Sermon like materials from the Christian point of view as they relate to doctrine and our personal relationship with God: "Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel...By which also ye are saved...unless ye have believed in vain. For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures." (1 Corinthians 15:1-4)
"Good Spirit,' he pursued, as down upon the ground he fell before it:' Your nature intercedes for me, and pities me. Assure me that I yet may change these shadows you have shown me, by an altered life.'
The kind hand trembled.'
I will honour Christmas in my heart, and try to keep it all the year. I will live in the Past, the Present, and the Future. The Spirits of all Three shall strive within me. I will not shut out the lessons that they teach. Oh, tell me I may sponge away the writing on this stone.'
In his agony, he caught the spectral hand. It sought to free itself, but he was strong in his entreaty, and detained it. The Spirit, stronger yet, repulsed him.
Holding up his hands in a last prayer to have his fate aye reversed, he saw an alteration in the Phantom's hood and dress. It shrunk, collapsed, and dwindled down into a bedpost."
One of the most far-reaching and fatal lies of Satan is the fallacious teaching that man can merit eternal life by doing good works. Satan knows that the only way God saves sinners is by grace alone (Eph. 2:5). He also knows when anything is added to God's grace, such as good works, human effort, law-keeping or religious rituals, it nullifies saving grace (Rom. 11:6; Gal. 2:21). In fact, when anyone adds anything to God's justifying grace, they remain dead in their sins. The only way a helpless, hopeless, and hell-deserving sinner can be saved is by God's unmerited, undeserved grace and mercy (Titus 3:5). They must come to the cross of Christ with empty hands of faith, bringing nothing but their sins. This is the only way they can experience the greatest exchange in human history - their sin for Christ's righteousness (2 Cor. 5:21).
Wrong Timing with The Wrong Motivation for Good Works
The timing and motivation for good works is of utmost importance.
Scripture declares that any righteous deeds done prior to justification are filthy rags in the sight of our Holy God (Isa. 64:6). Therefore, if someone's motivation for doing good works is to become right with God, they cannot be justified. Anyone who seeks to establish their own righteousness by good works is ignorant of God's righteousness (Rom. 10:1-4). Yet, the Roman Catholic Church teaches that good works are necessary for justification and condemns anyone who says they are justified by faith alone (Council of Trent).
Right Timing with The Right Motivation for Good Works
After God justifies the repentant sinner by grace through faith, apart from works, the motivation for doing good works is dramatically different from the unbeliever. Now, the motivation is out of love, gratitude and thanksgiving for having been justified. The new creature in Christ desires to do the good works which God prepared for him/her (Eph. 2:10). The believer desires to live a life pleasing to Christ, bearing fruit in every good work, and giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified him to share in the inheritance of the saints (Col.1:10-12).
A Question Answered for Clarification
Why did James write, "You see man is justified by works and not by faith alone" (James 2:24)? The answer can best be understood when the verse is read in context. James is contrasting two kinds of faith; he is not giving instructions on how to be justified. James is presenting the stark difference between genuine, living faith and spurious, dead faith. When he asks, "Show me your faith," he is asking a professing Christian for evidence of their faith. Since faith is invisible, James writes, "I will show you my faith by my works." Earlier he wrote the best way to prove one's faith is to be "doers of the word and not merely hearers" (Jas. 1:22). From Scripture we know that faith alone justifies, but faith that justifies is never alone.
A Root That Is Alive Will Bear Fruit
James is concerned for professing Christians who have dead faith which is idle, barren, and unfruitful (Jas. 2:17). He is saying that dead faith does not justify and is useless (Jas. 2:20). Only genuine faith is alive and bears fruit. In other words, faith is the root of the tree, and works are the fruit. If the root is alive, the tree will bear fruit, but if the root is dead, there will be no fruit. Just as works cannot produce justification, fruit cannot produce the tree or bring it into existence. The fruit only reveals the type of tree and whether it is alive or dead. James is echoing the teaching of Jesus when He said, "you bear much fruit, and so prove to be My disciples" (Jn. 15:8). So when there is no fruit, there is no union with Christ.
Tragically, there are many professing Christians who remain dead in their sins because they are trying to merit salvation by their works.
Mike Gendron, Proclaiming the Gospel email, 12/1/18
In this post I will be going over why I believe Christian's shouldn't get loans. This article is not designed to shame anyone who has gotten loans in the past but it is created as food for thought if you plan on getting a loan.
"Services more culturally relevant, especially to the unconverted. However effective this might be in drawing "seekers," it was not so in the early church. Their services equipped the saints to be witnesses wherever they found themselves. The church meeting collectively on Sunday will not win the world, nor will more seminars on church growth; rather, what we need are more equipped individuals who share their faith in hospitals, banks, factories, warehouses, office buildings, and neighborhoods."
Erwin W. Lutzer, The Church in Babylon: Heeding the Call to Be a Light in the Darkness, pg.272
The Lord Jesus declared there are only two roads that lead to eternity, but only a few will find the narrow way that leads to life. Everyone else will travel the broad way that leads to death (Matt. 7:13-14). The many people who are on the broad way will take comfort in knowing they are doing and believing what everyone else does and believes. They need to know, as far as salvation is concerned, there is no security in numbers. Anyone entering the narrow gate must enter alone with empty hands of faith, trusting Christ alone.
Why are there only a few who find the narrow way? It is because false prophets, dressed in sheep's clothing, are constantly directing people to the broad way (Matt. 7:15). These ravenous wolves are successful because the broad way seems right to man, but its end is death (Prov. 14:12). This is why Jesus said, "Strive to enter through the narrow door; for many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able" (Luke 13:24). Jesus is pleading with people to strive to enter God's Kingdom and be set free from a fallen world that is held captive by Satan to do his will (2 Tim. 2:26). Only the truth will set captives free, and only when they abide in God's Word will they know the truth (John 8:31-32). Then they will be able to discern truth from error and the narrow gate from the wide gate.
Many gullible people fall prey to false teachers because of their deceptive appearance. As servants of Satan, they "disguise themselves as servants of righteousness, whose end will be according to their deeds" (2 Cor. 11:15). Like anything that is counterfeit, their goal is to fool people. False teachers mask their deceptive lies with an air of religious authority. They hide their fatal gospel under a thin veneer of truth, such that the outer shell is believable, but what's inside is deadly poison. They often hide their blasphemies and heresies with illogical arguments and traditions of men. They have no fear of God and twist and distort His word to their own destruction (2 Pet. 3:16). They are not interested in saving souls, only in gaining more followers. They are not interested in building the Lord's church, but a church of their own.
Tragically, there are many who never take the time to consider on which road to eternity they are traveling. It is the responsibility of everyone on the narrow way to warn those who are in peril on the broad way. Let us encourage them to consider the many contrasts between the narrow way and the broad way before it is too late:
*One is guided by pure truth (1 Jn 2:21); the other by truth mixed with error (Gal. 1:6-7)
*One is directed by the infallible Word of God (2 Tim. 3:16); the other by the fallible traditions of men (Mark 7:7-8)
*One follows Jesus, the true Shepherd (John 10:3, 14:6); the other follows anyone else (Matt. 7:15)
*One is by grace and totally undeserved (Eph. 2:8-9); the other is by trying to merit God's favor (Titus 3:5)
*One is entered by repenting and believing the Gospel (Mark 1:15); the other by rituals and self-righteousness (Rom. 10:3).
*One is entered by divine accomplishment (Hebrews 7:25); the other by human achievement (Luke 18:9)
*One is traveled by the humble who know they deserve hell (Eph. 2:1-5); the other by the proud who think they deserve heaven (Luke 18:11-14)
*One group will arrive expectantly because of God's promises (1 John 5:13); the other will be tragically surprised (Matt. 7:23)
Both ways do have one thing in common; they both lead people to the Lord Jesus Christ. Many will meet Him as a sin-avenging Judge and hear Him say, "Depart from me, I never knew you" (Mat. 7:23). Others will stand before Him as their gracious and merciful Savior and sing His praises throughout eternity!
