Paul Pinel

Q. 2 - What does 1:8 tell us about the Father? The Father is the speaker here in 1:8 and 21:6, but Jesus is the speaker in 1:17 & 22:12-13. What is the significance of this for our understanding of who Jesus is? a) 1:8, tells us that the Father is an eternal Being. That HE had no beginning - [always was] - That HE is. This is to say that HE is now as HE was in the eternal past and will continue to be in the eternal future. When HE says, "I am the Alpha and the Omega", the beginning and the end, in that HE had no beginning and has no end, HE is saying that HE is the beginning, the creator, the sustainer of HIS creation. By saying that HE is the end, HE is stating to us that he will bring HIS creation to the state, condition, way in which HE originaly intended it to be. In 21:6 he says, " . . . it is finished . . . I will give the springs of the water of life without charge". What is the end? What is finished? HIS creation. HE has brought it to the point where HE wanted it to be. pure, in hte image of Jesus, having HIS grace and glory which HE gives freely to all that are there with HIM. What is the significance of both Jesus and the Fahter saying they are the ALpha and Omega. We should know that Jesus and the Father are one and the same. Jesus is a man, flesh, but HE is the Father incarnate. They are both one and the same. This we know can only be discerned spiritually by the Holy Spirit. Jesus is the Word, who in the beginning - [creation] - HE already existed, HE was with God, and was God. HE created all things that are. HE was and is life. This life gives light - [truth] - to all mankind, and this light cuts through the darkness - [lies] - and can never be extinguished. The Revelation of Jesus is the revelation of God the Father, who are one and the same. Who is who HE is. May GOD the Father reveal HIS truth to all and reveal the lies and twists of those who oppose Christ Jesus, in the name of Jesus we pray Amen.

To witness an act or an incident, is to have experienced or seen the occurance. To testify is to recount what one has experienced, seen or heard first hand. A simple example is a witness in a court of law. That person testifies to what he/she has seen, experienced, etc. In Revelations, Jesus giving encouragement to the church and strengthening her for the current and future persecutions she will face by telling the church of the future glory she will have with God the Father in the kingdom of heaven. Jesus encourages us, in that, being the first born, the first to rise from the dead, we have more than ample proof that we all have eternal life because we also will be resurrected. HE is the Faithful Witness in that HE experienced, among them life as a human being, in flesh and blood, persecution, death and above all, resurrection, and HE resides with the Father in HIS kingdom. I think that because this culture we now live in does not really suffer any religious persecution, [encarceration, beatings, death, etc.] by the official government or other citizens, we tend to become lax in seeing the true fallen state of the grand majority and as a result of not "seeing" the sad condition, we are afraid to witness Jesus because we may be classified as "out of mind" and there is no real reason to witness because this culture is basically made up of "good" people. It will be these "good" people who will quickly turn against the true believers in Jesus in the end.