Christianity, Part 2

I concluded the first essay in this series with the clause, “So here I must decide.” That’s true in the sense that faith is an ongoing choice. It is misleading if the reader assumes that choice is to be made by the puny power of my rational mind.

By the time I can stare down my Christianity and say, Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you rather than to God, you must judge,1 the initial choice has already been made. [F]or it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure,2 is how Paul described it. Led by the Holy Spirit, continuously bathed from the inside out in Jesus’ own love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control, the choice to trust Him becomes a relatively simple matter of not resisting Him.

That the initial choice was made in a non-rational way, however, doesn’t make that choice itself irrational. There are good reasons for making that choice. In real time, however, those reasons have come more like rationalizations after the choice was made rather than preceding and causing the choice. Those reasons do help, however, to sustain that choice on a day-to-day basis.

And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself,3 Jesus said. I will draw is not particularly tricky. It was ἑλκύσω (a form of ἑλκύω) in Greek, a first person indicative verb in the future tense. “The indicative mood is a statement of fact or an actual occurrence from the writer’s or speaker’s perspective.”4 In other words, as Jesus says this He believes that He will draw all to Himself.

This is quite powerful as reasons go. Any rational argument against it must explain: 1) how Jesus was wrong and 2) when He changed his mind. My religious mind might imagine any number of scenarios from its own experiences and feelings, but for the mind of Christ this is a very high bar, practically insurmountable.

If Jesus were to ask me, “Why did you believe that I would draw all to myself?” my account is simple and direct: That is what you said. If He asked why I believed that He would fail to draw all to Himself, things become more complicated.

When I believed that Jesus would fail to draw all to Himself, I didn’t put it in those words. At that time I didn’t think about giving an account to Jesus but if I had it would have gone something like this:

I didn’t believe that you would fail. I believed that you would do everything in your power but salvation depends ultimately on the individual believer.

Jesus’ next question is obvious: “Why did you believe that All authority in heaven and on earth has [not] been given to me”?5

This was the authority on which Jesus’ command to disciple all nations is based. And his saying that No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him6 refutes the idea that people choose Christ apart from being drawn by God. The people-must-save-themselves-through-their-own-faith version of Christianity is weakened by the flesh much like the law. It is not what God has doneBy sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh, in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.7

If I take Jesus at his word and assume that He draws all to Himself before anyone is sent into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels8…and that is an assumption. I don’t see any way to limit Jesus to this moment but I’m intrigued by the possibilities of this moment…then I can believe that all gathered before his glorious throne have been drawn to Him and like Paul [they themselves] serve the law of God with [their minds] but with [their] flesh [they] serve the law of sin.9

So from where do the cursed come? Who are those to whom Jesus says, Depart from meinto the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels10? [H]e will separate people (literally: themselves) one from another11 must be very different than I imagined when I imagined that the righteous and the wicked were different, already separate, people.

I myself serve the law of God with my mind, but with my flesh I serve the law of sin12 was a compromise Paul also described with the words: when I want to do right, evil lies close at hand. For I delight in the law of God, in my inner being, but I see in my members another law waging war against the law of my mind and making me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members [Table]. Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?13

I myself serve the law of God with my mind, but with my flesh I serve the law of sin was acceptable to Paul as a compromise in the hope that God would deliver him through Jesus Christ: Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!14 If those standing before Jesus’ glorious throne are about to experience that deliverance, I get a different image of that day when, according to [Paul’s] gospel (i.e., good news), God judges the secrets of men by Christ Jesus.15

The cursed standing to Jesus’ left are not like the evil (πονηροί, a form of πονηρός). You brood of vipers! Jesus said to religious leaders. How can you speak good, when you are evil (πονηροί)?16

After I got over thinking that Jesus was simply rude and abusive, I bypassed thinking He was ignorant seeking information, but I rested for a while on the idea that He was constantly perplexed by human nature. Now, however, I assume He asked a legitimate question, inviting the Pharisees to think deeply about how they spoke anything good.

I relate to that from my own experience with None is righteous.17 The moment I accepted that premise as true, my arguments against it became prima facie evidence that Jesus was in fact drawing me to Himself. If no one seeks for God18 is true, and I was seeking for God, then the source of my seeking was something other than my unrighteousness self.

Jesus said (Matthew 7:9-11 ESV):

Or which one of you, if his son asks19 him for bread, will give him a stone? Or if20 he asks21 for a fish, will give him a serpent? If you then, who are evil (πονηροί), know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!

