MANKIND AND THEIR PETS: A POSTSCRIPT

God made the beasts of the earth after their kind, and the cattle after their kind, and everything that creeps on the ground after its kind; and God saw that it was good. (Genesis 1:25)

People choose to adopt all sorts of pets: dogs, cats, birds, rabbits, fish, snakes and even ferrets. Some people couldn’t care less about owning a pet—to this I say: “To each their own prerogative.” They will obviously never know the joys (and heartaches) involved in sharing time, nurturing God’s creatures.

Speaking from experience, my wife and I have had an assortment of pets throughout our 40 years of marriage. We have had 6 cats, 4 dogs, 4 parakeets and a few ‘flushable’ fish. Only a few times had any of these varied species overlapped in our domicile.

The most recent members of our household are two Springer Spaniel brothers that we adopted from the Marion County Animal Shelter in 2008. They were only 3 months old and had been abused. With a ‘little’ arm twisting—from my wife, grand-daughter, Annika, and niece, Tabatha—we became pet owners of two wonderful jumping, wrestling, biting puppies.

We gave them royal names: Baron von Waggerschmidt (AKA: Waggs, or Wagger Baggins) and Fu Dogchu (AKA: Chewey or Chew-boy). They were welcomed into our home by a seven-year old calico, Pickles. Needless to say she was not in the least bit impressed. But they eventually got along: she taught them how to groom and they taught her how to get off our laps. Unfortunately, our Pickles entered eternity just a few years later.

What our cat could not do for them, we did. Like the daily rations of food and water, walks in the yard or park, baths and clippings, and constant attention. It also included providing the medicines and preventative measures for warding off fleas and ticks.

For the past 16 years we never once really thought there would be any interruption in our care for our boys. Until 5 years ago our Waggs came down with a mysterious illness that even the doctor could not determine its cause. He was simple deteriorating from pain pill to pain pill. We made the decision 3 years ago to relieve him of his misery, allowing the vet to mercifully let him sleep the eternal sleep. He was a great dog and will be missed and remembered.

Today, our Chewey has been experiencing the difficulties of old age, 16 years is very old for a Springer Spaniel. So he too will be placed in the compassionate hands of the Creator. He will be greatly missed and remembered always.

  On Waggs’ death bed I whispered to him that God takes care of all of His creatures. I know he probably didn’t know what I was saying. For Chewey, I will whisper the same, except he won’t hear me since he lost his hearing a few years ago. Yet I am confident that since the creatures of God’s were pronounced as “very good” (Genesis 1:31) then they must be very good even after death.

Where do they go after death? I do not know, the Scripture really doesn’t say. Will our pets be in heaven? Again, I do not know, the Scriptures are silent. Will there be animals in heaven? The apostle John provides a hint in Revelation 19:11:

“And I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse, and He who sat on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and wages war.” (Revelation 19:11)

Notice: A white horse comes out of heaven carrying the Lord Jesus Christ! This is not meant to be symbolism, as is common in the Book of Revelation.

But that is not all, armies will follow him on white horses:

 “And the armies which are in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, were following Him on white horses.” (Revelation 19:14)

Does this mean our pets will be in heaven? Not necessarily, we will just have to wait and see.

But all of this speculating about our pets calls to mind God’s original intention of mankind’s relationship with His creatures. For Scripture does speak of this:

Then the Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone; I will make him a helper suitable for him.” Out of the ground the Lord God formed every beast of the field and every bird of the sky, and brought them to the man to see what he would call them; and whatever the man called a living creature, that was its name. The man gave names to all the cattle, and to the birds of the sky, and to every beast of the field, but for Adam there was not found a helper suitable for him. (Genesis 2:18–20)

Adam was given the tremendous task of naming all of the living creatures which God had made. But more than that, Adam was given dominion (rule) over all the living creatures:

Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; and let them rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over the cattle and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” (Genesis 1:26)

John MacArthur points out:

This defined man’s unique relation to creation. Man was God’s representative in ruling over the creation. The command to rule separated him from the rest of living creation and defined his relationship as above the rest of creation (cf. Psalm 8:6–8).1

Therefore, since man was created in the image of his Creator and man has been given administration over God’s creation, than it stands to reason that we should emulate the same manner of care for His creatures as He would.

So when it comes to our pets our responsibility is to provide all that is necessary for their livelihood—a caring environment; food and shelter; medication (when needed); compassion (i.e. mourning their loss). When we neglect our responsibility we fail to demonstrate the love the Creator has for His creatures.

