Tag: together

Beach Party!

1 Corinthians 11:20–29; John 21:1–13

Have you ever been to a beach party? I have…once. It was a surreal yet enjoyable experience. I was the 3rd wheel. We had a huge pallet bonfire and roasted hot dogs. Even as the outcast that I normally am (or perceive myself to be), I felt included. These weren’t really my friends, but for a time, we enjoyed each other’s company.

Over the last two days, we’ve talked about God’s feast. The first day (Matthew 22:1–14) was the fierceness of the king when the feast was disregarded as not being as worthwhile as the things of the mundane. The king was so insulted by those that were first invited that he started a new list…everybody else.

There is one last thing to say about that feast. It’s not as if the doors were closed to those that were first invited. They chose a different path. At no point was their invite rescinded. It was, and remains, open.

Yesterday, we talked (John 6:53–58) about the strangeness of the words used, “flesh” and “blood”. It might seem unwise to emphasize the weirdness of it. However, that is one of those “things” we do as Christians we need to see through non-Christian eyes.

Over the years there have been many movements that call Communion a “memorial”. Personally, I cannot fathom it being only a memorial. Yesterday’s devotion probably provides an idea as to why this is my perspective. One of the other reasons I struggle with the “memorial” view are the words of Paul that we read today.

We have many memorials, and many of them are very serious and deep. There are memorials for those who have given their lives for others. On the other hand, through a history of disconnection (deliberate and incidental) far too many think of an extra day off.

There are plenty of people who take Communion who view it as a thing that is done and miss the depth of what they do, what they a part of, and who they are dismissing. Yet, while that is critically important, there is something that is equally important. It is the love that draws us to the feast.

Whether Peter had ever had a beach party before is questionable, as the beach was the start and end of his work as a fisherman. Work parties always seem to be an oxymoron. It was also the place that Peter and a number of the other disciples were most familiar with, and the old familiar work probably helped their hearts.

And Jesus shows up. Not in a great crowd, but simply giving direction, and the building a simple fire to cook the fish and make some bread. It’s no beach party, but its very simplicity would help men that were still “simple” feel at ease.

Jesus welcomed them to his table. Jesus was the host. Yes, it was on a beach. It wasn’t fancy. It was love.

※Prayer※

Thank you, Jesus. Through you, we have True life. Thank you for your regular reminder of your love through Communion, and the family that you have gathered us into. Amen.

※Questions※

1) If you could have Jesus show up, what would you do together?

2) Why might it be significant what Jesus was doing on the beach?

3) How does one balance the fierceness and honor of the king’s banquet, to the simplicity of a beach grilling?

2020-08-22
Criminal Christian

Luke 23:32–43; 1 Thessalonians 5:1–11

A criminal is saved on the cross. Talk about a “bedside” or “execution” salvation! He was on the cross when he was saved.

Look at the words the criminal stated. Look at the words that Jesus spoke. We often have longer phrases and understandings (even from Jesus’ own words) of what it takes to be saved. There probably is no quicker salvation story.

That being said, it could be that the rumors and news about Jesus was so strong and flowing, that the criminal even from prison knew about Jesus. We don’t know what seeds had already be sown when the man sought salvation.

However, we can say that by all appearances the criminal didn’t meet even the lowest standards of salvation as we often understand it. Does this diminish his salvation? No. It does show the amazing grace and mercy of God.

Do you want to be the criminal? All done. All saved. All good. Nothing more to do.

The criminal is not the ideal follower of Jesus. Truly, to a select group the criminal is a beacon of hope. For the rest of us, though, the criminal is a criminal for something completely unrelated to the cross.

He doesn’t live out his faith. He does, for a few hours, but it’s really not the same. Faith and salvation are tested and refined through the long and many trials of life.

It can be reasonably argued, and has been by many, that salvation is only the beginning. Yes, in our salvation, we walk through the door to kingdom of God. It’s a big kingdom, though. Do you really only want to stay at the entrance?

The fuller life, the rich life of God, is the full and complete promise of life with Jesus. We are often satisfied with so much less. Even more disturbing is that so many want salvation, but they don’t want the transformative live with Jesus.

