Rebuking Heresy

This morning on TOL, I had admonished an individual teaching a doctrine that was unScriptural. Another person, broke out laughing and rebuked such arguing as being un-Christ-like. The following is my response to him.

[Link to Entire Thread]

In today's culture, too many people think that it is wrong to argue over God's Word. They might feel that this disagreement and 'harshness' is un-Christ-like and should not be done.

God's Word says differently.

2 Timothy 4:1-3
(1) I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom;
(2) Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.
(3) For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;

The mindset of many Laodicean christians is that we need 'unity' among believers. They quote verses like John 17:11, 21, and 22 where Jesus prays to the Father that the body of believers would be one as Christ and the Father are one. The problem with these unanchored brethren is that they base this importance for unity above the rest of God's Word. The Neo-Evangelical is willing to church-up with the Roman Catholic and Presbyterian because they want to show the warm and gushy feelings of love towards these individuals.

This practice not only is far from what Scripture teaches, but cuts totally against the grain of the truth found in God's Word.

The Bible teaches for the true Christian to seperate themselves from the World (2 Corinthians 6:14-18), the lusts and desires of the flesh (Romans 8:1-13), and the Devil (James 4:7). The Bible also teaches that the Christian needs to confront, rebuke, and even separate ourselves from ungodly heresies.

2 Timothy 4:2
(2) Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.

Titus 1:13-16
(13) This witness is true. Wherefore rebuke them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith;
(14) Not giving heed to Jewish fables, and commandments of men, that turn from the truth.
(15) Unto the pure all things are pure: but unto them that are defiled and unbelieving is nothing pure; but even their mind and conscience is defiled.
(16) They profess that they know God; but in works they deny him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate.

2 Timothy 3:1-7
(1) This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.
(2) For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,
(3) Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good,
(4) Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God;
(5) Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.
(6) For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts,
(7) Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.

Beloved57 holds to, and teaches doctrine that is not taught in Scripture. This makes him a heretic. Is he saved? I don't know! God's Word tells us not to judge (Matthew 7:1). BUT in the same breath, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ commands for us to DISCERN!

Matthew 7:15-20
(15) Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.
(16) Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?
(17) Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit.
(18) A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.
(19) Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.
(20) Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.

The problem is that too many christians are so fearful of being judgmental, that they flee from their duties of discernment.

This is sad.

While Jesus Christ showed tenderness and compassion to the Lost, He was also quick to rebuke and chasten those who claimed to be of God, and yet taught false doctrines. The true Child of the Living God should reflect the same, with real discernment that can only come from God's Holy Spirit.

God's Providence

This morning, while my son and I were spending some quiet time together, we started discussing the difference between a recession and a depression. One article I read defined a depression as,

...a downturn of three years or more with a 10 percent drop in economic output and unemployment above 10 percent...
Another definition says a depression is a sustained recession during which the populace has to dispose of tangible assets to pay for everyday living. For some families, that's happening now.

I explained to Jeremiah that if we are truly in a depression, then our reliance on God will need to be stronger than it is now. This is when I stumbled across this verse in Deuteronomy 9.

Deuteronomy 9:6
(6) Understand therefore, that the LORD thy God giveth thee not this good land to possess it for thy righteousness; for thou art a stiffnecked people.

God has promised to provide for our needs.

Philippians 4:19
(19) But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.

He does so, not because I am so wonderful. God supplies my needs, not because of my own righteousness. God takes care of my needs because of His Goodness and His Righteousness.

Are we going to go through a depression like the one my mother and grandparents went through in the 1930's? I don't know. Yet, I do know, is if we keep our eyes on Jesus Christ and continue to follow after Him, He will in fact provide for our needs.

One Jaw Dropping Video

Tonight, my son and I watched a video on what really happened on September 18, 2008. According to Congressman Paul E. Kanjorski of Pennsylvania, a bank run occured right here and indeed brought this country and the entire world economy to within three hours of complete and systemic financial collapse.

Now, I am no where near the age to remember the Great Depression of 1929, but I do know what a run on the banks would have done to our economy and nation. There would have been precedence for Marshal Law to have been enacted, and greater government control over everyday activities. Food and fuel rationing would have gone into effect, and the nation that we had known, along with our liberties would have disappeared. Widespread fear would have been beyond description.

Even though this scenario had not played out, many people today are still in the grip of fear. The video we listened to, opened with a caller almost screaming at this politician over all the bills she had to pay, and yet not qualified to receive food stamps. Like her, many citizens all over the world are crying out in fear over their future.

As a Christian, one who has placed their faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, I am also not immune to the rampages in the economy. Like so many others, I can lose my income, my home, and ways to make ends meet. Yet through it all I can rest in God's Word and know that I will still be provided for.

1. God is Not the Source of Fear.

2 Timothy 1:7
(7) For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.

Over the past, I have learned that whenever I start to feel the panic of fear, this emotion is not coming from God, because 2 Timothy 1:7 clearly shows that God doesn't give us a spirit of fear or dread. Since this emotion is not coming from God, it can only come from another source,

1 John 2:16
(16) For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.

So many times, our own lusts and desires overwhelm our lives to the point where our "wants" become more important than what God wants for us. When the flesh looses something important, it will react out of fear.

