A Biblically Shaped Way of Life!

From Chance to Choice

2012-01-03T21:37:00.000-08:00

This is the outline for a message I taught on the Youth United Teleconference

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We've heard the sayings, “She get it from her Mama” or “He’s Just like his Daddy” or "The apple doesn't fall to far from the tree"? Is there any truth to these sayings? Does our gene pool determine who we will become in life or is there a bigger picture? I believe there is truth in these statements. And the Bible agrees. There is a bigger picture, and if we have a proper perspective the truth we can learn from these sayings can help us in seeing our utter need for Jesus, in seeing our need for deeper soul transformation, and in releasing us from the bondage of our past.

Our Gene Pool

Our gene pool (which is a complete set of genes called a genome) is all within our cells. In each cell is a complete set of instructions or pre-stored information. This information completely describes a human being. So, biologically speaking on a molecular level, your gene pool does predetermine some things about you as a person pre-birth (e.g. hair color, eye color, skin color, sex (our sexual orientation is determined pre-birth according to what sex we are born as; same-sex/homosexuality is a sexual preference/choice not an orientation/determined), height, our nose, our ears, etc). So we can see from our gene pool that you do get some things from your momma and you are in ways just like your daddy. But it goes deeper than your parents. Your biology is not by chance, but by God (Ps. 139:13-15).

Is It All Because of Our Genes?

Is who we are all because of our genes? No. Our genes do not predetermine who we the person will become in life (e.g. promiscuous, homosexual, hateful, racist, prejudice, conceited, or reserved, kind, helpful, hard-working, analytical, romantic, etc). Our genes do not predetermine this. Who we become in life is a combination of

(1)our own choices (decisions that we make--the good, the bad, the ugly),

(2)our family of origin (i.e. how we were raised, our family environment growing up, and the family examples we saw growing up),

(3)the environment we lived around growing up (neighborhood, school, friends, etc),

(4)sin (both ours and others), and last but not least

(5)God (Ps. 139:16).

It is these five things that play the largest part in who a person becomes, whether in the negative sense or the positive.

So we can see that there is no chance in who you are. You are who you are by bio-molecular choice, yours and others choices, and God's choice. And each of these choices has an ultimate destination in God's sovereign plan.

The Bigger Picture

"And He {God} made from one [common origin, one source, one blood] {i.e. Adam/one biological and spiritual gene pool} all nations {Gr. ethnos--races} of men to settle on the face of the earth, having definitely determined [their] allotted periods of time and the fixed boundaries of their habitation (their settlements, lands, and abodes), so that they should seek God, in the hope that they might feel after Him and find Him, although He is not far from each one of us." (Acts 17:26-27, AMP, with my added emphasis)

We've all gone through what we've gone through, both good and bad, to detour us to Jesus. And who we are in the grand scheme of things is either a child of Adam of a child of God. We don't have to do anything to become a child of Adam. We are already Adam's offspring, born from his seed (biological and spiritual gene pool), and thus his sin and it's penalty is imputed (legally and rightfully charged/billed) onto us (Rom. 5:12). This is who we are without Christ. However, if we follow God's detour in our life and come to Jesus and become born-again, we're then born of Jesus's seed (spiritual gene pool) and His righteousness is imputed onto us. In Adam we are not free to become anything other than a child of Adam, or as Paul says in Ephesians 2:3, a child of God's wrath. Regardless to how great, horrible, or somewhere in-between of an upbringing you've had, life you've lived, choices you've made, and so on, in Adam there is no freedom, you are pre-set as a sinner and accounted for sin's penalty. That is your lot in life. But in Christ we are free (Gal. 4:21-31) to become something new (2Cor. 5:17), healed and whole, and something so much greater than we can imagine (Eph. 3:20-21)!

"Whatever God has promised gets stamped with the Yes of Jesus. In him, this is what we preach and pray, the great Amen, God's Yes and our Yes together, gloriously evident. God affirms us, making us a sure thing in Christ, putting his Yes within us. By his Spirit he has stamped us with his eternal pledge—a sure beginning of what he is destined to complete." (2Cor. 1:20-22, Msg)

This becoming something new is called regeneration, and this becoming something so much greater than we can imagine is called sanctification. In Christ we do not have to remain the same! We can become so much more! Life is not about what we can obtain or achieve or how much pleasure we can experience or becoming famous, rich, or someone of significance. Life is about either being sin's puppet and paying sin's penalty, or becoming like the God who left His throne and came to earth and put on this fragile flesh and gave His human life to redeem us from sin and its penalty. Life is about either fostering and nurturing characteristics and values to no avail or fostering and nurturing characteristics and values towards us being a demonstration of Jesus in a lost and hurting world so He can heal, restore, and transform our lives first and then through us more lives like ours, and also receiving an eternal reward---the reward being our God saying to us "Well done, thy good and faithful servant". This is what life is about becoming or else you have missed out on true life, and true life more abundantly.

Your Choice

Who you become in life is not by chance but who you choose to become, and who you become in life will reflect to whom you belong to, sin or Jesus, bondage or promise.

"When he [Jesus] died, he died once to break the power of sin. But now that he lives, he lives for the glory of God. So you also should consider yourselves to be dead to the power of sin and alive to God through Christ Jesus. Do not let sin control the way you live; do not give in to sinful desires. Do not let any part of your body become an instrument of evil to serve sin. Instead, give yourselves completely to God, for you were dead, but now you have new life. So use your whole body as an instrument to do what is right for the glory of God. Sin is no longer your master, for you no longer live under the requirements of the law. Instead, you live under the freedom of God’s grace. Well then, since God’s grace has set us free from the law, does that mean we can go on sinning? Of course not! Don’t you realize that you become the slave of whatever you choose to obey? You can be a slave to sin, which leads to death, or you can choose to obey God, which leads to righteous living. Thank God! Once you were slaves of sin, but now you wholeheartedly obey this teaching we have given you. Now you are free from your slavery to sin, and you have become slaves to righteous living." (Rom. 6:10-18, NLT)

An Answer to the Zeal Problem

2011-12-19T14:14:00.001-08:00

A friend of mine questioned how to deal with the problem of not being as zealous for God as once before. May you take heed to what I told her, and may it minister to you in someway.

“I went through that as well, but right about the time I started going to college (2009), I saw the same eagerness to learn and live what I was learning about God. The answer is......the Gospel. The Gospel is our power, our sufficiency, our freedom, our joy, our security, and soooo much more. The Gospel is as much for believers as it is for the lost. The Gospel is what first brought us our zeal, thus the Gospel is what will continue to bring and help us keep our zeal.

If a believer literally goes through the Gospel in their mind each day, in their prayer each day, and verbally talk it out loud to God or other believers each day, they will be compelled to Christ because of His amazing grace, relentless love, awesome power (etc, etc) displayed in the Gospel (2Cor. 5:14-15). If we are constantly resting in the origin of our zeal--the Gospel--then that zeal will be ever present--as we are ever present before the Gospel.

Just take a moment to think about what I'm saying in regards to the Gospel. And then notice how joy and gratitude rise within you from thinking on what all that God freely did. The Gospel is our answer.

The problem comes in when believers either don’t cognitively know the fullness of the Gospel or become content with only knowing the clichés of the Gospel. To think being able to recite Ephesians 2:8-9 or Romans 10:9-10 or "Jesus died for my sins & rose from the dead" is all the Gospel is, is a major reason people lose their zeal. (Sin--unconfessed sin, unrepented sin, practicing sin, and so on--is another major reason people lose their zeal).

I challenge you, just from the top of your head, to make a list of all you know Jesus did for you within the Gospel. Then make another list, just from the top of your head, of all the benefits you know you receive within the Gospel. Then make another list, just from the top of your head, of the actions and attitudes that are produced and displayed in your life from knowing these things about the Gospel. Now after you have these three lists, imagine how much more you can add over days and months and years of continuingly learning from and about Jesus. Tell me how can a genuine born-again believer not be zealous from daily reminding themselves of these things of the Gospel?

Personally, the more I learn about the Gospel, I cannot help being zealous for Jesus and following His desires!”

Here is a brief recap of the points of the Gospel:
-The Beginning [perfect Creation, perfect relationships, perfect fulfillment];
-The Fall [sin, death, separation, pain, issues, incompleteness];
-The Law [God's standard, our inability and our need for a Savior];
-The First Coming [God's gift for our dilemma];
-The Cross [God's grace & love & imputation, our adoption & justification & redemption--freedom from slavery];
-The Resurrection [enemy (sin & Satan) defeated, our victory, the power of the Holy Spirit--regeneration & sanctification];
-The Ascension [our hope in His eternal security];
-The Return/Second Coming [His ultimate justice (on sin and Satan) and our ultimate comfort]
-The Eternal Abode [our perfect fulfillment in His personal presence for all of eternity--glorification]

For every issue we face, our understanding, our comfort, our encouragement, our hope, and our motivation to change and be more transformed into Christ's image will fit somewhere in these points of the Gospel. Therefore I challenge every reader of this blog to sincerely meditate daily on these points of the Gospel through God’s Word, prayer, and journaling, and then observe an inner desire (zeal) for Christ begin to awaken again, or observe your already present inner desire (zeal) for Christ be reinvigorated, continue to grow, be strengthened, and move you to deliberately wanting and deliberately bearing more of Jesus’ character and desires in your life.

*"A Gospel Primer for Christians" (Milton Vincent, 2008) is a powerful short and inexpensive book on the Gospel that every Christian must have in their personal library.

A Short Interpretive Journey of 1Timothy 6:10

2011-11-21T11:28:00.001-08:00

1. Summarize the originalsituation and the meaning of the text for the biblical audience.

Paul is writing a letter to Timothy who is at Ephesus (1:1-3). This is aletter of instructions and exhortations to Timothy for the church at Ephesus (1:3ff, 15ff, 18ff;2:1ff, 8ff, 11ff; 3:1ff, 8ff, 11ff, 14ff; 4:1ff, 6ff, 9ff, 11ff; 5:1ff, 17ff; 6:1ff,3ff, 11ff, 17ff, 20ff). In chapter 6 verses 6-10 Paul is addressingcontentment. In verse 9 Paul specifically calls out “those who desire to berich”. He says of “those” that they “fall into temptation and a snare, and intomany foolish and harmful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition.” Thuswhen we come to verse 10 Paul is basically summing up what he called out inverse 9: “For the love of money”—those who desire to be rich—“is a root of allkinds of evil”—temptation, a snare, many foolish and harmful lusts which drownmen in destruction and perdition.

2. What are the difference between the biblical audience/situation and oursituation?

Some obvious differences are we are not the church at Ephesus, we don’t live in the first century, and our current economic plateauisn’t the same. Another difference is that every believer who reads this versemay not be a leader/pastor as was Timothy.

3. List the theologicalprinciples communicated by the passage.

If there is a love of money insideyou (a desire to be rich) it will produce (lead to) all kinds of evil. Also, inlight of the surrounding context, another principle is rather than desiring tobe rich desire godliness and be content with what you have.

4. How should Christians today apply the theological principles in their lives?

An example of how to apply this theological principle today would be for aChristian not to pursue a career, advancement, ministry, achievements, orwhatever else strictly or largely forthe monetary or status gain. Another application is instead of having a love for money (desiring to be rich or wealthy or wanting more for more’s sake) gather (pray for and seek) a desire for godliness, contentment, and the love of Christ—which we do by reading, studying, and abiding in the Word of God.

Although this is not an extensive look at this verse, this short blurb is still powerfully to the point and challenges us to not want (desire) more for more’s sake—something I call the worship of self-gratification—because it’s ultimately to our disadvantage and destruction if we do so.

See No Need To Become A Member? Pt. 2

2011-09-30T13:55:00.000-07:00

"Chris, don't you think your last blog on this topic was pretty harsh?" To some it may have been. But that was not my intent. My intent was to show that those Christians I described who see no need or are not seeking to become a member of a local church and think they’re walking in obedience doing it are deceiving themselves and are in defiance of authority (rebellion). Allow me to also clear up my use of the term rebellion. I did not mean in using “rebellion” (in my previous blog or in this one) as in “full-fledge rebellion back into the old sinful life”, but simply “rebellion” as in “defiance of authority”. Also, it was not a directive towards all, just those who are guilty of it. (See Pt. 1 for context).

So what then is this “authority” I am speaking of, and why are we to be submitted to it, and is it really necessary to become a member of a local church?

1. The authority I'm speaking of is the authority of the local church and its leaders to hold its members (leaders included) accountable and when necessary administer correction (i.e. rebuking, admonishments, and consequences), according to the Scriptures (Tit. chs. 1-2, 1Pet. 5:1-3, Matt. 18:15-20, 1Cor. ch. 5, 2Tim. 4:1-2).

2. Why are we to be submitted to it? Because God said so or displayed so (Acts 16:4-5, Heb. 13:7, 17, 1Thess. 5:12-13, 1Tim. 5:17, 1Pet. 5:5; also every N.T. Letter is to a "local church(es)"). It's for our benefit that we obey how God has set-up the local church to lead His sheep. Why? Because God knows us infinitely better than we could ever know ourselves. He knows exactly what we need and how we need to be led. We just have to trust and follow His leading, His guidance, and His sovereign plan.

3. Is becoming a member of a local church necessary? Absolutely! Becoming a member of a local church is nothing more than being submitted to a local church's authority and leadership. Membership is saying I am making a commitment to regularly and consistently fellowship and grow with this specific group of born-again believers (Gr. ekklesia), and submit myself to this group's (i.e. local church) authority (accountability) and leadership (Acts 1:12-14; 2:42-47; 4:32-5:11; 6:1-7; 11:19-30). (And if there is a question of who are the leaders, the leadership of the local church are simply those who have been appointed to lead—e.g. pastor/elders, deacons/deaconesses, and leaders of or in ministries). The answer above (#2) expresses to us the necessity of membership, and also why not becoming a member of a local church is disobedience to God and detrimental to us.

Allow me to paint a picture highlighting one factor of why local church membership is important. Christian X starts a war of words with Christian Y. Other believers and unbelievers see and hear this war of words. A mature believer comes and admonishes both Christian X and Y to handle this matter more Christlike. Neither of them receives the admonishment. Another believer attempts to do the same. They ignore that one as well. All the while this war of words has turned into slander, gossip, defamation of one another's character, and flat out unChristlike. Finally, a fellow believer from Christian Y's church finds out what's going on by someone who tried to admonish Christian Y. This believer sees Matthew 18 has been done and realizes that they must alert the leadership of the church. Christian Y is counseled by their pastor, and receives the correction and repents. Christian X however is not a member of a church. Therefore Christian X is not submitted to any authority. They can continuing to spew out their war of words, blatantly disregarding their witness for Christ, show hate for their brethren, and defiance of authority to be held accountable for their error and sin. How can this believer be held accountable according to Scripture if they are not under authority as Scripture states? There is no way for the accountability of Matthew 18:15-17 or 1Corinthians 5 to be fully carried out if there is no commitment and submission to a local church.

To say you're under God's authority or the Bible's authority but are not under a local church's authority is a misnomer. God says and displays in His Word that being submitted to the local church's authority and leadership is being submitted to His authority and leadership.

Maybe some of you are thinking, "Chris, what about those who have been abused by church authority or church leaders who abuse their authority?" Well, what constitutes abuse of authority? Anyone can say they have been abused by authority when it could be they just don't like to be held accountable for their actions. So how can one determine true abuse?
Abuse is a corrupt use of authority, or excessive, or flagrant, or unwarranted, or deceitful, or manipulative, or reviling, or improper use for improper gain, and so on. Hopefully you get the picture. If the authority in question falls in one of these categories and it has been verified by more than one person, then it needs to be brought up and addressed. Also, don't automatically assume it's on purpose. Sometimes abuse of authority can happen out of ignorance; but it's still not without consequences. Abuse is a correctable action. Only if the abuse of authority is a continual issue or such an egregious act of abuse should the one guilty of abuse be removed from their authority; (the extent of the removal is a case-by-case base). (The Old Testament is full of a wide-range of stories from the Judges until Jesus about abuse of authority).

For believers who go to a church (presently) where leaders abuse their authority, heres my advice:

1. Remember to follow Matthew 18:15-17. If the situation is not biblically resolved, make the pastor aware of your concern, then give some time for the pastor to inquire and investigate your concern. If the concern is about the pastor, follow 1Timothy 5:19, and tell a trustworthy elder.

2. You can always leave. Local church membership is not an eternal covenant. Just make sure you don't leave divisively. If you have biblical grounds and evidence that there is something heretical or biblically unlawful going on, and it can and has been verified by others, yes you should warn others as you leave, but still do so in a way that is Christlike--seasoned with grace, and in decency and in order. Remember, Jesus is the Great Shepherd, the Omnipotent King, and He can take great care of His sheep whether we warn others or not and whether they receive the warning or not. Don't take on His responsibility. Commit it to Him. And be sure to get plugged in to a church where there is better transparency, accountability, and a grace-driven presence among leadership and the congregation to help guard from abuse.

For believers who have been abused by authority in the church, here's my word to you:

1. If there has not been a healing and restoration time, please do so. Go find a good, encouraging, and gentle-handed and honest Christian counselor to work through the scars and wounds left behind from the abuse. Trust the Holy Spirit to meet you throughout this time as you seek Him for your ultimate healing.

2. Forgiveness is an essential in your healing and moving forward from this abuse. The rest of Matthew 18 after verse 20 speaks right to why forgiveness is an essential. It's easy in our flesh to only want the abuser to be disciplined, humiliated, and some times even to repent, but how often do we desire to forgive the abuser. Jesus reminds us that we treated Him in our sin the same way as you have been abused (and worse) and He forgave you. Again, I know it may be hard, but think of what your sin did to Jesus and extend that same measure of grace and mercy to others as He extends to you. It's more beneficial for you than it is for the abuser.

3. I'll repeat my above point, don't take on God's responsibility. Commit your hurt, anger, vengeance, distrust, and so on to Him who judges righteously (1Pet. 2:21-24).

4. While it may be hard to submit to church authority again, don't group all churches (nor all leaders) in the same basket, and don't throw obeying the Scriptures out the window because of the sin of another. Regardless to what people do to us or not, it has nothing to do with us obeying the gracious and loving God who rescued us from our sin. If our obedience to Scripture is dependent upon how others obey them or not, none of us would ever obey Scripture. Don't let other sinners keep you from submitting to the authority of your Savior.

I know I haven't covered everything, and this is not a comprehensive study. However, I hope from what has been shared that I brought some clarity to membership and helped you better understand that being a member of a local church is being obedient to God's Word. I also hope that I have displayed compassion and grace-seasoned truth to those who may be reluctant to obey the Word regarding this topic because of the sin and hurt caused by others in authority in the church.

Stay tuned for Pt. 3. I'll touch on finding a church, denominations, and more.

*None of what I've shared takes away brethren responsibility to hold one another accountable or correct, rebuke, admonish, counsel, encourage, and so on. I was purely focusing on the local church.

Power in Weakness

2011-09-23T11:41:00.000-07:00

I heard a pastor talk on this passage on the radio the other day. It made me pull over, open up my Bible and do Bible study in a Travelodge parking lot. Here are some notes I jotted down. I love it when the Holy Spirit ministers to me, because He knows right what I need to hear and when I need to hear it.

2Cor. 12:8-10:

“I begged the Lord three times to take this problem away from me.” (NCV) “But He said to me, My grace (My favor and loving-kindness and mercy) is enough for you [sufficient against any danger and enables you to bear the trouble manfully]; for My strength and power are made perfect (fulfilled and completed) and show themselves most effective in [your] weakness. Therefore, I will all the more gladly glory in my weaknesses and infirmities, that the strength and power of Christ (the Messiah) may rest (yes, may pitch a tent over and dwell) upon me! So for the sake of Christ, I am well pleased and take pleasure in infirmities, insults, hardships, persecutions, perplexities and distresses; for when I am weak [in human strength], then I am [truly] strong (able, powerful in divine strength).” (AMP)

God said “His strength/power” is shown perfect in weakness. It is then in our weaknesses—not sin, but the reality of our powerlessness—that the power of Christ is presently active for us and in us. When we accept and admit that we are weak is when we are strong, because that is when God’s power/strength is displayed and most effective (made perfect) in us.

The Apostle Paul uses some positive radical phrases to describe a reality that we typically see as a negative or as something unwanted. He says, “most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities” (v. 9, NKJV) and “I take pleasure in infirmities...reproaches...needs...persecutions...distresses, for Christ sake” (v. 10, NKJV). If we want God’s power manifested in our life, then we must consistently remember and admit our weaknesses (powerlessness); for it’s only when we do this that in the bosom of our being we genuinely recognize that we need to call out for God’s power/strength in all areas of our life, and thus our weaknesses become the main avenue for our strength from Him.

“...for when I am weak [in human strength], then I am [truly] strong (able, powerful in divine strength).”

The Influence of Our Perception/Perspective

2011-09-21T12:53:00.000-07:00

I will continue on with the membership series. But today I wanted to briefly share something that has been on my heart lately, that is, the natural progression of our perception/perspective and its tremendous influence in our life.

Our perspective/perception is the steering wheel of our lives; it influences how we see, respond, think, and act toward people, places, emotions, situations, God, etc.

After I came to understand how severe this is, I made sure to briefly touch on it and place it within the first couple of pages of the book. It is now a constant mental discipline of mine. Allow me to share what I wrote.

"1. Perception: How we perceive things (see it) will determine how we receive it.
2. Reception: How we receive things (take it) will determine how we understand it.
3. Understanding: How we understand things (grasp it) will determine how we retain it.
4. Retention: How we retain things (digest it) will determine how we apply it.
5. Application: How we apply things (work it) will determine how we live.
Regarding these five we have to be aware that we will not actually know we are carrying them out. It’s natural how one triggers the next. Also, there is a pro and con approach in affect. The pro approach is if we perceive it the right way, then we’ll receive, understand, retain, and apply it correctly. The con approach is if we perceive it the wrong way, then we’ll receive, understand, retain, and apply it incorrectly. For this reason we have to be careful how we perceive things because our perception has an adverse affect on the process in how we apply these things in our life (cf. 1Sam. 14:47-48; 15:1-35; 16:1-7)." (Discipleship State of Mind, pg. xxi, (c) 2011)

We have to renew our mind (not simply the way we think, but even the way we go about thinking---our perspective/perception) or our perspective/perception will conform to anything else but the words, wisdom, truth, promises, and ways of God! Don't let your negative or unreasonable or unbilblical perspective/perception steer you (or continue to steer you) down a path of insensitivity, lack of being objective or balanced, unhealthy communication, false or assumptive judgments and conclusions, gracelessness, bitterness, resentment, unforgiveness, arrogance, and on this list can go. I have been guilty of these very things because of my perception/perspective, and at times still are. But by the grace of God, the powerful working of the Holy Spirit in my life, and a sensitivity to wanting to obey God's Word and be pleasing unto Jesus, how I perceive/my perspective of people, things, and God has come a long way and so can yours...if you desire to.

"And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him. Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect." (Rom. 12:1-2, NLT)

See No Need To Become A Member? Pt. 1

2011-09-03T15:43:00.000-07:00

I’ve been noticing that some professing Christians don’t seea need to become a member of a local church. I will be blogging on this issuegoing forward. Part of this problem is defiance of authority, a.k.a. rebellion.

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Believers who are not underspiritual authority are in rebellion (defiance of authority). Why? Because amember of the Body of Christ (a born-again Christian) cannot be apart from a local church-body and not under someone’sleadership, authority, and accountability and think they’re walking inobedience with God according to Scripture (Heb. 10:23-24; 13:17, 1Thess. 5:12,Titus 1&2, 1Pet. 5:1-6, 2Thess. 3:1-15). If they think that this is ok,they’re lying to themselves and bucking the system—i.e. rebelling againstScripture. Their flesh is conning them into following its desires and not theSpirit’s.