Some people call this being “on fire” for Jesus, except that it can devolve to being obnoxious in the name of Jesus. We don’t really want to be “on fire” for Jesus. We should want to be “on fire” by Jesus.

For Jesus usually comes from our strength and emotion. By Jesus means that it is fully (and lovingly and..and…and…) reliant upon Jesus to do the work in us through the Holy Spirit.

Is this merely semantics? Perhaps. However, there are a lot of people out in the world trumpeting the church (the Body of Christ), but aren’t living fully within it. Some show up on Sunday. Or, maybe they’ll show up digitally.

Living the (truly) rich Christian live means living it together in community. We must seek, foster, and grow that community. It won’t just come.

Or we can just be a criminal on a cross.

※Prayer※

Jesus, help us to want a full and complete life with you. Help us surrender everything to the Holy Spirit to form and shape us for your will. Amen.

※Questions※

1) How’s your faith community? Not just church (though that too), but your daily faith community?

2) How does one know whether one is living the Christian life of the criminal on the cross, or the fullness of the Kingdom come?

2020-08-18
Even to…

Acts 11:1–18; Galatians 3:27–29

Depending on the translation, Acts 11:18 is phrased something akin to, “even the Gentiles got the gift.” It’s not exactly the most positive response. It shows us that at the beginning of the church the new reality of a faith that transcended Gentile and Jew still had to be learned.

We are still confronting this today. As of right now, the current cultural memes of concern are women and minorities (specifically, African-Americans). While there are understandable scriptural interpretations in other denominations and traditions not allowing women as leaders in the church, it often has gone hand-in-hand with demeaning women.

Even in the Church of the Nazarene (the denominational perspective from which I attempt to write), there has been the theological acceptance of women as leaders, but the cultural acceptance of such has been a significant issue.

While the Church of the Nazarene has been effective in other nations and cultures, within the confines of the US, the denomination has been predominately white. Both situations leave the Church of the Nazarene in conflict with itself.

The blessing of the cultural memes that have been disrupting our society is that the Church of the Nazarene just might be confronting the incongruities with a plan to fix it. Just as in society-at-large, the fix will be slow and hard.

The denomination is trying to fully live out what it does believe but has been mired in the culture from which it came.

What does this have to do with, “even them”? One of the founding churches of the Church of the Nazarene (it was a number of churches that decided to band together) was in the “skid row” area of Los Angeles. Alcoholism, drunkenness, prostitution all had a prominent and visible place there.

“The least, the last, the lost” were those served by that church, and who the church sought to bring into a saving relationship with Jesus Christ.

This comes from the older “Wesleyan” tradition, where John Wesley preached outdoors to the miners who were often banned from church as the coal dust would follow them. They were a new kind of “unclean.”

Even they were called into relationship with Jesus Christ. Even to them was the Gospel message sent.

“Even” sounds so belittling, yet we use similar language and constructs when we talk about “Democrats” or “Republicans” or “Trump-ers” or “Never Trump-ers” or immigrants (documented or not) or Muslims or Hindus or…you name them.

Why do we try to limit the Gospel? What is it we hope to achieve?

We often think we don’t limit the gospel, but what about that different person who walks through the door at church (if you’re worshiping there)? How about that person walking down the street talking to themselves?

To even them…

※Prayer※

Jesus, thank you for your Gospel. Holy Spirit, guide to those you have for us to share the message of Jesus with. Amen.

※Questions※

1) Can you think of a people group that you are inclined to think of as “even them”? Why do think that is?

2) Why do we often think in terms of us and them?

2020-08-12
Lamenting Forward

Ezekiel 2:1–3:3; Lamentations 3:17–33; Ecclesiastes 3:1–8

There are two prevailing feelings currently: fear and anger. Neither one is productive over time. In the end, they can destroy a person emotionally and spiritually.

Ezekiel ate words of lament, mourning, and woe. In the vision, the edible scroll tastes a sweet as honey. At the same time, there was no joy in the words themselves.

