Col 1:1 Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ BY THE WILL OF GOD, and Timotheus our brother,
Col 1:2 To the saints and faithful brethren in Christ which are at Colosse: Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Col 1:3 We give thanks to God and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you,
Col 1:4 Since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus, and of the love which ye have to all the saints,
Col 1:5 FOR THE HOPE WHICH IS LAID UP FOR YOU IN HEAVEN, WHEREOF YE HEARD BEFORE IN THE WORD OF THE TRUTH OF THE GOSPEL
Col 1:6 WHICH IS COME UNTO YOU AS IT IS IN ALL THE WORLD AND BRINGETH FORTH FRUIT AS IT DOTH ALSO IN YOU SINCE THE DAY YE HEARD OF IT AND KNEW THE GRACE OF GOD IN TRUTH
This same hope is LAID up for US in heaven, isn't it? The FAITH in CHRIST JESUS. The LOVE which we have to all.
The HOPE we find in the WORD of the TRUTH of the GOSPEL.
The TRUTH.
Too many refuse outright to believe in truth stubbornly imagining they have truth in themselves by their mere existence. They exist therefore they are truth. They take it all the way back to the beginning- agreeing that there must have been a beginning of some sort- and that beginning was a big bang - the chance happenstance of elements uniting that would eventually produce us. Because they just happened and were NOT created, they are free to believe they are truth. They know that history reveals our past, generation after generation attesting to the fact we came from others like us. Counting backwards I know my mother, and I knew her father, and I knew her father's mother, but I never knew her father's mother's mother or father the trail ends there for me holding tangible proof seen by me. However I know she had a mother and father because she exists and to exist you must have a father and mother- a seed and an egg to unite. At one point my mother's father's mother most likely knew tangibly her mother's father's mother, most certainly my mother knew further back than I did, and so it goes. But after a few generations those before are forgotten for the most part. We know they existed but by mere tales and pictures, possibly certificates and other documents their names might have been written upon- in fact I have a copy of the document dating back to the census taken in the 1800's with my ancestor's signatures. I've seen pictures of gravestones where those relatives have been buried. I know they existed because I exist. We can go back and back and back, and the meticulous record keeping of those who first started record keeping might have ancestors dating back thousands and thousands of years. In fact… we do have a genealogy that is widely known.
The Bible.
Non-fiction if you please.
Details the FIRST man all the way to JESUS CHRIST.
Genealogy of Jesus according to Luke
1. God
2. Adam
3. Seth
4. Enosh
5. Kenan
6. Mahalalel
7. Jared
8. Enoch
9. Methuselah
10. Lamech
11. Noah
12. Shem
13. Arphaxad
14. Cainan
15. Shelah
16. Eber
17. Peleg
18. Reu
19. Serug
20. Nahor
21. Terah
22. Abraham
23. Isaac
24. Jacob
25. Judah
26. Perez
27. Hezron
28. Ram
29. Amminadab
30. Nahshon
31. Salmon
32. Boaz
33. Obed
34. Jesse
35. David
36. Nathan
37. Mattatha
38. Menna
39. Melea
40. Eliakim
41. Jonam
42. Joseph
43. Judah
44. Simeon
45. Levi
46. Matthat
47. Jorim
48. Eliezer
49. Joshua
50. Er
51. Elmadam
52. Cosam
53. Addi
54. Melchi
55. Neri
56. Shealtiel
57. Zerubbabel
58. Rhesa
59. Joanan
60. Joda
61. Josech
62. Semein
63. Mattathias
64. Mahath
65. Naggai
66. Hesli
67. Nahum
68. Amos
69. Mattathias
70. Joseph
71. Jannai
72. Melchi
73. Levi
74. Matthat
75. Heli
76. Joseph
77. Jesus
This genealogy exists and many do not believe it, preferring if you will, to believe in 'primordial ooze' as their descendant in common with all other people.
If we are going to believe in the TRUTH- we have to comprehend that we are not truth in and of ourselves and way too many do not want to believe they are not truth- it upsets their way of thinking.
They would rather believe that we -often times despicable, vile creatures- are truth. It stands to reason if a person believes they are truth in and of themselves then all others are their own truth as well- even the most evil among them.
Truth isn't found in ourselves. We cannot find truth in ourselves.