Mike Gendron, Proclaiming the Gospel email, 11/1/18
This article is about Music and Dancing in regards to the Christian faith. I will be addressing such issues as should musical instruments be used in church services, should Christians listen to secular music, and is dancing a sin? Let's get started.
-How can we as Christians go about with presenting the gospel to the lost world? Each witnessing encounter will vary. One way to participate in evangelism ministry is to lovingly pose questions. Different questions exist for different circumstances, depending on the audience. Good questions are thought-provoking, challenge conventional ideas, and can generate other good questions. Posing questions can create opportunities to present the gospel.
Some General Questions:
-"Where do you see yourself in 10 years?"
-"What do you think happens after death? Do you think that there is life beyond the grave?"
-"How do you get right with God?"
-"Who is Jesus to you?"
-"What do you think that is Jesus doing now?"
^According to Scripture, Jesus is holding the universe together (John 1; Colossians 1; Hebrews 1), He is sitting at the right hand of the Father (Romans 8:34; Ephesians 1:20), He intercedes on behalf of Christians (Hebrews 7:25), He is the mediator of the New Covenant (1 Timothy 2:5-6), He is working among believers (2 Corinthians 13:3), and will be returning (Titus 2:13).
-"Where did we come from"? (who made us?)
-"Who are we -- why is life sacred?" (value or purpose of life)
-"What has gone wrong with the world?"
-"What can we do to fix it?"
Questions To Ask During Discussions:
-"What do you mean by that?"
-"How did you come to the conclusion?" (or "Why do you think that?")
-"How do you know that's true?"
-"Have you considered...?"
-"Is there an objective evil? Where did it come from--what is its source?"
-"Where did human conscience come from?"
-"What would it mean to you if what you believe is true?" "Is not true?"
-"Do you believe that what you believe is really true?"
-"How did you reach the verdict that I am wrong?"
-"If God asks you why he should let you into His heaven, how would you answer?"
-"What kind of person do you have to be for God to accept you?"
-"Since you don't have access to ALL knowledge, is it possible that God exists outside your sphere of knowledge?"
-"If God is discovered, would that make your life better or worse? How would it change your life?"
In today's article we will be covering instances in the bible where people used excuses. We will also see if the bible has any relevant passages about making excuses.
People Who Made Excuses
It's interesting to note that people have been making excuses way back near the beginning of the bible. In Gen 3:12-13 we see Adam blaming Eve and Eve blaming the serpent. These excuses didn't get them off the hook however as they were punished nonetheless.
We see in Exo 4:10 that Moses gave the excuse that he wasn't eloquent and slow of speech when God told him to go to Pharaoh in order to bring the children of Israel out of Egypt. In regards to the golden calf of Exodus 32, it seems to me that Aaron blamed the Israelite's for it's creation (Exo 32:22-24).
Do you remember what Gideon said when the Lord said that he would save Israel from the Midianites? He said his family was poor and that he was least in his father's house (Judg 6:14-15). Jeremiah said he was a child (Jer 1:6), Israel said that it wasn't time for the house of the Lord to be built (Hag 1:2), and the disciple who asked to bury his father first also seems to be kinda an excuse to me as well (Mat 8:21).
See also Luk 9:61-62
What The Bible has to say about Excuses
This last segment is about relevant passages of scripture concerning excuses. In Prov 20:4 and Prov 22:13 we see that the slothful/sluggard makes excuses so that they don't have to go and work outside. In Luk 14:18-20 we see several excuses people made as to why they didn't show up to the supper.
When we take a look at Rom 1:20 we can see that an Atheist will not have an excuse on judgment day for they can tell just by looking at creation that there is a God.
See also: Rom 2:1
To conclude this short post on excuses and the bible let us remember 1Joh 3:18 which tells us to love in deed and truth. I bring this verse up because alot of times people can have good intentions to help someone but then not follow through. As Christians we should never make an excuse not to do good when we see the opportunity because that would be sin (Jam 4:17).
In today's article we will be going over the differences between the soft and hard virtues. I believe this to be an important topic to study because the Lord tells us the path to life is narrow (Mat 7:14), therefore we must be careful not to go too far to the left or too far to the right.
So first we must distinguish what are the hard and soft virtues. The soft Virtues consist of Love, mercy, forgiveness, Grace, and Kindness. The hard virtues are Truth, Righteousness, Holiness, and Justice. What is essential to understand is that all these virtues are Good.
For today's article I thought that I would go over what the bible teaches us concerning the will of God. This subject should be quite important for Christians as we should be asking for His will to be done in our lives on a continual bases (ex. Luk 11:1-2).
Furthermore the bible even tells us to understand what the will of the Lord is (Eph 5:17).
The first thing about God's will that I would like to address is the fact that he doesn't want anyone to go to hell but would rather have them repent and live (1Tim 2:4, 1Pet 3:9). After all the lake of fire was made for Satan and his angels (Mat 25:41). This is why Christians are commanded to preach the gospel to every creature (Mat 28:19, Mar 16:15), so they may believe and be saved (1Cor 1:21).
So what other things does the bible tell us concerning God's will for our lives? Well it should be obvious to any Christian that God certainly doesn't want us to sin (Rom 6:15), fornication is listed by name in the holy scriptures as something that it's God's will for us to avoid (1Th 4:3).
Another thing that we Christians should be doing often is giving thanks for everything (1Th 5:18), this to is God's will for us. A reason that I give for this is because all things work together for a Christian's good (Rom 8:28).
It is also God's will for us to obey the ordinances of man (aka the king, governor, etc), the bible teaches us that these powers are ordained of God (1Pet 2:13-15, Rom 13:1).
The next part that I want to mention concerning the will of God is that we are to suffer for Christ sake (Phili 1:19). What do I mean by that? Christian's crucify their lust of the flesh (Luk 9:23-25, Gal 5:24, 1Pet 4:1-3), although Christians are to love people we are not friends of the world as this is enmity against God (Jam 4:4). As believers we shall be persecuted (Joh 15:20), this is because out of love for peoples souls we warn them to turn from their wickedness (Jam 5:20) but men love darkness instead of light (Joh 3:19). Moses is seen as a good example of these two points in Heb 11:24-26. See also 1Pet 4:12-19.
In conclusion we see that it is God's will that everyone would be saved and although God's will is not always done here on earth it is something that we as Christians should be seeking to accomplish. After all this world and it's lust are only temporary but those that do the will of God shall abide forever (1Joh 2:17).
"When a person uses up all his energy in pretending, he has nothing left for living; and life becomes shallow and tasteless. A person who pretends not only robs himself of reality, but he keeps himself from growing: his true self is smothered under the false self." Warren W. Wiersbe, Be Real, pg.35
While searching for something to watch on Youtube, I came across the video titled Top 10 Logical Reasons That Prove God doesn't Exist. When I first clicked on it, I expected that the person presenting the video would have some good arguments for his case. While the man is certainly entitled to his opinion, these 10 arguments are far from logical as we will see by the rebuttals. The points start at #10 and go down from there.
#10 Poorly Designed Universe.
First off, the atheist in the video asked why a perfect God would design the universe and His babies in such a poor fashion? The person also inquires why we should worship a God who created us with diseases and malfunctions? This is a straw man argument, since the Bible states that God originally created Adam and Eve without sin. He gave us free will so that we could originally have an intimate relationship with our Creator. The tree was simply an object lesson.
