Archives for posts with tag: religion

Who Is Lord?

2014/06/10 //
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Who is Lord? Think about that question. Who is Master and King? Who is on the throne? You know the answer. You have read it in the Bible. The preachers have told you. You could refer to several verses of Scripture that say “Jesus Christ is Lord,” “He is King of Kings.” Academically … intellectually … you know the answer.

Of course, there are people who deny it. They deny the Truth. It is written on their hearts. The preachers and the Scriptures have told them. You have told them, and they still deny the Truth. They are on the broad way to destruction.

Romans 10:8-13
8 But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, [even] in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach;
9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
11 For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.
12 For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him.
13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.

9 … if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.

What if I believe in the resurrection and say the phrase, “Jesus Christ is Lord,” then does that mean I am on the narrow way to Life? What if He is not on the throne of my life? What if He is not the master who makes all of the decisions about how I will live my life? What if I do not bow to His will in my life? Isn’t that what the word “Lord” means? He is my King, and I would not dare to live my life outside His Law.

9 … if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus …

When I “confess” something, it does not mean that I am just repeating a phrase I learned from a book. It must be true in my life, to be a confession. I can’t just say an incantation to get into heaven. I must forsake my lordship and turn to His lordship. I must turn away from the path to destruction, and turn to the path of Life.

Who is Lord? Think about that question. Who is Master and King? Who is on the throne?

Jesus Christ is Lord.

Who is Jesus? If I believe in the resurrection and confess “Jesus Christ is Lord,” then does that mean I am on the narrow way to Life? We can easily make a list of false religions that claim that Jesus is part of their way of enlightenment. Does it matter which Jesus I believe in? It is easy to see the answer to that question when looking at an extreme case. What if there is a man down the street who claims to be Jesus? Obviously, if that is the Jesus to whom I refer when I confess “Jesus Christ is Lord,” then I don’t have the right Lord. If someone has the same name as you, does that mean they are the same person as you? Of course not. In the same way, when people fabricate their own version of Jesus to serve, they are still lost. Anyone who invents their own god to worship, is serving a false god.

Luke 6:46 And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?

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Word Study: Repentance

2013/10/13 //
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Word Studies

WordStudies

Jesus preached repentance (Mark 1:15).

John the Baptist preached repentance (Matthew 3:2).

The twelve apostles preached repentance (Mark 6:12).

What did they mean? What is repentance that saves?

Repentance must include admission of sin. But, this is not enough. If we confess sin, but do not turn away from it, forsake it, then we have not repented. The the basis of the Greek word that Jesus used for “repent” is to “turn.” If we confess sin, simply to be forgiven, this is not repentance. We are still facing squarely toward our sin and the only admission we are allowing is that we don’t want to be punished. If all you can say about your sin is that you don’t want to be punished, you are still with the world, on the wide road that leads to destruction. When God forgives you, He does not excuse your sin. As John the Baptist said, “O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Bring forth therefore fruits worthy of repentance.” Luke 3:7-8

So, what is the difference between an unsaved person who sins, but is unhappy about it, and a saved person who falls? This may seem like a subtle distinction, but it is the contrast between life and death. The change is as radical as being born … again. Also, you who are saved, now have a well of living water within you. The difference is that profound.

John 5:24 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.

John 10:10 The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have [it] more abundantly.

Yes, repentance will include emotions of remorse, guilt, sadness. That is the root of the English word. But, those emotions will not save you. There is more to saving repentance than remorse.

When we repent, we don’t just turn away from something, we also turn toward something. We change the direction of our lives.

Isaiah 55:6-7
6 Seek ye the LORD while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near:
7 Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.

Acts 20:21 Testifying both to the Jews, and also to the Greeks, repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ.

1 Peter 2:25 For ye were as sheep going astray; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls.

In fact, it is only through the power of God that we can hope to live in righteousness.

Romans 8:6-9
6 For to be carnally minded [is] death; but to be spiritually minded [is] life and peace.
7 Because the carnal mind [is] enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.
8 So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.
9 But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.

We cannot see the air, but we can see the effect of the movement of the air, sometimes subtly, sometimes powerfully. Can you see the effect of The Spirit moving in your life? (John 3:8) Are you drawing on the power of The Spirit? Or are you just trying to be good?

