Podcasts about Christus

In this episode, we're talking about the Lordship of Jesus—not as some abstract, future hope, but as a present, concrete reality. Too often, modern evangelicalism has reduced Christ's Lordship to the realm of private salvation, personal piety, and quiet devotion. But the Bible paints a much bigger picture.Paul tells us in Romans that Abraham was promised the world as his inheritance. Salvation is cosmic. Christ's resurrection victory is undoing sin across creation. And as Abraham Kuyper famously said, there is not one square inch of human existence over which Christ does not declare, “Mine.”When we treat Lordship as merely individual, we lose courage, we retreat into privatized religion, and we avoid confronting the idols of our culture. But when we confess that Jesus is Lord over family, church, state, and the whole created order, then our faith takes flesh. It marches, sings, builds, and leaves an imprint of righteousness wherever it goes.This is no Gnostic mantra. “Jesus is Lord” is our dogma, and it means the earth belongs to Him and His people. The spoils of His victory are not hidden away for later—they are for His church to claim here and now.Omnia et in omnibus Christus. Christ all and in all.

 1 The book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham:Liber generationis Jesu Christi filii David, filii Abraham. 2 Abraham begot Isaac. And Isaac begot Jacob. And Jacob begot Judas and his brethren.Abraham genuit Isaac. Isaac autem genuit Jacob. Jacob autem genuit Judam, et fratres ejus. 3 And Judas begot Phares and Zara of Thamar. And Phares begot Esron. And Esron begot Aram.Judas autem genuit Phares, et Zaram de Thamar. Phares autem genuit Esron. Esron autem genuit Aram. 4 And Aram begot Aminadab. And Aminadab begot Naasson. And Naasson begot Salmon.Aram autem genuit Aminadab. Aminadab autem genuit Naasson. Naasson autem genuit Salmon. 5 And Salmon begot Booz of Rahab. And Booz begot Obed of Ruth. And Obed begot Jesse.Salmon autem genuit Booz de Rahab. Booz autem genuit Obed ex Ruth. Obed autem genuit Jesse. Jesse autem genuit David regem. 6 And Jesse begot David the king. And David the king begot Solomon, of her that had been the wife of Urias.David autem rex genuit Salomonem ex ea quae fuit Uriae. 7 And Solomon begot Roboam. And Roboam begot Abia. And Abia begot Asa.Salomon autem genuit Roboam. Roboam autem genuit Abiam. Abias autem genuit Asa. 8 And Asa begot Josaphat. And Josaphat begot Joram. And Joram begot Ozias.Asa autem genuit Josophat. Josophat autem genuit Joram. Joram autem genuit Oziam. 9 And Ozias begot Joatham. And Joatham begot Achaz. And Achaz begot Ezechias.Ozias autem genuit Joatham. Joatham autem genuit Achaz. Achaz autem genuit Ezechiam. 10 And Ezechias begot Manasses. And Manasses begot Amon. And Amon begot Josias.Ezechias autem genuit Manassen. Manasses autem genuit Amon. Amon autem genuit Josiam. 11 And Josias begot Jechonias and his brethren in the transmigration of Babylon.Josias autem genuit Jechoniam, et fratres ejus in transmigratione Babylonis. 12 And after the transmigration of Babylon, Jechonias begot Salathiel. And Salathiel begot Zorobabel.Et post transmigrationem Babylonis : Jechonias genuit Salathiel. Salathiel autem genuit Zorobabel. 13 And Zorobabel begot Abiud. And Abiud begot Eliacim. And Eliacim begot Azor.Zorobabel autem genuit Abiud. Abiud autem genuit Eliacim. Eliacim autem genuit Azor. 14 And Azor begot Sadoc. And Sadoc begot Achim. And Achim begot Eliud.Azor autem genuit Sadoc. Sadoc autem genuit Achim. Achim autem genuit Eliud. 15 And Eliud begot Eleazar. And Eleazar begot Mathan. And Mathan begot Jacob.Eliud autem genuit Eleazar. Eleazar autem genuit Mathan. Mathan autem genuit Jacob. 16 And Jacob begot Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ.Jacob autem genuit Joseph virum Mariae, de qua natus est Jesus, qui vocatur Christus.The holy Patriarch Joachim was the husband of St Anne, and the father of our Lady. This feast, originally kept on March 20, was transferred to the day following the Assumption, in order to associate the Blessed daughter and her holy father in triumph.

God is gepassioneerd om mensen te helpen die pijn hebben of in nood zijn. Door de jaren heen dat ik dichter bij Hem leefde en mijn liefde voor Hem groeide, werd ik elke dag meer en meer vastberaden om elke dag zo te leven om het leven van anderen draaglijker te maken. Gods passie is mijn passie geworden. Het uitreiken naar anderen is niet iets waar we alleen over moeten praten. Het moet de hoogste prioriteit zijn in het leven van een christen. Er is vastberadenheid en toewijding nodig om ons naar anderen uit te strekken en hen te helpen, maar God wil dat we zo leven. God zegt dat wanneer je jezelf echt schenkt aan anderen, dat Hij je zal gebruiken. Je licht zal in het donker schijnen, je duisternis wordt als het licht van het middaguur (Jesaja 58:10). Als je boven je eigen situatie uitstijgt en de liefde van Christus uitdraagt naar anderen, zal je vrede en vreugde toenemen en vervagen de problemen waarmee jezelf wordt geconfronteerd. En zul je de geweldige voldoening ervaren om het verschil te maken dat telt. Dus overweeg dit: Moet jij je prioriteiten veranderen om Gods passie jouw passie te maken? Vraag Hem om je te laten zien hoe je naar je naaste kunt uitstrekken en hoe je Zijn licht en liefde naar diegene kunt uitdragen die dit het hardste nodig hebben.

Die vierte Krone ist die Krone des Lebens. Die Bibel sagt: “Glücklich ist, wer die Bewährungsproben besteht und im Glauben festbleibt. Gott wird ihn mit dem Siegeskranz, dem ewigen Leben, krönen. Das hat er allen versprochen, die ihn lieben” (Jak 1,12 HFA). “Bleibe treu bis zum Tod, dann will ich dir den Siegeskranz des ewigen Lebens geben” (Offb 2,10 NLB). Ein Hirte erklärt: “Die Krone des Lebens wird verliehen als Anerkennung für das Ertragen und Siegen über Versuchungen und Prüfungen, bis hin zum Martyrium. Motiviert von unserer Liebe zu Christus, geben wir nicht auf, bis Er uns nach Hause bringt… Fast das ganze Neue Testament wurde für Gläubige geschrieben, die vom Märtyrertod bedroht waren. Die Apostel rieten ihnen, durchzuhalten, um die Krone des Lebens zu erben.” Heute erleben wir die intensivsten Christenverfolgungen in der Geschichte. Open Doors berichtet über fünfzig Länder, in denen Christen am schlimmsten verfolgt werden. Im Jahr 2017 meldete die Organisation eine Zunahme des Trends, dass „100% der Christen in einundzwanzig Ländern weltweit wegen ihres Glaubens an Christus verfolgt werden und mehr als 215 Millionen Christen einem ‚hohen Maß‘ an Verfolgung ausgesetzt sind. Fast jeder zwölfte Christ lebt heute in einem Gebiet oder einer Kultur, in der das Christentum illegal, verboten oder strafbar ist.“ Die Bibel sagt: “Und alle, die fromm leben wollen in Christus Jesus, müssen Verfolgung leiden.” (2. Timotheus 3,12 LU). Tröstlich ist, dass Verfolgung uns das Anrecht gibt, die Krone des Lebens zu beanspruchen.

In dieser Predigt legt Dieter Borchmann uns Philipper 2,14-18 aus. ____ WIE WIR IM GEHORSAM AUCH FREUDIG UNSERE ERRETTUNG VERWIRKLICHEN 1. Im Gehorsam in allen Fügungen Gottes willig handeln (V14) 2. Im Gehorsam den Zweck unserer Berufung erfüllen (V15) 3. Im Gehorsam Gottes zielführendes Mittel beachten (V16) 4. Im Gehorsam freudig Vorbild sein (V17 u. 18)

Sonntag, 10.08.2025 Kolosser 1,15-23 Simon Reifler feg-langenthal.ch Sonntag, 03. März 2024 2 Timotheus 2,1-8 Thom Egli feg-langenthal.ch

Folgen eines Museumsbesuchs: Harry Morgan, Amerikaner, findet sich nach einem Schlag auf den Kopf am Hofe des König Artus‘ wieder. Im Jahr 528 nach Christus! Er wird gefangen genommen und soll hingerichtet werden...

In dit thema, wil onze Heere en Verlosser, Jezus Christus je door middel van Zijn Woord leiden om het geheim van de eeuwen oude waarheid, hetgeen tot op heden, even sterk staat, te ontdekken. Van daar de titel: Christus in het Licht van de Wet! Laat dit thema je inspireren door de verschillende Bijbelteksten, zodat je in de nabije toekomst geen onnodige teleurstelling hoeft mee te maken. Hierbij wens ik je God zegen en leiding van Zijn Heilige Geest.

Send us a text1 Petrus 1:17-19 En onthou dat die Vader tot wie julle bid, niemand voortrek wanneer Hy beoordeel nie. Hy beoordeel elke mens volgens sy dade. Daarom moet julle julle eerbied vir Hom wys met julle leefstyl, al is julle uitlanders. Julle weet mos dat God betaal het om julle los te koop van die sinlose leefstyl wat julle van julle voorouers oorgeërf het. En dié losprys was nie dinge wat vergaan, soos goud of silwer nie. Inteendeel, dit was die kosbare bloed van Christus, soos dié van 'n lam wat vlekloos en sonder liggaamsgebrek is. (NLV) Vir baie mense is vrees 'n konstante metgesel. Nou dink jy dalk: "Ek is vir niks bang nie." Dit klink baie dapper. Die vraag is, wat lê om die draai?Ons sien vrees, oor die algemeen, as 'n slegte ding ... en dit is dikwels. Maar vandag wil ek graag oor ‘n ‘goeie vrees' met jou gesels. Ons leer hoe God talle kere vir Israel tydens hul ballingskap uit hul verknorsing gered het. Maar weet jy, dit maak nie saak wat ons vandag mag konfronteer nie, God wil ons ook red. Hy wil ons van daardie slegte vrese vrymaak tot 'n ‘goeie vrees' of anders gestel, ‘n heilige ontsag vir Hom.1 Petrus 1:17-19 En onthou dat die Vader tot wie julle bid, niemand voortrek wanneer Hy beoordeel nie. Hy beoordeel elke mens volgens sy dade. Daarom moet julle julle eerbied vir Hom wys met julle leefstyl, al is julle uitlanders. Julle weet mos dat God betaal het om julle los te koop van die sinlose leefstyl wat julle van julle voorouers oorgeërf het. En dié losprys was nie dinge wat vergaan, soos goud of silwer nie. Inteendeel, dit was die kosbare bloed van Christus, soos dié van 'n lam wat vlekloos en sonder liggaamsgebrek is. (NLV)Die slegte dinge wat ons doen; die verkeerde dinge wat ons doen, is baie dikwels die oorsaak van die knaende vrese wat ons van binne-af opvreet. Kan ek dit openlik en kras stel? Sonde maak die deur vir vrees oop.Maar God het ons daarvan gered deur Jesus te stuur om aan 'n kruis te sterf, sodat ons vergewe kan word. Hy het die losprys betaal, Hy het ons vrygemaak.En nou verwag Hy dat ons Hom sal vrees, Hom sal respekteer, Hom sal eer. Dis 'n goeie vrees, want hierdeur ontdek jy 'n vrede en 'n vreugde wat jy nooit gedink het moontlik is nie. Vandag is die dag om God te vrees.Dis Sy Woord. Vars ... vir jou ... vandag. Support the showEnjoying The Content?For the price of a cup of coffee each month, you can enable Christianityworks to reach 10,000+ people with a message about the love of Jesus!DONATE R50 MONTHLY

Das Volk Israel war in einem desolaten Zustand, als Amos weissagte. Dennoch trat er als Fürsprecher für sie vor Gott ein - und Gott verschonte das Volk. Wir haben einen viel größeren, vollkommenen Fürsprecher im Himmel, der sich für uns verwendet: den Herrn Jesus!

