| “ 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 Koine New Testament Greek of the word “love.” While English has only the one word, Koine 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. They assert that each religion’s “truth claims” really produce the same results and, essentially, hold the same meanings. But, this is simply not true.
For example, a detailed analysis of the characteristics of the God of Judaism and Christianity compared to Allah, the god of Islam, discloses that Jehovah God and Allah are absolutely not the same. Jehovah God—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit— is the one true God who expresses His divine presence as one who is always shrouded in holiness and great power, but is also a God of deep love and devotion. He is compassionate and caring.
Contrast this with Allah, as presented in the Quran, and you will quickly see that Allah is a god of vengence and anger, with no compassion for those who have strayed from his requirements of strict obedience. Jehovah has given those He chooses to belong to Himself a clear path to eternal life through the forgiveness of sins provided by the sacrifice of His Son on a cruel Roman cross of torture. Allah grants “salvation” to those who bond themselves in obedience, even to the point of killing unbelievers.
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 Koine 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.
Based on a blog originally posted on Wednesday, March 30, 2016
