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CHAPTER FIVE
NOTHING ELSE
Oral coverage in Sermon form is so far
available
only in the first, intended to be several.
INTRODUCTION
There is nothing else. Than what ? Than nothing ? If so, we could not be here. Than imaginary gods ? If so, we would not exist, having no ground or basis for our institution, or indeed that of anything. Myths do not do anything; but we are here from a source adequate and eternal, for if ever there were NOTHING, then always this would be the case! Nothing has not even any potential, and our actuality is the result not of nothing, but of what had the potential for it. If there were nothing else but matter, it too would have no ground, basis or origin from due cause, but being systematically delimited, would require magic. Moreover it shows no ability by due tests to produce mind or spirit. It does what it is good at, as does mind, as does spirit, and confusion of the one with the other is nothing else than wishful, metaphysical romancing.
Assuredly reader, neither you nor I should be or could be confused either with God or a god, for we come without consent and go, unless by divine intervention, equally without it. We neither control the laws of the universe, n or did we create them, nor can pretend that relativity is the answer to actuality, since nothing CAN be relative to anything, until it has the additional grace of being brought into existence. First things first.
There is nothing else but what God has provided and stated, in His account of His doings and dealings.
You won't find it elsewhere, for He was there and you and I were not (Isaiah 43:13). Time like space is His stage, a segment of the creation of the temporary by the eternal One. Happily, God is sublimely merciful, and so has given His account in the Bible, the most ratified book in the whole of creation, the only one categorically validated and continually verified
(cf. SMR, TMR, DEITY AND DESIGN, DESIGNATION AND DESTINY,
LIGHT DWELLS WITH THE LORD'S CHRIST, Possess Your Possessions, Volume 9, Ch. 2).
God has then provided a universe, a cosmos, the heavens and the earth, and the highly adjusted earth in its specialised site (Genesis 1-2), transient life which He created, the means for it, the information for it (He spoke and it was done, as seen in the DNA cf. Not Only is God Great but Glorious, Ch. 5), the conditions for it.In particular, He created man in His own likeness, so that man can formulate and cogitate and contemplate and find truth where it is freely available - but man messed it up (Romans 5:1-12). Hence the remedy for the residual race, if by any means any may be rectified and finding the remedy, be redeemed in the love of God by the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, the just for the unjust, to bring us to God (II Peter 3:18).
Thus it is all forged, formed and formulated, the creation, the summit in man on this earth, the capacity for fellowship with the Creator, the fall and the way back home for the spirit of man, leading on to the entire reconstruction (Acts 3:19-21). That is the level at which God in His greatness, works. With this, He who made some things tiny, listens to the least who cries in faith, to the name which is above every name, that of Jesus Christ the Lord (Psalm 145:17-19). .
THE LISTINGS AND THE LIMITS
26 Steps
GOD IS ABSOLUTE SOURCE AND POWER
First: There is no other God, Creator or Final Authority.
References: Isaiah 14:27, 40:9-28, 41:21-23,41:28-42:8, 43:10-13, 45:11-12,21, Ephesians 3:9, 4:4-6, Romans 11:36, Hebrews 12:25-29.
Second: There are no other worlds, outside His creation.
References: Hebrews 1:2-3, 11:1-3, Isaiah 44:24, 45:5,
Ephesians 1:19-23, 3:5-13, 4:4-6, Colossians 1:15-19.
Third: There is
no other creation outside that by the Word of God,
Incarnate as Jesus Christ.
References: John 1:1-3, Colossians 1:15-16, Hebrews 1:2-3, Ephesians 3:9.
Fourth: There is no other life or life source, in the universe or the earth.
References: John 1:3-5, Genesis 1:1-2, 2:1-4, Ephesians 3:9-4:6, Phippians
2:5-11,
I Corinthians 15:20-27, I Timothy 6:14-16, Romans 14:9, 8:18-21, Colossians
1:16-22.
Note:
What is in heaven itself, the abode of God, is not here shown;
but God there as elsewhere is complete sovereign as in 1 above.
As to earth and heavens, Martians, godlets, aliens, God-free principles,
ignoring creation, all are the work of the sordid slippage in the mind of man,
ignoring both the power and the precision of God, floating in fancy.
Probing forbidden space (Psalm 115) is a massive,
expansive and expensive exploit of belligerent unbelief (cf. News 57).
Fifth: There is
no other ground of reconciliation with God
than this same Jesus Christ, in heaven or earth.
References: Colossians 1:19ff., II Corinthians 5:11-21, John 17:2.
Sixth: There is no other avenue of access to God but He.