It fits then that the cursed standing on Jesus’ left are the distilled sin condemned in the human flesh of those on his right. This distilled sin condemned in human flesh never gave food to the hungry, drink to the thirsty, welcome to a stranger, clothing to the naked, nor the time of day to those who were sick or in prison, things the evil (πονηροί) do often for people they care about.

As this distilled sin condemned in human flesh stares at the glorified Christ, looking much like when He was transfigured before [Peter, James and John], his face shone like the sun, and his clothes became22 white as light,23 I can almost hear them sneer, when did we see you?24

Peter said to Jesus [at Jesus’ transfiguration], “Rabbi, it is good that we are here. Let us make three tents, one for you and one for Moses25 and one for Elijah.” For he did not know what to say,26 for they were27 terrified.28 The righteous on Jesus’ right don’t seem terrified necessarily, just disoriented. None seems to recall this moment from Scripture. They, too, question when they have ever done anything for anyone like their glorified Lord.

My sheep hear my voice, Jesus said, and I know them, and they follow me [Table]. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand.29 Though I called the cursed, “the distilled sin condemned in…human flesh,” it seems more likely that it is the righteous led by the Holy Spirit who heed his command to go30 out from their midst, and be separate from them, says the Lord, and touch no unclean thing; then I will welcome you, and I will be a father to you, and you shall be sons and daughters to me, says the Lord Almighty.31

In his sermon on the mount Jesus said (Matthew 7:21-23 ESV):

“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.32 On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ [Table] And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’”

Now I would understand these many as the distilled sin condemned in the flesh of Christians standing on Jesus’ left. This is not to say that there is no corresponding many who heard his command to go out from their midst, and be separate from them standing on Jesus’ right, just that in this passage we are hearing the arguments of the distilled sin that was condemned in their flesh. It boasts in the work of God as if it were its own. It supposes that it should be rewarded along with the new creation it plagued for a lifetime.

One of the wonderful possibilities of this moment is that I won’t see my doppelganger. The glorified Lord separates us one from the other, like trying to see something on the other side of the sun. But it is sobering to consider: Who will I be at that moment?

Will I myself be the righteous new creation on Jesus’ right, marveling at my glorious Lord, wondering what I ever could have done for Him? Or will I identify more with the distilled sin condemned in my flesh, arguing that He should reward me for all the wonderful things that I have done for Him?

When I was barely escaping from a life of atheism, sex, drugs and rock n’ roll, Paul’s words kept me from despair (Romans 7:13-20 ESV):

Did [the law] which is good, then, bring death to me? By no means! It was sin, producing death in me through what is good, in order that sin might be shown to be sin, and through the commandment might become sinful beyond measure [Table]. For we know that the law is spiritual, but I am of the flesh, sold under sin [Table]. For I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate. Now if I do what I do not want, I agree with the law, that it is good. So now it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me [Table]. For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out. For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing. Now if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me [Table].

The more I believed Paul’s saying, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh,33 the more I began to see God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit as the good in my life, and the more I began to view me myself as the evil. My Pastor warned me about thinking and speaking like this (which should not be taken to imply that he would endorse all I’ve written here). I thought I understood what he was saying, even paid some lip service to it. Writing this essay has cast it in a new light and reminded me of an incident with my son.

I walked through the living room one afternoon as he played a video game. He was driving a car, racing away from the police. As I walked out of the room I said, “You’re never going to drive one of my cars.” He stopped playing and hurried to catch up to me to ask, why. “You’re training yourself to hit the accelerator when you hear a siren rather than the brakes.” The next time I noticed him playing that video game, he had turned off the siren and the police chase, and simply played it as a road race game. He turned out to be a very good driver.

I certainly don’t want to train myself to identify with the distilled sin condemned in my flesh. Part of my prayer for all is to ask that “we know by faith your love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control springing up within us to eternal life from your Holy Spirit.” I’ve changed “your Holy Spirit” to “our Holy Spirit,” not to claim any credit for myself but to take ownership of all that I have been given in Christ.

According to a note (26) in the NET Paul quoted from Isaiah 52:11. The table below compares the relevant portions of the Greek of 2 Corinthians 6:17 to Isaiah 52:11 in the Septuagint.

