The most valuable wisdom

MILLIONS OF STUDENTS long for the day when they will receive the much-desired diploma in their chosen course. Whether a person graduates from elementary, high school, college, or graduate school, the receiving of a diploma in recognition of his efforts in gaining knowledge is one of the finest moments in his life. For the student, it is a day of achievement. For the parents, it is a day of pride. And for all, it is a day of inspiration.

Having a thirst for knowledge is one of the most admirable qualities of people. Because of this thirst, inventions have been made, uncharted territories have been explored, and different philosophies and schools of thought have developed. Indeed, knowledge is potentially beneficial for man, and usually, the people who acquire knowledge are the first to reap its reward.

The most valuable knowledge

However, if a person strives to gain worldly knowledge, he must understand that there is a particular body of knowledge that he should all the more strive to acquire and thirst for with all his being. The Bible teaches concerning this knowledge:

“That people may know skillful and godly Wisdom and instruction, discern and comprehend the words of understanding and insight.” (Prov. 1:2,Amplified Bible)

Godly wisdom and instruction should be sought after above worldly wisdom. While the benefits of education and worldly knowledge cannot be denied, godly wisdom offers rewards far greater than recognition, honors, high paying jobs, or positions of power in the community and in the business world. In fact, godly wisdom offers the greatest reward. It gives man life and places him in God’s favor:

“Now therefore, listen to me, my children, For blessed are those who keep my ways. Hear instruction and be wise. And do not disdain it. Blessed is the man who listens to me, Watching daily at my gates, Waiting at the posts of my doors. For whoever finds me finds life, And obtains favor from the LORD.” (Prov. 8:32-35, New King James Version)

Blessed is the person who receives and obeys God’s instruction, for he finds favor from the Lord.

Many desire to get education from prestigious schools and universities because they realize its benefits in fulfilling their career and financial goals. They cite reasons such as “the higher the education, the higher the salary.” Even after people have left school, many still strive to gain knowledge in their chosen fields, realizing the importance of knowledge as a means to move up the corporate ladder.

It must be acknowledged, however, that a college education does not guarantee success and wealth. Ironically, after finishing college, some even find themselves jobless or underemployed and in debt because of their college loans and bills. The business world does not also guarantee instant wealth and much more a worry-free life. On the contrary, some have experience greater anxieties and dissatisfaction instead of contentment after entering the business world. And in extreme cases, some have even committed suicide because of pressures brought about by school and work.

What we should understand is that God has the power to provide us with true prosperity and success. The Lord may bless the family and one’s education, career, or status in life if he hears God’s commands and lives by them. Thus, if one is earnest in succeeding in life, it is vital that he attains wisdom that comes from the Lord.

The righteous will succeed

By attaining godly wisdom, a person can triumph over all obstacles that may prevent him from succeeding. This is the Lord’s promise:

“I have taught you in the way of wisdom; I have led you in right paths. When you walk, your steps will not be hindered, And when you run, you will not stumble. Take firm hold of instruction, do not let go; Keep her, for she is your life.” (Prov. 4:11-13, Ibid.)

If a person takes hold of God’s instructions, his steps will not be hindered – he will run and will not stumble. This does not mean, however, that a righteous person will no longer experience disappointments and difficulties. The fact is, everyone experiences ups and downs in life. But those who have received God’s wisdom coupled with His favor rise to any challenge. They continue even when times get rough:

“Do not lie in wait, O wicked man, against the dwelling of the righteous; Do not plunder his resting place; For a righteous man may fall seven times And rise again, But the wicked shall fall by calamity.” (Prov. 24:15-16, Ibid.)

The righteous will never be left alone by the Almighty. Each time they fall or experience disappointments, God will be ready to help them rise and continue in their endeavors.

The words of God are the means for a person to become righteous or holy:

“Make them pure and holy through teaching them your words of truth.” (Jn. 17:17, Living Bible)

God’s words are written in the Holy Scriptures:

“And you remember that ever since you were a child, you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to give you the wisdom that leads to salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.” (II Tim. 3:15, Today’s English Version)

The words of God written in the Holy Scriptures is God’s wisdom that leads man to salvation. For this reason, one who receives godly wisdom or God’s words written in the Bible and makes them his guide in life will receive life.

The life awaiting the righteous is the true life in the Holy City:

“Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth. The first heaven and the first earth disappeared, and the sea vanished. And I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared and ready, like a bride dressed to meet her husband. I heard a loud voice speaking from the throne: ‘Now God’s home is with mankind! He will live with them, and they shall be his people. God himself will be with them, and he will be their God. He will wipe away all tears from their eyes. There will be no more death, no more grief or crying or pain. The old things have disappeared’.” (Rev. 21:1-4,Ibid.)

Eternal life is the most precious benefit of attaining godly wisdom. It is incomparable with anything human institutions can offer. Thus, a person should make learning and obeying the commands of God their top priority in life. If a person receives and diligently obeys the inspired words of God, he will experience the benefits of godly wisdom not only in this life, but most of all in the life to come.

Destruction of the world by fire

We believe that God will destroy the world by means of fire on Judgment Day as the Bible teaches. Apostle Peter explained this by comparing what would happen on Judgment Day   with what happened during the time of Noah:

“For this they willfully forget: that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of water, by which the world that then existed perished, being flooded with water. But the heavens and the earth which now exist are kept on store by the same word, reserved for fire until the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men… But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up.” (II Pt. 3:5-7, 10, New King James Version)

As the ancient civilization was destroyed literally through a great flood, the present world will also be literally destroyed by fire on Christ’s Second Advent. Apostle Paul wrote:

“And to give who you are troubled rest with us when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with His mighty angels, in flaming fire taking vengeance on those who do not know God, and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. These shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power.” (II Thess. 1:7-9, NKJV)

Even before the Christian era, God forewarned through His prophets that He would destroy the world by fire:

“Neither their silver nor their gold shall be able to deliver them in the day of the Lord’s wrath; But the whole land shall be devoured by the fire of His jealousy, for He will make speedy riddance of all those who dwell in the land.” (Zeph. 1:18, NKJV)

Hence, just as God’s wrath is real, no one should conclude that the fire He will use in destroying the world is unreal or only a figure of speech.

We would also understand that Christ does not by Himself know when the day of Judgment will come, but only the Father in heaven does (Mt. 24:36).

³⁶ “But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only. (Mt. 24:36, NKJV)

In spite of this fact, Jehovah’s Witnesses has repeatedly tried to predict the Second Advent of Christ and failed consistently. These failures were published in its magazines, proving that it is not the true religion.

The true religion teaches that only the Heavenly Father knows the exact time of the day of Judgment and that He will destroy the earth by means of real fire as written in the Bible.

___________________

Bible Study Suggestion: If you have further questions, please feel free to visit the Iglesia ni Cristo congregation nearest you. A minister or an evangelical worker would be happy to answer any biblical question you have in mind. For the latest Worship Service Directory of Iglesia ni Cristo Locales and Congregations outside the Philippines, please visit www.iglesianicristoworshipservice.com or just click link at home page.