References: Acts 4:11-12, I Corinthians 3:11, John10:7-9, Ephesians 2:17-18, 3:6-12.
Seventh: There is
no other such name either for heaven or earth,
universally, nor any other Lord.
References: Philippians 2:5-10, 3:17-21,Ephesians 1:17-23, Hebrews 12:23-29, Colossians 1:10,16-17, Romans 8:20-21.
Thus by Him, all things even consist,
the whole creation was subjected to vanity because of Him;
the Church is the fulness of Him who fills all in all, His body,
who in the end, has all things put under His feet,
who is head over all things to His Church, His name far above any other.Note: The nature of God, triune in function and nature, one in Being,
the Speaker, the Spoken and the One who Applies
means that what is said to the glory of one, is to the glory of all.
SALVATION IS UNIQUE AND NECESSARY
Eighth: There is no other salvation from ultimate separation from God.
References: Ephesians 2:12, Acts 4:11-12.
Ninth: There is no other redemption.
References: Hebrews 9:23-28.
Tenth: There is no other salvation from sin.
References: Isaiah 43:10-11, Romans 5:12-21.
Eleventh: There is no other heir to all things.
References: Hebrews 1:2.
Twelfth: There are no other members of His body, but those of His salvation.
References: Ephesians 1:23.
Note: ALL THINGS are to be put under His feet. He is Head of the Church,
His body, which is the fulness of Him who fills all, in all, leaving no part out.
Thirteenth: There is no other victor.
References: Philippians 2:9-11, Ephesians 1:17-23.
CERTAINTY IS UNIQUE,
AVAILABLE
AND CONFERRED TO FAITH BY ITS OBJECT
Fourteenth: There is no other assurance.
References: I Thessalonians 5:9-10, John 14:6, Isaiah 44:8,24-26, 45:5-22,
46:8-10, 48:3-19,
Romans 6:23, II Timothy 1:8-12, I Timothy 6:11-16.
Note:
God does not invite you to be a co-Saviour, but gives salvation.
Fifteenth: There are no other works to save for life from judgment,
but those of the
Creator come as Redeemer.
References: Ephesians 2:`1-10, Romans 3:23-27, 10:1-4, 6:23.
Sixteenth: There is no other foundation or Rock for faith and eternal life.
References: I Corinthians 3:11, Isaiah 14:27, 28:16, 30:16-19, 44:6-8,
II Samuel
22:32-37.
Seventeenth: There is no other truth.
References: John 14:6, 8:31-36, Matthew 11:27ff.,
Isaiah 48:12-16, 46:8-10,
44:24-26. 41:4.
Eighteenth: There is no other judgment.
References: Acts17:30-31, Revelation 20:11, 21:1.
Nineteenth: There is no other escape from guilt.
References: Hebrews 2:1-3.
Twentieth: There is no other eternal life to inherit.
References: John 10:8-11,27-28,14:6,I Timothy 6:11-16.
Twenty First: There is no other Lamb as Lord, even to eternity.
References: Revelation 5:11-13, Hebrews 9:11-15, 10:10-14, Romans 14:9.
Twenty Second:
There is no other Lamb for salvation,
once appointed, always required: leading
to the folly of forfeit if ignored.
References: Acts 4:11-12, Isaiah 53, John 8:24, 14:6, 10:9-28,
Hebrews 2:1-3,
Colossians 1:16-21, Galatians 1:1-9.
Twenty Third: There is no other everlasting mercy.
References: Micah 7:19-20, Ephesians 1:11-14. Colossians 1:15-22,
Galatians
1:6-9, Isaiah 43:10-11, John 8:24, Hebrews 2:1-3.
Twenty Fourth: There is no other summation or consummation.
References: Ephesians 1:10, 3:9-19, 4:9-16,
Colossians 3:11, Galatians 3:27.
Twenty Fifth: There is no other love to equal that of God.
References: Ephesians 3:9-21, Romans 5:6-8, 8:29ff.,
Isaiah 29:13ff..
Twenty Sixth: There is no other work to compare with the work of God.
References: Romans 5:7-21.
The prodigies of creation are paralleled by those of salvation
wrought by the same Word of God, incarnate as Christ;
and the work God gives in His name has unparalleled power and wisdom,
grace and love, mercy and wonder,
incomparable in scope and sovereign warrant (Matthew 28:19-20, Philippians 4:4-6).
Faith in repentance receives eternal life from its object, Jesus Christ,
eternal Word of God, in creation, salvation and redemption.
Walking with the Lord is a work of wonder,
filled to the brim with the beauty of His holiness,
requiring courage and granting peace (Isaiah 35, I Thessalonians 514-24, I John 1:7-2:2).