The
First Epistle of Paul the Apostle to the Church at Corinth
Chapter
8:3, 6
3
But if any man love God, the same is known of him.
6
Yet unto us there is but one God, which is that Father, of whom are
all things, and we in him, and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all
things, and we by him.
Related
Scripture:
Malachi
2:10; Ephesians 4:5-6; Acts 17:28; John 13:13; 1 Corinthians 1:2; 1
Timothy 2:5; John 1:3; Colossians 1:16-17; Hebrews 1:2; Romans 5:11;
Revelations 4:11, 5:9-10
Commentary:
“In
this Christians and Jews agree with the best and wisest philosophers
of the Gentiles, that there is but one God; which is clear from the
perfections of God, as necessary existence, eternity, infinity,
omnipotence, all-sufficiency, goodness, and perfection; from one
first cause of all things; from the government of the world; and from
the writings of the Old and New Testament: so that to us believers
this point is out of all doubt. [However], we Christians know him to
be "the Father"; by whom meant either God essentially
considered, the one God, Father, Son, and Spirit, called the Father,
not in relation to any person in the Godhead, but in relation to the
creatures: so this one God, Father, Son, and Spirit, is the Father of
spirits, the creator of angels, and the souls of men, the God of all
flesh, the Father of all the individuals of human nature, the Father
or author of all the mercies and blessings the children of men enjoy.
Or else personally considered, and so designs the first person in the
Godhead, who is called so in relation to his Son, who is styled the
only begotten of the Father: and when he is said to be the one God,
it must be understood, not as exclusive of the Son and Spirit; for if
the Son stands excluded in this clause from being the one God with
the Father, by the same rule of interpretation, the Father, in the
next clause must stand excluded from being the one Lord with Christ;
but as dominion or lordship belongs to the Father, so deity to the
Son, and also to the Spirit.
All
created beings and things; angels are of him, are created by him,
serve and worship him; devils are of him, and under him, and at his
control, though they have rebelled against him; all mankind are of
him, and are his offspring; the whole universe, the heavens, the
earth, and seas, and all that in them are, are of him; all things in
nature, providence, grace, and glory, come of him: he is the author
of every mercy, temporal and spiritual.
And
we in him or for him; as creatures we are not only made by him, but
live in him, and are supported in him, and by him, and are created
for his glory: though this seems rather to respect what believers
are, as new creatures; they are in God; they are interested in him as
their covenant God, and in his everlasting and immutable love; they
are engraven on his hands, and set as a seal on his heart; they are
"into him", as it may be rendered; they are brought into
nearness to him, and communion with him; and are "for him",
are chosen, redeemed, regenerated, and called for the glorifying of
his grace, and to show forth his praise.
And
one Lord Jesus Christ so called, not to the exclusion of the Father
and Spirit, but in opposition to the lords many before mentioned, and
with respect to all his people. Christ is the one Lord of all, as he
is God over all, the Creator and Former of all things; and he is so
likewise as Mediator, having all power, dominion, and government put
into his hands: he is, in a special sense, the one Lord of his
people, and that by right of marriage to them; by right of redemption
of them; through his being an head unto them, and King of them; and
by a voluntary surrender of themselves to him, rejecting all other
lords, as sin, Satan, and the world, who have formerly had dominion
over them, they acknowledge him to be their one and only Lord.
By
whom are all things; in nature; all the created beings of this, or
the other world, whether visible or invisible, thrones, dominions,
principalities, and powers, are by him; no creature was made without
him, and all by him; and all things in grace, our election,
redemption, reconciliation, pardon, justification, and everlasting
glory and happiness,
And
we by him; we are redeemed by him from sin, Satan, the law, death,
and hell; we are by him what we are, as Christians, as believers in
him; by him, and from him, we have all the grace and the supplies of
it we have; by him we have access to the Father, and fellowship with
him; by him we are governed, influenced, protected, and preserved to
his kingdom and glory; and by him we are, and shall be, saved with an
everlasting salvation.” John Gill - Theologian
No comments:
Post a Comment