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During the "age to come", when aionian life will be enjoyed, those thus privileged
will get to know God, in order to equip them for their share in bringing about the happy
condition when:--
"The knowledge of the Lord shall cover the earth as the waters cover the seas" (Isa. 11: 9).
We know God now only through Christ and in no other way. The relationship which
Christ bears to the ages may be seen by comparing the following Scriptures:--
"Christ is all and in all"
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During the ages.
(Ta panta kai en pasi Christos , Col. 3: 11).
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"That God may be all in all"
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When the ages finish.
(Hina e ho Theos panta en pasin, I Cor. 15: 28).
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You will see that when we deal with the scriptures that speak of God relatively, we are
compelled to consider those scriptures which are ranged under our third heading:--
God--manifest.
It is in connection with this aspect of the subject that most of our difficulties occur.
Let us examine the teaching of four passages of Scripture, viz., John 1: 1; Col. 1: 15, 16;
Heb. 1: 1-3; and Phil. 2: 6-11. Let us commence with John 1: 1:--
"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God."
A.--There are some important alterations necessary in this translation before we have the
truth. First there is no word for "the" in the phrase "in the beginning".
B.--That is true, and but confirms our suggestion that the Bible is not occupied with the
beginning, which must of necessity be beyond the grasp of human understanding. It
refers to that period when Creation was contemplated.
IN that beginning WAS the Word.
SINCE that beginning the Devil sinneth, and was a murderer.
A.--There is a far more important alteration necessary. Instead of reading "the Word
was God", we must read "the Word was A God", for the article is omitted. If we give full
value to the article we shall read "the Word was with THE God, and the Word was A
God", THE God referring to the one true God, and A God to God in a subordinate and
lower sense.
B.--You therefore believe in two Gods, a greater and a lesser.
A.--No, I do not accept the idea of a number of persons in the Godhead.
B.--Then He who is A God is really no god at all?
A.--I hardly know how to answer you, but I have the warrant of great Bible Students for
my translation.