One and Only One

 

“ For there is one God…”

—1 Timothy 2:5a

Translating any foreign language into the English language is always a challenge. Foreign languages often have subtleties that become lost in translation. It becomes difficult to retain all the nuances of meaning contained in a particular phrase.

For example, I’ve discussed in several blog posts the inadequacies of the English language in capturing the full meaning from New Testament Greek of the word “love.” While English has only the one word, New Testament Greek has four different words, all of which are translated “love” in English. Each of those four New Testament Greek words has a different shade of meaning.

Many people insist that all religions are essentially the same. Each religion's truth claims really produce the same results and, essentially, hold the same meanings. But this is not true.

For example, a detailed analysis of the characteristics of the God of Judaism and Christianity compared to Allah of Islam discloses that Jehovah God and Allah are not the same. So it is also true of the path to eternal life through the forgiveness of sins.

Inspired by the Holy Spirit, the Apostle Paul makes this claim in 1 Timothy 2:5-6:

For there is one God and one mediator between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all people. This has now been witnessed to at the proper time.

A careful examination of the New Testament Greek text discloses that the original first sentence is a far more powerful claim than the translation into English provides.

A more properly nuanced translation would read: “For there is one and only one God and one and only one mediator between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus…”

The Lord Jesus Christ of Christianity in the one and only one way to eternal life through His sacrifice for our sins on a cruel Roman cross. He is the one and only one through whom we can connect to God.

Through the convicting power of the Holy Spirit, Jesus is the one and only one who can draw us irresistibly into fellowship with the God who cares for us and who pours His mercy, grace, and unfailing love into our lives.

Let us rejoice this day that Jesus has opened up the way of genuine life to us. And, let us be quick to share this good news with others.

 

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