Nasa Biblia Ba Ang Aral Na Ang Diyos Ay May Tatlong Persona?

ANG ISA SA mga aral na itinataguyod ng Iglesia Katolika at ng mga Protestante ay ang tinatawag na “Santisima Trinidad.” Maraming mga tao ang nag-aakalang mula sa Biblia ang aral na ito. Dahil dito ating suriin ang aral na ito upang matiyak kung ito ay nakasalig sa mga katotohanang itinuturo ng Banal na Kasulatan. Gagawin natin ang pagsusuri sa pamamagitan ng isang magaang na paraan ng pag-aaral.

Tanong. Ano ang tinatawag na Santisima Trinidad ng Iglesia Katolika at ng mga Protestante?

Sagot. Ang Santisima Trinidad daw ay ang isang Diyos na binubuo ng tatlong ibat’t ibang persona – ang Ama, ang Anak, at ang Espiritu Santo – na tunay raw na pantay-pantay at walang pagkakaungusan.

“Iniaaral ng Iglesia Katolika na may isang Diyos lamang,…

“Sa isang Diyos na ito’y may tatlong iba’t ibang Persona, - Ang Ama, ang Anak, at ang Espiritu Santo, na tunay na pantay-pantay at walang pagkakaungusan.” ¹

T. Ayon na rin sa pagtatapat ng Iglesia Katolika, nasa Biblia ba ang tinatawag nilang Santisima Trinidad?

S. Wala at hindi rin naaayon sa Biblia ang Trinidad.

“Though the exact terms in which the Church has formally defined the dogma of the Blessed Trinity… are not in the Bible, and may, therefore, in a sense be called unscriptural;…” ²Sa Pilipino:

“Bagama’t ang mga tiyak na salitang ginamit ng Iglesia (Katolika) upang opisyal na ipaliwanag ang aral ng Pinagpalang Trinidad… ay wala sa Biblia, at maaari, kung gayong sabihin, sa isang kahulugan na hindi naaayon sa Biblia;…”

T. Sino ang umimbento ng terminong Trinidad?

S. Si Tertuliano.

“The term ‘Trinity’ is not found in the Scriptures,… The invention of the term is ascribed to Tertullian.” ³Sa Pilipino:

“Ang katawagang ‘Trinidad’ ay wala sa Banal na Kasulatan,… Ang pagkakakatha ng katawagan ay ipinalalagay na gawa ni Tertuliano.”

Nota: Si Tertuliano ay hindi kabilang sa mga naging alagad ni Cristo ni kasama sa mga taong sumulat ng Bagong Tipan. Kundi, isa siya sa mga itinuturing na unang Ama ng Iglesia Katolika.

T. Ano ang dahilan at inimbento ni Tertuliano ang terminong Trinidad?

S. Inimbento ni Tertuliano ang termino upang gamitin sa binalangkas niyang doktrina na Trinidad.

“Tertullian was the first to use the term ‘Trinity’ and to formulate the doctrine, but his formulation was deficient, since it involved an unwarranted subordination of the Son to the Father.” ⁴

Sa Pilipino:

“Si Tertuliano ang unang gumamit ng terminong ‘Trinidad’ at siyang bumalangkas sa doktrinang ito, ngunit ang ginawa niyang balangkas ay may kamalian, sapagkat nasangkot doon ang di makatwirang pagtuturo na ang Anak ay mababa kaysa sa Ama.”

T. Kailan sinimulang buuin ng Iglesia Katolika ang kanilang aral ukol sa Trinidad?

S. Noong ika-4 na siglo lamang.

“…The Church began to formulate its doctrine of the Trinity in the fourth century. The Council of Nicea declared the Son to be co-essential with the Father (325 A.D.), while the Council of Constantinople (381 A.D.) asserted the deity of the Holy Spirit. Though not with the same precision.” ⁵

Sa Pilipino:

“…Sinimulang buuin ng Iglesia (Katolika) ang doktrina nito ukol sa Trinidad noong ika-4 na siglo. Ipinahayag ng Konsilyo ng Nicea na ang Anak ay may esensiya na katulad ng sa Ama (325 A.D.), samantalang iginiit ng Konsilyo ng Constantinople (381 A.D.) ang pagiging-diyos ng Espiritu Santo, bagaman hindi kasing tiyak.”

T. Ano ang suliraning bumangon samantalang binubuo ng Iglesia Katolika ang kanilang aral na Trinidad?

S. Nagkaroon muna ng malawak at mga mapapait na pagtatalo sa loob ng Iglesia Katolika tungkol sa pagpapaliwanag sa Trinidad.

“…Tertullian and Cyprian in North Africa, Clement and Origen in Alexandria, began to clarify and define the still inchoate doctrine concerning the relation of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, and to set forth the claims of the Church to power and authority. But lack of complete agreement among them gave scope to acrimonious disputes.” ⁶

Sa Pilipino:

“…Nagsimulang linawin at bigyang pakahulugan nina Tertuliano at Cipriano ng Hilagang Aprika, Clemente at Origen ng Alejandria, ang hindi pa organisadong mga doktrina tungkol sa relasyon ng Ama, Anak at Espiritu Santo, at upang ipahayag ang mga pag-aangkin ng Iglesia sa kapangyarihan at karapatan. Subalit ang kawalan ng pagkakasundo sa gitna nila ay nagpakalawak sa mapapait na mga pagtatalo.”

T. Ano ba ang naging paniniwala o opinion ng lahat ng mga teologo ng Iglesia Katolika tungkol sa Anak (Cristo) bago ang Konsilyo sa Nicea?

S. Ang lahat ng mga teologo ng Iglesia Katolika noon ay nagkaisa ng paniniwala na mababa ang Anak sa Ama.

“Before the Council of Nicea (AD 325) all theologians viewed the Son as in one way or another subordinate to the Father.” ⁷

Sa Pilipino:

“Bago ang Konsilyo sa Nicea (AD 325) binigyan ng opinion ng lahat ng mga teologo na ang Anak ay mababa kaysa sa Ama.”

T. Ano naman ang paniniwala ni Origen na isa rin sa mga kinikilalang unang Ama ng Iglesia Katolika tungkol sa Espiritu Santo?

S. Ang paniniwala ni Origen ay mababa ang Espriritu Santo sa Ama at maging sa Anak.

“…Origen went even further in this direction by teaching explicitly that the Son is subordinate to the Father in respect to essence, and that the Holy Spirit is subordinate even to the Son….” ⁸

Sa Pilipino:

“… Pumalaot si Origen sa direksyong ito sa pamamagitan ng maliwanag na pagtuturo na ang Anak ay mababa kaysa Ama kapag ang pag-uusapan ay esensiya, at ang Espiritu Santo ay mababa maging sa Anak….”