2. God Has Promised to Provide for His Own

Philippians 4:19
(19) But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.

Though the Lord has never promised that He would keep us from suffering, He has promised to provide for our needs.

Matthew 6:25-33
(25) Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment?
(26) Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they?
(27) Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature?
(28) And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin:
(29) And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.
(30) Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith?
(31) Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?
(32) (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.
(33) But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

Here are some very clear promises from Scripture. If we truly are trusting Christ, and following His Word, He has promised to provide for us. Granted, you might lose some conveniences of life; you might be forced to tighten your lifestyle, but God promises that we will not be destroyed if we place our felowship with Christ as our highest priority.

3. God Promises Never to Leave Us

Romans 8:35-39
(35) Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?
(36) As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.
(37) Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.
(38) For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,
(39) Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Hebrews 13:5
(5) Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.

The greatest comfort I have as a Christian is the fact that God promises never to leave me, and never to forsake me. My boss could fire me from my job, my landlord could evict me from my home, my government could come and remove me from my freedoms, but God will not leave me. God will not abandon me.

Friend, are you fearful? Do you find yourself awake at night worrying about tomorrow? If so, please, allow me to ask you, do you know Jesus Christ as your personal savior?

It's not hard my friend.
1. Realize that you are just like every other human being: a lost and wicked sinner who deserves an eternity in hell.

Ecclesiastes 7:20
(20) For there is not a just man upon earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not.

Romans 3:10
(10) As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:

Romans 3:23
(23) For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;

Romans 6:23
(23) For the wages of sin is death; ...

God is Holy, and God is Just. He cannot allow one single sin to enter into Heaven, because of His holiness. Because of our sin and disobedience to God, we deserve Hell.

But there is hope!

2. Jesus Christ came to provide hope of Salvation!

John 3:16-17
(16) For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
(17) For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.

1 Timothy 1:15
(15) This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.

3. If you bow your heart before God, and confess your sins to Him, He WILL SAVE YOU!

Romans 10:9-10
(9) That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
(10) For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

My friend, are you tired of being afraid? Are you weary of living a life of panic? Then please, turn to Jesus Christ, and trust Him!

Be Ye Holy

Though I have had read through the Bible several times in the past, this year is the first time, my son Jeremiah and I, are reading through the Bible together. Recently, we came to the portion in Leviticus where it reads,

Leviticus 19:1-2
(1) And the LORD spoke unto Moses, saying,
(2) Speak unto all the congregation of the children of Israel, and say unto them, Ye shall be holy: for I the LORD your God am holy.

The word Holy in Hebrew is קָדֹושׁ [qadowsh, qadosh /kaw·doshe/] which means "sacred," "sanctified," or set apart for a special purpose. In the Greek it is the word ἅγιος [hagios /hag·ee·os/], which also means "saint," or "sanctified."

When a child of God is called to be holy, we are asked to separate ourselves from things in this world that would make us profane, or "un-holy." God doesn't save people for the sole reason of giving them a home in Heaven. He saves them so that they can bring glory to Himself, the One who paid for our sins.

I remember getting our family ready for church one morning and my little daughter was all clean and ready, while I still needed to finish shaving and dressing. I asked her not to go and play outside because I wanted her to be nice and pretty for Sunday School. Did this mean that she was to remain still, and not do anything? NO! But she was to constantly remember to not go and get herself dirty, because her father had plans for her. God, my Heavenly Father, is the same way. He wants me to stay away from things that can soil and pollute my life so that He might be able to use me. God wants me to avoid anything that could get in the way of our fellowship.

Someone once said, "I don't do good works in order to get saved, I do good works because I am saved!" Holy living is not as much as a "do's and don't do's" as it is a continual walk and fellowship with Jesus Christ. I continue to walk with Christ and anything that might try to get between me and the LORD is removed.

During the early fifth century, some Christian believers felt that the only way we could truly be holy is if they separated themselves from the rest of the world. One individual, named Simeon, lived up on the top of a pillar to get away from everyone. Now, does this call to holiness mean that I must hole up somewhere in a monestary, and avoid people? Absolutely not! I enjoy being with people. I personally enjoy going online and playing a popular game, but there are things that I do stay away from. I don't go near liquor because alcohol can cloud my thinking. I don't go to movie theaters or watch television programs that promote the world's values, because my value system must originate from God's Word. And if there ever comes a time that I find something in my life that hinders my fellowship with Jesus Christ, I will rid myself of that as well.

The Old Testament book of Leviticus is not an easy read, but it can be boiled down into one command: be holy!

The New OnStar Study Bible

Which Greek Text

Quote:

Originally Posted by Count Iblis Which manuscript of the Bible is the correct one, since no two are exactly the same?

That's a good question.

First, I need for you to answer a couple of questions, if you don't mind.

1. When God promises to preserve His Word, do you believe Him?
2. These promises, do you believe them to be literal, or figurative?
3. Do you believe that man's intellect is untainted from sin?

You see, the answers to these questions effects the outcome of your question.