2 Corinthians 6:17a (NET Parallel Greek)

Isaiah 52:11b (Septuagint BLB) Table

Isaiah 52:11b (Septuagint Elpenor)

ἐξέλθατε ἐκ μέσου αὐτῶν καὶ ἀφορίσθητε ἐξέλθατε ἐκ μέσου αὐτῆς ἀφορίσθητε ἐξέλθετε ἐκ μέσου αὐτῆς, ἀφορίσθητε

2 Corinthians 6:17a (NET)

Isaiah 52:11b (NETS)

Isaiah 52:11b (English Elpenor)

come out from their midst, and be separate go out from the midst of it; be separated go ye out from the midst of her; separate yourselves

2 Corinthians 6:17b (NET Parallel Greek)

Isaiah 52:11a (Septuagint BLB)

Isaiah 52:11a (Septuagint Elpenor)

καὶ ἀκαθάρτου μὴ ἅπτεσθε καὶ ἀκαθάρτου μὴ ἅπτεσθε καὶ ἀκαθάρτου μὴ ἅπτεσθε

2 Corinthians 6:17b (NET)

Isaiah 52:11a (NETS)

Isaiah 52:11a (English Elpenor)

and touch no unclean thing and touch no unclean thing and touch not the unclean thing

According to a note (28) in the NET the last clause of 2 Corinthians 6:17 was a paraphrased quotation from Ezekiel 20:41. The table below compares the relevant portion of the Greek of 2 Corinthians 6:17 to Ezekiel 20:41 in the Septuagint.

2 Corinthians 6:17c (NET Parallel Greek)

Ezekiel 20:41b (Septuagint BLB) Table

Ezekiel 20:41b (Septuagint Elpenor)

εἰσδέξομαι ὑμᾶς προσδέξομαι ὑμᾶς προσδέξομαι ὑμᾶς

2 Corinthians 6:17c (NET)

Ezekiel 20:41b (NETS)

Ezekiel 20:41b (English Elpenor)

I will welcome you I will accept you I will accept you

According to a note (29) in the NET 2 Corinthians 6:18 was a paraphrased quotation of 2 Samuel 7:14 and Isaiah 43:6. The table below compares the Greek of 2 Corinthians 6:18 to 2 Samuel (Reigns, Kings) 7:14 in the Septuagint.

2 Corinthians 6:18a (NET Parallel Greek)

2 Samuel 7:14a (Septuagint BLB) Table

2 Kings 7:14a (Septuagint Elpenor)

καὶ ἔσομαι ὑμῖν εἰς πατέρα καὶ ὑμεῖς ἔσεσθε μοι εἰς υἱοὺς ἐγὼ ἔσομαι αὐτῷ εἰς πατέρα καὶ αὐτὸς ἔσται μοι εἰς υἱόν ἐγὼ ἔσομαι αὐτῷ εἰς πατέρα, καὶ αὐτὸς ἔσται μοι εἰς υἱόν

2 Corinthians 6:18a (NET)

2 Reigns 7:14a (NETS)

2 Kings 7:14a (English Elpenor)

and I will be a father to you, and you will be my sons I will be a father to him, and he will be a son to me I will be to him a father, and he shall be to me a son

The table below compares the Greek of 2 Corinthians 6:18 to Isaiah 43:6 in the Septuagint.

2 Corinthians 6:18b (NET Parallel Greek)

Isaiah 43:6b (Septuagint BLB) Table

Isaiah 43:6b (Septuagint Elpenor)

καὶ ὑμεῖς ἔσεσθε μοι εἰς υἱοὺς καὶ θυγατέρας ἄγε τοὺς υἱούς μου ἀπὸ γῆς πόρρωθεν καὶ τὰς θυγατέρας μου ἀπ᾽ ἄκρων τῆς γῆς ἄγε τοὺς υἱούς μου ἀπὸ γῆς πόρρωθεν καὶ τὰς θυγατέρας μου ἀπ᾿ ἄκρων τῆς γῆς

2 Corinthians 6:18b (NET)

Isaiah 43:6b (NETS)

Isaiah 43:6b (English Elpenor)

and you will be my sons and daughters bring my sons from a land far away and my daughters from the ends of the earth bring my sons from the [land] afar off, and my daughters from the ends of the earth

Tables comparing Ezekiel 20:41; 2 Samuel 7:14 and Isaiah 43:6 in the Tanakh, KJV and NET, and comparing Ezekiel 20:41; 2 Samuel (Reigns, Kings) 7:14 and Isaiah 43:6 in the BLB and Elpenor versions of the Septuagint with the English translations from Hebrew and Greek, and tables comparing the Greek of Matthew 7:9, 10; 17:2; Mark 9:5, 6; 2 Corinthians 6:17 and Matthew 7:21 in the NET and KJV follow.

