The Diamond Rule

by Ernest L. Martin, Ph.D., 1999

Read the accompanying Newsletter for April 1999

We have all heard of the "Golden Rule." It is one of most noble yet simple philosophical concepts that could be invented. It shows a proper attitude towards others within the societies in which we live. First, the phrase "Golden Rule" does not mean "those who own the gold do the ruling" (though there are some who believe that is the resultant explanation). The truth is very different. As all of us are aware that the "Golden Rule" actually refers to the statement of Christ that each of us should do unto others as we would have them do unto us. The rule was a common concept and known among the Jews even before Christ gave it as a standard of conduct. What Christ did was to simply reiterate the relevance of the philosophy so that we can all participate in a tranquil and productive "live and let live" society that all of us desire to be a part of.

A PROGRESSIVE STEP IN CHRISTIAN CONDUCT. Further study into the biblical revelation can bring us to understand an even greater development of this philosophical principle that is actually an advance in securing a proper Christian conduct for us all. Since it is of greater worth (and I will explain why in a moment), we could name this new progressive step the "Platinum Rule" (that is, for one thing, the metal called platinum is presently selling at a higher price on the market than gold). Another reason I choose platinum for the illustration is the fact that the atomic number and weight of the two metals are very close to one another: gold has the atomic number 79 and atomic weight of 197, while platinum has the atomic number 78 and atomic weight of 195. Though the two metals are different, they are close in the above characteristics. But, the principal reason we can call the "Platinum Rule" slightly in advance of the "Golden Rule" is because of its present worth in the markets. In matters of philosophy, however, we will give it a slight advantage to gold because when one adopts the "Platinum Rule" a person is also including the "Golden Rule" within its mandated parameters. Let us see how this is accomplished.

Just what is the "Platinum Rule"? It is this: "Do unto God as you would have God do unto you." In other words, within the deepest part of your heartfelt desires, how would you really like God the Father to treat you personally on a daily basis and throughout the entirety of your life on earth and also within the remainder of all future time (and we can include Christ Jesus in the same category with the Father because Christ is now at the right hand of the Father in heaven and we are told that Christ is very concerned about our welfare here on earth -- see Romans 8:26-39)? Well, just how do you really want God to treat you? Do you want God to be sending you continual blessings no matter if your conduct is good or bad, or do you expect Him to be sending you cursings when you do either good or bad? Or, let us get down to the nitty-gritty. Suppose you want God to be sending you blessings all the time. If that is the case (and if God does that very thing), would you not treat God in the heavens with deep respect and appreciation for all those blessings He continually sends to you? This is easy to answer. You would ordinarily return nothing but praise and glory and thanksgiving to God for bestowing such rewards of blessings upon you. And since one of the chief creations of God is the human race (of which we are all a part), would you not respond by bestowing similar blessings and praises to the human race (God's chief creation) if you treated God as you would have Him treat you? Now, this is all fine IF God is always blessing you and sending you nothing but good things. But what if God sends you evil (whether you deserve it or not)? Would you retort with similar evil toward God for harming you, and would you want to wreak vengeance upon God's chief creation (human beings) if they harmed you in any way? This is something to think about, isn't it? However, the "Platinum Rule" is: "Do unto God as you would have Him do unto you." The simple Christian answer to this "Rule" is to always give blessings and praise to God (and combining with the "Golden Rule," this includes giving blessings and praise to God's chief creation -- all humanity -- either individually or collectively). How many of us who are Christians actively practice the "Platinum Rule"?

THE PINNACLE OF PROGRESSION IN CHRISTIAN CONDUCT. There is an ultimate "Rule" that is in advance of the previous two "Rules" in a philosophical sense and is more valuable in showing character because of its intrinsic meaning itself, as well as including within its environment the "Golden" and the "Platinum" rules. We can call it the "Diamond Rule." The diamond is crystallized carbon which, though it has the low atomic number 6 and an atomic weight of 12, it is still the hardest of all minerals and it can be a highly prized gem stone. Humans often place great value on diamonds and compared with ordinary gold or platinum, the diamond can be the ultimate of esteemed value (even God places a high worth on the diamond -- Exodus 28:18). With this application of worth being the standard, the "Diamond Rule" becomes much more progressive in Christian conduct (and even value) than the other two "Rules." And remember, as stated above, the "Diamond Rule" besides its own characteristics also includes the other "Rules."

What is the "Diamond Rule"? It is: "Do unto God as you would have Him do unto you, IF our positions were exchanged: that is, IF You were God and He were You." In essence it is this. What if you and God could make a deal. For one day of twenty-four hours, what if you could take the place of God the Father in all His divine glories and powers in the heavenlies and on earth, and He would take Your place on earth as a human being with all your human problems and earthly desires (and after the twenty-four hour period all would return to normal without any censures being made either by God or you on each other). If such a thing could be arranged, how would YOU treat God for that twenty-four hour period now that He was a Human Being (indeed, NOW that HE WAS YOU) and YOU were NOW the God of the whole universe with all the power and glory of that position in YOUR hands?