The Bible does not say that God created a poorly designed universe. Rather, God calls his creation very good (Genesis 1). Science also demonstrates that the universe had a creator as it is not poorly designed as the video states but actually finely tuned for life. Consider, for example, that the planet Earth is the only known system in our universe with appropriate conditions to sustain life. Consider also how the planets orbit in an orderly fashion around the sun. It is the Fall which accounts for the presence of sin, and hence disease and suffering in the world, see #6. God has chosen to restore creation by the means that He has ordained. By what standard does this atheist declare the universe to be poorly designed, anyway?
#9 God of the gaps?
The next argument presented in the video is that we point to God in areas where science cannot explain, thereby labeling Him the God of the gaps. I find it ironic that the person who made this video actually used this point, especially when science cannot even authenticate the existence of the foundational laws upon which it operates. Look at the Darwinian postulate of macroevolution, which has never been observed. Talk about a science of the gaps argument. Why do I say that? Evolutionists make countless ridiculous stories such as whales used to be land animals that migrated back to sea without giving a shred of evidence. There are countless of gaps in the fossil record where missing links should be, it's nothing but gaps. Regardless of whether atheists like it or not, the conclusions of the premises which constitute proofs for the existence of God flow naturally.
Evolution as a worldview is nothing but gaps of knowledge. How can a universe spring into existence from nothing, or from non-living matter? How do birds know were to migrate for the first time? What about dino-sightings/artifacts? Irreducible complexity? What about the existence of both genders? C-14 in dino bones and diamonds, man-made artifacts in rock layers dating tens to hundreds of millions of years old? The superiority of ancient technology? I could go on and on but you get the point.
It's funny how some can blindly place faith in the concept of an eternal universe, but not investigate the evidences supporting the existence of God. The concept of an eternal universe is irrational at face value, for that would mean that we never could have reached a point in time when this essay could be completed. A beginningless sequence of events is logically impossible; an effect cannot take place without a cause. If the universe is eternal, then biology itself would not make any sense.
#8 Inconsistency of Religions
The video points out that many religions view God differently, and asks if there is any unified view of God concerning His form, his expectations from us, etc. But He has given sufficient data to mankind through His Word. Our free will has enabled us to make up stories, believe lies, and rebel against God.
The deities existing in polytheistic worldviews are obviously man-made, subject to defeat and virtually powerless by themselves. In contrast, the triune God of Judeo-Christian tradition is all-knowing, all-powerful, all-loving, and self-sufficient. Religious fables that get passed down through generations simply do not discount the reality of God, but rather validates the Bible's warnings concerning the arrival of false teaching (Mat 7:13-15, 2 Pet 2:1-3). It is from Scripture that we derive the objective nature of truth, logic, and reality.
In a certain sense, all religions are consistent with each other. Even though we may find the customs, traditions, and practices of all the ancient civilizations to be bizarre or abhorrent in our sight, the heart of all the ancient civilizations had a sense of good. These objective moral laws point to the existence of God and are a reflection His moral character. Every religion has an element of truth--it is logically impossible for a falsehood to contain no truth. A lie is a perversion of the truth. All world religions are simply a mockery of the Judeo-Christian worldview, just as all copies of an antique coin are duplicates of the original. Christianity is the fullness of truth.
#7 Creation of The World
The speaker in the video asks if God created the world, then why do we have fossils that date back to millions of years ago? The fact is, fossils do not date back to millions of years ago, that is they do not have a stamp on them saying made by a dinosaur 64 millions years ago. Scientist get those ages by running test based on their (say it with me) BIASED ASSUMPTIONS. For more articles on creation science, visit my main blog forjesustheamen.blogspot.com and click on my creation science sidebar.
#6. Existence of Evil
So, if there is such a good God, then why does He allow evil, wars, etc? Why doesn't He stop it? If people would just read their Bible, they would have their answer. God did not want to make robots, but children. He gave us the gift of freewill. This way, mankind could demonstrate true love by not being forced to love. How could us acting morally upright stem forth from love, if we were already programmed by God to act in a fashion similar to that of robots? How would that even be love (1 Corinthians 13:4-8)? Man used his freewill to sin, and thus caused a way for disease and death to enter the world. God is just so He must punish sin. He also provided a way of eternal salvation through the Lord Jesus Christ. He can use evil situations to accomplish a greater good. He can use whatever means that He desires to restore creation to its fullness, and is doing so (2 Pet 3:13). God can do all things, insofar that His actions are consistent with His will. This does not express limitation in ability, but a degree of perfection. Objective evil cannot exist without objective good. These can only exist if God exists. He is the uncreated first cause.
#5. Morality Needs No Religion
The atheist speaker goes on to say that if we looked at an atheist and a Christian side by side, then we would see little to no difference in their morality. While this may or may not be true depending on the comparison being made, God has written His moral law into the hearts of all people. God gives everyone a conscience to know right from wrong. See these articles for more information:
The atheists, however, have no justification for their morality. We see them borrowing from the Christian worldview when they treat people well. My question to the atheist would be this: Why should't men go around raping women or stealing the possessions of other people, if they knew that truth was relative to the individual, there is no consequences for sin in the afterlife, and that life is meaningless as evolution espouses? Who gets to determine what is right or wrong? What happens when people contradict each other or themselves?
The video also mentions that there are more than a few incidents of "religious people" who commit immoral acts in the name of God. This in no way disproves the existence of God, but rather demonstrates that those people who do those sins are acting contrary to the biblical Christian worldview. God has given man the free will to pretend that they serve him--but inwardly they do not (Isa 29:13, Mar 7:6).
#4. Religion Runs in Family
The person goes on to claim that you have a 99% chance of following the religion of your family. I do not see how this in anyway proves or disproves the existence of God as people's beliefs do not determine reality. If a person was raised an atheist, then he or she will most probably be an atheist. What is this point supposed to prove?
#3 No Evidence of Existence
It's not that there is no evidence for his existence. I could list dozens of examples that disprove evolution or that show beyond reasonable doubt that God exists. The problem is whether or not one will accept the evidence that is given to them or just interpret it according to their preconceived biases. Here are a few examples. We see that God did prove that he existed through the evidence of his creation (Rom 1:18-22). He also came down to earth as a man to save us from our sins, and validated His ministry through countless miracles (John 20:30-31). The New Testament which documents this is the most historically reliable book ever written. No other ancient literature even comes close to the number of copies of manuscripts that we posses. Some of which were are dated within a small time frame of the original, unlike other ancient literature. See also the standard proofs for the existence of God provided above. When is enough evidence enough?
#2 Common Consent
I actually agree in that it points out that just because the majority of people believe in God, it does not automatically make it true. This is the logical fallacy of appealing to popularity. I find it ironic that he uses slavery as an example in this video, since there would be no objective basis for opposing it in atheism? According to the Theory of Evolution, people with a different skin color are more or less evolved than people of another color, thus supporting racism.
I see the same logical fallacy being committed by those who support Darwinian evolution by saying the the majority of scientists believe it. Let us follow logic to show that this does not make evolution true. Nevertheless, it is interesting to note how the vast majority of people are not atheists.
#1 No Growth in Religion
The author of the video somehow comes to the conclusion that because our beliefs about God have not changed over the course of time, this proves that God does not exist. The reason our beliefs about God have not changed is that His character does not change (Mal 3:6; Heb 13:8). Truth is unchangeable. Two plus two will always equal four, in the same way God's word is true and will never pass away (Luk 21:33, Joh 17:17).
Further, the claim that religion has not grown is refuted by the simple fact that cults have developed.
One of the last questions raised is if God exists, then why is it that we are still vague about what He is like? Again, the reason for this is that people do not read their Bibles. If people did, then they would understand better His character. The bible tells us that God is all-powerful, knowing, omnipresent, eternal, loving, just, merciful, and long-suffering--to name just a few things. It also needs to be recognized that our finite minds are not capable of fully understanding the depths of God's character.
