Tag: christianity

creation · marriage · Theology

Lessons from the Wild: Animals’ Monogamous Bonds as a Shadow of God’s Design for Marriage

Bob SnyderLeave a comment

In the vast tapestry of God’s creation, where the roar of lions mingles with the whisper of windswept plains, there lies a quiet testimony to fidelity that stirs the soul. From the elegant arch of a swan’s neck to the steadfast howl of a wolf pack, certain animals form bonds that endure a lifetime. But from a Biblical vantage, rooted in the unyielding authority of Scripture, these pairings are no mere quirk of nature. They are divinely etched parables, faint glimmers of the profound glory entrusted to humanity as the pinnacle of creation.

As we peer into the wild, let us allow these creatures to demonstrate words, illuminating the covenantal mystery of marriage that God ordained from the dawn of time.

The Created Echo: Monogamy in the Animal Kingdom

Scripture declares that the heavens proclaim the glory of God, and the firmament shows His handiwork (Psalm 19:1). So too do the beasts of the field and the birds of the air bear witness to His wise and good design (Romans 1:20). Consider the swan, gliding in perfect symmetry with its mate, performing courtship dances that span decades. Or the albatross, traversing vast oceans only to reunite with its lifelong partner in an aerial ballet of devotion. Gibbons swing through the canopy, their duets a symphony of territorial love, while wolves—fierce guardians of the pack—stand as alpha pairs, unyielding in loyalty until death claims one.

These are not anomalies; they are echoes. In a world marred by the Fall, where entropy pulls at every thread, God has preserved these instincts as signposts. The beaver dams its family fortress with tireless labor alongside its mate; the prairie vole clings with a hormonal tenacity studied by scientists yet ordained by the Creator. Even the humble French angelfish patrols coral realms in exclusive tandem.

Yet these bonds, beautiful as they are, remain creaturely—instinctual, not intentional. The animals do not utter vows; they do not grasp the weight of covenant. They simply are, displaying a shadow of permanence and exclusivity that whispers of something higher.

Humanity’s High Calling: The Imago Dei in One-Flesh Union

Here the glory ascends from shadow to substance, for man alone wears the crown of creation. “Then God said, ‘Let us make man in our image, after our likeness… male and female he created them'” (Genesis 1:26–27, ESV). In this divine pronouncement, we find the blueprint: humanity, differentiated yet unified, reflecting the relational Trinity itself—Father, Son, and Spirit in eternal, perfect communion.

Marriage, then, is no human invention but a sacred ordinance, the “one-flesh” union that crowns Eden’s garden (Genesis 2:24). Jesus Himself harks back to this foundation, declaring it indissoluble save for the grave (Matthew 19:4–6). And in the New Testament, Paul unveils its deepest mystery: “This mystery is profound, and I am saying that it refers to Christ and the church” (Ephesians 5:32).

The animals’ fidelity is a prelude; human marriage is the symphony. Where the wolf models loyalty without words, the Christian husband and wife proclaim it—with vows spoken before God and witnesses, with forgiveness extended in the shadow of the cross, with children raised as arrows in the hand of the Almighty (Psalm 127:3–5). This is glory: not mere survival, but an institutional witness. The self-sacrificial love of spouses images the Bridegroom who “loved the church and gave himself up for her” (Ephesians 5:25).

A Rebuke and a Redemption: Shamed by Swans, Saved by the Savior

Oh, how these creatures indict us! In an age of no-fault divorce and fleeting affections, the swan does not abandon its mate for a newer pond; the albatross does not “trade up” after half a century; the gibbon sings no dirge of regret over infidelity. Their unthinking faithfulness shames our calculated betrayals, reminding us that lifelong monogamy is etched into the created order—a common grace that testifies against every heart grown callous (Jeremiah 17:9).

But praise God, the story does not end in shame. For those in Christ, marriage becomes a theater of redemption. The Spirit empowers what the flesh weakens; grace transforms stumbling fidelity into radiant gospel display. A couple who cleaves through trials, who serves without tallying score, who bears fruit in holiness—these are not just surviving Eden’s curse; they are previewing the wedding feast of the Lamb (Revelation 19:7–9).

The Pinnacle’s Privilege: Worship in Wedlock

Thus, the monogamous menagerie serves as a divine object lesson—a whisper from pre-Fall Eden, a call to reclaim what sin has fractured. Yet the full splendor belongs to us, image-bearers called to higher things. To whom much is given, much is required (Luke 12:48). Let us, then, steward this glory with fear and wonder: husbands loving as Christ, wives submitting as the Church, both walking in the light of covenant-keeping grace.

In the end, the animals point beyond themselves. Their bonds allure us to gaze higher, toward the eternal union where no death parts, no shadow dims, and every vow finds its fulfillment in Him.

What say you, reader? Have you seen God’s fingerprints in the wild? Share in the comments below, and may your own story, wed or single, echo the faithful love of our Creator.

Further Reading:

  • Genesis 1–2 and Ephesians 5 (your Bible—start there!)

If this stirred your heart, subscribe for more reflections at the intersection of creation, theology, and everyday wonder. Grace and peace.

Bible Reviews

Don’t Get This False Children’s Bible!

Bob SnyderLeave a comment

The, “Just Love Story Bible” is a mess of Critical Race Theory, social justice, and feminist lies that will present a false god to your children, and keep them in idolatry. One of the authors of this lie, a person who calls herself, the Reverend Jacqui Lewis, said this about her work, “…the book’s goal is to teach children Christian lessons they ‘don’t have to unlearn because they understand from the beginning what this faith is really about…” Her goal wasn’t to accurately translate the word of God, and maintain the ideas He has communicated in His word.

If you think this is bad, just wait. There’s more. Another red flag for anyone who takes the word of God seriously is that Lewis claims to be a Reverend, or in other words she is assuming for herself the role of preaching elder. Which any serious student of God’s word knows is a role reserved only for matured in the faith men. Her co-author is a woman named, the Reverend Shannon Daley-Harris. Look! It is yet another feminist with a hyphenated last name, and she’s assumed the role of Reverend. Of course they are in a theologically liberal church. “…Lewis has long preached at Middle Collegiate Church, a multiethnic congregation in Manhattan’s East Village affiliated with the United Church of Christ…” While her co-author, Harris is an associate dean of Auburn Theological Seminary in Morningside Heights.

They couldn’t resist the urge to turn Moses, and Jesus from Jews into black men with afros. This isn’t the biggest offense, but it lets you know just one more thing about the liars producing this work. The illustrator is just as much an activist. It also figures that both the authors are from the Presbyterian USA denomination.

When asked, “Why did you create the Just Love Story Bible,” Lewis had this to say,

“I was approached by Beaming Books a while ago about doing an interfaith project. And as time went on, it seemed right to do a Christian book given all the meshugaas (a Yiddish term for madness) in the world about what Christianity is or isn’t. Shannon has all of these gifts from writing liturgy for the Children’s Defense Fund, and she’s got a really strong sense of the Hebrew Bible. Our agenda is teach young people a theology of love and justice that we don’t have to unlearn because they understand from the beginning what this faith is really about.”

Notice it was not her intention to accurately translate, or render the word of God. It was indoctrinate children into social justice, critical race theory, and feminism. I know. You are thinking, “That’s not what I read.” You have to look at the end product, and read in between the lines with liars like this.

Here is what Harris had to say about her work,

“It’s OK to actually tell kids from the get-go: Some of these stories are about true people and things that really happen, and some of them are made-up stories, but they’re in there because they can still teach us true things about God. You can tell the story of Jonah and the whale and still let kids at all these different developmental levels get into it imaginatively to extract the true lessons about us as God’s people, without feeling like they have to — pardon the pun — buy the swallowed-by-whale thing, hook, line and sinker.”

She, like almost all liberal theologians don’t actually believe the Bible. They pick, and choose. Before you say, “Whoa brother. There are parables that are told that didn’t really happen.” That is is not what she is talking about. You can see from her own words, she doesn’t believe the account of what happened to Jonah.