What about Christians who can’tgo to church? If you cannot be submitted to a biblically sound local churchbecause of persecution or things beyond your control that hinder you, Godunderstands. He’s allowed it. And the fact that there is a sinceredesire/conviction to be submitted and connected shows that person is not actingin rebellion. But if a person is in a position to be submitted and connected toa biblically sound local church and its authority and willfully and continuallychooses not to, they are acting in rebellion to God’s Word; and it really is totheir loss—lack of growth, lack of accountability, lack of maturity, lack ofhumility, lack of the fruit of the Spirit, etc.

So does this mean a professingChristian is not actually saved ifthey do this? No. You can be sincerely saved and still fall into temporaryrebellion. But a true born again, regenerated believer will want to follow the desires of the Holy Spirit (

Rom.

8:5-14), and will want to beconnected and submitted to God’s local Body. However, there are those who haveno conviction to do so. And the Scripture is clear that these are those whosesalvation must be questioned.

How to get out of the mindset of not submitting or connecting to a local church-body? First,recognize that God says in Scripture being connected and submitted to a localchurch-body and its leadership, authority, and accountability is necessary(scripture references above). Second, see the need for it (1Cor.12:12-26). Our bodies work as a whole. If a part of our body is separated fromthe body, its chances for survival, growth, and functionality are slim to none.So it is with a member of the Body of Christ being separate from His local Body.And third, understand that obedience to God precedes any and allpersonal preferences (Rom.12:1-2). If you are in a position to be submitted and connected to a biblicallysound local church and its authority but aren’t, your only excuse is simple andplain rebellion (defiance of authority).

*Note: I am not talking about those who are looking for a local church home, but haven't found one yet. But I will say this blog would address the Christian who has been looking for a local church home for several months (or longer) and still hasn't committed themselves yet.

Christology: Jesus as God and Man

2011-08-31T10:45:00.000-07:00

To claim that Jesus could not also be God because He was a man is an understandable position. But taking the presupposition that God exist, could not God—the Supreme Power—be able to become a man, whom He would have created, if He truly wanted to? Thus, the statement that Jesus, being a man, could not be God would contradict the description of a monotheistic God by supposing that this God is not powerful enough to render Himself as a man. If Jesus is merely a man, then He is merely that. But if Jesus claimed to be God, which He did, and then backs up His claim with cogent evidence, then God just rendered Himself as the man Jesus Christ of Nazareth.
_____Again, I agree, Jesus was one hundred percent man. The Bible unveils Jesus to us as a man born of a woman. He had human DNA, was laid in a manger as a baby,(1) seen as a young adolescent being instructed by rabbis at his community synagogue,(2) a grown man with a craft, emotions, friends, followers, and so on.(3) He was birthed through a woman’s womb, and died just like every other human. There is no denying His humanity. However, the Bible unveils Jesus as the man born not like all other humans, but of a virgin and with God’s DNA.(4) His miraculous birth is one of many authentications to His deity. He claimed to be the Covenant God of Israel—the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.(5) This was a blasphemous claim to the Jews. But He didn’t stop with a claim. He performed miracles, healed diseases, exercised authority over Creation, and defied the laws of nature.(6) Not to mention that while He died like every other human does, He didn’t stay dead. Jesus showed His authority and power even over death when He resurrected three days after His crucifixion.(7) This “man”, was more than a mere man, He was the God-man.
_____So you ask, “How can Jesus be both a man and the one Supreme Being at the same time?” Friends, this question has puzzled men for centuries. Though, not all men have been baffled by this question as we see in the New Testament. If you ever wanted to know how God would be if He was a human, Jesus Christ is that portrait. Jesus is the fullness of the Great Divine living as fully human.(8) Still, how is this possible? Jesus, being the all-perfect and infinitely wise God, knew exactly how to perfectly be perfectly human and perfectly God. Everything that makes us human (i.e. flesh & bones, breathing air, emotions, free will, personality, etc) He was, bar sin.(9) And everything that makes “God” “God” (i.e. sovereign, omniscience, righteous, holy, benevolent, etc) He was, bar whatever, if any, limitations He sovereignly placed upon Himself.(10) The Creator of the human race—whom was created in the image of the Creator—knew how to be fully human and still fully Creator in unison without compromising either nature. This is how Jesus can be both truly God and truly man at the same time. Moreover, Jesus being both God and man is extremely significant; for only one who is fully God and fully man can completely redeem mankind and once for all satisfy the law of God.(11) God established the law, when broken, to be fulfilled by an unblemished living sacrifice.(12) God cannot sacrifice himself, for God is Spirit;(13) and all men fall short of the righteousness of God so no mere man will do.(14) But God-Incarnate can offer Himself as an unblemished living and fully satisfactory sacrifice.(15) Thus, the life and death of Jesus Christ, the God-man, is the only sufficient payment for God’s holy and righteous law.(16)
_____If one overemphasizes or denies either the deity or humanity of Jesus, they will lead themselves and others either into believing there are two Gods, or one greater and one less than God, or more God less man, or more man less God, and many variations of the sorts. What this does is make Jesus’ sacrifice not completely sufficient because of the imbalance of His humanity or deity, creates the heretical problems for the Trinity, the unity of God, and so on. The Scriptures clearly show that Jesus is fully God and fully man, and early church history affirms this as well. To deny this truth or overemphasize either one is distorting the truth within the Scriptures along with the character and attributes of God.
_____Reading and learning about my Lord’s humanity gives me hope during famine and stormy seasons because I know He endured the same; furthermore, it draws me to a more intimate relationship with Him because I know He can experientially relate to my human weaknesses. To know that my God came and put on my humanity just to redeem me causes me to love and live for Him all the more!
_____________________
1. Luke 2:6-7
2. Luke 2:41-52
3. Matthew 12:46-50; 14:13-14, Mark. 6:3, Luke 7:13, John 15:15
4. Luke 1:26-35
5. John 6:35; 8:12, 58; 10:9-11; 11:25; 14:6; 15:5; 18:5-8
6. Luke 5:1-26; 6:17-19; 8:22-25; 9:14-17, Mark 6:45-52
7. Mark 15:25-16:6
8. Colossians 1:15, 19; 2:9
9. Hebrew 2:14-18; 4:14-15
10. Colossians 1:15-18, Philippians 2:6-8
11. Romans 3:21-26, Galatians 4:3-7, Colossians 1:19-20, 1Timothy 2:3-6
12. Hebrew 9:16-22
13. John 4:24
14. Romans 3:9-20, 23
15. Hebrews 9
16. Hebrews 7:20-28; 10:11-12

Marriage and Divorce (A Biblical Exegesis)

2011-04-27T12:31:00.000-07:00

It is sad to see born-again children of God considering their options in marriage. After being married for eleven years this September, and going from literal hell to grace during the first nine years, I can empathize and also stand firm on God’s Word concerning hard times in marriage and possible divorce.
_____Allow me to start with explaining what the biblical teaching on marriage is. God didn’t waste any time defining what marriage is, but without the term “marriage”. In Genesis 2:18, God said, “It is not good that man should be alone.” And so God made a woman from man for man to be in a covenant (a mutual binding) relationship with one another (Gen. 2:19-25). The man is rejoined to the woman to again become one flesh. Thus, marriage is a relationship between a man who leaves (uncommits himself from) his parents and becomes joined (bound–covenanted in soul, in mind, in emotion, in speech, and in the physical) as one flesh with his wife in the sight of God. Furthermore, the New Testament solidified this covenant relationship when Jesus and the Apostle Paul quoted the same statement by God in Genesis 2 (cf. Matt. 19:3-6, Eph. 5:31).
_____The God-designed marriage as seen in Genesis nullifies our contemporary definitions of what marriage could or should be. A God-designed marriage cannot be between same sexes. A God-designed marriage is not a civil union. A God-designed marriage is not living together as boyfriend and girlfriend or even as engaged. A God-designed marriage is not a long-term relationship that acts or looks as if it is a marriage. A God-designed marriage is not between multiple men and women—polygamy. A God-designed marriage cannot be between children; for children are still under the care of their parents of whom the man has to leave in order to become one flesh with his wife. A God-designed marriage excludes “the mentally impaired, and those who are psychotic or psychopathic at the time of entering into marriage.”(1) Why exclude these particular classes—children, psychotic, mentally impaired, and psychopathic? That can be answered like such,

"To sunder one’s parental relationships and join oneself in (sic) intimate, lifelong union with a person who hitherto has been a stranger demands a considerable degree of maturity—as expressed in a capacity for self-giving love, emotional stability, and the capacity to understand what is involved in committing one’s life to another in marriage.(2)"

Also, the God-designed marriage as seen in Genesis is the foundation for the condemnation of fornication (sex outside of marriage) and adultery (unfaithfulness within the covenant relationship of marriage). God charged the first male and female, who were married, to be fruitful and multiply—that is, have sex and reproduce only in the context of marriage (Gen. 1:27-28). We can clearly see marriage is serious in God’s eyes.
_____With seeing what God’s designed marriage is, we can now appropriately move into God’s view on divorce. In Deuteronomy 24 is where we find the first mention of the law concerning divorce. I like what D.J. Atkinson had to say in regards to the law concerning divorce. He said, “this legislation is granting a permission, not giving a command.”(3) If you take a hard, long look at the passage, there is no hint of a command to divorce but rather the presupposition that divorce will take place. Atkinson goes on further to say, “the main point of the paragraph is concerned with remarriage….The paragraph recognizes that divorces happen, though it does not command or encourage them.”(4) The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia states, “Moses’ aim was “to regulate and Thus (sic) to mitigate an evil which he could not extirpate (completely remove—emphasis added).””(5) So we can see from the inception of this law divorce was never commanded by God, but simply orderly permitted because sinful man was already inclined to divorce.
_____The follow-up question to this is what is permissible for divorce then? According to Deuteronomy 24:1, what was permissible was “he has found some uncleanness in her”. The term “uncleanness” is translated in others translations as “indecency”. Regardless, both in the Hebrew for this context mean nakedness or to make/become naked.(6) Matthew Henry writes in his commentary, “This uncleanness must mean something less than adultery; for, (sic) for that, she was to die…”(7) The Bible says in Leviticus 20:10 that both the adulterer and adulteress shall be put to death. So this passage could imply a number of different reasons for one to get a divorce.
_____The same ambiguity in the Deuteronomy passage was presented before the greatest scholar ever to live, Jesus of Nazareth. The Pharisees’ asked Jesus “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for just any reason?” (Matt. 19:3). Jesus answered quoting Genesis 2:24. What does this mean? Jesus was stating, if you get married stay married and only let God separate what He has joined together; hence it’s more lawful to stay married rather than divorce. The Pharisees then bring up Deuteronomy 24:1, but presented it out of context. “They said to Him, “Why then did Moses command to give a certificate of divorce, and to put her away?”” (Matthew 19:7). Jesus first corrects their misinterpretation by telling them, one, the certificate was given because of the hardness of your heart not as a way out for you in your marriage; two, Moses permitted it not commanded it; and three, “from the beginning it was not so.” (Matthew 19:8). Again implying it’s more lawful to stay married rather than divorce. But then Jesus, whom I believe knew in their heart they weren’t satisfied with the answer He gave them, goes on to supersede the old law—i.e. with the phrase “And I say to you” (Matt. 19:9 compare with Matt. 5:21-22, 27-28, 31-32, 33-37)—and clarify the ambiguity with “found some uncleanness in her” by restating what He taught in the sermon on the mount in “whoever divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another, commits adultery.”(8) This response by Jesus we can tell, by the response of the Apostles, was taken with more conviction and had hit a nerve in the heart behind most Jews reasons for divorce: “His disciples said to Him, “If such is the case of the man with his wife, it is better not to marry.”” (Matt. 19:10). So we can see that Jesus put more emphasis on how it’s more lawful to stay married rather than divorce, but if one must divorce, than it is permissible on the grounds of sexual immorality.
_____Now, later on the Apostle Paul addresses again this topic of marriage and divorce. But first, let’s clear up a possible misinterpretation before moving forward. In Romans 7:1-3 and 1Corinthians 7:11, Paul is not saying by his silence in this passage that whoever gets a divorce is committing adultery, for we already know Jesus said divorce is permitted on the grounds of sexual immorality. Yet, the Apostle does add to the teaching on divorce in 1Corinthians 7. Paul says if a Christian is married to an unbeliever and the unbeliever decides to depart the marriage, the Christian is not bound in that type of divorce (1Cor. 7:15). Thus, according to the New Testament, divorce is permitted only on the grounds of sexual immorality and the departure of an unbelieving spouse. Any other reasons cause the Christian to commit adultery.
_____The next question is, is it then ever acceptable for a Christian to remarry? According to the passages we just discussed, yes, either if there is a divorce on the permitted grounds of sexual immorality or departure of an unbelieving spouse, or, according to Romans 7:2, if the spouse dies. Now on a more personal perspective, because Christians are justified by Christ alone through faith alone, if a Christian does divorce and remarry for other reasons and circumstances other than what the Scriptures state are permissible, while they may be charged under Scripture with committing adultery that has no barren on their justification. Yes there will be consequences for the decisions and actions. But according to 1John 1:9, as long as they sincerely confess their sins Jesus is “faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” Furthermore, I believe that just as there are other extreme cases where divorce is permissible (e.g. a pattern of physical abuse, a spouse has been lost/missing for years, etc), if one get’s remarried after an extreme case that it too is permissible.
_____Divorce, although permissible, will always leave debris. D.J. Atkinson describe it this way, “The word “divorce” in the phrase “bill of divorcement” is related to the word for hewing down trees, even cutting off heads. It indicates the severing of what was once a living union. Divorce, then, is a kind of amputation. It cannot happen without damage to the partners concerned.”(9) I’ll go further and say, divorce cannot happen without damage to not only the partners but the families and if present the children concerned. The debris of divorce from Christians affect the church in its witness to the world and hinders it glorifying and representing Jesus in our families. Also, divorce in general affects society by diminishing the view and standard of marriage to the watching generations.
_____It’s because of sin and the hardness of man’s heart that divorce is permissible. But it is permissible with consequences. Remarriage from a divorce while permissible is questionable without maturity from the one seeking to be remarried. Otherwise you’ll bring the same personal issues and character defects into the new marriage. God’s designed marriage, if done using His wisdom and led by His Spirit, is a beautiful, lifelong covenant of mutual intimacy, support, companionship, and maturity, best described and displayed in the mystery of Christ and His Church. Biblical courting, pre-marital counseling and mentoring, and not rushing into marriage are good ways to make sure time and godly discernment are properly vested before you say “I do” to a lifelong covenant relationship with another fallen human being. And for those already married, things like marriage counseling and mentoring, individual counseling, personal discipleship, and building relationships with other mature, godly married couples to help hold you accountable, pour into, and build up your marriage are great ways to assist in the success and joy of this lifelong covenant relationship. Jesus demonstrated it best, if you get married stay married and only let God separate what He has joined together; it’s more lawful to stay married rather than divorce.

____________________
1. Walter A. Elwell, ed., Evangelical Dictionary of Theology (Grand Rapids: Baker Academic), 744
2. Walter A. Elwell, ed., Evangelical Dictionary of Theology (Grand Rapids: Baker Academic), 744
3. Walter A. Elwell, ed., Evangelical Dictionary of Theology (Grand Rapids: Baker Academic), 346
4. Walter A. Elwell, ed., Evangelical Dictionary of Theology (Grand Rapids: Baker Academic), 346
5. James Orr, ed., International Standard Bible Encyclopedia via eSword, “Divorce in The Old Testament”
6. Ervah—From arah; nudity, literally (especially the pudenda) or figuratively (disgrace, blemish) -- nakedness, shame, unclean(-ness). Arah—A primitive root; to be (causatively, make) bare.
7. Matthew Henry (1662 - 1714). Matthew Henry’s Commentary on the Whole Bible
8. Matthew 19:9 compare with Matthew 5:31-32
9. Walter A. Elwell, ed., Evangelical Dictionary of Theology (Grand Rapids: Baker Academic), 348

Authority, Inspiration, and Inerrancy of the Bible

2011-03-13T18:48:00.000-07:00

A.W. Pink (1886-1952) said “Christianity is the religion of a Book.”1 As a Christian how can one trust the reliability of the Bible? By addressing it’s authority, inspiration, and inerrancy.
___I’ll start with how the Bible is authoritative. The writers of and/or the main characters in the Bible—i.e. the prophets, the Apostles, Jesus, God, and others—claimed to either be speaking from God, for God, to God, or of God, so when the authoritative statements in the Bible were penned, the authority isn’t from the human authors but God. Maybe you’re thinking, “I can say God told me to write something too. Does that mean what I write is authoritative?” No, not without God confirming that He is the source of your revelation. Once God revealed Himself to and through the people in the Bible with signs, miracles, prophecies foretold and fulfilled, and so on, what the human authors recorded about Him or from Him in the Bible became authoritative because of the testimony of Himself. As a scholar wrote, “Because the Bible points beyond itself to God, it has a conferred authority. Yet the Bible has a real authority in itself as the authentic embodiment of God’s self-disclosure.”2 The Bible is authoritative because of God’s undeniable revelation of Himself throughout it.
___So how can we trust these so-called “human authors”? That is a matter of inspiration. The human authors who penned the Bible were supernaturally led to record just what God wanted them to record for their time and times to come. The Apostle Peter wrote,

“And so we have the prophetic word confirmed, which you do well to heed as a
light that shines in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star
rises in your hearts; knowing this first, that no prophecy of Scripture is of
any private interpretation, for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy
men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.”3

The Apostle Paul said,

“But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all
things, yes, the deep things of God. For what man knows the things of a man
except the spirit of the man which is in him? Even so no one knows the things of
God except the Spirit of God. Now we have received, not the spirit of the world,
but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been
freely given to us by God. These things we also speak, not in words which man’s
wisdom teaches but which the Holy Spirit teaches, comparing spiritual things
with spiritual.”4

And in another place Paul recorded, “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.”5 Furthermore, Old Testament writers repeatedly stated, “Thus says the LORD” or “The LORD said”, when they spoke or kept record of what was said; indicating they were speaking and writing God’s word not their own. Hence, because of inspiration the Bible has dual authorship, God and humans.
___Does this mean that the Bible is perfect (without flaw) because God inspired it? Yes, that’s exactly what it means. Some of the characteristics of God revealed throughout the Scriptures are He’s all-powerful, all-knowing, and perfect. Just from these three characteristics how can a God who inspired what to be written in His book not keep it free from error? That’s logically incompatible. The Bible then is inerrant. Yet, there are those who disagree. They say if there is even one mistake found then it is not inerrant. But that would mean that God’s testimony of Himself is not true, and for centuries they have found no errors but more confirmations. Another disagreement is that this “inerrancy” view came in later centuries and was not adopted by the earlier saints, nor is “inerrancy” taught in the Bible. However, the earliest saints—i.e. the Apostles and the disciples after them (Clement of Rome, Augustine, etc)—acknowledged that 6“Every Scripture is God-breathed”. And even Jesus Himself said, “For truly, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished.”7 As we can see, while there are arguments against this, the arguments for the Bible being inerrant are much more solid. Because God has divinely inspired what was written in the original autographs, it bears His character throughout it, one being His perfection.
___If a person who calls themselves a believer plays down the authority, inspiration, and inerrancy of the Bible, it is difficult to hold on to biblical certainty and conviction. As for me, these three ensure that what I believe stands true and solid, and because of that I can be totally open when reading, studying, and living what is in God’s Word.

----------
1. Arthur W. Pink, The Divine Inspiration of the Bible (Grand Rapids: Guardian Press, 1976), 5.
2. Walter A. Elwell, ed., Evangelical Dictionary of Theology (Grand Rapids: Baker Academic), 153
3. 2Peter 1:19-21 (New King James Version)
4. 1Corinthians 2:10-13 (New King James Version)
5. 2Timothy 3:16-17 (New King James Version)
6. 2Timothy 3:16 (Amplified Bible)
7. Matthew 5:18 (English Standard Version)

Salvation: Does Baptism Save?

2011-01-28T12:58:00.000-08:00

About a week ago, a brother from my church called me asking for some assistance. His problem was that a new convert in his small group had been targeted by another religious group. The religious group eventually planted its claws in this new convert and he was telling my brother (the small group leader) that he was confused about his salvation. The religious group told him that baptism is a requirement for his salvation, but his small group leader was telling him that is false teaching. The religious group told my brother to meet and discuss this issue with the new convert. So, I and another brother from my church (Lance Evans) started to prepare an outline to specifically defend what the Bible says about salvation and baptism and give it to our brother to use. I wanted to share this outline with everyone (which has been cleaned up and turned into a blog), so we all can see the truth about this matter.

Most Christians are familiar with what apologetics is—the rational defense of our Faith for those outside our Faith. But what do we call it when we have to soundly defend the truths of our Faith from others who claim to be sharing truth from within the same Faith? This “defense within” is called polemics. This outline is a polemical writing meant to defend the truth about salvation from the false teaching of salvation through baptism.
____________________________
1. Putting Acts 2:38 in Context

*Acts 3:19 - Once again Peter addresses a different crowd about salvation and leaves out water baptism, but mentions repentance and faith.
*Acts 8:35-37 - Phillip clearly makes it plan to the Ethiopian Eunuch that belief proceeds water baptism.
*Acts 10:34, 42-27 - Peter clearly makes it plain that belief proceeds water baptism.
*Acts 16:30-33 - Paul & Silas clearly make it plan that belief proceeds water baptism.

In Acts alone we see 2 Apostles and 2 church elders who have taught that believing is what saves and baptism proceeds but is not a necessity for salvation.

2. Putting 1Peter 3:21 in Context
(The same Peter in Acts 2:38 now speaking in his own Letter/Epistle)

*What is Peter not saying? Peter is not saying water baptism saves a person, because that would contradict the point Peter makes in verses 18-20; which is Jesus died for sin to save people from God’s judgment on sin, just as the Ark saved Noah and the 8 souls from the water, the water didn’t save anyone—the water was God’s judgment on the world (Gen. 6).
*The Ark is an Old Testament prefigure of Jesus. And just as the Ark carried them through the water, our Ark—Jesus, after we believe in Him as shown by multiple people in the multiple passages in Acts—leads us to the water in baptism (Rom. 6).
*This point, belief in Jesus first for salvation and then baptism proceeds, goes along with Peter’s introduction in 1Peter 1:17-25. If he showed us in chapter one that it is the blood of Christ and the Word of God that redeems us, why would Peter teach a blatant contradiction in chapter 3 that baptism saves us?

3. The Apostles learned their theology on salvation from the Old Testament & Jesus who affirmed it (i.e. the theology of salvation) in the New Testament.

*Matt. 26:26-28 - Jesus confirming that it’s through His blood where we receive the forgiveness of sins.
*The Old Testament clearly teaches that God required blood (of animals) to provide forgiveness for the people. Hebrews chapter 9 all to 10:18 talks about the blood of Jesus being the fulfillment of that Old Testament requirement for the forgiveness of the sins of those who believe. If the blood of Jesus does this, what need/function is there for baptism? There is nothing left to do! The blood Jesus shed when He died as a sacrifice/atonement for sin has paid it all. God’s wages for sin has been paid in full!
*This clears up what Mark and Matthew penned in the last chapter of their gospels (Mk. 16:16-17, Matt. 28:18-20). These two learned their theology from Jesus and the Old Testament (Mark from Peter and the Old Testament, but Peter learned his from Jesus). Thus, this understanding is essential because in both we see belief still precedes the act of baptism, and if belief is absent (not baptism, but belief) the person is not saved.

4. Putting Eph. 2:1-9 in Context

*Anything added to the grace of God freely given in the life and death of Jesus Christ, and our faith (our believing) in what God’s grace through Jesus Christ has done, is works! God’s grace and our faith is it for salvation. Baptism is a work! Furthermore, before Apostle Paul nailed this point in chapter 2, he actually introduced his letter to Ephesus by making it clear that it’s through God’s grace in Jesus’ blood and our belief in what God did through Jesus that we have forgiveness and redemption (Eph. 1:7, 13-14, cf. Col. 1:13-14).

