Swimming

I'm going to do something I don't usually do on my blog and that is focus primarily on one verse. I don't or I try not to do that because you the reader are not getting the full story or context; and when that happens, like too many speakers/preachers do, the Truth is too many times distorted.

However, pulling out one verse from your reading and really chewing on it...meditating on it...dissecting it is highly encouraged-especially if you are young in the faith.

What do I mean when I say "young in the faith?" If you are a new believer, struggle with reading the Holy Bible, or just checking what Christianity is all about, then this post is for you!

So the one verse that we will be looking at together is from the epistle (letter) to the church in Ephesians written by Paul. Paul wrote most of what we call the New Testament and you can find his testimony (story) in the book of Acts. If you want to learn more about the church of Ephesus follow the link. Yes, it's Wikipedia-there's pros and cons. If you are not that interested in the "in depth" history click here for Bible Gateway's synopsis.

Back to our verse then-chapter 2 verse 5 of Ephesians:

New International Version (NIV)

(God)"...made us alive with Christ 

even when we were dead in transgressions

—it is by grace you have been saved."

Just to get even more of a feel, let's look at it in a few different translations:

New Living Translation (NLT)

"that even though we were dead because of our sins, 

he gave us life when he raised Christ from the dead. 

(It is only by God’s grace that you have been saved!)"

New Life Version (NLV)

"Even when we were dead because of our sins, 

He made us alive by what Christ did for us. 

You have been saved from the punishment of sin by His loving-favor."

New King James Version (NKJV)

"even when we were dead in trespasses, 

made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved),"

Regardless of how you say it I don't want miss the jest. Three characters are at work here. Who are they? God, Jesus, and you. Who is doing what? God-making, Jesus (the Christ)-resurrecting, and you...what about you?

Why? Why are these things going on? The verse answers that as well.

I personally have the Apologetics Study Bible, which similar to our others read as such:

"...made us alive with the Messiah 

even though we were dead in trespasses.

By grace you are saved!"   

Next, what I like to do is highlight, circle, and underline the hot or key words. What are they? Mine were="alive, Messiah, dead, trespasses, grace, saved." They might be different for you and that's okay! It is what we do with these chosen words that I believe matter. This would be a good time to pull up or out a dictionary. Yeah, we get'n all Bible Study up in hur!

From the marks I made around, over, or under these words I then draw an arrow to my notes about them. Obviously, do whatever flows with your own unique style! 

Thus, the arrow next to "alive" I noted "life to its fullest" because I know from reading the Scripture (and experience) that there is a difference between living and the life God has for us. You see, you were made for so much more...you were meant to live for so much more....if only we lost ourselves (Switchfoot reference). 

"Messiah"-this is another word for the "the awaited one," the "one sent from God," the "one that would rescue" the Jews from their oppression. Funny though, the one they expected was nothing like they dreamt, but He was exactly what they...and the world needed!

"trespasses"-we have crossed the line drawn by God. We saw, read, and understood that sign that said "do not cross" but we did it anyway. What was that line? The Ten Commandments is a good starting point.

"grace...saved"-this, this is our anchor

From doing this type of technique with the Word, I have found that it then paints a much grander picture of our God than just some words on a page. Did you get that too?

The imagery that comes to my mind then from this ONE verse, is that God is our Lifeguard.

image from http://usamanagement.com/lifeguard-companies/

He, like this Lifeguard, is protecting us from the dangers we may put ourselves in. He doesn't stop us from getting in the water-no, it was created for our enjoyment! But like the entices of the world, sometimes those things we do can cause harm...even death. God doesn't want that! So there are rules, of course-but only ones to make sure you are safe! Not trip you up! He's watching carefully, intently, because He cares for you!

But...you probably already know this.

So I want to take you deeper. I want you to know more about this God in the Holy Bible...for He is not JUST our Lifeguard. He is so much more.

He's in the pool with you. He's playing "Marco Polo", splashing you as you splash back. He's there racing you to the other end. laughing along with prunny fingers! He's there directing who goes down the slide next, who climbs on who for a game of "Chicken." He's the one giving out more pool toys, making sure you have a towel to dry off with, and sunblock so you don't get burned. He's so much more than you can imagine!

Now, I want to take a moment here and make the distinction between the God of the Bible and the gods of other religions.

You see our God is Good itself; He brings only what is good. Yet, the material things you receive He is not. He is not your house, your sweater, or that five course meal. He is not made of wood, plaster, or steal. Continuing with our pool analogy, God is not the water, the floaty, or goggles. He can work through those things He has blessed you with, but He is a separate entity.

So how do you have a relationship with a God like this then?