One of the biggest lessons that the current atmosphere can teach us is that we need to mourn what we have lost. We are even still in the midst of losing our perception of culture(s), country, and even church. We fight the loss.

We don’t want to lose all that we hold dear. At the same time, there is another feeling that is harder to quantify… God is doing something new. We don’t know what that new is, which causes us to be even more emotionally reactive.

God can (and does) handle our anger and fear. God is greater than that. We, though, need to lament, grieve, and mourn.

When we lose a loved one, we miss them. We grieve. We mourn. We understand that it is not only acceptable, it is also healthy. We also must—as hard as it is—find a way to move forward.

That is currently the way many things are right now. One of the great difficulties is to choose what to mourn and move past, and what to struggle for. As the situation around COVID continues, we will continue to have to work and walk together to find a way forward.

We all must be grace-filled as people struggle with their grief masked in fear and anger. Only the God of hope can turn the anger and fear into a drive to move forward in faithfulness. Let us all be people of hope.

※Prayer※

Heavenly Father, guide us to be people of hope, not just any hope, but the hope of the crucified and risen Son. Amen.

※Questions※

1) What is one thing you are angry about right now? How about fearful? What about grieving?

2) If you were to rank each of these in order, what would they be, and why?

3) Which of these has the greatest effect upon your Christian walk? How so?

2020-08-11
One of the Fam

Matthew 12:46–50; John 14:18–26

The passage from John would have created a rather large stir in the culture. Jesus publicly equated non-blood relations as equal to familial relations.

The family was first in the culture. A good way to think of it is how a person is called in many Asian countries. The family name comes before the personal/individual name. One only calls another by their individual name by permission (accepted into a close relational circle) or by blood.

Americans and other Western cultures might tend to equate this with Mr., Mrs., and Ms. However, that is not the same, nor are they intended to be. Modern Western cultures (except for the remaining nobility, perhaps) do not hold the family in the same way. That is not a knock against Western Culture, just merely a reflection of differences.

It should was highly likely that mom and brothers had one of two responses, 1) there goes the crazy kid again, 2) WE are his family, not THESE people.

It’s not that Jesus was disrespecting his family, and certainly not his mother. Jesus was redefining what it meant to be a member of his family, which was not exclusive to his mother (and father) and brothers. This new family included them; it just included a bunch of others (like you and me).

As Jesus was completing his final discourse with his disciples, he told them that they were not orphans, nor were they abandoned. This is, again, family language. How severe their separation was from their families at that point or later is conjecture.

The use of the family language tells us that something was happening there. The concept of what is family was changing. The boundaries of familial blood were replaced with the boundaries of God’s saving work on the cross.

※Prayer※

Lord, we thank you that you have called us into a family larger than we can imagine. Help us remember that we are indeed family, despite our many differences. May our lives together be ones of love that draw more into your family. Amen.

※Questions※

1) Have you ever been party to the breaking of family bonds (either by you or others)? What were the various reactions?

2) If you were Mary or Jesus’ brothers, what would your response have been, especially as Jesus’ response was so public?

3) Why is the concept of family (not the stereotypical “nuclear” family) so critical to the church and its people?

2020-07-20
Under Yoke

Jeremiah 27:1–11; Jeremiah 28:1–17; Matthew 11:28–30

One of the ongoing themes of contemporary Christianity is to look at stories such as Jeremiah, and say, “of course he’s God’s prophet!” Looking back it is obvious to us. We’ve had a lot of history since then.

We know that Jeremiah was one of the 66 books of the Bible that was affirmed. We know that Jewish tradition also upholds Jeremiah. It’s obvious to us.

For the Jews, it wasn’t so clear. Sure, the “real” prophets usually were not full of good news. However, the thought of submitting to Babylon felt like a bad joke. God wouldn’t allow that, would he?

The cultural concept of American Exceptionalism and founding documents invoking God (honestly, though, more in a Deistic fashion, rather than a Christian one) and individuality, a yoke is an awful thing to contemplate.

A yoke means that one is not choosing the way. Another is choosing the way for you.

A yoke is usually pairing two or more together. So, not only is the way not of your choosing, but neither is your companion.

