Before we jump into new information, let’s do a bit of review from our last devo.
In the Garden, Satan first implied that God was selfish and unfair. That when He told us we were free, He was actually restricting true freedom from us. Next, Satan directly contradicted God, calling Him a liar in regards to life and death and sin. Finally, Satan arranged things so that our very senses would support his lies: so that should we believe God, we would have to deny the reality our senses were testifying to. This was the method Satan employed in the Garden, he employs it today, and we know he will continue to use this very technique right up to the end of time.
Over the course of this past week I have examined my personal life and ministry to see where Satan’s lies about God’s character may have infiltrated my theology and praxis; giving me permission to act or speak in ways that reflect the lies instead of the Truth.
I have recognized for many years that I bend towards authoritarianism and anything that smacks of disobedience or disrespect I take immediate and aggressive action against. Whether it is in my church board room, my classroom, or with my children, authoritarianism does not come from the Truth of God’s character.
So, rather than imposing my will, I have a mentor who is helping me learn how to invite and wait; to not impose and punish. Oh, it’s hard to swallow my pride, for sure! But, I feel more at peace knowing that I am unlearning Satan’s character reflected in my actions and heart, and am instead learning how to put God’s character into practice in my life and dealings with others!
So many of us look at the God of the Old Testament and compare Him to Jesus and in comparison, it often seems like we are dealing with two very, very different deities. How can John, in 1 John 4:8, say that God is love when we see so many examples in the Old Testament of God commanding and committing through His angel of death many, many counts of genocide! Also, He seems to be self-centered, “I made you to worship Me, so worship Me, or else…!” Or, “Obey Me, or else…” This is the way SO MANY see the God of the Old Testament. And, sadly, I see this even in my precious Adventist community. “Practice the health message, or else…” “Worship on Sabbath, or else…”
Now, don’t get me wrong. I believe we should live in obedience to God’s revealed will. I am pointing out the “or else…” part. So, maybe that is where we need to start our study, today. Does God invite us, or does He threaten us?
We could easily make this an exhaustive study that examines hundreds of verses. But, that is actually beyond the scope of this devo (and I am already dangerously close to presenting a study which will go beyond the intended scope of this publication!) Therefore, I will attempt to keep things fairly brief, yet still cover the bases.
Let’s go back to Genesis where God is instructing Adam and Eve about the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil and listen to His language.
Genesis 2:17 “But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.” KJV
In the original Hebrew, the word for die is מוֹת, pronounced muwth. It is repeated twice for emphasis, “muwth, muwth,” which is where we receive the translated word of certainty, “surely die.” The mood used here is causitive. In other words, God doesn’t impose the judgment of death. Death is the consequence of having eaten the fruit. Notice the verse doesn’t say that God will kill us if we disobey. He says that we will die.
This is very, very important and will serve as a foundational cornerstone for every study we will ever do, here or anywhere else. Death is the inherent consequence of choosing to disconnect ourselves from the source of our life. We make the choice to disconnect from God when we believe the lies about His character. The actions we take from that belief are simply the fruit of the beliefs. If I am reading this correctly, then Jesus said that we are judged not from our faith, but from our belief (Matthew 5;21-48) So, guard your heart very closely.
Ok, there is more than enough prelude in the preceding paragraphs. Let’s get to the actual rebuttal.
I tried to pick the pivotal verses from this passage, and I just couldn’t do it. The entire chapter needs to be read together. I am posting from the New American Standard Bible (NASB), John 14 (from BibleGateWay.com, emphasis added)
14 “Do not let your heart be troubled; [a]believe in God, believe also in Me. 2 In My Father’s house are many [b]rooms; if that were not so, [c]I would have told you, because I am going there to prepare a place for you. 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I am coming again and will take you to Myself, so that where I am, there you also will be. 4 And you know the way where I am going.” 5 Thomas *said to Him, “Lord, we do not know where You are going; how do we know the way?” 6 Jesus *said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father except through Me.
Oneness with the Father
7 If you [d]had known Me, you would have known My Father also; from now on you know Him, and have seen Him.”
8 Philip *said to Him, “Lord, show us the Father, and it is enough for us.” 9 Jesus *said to him, “Have I been with [e]you for so long a time, and yet [f]you have not come to know Me, Philip? The one who has seen Me has seen the Father; how can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? 10 Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father is in Me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on My own, but the Father, as He remains in Me, does His works. 11 Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father is in Me; otherwise believe because of the works themselves. 12 Truly, truly I say to you, the one who believes in Me, the works that I do, he will do also; and greater works than these he will do; because I am going to the Father. 13 And whatever you ask in My name, this I will do, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14 If you ask Me anything in My name, I will do it.