T. Kailan lamang nabuo ng Iglesia Katolika ang kumpletong pormulasyon ng doktrina ukol sa Trinidad?

S. Noon lamang 675 A.D. sa ika-11 Kapulungan ng Toledo.

“The most complete formulation of the doctrine of the Trinity in a Creed since the times of the Fathers is found in the Symbol of the 11th Synod of Toledo (675), which is composed mosaic-like out of texts from the Fathers (above all from St. Augustine, St. Fulgentius, St. Isidore of Seville), and of former Synods (especially that of the 6th Synod of Toledo, 638), D. 275-281.” ⁹

Sa Pilipino:

“Ang pinaka-kumpletong pormulasyon ng doktrina ng Trinidad sa isang Kredo mula nang panahon ng mga Ama ay matatagpuan sa Kredo ng ika-11 Kapulungang Toledo (675), na binuong tulad sa mosaik na hinango sa mga tekstong mula sa mga Ama ( higit sa lahat mula kina San Agustin, San Fulgencio, San Isidro ng Seville), at sa mga naunang Kapulungan (lalo na ang ika-6 na Kapulungan ng Toledo, 638), D. 275-281.”

T. Mapapatunayan ba ng Iglesia Katolika sa pamamagitan ng katuwiran ang kanilang aral ukol sa Trinidad?

S. Inamin ng Iglesia Katolika na hindi nila ito kayang mapatunayan sa pamamagitan ng katuwiran ni hindi rin nila mapapatunayan na ang aral na ito ay possible.

“…according to the teaching of the Church, the dogma of the Blessed Trinity… is a mystery in the fullest sense; that is to say, it cannot be proved by reason,… nay, it cannot be proved to be possible.” ¹⁰

Sa Pilipino:

“… sang-ayon sa turo ng Iglesia (Katolika), ang dogma ukol sa Santisisma Trinidad… ay isang hiwaga sa pinakaganap na kahulugan; na ang ibig sabihin, ito ay hindi maaaring patunayan sa pamamagitan ng katuwiran,…na hindi rin maaaring patunayan na ito ay posible.”

T. Ang mga karaniwang kaanib ba lamang sa Iglesia Katolika ang hindi makapagpapatunay at hindi nakauunawa ng aral tungkol sa Trinidad?

S. Walang sinumang makauunawa ng kanilang aral na Trinidad – maging ang kanilang pinakamarunong daw na teologo, ang pinakabanal daw na Papa, at maging ang pinakadakila daw na santo.

“The Trinity is a wonderful mystery. No one understands it. The most learned theologian, the holiest Pope, the greatest saint, all are mystified by it as the child of seven. It is one of the things which we shall know only when we see God face to face….” ¹¹

Sa Pilipino:

“Ang Trinidad ay isang kamangha-manghang misteryo. Walang sinumang nakauunawa nito. Ang pinakamarunong na teologo, ang pinakabanal na Papa, ang pinakadakilang santo, silang lahat ay nahihiwagahan dito tulad ng isang batang may pitong taong gulang. Isa ito sa mga bagay na malalaman lamang natin kapag nakita na natin ang Diyos nang mukhaan…”

T. Anu-ano ang mga aral ng Biblia na sinasalungat ng pagtuturong ang tunay na Diyos ay iisa subalit may tatlong persona?

S. Sinasabi sa Biblia na ang Diyos ay mag-isa at walang kagaya.

“Sapagka’t ikaw ay dakila, at gumagawa ng kagilagilalas na mga bagay: Ikaw na magisa ang Dios.

“Walang gaya mo sa gitna ng mga dios, Oh Panginoon; Wala mang mga gawang gaya ng iyong mga gawa.” (Awit 86:10, 8)

T. Bakit hindi na maaaring dagdagan pa ng magiging kagaya ang tunay na Diyos?

S. Sapagkat ang tunay na Diyos ay isang ganap na Diyos at wala nang iba liban sa Kaniya.

“Kayo’y mangagpahayag, at mangagpasapit; oo, magsanggunian silang magkakasama: sinong nagpakilala nito mula nang unang mga panahon? Sinong nagpahayag niyaon nang una? Hindi baga ang Panginoon? At walang Dios liban sa akin: isang ganap na Dios at Tagapagligtas; walang iba liban sa akin.” (Is. 45:21)

T. Sa paglipas kaya ng mga panahon ay hindi na mababago ang katotohanang ito?

S. Hindi na, sapagkat pinatutunayan mismo ng Diyos na wala ng ibang Diyos kahit pa sa darating.

“Israel, ikaw ang saksi ko, Hinirang kita upang maging lingkod ko, Upang makilala mo ako At manalig ka sa akin, Walang ibang diyos na una sa akin, Ni mayroon pa mang iba na darating.

“Ako ang Diyos, Sa mula’t mula pa, Ang nasa kamay ko’y Hindi makukuha ng sinuman; At walang makahahadlang Sa aking ginagawa.” (Is. 43:10, 13,Magandang Balita)

T. Bakit sa lahat ng panahon ay isa lamang ang tunay na Diyos na dapat kilalanin ng tao?

S. Sapagkat ang tunay na Diyos ang kauna-unahan at kahuli-hulihan.

“Ganito ang wika ng Panginoon, hari ng Israel, na kanyang manunubos, ang Panginoon ng mga hukbo: Ako ang kauna-unahan at ang kahuli-hulihan; at liban sa akin ay wala nang iba pang Diyos.” (Is. 44:6, Abriol)

T. Kaya, nang dumating ang panahong Cristiano, sino at ilan ang tunay na Diyos na ipinakilala ni Cristo?

S. Ang Ama ang ipinakilala ni Cristo na iisang Diyos na tunay.

“Ang mga bagay na ito ay sinalita ni Jesus; at sa pagtingala ng kaniyang mga mata sa langit, ay sinabi niya, Ama, dumating na ang oras; luwalhatiin mo ang iyong Anak, upang ikaw ay luwalhatiin ng Anak:

“At ito ang buhay na walang hanggan, na ikaw ay makilala nila na iisang Dios na tunay, at siyang iyong sinugo, sa makatuwid baga’y si Jesucristo.” (Juan 17:1, 3)

T. Sinasang-ayunan ba ni Cristo ang itinuturo ng Iglesia Katolika at ng mga Protestante na magkapantay sila ng Ama?

S. Hindi, sapagkat kinikilala Niya na ang Ama ay lalong dakila kaysa Kaniya.

“Narinig ninyo kung paanong sinabi ko sa inyo, Papanaw ako, at paririto ako sa inyo. Kung ako’y inyong iniibig, kayo’y mangagagalak, dahil sa ako’y pasasa Ama: sapagka’t ang Ama ay lalong dakila kay sa akin.” (Juan 14:28)

T. Ano ang lalong nagpapatotoo na hindi nga kapantay ng Ama si Cristo?

S. Kapag ang lahat ng bagay ay napasuko na ng Diyos kay Cristo, si Cristo naman ay paiilalim sa kapangyarihan ng Diyos.

“Ganito ang sinasabi ng Kasulatan: ‘ Ang lahat ng bagay ay lubusang pinasuko sa kanya ng Diyos.’ (Ngunit sa salitang ‘lahat ng bagay’, maliwanag na hindi kasama rito ang Diyos na siyang naglagay ng lahat ng mga bagay sa ilalim ng kapangyarihan ni Cristo.) At kapag ang lahat ay nasa ilalim na ng kapangyarihan ni Cristo, ang Anak naman ang paiilalim sa kapangyarihan ng Diyos na naglagay ng lahat ng bagay sa ilalim ng kapangyarihan niya. Sa gayon, lubusang maghahari ang Diyos sa kalahat-lahatan.” (I Cor. 15:27-28, MB)

T. Sino naman ang pinatutunayan ng mga Apostol na nasa ibabaw ng lahat na katunayan pa rin ng malaking kahigitan ng Ama kay Cristo?