In conclusion, we see that these 10 supposedly logical reasons that prove God doesn't exist are actually quite illogical themselves. They can be answered quite easily by anyone who is rational minded. Anybody who has an open heart and an open mind can understand and believe on the gospel.
"When the institution of marriage is compromised; when single mothers proliferate and are even applauded; when children are separated or alienated from their parents; when the bonds of heterosexual intimacy are breached; when gender politics sabotages concord between the sexes; when same-sex couples receive the same rights, privileges, and rewards as child-bearing couples; and when matrimony becomes the prerogative of any group whatsoever with no relation to fecundity or cultural stability, the underpinnings of Western society will inevitably collapse.
This is why Marxism, for example, considers marriage an institution that needs to be destroyed, since procreant marriage with all its attendant responsibilities is the foundation of bourgeois society. This is why its dissolution or misprision is a prerequisite for the revolutionary socialist state in which the pivotal loyalty of the individual belongs to the sovereign collective, not to the family. And this is why calling two men or two women in a union "marriage" has been serially championed by the left."
In today's article I will be using the religious group known as the sons of freedom as a spring board to discuss two other relevant topics. Which are do Christians have to obey they government no matter what and is it OK to walk around nude in the public.
So first of all who are the sons of freedom? The sons of freedom "also called freedomites" first arrived in Saskatchewan, Canada around 1902 in order to escape religious persecution that they were facing in Russia.
These freedomites as they are called were infamous for there Arson of personal and public property (including School buildings) as well as their nude protest. The SOF didn't want their kids in public school and I could understand why as I wouldn't send my kids to public school either if I had any. However we cannot excuse the fact that they intentionally broke the law repeatedly. Now I want to discuss the two topics relevant to this group.
Are We Supposed to Obey the Government No Matter What?
The answer is no. As followers of Christ, we should be subject to the higher powers because they are ordained of God. We are told to be in subject to every ordinance of man within reasonable bounds (Rom 13:1-7, Tit 3:1, 1 Pet 2:13-17). However this does not mean that we should blindly follow everything thing they say. We should obey them except if they tell us to do something God has forbidden such as killing babies (Exo 1:17), worshipping idols (Dan 3:16-18), forbidding us to pray (Dan 6:7-10), or preaching the gospel (Act 5:29).
We are also told not to curse the ruler of our people (Exo 22:28, Act 23:5), or the king (Ecc 10:20), so no talking bad about the president.
Is Nudism Sinful?
The other thing that I wish to discuss about the freedomites is their nude protest. So what is so bad about walking around in the nude? After all, Adam and eve were naked but not ashamed (Gen 2:25). Well first off ,they were the only 2 people on earth at the time. Second we see that Adam wasn't ashamed of being naked until after he ate of the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil (Gen 3:10). If God desired for them to remain naked why did he clothed them (Gen 3:21)?
Let's take a look at some more verses to show why we shouldn't be naked in public. We see that Aaron made the Israelites naked unto their shame in Exo 32:25. When we take a look at Isa 20:1-4 we see that Isaiah walked around naked as a sign unto the Egyptians and Ethiopians, for they were to be led captive naked to the shame of Egypt.
We see in Mat 25:43 and James 2:14-16 that clothing the naked is a good work, and in Luk 8:27 that a man that had devils for a long time didn't wear clothes. When we look at the contexts of 2 Cor 5:1-4, Rev 3:17, Rev 16:15 we see clothing is a good thing, whereas being naked isn't.
So why is being naked around people a bad thing? Well it's because we live in a fallen world, Jesus tells us that If you look with lust at someone you have already committed adultery with them in your heart (Mat 5:28). This is why it's so important to dress modestly (1 Tim 2:9). We are commanded to love our neighbor as our self (Mar 12:31), therefore we shouldn't cast a stumbling-block or an occasion to fall before our brethren by tempting them to lust with our body (Rom 14:13). This is further supported by the examples in 1Cor 8, and 1Cor 10:27-29 that shows that we are to care for other people's consciences and not just our own.
"We're living through a strange era, one in which logic and reason has been turned on its head, forcing us to view the world through the lens of the seriously deranged. These insidious distortions of reality come in many forms, but, in this instance, I'd like to address the issue of biological sex. A mere few decades ago, who would have imagined that one day we'd be told that there are more than two sexes? With a plethora of scientific and commonsense evidence describing a male and female as the necessary ingredients for the continuation of the human species (and non-human species) on this planet, we are now instructed to learn that there have been many other sexes hiding in the shadows. … Unless we want to lose our grip on reality, we should always keep in mind that there's a natural order to the universe. Yet it's tough to keep an orderly mind when one's cerebral cortex is constantly inundated with some frivolous science made up of whimsical proclamations from politically correct politicians and social theorists."
In today's article, we will be looking at a few bible verses concerning the topic of judging. I believe this to be an important study because there is a lot of misinformation that is spreading concerning this. What do I mean you ask? Well, namely that false converts, unbelievers, or babes in Christ will always bring up the "thou shalt not judge lest ye be judged" passage and use it on Christians.
So, I guess we Christians can't judge anybody or any action as wrong because the bible tells us not to judge right? Wrong. This is a problem because people do not read the context of the passage and compare spiritual things with spiritual (1 Cor 2:13). In other words, compare scripture with scripture.
In the context of Matt. 7:1-5, we see that we are to judge ourselves first before judging others. It is the hypocritical judgment that God condemns (Rom 2:1-3, Rom 2:19-23). Therefore, as Christians we need to examine ourselves to see if we are in the faith (2 Cor 13:5, 1 Cor 11:31) before we go around trying to teach or correct others .
We see in the Gospel of John that Jesus did not condemn the act of judging, but rather He instructed those that were with Him to not judge according to appearance and to judge righteous judgment (Joh 7:24). Furthermore, we as Christians should not have a self-righteous attitude either. Remember the example Jesus gave of the Pharisee and the Publican (Luk 18:11-14, Gal 6:1).
If we go to the book of 1st Corinthians, we see that the saints shall judge the world as well as angels. Those that were least esteemed in the church were told to judge (1 Cor 6:2-5). However, there are some things that we as Christians shouldn't judge other believers, namely in meat, drink, holiday, new moon, and regarding the sabbath (Col 2:16, Rom 14:3-4). However, Christians must be able to judge; how else are we to rebuke people (1 Tim 5:20, 2 Tim 4:2, Tit 1:13)?
Also, how are we to obey Paul's command to separate from brethren who commit things such as fornication if we do not judge them first (1 Cor 5:11-13). There are other passages of Scripture that tell us to judge such as 1 Cor 10:15, 1 Cor 11:13, and 1 Cor 14:29. Remember, though we do not judge our brother to tear them down (Rom 14:10, Jam 4:10-12), that is to hurt them. Instead, we warn them out of love for concern over their soul (Jam 5:20).
In conclusion, we see that Christian's are in fact to judge. However, we are not supposed to merely judge others without judging ourselves as well because this will make us no better than the Pharisees of Jesus' day. It is good for us to head Jesus' warning to beware of their leaven; which is hypocrisy (Luk 12:1).
See also: Joh 7:51, Rom 14:13, 1 Cor 2:15, 1Cor 4:5
Today I thought I would mention some of the reasons why the bible is the most trustworthy historical document that has ever existed.
Biblical Prophecy - We see that throughout history many of the Prophecies of scriptures have come true. In fact there are many concerning the Lord Jesus in the Old Testament which he fulfilled such as where he was born, that he would bear the punishment for our sins, how much money he would be betrayed for, casting lots for his clothes, ans so much more.
Archeology supports scripture- There have been many discoveries made throughout this field of science that show that the events in the bible are indeed true. Some of these evidences include The Lachish Letters, The Cyrus Cylinder, Caiaphas and James Ossuaries, and the Moabite stone to name a few.