How should we understand the words, “in him all things were created” in Col 1.16? Although commonly taken to mean Christ created the universe, this view has contextual, structural, and exegetical problems. In what follows I’ll name six problems with old-creation readings before laying out why a new creation approach makes sense. I presented this talk at the 2025 Unitarian Christian Alliance (UCA) conference in Uxbridge, England. Scroll down to see the full-length paper. For those listening to the audio, here’s a quick reference to Colossians 1.15-20 Strophe 1 (Col 1.15-18a) 15a      who is (the) image of the invisible God, 15b      firstborn of all creation 16a      for in him were created all things 16b                  in the heavens and upon the earth, 16c                  the visible and the invisible, 16d                  whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities 16e      all things have been created through him and for him 17a      and he is before all things 17b      and all things hold together in him 18a      and he is the head of the body of the Church,[12] Strophe 2 (Col 1.18b-20) 18b      who is (the) beginning, 18c      firstborn from the dead, 18d                  in order that he may be first in all things, 19        for in him was pleased all the fulness to dwell 20a      and through him to reconcile all things in him, 20b      making peace through the blood of his cross 20c                  whether the things upon the earth 20d                  or the things in the heavens Here’s Randy Leedy’s New Testament Diagram Here are the slides in the original PowerPoint format Download [13.82 MB] Here are the slides converted to PDF Loading... Taking too long? Reload document | Open in new tab Download [3.16 MB] To read the paper, simply scroll down or read it on Academia.edu.   Listen on Spotify   Listen on Apple Podcasts —— Links —— Check out these other papers by Sean Finnegan Support Restitutio by donating here Join our Restitutio Facebook Group and follow Finnegan on X @RestitutioSF Leave a voice message via SpeakPipe with questions or comments and we may play it out on the air Who is Sean Finnegan?  Read his bio here Get Finnegan’s book, Kingdom Journey to learn about God’s kingdom coming on earth as well as the story of how Christianity lost this pearl of great price. Get the transcript of this episode Intro music: Good Vibes by MBB Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported (CC BY-SA 3.0) Free Download / Stream: Music promoted by Audio Library. Below is the paper presented on July 25, 2025 in Uxbridge, England at the 2nd annual UCA UK Conference. Access this paper on Academia.edu to get the pdf. Full text is below, including bibliography and end notes. Colossians 1.16: Old Creation or New Creation? by Sean P. Finnegan Abstract  How should we understand the words, “in him all things were created” in Col 1.16? Although commonly taken to mean Christ created the universe, this view has contextual, structural, and exegetical problems. In what follows, I will explain the difficulties with the various old creation readings of Col 1.16 along with five reasons for a new creation approach. Then I'll provide a new creation reading of Col 1.16 before summarizing my findings in the conclusion. Introduction  Colossians 1.15-20 is a fascinating text of great importance for Christology. Commonly understood to be a hymn, it is fascinating in its cosmic scope and elevated Christology. Although many commentators interpret Paul[1] to say that Christ created the universe in his pre-existent state in Col 1.16, not all scholars see it that way. For example, Edward Schillebeeckx writes, “There is no mention in this text of pre-existence in the Trinitarian sense.”[2] Rather he sees “an eschatological pre-existence, characteristic of wisdom and apocalyptic.”[3] G. B. Caird agreed that Paul's focus in Col. 1.15-20 was not pre-existence (contra Lightfoot), rather, “The main thread of Paul's thought, then, is the manhood of Christ.”[4] In other words, “All that has been said in vv. 15-18 can be said of the historical Jesus.”[5] James Dunn also denied that Paul saw Christ as God's agent in creation in Col 1.15-20, claiming that such an interpretation was “to read imaginative metaphor in a pedantically literal way.”[6] James McGrath argued that “Jesus is the one through whom God's new creation takes place.” [7] Andrew Perriman likewise noted, “There is no reference to the creation of heaven and earth, light and darkness, sea and dry land, lights in the heavens, vegetation, or living creatures,”[8] also preferring a new creation approach.[9] To understand why such a broad range of scholars diverge from the old creation interpretation of Col 1.16, we will examine several contextual, structural, and exegetical problems. While explaining these, I'll also put forward four reasons to interpret Col 1.16 as new creation. Then I'll provide a fifth before giving a new creation reading of Col 1.15-20. But before going any further, let's familiarize ourselves with the text and structure. The Form of Col 1.15-20  To get our bearings, let me begin by providing a translation,[10] carefully structured to show the two strophes.[11] Strophe 1 (Col 1.15-18a) 15a      who is (the) image of the invisible God, 15b      firstborn of all creation 16a      for in him were created all things 16b                  in the heavens and upon the earth, 16c                  the visible and the invisible, 16d                  whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities 16e      all things have been created through him and for him 17a      and he is before all things 17b      and all things hold together in him 18a      and he is the head of the body of the Church,[12] Strophe 2 (Col 1.18b-20) 18b      who is (the) beginning, 18c      firstborn from the dead, 18d                  in order that he may be first in all things, 19        for in him was pleased all the fulness to dwell 20a      and through him to reconcile all things in him, 20b      making peace through the blood of his cross 20c                  whether the things upon the earth 20d                  or the things in the heavens Here I've followed the two-strophe structure (1.15-18a and 18b-20) noted more than a century ago by the classical philologist Eduard Norden[13] and repeated by James Robinson,[14] Edward Lohse,[15] Edward Schweizer,[16] James Dunn,[17] Ben Witherington III,[18] and William Lane[19] among others. By lining up the parallel lines of the two strophes, we can clearly see the poetic form. Strophe 1 15a who is (the) image… 15b firstborn of all creation 16a for in him were created all things… 16e  all things have been created through him… Strophe 2 18b who is (the) beginning, 18c firstborn from the dead … 19 for in him was pleased all… 20a and through him to reconcile all things in him… Such striking repeated language between the two strophes means that we should be careful to maintain the parallels between them and not take a grammatical or exegetical position on a word or phrase that would disconnect it from the parallel line in the other strophe. Some scholars, including F. F. Bruce,[20] Michael Bird,[21] David Pao,[22] among others proposed vv. 17-18a as an independent transitional link between the two strophes. Lohse explained the motivation for this unlikely innovation as follows. Above all, it is curious that at the end of the first, cosmologically oriented strophe, Christ is suddenly referred to as the “head of the body, the church” (1:18a κεφαλή τοῦ σώματος τῆς ἐκκλησίας). Considering its content, this statement would have to be connected with the second strophe which is characterized by soteriological statements. The structure of the hymn, however, places it in the first strophe.[23] For interpreters who prefer to think of the first strophe as cosmogony and the second as soteriology, a line about Christ's headship over the church doesn't fit very well. They restructure the form based on their interpretation of the content. Such a policy reverses the order of operations. One should determine the form and then interpret the content in light of structure. Lohse was right to reject the addition of a new transitional bridge between the two strophes. He called it “out of the question” since vv. 17-18a underscore “all things” and “serve as a summary that brings the first strophe to a conclusion.”[24] Now that we've oriented ourselves to some degree, let's consider old creation readings of Col 1.16 and the problems that arise when reading it that way. Old Creation Readings  Within the old creation paradigm for Col 1.16 we can discern three groups: those who see (A) Christ as the agent by whom God created, (B) Wisdom as the agent, and (C) Christ as the purpose of creation. Although space won't allow me to interact with each of these in detail, I will offer a brief critique of these three approaches. As a reminder, here is our text in both Greek and English. Colossians 1.16 16a      ὅτι ἐν αὐτῷ ἐκτίσθη τὰ πάντα 16b                  ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς καὶ ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς, 16c                  τὰ ὁρατὰ καὶ τὰ ἀόρατα, 16d                  εἴτε θρόνοι εἴτε κυριότητες εἴτε ἀρχαὶ εἴτε ἐξουσίαι· 16e      τὰ πάντα δι' αὐτοῦ καὶ εἰς αὐτὸν ἔκτισται· 16a      for in him were created all things 16b                  in the heavens and upon the earth, 16c                  the visible and the invisible, 16d                  whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities 16e      all things have been created through him and for him 1. Christ as the Agent of Creation Scot McKnight is representative in his claim that “The emphasis of the first stanza is Christ as the agent of creation … and the second is Christ as the agent of redemption.”[25] This view sees the phrase “in him were created all things” as Christ creating the universe in the beginning. However, this position has six problems with it. Firstly, the context of the poem—both before (vv. 13-14) and after (vv. 21-22)—is clearly soteriological not cosmogonical.[26] By inserting vv. 15-20 into the text after vv. 13-14, Paul connected the two together.[27] V. 15 begins with ὅς ἐστιν (who is), which makes it grammatically dependent on vv. 13-14. “It is widely accepted,” wrote Dunn, “that this passage is a pre-Pauline hymn interpolated and interpreted to greater or less extent by Paul.”[28] By placing the poem into a redemptive frame, Paul indicated how he interpreted it. The fact that God “rescued us from the authority of darkness and transferred (us) into the kingdom of his beloved son” is the controlling context (v. 13).[29] As I will show below, I believe vv. 15-20 are ecclesiology not protology, since ecclesiology naturally flows from soteriology. Rather than remaining in the old domain of darkness, vulnerable to malevolent spiritual powers of this age, Colossian Christians are transferred into the new domain of Christ. The context makes it more natural to interpret the creation language of vv. 15-16 in light of Christ's redemptive work—as references to new creation rather than old creation. Doing so retains the contextual frame rather than jumping back to the beginning of time. A second problem arises when we consider the phrase “image of the invisible God” in v. 15. Although some see a Stoic or Wisdom reference here, I agree with F. F. Bruce who said, “No reader conversant with the OT scriptures, on reading these words of Paul, could fail to be reminded of the statement in Gen. 1:26f., that man was created by God ‘in his own image.'”[30] Immediately after making humanity in his own image, God blessed us with dominion over the earth. Philo also connected humanity's image of God with “the rulership over the earthly realms.”[31] But if the Christ of v. 15 is the pre-existent son prior to his incarnation, as the old creation model posits, “How can he be the ‘image of God,'” asked Eduard Schweizer, since “the one who is thus described here is not the earthly Jesus?”[32] It is precisely by virtue of his humanity that Jesus is the image of God not his pre-existence.[33] Thus, image-of-God language points us to the creation of a new humanity. A third problem is that “firstborn of all creation” prima facia implies that Christ is a member of creation (a partitive genitive). This is how Paul thought about Christ as firstborn in Rom 8.29 when he called Christ “firstborn among many brothers and sisters.” Clearly he saw Christ as a member of the “ἀδελφοῖς” (brothers and sisters). Furthermore, “πρωτότοκος πάσης κτίσεως” (firstborn of all creation) in v. 15 parallels “πρωτότοκος ἐκ τῶν νεκρῶν” (firstborn from the dead) v. 18. Although the former (v. 15) can be taken as a genitive of subordination (firstborn over creation) or as a partitive genitive (firstborn of creation), the latter (v. 18) is unambiguously partitive. Because v. 18 includes the word ἐκ (from/out of), instead of a multivalent genitive, it must mean that Jesus was himself a member of the dead prior to his resurrection. Likewise, he was the firstborn member of creation. To take v. 15 as a genitive of subordination and v. 18 in a partitive sense allows theology to drive exegesis over against the clear structural link between v. 15b and v. 18c. In fact, as the BDAG noted, Christ is “the firstborn of a new humanity.”[34] He is chronologically born first and, by virtue of that, also preeminent.[35] Fourthly, the phrase, “ἐν αὐτῷ” (in him), implies soteriology not protology as it does throughout the Pauline corpus. The prepositional phrases “in Christ,” “in the Lord,” “in him,” and others that are similar occur more than a hundred times in Paul's epistles. McKnight elucidated the sense nicely: “This expression, then, is the inaugurated eschatological reality into which the Christian has been placed, and it also evokes the new-creation realities that a person discovers.”[36] Creation in Christ is not likely to refer to Genesis creation. In fact, apart from Col 1.16, there is no text within Paul or the rest of the Bible that speaks of the origin of the universe as something created “in Christ.”[37] Sadly translators routinely obscure this fact by translating “ἐν αὐτῷ” as “by him.”[38] Amazingly, the NASB and ESV render “ἐν αὐτῷ” as “in him” in every other usage apart from Col 1.16![39] For the sake of consistency, it makes better sense to render “ἐν αὐτῷ” as “in him” and let the reader decide how to interpret it. Fifthly, the line, “and he is the head of the body, the Church” (v. 18a) clearly roots the first strophe in redemptive history not creation. Our English translations follow Robert Estienne's verse divisions, which confusingly combine the last line of the first strophe (v. 18a) and the first line of the second (v. 18b), obscuring the native poetic structure. As I made the case above, the structure of the text breaks into two strophes with v. 18a included in the first one. As I mentioned earlier, vv. 15-20 are a pre-existing poem that Paul has modified and incorporated into the text of Colossians. Ralph Martin pointed out that the poem contains “no less than five hapax legomena” and “about ten non-Pauline expressions.”[40] Additionally, there appear to be awkward additions that disrupt the symmetry. These additions are the most explicitly Christian material. It is likely that the original said, “and he is the head of the body” to which Paul appended “the church.” Edward Schillebeeckx commented on this. In Hellenistic terms this must primarily mean that he gives life and existence to the cosmos. Here, however, Colossians drastically corrects the ideas … The correction made by Colossians is to understand ‘body' as a reference to the church, and not the cosmos. This alters the whole perspective of the cultural and religious setting … The cosmic background is reinterpreted in terms of salvation history and ecclesiology. In fact Christ is already exercising his lordship over the world now … however, he is doing this only as the head of the church, his body, to which he gives life and strength. Thus Colossians claims that the church alone, rather than the cosmos, is the body of Christ.[41] If this is true, it shows Paul's careful concern to disallow a strictly old creation or protological reading of the first strophe. For by inserting “of the church,” he has limited the context of the first strophe to the Christ event. “The addition of ‘the church,'” wrote Dunn, “indicates that for Paul at any rate the two strophes were not dealing with two clearly distinct subjects (cosmology and soteriology).”[42] Karl-Joseph Kuschel wrote, “The answer would seem to be he wanted to ‘disturb' a possible cosmological-protological fancy in the confession of Christ … to prevent Christ from becoming a purely mythical heavenly being.”[43] Thus Paul's addition shows us he interpreted the creation of v16 as new creation. Lastly, theological concerns arise when taking Col 1.16 as old creation. The most obvious is that given the partitive genitive of v. 15, we are left affirming the so-called Arian position that God created Christ as the firstborn who, in turn, created everything else. Another thorn in the side of this view is God's insistence elsewhere to be the solo creator (Isa 44.24; cf. 45.18). On the strength of this fact, modalism comes forward to save the day while leaving new problems in its wake. However, recognizing Col 1.15-20 as new creation avoids such theological conundrums. 2. Wisdom as the Agent of Creation Dustin Smith noted, “The christological hymn contains no less than nine characteristics of the wisdom of God (e.g., “image,” “firstborn,” agent of creation, preceding all things, holding all things together) that are reapplied to the figure of Jesus.”[44] Some suggest that Col 1.15-20 is actually a hymn to Wisdom that Paul Christianized.[45] The idea is that God created the universe through his divine Wisdom, which is now embodied or incarnate in Christ. Dunn explained it as follows. If then Christ is what God's power/wisdom came to be recognized as, of Christ it can be said what was said first of wisdom—that ‘in him (the divine wisdom now embodied in Christ) were created all things.' In other words the language may be used here to indicate the continuity between God's creative power and Christ without the implication being intended that Christ himself was active in creation.[46] Before pointing out some problems, I must admit much of this perspective is quite noncontroversial. That Jewish literature identified Wisdom as God's creative agent, that there are linguistic parallels between Col 1.15-20 and Wisdom, and that the historical Jesus uniquely embodied Wisdom to an unprecedented degree are not up for debate. Did Paul expect his readers to pick up on the linguistic parallels? Afterall, he could have just said “in her were created all things” in v. 16, clearly making the connection with the grammatically feminine σοφία (Wisdom). Better yet, he could have said, “in Wisdom were created all things.” Even if the poem was originally to Wisdom, Paul has thoroughly Christianized it, applying to Christ what had been said of Wisdom. However, the most significant defeater for this view is that applying Wisdom vocabulary to Christ only works one way. Wisdom has found her home in Christ. This doesn't mean we can attribute to Christ what Wisdom did before she indwelt him any more than we can attribute to the living descendants of Nazis the horrific deeds of their ancestors. Perriman's critique is correct: “The point is not that the act of creation was Christlike, rather the reverse: recent events have been creation-like. The death and resurrection of Jesus are represented as the profoundly creative event in which the wisdom of God is again dynamically engaged, by which a new world order has come about.”[47] Once again a new creation approach makes better sense of the text. 3. Christ as the Purpose of Creation Another approach is to take ἐν αὐτῷ (in him) in a telic sense. Martha King, a linguist with SIL, said the phrase can mean “in association with Christ everything was created” or “in connection with Christ all things were created.”[48] Lexicographer, Joseph Thayer, sharpened the sense with the translation, “[I]n him resides the cause why all things were originally created.”[49] William MacDonald's translation brought this out even more with the phrase, “because for him everything … was created.”[50] The idea is that God's act of creation in the beginning was with Christ in view. As Eric Chang noted, “Christ is the reason God created all things.”[51] G. B. Caird said, “He is the embodiment of that purpose of God which underlies the whole creation.”[52] The idea is one of predestination not agency.[53] Christ was the goal for which God created all things. A weakness of this view is that purpose is better expressed using εἰς or δία with an accusative than ἐν. Secondly, the parallel line in the second strophe (v. 19) employs “ἐν αὐτῷ” in a clearly locative sense: “in him all the fullness was pleased to dwell.” So even though “ἐν αὐτῷ” could imply purpose, in this context it much more likely refers to location. Lastly, Paul mentioned the sense of purpose at the end of v. 16 with “εἰς αὐτὸν ἔκτισται” (for him has been created), so it would be repetitive to take “ἐν αὐτῷ” that way as well. To sum up, the three positions that see Col 1.16 as a reference to old creation all have significant problems. With these in mind, let us turn our attention to consider a fourth possibility: that Paul has in mind new creation. Reasons for a New Creation Reading I've already provided four reasons why Col 1.15-20 refers to new creation: (1) calling Christ the image of God points to the new humanity begun in Christ as the last Adam;[54] (2) since the firstborn of the old creation was Adam (or, perhaps, Seth), Jesus must be the firstborn of the new creation; (3) saying Jesus is the head of the church, limits the focus for the first strophe to the time following the Christ event; (4) the context of the poem, both before (vv. 13-14) and after (vv. 21-22) is soteriological, making an old creation paradigm awkward, while a new creation view fits perfectly. The Catholic priest and professor, Franz Zeilinger, summarized the situation nicely: “Christ is (through his resurrection from the realm of death) Lord over the possession granted to him, of which he is the ἀρχή (beginning) and archetype, … and head and beginning of the eschatological new creation!”[55] Additionally, a new creation paradigm fits best with Paul's elaboration of what visible and invisible things in heaven and on earth he has in mind. Once again, here's our text. 16a      for in him were created all things 16b                  in the heavens and upon the earth, 16c                  the visible and the invisible, 16d                  whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities 16e      all things have been created through him and for him By specifying thrones, dominions, rulers, and authorities, we discern Paul's train of thought. Form critics are quick to point out that v. 16d is Paul's addition to the poem. Without it, the reader may have thought of sky, land, and animals—old creation. However, with v. 16d present, we direct our attention to political realities not God's creative power or engineering genius. Martha King noted the two possible meanings for εἴτε: (1) specifying the “invisible things” or (2) giving examples of “all things.” Taking the second view, we read “in him were created all things, including thrones, dominions, rulers, and authorities.”[56] Randy Leedy also presented this position in his sentence diagrams, identifying v. 16d as equivalent to v. 16c and v. 16b, all of which modify τὰ πάντα (all things) at the end of v. 16a. (See Appendix for Leedy's diagram.) Perriman pressed home the point when he wrote: The fact is that any interpretation that takes verse 16 to be a reference to the original creation has to account for the narrow range of created things explicitly listed. … The Colossians verse mentions only the creation of political entities—thrones, lordships, rulers and authorities, visible and invisible—either in the already existing heaven or on the already existing and, presumably, populated earth. What this speaks of is a new governmental order consisting of both invisible-heavenly and visibly-earthly entities.”[57] Understanding v. 16d as equivalent to “all things” in v. 16a nicely coheres with a new-creation paradigm. However, taken the other way—as an elaboration of only the invisible created realities—v. 16d introduces an asymmetrical and clumsy appendix. A New Creation Reading of Col 1.16 Now that we've considered some problems with old creation views and some reasons to read Col 1.16 from a new creation perspective, let's consider how a new creation reading works. New creation is all about the new breaking into the old, the future into the present. G. F. Wessels said, “Paul made clear that there is a present realized aspect of salvation, as well as a future, still outstanding aspect, which will only be realized at the eschaton.”[58] New creation, likewise, has future and present realities. Exiting Old Creation Before becoming part of the new creation, one must exit the old creation. “Our old humanity was co-crucified“ (Rom 6.6). “With Christ you died to the elemental principles of the world” (Col 2.20). “As many as were baptized into Christ Jesus, were baptized into his death” (Rom 6.3). We were “co-buried with him through baptism into the death … having been united with the likeness of his death” (Rom 6.4-5). Our death with him through baptism kills our allegiance and submission to the old powers and the old way of life “in which you formerly walked according to the zeitgeist of this world, according to the rule of the authority of the air, the spirit which now works in the children of disobedience” (Eph 2.2). Entering New Creation As death is the only way out of the old creation, so resurrection is the only way into the new creation. “You have been co-raised with Christ” (Col 3.1). God “co-made-alive us together with him” (Col 2.13).[59] By virtue of our union with Christ, we ourselves are already “co-raised and co-seated us in the heavenlies in Christ Jesus” (Eph 2.6). The result of this is that “we also may walk in newness of life” (Rom 6.4). For those who are “in Christ, (there is) a new creation; the old has passed away, behold (the) new has come into existence” (2 Cor 5.17). “They have been ‘transported,'” wrote Schillebeeckx, “they already dwell above in Christ's heavenly sphere of influence (Col 1.13)—the soma Christou … that is the church!”[60] Community For the people of God, “neither circumcision is anything nor uncircumcision but a new creation” is what matters (Gal 6.15). Those who “are clothed with the new” are “being renewed in knowledge according to the image of him who created, where there is no Greek and Jew, circumcision and uncircumcision, barbarian, Scythian, slave, (or) free, but Christ (is) all and in all” (Col 3.10-11). Through Christ God has nullified the law “in order that he might create the two into one new humanity in him” (Eph 2.14-15). Thus, within new creation, ethnic identity still exists, but it is relativized, our identity in Christ taking priority ahead of other affiliations and duties. Lifestyle When the lost become saved through faith, they become his creation (ποίημα), “created in Christ Jesus for good works” (Eph 2.10). This means we are to “lay aside the former way of life, the old humanity corrupted according to deceitful desires” and instead be clothed with “the new humanity created according to God in righteousness and holiness of the truth” (Eph 4.22-24). Rather than lying to one another, we must “strip off the old humanity with its way of acting” and “be clothed with the new (humanity), renewed in knowledge according to the image of the one who created it” (Col 3.9-10). “The ones who are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the passions and the lusts” and instead “walk by the spirit” (Gal 5.24-25). Ultimately, All Creation Although new creation is currently limited to those who voluntarily recognize Jesus as Lord, all “creation is waiting with eager expectation for the unveiling of the children of God” (Rom 8.19). Because of the Christ event, the created order eagerly awaits the day when it will escape “the enslavement of corruption” and gain “the freedom of the glory of the children of God” (v. 21). Like a bone out of joint, creation does not function properly. Once Christ sets it right, it will return to its proper order and operation under humanity's wise and capable rulership in the eschaton. Eschatology God predetermined that those who believe will be “conformed to the image of his son, that he be firstborn among many brothers and sisters” (Rom 8.29). Thus, the resurrected Christ is the prototype, “the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep” (1 Cor 15.20). Whereas “in Adam all die, so also in Christ all will be made alive” (v. 22). We await Christ's return to “transform the body of our humble station (that it be) shaped to his glorious body according to the energy which makes him able to also to subject all things to himself.” (Phil 3.21). This is the end goal of new creation: resurrected subjects of God's kingdom joyfully living in a renewed world without mourning, crying, and pain forevermore (Isa 65.17-25; Rev 21-22). The Powers Taking Col 1.16 as a new creation text adds key information about the present governing powers to this richly textured picture. In Christ God created thrones, dominions, rulers, and authorities. He made these through Christ and for Christ with the result that Christ himself is before all things, and in Christ all things hold together (Col 1.17). He is the head of the body, the Church (Col 1.18). We find very similar language repeated in Ephesians in the context of Christ's exaltation.