 

 * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * ** * * * * *

Sincere thanks to Randy Kantzer, Susie Tesmer and the staff of Kantzer Veterinary Clinic of Marion, Ohio for their professional and expert care!

 

---

[1] MacArthur, J. F., Jr. (2006). The MacArthur Study Bible: New American Standard Bible. Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers, Genesis 1:26–28.

 

© 2024 David M. Rossi

OUR JOY MADE COMPLETE - 1 JOHN 1:4

Verse 4: These things we write, so that our joy may be made complete.

What John means by ‘these things’ is the entirety of this epistle, not just what he has written in the previous 3 verses concerning Christology—the doctrine of Jesus Christ. This epistle contains many doctrinal teachings that are designed to instruct believers on how to live this life of faith: fellowship (1:7); the love of God (2:5); abiding in Christ (2:24); antichrist (2:18,22; 4:3); brotherly love (3:11-12; 4:7); the world (2:15; 5:4); prayer (3:21-22); and sin, discussed in every chapter. These Biblical truths are what John means by ‘these things.’

Joy Complete

Now John presents a second purpose for writing his epistle: that our joy may be made complete. The phrase ‘made complete’ denotes to make perfect or to accomplish an objective.1 The Greek stresses not only the completed state of joy but that it continues to remain full2 and not sporadically exhibited throughout the believers’ life.

What is this joy that John is referring to? The Apostle Paul states that joy is a fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22), meaning that it originates from the Holy Spirit, Who enables us to demonstrate the joy of our relationship with God. It is displayed by the “inner happiness, enthusiasm, and animated thinking”3 of the believer filled with the knowledge of God’s Word and thus empowered by the Holy Spirit (Romans 15:13). For the believer, true spiritual joy is not meant to be a psychologically induced or a contrived ecstatic emotion. Dr. L.S. Chafer notes:

Exhibiting the same general characteristics as love, likewise divine joy can neither be increased nor decreased by the command of the human will, and equally certain is the evidence that such joy cannot be imitated.4

John seems to be contradicting the Apostle Paul who maintained that “in Him you have been made complete” (Colossians 2:10, emphasis added). The distinction is that Paul is specifying the believer’s eternal position in Christ at the moment of believing in Him for salvation. By clarification, John is referring to joy as a quality of the Christian after salvation that can be made complete; emphasizing that joy is an essential aspect of our fellowship with God.

There is an expression about successful athletes, entertainers or professionals that they have the “complete package.” This means that they are the best in their field and have acquired and applied all the skills necessary to be an expert in their field of endeavors. There is a sense in which a believer is considered incomplete if they lack joy. What can be said for certain is that believers who are lacking joy indicate that they are incomplete, that they do not have the “complete package,” and do not take seriously their fellowship with the Father and with His Son.

Genuine Demonstration of Joy

The objective of the Christians’ joy is the genuine response of gratitude for God’s provisions—eternal and earthly. John notes in particular “that our joy may be made complete” suggesting that this is a possibility and not an assured thing. However, our joy can be made complete, but only if we progress and grow by studying His word and applying His principles in our daily lives. The Apostle Paul stated this in Romans 15:13: “may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing.” Paul was not inferring to believing for salvation, but believing the doctrines of His word. The infusion of God’s truths in the believers’ conscience is the enabling power for the expression of joy to become evidenced in the mature believer.

Genuine joy is generated by the realization in one’s soul that the event observed or a situation undergone conforms to a doctrinal truth. Sometimes the reaction may be apparent with tears, laughter or cheering upon seeing God working in one’s own life or in the lives of others. But more often joy is observed by a person’s steady mood—even when all about them seems chaotic, that “deep down there is joy”5 that the believer is sharing with God.

The Apostle Paul declares when the believer is to express joy with a double command: “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice!” (Philippians 4:4; cf. 1 Thessalonians 5:16). The Greek word for ‘rejoice’ is the root word for joy and means to be joyful. Just to be clear, Paul commands that we are to be joyful always—this means that the mood and expression of our lives is to be the exact opposite of gloominess, despair or miserable. We who are believers in Jesus Christ should be responding with joy to the fact that we possess the very eternal life of God, Who has bestowed us with every spiritual blessing (Ephesians 1:3).