5. Putting John 3:3-8 in Context

*The context of the term “water” in John 3:5 is ambiguous (to some extent). It could mean water as in physical birth (flesh v.6), baptism (but that would be a work added to grace and faith which contradicts scripture, so that’s out), or water as the washing and regeneration of the Holy Spirit in Titus 3:5-6. The point Jesus is making in John 3:3-8 is the same point he reiterates in John 6:63, the Spirit gives Life (eternal life), the Flesh profits nothing. The water is not what gives life to the person dead in sins and trespasses, but rather the Holy Spirit.

Scripture does not, will not, nor cannot contradict Scripture. Whatever verse/passage is pulled out, it MUST stay in line (agree with) the whole scope of Scripture, not just part. If not, then whatever the interpretation of that verse/passage is should not be taken as biblically sound and thus not accepted, since the whole biblical context doesn’t agree with it. We can conclude with this, water baptism does not save a person. Salvation is through the grace of God in the blood of Jesus and our believing in what He’s done—death/atonement and resurrection. Anything more than this is a false gospel!

Lean Not On Your Own Understanding (Audio/Video)

2010-10-21T20:09:00.000-07:00

The Great Debate (Audio/Video)

2010-10-14T07:54:00.000-07:00

Click here to download this audio-video version. Then you can watch it on your own computer, share it and/or email it to others you know who would be blessed by it, post it to your site or other sites, and so on.

Click here to download the audio version. Then you can listen to it on the go on your phone, iPod, mp3, etc, share it, and so on.

Take Heed How You Are Standing (Audio/Video)

2010-09-28T10:32:00.000-07:00

This is the message I shared on the Youth United Teleconference in August of this year. This is the first audio-video of the upcoming change to my blog, written and audio-video with the downloads. So stay tuned.

Click here to download this audio-video version. Then you can watch it on your own computer, share it and/or email it to others you know who would be blessed by it, post it to your site or other sites, and so on.

Click here to download the audio version. Then you can listen to it on the go on your phone, iPod, mp3, etc, share it, and so on.

Questions & Answers: The Bible

2010-08-31T09:47:00.000-07:00

Here are a few questions in regards to the Bible, but with a different spin. I've combined some coursework I did in college. Just wanted to share it. It's good info!

Do you agree that the Bible is a divine-human book? Why?
Yes, I agree that the Bible is a divine-human book. Obviously humans wrote the different “books” of the Bible. And in their respected books they claim that this holy book is by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit of God. Thus you have a divine-human book, though it’s the divine that gives it true value and importance.

What explanation can be given for the fact that God’s name does not appear in the Book of Esther?
In light of the story of Esther being during a time where the people were in another land, it is understandable why there was a “fear of using God’s name in a document written in a foreign country—the name might be profaned or the story changed by the simple substitution of a pagan god’s name” (Geisler). Another reason is the author of Esther is not obviously clear, so it is possible that “the book was compiled from the Persian royal records (9:20; 10:2)” (Geisler) and they would not have transcribed the name of the Jewish God in their records. However, even though the “name” of God may not appear the presence of God is apparent.

Distinguish between the meaning of inspiration and canonization.
Inspiration is saying the nature of the Scriptures are the divinely authoritative truth of the one and only God (Geisler, pp 13-15). Canonization is saying which of the scriptural writings are actually inspired (Geisler, pp 16-17).

Why ought one conclude that there are thirty-nine (no more and no less) books in the Old Testament canon?
Because Jesus Himself affirmed that the thirty-nine books in the Old Testament was the Law and the Prophets (Geisler, pp 16). Also, the Jewish Talmud attest to the same Old Testament books as Jesus (Geisler, pp 16).

How do the numerical discrepancies show that our copies of Scripture were very faithfully copied?
The Jewish scribes who copied the errors down “through the centuries were undoubtedly aware it was wrong”, yet “out of reverence for the text before them and in faithfulness to their task to copy accurately what was in the manuscript they did not tamper with the text.” (Geisler, pp 139)

What is textual criticism?
Textual criticism is a discipline that focuses on bringing about “the most accurate text possible based upon available manuscript evidence.”(Tools of Inductive Bible Study).

How is it possible to have a high view of the authority of Scripture and a positive view of textual criticism at the same time?
God’s sovereignty! I trust my God, who brought His Word to us through the first human authors, to keep His Word faithful for us through the succeeding scribes and translators.

What is translation?
The reproducing “of a text that is in one language (the source language), as fully as possible, in another (the receptor language).” (Strauss, Distorting Scripture? 1998, p. 77)

Why is translation not a simple exercise?
Because translating one language into another language is not as easy as copying one language word-for-word into another language, especially from copies and without the original authors present for assistance.

Describe the two main approaches to translation. Which approach do you feel most comfortable with? Why?
The “more formal” approach (word-for-word) and the “more functional” approach (thought-for-thought). The “more formal” approach tries to stay as close as possible to the original in structure and words. The “more functional” tries to stay as close as possible in expressing the meaning of the original text though in today’s language. I feel most comfortable with both. I think both are needed in trying to get a more holistic understanding and picture.

Now what other belief/religion can put their "holy book" through this type of scrutiny? None of them. Christianity, not its false offshoots (i.e. Jehovah Witness, Christian Science, Mormons, Black Israelites, etc), is the most solid and vetted belief. This gives Jesus Christ and His claims more and more credence. Thus, the remarks that the Christian Faith is foolish, is foolish.

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Geisler, N. (1977). A Popular Survey of the Old Testament. Baker Academic, Grands Rapids:MI.

"Permissible" Session #1: Drinking Wine

2010-07-02T10:38:00.000-07:00

One day on Facebook I happened to read Mark Driscoll’s status update. He said something about Christians drinking alcoholic beverages. The comments on his update erupted with a flood of people speaking for it and against it. This led me to start thinking, “Is it really that serious? Are you kidding me, people are actually arguing over it being okay to drink wine and beer as Christians. Where is this type of passion in the Body of Christ for sanctification and holiness?” Right there is where this blog began to bubble in my heart and mind. My mind would not shut-up. So here I am, writing to address this issue objectively and biblically.

Let’s start with some of what the Bible has to say or show about drinking wine.
For:
—Old Testament people drank wine and were told to drink wine at times- (too many verses to list)
—Jesus turned water into wine- Jn. 2:1-10
—Jesus drank wine with others- Mk. 2:16; Lk. 5:30
—Jesus and His disciples drank wine at the Lord’s Supper (the first “communion”)- Lk. 22:14-20
—Apostle Paul told Timothy to drink a little wine for infirmities- 1Tim. 5:23
—A voice in the midst of the four living creature around the throne of God said not to harm the wine on earth- Rev. 6:5-6
Against:
—Wine is not for Nazarites or priests- Lev. 10:8-11, Num. 6:1-4
—Bishops, elders, pastors, deacons, deaconess, and older women are not to drink much wine- 1Tim. 3:1-10, Tit. 1:5-9; 2:3
—Don’t get drunk- (too many verses to list)
—Not wise for kings and princes to drink wine- Prov. 31:4-5
—Don’t seek out wine- Prov. 23:29-35
—Don’t drink wine if it causes your brother to stumble- Rom. 14:21
—Wine is addictive- 1Tim. 3:3, 8, Tit. 1:7, 2:3
—Wine makes a mockery of you and strong drink (beer, liquor) leads to commotions- Prov. 20:1
—Wine takes away understanding- Hos. 4:11
—Wine gratifies the flesh/stimulates the body- Eccl. 2:3

The “wine” used in all of these verses are from the same Hebrew (yayin) and Greek (oinos) term.

Now let’s clarify a few things. The exact nature of the “wine” used in the New Testament is unconfirmed. Here is why. In the O.T., there are two terms for wine: tirosh, which is juice; and yayin, which means a fermented drink; (“strong drink” is a different term). Nowhere in the N.T. is there a term used for juice. They use the same term, oinos, for every occurrence of wine; (except for in Acts 2:13 where gleukos is used, which means a highly intoxicating fermented wine, a.k.a “new wine”). During Bible times they only had three things to drink other than wine type beverages…juice, water, and milk. In the N.T. language it appears that other than wine, new wine, and liquor (a.k.a “strong drink”, sikera, which means an intensely fermented drink) they only drank water and milk. Wine, new wine, and liquor are all intoxicants—they can get you drunk/intoxicated. This would imply that nobody in the N.T. drunk juice as they did in the O.T., which is highly unlikely knowing the times back then. Thus, it’s probable that the term “wine” used in its 100+ occurrences also refers to “juice” in some of those occasions. It is on which of those occasions that scholars are unconfirmed on.
Am I diluting Jesus’ miracle? No, because to take jars of water with no fruit around and instantly turn them into juice or wine is still a miracle; (though in that specific occasion it’s more likely that it was wine, taking into consideration that Jews historically drank wine at weddings, banquets, parties, and so on). My point in sharing this is to display that the meaning for wine in the N.T. is not as clear as it is in the O.T. So we have to look at it from another perspective and in its historical and/or literary context to get its proper meaning.

Another point to share is purpose/motive. Why did Jesus turn water into wine and drank wine on other occasions? Turning water to wine was for miracle-sake so to begin displaying who He was and His ministry (Jn. 2:11). Him drinking a little wine (unconfirmed to which it is) was to reach sinners (Mk. 2:16, Lk. 5:30); for which he was falsely accused of being a glutton and drunkard- Matt. 11:19. Jesus’ purpose for why He dabbled with wine was to solely glorify God, not to gratify His flesh. For those Christians who are “for” drinking wine, can you say your purpose for dabbling in wine is the same, because if not, you cannot validly use these instances of Jesus to justify why you drink wine.

Why would the Bible endorse drinking wine? The same reason it endorses slavery (Lev. 25:44, 1Cor. 7:21-22, Phile. 1:15-16), and other random things we don’t do or need to do today—for example, building a wall on our roofs (Deut. 22:8), or men and women wearing coverings on their heads (1Cor. 11:2-7, 13-16). As we’ve seen already drinking wine was customary during Bible time and culture. Today we have numerous options to choose to drink. Back then, they only had water, juice, milk, and intoxicants—wine, new wine, and strong drink. Regular wine being the lesser of the other intoxicants provided something different to drink, and if only drank in mild moderation it wouldn’t get you drunk. Therefore it was acceptable. Today we don’t have that type of concern because of the numerous options of non-alcoholic drinks. Thus while the Bible says it’s permissible, we truthfully don’t have a need for it; except to gratify our flesh.

Why would Apostle Paul tell Timothy (1Tim. 5:23) to drink wine for his infirmities? Again, it was customary during Bible time and culture. Today we have plenty medicinal resources they never had nor thought of back then. Thus while the Bible says it’s permissible, we truthfully don’t have a need for it in this capacity as they did back then.

So why drink wine? What’s the purpose other than because “you want to”? Unless you have a doctor prescribing wine to you for a medical reason there is no purpose for drinking wine, except to gratify your flesh—i.e. because “you want to”. Aren’t we called to die to the flesh/carnal appetites (Rom. 6:1-22; 8:5-13)? Aren’t we called to be salt and light to this world (Matt. 5:13-16)? Aren’t we called to be set-apart (Rom. 12:1-2)? Aren’t we called to walk in sanctification and holiness (2Cor. 5:14-17, 1Pet. 1:13-16)? Aren’t we told to glorify God in all things (1Cor. 10:31, Rom. 15:5-6, 1Cor. 6:20, Rev. 15:3-4)? Drinking wine gratifies the flesh, and gratifying the flesh can never help us fulfill any of these which are far greater than what “we want”.

Conclusion
I’m sure many might be saying I’m making a big deal out of something that’s not a big deal, and others may even be upset in the flesh because of how I’m calling it out. And I say good for both. Drinking is not the issue, it’s the heart behind why one drinks that is the issue (Prov. 4:23; 21:2; 28:26). Yes, the Bible says and implies that drinking wine is permissible; which means you are not wrong if you do, nor are you wrong if you don’t, nor can anyone say you “cannot” drink a little wine every now and then, or that drinking a little wine is a sin. However, while the Bible says/implies it is permissible, the Bible does not say in it’s theologically timeless truth that it is beneficial nor edifying to the believer, or glorifying unto Jesus (another perfect example of this is slavery). Actually, as we’ve seen, the Bible says just the opposite. The Bible says, shows, and implies that drinking wine is of past-time Jewish culture not theologically timeless, it’s addictive, a mocker, takes away understanding, gratifies the flesh, may cause your brother to stumble, and is a no-no for priest, Nazarites, and leaders in the church (of which Christians are all three- 1Pet. 2:4-5, 9; Eph. 2:19; 4:17-24, Tit. 2:1-8, 1Pet. 4:7-11). Thus, while drinking wine is permissible in the flesh it is injurious in the spiritual. Hopefully those of you who are for drinking wine choose that which is greater.

“Just because something is technically legal doesn’t mean that it’s spiritually appropriate. If I went around doing whatever I thought I could get by with, I’d be a slave to my whims.” “Looking at it one way, you could say, “Anything goes. Because of God’s immense generosity and grace, we don’t have to dissect and scrutinize every action to see if it will pass muster.” But the point is not to just get by. We want to live well, but our foremost efforts should be to help others live well.”(1Cor. 6:12; 10:23-24, Msg)

There has to be biblical discernment in everything we do—that is, is Christ being glorified in this, if not then why am I doing it; am I or other believers being edified or pushed closer to Christ in this, if not then why am I doing it—especially when we extract that “something” from the Bible.

Hope this helped.

Codependency vs. Submission

2010-06-15T10:31:00.000-07:00

There is a very fine line between codependency and submission. One may think they're being submissive when in fact they are codependent. You have to know what each mean in order to clearly make out that very fine line between the two. Let's talk about codependency first.

Background on Codependency
"The concept of codependence was first developed in relation to alcohol and other substance abuse addictions. The alcoholic or drug abuser was the dependent, and the person involved with the dependent person in any intimate way (spouse, lover, child, sibling, etc.) was the codependent." However, this concept has broadened. "Codependency can occur in any type of relationship, including in families, at work, in friendships, and also in romantic, peer or community relationships."

What Does Codependency Mean?
1. "A psychological condition or a relationship in which a person is controlled or manipulated by another who is affected with a pathological condition [like an addiction or other kinds of negative behaviors]"
2. "Dependence on the needs of [another] or [the] control by another"
3. "A tendency to behave in overly passive or excessively caretaking ways that negatively impact one's relationships and quality of life. It also often involves putting ones needs at a lower priority than others while being excessively preoccupied with the needs of others."
4. "Anyone showing an extreme degree of certain personality traits: denial, silent or even cheerful tolerance of unreasonable behavior from others [excessive compliance], a need to control others, finding identity through relationships with others, a lack of personal boundaries, and low self-esteem [insecure]."

If we sum up these definitions we see that "codependency describes behavior, thoughts and feelings that go beyond normal kinds of self-sacrifice or care taking."
Codependency is "a progressive disease, one which gets worse without treatment until the codependent becomes unable to function successfully in the world." Therefore, as codependency progresses it "can lead to depression, isolation, self-destructive behavior or even suicide."

Biblical Stories of Codependency
_Abraham and Sarah (Gen. 16:1-6)--Abraham displays codependent behavior in giving in to the need of Sarah rather than trusting and resting in God's promise. He was overly passive (didn't speak up) when Sarah blamed him for listening to her. And he gave in (excessive compliance) when Sarah wanted to falsely punish Hagar.
_Jacob, Leah, and Rachel (Gen. 29:16-30:24)--Jacob loved Rachel from the beginning, but not Leah. He loved Rachel so much he served double the amount (14yrs) just for her hand in marriage; which is the start of his codependent behavior. God, in turn, opened Leah's womb because Jacob loved Rachel and not her, and she gave birth to Jacob's first handful of children. This leads Rachel, who was barren, to give her maid-servant to Jacob to have her (Rachel's) kids, all out of jealously of Leah. Jacob does speak against it, but then he gives in to her. Leah, then jealous of Rachel, goes and does the same thing with her maid-servant. Jacob again gives in. Jacob, amidst his two jealous wives, displays he's codependent.
_David and Bathsheba (2Sam. ch.11, 12:24)--David wrongly sleeps with a married women (Bathsheba). He then goes on to attempt to cover up his sin. Eventually he gets Bathsheba's husband killed to cover it up. Immediately after her time of mourning--which in those days was anywhere from 7days to 30days--for her dead husband, David marries her and sleeps with her again. She gets pregnant. But God, who is displeased with David's sin, doesn't allow them to have the child. Bathsheba has a miscarriage. Immediately after her time of mourning--7 to 30days--(and time of cleansing, which is 7days) for her dead child, David sleeps with her to "comfort her". From all of this we see David displaying his lust problem and Bathsheba displaying her codependency.

Points to Ponder
Point#1: The "object" of the codependency uses manipulation and control to keep the codependent person codependent (the revolving door cycle--the codependent person allows the "object" to come and go and do as they please without effective consequences).
Point#2: Codependency enables the problem and/or condones the sin of the "object" the person is codependent upon.
Point#3: "Codependency does not refer to all caring behavior or feelings, but only those that are excessive to an unhealthy degree." Read David and Abigail (1Sam. 25:14-42) for an example of this point.

So, after all of the discussion on codependency, the question that looms is...how. How do we break codependency? The answer: By becoming "submissive" unto Jesus first and foremost for as long as we live--all day, everyday.

What is Submission?
Merriam-Webster defines submission as: "a willing act of [yielding or making oneself subject] to the authority or control of another".
The Bible's prescriptive definition of submission is: (Gr. hupotasso) "to place or rank under; to subject; put in subjection".

Points to Ponder
Point#1: Submission is identical to a bondservant (Rom. 1:1, Tit. 1:1, Jam. 1:1, 2Pet. 1:1)--someone who willingly puts oneself in servanthood to another.
Point#2: We must first be submissive unto Jesus (be a bondservant of Christ) before we can properly and healthily be submissive (a bondservant) to anyone else (Eph. 5:21-22, Col. 3:18, 1Pet. 3:1-2; 5:5--wives submissive to their husbands and we all are to be submissive one to another).
Point#3: Submission finds its source of contentment in the one it's submitted to (i.e. Jesus, not our spouse or others).

Conclusion
Biblical submission is not duped, easily mislead, willfully blind to the reality of the sin and problems in the relationship, or lacking in administering effective consequences like someone who is codependent. Biblical submission is grounded; it draws a definitive line in the sand. And why is biblical submission grounded? Because biblical submission finds its source of contentment in the One the submission is primarily unto...Jesus Christ. Hence if the consequences of the sin and problem(s) severs relationships, one's contentment is still intact because it was submitted to Christ and not the relationship.

A believer in Christ must submit to Christ as their first (or primary) spouse/relationship, and their earthly spouse/relationships secondarily. Thus, as long as our submission is unto Christ and not primarily unto another, regardless to the relationships coming and going and starting and ending it will not treat us like a puppet (being pulled to and fro) because we're submissive unto Jesus first. Our faithfulness and love unto our spouses/relationships are a by-product of our individual submission and surrendering unto Jesus (example--Abigail).

You cannot be biblically submissive unto Jesus and still codependent upon another person. It's either you are codependent or you are submissive.

What I've shared, I'm sharing from experience and education. I was codependent. I followed my idol (my wife) right into sin. After my fall and all throughout my restoration, I've become (and daily work on staying) submissive unto Jesus first and foremost. This I share to help liberate someone else that may be codependent, ignorant about codependency, ignorant about submission, or just needs to hear the truth about this struggle so to not fall into it. I hope this helped. And if you have any questions, feel free to ask. There is more to this topic, but this should be enough for this type of venue.

______________________
References:
(Merriam-webster.com)
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Codependency)
(http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_g2699/is_0000/ai_2699000060/)
(http://kjvs.scripturetext.com/)
______________________

Exodus: Depart From Your "Egypt" Or Remain In Bondage

2010-06-03T13:28:00.000-07:00

Exodus is not just the second book in the Bible. Exodus is the title of the historical event of the Hebrew people leaving Egypt on the strength of God’s coming out party. God was about to add onto His earthly resume with this historical and supernatural event. The exodus from Egypt for the children of Israel is a parallel for everyone God rescues from sin and bondage, or in other words everyone God rescues from “their Egypt”. The reason I entitled this EXODUS: DEPART FROM YOUR "EGYPT" OR REMAIN IN BONDAGE is, as we will see when we go through the Word, that God wanted the Israelite’s obedience to flow from the gratitude and thankfulness of His rescuing them from their place of bondage—Egypt. Thus, God kept reminding them of their exodus. And the same is true for us. We have to daily remind ourselves that God delivered us from our Egypt and calls us to not be conformed again to the way we lived and thought in our old life, but be transformed and become holy as He is holy; or remain in bondage—which is the very thing we cried out for Him to rescue us from—and then die in the wilderness, not the promise land, but die in the wilderness ungrateful and deceived.

Let’s look at some passages that explain this for us:
Ex. 1:13-14—While sin presents itself as fun and something not to be missed, truthfully, sin is just like the Egyptians in this passage. Sin makes us serve its desires with harshness, and makes our emotional, psychological, and physical lives bitter with hard bondage.
Ex. 2:23—We are the same. We cry out to God to rescue, save, and deliver us because of our bondage, whatever that bondage may be.
Ex. 6:5-7—This is our salvation. This is exactly what God does for us through Jesus Christ, He brings us out from under the burden of sin and bondage.
Ex. 19:3-6—As I said, God kept reminding them of their exodus so that their obedience would flow from the gratitude and thankfulness of His rescuing them from their place of bondage. This is also true for us.
Ex. 20:1-2—Again, God kept reminding them of their exodus so that their obedience would flow from the gratitude and thankfulness of His rescuing them from their place of bondage. I keep repeating this because it's the sole purpose for me sharing this.

Remember what your bondage to sin was like. Remember how cruel and deceitful sin is. Remember how you groaned in your private time for someone to save you—I cried out to God from a jail cell. Remember that God was the only One who saw and heard your groanings and responded with His Son’s death on a cross to pay for your eternal punishment for your sin and your deliverance from your present Egypt—He heard my cry and saved me in jail.

Does your life show God how grateful and thankful you are for what He’s done for you? Because if not, you’re telling God, like the children of Israel did, “I rather go back to Egypt and die in the bondage I cried out for You to deliver me from.” And if you continue to live like this, God will do you just like He did the children of Israel: you will die in the wilderness and not enter His promise land.

I’ll close with this passage: 2Cor. 5:14-15—Live your life no longer for yourself or sin; but live your life for Him who died for you, delivered you, and conquered the grave for you! Either depart from your Egypt (by following God's way) or remain in bondage (by following your own desires, rules, understanding, etc), your choice! Choose wisely people.

(Disclaimer: This is part of the transcript I shared May 2010 on the Youth United Teleconference)

My Rebellion...does not have to be yours

2010-05-20T13:14:00.000-07:00

I had been saved 6 years last year. I was a disciple (not simply a believer) and a small group leader in my church. Last year I followed my wife back into sin. I had replaced Jesus from the throne of my life with my wife. I was co-dependent. From March to May I was in rebellion against God—back to my old life of sin (drugs, alcohol, sex with other women, porn, lying, deception, etc). From last May ‘til today (and everyday hereafter) I am being restored and reminded of my rebellion. I shamed Jesus’ testimony. I killed my witness to family and friends; I’m a hypocrite to them now. I emotionally scared my children. The disgust of MY sin (and its consequences) is a “daily help” in me choosing “each day” to aggressively cling to and follow Jesus for “each day’s” survival and victory.

With this you now understand why, today, I am the way I am in my relationship with Jesus and my relationship with others. I take my salvation very seriously; for if I would’ve died living (practicing) again in my sin, I would’ve proved myself not to be one of His sheep (Num. 15:30-31, 1Jn. 3:4-10, Matt. 13:36-43, Rom. 8:5-14) and would’ve been eternally condemn in my sins (1Cor. 6:9-10, Eph. 5:3-6, Gal. 5:19-21, Col. 3:5-6, Rev. 21:7-8). Therefore I call out sin daily in my life and in others.