[61] Ephesians 1.20-23 20 Which [power] he energized in Christ having raised him from the dead and seated (him) on his right (hand) in the heavenlies 21 far above all rule and authority and power and dominion and every name named, not only in this age but also in the one to come; 22 and he subjected all things under his feet and gave him (as) head over all things in the Church, 23 which is his body, the fullness of the one who fills all things in all. The parallels are striking. Both speak of Christ's resurrection, Christ's exalted position of authority over all the powers, Christ's role as head of the church, and both mention the fullness. It's easy to miss the connection between these two passages since most think of Eph 1.20-22 as ascension theology and Col 1.15-20 as creation theology. But, if we adjust our thinking to regard Col 1.16 as new creation, we see how the two fit together. In Ephesians we see Christ's ascension to God's right hand as the reason for a cosmic reordering of authorities with the result that all rule, authority, power, and dominion are subjected to him. (Though we may be accustomed to reading these powers in Eph 1.21 as only malevolent owing to Eph 2.2 and 6.12, the list here must be mixed, since only benevolent powers will survive the final judgement and continue into the age to come.) Instead of exaltation, in Colossians Paul employed the language of creation to describe Christ's relation to the powers. Perhaps lesser terms like reassign, reorder, or establish were just too small to adequately express the magnitude of how the Christ event has changed the world—both in heaven and on earth. The only term big enough to convey the new situation was “creation”—the very same word he routinely used elsewhere with the meaning of new creation.[62] We can gain more insight by considering what the powers of Eph 1.21 and Col 1.16 mean. McKnight saw them “as earthly, systemic manifestations of (perhaps fallen) angelic powers—hence, the systemic worldly, sociopolitical manifestations of cosmic/angelic rebellion against God.”[63] I partially agree with McKnight here. He's right to see the powers as both heavenly and earthly, or better, as the heavenly component of the earthly sociopolitical realities, but he has not made room for the new authority structures created in Christ. John Schoenheit helpfully explained it this way: Not only did Jesus create his Church out of Jew and Gentile, he had to create the structure and positions that would allow it to function, both in the spiritual world (positions for the angels that would minister to the Church—see Rev. 1:1, “his angel”) and in the physical world (positions and ministries here on earth—see Rom. 12:4-8; Eph. 4:7-11).[64] We must never forget that Paul has an apocalyptic worldview—a perspective that seeks to unveil the heavenly reality behind the earthly. He believed in powers of darkness and powers of light. In Christ were created thrones, dominions, rulers, and authorities (Col 1.16). He is “the head of all rule and authority” (Col 2.10). These new creation realities make progress against the old powers that still hold sway in the world outside the Church. Although the old powers are still at work, those who are in Christ enjoy his protection. With respect to the Church, he has already “disarmed the rulers and authorities” (Col 2.15). We can don “the armor of God that we be able to stand against the methods of the devil” (Eph 6.11) and “subduing everything, to stand” (v. 13). We find glimpses of this heavenly reality scattered in other places in the Bible. Peter mentioned how Christ “is on the right hand of God, having gone into heaven, angels and authorities and power having been subjected to him” (1 Pet 3.22). In John's Revelation, he addressed each of the seven letters to the angels of their respective churches.[65] Although it's hard for us to get details on precisely what happened at Christ's ascension, something major occurred, not just on earth, but also in the spiritual realm. Jesus's last recorded words in Matthew are: “all authority in heaven and upon earth was given to me” (Mat 28.18-20). Presumably such a statement implies that prior to his resurrection Jesus did not have all authority in heaven and earth. It didn't exist until it was created. Similarly, because of his death, resurrection, and ascension, Christ has “become so much better than the angels as the name he has inherited is superior to them” (Heb 1.4). Once again, the text implies that Christ was not already superior to the angels, but “after making purification of the sins, he sat on the right hand of the majesty on high” at which time he became preeminent (Heb 1.3). Perhaps this also explains something about why Christ “proclaimed to the spirits in prison” (1 Pet 3.19). Another possibility is that Christ's ascension (Rev 12.5) triggered a war in heaven (v. 7) with the result that the dragon and his angels suffered defeat (v. 8) and were thrown out of heaven down to the earth (v. 9). Sadly, for most of the history of the church we have missed this Jewish apocalyptic approach that was obvious to Paul, limiting salvation to individual sins and improved morality.[66] Only in the twentieth century did interpreters begin to see the cosmic aspect of new creation. Margaret Thrall wrote the following. The Christ-event is the turning-point of the whole world … This Christ ‘in whom' the believer lives is the last Adam, the inaugurator of the new eschatological humanity. … Paul is saying that if anyone exists ‘in Christ', that person is a newly-created being. … In principle, through the Christ-event and in the person of Christ, the new world and the new age are already objective realities.[67] New creation is, in the words of J. Louis Martyn “categorically cosmic and emphatically apocalyptic.”[68] In fact, “The advent of the Son and of his Spirit is thus the cosmic apocalyptic event.”[69] In Christ is the beginning of a whole new creation, an intersecting community of angelic and human beings spanning heaven and earth. The interlocking of earthly (visible) and heavenly (invisible) authority structures points to Paul's apocalyptic holism. The Church was not on her own to face the ravages of Rome's mad love affair with violence and power. In Christ, people were no longer susceptible to the whims of the gods that have wreaked so much havoc from time immemorial.[70] No, the Church is Christ's body under his direct supervision and protection. As a result, the Church is the eschatological cosmic community. It is not merely a social club; it has prophetic and cosmic dimensions. Prophetically, the Church points to the eschaton when all of humanity will behave then how the Church already strives to live now—by the spirit instead of the flesh (Gal 5.16-25). Cosmically, the Church is not confined to the earth. There is a heavenly dimension with authority structures instantiated under Christ to partner with the earthly assemblies. God's “plan for the fulness of the times” is “to head up all thing in the Christ, the things upon the heavens and the things upon the earth in him” (Eph 1.10). Although this is his eschatological vision, Zeilinger pointed out that it is already happening. [T]he eschatological world given in Christ is realized within the still-existing earthly creation through the inclusion of the human being in Christ, the exalted one, by means of the proclamation of salvation and baptism. The eschaton spreads throughout the world in the kerygma and becomes reality, in that the human being, through baptism, becomes part of Christ—that is, in unity with him, dies to the claim of the στοιχεῖα τοῦ κόσμου (2.20) and is raised with him to receive his eschatological life. The people thus incorporated into the exalted Christ thereby form, in him and with him, the new creation of the eschaton within the old! The body of Christ is thus recognizable as the expanding Church. In it, heavenly and earthly space form, in a certain sense, a unity.[71] The Church is a counter society, and embassy of the future kingdom shining the light of the age to come into the present in the power of the spirit with the protection of Christ and his heavenly powers over against the powers of darkness, who/which are still quite active—especially in the political realities of our present evil age (Gal 1.4). We bend the knee to the cosmic Christ now in anticipation of the day when “every knee may bend: heavenly and earthly and subterranean” (Phil 2.10) and “every tongue may confess that Jesus Christ (is) Lord” (v. 11). Christ's destiny is to fulfil the original Adamic mandate to multiply, fill, and have dominion over the earth (Gen 1.28). He has already received all authority in heaven and earth (Mat 28.18). God has given him “dominion over the works of your hands and put all things under his feet” as the quintessential man (Ps 8.6). Even so, “Now we do not yet see all things subjected to him” (Heb 2.8), but when he comes “he will reign into the ages of the ages” (Rev 11.15). Until then, he calls the Church to recognize his preeminence and give him total allegiance both in word and deed. Conclusion We began by establishing that the structure of the poetic unit in Col 1.15-20 breaks into two strophes (15-18a and 18b-20). We noted that Paul likely incorporated pre-existing material into Colossians, editing it as he saw fit. Then we considered the problems with the three old creation readings: (A) Christ as the agent of creation, (B) Wisdom as the agent of creation, and (C) Christ as the purpose of creation. In the course of critiquing (A), which is by far most popular, we observed several reasons to think Col 1.16 pertained to new creation, including (1) the image of God language in v. 15a, (2) the firstborn of all creation language in v. 15b, (3) the head of the Church language in v. 18a, and (4) the soteriological context (frame) of the poem (vv. 13-14, 21-22). To this I added a fifth syntactical reason that 16d as an elaboration of “τἀ πάντα” (all things) of 16a. Next, we explored the idea of new creation, especially within Paul's epistles, to find a deep and richly textured paradigm for interpreting God's redemptive and expanding sphere of influence (in Christ) breaking into the hostile world. We saw that new Christians die and rise with Christ, ending their association with the old and beginning again as a part of the new—a community where old racial, legal, and status divisions no longer matter, where members put off the old way of living and instead become clothed with the new humanity, where people look forward to and live in light of the ultimate transformation to be brought about at the coming of Christ. Rather than limiting new creation to the salvation of individuals, or even the sanctifying experience of the community, we saw that it also includes spiritual powers both “in the heavens and upon the earth, the visible and the invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities” (Col 1.16). Reading Col 1.15-20 along with Eph 1.20-23 we connected God's creation of the powers in Christ with his exaltation of Christ to his right hand “far above all rule and authority and power and dominion and every name named, not only in this age but also in the one to come” (Eph 1.21). The point from both texts is clear: as “the head of the body, the Church” (Col 1.18; Eph 1.22), Christ is “before all things” (Col 1.17), “first in all things” (Col 1.18), and “far above all” (Eph 1.21), since God has “subjected all things under his feet” (Eph 1.22). Christ is preeminent as the firstborn of all new creation, “the new Adam … the starting point where new creation took place.”[72] Although the old powers still hold sway in the world, those in the interlocked heaven-and-earth new creation domain where Christ is the head, enjoy his protection if they remain “in the faith established and steadfast and not shifting away from the hope of the gospel” (Col 1.23). This interpretation has several significant advantages. It fits into Paul's apocalyptic way of thinking about Christ's advent and exaltation. It also holds together the first strophe of the poem as a unit. Additionally, it makes better sense of the context. (The ecclesiology of Col 1.15-18a follows logically from the soteriological context of vv. 13-14.) Lastly, it is compatible with a wide range of Christological options. Appendix Here is Col 1.16 from Leedy's sentence diagrams.[73] Of note is how he equates the τὰ πάντα of 16a with 16c and 16d rather than seeing 16d as an elaboration of τά ὁρατά. Bibliography Bauer, Walter, Frederick William  Danker, William F. Arndt, F. Gingrich, Kurt Aland, Barbara Aland, and Viktor Reichmann. A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature. 3rd ed. Chicago: The University of Chicago Press, 2000. Bird, Michael F. Colossians and Philemon. A New Covenant Commentary. Cambridge, England: The Lutterworth Press, 2009. Brown, Anna Shoffner. “Nothing ‘Mere’ About a Man in the Image of God.” Paper presented at the Unitarian Christian Alliance, Springfield, OH, Oct 14, 2022. Bruce, E. K. Simpson and F. F. The Epistles to the Ephesians and the Colossians. The New International Commentary on the New Testament, edited by Ned B. Stonehouse. Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 1957. Buzzard, Anthony F. Jesus Was Not a Trinitarian. Morrow, GA: Restoration Fellowship, 2007. Caird, G. B. New Testament Theology. Edited by L. D. Hurst. Oxford, England: Clarendon Press, 2002. Caird, G. B. Paul’s Letters from Prison. New Clarendon Bible, edited by H. F. D. Sparks. Oxford, England: Oxford University Press, 1976. Carden, Robert. One God: The Unfinished Reformation. Revised ed. Naperville, IL: Grace Christian Press, 2016. Chang, Eric H. H. The Only Perfect Man. Edited by Bentley C. F. Chang. 2nd ed. Montreal, QC: Christian Disciples Church Publishers, 2017. Deuble, Jeff. Christ before Creeds. Latham, NY: Living Hope International Ministries, 2021. Dunn, James D. G. Christology in the Making. 2nd ed. Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 1996. Dunn, James D. G. The Epistles to the Colossians and to Philemon. New International Greek Testament Commentary, edited by Gasque Marshall, Hagner. Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 1996. Heiser, Michael S. The Unseen Realm: Recovering the Supernatural Worldview of the Bible. Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2019. King, Martha. An Exegetical Summary of Colossians. Dallas, TX: SIL International, 1992. Kuschel, Karl-Joseph. Born before All Time? Translated by John Bowden. New York, NY: Crossroad, 1992. Originally published as Beforen vor aller Zeit? Lane, William L. The New Testament Page by Page. Open Your Bible Commentary, edited by Martin Manser. Bath, UK: Creative 4 International, 2013. Leedy, Randy A. The Greek New Testament Sentence Diagrams. Norfolk, VA: Bible Works, 2006. Lohse, Edward. Colossians and Philemon. Hermeneia. Minneapolis, MN: Fortress Press, 1971. MacDonald, William Graham. The Idiomatic Translation of the New Testament. Norfolk, VA: Bibleworks, 2012. Mark H. Graeser, John A. Lynn, John W. Schoenheit. One God & One Lord. 4th ed. Martinsville, IN: Spirit & Truth Fellowship International, 2010. Martin, Ralph. “An Early Christian Hymn (Col. 1:15-20).” The Evangelical Quarterly 36, no. 4 (1964): 195–205. Martyn, J. Louis. Theological Issues in the Letters of Paul. Nashville, TN: Abingdon Press, 1997. McGrath, James F. The Only True God: Early Christian Monotheism in Its Jewish Context. Urbana, IL: University of Illinois Press, 2009. McKnight, Scot. The Letter to the Colossians. New International Commentary on the New Testament, edited by Joel B. Green. Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 2018. Norden, Eduard. Agnostos Theos: Untersuchungen Zur Formengeschichte Religiöser Rede. 4th ed. Stuttgart, Germany: B. G. Teubner, 1956. Originally published as 1913. Pao, David. Colossians and Philemon. Zondervan Exegetical Commentary of the New Testament, edited by Clinton E. Arnold. Grand Rapid, MI: Zondervan, 2012. Perriman, Andrew. In the Form of a God. Studies in Early Christology, edited by David Capes Michael Bird, and Scott Harrower. Eugene, OR: Cascade Books, 2022. Philo. The Works of Philo. The Norwegian Philo Concordance Project. Edited by Kåre Fuglseth Peder Borgen, Roald Skarsten. Piscataway, NJ: Gorgias Press, 2005. Robinson, James M. “A Formal Analysis of Colossians 1:15-20.” Journal of Biblical Literature 76, no. 4 (1957): 270–87. Schillebeeckx, Eduard. Christ: The Experience of Jesus as Lord. Translated by John Bowden. New York, NY: The Seabury Press, 1977. Schoberg, Gerry. Perspectives of Jesus in the Writings of Paul. Eugene, OR: Pickwick Publications, 2013. Schweizer, Eduard. The Letter to the Colossians. Translated by Andrew Chester. Minneapolis, MN: Augsburg Publishing House, 1982. Smith, Dustin R. Wisdom Christology in the Gospel of John. Eugene, OR: Wipf & Stock, 2024. Snedeker, Donald R. Our Heavenly Father Has No Equals. Bethesda, MD: International Scholars Publications, 1998. Thayer, Joseph Henry. A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament. Peabody, MA: Hendrickson, 1996. Thrall, Margaret. The Second Epistle to the Corinthians. Vol. 1. The International Critical Commentary, edited by C. E. B. Cranfield J. A. Emerton, G. N. Stanton. Edinburgh, Scotland: T&T Clark, 1994. Wachtel, William M. “Colossians 1:15-20–Preexistence or Preeminence?” Paper presented at the 14th Theological Conference, McDonough, GA, 2005. Wessels, G. F. “The Eschatology of Colossians and Ephesians.” Neotestamentica 21, no. 2 (1987): 183–202. Witherington III, Ben The Letters to Philemon, the Colossians, and the Ephesians: A Socio-Rhetorical Commentary of the Captivity Epistles. Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 2007. Yates, Roy. The Epistle to the Colossians. London: Epworth Press, 1993. Zeilinger, Franz. Der Erstgeborene Der Schöpfung. Wien, Österreich: Herder, 1974. Footnotes [1] Since the nineteenth century biblical scholars have been divided over whether Paul wrote Colossians. One of the major reasons for thinking Paul didn't write Colossians is his exalted Christology—the very conclusion this paper seeks to undermine. A second major factor to argue against Pauline authorship is the difference in vocabulary, but this is explainable if Paul used a different amanuensis. The theologically more cosmic emphasis (also evident in Ephesians) is likely due to Paul's time in prison to reflect and expand his understanding of the Christ event. Lastly, the proto-Gnostic hints in Colossians do not require dating the epistle outside of Paul's time. Although Gnosticism flourished at the beginning of the second century, it was likely already beginning to incubate in Paul's time. [2] Eduard Schillebeeckx, Christ: The Experience of Jesus as Lord, trans. John Bowden (New York, NY: The Seabury Press, 1977), 185. [3] Schillebeeckx, 185. [4] G. B. Caird, Paul’s Letters from Prison, New Clarendon Bible, ed. H. F. D. Sparks (Oxford, England: Oxford University Press, 1976), 177. [5] Caird, 181. [6] James D. G. Dunn, The Epistles to the Colossians and to Philemon, New International Greek Testament Commentary, ed. Gasque Marshall, Hagner (Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 1996), 91. “[W]hat at first reads as a straightforward assertion of Christ's pre-existenct activity in creation becomes on closer analysis an assertion which is rather more profound—not of Christ as such present with God in the beginning, nor of Christ as identified with a pre-existent hypostasis or divine being (Wisdom) beside God, but of Christ as embodying and expressing (and defining) that power of God which is the manifestation of God in and to his creation.” (Italics in original.) James D. G. Dunn, Christology in the Making, 2nd ed. (Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 1996), 194. [7] James F. McGrath, The Only True God: Early Christian Monotheism in Its Jewish Context (Urbana, IL: University of Illinois Press, 2009), 46. [8] Andrew Perriman, In the Form of a God, Studies in Early Christology, ed. David Capes Michael Bird, and Scott Harrower (Eugene, OR: Cascade Books, 2022), 200. [9] In addition, biblical unitarians routinely interpret Col 1.16 as new creation. See Anthony F. Buzzard, Jesus Was Not a Trinitarian (Morrow, GA: Restoration Fellowship, 2007), 189–90, Robert Carden, One God: The Unfinished Reformation, Revised ed. (Naperville, IL: Grace Christian Press, 2016), 197–200, Eric H. H. Chang, The Only Perfect Man, ed. Bentley C. F. Chang, 2nd ed. (Montreal, QC: Christian Disciples Church Publishers, 2017), 151–52, Jeff Deuble, Christ before Creeds (Latham, NY: Living Hope International Ministries, 2021), 163–66, John A. Lynn Mark H. Graeser, John W. Schoenheit, One God & One Lord, 4th ed. (Martinsville, IN: Spirit & Truth Fellowship International, 2010), 493–94, Donald R. Snedeker, Our Heavenly Father Has No Equals (Bethesda, MD: International Scholars Publications, 1998), 291–92, William M. Wachtel, “Colossians 1:15-20–Preexistence or Preeminence?” (paper presented at the 14th Theological Conference, McDonough, GA, 2005), 4. [10] All translations are my own. [11] Stophes are structural divisions drawn from Greek odes akin to stanzas in poetry or verses in music. [12] Throughout I will capitalize Church since that reflects the idea of all Christians collectively not just those in a particular local assembly. [13] Eduard Norden, Agnostos Theos: Untersuchungen Zur Formengeschichte Religiöser Rede, 4th ed. (Stuttgart, Germany: B. G. Teubner, 1956), 250–54. [14] James M. Robinson, “A Formal Analysis of Colossians 1:15-20,” Journal of Biblical Literature 76, no. 4 (1957): 272–73. [15] Edward Lohse, Colossians and Philemon, Hermeneia (Minneapolis, MN: Fortress Press, 1971), 44. [16] Eduard Schweizer, The Letter to the Colossians, trans. Andrew Chester (Minneapolis, MN: Augsburg Publishing House, 1982), 57. [17] Dunn, The Epistles to the Colossians and to Philemon, 84. [18] Ben  Witherington III, The Letters to Philemon, the Colossians, and the Ephesians: A Socio-Rhetorical Commentary of the Captivity Epistles (Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 2007), 129. [19] William L. Lane, The New Testament Page by Page, Open Your Bible Commentary, ed. Martin Manser (Bath, UK: Creative 4 International, 2013), 765. [20] E. K. Simpson and F. F. Bruce, The Epistles to the Ephesians and the Colossians, The New International Commentary on the New Testament, ed. Ned B. Stonehouse (Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 1957), 65. [21] Michael F. Bird, Colossians and Philemon, A New Covenant Commentary (Cambridge, England: The Lutterworth Press, 2009), 50. [22] David Pao, Colossians and Philemon, Zondervan Exegetical Commentary of the New Testament, ed. Clinton E. Arnold (Grand Rapid, MI: Zondervan, 2012), 87. [23] Lohse, 42. [24] Lohse, 43–44. [25] Scot McKnight, The Letter to the Colossians, New International Commentary on the New Testament, ed. Joel B. Green (Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 2018), 144. [26] Col 1.13-14: “who rescued us from the authority of darkness and transferred (us) into the kingdom of his beloved son in whom we have the redemption, the forgiveness of the sins.” Col 1.21-22: “And you being formerly alienated and hostile in thought in the evil deeds, but now he reconciled (you) in his body of the flesh through the death to present you holy and blameless and irreproachable before him.” [27] In fact, we can easily skip from vv. 13-14 to vv. 21-22. [28] Dunn, Christology in the Making, 187–88. [29] Sadly, most translations erroneously insert a paragraph between vv. 14 and 15. This produces the visual effect that v. 15 is a new thought unit. [30] Bruce, 193. [31] Moses 2.65: “τὴν ἡγεμονίαν τῶν περιγείων” in Philo, The Works of Philo, The Norwegian Philo Concordance Project (Piscataway, NJ: Gorgias Press, 2005). See also Sirach 17.3. [32] Schweizer, 64. [33] For a helpful treatment of how the image of God relates to Christology, see Anna Shoffner Brown, “Nothing ‘Mere’ About a Man in the Image of God” (paper presented at the Unitarian Christian Alliance, Springfield, OH, Oct 14, 2022). [34] Walter Bauer et al., A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature, 3rd ed. (Chicago: The University of Chicago Press, 2000), s.v. “πρωτότοκος,” 2.a. [35] Franz Zeilnger wrote, “Christ is temporally the first of a series that essentially proceeds from him, and at the same time its lord and head.” Franz Zeilinger, Der Erstgeborene Der Schöpfung (Wien, Österreich: Herder, 1974), 182. Original: “als “Wurzel” ist Christus zeitlich der erste einer Reihe, die wesentlich aus ihm hervorgeht, und zugleich ihr Herr und Haupt.” [36] McKnight, 85–86. [37] The closest parallels are 1 Cor 8.6; Heb 1.2; and John 1.3, which employ the preposition δια (through). Upon close examination these three don't teach Christ created the universe either. [38] ESV, CSB, NASB, etc. Notably the NET diverges from the other evangelical translations. Roman Catholic, mainline, and unitarian translations all tend to straightforwardly render “ἐν αὐτῷ” as “in him” in Col 1.16; cf. NABRE, NRSVUE, OGFOMMT, etc. [39] Chang, 150. [40] Ralph Martin, “An Early Christian Hymn (Col. 1:15-20),” The Evangelical Quarterly 36, no. 4 (1964): 198. [41] Schillebeeckx, 186. [42] Dunn, Christology in the Making, 191. [43] Karl-Joseph Kuschel, Born before All Time?, trans. John Bowden (New York, NY: Crossroad, 1992), 336. [44] Dustin R. Smith, Wisdom Christology in the Gospel of John (Eugene, OR: Wipf & Stock, 2024), 5–6. For more on wisdom Christology in Col 1.16 see Dunn, The Epistles to the Colossians and to Philemon, 89, Roy Yates, The Epistle to the Colossians (London: Epworth Press, 1993), 18–19, 23, G. B. Caird, New Testament Theology, ed. L. D. Hurst (Oxford, England: Clarendon Press, 2002), 46, McGrath, 44, 46. [45] See Dunn, The Epistles to the Colossians and to Philemon, 89. See also Yates, 18–19, 23. [46] Dunn, Christology in the Making, 190. [47] Perriman, 199. [48] Martha King, An Exegetical Summary of Colossians (Dallas, TX: SIL International, 1992), 53. [49] Joseph Henry Thayer, A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament (Peabody, MA: Hendrickson, 1996), s.v. “ἐν,” 1722. He recognized the cause was both instrumental and final. [50] William Graham MacDonald, The Idiomatic Translation of the New Testament (Norfolk, VA: Bibleworks, 2012). [51] Chang, 147. Similarly James McGrath wrote, “[I]f all things were intended by God to find their fulfillment in Christ, then they must have been created “in him” in the very beginning in some undefined sense, since it was axiomatic that the eschatological climax of history would be a restoration of its perfect, original state.” McGrath, 46. [52] Caird, Paul’s Letters from Prison, 172. [53] “God so designed the universe that it was to achieve its proper meaning and unity only under the authority of man (Gen. 128; Ps. 86). But this purpose was not to be implemented at once; it was ‘to be put into effect when the time was ripe' (Eph. 110), when Christ had lived a human life as God intended it, and had become God's image in a measure which was never true of Adam. Only in unity with ‘the proper man' could the universe be brought to its destined coherence. For one who believes in predestination it is but a small step from this to saying that the universe was created in him.” Caird, Paul’s Letters from Prison, 178. [54] See also Paul's Adam Christology in Rom 5.12-21; 1 Cor 15.21-22, 45-49. [55] “Christus ist (durch seine Auferstehung aus dem Todesbereich) Herr über den ihm verliehenen Besitz, dessen ἀρχή und Urbild er ist, … und Haupt und Anfang der eschatologischen Neuschöpfung!” Zeilinger, 188. [56] King, 54. [57] Perriman, 200. [58] G. F. Wessels, “The Eschatology of Colossians and Ephesians,” Neotestamentica 21, no. 2 (1987): 187. [59] I realize my translation is awkward, but I prioritized closely mirroring the Greek over presenting smooth English. The original reads, “συνεζωοποίησεν ὑμᾶς σὺν αὐτῷ.” [60] Schillebeeckx, 187. [61] Scholars who make this connection include Caird, New Testament Theology, 216, Caird, Paul’s Letters from Prison, 177, McGrath, 44, Perriman, 201. [62] In fact, only two of the texts I cited above explicitly say “new creation” (2 Cor 5.17 and Gal 6.15). In all the others, Paul blithely employed creation language, expecting his readers to understand that he was not talking about the creation of the universe, but the creation of the new humanity in Christ—the Church. [63] McKnight, 152. [64] Mark H. Graeser, 493. [65] Rev 2.1, 8, 12, 18; 3.1, 7, 14. [66] See Gerry Schoberg, Perspectives of Jesus in the Writings of Paul (Eugene, OR: Pickwick Publications, 2013), 280–81, 83. [67] Margaret Thrall, The Second Epistle to the Corinthians, vol. 1, The International Critical Commentary, ed. C. E. B. Cranfield J. A. Emerton, G. N. Stanton (Edinburgh, Scotland: T&T Clark, 1994), 423, 26–28. [68] J. Louis Martyn, Theological Issues in the Letters of Paul (Nashville, TN: Abingdon Press, 1997), 122. [69] Martyn, 121. [70] Whether the old gods actually existed or not is a topic beyond the scope of this paper. Interested readers should consult Michael S. Heiser, The Unseen Realm: Recovering the Supernatural Worldview of the Bible (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2019). [71] “[D]ie in Christus gegebene echatologische Welt verwirkliche sich innerhalb der weiterhin existenten irdischen Schöpfung durch die Einbeziehung des Menschen in Christus, den Erhöhten, mittles Heilsverkündigung und Taufe. Das Eschaton setzt sic him Kerygma wetweit durch und wird Wirklichkeit, indem der Mensch durch die Taufe Christi Teil wird, d. h. in Einheit mit ihm dem Anspruch der στοιχεῖα τοῦ κόσμου stirbt (2, 20) und mit ihm auferweckt sein eschatologisches Leben erhält. Die so dem erhöhten Christus eingegliederten Menschen bilden somit in ihm und mit ihm die neue Schöpfung der Eschata innerhalb der alten! Der Christusleib ist somit als sich weitende Kirche erkennbar. In ihr bildet himmlischer und irdischer Raum gewissermaßen eine Einheit.” Zeilinger, 179. [72] “Der neue Adam … Ausgangsort, in dem sich Neuschöpfung ereignete,” Zeilinger, 199. [73] Randy A. Leedy, The Greek New Testament Sentence Diagrams (Norfolk, VA: Bible Works, 2006). This is now available in Logos Bible Software.

