The Bible declares there is only one true God. The orthodox Christian theology has always believed in one true God as a trinity, three co equal person in one God form. In Genesis 1:26, God states “us” and “our”, these words are plural meaning one or more persons. Not one person higher than the others, but all equal. There are several other verses and facts that refers to the Trinity of God. To truly understand the Trinity of God, you have to open your mind and feel from your heart.
It is a present being the comes over me, that provides me with knowledge that God is our Creator, Father, Son of Man Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit. All in one God. I believe that God comes to us in a way that we need Him. The Bible teaches us about each one at different times. First the Bible starts from the beginning and the Creator. Then, we are told about a Father that is going to provide us with a Savior. Next, the Savior, Jesus Christ died for our sin, the ultimate sacrifice. Finally, the Holy Spirit comes after the death of Christ. The Bible tells us a true story of our One True God.
The biblical teaching regarding creation helps us to understand the different biblical views of works in God’s World. Such as: work is a curse, how working is serving God, and idol working hoping for something in return. Christians should be working for the same purpose for God’s world. God will provide us with the joy and peace and love that we need, when we allow ourselves the blessing. There are two different verses with base of the same meaning, God appointed us over the works of His hands or creations, Genesis 1:27-28 and Hebrews 2:7.
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“So, God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.” Genesis 1:27-28 NIV
This is the second verse:
“Thou madest him a little lower than the angels; thou crownedst him with glory and honour, and didst set him over the works of thy hands.” Hebrews 2:7
Not only are we appointed by God, but we are to please God by bearing fruit in every good work. Our work will be tested and rewarded for the endures to eternal life. When our work is completed, it not only benefits others but also honors God. Our identities are made in the image of God and go beyond our work to reflect our relationship with the Lord. Our works can shape us, our relationship with the Lord defines us in God’s world.
I currently work for a Christian company and learned opportunities to serve God in all aspect of work and home. I have learned from working for a Christian company that each employee is set apart and each task that are given for a successful goal. There are times, when opportunities come available to set yourself apart from others by impress high managers. I am a very energetic person and some of the things that set me are apart are small but effective. When I go to work, I always have a positive attitude and keep the manager informed of the progress of my project.
I will ask questions and listen; I want co-workers and customers to see Christ through me. During the day, I want to be more helpful than I was when I started my shift. On the other hand, I have been in the employment for many years with several different companies. And I have been discriminated, and my disability has been used against me. I do choose to use my leadership or trailblazer qualities and hold other employees and managers accountable for their action. This differentness can impact your work ethic, mindset, and relationship with the Lord.
I sometimes feel that my work methods affect my work in the creation in a negative way. I have been called and refer to myself as a “workaholic” in my work life and love to stay busy. The money does not matter as much as staying busy. I once stayed at a minimum wage job just to stay busy and eventually I realized two things. One, I was working myself to exhaustion. Another the employee was taking a vantage of my work habit by taking credit for my work. Also, as a new Christian, I took on every job or event that needed a volunteers or leader.
Both of these was not for the work of God, but more of staying busy. I felt that I would offend people if I brought Christ into my work life and only witness outside of work. And, I have never given it much thought about my work affecting my relationship with God, until I read, You Are What You Love: To Worship is Human by James K.A. Smith. In Unit 3 material, got me thinking about things in a different light and started to ask myself questions.
Do I work for the money? Do I work to give God the money or glory? Does my work show the reflect of the Christ in all my work projects? The answer to these questions is “no,” because I never through about the light of Christ shine through my work. Does my volunteering at too many events help me or hurt God’s Work? Yes, I want people to see that I am a Christian in the God’s work, I do outside of work not that I am always busy. I never thought about my life in these terms, but there are two quotes that got me thinking. The first quote is “The place we unconsciously strive towards is what ancient philosophers of habit called our telos-our goal, our end.”(Smith, p11).
I have seen myself as a “workaholic” and have learned the pattern from my parents. My father being the solo provider for the family and mother raising a strong independent person to not see my disability as an excuse but to outcome and prove myself as an equal. The other quote is, “It is less an ideal that we have ideas about and more a vision of “the good life” that we desire.” (Smith, p11) I do desire “the good life” not to just see it but to live it. I cannot have the “the good life” without Christ. I have to have Christ shine through my personal and work life to be at peace and live a good life.