Please, I beg you, please, do not repeat my error. Please do not take sin (ungodliness) lightly. Please do not assume that because you aren’t out there committing vulgar sins you’re ok. All sin has the same consequences: shaming Christ’ testimony; killing a witness; internal, external, and eternal effects; death to something or someone; destruction to something or someone; emotional damage; and so on. Your sinful (ungodly) thought life condemns you just the same as someone who acts out their sins (Matt. 15:11, 15-20). No one is exempt from sin.

Do not think or estimate yourself too highly because you don’t have a horror story of you and sin or because you haven’t fallen back into your old life of sin for “x” amount of years. Learn from my error. Each day remind yourself of the disgust of sin in God’s eyes. Each day remind yourself that even your “little, non-vulgar” sin still put Jesus through the most excruciating death known to man—a death that your “little, non-vulgar” sin deserved. Each day remind yourself of the disgust of your own sin, and how easily you can succumb to its allure and find yourself back rolling in your own vomit—your old life of sin. Rebellion is nothing but one (internal or external) temptation or self-deception away. Each day remind yourself of sin’s temporary and long-term consequences. Each day remind yourself of sin (and all that comes with it) as a motivation to choose to aggressively cling to and follow Jesus for each day’s survival and victory. The Bible says that it is sin that shows us our need for a Savior (Rom. 7:7-25, Gal. 3:19-24).

Please, allow my mistakes and errors to be a lesson learned for you! Sin is our enemy, but our sin is also an avid ally in “daily” pointing us to the Cross and the Holy Spirit. Do not be deceived, call out your sin (from your thought life to your actions) before your sin calls you out…into rebellion (Duet. 11:16, 1Cor. 10:12).

Choose Wisely (Video)

2010-05-03T10:35:00.000-07:00

This is a video of me at a church's "Transformation Youth Explosion" sharing a condensed version of my (before Christ) testimony and a word on reality and making wise choices, April 2, 2010, San Bernadino, CA.

Choose Wisely

The Basis... (Part 1 of 2)

2010-04-16T16:52:00.000-07:00

“All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.” (2Tim. 3:16-17, NKJV).

How do you know what you believe is “the” truth? Is it by faith? Don’t other beliefs say faith is there answer too? How do you know which “Faith” is right? There has to be something that distinguishes one from another, truth from false, right?
___How do you know that what you believe in your belief is true? Is it by faith again? Wouldn’t that mean that anyone can say their opinion of their belief is true? How do you know what is truth in your belief, and can you be sure it is? There has to be something that distinguishes one from another, truth from opinion, right?
___In Christianity everything cannot simply be answered with “faith”. As I just showed, through those series of questions, faith cannot make those distinguishments by itself. There has to be some reasoning, evidence, and methods of distinguishing the true Faith from the false faiths, and the actual truth within a Faith from the falsehoods, opinions, misinterpretations, or misunderstandings within the same Faith. Christianity is the only belief to have reasoning, evidence, and methods accompanying our faith to show itself as true (i.e. apologetics). However as for the internal distinguishments (i.e. polemics), it is most divisive. Yet, what we do agree on is only because of our understanding of the fundamental who, what, when, where, why, and how’s of our Faith’s origins (i.e. hermeneutics).

“Many have undertaken to draw up an account of the things that have been fulfilled among us, just as they were handed down to us by those who from the first were eyewitnesses and servants of the word. Therefore, since I myself have carefully investigated everything from the beginning, it seemed good also to me to write an orderly account for you...” (Lk. 1:1-3, NIV)

___So why have I shared all of this? Because as Christians we have been charged by the Word of God to learn apologetics (a reasoned defense of what and why we believe for those outside our Faith- 1Pet. 3:15), polemics (which is apologetics for false and bad teachings within our Faith- 2Tim. 2:24-26, 1Jn. 4:1), and hermeneutics (the method of how we properly interpret the Bible- 2Tim. 2:15). Though I must note, apologetics requires hermeneutics, polemics requires hermeneutics, and proper application of the Word of God also requires hermeneutics. You cannot sincerely read, study, follow, or teach the Bible without hermeneutics. And here’s why:

If you misunderstand verses and passages in the Bible and you seek not the proper method of interpreting it you will most likely misinterpret scripture, thus you will falsely apply the Bible, and possibly lead others astray. If you interpret the Bible based on your opinion in any capacity you will almost certainly misinterpret scripture, thus falsely apply the Bible, and presumably lead others astray.

Anytime we ask a who, what, when, where, why, or how question about something within the Bible we have just crossed over into hermeneutics. Furthermore, in order for us to apply, when we attempt to apply, and when we do apply anything the Bible tells us to do we have just crossed over into hermeneutics. Hermeneutics is a must for every Christian and inseparable for reading, studying, and applying the Bible! You cannot get away from it. Either you will apply biblical hermeneutics (the only and original interpretation) or you’ll replace it for your opinion and your own interpretation—which will lead you and others in error.

___“Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” (2Tim. 2:15, NKJV). The NASB says, “accurately handling the word of truth.” The NIV says, “a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.” The actual interpretation of this single verse is exactly where the biblical concept of the method of proper interpretation (hermeneutics) is born. Paul prescriptively charges Timothy to study (be diligent–labor) to show himself approved by God, and as a master workman (or in our time it would be a skilled professional) would accurately, rightly, and correctly handle his tool or craft (just as Paul did at tent making- Acts 18:1-3; 20:31-35), so is Timothy to do so with the Word of Truth!
___For any Christian to know this and willfully choose not to accurately, rightly, and correctly handle the Word of Truth like Paul charged is disobedience and disrespect to God and the distinctive people of a distinctive time He chose to use to write this divine 66 book love letter we now have! Remember how Luke started his gospel, “they were handed down to us by those who from the first were eyewitnesses and servants of the word,” and “I myself have carefully investigated everything from the beginning.” If within a couple of decades after Jesus Luke himself “carefully investigated everything from the beginning”, how much more us thousands of years later? For any Christian who now knows this and still believes that they don’t need or have to learn at least basic hermeneutics is in error, selfishness, self-righteousness, and pride all to their loss. If this is you, I plead for you to repent from these sinful attitudes or suffer the consequences!

“For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables.” (2Tim. 4:3-4, NKJV)

___My fellow family of God, the only way to keep yourself from falling victim to 2Timothy 4:3-4 (and other scriptures alike) will be to follow the prescription of Paul in 2Timothy 2:15 so to properly follow the rest of Scripture. Just as God has given us the instruments of doctors, medicine, and so on to help us in our infirmities, He has given us hermeneutics (the method of how to properly interpret His Word) as the instrument the Holy Spirit uses to help guide us into all biblical truth (Jn. 16:13). This is to our benefit, and any true child of God is going to want to be led into truth by the Holy Spirit (Rom. 8:14).
___________

“Don’t leave me hanging…” (Part 2 of 2)
In Part 2 I will cover more of what exactly is hermeneutics and some “how to’s” for hermeneutics so all can be equipped and edified.

The 5 "W's" to the Kingdom

2010-04-15T10:19:00.000-07:00

This is a study I did probably in 2007. I went looking for another writing in my folder and found this one. Hope it's helpful.

The Bible is very clear on what Jesus went about preaching, that is, the gospel of the kingdom- Matt. 4:23. Furthermore, Jesus told us to seek first the kingdom of God- Matt. 6:33. Hence, there must be something significant about the kingdom, and we need to know the basics about the kingdom in order to seek it/focus on it- Mk. 4:11.
___Before we go any further, I would like to clarify a possible misunderstanding. Every place in the Gospel of Matthew where the kingdom of heaven is used is the same place in the other Gospels where they use kingdom of God. These Gospels are not opposing, but harmonious. Thus, the kingdom of heaven and the kingdom of God are one in the same, but definitely not two separate kingdoms. With that being said, let’s move on to the five “w’s”— who, what, when, where, and why.

1. What is the kingdom of God, and what does it mean to us? The kingdom of God is the realm/place where God lives and rules/has dominion- Ps. 103:19.* In the Old Testament, God unveiled to mankind a depiction of what His kingdom is; that is, as the specific people He chose—Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Israel (1Chr. 28:5, 2Chr. 13:8)—and as the Jewish tabernacle (sanctuary/Most Holy- Ex. 25:8, 21-22; 26:33-34). All of which a foreshadow of what was to come- Heb. 9:1-3, 6-12. But in the New Testament, God’s kingdom presence dwelt fully among us in the birth, life, death, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus Christ.** When Jesus rose and ascended, He made a way for God’s everlasting kingdom presence to continue to dwell among those who believe in Him via the Holy Spirit- Jn. 16:7, Lk. 24:49. As for us, the kingdom citizens, it means we’re branded property of the kingdom, we receive the benefits of the kingdom, we represent and live His kingdom on earth as ambassadors, we possess and administer His words and commands as priest, and we have immediate access to the King and the kingdom as prince and princesses.***

2. Why did God make Himself a kingdom? In His perfect master plan being fulfilled, God’s kingdom (present-tense) would be the key instrument used. When God initially created earth and the Garden of Eden (Gen 1-2:15), He created it as a sculpture of His kingdom to come- Rev. 21:1-3, 9-10ff; 22:1-5. However, God knew that sin would in time possess the dominion He originally gave mankind, corrupt His modeled kingdom, and then in due course He would have to destroy it. Yet before this ultimate destruction took place, God would unveil to mankind what His kingdom is and would be. Then, He would redeem mankind so that when the complete manifestation of His kingdom (future-tense) came to pass, creation could partake and dwell in the fullness of it.

3. Where is the kingdom of God? Jesus shared through the parable of a growing seed and the mustard seed (Mk. 4:26-32) how the kingdom of God starts small and then grows to completion. First, a prefigure**** through the Old Covenant. Second, in the realm of the hearts of those who believe- Lk. 17:21, (cf. Matt. 13:18-23, 44). And lastly, it will grow to completion in the realm of the New Heaven and New Earth.

4. When is the kingdom of God? The kingdom of God is present-tense and future-tense. Its present-tense depiction was the Old Covenant. Its present-tense appearance began with the first coming of Jesus Christ, and is carried on by Jesus’ followers up until Christ returns. The future-tense manifestation begins with Jesus Christ’s millennial reign, and extends forever in the New Heaven and New Earth where God will forever fully dwell amongst all the inhabitants- Rev 21:1-4, 22-23; 22:1-5. Thus, the manifestation of God’s everlasting kingdom will be complete.

5. Who is the kingdom of God for, and who (if it is referring to someone) is it referring to? The kingdom is an instrument for God to use to demonstrate His amazing love and awesome power (Jn. 3:1-21), and it’s for us to witness and participate in this demonstration.***** Belonging to the kingdom is the same as belonging to Jesus Christ. Everything we receive from the kingdom we also receive from Jesus. Everything the kingdom stands for, is, and will be, is synonymous to everything Jesus stands for, is, and will be. Jesus Christ is the complete representation, manifestation, and consummation of the kingdom of God. Without Jesus Christ there is no kingdom. For you can’t see or belong to the kingdom without belonging to Jesus Christ- Jn. 1:12; 3:3-6.

___My hope is this helped you better understand the kingdom so you can seek it as Christ instructed.
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*1. Kingdom in Hebrew (malkuwth and mamlakah) means rule, dominion (empire, realm, royal, reign), and in Greek (basileia) it means royalty i.e. rule; a realm.
*2. Scripture references: Matt. 1:21-23, Lk. 1:32-33, 67-75; 4:17-21, 42-43, Acts 2:22-35.
*3. Scripture references: kingdom citizens- Eph. 2:19, Phil. 3:20, (cf. Heb. 11:13-14); kingdom property- Eph. 1:14; kingdom benefits- Rom. 8:31-33; kingdom ambassadors- 2Cor. 5:20, Jn. 14:7-14; 17:20-23; kingdom priest- Ex. 19:5-6, 1Pet. 2:5, 9- Rev. 1:4-7, Mal. 2:7; prince and princesses- Jn. 1:12-13, Rom. 8:14-16, Gal. 4:6-7, Eph. 2:18.
*4. “Prefigure” meaning to indicate the future existence of something.
*5. Scripture references: Lk. 10:1-9, Matt. 9:37-38; 22:1-10, (cf. Matt. 28:18-20).

How does Philippians 2:1-4 relate to Philippians 2:5-11?

2010-03-17T12:43:00.000-07:00

Philippians chapter 2 starts with a conjunction, that is, according to the NASB and NKJV its “therefore” and the ESV says “so”. This conjunction tells us that chapter 2 does not start off with its own thought, but rather a resultant of Paul’s flow of thought from chapter 1. So when Paul runs on with his “if” list (v. 1), and then challenges them to be “like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, or one mind” (v. 2), he’s saying this still with the same flow of thought he was making in chapter 1 (see 1:27-30). In verses 3-4 Paul gets a little more specific in his challenge (or charge) to the church in Philippi (i.e. “Let…”). Thus when Paul starts in on his descent in verses 5-11 he is using Jesus’ example as the perfect model of showing the Philippians (and us) these things firsthand; not to mention an implied insertion of a critical truth within our Faith—the humanity and deity of Jesus (vv. 5-8), and the great submission of everyone (not unto salvation but unto judgment) to Jesus as Lord (vv. 9-11). Paul shows how Jesus did nothing through “selfish ambition or conceit but in lowliness of mind” (compare v. 7), nor looked out for “his own interests, but also for the interests of others” (compare v. 8).

Hence, we are to follow Jesus’ example. “Let this same mind be in you as was in Christ Jesus” (v. 5).

The Interpretive Journey of Colossians 3:1-4

2010-03-17T12:35:00.000-07:00

1. Summarize the original situation and the meaning of the text for the biblical audience.
Paul wrote the letter to the Colosse church during his imprisonment in Rome, somewhere between the late 50’s and early 60’s AD. One of Paul’s converts, Epaphras, requested Paul’s help in dealing with a dangerous threat to this young, but vibrant fellowship. It is said that Paul didn’t establish this church but rather Epaphras (1:7, 2:1). Paul’s relationship with the church at this time would’ve been strictly by way of letter (probably the letters to the Ephesians and Laodiceans) and fellow laborers in the ministry (Epaphras, Archippus, Philemon, and Onesimus). This letter is the response to the problem within this church. The Colosse church of Paul’s day was a mixture of Jewish and Gentile Christians. Jews had ventured to this province of Phrygia two centuries earlier. So Colosse was a melting pot of religion, philosophy, and Gentile practices; this in turn being the problem for the young Colosse church. The dilemma was known as “syncretism”—combining ideas from other philosophies and religions with Christian truth. In light of the mixture of cultures within the church, there were various Jewish teachings and the early hint of what later became known as Gnosticism taking root. Paul calls out the outbreak of the heretical teachings in the Colosse church particularly in chapter 2, but uses both chapter 1 and 2 to target what actually to believe. Thus by the end of chapter 2 those listening had sat through a serious heretical gut-checking. They were then ready to hear how they are to respond to this blessed information (chapters 3 and 4). In verses 1-2 of chapter 3, Paul starts with a conditional charge to the believers in Colosse on what he previously explained in chapters 1 and 2, (“If then you were raised…Seek those…Set your…”). In verses 3-4 Paul sums up the “why” for the influence behind what is to be their new way of living and thinking—which is to follow in the remaining verses and subsequent chapter.

2. What are the differences between the biblical audience/situation and us today/our situation?
There are three noticeable differences between us today and the church of Colosse in the first century. One, we are in America not first century Asia Minor. Two, we are not made up of first century Jew and Gentile believers, nor are we struggling with legalistic Judaism and early Gnosticism. And three, we are not all young Christians or members of new-found churches. Despite these three, the river separating them from us is not that wide. We today continue to struggle with heretical teachings, some lingering from Judaism (Sabbath and dietary observances) and Gnosticism (mysticism, new-age spirituality, etc.). Greek philosophical thinking and teaching is still prevalent. The denial of the humanity and deity of Jesus (Modalism) and the worship of other beings as mediators between us and God (Catholicism) carry on today as back then. This letter from Paul is just as much for us now as it was for the Colosse church.

3. What are the timeless theological principle(s) communicated in this passage?
The theological principles in this text are “seek those things which are above where Christ is sitting at the right hand of God”, and “set your minds on things above, not on things on the earth” like traditions and deceptive philosophy (knowledge for knowledge sake).

4. How should Christians today apply the theological principle(s) in their lives?
The theological principles found in this text are for every Christian facing teachings (e.g. rejection of the humanity and/or divinity of Jesus, knowledge is enough for salvation, etc) and traditions in opposition to Christ (e.g. the worship of angels, circumcision, etc). Since our day in age is similar to the time when Paul wrote this letter to Timothy, as far as the heavy presence of religious traditions and philosophy, we can take hold of these principles immediately in just about any situation where tradition or philosophy opposing the truth in Christ is present. Some of our workplaces function in ways contrary to Christ, we then can set our minds on things above and not be persuaded to conform to those things on our job. Or for students who are facing secular philosophies in high-school and college, praising knowledge and science and belittling faith in Christ, we can seek those things which are above where Christ is sitting at the right hand of God and not be deceived with persuasive words or empty philosophy. Some may be caught up in traditionalism at their place of worship or in their family, but these traditions are not in accordance with the truth we have and know in Christ. In this we can seek and set our mind on things above where Christ is and not be cheated through the traditions of men, which have an appearance of wisdom in self-imposed religion. These principles can be applied to any area that is attempting to get us to view or accept Christ less than what He truly is.

The Holy Trinity...for those who don't know

2009-11-18T16:05:00.000-08:00

A lot of issues arise from not clearly and properly defining the meaning of the Trinity. The Holy Trinity, as expressed in Scripture, is nothing more than the one and only Covenant God (I AM Who I AM) being revealed in three coequal but distinct persons (members): the Father, the Son (Jesus the Christ), and the Holy Spirit.

Distinction #1: Jesus says of the individuality of the Father, “My Father is greater than I” (Jn. 14:28 cf. Phil. 2:5-11)
Distinction #2: Jesus says to the Father of the individuality of Himself, “Glorify Your Son” (Jn. 17:1)
Distinction #3: Jesus said of the individuality to the scribes and Pharisees that they will be forgiven if they blaspheme Him but not if they blaspheme the Holy Spirit (Matt. 12:31-33)
Distinction #4: Jesus speaks of the individuality of the Holy Spirit, Himself, and the Father (Jn. 14:25-26; 16:13-15)
Distinction #5: Jesus quoted to the Pharisees David’s prophetic divine distinction and equality of the individuality of Jesus and the Father (Matt. 22:41-46)
Distinction #6: Peter, in the first sermon recorded after Jesus, mentions the individuality of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:22-36)
Distinction #7: Paul speaks on the individuality of one Lord, one Spirit, and one Father of us all (Eph. 4:4-6 cf. Rom. 8:26-27, 1Cor. 15:15-28)
Distinction #8: John talks about fellowship with the Son and the Father (1Jn. 1:1-3) and that the Spirit serves as a witness to Jesus coming in the flesh (1Jn. 5:6-8)
Distinction #9: Jesus said if He bears witness of Himself by Himself His witness is not true. So Jesus says the Father and the Holy Spirit bears witness of Him—showing a distinction of the individuality of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit (Jn. 5:31-37; 15:26; 8:14-18).

Just from these 9 alone we see this is not some doctrine picked up in later centuries as some suggest. Not to mention the book of Hebrews by itself displays—based on the Old Testament laws, the tabernacle, and such—the distinct persons of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit! That’s some good company to have (Jesus, David, Paul, Peter, John) if you’re going to hold to a doctrine, don’t you think?

The Holy Trinity, or the plurality of the God-head, is blatant in Scripture (ex. Gen. 1:26; 11:7, Isa. 6:8, Jn. 3:11; 17:11, 21) and supported in history—for it is recorded that the first century and second century believers also believed, accepted, and worshipped the Triune God (eg. Justin Martyr AD150, Polycarp AD116- disciple of the Apostle John- Irenaeus AD185- disciple of Polycarp- and in the late 2nd century/early 3rd century AD, Tertullian).

The Apostles got it from Jesus, the early church got it from the Apostles, and we got it from the scriptures passed on to us from the early church.
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For those who may have questions about the heretical "Oneness" doctrine, please check this site...Trinity versus Oneness.

Unmasking the Witnesses:Putting the JW's on the stand

2009-11-13T11:42:00.000-08:00

“It is important, then, that you “keep testing whether you are in the faith,” as
Paul declared. Keep checking to see whether the things you believe are in
keeping with God’s Word. But the question is, are you willing to put your
religion through such a test? There is nothing to fear, because if you have the
right religion you can only be reassured by the examination. And if what you
believe is not in keeping with the Bible, then you should welcome the truth,
because it leads to light and life.” (Watchtower May 1 1958 p.261 Is Your
Religion the Right One?)

Allow me to put the Jehovah’s Witnesses on the stand and unmask some of the fallacies of their belief. This is very close to my heart. I had a young cousin who was a JW and he committed suicide because he had no hope of a better way out of his mess and I have a grandfather who is presently a JW, so I’m not doing this to bash but rather to challenge minds to see false for false and create the opportunity to come to the Truth. I should’ve done this a long time ago.

Timeline of the origin of JW’s
1852- Birth of Charles Taze Russell, founder of the Jehovah’s Witnesses.
1872- Charles Taze Russell founds the International Bible Students Association in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
(Only 20 years old, he’s still a kid. He’s not even old enough to have finished a 4 year degree in Biblical Studies, hmm.)

1874- Year designated by Charles Taze Russell as the year of Christ’s invisible return (with the visible return to occur in 1914).
(Wow, 22 years old and making prophecies about the return of Christ.)

1879- Russell begings publishing the Zion’s Watch Tower and Herald of Christ’s Presence magazine.
1884- Zion’s Watch Tower Tract Society established as an incorporated body.
1886- Russell begins writing Studies in the Scriptures, which came to be considered second only to the Bible in importance.
(Now he has cornered the market on authoritative writings, interesting.)

1914- Year designated by Russell for Christ’s visible second coming.
(No return of Christ. Prediction is false, yet he is the JW’s inspired, authoritative and prophetic founder/leader.)

1916- Russell dies and is succeeded by “Judge” Joseph Franklin Rutherford (1869-1942).
1925- Year predicted by Rutherford as the year Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and the prophets would return to earth. (From a booklet in 1920 entitled Millions Now Living Will Never Die. pp.89-90)
(Nowhere in the Bible does it say Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob would return after their death. Oh, and the prediction was false. This would be the second false prediction in 20 years of the new birth of this religion. So much for being inspired.)

1931- Judge Rutherford adopts the name “Jehovah’s Witnesses” for the group, based on Isaiah 43:10.
(Though believers/followers of Jesus Christ have been called “Christians” since the middle of the first century in Antioch, and the Apostle Peter confirmed it in one of his epistles-1Peter)

1942- Rutherford dies and is succeeded by Nathan Homer Knorr (1905-77).
1975- Year predicted for Armageddon, based on calculation of Adam’s creation (determined to be 4026 BC) plus 6,000 years. But Watchtowers leading up to that year warn that no one can predict “the day or hour” with certainty.
(Yet we see the founder of this group started with a false prediction, as well as the next three successors. Not to mention, the same “Watchtower” that now says no one can predict with certainty was created by the founder who made a false prediction, hmm. Oh, and again, another false prediction.)

1977- Death of Knorr, who was succeeded by Frederick Franz. Franz explained the uneventful 1975 by noting that perhaps Eve was created several months or years after Adam, and Armageddon would occur 6000 years from that date.
(If this is true, according to the calendar of time recorded in the Bible, we have either passed or are close upon the 6000 years after Eve was created. Another false prediction after they say no one can predict with certainty.)