Spreker: Ds. C.J.P. van der BasTekst: Kolossenzen 1:15, 18 en 20Thema: Christus is KoningDatum: 1 juni 2025Locatie: HHG GoesBron: https://www.youtube.com/live/bwmQGdb0ajQ ★ Support this podcast ★

Die zweite Krone ist nach der Schrift die Krone der Freude. Sie wird denen gegeben, die sich daran beteiligen, andere zu Christus zu führen. Apostelgeschichte 17 berichtet von Paulus' Ankunft in Thessalonich. “Er ging in die Synagoge und redete mit ihnen an drei Sabbaten aus der Schrift, dass Christus leiden und von den Toten auferstehen musste: ‚Dieser Jesus, den ich euch predige, ist der Christus'” (s. Apg 17, 2-3 LU). Einige seiner Zuhörer bekehrten sich, darunter viele fromme Griechen und eine Reihe prominenter Frauen. So wurde dort eine Gemeinde gegründet. In einem Brief, den Paulus später an sie schrieb, sagte er, dass sie bei der Wiederkunft Christi seine Krone sein würden. Bill Bright war einer der größten Evangelisten des 20. Jahrhunderts. Seinem Beispiel sollten wir folgen: „Obwohl ich im Laufe der Jahre vielen Tausenden von Menschen persönlich von Christus erzählt habe, bin ich ein eher zurückhaltender Mensch, und es fällt mir nicht immer leicht, Zeugnis abzulegen. Aber ich habe mir etwas zur Gewohnheit gemacht, und ich fordere dich auf, das Gleiche zu tun: Gehe davon aus, dass du, wann immer du länger als ein paar Augenblicke mit einer anderen Person allein bist, von Gott dazu berufen bist, ihr die Liebe und Vergebung zu erklären, die sie durch den Glauben an Jesus Christus erfahren kann.“ Wann hast du zuletzt jemandem von Jesus erzählt? Jedes Mal, wenn du das tust, wird dir der Herr eine Freudenkrone geben.

