Archives for posts with tag: statement of doctrine

Quoting From Job

2014/12/01 //
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The book of Job is quite often quoted improperly, in sermons, Bible studies, commentaries, etc. One dream for this project is for those who read the novel, or watch the movie, to effortlessly and enjoyably come to a comprehensive understanding of the book of Job. As a result, it will become completely clear how to properly go about applying each verse, in this holy book, to our doctrine, thus to our lives. In order to properly understand the context for each verse, for this particular book, it is critical to understand the book as a whole.

Let’s say I am preparing a sermon. If I am quickly hunting for verses that agree with a point I am attempting to make, it would be quite easy for me to happen across some verses in the book of Job that seem to fit. Unfortunately, if I am not aware of the context of those verses, I may mistakenly quote verses that God said were folly; oops. It is insufficient to just read the neighbouring verses in Job to get the context, or even the whole chapter.

Next month we plan to post a colour-coded view of the book of Job to aid in clearly seeing such context.

Summary of the key points regarding the proper handling of the book of Job:

  • The folly in the book of Job is context for the astounding insights we get from the first two chapters, and from chapters 32-42.
  • God calls much of the book of Job, chapters 3-31, folly, or words without knowledge, so those verses cannot be used as a basis for doctrine. There are some who think the New Testament quotes from this section of Job, so please see this other article.
  • Though the “folly” and the “words without knowledge” sections of the book of Job cannot be used as a basis for doctrine, they can be studied to find out about the people in Job. This seems to comprise two main topics of study:
    1. Job’s righteousness
    2. What was known back in those ancient days, around 2000 BC?

We hope to inspire exploration of God’s Word, by pointing out the biblical sign posts that direct us in safely navigating the Scriptures. We also aspire to impact society, to change the world for the better. Imagine what it would be like if a good deal more Christians were freed to explore the Scriptures, instead of feeling unsure of how to take the proper safety precautions. This would be like a biblical appetizer, driving a craving for more of His Word.

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Word Study: Repentance

2013/10/13 //
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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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Statement Of Faith And Doctrine

2012/03/08 //
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StatementOfFaith

Statement of Faith:

1 Peter 1:3-5
3 Blessed [be] the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,
4 To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in Heaven for you,
5 Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.

Hebrews 11:1-3,6
1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
2 For by it the elders obtained a good report.
3 Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear.
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.

1 Corinthians 2:5 That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.

Romans 4:5 But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.

Ephesians 2:8-9
8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: [it is] the gift of God:
9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.

James 2:17 Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.

1 Corinthians 16:13 Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit you like men, be strong.

Revelation 2:10 Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life.

Statement of Doctrine: A summary of some things which are most surely believed among us. Many of us Christians are united in our stance that the Holy Bible is the authority, yet we disagree regarding some points of meaning. Here lists our view on topics of common interest.

Our Lord Jesus Christ is The Way, The Truth, and The Life and no one can come to the Father but by Him. Jesus is God in the flesh, born of the virgin Mary with no human father, fully human and fully divine.

The Holy Godhead is eternally existent and triune; one God, three Persons: Yahweh, God the Holy Father; Jesus Christ, God the Holy Son; and the Comforter, God the Holy Ghost, who indwells all New Testament believers.

Our Lord Jesus Christ: died on the cross and suffered, taking the punishment for the sin of all humanity; was buried; rose bodily from the dead, conquering death for us; was seen resurrected by many infallible proofs and witnesses; ascended to Heaven; is currently seated at the right hand of God the Father; and shall return, in manifest glory, to this Earth as Judge of the living and the dead.

The 66 books of the Holy Bible are inerrant. God has preserved His Word without error as proclaimed by the Holy Spirit through the prophets by inspiration. The miracles recorded in the Scriptures are real, historical, super-natural events, rather than fiction or myth.

About 4,000 years before Christ was born, God created the world, from nothing, in six days that were consecutive, regular, 24-hour days, rested the seventh day, and has been working ever since.

Eden of primal Earth was paradise, without sin, suffering, or thorns, where no one would have died. By God’s standard, the world was very good. Adam’s rebellion against the throne of God brought a curse on the creation and that paradise was lost. Each man and woman has also gone astray, rebelling against the law of God, proving that we too are sinners, like Adam. God has also made a new paradise, where sin and suffering do not exist, and you can go there. This life is your place to choose.

Hell is a literal place of eternal judgement and torment created by God for the devil and his angels. All men and women, who die rejecting God’s mercy, will be condemned to hell without hope of deliverance. God has no pleasure in the death of the wicked, and is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. This life is your place to choose.

Human life is sacred from conception to eternity. Human beings are created in the image of God and are to be honoured, regardless of one’s perceived value, or quality, of that life. God and His Word have exclusive authority regarding when it is just for mankind to take a human life.

Marriage is an institution of God. He designed marriage for one man and one woman to become one flesh from the wedding until death parts them.

Government is an institution of God. “The most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever He will, and setteth up over it the basest of men.” Daniel 4:17

The Church is an institution of God. As high priest, Jesus is the Head of the Body of Christ, and every believer is a member.

The global flood, of Noah’s day, destroyed the Earth. All land creatures on Earth died, in whose nostrils was the breath of life, except those saved on the ark.

Baptism is of believers; in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost; as a testimony of faith; by immersion in water; following the example and instruction of Our Lord.

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