Manuscript Evidence-There is more manuscript evidence for the bible than any other book in antiquity! We have today thousands of manuscripts, some of which are dated very close to the time of the apostles. These manuscriptes also agree in there texts the vast majority of the time!
Bible Forknowledge- There are many passages of scripture that deal with certain scientific principles, some of which we have only discovered in the very recent past. Examples include that the life of the flesh is in the blood, that the earth hangs on nothing, that there are springs in the ocean floor, having a merry heart is good for your health, quarantine of the sick, allowing the land to rest for one year in seven (this helps crops), The second law of thermodynamics, and many more.
Bible Contradictions?- Throughout the Internet you will find Skeptics mentioning certain supposed contradictions within the bible. However will a little bit of searching you can also find several websites that take the time to address and explain many of these so-called contradictions. My website forjesustheamen.blogspot.com answers over five hundred of these supposed contradictions. Some of these contradictions are difficult to explain and do take some thought and prayer to answer. However there are also quite a few that are relatively easy to explain. I have seen contradictions that are so easy to explain that it is absurd! Here are just three of them 1. Did the Angel appear to Mary before she conceived Jesus or to Joseph after she conceived Jesus. Why can't there be two separate occurrences? 2. Is Jesus a Lion or a Lamb. Why can't these be two separate titles that describe different aspects of him? 3. Man may eat no/some/any animals. It depends on what time you lived on earth and if you were an Israelite or not.
So in conclusion there is no reason to not believe the bible. Perhaps the only reasons why supposed Atheist refuse to believe scripture is that they are either ignorant of these facts and/or because they don't want to give up their sin for God. In either case they are without excuse, the very fact that their is a creation testifies that their is a Creator!
It is incredible to think that even though the Bible is the worlds number one best seller it is probably the most neglected, abused, and criticized book in history. Some see it as nothing more than a fiction or piece of fantasy. Others have tried to literally rid the world of as many Bibles as possible, such as some satanic groups, for example, who engage in "Bible burning". Others still, in the cults, twist the contents of this book for their own purposes. Despite this, the Bible remains as a remarkable book. It has changed the lives of millions throughout history. But How do we know the Bible a reliable book? Can we examine any pointers that actually indicate that the Bible is truly what it even claims to be, the inspired Word of God? Let us take a look at the evidence:
Self-proclamation The first fact is that the Bible itself claims to be the Word of God. Jesus Himself viewed the Old Testament as authoritative and quoted from it throughout his ministry, as did the apostles who came after Him. In 2 Peter 3:16 Peter considers all of the apostle Paul's letters as Scripture. The early Christians knew they were writing the words of God, even though they often did not fully understand what they were writing. As 2 Timothy 3:16 states, "All scripture is inspired by God." The words, "inspired by God" have the meaning of "that which is breathed out by God."
Unity Secondly, the Bible covers hundreds of topics, yet it does not contradict itself. It remains united in its theme. "Well, what's so amazing about that?" some people may ask. Consider these facts:
First, the Bible was written over a span of fifteen hundred years.
Second, it was written by more than forty men from every walk of life. For example, Moses, very intelligent man, educated by the Egyptians. Peter was a simple fisherman, Solomon was a king, Luke was a doctor, Amos was a shepherd, and Matthew was a tax collector. All the writers were of vastly different occupations and backgrounds.
In addition to this, many of these people also wrote in many different places. The Bible was written on three different continents: Asia, Africa, and Europe. Moses wrote in the desert of Sinai, Paul wrote in a prison in Rome, Daniel wrote in exile in Babylon, and Ezra wrote in the ruined city of Jerusalem.
If we put these factors together, the Bible was written over fifteen hundred years, by forty different authors, at different places, and under various circumstances, addressing a multitude of issues. It is amazing that with such diversity, there is so much agreement in the Bible. This unity is organised around one theme: God's redemption of humanity and all of creation. Hundreds of controversial subjects are addressed and yet the writers present a harmonious theme. It seems that the only way to explain this incredible unity of the Bible by so many different writers is that one author guided these writers through the whole process: the Holy Spirit. 2 Peter 1:21 states, "No prophecy was ever made by an act of human will but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God."
Transforming Ability Thirdly, we have evidence concerning the transforming ability of the Bible. Hebrews 4:12 says, "The word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit." The Word of God and the Holy Spirit of God actually transforms the lives of people. William Wilberforce (1759-1833) became a member of parliament in England when the country was in a state of moral and spiritual decline. People were making a mockery of marriage, the poor were abused and the slave trade was booming, and for a time Wilberforce also went along with these evils. But when he was 25, he travelled to France with one of his former teachers, Isaac Milner. During this trip Wilberforce read and studied the Bible with one of his former teachers, Isaac Milner, and before long surrendered his life over to Christ and was transformed. The things that he had previously been involved in now seemed immoral. The plight of the poor now troubled him; and he soon became the leader in the battle against slavery, which was abolished in England in 1833, primarily due to his efforts. Wilberforce was transformed because he read and then obeyed the Bible. The Bible has changed the lives of all sorts of people. On the one hand, murderers and drug addicts; and on the other hand, top government officials, business men, and students. No other book can make such a claim. This is because the Bible is not a mere book on good living, but is literally packed with Divine power. It is the Word of God with the power to change lives (see the following link on this site for stories of changed lives: Stories of Freedom).
The Indestructibility of the Bible The Bible is the most well-known book in the history of the world, but its familiarity has not stopped it from being the most attacked book in the world as well. Throughout history, Bibles have been burned and torn to pieces; Communist regimes have banned it from their country's and skeptics have tried to destroy its authority. At seventeen, Voltaire, the famous French opponent of the Bible stood in a crowded auditorium and said of Christ's first disciples, "It took twelve ignorant fishermen to build Christianity, but I will show you how one Frenchman can destroy it." He spent a lifetime trying to do just that. But what happened? Voltaire has passed into history and the Bible is more popular than ever. Interestingly, only 50 years after Voltaire's death the Geneva Bible society used his printing press and his house to produce stacks of Bibles. The prophet Isaiah recognized the indestructibility of the Word of God when he declared: "The grass withers the flower fades, but the word of our God stands forever" (Isaiah 40:8).
Archaeology Another source of evidence well worth considering comes from discoveries in the field of archaeology. A good example of the historical accuracy of the Bible is found in the person of King Solomon. For years critics of the Bible doubted the description of King Solomon's wealth as some sort of fairy tale. But between the years 1925-1943 archaeologists unearthed the remains of some of Solomon's garrisons at Megiddo, in northern Palestine. It was here that archaeologists discovered the remains of horse stables capable of holding hundreds of horses, and the remains of the barracks for Solomon's chariot riders. A New Testament example is found in the account where Jesus was brought before the Roman governor, Pontius Pilate, who sentenced him to death. However, the name Pontius Pilate was known only from Jewish and Christian sources; there was never any mention of him from Roman sources. This in itself did not necessarily mean that the Bible was wrong, but it did seem to appear that there was a certain lack of credibility when the Bible spoke of a Roman ruler whose name did not appear anywhere in Roman history. However, during later excavation at Caesarea archaeologists found a stone plaque (recording the dedication of a building) with a Latin inscription naming `Pontius Pilate, Praefect of Judaea.' So here are just two examples of archaeology authenticating the historical reliability of the Bible. And what is all the more amazing is that in most cases, archaeological digs are often not sponsored by Christian groups seeking to prove the Bible. Most are sponsored by governmental agencies or educational institutions, many of them Jewish or Muslim. Critics of the Bible would be quick to publicize discrepancies if they could find any.