If a yoke is born by a single person, they are carrying a very heavy load, and often the load would not be their own.

This doesn’t fit into the thinking of many Americans raised and taught a particular “brand” of individual freedom. While contemporary American thinking and Jewish thinking have differing perspectives of the yoke (individual freedom versus Babylon), the end conclusion is the same.

The yoke must be broken!

The “prophet” Hananiah admonished Jeremiah. Hananiah, just like everyone else (even Jeremiah), didn’t want the yoke of Babylon.

What they wanted, however, wasn’t what was necessary. Why was the yoke of Babylon necessary? Pride.

Israel was quite prideful. Americans are quite prideful. Often that is what really hurts when we are confronted by yokes…our pride.

Hananiah responded to Jeremiah (and God) in pride (and blind hope). He broke the symbol of shame, and received a different yoke (death), and gave (through the example Israel followed) a heavier yoke for Israel.

Jesus promises a lighter yoke. The heaviness of Jeremiah’s yoke (and subsequently Hananiah’s) is ultimately based upon our pride. Jesus’ yoke is his pride.

This means that the yoke that Jesus offers us allows us to cast aside our concerns of our pride, for Jesus will take care of his own pride. Jesus’ pride was so humble and faithful, that it lead to his death on the cross.

Another way to think of it is that if Jesus is paired with us, Jesus bears his and our weight. That is a very light yoke indeed.

※Prayer※

Jesus, may we look for the lighter burden you seek to give us. Help us to relinquish the yoke of our pride, so that we are paired with you. Amen.

※Questions※

1) In what areas do you feel pride? What might the “yokes” be in those areas?

2) Why is it often easier to bear our burdens and not the burdens of others? How does Jesus turn that upside down?

3) Can a burden be so light that it doesn’t weigh you down? Does a burden always need to be compared to another burden?

2020-07-06
Time Alone

Matthew 14:1–23

Jesus’ cousin and herald was dead. He was murdered. Why was he murdered? He called the powerful to account.

Herod’s marriage to Herodias had some issues. Herod had visited Herodias while she was still married to Herod’s brother, Philip. They decided they like each other, so they decided to be married.

However, Herodias didn’t want to share the house with Herod’s current wife who wisely read the writing on the wall and fled to her father’s house. As a historical aside, this created bad feelings and ultimately led to the military defeat of Herod, eventual downfall and exile.

So, Herod wasn’t really divorced or a widower. His brother was still alive. Yet Herod married his brother’s wife. The only time in Jewish law that was appropriate was when the brother had died with no son.

John the Baptist condemned it. Herod, probably more to please Herodias than anything, put John in jail. Herodias wasn’t satisfied, and we read the rest of the story.

Jesus’ first response wasn’t to call Herod to account. Jesus made no public declaration at all. How different than our current age.

Jesus’ first response was to withdraw. Just like the rest of us at times, Jesus was not going to just move on. It is easy to infer that Jesus needed time to grieve and spend time with God the Father, even though the Scriptures do not give a full explanation.

Not that it’s bad to step away and grieve. It’s healthy, and there is a Jewish practice that goes with that (something that the church needs to approach).

Even more so for Jesus, John was his herald, his baptizer, his cousin, and probably the one person that Jesus felt a spiritual kinship due to their tied-together callings.

What happened next is sad, but we see it today. A famous person has a bad (or good) event, and people clamor around them. Famous people today have PR people deliver a statement that often asks for personal and private space to grieve. How sad that it isn’t given automatically.

Jesus may have intended such, but then see how he loved them. Jesus set aside his needs for others.

However, there are a couple of pieces that need to be addressed. First, the amount of time spent was actually minimal. It also had an end. Then once the people were satisfied, he sent the disciples away, the people away, and he had time between himself and God.

Often the focus is that Jesus set his needs aside for others. He did. Jesus also still made sure his needs were met.

In times of trial and trouble, such as caring for family that are ill, it is easy to set one’s needs aside. In the end, that breaks us unnecessarily. Not only are we hurt, but often we hurt others as our internal limits are broken.