Ezekiel 20:41 (Tanakh)

Ezekiel 20:41 (KJV)

Ezekiel 20:41 (NET)

I will accept you with your sweet savour, when I bring you out from the people, and gather you out of the countries wherein ye have been scattered; and I will be sanctified in you before the heathen. I will accept you with your sweet savour, when I bring you out from the people, and gather you out of the countries wherein ye have been scattered; and I will be sanctified in you before the heathen. When I bring you out from the nations and gather you from the lands where you are scattered, I will accept you along with your soothing aroma. I will display my holiness among you in the sight of the nations.

Ezekiel 20:41 (Septuagint BLB)

Ezekiel 20:41 (Septuagint Elpenor)

ἐν ὀσμῇ εὐωδίας προσδέξομαι ὑμᾶς ἐν τῷ ἐξαγαγεῗν με ὑμᾶς ἐκ τῶν λαῶν καὶ εἰσδέχεσθαι ὑμᾶς ἐκ τῶν χωρῶν ἐν αἷς διεσκορπίσθητε ἐν αὐταῗς καὶ ἁγιασθήσομαι ἐν ὑμῗν κατ᾽ ὀφθαλμοὺς τῶν λαῶν ἐν ὀσμῇ εὐωδίας προσδέξομαι ὑμᾶς ἐν τῷ ἐξαγαγεῖν με ὑμᾶς ἐκ τῶν λαῶν καὶ εἰσδέχεσθαι ὑμᾶς ἐκ τῶν χωρῶν, ἐν αἷς διεσκορπίσθητε ἐν αὐταῖς, καὶ ἁγιασθήσομαι ἐν ὑμῖν κατ’ ὀφθαλμοὺς τῶν λαῶν

Ezekiel 20:41 (NETS)

Ezekiel 20:41 (English Elpenor)

In an odor of fragrance I will accept you, when I bring you out from the peoples and take you in from the countries, those in which you were scattered, and I will be hallowed among you in the eyes of the peoples. I will accept you with a sweet-smelling savour, when I bring you out from the nations, and take you out of the countries wherein ye have been dispersed; and I will be sanctified among you in the sight of the nations.

2 Samuel 7:14 (Tanakh)

2 Samuel 7:14 (KJV)

2 Samuel 7:14 (NET)

I will be to him for a father, and he shall be to Me for a son; if he commit iniquity, I will chasten him with the rod of men, and with the stripes of the children of men; I will be his father, and he shall be my son. If he commit iniquity, I will chasten him with the rod of men, and with the stripes of the children of men: I will become his father and he will become my son. When he sins, I will correct him with the rod of men and with wounds inflicted by human beings.

2 Samuel 7:14 (Septuagint BLB)

2 Kings 7:14 (Septuagint Elpenor)

ἐγὼ ἔσομαι αὐτῷ εἰς πατέρα καὶ αὐτὸς ἔσται μοι εἰς υἱόν καὶ ἐὰν ἔλθῃ ἡ ἀδικία αὐτοῦ καὶ ἐλέγξω αὐτὸν ἐν ῥάβδῳ ἀνδρῶν καὶ ἐν ἁφαῗς υἱῶν ἀνθρώπων ἐγὼ ἔσομαι αὐτῷ εἰς πατέρα, καὶ αὐτὸς ἔσται μοι εἰς υἱόν· καὶ ἐὰν ἔλθῃ ἡ ἀδικία αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἐλέγξω αὐτὸν ἐν ράβδῳ ἀνδρῶν καὶ ἐν ἁφαῖς υἱῶν ἀνθρώπων

2 Reigns 7:14 (NETS)

2 Kings 7:14 (English Elpenor)

I will be a father to him, and he will be a son to me, and if his injustice comes, then I will punish him with a rod of men and with attacks of sons of men, I will be to him a father, and he shall be to me a son. And when he happens to transgress, then will I chasten him with the rod of men, and with the stripes of the sons of men.