Prophecy The final evidence for the authenticity of the Bible is from the area of prophecy. The Bible contains hundreds of prophecies which have come to pass. No book in history has even come close to the Bible when it comes to fulfillment of prophecy. Here are just some examples: More than two centuries before it happened, the prophet Isaiah said that Babylon would be overthrown by the Medes (Isaiah 13:17) and that the conqueror's name would be Cyrus (Isaiah 44:28). The Prophet Ezekiel said that the large Babylonian city of Tyre would be scraped away so that only bare rock would remain (Ezekiel 26:4-5). About 60 years later, Alexander the Great tore down its walls and buildings, and with the rubble built a causeway to a nearby island. The city was literally scraped away. Today fishermen dry their nets on the bare rock site of the old city, never rebuilt, exactly as the Bible foretold in the book of Bible Ezekiel (26:14). One more brief example to illustrate prophetic accuracy in the Bible is that there are over three hundred prophecies made about Jesus in the Old Testament. Prophecies such as His place of birth, how he would die, His rejection by the nation of Israel, and so on. All these prophecies were made hundreds of years before Jesus ever came to earth, and fulfilled in His life and ministry. This article has only scratched the surface on the subject of the Bible's reliability. For those wanting to pursue this issue further I would highly recommend the following books, some of which I have used in the writing of this article: A General Introduction to the Bible, Norman Geisler and William E. Nix The Bible as History, Werner Keller The Archaeology of Palestine, W.F. Albright The Bible Fact or Fantasy?, John Drane Christianity: A Ready Defence, Josh McDowell
In today's post, we will be going over a few pointers from scripture aimed at people who work under a boss.
The first point I want to make is that we should work as unto the Lord. This means we should always do our very best as if we were working directly under Jesus. Needless to say this means we shouldn't be slothful at work.
The second point that I am going to address is that we shouldn't work with just eye-service but we should work hard even when the boss is not looking.
The third point is we should not purloin obviously. This means that we are not to rob our boss or company we work for.
The next point that I am going over is that we should not talk back to our boss, but we should follow his decisions even if we do not agree with them, unless whatever command in question contradicts the laws of God.
The last point that I want to mention is that we should take any discipline or hardship patiently, even if it was not our fault, and to be subject to our boss even if they are impolite. This way we will be more like Jesus in this regard.
So in conclusion we should do our best even if the boss or co-workers are not present, and we are not to steal, or retaliate against those who have authority over us.
Scripture references: Rom 12:11, Eph 6:5-8 Col 3:22-24,Tit 2:9-10, 1 Pet 2:18-23
In today's post I've decided to do a short expose on the Charasmatic evangelist Todd Bentely who leads Fresh Fire Ministries. It's important when listening to people who claim to be Christians to try the spirits to see whether they be of God (1 Joh 4:1) because the scripture warns us about false prophets.
While there are several things I could go over about Bentely and/or his services that are un-biblical or at least should raise concern; I have decided to just discuss one of the worst things that he has done.
The thing that most upsets me about his behavior is that when people come to him to get healing he does things like choke them, or kick them in the face, he even knocked a guys tooth out doing this. The worst part is that he claims God / The Holy Spirit told him to do it.
Now let's look at the Scriptures to see if this is the case. The bible teaches us that the fruit of the spirit is GENTLENESS (Gal 5:22), how gentle is it to strike a man so hard that it knocks his tooth out? The bible also says that a bishop isn't to be a striker or brawler (1 Tim 3:2-3, Tit 1:7). The fact of the matter is that the Holy Spirit would not tell someone to do something that he forbid's in his word. It's a very grave matter when someone claims the Holy Spirit told them to do something that He hasn't, for blasphemy of the Holy Ghost cannot be forgiven (Mat 12:31, Mar 3:29, Luk 12:10).
In conclusion we can see that Todd is just another false teacher who professes to know God but denies him through his works (Tit 1:16), he is a blind leader of the blind (Mat 15:14) and should be avoided.
To learn more about Todd Bentely and his antics including the hypnotic music of his services, his claims of Astral projection, and supposed visions of angels see the link below: http://christinprophecy.org/articles/todd-bentley/
“Oh that I knew where I might find him! that I might come even to his seat!” —Job 23:3
The thing that will reveal your faith is praying when no answer comes. That's the supreme test. I've gone over a number of chapters in the book of Job again. In one of them, Job said, "Oh that I knew where I might find Him." He was looking for God. Can you imagine? He was the best man God had and he couldn't find Him. He said "Lord, I want you to show me why you're doing this to me. We've always been on good terms and you've been my best friend. I'm not against you and am not going to turn against you, but I need an explanation and I want you to give it." But the Lord didn't pay him any attention. I imagine the Lord just kind of smiled and said, "Later on. After a while." So finally Job said "I went forward and He wasn't there. Backward. I couldn't perceive Him. On the left hand where He doth work. I couldn't behold Him. On the right hand where He hid himself and I couldn't see him." That's all the directions isn't it? Forward, backward, left, right. He said "I couldn't get one glimpse of Him." Then he said, "But He knoweth the way that I take and when He hath tried me, He will bring me forth as gold. My feet have held His steps. His way have I kept and not declined. Neither have I gone back from the commandment of His lips. I've esteemed His words more than my necessary food." That's the secret of it right there. It was the most severe test he ever had. It wasn't when all of his ten children died. It wasn't when he lost all of his camels, oxen and sheep and goats and chickens. It wasn't when he lost all of his servants. The greatest loss was not when Mrs. Job came and said, "Just curse God and die." That wasn't his most severe test. That was just part of it. Then three fair-weather friends came and looked at him and they didn't speak for seven days. Not one word. Finally they opened their mouths and skinned him and scalded him and scathed him and ate him up alive. But that wasn't his greatest test. Do you know what the greatest test was? You've never been there until you've reached this place, and that is when you look up to God and there's not any God. You just pray like you used to pray and there's no answer. There's no response. There's no God. There's no feeling and your faith is severely tested. But let me tell you something. You're going to have to learn to believe God when you cannot perceive God. You're going to have to learn to "faith" Him when you can't feel Him. Unless you do, you're going to be in bad shape before this thing's over with. There'll come a time when God reserves the right to cut you completely loose from Him and then see what your faith will lead you to do. "In all this, Job sinned not nor charged God foolishly." SOURCE: Evangelist Lester Roloff, a quote from the sermon, SOMETHING EVERYBODY CAN DO. DISCLAIMER: Quotation of a sermon excerpt does not imply endorsement of the website.
In this post we are going to go over what the bible says about repentance, and cover why it's so important to repent of our sins.
It seems that there is much confusion in the church today as to what repentance means. Some Christians will argue that repentance cannot mean to turn from sin because in many cases in the bible God repents. Some examples of this are, God repenting that he made man on the earth ( Gen 6:6), repenting of destroying the children of Israel (Exo 32:10-14), that he had made Saul king (1 Sam 15:35), of the pestilence (2 Sam 24:16), of good or evil depending on the actions of a nation (Jer 18:7-10), and of destroying Nineveh (Jon 3:10). So we can see by these passages that repentance does not always mean to turn from sin, since God never sins (view article).
However on the other hand we see many scriptures that indicate the need to repent or turn from sin; such as in 1 Kin 8:47-50, 2 Chro 7:14, and Pro 28:13 where it shows God's forgiveness is conditional on whether the people would repent, we learn in Psa 55:19 that God will afflict those that won't change because they do not fear him, Pro 16:6 further indicates what kind of changes take place in those that fear him, which is the departing of evil.