I myself, believe God preserved His Word.
I believe this preservation is supernatural, literal, and not figurative.
I believe that man's intellect, no matter how many college degrees he has, or how many years he has been a professor of such and such ivy league institute, his intellect is still tainted with sin and cannot be relied upon by itself.

Intellects do not like this train of thought, because it does not allow them the pride and privilege their scholasticism demands from others. A godless theologian wants the privilege to be a Bible Scholar without a dependency on God's Holy Spirit. This is ABSOLUTE HOG-WASH, and God Himself calls them fools (Romans 1:22). As God's Word clearly points out, God is pleased by our faith and not our intellect (Hebrews 11:6).

/side note
Is it then wrong to focus on scholasticism? No! Just as there is nothing wrong with bodily exercise, mental or intellectual exercise is noble and worth the pursuit, as long as it is completely submissive to God's Word.
side note/

With this in hand, there are only two texts that this train of thought leads to: either the Critical Text Family (W-H Text, UBS4, NA27, etc) or the Textus Receptus.

If God has preserved His Word, these are the only two texts left*.

2 Timothy 2:15
(15) Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

Now, this "rightly dividing" has nothing to do with intellectual strength, but rather the dividing correctly as per the direction of the Holy Spirit.

As a blood-bought child of God, and the tools and knowledge, it is my duty to compare the two texts side by side.

I look at Luke 2:22 and ask myself, did Jesus need to be purified?
I look at Luke 2:33 and question, is Joseph Jesus' father?
I also look at John 1:14 and ask myself is Jesus the only-begotten God or only-begotten son?

There are also other verses, but I hope you see where I am coming from. The arguments against the TR are purely scholastical and not doctrinal. The last 12 verses of Mark? The verses in John 8, the verses in I John, they have nothing to do with doctrine, but whether you believe certain godless scholars when they twist and argue if these verses were in the original autographs or not.

I hope this helps. I can imagine what stance you might be taking when you posed the question, I just need for you to ask yourself this one question. If you truly believe that you are saved, then ask, is your faith based on what God says, or on what man says? This one single question might have a greater impact than you ever could imagine.


* I know, I know.... there is also the Majority Text crowd. I personally have met and spoken with Maurice Robinson and he is a good man, though I do find myself disagreeing with him a bit. The MT is nothing more than conservative scholars using the tools and principles of the godless theologians to show a scholastic effort towards the Byzantine Text. Though noble, I give no quarter to the wolves in sheep's clothing. The only thing I have for them is a stout rod to drive them off, away from God's flock.

As A Roaring Lion - I Peter 5:8

1 Peter 5:8
(8) Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour

Recently, a dear friend and brother in Christ made a fleeting comment how a game that we play online together is creating some strife with his wife. Like me, he finds himself spending more time on this game than we both really should. While online, I read a chat comment he made to a colleague of ours, revealing how he had missed a significantly important family event due to our game, and how he is going to be in real trouble when he gets home.

The following is a letter that I wrote to him. It's deeply personal, so I edited out all the names to protect the innocent as well as the guilty.

Men, I leave this letter online for YOU as well. May our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ protect you from the valley's He has asked me to tread.

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Hey there Brother,

I hope I am not speaking out of line here, but I noticed, the other day, your last comments to N________ regarding your wife possibly being upset about the amount of time you invest in Eve-Online.

PLEASE, I beg you, not only as a brother in Christ who cares about you and your family, but also as an individual that has gone through some pretty bad valleys. Be extremely careful on how Satan might use this to attack your family, and especially your wife.

S____ and I had been married since 1992. I had dedicated my life and my future into Christ's hands, and while in Bible college, I carefully and prayerfully sought a help-meet from God. I did everything I possibly could, in order to find God's will for my life. I placed myself under Godly authority. I sought counsel from her father, also a Godly man. I forcefully set aside anything that might get me off track from finding God's choice for my life. This is why, even to this day, I know without a shadow of a doubt that S____ H_______ is God's perfect will for my life.

The problems began when I took my eyes off of Christ. Though God had called me to be an educator, I was afraid that He would not provide for me, so I took another job that met our needs. Through the course of time, this "wedge" took my reliance off of Christ, turned my heart toward worldliness and eventually, I turned my back on everything I knew what was right. I did things my way and in my time. I had enough of fundamental Christianity and I decided to do my own "thing". I didn't realize how much I was hurting my wife. She was a strong Christian (I thought), and we both vowed never ever to think about divorce in our relationship. I didn't see how I was opening all the doors and windows for Satan to enter into my home and attack my family.

In January 17, 2005, I came home to an empty house. At the time, I was driving a truck around the country in order to pay the bills, and later on I found out that my wife was having an affair with the man I thought was my best friend. S____ left me, and for four months, I wasn't allowed to see my wife or children.

Since that time, I have had to go through some terrible valleys. Nights that were so dark, all I could hear were the jeering from Satan and his demonic forces. It had gotten so bad, that one night I tried to end it all and take my life. At 4AM, I sat in my truck, pumping CO into the cab listening to the radio. Though God does not speak to us in an audible voice, I clearly heard, what He had to say to me. He showed me that He not only is the One who gives life, He is also the One who takes it away. Though I sat in that truck, filled with CO, for almost an hour, He would not allow me to die.