We are not machines that can go and go. Honestly, machines can’t either. Machines need maintenance. So do we. Make sure that you are finding time for yourself and finding time for God. This is not a waste of time. It is what makes the rest of the time sustainable.

※Prayer※

Jesus, as we live in a high-performance culture, help us to keep the vital rhythm of care for ourselves and fellowship with you. Amen.

※Questions※

1) What practices do you have to “maintain” yourself? Do you have any that involve doing nothing?

2) Have you ever experience relief of anguish or pain because you were distracted by other needs? What happened to the anguish or pain?

2020-07-04
Following Followers

Matthew 16:13–20; Acts 11:1–18; 2 Corinthians 11:16–30

Peter appears to have been the first one to put it all together. He declared that Jesus was the Messiah.

We often look back at Peter, thinking, “Well, that was obvious!” There were actually a number of people wandering around saying they were the messiah. Jesus wasn’t the only one.

The other (false) messiah’s had followers, a lot of them. Some of the false messiah’s sought to overthrow the Roman government. They and their followers were killed (crucified) as rebels.

The religious leaders weren’t any better than the Roman government, as many of them were in league with them. Also, the religious leaders had certain expectations of the messiah (some Scripture-based, many not) that no one could fulfill (and note that Jesus didn’t fulfill all of theirs).

Peter’s declaration of the Messiah was a big deal. He assembled the “clues” together. Despite the failures and deaths of other messiahs, Peter still declared it. There would be a cost for that.

It doesn’t matter whether one takes Jesus’ statement about “the rock” as literal (i.e., the Roman Catholic church), a figurative based upon Peter’s declaration (most Protestant traditions), or the fact the Peter was the first leader of the church. Peter’s place in Church history as both leader and declarer of the Messiah is undeniable.

Peter is also the one that was first called to reaching the Gentiles (non-Jews) with the saving message of the Gospel. Thus, as most of the Church is now “Gentile”, Peter’s place should be unquestioned.

The second person that was the greatest impact on the Gentiles for the Church was Paul. Paul was almost exclusively a missionary to and a leader of the Gentiles. He, like Peter, was accused of “watering-down” the Word of God by not requiring Jewish practices for the Gentiles.

Paul, more-so than Peter, could make a “Jew-of-Jew” claim. Paul did this so that his Jewishness would not be questioned, and neither would the grace, love, and mercy of God toward the Gentiles.

It is hard to imagine how the message of God’s love through Jesus’ death on the cross would have been shared and spread without these two. Both had significant flaws. In today’s overly sensitive world (in regards to all streams of politics to morality), both men would likely be attacked.

When following Jesus, sometimes our best path is to follow the guidance of those such as these two.

※Prayer※

Father God, you have called many people to follow your Son. Holy Spirit, you have enlightened many to lead people to the Son. Jesus, you have many who are your followers. May we hear and obey the call, and being the light of the world. Amen.

※Questions※

1) What words would you use to describe Peter? How about Paul?

2) Why is it important to recognize not just their place as “doctors” of the Church, but also their humanity?

3) What do they teach you about being a follower of Jesus? What does it mean to follow a follower?

2020-06-29
Gifts or Curses

1 Corinthians 12:1–14 (read online ⧉)

You have probably read this passage many times, and probably heard a few sermons on it. You might have even delved into it during your investigations of your spiritual gifts. And we will get to that. However, there is a warning in these verses that we often miss.

“…you used to be enticed and led astray by mute idols.” We often immediately dismiss this or skip over it partially because of its past tense language, and our belief that we are good to go. However, the Greek is in imperfect tense. In other words, Paul is really saying they were (past tense) and are now being enticed by the mute idols.

How could they still be being enticed? For so long, the pagan speaking in tongues with the interpreters controlled the culture. Habits are hard to break.

One of the other interesting things is about Jesus being cursed. There are a number of interpretations. One of the easiest is the Jewish tradition that a man who dies on a tree is cursed. Other commentators observe that the Greek though doesn’t have “is”. “Anathema” may also be interpreted as curses. In other words, these Christians were using Jesus’ name to curse others, and in the context of the verses that follow, the implication is that Christians were using Jesus to curse…Christians.