The prophet Isaiah writes and instructs to "cease to do evil" and "Let the wicked forsake his way" (Isa 1:16, 55:7). The prophet Jeremiah tells Jerusalem to wash her heart from wickedness, so the Lord could repent of the evil that he thought to do unto them, but they refused to hearken (Jer 4:14, Jer 26:3, Jer 8:6). Ezekiel was instructed to warn the wicked of their way, he also instructed them to turn from their idols, we also learn in Ezekiel that God doesn't take pleasure in the wicked's death but he would rather see them turn and live (Eze 3:18-21, Eze 14;6, Eze 33:11, 2Pe 3:9). The last verse from the Old Testament that we will cover on this topic today informs us that those who do wickedly will be burnt up when the day of the Lord arrives (Mal 4:1).
Okay, so it is pretty clear in the OT that God expected people to turn from their sin, but has this changed at all in the New Testament? Let's look at some more verses and find out. Matthew instructs us to be perfect (Mat 5:38), that many false converts will be told to depart because they work iniquity (Mat 7:22-23), Jesus came to call sinners to repentance (Mat 9:13, Mar 2:17), and there is no middle ground when it comes to following Jesus (Mat 12:30).
Matthew further shows us in Mat 21:28-31 that sinners such as harlots that turn from their sin go into God's kingdom before those that say they follow God but their actions show otherwise, and that unprofitable servants are cast into outer darkness as well (Mat 25:30).
In the Gospel of Luke we have John the baptist preaching that men should amend their ways and bring forth good fruit or be cast into the fire (Luk 3:3-13), Jesus likewise preached that men ought to repent or they would perish (Luk 13:3). We learn also in the Gospel of Luke that Jesus' brethren are those that hear and do God's word (luk 8:21), and Christians are taught to deny themselves and take up their cross (Luk 9:23-24). God also wants us to forgive those that sin against us even if it's seven times in a day, that is if they are repentant (Luk 17:3-4). Repentance is not just for Old Testament Israelites, but is also for everybody in New Testament times (Luk 24:47, Act 11:18, Act 17:30).
In the Gospel of John we have Jesus telling the man he healed to sin no more (Joh 5:14); He said likewise to the woman caught in adultery (Joh 8:11). If we love Jesus we should do what he says (Joh 14:15, 1 Joh 5:3). Those that choose to not continually abide in him will be cast into the fire (Joh 15:6, 2 Joh 1:9), in verses (Joh 15:10 and Joh 15:12) we learn that we abide in his love if we keep his commands, namely that we should love others as he loved us.
Further more we learn it's a blessing to be turned from our iniquity (Act 3:26), and that the Holy Ghost is given to those that obey and if you don't have the Holy Ghost you are not his (Act 5:32, Rom 8:9). Scripture also teaches us that it is a gift from God (Act 5:31, 2 Tim 2:25), and that it leads to salvation (2 Cor 7:8-10). Peter tells Simon the sorcerer to repent of his wickedness (Act 8:20-23).
Romans 2:4-10 teaches us that God will reward every man according to his deeds, whether they be good or evil. The bible is crystal clear that just because we are under grace that doesn't give us a license to sin (Rom 6:15-16). We are to Abhor the evil and cleave to the good (Rom 12:9). 1 Corinthians teaches us that those who commit such things as fornication, reviling, idolatry, etc will not inherit God's kingdom ( 1 Cor 6:9-11), and that we cannot partake of God's table and also the table of devils (1 Cor 10:21).
2 Corinthians teaches us that those in Christ are new creatures, as well as exhorts us to examine ourselves to see whether we are indeed in the faith (2 Cor 5:7, 2 Cor 13:5).
Notice when Paul writes to the Ephesians and says that "in time past ye walked according to the course of this world," (Eph 2:2-3) this indicates that they don't anymore. Neither should things such as covetousness, foolish talk, jesting, etc be named among us even once (Eph 5:3-6). Further more we are told to Mortify our members and to depart from iniquity (Col 3:5-6, 2 Tim 2:19).
Titus reminds us that there would be those that profess to know God but deny him by their works, and that we should deny ungodliness and live righteously in the present (Tit 1:16, 2:12).
James tell's us that the man is blessed who endures temptation (1:12), that faith without works is dead (2:17), To submit and draw nigh to God and resist the devil, to cleanse our hands and to purify our hearts (Jam 4:7-8). We learn in 1 Peter 1:14-16 that we are to be holy, and not to be like the way we were before we got saved.
We learn from the epistles of John that those who profess to know God and yet don't keep his commandments are liars (1 Joh 2:4), and those that commit sin are of the devil (1 Joh 3:8), but those that do good are of God (3 Joh 1:11). Then we have Jesus warning those that commit adultery with Jezebel that they will go through great tribulation unless they repent of their deeds ( Rev 2:20-22)
The Noah's 1828 Dictionary defines Repentance as REPENT'ANCE,noun
"1. Sorrow for any thing done or said; the pain or grief which a person experiences in consequence of the injury or inconvenience produced by his own conduct."
In Conclusion, in order for us to get the right definition of repentance you have to go by the context of the passage. In some cases it means a change of mind like when God repents and in others the bible makes it clear that we are to repent or in other words to turn from sin.
More verses where Repent, Repentance,etc is Mentioned
Exo 13:17, Num 23:19, Jdg 21:15, Job 42:6, Psa 106:45, Psa 110:4, Joe 2:14, Mat 3:8, Mat 4:17, Mat 11:20, Mat 27:3, Mar 1:4, Mar 6:12, Luk 3:3, Luk 10:13, Luk 15:7, Luk 16:30-31, Act 2:38, Act 3:19, Act 19:4, Act 20:21, Act 26:20, Rom 11:29, 2 Cor 12:21, Heb 6:6 -8, Rev 2:5, Rev 3:3, Rev 3:19, Rev 9:20 -21, Rev 16:11
More Relevant Verses: Luk 6:46, Luk 12:45-46, Joh 8:31, Act 10:35, Gal 6:15, Heb 5:9, Jam 5:20, Rev 22:14
Have you ever heard someone such as an Jehovah's witness, 7 Day Adventist or Muslim claim Jesus wasn't God. Well I have compiled a few verses to refute that idea, I hope you enjoy my points.
my notes:
time itself cannot be eternal, if it were there would be an infinite of past time before right now. that's impossible for infinite is endless. if there were an endless amount of time before right now we would never reach this moment in time. just as u can't reach the end of the line 0____oo you cant reach
oo_____0. 0=right now and oo=eternity.
why is there something instead of nothing either 1. something from nothing 2. infinite amount of previous causes 3. An un-caused cause (God) exist. the first two notions are impossible. un-caused cause isn't bound by time. because of this it's also space-less and immaterial.
Einsteins theory of relativity confirms matter, space, time are co-dependent. Since it's timeless it's also changeless. if it were changeless how could it bring forth anything into existence. example... if a non personal object like a book were in a changeless eternal state how could it bring forth anything? the only way something in that state could give rise to anything is if it were a choice maker. has to personal, how else could a timeless cause give rise to a temporal effect.
If the cause were a mechanically operating set of necessary and sufficient conditions then the cause could never exist without the effect. example if cause was below 32 degrees f from eternity past then it would be impossible for water to begin to freeze a finite time ago. so if the cause was timelessly present the effect would be to. only way the cause is timeless and the effect would begin in time is if the cause is a personal agent who freely chooses to create an effect in time. it is non-contingent because if it was contingent then it's non-existence is possible. there must be at least one non-contingent being that exists for anything to at all to exist.
It is a crime condemned throughout scripture (Exo 20:14, Deut 5:18, Matt 19:18, Mark 10:19, Rom 13:9). Even before the law was given to Israel it has been recognized as a sin (Gen 20:9, 39:9).
So much misery and woe is caused by this one sin alone. It causes divorce, spreads disease, and creates illegitimate children just to name a few problems.