But take into account the extreme case which James presents: “Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials” (James 1:2). Human nature is inclined to deplore challenging situations, sometimes expressing doom and gloom. Now this doesn’t mean that in the midst of a tragedy (illness, death, etc.) that we are to jump up and click our heels and yell “Hallelujah!” But God anticipates that our spiritual growth will enable us to endure any and all obstacles. By concentrating on God’s wisdom we can understand and overcome the testing that comes in our lives. What James tells us is something we should already know: “Knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance.” (James 1:3)

In Conclusion

 James is stating that by a genuine demonstration of joy—just as John aspires for the believer—we are able to endure the trials and testing of life and thus we “may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing” (James 1:4). This perfect and permanent joy that John aspires for us is a repeating of Our Lord’s desire for us:

“These things I have spoken to you so that My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be made full.” (John 15:11)

 We can rest assured of the Lord Jesus’ promise that this joy of ours, made complete, that “no one will take your joy away from you” (John 16:22).

---

[1] Zodhiates, S. (2000). The Complete Word Study Dictionary: New Testament. Chattanooga, TN: AMG Publishers, G4137.

[2] Robertson, A. T. (1933). Word Pictures in the New Testament. Nashville, TN: Broadman Press, 6.206.

[3] Thieme, R.B., Jr. (2022). Thieme’s Bible Doctrine Dictionary, Houston, TX: R.B. Thieme, Jr., Bible Ministries, p. 152.

[4] Chafer, Lewis Sperry (1976). Systematic Theology, Dallas, TX: Dallas Seminary Press, 6.205.

[5] Barnhouse, Donald Grey (1994). “God’s Glory”, In Romans, Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 4.3.15.

 © 2024 David M. Rossi

FELLOWSHIP WITH GOD - 1 JOHN 1:3

Verse 3: What we have seen and heard we proclaim to you also, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father, and with His Son Jesus Christ.

John begins by his repetition of what we have seen and heard from the first two verses. These two evidences are repeated to emphasize not only what John saw and heard in his past association with Jesus Christ, but that the images and words from the Savior continue to resonate in him and are applicable for him and for all who have expressed faith in Jesus Christ. The Greek tense of seen and heard, illustrates that John continued to contemplate the present results of these past acts.1

John’s proclamation about the Divine nature of Jesus Christ is designed to enlighten all believers so that they have a solid foundation for their life of faith. And by doing this, believers may be able to enjoy a unique relationship with the Father and Jesus Christ.

Fellowship

There are two aspects of the believers’ relationship with God. The first is eternal life, acquired freely by faith alone in Jesus Christ (Ephesians 2:8-9). This relationship is eternal and can never be broken, we are sealed by the Holy Spirit “for the day of redemption” (Ephesians 4:30) and nothing “will be able to separate us from the love of God” (Romans 8:38-39).

The second aspect is fellowship with God, the Father and His Son—one of the main themes of this epistle. John is not contemplating fellowship with other believers at this point in his epistle.

It is important to understand that eternal life is the prerequisite for fellowship with God. It is impossible for a person to have fellowship with the God of the universe without having believed in Jesus Christ for salvation (Hebrews 11:6). The notion that a person only needs to believe that there is a ‘higher power’ and that doing ‘good deeds’ to outweigh their ‘bad deeds’ will obtain the approval of God is the heresy of modern day religions. Christianity is not a religion—it is a relationship with God, who has provided the means for salvation and eternal life through the finished work of Jesus Christ. He paid for all the sins of mankind when He “bore our sins in His body on the cross, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness” (1 Peter 2:24; cf. 1 John 2:2).

This word fellowship means “an association involving close mutual relations and involvement.”2 Our fellowship with God is much greater than sitting around and singing hymns or walking about pseudo-piously with eyes looking up to heaven. It is intended to be a solemn and intimate relationship that involves our participation and partaking of commonly shared interests and as imitators of God’s characteristics—specifically His righteousness (Ephesians 5:1). However fellowship with God is transitory, since it can be disrupted by our unrighteousness—personal sin. John will address this later in the chapter.

The teaching of fellowship with God is not exclusively a doctrine of John’s. The Apostle Paul defines this doctrine extensively in 1 Corinthians 1:4-9. Primarily, that God called us intentionally to have fellowship with Jesus Christ: “through whom you were called into fellowship with His Son” (1 Corinthians 1:9). It is instructive to note Paul’s analysis in this passage of God’s anticipated design for our fellowship:

·        Verse 4: The entrance is based on His grace, His undeserved favor given to us in Christ Jesus, referring to our salvation by grace (Ephesians 2:8);

·        Verse 5: He enriched (richly supplied) us in all speech and all knowledge, concerning doctrinal truth (2 Timothy 3:16-17), enabling us to share intelligently His truth (the gospel, His doctrines) with others;

·        Verse 7: We are not lacking in any spiritual gift (1 Corinthians 12:4-11), empowering us for His work (cf. 2 Corinthians 13:14);

·        Verse 8: He confirms (guarantees) that we are to be present at Christ’s return (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18).