Don’t believe me about the CRT intent? Here is what Lewis said,

“It is the most gorgeous rainbow of faces. When we talk about what children can do and how they can be activists, or how they can be revolutionary lovers, that looks like a rainbow of people. But the biblical characters mostly look Black and brown and caramel, which is what we would really experience in the region. In the world where children have been exposed to white characters in Bibles for as long as Christianity has been Christian, now white children, I imagine, looking in this Bible and seeing brown people and thinking to themselves, “Oh, brown people belong to God, too.””

She doesn’t care what God has said. She only cares about how she can twist it to make CRT, social justice, activists of your children. This is disgusting, and perverse. The don’t even keep the text of the word of God. They create all new false stories/lies, and present them as the word of God. Look at the image at the top of this article. That is just one example.

Harris is just as bad. They don’t really care about what God has said. They simply make their own stories up.

“Frankly, the discipline of 300 to 500 words to tell a story in a sort of theologically responsible way. And knowing this book will be for some kids who go to church every Sunday with their families, and some who have never been before and are interested in what it’s all about. Some of them, there is enough dialogue and detail in the text to stay quite close to what we find in Scripture. And then others are almost more like modern midrash — that wonderful Jewish tradition of imagining a text, imagining what wasn’t said, what might have come before or come after. We say this explicitly in one of the introductions: How might the story have been told differently by somebody else who was there?”

Lewis goes on to promote a “hermeneutic of doubt.” This is what satan practiced. He is a liar, and a murderer from the beginning. He tempted Eve by asking her, “Indeed, has God said, ‘You shall not eat from any tree of the garden’?” Genesis 3:1 and “And the serpent said to the woman, “You surely will not die! 5 For God knows that in the day you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” Genesis 3:4-5

Here is what Lewis said, “The New Testament is like this: There was a birth, a death and a resurrection. And (we) want to stay, in a way, orthodox enough that parents who really care about those stories will pick up the Bible and read it, and then we can stretch them, which was my hope and challenge. And when we got to resurrection, I went all the way philosophical, “some people like Plato think… ” and “some people like Aristotle think… ,” to just introduce our faith also includes doubt and the possibility of having a hermeneutic of suspicion. Did that happen? For me, it matters more that children know that love never dies, so that’s where I landed.”

If you don’t believe me about their theological positions as being theologically liberal, here it is in Harris’ own words when asked how she thinks theologically conservative Christians will receive her work,

“There will be a group of sort of literalist or fundamentalist folks for whom this isn’t a welcome resource. But it’s been really interesting to see the reception from not just folks who are raised progressive, but those who are raised in a tradition that no longer fit them, who did grow out of a theology and are looking for one that they can grow into and grow with alongside their children.”

Notice, she calls brands theologically conservative people as fundamentalists. This isn’t by accident.

Here is an excerpt from a news article where she intentionally calls sojourners, strangers/foreigners, immigrants. It is obvious what she is doing, but in case it isn’t to you. Read the excerpt.

Interviewer: “In your summary of Leviticus 19, you include the divine lesson “You shall love immigrants as yourself, for you were immigrants in the land of Egypt. I am your God.” Why did you choose that wording rather than that of other translations that have used “stranger” or “foreigner”?
Daley-Harris: Whatever the language is, the heart, essence and message is, “we’re all newly arrived at this place.” What does it mean to not try to slam the door behind you, but to really use that lived experience to create some empathy for those who are experiencing it anew? Other than our Indigenous friends who are still living in the United States, we’re all immigrants, ancestrally and historically, to this place.”

Of course it is blatantly, satanically, feminist. They tell slippery, soft, pleasant sounding lies, that tickle the ears of self-centered, fleshly, carnal, people.

“Absolutely: that Jesus was a feminist, and maybe there wasn’t language for that then, but he was a culturally Jewish man, a rabbi, who came to understand that he could relate to women differently than the culture around him. He engaged them. He drew them in. And I think those lessons are super important in this modern context. When Shannon and I say, we don’t want children to learn something they have to unlearn, we don’t want them to learn patriarchy from this story Bible.”

Her big concern? She doesn’t want them learning patriarchy from the word of God. Well, where should they learn the truth of it from? Muslims? Mormons? Jews? None of those cults actually treat women as equally being human, and deserving dignity as image bearers of God the way Biblical Christianity does.

Long story short, keep your kids, and grandkids, away from this satanic tripe. It is nothing but political ideologies wrapped up in a antichrist shawl, and served with cookies, and hot chocolate. Because the best liars are the ones who follow satan’s example.

Here is a link to the original article if you care to read it. https://religionnews.com/2025/10/16/new-childrens-bible-aims-to-capture-diverse-nonpatriarchal-theology-of-love-and-justice/

Uncategorized

Biblical Marriage.

Bob SnyderLeave a comment

Marriage: A Divine Institution from God

Introduction

From the very beginning, God designed marriage as a sacred covenant — not a human invention, but a divine gift. In the Garden of Eden, before sin ever entered the world, God saw that it was not good for man to be alone. Out of His goodness and wisdom, He created woman and joined them together in a lifelong union. Every true marriage since then reflects God’s heart, His order, and His covenant love. It is a type of gospel relationship we see fulfilled in the Churches relationship to her Savior.

📖 Biblical Summary of Marriage

AspectBiblical ExplanationKey Verses
Origin of MarriageGod created marriage in Eden before sin entered the world. It is His design, not a human tradition.Genesis 2:18–24; Matthew 19:4–6
First Married CoupleAdam and Eve were joined by God and blessed to “be fruitful and multiply.”Genesis 1:27–28; 2:22–24
Definition of MarriageA lifelong covenant between one man and one woman, joined by God as one flesh.Malachi 2:14; Matthew 19:4–6; Ephesians 5:31
Purpose of MarriageCompanionship, love, unity, fruitfulness, type of the gospel, and reflecting God’s image.Genesis 2:18; Proverbs 18:22; 1 Corinthians 7:2–5
God’s RoleGod Himself joins the husband and wife; no one should separate them.Matthew 19:6
Husband’s RoleLove your wife sacrificially, as Christ loves the Church.Ephesians 5:25–28; Colossians 3:19
Wife’s RoleRespect and submit to her husband’s godly leadership, as the Church submits to Christ.Ephesians 5:22–24, 33; 1 Peter 3:1–5
Marriage as a SymbolEarthly marriage mirrors the relationship between Christ (the Bridegroom) and His Church (the Bride).Ephesians 5:31–32; Revelation 19:7–9
Eternal FulfillmentThe ultimate wedding is the union of Christ and His redeemed people—the Marriage Supper of the Lamb.Revelation 19:7–9; 21:2

🕊️ God’s Design in Scripture

“Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.”
— Genesis 2:24

“What therefore God has joined together, let not man separate.”
— Matthew 19:6

“Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her.”
— Ephesians 5:25

​“In the same way, you wives, be subject to your own husbands so that even if any of them are disobedient to the word, they may be won without a word by the conduct of their wives, as they observe your pure conduct with fear.” —1 Peter 3:1-2

💍 Marriage and the Gospel

Marriage is more than companionship — it is a living picture of the Gospel. The husband’s love for his wife should mirror Christ’s sacrificial love for His people, and the wife’s devotion should mirror the Church’s loving submission to Christ.
Together, their union displays the covenant faithfulness, forgiveness, and steadfast love of God Himself.

Just as Christ will one day return for His bride, the Church, every faithful marriage points forward to that final celebration — the Marriage Supper of the Lamb, when Christ and His redeemed people will be united forever in glory.


Before any of you get the wrong idea, my wife, and I do not have the perfect marriage. Nobody does. There were times when each of us were tempted with the idea of divorce, but I want to offer an idea to you all, that might change the way you think about marriage. Marriage is from God. He has given it to us, and has defined it in His word.