Think carefully on this "deal" and don't trivialize it by saying it is nothing but a fairy tale illustration without the slightest meaning or worth. It embraces a cardinal doctrine of the Bible. It has a great deal of worth! Indeed, that very "deal" is a central key to understand the Gospel of Christ Jesus that He and God the Father have given to all humanity. Just think of all the prayers you have petitioned God to come to your aid (and the aid of your loved ones) when it seems they were not answered. What about all your disappointments in life, and the downright disasters that have occurred to you and to your loved ones that God the Father could have easily made into great physical and spiritual blessings but that seemingly turned into the pits of hell to you and to your loved ones. What if God would give you a twenty-four hour period in which your position was switched with His in heaven, and YOU became God and He became YOU? Would you give God (now in YOUR shoes) a taste of His own medicine in the manner He has treated YOU? After all, many people have a great number of complaints about how God has treated them in this life, and God seems to get off "scot free" while sitting smugly, serenely and with all tranquility and blessings in His heavenly abode while we suffer (sometime terribly) here on earth. Apply the "Diamond Rule." How would YOU treat the Father in that one twenty-four hour period? Would you indeed give Him a taste of His own medicine?

The fact is, dear brethren, that "deal" has already been accomplished by God the Father with the human race (including YOU and ME) when He sent His firstborn Son into this world to live as a human being (with all the problems other human beings suffer). However, God became a human NOT for a twenty-four hour period, but for just over thirty years. And what did humanity (representing YOU and ME) do to the One who created this world and universe? We tried Him (figuratively, each one of us) in a court of religious law by God's own Supreme Court called the Sanhedrin. Our religious leaders condemned Him to death. And then what did we humans do? We then had God's own religious leaders have Him handed over to the Gentiles and had Him tried in a secular court of Law (and though our human representative Pontius Pilate could find no crimes in Him while on earth) that secular court still allowed the Creator (Jesus Christ) to be killed in the most awful manner that could be devised by mankind. Yes, dear brothers and sisters, that is the very time when humanity "got back at God" by giving Him a taste of His own medicine that He seems to want to give to us. We demonstrated our "hatred of God and His actions against us" by treating the very Creator of heaven and earth with utter contempt and mockery by putting a crown of thorns on His head and then HUMANITY subjected Him to the agony of the tree of crucifixion. So, God the Father had already made a "Diamond Rule" deal with us, and that is how humanity 2000 years ago treated God.

THE GOODNESS OF IT ALL. The true theological truth is the fact that God got mad at humanity for all the things they did wrong to Him and other humans that He created to be blessed. What God did was to send His Firstborn Son (who under Him created the universe) into the world as a human to wreak God's own vengeance on Him in His humanity, and then God the Father allowed all humans to wreak their vengeance on God by allowing His Firstborn Son (whom the Father loved with all His heart) to undergo the vengeance and punishments that mankind has (or had) in store to render upon the head of God. All have now been satisfied in the life and death of Christ Jesus. The Father got His vengeance against our sins, and we got our vengeance on the way God has treated us by not coming to our aid with continual blessings when we asked Him. The "Diamond Rule" is anchored in the reason for the life and death of Christ Jesus. And since all of us should be satisfied (both on God's part and humanities' part), we can now all forgive one another. The Father can NOW sit each of us on the same throne on which Christ Jesus now sits in the heavenlies and we can NOW be one happy and joyful Family in which only love for one another now prevails. Indeed, it is not only love that prevails, it is the fact that we are now all members of the Godhead and soon we will rule and enjoy the fulness of this universe.

GOD DESIGNED OUR SALVATIONS BEFORE THE FOUNDATION OF THE WORLD. This divine drama of reconciliation between God the Father and humanity (through the actions of His Firstborn Son) was known to God before the foundation of this world system (II Timothy 1:9). It is a grand strategy that God devised to show how much God loves us, and how we can learn to love Him in a supreme and practical sense. There was (before the foundation of the world systems or the universe) a divine lottery held in heaven that determined several things in the blueprint of God the Father in the making of Christ to be the Head (under God) of the Body of people who would become God’s divine children. The use of the lottery was the fairest way that God could design that would allow certain types of people to emerge on earth to become His divine Family of human beings who were (and are) destined to become His own Children of God just like Christ Jesus is a Son of God. There was a normal and unfixed lottery that was used by God to determine who would be who, what would be what, and when would be when. For a full understanding of this most important doctrine of the Holy Scriptures, you should read my new book "The Essentials of New Testament Doctrine." It will show you clearly how this salvation occurs. The first lottery entailed who would be males and who would be females. That is why God said in II Corinthians 6:17,18: "I will receive you and I will be a Father unto you, and you shall be MY SONS and DAUGHTERS." All of us were "marked out" by the lottery -- "marked out beforehand according to a purpose of Him [God]" (Ephesians 1:11). And the "Diamond Rule" shows a reconciliation to all of us (God will be reconciled to all mankind). All problems will soon be ironed out to perfection. Everyone in the universe will soon begin to love and respect one another because God loves all humanity supremely like He has loved (and presently loves) Christ His Firstborn Son.

Ernest L. Martin