This sounds appalling, doesn’t it? There were definitely some not good things going on in Corinth!

We miss so much being separated in time, space, and culture from our brothers and sisters in Christ.

Divisions had been built up. Instead of supporting and bolstering one another, they were daring to curse one another in Jesus’ name. In the name of the one who came to break the chains, they sought to bind others.

The Body of Christ is not to be divided. The spiritual things (often called the Gifts of the Spirit) are for the Body, not for the individual. While Paul addresses these, in our context we need to look at the purpose of these gifts and look at the opening of this group of verses.

The deceit of the pagan world is the so-called mute idols that the “empowered” and “enlightened” share with those with the appropriate monetary compensation. We are so advanced over the benighted Corinthians…the stock market, houses, stuff, buildings, collections, knowledge, and even data. We have our own voiceless idols. Just like in the day of the Corinthians, the “wise” put a voice to the mute.

Sadly, we have also seen false gifts of the spirit used. The false idols and their followers can seem to be full of the gifts of the spirit, which ties onto Paul’s point because these “gifts” are used to divide, rather than unite. This is an indicator of the source of the “spirit” used.

On the other hand, we have many brothers and sisters in Christ that are truly mute. We have others that are hurting. We have others who are angry. We have others that are so lost in the current disarray. The gifts and graces that we have been granted by the Holy Spirit are intended to build up one another, encourage one another, and unite us together.

※Prayer※

Lord, we see the world divided around us, and even division in your body. Help us to be unifiers, so that your body is one, and so that the world may be one. Amen.

※Questions※

1) Have you have been told you have a particular gift or grace form the Holy Spirit? If not, will you commit to prayerfully ask the Holy Spirit to guide you in discovering it?

2) If you are aware of your gift or grace, how have you used it to build up the body and unite it?

3) Other than unity, what are other signs that a “gift” or “grace” is of a worldly “spirit” or of the Holy Spirit?

2020-06-09
3 is 1 and 1 is 3

Deuteronomy 6:4–5; Matthew 3:13–17; Matthew 28:16–20; 1 Peter 1:1–2 (read online ⧉)

This is one of those odd “Liturgical” Sundays in the Christian year. It set aside to specifically observe the creedal declaration of and faith in the Trinity. We have Sundays set aside for Advent, Lent, Christmas, Easter, Pentecost. These are event-based. It’s not that they don’t have doctrinal pieces in them; their beginning is based upon an event.

There is an additional oddity, especially for people who call the Bible the Word of God…Trinity appears nowhere, at least not as an explicit term. That’s also what makes this Sunday interesting. A foundational theological basis for orthodox Christianity is not found explicitly in the Bible, yet is one of the key doctrines upon which orthodoxy is defined (i.e., Mormons and Jehovah’s Witnesses being non-Trinitarian believers).

One of the biggest things that the Trinity teaches us by its very example is that not everything can be explained by science or even a sound rationalization of the faith. The Trinity can only be believed (ultimately) by faith. The concept that God (the Father) is God, Jesus is God, the Holy Spirit is God, while, God (the Father) is neither Jesus nor the Holy Spirit, Jesus is neither the Holy Spirit nor God (the Father), and the Holy Spirit is not God (the Father) nor Jesus (An aside: even writing that sentence, which is a simplified excerpt of the Athanasian Creed, hurt my head a bit).

The beauty of the Trinity is that by the above (for example), we are automatically brought into the realm of knowing that we can not fully understand God. Which is good. When we think we fully understand God, we are in deep danger of having made our own god who is not God.

While the Trinity does not expressly as a word in the Scriptures, that does not mean it is not present. We need to start with the beginning, though. God is one. One of the biggest dangers with the Trinity is that the confusion that we are talking about 3 gods, rather than 1 God.

In the Gospels, Matthew has the 2 best almost explicit statements regarding the Trinity. With Jesus’ baptism, Jesus is baptized, “laid upon” by the Holy Spirit, and blessed (and proclaimed) by God (the Father). All 3 persons of the Trinity are present and noted as being present (rather than in other places where they can be assumed to be present).