Isaiah 43:6 (Tanakh)

Isaiah 43:6 (KJV)

Isaiah 43:6 (NET)

I will say to the north, Give up; and to the south, Keep not back: bring my sons from far, and my daughters from the ends of the earth; I will say to the north, Give up; and to the south, Keep not back: bring my sons from far, and my daughters from the ends of the earth; I will say to the north, ‘Hand them over!’ and to the south, ‘Don’t hold any back!’ Bring my sons from distant lands, and my daughters from the remote regions of the earth,

Isaiah 43:6 (Septuagint BLB)

Isaiah 43:6 (Septuagint Elpenor)

ἐρῶ τῷ βορρᾷ ἄγε καὶ τῷ λιβί μὴ κώλυε ἄγε τοὺς υἱούς μου ἀπὸ γῆς πόρρωθεν καὶ τὰς θυγατέρας μου ἀπ᾽ ἄκρων τῆς γῆς ἐρῶ τῷ Βορρᾷ· ἄγε, καὶ τῷ Λιβί· μὴ κώλυε, ἄγε τοὺς υἱούς μου ἀπὸ γῆς πόρρωθεν καὶ τὰς θυγατέρας μου ἀπ᾿ ἄκρων τῆς γῆς

Isaiah 43:6 (NETS)

Isaiah 43:6 (English Elpenor)

I will say to the north, “Bring them,” and to the southwest, “Do not hinder; bring my sons from a land far away and my daughters from the ends of the earth– I will say to the north, Bring; and to the south, Keep not back; bring my sons from the [land] afar off, and my daughters from the ends of the earth;

Matthew 7:9, 10 (NET)

Matthew 7:9, 10 (KJV)

Is there anyone among you who, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or what man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone?

Matthew 7:9 (NET Parallel Greek)

Matthew 7:9 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)

Matthew 7:9 (Byzantine Majority Text)

ἢ τίς |ἐστιν| ἐξ ὑμῶν ἄνθρωπος, ὃν αἰτήσει ὁ υἱὸς αὐτοῦ ἄρτον, μὴ λίθον ἐπιδώσει αὐτῷ η τις εστιν εξ υμων ανθρωπος ον εαν αιτηση ο υιος αυτου αρτον μη λιθον επιδωσει αυτω η τις εστιν εξ υμων ανθρωπος ον εαν αιτηση ο υιος αυτου αρτον μη λιθον επιδωσει αυτω
Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent?

Matthew 7:10 (NET Parallel Greek)

Matthew 7:10 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)

Matthew 7:10 (Byzantine Majority Text)

καὶ ἰχθὺν αἰτήσει, μὴ ὄφιν ἐπιδώσει αὐτῷ και εαν ιχθυν αιτηση μη οφιν επιδωσει αυτω και εαν ιχθυν αιτηση μη οφιν επιδωσει αυτω

Matthew 17:2 (NET)

Matthew 17:2 (KJV)

And he was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and his clothes became white as light. And was transfigured before them: and his face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as the light.

Matthew 17:2 (NET Parallel Greek)

Matthew 17:2 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)

Matthew 17:2 (Byzantine Majority Text)

καὶ μετεμορφώθη ἔμπροσθεν αὐτῶν, καὶ ἔλαμψεν τὸ πρόσωπον αὐτοῦ ὡς ὁ ἥλιος, τὰ δὲ ἱμάτια αὐτοῦ ἐγένετο λευκὰ ὡς τὸ φῶς και μετεμορφωθη εμπροσθεν αυτων και ελαμψεν το προσωπον αυτου ως ο ηλιος τα δε ιματια αυτου εγενετο λευκα ως το φως και μετεμορφωθη εμπροσθεν αυτων και ελαμψεν το προσωπον αυτου ως ο ηλιος τα δε ιματια αυτου εγενοντο λευκα ως το φως

Mark 9:5, 6 (NET)

Mark 9:5, 6 (KJV)

So Peter said to Jesus, “Rabbi, it is good for us to be here. Let us make three shelters—one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” And Peter answered and said to Jesus, Master, it is good for us to be here: and let us make three tabernacles; one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias.

Mark 9:5 (NET Parallel Greek)

Mark 9:5 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)

Mark 9:5 (Byzantine Majority Text)

καὶ ἀποκριθεὶς ὁ Πέτρος λέγει τῷ Ἰησοῦ· ραββί, καλόν ἐστιν ἡμᾶς ὧδε εἶναι, καὶ ποιήσωμεν τρεῖς σκηνάς, σοὶ μίαν καὶ Μωϋσεῖ μίαν καὶ Ἠλίᾳ μίαν και αποκριθεις ο πετρος λεγει τω ιησου ραββι καλον εστιν ημας ωδε ειναι και ποιησωμεν σκηνας τρεις σοι μιαν και μωσει μιαν και ηλια μιαν και αποκριθεις ο πετρος λεγει τω ιησου ραββι καλον εστιν ημας ωδε ειναι και ποιησωμεν σκηνας τρεις σοι μιαν και μωσει μιαν και ηλια μιαν
(For they were afraid, and he did not know what to say.) For he wist not what to say; for they were sore afraid.