In a way, your relationship with your spouse is like your relationship with Jesus. When things get difficult, are you going to walk away from your spouse? You wouldn’t think of walking away from Jesus, but for some reason the sinful temptation to leave your spouse seems alright. We aren’t meant to ever get divorced. When times are hard, we are meant to persevere in our marriage covenant to our spouse, in the same way we persevere in the Faith.

Jesus never gives up on us when we are His. He never tries to save someone, and fails. If you rest in that peace, and then love your spouse the way Jesus loves you, with an unrelenting, grace-full, sacrificial, super-generous, love, without any degree of giving up on them, or your marriage, and they do likewise, you will see each other off to death do you part. Don’t give up on the gospel centered, Christ centered, marriage! The world is watching us. Be the salt, and light, you were called to be. Be a witness, and a testimony, to the great goodness of our Lord Jesus.

🙏 Closing Prayer

Heavenly Father,
Thank You for creating marriage and making it a reflection of Your love and faithfulness.
Help husbands to love as Christ loves, and wives to honor and submit as the Church honors, and submits to Christ.
Strengthen every marriage to display Your grace, unity, and truth in this world.
And remind us daily that our deepest fulfillment is found in You — the Bridegroom of our souls.
In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Uncategorized

Who Is Telling The Truth?

Bob SnyderLeave a comment

According to Roman Catholicism, and Eastern Orthodoxy, no Protestant is truly a Christian. According to their doctrine, we are false Christians. Their doctrine insists that a person must affirm, and obey, their extrabiblical traditions. For instance, you must be baptized into their church. You must agree that their traditions are equal in authority to the holy Word of God.

Let’s compare the Roman Catholic, and Eastern Orthodox views of baptism.

Roman Catholic: The Catechism teaches that “Holy Baptism is the basis of the whole Christian life, the gateway to life in the Spirit…Through Baptism we are freed from sin and reborn as sons of God; we become members of Christ…” — it effects a sacramental character (permanent mark) and is the door to the other sacraments. Vatican II also situates Baptism as foundational to ecclesial identity and ecumenical considerations.
Vatican

Eastern Orthodox: Baptism is likewise the mystery (sacrament) of new birth, death and resurrection with Christ, entrance into the Church, and the cleansing of sins; Orthodox theology places strong liturgical/mystical emphasis on Baptism as part of the paschal (death–resurrection) reality and on its immediate completion by the gift of the Spirit (Chrismation).

Biblically speaking, both of these views are heretical, and heterodox. The Word of God calls the extrabiblical doctrines of men, doctrines of demons.

Then some Pharisees and scribes came to Jesus from Jerusalem and said, “Why do Your disciples break the tradition of the elders? For they do not wash their hands when they eat bread.” And He answered and said to them, “Why do you yourselves transgress the commandment of God for the sake of your tradition?
For God said, ‘Honor your father and mother,’ and, ‘He who speaks evil of father or mother is to be put to death.’
But you say, ‘Whoever says to his father or mother, “Whatever I have that would help you has been given to God,” he is not to honor his father or his mother.’ And by this you invalidated the word of God for the sake of your tradition.
You hypocrites, rightly did Isaiah prophesy of you:
‘This people honors Me with their lips, But their heart is far away from Me.
‘But in vain do they worship Me, Teaching as doctrines the precepts of men.’” After Jesus called the crowd to Him, He said to them, “Hear and understand.
It is not what enters into the mouth that defiles the man, but what proceeds out of the mouth, this defiles the man.” Then the disciples came and said to Him, “Do You know that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this statement?” But He answered and said, “Every plant which My heavenly Father did not plant shall be uprooted.
Let them alone; they are blind guides of the blind. And if a blind man guides a blind man, both will fall into a pit.”
(Matthew 15:1-14 [NASB])

But the Spirit explicitly says that in later times some will fall away from the faith, paying attention to deceitful spirits and doctrines of demons, by means of the hypocrisy of liars seared in their own conscience as with a branding iron, men who forbid marriage and advocate abstaining from foods which God has created to be gratefully shared in by those who believe and know the truth. For everything created by God is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with gratitude; for it is sanctified by means of the word of God and prayer.
(I Timothy 4:1-5 [NASB])

These two false churches teach the heresy of baptismal regeneration, and the baptismal expiation of sin. Neither of these things are true according to God’s Word. You have to ask yourself, “Who am I going to believe, God or man made tradition?” Biblically speaking, baptism is done as a symbol identifying you with Christ in His death, burial, and resurrection. Baptism does not regenerate a person to new life in Christ. It is not the means the Holy Spirit uses to bring a person to new life. You can’t strong arm God into making a person born again by baptizing them.

Now there was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews; this man came to Jesus by night and said to Him, “Rabbi, we know that You have come from God as a teacher; for no one can do these signs that You do unless God is with him.” Jesus answered and said to him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” Nicodemus said to Him, “How can a man be born when he is old? He cannot enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born, can he?” Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.
That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.
Do not be amazed that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’
The wind blows where it wishes and you hear the sound of it, but do not know where it comes from and where it is going; so is everyone who is born of the Spirit.”
(John 3:1-8 [NASB])

Remind them to be subject to rulers, to authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every good deed, to malign no one, to be peaceable, gentle, showing every consideration for all men. For we also once were foolish ourselves, disobedient, deceived, enslaved to various lusts and pleasures, spending our life in malice and envy, hateful, hating one another. But when the kindness of God our Savior and His love for mankind appeared, He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out upon us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that being justified by His grace we would be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life. This is a trustworthy statement; and concerning these things I want you to speak confidently, so that those who have believed God will be careful to engage in good deeds. These things are good and profitable for men. But avoid foolish controversies and genealogies and strife and disputes about the Law, for they are unprofitable and worthless. Reject a factious man after a first and second warning,
(Titus 3:1-10 [NASB])

For we know that if the earthly tent which is our house is torn down, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. (II Corinthians 5:1 [NASB])

Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who reside as aliens, scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, who are chosen (I Peter 1:1 [NASB])

Further more, baptism does not take away your sins.

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. (John 1:1 [NASB])

Now there was a man at Caesarea named Cornelius, a centurion of what was called the Italian cohort, (Acts 10:1 [NASB])

Therefore let it be known to you, brethren, that through Him forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you, and through Him everyone who believes is freed from all things, from which you could not be freed through the Law of Moses.
(Acts 13:38-39 [NASB])

CategoryRoman CatholicEastern OrthodoxProtestant / EvangelicalBiblical Evidence / Emphasis
Nature of BaptismA sacrament that actually conveys grace; instrument of forgiveness and regeneration.A mystery (sacrament) that unites the believer to Christ, washing away sin and beginning transformation (theosis).An ordinance / sign that symbolizes forgiveness and regeneration already accomplished by Christ and applied by the Spirit through faith.Baptism is commanded and symbolically linked to cleansing, but forgiveness is grounded in Christ’s blood and received by faith (Rom 3:24–25; Acts 10:43; 1 John 1:7).
Agent of ExpiationGod’s grace through baptism (the rite is the instrument).The Holy Spirit acting through baptism within the Church.The Holy Spirit, applying Christ’s atonement directly to the believer’s heart; baptism is a witness and seal.“The blood of Jesus… cleanses us from all sin” (1 John 1:7); “God presented Him as a propitiation by His blood” (Rom 3:25).
Connection to ForgivenessBaptism remits all sin (original and personal) and the punishment due to it.Baptism cleanses and incorporates into divine life; continual healing of sin follows.Baptism signifies the washing already received through repentance and faith; does not itself expiate.Forgiveness consistently tied to faith in Christ and His sacrifice (Acts 10:43; Eph 1:7).
Key Proof Texts UsedJohn 3:5; Acts 2:38; Titus 3:5; 1 Pet 3:21; Eph 5:26.John 3:5; Titus 3:5; Rom 6:3–4; Col 2:12; 1 Pet 3:21.Acts 10:43–48; Rom 3:24–26; Eph 2:8–9; 1 John 1:7; Luke 23:43.Core “expiation” verses center on Christ’s death and blood (Rom 5:8–9; Heb 9:12–14; 1 Pet 2:24).
View of Water’s RoleInstrumental – God uses the water to effect grace.Mystical / synergistic – Spirit works through water in divine mystery.Symbolic / declarative – outward sign of inward cleansing.Scripture never attributes sin’s removal to water itself but to Christ’s blood (Heb 9:22; Rev 1:5).
Examples of Forgiveness Before BaptismExplained as “baptism of desire” (extraordinary).Acknowledged as possible mystery of grace.Cited as proof baptism not essential for forgiveness (Cornelius, thief on cross).Acts 10:44–48; Luke 23:43 clearly show forgiveness/Spirit before baptism.
Theological EmphasisSacramental realism: grace in the act.Transformational participation in divine life.Justification by faith; baptism as public identification with Christ.“We are justified by His blood… reconciled to God” (Rom 5:9–10).