15 “If you love Me, you will keep My commandments.
The Holy Spirit
16 I will ask the Father, and He will give you another [g]Helper, so that He may be with you forever; 17 the Helper is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it does not see Him or know Him; but you know Him because He remains with you and will be in you.
18 “I will not leave you as orphans; I am coming to you. 19 [h]After a little while, the world no longer is going to see Me, but you are going to see Me; because I live, you also will live. 20 On that day you will know that I am in My Father, and you are in Me, and I in you. 21 The one who has My commandments and keeps them is the one who loves Me; and the one who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and will reveal Myself to him.” 22 Judas (not Iscariot) *said to Him, “Lord, what has happened that You are going to reveal Yourself to us and not to the world?” 23 Jesus answered and said to him, “If anyone loves Me, he will follow My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our dwelling with him. 24 The one who does not love Me does not follow My words; and the word which you hear is not Mine, but the Father’s who sent Me.
25 “These things I have spoken to you while remaining with you. 26 But the Helper, the Holy Spirit whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and remind you of all that I said to you. 27 Peace I leave you, My peace I give you; not as the world gives, do I give to you. [i]Do not let your hearts be troubled, nor [j]fearful. 28 You heard that I said to you, ‘I am going away, and I am coming to you.’ If you loved Me, you would have rejoiced [k]because I am going to the Father, for the Father is greater than I. 29 And now I have told you before it happens, so that when it happens, you may believe. 30 I will not speak much more with you, for the ruler of the world is coming, and he has [l]nothing in regard to Me, 31 but so that the world may know that I love the Father, [m]I do exactly as the Father commanded Me. Get up, let’s go from here.”
I put in bold the verses I will specifically reference. Jesus makes it abundantly clear that He and the Father are not one in composition. Rather, they are one through unity of Spirit, Purpose, Character. He also makes it clear, that through coming to know Himself, Jesus, that we will then know the Father.
Jesus’ primary purpose was to reveal the true character of God. Satan had so incited the world into rebellion through insinuation, outright lies, and manipulation of the senses that Jesus had to come to earth to show us the true character of God. The only way to refute Satan’s deception was for Jesus to come in person and to reveal the true character of God and “The Truth shall set us free.”
The Truth of God’s character looses the chains of bondage that believing lies about Him have chained us up in sin. The Truth opens our eyes to see God as He really is; to see Satan as he really is; to see sin as it really is; to see death as it really is; to see life as it really is. The Truth opens our eyes and gives us the opportunity to make a meaningful choice about life and death.
So, now, and finally, let’s take a quick look at 2 Corinthians 5:18, which says, “Now all these things are from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation.”
The dictionary defines reconciliation in the following way:
rec·on·cil·i·a·tion
[ˌrekənˌsilēˈāSH(ə)n]
NOUN
- the restoration of friendly relations:”his reconciliation with your uncle” · [more]synonyms:reuniting · reunion · bringing (back) together (again) · conciliation · [more]
Let’s read 2 Corinthians 5:18 again, now with the definition of reconciliation put into the verse.
“Now all these things are from God, who restored friendly relations with us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of bringing others with us to the family reunion!”
The rebuttal to Satan’s deception, is Jesus Himself. Sin had separated us from God. God had become dead to us through sin and Jesus came to reunited us to the Father so that sin would be come dead to us through a heart knowledge and desire for God: a reconnection with God.
Rather than seeing two separate gods at work (Old Testament vs. New Testament) examine the life and character of Gentle Jesus and learn to see that same person/character at work in the Old Testament, and in our world and lives, today.
Last week I encouraged us to look for where Satan’s authoritarian character is found within our belief systems which then are put into practice. This week, I am inviting us to do the same, but opposite: Let’s take a look into our hearts and lives to see where the character of Gentle Jesus is found in our hearts and put into practice in our lives. Find Him. Celebrate Him. And invite Him deeper.
Be Blessed by being a blessing!
Pr. Tom Nicholas
TomNicholas.org 
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