In many respects, however, it is Jesus’ Commission of the Disciples (now Apostles) to baptize in the name of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit that there is an expression of the doctrine and persons of the Trinity (yet, still no word “Trinity”).

While this is so, there is something critically important in Peter’s letter. Peter all but declares the Trinity in his opening. There are several reasons this is important. First, it’s Peter. His place as one of Jesus’ core disciples, and his place as commissioned leader of the church (by Jesus) makes his words critically important to our understanding of the church.

Before the “doctrine” was declared, before the Athanasian Creed was written, before the understood writing of the Gospels, Peter brought the Trinity to the church.

In lieu of prayer or questions, and in honor of the tradition in more “liturgical” churches to speak it on Trinity Sunday, below is the Athanasian Creed.
※Athanasian Creed※

Whosoever will be saved, before all things it is necessary that he hold the Catholic[1] Faith. Which Faith except every one do keep whole and undefiled, without doubt he shall perish everlastingly. And the Catholic Faith is this, That we worship one God in Trinity, and Trinity in Unity; neither confounding the Persons, nor dividing the Substance.

For there is one Person of the Father, another of the Son, and another of the Holy Spirit.

But the Godhead of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, is all one, the Glory equal, the Majesty co-eternal.

Such as the Father is, such is the Son, and such is the Holy Spirit.

The Father uncreated, the Son uncreated, and the Holy Spirit uncreated.

The Father incomprehensible, the Son incomprehensible, and the Holy Spirit incomprehensible.

The Father eternal, the Son eternal, and the Holy Spirit eternal.

And yet they are not three eternals, but one eternal.

As also there are not three incomprehensibles, nor three uncreated, but one uncreated, and one incomprehensible.

So likewise the Father is Almighty, the Son Almighty, and the Holy Spirit Almighty. And yet they are not three Almighties, but one Almighty.

So the Father is God, the Son is God, and the Holy Spirit is God. And yet they are not three Gods, but one God.

So likewise the Father is Lord, the Son Lord, and the Holy Spirit Lord.

And yet not three Lords, but one Lord. For like as we are compelled by the Christian verity, to acknowledge every Person by himself to be God and Lord; so are we forbidden by the Catholic Religion, to say, There be three Gods, or three Lords.

The Father is made of none, neither created, nor begotten.

The Son is of the Father alone, not made, nor created, but begotten. Likewise also the Holy Spirit is of the Father, neither made, nor created, nor begotten, but proceeding.

So there is one Father, not three Fathers; one Son, not three Sons, one Holy Spirit, not three Holy Spirits. And in this Trinity none is afore, or after other, none is greater, or less than another; But the whole three Persons are co-eternal together, and co-equal. So that in all things, as is aforesaid, the Unity in Trinity, and the Trinity in Unity is to be worshipped. He therefore that will be saved, must thus think of the Trinity.

Furthermore, it is necessary to everlasting salvation, that he also believe rightly the Incarnation of our Lord Jesus Christ.

For the right Faith is, that we believe and confess, that our Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, is God and Man; God, of the Substance of the Father, begotten before the worlds, and Man, of the Substance of his Mother, born in the world; perfect God, and perfect Man, of a reasonable soul and human flesh subsisting; equal to the Father, as touching his Godhead, and inferior to the Father, as touching his Manhood.

Who although He be God and Man, yet He is not two, but one Christ; one; not by conversion of the Godhead into flesh, but by taking of the Manhood into God; one altogether; not by confusion of Substance, but by unity of Person. For as the reasonable soul and flesh is one man, so God and Man is one Christ; Who suffered for our salvation, descended into hell, rose again the third day from the dead. He ascended into heaven; He sitteth on the right hand of the Father, God Almighty, from whence He shall come to judge the quick and the dead. At whose coming all men shall rise again with their bodies, and shall give account for their own works. And they that have done good shall go into life everlasting, and they that have done evil into everlasting fire. This is the Catholic Faith, which except a man believe faithfully, he cannot be saved.

2020-06-07