Mark 1:14-15
14 Now after that John was put in prison, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God,
15 And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel.

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Abortion Legislation

2013/06/30 //
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If two people disagree on the character of abortion, one believes it is murder, the other believes it is a question of social expediency, then any discussion between these two regarding abortion legislation is pointless. There is one exception, one point that can be discussed in this situation, that will be mentioned in a moment.

There are two levels of this topic that will be addressed in this post.

1) The character of abortion
2) Government policies on abortion

There is a deeper level, that has already been addressed in a previous post.

So, let’s start with the identity of the unborn child. Throughout history, there has been no debate that humans bear humans. Can we all agree that your mother’s progeny is human? If not, you can stop reading, at this point, and go back to reading “Alice in Wonderland.” Even though this has never been questioned, there is even more confidence now that it can be proven in a court of law, with DNA evidence, that a child is human, from the moment of conception.

Further, with the same DNA evidence, it can also be legally and scientifically proven that the mother and the unborn child are two distinct people. They are not the same person, since their DNA codes are unique. We already knew this also, but some want to claim that the unborn child is the woman’s own body, so they should be allowed to choose for themselves. Does this distinction in DNA happen gradually, as the child matures? No, the DNA code does not change at all, over time. From the moment of conception, the child is not, in any way, part of the mother’s body. You may choose to disagree, and place yourself in error scientifically, legally, philosophically, and biblically.

When does a human begin living? What is the definition of life? We know that life does not progress from partially alive to some point of being completely alive. You were no more alive the month after your birth than you were the month before your birth. You were no more alive the moment after your birth that you were the moment before your birth. The first cell of a new individual life is called the zygote. This cell is formed from the union of two gametes. No amount of protection and nourishment would cause either of these gametes to develop and grow. Yet, when they combine, the DNA is complete. This is the beginning of life, a new child. Stop hiding behind the word “foetus.” What is the definition of that word? A foetus is an unborn baby. Every abortion stops a beating heart.

To survive, a baby is dependent on those who provide protective care and feeding. You would not last long, if you were prevented from getting any food, clothing and shelter. If you take away the protection from harm, and the nourishment, from any person, they will die. Even if that is all abortion did, then it would be the pre-meditated taking of human life, without due process of law. That is the definition of first-degree murder. Maybe you need to be told that the process of abortion is far more brutal than simply allowing the baby to die.

What about the exception mentioned above? What can we discuss further, if we disagree about abortion being murder? There is one question that can be asked of a voter, or politician, who does not believe abortion is murder. What … if … you … are … wrong? Earnestly consider this! Are you so confident?! Are you so brazen, that you are willing to have the blood of innocent children on your hands?! If so, consider this story. The owner of a building has hired a demolition team, and addressed all of the legalities to permit this. When it comes time to ignite the explosives, there is one concern; the team is not sure if there is a child inside the building. Some witnesses are certain there is a child in the building. Imagine …

Complete the following sentence, “It is OK to kill a baby in the womb when …”

Seriously, can you finish the sentence? Can you honestly fill in the blank with a scenario when you would condone the actions of those who snuff out the life of an innocent child? If you can, then you are devoid of conscience and are unfit for holding public office or even voting.

Speaking to politicians, if you are willing to entertain the idea that it is possibly OK for government to allow abortion, we can have only one response, “You’re FIRED!”

Proverbs 24:11-12
11 If thou forbear to deliver [them that are] drawn unto death, and [those that are] ready to be slain;
12 If thou sayest, Behold, we knew it not; doth not he that pondereth the heart consider [it?] and he that keepeth thy soul, doth [not] he know [it?] and shall [not] he render to [every] man according to his works?

Proverbs 31:8 Open thy mouth for the dumb in the cause of all such as are appointed to destruction.

Exodus 20:13 Thou shalt not kill.

Deuteronomy 27:25 Cursed [be] he that taketh reward to slay an innocent person. And all the people shall say, Amen.

Genesis 9:6 … in the image of God made he man.

Deuteronomy 30:19 I call Heaven and Earth to record this day against you, [that] I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live:

Matthew 18:10 Take heed that ye despise not one of these little ones; for I say unto you, That in Heaven their angels do always behold the face of my Father which is in Heaven.