IT GOT THAT BAD M______.

And I don't want you, or anybody else to have to go through those valleys that I had gone through.

I know what you might be thinking. John, it isn't that bad. Yes, my wife was a bit upset the other night, but we talked and I apologized, and everything is fine now. DON'T LET YOUR GUARD DOWN. Satan is very deceptive, and he not only is working you over, he is also striking at those who you hold very dear to. Put yourself in my shoes M______. For one hour think of your wife telling you that she doesn't love you any more. Dwell on another man with his arms around your wife, and your children thinking that this is alright, because Mom says it is. Dwell on the idea of being home by yourself, with your heart breaking because you are only allowed to see your children every other weekend. Engrain it into your very soul, where people look at you and see a failure. Grasp the pain that you would feel when all the other couples in the church have their get-togethers and you are clearly not invited. And worst of all, God not allowing the nightmare to end.... yet.

Brother, my tears and prayers are being poured out for you and your family. If necessary, take a break from Eve. Work out an acceptable time, with your wife, for you to play Eve again. If necessary, leave the game all together! It's not worth the tragedy, and the darkness, and the wretchedness.

The valley is still dark. I feel God's nail-pierced hand, holding onto mine. I now have one of my children living with me, but the valley is still dark and cold. I honestly don't know what God is doing with my beloved, but I must continue to trust Him. Will He ever return my wife? I don't know. I can only keep clinging to the fact that His goodness and His wisdom are so great, that He will do the every best for me, of whom He sent His only begotten son to die on the cross for.

Yet, I will continue to wait.

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My friend, maybe God brought you to this little corner in order to get your attention. Maybe you are (knowingly or not) at the brink of the abyss that my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ had found me in. Don't be fooled, Satan is not stupid and he wants to hurt you and destroy everything that God holds dear to.

Be Sober.
Be Vigilant.

End of the Church Age?

Today, on TheologyOnline.com, someone was talking about Harold Camping, and asked if we could help him understand.


Quote:

Originally Posted by aenoch This end of the church age information is difficult to find, so i was hoping that maybe someone here at TOL may have some insight into it, or be able to point to a URL or two about this grave matter. Any assistance is greatly appreciated.

This is a beautiful example how Satan has setup a straw-man, and then proceeds to tear it apart in order to convince Christians not to follow God's Word.

1. Churches are setup and established that refuse to follow God's Word.

• They have female pastors, support popular social trends, and mock God's true church in order to gain popularity with the masses of unregenerate.
• They promote unScriptural dogmas such as infant baptism, Calvinism, Speaking in Tongues, Barking in the Spirit, etc.
• They refuse to take a stand for Jesus Christ by separating themselves from ungodly influences (rock music, CCM, promiscuitous attire, entertainment that promotes worldliness over Godliness).

2. Once these churches grow and are filled with carnal believers (or worse yet, unregenerate who think they are saved), they believe that numbers profits, popularity, and emotions are signs of God's blessings. God's Word calls them poor, blind, and naked.

3. In the end, they collapse because a true New Testament Bible-believing church's strength is not in numbers, not in wealth, not in popularity, but in the Holy Spirit of God Almighty.

4. People look at the failure of these "churches" (*Note: I am using this term loosely) and conclude that God is no longer working in the church today.

If this were not so heinous a crime that Satan is doing against the lost, and carnal christian, I would laugh them to scorn!!!

Is God still using the real New Testament Church? Sure is!
Are they successful? As long as we remain under God's Word and obey Him.
(BTW - Success is not based on what man defines as success, but rather what God's Word defines as success [Joshuah 1:8-9]

Joshuah 1:8-9
This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success. 9 Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the LORD thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.

Is it wrong to start up home-based church? not really, as long as the motives are in the right direction. The church is where fellow-believers can come together, worship God together, and strengthen each other. If there are no Bible-believing churches near you, sometimes this is the best course of action. Yet, if you decide to start one because of bad reasons (refusal to submit to Godly authority, uncomfortable around believers, etc.), then God will not bless it.

Excellent Videos on Evolution and Atheism

This morning while prepping for a Fall Class, I stumbled across some excellent videos on Evolution and Atheism. They are put out by Ray Comfort and Way of the Master ministries. Though I find myself a bit more conservative/ fundamental than WotM, I do find much of their material to be excellent tools for Soul Winning.

I hope you find them as useful as I have.

A Responce for CardinalSin! - Today, 12:12 PM

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Quote:

Originally Posted by CardinalSin Hi believers, why has God chosen eternal damnation for people who don't believe in Jesus? I don't believe in Jesus but I do good works in my society. Why is this not enough to get me into Heaven and, WAY MORE IMPORTANTLY, why will my non-belief consign me to Hell when other Christians, even those who have murdered, get to go the other way?

Hello CS,

I am going to make the assumption that this is a legitimate question and not a straw man. If it is some farce, you'll blow right through it and not read it, but if you are serious about your question, then I hope this provides a clear enough answer to your query.