From this timeline we see the JW’s have no historic depth. They were founded by a 22 year old who made, he and his successors, false predictions and used them as the basis for why they are the one true faith. They have not been affirmed by the scholarly communities as historic or systematically legitimate. And as we are about to further see they are a false offshoot of Christianity.

The JW’s Bible
“For the most part, the NWT is similar to most other modern translations. However, notable differences occur in verses that touch on particular doctrines of the Jehovah's Witnesses that differ from mainstream Christianity.”
___The JW’s say their New World Translation is the “Hebrew Scriptures” and “Christian Greek Scriptures”. How can the NWT (which has only been around for 50 years) truly have the “Hebrew Scriptures” and “Christian Greek Scriptures”—of which they took from the Holy Bible—when they have altered the Holy Bible scriptures to fit their belief and no longer stand in accordance with the 2,400 year old complete Hebrew Bible and the 1,900 year old New Testament? The Hebrew Bible and the New Testament have been consistent for over a thousand years and yet only the NWT—which is supposedly taken from the same Holy Scriptures as the Bible—has altered the context of the content within. Why would one want to trust the NWT? Yet the JW’s say they “affirm the full inspiration of the Bible by God and the preservation of its copies over the centuries.” But how can this be when they have altered it. So despite the “full inspiration of the Bible by God” within the last 50 years they figured God did not do a good enough job the first time and the centuries upon centuries of preserving it so they had to change the very source they got their translation from and make a “New Word of God”. Smells fishy.

JW’s on the End-times
“A belief that is unique to Jehovah’s Witnesses is that the eschatological events predicted in Revelation began in 1914. This is when God gave Jesus his Kingdom, and Jesus has been ruling from heaven ever since. At this time Jesus threw Satan and his demons out of heaven and down to earth, which is why, according to Witnesses, the world has been getting progressively worse since 1914.”
___Jesus said, while He was still on earth amongst His disciples before His death and resurrection, He saw Satan fall from heaven like a flash of lighting (Lk. 10:18). How can this be so if He didn’t throw Satan and his demons out until 1914? Somebody is wrong, the JW’s or Jesus.

JW’s on the Afterlife
“Jehovah’s Witnesses deny the existence of hell. Instead, they hold that the souls of the wicked will be annihilated.”
___And yet they also believe Jesus went to the place of the dead. How can the souls of the wicked be annihilated (to destroy something completely so that it ceases to exist) and yet still have a place where Jesus can go? Where does the Holy Bible—from which they made up the NWT—say anything about the souls of the wicked being annihilated?

“The death that Adam brought into the world is spiritual as well as physical, and only those who gain entrance into the Kingdom of God will exist eternally.”
___Solomon, the wisest man to walk the earth next to Jesus, says in Ecclesiastes that God put eternity in the hearts of men and that man will go to his eternal home (Eccl. 3:11; 12:5-7). Jesus Himself said when speaking to His disciples that some will be raised to eternal life and others to everlasting punishment (Matt. 25:31-46). The Apostle Paul says the same thing to the Thessalonians, as does the writer of Hebrews and Jude (2Thess. 1:6-9, Heb. 6:2, Jude 6-8). And let’s not get into Revelation in regards to this. Yet JW’s hold that only those who gain entrance into the Kingdom of God will exist eternally, how can this be when Jesus just said there will be some who will be raised to everlasting punishment, Solomon affirms an eternity for mankind not just the saved, and the others? Someone is wrong, either Jesus and Solomon and company or the JW’s, hmm. Oh and how can one be certain if they have gained entrance into the God’s kingdom? JW’s teach that “eternal life comes not simply from faith in Jesus but from “learning about Jehovah and obeying his requirements,” proving oneself to be God’s loyal subject, and listening to the Kingdom message and acting on it.” So you may never really know if you’re in until you die. That’s a lot of hoping and risk-taking with no guarantee!

JW’s on Jesus
JW’s teach that Jesus was crucified “not on a cross, but a single upright stake.”
___In first century Roman history it has been documented that when they crucified someone, they were nailed to two wooden beams attached in the shape of a cross. The nails went through the wrist (which was considered a part of the hand during that time) and a single nail through both feet, also there would be times the legs where broken so they couldn’t hold themselves up and die quicker. The New Testament’s account of Jesus’ crucifixion also affirms the Roman’s custom of punishment for capital crimes at that time. So who is right the JW’s or the Holy Bible and history? The 1,900 year old New Testament records Jesus being crucified on a cross, and those (both believers and non-believers) during that time who wrote of Jesus after His death says He was crucified.
(Samaritan born historian Thallus AD 52; 1st century Jewish historian Josephus; Roman historian Tacitus AD 112; 2nd century satirist Lucian; and the Jewish Talmud all record Jesus being crucified/hung on a cross)

JW’s teach that Jesus is not God “but rather God’s first creation.” “Jesus existed in pre-human form as God’s agent of creation and God’s chief spokesman (the Word), and took on human form as the man Jesus by means of a virgin birth.”
___Here is where it gets steamy. In the JW’s NWT they, and only their translation, have changed John 1:1. No other biblical translation of the Holy Bible has changed the context of any of the content of what has been passed on since the first century. How can someone trust a translation that has altered the context of the content from the historical translations—the same it copied from—which has passed the scrutiny and rigorous analyzing that the New Testament has from the first century? Secondly, where in any Holy Bible does it say that Jesus is God’s first creation? Jesus Himself told John in the heavenly revelation (Rev. 1:8, 17-18; 22:13) that He was the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end—names which in the Old Testament that only God attributes to Himself. Where does the Holy Bible say Jesus ever existed in “pre-human form”? Is not God an invisible spirit (Jn. 4:24, Rom. 1:20, 1Tim. 1:17)? Does not the Apostle Paul say Jesus is the image (Gr. eikon—a likeness, i.e. (literally) statue, profile) of the invisible God (Col. 1:15, 2Cor. 4:4)? This same “image” (eikon) is used in Matthew 22:20 and Mark 12:16 when Jesus said to the disciples about the coin with Caesar’s face on it, “Whose is this image and inscription?” In the Book of Hebrews it says Jesus is the “express image of [God]” (Heb. 1:1-3). The term “express image” in this context in the Greek is charakter which means “exact likeness/exact image”. (This Greek word is where we get our word “character” from). Just from these we see Jesus is portrayed as the visible image of the invisible God. Jesus says out His own mouth that He is God, equal in nature and power (Jn. 5:17-39; 8:57-59; 10:30-39; 17:11, 21-22). And every time He made these claims the Jews who knew exactly what He was saying shouted “blasphemy” and then tried to stone Him as was the custom for blasphemy, death—the exact reason why they wanted Him crucified, because He was a blasphemer. Not only did Jesus say it, but those who followed Him preached it and worshipped Him as the one true God. This has been documented by believers and non-believers as far back as late first century and the early second century (1st century Jewish historian Josephus; First Clement AD 96; Pliny the Younger and Emperor Trajan AD 112; Polycarp AD 116; Suetonius AD 120; Justin Martyr AD 150; Irenaeus AD 185; etc). Yet with just this little bit of data the JW’s still somehow come up with the Jesus they came up with.

JW’s on the Holy Spirit
“Witnesses disagree with mainstream Christianity that the Holy Spirit is one of the three Persons in the Godhead. Instead, they believe the Holy Spirit to be “God’s active force.”
___Jesus, the Apostle John, and the Apostle Paul seem to disagree with JW’s on the Holy Spirit. Jesus specifically makes references to the Holy Spirit as a Person (Jn. 14:15-17, 26; 15:26; 16:7-11, 13-15) not some impersonal “active force”. Apostle’s John and Paul also make references to the Holy Spirit as a Person (Rom. 8:9-16, 26-27, 1Cor. 2:10-14; 3:16, Eph. 4:30, Heb. 9:14, 1Jn. 5:6-8). Whom should one trust, the Savior Jesus and the inspired by God Apostles John and Paul or the JW’s translation which supposedly corrects what they themselves believe was already fully inspired?

More facts and critical examining about the JW’s
___“The Jehovah’s Witnesses organization (The Watchtower Bible and Tract Society) has claimed in its own writings to be THE ONLY channel through which God communicates His truth to the world. (WT, 4/1/1919, p.6414; WT, 1/15/1917, p.6033) Furthermore, it has described itself as a “Prophet-like” group that does not interpret what God’s truth is, but merely puts in writing the truth that God delivers to the world through them, and only them! (WT, 7/1/1943, p.203; WT, 11/1/1931, p.327; WT, 10/1/1994, p.6) Considering these claims to posses the exclusive ability to communicate God’s truth, the Jehovah’s Witnesses must succeed in passing the highest Biblical scrutiny.
___Deuteronomy 18:20-22 and 13:1-4 give two tests for distinguishing between genuine Prophets of God and False Prophets. (1) If one prophesies in God’s name and what they predict does not come to pass - they are a False Prophet. (2) If one prophesies in God’s name and the prediction does come to pass, BUT they teach you to follow false gods - they are a False Prophet. Thus, recognizing False Prophets is achieved by simply applying these tests to the teachings and prophecies of the WTBTS to determine if the claims it makes about itself hold up to Biblical and reasonable scrutiny. If they are THE ONLY TRUE “Prophet” of God, then everything they have ever predicted should have come to pass.
___Tragically, everything they have ever predicted has FAILED to come to pass. “Judge” Rutherford in his book Light, he wrote that making false predictions is proof positive that someone is a False Prophet, Rutherford stating, “...their prophecies to date have not come to pass; and that alone is strong evidence that they are false prophets.” (Light Vol.2, p.47).
___Anyone can read and study the WTBTS publications from 1879 to present and discover for themselves how deceptive that have been to their followers.”*

___“…reading Russell’s Studies in the Scriptures is enough for many people to realize that the religion Russell started has very little resemblance to the Witnesses today. There are also over 20 wrong dates, many that were part of Watchtower doctrine for over 50 years. “F&D Slave” shows that there has never been a line of Jehovah’s Witnesses that even remotely believe current Watchtower truth.
___What is disappointing is the way that current Watchtower articles refer to these changes. When a significant doctrine has changed back and forth, or been introduced and then renounced, a person must ask “Can I believe that God directed the Organization to make such mistakes?”*

“Proving that the Organization is not directed by Jehovah took me many years
because of fear; fear of change, fear of my own motives and fear of researching
outside of the Watchtower.” (Paul Grundy)

Conclusion
I didn’t touch on everything, but I touched on enough to show the falsity of this belief. For how can something continue to profess to be the “truth” with so many falsehoods? Revelation 19:10 says, “Worship God! For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.” And on that note let’s sum this up:

False predictions since its inception.
False prophetic leaders.
False doctrine fostered from an altered version of a tested historic and divinely
written source existing over a thousand of years before the JW’s.
False divine inspiration—the Holy Spirit of God is not with JW’s/Watchtower doctrine as exposed by the false doctrines and false predictions.
This all equals a false testimony of Jesus, which means JW’s are worshipping a false god and therefore they are a false belief.

If you’re reading this and you’re a practicing Jehovah’s Witness, I’m sure the thought of disfellowship and being shunned by family and friends is intimidating. And I will not try and act like I can relate, because I can’t. But I still have to ask, which is worth more being shunned and rejected by family and friends or being shunned and rejected by God for eternity? I have lost a young cousin to this false belief and I may lose a grandfather, please don’t allow it to take you to Hell—eternal separation from God in an eternal like prison.

If you want to talk, please contact me. You are not alone. The real Jesus would love to rescue you from the house of bondage, give you eternal life, and truly bring you into His family.
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*1. Essential for Addressing J.W. Assertions, June 8, 2007 by Chris Cross
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1597815071?ie=UTF8&tag=religionfacts-20&link_code=as3&camp=211189&creative=373489&creativeASIN=1597815071
*2. © Paul Grundy 2005 http://www.jwfacts.com/

All other information on Jehovah’s Witnesses taken from www.religionfacts.com
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Genesis Contemplations II

2009-10-30T12:46:00.000-07:00

GENESIS CONTEMPLATIONS II

Curse of Cain, son of Adam:
Most of us are familiar with the story of Cain and Abel. Cain’s offering to the Lord was rejected while his brother Abel’s was accepted. I can go off and get into why that was the case, but I’m not. Cain goes on to draw his brother Abel out into the field and then kill him. This is where I want to meditate. Cain kills his brother. God confronts him about it. Cain denies even knowing what God is talking about. God then curses Cain, “So now you are cursed from the earth… When you till the ground, it shall no longer yield its strength to you. A fugitive and a vagabond you shall be on the earth.” That’s it. God hit Cain right where it hurt the most, Cain’s gifting. The Bible says Cain was a tiller of the ground (Gen. 4:2). God said your gift will be useless now, the thing you love to do (or the thing you are great at doing) will no longer yield to you, and you shall continually wander among the earth. That’s it from God. His said His peace, He rendered His punishment.

Cain, on the other hand, feeling the brunt of the punishment for what he did, says to God, “My punishment is greater than I can bear!” (Gen. 4:13-14). Separated from his family, soon to be separated from the presence of God (Gen. 4:16), living with the guilt of what he did to his younger brother, and in his mind a useless existence because the thing that identified him will no longer do so. Outcasted by the consequence of his action, just like his father Adam was, Cain in a depressed, guilt-ridden state of mind goes on to add on to God’s curse and curse himself, “…it will happen that anyone who finds me will kill me.” (Gen. 4:14). Cain no longer wants to live. But God, demonstrating yet again—like He did with Cain’s father—what Paul says in Romans 5:8, adds a curse onto Cain’s curse, ““Therefore whoever kills Cain, vengeance shall be taken on him sevenfold.” And the Lord set a mark on Cain, lest anyone finding him should kill him.” (Gen. 4:15).

How wonderful is our God, that even when Cain cursed himself for the pain and affliction he caused his parents and himself by way of his selfish acts, God sovereignly intervened and saves him, not from the consequences, but from the added curse he put on himself. Not only did God do this for Cain, but for Cain’s grandson Lamech as well. Like his grandfather Lamech killed a man and possibly internally cursed himself (Gen. 4:17-19, 23). God perceiving something in regards to this put a curse on anyone who attempted or did kill Lamech for what he did (Gen. 4:24).

What can we take away from Cain son of Adam? One is to be honest before God and with God. Another is to know that we are our brother and sister’s keeper and God will hold us accountable accordingly. Also our life is not identified by our gift(s), careers, accomplishments, and so on, but rather our lives are to be identified with the Creator and Giver of all good things. It should affect and penetrate us more to know we can lose fellowship (not relationship) with our God because of our sin more than we are affected or penetrated by the loss of anything else. And finally there are times in our life where we curse ourselves for the pain and affliction our selfish acts have caused others and/or ourselves. What we need to know is our God sees and knows what the just consequence is for our actions (and will allow such), and in His mercy He intervenes and “sets a mark” on us to keep us from our own curses.

Curse of Ham, son of Noah:
The Bible says from Noah’s three sons the whole earth was populated (Gen. 9:19). Noah’s son Ham has a very interesting story and lineage, which had major implications on history.

In Genesis 9:22 the Bible records Ham seeing his father’s nakedness and then telling his two brothers. Ham’s brothers Shem and Japheth covered their father without looking at his nakedness (Gen. 9:23). Because of what Ham did God cursed Ham’s son Canaan (Gen. 9:25-27). But back to Ham, we’ll get to Canaan later.Ham’s decision to look upon his father and not cover him caused lingering internal problems for his lineage. Ham begot Cush (Gen. 10:6). Cush is the father of Nimrod (Gen. 10:8). The infamous Nimrod built a kingdom from Babel (which is Babylon- Gen. 11:9) to Assyria (Gen. 10:8-12). In Assyria Nimrod built Nineveh, whom we know from the story of Jonah. Nimrod was the founder of the lands and nations that were future enemies to the Israelites. Ham begot Mizraim (Gen. 10:6). Mizraim begot the father of the Philistines (Gen. 10:13-14), a consistent enemy of Israel during the Old Testament. Ham begot Canaan (Gen. 10:6). Canaan begot majority of the “ites” the Israelites warred with in the Old Testament (Gen. 10:15-18). And that is because Canaan was cursed to be a servant to the lineage of which the Israelites came through, Noah’s son Shem (Gen. 9:26; 11:10-26). The border of the Canaanites stretched from Sidon to as far as Gaza to as far as Sodom and Gomorrah (Gen. 10:19). We know Sodom and Gomorrah as the most sexually vile city among the world at one point (Gen. 13:13; 18:20-21; 19:1-13). They were a straight descendant of the first person to look upon the nakedness of the same sex--his father at that. Should we be shocked by Sodom and Gomorrah seeing the lineage in which they descend from? I think not. Canaan is also the land promised by God to the descendants of Abraham (Gen. 12:4-7; 15:12-21).

More can be expounded on, but for the point I’m trying to make this is enough.

We can see from one man’s act, a whole lineage was internally cursed (also displayed in Cain with Lamech). This may be the case in your life. Your parents (or their parents, and so on) passed on their lineage of dysfunction to you in someway—depression, promiscuity, alcoholism, drug abuse, status seeking, people pleasing, bad decision making, etc. Praise God for making a way for us to born from the Seed of promise and not from the seed of shame! Praise God for Jesus who can break our generational dysfunctionality from being passed on to our children (ref. Acts 16:31-34) as long as we follow His prescription on life (Rom. 6:10-23).* (Let me clarify something. I didn't say nor was I implying that all of our problems, struggles, or the affects/influence of sin in our lives will go away because we are saved. Paul prayed three times that God would remove the thorn from his flesh, but He didn't. There are "thorn(s)" God allows to stay in our lives so that we, like Paul, don't get to elated and we always have a reminder of our constant need for Jesus- 2Cor. 12:7-10).

To conclude on both, how great is our God! For while we were still sinners He sent His Son Jesus Christ to die for us and redeem us from the curse of the law (and the curse of ourselves) and bring us into grace! This grace is available for us in every area of our lives and in every situation we come upon. Take away from these two whatever you can. I hope my contemplations have helped you in someway.

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* Just because Jesus can break any generational curse/dysfunction from being passed on by us to our children that doesn’t mean that our children won’t have any dysfunction or cause and pass on any dysfunction of their own (Jer. 31:29-30, Hos. 10:12-13, Gal. 6:7-8).

Genesis Contemplations I

2009-10-28T12:34:00.000-07:00

GENESIS CONTEMPLATION I

Adam & Sin vs. Evolution & Evil
In the beginning God made the first human being, Adam. Adam is the Father of mankind/humankind (Gen. 2:7). We all come from Adam’s sperm/seed. When Adam disobeyed God’s command (Gen. 2:16-17; 3:1-11), that act was what produced sin—the missing the mark of God, the erring from God’s way, disobedience to God—and death*, and because we all come from Adam we therefore are all born into sin and death (Rom. 5:12). Thus all the evil and chaos and bad crap in life, from Adam to the last day, is due to the sin and death consequence from Adam’s act of disobedience.
_____Those who don’t believe that God created everything as it states in the Genesis account reject this origin of the problem of evil and so on as insufficient or unscientific. Ok, well let’s look at the only other theory for human life in this light then, evolution. The theory of evolution says, loosely, that we as humans evolved from other things, etc, etc. If we trace the “other things” back to its first beginning, some type of unformed substance, what eventually came from this—according to natural selection—survived by killing off (or outliving) its opposition or hindrance to survive (that’s an act of self-centeredness and violence). And so on the evolutionary process goes. From this we see, even the “in the beginning” of evolution an act we now consider an evil—violence—and a problem—selfishness—is integrated in the very fabric of this process. Evolution is secular science’s equivalent to Adam as the origin of humankind, and so we can deduce the same conclusion from Adam for evolution: Because we all come from the evolutionary process we therefore are all born into the evil produced from evolution. Thus all the evil and chaos and bad crap in life, from the beginning to the end, is due to the beginning acts of the evolutionary process (self-centeredness and violence).
_____We can see regardless to which view one holds, the problem of sin/evil originates at the very beginning. The difference is, and it’s a big one, every ideology (aside from one) has no, nada, none, zero, zilch of an adequate answer or solution to this problem, except death—which without a 100% certainty there is no afterlife “death” may not even be an answer/solution but a greater eternal problem. However, I can say this with all the confidence in the world, one will find the only adequate answer to this problem in Jesus Christ*, if one looks without prejudice or discrimination to the good reasons and ample evidence that is available on His behalf.

A Talking Snake?
The Bible reports a cunning serpent as the culprit behind the deception of Eve which led ultimately to Adam’s disobedience to God. People who don’t accept the Bible’s account of the beginning think it is preposterous to believe in a talking snake, though it’s easy for them to believe that we evolved from this glob thing, and then another thing, and then more things, and then finally monkeys (so it is said and widely accepted in the secular scientific community but still debated). Yet it’s preposterous to believe in a talking snake, hmm. For all we know, especially because empirical science* cannot pose absolutes only probabilities, natural selection could very well have us evolving from snakes and we can talk, hmm. Doesn’t sound so preposterous after all now does it?
_____Evolution doesn’t explain away God as so many atheists suggest. In certain cases the theory of the evolutionary process actually shows plausibility for God’s existence and the trustworthiness of the Bible. For example, Genesis 3:14—written thousands of years before the theory of evolution—records, “So the LORD God said to the serpent, “On your belly you shall go…all the days of your life.”” Evolution shows this as probable for the ancestry of snakes. So whether true or not, (though I believe Darwin’s theory of evolution is false and the Creation account in Genesis to be true), evolution does not necessarily explain away God or the credibility of the Bible. People simply choose to use evolution as a scapegoat for not accepting the Covenant God’s existence, to which the Bible attests (Rom. 1:20-21).

Take away whatever you can from these two topics. I do hope this was a help in some way. It was a simple contemplation of mine as I journey again through the book of Genesis. I will post more as they come along during this journey of mine.
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*1. There are 4 parts to the death consequence if Adam disobeyed God’s command. The first part of death is death by separation from God (Gen. 2:23-24). The second part of death is death by violence (Gen. 4:8). The third part of death is death by the natural (Gen. 5:5). The fourth part of death is death by destruction (Gen. 6:7).
*2. Jesus the Son of God and God the Son distinguishes Himself from the “Jesus” of Jehovah Witness, Mormonism, Christian Science, the Jesus Seminar, or any other beliefs spun off of the historic Jesus of Nazareth found in the Holy Bible.
*3. Science generally and largely makes empirical claims and deals with empirical issues, meaning there claims and issues can be solved by experience, either directly by observation or indirectly by experimentation. Empirical science is obviously verifiable, but an unspoken fact of empirical science is that it is also falsifiable (capable of being disproved). This is why empirical science can never deduce (assume, conclude) absolutes only strong or weak probabilities (e.g. theories, hypothesis).

The Bible and Science

2009-10-05T12:26:00.000-07:00

I stumbled upon this online like in 2007 on someones blog on MySpace. A couple of days ago I heard minister Facey from P4CM mention this when talking to an atheist. (Big shout out to P4CM! www.p4cm.com). So I figured I post it so everyone can know and have it. I want us all to be educated, not just the educated.

The Bible’s statements 2,000-3,000 years ago vs. Science

* At a time when it was believed that the earth sat on a large animal or a giant (1500B.C.), the Bible spoke of the earth’s free float in space:
“He…hangs the earth upon nothing” (Job 26:7)

* Only in recent centuries has man discovered that there are mountains on the ocean floor. But this was revealed in the Bible thousands of years ago.
While deep in the ocean, Jonah cried, “I went down to the bottoms of the mountains…” (Jonah 2:6)

* Only in recent centuries has science discovered that everything we see is composed of invisible atoms.
Here, Hebrews 11:3, the Bible tells us that the things which are seen were not made of things which are visible.

* Science expresses the Universe in five terms: time, space, matter, power, and motion.
Genesis 1:1-2 revealed such truths to the Hebrews in as early as 1450 B.C. “In the beginning [time] God created [power] the heaven [space] and the earth [matter]… And the Spirit of God moved [motion] upon the face of the waters.” Now the very first thing God tells man is that He controls all aspects of the universe, and notice all five terms.