Mark 9:6 (NET Parallel Greek)

Mark 9:6 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)

Mark 9:6 (Byzantine Majority Text)

οὐ γὰρ ᾔδει τί ἀποκριθῇ, ἔκφοβοι γὰρ ἐγένοντο ου γαρ ηδει τι λαληση ησαν γαρ εκφοβοι ου γαρ ηδει τι λαλησει ησαν γαρ εκφοβοι

2 Corinthians 6:17 (NET)

2 Corinthians 6:17 (KJV)

Therefore “come out from their midst, and be separate,” says the Lord, “and touch no unclean thing, and I will welcome you, Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you,

2 Corinthians 6:17 (NET Parallel Greek)

2 Corinthians 6:17 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)

2 Corinthians 6:17 (Byzantine Majority Text)

διὸ ἐξέλθατε ἐκ μέσου αὐτῶν καὶ ἀφορίσθητε, λέγει κύριος, καὶ ἀκαθάρτου μὴ ἅπτεσθε· καγὼ εἰσδέξομαι ὑμᾶς διο εξελθετε εκ μεσου αυτων και αφορισθητε λεγει κυριος και ακαθαρτου μη απτεσθε καγω εισδεξομαι υμας διο εξελθετε εκ μεσου αυτων και αφορισθητε λεγει κυριος και ακαθαρτου μη απτεσθε καγω εισδεξομαι υμας

Matthew 7:21 (NET)

Matthew 7:21 (KJV)

“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter into the kingdom of heaven—only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven. Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.

Matthew 7:21 (NET Parallel Greek)

Matthew 7:21 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)

Matthew 7:21 (Byzantine Majority Text)

Οὐ πᾶς ὁ λέγων μοι· κύριε κύριε, εἰσελεύσεται εἰς τὴν βασιλείαν τῶν οὐρανῶν, ἀλλ᾿ ὁ ποιῶν τὸ θέλημα τοῦ πατρός μου τοῦ ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς ου πας ο λεγων μοι κυριε κυριε εισελευσεται εις την βασιλειαν των ουρανων αλλ ο ποιων το θελημα του πατρος μου του εν ουρανοις ου πας ο λεγων μοι κυριε κυριε εισελευσεται εις την βασιλειαν των ουρανων αλλ ο ποιων το θελημα του πατρος μου του εν ουρανοις

1 Acts 4:19 (ESV)

2 Philippians 2:13 (ESV) Table

3 John 12:32 (ESV)

5 Matthew 28:18 (ESV) Table

6 John 6:44a (ESV) Table

7 Romans 8:3, 4 (ESV)

8 Matthew 25:41b (ESV)

9 Romans 7:25b (ESV) Table

10 Matthew 25:41a (ESV)

11 Matthew 25:32b (ESV) Table

12 Romans 7:25b (ESV)

13 Romans 7:21b-24 (ESV)

14 Romans 7:25a (ESV) Table

15 Romans 2:16 (ESV)

16 Matthew 12:34 (ESV)

17 Romans 3:10b (ESV)

18 Romans 3:11b (ESV)

22 The NET parallel Greek text, NA28 and Stephanus Textus Receptus had the singular ἐγένετο here, where the Byzantine Majority Text had the plural εγενοντο.

23 Matthew 17:2 (ESV)

24 Matthew 25:44b (ESV) Table

28 Mark 9:5, 6 (ESV)

29 John 10:27, 28 (ESV)

31 2 Corinthians 6:17, 18 (ESV)

32 The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 had the article τοῖς preceding heaven. The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text did not.

33 Galatians 5:16 (ESV)

Christianity, Part 1

It’s not possible to “distinguish the mind of Christ from the ordinary religious mind” without broaching the subject of Christianity, yet I’ve hesitated to do so directly. Recently, however, I quoted For God has consigned all people to disobedience so that he may show mercy to them all1 with no comment whatsoever. I didn’t need to comment. I’ve studied the Greek enough now that I no longer pay any attention to the English translation.

Later, I had to go back and link show mercy to them all to a discussion of “the subjunctive mood…in a purpose or result clause” in Greek. While I appreciate that the Greek word is ἐλεήσῃ (“he may show”) not ἐλεήσει (“he will show”), the meaning is that He will show mercy to all. Or, if I want to be more mindful of the aorist tense, it looks to a moment when God will have shown mercy to all as an actual, factual moment in time.