The question you have posed is, "Why does God send people to hell for not believing in Jesus?" Though this sounds like a really good question, it carries some misnomers. If I may, I would rather have the question rephrased, "Why do people who do not believe in Jesus go to hell?"

I could plainly and quickly answer your question, but I would rather have God's Word respond. You see CS, I (in and of myself) have no authority, but the Bible is the very Word of God.

1. Man is a Sinner

Romans 3:10
10 As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:

Romans 3:23
23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;

This means, each and every human being on the face of this Earth (apart from Jesus Christ) was and is a sinner (someone who at one time or another disobeyed God). Because our original fore-father, Adam, fell into sin, we (the descendants of Adam) also have a sin nature.

Romans 5:12
12 Wherefore, as by one man [Adam] sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:

Have you noticed that no one ever had to teach us how to be selfish? I have four wonderful children, but not once did my wife and I ever teach them the word, "mine." (Well maybe we did, but not directly .) Selfishness, pride, greed, lying, cheating, stealing, etc. is hard-wired into everyone of us. It comes so naturally, that many times we don't even see it in ourselves. This is what God calls sin.


2. God is Holy

Exodus 15:11
11 Who is like unto thee, O LORD, among the gods? who is like thee, glorious in holiness, fearful in praises, doing wonders?

Isaiah 6:3
3 And one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, is the LORD of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory.

Revelation 4:8-9
8 And the four beasts had each of them six wings about him; and they were full of eyes within: and they rest not day and night, saying, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come.
9 And when those beasts give glory and honour and thanks to him that sat on the throne, who liveth for ever and ever,

Revelation 15:3-4
3 And they sing the song of Moses the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, Great and marvellous are thy works, Lord God Almighty; just and true are thy ways, thou King of saints.
4 Who shall not fear thee, O Lord, and glorify thy name? for thou only art holy: for all nations shall come and worship before thee; for thy judgments are made manifest.

The word "holy" is bounced around so much, that many times, we use the word without getting a real understanding of the meaning. Here is what Merriam Webster has to say,

ho•ly \ˈhō-lē\ adj
ho•li•er; -est [ME, fr. OE hālig; akin to OE hāl whole — more at whole] bef. 12c
1 : exalted or worthy of complete devotion as one perfect in goodness and righteousness
2 : divine 〈for the Lord our God is holy —Ps 99:9(AV)〉
3 : devoted entirely to the deity or the work of the deity 〈a holy temple〉 〈holy prophets〉
4 a : having a divine quality 〈holy love〉
b : venerated as or as if sacred 〈holy scripture〉 〈a holy relic〉

Inc Merriam-Webster, Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary., Includes Index., Eleventh ed. (Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster, Inc., 2003).



You see, the first definition given to us is that since God is holy, He is worthy of complete devotion as one who is perfect in goodness and righteousness. God is the creator of everything. He wrote all the rules, physical as well as intellectual and spiritual. God is the very definition of goodness and righteousness, by His very nature. Because of His righteousness He cannot allow one single speck of sin into Heaven. If He did, He would no longer be righteous.


3. Sin Must Be Paid For

Because God is purely righteous and good, He must obey His own laws. One law He has is that sin must be paid for.

Isaiah 3:11
11 Woe unto the wicked! it shall be ill with him: for the reward of his hands shall be given him.
Ezekiel 18:20
20 The soul that sinneth, it shall die....
Romans 6:23
23 For the wages of sin is death...
Galatians 6:7-8
7 Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.
8 For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.

This death is more than just a physical death, which is separation of the soul from the body, the man from his loved ones, the person from the only life they ever knew. This death is eternal separation from God, Who is holy.

Revelation 2:11
11 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death.

Revelation 20:6
6 Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.

Revelation 20:14-15
14 And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.
15 And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.

4. Man Needs a Savior

Now since all of this is directly from God's Word, and God Himself has placed His Word above His very name (Psalm 138:2), then everything points to one very hard and cold fact: Man needs a Savior.

WE ALL ARE SINNERS
WE ALL DESERVE AN ETERNAL SEPARATION FROM GOD

So, how can a sinful man escape an eternity in hell? The single answer is that he needs someone, who is without sin to pay for that sin he has committed.

Romans 6:23
23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

2 Corinthians 5:21
21 For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.

Romans 3:24-26
24 Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:
25 Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God;
26 To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.

1 John 2:1-2
1 My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous:
2 And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.

1 John 4:9-10
9 In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him.
10 Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.

That word propitiation: it means " a sufficient sacrifice."

CS, if I as a human being were able to live a perfect sinless life, then I would be allowed to go to Heaven. If I decided to die for YOU and YOUR SINS, I could do that and you would then be able to go to Heaven. The problem is I, as a human being, could only pay for one other's sins. There is only ONE SINGLE BEING in all of existence who could pay for the sins of the entire world, and that would be God Himself.

John 3:16-18
16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.
18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

There is no other way to the Father.

John 14:6
6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
Acts 4:12
12 Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.

Buddha cannot save you. Muhammad cannot save you. Your very own good works cannot save you (Ephesians 2:8-9)!

CS, we all deserve hell. But God loves you so much that He willingly gave His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ, to die on a cross for YOU. God won't force you to accept Him. The choice has to be yours and yours alone.