What we find in ourselves is that we are part of a collection of beings that exist- very defective beings far from every single ones highest idea of perfection. At best a collection of human beings that find it hard to even be loving towards other human beings like themselves. In fact it is extremely hard for us to imagine that we are truly all the same- human beings. We value our uniqueness so much we've all but done away with the fact we are in the end ALL just human beings- we ALL have that in common. We'd much rather do away with our commonalities and tout our uniqueness. Yet is it our commonality that allows us to feel compassion towards one another. The richest, the prettiest, the smartest person alive is merely human- they live, they die - every single one.
The Truth.
Col 1:5 FOR THE HOPE WHICH IS LAID UP FOR YOU IN HEAVEN, WHEREOF YE HEARD BEFORE IN THE WORD OF THE TRUTH OF THE GOSPEL
Col 1:6 WHICH IS COME UNTO YOU AS IT IS IN ALL THE WORLD AND BRINGETH FORTH FRUIT AS IT DOTH ALSO IN YOU SINCE THE DAY YE HEARD OF IT AND KNEW THE GRACE OF GOD IN TRUTH
The word of the truth of the gospel. The word of truth- CHRIST- the gospel. The gospel of the kingdom the eternity with CHRIST. Eternity begins in heaven. Knowing the GRACE of GOD in TRUTH.
TRUTH is found outside of ourselves and in CHRIST.
Our beginning, our end, our eternity all found in CHRIST JESUS our LORD, our SAVIOR, our CREATOR.
We will never be satisfied in the belief that we are the truth, never. Deep down in the most staunch among atheists and the like they know aren't satisfied with life as they know it, their short existence. So many scientists seek that ever elusive key to eternal life knowing that as a finite being their hope lies in being able to come up with a way to turn the finite being into an infinite being with quality of life. That ever elusive fountain of life, the heavenly being guarded Tree of Life, these are their hope only they seek it in among cures created by fallible beings, who are truly NOT creators, but rather reproducers.
Knowing the grace of GOD in truth.
Knowing the truth of the gospel.
Knowing that the truth is out there to be known, and not instinctively within ourselves, this is fact, logical fact when you realize how imperfect we are.
We have a HOPE laid up in HEAVEN.
We have a SAVIOR! This is all the truth we must proclaim! We can be SAVED! We are NOT doomed to this existence there really, truly is something more, much, much more than we can even imagine.
By the mercy and grace of our God may we seek TRUTH always.
In HIS LOVE!
Col 1:2 To the saints and faithful brethren in Christ which are at Colosse: Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Col 1:3 We give thanks to God and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you,
Col 1:4 Since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus, and of the love which ye have to all the saints,
Col 1:5 FOR THE HOPE WHICH IS LAID UP FOR YOU IN HEAVEN, WHEREOF YE HEARD BEFORE IN THE WORD OF THE TRUTH OF THE GOSPEL
Col 1:6 WHICH IS COME UNTO YOU AS IT IS IN ALL THE WORLD AND BRINGETH FORTH FRUIT AS IT DOTH ALSO IN YOU SINCE THE DAY YE HEARD OF IT AND KNEW THE GRACE OF GOD IN TRUTH
This same hope is LAID up for US in heaven, isn't it? The FAITH in CHRIST JESUS. The LOVE which we have to all.
The HOPE we find in the WORD of the TRUTH of the GOSPEL.
The TRUTH.
Too many refuse outright to believe in truth stubbornly imagining they have truth in themselves by their mere existence. They exist therefore they are truth. They take it all the way back to the beginning- agreeing that there must have been a beginning of some sort- and that beginning was a big bang - the chance happenstance of elements uniting that would eventually produce us. Because they just happened and were NOT created, they are free to believe they are truth. They know that history reveals our past, generation after generation attesting to the fact we came from others like us. Counting backwards I know my mother, and I knew her father, and I knew her father's mother, but I never knew her father's mother's mother or father the trail ends there for me holding tangible proof seen by me. However I know she had a mother and father because she exists and to exist you must have a father and mother- a seed and an egg to unite. At one point my mother's father's mother most likely knew tangibly her mother's father's mother, most certainly my mother knew further back than I did, and so it goes. But after a few generations those before are forgotten for the most part. We know they existed but by mere tales and pictures, possibly certificates and other documents their names might have been written upon- in fact I have a copy of the document dating back to the census taken in the 1800's with my ancestor's signatures. I've seen pictures of gravestones where those relatives have been buried. I know they existed because I exist. We can go back and back and back, and the meticulous record keeping of those who first started record keeping might have ancestors dating back thousands and thousands of years. In fact… we do have a genealogy that is widely known.
