God’s reasons for hiding spiritual truths in the Bible

[evangelist-1]

.
This may just be the GrandDaddy of all controversial threads
… there’s something here for everyone to really complain about.

God has provided for us in the Bible what He wants us to know.
But, He has camoflaged some major spiritual truths that upset many people.
So God had good reasons for “somewhat hiding” these controversial verses.
IMO, God thinks it is much wiser to have people maintain a positive upbeat attitude
so they will not lose their hope of heaven, and also try to be better citizens of the world!

These “somewhat hidden” spiritual truths have at least several supporting verses,
but in 5 of the 6 cases below, God has provided alternative verses to counteract them.
These alternative verses are not lies, but they are phrased so ingeniously
that most people can just easily take them the wrong way.

The statements in BOLD are “somewhat hidden” truths in the Bible.
Below them are my view of God’s reasons for hiding them.

1) Every human is born with an inherited sin nature (from Adam & Eve)
Removes a major excuse for people to sin more, and gives a guilty conscience.

2) The one true God has been revealed as being 3 Persons or Manifestations
Removes a major obstacle for the non-believer to accept Christianity.
E.G. saying God had a Son makes Muslims think Christians are crazy!

3) Initially, everyone is totally unable spiritually to believe in Jesus and His gospel
Only by God’s grace, and by His free gift of faith, are people enabled to believe
Removes a major obstacle for the non-believer to accept Christianity.
Provides a better atmosphere for believing (and not criticizing) Christianity.

4) The process of sanctification (after being born-again) is a life-long struggle
Removes a major obstacle for the non-believer to accept Christianity,
and removes a possible obstacle for the new believer to continue in the faith.

5) The baptism with the Holy Spirit (an anointing) has nothing to do with being born-again
Removes the discouragment of born-again believers not having this baptism.

6) Eternal life is really knowing the Father and the Son, and being led by the Holy Spirit
Removes what can be offensive to lukewarm and less-spiritual believers.
Provides a better atmosphere for believing (and not criticizing) Christianity.

If anyone can think of other cases, I’d like to hear about them and add them to the list. Thanks.

[swfdoc1]

Seems no one wants to take the bait.

I will make one comment about your item 2: To say God exists in three Persons is orthodoxy; to say God exists in three manifestations is heresy (Sabellanism, modalism).

[evangelist-1]

Seems no one wants to take the bait.
I will make one comment about your item 2: To say God exists in three Persons is orthodoxy; to say God exists in three manifestations is heresy (Sabellanism, modalism).

Okay, I don't believe I'm any one of those boys, but these days ya never know!

We have Scriptures saying that God manifested Himself as a man (1 Tim 3:16, 1 John 1:2).
I.E. Jesus was one Manifestation of God ... Sorry.

I was all hung up on "no spirit beings are persons", but then I got educated into ...
ANYTHING (insects, you name it) that or who has feelings, etc.
are defined (in some dictionaries) as persons.
I think it is ... people, no ... but persons, yes ... IMO, the whole thing is ridiculous.

[swfdoc1]

We have Scriptures saying that God manifested Himself as a man (1 Tim 3:16, 1 John 1:2).
I.E. Jesus was one Manifestation of God ... Sorry.

Those Scriptures do not say God manifested Himself as a man. They say JESUS, AS (to use our terms) THE SECOND PERSON OF THE TRINITY, was manifested as a man. And that difference is the whole debate: Does God have three Persons or one Person, which Person was manifested in three different ways. Since we believe that Jesus existed prior to His incarnation, it is totally Trinitarian to say He (Jesus) was manifested in the flesh. But that does not address the orthodoxy/heresy point, i.e., it does not lend support for the view that God has only one Person and that One Person can manifest Himself three ways, including as Jesus.

Why do I say the texts don’t say “God” was manifested in the flesh? I John 1:2 clearly—on its face—is distinguishing between the Father and the Son. I Timothy 3:16 is a little more complicated, but only because some manuscripts have the word “God” at the critical point. However, based on textual analysis, the best and most attested tests show that the word is “which/who/he,” and indeed the ESV, which you cited, has “He.” He, in context, and even more so when read in light of the rest of the Bible, indicates that “He” is Jesus, not God, “undifferentiatedly.”

I’m not sure which part of all this you think is ridiculous, but if that is a reference to the labor the Church has put into hashing out such critical issues for centuries, I disagree. Elsewhere on these boards there is a thread about essential vs. non-essentials. Surely the Trinity (as opposed to competing views) is on the essentials side of that line.

[evangelist-1]

We have Scriptures saying that God manifested Himself as a man
(1 Tim 3:16, 1 John 1:2).
I.E. Jesus was one Manifestation of God ... Sorry.

Those Scriptures do not say God manifested Himself as a man.
They say JESUS, AS (to use our terms) THE SECOND PERSON OF THE TRINITY,
was manifested as a man.
And that difference is the whole debate: Does God have three Persons or one Person,
which Person was manifested in three different ways.

They say the Word (the Logos), i.e. part of the Godhead, manifested as flesh, i.e. a human.
(And it's difficult to find, but the OT does actually call Him
"the Son of God" and "the Son of Man"). All of these "names" became Jesus Christ.

It's fun to read about that One Person of yours talking to Himself all of the time!
I.E. When Jesus constantly prayed to Father God in heaven.

[Paula22466]

We have Scriptures saying that God manifested Himself as a man
(1 Tim 3:16, 1 John 1:2).
I.E. Jesus was one Manifestation of God ... Sorry.

Those Scriptures do not say God manifested Himself as a man.
They say JESUS, AS (to use our terms) THE SECOND PERSON OF THE TRINITY,
was manifested as a man.
And that difference is the whole debate: Does God have three Persons or one Person,
which Person was manifested in three different ways.

They say the Word (the Logos), i.e. part of the Godhead, manifested as flesh, i.e. a human.
(And it's difficult to find, but the OT does actually call Him
"the Son of God" and "the Son of Man"). All of these "names" became Jesus Christ.

It's fun to read about that One Person of yours talking to Himself all of the time!
I.E. When Jesus constantly prayed to Father God in heaven.

Don, I don't think you understand what Steve is getting at. He is affirming that the Godhead is three persons - Father, Son, Spirit. Are you disputing this?

[swfdoc1]

Don, I don't think you understand what Steve is getting at. He is affirming that the Godhead is three persons - Father, Son, Spirit. Are you disputing this?

Right--affirming the Godhead is three Persons. And rejecting the idea that three Persons equals three manifestations & noting that the three manifestations idea has been considered heresy for ~1800 years.

[evangelist-1]

He is affirming that the Godhead is three persons - Father, Son, Spirit.
Are you disputing this?

It's a slam dunk, NO! ... Now, let's move on, please!