S. Ayon kay Apostol Pablo ang Ama ang nasa ibabaw ng lahat.

“Isang Dios at Ama ng lahat, na siyang sumasa ibabaw sa lahat, at sumasa lahat, at nasa lahat.” (Efe. 4:6)

T. Naaayon ba sa aral ng Biblia ang pagtuturong ang Espiritu Santo ay kapantay ng Ama?

S. Natitiyak nating hindi sapagkat ayon kay Cristo, ang Espiritu Santo ay isinusugo ng Ama.

“Datapuwa’t ang Mangaaliw, sa makatuwid baga’y ang Espiritu Santo, na susuguin ng Ama sa aking pangalan, siya ang magtuturo sa inyo ng lahat ng mga bagay, at magpapaalaala ng lahat na sa inyo’y aking sinabi.” (Juan 14:26)

T. Ang Ama ba lamang ang tanging nakapagsusugo sa Espiritu Santo?

S. Naisusugo rin ng Anak ang Espiritu Santo.

“Datapuwa’t pagparito ng Mangaaliw, na aking susuguin sa inyo mula sa Ama, sa makatuwid baga’y ang Espiritu ng katotohanan, na nagbubuhat sa Ama, ay siyang magpapatotoo sa akin.” (Juan 15:26)

T. Ayon na rin sa patotoo ng Iglesia Katolika, sino ba ang higit na nakatataas, ang nagsusugo o ang isinusugo?

S. Pinatutunayan ng Iglesia Katolika na mas nakatataas ang nagsugo kaysa isinusugo.

“Di ba ang kapangyarihang nagsusugo ay mataas kaysa sinusugo?” ¹²

Maliwanag na pinatutunayan ng Biblia at maging ng iba’t ibang aklat ng Iglesia Katolika at ng mga Protestante na ang doktrina ukol sa Trinidad ay wala at hindi naaayon sa pagtuturo ng Biblia. Kaya ang sinumang magpapatuloy sa paniniwalang ang tunay na Diyos ay may tatlong Persona ay nagtataglay ng hidwang pananampalataya at ang hidwang pananampalataya, ayon sa mga Apostol, ay hindi ikaliligtas kundi ikapapahamak.

SANGGUNIAN:

¹ James Cardinal Gibbons, Ang Pananampalataya Ng Ating Mga Ninuno, p. 8.

² Rt. Rev. Msgr. Joseph Pohle, Ph. D., D.D., The Divine Trinity: A Dogmatic Treatise, p. 22.

³ Augustus Hopkins Strong, D.D, LL.D., Systematic Theology, p. 304.

⁴ L. Berkhof, Systematic Theology, p. 82.

⁵ Ibid., p. 82-83.

⁶ John B. Noss, Man’s Religions, p. 624.

⁷ Eerdman’s Handbook to the History of Christianity, pp. 112-113.

⁸ Berkhof, op. cit., p. 82.

⁹ Dr. Ludwig Ott, Fundamentals of Catholic Dogma, p. 33

¹⁰ Rev. C. F. Blount, S. J., The Blessed Trinity. p. 2.

¹¹ Martin J. Scott, S.J., God and Myself: An Inquiry Into The True Religion, p. 118.

¹² Gibbons, op. cit., p. 8.

Ang Likas na Kalagayan ni Cristo (Unang Bahagi)

Sa lahat ng panahon, ang Ama lamang ang iisang Diyos. Walang “Cristong Diyos” na itinuturo ni ipinakikilala ang Banal na Kasulatan.

Paulit-ulit na ipinakilala ng Ama na Siya lamang ang iisang Diyos at wala nang iba.

Si Jesus na ipinanganak ni Maria ay hindi Siyang Diyos o Kataastaasan kundi "Anak ng Kataastaasan".

MARAMI NANG NASULAT tungkol sa buhay, aral, at misyon ng Panginoong Jesucristo. Ngunit, sa artikulong ito ay ating pagtutuunan ng pansin ang Kaniyang likas na kalagayan. Totoo ba na si Cristo ay Diyos, gaya ng nakagisnang paniniwala ng marami ngayon? Ano ang katotohanan tungkol sa likas Niyang kalagayan?

Ang Diyos sa Matandang TipanAng Matandang Tipan ay nagturo na may Diyos na lumalang ng langit at lupa at ng lahat ng mga bagay na naroroon. Siya rin ang Diyos na gumawa ng pakikipagtipan kay Abraham, kay Isaac, at kay Jacob. Siya ang Diyos na nagbigay ng Sampung Utos sa bundok ng Sinai; na naglabas sa Israel sa lupain ng Egipto at pumatnubay sa Kaniyang bayan; at nakipagtalastasan sa mga propeta noong una. Sino Siya? Si Cristo ba ang Diyos na itinuturo ng Matandang Tipan? Ganito ang mababasa sa aklat ng Deuteronomio 32:4, 6:

“Siya ang Bato, ang kaniyang gawa ay sakdal; Sapagka’t lahat niyang daan ay kahatulan: Isang Diyos na tapat at walang kasamaan…

“Ganyan ba ninyo ginaganti ang Panginoon, O mangmang na bayan at hindi pantas? Hindi ba siya ang iyong ama na tumangkilik sa iyo? …”

Ang iisang Diyos na nagpalaya sa Israel mula sa lupain ng Egipto, na Siya ring nagbigay ng Sampung Utos at pumatnubay sa Israel, ay walang iba kundi ang Ama – ayon kay Moises. Maging sa kapanahunan ng mga tinatawag na major prophets tulad ni Isaias ay nananatiling ang Ama ang kinikilalang Diyos:

“Sapagka’t ikaw ay aming Ama, bagaman hindi kami kinikilala ni Abraham, at hindi kami kilala ng Israel: ikaw, Oh Panginoon, ay aming Ama, aming Manunubos na mula sa walang pasimula ay siya mong pangalan.” (Isa. 63:16)

Sa panahon man ng tinatawag na mga minor prophets tulad ni Malakias, patuloy na ang Ama ang kinikilala nilang iisang tunay na Diyos:

“Hindi ba iisa ang ating Ama at ito’y ang iisang Diyos na lumalang sa atin? …” (Mal. 2:10, Magandang Balita Biblia)

Kung gayon, sa lahat ng panahon sa Matandang Tipan, ang Ama lamang ang iisang Diyos na nakipagtalastasan sa mga propeta ng baying Israel. Walang “Cristong Diyos” na itinuturo ni ipinakilala ang Matandang Tipan.