A God who not only has given you everything in life itself, but while you didn't deserve (or at the moment want) it, God sent His only son Jesus to die for you. Jesus then, did not just take the punishment for you & I's sin, but He came back to life. That power and freedom over the drowning is yours today when you put your trust in Him...the one we call our Lifeguard...the one who came into the pool with us.

How does this view of God contrast with your original thoughts?

How can this expansion on who God is help you with your relationship with Him?

What about our one verse challenges you to live differently today?

Share your thoughts below; I'd love to hear them!  

Argument Responses

{Reference to Speech Project/Nothing I Haven't Said Before}

These are the responses I received in class:

"Your argument is assuming that God exists and that justification is quoting the Bible."

"Who is to say the God of the Bible is Truth and the God of the Koran, or Gita, or other religious texts are not?"

"Most people use scripture all the time to prove their point, no matter if that is what the Bible says or not. How is your argument any different?"

First, after having a discussion about this argument I presented in class, there are some things I first need to clean up. There is nothing wrong with admitting "I wasn't right."

Let us refresh our memories with my argument:

P1) If God is for us, then nothing is against us.
P2) If nothing is against us, then we can do anything.
P3) We cannot do anything.
C) God is not for us.
P1)If God is not for us, then we must be unloved.
P2) If we are unloved then Jesus died for nothing.
P3) Jesus did not die for nothing.
C2) We are loved, but that does not constitute us the freedom to do anything.

The problem brought to my attention today is that I have a definition fallacy in P2 in my first argument; thus, giving me a false conclusion because I use the same word with a different meaning. This is called an Equivocation Error. That word being the problem is "anything." When I reference it in my first argument which my second one builds off from, the word anything is relating to "outside forces" because "nothing against us" is setting the tone. However, when we get to my second argument, the word "anything" used in my conclusion implies to "internal choices." For Phil. 4: 13 and 1 Corinthians 10:23-24 proves these differences. 

Also, I recognize that my C2 needs to be rewritten. For my first argument structure:

If A, then B.

If B, then C.

It is not C.

Therefore, it is not A

is invalid because we can not connect C immediately A due to the intermediate of B. Instead, I should have properly structured a Hypothetical Syllogism based upon my Modus Tollens. The new argument should have looked more like such:

If A, then B.

If B, then C.

It is not C.

Therefore, if not A then not C.

P1) If God is for us, then nothing is against us.

P2) If nothing is against us, then we can do anything.

P3) We can not do anything.

C) Therefore, if God is not for us then we can not do anything.

However, now since we have "fixed this" is the opposite true? "If God is for us, we can do anything?" I want to point out now that there is a major difference between "God for us" and "us for God." Scripture declares that God is omnipresent-some examples being Psalm 139: 7-12 and Deuteronomy 31:6; thus, God is always with us but us acknowledging that is a whole different story. So is the matter really being if God supports us or something else? God hates sin; thus He is not going to support you when you are camping out in Sin Valley-read Jacob and Esau's story in Genesis. 

To answer the question (in which it may seem like I may have a smidge of Circular Reasoning going on, in which I don't) the answer is yes. It may also seem backwards to say then I/we  have more freedom in God then without God but it is true.

Let us continue to the second part of my original argument now:

P1) If God is not for us, then we must be unloved.

P2) If we are unloved, then Jesus died for nothing.

P3) Jesus did not die for nothing.

C2) Therefore, if God is for us then Jesus did not die for nothing.   

The fact of the matter is that as mentioned many times before, God wants us to have the good, easy, well-lived, fulfilling, satisfied life. However, the question isn't in the matter of where you are or what you have...it's not about who has the most toys wins. It is about the heart, the inside, the core and soul of who you are. Acquiring the riches of this life will make you lose your ultimate freedom, but Jesus (God) has something no one or thing can take away (Romans 8:31- 38). It is interesting how with God you have the power and gifts to truly love, truly forgive, and truly live. Scripture also says this 

"So if the Son sets you free, you are truly free."

-John 8: 36

Free from what you may ask? Free from burdens, free from enslavement, free from judgement, free from sin (all internal motions that then reflect outwardly). Connecting these two arguments now, we have this:

P1) Either God is not for us and we can not do anything 

Or God is for us and Jesus did not die for nothing.

The first part is inaccurate as we pointed out; thus this now becomes a Disjunctive Syllogism.

P2) God is for us and we can do anything.

C) God is for us and Jesus did not die for nothing.

Jesus did not die for nothing because we are so loved as to have a God that has given us the freedom to do anything; however, those choices we make have eternal effects. We choose either to be a slave to sin or servant to Christ. Knowing God's love for you doesn't bind you or trip you up, that's what religion does.

Now to get back to those original objections given to me by other students. My argument may still have some issues, the biggest one you see being the Theological Fallacy. For that I can not argue, for no one is argued into salvation.