Insightful Musings on the Scriptures

by

Raymond P. Sparre
Northwest University class of '67

Good morning, dear ones.

Well…it finally happened. I had just come in from putting the garbage by the road with a half cup of coffee, set it down in front of this computer, then I happened to brush it with the baggy sleeve of the coat I was wearing, and SPLASH!...the coffee spilled all over this desk table top including one section of this notebook computer keyboard. It began several minutes of scrambling to rescue papers and electronics. I think I have it under control now. Whew! I guess the area needed some cleaning anyway.

Just to offer a little added stimulation to your brain, let me apply to this situation a very common theological question that people will raise to support their rebellion: IF GOD IS SOVEREIGN OVER ALL AND A GOD OF LOVE, HOW COULD HE ALLOW SUCH A HORRIBLE THING TO HAPPEN TO SUCH A WONDERFUL PERSON?!?! I raised the question, but I’ll let you answer it. I’d be interested to hear your thoughts.

Becki picked up the little boys this morning at 8am…just after we returned from our walk/jog in the darkish frosty air. So the rest of our day will need to be laced around this reality.

Blessings. Love, Dad/Ray.

John, one of Jesus’ close disciples, is clearly the author of this piece of recorded history. John chooses to use a form of literary styling where he speaks of himself in the third person. So John himself was an eyewitness of this entire story and presents himself as “The man who saw it…and his testimony is true.” Let’s complete verse 35: “He knows that he tells the truth, and he testifies so that you also may believe.”

Notice John’s statement of purpose: SO THAT YOU ALSO MAY BELIEVE. He wants to affirm that this is not just some made-up fiction—“I was there. I saw it all with my own eyes.” But since YOUR BELIEF is his main aim, he is also implying, “Don’t just take my word for it. Check out these Old Testament prophetic predictions that demonstrate their amazing fulfillment in Jesus’ life and death by crucifixion.” Three times in this reading John makes reference to things happening in a certain way “that the scriptures might be fulfilled” (19:24, 28, 36). Those scriptures confirm the TRUTH, encourage your BELIEF, and support your FAITH.

believe we have before us another absolute statement that GOD’S WORD WILL BE FULFILLED, NO MATTER WHAT. Furthermore, I believe that YOU AND I PARTICIPATE IN THE FULFILLMENT OF GOD’S WORD, NO MATTER WHAT. What I mean is this: Our individual choices are the core factors that determine which roadway of Biblical fulfillment we travel. And for sure, both roads are going somewhere—both have benefits and/or consequences. Consider a passage like Hebrews 10:39: “But we are not of those who shrink back (choose a course away from God) and are destroyed, but of those who BELIEVE (choose a course that seeks God) and are saved.”