In jener Zeit, als Jesus in das Gebiet von Cäsaréa Philíppi kam, fragte er seine Jünger und sprach: Für wen halten die Menschen den Menschensohn? Sie sagten: Die einen für Johannes den Täufer, andere für Elíja, wieder andere für Jeremía oder sonst einen Propheten. Da sagte er zu ihnen: Ihr aber, für wen haltet ihr mich? Simon Petrus antwortete und sprach: Du bist der Christus, der Sohn des lebendigen Gottes! Jesus antwortete und sagte zu ihm: Selig bist du, Simon Barjóna; denn nicht Fleisch und Blut haben dir das offenbart, sondern mein Vater im Himmel. Ich aber sage dir: Du bist Petrus – der Fels –, und auf diesen Felsen werde ich meine Kirche bauen und die Pforten der Unterwelt werden sie nicht überwältigen. Ich werde dir die Schlüssel des Himmelreichs geben; was du auf Erden binden wirst, das wird im Himmel gebunden sein, und was du auf Erden lösen wirst, das wird im Himmel gelöst sein. Dann befahl er den Jüngern, niemandem zu sagen, dass er der Christus sei. Von da an begann Jesus, seinen Jüngern zu erklären: Er müsse nach Jerusalem gehen und von den Ältesten und Hohepriestern und Schriftgelehrten vieles erleiden, getötet und am dritten Tag auferweckt werden. Da nahm ihn Petrus beiseite und begann, ihn zurechtzuweisen, und sagte: Das soll Gott verhüten, Herr! Das darf nicht mit dir geschehen! Jesus aber wandte sich um und sagte zu Petrus: Tritt hinter mich, du Satan! Ein Ärgernis bist du mir, denn du hast nicht das im Sinn, was Gott will, sondern was die Menschen wollen.

In jener Zeit, als Jesus in das Gebiet von Cäsaréa Philíppi kam, fragte er seine Jünger und sprach: Für wen halten die Menschen den Menschensohn? Sie sagten: Die einen für Johannes den Täufer, andere für Elíja, wieder andere für Jeremía oder sonst einen Propheten. Da sagte er zu ihnen: Ihr aber, für wen haltet ihr mich? Simon Petrus antwortete und sprach: Du bist der Christus, der Sohn des lebendigen Gottes! Jesus antwortete und sagte zu ihm: Selig bist du, Simon Barjóna; denn nicht Fleisch und Blut haben dir das offenbart, sondern mein Vater im Himmel. Ich aber sage dir: Du bist Petrus – der Fels –, und auf diesen Felsen werde ich meine Kirche bauen und die Pforten der Unterwelt werden sie nicht überwältigen. Ich werde dir die Schlüssel des Himmelreichs geben; was du auf Erden binden wirst, das wird im Himmel gebunden sein, und was du auf Erden lösen wirst, das wird im Himmel gelöst sein. Dann befahl er den Jüngern, niemandem zu sagen, dass er der Christus sei. Von da an begann Jesus, seinen Jüngern zu erklären: Er müsse nach Jerusalem gehen und von den Ältesten und Hohepriestern und Schriftgelehrten vieles erleiden, getötet und am dritten Tag auferweckt werden. Da nahm ihn Petrus beiseite und begann, ihn zurechtzuweisen, und sagte: Das soll Gott verhüten, Herr! Das darf nicht mit dir geschehen! Jesus aber wandte sich um und sagte zu Petrus: Tritt hinter mich, du Satan! Ein Ärgernis bist du mir, denn du hast nicht das im Sinn, was Gott will, sondern was die Menschen wollen.