* In 1845 the presence of microscopic diseases were unknown. Until recent years, doctors washed their hands in a bowl of water, leaving invisible germs on their hands. However, the Bible says specifically to wash hands under [running water].
Look at the specific instructions God gave His people for when they encounter disease: “And when he that has an issue is cleansed of his issue; then he shall number to himself seven days for his cleansing, and wash his cloths, and bathe his flesh in [running water], and shall be clean.” (Leviticus 15:13).

* We now understand that a year is the time required for earth to travel once around the sun. The seasons are caused by the changing position of the earth in relation to the sun. Astronomers can tell exactly the earths motion around the sun when one season ends and the next season begins. A month is the time of one revolution of the moon around the earth with respect to the sun.
In Genesis 1:14, the Bible says God created the lights in the heavens for signs and for season, days and years. How could Moses have known 3,500 years ago that the lights of the sun and moon were the actual determining factors of the years length, unless his words were inspired by God? (cf. Psalm 136:7-9)

* Centuries later, scientists began to discern the rules [decree] for the rain. Rainfall is part of a process called the water cycle. The sun evaporates water from the ocean, the water vapor then rises and becomes clouds, this water in the clouds fall back to earth as rain and collects in streams and rivers then makes its way back to the ocean. About 300 years ago Galileo discovered this cycle but amazingly the scriptures described it centuries before.
Job stated God made a decree [law] for the rain, and a way for the lightning of the thunder (Job 28:26). The prophet Amos (Amos 9:6) wrote that God calls for the water of the sea and pours them out upon the face of the earth.

* Even evolutionist Stephen Hawking, considered the best-known scientist since Albert Einstein, acknowledges “the universe and the laws of physics seem to have been specifically designed for us. If any one of about 40 physical qualities had more that slightly different values, life as we know it could not exist: Either atoms would not be stable, or they wouldn’t combine into molecules, or the stars wouldn’t form the heavier elements, or the Universe would collapse before life could develop…”
There is no other book in any of the world’s religions (Vedas, Bhagavad-Gita, Koran, book of Mormon, etc.) that contains these kinds of consistencies. Hank Hanegraaff said, “Faith in Christ is not some blind leap into a dark chasm, but a faith based on established evidence.”

The reason the Bible and true science harmonize is that they have the same author.

Unknown

A Defense for the Hope: Series Intro

2009-08-23T15:00:00.000-07:00

I want to help my brethren with logic and reason know that what they believe (that God exist, our Faith is not built on lies, the Bible can be trusted, etc) is true and they can be sure of it. I am not a scholar. So what I share is not as extensive as it would be if it were from a scholar, but it is still useful and beneficial.

In this series I'll be presenting numerous writings that I've written in past years that are great for strengthening a believer's foundation from a different angle. Each writing will share the title so you'll know which ones are a part of the series.

(Just so you'll know, I posted this series all on the same day in the order I wanted it to be read).

A Defense for the Hope: Does God Exist?

2009-08-23T14:00:00.000-07:00

Somewhere around 6,000 years ago someone declared, from a personal encounter, there is only one true Higher Power/Supreme Being– also known as, GOD. This declaration of theirs they passed on to the generations after them and told them to do the same, and it has gone on until this present day in time.
_____From this point in history on people have made it a life endeavor attempting to prove this age old claim to be false. Now some will say that this age old claim was made from an assumption taken from independent reasoning. With this said, we can now see from the studies of certain things like *Astronomy, *Cosmology, and *Biology that those centuries ago who declared God exists aren't looney; which in turn means the burden of proof is truly on those who oppose this claim to not simply show reasonable doubt but “foolproof” doubt. Yet, if one who accepts the existence of God can show even an ounce of solid, concrete evidence for it the case against it, no matter how sophisticated it may be, is no more. For who can truly prove that something doesn’t exist if there is even one shred of solid evidence that says it does?
_____Here are three things I believe is solid and simple evidence for the existence of God.

The Universe
Scientists say, by way of their “Big Bang Theory”, that the universe has always existed, originating in a coalition of energy: gravity, electromagnetic, strong nuclear, and weak nuclear. Well, using their theory, energy– an effect and also a cause, but in this case an effect because of its four manifestations– cannot exist (come to be, occur) without the direct result of some other “cause” (action)? In order for this such “cause”– action by somebody or something else– to create/cause this such “effect”– energy (and eventually matter) that makes up this immeasurable universe–, this such “cause” would have to be something absolute– the origin/starting point of all “CAUSE”, something that always was, is, and will be. Otherwise, this universe remains an effect (a state) of energy (and eventually matter) without a sufficient “cause” (action by some “thing” completely separate from the “effect”), and that’s scientifically impossible. In all of the efforts to explain the “Big Bang” (the origin of the universe aside from a Higher Power), it still doesn’t and will never be able account for how the “Big” was provided for the “Bang” to take place.

The Earth
Earth is too perfectly placed within this galaxy (any closer to the sun it would be too hot for life and any further away it be too cold for life, and it’s not blocked by the Asteroid belt having a perfect view to view the rest of the universe), and too perfectly suited for the different kinds of life forms on it to be an accident, or by chance, or by luck. The percentage of that happening is in the billions times billionth percentile. Again, this is far too scientifically improbable to explain with certainty without some Higher/Supreme Power causing it.

Humankind
Evolution? Scientists from the same field aren’t all on the same page with evolution. (Scientists from the same field aren’t all on the same page on a lot of things, but that’s for another discussion). Scientists can only tell us educated guesses (empirical claims) not precise, absolute facts. They theorize from pictures of space, equations, certain species, and so on, on how life on earth came to be. (The same is to be said for their explanation for the universe and earth as well). For example, stories and reenactments from ages ago where we do not have anything credible or tangible to support them are fictitious and speculative not absolute or necessarily true. So the stories and reenactments we read and watch about dinosaurs, life ten’s of thousands to millions and billions of years ago, and so on, have no such support for how they are being told or described, thus they are speculative not definite. They cannot tell us from a first person position only a third person position, and a third person position is not solid enough to be accepted as first-hand facts (in this case); which is exactly why they’re still called theories and not absolutes. Therefore, there is no “fail-safe” scientific way to explain the existence of humankind except for a Higher/Supreme Power; that is, atleast starting the process of “evolving” or something of the sorts. Again, humankind is such an “effect”, like that of the universe or the position of earth within the galaxy, that it needs such a “cause”.

_____I read somewhere, “People claim to not believe in God because it is “not scientific” or “because there is no proof.”” Yet, we can see that not believing in a Higher Power is actually what is “not scientific”. These three alone give ample enough evidence that there is a God out there who atleast is the cause for the universe, the positioning of and the situating of life on earth, and then humankind; as well as reasonable doubt on the allegation/claim that there is no existence of God. It’s after acknowledging the existence of a Higher Power that we have to ask the question of, does this Higher Power want something to do with us, or did it start it all and leaves it to it’s own devices? This is where I believe some of the different faiths/beliefs come from, trying to answer this question. Nonetheless, the reality of the existence of God is much more credible than that of those who adamantly disagree. Even well-known, non-Christian scientists agree. Renowned astrophysicist and evolutionist Stephen Hawking said,

“The universe and the laws of physics seem to have been specifically designed for us. If any one of about 40 physical qualities had more than slightly different values, life as we know it could not exist: Either atoms would not be stable, or they wouldn’t combine into molecules, or the stars wouldn’t form the heavier elements, or the universe would collapse before life could develop and so on.”*

And again he said,

“It would be very difficult to explain why the universe should have begun in just this way, except as the act of a God who intended to create beings like us.”*

Charles Darwin himself said,

“The impossibility of conceiving that this grand and wondrous universe, with our conscious selves, arose through chance, seems to me the chief argument for the existence of God … I am aware that if we admit a first cause, the mind still craves to know whence it came, and how it arose.”*

_____There’s an old saying I like to close with, “A fool says in his heart, there is no God.”* And that’s because you’d have to be a fool to not see the evidence of the existence of a Higher/Supreme Power, or dim-witted enough to cover ones eyes and say, “I don’t see anything.”

Here's a link to another site that shares a lot of information on this same topic:

http://www.bcrevolution.ca/collapse_of_evolution.htm
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*1 - Astronomy is the scientific study of the universe, especially of the motions, positions, sizes, composition, and behavior of celestial objects.
*2 - Cosmology is the scientific study of the origin and structure of the universe.
*3 - Biology is the science that deals with all forms of life, including their classification, physiology, chemistry, and interactions.
*4, 5, 6 - One Heartbeat Away, Mark Cahill. Retrieved from http://audio.markcahill.org/Heartbeat.pdf, pg. 22, 24, 25.
*7 - Psalms 53:1

A Defense for the Hope: True or False Witnesses

2009-08-23T13:00:00.000-07:00

Why would eleven Jewish men follow, live, and preach a Hebrew prophetic message that they knew they would be killed for, just as the one who taught it to them was, if they didn't believe it to be true (fulfilled)?
Why would they lie about something as serious as the prophesied Messiah?
What would be their reason for lying?
_____People lie or are deceitful to gain something or avoid something. These eleven had nothing to gain or avoid from this message if it was a lie. No money, property, respect, power, etc, was to be gained nor was any reason for avoidance from what they preached/taught. They had no reputation to lose if it was false. They had no reputation to gain if it was true. There was nothing to be gained, lost, or avoided from the message they were preaching/teaching. So why risk their lives; unless they knew what they knew was worth the consequences of preaching/teaching it.
_____We can see during the first century that even though every Jew is taught of and awaits the promised Messiah, nobody was really analyzing each person to see if they were He. The Jewish people then went about their lives normally just as we do today; same stuff, different day. Again, why would normal, everyday Jews put all their eggs in one basket and risk their life for a false Messiah who did numerous miracles, feats, and such just as it was prophesied of Him to do? Why would normal, everyday Jews teach/preach the prophetic message (that they had come to learn) to every other Jew they came across (even the teachers), if what they had personally witnessed in the life of Jesus was not in accordance with the prophetic scriptures taught by the teachers of the Law? Why would the writers of the Gospels misquote or manipulate prophetic scriptures? Again, they had nothing to gain or avoid from this alleged deception. These Jewish writers, with the exception of Luke, we no more educated then whom they were writing to. To misquote or manipulate the holy Hebrew Scriptures simply to get other Jews to believe the message or follow their cause was truly not worth the consequences they would face- inevitably- if they were right or wrong.
_____These Jewish followers of Jesus had a prime opportunity to let this blasphemy die out. Right after Jesus' crucifixion they were no longer in the public eye. They had all scattered. This was a perfect set-up to lay low and let everything die down if Jesus' was a false Messiah. So, as for the many who deny Jesus as the Messiah and only way to God, why would His followers further risk their life and steal His body just to cover up the so-called lie? No one was looking for them. They could've stayed in hiding, rather than risk Roman imprisonment, ex-communication from their culture, and death. But no, they say three days later an angel rolled the stoned away and their so-called Messiah rose from the dead. He even had the nerve to come to them and over 500 others as well. That's an over-reaching lie right there isn't it? If this wasn't true, they were making the situation way worst then what it was already with just Jesus doing and saying all that He did. Either they were the dumbest Jews alive, or again, they knew what they knew was unquestionably true and they were willing to die to tell everyone.
_____Fifty days after Jesus' crucifixion, these normal, yet seemingly senseless Jewish followers of Jesus, arose from what appeared to be humiliation of their fallen false Messiah and took their region by storm. They went from outcasted nobodies to speaking multiple languages, prophesying, and doing similar miracles attributed to their so-called false Messiah. These ordinary Jews were doing extraordinary things. They had their life to lose but nothing to gain or avoid from preaching Jesus as the promised Messiah. To them they had already gained that which mattered most, eternal life. And all they wanted to do was offer that same life giving to them to everyone else for free. No deceit needed. Nothing intended to be gained. They just preached what they knew, what they witnessed, the Truth of God revealed.

_____The most notable convert to the so-called prophesied Messiah's message was Saul of Tarsus, later known as Paul. Paul was a teacher of the Law and an original persecutor of Jesus' followers. Why would this man, who knew the scriptures much much more then his eventual counterparts, risk his reputation, status, and life on something he didn't know for certain to be true? No follower converted Paul. Luke records Paul's story saying Paul was converted by the One who claimed to be the Messiah Himself. Who else could have converted Paul? Paul watched and assisted in the stoning of one of Jesus' followers. He wasn't moved by Jesus' follower's words. He knew too much to be won over by a nominal follower. Only one smarter than Paul could've convinced him that Jesus, who they called the Christ, was the prophesied Messiah. And Paul eventually came to the same conclusion, without any interference or influence of Jesus' followers, that Jesus was the promised Messiah. He then went on (by way of person and writing) to preach and teach Jews, and for the first time non-Jews (Gentiles), the now revealed Truth of God found in Jesus.
_____The same that was said for Jesus' first followers can be said for Paul. Why would Paul misquote or manipulate the holy Hebrew Scriptures, which he probably held to much stricter than the others being a former teacher of the Law, simply to get other Jews and non-Jews to believe Jesus' message or follow Jesus' cause? What would Paul have to gain from preaching/teaching a false Jewish message? Paul, just as the others, had no reason to lie and no intention to gain, he just preached what he knew was the Hebrew Scriptures fulfilled in Jesus.

_____Now you tell me, why would these men (and women) risk their lives and their family's lives on a lie? Why would they preach lies to other Jews who would be able to tell if it wasn't in accordance with the Hebrew Scriptures? What did they have to gain from preaching/teaching their so-called false message? How did they do all the extraordinary things they did, which had not been seen before among the Jews except that of Jesus, if what they witnessed and knew was not the Truth? To me, there is no other logical answer to how they came to do what they did or why, except that Jesus is the promised Messiah, Truth of God revealed.

A Defense for the Hope: Simple Apologetics

2009-08-23T12:00:00.000-07:00

First and foremost I must say this is a simple explanation, it’s not extensive.

There are two core facts in understanding the defense for our hope.
One, we know a Creator/Supreme Supernatural Being exist for the fact that there is overwhelming evidence due to the detailed explorations of science through Astronomy, Cosmology, and Biology; in addition to the fact that there is no way to concretely prove He does not exist.
Two, the Holy Bible is the written source for the Christian Faith (not Jehovah's Witness or Mormons). Therefore, true Christians believe that the Creator/God that exists is the Covenant God of the Holy Bible.

After these two facts (and also according to Paul in Romans 1:20-21) its obvious one cannot rationally (legitimately, validly) deny the existence of God. And as we are about to see, the Bible cannot be rationally denied as well. So note it, understand it, and memorize these two facts, because in order to properly explain and/or defend our Faith as irrefutable truth we have to make sure these two facts remain coherent (agreeable).

Now that the core facts have been stated, let’s move onto a more literal documented fact. The Bible– which was written over a span of 1,500 years by roughly 40 different authors– has been sourced by the scientific, educational, and philosophical (non-religious) communities as a historical document due to the accuracy of the people, places, events, and the track record of fulfilled prophecies within in it. No other religious manuscript has been vetted and shown to be accurate more than the Holy Bible. Thus, all other religions are banking their so-called "truth" (and lives) on unvetted and unproven manuscripts. Therefore, continue to hold fast to these facts as solid evidence for the trustworthiness of the Bible.

The facts we just discussed now lead us to three “Faith facts”– facts of our Faith. As Christians, these Faith facts we ourselves need to know (believe and accept) to be the undeniable truth.
Faith fact #1: God is in control of all things past, present, and future.
Faith fact #2: The Holy Bible is God’s divine word to us, everything that is written in it is exactly what He wants us to have, no more no less.
Faith fact #3: Because God is in control of all things and the Bible is His word to us, He would never allow anyone nor anything to tamper, change, add, or take away from what was is in our written source to Him. As a result, He has protected and preserved its originality and trueness from the moment it was written, up to now, and forevermore.

I’ll wrap it up saying this. Considering the two core facts, the historical actuality (people, places, events, and the track record of fulfilled prophecies) of the Bible cited by Christians and reputable non-Christians alike, and the three “Faith facts”, one can see the logical reasoning in under-standing why the Christian tenaciously (uncompromisingly) believes and claims that the Bible and its information inside are flawless. Indicating the life, purpose, and divinity of Jesus Christ is truth and reality. These facts, along with the testimony of the original witnesses of Jesus, one can’t substantially (with concrete evidence) deny the Christians claim of the Bible's authenticity. As long as this is the case, the Bible will be authentic until proven otherwise.

Standing on the two core facts, the historical documentation, the three Faith facts, and the testimony of the original witnesses and of what you’ve experienced to be true and what Jesus has done for you– as well as any other facts you may possess– is an adequate defense for our hope.

Note: Possessing some knowledge of Church history, other religions, as well as science and philosophy is a tremendous asset to have for proving and defending the case for our Faith. Moreover it will also strengthen ones own personal foundation and faith.

Blog Debate: Is the Word of God literal, spiritual, or both?

2009-08-10T14:06:00.000-07:00

I’ve had numerous blog debates. This is one I had in April 2008. I believe it can serve to edify the Body. I’ll be posting other blog debates later on. They are long, but they are worth the read.

Michelle: The stories [in the Bible] are not literal, but symbolic. They have complete Spiritual meaning. We know this is true when we apply the spiritual meaning to our lives - Not the literal. The literal would be silly... I myself can not ‘hear’ the literal any longer...

Me: “The stories are not literal, but symbolic”, by what means? Are you familiar with the historical educational and generational system of the Jews? Because if you were, you would be aware of how and what they took literal and symbolic by way of they’re writing. From Genesis to Esther are considered by Jews as historical (with respect to the Torah). They take the accounts recorded within these books as literal, not symbolic. The Poetic, Wisdom, and Prophetic books contain historical and symbolic language. These you can argue about what to take literal or not, but the first 17 books are considered by the people who God used to present the Bible to us as historical not symbolic. They know better than us of what’s written in it is literal and symbolic. Ask any Jewish rabbi about the Garden of Eden, the Genesis account of Creation and so on, I guarantee you they say it is literal not symbolic.

And what’s so “not so” about a snake talking? In the story of Balaam the donkey spoke. I guess you’ll question that story’s reality as well huh? What about the burning bush, not literal? Mount Sinai, not literal? The Passover, not literal? Jesus in the wilderness with Satan, not literal? The Resurrection, not literal? Pentecost, not literal? His second coming, not literal?

“As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, rooted and built up in Him and established IN THE FAITH, as you have been taught, abounding in it with thanksgiving. BEWARE lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ.” (Col. 2:6-8)
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IF I based my reverence for God/Jesus Christ on any speck of His professed believers, then I wouldn’t believe in Him either (like those who don’t for this exact reason), because His people do a horrible job of representing Him. We’re all over the board when it comes to explaining Him and His Word. No wonder they think we’re simple or gullible, we can’t even come together on one Book.

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Michelle: I agree there is a very real Jewish history, and Moses account of history. However, the problem is that Christians take the whole bible literal - Heaven, Hell, the fire, Satan, streets of gold, etc. The truths of the Kingdom are hidden in the literal things all around us (trees, relationships, look at all Jesus parables - not litereral, symbolic!). Trees are literal, yet Jesus uses them for our understanding of a deeper truth - This is my point!!!

In what God has shown me TODAY, the Spiritual meaning applies individual for my understanding of how awesome He is... Yes, I believe much of the bible has a literal history, but how does that change me from the inside (the letter?), No, it is the Spirit that gives life!!!

Gods creation is so amazing that whats around us has Spiritual meaning (the changing life, seasons, times, etc.) - The question is do we have Spiritual eyes and ears or carnal?

Me: Hey, I get what you are saying and have no problem with what you stated, but... “the problem is that Christians take the whole bible literal - Heaven, Hell, the fire, Satan, streets of gold, etc.”

How can you not take the existence of Satan (i.e. the Devil, Lucifer, etc.) literally? Again, do you deny Jesus’ wilderness experience with Satan? What about when Jesus said He saw Satan fall from heaven (Lk. 10:18)? Right there He takes care of Satan and heaven as literal. How do you explain not taking that literal?

Now whether Hell is really called hell with fire and brimstone or whatever is not worth going back and forth over. But by saying it’s a problem taking Hell (i.e. “the place where the eternal separation from God is served”) literal, you just rejected a number of passages within the Bible that clearly affirms this. How do you explain not taking that literal?

Streets of gold and such, that’s no big deal if some take it literal and others not. But to say it’s a problem taking Heaven (i.e. the promised New Heaven; also the paradise of being in a place with the presence of the Almighty for eternity) literal, again is rejecting a number of passages within the Bible that clearly affirms this. Even Jesus Himself affirms this (Jn. 14:3). How do you explain not taking that literal?

Yes we should be mindful of the literal and the symbolic. Yes we should know what scriptures fall in what category. YET, we should not water down one just to further emphasize the other. That was the problem with the second and third century Church. Paganism crept in and tried to emphasize on the symbolic and ignore (even deny) the scriptures that were literal. What happened as a result of that was “sacramentalism” and a host of other junk that sent the Church into a serious sick symbolic state for 1300 years, right up ‘til the Reformation.

Be careful not to over spiritualize the Bible, just as one needs to be careful not to over literalize the Bible. There are times, places, and things to take literal, and there are times, places, and things to take it symbolic. We have to be very careful teetering on that line and not make what is absolute as relative, and what’s relative as absolute.

Oh and it takes “Spiritual eyes and ears” to be able to receive what is literal, as literal (1Cor. 2:1-5, 13-14).

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Michelle: Just two little things, How can I overspiritualize God, He is Spirit! God has shown me the Spirit gives life, not knowledge! Carnal mind is the enmity...

And I do not ignore scriptures when I study a topic or the bible, I just read them with different glasses now....

It may come to surprize that I do not find it required to read and study the bible to find God - His word is not letters on a paper, but His Word is Chirst in me, and ears to hear His Word for me personally,

God Bless

Me: I didn’t say over spiritualize God, I said don’t over spiritualize the Bible.

Yes the Spirit gives life, but what life is that? Is it not the life that our eyes, ears, hearts, and minds have been opened? Did not Jesus say that eternal life is that they (that would be us) may *know* the Father and Jesus Christ whom He sent (Jn. 17:2-3)? God even said my people perish for the lack of *knowledge* (Hos. 3:6). The knowledge God desires is knowing Him. This is not a bad or carnal thing, it is what God wants from us (Hos. 6:6).

“Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom,
Let not the mighty man glory in his might,
Nor let the rich man glory in his riches;
**But let him who glories glory in this,
That he understands and knows Me,**
That I am the LORD, exercising lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness in the earth.
**For in these I delight**,” says the LORD.” (Jer. 9:23-24)

I agree with your last statement. His word is more than simply words, they are words of Life and words of Truth! Without His word, how would we have known Truth or Life?

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Michelle: We need to have our own testimony of God and Know Him (not just words on paper), I agree!!! This knowledge comes from our own personal experience and testimonies, not others. (not even those who wrote the bible). To know God is to know love and to deny self absorbant ways. To me God has made this wisdom much easier then the bible scholars have through His Holy Spirit and Word in me. The change is inward, not outward - thats about all in a nutshell, at least the way I have come to know God.

Me: Yeah, we just have to be careful not to water down or give little weight to the Word of God. If the Bible was removed from the planet, a whole lot more of professing believers would fall sway to the ways, ideas, philosophies, and teachings of the world and/or false teachers. It’s bad enough a whole lot are already falling sway now with the Bible available, and that’s because they water it down and/or don’t take it seriously.
The Bible is our guideline/boundary, kind of like the lane dividers on the street that keep us in our respected lanes for our safety. If the lines begin to blur, vanish, or people just stop regarding them, how much more chaos and disorder would our streets be filled with? And how safe would we truly be on the road? That’s how life would be without the Word of God, or even a failed respect for the Bible- ex. what we see today.