You can see how the early Church agreed with what Jesus, and the Apostles taught, and then as time passed, heresy crept in. It took the Protestant Reformation to bring us back into biblical orthodoxy.

PeriodView of Baptism’s Expiatory RoleAlignment with New Testament
Apostolic (1st Century)Baptism as command, sign of repentance and faith, public identification with Christ; forgiveness through Christ’s blood.✅ Strongly aligned
2nd CenturyBaptism as regeneration and remission of sins, still tied to repentance and catechesis.⚠️ Partially aligned
3rd–5th CenturiesFully sacramental: baptism itself remits sin and infuses grace.⚠️ Partially aligned (adds ritual causality)
Reformation (16th Century onward)Return to Scripture’s emphasis on faith and Christ’s blood; baptism as sign and seal of that grace.✅ Closest alignment

God granted conviction, &repentance of sin, faith in the work, and Person of Jesus Christ, and regeneration to new life, are the efficacious preconditions to baptism, not baptism itself. It is merely a symbol. While Roman Catholics, and Eastern Orthodox, will insist they are the one true Church, they are also the ones who believe doctrines of men, which developed later, and were not Biblical. They are the ones that exclude the possibility of being truly Christian if outside of them. Meanwhile, most Protestants will rightly say that they are not God, and don’t know for certain that there are no true Christians sitting in Roman Catholic, or Orthodox churches. We believe that if they are truly born again, and in Christ, they will become more sanctified as time passes, and will see the errors of Rome, and the East. They will leave those false churches, and find one that esteems God’s Word, over man’s traditions. Repent, and trust Jesus, not your baptism, your church, or your priest!

mormonism · Theology · Trinity

The god of mormonism Is Not The God Of The Christianity.

Bob SnyderLeave a comment
This is a mormon image of their false prophet's lie about his first vision from god, where he claims to have seen both Jesus, and God the Father at the same time, with them both appearing in flesh, and bone. It contradicts the Bible. According to John 4:24 God the Father is spirit, and must be worshiped in spirit, and truth.

God’s Nature in Mormonism vs. Biblical Christianity

The god of mormonism/LDS is not the God of Christianity, and the Bible. They are not the same. No man can claim that mormons/LDS are Christians after reading this short comparison. If he does, he is a deceiver.

Comparison: LDS vs. Historic Christian Doctrine of God

One of the most striking theological differences between Latter-day Saint (Mormon) belief and historic Christian orthodoxy is their understanding of God’s eternity and nature. The following chart outlines the contrasts clearly.

DoctrineHistoric Christian / Biblical ViewLDS (Mormon) View
1. God’s Nature (Essence)God is spirit, infinite, eternal, uncreated, and unchangeable in being, wisdom, power, holiness, justice, goodness, and truth (John 4:24; Malachi 3:6; James 1:17).God the Father is an exalted, glorified man with a physical body of flesh and bone (D&C 130:22). He is one of a species of “gods” who achieved exaltation.
2. Eternity / BeginningGod is eternal and self-existent — He never came into being. He is aseity itself: the uncaused cause (Psalm 90:2; Isaiah 43:10).God the Father had a beginning as a man; He lived on another world, progressed, and was exalted to godhood. “As man now is, God once was.” (Lorenzo Snow)
3. CreationGod created all things out of nothing (creatio ex nihilo) by His word (Genesis 1:1; John 1:3; Colossians 1:16).God organized pre-existing matter; the universe and intelligences are co-eternal with God (D&C 93:29; Abraham 3:18–19).
4. The Trinity / GodheadOne divine being in three coequal, coeternal persons — Father, Son, and Holy Spirit (Matthew 28:19; John 1:1).Three separate beings — the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost — “one in purpose,” but not in substance or essence.
5. Immutability (Unchangeableness)God is eternally the same in nature and perfections (Malachi 3:6; Hebrews 13:8).God progressed to His current state of perfection and glory; some LDS sources imply He may still progress in knowledge or glory.
6. Humanity’s DestinyHumans are creatures made in God’s image but not of His essence; they remain created beings (Isaiah 43:10; Romans 11:36).Humans are of the same species as God—“intelligences” co-eternal with Him—and can become gods themselves (D&C 132:20).
7. Salvation / ExaltationSalvation = eternal life in God’s presence by grace through faith (Ephesians 2:8–9). God remains God alone (Isaiah 44:6–8).Salvation (in its fullest sense) = exaltation — becoming gods like the Father, ruling over spirit offspring eternally (Moses 1:39; D&C 132).

The Core Difference: “Uncreated Creator” vs. “A Created, Exalted Man”

Historic Christianity

  • God is wholly other—not part of creation, not composed of matter, and not subject to time.
  • There is only one God, uncreated and infinite, the source of all being.
  • Humans can be glorified and made holy but never become divine by nature.

Latter-day Saint Theology

  • God the Father was once a man and progressed to godhood.
  • Matter and “intelligences” are eternal; God did not create existence itself but organized it.
  • Humanity shares the same kind of being as God and can ascend to the same state of exaltation.

Biblical Conflict Points (from a Historic Christian View)

LDS ClaimBiblical Response
“God was once a man.”“Before the mountains were brought forth… from everlasting to everlasting, You are God.” — Psalm 90:2
“There are many gods.”“I am the LORD, and there is no other; besides Me there is no God.” — Isaiah 45:5
“Man can become a god.”The serpent’s temptation: “You shall be as God” (Genesis 3:5). Believers become like Christ in holiness, not gods in essence (2 Peter 1:4).
“God has a body of flesh and bones.”“God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.” — John 4:24

Modern LDS Clarifications

In recent years, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has:

  • Affirmed that God has a physical body and that humans can become exalted.
  • Avoided speculation about God’s life before His godhood.
  • Emphasized worship of the Father alone, not a chain of gods.

“Little has been revealed about the first stages of God’s life or how He became God. Latter-day Saints believe that all of God’s children can progress toward a divine destiny.”
— Gospel Topics Essay: “Becoming Like God,” ChurchofJesusChrist.org

Summary

AspectChristian OrthodoxyLDS Doctrine
God’s originEternal, without beginningOnce a man, became God
OntologyUncreated Creator, unique in beingOne among many divine beings
CreationOut of nothing (ex nihilo)From eternal matter
Human destinyRedeemed creaturesPotential gods
ContinuityInfinite distinction between God and manInfinite continuity between God and man

Final Thought

Historic Christianity sees God as the uncreated Creator, wholly distinct from His creation, while Latter-day Saint theology envisions God as an exalted man, sharing the same kind of existence as His children.

The difference ultimately shapes how each faith understands worship, salvation, and the very meaning of divinity.

God says in His Word,

“21 Jesus *said to her, “Woman, believe Me, an hour is coming when neither in this mountain nor in Jerusalem will you worship the Father. 22 You worship what you do not know; we worship what we know, for salvation is from the Jews. 23 But an hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for such people the Father seeks to be His worshipers. 24 God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.”

25 The woman *said to Him, “I know that Messiah is coming (He who is called Christ); when He comes, He will declare all things to us.”