The Bible.
Non-fiction if you please.
Details the FIRST man all the way to JESUS CHRIST.
Genealogy of Jesus according to Luke
1. God
2. Adam
3. Seth
4. Enosh
5. Kenan
6. Mahalalel
7. Jared
8. Enoch
9. Methuselah
10. Lamech
11. Noah
12. Shem
13. Arphaxad
14. Cainan
15. Shelah
16. Eber
17. Peleg
18. Reu
19. Serug
20. Nahor
21. Terah
22. Abraham
23. Isaac
24. Jacob
25. Judah
26. Perez
27. Hezron
28. Ram
29. Amminadab
30. Nahshon
31. Salmon
32. Boaz
33. Obed
34. Jesse
35. David
36. Nathan
37. Mattatha
38. Menna
39. Melea
40. Eliakim
41. Jonam
42. Joseph
43. Judah
44. Simeon
45. Levi
46. Matthat
47. Jorim
48. Eliezer
49. Joshua
50. Er
51. Elmadam
52. Cosam
53. Addi
54. Melchi
55. Neri
56. Shealtiel
57. Zerubbabel
58. Rhesa
59. Joanan
60. Joda
61. Josech
62. Semein
63. Mattathias
64. Mahath
65. Naggai
66. Hesli
67. Nahum
68. Amos
69. Mattathias
70. Joseph
71. Jannai
72. Melchi
73. Levi
74. Matthat
75. Heli
76. Joseph
77. Jesus
This genealogy exists and many do not believe it, preferring if you will, to believe in 'primordial ooze' as their descendant in common with all other people.
If we are going to believe in the TRUTH- we have to comprehend that we are not truth in and of ourselves and way too many do not want to believe they are not truth- it upsets their way of thinking.
They would rather believe that we -often times despicable, vile creatures- are truth. It stands to reason if a person believes they are truth in and of themselves then all others are their own truth as well- even the most evil among them.
Truth isn't found in ourselves. We cannot find truth in ourselves.
What we find in ourselves is that we are part of a collection of beings that exist- very defective beings far from every single ones highest idea of perfection. At best a collection of human beings that find it hard to even be loving towards other human beings like themselves. In fact it is extremely hard for us to imagine that we are truly all the same- human beings. We value our uniqueness so much we've all but done away with the fact we are in the end ALL just human beings- we ALL have that in common. We'd much rather do away with our commonalities and tout our uniqueness. Yet is it our commonality that allows us to feel compassion towards one another. The richest, the prettiest, the smartest person alive is merely human- they live, they die - every single one.
The Truth.
Col 1:5 FOR THE HOPE WHICH IS LAID UP FOR YOU IN HEAVEN, WHEREOF YE HEARD BEFORE IN THE WORD OF THE TRUTH OF THE GOSPEL
Col 1:6 WHICH IS COME UNTO YOU AS IT IS IN ALL THE WORLD AND BRINGETH FORTH FRUIT AS IT DOTH ALSO IN YOU SINCE THE DAY YE HEARD OF IT AND KNEW THE GRACE OF GOD IN TRUTH
The word of the truth of the gospel. The word of truth- CHRIST- the gospel. The gospel of the kingdom the eternity with CHRIST. Eternity begins in heaven. Knowing the GRACE of GOD in TRUTH.
TRUTH is found outside of ourselves and in CHRIST.
Our beginning, our end, our eternity all found in CHRIST JESUS our LORD, our SAVIOR, our CREATOR.
We will never be satisfied in the belief that we are the truth, never. Deep down in the most staunch among atheists and the like they know aren't satisfied with life as they know it, their short existence. So many scientists seek that ever elusive key to eternal life knowing that as a finite being their hope lies in being able to come up with a way to turn the finite being into an infinite being with quality of life. That ever elusive fountain of life, the heavenly being guarded Tree of Life, these are their hope only they seek it in among cures created by fallible beings, who are truly NOT creators, but rather reproducers.
Knowing the grace of GOD in truth.
Knowing the truth of the gospel.
Knowing that the truth is out there to be known, and not instinctively within ourselves, this is fact, logical fact when you realize how imperfect we are.
We have a HOPE laid up in HEAVEN.
We have a SAVIOR! This is all the truth we must proclaim! We can be SAVED! We are NOT doomed to this existence there really, truly is something more, much, much more than we can even imagine.
By the mercy and grace of our God may we seek TRUTH always.
In HIS LOVE!
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