Yes there is a personal responsibility to our testimony, but the Bible also plays a part in our development and relationship with God. Again, we wouldn’t truly know who we are believing in if it were not for the Bible. God has presented and preserved the Bible for us for a reason much greater than it just being words on paper.

Let's talk about... "TRUTH"

2009-07-28T14:27:00.003-07:00

Here's a piece I wrote in response to a blog I was reading and discussing on myspace in like '07. Just wanted to share it. Thought it was a good read.

So, let's talk about truth shall we...
1. Truth is something that cannot be “concretely” denied. That’s what makes it TRUTH.
2. Truth is something that has or can be proven to be true. Otherwise, if it cannot be proven to be TRUTH, then it is subjectable to being denied (ex. theories).
3. Truth can be a person’s perception. One cannot tell me that what I perceived was not true, because it is what “I” perceived; therefore it now becomes “my truth”, whether you believe it or not. Now does this mean that what “I” perceive to be true is right, no. It is simply “my” truth, and not “the” TRUTH. For example, you can say you do not believe there is a such thing as an outer space. “You” hold this to be “the truth”. However, before scientist were able to look into “outer space” to prove that there is an actual “outer space”, all one would have to do (if they were not blind) is look up in the sky and see there are things (which we came to know as stars, the sun, and the moon) beyond our earth, thus proving there is a “space” out of our realm of earth– “outer space”. This would then make what “you” believe to be truth simply “yours” and not “the” actual TRUTH. It is on the “my truth’s” where we as people become divided.

___If “the” TRUTH cannot be concretely denied, can it then be proven to be undeniably true? Can there be concrete evidence to prove that this (whatever it is) is the TRUTH? Emphatically yes! TRUTH is a reality– something that is and can be known, even with our limited knowledge on certain things. Again, outer space is a perfect example. Only a fool can and would deny the existence of “outer space”, but no one can or ever will be able to offer a shred of concrete evidence to deny “the” TRUTH of an outer space. It is a reality. The “my truths” are individualistic and subjective. The TRUTH is absolute. It is true regardless of opinions or perceptions. The question that should be asked is, what do you do when “the” TRUTH is presented and proven to be true?
___TRUTH is a reality, period. Those who deny its reality, actually affirm its reality. Someone once told me, “…no matter what is told to a person or even “proven” to being true, that individual can and will accept whatever they care to as “the” truth.” Here’s my response, a person's perception is not “the” TRUTH but simply “their” truth.
___Where the problem or contention enters is when “the” TRUTH doesn’t fit with a person or persons “my truths”; which in turns leads them on a quest to deny the specific truth that has been presented. But if that which has been presented is “the” TRUTH, they will not be able to concretely deny it. Thus they just come up with theories and their pot of so-called “reasonable doubt” to mislead those who are already looking for a scapegoat not to believe “the” TRUTH, or mislead the gullible, non-researching folk.
___A wise man from Tarsus once wrote, “Since they refuse to trust truth, they’re banished to their chosen world of lies and illusions.” This is the end result of those individuals that can and will accept whatever they care to as “the” truth.
___The greatest commandment says to love the LORD God not just with our heart, strength, and soul, but also with our mind! Go educate yourself with the things, history, and people of God or you will find yourself being– whether you want to or not– educated with the things, history, and people of this world.

Forgiveness

2009-06-30T13:07:00.001-07:00

I had a trial over the weekend. So, I grabbed my resources (Bible, certain Christian books that touch on what I was going through, and my spiritual journal), took a ride and talked to Jesus about what I was going through and how to deal with it. At the end of my time with Jesus I asked Him about forgiveness. I said, “Am I truly forgiving a person if I just say I forgive them, or are there signs that accompany true forgiveness?” He responded with bringing some Bible verses to my mind and then dropped into my spirit how He forgives us. From this, I came to understand what biblical forgiveness/true forgiveness really is.

Biblical forgiveness/True forgiveness means (1)not holding the fault/offense of the person to them (Ps. 103:10, 12), (2)not having any animosity (ill will, hatred, resentment, hostility) toward the person still (Rom. 5:8-11), and (3)being able to leave the fault/offense right where it is (the past) and move on– not forgetting but moving on– (Rom. 6:5-6ff).

These three are based off of how Jesus forgives us. When Jesus forgives us He no longer holds our sins against Him to us. The Bible says, “He doesn’t treat us as our sins deserve, nor pay us back in full for our wrongs… And as far as sunrise is from sunset, he has separated us from our sins.” (Ps. 103:10-12, MSG). When Jesus forgives us He doesn’t have any animosity toward us. The Bible says, “But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners. And since we have been made right in God’s sight by the blood of Christ, he will certainly save us from God’s condemnation. For since our friendship with God was restored by the death of his Son while we were still his enemies, we will certainly be saved through the life of his Son. So now we can rejoice in our wonderful new relationship with God because our Lord Jesus Christ has made us friends of God.” (Rom. 5:8-11, NLT). When Jesus forgives us He leaves our sins right where they are, with our old man, and He moves on to our new man. The Bible says, “If we shared in Jesus’ death by being baptized, we will be raised to life with him. We know that the persons we used to be were nailed to the cross with Jesus. This was done, so that our sinful bodies would no longer be the slaves of sin.” (Rom. 6:5-6, CEV).

Jesus confirmed in a parable that we are to forgive just as we have been forgiven, “Then the master called the servant in. ‘You wicked servant,’ he said, ‘I canceled all that debt of yours because you begged me to. Shouldn’t you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?’” (Matt. 18:32-33, NIV). Thus, if our forgiveness of a person does not possess the three characteristics of how Jesus forgave us, then we have not completely forgiven that person and we need to be honest about it to do something about it.

Hope what I learned during my trial has been helpful to you. And know that is all I ever try to do, share what I have learned with the hope that it'll be a blessing to someone else.

The People Problem

2008-12-06T09:45:00.005-08:00

Here is an "oldy" of mine from 2007, which I'm still trying to get it in a magazine. Lately though, I've sensed something saying repost it again for 2008. Hope it helps.

"People are the world's biggest problem", one writer put it. And she is absolutely right. One of the main dilemmas with people is we're born pathological liars and pure idiots. To be blunt, we as people are stupid. Even the smartest, most creative, well spoken humans are stupid. Not stupid intellectually speaking, but stupid in regards to common sense and consequence.
_____We see from the first people of our human history– Adam and Eve– that we as a species are devoid of common sense and perceiving consequences. Yeah, yeah, we can build, formulate, amaze each other, and so on. But when it comes to understanding the seriousness of our own choices, and thinking something all the way through before we do it, we suck. We are impulse driven people, reactional beings. More than not, we respond without thinking (rationalizing the consequences of our own choices) on what we're getting ready to do. And because of that, we find ourselves in a bigger and smellier mess than we imagined. Or, we deceive our own selves into believing that we had nothing to do with it and it's all the other persons fault (ex. Gen.3:9-12).
_____It's sad to know that people, when confronted with an issue (whatever that may be), can't stand back and say, "Here's my fault in it"; and then with that admission in mind, proceed forward with the matter. Regardless if justice is served, bearing in mind that the same fallible people are the ones making the judgments, the fact that each party involved admitted beforehand to their part in it will make some kind of difference, atleast to a mature individual. Even so, any kind of positive difference is a good thing; for our audience reaches beyond a two person capacity.
_____The younger generation observes everything. How we handle our choices in the midst of situations displays a pattern to follow or not to follow to the youth. Yet the same problem lies with the youth as with the older generation, they are also devoid of common sense and perceiving consequences. Thus, they don't always learn from our mistakes. Which means we as parents, teachers, older family members, etc, need to first learn how to better handle our part in situations, and then show the younger people how to do the same. Otherwise, the dysfunctional method in which we handle situations will be absorbed and continued by them.

Understanding How To Get A Better Handle
We can learn a valuable understanding about "the people problem" from Newton's law of physics: "For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction". Every situation involving another person, in light of Newton's law of physics, can be seen as an equation (ex. one plus one equals two). Every person(s) first does something, afterward the other person(s) involved reacts, and then there's the outcome: something good or something not good. The fact that someone outside of oneself is involved indicates this law or equation is present; for there can be no equation if there is only one variable. However, that's only a part of the problem. The major part of the problem with this law or equation is it begets a cycle; first an initial action, then a reaction, and then a reaction from person one, and then another reaction from person two, and then another reaction from person one, and so on until someone stops it.
_____We've all heard the phrase it takes two to tango. Well, as a friend of mine mentioned, it also takes two to argue and two to fight. Many of my marital woes have come out of this law/equation. It wasn't until one of us apologized and admitted our fault that the present tension and misery stopped. Most of life's drama-filled issues will require two or more participants. And I guarantee you those drama-filled issues will (or have) beget that "cycle" and continue to go on until someone stops it. All it takes to stop this brutal cycle is simply admitting ones fault in the matter, apologizing for it, and not playing into it any longer. By removing oneself from the equation means there is only one variable, only one variable means the equation is incomplete, and an incomplete equation can't give any outcome but incomplete. In this case, unlike what we were taught in school, an incomplete is a good thing (Prov. 20:3).

A Biblical Resolution
My wife asked a very good question after she read this. She said how would I, using the Word of God, show the brothers and sisters in the faith how to regulate being "reactional"? The Bible gives a clear-cut prescription on how we as believers are to react/respond to other people in "whatever" situations: think before doing or speaking (Prov. 15:28; 17:27-28, Jam. 1:19-20, Col. 4:6), exercise integrity/be honest (Prov. 3:3-4; 10:9), be humble (Prov. 3:5-8; 11:2, 12), and walk in love (Prov. 10:12; 17:9). This prescription, if followed, will help us regulate our reactions/responses to other people in a way that Christ is pleased and glorified.
_____We have to remember, that even though when we follow this prescription (and it works like everything else the Bible prescribes works), it's neither by our power nor by our might that we are able to regulate our reactions/responses to other people. It is by the Spirit of God that we are able to do all that is pleasing to Christ (Phil. 2:13, Heb. 13:20-21); for how we react/respond to other people matters to Jesus (Matt. 5:16). In these situations we will either shine a good light on our witness for Christ or not. And as ambassadors for Jesus, our aim should always be to glorify Him and bring glory to His name wherever we are and in whatever we do (Col. 3:7, 1Cor. 10:31).

Conclusion
Yes, I made some bold accusations in the beginning of this article, and rightfully so. If we go back to the beginning of time– Genesis– we'll see these claims to be true. I guess due to sin being passed down to everyone from Adam, stupidity figured it could hitch a ride as well. Yet, unlike our sinful nature, which will be present until Christ redeems us from the flesh, there is a cure for our stupidity– lying, foolishness, lack of common sense, not perceiving consequences– that is, the Word of God. The Word of God is God's wisdom giving to mankind (Prov. 2:1-9; 8:22-36, 1Cor. 1:30-31). It is the only cure for all of man's disorders, and in this case, the cure for our part in "the people problem".
_____As a result of this article, I hope you and I both lean on the Holy Spirit to bring this all back to mind the next time we're amid "the people problem". This way Jesus can be glorified, we can begin to experience a change in how we handle situations, and our witness for Christ not be ruined.

From a son to his father

2008-10-30T11:48:00.005-07:00

During the ending of September beginning of October my father was hospitalized. At that time no one knew exactly the extent how bad his sickness was. Maybe a day after being hospitalized he called, and we talked. My father and I don't talk about God. So this was a prime opportunity to share the Gospel with him, and when I did it was more subliminally than directly. When I got off the phone my wife said I should've took that opportunity and really told him how I felt. I said I would pray for boldness for the next time God gives me an opportunity to talk with him like that. Well, the next day he got worse. They quarantined him. I immediately felt burdened. I said, "If something happens to him and I never tell him how much I love him and how much Jesus loves him, I won't be able to forgive myself. I already lost a younger cousin to suicide and had many chances to share Jesus and never did. This time I'm not blowing it." So I went to the computer and wrote a letter. I thought about mailing it, then I sensed the Spirit telling me to call him and read it to him. We had a good talk. And since then, I've noticed little changes in how he wants to be around me and my family more. Praise God for the power of His love.

Just yesterday I was told one of my Bible study brothers lost his father. This made me think. If you have someone in your life that you care about who doesn't know Jesus. Don't wait any longer. Tell them how much you love them and how much Jesus loves them. Time is of the essence!

Here is the letter I wrote. Who knows who else God may use it to bless.
"I love you pops, and I wanted you to know that it is going to hurt me when your time comes to leave this earth. But it's going to hurt evermore to know that I won't see you in heaven because you don't believe that Jesus Christ died for your sins and through His death those who believe in Him are forgiven and accepted into God's family forever. I'd rather have you'd be sick and stuff but know the state of your soul and eternity is secure, than to have you well and then one day die and your soul and eternity is doomed. It's on this fact that I am not concerned about grandma's or granddaddy's health and time here, because I know I will see them again in heaven. It's on this fact that I am not concerned about my mother's health and time here, because I know I will see her again in heaven. But I cannot say the same for you, and that sincerely concerns and hurts me. I love you. I want to know that my father has witnessed what Jesus has done in his son's life, the change that Jesus and only Jesus has performed in your son's life, and then in your son's family. You have witnessed this first-hand. It's all because Jesus has saved my soul and has given me access to His power to live a life that pleases, honors, and glorifies Him. And I choose to take hold of His power and live in this way because I want to show Him how grateful I am and how much I love Him for all that He has done for me: saving my soul, delivering me from jail when I was straight-up guilty, delivering me from my many addictions– my sex addiction, drug addiction, control addiction, rage addiction, and so on–, restoring my marriage, blessing me with 2 children who shouldn't even have made it out the womb, reconciling my relationship with my mother, and numerous numerous of other things. This is all because of Jesus Christ. I went from being and living one way, to being and living a whole other way.

I know you think all religions and beliefs believe in the same God or point to the same God, but they don't. I have personally researched just about every religion, and each belief has major differences in what they believe, and they all will tell you they don't believe in the same God. Muslims, Jews, Christians, Hindu's, Ba'ha's, Mystical religions, Mormons, Jehovah Witnesses, Wiccans, Universalist, Buddhist, and the many others, all have fundamental differences. And since we're all different and yet we all claim to be the "TRUTH", we all can't be right. One of these is right which will automatically make the others false. So right there we see that they all don't point to the same God or believe in the same God. What separates Jesus Christ from all of the others is that the "god" the rest claim to believe in have no proof or evidence in their "god" actually being the one true God. But Jesus Christ has strong evidence for Him being the one true God. We have historic evidence that Jesus lived, performed miracles, claimed to be God, died on a cross, rose from the dead, and the people who have truly encountered Jesus haven't been the same since. No other belief has more proof for the guarantee of what they claim, except for Jesus Christ. I am a living witness to the reality of Jesus, grandma and granddaddy are living witnesses to the reality of Jesus, and the many other family members of ours are living witnesses to the reality of Jesus. Jesus Christ is not like the others. He stands alone.

I know you also think people who claim to be Christians are hypocrites. You said you know people who don't believe and live better than some of those who you know who do claim to believe. Well, one, not everyone one who claims to believe in Jesus actually belongs to Jesus. Second, even those who have been truly saved and changed by Jesus are all still human; so we all still make mistakes. None of us are perfect, nor do we claim to be perfect, nor do we try to be perfect. We live like I said before, choosing to take hold of His power and live in a way that shows Him how grateful we are and how much we love Him for all that He has done for us.

I am sharing all of this with you so you won't think believing in Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord is some blind leap with no logic or evidence. Believing in Jesus is just the opposite. There is logic, and most importantly, there is evidence. And the greatest evidence Jesus provides is the truly changed lives of those who truly believe in Him as Lord and Savior. Again, your son pops is a living witness of the truth of Jesus being who He says He is. And as your son, I am asking you to do what I did. Believe that He died to pay your penalty from God for your sins, that He rose to show and prove He has power over death and can give those who believe in Him eternal life after death, and then believe in Him as your personal Lord and Savior. And just like I did and am still doing let Jesus show you how much He loves you, has a better life for you, and will give you His power to change and live for Him. But most of all, He secures your eternal future, pops. No other religion or belief can be certain of their eternal future, only those who believe in Jesus. With Jesus you will no longer have to be concerned with what is going to happen to you when you die, and neither will I or your parents.

I know I probably poured a lot on you. But after Sherman died suddenly, and I had just spoke to him and then he was heavy on my heart later and I never talked to him like I'm talking to you now, it would literally crush me if you died since no one is promised tomorrow and I never told you how much I love you and how much I want you to know that Jesus loves you, gave His life for you, and He wants to be the Savoir of your soul and Lord of your life. Especially in your current condition, I couldn't go another day knowing I have never just straight-up told you that. So I have and now you know where I stand, and I hope you take my concerns seriously and let Jesus into your heart pops. And if you want to know how to do that, let me know. I love you, pops. I'm done."

The Big "S" Problem for Change

2008-09-27T18:56:00.013-07:00

Hello all. This blog I'm posting is actually the transcript (minus the parts that I freestyled) of a message I was privileged to share at my church's Life Recovery (12 Step Discipleship) Ministry last night. I received some good responses from those who were there. They all said they were edified by what I shared. Thus, I want to share what I shared with them with the hope that it too will edify and bless you in someway.
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Let me give a brief backdrop of why and what I was speaking on. My close brother in Christ, the lead teacher of this ministry, asked me to share on what he was teaching on the last couple of weeks including some of my own recovery and transformation in regards to the topic of discussion. He gave me some examples of what to talk on, and I simply used his questions as the platform for my dialogue.

HOW HAS THE TOPIC OF DYING TO SELF IN JOHN 12 AFFECTED ME?
___The topic of dying to self has affected me by helping me to realize numerous things regarding "self":
First, it has helped me to see that "self" (that is when I say "self" I mean selfishness, self-centeredness, selfish desires, selfish pursuits, selfish ambition, selfish tendencies, and so on) doesn't want to die.
Second, this topic has helped me to see that I am addicted to my"self".
Third, this topic has helped me to see that "self" is the biggest obstacle I face in trying to obtain wholeness– i.e. being whole in mind, body, and spirit (ref. 1Thess. 5:23).
Fourth, this topic has helped me to see that "self" deceives me into believing that… "I'm fine"; "I don't need help"; "I'm normal. You know, I'm like everyone else"; "I don't have a problem"; and so on. So basically it's deceiving me into believing I don't need to change.
Fifth, this topic has helped me to see that "self" lives to rebel against God; or in other words, its whole function is to rebel against God.
Sixth, this topic has helped me to see that "self" will never willingly surrender, it will never willingly admit defeat, it will never willingly confess its own deception, nor will it willingly admit its own faults.
Seventh, this topic has helped me to see that "self" will destroy us and whatever we treasure (ref. Numbers 16). (I freestyled some right here).
And eighth, this topic has helped me to see that unless we die to self we remain alone as we are– "self-will run riot".
___In a nutshell, the topic of dying to self has helped me to see "self" for what it truly is, HORRIFYING. And then from that I said to myself, "Now that I know what "self" truly is, how do I actually die to it." This led me to do a Bible study on 9/10/08 of how to die to self, and I'll share with you what I discovered.
___The first thing I came to understand was that we die to self the same way we put to death any other addiction, we starve it to death. Jesus says in Matt 10:24-25, to deny– not give in, abandon, reject– every form of selfishness. Thus, starving the addiction of self to death. Paul says in Phil. 2:3-4, "Do nothing through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind esteem others better than ourselves." He further says not to only look out for our own interest, but also for the interest of others. Affirming again starving the addiction of self to death, this time by way of regarding others more higher than ourselves. What better way of denying self than by putting others in the place of "self". (I freestyled some right here). Paul says more in Rom. 12:1-2, 9-10, 16. Paul says we starve self by worship (vs. 1). Worship contrast selfishness. You cannot truly worship God from a selfish position. (I freestyled some right here). Paul says we starve self by being transformed by the renewing of our mind (vs. 2), which according to Paul in Eph. 4:23-24 is done by putting on the new man. Paul says we starve self by being sincere in our love for our brethren (vs. 9). Being sincere in our love is, according to Apostle John in 1Jn. 3:16, laying down our selfishness for the brethren. Paul affirms this in vs. 10, by reminding us that love is shown by honoring others more than ourselves. And lastly, Paul says in Rom. 13:14 that we starve self by being as close to Christ as the clothes we wear. The closer we get to Jesus the further we get away from self. So let's sum it up. How do we die to self? We die by first starving selfishness (i.e. by not feeding it more selfishness and such), second by feeding on worship, third by regarding and honoring others more than ourselves (i.e. putting others before us), fourth by being transformed by the renewing of our mind (I freestyled some right here), and fifth by cultivating (i.e. developing, nurturing, growing) more of the presence of God in our lives.
___The next question then is what are the benefits of dying to self or starving the addiction of self? I mentioned Galatians 5:16-17. One benefit to dying to self is no longer fulfilling the lust of the flesh. And another benefit, according to the rest of that passage in Galatians, is bearing the fruit of the Spirit in our lives, which ultimately glorifies Jesus, and that's a great benefit. This question can also be best answered in this book… (Read pg. 26 & 27)
___This is what I learned from my Bible study on how to die to self and the benefits. I hope it helps in someway.

HOW IS "STEP 1" AND POWERLESSNESS AFFECTING ME? AND SHARE SOME EXPERIENCES GOD BROUGHT TO MIND…
___The first step in the 12 Steps is a straight kick in the face to my"self". Admitting that I am powerless over "whatever it may be" and that my life has become unmanageable is a candid acknowledgement of defeat and truth of me being deceived by my own "self". Me understanding the fact that I am addicted to my"self" and are in need of recovery, or in others words I am "sick with self", I can't muster up my own healing, and are in need of the Great Physician Jesus (ref. Matt. 9:12), helps me to clearly see and believe that… "I am powerless"; "My life is unmanageable in ways I wouldn't have thought; "I do have a problem"; "I am normal, but I also need help"; and so on. Essentially, I've come to realize that recovery, or in this case Step 1 and my powerlessness, exposes my constant need of change and need of Jesus.
___There is a quote by Harold Wilson that actually spurred what I'm speaking on. He said, "He who rejects change is the architect of decay. The only human institution which rejects progress is the cemetery." This goes right in line with what this book says, "The only alternatives we have, other than surrender [changing our current course of living], [is] to go totally insane or to die." Praise God for Him showing me that I was in need of change/recovery and moving me into it, because I was truly going insane without it.
___I am a current recovering rage-a-holic. (I freestyled some right here). I have a temper problem. My anger is actually one of my thorns; it constantly shows me my need for Jesus. (I freestyled some right here). You take Jesus out the way and I will again be enslaved to my fleshly passions and defects.
___One day God showed me I had a temper problem and it was too big for me to handle on my own. What makes it so bad is my temper is only exhibited on my wife and kids. Which sucks because they matter the most to me. They are the last people I want to expend my frustrations, irritations, and lose my temper on. So, I took advice from a friend of mine, who you guys happen to know, and I got some counseling. During my counseling I learned some things about myself but the main thing I learned, which I knew but was still deceived by it, the real reason behind my flares of rage and such is… can you guess… SELFISHNESS. (I freestyled some right here explaining the "me, me, and more me mode"…).
___Rage is the front for the true issue. My real problem is the big "S" issue, SELF. Now, my big "S" issue is not where I want it to be, but thank God it's not where it use to be. I still struggle! (I freestyled some right here explaining "last night and how it differed from before recovery"…) But my recovery from my real issue is coming in me walking forwardly one step at a time. Or, like Abraham Lincoln said, "I walk slowly, but I never walk backward." And that's been true in my life.

