30:29)
  
• the Eternal Spirit (Hebrews 9:14)
  
• the Ancient of Days (Daniel 7:9)
  
• the Branch of the Lord (Isaiah 4:2)
  
• the Creator and Comforter (1 Peter 4:19; Isaiah 43:1; John 16:7)
  
• the Messiah (John 1:41)
  
• the Alpha and Omega, the First and Last, the Beginning and End (Revelation 1:17; 22:13)
  
• the great I AM (John 8:58)
  
• the Amen (Revelation 3:14)
  

The Fathomlessness of God

It has been way too long since my last entry. My schedule over the past few weeks has been crazy. The next couple of weeks may be as well as I finish up my two seminary classes and prepare for all our Christmas music not to mention welcoming our new pastor.

Around A.D. 500 some works were written by one whom many believed was Dionysius mentioned in Acts 17:34. Because he was a follower of Paul, these works were influential throughout the churches of the East and West during the Middle Ages. One incredible thing that came from these works is something called Negative Theology, Via Negativa (Latin for "Negative Way"), or Apophatic Theology.

According to Wikipedia, Negative Theology is the attempt to gain and express knowledge of God by describing what God is not (apophasis), rather than by describing what God is. In Negative Theology, it is recognized that we can never truly define God in words. All that can be done is to say, it isn't this, but also, it isn't that either. In the end, the student must transcend words to understand the nature of the Divine. In this sense, Negative Theology is not a denial. Rather, it is an assertion that whatever the Divine may be, when we attempt to capture it in human words, we must inevitably fall short.

In the church, it more common to seek to understand God according to the tangibles. God is good, faithful, and merciful. God is love. God is Shepherd, Present, Near, and Peace. God works in these kinds of ways and reveals Himself in these kinds of ways. You get the picture. Now all of this is good and vital for our growth in Christ and the magnification of God in and through our lives. Yet, if we only seek to fit God into our understanding, we may loose some of the transcendence of His nature.

Here are couple of examples of Negative Theology in writing. From Orthodox Faith by John of Damascus:

"No man hath seen God at any time: the only-begotton Son who is in
the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him." The God-head, then, is ineffable and incomprehensible. For "no one knoweth the Father, but the Son: neither doth any one know the Son, but the Father." Furthermore, the Holy Spirit knows the things of God, just as the spirit of man knows what is in man. After the first blessed state of nature, no one has ever know God unless God Himself revealed it to him - not only no man, but not even any of the supramundane powers: the very Cherubim and Seraphim, I mean.

Therefore, we believe in on God: one principle, without beginning, uncreated, unbegotton, indestructible and immortal, eternal, unlimited, uncircumscribed, unbounded, infinite in power, simple, uncompounded, incorporeal, unchanging, unaffected, unchangeable, inalterate, invisible, source of goodness and justice, light intellectual and inaccessible; power which no measure can give any idea of but which is measured only by His own will, for He can do all things whatsoever he pleases; make of all things both visible and invisible, holding together all things and conserving them, provider for all, governing and dominating and ruling over all in unending immortal reign; withouy contradiction, filling all things, contained by nother, but Himself containing all things.

If you're like me, reading the above can be a little "out there" unless you bring it to a more simplified setting. Let me give it a try.

God displays His glory yet is invisible.
God is powerful yet His power has no limits.
God placed His creation in time yet has no beginning or end.
God is beautiful yet is indescribable.
God is Creator yet is uncreated.

Christ is enthroned in majesty yet enbodied in meekness.
Christ is God yet does not consider equality with God something to be grasped.
Christ is pure goodness yet willing to suffer evil.
Christ is eternal yet experienced death.

The Negative Way reinforces the fathomlessness of God. God cannot be placed in the box of our mind's comprehension.

Can you fathom the mysteries of God? Can you probe the limits of the Almighty? They are higher than the heavens - what can you do? They are deeper than the depths of the grave - what can you know? Their measure is longer than the earth and wider than the sea. (John 11:7-9)

Great is the Lord and most worthy of praise; His greatness no one canfathom. (Psalm 145:3)

May we continually seek to know God while understanding our limits in knowing the fathomlessness of God.