26 Jesus *said to her, “I who speak to you am He.”” John 4:21-26 (LSB)

If you read this, and still claim that mormons are Christians, I’d like you to reconsider. They are by definition, not Christians. They are in a works righteousness cult that puts the onerous obligation on the member to warrant enough favor with their god through works to become an exalted man themselves one day, and ultimately to become a god of their own solar system. Anyone who knows anything about God, knows that mormonism is a lie. The claims the Bible makes about God, and the claims that mormonism makes, are mutually exclusive truth claims. One can be right, both can be wrong, but both can’t be right. If you are mormon, stop calling yourself Christian! You most certainly are not! Repent of your sins, and trust solely in the justifying work of the 2nd Person of the Triune God, Jesus. Stop believing the lies of a second rate, ignorant, con-man, who created a cult for power, profit, and perversion. He is nothing like Jesus!

evangelism

Our Weapons Are The Best!

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With the assassination of Charlie Kirk, we saw the enemy use his minions to end the earthly life of a man. He shot a bullet that took Kirk’s life. It failed to stop him. It galvanized support for him, and his work. Murder, death, lies, and perversion are some of the weapons our enemy wields. Our weapons are the truth of God’s word, love, and the truth of the gospel of Jesus Christ. When we take our shot, it brings a dead man to life. He is crucified with Christ, and becomes our brother. The elect man, at the appointed time, will by no means, fail to come into the kingdom of God. God does not attempt to save a man, and fail. We see that demons, and angels, wield human armies like we wield swords in the book of Daniel.

We read in Ephesians 6, “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.” If we want to fight, let it be with the gospel, and the word of God. “For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart. And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are open and laid bare to the eyes of Him with whom we have to do.”
(Hebrews 4:12-13 [NASB])

We are victorious in Christ!
Now I say this, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. Behold, I tell you a mystery; we will not all sleep, but we will all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet; for the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. For this perishable must put on the imperishable, and this mortal must put on immortality. But when this perishable will have put on the imperishable, and this mortal will have put on immortality, then will come about the saying that is written, “Death is swallowed up in victory.
O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?” The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law; but thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your toil is not in vain in the Lord.
(I Corinthians 15:50-58 [NASB])

The Armor of God

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might. Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm. Stand firm therefore, having girded your loins with truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; in addition to all, taking up the shield of faith with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. With all prayer and petition pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints, and pray on my behalf, that utterance may be given to me in the opening of my mouth, to make known with boldness the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains; that in proclaiming it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak. But that you also may know about my circumstances, how I am doing, Tychicus, the beloved brother and faithful minister in the Lord, will make everything known to you. I have sent him to you for this very purpose, so that you may know about us, and that he may comfort your hearts. Peace be to the brethren, and love with faith, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Grace be with all those who love our Lord Jesus Christ with incorruptible love.(Ephesians 6:10-24 [NASB])

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Given Over To Strong Delusion?

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I think the following citations from God’s word can help us understand what is going on in the world today, yesterday, and tomorrow. There are times when God judiciously gives people over to delusion. This compounds their guilt. In 2 Thessalonians 2:11 the Greek words used are ἐνέργειαν πλάνης energeian planēs. Energeian is a noun, that is accusative, feminine, and singular. It usually means working, effectual working, power, and energy. Planēs is a noun, that is genitive, feminine, and singular. It usually means error, delusion, or deception. According to Webster’s Dictionary online, in English the word, delusional means;

“a
: something that is falsely or delusively believed or propagated
under the delusion that they will finish on schedule
delusions of grandeur
b
psychology : a persistent false psychotic belief regarding the self or persons or objects outside the self that is maintained despite indisputable evidence to the contrary
the delusion that someone was out to hurt him
also : the abnormal state marked by such beliefs”

Think along the lines of a spirit that makes them delusional. Keep in mind that spirit/mind are alike. Your spirit is how you as an individual understands things, and reasons. God the Father is spirit, and must be worshipped in spirit, and truth. The task of understanding this is impossible for us to correctly apprehend in scope, and scale. We can, however, understand it in a way that is sufficient for God’s requirements in the faith. Imagine an unimaginably vast intellect that does not have a physical body. This description falls far short of God the Father. Angels are spiritual beings. Lying ones are demonic. Satan is the father of lies. It makes sense that the demons would also be liars/deceivers. So, the English translation is quite accurate. God, Himself is not lying, nor is He deceiving them. Rather, He sends an influence that causes them to believe what is not true. It is a judicial punishment. Since people behave in accord with what they believe, you will see them acting the way they are acting now, and have acted, and will continue to act.

Have you asked yourself how a person given over to trans ideology can believe what they say believe in light of the objective truth of their sex? This is how. It is the same in the first chapter of Romans. God punishes sin, by giving them over to more sin. Imagine continuing in sin, and then greater sin, and then dying, and going to hell. Their guilt before God has been increased. It would have been more merciful for them to have died sooner, but instead, they live their life, sinning more. Some people will repent. These people are of the eternally elect. This isn’t just a New Testament occurrence. I included a couple references from the Old Testament as well.

And for this reason God sends upon them a deluding influence so that they will believe what is false, 2 Thessalonians 2:11 (LSB)

24 Therefore God gave them over in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, so that their bodies would be dishonored among them. Romans 1:24 (LSB)

9 He said, “Go, and tell this people:
‘Keep on hearing, but do not understand;
Keep on seeing, but do not know.’
10 Render the hearts of this people insensitive,
Their ears dull,
And their eyes dim,
Lest they see with their eyes,
And hear with their ears,
And understand with their hearts,
And return and be healed.” Isaiah 6:9-10 (LSB)

12 And Yahweh hardened Pharaoh’s heart with strength, and he did not listen to them, just as Yahweh had spoken to Moses. Exodus 9:12 (LSB)

39 For this reason they could not believe, for Isaiah said again, 40 “HE HAS BLINDED THEIR EYES AND HE HARDENED THEIR HEART, LEST THEY SEE WITH THEIR EYES AND UNDERSTAND WITH THEIR HEART, AND RETURN AND I HEAL THEM.” John 12:39-40 (LSB)

10 And the disciples came and said to Him, “Why do You speak to them in parables?” 11 And Jesus answered and said to them, “To you it has been given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given. 12 For whoever has, to him more shall be given, and he will have an abundance; but whoever does not have, even what he has shall be taken away from him. 13 Therefore I speak to them in parables; because while seeing they do not see, and while hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand. 14 And in them the prophecy of Isaiah is being fulfilled, which says,
‘YOU WILL KEEP ON HEARING, BUT WILL NOT UNDERSTAND;
YOU WILL KEEP ON SEEING, BUT WILL NOT PERCEIVE;
15 FOR THE HEART OF THIS PEOPLE HAS BECOME DULL,
AND WITH THEIR EARS THEY SCARCELY HEAR,
AND THEY HAVE CLOSED THEIR EYES,
LEST THEY WOULD SEE WITH THEIR EYES,
HEAR WITH THEIR EARS,
AND UNDERSTAND WITH THEIR HEART AND RETURN,
AND I WOULD HEAL THEM.’
16 But blessed are your eyes, because they see; and your ears, because they hear. 17 For truly I say to you that many prophets and righteous men desired to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it. Matthew 13:10-17 (LSB)

Don’t give up on trying to reach the lost, and deluded. Some of them are of the eternally elect. They may not have reached the point in their lives yet where they will have their eyes opened by God, and respond with God granted repentance, and faith, to the good news of Jesus’ atoning suffering on the cross.

Not to make you hopeless, I want to remind you that God’s word also says, “And such were some of you; but you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God. 1 Corinthians 6:11 (LSB)” This was in reference to “9 Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor homosexuals, 10 nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers, will inherit the kingdom of God. 1 Corinthians 6:9-10 (LSB)” You can see that this list includes some of the same sins that people are given over to. So, keep preaching the gospel, praying, and helping your lost friends, and family, to understand the truth. You never know. One day they might get it. It is only too late once the person has died. While they are alive, keep trying. Keep telling them the truth in love. Keep coming to God in prayer for them. Keep telling them that they need to repent of their sins, and trust solely in the work of Jesus.