Nagpakilala ang Diyos na Siya ang AmaAng Ama lamang ang iisang Diyos na nakilala ng mga propeta na ito’y ayon sa pagpapakilala mismo ng Diyos sa Kaniyang sarili:


“Ako’y nagpahayag, at ako’y nagligtas, at ako’y nagpakilala, at walang ibang dios sa gitna ninyo: kaya’t kayo ang aking mga saksi, sabi ng Panginoon, at ako ang Dios.” (Isa. 43:12)

“Ako’y magiging kaniyang ama, at siya’y magiging aking anak: kung siya’y gumawa ng kasamaan, aking sasawayin siya ng pamalo ng mga tao, at ng panghampas ng mga anak ng mga tao.” (II Sam. 7:14)

Maliwanag na ang Diyos ay nagpakilala sa Matandang Tipan na Siya ang Ama. Maliwanag din na ang Ama lamang at wala nang iba pa ang iisang tunay na Diyos na kinilala ng mga propeta at ng bansang Israel. Isang katotohanan at tinatanggap ng halos lahat, na ang mga propeta at ang mga Israelita sa panahon ng Matandang Tipan ay nagtaguyod ng monoteismo, ang paniniwala na iisa lamang ang tunay na Diyos.

Iisa lamang ang Diyos na kinilala at pinaglingkuran ng mga propeta sapagkat ito mismo ang itinuro ng Diyos sa kanila. Paulit-ulit na ipinakilala ng Ama na Siya lamang ang iisang Diyos at wala nang iba:

“Ako’y nagpahayag, at ako’y nagligtas, at ako’y nagpakilala, at walang ibangdios sa gitna ninyo: kaya’t kayo ang aking mga saksi, sabi ng Panginoon, at ako ang Dios.” (Isa. 43:12)

“Inyong alalahanin ang mga dating bagay ng una: sapagka’t ako’y Dios, at walang iba liban sa akin; ako’y Dios, at walang gaya ko.” (Isa. 46:9)

“Ako si Yahweh, Ako lamang ang Diyos at wala nang iba; Palalakasin kita, Bagamat ako’y di mo pa kilala. Ginawa ko ito Upang ako ay makilala ng buong daigdig, Na makilala nila na ako si Yahweh, Ako lamang ang Diyos at wala nang iba.” (Isa. 45:5-6, MB)

“Israel, ikaw ang saksi ko, Hinirang kita upang maging lingkod ko, Upang makilala mo ako at manalig ka sa akin, Walang ibang diyos na una sa akin, Ni mayroon pa mang iba na darating.” (Isa. 43:10, Ibid.)

Hindi rin dapat isipin, kung gayon, na ang iisang Diyos ng Matandang Tipan ay binubuo ng tatlong Persona, na ang isa sa mga Persona diumano ay si Jesus. Ang Matandang Tipan ay hindi nagtuturo tungkol sa Banal na Trinidad na malaganap ngayong pinaniniwalaan:

“Ang doktrina ng Banal na Trinidad ay hindi itinuturo sa Matandang Tipan.” (New Catholic Encyclopedia, vol. 14, p. 306)¹

Maging ang isang paring Jesuita na nagsuri sa doktrina ng Trinidad ay nagpahayag ng ganito:

“Nagkakasundo ang mga dalubhasa sa kasalukuyang panahon na wala pang tiyak na kaalaman tungkol sa Banal na Trinidad na makikita sa mga sinusulat sa Lumang Tipan.” (Ang Kabanalbanalang Isangtatlo, p. 71)²

Si Cristo sa Matandang Tipan
Wala kahit isang talata sa Matandang Tipan na nagsasabing si Cristo ay Diyos. Manapa ay pinatutunayan ng Matandang Tipan na noon ay ni hindi pa umiiral o eksistido ang Cristo. Ano ba ang matutunghayan natin sa Matandang Tipan tungkol kay Cristo? Ang muli’t muling pangako ng Diyos tungkol sa pagdating ng Cristo:

“At aking pagtitibayin ang aking tipan sa iyo at sa iyong binhi pagkamatay mo sa buong kalahian nila, na tipang walang hanggan, na ako’y magiging iyong Dios, at ng iyong binhi, pagkamatay mo.” (Gen. 17:7)

Pansinin na si Cristo ay hindi pa umiiral sa panahon ni Abraham dahil ipinangako pa lamang ng Diyos na magkakaroon ng Cristo na magiging binhi ni Abraham (Gal. 3:16).

Ang ipinangakong propeta
Ang ipinangako ng Diyos kay Moises ang paglitaw ng isang propeta:

“Aking palilitawin sa kanila ang isang propeta sa gitna ng kanilang mga kapatid, na gaya mo; at aking ilalagay ang aking mga salita sa bibig niya, at kaniyang sasalitain sa kanila ang lahat ng aking iuutos sa kaniya.” (Deut. 18:18)

Pansinin natin na ang lilitaw ay hindi Diyos kundi isang propeta. Siya ang ipinangako ng Diyos kay Moises. Samakatuwid, maging sa panahon ni Moises ay wala pang Cristong umiiral kundi pangako pa lamang ang pagdating Niya na Siyang propetang hinuhulaan. Pinatutunayan ito maging ng mga manunulat ng Bagong Tipan.

Ang pagpapatunay ng Bagong TipanPinatutunayan ni Apostol Pablo na si Cristo ay ipinangako nang una:

“Na kaniyang ipinangako nang una sa pamamagitan ng kaniyang mga propeta sa mga banal na kasulatan, Tungkol sa kaniyang Anak, na ipinanganak sa binhi ni David ayon sa laman.” (Roma 1:2-3)

Ayon naman kay Apostol Pedro, nasa isip na ng Diyos si Jesus bago pa lalangin ang daigdig:

“Nasa isip na Siya ng Diyos bago pa lalangin ang daigdig, nguni’t ipinakilala Siya ngayong huling panahon dahil sa inyo.” (I Ped. 1:20, salin ni Juan Trinidad)

Pinatutunayan din ng ebanghelistang si Lucas na ang Mesias o ang Panginoong Jesus ay ipinangako ng Diyos:

“Na nagpahayag sa kanya na hindi siya mamamatay hangga’t hindi niya nakikita ang Mesias na ipinangako ng Panginoon.” (Lucas 2:26, MB)

Wala sa isipan ng mga manunulat ng Bagong Tipan na si Cristo ay Diyos. Ayon sa kanilang mga isinulat, si Jesus ang hinihintay ng mga Judio na darating na Mesias. Siya ang propetang lilitaw na tulad ni Moises. Siya ang magiging binhi ni Abraham. At si Cristo nga ang naging katuparan ng mga ipinangakong ito ng Diyos sa Matandang Tipan.