We are born into a sinful world, weather we learn or take the desires of the world is a choice God has given us. There is a point where our parents are not held accountable for our actions; that we have to answer to God. We need to ask God to open our eyes and heart to see His works and help guide us to do His work. Our work is broken down to two parts of saving lost souls, one is to testify the salvation of Christ and the other is to continue the triumph of Christ in this sinful world. The creation’s redemption and renewal are for the glory of God, God’s love, and God at work restoration His world.
Frist, for the glory of God, God is the creator of all things and He would never abandon His creation. God is present in everything that we do, and He is engaged in all the events of the world. In Psalm 145, God provided food, water, and shelter for His creations. As a Christian, I have had a tough time, husband out of work for several months and I was working part time. God provide for us as a family. He provides for all our needs and financial.
Next, God’s love is at work with all the horrible and evil events that happen in the world. We are loved by God so much that He does not bring His full wrath on the world. It is setting boundaries on evil activities to allow Christian to fight the battle on earth and receive God’s love and grace. Finally. God is at work restoring and renewing all of His creations. God sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to pay for all of our sins. Jesus Christ has paid for all God’s creations’ past, present, and future sins.
God has given human the choice to choose Jesus Christ as our Savior and to be present in our everyday life. Although, we do not see or hear the Lord, He is always with us. There was a point when I wondered whether my works mattered, but to see the connections between what we do and what God is doing each day, only show that HE is at work.
I believe that justice and mercy go hand in hand. God give us justice and mercy everyday and we should do the same as God to other people. In the video, “The Redemption – The John M. Perkins Story”, stated along the lines that he could hate the white people for what they have done to him or he could take that hate and change it to love to make a change in the world. As Jesus Christ died for our sins, He shows us God’s righteousness. This was the way that God show His justice. In Romans 3, Paul states,
“Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference:
For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:
Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus. Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? of works? Nay: but by the law of faith. Therefore, we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law.” Romans 3:22-28 KJV
This is the change that God wants Christians to make. In the bible, God uses a single person for a purpose such as: Noah, Ruth, and Peter are just a few from the Bible that I find inspiration from. I was born with a disability; I want to make a difference in the world for God. People can be cruel, and I want to show God’s mercy. As Christian we have God’s grace and mercy, we are protected by the blood of Jesus Christ.
I believe that mission work requires come qualities, like listen, light, engage, and join God. These are four things that I think are important to do God’s work. First as Christian, we need to listen to God. This means open our hearts to listen for His instruction. We also need to be the light of Christ; in everything we do. It is for the purpose of the Lord, Our Father. Next, Christians need to be ready to engage in God’s mission for the world. Finally, Christians need to be prepared for the good and bad. God uses these experiences to bring people to him and shape us in His image. When we join God on His mission, it can be exciting and a meaningful journal, but it may not be the journal we want but what God has prepared for us.
What I have learned from this course is something I will take with me forever. The book, Delighting in the Trinity by Michael Reeves, is a book that I will keep as a refence and will recommend it others. I have a better understanding of the trinity and enjoyed the notes about the protestant Buddhists, St. Hilarius, and Richard Sibbes. The analogies, I have used in the past are longer in use by me.
The video, “The Redemption – The John M. Perkins Story”, this was a moving story that brought up past events that I never gave a second thought about the other involved. As a child, we never saw color but just played together, but now understand why made their children come home early or made us go home early. The most important thing I learned is that being a “workaholic” is not always good. I need to slow down, enjoy the moment, and make sure each person sees Christ shine through me. I know the Trinity is real for the Bible tells us and I believe it in knowledge and my heart.
Reference
- Holy Bible. King James Version.
- Reeves, Michael. (2012). Delighting in the Trinity: An Introduction to the Christian Faith. InterVarsity Press.
- Smith, James K.A.. (2016). You Are What You Love: The Spiritual Power of Habit. Brazos Press.
- Redemption – The John M. Perkins Story