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Calvin on Idolatry: Citations from, “The Institutes of the Christian Religion.”

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References to Idolatry and Idols in Calvin’s Institutes of the Christian Religion

John Calvin’s Institutes of the Christian Religion remains one of the most influential works in Protestant theology. Across its four books, Calvin addresses the knowledge of God, salvation in Christ, the life of faith, and the nature of the Church.

Among these themes, Calvin frequently warns against idolatry — the worship of created things instead of the Creator. His discussions span biblical prohibitions, theological arguments, and critiques of both ancient paganism and medieval church practices.

The following is a curated reference guide highlighting where Calvin speaks about idolatry, idols, and related practices in the Institutes. Each citation is organized by Book, Chapter, and Section, and includes a brief quotation for context.

This guide is designed for students, pastors, researchers, or anyone interested in tracing Calvin’s thoughts on one of the central theological concerns of the Reformation.

Table of Contents

Book 1: Of the Knowledge of God the Creator

Chapter 10: In Scripture, the True God Opposed, Exclusively, to All the Gods of the Heathen

“Tertullian also proves the same thing from the common forms of speech. In his book, De Idolatria.” (Mentions “idolatry” in the title of Tertullian’s work.)

“For this reason, Habakkuk (2:20), after condemning all idols, orders men to seek God in his temple, that the faithful may acknowledge none but Him, who has manifested himself in his word.” (Mentions “idols”.)

Chapter 11: Impiety of Attributing a Visible Form to God—The Setting Up of Idols a Defection from the True God

Section 1: “Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me; and showing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments” (Exod. 20:4-6). (Implicit reference to idols/images.)

Section 8: “There was a kind of renewal of the world at the deluge, but before many years elapse, men are forging gods at will. … The human mind, stuffed as it is with presumptuous rashness, dares to imagine a god suited to its own capacity; as it labours under dullness, nay, is sunk in the grossest ignorance, it substitutes vanity and an empty phantom in the place of God.” (Mentions “idolatry”, “idols”.)

“To these evils another is added. The god whom man has thus conceived inwardly he attempts to embody outwardly. The mind, in this way, conceives the idol, and the hand gives it birth. That idolatry has its origin in the idea which men have, that God is not present with them unless his presence is carnally exhibited…” (Mentions “idol”, “idolatry”.)

Section 9: “And because God wills not to be worshipped superstitiously whatever is bestowed upon idols is so much robbed from him. Let those attend to this who set about hunting for miserable pretexts in defence of the execrable idolatry…” (Mentions “idols”, “idolatry”.)

“It hence appears that men do not fall away to the worship of images until they have imbibed some idea of a grosser description… It makes no difference whether they worship the idol simply, or God in the idol; it is always idolatry when divine honours are paid to an idol, be the colour what it may.” (Mentions “idol”, “idolatry”.)

Section 10: “…they fight for them to blood and slaughter, as for their altars and hearths, showing more willingness to part with the one God than with their idols… I am only referring to what those profess who are most desirous to clear themselves of idolatry.” (Mentions “idols”, “idolatry”.)

Section 11: “…they think themselves blameless if they are only the servants, and not the worshippers, of idols; as if it were not a lighter matter to worship than to serve… Let them show how the things differ if they would be thought different from ancient idolaters.” (Mentions “idols”, “idolaters”.)

Chapter 12: God Distinguished from Idols, That He May Be the Exclusive Object of Worship

Section 1: “But God, in vindicating his own right, first proclaims that he is a jealous God, and will be a stern avenger if he is confounded with any false god…” (Implicit reference to idolatry through “false god”.)

Section 3: “Let it suffice to remember, that whatever offices of piety are bestowed anywhere else than on God alone, are of the nature of sacrilege. First, superstition attached divine honours to the sun and stars, or to idols…” (Mentions “idols”.)

Book 2: Of the Knowledge of God the Redeemer

Chapter 8: Exposition of the Moral Law

Section 12: “…in enumerating the commandments, he follows this order, Let one God be religiously obeyed, let no idol be worshipped…” (Mentions “idol”.)

Section 15: “…abandoning the living God, and setting up an idol.” (Mentions “idol”.)

Section 17: “The grossest vice here prohibited is external idolatry.” (Mentions “idolatry”.)

Book 3: The Mode of Obtaining the Grace of Christ

Chapter 14: The Beginning of Justification

Section 1: “Mankind, either endued with no knowledge of God, are sunk in idolatry…” (Mentions “idolatry”.)

Section 2 (footnote): “…in the life of infidels and idolaters.” (Mentions “idolaters”.)

Chapter 20: Of Prayer

Section 14: “…they defraud him of his due honour just as much as if they were fabricating to themselves new gods and idols…” (Mentions “idols”.)

Book 4: Of the Holy Catholic Church

Chapter 2: Comparison Between the False Church and the True

Section 7: “…after they forsook the law of the Lord, and degenerated into idolatry and superstition…” (Mentions “idolatry”.)

Section 9: “They have a grosser idolatry…” (Mentions “idolatry”.)

Chapter 7: Of the Beginning and Rise of the Romish Papacy

Section 24: “…so blinded by error and sunk in idolatry…” (Mentions “idolatry”.)

Section 29: “…no more makes them the vicars of Christ, than it makes an idol to become God, when it is placed in the temple of God (2 Thess. 2:4).” (Mentions “idol”.)

Chapter 16: Paedobaptism

Section 6: “…so long as they were plunged in idolatry, were strangers to the covenant (Eph. 2:11).” (Mentions “idolatry”.)

Chapter 17: Of the Lord’s Supper

Section 36: “This adoration is mere idolatry.” (Mentions “idolatry”.)

Source: John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion, available at CCEL.org.

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Scripture Citations on God’s Sovereignty, Election, Aseity, and Omniscience.

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This document compiles key Bible passages from the 1995 New American Standard Bible (NASB), English Standard Version (ESV), and Legacy Standard Bible (LSB) that address God’s sovereignty in election and predestination (of nations and individuals), His use of people for His purposes (including non-believers like Pharaoh), and His attributes of aseity and omniscience.

  1. God’s Sovereignty in Election and Predestination
    God’s sovereignty in election refers to His divine choice of nations (e.g., Israel) and individuals for salvation or specific purposes, rooted in His will, not human merit. Predestination describes His foreordaining of events or people’s destinies.
    Romans 9:10-18 (Election of Individuals and Nations)
    Context: Paul explains God’s sovereign choice in electing Jacob over Esau and Israel as His chosen nation, emphasizing that election depends on God’s purpose, not human works.

ESV (quoted): “And not only so, but also when Rebekah had conceived children by one man, our forefather Isaac, though they were not yet born and had done nothing either good or bad—in order that God’s purpose of election might continue, not because of works but because of him who calls—she was told, ‘The older will serve the younger.’ As it is written, ‘Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated.’ What shall we say then? Is there injustice on God’s part? By no means! For he says to Moses, ‘I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.’ So then it depends not on human will or exertion, but on God, who has mercy. For the Scripture says to Pharaoh, ‘For this very purpose I have raised you up, that I might show my power in you, and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth.’ So then he has mercy on whomever he wills, and he hardens whomever he wills.” (Romans 9:10-18)
NASB 1995: Similar, uses “loved”/“hated” for Jacob/Esau; “running” instead of “exertion” in v.15.
LSB: Uses “Yahweh” in quotes (e.g., v.15, citing Moses); “slave” for “servant” in some contexts.
Note: This passage links election (Jacob, Israel) with God’s use of Pharaoh (see section 2).

Ephesians 1:4-5 (Predestination of Individuals)
Context: Paul describes believers as chosen by God before creation for salvation.

LSB (quoted): “Just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him. In love He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will.” (Ephesians 1:4-5)
NASB 1995/ESV: Nearly identical; ESV uses “predestined” consistently, NASB capitalizes “Him.”
Note: Emphasizes predestination as God’s initiative, not human action.