Wala rin sa isipan ng mga unang Cristiano na si Cristo ay umiral o eksistido na sa panahon ng Matandang Tipan. Ang teologong si George Eldon Ladd ay nagbigay ng kaniyang patotoo ukol dito:

“Binabasa natin ang mga Ebanghelyo at ang aklat ng mga Gawa sa liwanag ng ating pagkaunawa sa pre-eksistensiya at sa pagkakatawang-tao ng Diyos Anak. Subalit, ang mga unang Cristiano ay walang anumang gayong konsepto sa kanilang mga isipan…” (The Young Church, p. 48)³

Ang Pag-iral ng Mesias
Kailan nagkaroon ng katuparan ang ipinangakong Mesias? Ganito ang sinasabi ng Biblia:

“Datapuwa’t nang dumating ang kapanahunan, ay sinugo ng Dios ang kaniyang Anak, na ipinanganak ng isang babae, na ipinanganak sa ilalim ng kautusan.” (Gal. 4:4)

Nagkaroon ng Cristo “nang dumating ang kapanahunan.” Samakatuwid ay may panahon na hindi pa eksistido ang Cristo. Kailan ang panahon na ang Cristo ay hindi pa eksistido o hindi pa umiiral? Nang Siya ay nananatiling pangako pa lamang at hindi pa naipanganganak. Kaya, nang maipanganak na, saka pa lamang nagkaroon o naging eksistido ang Cristo.

Diyos ba ang pagkakilala ng mga manunulat ng Bagong Tipan kay Jesucristo na katuparan ng mga pangako ng Diyos? Ayon sa tala ng ebanghelistang si Mateo, tao ang dinala sa sinapupunan o ipinagbubuntis ni Maria:

“Ang pagkapanganak nga kay Jesucristo ay ganito: Nang si Maria na kaniyang ina ay magaasawa kay Jose, bago sila magsama ay nasumpungang siya’y nagdadalang-tao sa pamamagitan ng Espiritu Santo.” (Mat. 1:18)

Pinatunayan din ng anghel na tao nga ang likas na kalagayan ni Jesus na dinadala (ipanagbubuntis) ni Maria:

“Datapuwa’t samantalang pinagiisip niya ito, narito, ang isang anghel ng Panginoon ay napakita sa kaniya sa panaginip, na nagsasabi: Jose, anak ni David, huwag kang mangamba sa pagtanggap kay Maria na iyong asawa: sapagka’t ang kaniyang dinadalang-tao ay sa Espiritu Santo.” (Mat. 1:20)

Taliwas sa paniniwala ng marami, si Jesus na ipinanganak ni Maria ay hindi Siyang Diyos o Kataastaasan kundi “Anak ng Kataastaasan”:

At narito, maglilihi ka sa iyong tiyan, at manganganak ka ng isang lalake, at tatawagin mo ang kaniyang pangalang JESUS. Siya’y magiging dakila, at tatawaging Anak ng Kataastaasan: at sa kaniya’y ibibigay ng Panginoong Dios ang luklukan ni David na kaniyang ama.” (Lucas 1:31-32)

Kung papaanong ang iisang Diyos ay tinatawag na Ama sa panahon ng Matandang Tipan, ang Diyos ay Ama rin ni Cristo, sapagkat Siya (si Cristo) ay tatawaging Anak ng Kataastaasan. Ganito ang pagtuturo tungkol kay Cristo ng mga manunulat ng Bagong Tipan.

May Karugtong

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MGA REFERENCIA

¹ “The doctrine of the Holy Trinity is not taught in the O[ld] T[estament].” (New Catholic Encyclopedia, vol. 14. Nihil Obstat: John P. Whalen, M.A., S. T. D., Censor Deputatos. Imprimatur: Patrick A. O’Boyle, D.D., Archbishop of Washington, Illinois, USA. Jack Heraty and Associates, Inc. 1967.)

² Sevilla, Pedro, S.J. Ang Kabanalbanalang Isangtatlo: Ang Diyos ng mga Kristiyano. Quezon City, Philippines: Loyola School of Theology – Ateneo de Manila University, 1988.

³ “We read the Gospels and the book of Acts in the light of our understanding of the pre-existence and the incarnaction of God the Son. However, the early Christians had no such concepts in their minds …” (Ladd, George E. The Young Church. London: Lutterworth Press; New York & Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1964.)

God’s messenger in these last days

WHENEVER WE declare our belief that Brother Felix Y. Manalo is God’s messenger in these last days, many people raise questions concerning his commission. They ask: “Why do you recognize him as God’s messenger? How could he be God’s messenger?”

To answer questions such as these, we must consult the pronouncement of God in the Holy Scriptures.

Chosen by God

Brother Felix Y. Manalo is God’s messenger in these last days because he was chosen by God. The Almighty’s prophecy recorded in the Book of Isaiah testifies thus:

“Who has performed and done this, calling the generations from the beginning? I, the LORD, am first, and will be with the last.” (Is. 41:4, New Revised Standard Version)

The word “last” refers to the last of God’s messengers. We believe Brother Felix Y. Manalo is the fulfillment of this prophecy. He is the last messenger because his time is at the last days or at the “ends of the earth.” God says:

“You whom I took from the ends of the earth, and called from its farthest corners, saying to you, ‘You are my servant, I have chosen you and not cast you off’.” (Is. 41:9, Ibid.)

The time of God’s calling of His messenger is at “the ends of the earth.” The fruits of the work of this messenger will come from the Far East:

“From the far east will I bring your offspring, and from the far west I will gather you.” (Is. 43:5, Moffatt Translation)

The people who would be the fruits of the work of the last messenger are from the Far East and are recognized by God as His sons and daughters. How about the messenger? How does God recognize him? As was cited in Isaiah 41:9, God recognizes him as His chosen servant.

God’s messenger as the ‘worm Jacob’

Another prophecy concerning God’s last messenger calls him “worm Jacob”:

“Fear not, thou worm Jacob, and ye men of Israel; I will help thee, saith the LORD, and thy redeemer, the Holy One of Israel.” (Is. 41:14, King James Version)

To be compared to a worm means to be without strength and to be despised (Ps. 22:6). In fulfillment, the last messenger of God was by himself without strength and was despised. But he was not helpless because God promised to strengthen and help him:

“Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.” (Is. 41:10, KJV)

God had chosen someone who was not learned and rich in order to confound the wise and the mighty (I Cor. 1:26-29). God’s promise to help and strengthen His last messenger was proven by the result of his work. The present stature of the Church that he preached clearly proves this.

However, many contend that the “worm Jacob” mentioned in Isaiah 41:14 refers to Jacob, the grandson of Abraham. Could it be that Jacob, the son of Isaac, is the one referred to in the prophecy? Was he still alive when the prophecy was proclaimed by Isaiah?

We must remember that a prophecy pertains to an event in the future. Jacob, the seed of Abraham, lived and died during the era of the patriarchs whereas Isaiah the prophet lived and died during the time of Israel or the prophetic age. Jacob died sometime in 1689 B.C. On the other hand, Prophet Isaiah lived during the time of King Uzziah, called Azariah during the 9th century (808 B.C.). Jacob had already been dead for 881 years when Isaiah made known his prophecy concerning the “worm Jacob.” Thus, Jacob, Abraham’s grandson, could not be the “worm Jacob” prophesied by Isaiah.