 Why does God accomplish all of this for us? Because Paul says in verse 9: He is faithful. He further notes that He is always faithful in spite of our faithlessness.

If we are faithless, He remains faithful, for He cannot deny Himself. (2 Timothy 2:13; cf. Lamentations 3:22-23)

Fellowship is Sharing

As previously mentioned, the Greek word for fellowship denotes to partake in commonly shared interests; our fellowship with Christ is also represented by our sharing in His body and blood at the communion table (1 Corinthians 10:16-17). Paul made this clear when he wrote:

Is not the cup of blessing which we bless a sharing in the blood of Christ? Is not the bread which we break a sharing in the body of Christ? (1 Corinthians 10:16)

We have fellowship with our Savior when we obey His command to commemorate His suffering and death that He endured in our place (Luke 22:19; cf. 1 Corinthians 11:24-25). Professor Hauck noted that “those who partake of the Lord’s Supper are Christ’s companions...expressive of an inner union.”3 For Paul contends that the opposite of this is “to become sharers in demons” (1 Corinthians 10:20). Adding that:

You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons; you cannot partake of the table of the Lord and the table of demons. (1 Corinthians 10:21)

Elsewhere, Paul advises that a believers’ binding relationships with unbelievers presents a blatant conflict with the characteristics of their ideal fellowship with God. We are to comply with his command:    

Do not be bound together with unbelievers; for what partnership have righteousness and lawlessness, or what fellowship has light with darkness? (2 Corinthians 6:14)

Notice Paul’s distinction of light and darkness that resonates with John’s passage we are presently examining.

Looking Ahead

What will be discussed later in this chapter is that the objective of the mature believer’s fellowship with God is to “walk in the Light” (1 John 1:7). The Apostle Paul explains what this means when he conversely commands that we “Do not participate in the unfruitful deeds of darkness, but instead even expose them” (Ephesians 5:11).  Dr. C.I. Scofield sums this up:

To walk in the light is to live in fellowship with the Father and the Son. Sin interrupts, but confession restores that fellowship. Immediate confession keeps the fellowship unbroken.4

---

[1] That is the force of the Greek perfect tense. Dana, H.E. & Mantey, Julius R. (1957). A Manual Grammar of the Greek New Testament, Toronto, Ontario: Macmillan Co., p.203.

[2] Louw, J. P., & Nida, E. A. (1996). Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament: Based on Semantic Domains. New York: United Bible Societies, 1.445.

[3] Hauck, F. (1964–). κοινωνία. In Theological Dictionary of the New Testament (G. Kittel, G. W. Bromiley, & G. Friedrich, Eds.). Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 3.805.

[4] Scofield, C. I., ed. (1917). The Scofield Reference Bible: The Holy Bible Containing the Old and New Testaments. New York; London; Toronto; Melbourne; Bombay: Oxford University Press, p. 1321 note.

 

© 2024 David M. Rossi

 

THE REVEALED WORD OF LIFE - 1 JOHN 1:2

Verse 2: And the life was manifested, and we have seen and testify and proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and was manifested to us—

 

The Word of Life, as stated in verse 1, is now defined further by John. The life refers to Jesus, Who has been “described as eternal life even before his incarnation,”1 and was revealed to the world by His physical appearance. In his gospel, John declared that He came so that those who would believe in Him “may have life, and have it abundantly” (John 10:10). This life He offers is an eternal existence with the Godhead.

This particular Greek word for life is used 135 times in the New Testament. Nearly half of these instances are in John’s writings (66 times)2, where he emphasizes the reality of Jesus Christ and the importance for everyone to secure eternal life—“that believing you may have life in His name” (John 20:31).

