Hi
Slade,
If I understand the
Jewish mind correctly God is utterly transcendent, beyond our feeble grasp,
and beyond definition. I believe this is an essential aspect of God that
the evangelical church has laid aside. However, I believe that Jesus
changes/fulfills the Older Testament view of transcendence. If Jesus is
truly God then God has condescended to enter space and time and make Himself
available in a way that is far more intimate and intense than the Older
Testament. My view of the Older Testament is one of God giving us the
mental furniture, the Word and Face that is then given light in the Person of
Jesus Christ. Torrance calls Israel the ‘womb of the incarnation’.
It is this Hebraic mindset and understanding that you, Kay, and Jeff provide
on this forum that I find so helpful. Thank you.
The Nicene
theologians were not slow to appreciate the basic revolution in knowledge of
God that had taken place in Jesus Christ, through whom as Mediator between God
and man we who are far off from God are brought near and are actually given
access to Him. That is to say, with the incarnation of His Son in Jesus
Christ, God in Himself is no longer closed to us, but has opened Himself to
our knowledge in His own being as Father, Son and Holy Spirit, for what He has
revealed of Himself to us through Christ and in the Spirit He is in
Himself. Hence we may now enter into personal communion with God without
being limited by our creaturely incapacities or being obstructed by our
alienation, because of what God in His love has done for us and our salvation
in Jesus Christ and because of the gift of His Holy Spirit, the indwelling
presence of God Himself. Thus through Christ Jesus and in the Spirit
whether we are Jews or Gentiles we ma enter within the veil, and know God in
the inner relations of His own sublime being as Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
(T.F. Torrance, ‘The Trinitarian Faith’, pg. 68.)
Jonathan
From:
[EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
On Behalf Of Slade
Henson
Sent: Wednesday,
January 12, 2005 8:34 PM
To:
[email protected]
Subject: RE: [TruthTalk] On
Echad
The reason for the
brevity is because the answer required brevity. To go further would simply
force my foot in my mouth or my words may stumble into apostasy. G-d
is soooo big I cannot begin to define even His edges, were they to
exist.
However, does the
Newer Testament give more insight into the Holy One? Absolutely! Any
commentary gives insight into a subject... how much more does the Newer
Testament, as the Inspired "Commentary" on the Older Testament, give insight
into the Older Testament!
-----Original
Message-----
From: Jonathan
Hughes
Sent: Wednesday, 12
January, 2005 20.20
Subject: RE: [TruthTalk] On
Echad
Hi
Slade,
I realize that your
one word answer is most likely a result of busyness. If I can tweak
any more out of you (or at a time that is better for you) would you agree
that the Newer Testament (read Jesus Christ) gives a fuller revelation of
God than the Older Testament?
Jonathan
From: Slade
Henson
Sent: Wednesday,
January 12, 2005 7:55 PM
Subject: RE: [TruthTalk] On
Echad