___I'll close with this. Pat Goodman said last Sunday he believes the reason we don't utilize more of the power of the Holy Spirit is because we have a greater vision of our limitations than we have a greater vision of God's power. On the Ravi Zacharias radio broadcast, Ravi said, "When we don't go with God we are always restless for we're constantly moving in the opposite direction." From what has been shared, I hope we all see that "Self" is a formidable foe that seeks to deceive us about our addiction to selfishness, self-centeredness, selfish desires, selfish pursuits, selfish ambition, selfish tendencies, etc, etc, "Self" deceives us about our need for recovery, "Self" obstructs our obtaining wholeness, and ultimately, as we can see from our own lives, "Self" destroys us and what we treasure.
___On the other hand we see our recovery is nothing more than coming to the truth that we are moving in the opposite direction of God and need to change our current course of living (surrendering to God's way), and then having a greater vision of God's power than that of our addictions/dependencies/limitations so that we can fully experience the power of the Holy Spirit in our lives as He transforms us more into the likeness of Jesus each step of our recovery.

My challenge to us is that we all seek the most benefiting recovery from the deception and destruction of "Self" and then help others to do the same. Amen.

(Also, after this blog I'll post the ""Self" Awareness" mini-sheet I made as a handy reminder for everyone).

“Self” Awareness

2008-09-27T08:24:00.001-07:00

This is the handout for the message I shared on Friday.

"Self" Awareness

REALITIES OF “SELF”
1. “Self” (i.e. selfishness, self-centeredness, selfish desires, selfish pursuits, selfish ambition, selfish tendencies, and so on) doesn’t want to die.
2. Since I am a sin addict (sinner), and “self” is the essence of sin, I am then addicted to my“self”.
3. “Self” is the biggest obstacle I face in trying to obtain wholeness– i.e. being whole in mind, body, and spirit.
4. “Self” deceives me into believing that… “I’m fine”; “I don’t need help”; “I’m normal. You know, I’m like everyone else”; “I don’t have a problem”; and so on. Basically “self” deceives me into believing I don’t need to change.
5. “Self” lives to rebel against God; or in other words, its whole function is to rebel against God.
6. “Self” will never willingly surrender, it will never willingly admit defeat, it will never willingly confess its own deception, nor will it willingly admit its own faults.
7. “Self” will destroy me and whatever I treasure (ref. Numbers 16).
8. Unless I die to “self” I will remain alone as I am– “self-will run riot”/“a rampage of me, me, and more me”.

HOW TO DIE TO “SELF”?
The way we die to “self” is the same way we put to death any other addiction, we starve it to death.
1. Jesus says in Matt 10:24-25 that we starve “self” by denying– not giving in to, abandoning, rejecting – every form of selfishness. In other words don’t feed “self” more selfishness. Paul says in Phil. 2:3-4, “Do nothing through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind esteem others better than ourselves.” He further says not to only look out for our own interest, but also for the interest of others. Affirming again the “not feeding “self” more selfishness”, this time by way of regarding others more higher than ourselves (ex. Matt. 20:28).
2. Paul says in Rom. 12:1 that we starve “self” by worship. Worship contrast selfishness. You cannot truly worship God from a selfish position (Gal. 5:16-17).
3. Paul says in Rom. 12:2 that we starve “self” by being transformed by the renewing of our mind; which according to Paul in Eph. 4:23-24 is done by putting on the new man– which in turn is done by wallowing in the Word of God.
4. Paul says in Rom. 12:9 that we starve “self” by being sincere in our love for our brethren. Being sincere in our love is, according to Apostle John in 1Jn. 3:16, laying down our selfishness for the brethren. Paul affirms this in Rom. 12:10 by reminding us that love is shown by honoring others more than ourselves.
5. And lastly, Paul says in Rom. 13:14 that we starve “self” by being as close to Christ as the clothes we wear, or cultivating (developing, nurturing, growing) more of the presence of God in our lives. The closer we get to Jesus the further we get away from “self”.

BENEFITS OF DYING TO “SELF”
1. No longer fulfilling the lust of the flesh (Gal. 5:16-17).
2. Bearing the fruit of the Spirit in our lives (Gal. 5:22-25), which ultimately glorifies Jesus, and that’s a great benefit.
3. An immediate sense of relief (Taken from “The Twelve Steps for Everyone” pg. 26).
4. Life becomes satisfying instead of frustrating– a joy instead of a constant struggle (Taken from “The Twelve Steps for Everyone” pg. 27).

Holidays, Is It Really That Serious!

2008-03-25T11:56:00.010-07:00

"Therefore do not let your good be spoken of as evil; for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. For he who serves Christ in these things is acceptable to God and approved by men. Therefore let us pursue the things which make for peace and the things by which one may edify another." (Rom. 14:16-19)

Here's the situation. We have some believers out there that have problems with and even condemn other believers who take part in celebrating on secular holidays. Thus, this is written for clarity for those brethren who disagree so intensely, as well as edification for my brethren who are partakers as I am. Let's jump right in to this shall we.
___I am aware, and I hope other believers are aware as well, that some of the major holidays celebrated here in America had initial intentions and/or practices downright contrary to the Word of God. Christmas, Easter, and Halloween would be the main "perpetrator" holidays for us as Christians. There are other holidays that are not mentioned that also had initial intentions and/or practices contrary to the Word of God in which we partake in (i.e. Thanksgiving), and my goal is to speak and explain in a general way that covers those as well.

___I'll start with saying that I understand the position of the brethren who disagree with participating on these holidays. Frankly speaking, these holidays are not biblically commanded or encouraged. Most of them are prior special pagan days or deities, and therefore it could very well be seen as sinful to participate. I can't argue with that. However, where my passionate brethren fall short, is exactly in their passion. Being too zealous can come real close to legalism. And yet, being too impassive can come real close to liberalism. In certain issues or cases, as long as there isn't blatant defiance of the Word of God, you have to allow room for grace. No, grace shouldn't be taken as a "get a free sin in" card that you can use anytime you need. Rather grace, which is always compliant with the Word of God, is God's undeserved mercy (forgiveness, kindness, compassion, and understanding) being poured into our lives as and where He sees fit. Now in this case, the holidays we celebrate on, I believe God's grace is apparent because there isn't a defamation (an offense) of His character or commands (Mic. 6:8). Let me explain.
___Again, the fact that the origins of these holidays are contrary to God and His standards is duly noted and acknowledged. But we as believers, who celebrate on these holidays, are not celebrating or participating in the cause or practices of these holidays. Instead, we take a day that was initially for glorifying the enemy of God, and turn it into a day where we glorify and bear witness to the world on behalf of our God. The Bible says, "…whatever you do, do all for the glory of God." (1Cor. 10:31), and, "…whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him." (Col. 3:17). This is exactly what we are doing with these holidays that were set-apart to promote and glorify someone or something else in opposition to Jesus Christ.

___Tell me something, do you think God would be pleased or displeased to see His children take a secular (and even demonic) holiday and turn it into a day where we magnify Him, celebrate Him, and evangelize all for His glory? Is this not the same thing He did with Joseph? Did He not take what happened to Joseph that was meant for evil and use it for His good (Gen. 50:20)? Did He not do the same with the Israelites unbelief and use it to send salvation to the Gentiles (Rom. 11:11-32)? I mean come on, how clear is this. This is not something worth disputing over (2Tim. 2:23). It is not that serious! Yes, there may be some believers out there who do not use these holidays to glorify God and so on. Ok, fine. Let's hold them accountable and then teach them how and why they should and should not participate in these holidays. But to condemn all or any of us who glorify God on these holidays is not--since we're using the Bible to justify--biblical. Does not the Bible say there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit (Rom. 8:1, NKJV)? We take something that was meant for the flesh, turn and use it for the glory of the Spirit. Accordingly then, we don't fall under this "grouping" for condemnation.

We take Christmas, a day now known for materialism and commercialism, but was once a day for a pagan god, and we use it as a day to celebrate God given us His One and only Son Jesus--the Savior. Yes, this is not the day Jesus was actually born, but that is beside the point. On December 25th, rather than play a part in the secular holiday and it's meaning, we celebrate and magnify the gift of Jesus Christ throughout the whole world.

We take Easter, a day now known for the Easter bunny and baskets, but was once known or made reference for another pagan god, and we take and turn it into a week long commemoration for the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Some go as long as 40 days--the lent season.

Halloween is holiday now known for trick or treating, candy, costumes, etc, but it was originally a pagan holiday honoring the dead. Halloween, unlike the others, has a larger following of believers still participating in its secular practices. I know the church of my family (Celebration Church) turned Halloween night into a Harvest Party/Festival. Instead of trick and treating, costumes, and such, we gather together (adults, teens, and children) for games, activities, music, food and fun. It's a Christ-like alternative for Halloween. And I would encourage all my brethren who participate in this holiday to do the same. Find an alternative for Halloween so that God is glorified and not the holiday or its present or past meaning.

Oh, here's a touchy one for some, Sunday. Why do we worship on Sunday? And here's my answer. WHO CARES! So what if we choose to go to church on Sunday as the designated day for fellowship. Would it make a difference if we, let's say, chose Tuesday. No. It's just a day. Yes, the Bible says Jesus rose on the first day of the week (Matt. 28:1-6). And yes, a whole lot of people say that's the reason why Sunday is the designated day for Christians to fellowship. So! Whether that's the reason or not, does it really matter? As long as Christ/the Word of God is being preached, God is being glorified, believers are being edified, and lost souls are being witnessed to, everything else (in regards to what we're discussing) is modifiable (flexible). I'll say this though, just because Sunday happens to be the "designated" day for Christians to fellowship does not mean we should forsake the Sabbath, as some do--I'm included. The least we can do is stop and seriously reflect on the fact that this "day" is the day God rested from creating "Creation"--that's us and everything else. While the Sabbath is a holy day, every day is a holy day and we should treat each day as such, not just Saturday or Sunday. And so, we should uphold the Sabbath (as according to Christ (1)) as every day until the Lord returns, and leave Sunday alone. Sunday is just the first day of the week, a day we gather collectively to fellowship, nothing more.Oh, and if Sunday is taken from a pagan day, as I've read and heard from people, we who fellowship on Sunday don't partake of it in its pagan meaning. We've turned Sunday into a day to fellowship and worship God collectively. Again, I don't see why He wouldn't be pleased with this either.

___Now, there are some issues that cannot be avoided or explained away. It's either you accept it and do it or not. There is no compromise when it comes to certain pertinent things within the Faith. But the topic of holidays being celebrated is not one of them, particularly because we do not participate in them as they were originally and are now designed. I hope this helped."Therefore do not let your good be spoken of as evil; for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. For he who serves Christ in these things is acceptable to God and approved by men. Therefore let us pursue the things which make for peace and the things by which one may edify another." (Rom. 14:16-19)

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1. Scripture references: Matt. 12:1-12, Mk. 2:27; 3:1-4, Lk. 13:10-17, Jn. 7:18-24; 9:16, Isa. 58:13-14, Heb. 4:1-10, Col. 2:11-23.

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Bibliography
1. Israel United In Christ. Retrieved 12/19/2007 from http://www.israelunite.org/pages/frameset_christians.html (I do not promote this site in any way)
2. (1998, 2001). ChristianAnswer.net. Retrieved 12/19/2007 from http://www.christiananswers.net/q-eden/edn-t020.html
3. (1999-2007). ChristiansUnite Christian Holidays Celebration. Retrieved 12/19/2007 from http://holidays.christiansunite.com/halloween_origin.shtml
4. (2002 - 2004). Origin of Christmas. Retrieved 12/19/2007 from www.origin-of-christmas.com

"Does God repent, make mistakes, or really know all things?"_Questions about God Pt. 1

2008-01-24T11:04:00.003-08:00

Does God repent? If not, then why does the KJV display God responding by way of repenting? If so, does God make mistakes? Does not God know all things?
___Just a couple of questions I would like to discuss and possibly provide some clarity. Let's begin shall we.

___Does God repent? Obviously yes if the KJV records it over 20 times. Although, I think we sometimes forget the words used in the Bible are not originally English words, they are Hebrew or Greek. In this case they are Hebrew, because God repenting is all within the Old Testament.
___There are only two Hebrew terms for repent. Repent (ed, est, eth, ing) in Hebrew is [nacham] which means: properly, to sigh, i.e. breathe strongly; by implication, to be sorry, i.e. (in a favorable sense) to pity, console or (reflexively) rue [regret]; or (unfavorably) to avenge (oneself)-- comfort (self), ease (one's self); and, [shuwb] which means: to turn back (hence, away) transitively or intransitively, literally or figuratively (not necessarily with the idea of return to the starting point); generally to retreat; often adverbial, again… Repentings in Hebrew is [nichuwm] which means: from nacham; properly, consoled; abstractly, solace. Repentance in Hebrew is [nocham] which means: From nacham; ruefulness…
___Now knowing this, you simply input the term that fits with the context being used for God repenting and you'll know what it means. I'll give you an example:

"And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. And it repented the LORD that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart. And the LORD said, I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth; both man, and beast, and the creeping thing, and the fowls of the air; for it repenteth me that I have made them." (Gen. 6:5-7, KJV)
___As you can see, the only Hebrew term for repented or repenteth is nacham. So does God make mistakes? No. This verse (and every other verse that uses nacham) is indicating God expressing an emotion, not making a mistake. The NASB Life Application Study Bible comments this passage like this, "The people's sin grieved God. He was expressing sorrow for what the people had done to themselves, as a parent might express sorrow over a rebellious child." Just like our sin grieves the Holy Spirit within us (Eph. 4:30), God was repented [sighing/sorry- nacham] and grieved in His heart with the sins of His creation back then as well.

Note: The NKJV, NASB, & CEV say "sorry" in place of repented, and the AMP says "regretted". They all say grieved. (There is a great site to see what actual Hebrew and Greek words are being used in each verse for each word: http://www.biblos.com/).

___The context grieved is used in Gen. 6:5-7 in Hebrew is either [charah] which means: to glow or grow warm; figuratively (usually) to blaze up, of anger, zeal, jealousy…; or, [ka'ah] which means: to despond: causatively, to deject-- broken, be grieved, make sad; or, [ka'ac] which means: to trouble; by implication, to grieve, rage, be indignant-- be angry, be grieved, take indignation, provoke (to anger, unto wrath), have sorrow, vex, be wroth; or, [la'ah] which means: to tire; (figuratively) to be (or make) disgusted-- faint, grieve, lothe…; or, [marar] which means: to be (make) bitter; or, [agam] which means: to be sad; or, [atsab] which means: properly, to carve, i.e. fabricate or fashion; hence (in a bad sense) to worry, pain or anger-- displease, grieve, hurt, make, be sorry; or, [quwt] which means: properly, to cut off, i.e. (figuratively) detest; or, [quwts] which means: to be (causatively, make) disgusted or anxious-- abhor, be distressed, be grieved, loathe, vex, be weary.
___Again, you input the term that fits with the context of this word being used, and you'll see God is expressing an emotion in this passage, not displaying a mistake.
___Repent (ed, est, eth, ing, ings, ance) is used a total of 45 times in the Old Testament. The Hebrew term nacham is used 39 times in scriptures, and shuwb is used only 3 times. Repentance (nocham) and repentings (nichuwm) are only used once. No your math is not off, that does bring the total to 44. The verse (1Sam. 15:29) where "repent" is used twice the Hebrew only counts once, unless it's a different term being used. I should note also that all 45 do not belong to God repenting. Furthermore we can see that the writers of the Old Testament only use the term [shuwb] indicating a turn or change 3 times. Not a convincing amount for evidence of God making mistakes.

___Does not God know all things in advance? Yes, and I'll explain it in minute. But I want to stay with "repent" for just one moment on this question. If we look at the "repent" that God does from the context of the appropriate Hebrew definition/term we see He's not turning away from what He planned (Job 23:13) or surprised like He didn't know this was going to happen. He is simply displaying an emotional expression (ex. like His grace and mercy exhibited in other passages) from the things He sees going on with what He created. The same was done by Jesus. "And when He had looked around at them with anger, being grieved by the hardness of their hearts, He said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” And he stretched it out, and his hand was restored as whole as the other."- Mk. 3:5, NKJV.
___I would like to insert a cause and effect here. We have to remember, God is eternal- (Deut. 33:27, Ps. 90:2, Isa. 57:15, Jer. 10:10). He sits in eternity, we sit in the temporal. He sees everything as one scene, not like our moment by moment vision. The Bible tells us God is not the author of confusion (akatastasia- instability, i.e. disorder- commotion, confusion, tumult) but of peace, decency and order, righteous, and perfect in all His ways- 1Cor. 14:33, 40, Deut. 32:4, Ps. 11:7; 18:30; 19:7-9. Therefore before God created anything, He would have to have a plan for it first. Thus, the lifetime of all He created has its specific lot in what He planned before He created it. From this understanding it is clear that the verses or passages where He's showing/displaying emotions (whatever that may be, in this case repenting) is simply Him showing Himself as an emotional God, just as Jesus did (Jn. 11:32-38, Lk. 19:37-41ff), and nothing more.

"But let him who glories glory in this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am the LORD, exercising lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness in the earth. For in these I delight,” says the LORD." (Jer. 9:24)

___Onto answering does God know all things? Here are two quick rhetorical questions. How can God be Creator and not know everything in advance involving what He created? How can God be the first and the last, the beginning and the end, eternal, and not know everything beforehand?

"The LORD looks from heaven; He sees all the sons of men. From the place of His dwelling He looks on all the inhabitants of the earth; He fashions (yatsar- to mould into a form; especially as a potter; figuratively, to determine) their hearts individually; He considers (biyn- to separate mentally (or distinguish), i.e. (generally) understand) all their works." (Ps. 33:13-15, NKJV)

"For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is loyal to Him. In this you have done foolishly; therefore from now on you shall have wars." (2Chr. 16:9, NKJV)

"Where can I go from Your Spirit? Or where can I flee from Your presence? If I ascend into heaven, You are there; if I make my bed in hell, behold, You are there." (Ps. 139:7-8, NKJV)

"…His understanding is unsearchable." (Isa. 40: 28, NKJV)

"And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account." (Heb. 4:13, NKJV)

“I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End,” says the Lord, “who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.” (Rev. 1:8, NKJV)

___Now you tell me, with these verses displayed (and there are many more than they), the abundant prophecies and promises given by the mouth of God Himself (which means He must know the ending from the beginning in order to tell what's going to happen beforehand- ref. Isa. 44:6-8; 46:9-11; 48:3-5), and the content of scripture references like these (Ps. 139:1-16, Prov. 5:21; 15:3, Jer. 17:10 ref.11:20- Ps. 7:9- Jer. 20:12; 23:23-24), how can God not know all things in advance?

Getting Connected (Plugged In)

2007-10-02T11:03:00.001-07:00

There is a specific body of believers (a local church) for every member of the Body of Christ, whether we're in one place or we relocate. Just as the Spirit draws us to Christ, He also draws us to that specific body of believers He has for us wherever we are- Ruth 1:8-14. We'll know the specific body of believers He has for us, because our spirit will connect with the spirit of that church supernaturally; that is, it will already be affirmed in our spirit the moment of connection- Acts 2:44; 4:32.

We have to be careful that we don't forcibly try to make any church our "home" church. Doing this is like trying to put a three-prong chord in a two-prong socket. It will not fit. If you cannot plug in, then there will be no connection; and no connection equals no power. But, if you find a socket for a three-prong chord there's a difference, and it's automatically affirmed the moment of connection. As are we with the body of believers Christ has for us where we are.

Should We Be Afraid of Dinosaurs?

2007-09-10T09:26:00.005-07:00

Why do people insist on questioning the authenticity of the Bible regarding dinosaurs? There is no reference in the Bible for the term universe, or space, or cosmos, but rather you know of it as heaven(s), or firmament, or sky. Yet, no one questions the reality of space in the Bible. Can it be that dinosaurs fall to the same thing as the term universe, space, and cosmos? Rather than the term dinosaurs being stated in the Bible, you may know of them as beast, or dragons, or leviathan, or any of the other "every living creatures" God created that we don't recognize by name. If the Bible says God created every living creature both of the water and earth, and we have the bones of dinosaurs, then that would mean they fall under the "every living creature" God created, right? This is not rocket science, simple common sense! Just as God doesn't give us the details about space– the many galaxies, planets, stars, etc– in the Bible, He also chose not to give us details about certain creatures in the Bible as well– dinosaurs are among many other creatures we don’t hear about in the Bible, but we see they exist or existed. Does that mean we should question the Bible because of their existence as well? This is an inadequate and foolish effort to refute the validity of the Bible. The Bible is not an encyclopedia, it wasn't meant to tell us everything, but just what God wanted us to know (Deut. 29:29). It's not rocket science people, simple common sense! Read the Bible.

"And out of the ground the LORD God formed every beast of the field, and every fowl of the air; and brought them unto Adam to see what he would call them: and whatsoever Adam called every living creature, that was the name thereof." (Gen. 2:19)

"The beast of the field shall honour me, the dragons and the owls: because I give waters in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert, to give drink to my people, my chosen." (Isa. 43:20)

The Bible says, "God created… great whales, and every living creature that moveth, which the waters brought forth abundantly… and every winged fowl…" (Gen. 1:21) "And God said, Let the earth bring forth the living creature after his kind, cattle, and creeping thing, and beast of the earth…" (Gen. 1:24) "…wild beasts of the desert… and owls… and satyrs [could be butterflies]…" (Isa. 13:21) "…leviathan that crooked serpent… the dragon that is in the sea." (Isa. 27:1) "…dragons in the waters" (Ps. 74:13) "…the dragons of the wilderness" (Mal. 1:3) "…small and great beasts" (Ps. 104:25).

Other creatures mentioned in the Bible: Lions, wild asses (donkeys), bears, eagles, quails, serpent …and there are probably more than these cited above, but not every creature in the world is referred to in the Bible. Remember, we serve a sovereign God who knew beforehand what the world would be like with dinosaurs around. Thus, by them obviously not being here, He chose to let them become extinct for His perfect reasons. And just like space, rather than tell us all about them, He allows us to find and figure it out ourselves. So for us as believers, dinosaurs (like space) should help to prove the existence of God, not disapprove Him; and they should help to display the individuality, power, and glory of God, not discredit or denounce Him.

Here are some notes taken from AnswersInGenesis.com about dinosaurs:

*Dinosaur means ‘terrible lizard’.

*Dinosaurs had posture that was fully erect, similar to that in mammals; unlike reptiles.

*Evidence of these ‘transitional forms,’ as they are called, should be abundant. However, many fossil experts admit that not one unquestionable transitional form between any group of creatures and another has been found anywhere. If dinosaurs evolved from amphibians, there should be, for example, fossil evidence of animals that are part dinosaur and part something else. However, there is no proof of this anywhere. In fact, if you go into any museum you will see fossils of dinosaurs that are 100% dinosaur, not something in between. There are no 25%, 50%, 75%, or even 99% dinosaurs—they are all 100% dinosaur!

*If God designed and created dinosaurs, they would have been fully functional, designed to do what they were created for, and would have been 100% dinosaur. This fits exactly with the evidence from the fossil record.

*Creation scientists believe that dinosaurs were called dragons before the word dinosaur was invented in the 1800s. We would not expect to find the word dinosaur in Bibles like the Authorized Version (1611), as it was translated well before the word dinosaur was ever used.

**For this text, all scripture references are taken from KJV.

Showstopper

2007-09-02T11:23:00.005-07:00

I sometimes look at life like a stage play, that is, during certain situations. That present circumstance(s) is the plot, I and any others involved are the supporting characters, and God is the main character. As I face the situation, I come to a point where I realize, "There is nothing I can do with this, it's out of my hands to control". Then God whispers to me, "This is My part of the play. Everyone clear the stage, it's time for the Star to take over the show." And thus, in whatever situation I'm facing, I step aside– by not getting anymore involved or further dabbling with the issue– and allow God to be God– let His glory (magnificence, brilliance, awesomeness) be put on exhibition for all to see, so He and only He can get all the credit and praise.

This real life illustration relieves me in those situations from constantly trying to figure out something to do, force something, or be concerned about screwing it up, and places it in God's hands for Him to work it out; which is just what He always does, works it out! If and when He wants me to get involved again, He'll usher me out on the stage to play whatever part I have left. Until then, I let God perform the show/take care of that situation.