Scripture & The Apostle’s letters are not Metaphysical
2 Timothy 3:16-17 “All Scripture is inspired by God and beneficial for teaching, for rebuke, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man or woman of God may be fully capable, equipped for every good work.” There is nothing Metaphysical, scripture is practical, and says what it means and means what is says.
What is Metaphysics?
Metaphysics is the branch of philosophy that studies the first principles of being, identity and change, space and time, causality, necessity and possibility. It includes questions about the nature of consciousness and the relationship between mind and matter.
Metaphysics has two main strands: that which holds that what exists lies beyond experience (as argued by Plato), and that which holds that objects of experience constitute the only reality (as argued by Kant, the logical positivists, and Hume). Metaphysics has also concerned itself with a discussion of whether what exists is made of one substance or many, and whether what exists is inevitable or driven by chance.
Scripture is practical and instructional. Scripture does not relate to the Metaphysical concept or any other philosophy. Scripture reveals to us that all things were created by a single creator and that nothing was created by a random chance, or through a form of Metaphysical evolution.
Darwin himself had doubt:
Even Charles Darwin thought his own theory was “grievously hypothetical” and gave emotional content to his doubts when he said, “The eye to this day gives me a cold shudder.” To think the eye had evolved by natural selection, Darwin said, “seems, I freely confess, absurd in the highest possible degree.” But he thought of the same about something as simple as a peacock’s feather, which, he said, “makes me sick. ” Of course, anyone who has knowledge of the intricacies of the human eye and other living structures immediately realizes the problem Darwin sensed. How could an organ of such an intricate magnificence ever have a originated via random chance?
Oller and Omdahl (CH) Page 274
Some today say that God is energy. God is not energy, God is spirit (John 4:24), which is like the wind. God is not a ghost, or some other aberration defined by mere mortals, and God is not constrained to form or function that developed by our finite understanding.
From a commentary by Henry Alford:
“God being pure spirit (perhaps better not ‘a Spirit,’ since it is His Essence, not His Personality, which is here spoken of), cannot dwell in particular spots or temples (see Acts 7:48; Acts 17:24, Acts 17:25); cannot require, nor be pleased with, earthly material offerings nor ceremonies, as such: on the other hand, is only to be approached in that part of our being, which is spirit,—and even there, inasmuch as He is pure and holy, with no by-ends nor hypocritical regards, but in truth and earnestness.”
Henry Alford – Greek Testament Critical Exegetical Commentary
Paul clears up misunderstanding in his letter to the Romans:
Romans 1:21-23 “For even though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God or give thanks, but they became futile in their speculations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the incorruptible God for an image in the form of corruptible man and of birds and four-footed animals and crawling creatures.”
So Metaphysics is not inclusive with God and His inspired Scriptures. They say what God wants them to say, and mean what God want’s them to mean. Even with known translation issues, the Scriptures are as God intends. As other documents are found that fill in gaps that were present when first translated, we begin now to have a better and fuller understanding of God’s purpose for us and this disposable world. We as humans can make up anything we want. We learn to do that from an early age, and as adults we apply more makeup to our understanding of God and the world in which we live.
I am not writing a thesis about this topic. I am simply writing my thoughts—as scattered as they are, to simply say: stop trying to define God. Stop re-writing Scripture to fit you world of understanding and dreams. Stop turning God’s Scriptures into some sort of Metaphysical Philosophy.
Everything we can understand, fathom, comprehend, determine, reason IS incapsulated in:
- Scripture alone
- faith alone
- grace alone
- Christ alone
- to the glory of God alone
Everything we can understand, fathom, comprehend, determine, reason is NOT incapsulated in:
- your pride
- your knowledge
- your wisdom
- your understanding
- your interpretation
- Your education
- Your degrees
When it comes time, your credentials, what club you belong to, and all the above will not be reviewed by Jesus. He is not interested in what you did academically or socially, He will only be interested in what you did for Him and the Gospel. Was you faith in Him or in you? Was your belief Him or in your belief? Was your heart for Him and other believers, or just your own little world? Were you concerned for the Kingdom or your life on earth? Was your salvation merely about what you did? How many souls you have won? How have you sacrificed your time for church activities? How often you attended church? Just remember Matthew 7:21-23 concerning true and false disciples. Remember also Matthew 25:1-13.
As I mentioned, the Scriptures say what they mean and mean what they say. Anything beyond that is pure fiction and deceit. We can surmise what the writers are attempting to say along with supporting scripture. If there is no support of God’s word with what you say and believe then keep it to your self. Proverbs 3:5 “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding.” We are to live by faith.
Colossians 2:8 “See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, according to the tradition of men, according to the elementary principles of the world, and not according to Christ.”
Galatians 6:7 informs us “Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, this he will also reap.” Everything we come up with in regard to God’s essence and what we are, or what His Scriptures communicate is nothing but self-deception. God is, we are because He is, end of story.
In closing:
Colossians 3:1-4 (NASB) “Therefore if you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory.”
Mike — 27 November 2021
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