As Christians we must be on guard against adultery for even the great king David who was a man after God's own heart (Act 13:22) fell into this sin (2 Sam 11:2-4). This crime is so serious that it warranted the death penalty in the old testament (Lev 20:10). The perfect man Job understood the consequences of committing this heinous crime (Job 31:1-12). Proverbs warns that those that do such things shall receive a wound, dishonour, also their reproach will not be wiped away. Adulterers lack understanding (Prov 6:24-35).
In the gospel of Matthew we learn that if we look on someone with lust we have already committed adultery in our heart (Matt 5:28). My question to the reader is this; Is the unrepentant sin of Adultery the reason why God isn't listening to your prayers? (Psa 66:18, Mal 2:13-14). Scripture is clear that adulterers will not inherit the kingdom of God (1 Cor 6:9-10, Gal 5:19-21). While I do not support the idea of the death penalty for them (Joh 8:4-7), I do however think they should be rebuked (1 Tim 5:20) and if they are a brother avoided if they don't repent (1 Cor 5:11).
The link above shows an article by Thomas F. Heinze
what follows are my notes on the subject.
In nineteen fifty three miller's experiment showed that passing a spark of electricity
through a certain mixture of gases will create amino acids, the building blocks of proteins
which are the ingredients of living cells. School textbooks teach us that lightning strikes
provided the sparks that formed amino acids which concentrated in an organic soup,
and then linked together to form proteins, which then got together with DNA
to form the first living cell. The Problem is amino acids will not link together to
form proteins. That is because proteins are so hard to create that
in all of nature, they never form except in already living cells. It is only proteins containing
all left handed amino acids that will work in living things, because proteins with right handed
right handed ones have the wrong shape won't snap into the proteins around them correctly.
In nature, all left handed amino acids are only formed by living cells.
The ones formed in experiments like millers are half left and half right so they wont work
in the proteins of living things.
A Czech and Slovak UFO religion founded in the 1990's. Founders name is IVO A. Benda. They believe in the existence of Alien Civilizations that communicate with Benda and others since the fall of 1997. The "aliens" contact them telepathically and directly. Benda believes there is a fleet of spaceships led by Ashtar galactic command which orbits earth.
Today I want to discuss why I believe Christians should be careful of what kind of Television/Video games they watch/play, as well as how often they enjoy them.
Many people, including Christians, have continually pondered what it means to obtain genuine, profound happiness. In fact, there are some who are absolutely clueless of these uplifting, fulfilling emotional experiences because they have never encountered any rightful source which ignites feelings of pleasure, satisfaction, and joy. It is quite possible that these individuals have undergone disease, disorder, ill-treatment, or simply yearn for an inherent sense of dignity. Whatever the case, the good news as prescribed by the gospel can alleviate us of sorrows prompted by physical, psychological, and spiritual reasons (Philippians 4:19). It will help the person who desires righteousness to view the glass as half full rather than half empty. The gospel can liberate the confined soul by enabling the mind to rest assured in the fact that God is ultimately in control of life. What does it mean to have true happiness? Where should our happiness originate? Can we be happy without holiness? Providing answers to such fundamental questions will most certainly aid people in discovering the scriptural standpoint on happiness, and how to make it efficacious in their lives. Happiness is the pleasurable emotion which occurs when a person is satisfied overall. It is a feeling of delight. It is a feeling of gratitude. It is a feeling of optimism. It is a feeling of assurance. It is a feeling of appeasement. It is a feeling of consolation. It is a feeling of purposefulness. Happiness is a feeling of livelihood. Happiness is a feeling of perseverance (James 1:3-4). Happiness is a feeling of confidence. It involves trust. It involves faithfulness. Happiness is a state of mental tranquility. In summary, being happy involves being in a state of well-being. Oftentimes, the Scriptures occupy the words happiness and joy synonymously. In other words, they recognize no distinction between the meanings of both words. They are inextricably united (Psalm 68:3; 144:15). Thus, being joyful is the same as being happy. It involves being glad. It involves rejoicing, even during times of hardship and heartache (Romans 5:3-5). It entails praising the God who has lovingly set the universe in order. True happiness as defined in accordance to biblical principles involves glorifying God, especially when considering how He has reconciled us to Himself from iniquity through the atoning work of His Son Jesus Christ. The foundational aspect of happiness is that it is strictly a gift from God. If God is for us, then who or what can be against us? Is not the love of God everything? Now, it would be appropriate to address the question regarding the proper source of human happiness. Should our joy be determined by mere circumstance, or should it be centered on a divine Person? Indeed, the truth shall set us free (John 8:31-32). Jesus Christ is the way, the truth, and the light (John 14:6). The Father's Word is the truth by which the innermost part of our being is sanctified (John 17:14-17). The Bible is the spiritual standard by which the Christian worldview has been established. It is our walk with God that shapes our perception of reality. If we love, know, and serve our Creator from the heart, then we know that we belong to Him (1 John 2:3-4). He will be included in everything we do because that is how a personal relationship works. If we believe from the heart that the Father had resurrected the Son bodily from the grave, then we shall be justified in His sight. It is through accepting the message of the gospel that we have been deemed children of God. It needs to be accepted with all our heart and our entire mind because the mind is the gateway of the heart. These concepts are all rooted deeply in the fact that we should be placing our trust in God. It is He who saves us. It is only through God's grace that we able to withstand moments of pain, desolation, distress, and suffering. We can learn to experience authentic joy only when we realize that God's grace is sufficient for us, and that His strength is complemented during the times of our weakness. This is the meaning of leaning on Christ Jesus (Matthew 11:28-28). Scripture informs us of two different, diametrically opposed kinds of happiness. One springs forth from engaging in fruits of the Holy Spirit (Galatians 5:22), whereas the latter comes from partaking in fleshly desires (Hebrews 11:25). What needs to be addressed here is the fact that allowing sin to have dominion over our lives is futile, and dangerous to the soul (Galatians 6:7-9). It is unprofitable for us. Fulfilling sinful lusts can only result in feeling finite, temporary satisfaction. In other words, surrendering our will to sin can only result in us feeling a self-deceptive perversion of happiness. Sin is defined scripturally to mean the breaking of God's commandments (1 John 3:4). It is a failure to live up to reality. It is a failure to appreciate the good things that God has designed for us. A sin addiction necessarily involves a repetitive cycle of engaging in that specific transgression. It is pointless to continue in that lifestyle because it can never satisfy the longings of the human soul. This is a form of selfishness. This is a form of idolatry. This is a form of slavery. It is lawlessness. It is rebellion. Quite simply, we cannot resort to a finite source to quench a longing that demands infinite fulfillment. A lifestyle of sin is simply unworkable. We cannot have happiness without God. It is only through Him that we can have an ultimate sense of purpose for our lives. It is only through Him that we can even consistently adhere to objective moral laws. It is only through Him that we can have understanding, peace, and order. Happiness is not a byproduct of holiness, but rather is holiness (Psalm 1:1-3;Matthew 5:2-12). It can only be found in serving God according to His will. This essay has been written to explain what it means to be happy, the source of true happiness, and what it should be centered on. In short, being happy involves being in a state of well-being. It ultimately comes from the Lord, and should be centered around the divine Person of Jesus Christ. We are set free from sin and desolation through the transforming power of the glorious gospel. We love, know, and serve Him because He is worthy of our dedication. Our joyous state should therefore be a positive reflection of our spiritual health. It should remain through our times of tribulation because they are meant to build up our virtues. We should be striving to becoming closer to God, rather than separating ourselves from His presence. His desire that mankind be saved should be magnified through our preaching and character. This is true happiness. The world is not our home, and so we should not strive to live like the world. The ways of the world are the ways of darkness, which is contrary to the light. The ways of darkness is the way to perishing eternally in the literal flames of hell. Sin can never result in happiness. It is pure bondage of the soul. It is utterly sacrilegious thoughts, words, and deeds. Our hearts need to be right with God. In conclusion, that is the meaning of true happiness.