Now, what will your decision be?

Recently, someone asked for my opinion on whether I thought dating was good or bad. I responded with the following,

I guess it all depends on your definition of "dating". According to the modern usage of the term, it's bad.

Modern dating messes with emotions and opens opportunities for really bad things to happen. There is no commitments and it can place the couple into really awkward situations.

I personally do not believe in dating, but I do believe in courting. Courting is when an individual (or individuals) are seeking a mate. When a young man is seeking to court a young woman, he (or his authority) goes to the young lady's authority (usually her father) and they discuss the matter. If her authority approves (or agrees), arrangements are set up where both families can meet with the young couple spending time together (with family!!!). Over the course of time, the relationship is evaluated by clear heads and a decision can be made.

Reasons:
======
1. God works through authority! Authority is set up to guide and protect. If it is His will for this young couple to be married, God will work through the authority. If it is not His will, this is a way to protect both parties and guide them.

2. This protects both parties from emotions. Emotions can LIE. Emotions are deceptive. If a young man is head-over-heals for some beauty, the possibility of his father or mother being deceived is far less. If a young lady doesn't want to court a particular young man, she can safely and easily say "no" through her authority without her feeling intimidated as well as protecting her.

i.e. a young man comes to a girl's father and speaks to him about courting his daughter. The father goes to his daughter and talks to her about it. She personally thinks he is a jerk, and doesn't like him. The father can protect his daughter and be the one to break the news to the poor slob. The girl is protected and feelings are kept to a minimum.

3. The families plan out the gatherings in order to get to know each other better. This also protects the young couple from winding up in bad situations. Church services and events are ideal. Family dinners and picnics, etc.

4. Who else knows the young couple more then the parents or guardians? Who else loves that young man or young lady more than their parents? Who else wants the very best for them than their parents?

This isn't perfect, but it's far better than the modern dating practices that happen today. Dating feeds on emotions. A young man or young lady cannot think straight when they are combating emotions and hormones. They are under lots of pressure from their friends to either produce a relationship (or even break one apart). The young couple even might be convinced that they have to "act" a certain way, or to "do" something if they want the favor of the other. This all is wrong, and a Christian should never be caught in such a situation.

One last opinion. Though this is so far beyond our American culture, I personally don't have a problem with parents arranging marriages. If done in the right way and with the right motives, marriage arrangements by loving parents can be the best way to go.

Whatever Happened to Donna Douglas?

This weekend, my Number 2 son (I won't mention Jeremiah's name) got banished from using the computer for a while. So today I found him watching an old TV series that I loved, The Beverly Hillbillies! Now, I am going to make a confession here. I don't know about you, but when I was a kid, I had a crush on the character Ellie May Clampett. I don't ever remember hearing or seeing anything bad about her, and I could only remember Ellie May being the critter-loving, somewhat naive tom-boy.

Tonight, while wrapping up some work, I decided to take a quick break and Google Donna Dougas. When I did, I ran across a very pleasant surprise.

I ran across some photos, signed by her with the verses Proverbs 3:5-6 added to the photos. Turns out Donna is a born again Christian. The years following the TV series, she would tour and sing gospel music. She even cut a record from what I understand.

I don't know about you, but this little bit of knowledge really blesses my soul. I praise God that not every movie star or celebrity chose to live like the world.

BTW - The one thing that did shock me also was the fact that Donna Douglas is almost as old as my mother! Why is it that us humans forget about the temporal factors of reality???

Toastmasters Speech

Tonight I was horrified.

Recently, I had joined a Toastmasters Club that meets every Tuesday evening here in Twin Falls, ID. As an educator, I realize the importance of communication, so I decided to work on the areas I need most to improve upon: writing (of which I work on it here at my blog) and public speaking (of which I practice at the Toastmaster's Club).

Tonight I was scheduled to speak for the first time. Yes, I had my ice-breaker, but that really doesn't count. Last week I was given the topic of "Eternity" to write on, and I was to be ready tonight to give my speech.

I wish I could say that I worked all week on it, but I can't. With classes to prep for, jobs to do, and my mother in the hospital, I didn't get to start on it until Sunday evening. When I did start it, I poured hours in on the project. I wanted to do the very best. Yes, we do have what is called a "Blue Pencil" Award which is given to the best speaker of the night, but I wasn't focusing on that. I really believed that God gave me an opportunity to speak and I was praying real hard that He would use this presentation.

As usual, there were two speakers for tonight. The first speaker was Susan Ray Schmidt. She just recently authored a book entitled, His Favorite Wife, which is her story of how she escaped Mormon polygamy. It's an excellent book and if you have the time, I highly recommend it. Susan got up first, and gave an gripping speech on what she went through as a wife to a Mormon polygamist. Her presentation was flawless and the material she spoke on was riveting.

After Susan was done, it was my turn. I had practiced and practiced for hours on my speech and to be honest, I thought it wasn't half bad! I had an opening story, my points flowed and I could be heard all the way in the back of the room. Like I said earlier, my biggest prayer was that God would have used my speech to His glory, and that it would influence others for Jesus Christ. This was all I could think about. I prayed before the speech, I prayed after the speech, and I trusted the Lord to use me how He saw fit.