In English, however, he may show mercy to them all means: 1) that God has permission to show mercy to them all; or something equally meaningless, 2) He might show mercy to them all or He might not. So I began to wonder: What is the point of translating the New Testament from Greek into English for the benefit and approval of those who already know the Greek, rather than for the enlightenment and edification of those who do not?

I recalled another instance where the NET translators did render aorist subjunctive verbs as if they were future indicative verbs: every knee will bow (κάμψῃ)…and every tongue confess (ἐξομολογήσηται), rather than every knee [may] bow…and every tongue [may] confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father.

Romans 11:32 (NET Parallel Greek)

Philippians 2:9-11 (NET Parallel Greek)

συνέκλεισεν γὰρ ὁ θεὸς τοὺς πάντας εἰς ἀπείθειαν, ἵνα τοὺς πάντας ἐλεήσῃ διὸ καὶ ὁ θεὸς αὐτὸν ὑπερύψωσεν καὶ ἐχαρίσατο αὐτῷ τὸ ὄνομα τὸ ὑπὲρ πᾶν ὄνομα, ἵνα ἐν τῷ ὀνόματι Ἰησοῦ πᾶν γόνυ κάμψῃ ἐπουρανίων καὶ ἐπιγείων καὶ καταχθονίων καὶ πᾶσα γλῶσσα ἐξομολογήσηται ὅτι κύριος Ἰησοῦς Χριστὸς εἰς δόξαν θεοῦ πατρός

Romans 11:32 (NET)

Philippians 2:9-11 (NET)

For God has consigned all people to disobedience so that he may show mercy to them all. As a result God highly exalted him and gave him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow—in heaven and on earth and under the earth—and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father.

Now both of these passages seem to be describing essentially the same thing. I can even hear the former as a cause of the latter. But I remember when I understood the latter as a demonstration of brute force, much like when Voldemort forced Harry Potter to bow before he attempted to murder him in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire.

Divorced from its context the idea that God will show mercy to all hardly seems controversial. But in context the mercy shown to all is nothing less than salvation: So then it depends not on human will or exertion, but on God, who has mercy.2

Jesus said (John 15:7-11 ESV):

If you abide (μείνητε, a form of μένω) in me, and my words abide (μείνῃ, another form of μένω) in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples [Table]. As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide (μείνατε, another form of μένω) in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will abide (μενεῖτε, another form of μένω) in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide (μένω) in his love. These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be3 in you, and that your joy may be full.

It would be wonderful if Christianity were synonymous with abiding in Christ and his words abiding in us, but Christianity means many other things. Comedian Bill Burr had a church quip that became an internet meme and can elicit at least a chuckle even from churchgoers:

God’s everywhere, but I gotta go down to (church) to see him? And he’s mad at me down there, and I owe you money?

To the ordinary religious mind the lands and buildings, the administrative hierarchies and religious rituals, the rules and regulations of Christianity may seem more real and tangible than abiding in Christ and his words abiding in us. For my purposes in these essays abiding in Christ and his words abiding in us is the real and tangible while all other aspects of Christianity are human abstractions, peripheral, when they are not inimical, to abiding in Christ and his words abiding in us.

Fair or not Paul gets a lot of the blame or a lot of the credit for Christianity. So his letter to the Romans seems like a good place to start (Romans 2:1-16 ESV):

Therefore you have no excuse, O man, every one of you who judges. For in passing judgment on another you condemn yourself, because you, the judge, practice the very same things [Romans 1:18-32]. We know that the judgment of God rightly falls on those who practice such things. Do you suppose, O man—you who judge those who practice such things and yet do them yourself—that you will escape the judgment of God? Or do you presume on the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God’s kindness is meant to lead you to repentance? But because of your hard and impenitent heart you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath when God’s righteous judgment will be revealed [Table].

He will render to each one according to his works: to those who by patience in well-doing seek for glory and honor and immortality, he will give eternal life; but for those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, there will be wrath and fury [Table]. There will be tribulation and distress for every human being who does evil, the Jew first and also the Greek, but glory and honor and peace for everyone who does good, the Jew first and also the Greek. For God shows no partiality [Table].

For all who have sinned without the law will also perish without the law, and all who have sinned under the law will be judged by the law. For it is not the hearers of the law who are righteous before God, but the doers of the law who will be justified [Table]. For when Gentiles, who do not have the law, by nature do what the law requires, they are a law to themselves, even though they do not have the law [Table]. They show that the work of the law is written on their hearts, while their conscience also bears witness, and their conflicting thoughts accuse or even excuse them on that day when, according to my gospel, God judges the secrets of men by Christ Jesus.