The ‘life’ principle as we now know it on earth is not of the same essence as eternal life, it is an intermediary or transitory life. The existence that most people consider as normal life is in fact a human construct, most often understood apart from their Creator, the God of the universe. Little do they consider that it began for every member of the human race when the Creator breathed life into each individual at birth (Genesis 2:7; cf. Acts 17:25), and it ends at death. But death is not meant to be a meaningless end in a cold grave. For some who have failed to believe in Jesus Christ, there is judgment (Hebrews 9:27; cf. 2 Corinthians 5:10), an eternity separated from God and tormented forever (Luke 13:28; cf. Luke 16:28). But for those who believe in Jesus Christ as Savior, Our Lord declared:

“Truly, truly, I say to you, he who hears My word, and believes Him who sent Me, has eternal life, and does not come into judgment, but has passed out of death into life.” (John 5:24; cf. John 10:28)

Note carefully: once a person believes, he continuously has eternal life. And this is the abundant life promised by Our Lord. W.E. Vine indicated that the Greek word for ‘abundant’ primarily means “what is above and over, superadded, hence came to denote ‘what is superior and advantageous.’”3 Now ask yourself, what could be more advantageous: eternal life with God or eternal judgement?

More Evidence

Next, John reiterates the evidence of verse 1, “what we have seen,” and now adds two more evidences. First, we “testify.” John is reaffirming the validity of his witness and confirming that he was present during the earthly ministry of Jesus Christ, just as he did at the end of his gospel account.

This is the disciple who is testifying to these things and wrote these things, and we know that his testimony is true. (John 21:24)

For those who were alive at the time that John lived and witnessed the events surrounding Our Lord, they would have had no problem accepting the authenticity of his testimony. Otherwise, John’s divinely inspired writings would not have been preserved to this day.

Second, we “proclaim.” John declares that he continuously provides, verbally, the truth concerning the eternal life—personified as Jesus Christ, the Word of Life. This calls to mind the incident recorded in Acts 4, where Peter and John were commanded by the Jewish Council “not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus” (Acts 4:18). The reply that Peter and John gave at that time is what John is reaffirming here: “For we cannot stop speaking about what we have seen and heard” (Acts 4:20). Even though we were not actually present during Our Lord’s earthly ministry, do we have the same aspiration to unfailingly proclaim the gospel of salvation with our whole being to others about us?

The Eternal One

John persistently4 testifies and proclaims that Jesus Christ, the personification of eternal life, “was with the Father.” The Greek word ‘was’ is of great significance, for this verb implies a continuous ongoing status in the past.5 This expresses the theological truth that Jesus Christ existed in eternity with the Father prior to His incarnation. Otherwise known as the Doctrine of the Trinity, a term that articulates the triune Godhead: the Father, the Son (Jesus Christ) and the Holy Spirit—one God in three persons. Thus it is aptly explained that “in all three persons of the Godhead resides the same essential divine nature, the same majesty, the same eternal glory.”6

Not only does John assert clearly that Jesus Christ exists in eternity with God the Father but that He “was manifested to us.” The Holy Spirit saw fit to inspire John to use this verb ‘manifested’ twice in this verse. In both instances the tense of the Greek “states the fact of the action.”7 And W.E. Vine explains exactly what this implies, “that to be manifested is to be revealed in one’s true character.”8 When we consider all the evidences John has provided, it is incomprehensible to deny the true nature of Jesus Christ. The Apostle Paul attested to this when he wrote: For in Him all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form. (Colossians 2:9)

Also the writer of Hebrews affirms this:

And He is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature, and upholds all things by the word of His power. When He had made purification of sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high. (Hebrews 1:3)

 Primarily, Scripture states that Jesus Christ is absolute deity with the Father, and the empirical evidences—having been seen, heard and touched—conclusively attests to His true humanity.

---

[1] Beetham, Christopher A. (Ed.) (2021). The Concise New International Dictionary of New Testament Theology and Exegesis, Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Academic, p. 351.

[2] His gospel (36), 1 John (13) and Revelation (17).

[3] Vine, W. E., Unger, M. F., & White, W., Jr. (1996). In Vine’s Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words. Nashville, TN: T. Nelson, 2.15.

[4] This is the force of the Greek present tense. Dana, H.E. & Mantey, Julius R. (1957). A Manual Grammar of the Greek New Testament, Toronto, Ontario: Macmillan Co., p. 182.

[5] Wallace, D. B. (1996) Greek Grammar Beyond the Basics: An Exegetical Syntax of the Greek New Testament, Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, p. 548.

[6] Thieme, R.B., Jr. (2022). Thieme’s Bible Doctrine Dictionary, Houston, TX: R.B. Thieme, Jr., Bible Ministries, p. 273.

[7] Dana, H.E. & Mantey, Julius R. (1957). A Manual Grammar of the Greek New Testament, Toronto, Ontario: Macmillan Co., p.193.

[8] Vine, 2.32.

 

 

© 2024 David M. Rossi