At the very end of the meeting, the "Blue Pencil" award was given out, and it went to Susan! She really did a great job, and she graciously exclaimed that she thought I deserved it too.

What happened next horrified me! One of the fellow toastmasters in a joking way, made the statement, "Yes, and John thinks so too!" I know this man. He's a kind person and yet he loves a good joke. But I was still grieved. You see the problem was not the statement that he made, but the very fact is that he was partially right!

Yes, I did want to be used by God! Yes, I wanted to do the very best I could! yet, deep down in this wretched heart, there was a small portion that really did want to win the award! And this is what made me want to throw up!

God's Word says,

Jeremiah 17:9
9 The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?

Romans 3:10
10 As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:

Romans 3:23
23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;

Tonight, I did my best, but I am going to work on getting better. I will need to prep longer, and memorize more of my speech than I had this time. But the one thing I am not quite sure on how to do is to purify my motives. Only through Christ and His power will I be able to succeed.

Compassion

1 Corinthians 13:1-3
1 Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.
2 And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing.
3 And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.


Over the past year, I had started praying that God would make me more compassionate to others. It's easy to build up a base of knowledge and facts, but if we don't have compassion for our fellow man, all the knowledge is not very profitable. This is why I believe the Lord has allowed my mother to slip somewhat in her mental faculties. I am no longer just responsible for paying the bills and driving the car, but now I have been required to get my mother to the bathroom on time, and clean up everything if I fail.

These struggles over the past couple of months has not only helped me grow spiritually, by developing greater compassion for Mom, but it also has opened my eyes to all those care-givers out there.

Before, whenever I had seen a CNA or Nurses Aide, I would not regard their work to be significant. Now that I am placed in that situation personally, I am humbled at their patience and fortitude. I never realized how much they are called upon to perform what initially seems menial but now is viewed by me as being extremely important in proper care-giving.

Right now, my mother is in the hospital and is scheduled to go into the Care Center for a while longer. If God allows my mom to come home again, I will more than gladly serve her needs, even if accidents do happen.

Attempting a Come Back

It's been a while since I've blogged on this site. Actually, I am amazed that it was still in existence, but recently, the Lord has been placing on my heart to write more than I have been doing so far.

Do I know if anyone reads these? Sure, you're here! Right?

Anyways, my goal is to use this site for short essays on topics that are important to you, the readers.

How will these topics be handled?

Well, first off, they won't contain popular opinion. There are too many blogs out there that contain too much opinions.

Second, these essays will contain God's Word. If you have read my profile, and are familiar with my other posts, you should know by now that I back up what I write with Scripture. People are tired of hearing preachers preach a message one minute and then beg for money immediately afterwards. Thanks to sites like blogger.com, we can share these essays for minimal cost! Besides, it really wasn't my idea to start this blogging up again, I really believe it was the Lord's. And if it was His idea, and I remain faithful to this project, He promises to provide for my needs.

Philippians 4:19
19 But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.

Hudson Taylor, the great 19th century missionary to China made the statement, "God's work, done God's way, never lacked God's provision."

Keep me in your prayers.
-jch

Deuteronomy 24: 12-13, 19 - Oppressing the Poor

Throughout the Bible, God talks to us on how we should deal with the poor. God warns us that if we willfully oppress the poor (as well as the fatherless and the widow), He will not allow us to get away with it!

God has shown me great mercy in the past. He has always provided for my needs, and has kept me safe, even during the worst storms I have ever experienced. If I strike out against the poor and needy, wouldn't I be showing contempt to God for all the times He was merciful to me? God loves for us to show mercy, even when it is within our powers (and rights) to bring judgment and destruction.

Deuteronomy 20 - Rules of Engagement

When I was a young boy, I loved to play certain historic military board games put out by a company called Avalon Hill. These were special games with a lot of rules and thousands of pieces! The players set up the board and pieces, according to the scenario, and for hours we would recreate famous battles or change historic tactics to see if the outcome would change. When I played these as a youth, I learned a fundamental rule: the bigger your forces, the better chance you had at winning! This rule has been fundamental since the beginning of time. Though training and tactics are critical, size really did matter in ancient warfare.

In Deuteronomy 20, God takes this basic rule and throws it right out the window.

When thou goest out to battle against thine enemies, and seest horses, and chariots, and a people more than thou, be not afraid of them: for the LORD thy God is with thee, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt. - Deuteronomy 20:1

When Israel went to battle, God commanded them not to fear if the enemy was bigger, stronger, or faster. Unlike their opponents, they had an ally that was far greater: the LORD. As long as they had God on their side, the army of Israel didn't have to worry about the outcome. Granted, some would be wounded and even killed, but in the end God would give them the victory.

It's the same for the believer. There will be times when your battle will seem to be unbeatable. Your enemies will be bigger, stronger, faster, but if you are trusting Christ as your savior, you can rest in the fact that in the end, when the dust settles, you will be victorious in Christ.

And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. - Romans 8:28

Will there be casualties? Maybe.

