As part of Biblefresh - celebrating the year of the Bible - Wycliffe Bible Translators have been running a series of evening classes. The classes have provided Bible training from Bible translators. In the sixth installment, Pam Bendor-Samuel considered some of the dualities the Bible presents to us about God, and suggests ways we can meditate on God through these.

1. Divine Dualities: Holding the Balance Pam Bendor-Samuel 15th June 2011

2. Dualities? ‘Antimonies’ (Calvin) ‘Double truths’ ‘Opposites’ ‘Paradoxes’ ‘One the one hand…. On the other hand….’

3. 1 - ‘God in a body’ Divinity and humanity of Jesus

4. 2 - Predestination A centuries-old debate Predestination / Freewill Divine over-ruling / human responsibility

5. 3 – Where is God? Omnipresence? 1 John 4:13: ‘In my heart’

6. 4 – What can God do? God is omnipotent God cannot lie / deny himself (2 Timothy 2:13)

7. 5 – When is God? Eternal and outside time God can intervene with split-second timing

8. 6 - Change God is unchanging God brings change

9. 7 – A Profligate God He flings out the stars, the grass… But he does not waste anything John 6:12: ‘Pick up the pieces that remain’

10. 8 – Strength in Weakness 2 Corinthians 12:10: ‘When I am weak, then am I strong’ 2 Corinthians 3:5: ‘We are no sufficient of ourselves; our sufficiency is of God’ c.f. 2 Corinthians 4:7: ‘treasure in earthen vessels’

11. 9 – Activity and Stillness Note the paradox in Hebrews 4:11: ‘Labour … to enter that rest’

12. 10 – Unity in Diversity As in 1 Corinthians 12:1-11: ‘Many gifts, one Spirit’

13. 11 – Christ / You Christ in you, you in Christ Galatians 2:20: ‘I live yet not I, but Christ lives in me’

14. 12 – The Incarnation Christ’s divinity and humanity ‘Jesus wept’ Luke 19:41, as he approached Jerusalem John 11:35, before the raising of Lazarus c.f. Philippians 2:6-11

15. 13 – Infinite and Infinitesimal The God of Creation, both in micro and macro.

16. 14 – Wrath and Love God of holiness, justice and wrath God of mercy, compassion and love Isaiah 45:21: ‘A just God and a Saviour’ Psalm 85:10: ‘Mercy and truth are met together; righteousness and peace have kissed each other’

17. 15 – Beginning and End Hebrews 12:2 : ‘Jesus, the author and finisher / completer of our faith’

18. 16 – Law and Spirit 2 Corinthians 3:6: ‘The letter kills – but the Spirit gives life’

19. 17 – How old are we? 2 Corinthians 4:16: Outwardly we may be ‘wasting away’, but inwardly ‘being renewed’

20. 18 – Fear and Faith Mark 4:35-41, when Jesus calms the storm c.f. walking by faith, not by sight (2 Corinthians 5:7)

21. 19 - Missiology Need to think / be informed and pray: Globally Locally

22. 20 – Suffering and Comfort 2 Corinthians 1:5 – abounding suffering, but abounding comfort ‘For just as we share abundantly in the sufferings of Christ, so also our comfort abounds through Christ.’ (NIV)

23. 21 – Depth and Height 1 Thessalonians 4:13ff Christ descended into Hell, and then ascended into Heaven, so that we might ascend into Heaven instead of descending into Hell.

24. 22 – Impossible? Things which are impossible for us become possible. Conditions: Colossians 1:11 – being empowered follows knowing and doing God’s will (vv9-10) Matthew 9:23 – if you have faith Mark 9 – belief (v23), prayer (v29)

25. 23 – Impossible…for God? Hebrews 6:18 – He cannot lie (c.f. Balaam in Numbers 23:19 and Samuel in 1 Samuel 15:29) 2 Timothy 2:13 – He cannot deny himself Acts 2:24 – death cannot hold him Romans 8:39 – nothing can separate us from his love

26. 23 cont. – Possible for God ‘Things which are impossible with men are possible with God’ Luke 18:27 Matthew 19:26 Mark 10:27 ‘For nothing is impossible with God’ Luke 1:37 Genesis 18:14

27. 23 cont. – The Mystery Matthew 26:39; Mark 14:35-36: ‘Father, all things are possible … nevertheless’

28. 24 – Serve in Love Galatians 5:13: ‘Serve one another in love’ ‘On the one hand, serve. On the other hand, love. Our service is prompted by love.’ Gordon Temple, of Torch Trust, speaking at the WA Conference 2011

29. 25 – More… There are many more we could mention. What other dualities can you think of?

30. Worldwide there are over 300 million people who do not have access to the story of God's love for his people - the story of the Bible - in the language that they understand the best, their 'heart' language.