Matthew 25:40 And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done [it] unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done [it] unto me.

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More Righteous Than God?

2013/02/23 //
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FromHeaven

Job 35:2 Thinkest thou this to be right, [that] thou saidst, My righteousness [is] more than God’s?

There are many who object to the Judaeo-Christian world view, due to the accounts in God’s Word when God commands the Israelites to wipe out a nation, for example.

1 Samuel 15:3 Now go and smite Amalek, and utterly destroy all that they have, and spare them not; but slay both man and woman, infant and suckling, ox and sheep, camel and ass.

Admittedly, this is a hard criticism to answer. There is no lack of a good answer, yet the same skeptic who condemns the God of the Bible, thinking their righteousness is more than God’s, would also likely reject the foundational tenets of this answer, if they bothered to read it. So, why answer? Because the answer honours God and His Word! Also, because many would be misled, if they only hear the skeptic and not the rebuttal.

1 Peter 3:15 But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and [be] ready always to [give] an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear:

There is a good deal of overlap between this topic and Why Is There Pain And Suffering?, but there is enough difference that it deserves a separate article. Especially since it is also strongly addressed in the book of Job. One difference is that the deaths in the book of Job, for example, were attributed to Satan, not God. In this article we focus on the occasions when God commands, rather than allows, the death of individuals who have committed no capital crime. Please read that other article, so we don’t need to repeat a lot of it here. Thanks!

There are some who attempt to salvage God’s reputation, for ordering the Israelites to wipe out entire nations, by claiming that only the men would be remaining to defend the city. The women and children would have known of the coming attack and would have retreated to safety. Even the men who recognized that their nation deserved to be destroyed would not have stayed to defend it. So, only those responsible for the national rebellion would be wiped out in the battle. Whether or not that is true, this article will not be approaching the topic this way. Among other reasons, what about the flood of Noah’s day? The Bible does not say that God allowed Satan to create a global flood, but that it was the action of God Himself. The Bible is clear that the eight on the ark were the only people to escape destruction. So, the above thesis does not fully answer the challenge anyway.

God’s defence is His glory.

Revelation 14:7 … Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship him that made Heaven, and Earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters.

Daniel 4:34-35
34 … I blessed the most High, and I praised and honoured him that liveth for ever, whose dominion [is] an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom [is] from generation to generation:
35 And all the inhabitants of the Earth [are] reputed as nothing: and he doeth according to his will in the army of Heaven, and [among] the inhabitants of the Earth: and none can stay his hand, or say unto him, What doest thou?

Revelation 4:11 Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.

Job 41:11 Who hath prevented me, that I should repay [him? whatsoever is] under the whole heaven is mine.

Colossians 1:16-17
16 For by him were all things created, that are in Heaven, and that are in Earth, visible and invisible, whether [they be] thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:
17 And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.

1 Chronicles 29:11 Thine, O LORD, [is] the greatness, and the power, and the glory, and the victory, and the majesty: for all [that is] in the Heaven and in the Earth [is thine;] thine [is] the kingdom, O LORD, and thou art exalted as head above all.

Romans 11:36 For of him, and through him, and to him, [are] all things: to whom [be] glory for ever. Amen.

We are all condemned to death.

Genesis 2:17 But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.

Genesis 3:17, 19 And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: … unto dust shalt thou return.

Romans 5:12, 18
12 Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:
18 … as by the offence of one [judgment came] upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one [the free gift came] upon all men unto justification of life.

Isaiah 53:6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.

Every breath is from God’s grace.

Job 34:12-15
12 Yea, surely God will not do wickedly, neither will the Almighty pervert judgment.
13 Who hath given him a charge over the earth? or who hath disposed the whole world?
14 If he set his heart upon man, [if] he gather unto himself his spirit and his breath;
15 All flesh shall perish together, and man shall turn again unto dust.

John 3:27 John answered and said, A man can receive nothing, except it be given him from Heaven.

James 1:17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.