Deuteronomy 7:6-8 (Election of Israel)
Context: God chooses Israel as His covenant people, not due to their merit but His love and promise.

NASB 1995 (quoted): “For you are a holy people to the LORD your God; the LORD your God has chosen you to be a people for His own possession out of all the peoples who are on the face of the earth. The LORD did not set His love on you nor choose you because you were more in number than any of the peoples, for you were the fewest of all peoples, but because the LORD loved you and kept the oath which He swore to your forefathers…” (Deuteronomy 7:6-8)
ESV: Similar, uses “treasured possession” for “own possession.”
LSB: Uses “Yahweh” for “LORD”; otherwise aligned.
Note: Highlights national election based on God’s covenant, not Israel’s qualities.

Additional Citations

John 15:16 (NASB/ESV/LSB): Jesus says, “You did not choose Me, but I chose you” (individual election of disciples).
Acts 13:48 (NASB/ESV/LSB): Gentiles believe as “appointed to eternal life,” showing divine appointment.
Romans 8:29-30 (NASB/ESV/LSB): Describes the “golden chain” of predestination, calling, justification, and glorification.
2 Thessalonians 2:13 (NASB/ESV/LSB): Believers chosen “from the beginning” for salvation.

  1. God’s Use of People for His Purposes (Including Non-Believers)
    God sovereignly uses both believers and non-believers to accomplish His will, as seen in Pharaoh’s hardening or Cyrus’s role in Israel’s restoration.
    Exodus 7:3-4; 9:16 (Hardening of Pharaoh’s Heart)
    Context: God hardens Pharaoh’s heart to demonstrate His power and glory through the Exodus.

ESV (quoted): “But I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, and though I multiply my signs and wonders in the land of Egypt, Pharaoh will not listen to you…” (Exodus 7:3-4); “But for this purpose I have raised you up, to show you my power, so that my name may be proclaimed in all the earth.” (Exodus 9:16)
NASB 1995: Uses “make Pharaoh’s heart stubborn” for “harden”; similar in 9:16.
LSB: Uses “Yahweh” and “make stubborn” in 7:3; identical in 9:16.
Note: Pharaoh, a non-believer, is used to magnify God’s name, showing His control over human will.

Isaiah 45:1-5 (Cyrus as God’s Instrument)
Context: God anoints Cyrus, a pagan king, to deliver Israel, despite Cyrus not knowing Him.

LSB (quoted): “Thus says Yahweh to His anointed, to Cyrus, whose right hand I have strengthened… ‘I will go before you… that you may know that I am Yahweh, the God of Israel, who calls you by your name. For the sake of My servant Jacob and Israel My chosen one, I have also called you by your name… though you have not known Me.’” (Isaiah 45:1, 4-5)
NASB 1995/ESV: Use “LORD” instead of “Yahweh”; ESV has “grasped” for “strengthened.”
Note: God uses a non-believer for His redemptive plan, showing sovereignty over nations.

Additional Citations

Habakkuk 1:6 (NASB/ESV/LSB): God raises the Chaldeans (Babylonians) to judge Judah, using a pagan nation.
John 19:10-11 (NASB/ESV/LSB): Jesus tells Pilate his authority comes from God, despite Pilate’s unbelief.
Romans 9:17 (NASB/ESV/LSB): Reiterates Exodus 9:16 about Pharaoh’s role.

  1. God’s Aseity and Omniscience
    Aseity: God’s self-existence, independent of creation, needing nothing outside Himself. Omniscience: God’s perfect, complete knowledge of all things, past, present, and future.
    Isaiah 46:9-10 (God’s Omniscience and Sovereignty)
    Context: God declares His unique knowledge and control over history.

NASB 1995 (quoted): “Remember the former things long past, for I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is no one like Me, declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times things which have not been done, saying, ‘My purpose will be established, and I will accomplish all My good pleasure.’” (Isaiah 46:9-10)
ESV: Uses “counsel” for “purpose”; otherwise similar.
LSB: Uses “Yahweh” and “counsel”; aligns closely.
Note: Shows God’s omniscience (knowing the end from the beginning) and aseity (unique, self-existent).

John 1:1-3 (God’s Aseity)
Context: The Word (Christ) is eternal, uncreated, and the source of all creation.

ESV (quoted): “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made.” (John 1:1-3)
NASB 1995/LSB: Nearly identical; LSB capitalizes “Him” consistently.
Note: Establishes God’s self-existence, as He preexists and creates all things.

Psalm 139:1-4, 16 (God’s Omniscience)
Context: David marvels at God’s complete knowledge of him, including future events.

LSB (quoted): “O Yahweh, You have searched me and known me. You know when I sit down and when I rise up; You understand my thought from afar… Even before there is a word on my tongue, behold, O Yahweh, You know it all… Your eyes have seen my unformed substance; and in Your book all were written the days that were ordained for me, when as yet there was not one of them.” (Psalm 139:1-2, 4, 16)
NASB 1995/ESV: Use “LORD” for “Yahweh”; ESV has “discern” for “understand.”
Note: Highlights God’s omniscience in knowing all actions, thoughts, and preordained days.

Additional Citations

Acts 17:24-25 (NASB/ESV/LSB): God, as Creator, “does not dwell in temples made with hands” and needs nothing (aseity).
Hebrews 4:13 (NASB/ESV/LSB): “All things are open and laid bare” to God, showing omniscience.
1 John 3:20 (NASB/ESV/LSB): God “knows all things,” affirming His complete knowledge.

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God’s Sovereign Election: The Early Church and the Timeless God

Bob SnyderLeave a comment

Hey there, folks! Grab your coffee, your Bible, and a comfy chair. We’re diving into a topic that sets my heart on fire: God’s sovereign election. I’m no ivory-tower theologian. I’ve been digging into Scripture and the early church fathers. Let me tell you. The idea that God picked His people before the world was spoken into existence isn’t just some Calvinist flex. It’s rooted deep in the Bible, echoed by the early Christians before Nicaea (A.D. 325), and flows straight from God’s awesome nature as the trans-temporal, omnipresent, spacetime-transcending King. I’m pulling from the 10-volume Ante-Nicene Fathers (ANF) collection, free for all you theology nerds at www.ccel.org, to show how those old-school Christians talked about God’s eternal choice. Big thanks to Reformed champs like Monergism.com, Grace to You, Ligonier.org, DesiringGod.org, The Gospel Coalition, and A Puritan’s Mind for the pointers. Let’s unpack this, crack a few smiles, and marvel at a God who’s bigger than time itself.

God isn’t stuck in our timeline, ticking off days like we do. He’s trans-temporal, existing outside and above time, omnipresent in every moment, and transcending the spacetime we’re locked in. This means His choice of the elect happened in eternity past, before “In the beginning,” because He sees all history at once. His sovereign election had to happen that way—He’s not waiting around to see who picks Him. But here’s the kicker: you and I, stuck in our Monday-to-Friday grind, don’t have to wrap our heads around this eternal act to be saved. It’s true forever in God’s realm, whether we get it or not. More on that later. For now, know that the early Christians weren’t writing Westminster Confession drafts over chariot races. They were battling heresies like Gnosticism, defending the faith, and explaining why Jesus isn’t another pagan deity. Their words aren’t always systematic. When you read them with Ephesians 1:4-5 in mind, “he chose us in him before the foundation of the world… having predestined us,” you see glimmers of a God who’s timelessly sovereign. I’ll define election, walk through the ANF quotes, tie in God’s timelessness, and wrap up with why this matters for us time-bound creatures.

What’s Sovereign Election, and Why Does God’s Timelessness Matter?

Let’s break it down. Sovereign election is God, in His infinite wisdom, love, and power, choosing His people for salvation before time even started. It’s not because we were holy, prayerful, or had a stellar testimony. Nope, it’s His call, His grace, and His plan. Predestination seals the deal. God didn’t just pick His people. He set their eternal destiny, think golden tickets to glory, before He kicked off creation. John Piper at DesiringGod.org calls it “unconditional grace from eternity past.” R.C. Sproul’s crew at Ligonier.org says it’s God’s “eternal decree.” He’s the boss, no debate.

