Page 100 - Bible Writers Theology Original

84 ♦ s u e waters'Theology Chapter Four
The King James version translates "Kai" as "even" in several other places including the phrases "God, even the Father" (I Corinthians 15:24; James 3:9) and "God even our Father" (I Thessalonians 3:13). So, the greetings in the epistles could read just as easily, "from God our Father even the Lord Jesus Christ," meaning the Father in Christ (the Father manifested in the flesh), even when the different translations render "Kai" as "and", they often agree that the phrase denotes only one being or one person (Galatians 1:4; Ephesians 5:5; Colossians 2:2; IIThessalonians 1:12; I Timothy 5:21; Titus 2:13; II Peter 1:1; Jude 4).
The King James translation of Jude 4 says, "the only Lord God and our Lord Jesus Christ." The NIV translates: "Jesus Christ our only Sovereign and Lord." TAB translates: "Our sole master and Lord Jesus Christ." II Peter 1:1 in the KJV states: "God and our Savior Jesus Christ." The NIV translates: "our God and Savior Jesus Christ." TAB translates: "Our God and Savior Jesus Christ." Titus 2:13, KJV states, "the great God and our Savior Jesus Christ." The NIV translates: "our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ. TAB translates: "Our great God and Savior Christ Jesus."
All translations, as seen in the above scriptures, affirm the revelation that GodtheFatherborethenameJesusChristinonepersonasEmmanuel. If the salutations do not indicate a plurality of persons in the Godhead, what do they mean? The writer is emphasizing two roles of God the Father: as our Creator and as our Father. We must accept His manifestation in the flesh,foroursalvationandalsobearthenameJesusChrist. Everybeliever
must acknowledge that Jesus (God the Father) is come in the flesh (the God- man, Emmanuel), and that He is both Lord and Christ Gohn 2:19-21; Acts 2:36; Acts 5:31; John 20:28,29; Titus 2:13).
Similarly, regarding the benediction ending the various epistles, the same principlesapply. InIICorinthians13:14,itsays,"ThegraceoftheLordJesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, be with
you all. Amen. We should remember that Paul is reminding Christians first ofGod s grace (John 1:14-17; 4:10; Romans 5:15-21; Romans 8:3-39), sec ondly, of God s love Gohn 3:16-18; 1John 4:7-11; Romans 5:8; Ephesians 2.4,5), and thirdly, of God s gift of baptism of the Holy Ghost, which brings
communion with God. "For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body... (I Corinthians 12:12-13). (See also Ephesians 3:16,17; Titus 3:4-7; Acts
11:13-17.)
Through the indwelling Spirit of God, not the present body of Jesus Christ,wehaveapresentcontinuingrelationshipwithGodtheFather. This isunlikeanythingavailabletotheOldTestamentsaints. IICorinthians13:14 is logical and understandable when we interpret it as three important rela-