Each breath we take is a gift from God. He does not owe us another one. God’s holiness and righteousness do not depend on our receipt of another moment of life. He need not provide any justification for when, or how, our earthly lives end. Though we can take steps to hasten our demise, there is no guarantee, there is no contract, that our lives will last. However you define “long life,” it still ends.

Job 33:12-13
12 Behold, … God is greater than man.
13 Why dost thou strive against him? for he giveth not account of any of his matters.

The Biblical standard is high, for when mankind is to take a human life, and people get confused and start to misapply these criteria to God. By definition, God is all-knowing and all-powerful. Mankind is not … not even close. Just because we must provide biblical justification any time we take a human life, does not mean that God needs to answer to us. Sometimes God reveals to us the details of how the manner and timing of a person’s death fits into His glorious plan, usually He does not.

God can do some things that we cannot rightly do …

Isaiah 55:8-9
8 For my thoughts [are] not your thoughts, neither [are] your ways my ways, saith the LORD.
9 For [as] the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.

2 Thessalonians 2:1,4
1 Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and [by] our gathering together unto him, …
4 Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God.

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Who Is On The Throne?

2012/12/30 //
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James 2:19 Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.

So, unless you are satisfied with devilish faith, it is going to take something more than a belief in God.

Matthew 10:32 Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in Heaven.

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

When a word is spoken, yet is not true, that is not a confession. Is He your Lord? Is He on the throne of your life? Do you believe that He knows best? Or do you pick and choose which parts of God’s Word you will follow, putting your own authority above The Author?

Hebrews 11:6 But without faith [it is] impossible to please [him:] for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and [that] he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

Upon what have you placed your faith? A god with a small “g” who can be served conveniently? Or the Creator of the cosmos, of Whom you beg for wisdom?

Proverbs 14:27 The fear of the LORD [is] a fountain of life, to depart from the snares of death.

Job 1:1 There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name [was] Job; and that man was perfect and upright, and one that feared God, and eschewed evil.

James 2:26 For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.

Matthew 5:6 Blessed [are] they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.

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Instruments Used In Music

2012/09/22 //
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There are some who believe that the New Testament teaches us not to use instruments in our music; only “a cappella” is allowed. Here is their line of reasoning, as I have heard. One principle of Bible interpretation, that they espouse, is that only the New Testament abides as our source of doctrine. So, any doctrine that is not established in the New Testament, is no longer valid for the church today. Using instruments in music is encouraged, even commanded at times, in the Old Testament, but not mentioned in the New Testament. Thus, they conclude, we are to do away with this practice. There are two fallacies in this interpretation that we will point out.

The first error is that this is not a valid distinction between the Old and New Testaments of the Holy Bible, as a principle of Bible interpretation. Jesus explains that this is improper.

Matthew 5:17-18
17 Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.
18 For verily I say unto you, Till Heaven and Earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.

There are multiple principles of Bible interpretation to help us decide which Old Testament statutes are still binding on us in the New Testament, and we will not be expounding on those. The main point of this article is to explain that this one false principle is to be omitted. Yes, we are in a new dispensation, i.e., God has now revealed additional information to us in the New Testament. That does not mean that we are to completely start over. God does not change, yet He had reason to change His covenant with us. For example, the sacrifices were fulfilled in the suffering and death of Christ.

There are some abominable evils, that I could mention as examples. These sins are clearly condemned by God in the Old Testament, and no biblicist would argue that they should be considered righteous behaviour in the New Testament, yet they are not mentioned in the New Testament. This shows us where such a method would lead us, if consistently applied.

The second error is revealed by the fact that musical instruments are used in Heaven, as ordained by God. This supersedes any silence, on the Church practice, in the New Testament. This is not to imply that anything and everything that is allowed in Heaven is also allowed in the Body of Christ. Yet it does establish that there is no general ban on the use of musical instruments, as far as God is concerned. This heavenly precedent would be foundational to any dispensation or covenant.

Though this is controversial, some claim the authority of the tradition of the early church fathers to confirm this shunning of musical instruments. Even if this were true, the Word of God is the sole authority for our faith and practice. Going beyond the boundaries of this authority, Jesus condemns as, “teaching for doctrine the commandments of men.” And He considers this “vain worship.”

Matthew 15:9 But in vain they do worship me, teaching [for] doctrines the commandments of men.

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