Will you suffer hardships? Possibly.

The one fact that is clear: in the end, you will have victory in Christ, if you are trusting Him and following His commands.

Deuteronomy 17: 14-20 - Rex Lex or Lex Rex?

During the feudal period of Briton, an issue rose up among the people that threatened to tear the island nation apart. The king would set laws, but then would ignore them himself. The king placed himself above the law, which the latin term Rex Lex came to signify (lit. King is Law). Open rebellion ensued and a revolution began. In the end, King John was forced to sign the Magna Carta, thus placing himself under the law: Lex Rex (meaning Law is King).

Deuteronomy 17 is clear: when God appoints a king over His people, that individual must be in submission to God's laws. Matter of fact, the king is ordered to have his own copy of the law and to read them every day (vss18-20). This doesn't sound very special in today's day and age, only because we usually have several copies ourselves, but keep in mind: printing was not invented yet, and to own your own book was a big matter.

The king is not above the law, but instead the Law (God's Word) is above the king!

Deuteronomy 15: 1-11 - Caring for the Poor

I find it interesting how God commands us to care for the poor in our communities. The people of Israel was commanded not to ignore the poor in their neighborhoods. God promised to bless them if they follow His Word, and in the midst of their prosperity, the people were not to harden their hearts against the poor, even if it means taking a financial loss.

I think God is looking for heart attitude more than you being a good steward of your money.

Deuteronomy 13 - Destroying Apostasy

There are times when our enemy will rush in and attempt to batter down the gates of our defenses. We clearly see his plan of attack, and with the strength of God, we can easily ward off such assaults. There are other times when the enemy comes in quietly and with stealth. He will have one of your friends, or even a family member introduce him t you as a person to be trusted. This is the most insidious attack because we don't always know when these strikes will come, nor are we always prepared when the devil sneaks in the back way.

Be extremely careful child of the Living God! Examine every spirit that comes your way.

There was a story I once heard how people who work with money are trained how to identify counterfeit currency. It's not that they are shown all the different fraudulent bills, but instead they are continually working with the real bills. The tenders are so familiar with the "real thing" that when a fake comes along, it is easily and quickly detected. We need to be the same way. Our walk with God must be so constant that when a fake attempts to creep into our lives, they are quickly identified and arrested!

Deuteronomy 12: 2-3 - Destroying Satanic Strongholds

When the people of Israel were to enter the promised land, God commanded them to destroy the pagan areas of worship. They were not to study their idolatry. They were not to sympathize with them. They were not to show mercy! Israel was God's judgment on a people who would rather worship gods of stone and wood, than worship the true and living God. It was a lesson to Israel in order to teach them not to play around with the filth of idolatry.

The blood bought child of God is to have the same attitude toward satanic strongholds in their lives. When God's Holy Spirit reveals an area in our lives where there is a stronghold of worldliness, we are commanded to zealously attack and overthrow these altars, and break these pillars, and burn these graven images, destroying the area of worldliness completely.

Deuteronomy 11: 26 - To Choose a Blessing or a Cursing

Let me share with you a story of a Bible student I know. He went to Bible college fully committed to serve the LORD with all of his heart! He asked God for a God-fearing wife, and the Lord blessed him with a wonderful gal. While serving in a ministry, this guy allowed bitterness to grow in his heart. Over the course of time, this bitterness grew into a spirit of anger. In the end, it destroyed his walk with God, his testimony before man, and finally his very beloved family was in shambles! Though this student of God's Word started off well, he stopped following God's Word, and curses ensued in his life.

In Deuteronomy 11, there are three times where Israel is commanded to obey God's Word (vss. 1, 13, and 22). They are told that if they keep God's statutes, He will bless them and they will be prosperous. But, if Israel does not keep God's commandments and they start chasing after other gods, He will bring curses down on them.

It's the same for the believer. If we commit ourselves to diligently obey the Bible and seek after God with all our hearts, God will bring blessings into our lives. If, on the otherhand, we turn away from God and seek after worldly pleasures more than things from above, Satan wil establish strongholds in our lives and we will become miserable wretches!

What has become of this wretched Bible student? I praise God to be able to say that he has repented of his sin, and has returned to his Lord and savior Jesus Christ! Though he hasn't seen his beloved wife and children for almost four months, he is trusting God to protect them and have his wife return to Christ as well. If you want to pray for him, please do! His name is John Hall, and you can encourage him by writing (johncalvinhall@gmail.com) and letting him know that you will pray for him and his beloved family!

Deuteronomy 10: 16 - Circumcision of the Heart

Circumcision was a willfull ceremony commanded by God to demonstrate a willfull decision of dedication of God. From the time of their circumcision, that male child was brought up and educated to make God first in his life. While Israel practiced the circumcision of the foreskin, true circumcision was of the heart!

Have you seen rebelliousness in your heart? Are you refusing to obey something you know what God wants you to do? Have you stiffened your neck against God's Holy Spirit? O lost soul, turn to God and ask Him to save you. Brother/ Sister in the LORD, cry out to God for mercy and forgiveness! Repent of your sins and circumcise your hearts before our Lord and Savior!