Petrus is één van de meest interessante personages uit het Nieuwe Testament. Zijn broer Andreas liet hem Jezus ontmoeten. Beiden behoorden tot de twaalf leerlingen die door Jezus werden uitgekozen om het meest met Hem te mogen optrekken. Van die twaalf was Petrus de onbetwiste leider. Hij was de leerling ‘met het hart op de tong'. Hij sprak eerst en dacht dan pas na, een echte ‘alles-of-niets-persoon'. Jezus stak veel tijd in het vormen van Petrus' karakter. Petrus heette eigenlijk ‘Simon', maar nadat hij Jezus ‘Messias' had genoemd, ging Jezus hem ‘Petrus' noemen. Dat betekent ‘steen' of ‘rots'. Als Petrus iets goeds deed, gebruikte Jezus zijn nieuwe naam. Maar iedere keer dat hij de mist in ging, noemde Jezus hem weer ‘Simon'. Petrus was ook de leerling die Jezus volgde na zijn arrestatie en degene die Hem publiekelijk afviel door te ontkennen dat Hij bij Jezus hoorde. Na Zijn opstanding nam Jezus Petrus apart en vroeg Hij hem drie keer of hij van Hem hield. Zo herstelde Jezus de gebroken Petrus, die nu echt wist dat hij buiten Jezus om niets te bieden had. Hij kon alleen leven en werken vanuit Jezus' genade. Dat is ook de boodschap die Petrus bracht aan iedereen die maar naar hem wilde luisteren. Na de komst van de heilige Geest met Pinksteren leidde Petrus de eerste kerk in Jeruzalem, maar na een aantal jaar ging hij het evangelie brengen naar heidenen. Hij was getrouwd en zijn vrouw ging met hem mee op zijn zendingsreizen. Uiteindelijk belandde Petrus in Rome, waar hij twee brieven schreef die bewaard zijn gebleven. Christenen worden zondebok De eerste noemen we 1 Petrus en deze is waarschijnlijk rond het jaar 64 geschreven. Keizer Nero was net aan de macht gekomen. Hij wilde Rome grondig verbouwen tot eer en glorie van hem zelf. Daarvoor moest eerst veel worden afgebroken en dus liet hij de stad in brand steken, aldus een hardnekkig gerucht in die tijd. Talloze Romeinen raakten hun huis kwijt, tempels met afgoden werden verwoest en ongetwijfeld vielen er ook veel doden en gewonden. Dit leidde tot een diepe crisis. Of Nero nu wel of niet verantwoordelijk was voor de brand: hij had een zondebok nodig. Hij wees de christenen aan die de Romeinse cultuur toch al afwezen. De vervolging die losbrandde was ongekend. Veel gelovigen stierven de marteldood. Petrus schreef zijn brieven aan de kerken in Klein-Azië (het huidige Turkije), waar ook vervolging was. De eerste brief van Petrus is een aanmoediging om te blijven geloven, zelfs als je moet lijden. Hij laat zien dat lijden erbij hoort. Mensen die God oprecht volgen, zijn altijd in de minderheid geweest en hebben het altijd zwaar gehad. Toch is er juist voor hen hoop. Die hoop is te vinden in Jezus Christus. Vervolging biedt zelfs een kans om de liefde van Jezus door te geven. Uiteindelijk zal Jezus terugkomen, al weten we niet wanneer. Lijden en vervolging als zuiverend vuur Petrus begint zijn brief met een groet en daarna prijst hij God voor Zijn rijke genade. Wij leven in hoop dankzij de dood en opstanding van Jezus. Er wacht ons namelijk een erfenis die nooit verloren zal gaan. Om die reden kunnen wij gelukkig zijn, zelfs als we allerlei beproevingen te verduren hebben. Hierdoor kan de echtheid van ons geloof blijken. Lijden in het algemeen en vervolging in het bijzonder werkt als een zuiverend vuur. Petrus zegt dat de profeten uit het Oude Testament al wisten dat de Messias moest lijden en ze probeerden erachter te komen wanneer dit zou gaan gebeuren. Zij kregen het antwoord niet. Maar nu is Jezus gekomen en daarom moeten wij al onze hoop op Hem vestigen. ‘Laten we als gehoorzame kinderen zijn', zegt Petrus. ‘Leid een heilig leven en ontdoe je van alles wat slecht is.' Petrus trekt hier de verhaallijn van het Oude Testament door naar de levens van de mensen in zijn tijd. Nu, ongeveer tweeduizend jaar later, spelen wij nog steeds een rol in het grote verhaal van God en mens. In Petrus' woorden: wij zijn Gods volk. Wat houdt dat in? Bijvoorbeeld dat wij zijn als vreemdelingen in een land ver van huis. We wonen er wel, maar zijn in veel opzichten toch anders. Als we te midden van de ongelovigen een goed leven leiden, dan komen de mensen die het ons lastig maken wellicht tot inkeer. Gelovigen moeten het gezag van de overheid erkennen. Door het goede te doen, moeten we onwetende dwazen de mond snoeren. We zijn vrij, maar mogen die vrijheid niet misbruiken om ons te misdragen. Staat je leven in het teken van het Evangelie? Petrus roept slaven op om goed te zijn voor hun meesters, ook voor degenen die hen slecht behandelen. Het is een blijk van genade als je onverdiend leed kunt verdragen. Dat deed Jezus ook en zo heeft Hij ons gered. Hetzelfde geldt voor vrouwen die tijdens hun huwelijk tot geloof gekomen maar van wie de man nog ongelovig is. Zij moeten goed voor hem zijn, in de hoop dat hij tot geloof komt. Bij dit soort teksten is het goed je te realiseren dat de Bijbel hier in het algemeen spreekt. Het gaat te ver om in dit boek dieper in te gaan op onderwerpen als trouwen met ongelovige partners, scheiden, of misbruik en mishandeling in het huwelijk. Dit zijn hele delicate onderwerpen en als je Bijbelverzen uit hun verband rukt, kun je elk standpunt onderbouwen met de Bijbel. Zoek daarom altijd pastorale hulp als je vragen op dit terrein hebt. Petrus' boodschap is dat ons leven in het teken moet staan van het evangelie. Dat kan betekenen dat we offers moeten brengen, zoals Jezus dat voor ons deed. Neem christelijke mannen bijvoorbeeld. Zij moeten goed omgaan met hun vrouw. Zij is minstens zo belangrijk als hijzelf. Zij is zijn gelijke en hij mag niet als een dictator over haar heersen. Zo laten we Christus' liefde zien aan de mensen om ons heen. Wees niet verbaasd als je moet lijden Hoewel mensen tot geloof komen als wij leven zoals Jezus wil, zal deze houding van christenen de vervolging helaas niet stoppen. Daarom wijst Petrus ons op de verlossing in Jezus Christus, die ook allerlei onrecht moest verdragen. Doordat Hij dit deed, redde Hij ons. Wij zijn door ons geloof verbonden met Jezus' lijden, dood en opstanding. Het symbool van deze verbondenheid is de doop. We mogen daarom niet verbaasd zijn als ook wij moeten lijden vanwege ons geloof. Sterker nog, we zouden vreugdevol moeten zijn. Het betekent namelijk dat we bij God horen. Petrus roept de leiders van de kerken op om dienende leiders te zijn en tot slot wijst hij de christenen erop wie de echte vijand is: de duivel die altijd op zoek is naar een prooi om te verslinden. We moeten ons verzetten tegen hem door trouw te blijven geloven en te doen wat Jezus ons heeft geleerd. Petrus sluit af met een groet mede namens zijn medewerker Silvanus, die de brief heeft opgesteld voor Petrus. Dan doet hij de groeten van ‘de gelovigen in Babylon'. Petrus bevindt zich in Rome, een stad die net zo slecht was als het oude Babylon. Hij noemt de naam ‘Rome' niet, waarschijnlijk omdat hij is ondergedoken en hij niet wil dat de Romeinen weten waar hij zit. Het is ook een verwijzing naar de ballingschap, toen het volk van God zich als vreemdeling bevond in het Babylonische rijk.

In deze reeks uitzendingen heeft Diane Kets het over dwaasheid voor Christus.

Viele versuchen, Gott durch gute Werke zu gefallen – doch das Evangelium konfrontiert uns mit einer radikalen Wahrheit: Unsere besten Taten reichen nicht aus. Und genau deshalb brauchen wir Gnade. Heute hörst du eine Andacht aus dem Buch »40 Tage der Gnade« von Paul David Tripp. Sie zeigt dir, dass echte Hoffnung nicht in dem liegt, was du für Gott tun kannst, sondern in dem, was Gott in Christus für dich getan hat. https://voh-missionswerk.de/blog/warum-du-gottes-gnade-brauchst/

1 So wurden der Himmel und die Erde und all ihr Heer vollendet. 2 Und Gott vollendete am siebten Tag sein Werk, das er gemacht hatte; und er ruhte am siebten Tag von all seinem Werk, das er gemacht hatte. 3 Und Gott segnete den siebten Tag und heiligte ihn; denn an ihm ruhte er von all seinem Werk, das Gott geschaffen hatte, indem er es machte. 1.Mose 2,1-3 ELB

Send us a text2 Korintiërs11:13-15 Want sulke mense is vals apostels; hulle is bedrieglike werkers wat voorgee dat hulle apostels van Christus is. Geen wonder nie! Satan self gee immers voor dat hy 'n engel van die lig is. Daarom is dit ook niks besonders dat sy diensknegte hulle voordoen as dienaars van geregtigheid nie. Hulle uiteinde sal wees wat hulle volgens hulle dade verdien. Jy weet wat hulle sê: jy kan al die mense somtyds flous, en party mense die hele tyd, maar jy kan nie almal die hele tyd flous nie. En tog lyk dit asof ons elkeen 'n onbeperkte vermoë het om onsself te flous.Tot op die ouderdom van omtrent veertig was ek heeltemal onbewus daarvan dat ek my lewe net om myself laat draai het – my begeertes, my gevoelens, my reputasie en my sukses. Gevolglik het ek amper die helfte van my volwasse lewe in selfbedrog geleef; ek was oortuig daarvan dat ek 'n goeie mens was. Dis skrikwekkend, maar weet jy, ek is nie die uitsondering op die reël nie.2 Korintiërs 11:13-15 Want sulke mense is vals apostels; hulle is bedrieglike werkers wat voorgee dat hulle apostels van Christus is. Geen wonder nie! Satan self gee immers voor dat hy 'n engel van die lig is. Daarom is dit ook niks besonders dat sy diensknegte hulle voordoen as dienaars van geregtigheid nie. Hulle uiteinde sal wees wat hulle volgens hulle dade verdien.Dis Paulus wat hier praat van vals leraars, wat hulself voordoen as opregte leraars om ander te mislei. Maar dit maak nie saak wie ons is nie, daar is altyd daardie versoeking om onsself te mislei. Ja, om diegene rondom ons te probeer mislei; om verkeerde motiewe in ons donker harte te koester, terwyl ons onsself as engele van die lig voordoen.Wel, jy kan jouself dalk vir 'n lang tyd flous, jy kan al die mense somtyds flous, en party mense die hele tyd flous, maar jy kan nooit vir God flous nie, want Hy sien deur alles!Dit is waarom ek jou baie ernstig wil vra dat jy besin oor wat in jou hart aangaan. Moenie jouself mislei nie, want jou einde sal ooreenstem met jou dade.Dis God se Woord. Vars ... vir jou ... vandag. Support the showEnjoying The Content?For the price of a cup of coffee each month, you can enable Christianityworks to reach 10,000+ people with a message about the love of Jesus!DONATE R50 MONTHLY

Spreker: Ds. S.T. LagendijkTekst: Openbaring 2:18-29Thema: Christus roept ons op om standvastig te zijnDatum: 11 augustus 2024Locatie: HHG Goes Bron:  https://www.youtube.com/live/QFaQYv1o4FI ★ Support this podcast ★

radicaal geloof maar dan wel vanuit Christus!

Nachfolge ist kein exklusiver Ruf für einige wenige – sie gilt allen, die an Christus glauben. Wer Jesus vertraut, darf sicher sein – er trägt mit an unseren Lasten und führt uns auf den Weg des Lebens.

Standortgottesdienst

Sommerreise

Offenbarung 5 konfrontiert uns mit einer Realität, die allem widerspricht, was wir über Macht zu wissen glauben. Der Einzige, der Gottes Plan zur Vollendung bringen kann, ist kein Held in Rüstung, sondern ein Lamm mit Wunden. Was für ein Evangelium, das darin wahre Herrschaft erkennt! Diese Predigt ist eine Einladung zur Umkehr: weg von endzeitlichen Spekulationen, hin zum Christus im Zentrum. Denn nicht Theorien, sondern Vertrauen zu Jesus verändert unsere Welt. Und vielleicht entdeckst du darin neu, dass echte Stärke immer durch Liebe spricht.

Lees: Gal 5:13-26 (AFR53). Fokus: Gal 5:16-18. Die stryd om die beheer van die siel. As my siel nie in God se rus verkeer nie (ek nie vrede ervaar in my denke en emosies nie), dan kom my vlees met ‘n valse oplossing om beter te voel (alkohol, pornografie, koop, eet, ens). As jy in God se rus verkeer (daar vrede in jou denke en emosies is), dan hou die vlees op om werksaam te wees. Bring vrede vir jou siel deur God se seëning in Christus – dan het die vlees niks te doen nie en al hierdie vleeslike begeertes verdwyn.  Vir nadenke en gesprek by selgroepe en huisgodsdiens:·       Verduidelik die onderskeid tussen gees, siel en liggaam. ·       Watter deel het nuut geword met ons wedergeboorte (vgl 2 Kor 5: 17) en wat is die invloed daarvan op die res van ons wese?  ·       Hoe kan ons die werke van die vlees in ons lewens oorwin?  