When is the appointed time of this “worm Jacob”? As previously cited in the Book of Isaiah, God’s last messenger is from the “ends of the earth.” “Ends of the earth” refers to a time different from “end of the earth.” The latter is synonymous with the end of the world or the Second Coming of our Lord Jesus (Mt. 24:3). The apostles had asked Jesus the signs of the end of the world. His reply was that they would hear of wars and rumors of wars, which would be followed by a war involving nation against nation, kingdom against kingdom; there will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes. All these are signs that the end is at the very doors (Mt. 24:3-4, 6-8, 33). In other words, these events would happen during the time “ends of the earth” which precedes the time “end of the earth.”

Prior to, during, and after the First World War, famines, pestilences, and earthquakes occurred in various places. The Church of Christ emerged in the Far East, specifically in the Philippines, simultaneous with the commencement of the First World War on July 27, 1914. This event fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah regarding the appointed time of God’s messenger whom God called the “worm Jacob.”

‘A new threshing instrument’

God made the worm Jacob as “a new threshing instrument”:

“Fear not, thou worm Jacob, and ye men of Israel; I will help thee, saith the LORD, and thy redeemer, the Holy One of Israel.

“Behold, I will make thee a new sharp threshing instrument having teeth: thou shalt thresh the mountains, and beat them small, and shalt make the hills as chaff.” (Isa. 41:14-15, KJV)

The worm Jacob referred to in the prophecy is the one whom God promised to make as a new threshing instrument. He would thresh the mountains and beat them small. What would make the worm Jacob as “a new sharp threshing instrument” are the words of God which are “… powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword” (Heb. 4:12, Ibid.). The mountains that would be threshed by him through God’s words are not literal mountains but kings (Rev. 17:9-10) or rulers of darkness (Eph. 6:12). In other words, the mountains refers to false religions.

In fulfillment, Brother Felix Y. Manalo, through his preaching, exposed the errors and falsity of the doctrines of other religions. He showed that such teachings are diametrically opposed to the true teachings of God. The impact of God’s words or doctrines which he had preached is continuously being felt by other religious organizations.

The fulfillment of God’s promises to His messenger, which was clearly proven by his work and by the continuing growth of the Church that he preached, only proves that the hand of God has done this:

“That they may see, and know, and consider, and understand together, that the hand of the LORD hath done this, and the Holy One of Israel hath created it.” (Is. 41:20, KJV)

The Church of Christ, especially during its pioneering years, experienced severe persecution from many of its detractors. Yet, they were not able to hinder the speedy growth of the Church. Many were even confounded as to how the Church of Christ, from such a small beginning, grew. This, to them, remains an enigma. But to the members of the Church of Christ, everything is the will and work of the Almighty God. It was the Lord God who has done this, He who said:

“… I work and who can hinder it?’” (Is. 43:13, NRSV)

God’s Planting

God’s planting is for His glory, so a person can truly glorify God only if he is included among God’s planting or if he is among God’s chosen people.

ALTHOUGH CHURCHES professing to be Christians are so numerous nowadays that one can hardly count them, there remains the biblical truth that there is only one Church or religion that belongs to our Lord God. The Holy Scriptures, being the repository of God’s revealed truth, which man should accept and believe, is never wanting in revelations about which religion or church is the true one. Hence, people should not allow themselves to be confused or to be hoodwinked into believing that all religions or churches belong to Him, neither should they stop searching for the true one, until they have finally found it, because what is at stake here is no less than the salvation of their souls.

The Bible illustrates in various ways how God’s people – those who belong to the true Church or religion – can be recognized. One lucid illustrations depicts God’s chosen people as His planting – distinct and unique from those which He did not plant or those who do not belong to Him. The prime importance of being God’s planting is underscored in these words of our Lord Jesus Christ:

“…Every plant which My heavenly Father has not planted will be uprooted.” (Matt. 15:13, New King James Version)

The plants, which God did not plant, obviously, do not belong to Him and they will be uprooted come the appointed time. These are the churches or religions that were not established by Him. They are likened to tares that will be “gathered and burned in the fire… at the end of this age (Matt. 13:40, Ibid.) or on Judgment Day. How they came about, the Lord Jesus explains that “an enemy has done this,” referring to the devil as “the enemy who sowed them” (Matt. 13:28, 39, Ibid).

Indeed, to be God’s planting or to be among His people is very important because on Judgment Day, those that are not His planting will be uprooted and burned in the lake of fire.

God’s planting in the ancient time
The Psalmist points out which was God’s planting during the ancient period:

“You have brought a vine out of Egypt; You have cast out the nations, and planted it.” (Ps. 80:8, Ibid.)

The planting of God that He brought out of Egypt was no other than the nation of Israel that God established to be His own people. The Prophet Isaiah explains that “the vineyard of the LORD of hosts is the house of Israel, And the men of Judah are His pleasant plant …” (Isa. 5:7, Ibid.).

As God’s planting, His established nation and chosen people, the Israelites were towering in importance before the sight of God over all the other peoples of the world during their time:

“For you are a holy people to the LORD your God; the LORD your God has chosen you to be a people for Himself, a special treasure above all the peoples on the face of the earth.” (Deut. 7:6, Ibid.)

There were already many nations established during the time of ancient Israel but only the Israelites were chosen by God to be a people for Himself. Only Israel was God’s planting during that time. As such, He was counting on them to bring forth good grapes. However, what Israel brought forth instead were wild grapes. God said of His planting:

“And now, O inhabitants of Jerusalem and men of Judah, Judge, please, between Me and My vineyard. What more could have been done to My vineyard That I have not done in it? Why then, when I expected it to bring forth good grapes, Did it bring forth wild grapes? And now, please let Me tell you what I will do to My vineyard: I will take away its hedge, and it shall be burned; And break down its wall, and it shall be trampled down.” (Isa. 5:3-5, Ibid.)

As ancient Israel fell short of God’s expectation, He decided to take away from His vineyard its hedge, burn it, break down its wall, and be trampled down. Israel did not remain as God’s planting and God rejected them as His people.

God’s planting in the Christian era
God had prophesied, through Prophet Isaiah, whom He would send to begin a new group of people who would glorify Him and who would replace ancient Israel as His planting. The prophecy states:

“The Spirit of the Lord God is upon Me, Because the LORD has anointed Me To preach good tidings to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound; To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, And the day of vengeance of our God; To comfort all who mourn, To console those who mourn in Zion, To give them beauty for ashes, The oil of joy for mourning, The garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; That they may be called trees of righteousness, The planting of the LORD, that He may be glorified.” (Isa. 61:1-3, Ibid.)

Our Lord Jesus Christ proved that He was the one referred to as God’s planting in the prophecy when, after reading this same prophecy, He declared: “Today this Scripture is fulfilled in your hearing” (Luke 4:17-21,Ibid.). However, Christ is not the only planting of God; as the true vine, He has branches. Says our Lord:

“I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. …I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.” (John 15:1, 5, Ibid.)