I want to focus a moment, acknowledging that this might should be thought of as a continuation of Paul’s rhetorical question, another thing his reader might not be knowing: Or do you presume on the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God’s kindness is meant to lead you to repentance [b]ut because of your hard and impenitent heart you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath when God’s righteous judgment will be revealed?4

Who has this hard and impenitent heart? Those who are in the flesh cannot please God,5 Paul wrote. Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again,’6 Jesus told Nicodemus. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.7

Paul explained why [t]hose who are in the flesh cannot please God: For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God’s law; indeed, it cannot.8 He had already come to the following conclusion about himself: So then, I myself serve the law of God with my mind, but with my flesh I serve the law of sin.9

With this as background I want to turn my attention to Jesus’ words about that day when, according to [Paul’s] gospel (εὐαγγέλιον), God judges the secrets of men by Christ Jesus.10 He said (Matthew 25:31-46 ESV):

When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate people (αὐτοὺς, a form of αὐτός; literally: themselves) one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats [Table]. And he will place the sheep on his right, but the goats on the left. Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me’ [Table]. Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ [Table] And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’

Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink, I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.’ Then they also will answer, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to you?’ [Table] Then he will answer them, saying, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.’ And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”

So, what kind of people are all the nations gathered before the throne of the Son of Man? My religious mind has imagined that they are the righteous on Jesus’ right and the wicked on his left. The trouble with that idea is that There is no one righteous.11 I turn again to Paul (Romans 3:10-18 ESV):

None is righteous, no, not one [Table]; no one understands; no one seeks for God [Table]. All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one” [Table] [Table]. “Their throat is an open grave; they use their tongues to deceive.” “The venom of asps is under their lips” [Table]. “Their mouth is full of curses and bitterness” [Table]. “Their feet are swift to shed blood [Table]; in their paths are ruin and misery, and the way of peace they have not known” [Table]. “There is no fear of God before their eyes” [Table].

If none is righteous, who could or should receive this amazing grace of Jesus? Jesus said that his Father made that decision: No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws (ἑλκύσῃ, a form of ἑλκύω) him.12 So now I can imagine that some of the people gathered before the throne of the Son of Man are those God the Father chose not to draw to Jesus, while others are those He chose to draw. And those He chose to draw would be more like Paul: I myself serve the law of God with my mind, but with my flesh I serve the law of sin.13

Of course, Jesus promised that after He died as the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for our sins but also for the whole world,14 He will draw allto [Himself]: And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.15 So now, if Jesus’ words abide in me I am compelled to imagine that everyone gathered before the throne of the Son of Man has been drawn to Jesus, that everyone standing there is more like Paul: I myself serve the law of God with my mind, but with my flesh I serve the law of sin.16

Jesus had already hinted at this outcome: It is written in the Prophets, ‘And they will all be taught by God.’ Everyone who has heard and learned from the Father comes to me17 But here, my Christianity wants to argue and debate. So here I must decide Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen (ἀκούειν, a form of ἀκούω) to [my Christianity] rather than to God.18

A table comparing John 15:11 in the NET and KJV follows:

John 15:11 (NET)

John 15:11 (KJV)

I have told you these things so that my joy may be in you, and your joy may be complete. These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.

NET Parallel Greek Text

Stephanus Textus Receptus

Byzantine Majority Text

Ταῦτα λελάληκα ὑμῖν ἵνα ἡ χαρὰ ἡ ἐμὴ ἐν ὑμῖν καὶ ἡ χαρὰ ὑμῶν πληρωθῇ ταυτα λελαληκα υμιν ινα η χαρα η εμη εν υμιν μεινη και η χαρα υμων πληρωθη ταυτα λελαληκα υμιν ινα η χαρα η εμη εν υμιν μεινη και η χαρα υμων πληρωθη

1 Romans 11:32 (NET)

2 Romans 9:16 (ESV) Table

3 The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 had here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had μεινη (KJV: might remain).

4 Romans 2:4, 5 (ESV) Table

5 Romans 8:8 (ESV)

6 John 3:7 (ESV)

7 John 3:6 (ESV)

8 Romans 8:7 (ESV)

9 Romans 7:25b (ESV) Table

10 Romans 2:16 (ESV)

11 Romans 3:10a (NET)

12 John 6:44a (ESV) Table

13 Romans 7:25b (ESV)

14 1 John 2:2 (NET)

15 John 12:32 (ESV)

16 Romans 7:25b (ESV)

17 John 6:45 (ESV) Table

18 Acts 4:19b (ESV)