Here’s where it gets wild. God isn’t bound by clocks or calendars. He’s trans-temporal, meaning He exists outside time’s flow, seeing past, present, and future all at once. He’s omnipresent, everywhere and everywhen, and He transcends spacetime, the fabric we’re stuck in. This isn’t just cool theology. It’s why election happens in eternity past. God doesn’t choose based on what we do in time—He’s already planned it from His eternal now, where every moment is present to Him. Picture it like God’s got the whole movie of history playing at once, and He wrote the script before the opening credits. That’s why Ephesians 1:4 says “before the foundation of the world.” His timeless nature demands a sovereign choice that’s not reacting to our temporal choices.

But here’s the comfort for us time-trapped folks: we don’t have to see or understand this eternal act to be saved. God’s eternal choice is true in His realm, where time doesn’t limit Him. In our temporal existence, we experience faith, repentance, and growth step by step. We don’t need to peek behind the eternal curtain to trust Jesus. His timeless decree holds firm, even if we’re just trying to survive Monday. Reformed sites, like Monergism.com, Grace to You, and A Puritan’s Mind, show the early fathers were picking up this notion. Irenaeus, for instance, links predestination to God’s love-driven choice, not a sneak peek at our decisions. Arminians or Orthodox folks might argue the fathers meant foreseen faith. This is just silly. It would violate God’s omniscience. He would be looking forward to learn who would choose Him. When you read these texts, God’s “foreknowledge” looks like Him setting the stage, not watching our audition. Let’s see what the early Church thought.

The Early Church Fathers: Echoes of a Timeless God’s Election

The Ante-Nicene Fathers collection is a theological treasure chest, packed with writings from guys like Clement of Rome, Ignatius, and Tertullian, who were preaching, teaching, and fighting for the faith. You won’t find “predestination” on every page. Greek terms like proorizo (“determine beforehand”) are rare. Words like “foreknown,” “ordained,” “chosen,” and “elect” show up in ways that point to a God who’s above time, choosing His people in His eternal now. I’ve scoured the ANF, with help from Reformed sites, and organized the gems by volume, grouping them into three themes: (1) God’s foreknowledge as His timeless blueprint, (2) Predestination to adoption, glory, and sonship, and (3) The elect picked before time existed.

Volume 1: Clement, Ignatius, Justin Martyr, and Irenaeus

Starting with Volume 1, we’ve got the heavy hitters. Clement of Rome, in 1 Clement (Ch. 32:4), says, “We, therefore, who have been called by His will in Christ Jesus, are not justified by ourselves… but by that faith through which Almighty God has justified all men from the beginning.” Plain and simple? God’s been calling His people forever. It’s His work, not ours. No gold stars for effort.

Clement keeps it going in Ch. 46:7-8; 49:5-6; 59:2; 64:1: “Let us cleave unto those to whom grace is given from God… By love are all the elect of God made perfect… For He foreknowing all things, He knoweth the thoughts of our hearts… [God] has predestinated us from the beginning unto adoption as sons by Jesus Christ unto Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will.” A Puritan’s Mind loves this. God’s foreknowledge isn’t Him checking our future box score. It’s His timeless, eternal choice, made outside our calendar, picking His people before the world was a sketch, all by His grace, love, and will.

Ignatius, in his Epistle to the Ephesians (Introduction), calls the church “predestined before the ages… that is, to the eternal and unchangeable glory.” In Magnesians (Ch. 8), he adds, “The elect are those who are united to Him… predestined in the counsel of God.” DesiringGod.org sees this as election before the Big Bang, rooted in God’s trans-temporal counsel, where “before the ages” is His eternal now. I’m like, “That’s my God!”

Justin Martyr, in First Apology (Ch. 43), writes, “We have been formed after His likeness, predestinated according to the prescience of the Father, that we, who had as yet no existence, might come into being.” Grace to You says this is God’s sovereign plan, made outside time’s limits. His prescience isn’t a prediction but a timeless decree.

Irenaeus, taking on Gnostic cultists in Against Heresies (Bk. 4, Ch. 37:5), says, “God hath completed the number which He before determined with Himself, all those who are written, or ordained unto eternal life… Being predestined indeed according to the love of the Father.” In Bk. 3, Ch. 16:6: “Those whom God foreknew He also predestined… God foreknowing all things, prepared fit habitations for both.” Monergism.com agrees with this. God’s eternal headcount of the elect, set by His love before time existed, shows His trans-temporal nature calling the shots.

Volumes 2 to 4: Apologetic All-Stars: Clement of Alexandria, Tertullian, and Origen

In Volume 2, Clement of Alexandria in Stromata (Bk. 5, Ch. 14) says, “The elect of God are saved… those who before the foundation of the world are known intimately by God unto faith; that is, are appointed by Him to faith.” In Instructor (Bk. 1, Ch. 7), he adds, “The Lord… predestined us to adoption as children.” Monergism.com notes this is God handpicking folks for faith in His eternal now, before the universe got its building permit.

Tertullian, in Against Marcion (Bk. 5, Ch. 6), declares, “Predestined by God before the world was… to be conformed to the image of His Son.” Ligonier.org loves how this ties God’s timeless plan to shaping us like Jesus, outside the bounds of spacetime.

Origen, a bit of a wild card, says in De Principiis (Bk. 1, Ch. 6), “The elect are those foreordained by God… from the beginning.” In commentaries, he adds, “Chosen before the world.” The Gospel Coalition points out this reflects a God who transcends time, choosing His elect in eternity. Origen’s theology can get wonky, but this part works with God’s timeless sovereignty.

Volumes 5 to 10: The Later Crew: Hippolytus, Novatian, Methodius, and Lactantius

In Volume 5, Hippolytus in Refutation of All Heresies (Bk. 1, Preface) says, “The elect are called according to His purpose… predestined unto glory.” Novatian, in Treatise on the Trinity (Ch. 1), adds, “God… foreknowing and predestining the faithful.”

Methodius, in Banquet of the Ten Virgins (Disc. 8), writes, “Predestined to be conformed to the image… from the foundation.” Lactantius, in Divine Institutions (Bk. 7, Ch. 4), says, “God has foreordained the elect to eternal life.” These all point to a God whose eternal, trans-temporal will sets the elect’s destiny before time began.

Volumes 8 to 10 are like bonus tracks. They include apocryphal stuff and indices that don’t add much new but echo God’s timeless choice.

Why This Matters for Us Time-Bound Folks

So, what’s the takeaway? These early Christians, writing 1,800 years ago, show that God’s sovereign election isn’t a Reformation invention. It’s a golden thread through Christian history, woven by a God who’s trans-temporal, omnipresent, and above spacetime. He chose His people, set their course for glory, and locked it in before the stars lit up, all because His eternal perspective sees every moment at once. The Gospel Coalition says this aligns with Reformed truth. I’ll be fair. Some Arminians or Orthodox folks see more room for free will or foreseen faith in these texts. When I read Clement, Irenaeus, and their contemporaries, I hear a God whose timeless sovereignty rules, especially when they’re shutting down heretics trying to steal His glory.

Here’s the beauty for us time-bound creatures. We don’t have to grasp God’s eternal, trans-temporal decree to be saved. His choice in eternity past is true in His realm, where time doesn’t bind Him. In our temporal lives, we experience faith, repentance, and growth one day at a time. We don’t need to see the eternal blueprint to trust Jesus. It’s like trusting the architect while living in the house. Life’s messy: bills, kids, and that neighbor who mows at 7 a.m. Knowing God chose us before time began, in His eternal now? That’s a spiritual hug from the Creator. It humbles me, fuels my gratitude, and gives me confidence that He’s got this. Check out the ANF at ccel.org yourself. Dive into the old-school wisdom. What stirs your soul? How does God’s timeless grace shape your walk? Drop a comment below. Let’s chew on this together!