As Christ, the vine, is God’s planting, so are His branches. Christ and His branches belong to God and are recognized by God as His chosen people. As for what the branches are intended, the prophecy clarifies, thus:

“Also your people shall all be righteous; They shall inherit the land forever, The branch of My planting, The work of My hands, that I may be glorified.” (Isa. 60:21, Ibid.)

God’s planting is for His glory, so a person can truly glorify God only if he is included among God’s planting or if he is among God’s chosen people. Christ and His branches are chosen by God to give glory unto Him in replacement of ancient Israel that was formerly His planting.

The vine and the branches
The equivalent of Christ’s being the vine and those who belong to Him as the branches could be read in this illustration of Apostle Paul:

“And He is the head of the body, the church.” (Col. 1:18, Ibid.)

“For as we have many members in one body, but all the members do not have the same function, so we, being, many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another.” (Rom. 12:4-5, Ibid.)

Christ, who is the vine, is the head, and the members of the Church, which is His body, are the branches. The Church headed by Christ is named after Him – Church of Christ (Rom. 16:16; Acts 20:28, Lamsa Translation).

Christ and the members of the Church which He established in the first century were God’s planting. God expected them to glorify Him. However, Apostle Paul forewarned that the first-century Church of Christ would apostatize or turn away from the true faith, thus would stop giving glory unto God:

“Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; … Forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth.” (I Tim. 4:1, 3, King James Version)

This turning away from the faith of the early Christians occurred after the “departure” or death of the apostles (Acts 20:29-30, 37-38; II Tim. 4:6-8). Indeed, when the apostles were gone, the Church that they had left behind listened to and followed the “doctrines of devils,” two of which are forbidding to marry and abstension from eating meat. These doctrines can be found in the Catholic Church, the church that prides itself to be the continuation of the Church administered by the apostles (The Unbroken Chain, p. 4). The Catholic Church forbids its “priests to marry after their ordination” (The Faith of Our Fathers, p. 328), and it also commands its members “to fast and abstain from flesh meat on certain days of the year” (Manual of Christian Doctrine: Comprising Dogma, Moral, and Worship, p. 317). Upholding such doctrines clearly shows that the Catholic Church is indeed the result of the apostasy that took place when the first-century Church of Christ turned away from the true faith after the death of the apostles. Thus, just as Israel, God’s planting in ancient time, turned away from Him, so did the first-century Church of Christ which God appointed to replace it. And just as Israel continued to exist as a nation, but no longer as God’s nation, so did the Church that started in the first century, but no longer as the Church that belonged to God and to Christ, because it had turned into an apostate church.

God’s planting in these last days
With the turning away from the true faith of the first-century Church, God again planted a replacement as He had promised, thus:

“I will plant in the wilderness the cedar and the acacia tree, The myrtle and the oil tree; I will set in the desert the cypress tree and the pine And the box tree together, That they may see and know, And consider and understand together, That the hand of the LORD has done this, And the Holy One of Israel has created it.” (Isa. 41:19-20, NKJV)

God’s planting in the wilderness herein referred to is the work and creation of His hand. He planted in the wilderness because the apostasy that overtook the first-century Church is illustrated in the Bible as that of a “woman [who] fled into the wilderness” (Rev. 12:6, Ibid.). The woman represents a church, for the true Church is likened by Apostle Paul to a chaste virgin (II Cor. 11:2). The first-century Church when it had apostatized became “a land where there is no one, A wilderness in whichthere is no man” (Job 38:26, NKJV). Although the organization has persisted and continued, it has lost its right and privilege to glorify God, and hence, the first-century Church of Christ died out as God’s planting after the death of the apostles. And so God promised to plant again in replacement to His former planting.

The beginning of God’s plantingTo start out His planting in these last days, God sent a messenger whom He had “taken from the ends of the earth, And called from its farthest regions,” and to whom He assured, “You are My servant, I have chosen you and have not cast you away: Fear not for I am with you, Be not dismayed, for I amyour God. I will strengthen you, Yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand” (Isa. 41:9-10, Ibid.).

The time “ends of the earth” refers to that period when the end of the world or the Second Advent of our Lord Jesus “is near – at the doors” (Matt. 24:3, 33, Ibid.), as He emphatically pointed out, giving as signs, events that had global significance, like the two world wars, World War I and World War II, that broke out in succession on July 27, 1914 and on September 1, 1939, respectively (Matt. 24, 6-7; The Story of the Great War, vol. 3, p. 923). It was at the start of the first global war that God’s planting at the ends of the earth officially emerged through the instrumentality of His chosen servant whom He had given the right to serve and worship Him and to whom He promised to help, strengthen, and uphold with His righteous right hand or the gospel, which is God’s righteousness for salvation (Rom. 1:16-17).

The Church of Christ believes that the chosen servant whom God had sent to begin His planting in these last days was fulfilled in Brother Felix Y. Manalo, who preached this Church in 1914. Through his preaching of the gospel, which God promised to uphold him with, God’s sons and daughters from the far east, the Philippines being the country in the far east in which the prophecy was fulfilled, were gathered together (Isa. 43:5-6, Moffatt Translation; Asia and the Philippines, p. 169), resulting in the reemergence of the true Church of Christ, God’s planting in these last days. In order for this planting to grow in the “wilderness,” as the first-century Church of Christ turned apostate and became devoid of people faithful to God’s teachings, God said in the prophecy that He “would make the wilderness a pool of water, And the dry land springs of water” (Isa. 41:18, NKJV). The water that God would cause to flow in the wilderness for His planting to grow is His words (John 4:10-15) and the Holy Spirit (John 7:38-39), both of which have been received by those who believed in the preaching of the gospel by the one whom God has sent (Eph. 1:13-14).

True enough, the Church of Christ in these last days emerged through the preaching of God’s words by His messenger. The once desolate wilderness is now again populated with members of the true Church, God’s chosen people who firmly believe and faithfully obey His commandments. As God’s planting, the Church of Christ is continuously nurtured with His words, which are incessantly preached in the congregational worship services of its members throughout the world, together with the inspiration and power of the Holy Spirit – all for the glory and honor of its vinedresser, the Father in heaven.

References:
Dela Costa, Horacio, S.J. Asia and the Philippines. Manila, Philippines: Solidaridad Publishing House, 1967.

Gibbons, James Cardinal. The Faith of Our Fathers. New York, USA: P.J. Kenedy & Sons, n.d.

Hunt, Most Rev. Duane G., D.D. The Unbroken Chain. n.p The Queen’s Work, 1959.

Manual of Christian Doctrine: Comprising Dogma, Moral and Worship. By a Seminary Professor. Nihil Obstat: N.F. Fisher, S.T.I., Censor Librorum, and Arthur J. Scanlan, S.T.D., Censor Deputatus; Imprimatur: D.J. Dougherty, Archiepiscopus Philadelphiensis. New York, USA: La Salle Bureau, Brothers of the Christian Schools, 1935.

Reynolds, Francis J., Allen L. Churchill, and Francis T. Miller, eds. The Story of the Great War, vol. 3. New York, USA: P.F. Collier & Son, 1916.