#hoop #jesus #heiligergeistgebete Bibelstelle: Apostelgeschichte 16,1-3 Timotheus war jung, gesundheitlich herausgefordert und gerne auch mal emotional. Und trotzdem ein Leiter, dem Paulus vertraute. Warum? Nicht wegen seiner perfekten Performance – sondern wegen seiner Treue. In dieser Predigt geht es um einen jungen Mann, der nicht laut glänzte, aber leise diente. Der sich begleiten ließ, statt alles allein zu machen. Der trotz Schwächen dranblieb – und genau dadurch zum Vorbild wurde. Diese Predigt ist für alle, die sich fragen: „Bin ich überhaupt stark genug?“ Gute Nachricht: Du musst nicht perfekt sein. Nur bereit. Handout zur Predigt: www.handout.hoop.de

Ref.: Abt Dr. Maximilian Heim OCist, Heiligenkreuz im Wienerwald, Österreich

1.⁠ ⁠Du wirst zugerüstet (Eph 4,11–12) 2.⁠ ⁠Du wirst geformt (Eph 4,13–14) 3.⁠ ⁠Du wirst gebraucht (Eph 4,15–16) Epheser 4,11-16: „11 Und Er hat etliche als Apostel gegeben, etliche als Propheten, etliche als Evangelisten, etliche als Hirten und Lehrer, 12 zur Zurüstung der Heiligen, für das Werk des Dienstes, für die Erbauung des Leibes des Christus, 13 bis wir alle zur Einheit des Glaubens und der Erkenntnis des Sohnes Gottes gelangen, zur vollkommenen Mannesreife, zum Maß der vollen Größe des Christus; 14 damit Der Beitrag Ermutigung zur Jüngerschaft I Epheser 4,11–16 I Paul Walger erschien zuerst auf Evangelische Freikirche Leuchtturm e.V..

In dieser Predigt legt Dieter Borchmann uns Philipper 2, 12-13 aus. ____ DEIN WIRKEN UND GOTTES WIRKEN IN DER HEILIGUNG 1. Die Grundlage für deine Heiligung (Philipper 2, 12a) 2. Die Verantwortung in der Heiligung (Philipper 2, 12b) 3. Die Befähigung durch Gottes Wirken (Philipper 2, 13)

Vanaf Zijn kindertijd, stond Jezus in de bovennatuurlijke gunst van God en mensen. In feite was Hij zo geliefd dat Hij nauwelijks tijd voor zichzelf had om te bidden of tijd door te brengen met Zijn Hemelse Vader. Zelfs diegenen die niet in Hem geloofden als de Christus, erkende dat Hij wandelde in de gunst van God. De bewakers die door de Farizeeërs waren gestuurd om Jezus te arresteren, kwamen terug en zeiden: “Nog nooit heeft een mens zo gesproken als deze Mens!” (Johannes 7:46). En tot het einde van Zijn leven, zelfs terwijl Hij aan het kruis hing, erkende het volk dat God met Hem was (zie Lucas 23:47-48). Deze zelfde gunst is beschikbaar voor jou. We moeten nooit vergeten dat ongeacht wat er gebeurt, we in de gunst van God en mensen kunnen staan (zie Lucas 2:52). Maar zoals bij veel goede dingen in het leven, moeten we in God geloven om het te ontvangen. Dus leef vandaag in geloof, volledig vertrouwend dat God je de gunst geeft die Jezus had. Ongeacht de omstandigheden die in je leven komen, geloof God voor de bovennatuurlijke gunst.

13 And Jesus came into the quarters of Caesarea Philippi: and he asked his disciples, saying: Whom do men say that the Son of man is?Venit autem Jesus in partes Caesareae Philippi : et interrogabat discipulos suos, dicens : Quem dicunt homines esse Filium hominis? 14 But they said: Some John the Baptist, and other some Elias, and others Jeremias, or one of the prophets.At illi dixerunt : Alii Joannem Baptistam, alii autem Eliam, alii vero Jeremiam, aut unum ex prophetis. 15 Jesus saith to them: But whom do you say that I am?Dicit illis Jesus : Vos autem, quem me esse dicitis? 16 Simon Peter answered and said: Thou art Christ, the Son of the living God.Respondens Simon Petrus dixit : Tu es Christus, Filius Dei vivi. 17 And Jesus answering, said to him: Blessed art thou, Simon Bar-Jona: because flesh and blood hath not revealed it to thee, but my Father who is in heaven.Respondens autem Jesus, dixit ei : Beatus es Simon Bar Jona : quia caro et sanguis non revelavit tibi, sed Pater meus, qui in caelis est. 18 And I say to thee: That thou art Peter; and upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.Et ego dico tibi, quia tu es Petrus, et super hanc petram aedificabo Ecclesiam meam, et portae inferi non praevalebunt adversus eam. 19 And I will give to thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven. And whatsoever thou shalt bind upon earth, it shall be bound also in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose upon earth, it shall be loosed also in heaven.Et tibi dabo claves regni caelorum. Et quodcumque ligaveris super terram, erit ligatum et in caelis : et quodcumque solveris super terram, erit solutum et in caelis.The Church venerates on this day the basilica of St Peter "ad vincula" on Mount Esquiline at Rome, the chains with which the prince of the apostles was fettered.The seven Machabees, who were brothers, were martyred with their mother under Antiochus Epiphanes. Their relics are kept at Rome in the Church of St Peter's Chains.

From "Last Retreat Day 14" found in The Complete Works vol 1: 36. “It seems to me that all is loss since I have known the excelling knowledge of my Lord, Jesus Christ. For love of Him I have forfeited everything; I have accounted all else rubbish that I may gain Christ, so as to be found in Him, not with my own justice but with the justice that comes from God through faith. What I want is to know Him, to share in His sufferings, to become like Him in His death. I pursue my course, striving to attain to what Christ has destined me for by taking hold of me; my whole concern is to forget what is behind and to strain forward constantly to what is ahead; I run straight to the goal . . . , to the prize of the heavenly vocation to which God has called me in Christ Jesus.” 212 The Apostle has often revealed the greatness of this vocation: “God,” he says, “has chosen us in Him before the creation of the world that we might be holy and immaculate in His presence in love. . . . We have been predestined by the decree of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will, so that we may be the praise of His glory.” 213 37. But how do we respond to the dignity of this vocation? This is the secret: “Mihi vivere Christus est! . . . Vivo enim, jam non ego, vivit vero in me Christus. . . .” 214 We must be transformed into Jesus Christ; again it is St. Paul who teaches me this: “Those whom God has foreknown, He has predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son.” 215 It is important then that I study this divine Model so as to identify myself so closely with Him that I may unceasingly reveal Him to the eyes of the Father. First of all, what did He say when He came into the world? “Here I am, O God, I come to do your will.” 216 I think that this prayer should be like the bride's heartbeat: 217 “Here we are, O Father, we come to do your will!” The post BTP-LR20 – Day 14 – Part 2 – The Last Retreat by St. Elizabeth of the Trinity – Beginning to Pray with Dr. Anthony Lilles – Discerning Hearts Podcast appeared first on Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts.

Watter soorte liefdesverhoudings is verkeerd in God se oë? Hoekom kan ons nie leef en lief hê soos ons wil nie? Hoekom is alle vorme van seksuele onsedelikheid onversoenbaar met ons eenheid in Christus? Hoe bevry die Evangelie ons ten opsigte van seksuele sonde?

In jener Zeit waren viele Juden zu Marta und Maria gekommen, um sie wegen ihres Bruders zu trösten. Als Marta hörte, dass Jesus komme, ging sie ihm entgegen, Maria aber blieb im Haus sitzen.Marta sagte zu Jesus: Herr, wärst du hier gewesen, dann wäre mein Bruder nicht gestorben. Aber auch jetzt weiß ich: Alles, worum du Gott bittest, wird Gott dir geben.Jesus sagte zu ihr: Dein Bruder wird auferstehen. Marta sagte zu ihm: Ich weiß, dass er auferstehen wird bei der Auferstehung am Jüngsten Tag. Jesus sagte zu ihr: Ich bin die Auferstehung und das Leben. Wer an mich glaubt, wird leben, auch wenn er stirbt, und jeder, der lebt und an mich glaubt, wird auf ewig nicht sterben. Glaubst du das?Marta sagte zu ihm: Ja, Herr, ich glaube, dass du der Christus bist, der Sohn Gottes, der in die Welt kommen soll.(© Ständige Kommission für die Herausgabe der gemeinsamen liturgischen Bücher im deutschen Sprachgebiet)

Standortgottesdienst

Standortgottesdienst

Wenn dir innere Sicherheit und Ruhe fehlen, liegt das oft nicht an äußeren Umständen – sondern an dem, was tief in dir tobt. Joyce Meyer nimmt dich in dieser kraftvollen Sendung mit hinein in eine ermutigende Wahrheit: Du darfst lernen, dich in Christus sicher zu wissen – unabhängig von Gefühlen, Leistung oder Vergangenheit. Entdecke, wie Gerechtigkeit, Identität und Glaube ein starkes Fundament bilden, das dir Frieden schenkt, selbst mitten im Sturm. Willst du wissen, was es heißt, wirklich frei zu leben? — Für ein erfülltes Leben nutze unsere kostenfreie Angebote als Mutmacher und Tröster: ✅ https://www.joyce-meyer.de/fuer-dich/taegliche-andacht-von-joyce-meyer/ – deine tägliche E-Mail-Andacht mit Joyce ✅ https://www.joyce-meyer.de/gebet/brauchst-du-ein-gebet/ – du bist nicht alleine, ruf uns an 040/888841111, wir beten für dich ✅ https://www.joyce-meyer.de/fuer-dich/magazin-bestellen/ – das Magazin für dein "Das Leben genießen" ✅ https://www.joyce-meyer.de/fuer-dich/infobroschuere-bestellen/ - alle Segensimpulse von Joyce auf einen Broschüren-Blick ✅ https://www.joyce-meyer.de/fuer-dich/e-mail-newsletter-abonnieren/ - dein monatlicher Möglichmach-Impulsgeber per E-Mail   Möchtest du mit uns und deiner Spende die Welt verändern? Vielen Dank für deine Spende unter:

In dieser Episode spricht Martin Benz über die Vielstimmigkeit der Bibel in der Frage der Erlösung. Werden wir gerechtfertigt aus Glauben allein oder durch Werke und Taten, die wir tun, oder sind wir von Gott vorherbestimmt und erwählt? Zu allen Rechtfertigungsmodellen gibt es eine Menge Bibelstellen und Geschichten. Könnte es sein, dass die Frage falsch gestellt ist und unsere Rechtfertigung und Erlösung von Christus längst vollbracht wurde? Und nun geht es viel mehr darum, wie wir jetzt schon unseren Zugang zur Gottesbeziehung finden können, um als wirklich Erlöste zu leben. Und diese Zugänge zur Gottesbeziehung können jetzt ganz unterschiedlich aussehen. Für den einen ist es das tiefe Vertrauen in Gottes Erbarmen und Güte, für den anderen steht die tatkräftige Liebe im Vordergrund, die sich am Reich Gottes beteiligen möchte und wieder für andere ist der Gedanke der Erwählung und des göttlichen Gewolltseins entscheidende Grundlage der Gottesbeziehung.   Movecast und Lovecast finanzieren sich ausschließlich von Spenden. Wenn du unsere Arbeit unterstützen möchtest, findest du alle Informationen hier: https://movecast.de/spenden-givio/. Vielen Dank! Das Transskript zur Folge findet sich auf www.movecast.de unter der jeweiligen Episode. GEMA-freie Musik von www.frametraxx.de Cinematic by Makaih Beats is licensed under a Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/deed.de  

Standortgottesdienst

Standortgottesdienst

Haben wir nicht alle Scheu oder gar Angst, in einen Kampf zu ziehen? Wie geht es uns dann, wenn wir sogar unfreiwillig in einen Kampf gegen die "Mächte der Finsternis“ hineingezogen werden? Nicht so mit dem Epheserbrief!! Er zeigt uns, wer wir in Christus sind, was wir konkret tun können, und gibt uns göttliche Siegesgarantie! Wir dürfen uns gegenseitig Schritt für Schritt aus allen Verstrickungen und Sünden heraushelfen und den Kampf um unsere Gedanken gewinnen, so dass der Feind am Ende am Boden liegt und wir immer noch aufrecht stehen und das Reich Gottes bauen!

LES 198Alleen mijn veroordeling verwondt me.Verwonding is onmogelijk. En toch brengt illusie illusie voort. Als je kunt veroordelen, kun je worden verwond. Want je hebt geloofd dat je verwonden kunt, en het recht dat je voor jezelf hebt vastgesteld kan nu tegen jou worden gebruikt, tot je het als waardeloos, ongewenst en onwerkelijk terzijde legt. Dan houdt illusie op gevolgen te hebben en zullen die welke ze scheen te hebben, ongedaan worden gemaakt. Dan ben je vrij, want vrijheid is jouw geschenk, en nu kun jij het geschenk ontvangen dat je gegeven hebt.Veroordeel en je wordt tot gevangene gemaakt. Vergeef en je wordt bevrijd. Dat is de wet die de waarneming regeert. Het is geen wet die door kennis wordt begrepen, want vrijheid is een deel van kennis. In waarheid is veroordelen dus onmogelijk. Wat de invloed en gevolgen ervan schijnen te zijn heeft helemaal niet plaatsgevonden. Toch moeten we ons er een poosje mee bezig houden alsof dit wel zo is. Illusie brengt illusie voort. Behalve één. Vergeving is een illusie die een antwoord is op de rest.Vergeving vaagt alle andere dromen weg, en hoewel ze zelf een droom is, kweekt ze geen nieuwe. Alle illusies behalve deze ene vermenigvuldigen zich onvermijdelijk duizendmaal. Maar hier eindigen illusies. Vergeving is het eind van dromen, omdat ze een droom over ontwaken is. Ze is niet zelf de waarheid. Maar ze wijst naar waar de waarheid moet zijn en geeft de richting aan met de zekerheid van God Zelf. Ze is een droom waarin de Zoon van God tot zijn Zelf en tot zijn Vader ontwaakt, en weet dat Zij één zijn.Vergeving is de enige weg die uit de ellende voert, voorbij alle lijden en uiteindelijk weg van de dood. Hoe zou er een andere weg kunnen zijn wanneer deze het plan van God Zelf is? En waarom zou je daartegen in verweer gaan, het bestrijden, duizend manieren proberen te vinden waarop het beslist onjuist is, duizend andere mogelijkheden?Is het niet wijzer om blij te zijn dat jij het antwoord op je problemen in handen hebt? Is het niet verstandiger Degene die verlossing schenkt te danken en Zijn gave dankbaar te aanvaarden? En is het niet een vriendelijke daad jegens jezelf om Zijn Stem te horen en de eenvoudige lessen te leren die Hij onderwijzen wil, in plaats van Zijn woorden te proberen te verwerpen, om die van jou in de plaats te stellen van die van Hem?Zijn woorden werken. Zijn woorden verlossen. Zijn woorden bevatten alle hoop, alle zegen en alle vreugde die ooit op deze aarde kunnen worden gevonden. Zijn woorden zijn in God geboren en komen tot jou, met hemelse liefde bekleed. Zij die Zijn woorden horen, hebben het lied van de Hemel vernomen. Want dit zijn de woorden waarin alle tenslotte tot één versmelten. En op het moment dat dit ene zal wegsterven, zal het Woord van God zijn plaats innemen, want dan zal het herinnerd worden en bemind.Deze wereld heeft vele schijnbaar aparte schuilplaatsen, waar genade geen betekenis heeft en aanval gerechtvaardigd lijkt. Toch zijn ze alle één: een plaats waar de dood wordt aangeboden aan Gods Zoon en aan diens Vader. Je denkt misschien dat Zij die hebben aanvaard. Maar als jij opnieuw kijkt naar de plaats waar je Hun bloed zag, zul je in plaats daarvan een wonder zien. Hoe dwaas om te geloven dat Zij kunnen sterven! Hoe dwaas om te geloven dat jij aanvallen kunt! Hoe waanzinnig om te denken dat jij veroordeeld kunt worden en dat de heilige Zoon van God sterven kan!De stilheid van jouw Zelf blijft onbewogen, onaangetast door dergelijke gedachten en zich niet bewust van enige veroordeling waarvoor vergeving nodig zou zijn. Elk soort dromen is onbekend en vreemd aan de waarheid. En wat anders dan de waarheid zou een Gedachte kunnen hebben die een brug daarheen bouwt die illusies naar de overkant brengt?Vandaag oefenen we erin de vrijheid toe te laten bij jou haar thuis te vinden. De waarheid schenkt jouw denkgeest deze woorden, zodat jij de sleutel kunt vinden tot het licht en een eind maakt aan de duisternis:Alleen mijn veroordeling verwondt me.Alleen mijn eigen vergeving maakt me vrij.Vergeet vandaag niet dat er geen vorm van lijden is, of die verbergt wel een niet-vergevende gedachte. Evenmin kan er een vorm van pijn zijn die vergeving niet genezen kan.Aanvaard de ene illusie die verklaart dat er geen veroordeling is in Gods Zoon, en de Hemel wordt onmiddellijk herinnerd, de wereld vergeten, samen met al haar vreemde overtuigingen, nu het gelaat van Christus eindelijk ongesluierd in deze ene droom verschijnt. Dit is het geschenk dat de Heilige Geest voor jou namens God, jouw Vader, bewaart. Laat deze dag zowel op aarde als in jouw heilige woning worden gevierd. Wees mild voor Beiden wanneer jij de overtredingen vergeeft waaraan je Hen schuldig achtte, en zie hoe jouw onschuld jou toestraalt vanaf Christus' gelaat.Nu is er stilte over heel de wereld. Nu is er stilheid waar voorheen een razende storm van onzinnige gedachten was. Nu ligt er een sereen licht over het aanschijn van de aarde, tot rust gebracht in een droomloze slaap. En nu blijft daarop als enige het Woord van God over. Dat alleen kan nog een ogenblik langer worden waargenomen. Dan is het met symbolen gedaan, en is alles wat jij ooit dacht gemaakt te hebben volkomen verdwenen uit de denkgeest die God voor eeuwig kent als Zijn enige Zoon.Er is geen veroordeling in hem. Hij is volmaakt in zijn heiligheid. Hij heeft geen gedachten van barmhartigheid nodig. Wie zou hem geschenken kunnen geven wanneer alles het zijne is? En wie zou ervan kunnen dromen vergeving te schenken aan de Zoon der Zondeloosheid Zelf, die zozeer lijkt op Hem wiens Zoon hij is, dat het aanschouwen van de Zoon gelijkstaat aan niet meer waarnemen en alleen de Vader kennen? In deze visie van de Zoon, zo kort dat er geen ogenblik staat tussen deze onverdeelde blik en tijdloosheid zelf, zie je de visie van jezelf, en dan verdwijn jij voor alle eeuwigheid in God.Vandaag komen we steeds dichter bij het einde van alles wat nog tussen deze visie en ons zicht zou kunnen staan. En we zijn blij dat we zover gekomen zijn en begrijpen dat Hij die ons hier gebracht heeft ons nu niet in de steek zal laten. Want Hij wil ons de gave schenken die God ons vandaag via Hem gegeven heeft. Nu is het de tijd voor jouw bevrijding. De tijd is gekomen. De tijd is vandaag gekomen.

LES 197Ik kan alleen maar mijn eigen dankbaarheid oogsten.Hier is de tweede stap die we zetten om je denkgeest te verlossen van het geloof in een kracht van buitenaf die zich met de jouwe wil meten. Je doet pogingen tot vriendelijkheid en vergeving. Toch verander je die weer in een aanval, als jij geen uiterlijke erkentelijkheid en overvloedige dankbetuigingen krijgt. Je geschenken moeten met ere worden ontvangen, anders worden ze teruggenomen. En dus denk je dat Gods gaven op z'n best leningen zijn, op z'n slechtst misleidingen die je van je verdedigingen zullen beroven om te garanderen dat wanneer Hij toeslaat Hij zeker zal doden.Hoe gemakkelijk worden God en schuld verward door hen die niet weten wat hun gedachten kunnen doen. Ontken je kracht, en zwakheid moet wel verlossing voor je worden. Zie jezelf als gevangen, en tralies worden je thuis. Evenmin zul je de gevangenis verlaten of aanspraak maken op je kracht zolang schuld en verlossing nog als één worden gezien, en vrijheid en verlossing niet als verbonden worden beschouwd, met aan hun zijde kracht, die gezocht en opgeëist, en gevonden en volledig kan worden erkend.De wereld moet jou dankbaar zijn wanneer je haar bevrijding schenkt van jouw illusies. Maar jouw dank komt ook jou toe, want haar bevrijding kan alleen de jouwe weerspiegelen. Jouw dankbaarheid is alles wat jouw geschenken nodig hebben om de blijvende gift te zijn van een dankbaar hart dat voor altijd bevrijd is uit de hel. Zou je dit ongedaan willen maken door je geschenken terug te nemen omdat ze geen eer werden aangedaan? Jij bent het die ze eer aandoet en ze op een gepaste wijze dank betuigt, want jij bent het die de geschenken ontvangen heeft.Het geeft niet of een ander jouw geschenken onwaardig vindt. Er is in zijn denkgeest een deel dat samen met de jouwe dankzegt aan jou. Het geeft niet of jouw geschenken verloren en vruchteloos lijken. Ze zijn ontvangen waar ze gegeven zijn. In jouw dankbaarheid worden ze universeel aanvaard en dankbaar erkend door het Hart van God Zelf. En zou jij ze willen terugnemen, wanneer Hij ze dankbaar heeft aanvaard?God zegent elk geschenk dat jij Hem geeft, en elk geschenk wordt Hem gegeven, want het kan alleen worden gegeven aan jouzelf. En wat God toebehoort, moet wel het Zijne zijn. Maar je zult nooit beseffen dat Zijn gaven zeker zijn, eeuwig, onveranderlijk en onbeperkt, en eeuwig uitdelen, liefde uitbreiden en jouw altijddurende vreugde vergroten, zolang jij slechts vergeeft om weer aan te vallen.Neem de geschenken die je geeft terug, en je zult denken dat wat jou gegeven is, teruggenomen werd. Maar leer vergeving de zonden te laten wegnemen die jij buiten jezelf denkt te zien, en je kunt nooit denken dat de gaven van God slechts voor een poosje geleend worden, voor Hij ze weer weggrist in de dood. Want de dood zal dan geen betekenis meer hebben voor jou.En met het eind van dit geloof is angst voorgoed voorbij. Dank jouw Zelf hiervoor, want Hij is alleen dankbaar jegens God, en Hij dankt Zichzelf voor jou. Tot ieder die leeft zal Christus uiteindelijk komen, want ieder moet leven en bewegen in Hem. Zijn Wezen is in Zijn Vader zeker, want Hun Wil is Eén. Hun dankbaarheid jegens alles wat Zij geschapen hebben kent geen eind, want dankbaarheid blijft altijd deel van liefde.Dank aan jou, de heilige Zoon van God. Want zoals jij werd geschapen bevat jij alles in jouw Zelf. En jij bent nog steeds zoals God jou geschapen heeft. Ook kun je het licht van jouw volmaaktheid niet verzwakken. In jouw hart is het Hart van God gelegd. Jij bent Hem dierbaar, omdat jij Hemzelf bent. Alle dankbaarheid behoort jou toe, om wat jij bent.Zeg dank, zoals jij dank ontvangt. Wees vrij van alle ondankbaarheid jegens wie ook die jouw Zelf compleet maakt. En van dit Zelf is niemand buitengesloten. Zeg dank voor alle talloze kanalen die dit Zelf uitbreiden. Alles wat jij doet wordt Hem gegeven. Alles wat jij denkt, kunnen louter Zijn Gedachten zijn, omdat je met Hem de heilige Gedachten van God deelt. Oogst nu de dankbaarheid die jij jezelf hebt ontzegd toen je de functie die God jou gegeven heeft vergat. Maar denk nooit dat Hij ooit opgehouden is jou te danken.

Standortgottesdienst

Standortgottesdienst

Die Kanaren sind ein äußerst beliebtes Reiseziel – ideales Wetter fast ganzjährig, schöne Strände, viel Kinderfreundlichkeit. Die Schattenseite: Overtourism, zu viele Menschen auf am Ende zu kleinen Inseln. Eine dieser schönen Kanareninseln, die zweitgrößte der zu Spanien gehörenden Inselgruppe ist Fuerteventura. Sie liegt mit 100 KM-Entfernung zur westafrikanischen Küste am dichtesten an dem Kontinent. Weiße, lange Sandstrände, immer Wind, ein Surferparadies also – einerseits. Andererseits erfährt man hier von Spuren, die Nazis im entlegensten Ort Cofete im Süden hinterlassen haben. In dieses 50 Seelendorf kommt man nicht so einfach mit dem Auto. Es ist ein Abenteuerstrand. Hier sollen auch die Ureinwohner – die Majoreros – schon 1.000 Jahre vor Christus gelebt haben. Ausgerechnet an diesem Strand mit seiner gefährlichen Meeresströmung gibt es den wohl einzigen Strandfriedhof. Am anderen Ende der Insel findet man einen Popcornstrand und auf dem Weg dahin im Westen und Nordwesten gibt es Surfergebiete und im Osten bezaubern riesige Sanddünen die Urlauber. Wer will, kann aber auch einfach nur am Strand chillen. Nur langweilig muss einem hier auf dieser Insel beim besten Willen nicht werden. Reportagen von Dr. Thorsten Philipps Zu unserem Podcast-Tipp "Im Grünen Bereich - Der NDR Gartenpodcast": https://1.ard.de/imgruenenbereich6

13 And Jesus came into the quarters of Caesarea Philippi: and he asked his disciples, saying: Whom do men say that the Son of man is?Venit autem Jesus in partes Caesareae Philippi : et interrogabat discipulos suos, dicens : Quem dicunt homines esse Filium hominis? 14 But they said: Some John the Baptist, and other some Elias, and others Jeremias, or one of the prophets.At illi dixerunt : Alii Joannem Baptistam, alii autem Eliam, alii vero Jeremiam, aut unum ex prophetis. 15 Jesus saith to them: But whom do you say that I am?Dicit illis Jesus : Vos autem, quem me esse dicitis? 16 Simon Peter answered and said: Thou art Christ, the Son of the living God.Respondens Simon Petrus dixit : Tu es Christus, Filius Dei vivi. 17 And Jesus answering, said to him: Blessed art thou, Simon Bar-Jona: because flesh and blood hath not revealed it to thee, but my Father who is in heaven.Respondens autem Jesus, dixit ei : Beatus es Simon Bar Jona : quia caro et sanguis non revelavit tibi, sed Pater meus, qui in caelis est. 18 And I say to thee: That thou art Peter; and upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.Et ego dico tibi, quia tu es Petrus, et super hanc petram aedificabo Ecclesiam meam, et portae inferi non praevalebunt adversus eam. 19 And I will give to thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven. And whatsoever thou shalt bind upon earth, it shall be bound also in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose upon earth, it shall be loosed also in heaven.Et tibi dabo claves regni caelorum. Et quodcumque ligaveris super terram, erit ligatum et in caelis : et quodcumque solveris super terram, erit solutum et in caelisThe Apostles Peter and Paul are the two Princes of the Apostles, the foundations of the Church, on which she is firmly established as on a rock. This feast is almost entirely devoted to St Peter, the Bishop of Rome, the great Apostle of the Gentiles being more specially honored on June 30th. The lessons and prayers of this Mass describe how his Lord and Master Jesus Christ prepared the fervent Aostle, St Peter, for the supreme office of the Papacy. After the Descent of the Holy Ghost St Peter preached the Gospel in Judea and was cast into prison by Herod Agrippa. He was miraculously delivered by an Angel and established his see first at Antioch, and then finally at Rome, where the first pope exercised for twenty-five years the Supreme Authority vested in him by Christ Himself. He was arrested, and like St Paul suffered martyrdom A.D. 65. This feast marks the day of the translation of their relics.

Beginning to Pray: "The Last Retreat - Day 12 " - “God has said: “Be holy, for I am holy.” 31. This is Christ's work in every soul of good185 will and it is the work that His immense love, His “exceeding love,” 186 is eager to do in me. He wants to be my peace so that nothing can distract me or draw me out of “the invincible fortress of holy recolletion.” 187 It is there that He will give me “access to the Father” and will keep me as still and as peaceful in His presence as if my soul were already in eternity. 188 It is by the Blood of His Cross that He will make peace in my little heaven, so that it may truly be the repose of the Three. He will fill me with Himself; He will bury me with Him; He will make me live again with Him, by His life: “Mihi vivere Christus est!” 189 And if I fall at every moment, 190 in a wholly confident faith I will be helped up by Him. I know that He will forgive me, that He will cancel out everything with a jealous care, and even more, He will “despoil” me, He will “free” 191 me from all my miseries, from everything that is an obstacle to the divine action. “He will lead away all my powers,” 192 making them His captives, triumphing over them in Himself. Then I will have wholly passed into Him and can say: “I no longer live. My Master lives in me!” 193 And I will be “holy, pure, without reproach” in the Father's eyes. The post BTP-LR17 – Day 12 – The Last Retreat by St. Elizabeth of the Trinity – Beginning to Pray with Dr. Anthony Lilles – Discerning Hearts Podcast appeared first on Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts.