Question;   “What Does the Word of God Have to Say About What Christianity Is All about?”

1 – Jesus is God (Revised 02/07/2016)

John 10:24-33

“Then came the Jews round about him, and said unto him, How long dost thou make us to doubt? If thou be the Christ, tell us plainly. Jesus answered them, I told you, and ye believed not: the works that I do in my Father’s name, they bear witness of me. But ye believe not, because ye are not of my sheep, as I said unto you. My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand. I and my Father are one. Then the Jews took up stones again to stone him. Jesus answered them, Many good works have I shewed you from my Father; for which of those works do ye stone me? The Jews answered him, saying, For a good work we stone thee not; but for blasphemy; and because that thou, being a man, makest thyself God.”  (Jesus claimed to be God – see below #1)

2 – The Bible Is about Jesus

John 5:39

“Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me.” (The Bible is about Jesus – see below #2)

Hebrews 10:7

“Then said I, Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of me,) to do thy will, O God.”

First, we need to realize that the writer here is quoting Psalm 40:7, as well as stating it’s current application to Jesus, even as it related to the sacrificial system; thus indicating that this Scripture has fulfillment in the Old Testament and in the New Testament, as the passage has meaning concerning both the Old and New Covenants (Hebrews 8:13), indicating that Jesus is preeminent in both the Old and New Testament.

Psalm 40: 7 has always been understood to be a Messianic Psalm referring to the Messiah.

Whereas the writer of the book of Hebrews indicates how Jesus was the fulfillment of the Hebrew Messiah.

In the English this text seems somewhat straightforward, though many misunderstand the use of the word “volume” thinking it means the amount of space concerning what is written; yet this is not what it means, it has greater significance than even this misunderstanding.

The word that is translated into the English word “volume” in the Greek is kephalis, which holds great significance in understanding this passage.

Biblical Scrolls
At the time it was written, the Hebrew Holy Scriptures were long manuscripts which we commonly refer to as scrolls which were rolled up due to their massive length (Codices, synonymous with our ideas of a book with individual pages that were held together by a binder were not yet prevalent).

In order to handle the scroll without damaging it, and to aid in reading the scroll, the Hebrews used two kephalis, which were wooden rods that would be placed at the end of each side of the scroll, in order to facilitate the reading of the scroll by simply unrolling the kephalis on the left, and rolling up the kephalis on the right (Remember, Hebrew was read from the right to left).

The kephalis was what held the Scripture together and made it functional – readable, while at the same time protecting the scroll itself.

It would be somewhat synonymous with our current understanding of what bindings on books are meant to do.

Jesus Holds Together the Word of God, He is the Basis of Everything in It
The point that this Scripture is making is that Jesus holds together God’s Word and presents it in such a way that it is readable, understandable, and protected – Jesus in essence is the foundation and the mortar that holds the pages of God’s word together concerning its subject matter – which is Jesus Himself.

3 – Definition of the Gospel

1 Corinthians 15:1-3

“Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand;  2 ~  By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain.  3 ~  For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;  4 ~  And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures”

gospel
Means: “good news”

saved
From a primary word σῶς sōs̄ (contraction for the obsolete σάος saos, “safe”); to save, that is, deliver or protect (literally or figuratively): – heal, preserve, save (self), do well, be (make) whole.  

if
Assumes that the premise (protasis) is true for the sake of argument.  It is Hypothetical reasoning, such as: “I would love to fly like a bird, ‘if’ only I could fly” – “‘if” I could be any animal, I would want to be an eagle” (In Koiné Greek there are four different Conditional Clauses which are translated into the English word “if,” each holding different meaning in the Greek, but unfortunately all four clauses translated into only one English word [“if”], which has diverse implied meanings, and is therefore nonspecific.  This is the first type of class of Greek Conditional Clauses, Please see footnote #4 regarding Greek Conditional Clauses)

This is the gospel –

1) Jesus ~ died for our sins – according to the Scripture

2) he was buried

3) he rose the third day – according to Scripture

“According to Scripture” is sandwiched, it is the beginning and ending of the gospel.

You cannot separate the Bible from the gospel – the good news – and the good news is what Christianity is:

Christianity is faith in believing that it is a fact that Christ died for our sins – according to the Scripture.

was buried
And was resurrected on the third day as He said He would – proving up the validity of what he said (Jesus prophesied that He would rise in three days #3) – with the authorization that God was behind it all – only God could resurrect the dead – and everything was done according to the Scripture.

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Christianity is about Christ
Not man or his salvation – salvation is secondary to the fact that God is preeminent and is to be our focus, not us and our own happiness.

Happiness
Happiness is taken the word “happen,” things that happen us.

“It is the outward occurrences that affect our life.”

We do not live to be happy, we live to please the Lord.

4 – Pleasing God Only Possible by Faith

Romans 8:8

“So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God“

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.”

5 – Jesus Our Example – His Sole Purpose was to Please God

This is an Old Testament prophecy fulfilled by Christ and quoted by Matthew.

Matthew 12:18

“Behold my servant, whom I have chosen; my beloved, in whom my soul is well pleased: I will put my spirit upon him, and he shall shew judgment to the Gentiles.”

This passage is the Greek translation of the Hebrew prophecy of  Isa. 42:1-4 regarding the Messiah as pleasing God.

When Jesus was baptized (Mark 1:11 & Luke 3:22) – God the Father speaking from heaven stating that Jesus always pleased Him.

Matthew 12:18

“And lo a voice from heaven, saying, this is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”

The Mount of Transfiguration (Mark 9:7 & Luke 9:35 & 2 Peter 1:17) – God the Father speaking from heaven stating that Jesus always pleased Him.

Matthew 17:5

“While he yet spake, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them: and behold a voice out of the cloud, which said, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him.”

Jesus comments concerning Himself as always pleasing the Father.

John 8:29

“And he that sent me is with me: the Father hath not left me alone; for I do always those things that please him.” 

6 – Faith Comes from the Bible

Biblical Faith
One of the major areas wherein this ministry spends an excess amount of time concerns the subject of Biblical faith, which has more to do with establishing a relationship of trust in God, then understood by many as simply a tool of petition (And there is ALWAYS a place for petition).

This explains why it is impossible to please God without faith, as stated in 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.”

Not only because we come to God based on faith that He exist, but that those that seek Him, He rewards in a relationship where He takes care of us.  God desires those that exercise faith as a free will action in placing their trust in God, which grants us access to God’s grace to become His children through faith, which is the greatest reward man could ever receive.

There is no other value or personal character trait which pleases God, but faith; at least not in this special way according to God’s Word.

Faith Comes from the Bible
The place we gain Biblical faith is God’s Word, as stated in Romans 10:17,

 “So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.“

1 Peter 1:23 says

“Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.”

Biblical faith is created and grown wherein as a person reads the Bible, and the Holy Spirit opens their spiritual eyes to perceive that which is laid out, it is a logical reasonable process of coming to the conclusion that this book could not have been written by mortal man (2 Timothy 3:16), because:

1) There are prophecies given in Old Testament, that are fulfilled in the New Testament.
2) There are prophecies given within the Bible as a whole, which are fulfilled since it’s closing.
3) There are scientific and natural insights presented in the Bible, which were once considered completely false; which in time, science has caught up with the Bible proving that it was correct in the first place, and that it is beyond human insight.
4) There is deep wisdom that is written between its pages, which are far beyond the capacity of a human being to create.
5) There are internal evidences found in the Bible, which when crossed-referenced within itself present in such a way that it is obvious that 40 different men could not have utilized the exact same type of “Figures of Speech.”

Including: typology, such as seen in metaphor, similes, models; along with prophetic symbols as seen in even the use of numbers, colors, events, material and substances, dates, mathematics, names, roles, and even people’s personality and lives; all done to portray a shadow (Colossians 2:17; Hebrews 8:5; 10:1) of things to come rather in heaven, or in the particular case of Jesus, the fulfillment of the Messiah; as witnessed in His First and Second coming – as well as Last Days events – all done in such a way that the only explanation is that God orchestrated the creation of this Book, and it is thus worthy of our complete trust, all pointing to Jesus the Christ as the Creator and Saviour of the world, the King of Kings, Lord of Lords, the center of God the Father’s kingdom, preeminent in ALL things, GOD.

Indeed it is God who inspired and orchestrated this book, not written by man, but written through men, by a God that is outside of our time domain, who can see the ending from the beginning (Isaiah 46:9-10); who is all-powerful, and in total control of His creation (Isaiah 45:5-7), and therefore worthy of our complete trust and faith in what He has said, and what He will do (Isaiah 46; Jeremiah 29:11).

Unfortunately, many Christians have been taught to focus on faith as a tool to acquire the things sought, rather than understanding that faith is a relationship with God, to trust whatever He has allowed or guided to be in our lives, and that God is trustworthy and in total control of all of our lives, no matter what it appears to be from the human vantage point.

Of all the qualities that our current generation LACKS, perspective (Discernment) and fidelity (Latin for “Faith,” as in: trusting God no matter what, and being trustworthy) are perhaps the greatest, hence the reason that this subject needs to be studied in great depth regaining a biblical understanding of faith, which many in this generation have seemed to have lost.  

Job said in presenting his case: “Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him: but I will maintain mine own ways before him” (See Footnote #1).  And as the greatest example of faith said the night before he would be executed, “Saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done.” (Luke 22:42 ~ KJV)

Faith Defined
“Trusting commitment of one person to another, particularly of a person to God. Faith is the central concept of Christianity. One may be called a Christian only if one has faith.“

Our English word ‘faith’ comes from the Latin fides, as developed through the Old French words fei and feid. In Middle English (1150-1475) ‘faith’ was replaced by a word that eventually evolved into ‘belief.’

Faith came to mean ‘loyalty to a person to whom one is bound by promise or duty.’

Faith was fidelity. ‘Belief’ came to be distinguished from faith as an intellectual process having to do with the acceptance of a proposition.

The verb form of ‘faith’ [“Faithè,” “faitheth,”] dropped out of English usage toward the end of the sixteenth century.“ (Holman Bible Dictionary)

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“Faith” Every believer has a measure of faith; perfect for God’s individual plan for each of us.  Romans 12:3

The ABCs of faith
Biblical faith can best be seen in the acronym, the ABCs of faith which is:

“Action based upon Belief, sustained by Confidence”

From the Outside
This would be how we perceive action as it is displayed by a believer, first observing the action which was generated based upon a belief that was held with the greatest conviction which we refer to as his confidence as found from a thorough examination of God’s word, the Bible.

Experientially
A believer approaches biblical faith first as an exercise of belief, wherein after an examination of God’s word confidence is added to this belief regarding what God has said, all of which produces a way of thinking that motivates a change of actions due to this new adherents to biblical faith.

From the experiential aspect it might be more easily stated that biblical faith is seen as:

“Faith is Believing what God has said in His Word, due to the Confidence it has earned,
to the point that Actions are effected.”

And we know that repeated actions become behavior – hence faith actions are the behavior of a Believer – a Christian

7 – Christianity Defined

Christianity comes from the word Christian.

The word Christian is a word made up of two words, “Christ” and “ian.”

“ian” is a suffix, meaning it is attached to a word which indicates that those individuals referred to, they which are followers the preceding word, which in this case is Christ.

Christianity is made up of those individuals that follow Christ, who preach the Gospel, the good news that salvation was available to those that followed him, who were Christians, and that the gospel is the belief that Christ was crucified for our sins – according to the Scripture, was buried, and was resurrected the third day according to the Scripture.

You can’t separate Christ and Christianity, you can’t separate salvation from the gospel, and you cannot separate the fact that Christ died for sins and rose the third day from salvation, and you cannot separate faith from salvation, as well as you cannot separate salvation from the Word of God – the Bible.

It all works together, or it all falls apart.

Brent 

Endnote
1.  Jesus’ Claim of Deity as the Son of God

Jesus made many claims in regard to being Divine, the Son of God Incarnate; we will look at two of these passages.

There are many other issues which display His belief that He was divine, such as the titles He used for Himself which were titles used of deity, His claim of sinlessness, His posture of superiority to the Pharisees, who He refused to cow down to.

He orchestrates worship of Himself, such as a Triumphal Entry, and the healings wherein He receives worship, and the fact that He seated within Himself the power to forgive sins – who does that, except God?

First, Mark 14:60-62, which occurs at Jesus’ trial, when He was asked by the High Priests (Which according to the Torah, a suspect had to answer, therefore Jesus had to answer as a suspect.  Jesus went through 6 trials [See Endnote # 2 ], 3 secular and 3 religious, and only twice did He give an answer, once in fulfillment of the Torah when the High Priest demanded an answer, and once when the secular judge Pilate, based upon Roman law demanded an answer), if  He was the Messiah (the “Christ”), the Son of God.

The text states:

“And the high priest stood up in the midst, and asked Jesus, saying, Answerest thou nothing? what is it which these witness against thee? But he held his peace, and answered nothing. Again the high priest asked him, and said unto him, Art thou the Christ, the Son of the Blessed? And Jesus said, I am: and ye shall see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven.”  (KJV)

The second passage we will address is probably one of the most dramatic dialogues Jesus held with the Pharisees wherein Jesus claimed Divinity as the Son of God; as recorded in John 8:12-47, which states:

“Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life. The Pharisees therefore said unto him, Thou bearest record of thyself; thy record is not true. Jesus answered and said unto them, Though I bear record of myself, yet my record is true: for I know whence I came, and whither I go; but ye cannot tell whence I come, and whither I go. Ye judge after the flesh; I judge no man. And yet if I judge, my judgment is true: for I am not alone, but I and the Father that sent me. It is also written in your law, that the testimony of two men is true. I am one that bear witness of myself, and the Father that sent me beareth witness of me. Then said they unto him, Where is thy Father? Jesus answered, Ye neither know me, nor my Father: if ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also. These words spake Jesus in the treasury, as he taught in the temple: and no man laid hands on him; for his hour was not yet come. Then said Jesus again unto them, I go my way, and ye shall seek me, and shall die in your sins: whither I go, ye cannot come. Then said the Jews, Will he kill himself? because he saith, Whither I go, ye cannot come. And he said unto them, Ye are from beneath; I am from above: ye are of this world; I am not of this world. I said therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your sins: for if ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins. Then said they unto him, Who art thou? And Jesus saith unto them, Even the same that I said unto you from the beginning. I have many things to say and to judge of you: but he that sent me is true; and I speak to the world those things which I have heard of him. They understood not that he spake to them of the Father. Then said Jesus unto them, When ye have lifted up the Son of man, then shall ye know that I am he, and that I do nothing of myself; but as my Father hath taught me, I speak these things. And he that sent me is with me: the Father hath not left me alone; for I do always those things that please him. As he spake these words, many believed on him. Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. They answered him, We be Abraham’s seed, and were never in bondage to any man: how sayest thou, Ye shall be made free? Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin. And the servant abideth not in the house for ever: but the Son abideth ever. If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed. I know that ye are Abraham’s seed; but ye seek to kill me, because my word hath no place in you. I speak that which I have seen with my Father: and ye do that which ye have seen with your father. They answered and said unto him, Abraham is our father. Jesus saith unto them, If ye were Abraham’s children, ye would do the works of Abraham. But now ye seek to kill me, a man that hath told you the truth, which I have heard of God: this did not Abraham. Ye do the deeds of your father. Then said they to him, We be not born of fornication; we have one Father, even God. Jesus said unto them, If God were your Father, ye would love me: for I proceeded forth and came from God; neither came I of myself, but he sent me. Why do ye not understand my speech? even because ye cannot hear my word. Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it. And because I tell you the truth, ye believe me not. Which of you convinceth me of sin? And if I say the truth, why do ye not believe me? He that is of God heareth God’s words: ye therefore hear them not, because ye are not of God.”  (KJV)

Jesus also made seven “I AM,” statements, which the Jews understood to be an allusion that Jesus was using to indicate He was God, the one speaking from the “Burning Bush” as seen in Exodus 3:14, which states:

“And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM: and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you.” (KJV).

Jesus used this “I Am” statement many times, such as John 8:28:

“Then said Jesus unto them, When ye have lifted up the Son of man, then shall ye know that I am he [“he” is not in the original text, it is added by the translators thinking it was needed], and that I do nothing of myself; but as my Father hath taught me, I speak these things.”

And to make sure that He was referencing Exodus 3:14, Jesus said in John 8:58,

“Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am.”

Jesus left no ambiguity in connecting Himself to the “I AM” statements, therein claiming Deity (The 7 “I AM” statement are recorded in: John 6:35; John 8:12; John 10:7; John 10:11; John 11:25; John 14:6; John 15:1)

“Then came the Jews round about him, and said unto him, How long dost thou make us to doubt? If thou be the Christ, tell us plainly. Jesus answered them, I told you, and ye believed not: the works that I do in my Father’s name, they bear witness of me. But ye believe not, because ye are not of my sheep, as I said unto you. My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand. I and my Father are one. Then the Jews took up stones again to stone him. Jesus answered them, Many good works have I shewed you from my Father; for which of those works do ye stone me? The Jews answered him, saying, For a good work we stone thee not; but for blasphemy; and because that thou, being a man, makest thyself God.”  (John 10:24-33)

Please also see: John 10:25-33; John 5:17-18; John 5:23-24; John 8:12-47; Mark 2:5-7, John 14:1; John 14:6, John 14:8-11; John 20:28-29; John 5:39; Luke 24:27; Luke 24:44-46.

2.  The Bible is about Jesus

God’s Word, the Bible is ALL about Jesus as recorded in the following Scripture:

Hebrews 10:7 ~

“Then said I, Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of me,) to do thy will, O God.” 

John 5:39 ~

“you search the Scriptures for and then you think you have life, it is these that speak of me.”

Matthew 5:18 ~

“Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill. For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled.”

Luke 24:27 ~

“And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself.”

Acts 8:35 ~ 

“Then Philip opened his mouth, and began at the same scripture [Isaiah 53:7], and preached unto him Jesus.”

Acts 26:22-23 ~ 

“Having therefore obtained help of God, I continue unto this day, witnessing both to small and great, saying none other things than those which the prophets and Moses did say should come: That Christ should suffer, and that he should be the first that should rise from the dead, and should shew light unto the people, and to the Gentiles.”

Acts 28:23 ~

“And when they had appointed him a day, there came many to him into his lodging; to whom he expounded and testified the kingdom of God, persuading them concerning Jesus, both out of the law of Moses, and out of the prophets, from morning till evening.”

Romans 1:1-3 ~

“Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated to the gospel of God which He promised before through His prophets in the Holy Scriptures, concerning His Son Jesus Christ our Lord, who was born of the seed of David according to the flesh, and declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the Spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead.”

Hebrews 1:1-3 ~

“In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom he made the universe. The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven.”

Matthew 24:35 ~

“Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.”

3.  Scriptures where Christ prophesied of His crucifixion and rising in three days.

Matthew 16:21 ~  From that time forth began Jesus to shew unto his disciples, how that he must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised again the third day.

Matthew 17:23 ~  And they shall kill him, and the third day he shall be raised again. And they were exceeding sorry.

Matthew 20:19 ~  And shall deliver him to the Gentiles to mock, and to scourge, and to crucify him: and the third day he shall rise again.

Matthew 27:64 ~  Command therefore that the sepulchre be made sure until the third day, lest his disciples come by night, and steal him away, and say unto the people, He is risen from the dead: so the last error shall be worse than the first.

Mark 9:31 ~  For he taught his disciples, and said unto them, The Son of man is delivered into the hands of men, and they shall kill him; and after that he is killed, he shall rise the third day.

Mark 10:34 ~  And they shall mock him, and shall scourge him, and shall spit upon him, and shall kill him: and the third day he shall rise again.

Luke 9:22 ~  Saying, The Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be slain, and be raised the third day.

Luke 13:32 ~  And he said unto them, Go ye, and tell that fox, Behold, I cast out devils, and I do cures to day and to morrow, and the third day I shall be perfected.

Luke 18:33 ~  And they shall scourge him, and put him to death: and the third day he shall rise again.

Luke 24:7 ~  Saying, The Son of man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again.

Luke 24:21 ~  But we trusted that it had been he which should have redeemed Israel: and beside all this, to day is the third day since these things were done.

Luke 24:46 ~  And said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day:

John 2:1 ~  And the third day there was a marriage in Cana of Galilee; and the mother of Jesus was there:

Acts 2:15 ~  For these are not drunken, as ye suppose, seeing it is but the third hour of the day.

Acts 10:40 ~  Him God raised up the third day, and shewed him openly;

Acts 27:19 ~  And the third day we cast out with our own hands the tackling of the ship.

1 Corinthians 15:4 ~  And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:

Revelation 8:12 ~  And the fourth angel sounded, and the third part of the sun was smitten, and the third part of the moon, and the third part of the stars; so as the third part of them was darkened, and the day shone not for a third part of it, and the night likewise.

Revelation 9:15 ~  And the four angels were loosed, which were prepared for an hour, and a day, and a month, and a year, for to slay the third part of men.

4.  Greek Classes of Conditional Clauses 

All Believers should know that Jesus Christ is our focus, and that He is preeminent in ALL things.

Our Focus
Our relationship with God is solely and completely contingent upon Jesus the Christ of Nazareth, Who is not only our Savior, our Lord, our King and our Master; but also the Divine Son of God, Deity incarnate while He was on the earth, and God (which Jesus proclaimed Himself, please see footnote #1) Who has existed with His Father throughout eternity.

Jesus now sits on His Father’s throne, waiting to return to this earth to collect all that He died and paid for by giving His life for us, those He redeemed with His precious blood; wherein He will sit on His father David’s throne as Gabriel prophesied in Luke 1:31-34, which states:

“And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God. And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS. He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end. Then said Mary unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man? And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God.“ (KJV)

It is the preeminence of Jesus that we will focus on in the next few pages.

The Bible Is about Jesus
The word of God, the Bible, holds Jesus as preeminent; it is Him about which it is written, with salvation considered only after His divine preeminence.  Many people focus only on the idea that the Bible is about salvation, which it is to a lesser degree.

But primarily, the Bible is about Jesus Christ and Him fulfilling the Will of God, wherein we so graciously are destined to receive salvation according to His own will, yet we must always remember the Bible is about Jesus Christ.

So many believers spend little time in the Old Testament, claiming it is confusing, and not applicable to their life.

As the old dear saints would say in bygone centuries, if something seems confusing, put Jesus in the middle of it to gain clarity.   Jesus said as recorded in John 5:39,

“Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me.” (The Bible is about Jesus – see footnote below #2)

Hebrews 10:7

“Then said I, Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of me,) to do thy will, O God.”

First, we need to realize that the writer here is quoting Psalm 40:7 (Psalm 40: 7 has always been understood to be a Messianic Psalm referring to the Messiah.), as well as stating its current application to Jesus, even as it related to the sacrificial system; thus indicating that this Scripture has fulfillment of the Old Testament in the New Testament, as the passage has meaning concerning both the Old and New Covenants (Hebrews 8:13), indicating that Jesus is preeminent in both the Old Testament and the New Testament.

The writer of the book of Hebrews indicates how Jesus was the fulfillment of the Hebrew Messiah.

In the English this text seems somewhat straightforward, though many misunderstand the use of the word “volume” thinking it means the amount of space concerning what is written; yet this is not what it means, it has greater significance than even this misunderstanding.

The word that is translated into the English word “volume” in the Greek is kephalis, which holds great special significance in understanding this passage.

 The Biblical Scrolls are about Jesus
At the time it was written, the Hebrew Holy Scriptures were copied onto long manuscripts which we commonly refer to as scrolls, which were rolled up due to their massive length.

Different than codices, which might be synonymous with our ideas of a book with individual pages that were held together by a binder were not yet prevalent.

Codices and books were ingenious devices, in which you could turn to any section and read at will, commonly known as random access systems.  Whereas scrolls are a chronological device, in which you start at one point and unroll to another point, while reading.

Because scrolls were so large and unmanageable, in order to handle the scroll without damaging it, and to aid in reading the scroll, the Hebrews used two kephalis, which were wooden rods that would be placed at the end of each side of the scroll, in order to facilitate the reading of the scroll by simply unrolling the kephalis on the left, and rolling up the kephalis on the right (Remember, Hebrew was read from the right to left).

The kephalis was what held the Scripture together and made it functional – readable, and understandable in that you could go from section to section, cross referencing passages, able to do great research, and maintain Biblical context, not simply immediate context (Biblical context can be as important as immediate context, matching subject matter with subject matter many books in order to gain greater insight and clarity), while at the same time protecting the scroll itself.

It would be somewhat synonymous with our current understanding of what bindings on books are meant to do.

Jesus Holds Together the Word of God, He is the Basis of Everything in It
The point that this Scripture is making is that Jesus holds together God’s Word and presents it in such a way that it is readable, understandable, and protected – Jesus in essence is the foundation and the mortar that holds the pages of God’s word together concerning its subject matter – which is Jesus Himself.

“For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen.” (Romans 11:36 ~ KJV)

“Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places, Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come: And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church, Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all.” (Ephesians 1:20-23 ~ KJV)

Brent

Endnotes
1. Jesus’ Claim of Deity as the Son of God

Jesus made many claims in regard to being the Divine, the Son of God Incarnate (as well as His death for the world, and rising 3 days later, see footnote #3); we will look at two major passages.

There are many other issues which display His belief that He was divine, such as the titles He used for Himself which were titles used of deity, His claim of sinlessness, His posture of superiority to the Pharisees, who He refused to cow-down to.

On only one occasion He orchestrates worship of Himself, which we refer to as the Triumphal Entry, he performs many healings wherein He receives worship, and the fact that He seated within Himself the power to forgive sins – who does that, except God?

First, Mark 14:60-62, which occurs at Jesus’ trial, when He was asked by the High Priests (Which according to the Torah, a suspect had to answer, therefore Jesus had to answer as a suspect as in fulfilling the Law. Jesus went through 6 trials [See Footnote # 4], 3 secular and 3 religious, and only twice did He give an answer, once in fulfillment of the Torah when the High Priest demanded an answer, and once when the secular judge Pilate, based upon Roman law demanded an answer, again fulfilling ALL righteousness), if He was the Messiah (the “Christ”), the Son of God.

The text states:

“And the high priest stood up in the midst, and asked Jesus, saying, Answerest thou nothing? what is it which these witness against thee? But he held his peace, and answered nothing. Again the high priest asked him, and said unto him, Art thou the Christ, the Son of the Blessed? And Jesus said, I am: and ye shall see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven.” (KJV)

The second passage we will address is probably one of the most dramatic dialogues Jesus held with the Pharisees wherein Jesus claimed Divinity as the Son of God; as recorded in John 8:12-47, which states:

“Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life. The Pharisees therefore said unto him, Thou bearest record of thyself; thy record is not true. Jesus answered and said unto them, Though I bear record of myself, yet my record is true: for I know whence I came, and whither I go; but ye cannot tell whence I come, and whither I go. Ye judge after the flesh; I judge no man. And yet if I judge, my judgment is true: for I am not alone, but I and the Father that sent me. It is also written in your law, that the testimony of two men is true. I am one that bear witness of myself, and the Father that sent me beareth witness of me. Then said they unto him, Where is thy Father? Jesus answered, Ye neither know me, nor my Father: if ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also. These words spake Jesus in the treasury, as he taught in the temple: and no man laid hands on him; for his hour was not yet come. Then said Jesus again unto them, I go my way, and ye shall seek me, and shall die in your sins: whither I go, ye cannot come. Then said the Jews, Will he kill himself? because he saith, Whither I go, ye cannot come. And he said unto them, Ye are from beneath; I am from above: ye are of this world; I am not of this world. I said therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your sins: for if ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins. Then said they unto him, Who art thou? And Jesus saith unto them, Even the same that I said unto you from the beginning. I have many things to say and to judge of you: but he that sent me is true; and I speak to the world those things which I have heard of him. They understood not that he spake to them of the Father. Then said Jesus unto them, When ye have lifted up the Son of man, then shall ye know that I am he, and that I do nothing of myself; but as my Father hath taught me, I speak these things. And he that sent me is with me: the Father hath not left me alone; for I do always [meaning, “I do only”, claiming to be sinless] those things that please him. As he spake these words, many believed on him. Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. They answered him, We be Abraham’s seed, and were never in bondage to any man: how sayest thou, Ye shall be made free? Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin. And the servant abideth not in the house for ever: but the Son abideth ever. If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed. I know that ye are Abraham’s seed; but ye seek to kill me, because my word hath no place in you. I speak that which I have seen with my Father: and ye do that which ye have seen with your father. They answered and said unto him, Abraham is our father. Jesus saith unto them, If ye were Abraham’s children, ye would do the works of Abraham. But now ye seek to kill me, a man that hath told you the truth, which I have heard of God: this did not Abraham. Ye do the deeds of your father. Then said they to him, We be not born of fornication [They were inferring He was illegitimate, because many knew about Mary’s pregnancy]; we have one Father, even God. Jesus said unto them, If God were your Father, ye would love me: for I proceeded forth and came from God; neither came I of myself, but he sent me. Why do ye not understand my speech? even because ye cannot hear my word. Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it. And because I tell you the truth, ye believe me not. Which of you convinceth me of sin? And if I say the truth, why do ye not believe me? He that is of God heareth God’s words: ye therefore hear them not, because ye are not of God.” (KJV)

Jesus also made seven “I AM,” statements, which the Jews understood to be an allusion that Jesus was using to indicate He was God, the one speaking from the “Burning Bush” as seen in Exodus 3:14, which states:

“And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM: and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you.” (KJV).

Jesus used this “I Am” statement many times, such as John 8:28:

“Then said Jesus unto them, When ye have lifted up the Son of man, then shall ye know that I am he [“he” is not in the original text, it is added by the translators thinking it was needed], and that I do nothing of myself; but as my Father hath taught me, I speak these things.”

And to make sure that He was referencing Exodus 3:14, Jesus said in John 8:58,

“Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am.”

Jesus left no ambiguity in connecting Himself to the “I AM” statements, therein claiming Deity (The 7 “I AM” statement are recorded in: John 6:35; John 8:12; John 10:7; John 10:11; John 11:25; John 14:6; John 15:1)

“Then came the Jews round about him, and said unto him, How long dost thou make us to doubt? If thou be the Christ, tell us plainly. Jesus answered them, I told you, and ye believed not: the works that I do in my Father’s name, they bear witness of me. But ye believe not, because ye are not of my sheep, as I said unto you. My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand. I and my Father are one. Then the Jews took up stones again to stone him. Jesus answered them, Many good works have I shewed you from my Father; for which of those works do ye stone me? The Jews answered him, saying, For a good work we stone thee not; but for blasphemy; and because that thou, being a man, makest thyself God.” (John 10:24-33)

Please also see: John 10:25-33; John 5:17-18; John 5:23-24; John 8:12-47; Mark 2:5-7, John 14:1; John 14:6, John 14:8-11; John 20:28-29; John 5:39; Luke 24:27; Luke 24:44-46.

2. The Bible is about Jesus

God’s Word, the Bible is ALL about Jesus as recorded in the following Scripture:

Hebrews 10:7 ~

“Then said I, Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of me,) to do thy will, O God.”

John 5:39 ~

“you search the Scriptures for in them you think you have life, it is these that speak of me.”

Matthew 5:18 ~

“Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill. For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled.”

Luke 24:27 ~

“And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself.”

Acts 8:35 ~

“Then Philip opened his mouth, and began at the same scripture [Isaiah 53:7], and preached unto him Jesus.”

Acts 26:22-23 ~

“Having therefore obtained help of God, I continue unto this day, witnessing both to small and great, saying none other things than those which the prophets and Moses did say should come: That Christ should suffer, and that he should be the first that should rise from the dead, and should shew light unto the people, and to the Gentiles.”

Acts 28:23 ~

“And when they had appointed him a day, there came many to him into his lodging; to whom he expounded and testified the kingdom of God, persuading them concerning Jesus, both out of the law of Moses, and out of the prophets, from morning till evening.”

Romans 1:1-3 ~

“Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated to the gospel of God which He promised before through His prophets in the Holy Scriptures, concerning His Son Jesus Christ our Lord, who was born of the seed of David according to the flesh, and declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the Spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead.”

Hebrews 1:1-3 ~

“In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom he made the universe. The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven.”

Matthew 24:35 ~

“Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.”

3. Examples of Christ’s prophesies of His crucifixion & Rising in Three days.

Matthew 16:21 ~

“From that time forth began Jesus to shew unto his disciples, how that he must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised again the third day.”

Matthew 17:23 ~

“And they shall kill him, and the third day he shall be raised again. And they were exceeding sorry.”

Matthew 20:19 ~

“And shall deliver him to the Gentiles to mock, and to scourge, and to crucify him: and the third day he shall rise again.”

Matthew 27:64 ~ (The Pharisees knew that Jesus said He would be buried and raise again)

“Command therefore that the sepulcher be made sure until the third day, lest his disciples come by night, and steal him away, and say unto the people, He is risen from the dead: so the last error shall be worse than the first.”

Mark 9:31 ~

“For he taught his disciples, and said unto them, The Son of man is delivered into the hands of men, and they shall kill him; and after that he is killed, he shall rise the third day.”

Mark 10:34 ~

“And they shall mock him, and shall scourge him, and shall spit upon him, and shall kill him: and the third day he shall rise again.”

Luke 9:22 ~

“Saying, The Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be slain, and be raised the third day.”

Luke 13:32 ~

“And he said unto them, Go ye, and tell that fox, Behold, I cast out devils, and I do cures to day and to morrow, and the third day I shall be perfected.”

Luke 18:33 ~

“And they shall scourge him, and put him to death: and the third day he shall rise again.”

Luke 24:7 ~

“Saying, The Son of man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again.”

Luke 24:21 ~

“But we trusted that it had been he which should have redeemed Israel: and beside all this, to day is the third day since these things were done.”

Luke 24:46 ~

“And said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day”

1 Corinthians 15:4 ~

“And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures”

4. The Trials of Jesus in their Sequence

Jesus was put through six trials, three secular and three religious (Within the Bible, 6 is the number of man, Jesus as a Ultimate Man Judged; though He was God).

Trial #1: Jesus was taken to Annas. (Mark 14:53; John 18:13-24), Annas was the original (former) High Priest, however, the Romans in order to reinforce their own the power, placed his son-in-law, Caiaphas, the current High Priest. And while Caiaphas, was the high priest of record, the Sanhedrin still look to Annas as the true high priest.

Trial #2: Jesus was taken before Caiaphas. (Matthew 26:57-68; John 18:24-28)

Trial #3: Jesus reviewed before the Sanhedrin. (Luke 22:66-71)

Trial #4: Jesus taken before Pilate. (Luke 23:1-6; John 18:29-38)

Trial #5: Jesus taken before Herod. (Luke 23:8-11)

Trial #6: Jesus taken back before Pilate. (Matt. 27:11-24; Mk. 15:1-14; Lk. 23:13-24; John. 18:39-19:16). Pilate offered either Barabbas or Jesus; the crowd choose Barabbas to be released, and Jesus condemned to death.

A Christophany is pre-incarnate appearance of Jesus in the Old Testament. 

Introduction
While some competent scholars may disagree with some of the following; the Theophanies (Theophanies: a visible manifestation of a deity) of Jesus Christ in the Old Testament is an accepted doctrine, beyond dispute based solely upon Scripture.

One of the examples which proves that God visited the Earth, taking on a human form is firmly established in Exodus 3:3-5; and Joshua 5:15, which state:

“And the angel of the LORD appeared unto him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush: and he looked, and, behold, the bush burned with fire, and the bush was not consumed. And Moses said, I will now turn aside, and see this great sight, why the bush is not burnt. And when the LORD saw that he turned aside to see, God called unto him out of the midst of the bush, and said, Moses, Moses. And he said, Here am I. And he said, Draw not nigh hither: put off thy shoes from off thy feet, for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground.”  (Exodus 3:3-5)

And

“And the captain of the LORD’S host said unto Joshua, Loose thy shoe from off thy foot; for the place whereon thou standest is holy. And Joshua did so.”  (Joshua 5:15)

The pertinent excerpts from these 2 passages are:

“put off thy shoes from off thy feet, for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground.”  (Exodus 3:5)

“… loose thy shoe from off thy foot; for the place whereon thou standest is holy...”  (Joshua 5:15)

Identifying Characteristics
These two passages are absolute proof that God visited during at least these two situations. 

The common response of men when they are aware that they are in the presence of Angels is to fall upon their face prostrate in fear. 

Whenever this is happened, and it is an Angel of the Lord that is being worshiped, Angels advise the humans to stand up; to not worship them because they are servants of God just like the people they are visiting (Acts 19:25-26; Rev. 19:10; Rev. 22:8-9); with the exception of these 2 passages.  there is only one Angel that has ever sought to be worshiped as God, his name was Lucifer, and now is Satan.

Angels understand the blasphemy of allowing themselves to be worshiped by man. 

Yet, on these 2 occasions worship is just not allowed, it’s demanded.  The only logical answer is that this is God demanding worship of man.  And to give further insight into these expressions. 

The reason why God tells these 2 men to take off their sandals is because the ground that they are standing upon is hollowed, it is holy because God is there. 

In oriental and Eastern cultures, the ground that is owned by a man is his and his alone (this is seen in Oriental houses in that when you enter their house, you take your shoes off as the sign of respect to the owner and to the house).

The point that God was making is that He not only owns the ground where these 2 men stood, and therefore they had no right to wear man-made sandals, wherein they would stand upon their own work – they were to stand according to God’s mercy, not their own ability.

Part of the reasoning was that man does not have the RIGHT to step upon the flowers, the grass, or even the sand of God wearing shoes he made himself while in God’s presence.

No, the point that God was making is that they were only allowed in God’s presence, according to God’s mercy and they needed to recognize that they were naked and prostrate before Him.

In these cultures there is great symbolism in the feet and there coverings, sandals. To have the right to untie a man’s sandals displayed authority over him, this is seen when John the Baptist declares that he is unworthy to unstrap Jesus is sandals.

This is seen in that the lowliest job a servant could do was to wash the feet of guest entering a house, as seen in Christ humbling Himself in doing so. Feet always symbolized a man’s walk, how he conducted his life, his decisions, his power.

And notice that when Jesus shows the lowliest act of servitude, it is when he is cleaning feet.

The reason why cleaning feet was the job for the lowest servant of the household is because at that time walking through the street you collected mud, animal thesis, and all kinds of unsightly rubbish.  

It should also be noted that within typology Jesus use the word “walk,” “follow me”, and other terms involving one’s feet concerning how one carried out their life, on a daily basis.  

There is great symbolism within the Bible (known as typology which shall be addressed below).  What a display of character that the God of the universe would choose to step into this dirty arena on earth to die for sins, and yet also display this same humility in washing the dirty feet of his disciples. 

Also, notice that Christ’s feet were nailed to the cross as well as His hands (Psalms 22:16).

See Endnote #4 concerning passages that display symbolism in regards to feet in the Bible.

Grace Seen in the Burning Bush – Typology
As noted over 100 years ago this incident concerning Moses and the burning bush is more remarkable than we might observe at first.

Seeing a burning bush in the deserts surrounding Israel is not that unusual due to lightning strikes.

However this burning bush was unusual in that it caught Moses’ attention wherein he approached it to investigate what he was observing.

The fact that the bush was on fire holds no significance, the fact that the bush was not consumed is miraculous.

Many times we fail to see the significance built within the symbolism of the burning bush.

What we call typology, is the study of symbols as used throughout man’s existence.

However, it is only the typology found within the Bible that we are addressing, though man has used symbols from the beginning in order to extend understanding within communication.

Symbols, as in biblical typology are never meant to replace the meaning of the literal thing, words, or acts, to do so is called allegorical interpretation; and takes away from the literal text which is never to be done.

typology is always meant to add perspective, intensity, and clarity.

Re: what is referred to as allegorical interpretation, Origen of Alexandria (AD 185-254; though many pastors and scholars teach that Origin was one of the Orthodox fathers the church, this is due to a lack of investigation wherein even a superficial investigation into Origen uncovers that he did not believe and denied the deity of Jesus Christ, the atonement, and embraced many of the prevalent Gnostic heresies of the period from the headquarters of the Gnostics, in Alexandria Egypt.  it is studying his writings as recorded by others as well as the history of the church fathers that this is  validate.  Yet many that believe in higher criticism, who respect and admire Westcott and Hort, attempt to give origin credit as they both greatly admired him, though they too did not believe in the deity of Jesus Christ or the atonement.  See Endnote #1 for more on him), a teacher that greatly influenced Augustine; divided Scripture into three segments; introducing allegorical interpretation as one of those segments which has been abused for over 2000 years. 

Allegorical interpretation, which Origen referred to as the spiritual interpretation (which I will refer to as allegorical, because it is not spiritual and should not be referred to as such), was according to him to be the first and most important form of interpretation, giving it preeminence over literal translation as well.

Next he taught the literal and typological form of translation.

He taught that the highest form of biblical interpretation was allegorical.

Yet, according to this warped sense of interpretation, the allegorical would take the place of the literal to the extent that he could make Scripture say anything he wanted. This is where Amillennialism has its roots, where Scripture concerning prophecy as symbols only are used and turned into an allegory with no literal interpretation concerning real events which were yet future in their occurrence.

This is why many Orthodox churches which came out of the Reformation, based upon Luther’s unwillingness to fight directly against allegorical interpretations has continued this teaching which origin began and became the foundation of the Catholic Church, as he is one of the main fathers of Catholicism.

When Luther broke away from the Catholic Church, this is one of the few areas where he maintained their doctrine (See Endnote #2), wherein allegorical interpretation took the book of Revelation and states that it is not a future event, that it is merely symbols to be understood allegorically – theoretically, rather than prophecies which will physically occur.  Now back to the subject of typology.

Typology  
It should be understood that typology does not embrace what is known as allegorical interpretation, which we would refer to as allegorical in nature as seen in Origen of Alexandria‘s example.

When typology uses the word allegorical it is not in the same sense of taking the place of the literal, as Origen did.

Biblical typology simply states that on top of or added to the literal meaning, when words are used in a manner which is unusual to the text or in nature, that this unusual wording holds further value to be investigated.

Examples
An example is seen in the building of the tabernacle, as also seen in every chapter in the Bible.

The tabernacle utilized precious metals for specific meanings.

Gold is always been used concerning deity (as seen in a Kings crown which was made of gold, 2 Samuel 12:30; 1 Chronicles 20:2; Esther 8:15; Psalms 21:3; Revelation 4:4; 9:7; 18:9-12), which is seen in the furniture which was wooden with gold overlay.

Wood (shittim wood, the same as acacias wood, also spelled: arcade, and acadia) was always considered a symbol Christs natural human life (Zachariah 3:8; 6:12;Isaiah 11:1-3; Isaiah 4: 2; even the town that he was raised in regards this issue; as Jesus was referred to as the Nazarene.  The Hebrew root for the word Nazareth, which comes from netser is literally translated, “shoot or sprout” wherein the teaching that Jesus was the branch of God is yet further seen in translating the title: “Jesus the Nazarene“, as “Jesus the branch.”  In the Hebrew these or synonyms).

The furniture of the tabernacle is wood coated in gold, which is a symbol of the incarnation of Jesus Christ.

He was all of man, represented by the wood, and completely divine, represented by the gold.

Silver is always used as a symbol of redemption (Numbers 3:45-47).  

The Levitical law stated that every male that opened the womb belonged to the Lord (Regarding the ministry) and had to be redeemed with a Temple silver shekel in order to redeem the child back to the family.

If you remember that Jesus was betrayed for 30 silver Temple coins, which is also referred to in the book of Zachariah (Zachariah 11:12) concerning Judas’s betrayal of Christ (Matthew 26:15), wherein Christ became the redemption of mankind.

If you approach the tabernacle you would notice that there is a white linen fence taller than you can see over so that there is nothing remarkable to it (“For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him.” ~ Isa. 53:2), the same way is there was nothing beautiful concerning Jesus regarding the exterior.

Linen was always a symbol of purity and sinlessness, also symbols of Christ.

The outer wall which was covered with linen was held up by sockets of silver, again pointing to the fact that redemption surrounded the tabernacle of God, that you could not go over it or under it, but you had to make your way to the only entrance that was allowed.

We could talk about the outer covering of the tabernacle building which was made out of different skins which were not comely or beautiful, yet on the inside the first covering you saw as you walked in was linen with purple and gold figurines.  Purple and gold always addressed royalty.

As you approached the tabernacle you would see that there was only one way into it (“Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” ~ John 14:6), always facing the east, which pointed towards Jerusalem God city (“Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God: and I will write upon him my new name.” ~ Rev. 3:12), where God met man in the Temple.

Indicating that there’s only one way to salvation through this opening, which had no door to stop a man (Because Jesus was the door – “Then said Jesus unto them again, Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep.” ~ John 10:7“), who could enter in based upon belief.

After you entered the tabernacle enclosure the first thing you would run into is the brazen (bronze) altar of sacrifice.

You have no chance of relationship with God without first dealing with your sin, and God’s sacrifice through Jesus Christ for it, all of which was symbolized but the brazen altar of sacrifice.

Bronze was always a typology of judgment because it was the only metal that could maintain fire without melting, as the metal regarding sacrifice and judgment.

It is the fact that we must first come through Jesus Christ in order to approach God, understanding that Jesus is the only sacrifice accepted by God, wherein fire was used to concerning the sacrifice as judgment, typifying the fact that Christ died on the cross paying the price for our sin.

One last interesting fact, have you ever considered why within the Holy of Holy, the Ark was not a singular piece of furniture, it is addressed as two separate pieces.

The Ark (the box with no top) and the Mercy Seat (a temporary lid which served another purpose other than being connected with the box).

But what was a symbol behind these articles.

The Ark was a sepulcher; and the Mercy Seat which was placed on top of it is a throne seat.

These two articles are not directly fused together or connected with attachments.

The Ark is made of shittinm wood (shittim wood, the same as acacias wood, also spelled: arcade, and acadia), wood covered in gold, where the Mercy Seat is made of pure gold.

A sepulcher is normally connected to the lid which is not the case here, which is why the lid is separate to indicate it is temporary in the same case that Christ was temporarily a human being covered in gold symbolizing His deity, wherein he would physically die in being identified as deity only afterward.

And the sepulcher had no lid because the grave could not hold Him

Yet the Mercy Seat was made with two angels symbolizing where Christ would sit in Mercy to those He loved, and judgment for the others.  

The Angels bowed their heads in inverted their eyes from looking where Jesus would be sitting on the seat which was a sign of reverence, and fear concerning the Majesty and deity of Jesus Christ.

What this is amazing is that the same type of wood (shittim wood, the same as acacias wood, also spelled: arcade, and acadia) which was the type of thorn bush that was burning, the same word that was used on the tabernacle, the same wood of the cross, and the same wood which made up the thorns on Christ’s brow; symbolized would that had been alive in now was dead due to sin, due to the curse of sin which is also seen in the thorns.

Shadows
What’s amazing is that there are other types of woods that could’ve been used, yet it is the consistency that is necessary for typology to be maintained within the Bible, God does not show himself inconsistent in validating the types and models he utilizes, also referred to as shadows.

Regarding the tabernacle being a model which symbolized other things we need only refer to Hebrews 8:4-6 which states:

“For if he were on earth, he should not be a priest, seeing that there are priests that offer gifts according to the law: Who serve unto the example and shadow of heavenly things, as Moses was admonished of God when he was about to make the tabernacle: for, See, saith he, that thou make all things according to the pattern shewed to thee in the mount. But now hath he obtained a more excellent ministry, by how much also he is the mediator of a better covenant, which was established upon better promises.”

As well as Hebrews 10:1,

“For the law having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect.”

And Colossians 2:16-17 which states,

“Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days: Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ.”

Many types to illustrate the many facets of that which is being symbolized in order to enhance perspective, yet none of the types or examples are never used concerning a different substance which is being symbolized, otherwise there would be in inconsistency wherein contrary and confusing symbolisms would be made.

God does not work this way.

Because the Bible is God’s vehicle of where we are to obtain faith (“faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the word of God” ~ Romans 10:17), and faith cannot grow where there is inconsistency.

The Bible is one volume made up of 66 books, with 40 scribes, yet only one author

It is amazing of the 40 some odd authors of the Bible they never contradict each other concerning typology, this displays a single author of one mind which we refer to as a Holy Spirit, He is a true author of God’s Word, wherein man were utilized as scribes, yet still contributing part of themselves without violating God’s design – this is something only God could do.

This begs the question why use typology, or better stated concerning our above example, what was the tabernacle an example of?

The tabernacle is a symbol of Jesus Christ.

Remember Jesus’ words as found in John 5:39:

“for in the Scriptures you seek life, it is these that speak of me.”

Have you noticed how little many people think that the Old Testament speaks of Christ.

Yet through typology Christ is seen in every book, every chapter; such as the tabernacle.

Now Back to the Subject Matter concerning the Theophanies of Christ, Considering the Burning Bush

It’s very easy, what Moses saw when he sought a bush that was on fire and not consumed, wherein he understood the symbolism; was grace.

The arcade bush was a symbol of the curse wherein thorns were created.

Fire has always been a symbol of God’s judgment, which is why the sacrifices of the and the Temple used fire on the brazen altar’s.

So what was so amazing about this bush was the fact that when Moses looked upon it it was a symbol of sin being judged, yet not being consumed or destroyed -this was an enigma, a mystery that would exist decades until a soldier would look up at a man being crucified in saying this was truly a righteous man, with the man making a statement (not a question), father, why have you forsaken me.

This is the question of the ages?

Why would God judge and condemn a righteous man who was innocent?

It was so that the condemned would be set free!

This is another example of Jesus Christ, and God’s grace.

Jesus Christ was judged for the sins of the world, in fact it says that He was made sin for us (“For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.” ~ 2 Cor. 5:21), this judgment came from God because of sin, yet concerning the burning bush, it was not consumed and destroyed.

The reason was, Jesus Christ was sinless deity, wherein God provided grace for us that deserved none, we who are the Acadia (shittim wood, the same as acacias wood, also spelled: arcade, and acadia)  bush in the world, because he who deserved no judgment, took our judgment upon himself and became a curse judged yet not consumed, the same as the was on fire yet not destroyed.

What Moses saw was grace.

Men are not attracted to God out of judgment and fear, they are attracted by grace.  This is not to say that man should not fear God, he should have a healthy respectful fear for God understanding that he is simple and God is deity.

There is a difference between being attracted to God, and being fearful to the place of not having a personal relationship out of fear.

We need to have a fear of hell and judgment, yet what keeps bringing me back to God’s throne after I mess up is God’s grace.

It is his grace that is so appealing, so compelling that even after I fall down yet one more time, I crawl to the cross where he stands me up, not because I am fearful, because fear drives me away from God the same as it did with Adam.

Fear makes me attempt to get right before God in an attempt to find my own type of fig leafs.  And while fear is healthy, it is grace that attracts me, like him off to the flame of his love.

This is why the wonder of the burning bush was so important – it was an example of grace that caught Moses’s attention.

And is one of the thousands of Scriptures which display at typology, a model, a symbol, a shadow, a representation of Jesus Christ.

Jesus is the Only One
What also should be noted concerning the exact identity of the deity that spoke out of the burning bush, as well as the other listed times in the Bible that deity is seen in the Old Testament, it is the fact that God the Father’s dwelling place is in heaven upon His throne, He is never seen leaving it. 

This is because God cannot be in the presence of sin, in fact he can’t even look at it according to Habakkuk 1:13 which states:

“Thou art of purer eyes than to behold evil, and canst not look on iniquity: wherefore lookest thou upon them that deal treacherously, and holdest thy tongue when the wicked devoureth the man that is more righteous than he“

God is never seen coming to Earth after the fall, when the Earth is cursed because it is a sinful place.  

The Holy Spirit, is a spirit and does not maintain a physical body (Re: Matthew 3:16 concerning the spirit of God the descending “like” a dove, we must understand that the word “like” points out that this is a type, not an actual Dove.  When the words; “as” or “like” are used, they are used to indicate that the substance is not complete or real, it is only the appearance of something not the substance itself.  This is seen when Satan is referred to as a “roaring lion” in 1 Peter 5:8 – it uses the word “as”.  The Lion of the Tribe of Judah, wherein typology is utilized, is always a reference to Jesus Christ the Messiah of Israel.  Whereas in Peter this is where Satan attempts to look like Jesus, in the same way that the antichrist attempts to present himself as the Messiah.  It is when we understand Greek grammar and how words work that we come to better understand the complete consistency of God’s Word), or the ability to be contained within one (you talk about a mystery).

Therefore, the only Divinity to make an appearance in the Old Testament is Jesus Christ. 

And it is He that becomes a human in the New Testament, a Kinsmen Redeemer (please see the article concerning “Kinsman Redeemer“), to die for the sins of the world as one of us. 

It was by man that sin entered to the world, and it is by the God/man that sin is paid for. 

Jesus is the only one that is God, and that has visited man.

The following is an excerpt from the acclaimed theologian and scholar; Dr. Herbert Lockyer’s book “All the Doctrines of the Bible,”³ concerning Christ’s pre-incarnate appearances in the Old Testament.

The Theophanies of Jesus

The most striking Old Testament preparation for Christ’s Advent, however, were those wonderful theophanic appearances.

These pre-incarnate manifestations of His were designed to prepare the world for Christ’s more permanent abode in human flesh.

Biblical scholars identify “The angel of the Lord” – “The angel of his presence” – “The angel of the Covenant” (Genesis 22:14; 31:11, 13; Exodus 14:19; Isaiah 63:9; Malachi 3:1), as Christ, the Son of God, in pre-incarnate manifestation.

‘His incarnation is the center by reference to which all angelic ministrations are best understood.’

The most striking Old Testament preparation for Christ’s Advent, however, were those wonderful theophanic appearances. 

These pre-incarnate manifestations of His were designed to prepare the world for Christ’s more permanent abode in human flesh.

Biblical scholars identify “The angel of the Lord” – “The angel of his presence” – “The angel of the Covenant” (Genesis 22:14; 31:11, 13; Exodus 14:19; Isaiah 63:9; Malachi 3:1), as Christ, the Son of God, in pre-incarnate manifestation.

‘His incarnation is the center by reference to which all angelic ministrations are best understood.’

His Manifestation in Eden  (Genesis 3:15)

The pre-existent Christ as God, spoke of Himself as the coming Seed of the woman.  As God He was the promised; as the God-Man, He became the promise.  (see Genesis 3:22-24; Exodus 6:3, 5; Jude 1:14, 15; 2nd Thessalonians 1:7, 8).

His Manifestation to Hagar (Genesis 16:7-14)

This is the first time the angel is named.  Four times over we have the title, “The angel of the Lord,” “Jehovah”.  Here we have Him seeking the miserable outcast – a prophecy of His coming redemptive mission. (see John 4:14). 

His Manifestation to Moses (Exodus 3:2, 6, 14; 23:20, 21; Acts 7:38)

Typical deliverances were wrought by “The Angel of his presence,” who was no ordinary angel because of His exercise of divine prerogatives, the manifestation of divine preferences, and the claiming of homage due to Deity alone.

His Manifestation to Joshua (Joshua 5:13-15)

As Joshua succeeded Moses as the leader of Israel, the same mysterious Personage appeared, this time as “the captain of the host of the Lord.” Joshua had to learn that he was subordinate to another Leader worthy of adoration and worship.

His Manifestation to Abraham (Genesis 18:1-2; 22:11-13; 26:2, 5, 24, 25) 

One of the three heavenly visitors entertained by Abraham repeatedly assumed, and received, the name of Jehovah with honor due only to Him.  Both Abraham, and his son, Isaac, were the recipients of promises from the Lord of Glory.

His Manifestation to Jacob (Genesis 28; 32:24-32; 48:15, 16; Hosea 12:4, 5)

The angel, who redeemed Jacob from all evil was no common celestial messenger, but “the angel of the covenant” Himself who, at different periods of the patriarchs life, visited him with words of reassurance.

His Manifestation to Manoah (Judges 14:15-23; Isaiah 9:6) 

As the Omniscient One, the angel appeared to Manoah foretelling the birth and character of an extraordinary son, Sampson.  Here we have a visible revelation of divine majesty and a forgleam [“foreshadow”] of the character of the coming Messiah.

His Manifestation to Isaiah (Isaiah 6:1-13; John 12:39-41; see Ezekiel 1:1-28)

In his pre-Incarnate appearance to prophets, Christ came as the Revealer of God.  The words and burdens communicated to Isaiah, and others, came from “The angel of his presence” Isaiah’s Savior. (Isaiah 63:8-10). 

His Manifestation to Zachariah (Zachariah 1:8-13; 2:8-11; 3:1-10; 6:12-15)

The Prophet Zachariah describes a glorious Person, intimately acquainted with the counsels of the Most High, and as presiding over world affairs, directing, vindicating and interceding as no ordinary angel could do.  This Person exhibited the attributes of omniscience, omnipresence, and omnipotence.  God’s name was in Him. (Exodus 23:21). (Endnote# 3) 

Other evidence of Christ pre-existence are hinted at in Daniel 3:25 (RV), John 1:15; 6:22; 1 Peter 1:10, 11; Psalms 110:1; judges 6:12; 1 Corinthians 10:4, 9; Exodus 14:19; Colossians 1:16.

“The difference between ‘involvement’ and ‘commitment’ is like an eggs-and-ham breakfast:
the chicken was ‘involved’ – the pig was ‘committed’.”

bb 

Endnote
1.  Origen, Augustine, & Allegorical interpretation (References concerning allegations are within the body of this text)

Allegorical interpretation was allowed to cultivate due to a non-literal interpretation of the Bible.  Allegorical interpretation was referred to as spiritual interpretation, or figurative interpretation. This type of handling of God’s Word started with the work of the third century Alexandrian theologian, Origen (Origen Adamantius), (ca. 185-254).

He was completely dedicated to the allegorical method of interpretation like his mentor, Clement of Alexandria (Another teacher which many think of as so great wherein the reality displays he taught an immense amount of un-orthodox teaching as well).

Origen spiritualized virtually every Christian doctrine.

Under Origen’s influence, the blessed hope of the Christian apologists—belief in Christ’s imminent return to establish His kingdom—began to yield to the spiritual hermeneutics of Alexandria.

He maintained a theoretical threefold understanding of the meaning of Scripture: the literal, typological, and spiritual that supposedly corresponded to the threefold human nature—body, soul, and spirit.

In practice, however, he most frequently made a distinction between the literal and the spiritual method of interpretation of Scripture (e.g., De princ. 1.3.3).

The literal method, which Origen considered crude and unreliable, was allowed to the weak of intellect, the mass of Christians in general. The spiritual method, extolled by Origen, was reserved for a few like himself on whom the grace of the Holy Spirit is bestowed in the word of wisdom and knowledge (De princ. Preface, para. 8).

Origen did not believe in the deity of Christ in the normal sense. he believed that all humans including Christ had a pre-existence before the creation of the earth, wherein that those that did not maintain their love for the father became demons, and others in question became humans born on the Earth.  He believed that Christ was one of those that loved God the most and therefore became Lord.  He does not believe in the deity of Christ in the normal extent as a preexistent eternal God that is presented in the New Testament.  He also had issues with the atonement.  He is one of the last people you would ever want teaching in your Sunday school, in fact as the original author of Catholicism his salvation if based upon his own belief system is completely in doubt.  a simple reading of his own works is shocking to the Orthodox Christian.

Origen believed that there was a special spiritual meaning to text which supported his belief in a spiritual interpretation which only a very few, including himself were able to understand.  He taught a form of elitism which denied the Holy Spirit would open up the understanding of God’s word to the ordinary believer.  It is because of this that he came up with so many un-biblical and on Orthodox interpretations which many today refused to focus on, attempting to claim that he is Orthodox because the translators Westcott and Hort thought so highly of him.

Origen’s method of exegesis was so subjective that it allowed for an almost infinite number of symbolic meanings and interpretations of the Biblical text, most of which bore little resemblance to the plain meaning of the words. Mystical theological speculation was typical of Origen’s eschatology.

For example, according to his doctrine of the apokatastasis (restoration of everything in the universe to its original, spiritual, primeval state), there will be no hell or eternal punishment. Rather, the Logos will purify every living being, presumably even demons and Satan himself. Then Christ can return and raise all people, but in spiritual bodies only (De princ. 1.6.1-3; 3.4-6).

As for the meaning of the Second Coming, Origen explained away the gospel references to a literal, visible return of Christ and substituted a completely spiritualized interpretation (De princ. 2.11.2).

In essence, Origen taught that Christ’s return signifies His disclosure of Himself and His deity to all humanity in such a way that all might partake of His glory to the degree that each individual’s actions warrant (Comm. On Matt. 12.30).

In effect, Origen took the catalytic event of the prophetic calendar and reduced it to a kind of general, mystical encounter [that was only in the past, no future hope] with Christ.

Origin taught physics as well as metaphysics and other disciplines which would ingratiate themselves to an allegorical mindset. This seems unusual in that he took a literal Christ declarations to cast off your eye if it caused one to sin (Matt 19:12 ?) defend you in that Origen committed self-castration, which he later regretted.

He was an apparent follower of the philosopher Plato, entertaining ideas quite outside the Christian orthodoxy, teaching a form of re-Carnation wherein the individual would repetitively be reborn going through stages and tell being united with God, to the extent that he believed demons would eventually be accepted of God through this process. (Also see Wikipedia – http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Origen)

Origen’s allegorical interpretations, including his views on Bible prophecy, gained wide acceptance in the church of his day. His influence, followed by Constantine’s “Edict of Milan” (313 A.D.), which created religious tolerance within the realm; prepared the way for creation of Nicene Christianity as the state religion by Theodosius I (AD 347-395) in 380 A.D, with him being the last Emperor of both the Eastern and Western Roman Empires.

Augustine’s (354-430) teaching in the fourth century, are usually cited as the principal causes of Premillennialism’s eventual replacement by Amillennial eschatology.

Augustine became the most noted and influential theologian of the Western Church, writing “The city of God,” which portrayed the church as a new civic order during the ruins of the Roman Empire, which fractured into pieces by 476 A.D.

All of the above statements that Origen has made are taken from his own writings has found in his book “De principiis” which is translated to mean “first principles.”

It is no coincidence that the dark ages accompanied the allegorical teachings founded by Origen, and made fashionable by Augustine. It is during this time that the Bible was abused not only by a lack of handling by the masses, but by biblical figure to teaching by the clergy. This was the hallmark of the medieval church, with the Roman Catholic Church utilizing this type of butchery concerning God’s Word concerning any problematic doctrines, in which they turned into heresies, perhaps the most prominent eschatology.

2.  Martin Luther and  & Allegorical Interpretation

As the Reformation was springing up across Europe, and Martin Luther among others there came a move to a literal interpretation, yet they maintained a spiritual interpretation / Allegorical interpretation concerning eschatology, which has been prevalent in the Orthodox churches for almost 500 years.

It was not until the late 1800, and the work of individuals such as John Darby, Cyrus I. Scofield, and Charles Caldwell Ryrie, that a return to literal biblical interpretation once again became predominant within the church, as it was for the first three centuries wherein literal interpretation is all that the church fathers utilized.

It was through a literal teaching that God dealt with man according to a progressive revelation of His will, which became known as dispensationalism. Dispensationalism; is based upon a literal form of hermeneutics, which became defined according to the dividing of certain responsibilities or stewardship (the meaning of dispensational) of the man into ages (time periods) according to God’s revelation in which the return of Jesus was understood to be literal, wherein eschatology (Last days events) became known as pre-millennialism.

There are 3 major forms of eschatology, they are: Amillennialism (meaning no millennium, whereas in the Greek “A” in front of the word means “none,” or against), Premillennialism (which is a literal translation medium, meaning before the millennium), and Post-millennialism (meaning after the millennium, which is a teaching that the millennium occurred shortly after the time of Christ within the first few centuries of the church).

Dispensationalism, which may be subject to debate, yet it is the literal interpretation which it utilizes which should never be subject to debate. When one examines individuals within the Bible that were interpreting prior prophecies, they always without exception interpreted those prophecies as literal and never figurative.  This is always the case, and therefore is the model that we must utilize.

To re-state again, if the people that God called to do his work interpreted prior prophecies written within the Bible in a literal manner, this is the only example we are allowed.

This is not to say that there is no place for typology, which is where words are used in unusual form to indicate that they do not have a typical meaning.  in this case where the word meaning is clear with in the passage there is always a literal interpretation, and wherein words are used in an unusual manner these words indicate a symbol which is to be used in conjunction with the literal, not opposed to it.

Therefore, when the tabernacle is spoken about in a manner that utilize certain elements, those elements were literally used. Yet on top of this literal interpretation we understand the symbols of those elements which reinforce clarity concerning what God wants to bring forth.

It has been stated that typology is like adding color to a black-and-white picture, it never takes over or changes the literal elements of the picture. It simply adds nuance an understanding wherein clarity is gained and the picture becomes more beautiful than it was before.

3.  Source:  ALL THE DOCTRINES OF THE BIBLE, Herbert Lockyer, Zondervan Publishing House, Grand Rapids, MI 49502, USA, 1964-1975.
4.  Scriptures Regarding “Feet”

The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come; and unto him shall the gathering of the people be.  (Gen 49:10)

For Aaron and his sons shall wash their hands and their feet thereat:  (Exo 30:19)

Every place whereon the soles of your feet shall tread shall be yours: from the wilderness and Lebanon, from the river, the river Euphrates, even unto the uttermost sea shall your coast be.  (Deu 11:24)

And it came to pass, when they brought out those kings unto Joshua, that Joshua called for all the men of Israel, and said unto the captains of the men of war which went with him, Come near, put your feet upon the necks of these kings. And they came near, and put their feet upon the necks of them.  (Jos 10:24)

And it shall be, when he lieth down, that thou shalt mark the place where he shall lie, and thou shalt go in, and uncover his feet, and lay thee down; and he will tell thee what thou shalt do.  (Rth 3:4)

He maketh my feet like hinds’ feet: and setteth me upon my high places.  (2Sa 22:34)

Yea, forty years didst thou sustain them in the wilderness, so that they lacked nothing; their clothes waxed not old, and their feet swelled not.  (Neh 9:21)

For he is cast into a net by his own feet, and he walketh upon a snare.  (Job 18:8)

Thou madest him to have dominion over the works of thy hands; thou hast put all things under his feet:  (Psa 8:6)

He bowed the heavens also, and came down: and darkness was under his feet.  (Psa 18:9)

He maketh my feet like hinds’ feet, and setteth me upon my high places.  (Psa 18:33)

For dogs have compassed me: the assembly of the wicked have inclosed me: they pierced my hands and my feet.  (Psa 22:16)

The righteous shall rejoice when he seeth the vengeance: he shall wash his feet in the blood of the wicked.  (Psa 58:10)

Also, that the soul be without knowledge, it is not good; and he that hasteth with his feet sinneth.  (Pro 19:2)

Moreover the LORD saith, Because the daughters of Zion are haughty, and walk with stretched forth necks and wanton eyes, walking and mincing as they go, and making a tinkling with their feet:  (Isa 3:16)

And whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear your words, when ye depart out of that house or city, shake off the dust of your feet.  (Mat 10:14)

My head with oil thou didst not anoint: but this woman hath anointed my feet with ointment.  (Luk 7:46)

And whosoever will not receive you, when ye go out of that city, shake off the very dust from your feet for a testimony against them.  (Luk 9:5)

(It was that Mary which anointed the Lord with ointment, and wiped his feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was sick.)  (Joh 11:2)

Then cometh he to Simon Peter: and Peter saith unto him, Lord, dost thou wash my feet?  (Joh 13:6)

Peter saith unto him, Thou shalt never wash my feet. Jesus answered him, If I wash thee not, thou hast no part with me.  (Joh 13:8)

Simon Peter saith unto him, Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head.  (Joh 13:9)

Jesus saith to him, He that is washed needeth not save to wash his feet, but is clean every whit: and ye are clean, but not all.  (Joh 13:10)

And cast him out of the city, and stoned him: and the witnesses laid down their clothes at a young man’s feet, whose name was Saul.  (Act 7:58)

And as John fulfilled his course, he said, Whom think ye that I am? I am not he. But, behold, there cometh one after me, whose shoes of his feet I am not worthy to loose.  (Act 13:25)

Their feet are swift to shed blood:  (Rom 3:15)

And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;  (Eph 6:15)

And make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way; but let it rather be healed.  (Heb 12:13)

I know this may sound like an unusual title for an article, but please bear with me and maybe you’ll see a connection.

Due to my occupation at the time and being single, I was unable to own a dog in my mid-30s through my late 40s.  For some people this is no big deal, but if you’re alone and are a dog person, or an individual that loves animals; this is a big deal.

There’s just something about the unconditional love of an animal that I find remarkable.  To be honest with you, most of the time I think people stink.  Don’t get me wrong, even with this opinion it is marvelous to run into exceptions to this rule, which by God’s grace I do all the time.  Yet humanity in its fallen state is evil due to self-centeredness and the corruption that it affects everything around it.  It is so bad that the only way God could deal with it was to kill His own Son to take the place of us who deserve God’s wrath.

Having worked as an officer of the court in law enforcement (PI), and as a minister and chaplain, I’ve often said that if people were more like dogs there might not be as great of a need for either occupation.  Dogs are so loyal that even if their owners abuse them, the dog will remain devoted to that master.  Show me an example of that in humanity.

I honestly believe that God has given us domesticated animals to teach us something about Himself and the following story hopefully will help explain this insight.

I had longed for a dog for a long time, until in my late 40s I married a fantastic woman who owned a dog.  The dog was mean and hated me.  She would bite at me and didn’t want anything to do with me.  Although I won her over with kindness, she was always really my wife’s dog.

However, at the time our next-door neighbor, who also was our landlord owned a 120 pound German Shepherd who she sorely neglected.  No one ever spent any time with him and all he did was sit on a concrete slab in the snow.  Because of the neglect he received, this dog was vicious and mean, but I made up my mind that I would be friends with him.  I fed him baloney and spent time talking to him.  Eventually he came around.  I had an opportunity to let him come and spend time with us in our yard so he would have some company, and eventually the landlord agreed to sell him to me.

Now this was MY dog.  His name was Romo.  He was probably 5 years old and he loved me, and most important to me he loved my wife and would protect her. I loved him deeply.

Seven years later he died very painfully of hip dysplasia.  I took off work and stayed with him the day he died, speaking gentle words of love and caressing him.  When he died I was in greater pain that I had ever been due to the loss of someone dear to me. My grieving was immense and very private. I told my wife I wanted another dog, but not until I was old enough that the dog would outlive me.

Years later my wife told me about a family that breeds pedigreed, long-haired sable German Shepherds.  They had one left from a litter that just wouldn’t sell.  He was obviously an outcast and didn’t look much like a German Shepherd, but he at least got to live with his parents until we came along.

One of my favorite teachings in the Bible is Luke 3 which gives us the date that Jesus began and finished his ministry, and uses the Roman Emperor as a dating point, so I named him Tiberius, and we call him Ty.

Ty is a real rascal, his AKC middle name is Rapscallion (His full name is Tiberius Rapscallion Bolin).  He is cute, well balanced, loves everybody – especially squirrels, cats, birds and toys – and he will steal anything not nailed down and then joyfully run like the wind to carry away his new treasure.

His largest theft to date is that he has stolen the heart of an old man who has tried to forget the pain that love can bring when death calls.

At age 4, we found out that Ty has Pannis. It is a progressive autoimmune eye disease that leads to blindness and is incurable, although daily prescription eye drops can slow its progression.  He is still joyful and silly and completely devoted to me, and I faithfully administer the drops.

My puppy is broke.

Now what is the point of this article?

I am God’s broken puppy.

There are those of us that are messed up sinners, who understand the depravity of their own human nature and our short fallings.  We are broken and we know it.

And God always seems to love broken people.

At age 3 my mother was taken out of my life, and less than a decade later my father was, too.  I was very fortunate to have been raised by a woman and her family who loved me, and who were believers – real Christians, for which I am now eternally grateful.

However, I also spent years going through abuse, and subsequently attempted to medicate my pain with drugs and alcohol as a teenager, which caused scars that still haunt me today.

I am a messed up person.  I have no earthly idea of why God would give me insights into his Word, but He does even though I don’t deserve it. Yes, I used to study quite a bit and still do.   But I’ve not earned the right to understand some of the scriptural insights the Holy Spirit given to me as a gift.

The Holy Spirit led me to teachers which were truly blessed to understand things beyond their grasp. I cannot explain why God would give me spiritual discernment to understand and perceive truth in contrast to the deception that’s going on in far too many churches and denominations these days.

I know it sounds boastful, and especially arrogant to those that oppose the things that I have taught, yet my gratitude for God’s leading and the guiding of the Holy Spirit is beyond my ability to express it.

I cannot give you a rational reason for why God would ever use me to share His Word with others. I have messed up so many things in my life and I have made so many bad choices, in spite of knowing that these were bad choices I was making at the time.

I truly do believe I’m one of the worst sinners that called by the name of Christ, a Christian.

Yet, it is perhaps my brokenness that caused God to love me and be willing to use me to show His power, because when I come up with this stuff, it’s truly Him and not me when you hear something that sounds insightful.

I can totally relate to the sinful woman that shocked bystanders by breaking a vial of expensive perfume over Jesus’ feet, washed his feet with her tears and hair, and kissed His feet in gratitude.  She was completely overwhelmed by His forgiveness of her many sins.

“Wherefore I say unto thee, Her sins, which are many, are forgiven; for she loved much: but to whom little is forgiven, the same loveth little.” (Luke 7:47)

So now, in tears, I put drops in my puppy’s eyes every day, thanking God for this precious gift —  this broken puppy – because it reflects His love for me as His broken child. This is why we all need an attitude of gratitude, humility and grace, because of God’s love for us as broken people; wherein we can trust Him in everything in our lives because He is worthy of faith.

Brent          

Escalator stairway to success. Blue sky. 3d render

Salvation is always defined as receiving eternal life according to Jesus.  A consequence of receiving eternal life is that sin will no longer be your master, though you will sin is long as you are in your earthly body (1 John 1:8-10). 

All sins are intentional, unintentional sins would be sins that you’re unaware that you do so you don’t even know if you do them.  The “secret faults” David speaks about are intentional sins that are secret from the world, they are hidden sins that nobody sees but he that commits them.  This is what the Hebrew means, and cannot be disputed.

Salvation is not freedom from sin, though the believer has been free from the price of sin, and when he receives his resurrection body sin will no longer be a part of his life, believers do not pay the punishment of their sin, though most of the time they pay the consequences for those sins.

Jesus always defines salvation as receiving eternal life!

Jesus is recorded in John 10:28-30, as stating:

“And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand. I and my Father are one.”

Eternal life Passages – Where Salvation is Identified as Receiving Eternal life

And, behold, one came and said unto him, Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life? (Matthew 19:16 KJV)

And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal. (Matthew 25:46 KJV)

And when he was gone forth into the way, there came one running, and kneeled to him, and asked him, Good Master, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life? (Mark 10:17 KJV)

But he shall receive an hundredfold now in this time, houses, and brethren, and sisters, and mothers, and children, and lands, with persecutions; and in the world to come eternal life. (Mark 10:30 KJV)

And, behold, a certain lawyer stood up, and tempted him, saying, Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life? (Luke 10:25 KJV)

And a certain ruler asked him, saying, Good Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life? (Luke 18:18 KJV)

That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. (John 3:15 KJV)

And he that reapeth receiveth wages, and gathereth fruit unto life eternal: that both he that soweth and he that reapeth may rejoice together. (John 4:36 KJV)

Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me. (John 5:39 KJV)

Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day. (John 6:54 KJV)

Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life. (John 6:68 KJV)

And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. (John 10:28 KJV)

He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal. (John 12:25 KJV)

As thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him. (John 17:2 KJV)

And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent. (John 17:3 KJV)

And when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad, and glorified the word of the Lord: and as many as were ordained to eternal life believed. (Acts 13:48 KJV)

To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and immortality, eternal life: (Romans 2:7 KJV)

That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord. (Romans 5:21 KJV)

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

Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses. (1 Timothy 6:12 KJV)

Laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life. (1 Timothy 6:19 KJV)

In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began; (Titus 1:2 KJV)

That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life. (Titus 3:7 KJV)

(For the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and shew unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us;) (1 John 1:2 KJV)

And this is the promise that he hath promised us, even eternal life. (1 John 2:25 KJV)

Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him. (1 John 3:15 KJV)

And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. (1 John 5:11 KJV)

These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God. (1 John 5:13 KJV)

And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may know him that is true, and we are in him that is true, even in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life. (1 John 5:20 KJV)

Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life. (Jude 1:21 KJV)

Do you notice how many times in the sentences eternal life is the last word, conveying the idea that eternal life is the conclusion and cannot be changed, a point not missed by many translators.  Also notice that is always used with the same term “eternal life.”  And notice that a word search for everlasting indicates that there are only two choices, everlasting fire or hell, or everlasting life with God in heaven, and the sentence structure and grammar pronounces that a person is in either one state or the other (though there are times where it talks about an individual becoming a believer has now entered into our salvation – yet the point is no one ever leaves everlasting life to go to everlasting damnation.

Wherefore if thy hand or thy foot offend thee, cut them off, and cast them from thee: it is better for thee to enter into life halt or maimed, rather than having two hands or two feet to be cast into everlasting fire. (Matthew 18:8 KJV)

And every one that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name’s sake, shall receive an hundredfold, and shall inherit everlasting life. (Matthew 19:29 KJV)

And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal. (Matthew 25:46 KJV)

Who shall not receive manifold more in this present time, and in the world to come life everlasting. (Luke 18:30 KJV)

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. (John 3:16 KJV)

He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him. (John 3:36 KJV)

But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life. (John 4:14 KJV)

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 5:24 KJV)

Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you: for him hath God the Father sealed. (John 6:27 KJV)

And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day. (John 6:40 KJV) 

Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life. (John 6:47 KJV)

And I know that his commandment is life everlasting: whatsoever I speak therefore, even as the Father said unto me, so I speak. (John 12:50 KJV)

Then Paul and Barnabas waxed bold, and said, It was necessary that the word of God should first have been spoken to you: but seeing ye put it from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, lo, we turn to the Gentiles. (Acts 13:46 KJV)

But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life. (Romans 6:22 KJV)

For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting. (Galatians 6:8 KJV)

Howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might shew forth all longsuffering, for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting. (1 Timothy 1:16 KJV)

Brent

Filed under: Brent's - Biblical Doctrine, Brent's - Biblical Word Quest, Eternal Security vs. Eternal Life Series, Most Vital Articles, Notable Works and Notable Original Works Tagged: Assurance, Biblical assurance, discernment, Eternal Security, Faith, losing salvation, Salvation, salvation defined, saved from sin is salvation, Sin

Introduction 
When was Jesus born?  This is not an attack on Christmas, it is a correction of the traditions of men, yet it is the savior of this universe that is important, not when men choose to celebrate his birth, please see my conclusion in order to gain a greater understanding of what I mean.

The Key
The key is Luke 3:1, which can help determine when Christ was crucified.  If we know when Jesus was crucified, and we understand that He was 33 and half years old when this occurred, we can determine when He was born by counting backwards 33 1/2 years.

This is the basis for Sir Robert Anderson’s book “The Coming Prince,” published in the 1890s.

Luke 3:1, which dates the start of Jesus ministry, when he was 30 years old (Luke 3:23, “about” – He was 30 1/2) at Passover, in April;   

“Now in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, Pontius Pilate being governor of Judaea, and Herod being tetrarch of Galilee, and his brother Philip tetrarch of Ituraea and of the region of Trachonitis, and Lysanias the tetrarch of Abilene.

Luke 3:22, is where Jesus enters the scene, at the same time. 

…Jesus also being baptized, and praying, the heaven was opened, And the Holy Ghost descended in a bodily shape like a dove upon him, and a voice came from heaven, which said, Thou art my beloved Son; in thee I am well pleased…

To summarize Sir Robert Anderson’s work; according to Luke 3:1, Jesus started his Ministry during (in) the 15th year of Tiberius. Tiberias was appointed during the year 14 AD (Augustus died August 19, 14 AD), therefore Jesus started his public Ministry in the year 29 AD.

We know that according to scripture Jesus was crucified on the fourth Passover after starting his public Ministry by utilizing the four Gospels, 3 are which are synoptic (Matthew, Mark, Luke) and can be aligned chronologically.

Therefore, Jesus was crucified on Passover, the 14th of Nisan (Hebrew calendar) in the year 32, which would’ve been April 10 in the year 32 AD on the Gregorian calendar. Jesus being 33 1/2 years old on this date, counting backwards would mean that He was born 1 BC in the autumn, around the first of the Hebrew month, “Tishri,” at the last of the month September on the Gregorian calendar, right around the “Feast of Trumpets.”

Conclusion
So what does this mean?  As for me, I choose to celebrate the birth of my Savior on December 25 as a point of remembrance, understanding that we do not have the exact date of His birth because the first century church was consumed with the resurrection of Jesus, wherein he died for the sins of the world as opposed to His birth. 

The point I’m making is that it is not the innocent child born in the manger that we should be is consumed with, as much as the savior who died for the sins of the world. 

I celebrate and glorify God for the day that our Savior entered this sinful existence to live for 33 years on this hostile plane, in order that He would die for me, for my sins, and all of those that would choose to put their faith in Him. 

This knowledge doesn’t change my attitude of joy and gratitude for His birth, it simply gives more credence to my choice of when to worship the birth of the King of this universe. 

What’s most important is not when I celebrate, but who I celebrate. 

(Shorted form the article: “The Date Jesus was Born.” This full version is: LINK)

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The following was written by Koinonia House

Introduction
Each year at Christmas we celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ. After the New Year, we struggle to remember to add a year as we date our checks, which should remind us that the entire Western World reckons its calendar from the birth of the One who changed the world more than any other before or since.

Yet, it is disturbing to discover that much of what we have been taught about the Christmas season seems to be more tradition than truth.

Most serious Bible students realize that Jesus was probably not born on December 25th. The shepherds had their flocks in open fields, which implies a date prior to October. Furthermore, no competent Roman administrator would require registration involving travel during the season when Judea was generally impassable.

If Jesus wasn’t born on December 25, just when was he born? Although the Bible doesn’t explicitly identify the birthday of our Lord, many scholars have developed diverse opinions as to the likely birthday of Jesus.

The early Christian church did not celebrate Jesus’ birth, and therefore the exact date was not preserved in festivals. The first recorded mention of December 25th is in the Calendar of Philocalus (AD 354), which assumed Jesus’ birth to be Friday, December 25th, AD 1.

This was subsequent to Constantine’s Edict of Toleration in AD 313, which officially ended the government-sanctioned persecution of the Christians.

The date of December 25th, which was officially proclaimed by the church fathers in AD 440, was actually a vestige of the Roman holiday of Saturnalia, observed near the winter solstice, which itself was among the many pagan traditions inherited from the earlier Babylonian priesthood.

The year of Jesus’ birth is broadly accepted as 4 BC, primarily from erroneous conclusions derived from Josephus’ recording of an eclipse, assumed to be on March 13, 4 BC, “shortly before Herod died.”

There are a number of problems with this in addition to the fact that it was more likely the eclipse occurred on December 29, 1 B.C. Considerable time elapsed between Jesus’ birth and Herod’s death since the family fled to Egypt to escape Herod’s edict and they didn’t return until after Herod’s death. Furthermore, Herod died on January 14, 1 BC.

Tertullian (born about 160 AD) stated that Augustus began to rule 41 years before the birth of Jesus and died 15 years after that event. Augustus died on August 19, 14 AD, placing Jesus’ birth at 2 BC.

Tertullian also notes that Jesus was born 28 years after the death of Cleopatra in 30 BC, which is consistent with a date of 2 BC.  Irenaeus, born about a century after Jesus, also notes that the Lord was born in the 41st year of the reign of Augustus. Since Augustus began his reign in the autumn of 43 BC, this also appears to substantiate the birth in 2 BC.

Eusebius (264-340 AD), the “Father of Church History,” ascribes it to the 42nd year of the reign of Augustus and the 28th from the subjection of Egypt on the death of Anthony and Cleopatra. The 42nd year of Augustus ran from the autumn of 2 BC to the autumn of 1 BC.

The subjugation of Egypt into the Roman Empire occurred in the autumn of 30 BC. The 28th year extended from the autumn of 3 BC to the autumn of 2 BC. The only date that would meet both of these constraints would be the autumn of 2 BC.

Another approach in determining the date of Jesus’ birth is from information about John the Baptist. Elisabeth, John’s mother, was a cousin of Mary and the wife of a priest named Zacharias who was of the “course” of Abijah (Priests were divided into 24 courses and each course officiated in the Temple for one week, from Sabbath to Sabbath).

When the Temple was destroyed by Titus on August 5, 70 AD, the first course of priests had just taken office. Since the course of Abijah was the eighth course, we can track backwards and determine that Zacharias would have ended his duties on July 13, 3 BC.

If the birth of John took place 280 days later, it would have been on April 19-20, 2 BC (precisely on Passover of that year).

John began his ministry in the 15th year of Tiberius Caesar. The minimum age for the ministry was 30. As Augustus died on August 19, 14 AD, that was the accession year for Tiberius.

If John was born on April 19-20, 2 BC, his 30th birthday would have been April 19-20, 29 AD, or the 15th year of Tiberius. This seems to confirm the 2 BC date and, since John was five months older, this also confirms the autumn birth date for Jesus.

Elisabeth hid herself for five months and then the Angel Gabriel announced to Mary both Elisabeth’s condition and that Mary also would bear a son who would be called Jesus. Mary went “with haste” to visit Elisabeth, who was then in the first week of her sixth month, or the fourth week of December, 3 BC.

If Jesus was born 280 days later it would place the date of his birth on September 29, 2 BC. If Jesus was born on September 29, 2 BC, it is interesting to note that it was also the First of Tishri, the day of the Feast of Trumpets.

Written by: KOINONIA HOUSE, Founder: Chuck Missler, Coeur d’Alene, Idaho 83816, USA, 2008, eNews, electronic media.

Brent

Something to think about.

Addressing a Reader’s Comment
There was a presentation made on a Christian website concerning eternal security, where a reader made the following comment, and I responded as well.

The Comment
We are saved by faith, walk by faith and are kept by faith. Willful sin will destroy faith and our hearts will once again condemn us. This sin if not repented of will become our God and we will lose the grace of God and die spiritually. It happens, it happened to me. God revealed to me that in this state I would lose my soul in hell forever. I found my way back to him and repented of my sin and found wonderful peace and assurance of his salvation once again. If we trust in eternal security rather than keeping our trust in him we will be deceived.

My response
I don’t want to come across condescending, but you are absolutely wrong – 100% wrong.

What you have stated is the premise of many of those who believe that you can lose your salvation based upon a misunderstanding of the Scripture, in fact what you stated is heretical to Christianity, though I know you did not mean it that way

I point this out not to embarrass you, but to display how dangerous this teaching is, though its proponents would claim the opposite – I beg of you to please bear with me and you’ll see what I mean.

We are not saved by faith, we are saved by grace as the Scripture says:

“For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.”  (Ephesians 2:8-10 KJV).

We are not saved by good works, we are saved to do good works.

Now, you may say that was a misstatement that you made, but you display that your belief system is based upon merit, that you must do something to be saved.

This is the opposite of being saved by grace.

Grace is God’s unmerited favor, by its very definition there can be nothing that merits this favor, and by you saying that you’re trading faith for salvation, you are saying you merit salvation.

It is because of the superficial teaching found in many churches that this kind of thing goes on.

We are saved by grace, end of story.

You thinking that you trade faith for salvation is a works based theology that will send you to hell.

You see if you read the Greek grammar you can tell that faith is not traded, faith is the state of the inner man (soul) that perceives something as being fact, it’s not a tool to achieve that thing (Heb. 11:1).

I can have faith all day long that I can fly, but when I tried to earn the ability to fly, all I do is break my neck when I jump off the top of the barn.

Let me give you an analogy that the Greek grammar supports, and that you can understand whenever were talking about grace and faith.

If I tell you that I have had a house built that cost me hundred million dollars, that it is filled with every toy and convenience I could ever think of, that it has a safe that has $1 billion in cash in the basement with the door wide open waiting for the occupant,

And I told you that if you went to the Dallas Metrodome, and looked underneath seat # 777, and found a set of car keys to a Porsche parked in that parking lot.

And that if you would get the car keys walk into the parking lot and push the remote button every time you saw Porsche, you would eventually find the car that I left for you.

And inside the glove compartment was the deed for this house left blank for you to write your name in.

And that there was $10,000 cash to get you started, that there was a description telling you where the house was, and advising you of an attorney that was waiting for you to call to transfer all other assets to you.

You would think I was crazy.

In fact the only way that you would receive this great gift from me is if you believe that it existed, that I was telling you the truth and that you could only receive it by the action of faith, by driving to the Metrodome, look for the car keys, find the car, go to the house and take possession, write your name on the deed, and lastly call the attorney that I have listed to give him your name so that all the assets and privileges of ownership are yours – you did nothing to earn any of it – you didn’t even trade the inconvenience of driving from Southern California, if that’s where you lived; to the Dallas area.

Yes, it may have been inconvenient, but did you trade; no you stepped out in faith and it cost you something to do so, but everything that you did was motivated upon a belief of what I told you, or had written in a book to you, is true (such as in the case of the Bible).

It is your exercise of faith in what I said that gains you these great gifts which you never paid for or earned.

You never did anything to get them, and attempting to say that driving to Dallas is how you earned the house is ridiculous.

It presumes that anyone that would drive to Dallas would receive $1 billion, that presumption is completely false, and so is it the thought that by exercising faith you trade this for salvation.

You see brother the problem you have is a way that you are thinking, you’re displaying a mindset of reciprocity, of thinking that you’ve done something or paid a price to be a child of God.

I have no doubt that you feel like you’ve sacrificed much while other unbelievers have fun in life, yet a mindset of reciprocity again will send you to hell.

None of us have done anything at any time to deserve salvation.

And by the way salvation is not a lack of sin, or even being freed from sin, which is a consequence of salvation.

Salvation according to Jesus Christ is defined as gaining “eternal life.”

Every time Jesus speaks about salvation He refers to it as “eternal life.”

(see: http://faithbibleministriesblog.com/2016/03/25/jesus-definition-of-salvation-eternal-life/)

Was Jesus a liar, did He mean a different word for eternal, no He met what He said and said what He meant.

Salvation is eternal life and it cannot therefore be temporary, you cannot lose it, because you did not gain it by merit or any works of your own.  It is a free gift of God, you simply received it.

So how can eternal life be anything but eternal and therefore permanent?

I’m not attempting to do any solicitation here, but perhaps reading some of my articles on this subject based upon the Greek language which I’ve not even discussed here, wherein every time salvation is addressed in the Bible, the Greek grammar mainly uses the present tense, meaning it is a current action that never ever ends.

There is evidence after evidence in the Greek language that give no other conclusion than eternal life is eternal and cannot be lost.

The only question is if an individual has actually been saved in the first place, as opposed to those that did all the church activities, who were administrators of ministries, which would be a necessity to cast out evil spirit and did miracles.

You see they didn’t do the miracles, God is the only one that does miracles.

God can do miracles simply because the recipient seeks the miracle out of faith, just because a person presiding over them in prayer, does mean that they were the ones that God responded to and brought the miracle.

Jesus told us that there would be many that are self-deceived thinking that they are believers when in reality their fraudulent.

Their self-deceived, thinking that they are doing something that God is doing, thinking they understand what Christianity is.

Christianity is not being saved by faith, Christianity has been, and always will be about being saved by grace, and grace can only be accepted in faith.

Brent

From Brent,
I wanted to take this opportunity to communicate to the email subscribers and any frequent visitors.

Blog-site Practices
It has always been my intention to create or republish an article every week.  

I believe consistency is very important, though with my outside responsibilities and ministries, far too often I cannot keep up with this commitment due to my schedule.

The articles that I republish are ones that I feel are important and need to be found on Google which mandates republishing them in order for them to gain exposure.

There have been too many times that due to my anxiousness to meet my own weekly goal, I have put out material that has not been edited correctly, or enough.

I feel that God is correcting me to the place of getting it right, rather than doing it fast, this is an ongoing issue that will now affect my publication of articles.

My intent is to create more articles rather than republish, and as such I am not going to allow the time constraints that I place upon myself to get in the way of doing these articles correctly.

I need to spend more time on the articles I present, and I am starting to produce short videos in the very near future.

I am hoping that I will be able to produce new articles every few weeks or so, anyone that has seen my somewhat exhaustive style, understands that I go through a lot of material, covering many different issues besides the main topic.

Teaching Style
Many people have referred to my teaching style as that of following a main trail to a destination, wherein I also go down many rabbit trails in the process.

I have derived this type of teaching style in order that I can teach on a main subject, yet convey much more material on many diverse issues as well.

Some professionals call it a Gestalt teaching style (presenting a massive mosaic of a single picture, that is made up of many small individual pieces of information).

Some people are overwhelmed, or don’t like it, but it does serve a purpose.

Method to the Madness
I do this in an attempt to follow my favorite teacher Paul, who in his writing uses run-on sentences and therefore presents massive paragraphs with many commas, going down many different roads and whose public teaching style was rather long-winded and exhaustive, who might teach for 12 hours such as is noted in Acts 20:7-11, where he started at dust, went 12 hours and continued through dawn, though this was no doubt a special occasion.  Paul was leaving on the next day, however, the church fathers tell us that it was common for Paul to preach for many hours.

In our current culture and society, where even the church won’t spend a full hour preaching the gospel each Sunday morning, wherein many in the church don’t know the word of God, or understand the depths of meaning found in the Scripture, I feel that presenting large amounts of information as I do is profitable for those that would take the time to read many of my articles.  

I admit that if you do not have tenacity, I may not be the author to read.  Not to mention the fact I am not a good writer to begin with (see how I ended this sentence regarding the use of prepositions, which should have been “Not to mention the fact I am not a talented writer.”).

This writing style is my way of attempting to communicate vast amounts of information under the leading of the Holy Spirit to those that would commit themselves to spend the time, and go down the many rabbit trails I travel.  

I also attempt to use a lot of pictures to convey understanding on different levels (Outcome based teaching methods have shown that the use of symbols, stories, and pictures; charts and graphs, along with video are remembered by the audience much longer, and concepts are gained much easier – No doubt this is the reason that Jesus constantly utilized stories to his hearers to expand their understanding, and aid in remembering the principles He taught).

Commitment
This is how I learned in great depth, spending many more hours than my peers, learning Greek, and allowing the Holy Spirit to take me beyond denominational, and man attributed doctrines – so this is how I teach.

There is an expression I love,

“God is not as concerned with my ability, as much as my availability.”  

I would urge those who wish to dig deeper in God’s word to become tenacious, willing to spend the time and energy to understand what it says, and not simply regurgitate Bible school, denominational or theological doctrine; which is more and more teaching the precepts of man, as compared to the word of God.   

Find Godly scholars of the Word, not neglecting those who have written hundreds of years ago, and teachers, men of God that practice dying-to-self; who dig deep into the word of God, displaying persistence and tenacity, and refusing to compromise with the sin nature or the world.

Video Production
I am finally at the place where I will start producing video segments, having the studio, equipment, and computers set-up and ready to start filming

These video segments will normally only be 10 to 15 minutes long, with the occasional long-winded presentation which cannot be covered in a few minutes without doing damage to the subject matter.

It is unfortunate that reading is becoming a lost art, where the Internet and YouTube, as well as other forms of media presentations, centered on video have become the normal acceptable form of presentation.

This is the reason for attempting to use video, and use shorter segments in order to communicate God’s word to a wider audience.

Current Schedule
I am currently working on part 2 of the “Dying-to-self series,” “Putting Off the Old Man.”  Part 3 and 4 are almost completed as well, needing a few more days for editing.

Today’s Article
It has been two weeks since I have published part 1 of the “Dying-to-self Series,” and I have wanted to present the writings Warren Wiersbe, I am presenting the following article written by Warren concerning the whole “Armor of God,” which I thought would add to our current theme of dying-to-self.  

Please keep myself and this ministry in your prayers, that we will follow the leading of the Holy Spirit in presenting teaching concerning the most important book ever to have been written, regarding the most important subject ever to be written – God; and His Son, Jesus the Christ, who gave Himself as a living Sacrifice for us.  

It is for His glory that we who call upon His name, and are God’s children do exist.  

Your brother in Christ, Brent L Bolin

Warren Wiersbe’s Short Exegesis of the “Whole Armor of God”

“Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. (14) Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; (15) And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; (16) Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. (17) And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: (18) Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints”

Since we are fighting against enemies in the spirit world, we need special equipment both for offense and defense. God has provided the “whole armor” for us, and we dare not omit any part. Satan looks for that unguarded area where he can get a beachhead (Eph. 4:27). Paul commanded his readers to put on the armor, take the weapons, and withstand Satan, all of which we do by faith. Knowing that Christ has already conquered Satan, and that the spiritual armor and weapons are available, by faith we accept what God gives us and go out to meet the foe. The day is evil, and the enemy is evil, but “if God be for us, who can be against us?” (Rom. 8:31)

The girdle of truth (Eph. 6:14).

Satan is a liar (John 8:44), but the believer whose life is controlled by truth will defeat him. The girdle holds the other parts of the armor together, and truth is the integrating force in the life of the victorious Christian. A man of integrity, with a clear conscience, can face the enemy without fear. The girdle also held the sword. Unless we practice the truth, we cannot use the Word of truth. Once a lie gets into the life of a believer, everything begins to fall apart. For over a year, King David lied about his sin with Bathsheba, and nothing went right. Psa. 32:1-11 and Psa. 51:1-19 tell of the price he paid.

The breastplace of righteousness (Psa. 51:14.)

This piece of armor, made of metal plates or chains, covered the body from the neck to the waist, both front and back. It symbolizes the believer’s righteousness in Christ (2 Cor. 5:21) as well as his righteous life in Christ (Eph. 4:24). Satan is the accuser, but he cannot accuse the believer who is living a godly life in the power of the Spirit. The life we live either fortifies us against Satan’s attacks or makes it easier for him to defeat us (2 Cor. 6:1-10). When Satan accuses the Christian, it is the righteousness of Christ that assures the believer of his salvation. But our positional righteousness in Christ, without practical righteousness in the daily life, only gives Satan opportunity to attack us.

The shoes of the Gospel (Eph. 6:15).

The Roman soldier wore sandals with hobnails in the soles to give him better footing for the battle. If we are going to “stand” and “withstand,” then we need the shoes of the Gospel. Because we have the peace with God (Rom. 5:1) that comes from the Gospel, we need not fear the attack of Satan or men. We must be at peace with God and with each other if we are to defeat the devil (Jam. 4:1-7). But the shoes have another meaning. We must be prepared each day to share the Gospel of peace with a lost world. The most victorious Christian is a witnessing Christian. If we wear the shoes of the Gospel, then we have the “beautiful feet” mentioned in Isa. 52:7 and Rom. 10:15. Satan has declared war, but you and I are ambassadors of peace (2 Cor. 5:18-21); and, as such, we take the Gospel of peace wherever we go.

The shield of faith (Eph. 6:16).

The shield was large, usually about four feet by two feet, made of wood, and covered with tough leather. As the soldier held it before him, it protected him from spears, arrows, and “fiery darts.” The edges of these shields were so constructed that an entire line of soldiers could interlock shields and march into the enemy like a solid wall. This suggests that we Christians are not in the battle alone. The “faith” mentioned here is not saving faith, but rather living faith, a trust in the promises and the power of God. Faith is a defensive weapon which protects us from Satan’s fiery darts. In Paul’s day, arrows, dipped in some inflammable substance and ignited, were shot at the enemy. Satan shoots “fiery darts” at our hearts and minds: lies, blasphemous thoughts, hateful thoughts about others, doubts, and burning desires for sin. If we do not by faith quench these darts, they will light a fire within and we will disobey God. We never know when Satan will shoot a dart at us, so we must always walk by faith and use the shield of faith.

The helmet of salvation (Eph. 6:17).

Satan wants to attack the mind, the way he defeated Eve (Gen. 3:1-24; 2 Cor. 11:1-3). The helmet refers to the mind controlled by God. It is too bad that many Christians have the idea that the intellect is not important, when in reality it plays a vital role in Christian growth, service, and victory. When God controls the mind, Satan cannot lead the believer astray. The Christian who studies his Bible and learns the meaning of Bible doctrines is not going to be led astray too easily. We need to be “taught by Him as the truth is in Jesus” (Eph. 4:21). We are to “grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ” (2 Pet. 3:18). Wherever Paul ministered, he taught the new converts the truths of the Word of God, and this helmet protected them from Satan’s lies.

One Sunday afternoon, I visited a man who had been a deacon in a local church, but was at that time involved in a false cult. We sat at the table with open Bibles, and I tried to show him the truth of God’s Word, but it seemed his mind was blinded by lies. “How did you happen to turn away from a Bible-preaching church and get involved in this belief?” I asked, and his reply stunned me.

“Preacher, I blame the church. I didn’t know anything about the Bible, and they didn’t teach me much more. I wanted to study the Bible, but nobody told me how. Then they made me a deacon, and I wasn’t ready for it. It was too much for me. I heard this man preaching the Bible over the radio and it sounded as if he knew something. I started reading his magazine and studying his books, and now I’m convinced he’s right.”

What a tragedy that when his local church took him in, they failed to fit him with the helmet of salvation. Had they practiced the truth found in 2 Tim. 2:2, this man might not have been a casualty in the battle.

The sword of the Spirit (2 Tim. 2:17).

This sword is the offensive weapon God provides us. The Roman soldier wore on his girdle a short sword which was used for close-in fighting. Heb. 4:12 compares the Word of God to a sword, because it is sharp and is able to pierce the inner man just as a material sword pierces the body. You and I were “cut to the heart” (Acts 2:37; Acts 5:33) when the Word convicted us of our sins. Peter tried to use a sword to defend Jesus in the Garden (Luke 22:47-51); but he learned at Pentecost that the “sword of the Spirit” does a much better job. Moses also tried to conquer with a physical sword (Exo. 2:11-15), only to discover that God’s Word alone was more than enough to defeat Egypt.

A material sword pierces the body, but the Word of God pierces the heart. The more you use a physical sword, the duller it becomes; but using God’s Word only makes it sharper in our lives. A physical sword requires the hand of a soldier, but the sword of the Spirit has its own power, for it is “living and powerful” (Heb. 4:12). The Spirit wrote the Word, and the Spirit wields the Word as we take it by faith and use it. A physical sword wounds to hurt and kill, while the sword of the Spirit wounds to heal and give life. But when we use the sword against Satan, we are out to deal him a blow that will cripple him and keep him from hindering God’s work.
Taken From:

WIERSBE’S EXPOSITORY OUTLINES, By Warren W. Wiersbe

The following is a response that I made to an individual believer who cannot maintain the concept that God truly loves her.

She feels that she has committed a sin which God cannot forget or forgive as many of us have.

She, as many of us may be dealing with other cognitive or emotional issues such as depression, perhaps even bipolar disorder.

This is relevant in understanding the exact nature of what she must deal with on the physical and emotional level.

The spiritual level is what I address concerning her acceptance of God accepting her as a child of his based NOT upon her own behaviors, but upon faith and trust in God concerning the atoning work of Jesus Christ on the cross, who died for believers sins, becoming our sin offering (leaving us to be the “scapegoat”, having our sins placed upon Jesus as our sacrificial sin offering. Leviticus 16:5-27).

Being treated as we deserve to be treated on the cross, where God could not be joined to him because Jesus not only wore the sins of the world and paid the price, but as it says in Corinthians, he became sin for us (2 Corinthians 5:21 (KJV) ~ “For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.).

Yes this amazing Grace is that Jesus was treated as we deserve to be treated on the cross, so that we believers can be treated as Jesus should be treated in God’s presence.

I felt that this issue may be one that others are grappling with as well.

It also displays what I referred to in the previous article I published concerning teaching styles, wherein I present one main theme, while also making many departures in teaching on a number of different related subjects, so that the individual receives as much information from God’s word as possible, according to the blessing of the Holy Spirit.

This response to this individual was one of many others, therefore if I make a statement without presenting scriptural evidence it is because I’ve already done so in a previous response to her.

If you would like the Scripture, or other reference, please email me and I will provide for you.

There is no sin that we can do TODAY which is not forgivable.

Regarding the “Unforgivable Sin,” please the following LINK.  

Brent

 Jane Doe,

You don’t need to answer this for me, but these are just concerns that I have when I see how you can go from one extreme belief one day to the opposite belief the next.

If you have what is called intruding thoughts, which we all have, but some of us have it at extreme level to where thoughts come into our head, and we try not to think about them, but they seem to overwhelmed us.

If any of these are the case, the main thing is for you to understand how your mind works, and that there are things that you can do to help.

But that is for someone else to help you address.

As a person that deals with depression myself, the one thing I have to remind myself on the down days, is that I really don’t believe what I’m thinking, the negative side which is not what is really part of my worldview.

And that this condition is temporary.

It’s hard to tell someone that what you’re feeling is NOT really true, and that it’s temporary; so just hold on and try to get through it for the day.

But, in certain cases that is the reality that certain people have to endure.

WHAT WILL HELP YOU GROW SPIRITUALLY

The thing I would suggest that would help in your situation, spiritually speaking is for you to read anything I’ve written on “faith,” and “Eternal Security.”

You see the devil and his minions love to take Christians that cognitive or emotional issues and are therefore insecure in their faith, or have felt that they have done something unforgivable such as yourself, and make them question their own salvation.

Remember, what he wants to do concerning believers is to keep them bogged down, not doing God’s will or growing spiritually.

He can’t kill them, so he tries to stop them from producing fruit, which he can’t do because right now in this situation I’m showing you how to stop him and to start producing fruit.

I have no doubt that rather you know what or not you have produced fruit already, but there is a big difference between the state you’re in now in the state that you will become when you become spiritually strong and understand the things that the spirit will use in your life to guide other people that are going through the same thing you are going through right now.

I predict you may be a teacher, teaching other women the deeper things of God’s word, but again this choice is up to you, if you are willing to do what I suggest below.

It was not until I settle this issue in my own life, that of becoming secure in my faith that things changed.

Before, then I always tried to act good enough, or be good enough, because I felt unworthy and was afraid I was going to hell.

I believe that what you need to do is become utterly and completely convinced that you are saved.

FAITH

Romans 10: 17 says:

“so then, faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the word of God.”

The expression “so then” means that what is said afterwards is in conclusion to what was said before.

The book of Romans has been said to be Paul’s gospel, gospel meaning “good news” as in the other four Gospels.

He systematically goes through the fallen state of man, sin, the law, faith and salvation including all its subgroups such as propitiation and the atonement.

Then he seems to conclude with the above statement.

You see faith is meant to come to us not just reading the word of God, because there are two different Greek words used for “hearing” above (this is why it is so important to dig deep and understand what the Greek New Testament says not the English translation which many times translates two different words into the same English word, wherein a deep understanding is not gained – this is what I do in my teaching articles, explain what the Greek means which is underneath the English translation, and therefore brings much more clarity and understanding as God intended.  For those that don’t want to spend the time and are content to read the English translation only, not seeking to learn from teachers that dig deep such as myself, they will miss the joy of really understanding in its completeness what God’s word has to say.  Yes the superficial will lead someone to Jesus Christ, but the superficial will never lead to the kind of mature Christian walk that is possible if people refuse to commit their time).

The first word for hearing means receiving, as in listening, and the second word for hearing means comprehending as an understanding.

So in the literal Greek what Paul would be saying is:

“faith comes by listening to the things written in God’s word, and that by listening you come to understand what it says.”

So the thing that I would say, which maybe the only way to keep from waffling back-and-forth in the misery that you feel, is to immerse yourself in understanding what God has to say about salvation.

You see if you read the articles on “faith,” and “Eternal Security,” I’ve written, starting with the one entitled “Eternal Security – It’s about God” and then read the rest of them, understanding that you’re going to go over the same material a few times.

Remember Peter saying that, I’ve been going over the same stuff, but it is good for you that I do so, Paul did the same thing; both of them taught that repetition is necessary for gaining understanding as seen in the following verses:

“Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord.  To write the same things to you, to me indeed is not grievous, but for you it is safe.” (Philippians 3:1)

“This is a faithful saying, and these things I will that thou affirm constantly, that they which have believed in God might be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable unto men.” (Titus 3:8)

“Wherefore I will not be negligent to put you always in remembrance of these things, though ye know them, and be established in the present truth.  Yea, I think it meet, as long as I am in this tabernacle, to stir you up by putting you in remembrance;” (2 Peter 1:12-13)

“This second epistle, beloved, I now write unto you; in both which I stir up your pure minds by way of remembrance: That ye may be mindful of the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets, and of the commandment of us the apostles of the Lord and Saviour” (2 Peter 3:1-2)

The first, second or third time you hear something or read it, it may not ring a bell or you may not understand everything that it is saying.

But by showing how much importance you put to reading the passage, shows the Holy Spirit your tenacity, God does not consider your ability very important, but He does consider your availability very important, and that means time.

TIME

Time is the most important thing we have because it is not renewable.

Therefore if you only spend a short amount of time reading God’s word because you want to do the bare minimum, don’t expect much reward in coming to understand more than the superficial.

But if you “…hunger and thirst after righteousness…,” and therefore absorb the word of God, reading not only God’s word but what others who have been inspired by God to say about it, which I would present or my writings as well, you are displaying tenacity in the Holy Spirit, who always rewards us more greater based upon our commitment to God and His will.

[Matthew 5:6 KJV, says: “Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.”  The righteousness that Jesus speaks about here is not self-righteousness, which he always condemns.  But is the righteousness that is achievable in God which is only found in accepting Jesus Christ as your Savior – it is Christ righteousness that we are to seek.  He is the only one that is righteous, we will never be righteous.  And seeking to be righteous in ourselves is blasphemy.  Now this is not the same as seeking to not sin in more righteous behavior, we are not to let sin be our master’s into rule us, and in a general manner we are to act in a more righteous manner, but this is a verb, these are the actions which should be based upon the Holy Spirit in us giving us the ability to behave better, the noun form of righteousness is something that we cannot achieve, only Jesus could.  So do not be fooled, we are to seek to be good into not to sin, but it is the righteousness of Christ that we must seek which means that we must dig deep into God’s word to understand everything that means.  We have to learn about the atonement of his sacrificial death on the cross, to understand exactly what this means and how heavy of a price he paid for us.  This seeking and hungry after the righteousness of God in understanding and allowing it to become part of our thinking process is much more than simply reading a book, or attempting to be a good person.]

The servants that doesn’t do much, or really care that much about growing in the Lord, will fulfill that desire.

TRAGEDY IN OUR LIVES

This is why God uses tragedy to drive us to him, NOT because he’s mean, but because he loves us and understands that if everything is going great, we don’t feel we really need him and were not driven to his word.

That’s why that which you are going through right now, may be a precious gift in disguise.

Even though it seems to drive you nuts, if it drives you to God’s word in desperation, and you benefit from coming closer to being with the Lord by being closer in understanding what is word means, then you have benefited.

HOW SELF-DISCIPLINE IS GAINED
It’s like a spanking that a child receives for bad behavior, it hurts at the time, but it teaches a child self-discipline.

You see if others cannot discipline use for wrong, then we cannot discipline ourselves.

We learn to discipline ourselves because we have allowed another person to discipline us wherein we have submitted to them our will in trusting them, that the discipline they gave came from a will to do is only good.

Therefore by learning to submit to their will, we learn to be able to submit to our own will and this is where we gain self-discipline, because self has been made to submit to self.

It is normally this lack of self-discipline that puts more people in prison than anything else, besides being drunk are loaded at the time.

And when people are drunk are loaded their self-discipline is minimal.

GOD’S CORRECTION

Therefore God corrects the son that he loves, to teach him discipline so that he will apply tenacity to doing God’s will.

Hebrews 12:6-9 KJV, says:

“For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.  (7)  If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not?  (8)  But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons.  (9)  Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live?”

And you cannot do God’s will unless you know what it is, and you understand it fully.

Hence you need to dig deep into God’s word.

Do you know that in the language that God gave to his chosen people, Hebrew; there is no word for the English word “coincidence.”?

The reason why is that God did not want his people to believe in the concept of coincidence or accident, that anything can happen for no reason whatsoever, that chaos is in control.

He wanted them to understand that he is the God, and everything in their life, even those things that are bad that he allows to happen, are because he allows them.

It is understandable that people would say, “Wow, God seems to be mean for allowing bad things to happen to his children.”

But you must understand that is an immature outlook, understandable but lacks maturity.

It is more important that God’s children understand that he is in complete control of their life, and therefore if something bad happens he means it to be good in their life.

I love what Joseph said to his brothers after Jacob had died and they were fearful Joseph would kill them in revenge for what they did decades earlier.

He said:

“you meant it for evil, but God meant it for good.” (Literal Hebrew, Genesis 50:20)

You see God in his foreknowledge knew that a great famine was coming and used Joseph to maneuver the family down to Egypt to fulfill his will that he would bring them back into the promised land for hundred years later.

The time was needed for certain things to progress.

[See Genesis 15:1-21 [KJV], which says: “After these things the word of the LORD came unto Abram in a vision, saying, Fear not, Abram: I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward.  (2)  And Abram said, Lord GOD, what wilt thou give me, seeing I go childless, and the steward of my house is this Eliezer of Damascus?  (3)  And Abram said, Behold, to me thou hast given no seed: and, lo, one born in my house is mine heir.  (4)  And, behold, the word of the LORD came unto him, saying, This shall not be thine heir; but he that shall come forth out of thine own bowels shall be thine heir.  (5)  And he brought him forth abroad, and said, Look now toward heaven, and tell the stars, if thou be able to number them: and he said unto him, So shall thy seed be.  (6)  And he believed in the LORD; and he counted it to him for righteousness.  (7)  And he said unto him, I am the LORD that brought thee out of Ur of the Chaldees, to give thee this land to inherit it.  (8)  And he said, Lord GOD, whereby shall I know that I shall inherit it?  (9)  And he said unto him, Take me an heifer of three years old, and a she goat of three years old, and a ram of three years old, and a turtledove, and a young pigeon.  (10)  And he took unto him all these, and divided them in the midst, and laid each piece one against another: but the birds divided he not.  (11)  And when the fowls came down upon the carcases, Abram drove them away.  (12)  And when the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell upon Abram; and, lo, an horror of great darkness fell upon him.  (13)  And he said unto Abram, Know of a surety that thy seed shall be a stranger in a land that is not theirs, and shall serve them; and they shall afflict them four hundred years;  (14)  And also that nation, whom they shall serve, will I judge: and afterward shall they come out with great substance.  (15)  And thou shalt go to thy fathers in peace; thou shalt be buried in a good old age.  (16)  But in the fourth generation they shall come hither again: for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet full.  Genesis 15:17-21 KJV  And it came to pass, that, when the sun went down, and it was dark, behold a smoking furnace, and a burning lamp that passed between those pieces.  (18)  In the same day the LORD made a covenant with Abram, saying, Unto thy seed have I given this land, from the river of Egypt unto the great river, the river Euphrates:  (19)  The Kenites, and the Kenizzites, and the Kadmonites,  (20)  And the Hittites, and the Perizzites, and the Rephaims,  (21)  And the Amorites, and the Canaanites, and the Girgashites, and the Jebusites.“]

You see many times we think since God knows the future, so why doesn’t he change it before it happens, this would be reactive, and stop man’s ability to exercise free will and respond in a reactive manner, rather than an active manner.

Meaning that he knows what the future but still allows it to occur, and he prepares in advance for that situation, wherein his actions can counterbalance the situation when it occurs.

THERE IS A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ACTIONS AND REACTIONS

Action shows power, reaction shows weakness, so God will not allow himself to constantly being reactive to the plans of the devil and as many as, or the plans of man.

He simply prepares to address them in an action wherein he maintains the integrity of his deity.

Concerning the Israelites leaving Egypt for the promised land, it was important that God bring them back into the land and show them miracles to create a foundation of faith, that even though that generation died because they didn’t trust God despite his miracles, their children and everyone who would read what was chronicled in the Old Testament concerning their exploits into the promised land would gain faith by God taking care of them.

Even when he had to punish and kill certain ones that opposed him.

GOD HAS COMPLETE CONTROL, HE DOES NOT WASTE ANYTHING THAT OCCURS IN OUR LIVES

You see God is in such control of your life that he won’t waste anything, even the negative things that happen to you he will utilize.

There is no such thing as coincidence in your life, God is in total control.

This is one of the things that you need to learn as you come to understand God’s word more deeply.

Knowing or memorizing Scripture sounds like that is the end of the process, it’s not, it’s the beginning of the process.

I know of many people that can quote Scripture, the problem is to they do not fully understand what it means.

This is why we must constantly study and dig deeper and deeper, not simply memorizing the Bible (which is good), but gaining a deeper understanding of what it means, is the goal.

It is coming to understand what it means in its very depths that is the goal, wherein applying what we’ve learned is the final goal of achievement.

Example: anyone that would read a generic sentence that I would put in Facebook is not learning anything about who I really am.

Something that is superficially said does not display personality or individuality.

It is whenever I feel comfortable with you and allow you to see the inner person and I talk about those things that the public doesn’t hear, because I trust you and you have committed yourself to be worthy of that trust because of the tenacity and faithfulness you’ve displayed, it is then that I will share the deeper things about who I am, what I have went through, and what I think.

Do you think it is any different with God.

RESPONSIBILITY TO USE WHAT WE LEARN

James 1:22 (KJV) says:

“But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.”

And also Luke 12:48:

“…To those that are given much, much is expected…”

We used to think that those that get a lot of money must give a lot of money away is what this passage means, it does not specifically mean this, though the principle is valid.

What it primarily means is that if God gives you great understanding of what his word means because you have committed to digging deep, then he expects you to utilize that which the Holy Spirit has given to you.

And with humans, you cannot teach what you do not know, and it is axiomatic that when something has cost you something because of a commitment of time and energy, by necessity is more important to you, and therefore you are more prone to utilize it, and fulfill the responsibility of passing it on to others.

We don’t appreciate things is much that are given to us, as things that we earn or pay for, this is part of the human condition.

If you spend large amounts of time digging deep, not just reading for the sake of reading, but reading for the sake of learning something deep, then you will appreciate the time that you’ve spent because it cost you the most valuable thing you have in this life, time.

I’m saying all this to convince you of the worthiness of you spending time reading the articles that I have written on “faith,” and “Eternal Security.”

REALLY UNDERSTANDING FAITH

You need to look on the right-hand side of my blog site, were it list articles, and first start off I guess by reading and studying anything that to do with faith.

Because there is a big difference between belief, which according to the dictionary in the English is a mental process only, and faith, which is different because it entails an action connected with that belief.

Remember James saying that the Devils believe, but they’re not saved. (James 2:19)

You need to understand the difference between believing and exercising faith.

It is complicated, the two words are not synonyms even though people try to say they are, they are not synonyms in the original Greek, one will send yourself to hell if you only believe, but if you exercise and live in faith you will end up in heaven.

People think they understand biblical faith and they do not and because of that they do not grow in faith.

If you take faith for granted, which is presumptuous; which is what happens when you think you don’t need to read any more about it or study it, how can you grow in understanding it and more importantly how can you grow in doing it if you do not understand it?

So I would ask you to start with reading everything I’ve written on faith (meaning anything that has faith in the title, even though there are many others that may not have the word faith that also teach about them, such as looking for the word “shoes” in the title, I know it sounds weird, but there is a connection between shoes in faith. 

You see people take the subject for granted and don’t read these articles because they think they know it all about the subjects, therefore as a wise teacher I create curiosity in the titles so that people will start to read and therefore learn something that they didn’t know before, or that they misunderstood before), which is a lot.

Then start reading everything I’ve written which has eternal security in the title.

SO HERE IS YOUR ASSIGNMENT IF YOU CHOOSE TO TAKE IT.

I will be here for you, but I’m not going to keep on saying the same things over and over again, because it becomes a waste of yours and my time, if you are not listening to what I am saying.

But more importantly it is bad for you because it doesn’t get you anywhere and it makes you come to the conclusion that there is no way of getting out of what you’re dealing with.  To falsely come to the conclusion that God cannot meet your needs to deal with your problem.

It’s like giving a patient medicine that they refused to take, they think they’re becoming better, yet they are getting worse and make the process cyclical, a self-fulfilling prophecy because they refuse to do what the doctor has told them to do.

So I will be here for you, but at this point you need to start to exercising faith by doing what I’m saying and reading what the word of God really has to say about faith, for you will not grow, and you will stay at the place you are now, miserable one day unto find the next.

THE TRAINING WHEELS

So now the training are on, are you can a paddle and learn to ride the bike, or you can throw it down in disgust and refuse to do what God is sent me here to tell you to do.

Remember what I said.

There are no such things as coincidence.

You coming to me was not a coincidence, it was God sending you a lifeline.

Now you need to do the things that I say to do, such as read and study the things that I have spent hundreds, if not thousands of hours presenting to fulfill God’s will in my life, wherein people such as yourself can benefit and grow and produce fruit based upon a fuller understanding of “faith,” and “Eternal Security.”

So right now you need to pedal, and I mean pedal like your life depends upon, because perhaps – and I say perhaps, it does.

Your brother in Christ, Brent

Just to let you know, I am publishing this as an article without using your name in case others can benefit from it.

Recently a friend and I were sitting together at a mutual friend’s funeral, and I told my friend a story about Old Growth Trees.

When I moved to Oregon in 2000, I didn’t understand why so many people were so upset about the cutting down of “Old Growth Trees” up there.

These giant trees were often hundreds of years old, and their trunks were as big across as an entire room in your house.  It took multiple men on each side of a huge crosscut saw days to cut them down.

The quality and quantity of lumber that they produced was beyond compare, and although thoughtful lumberjacks had been re-seeding and re-planting those forests since the turn of the century, the replacement trees inevitably by comparison were smaller, weaker, and of inferior quality to what once had been.

Back in Oregon, schoolchildren go on field trips just to see the stumps of Old Growth Trees.

They look at the rings in the wood and try to count back to see how big the tree was when the Declaration of Independence was signed, etc.

Their teacher then gestures way up over her head as she tries to help the kids imagine the massive grandeur of the tree.  Honestly, the real thing was way beyond their imagination.

The tragedy of these losses became very personal and very real to me when I moved back to Texas and realized that most of my really good friends were 70 and 80 year old people.

When you have older friends, you go to a lot of funerals because sooner than later, they get to graduate to heaven and leave us behind.

To me, losing these people was like losing Old Growth Trees.  But there is a big difference.  I have been incredibly blessed to have personally KNOWN these great, majestic Old Growth people!  I don’t have to imagine how wonderful they were, because I personally enjoyed the thick, relaxing shade of their love, was awed at the expansive reach of their service throughout our community, and saw how many others were supported by their massive branches.

I knew the amazing depth of their character and the incredible quality of their souls.  I knew this not because they ever posted something flattering about themselves on social media sites but because I got to spend quality time with them for which I will ever be grateful.

I was blessed to have the opportunity to observe them finding joy and humor in everyday situations as well as build houses alongside them.

To watch them deal with both good and bad times with faith, grace and humility, as well as to ask for their wise advice, and have their Christian witness point me to Jesus Christ and his Holy Word.

Oh, sure, some might have had some rough surfaces, scars and gnarled roots, but I loved them just as they were.

It is so evident to me that the basic purpose of these magnificent creations was to bring honor and glory to The Creator, rather than to themselves.

Great humility and simple gratitude for just being able to be used by God for His glory seemed to always be a central theme in the lives of my Old Growth friends.

I know where they now are, they are with their Master.

I can’t reverse time and have all of my Old Growth loved ones return to this forest on earth, and I wouldn’t even if I could.  There is nothing greater that I could hope for them than to be reunited in Heaven with their beloved Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

I CAN, however, be forever grateful for the privilege of knowing these magnificent people, and frequently express my appreciation to those who are still here.

I also can take stock of the quality of MY life, and to consider if I am being the best steward possible that I can be of my time here on earth.

I am a terrible sinner saved only by Jesus’ sacrificial death in my place, and I continue to make a lot of mistakes.

I am not yet the person I had hoped to be by this time in my life, but am instead incredibly thankful that God isn’t finished with me yet.

If it’s His will, there are still new seasons for growth ahead.  I look forward to them!

(Author desires to be anonymous)

Introduction
For the mature Christian, we understand that we are NOT simply to do the right thing according to God’s word, but to do it the right way, and at the right time – God’s time.

The hardest thing for a trained veteran soldier to do is to stand waiting for the order to go into battle. It is unfortunate when the new recruit prematurely goes into battle before the captain has worked out all the preparation, which also includes their training, to fight in heavy combat.

Stand
It is in understanding this that we take great heed to what Paul says in Ephesians 6:13 (KJV):

“Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.”

What we must understand is that according to this passage, we are to put on the whole armor of God in order to “withstand” (Greek: anthistemi, G436), which means to: resist, oppose, or the literal: “to stand”; “in the evil day.”

We must understand that Christ is the One Who has already fought the battle and won (He is the only one that could save us), it is our responsibility to hold our ground and to do what work He brings to us to do, but we can do nothing to achieve our own righteousness, our own salvation; this war has been won by our Savior and Captain Jesus Christ when He died on the cross 2000 years ago for our sins.

But what we should note is that once we are prepared, having taken on the “whole armor of God” (not our armor, but His); we are to “stand.”

What an act of humility for a veteran soldier, to follow orders and stand rather than to jump into the heat of battle.

Yet, this is our primary battle plan wherein Christ will let us know what we are to do, but it is our responsibility to be prepared and ready to do in a minute’s notice what He will order by simply standing until that point.

The Whole Armor of God

Ephesians 6:13-18 (KJV) States:

“Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. (14) Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; (15) And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; (16) Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. (17) And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: (18) Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints”.

Soldiers Become Soldiers by Studying
It is common for many believers to think that they automatically have this armament on because they are believers.  While certain armament are presented when we are saved, others must be gained through study, training, and discipline.

Soldiers Become Soldiers by Training
The presumption that you don’t need to do any more concerning these armaments, that you possess them without any discipline or training, will lead you into spiritual and emotional defeat in small battles.

The war has been won, but while we are walking this earth we still have battles dealing with spiritual powers and entities of our opponent who seeks to blaspheme Christ by displaying our bad behavior and make us of no strength through ignorance, laziness, a lack of preparation, and compromise.

These are armaments that involve taking actions that the believer must do if he is to equip himself.

Practice does not make Perfect – Only Perfect Practice Makes Perfect
We have a responsibility to dig deep into God’s word, and understand in detail those things that in the past we may have dismissed as too complicated.

By way of example, not knowing or understanding the atonement means you cannot explain adequately to someone regarding what salvation really is.

Merely, handing somebody a tract and asking him to accept Jesus is not properly making ourselves ready by digging into God’s word in understanding what is the “preparation of the gospel of peace.“

FAITH, AS AN EXAMPLE OF WHY WE ALL NEED TO DIG HARD AND DEEP INTO GOD’S WORD
Simply because a believer has the shield of faith (See Footnote #2), does not mean they know how to utilize the shield.

How many presumptuous Christians stand in front of their shield, presenting their own self-righteousness as if they have the power to resist the evil one, misunderstanding that they must stand behind that shield, but they also must know what that shield is, in order to use it correctly, so as to NOT simply stand behind it, but to use it defensively and offensively.  

There is a very involved training regiment on how you hold the shield with one arm and wield the sword with another, how that you can sweep to the left and pivot and then sweep to the right while protecting yourself while moving around your opponent to attack him on his unprotected backside.  

There are certain moves you must know to engage in when a chariot is heading for you, whose axles protrude out from the wheel and are sharpened, so that by driving within a few feet of you they cut off your leg and take you out of the battle.  We simply don’t have the time to address the myriad of ways that there are to train simply with your shield.  It is the novelist that thinks he knows it all whose shield will not serve the purpose that is meant to serve, who will be taken out of that battle prematurely, not affecting the victory for his king that he was meant to achieve.

Almost all Christians that I know cannot explain what Biblical faith truly is, not in a way that they could explain to a person that wasn’t raised in church, or that does not understand Christian concepts, models, symbols, figures of speech, nomenclature, expressions or terms; Wherein most believer themselves do not comprehend the meaning of these things mysterious issues that God presents with in His word.

Superficially, they can say faith is trust, but they can’t explain why God mandates it, what it truly is, break it down into any components to make it easier to understand, explain how it works, or why it works as a principal of the human condition in which every person on earth must utilize it as the foundation of every relationship they were ever have – that humans cannot exist without faith, rather there a believer or not.

And when it comes to giving examples displaying faith, normally the only ones they can give are where petitions our met by God (Or where they give a technical definition as in Hebrews 11:1, instead of a down to earth description of its components, which displays its function of how and why faith works.), where God will save someone in some way; yet they cannot explain it from the standpoint of somebody losing everything in life, even in the most superficial of situations, such as discussing Job.  

They have to hyper-spiritualize it, or nullify the true essence of the message.  

Never even realizing that the greatest statement made by a human man was stated by Job, when he stated, “Though He shall slay me, yet will I keep my trust in Him...”   

They can’t give any examples of the kind of situations nor what is the relationship that their biblical faith has to their own day-to-day walk in their service to their king.  Therefore, they cannot describe in commonsense terms how losing creates a winner, and how that giving away creates gain,

Or how God can use the back-side of the desert and murder by an Egyptian prince, to become a great spiritual leader that saves his people because of his faith and submission to God.

Or how a juvenile falsely imprisoned for 13 years, can forgive his brothers and see that God utilized the situation to make him the Prime Minister of Egypt in order to save his family during an upcoming famine.  Who said the most gracious words regarding the sin of his brothers when he stated “you meant it for evil but God meant it for good.”

Or that even denying the Lord creates a humble heart for someone who is to lead the church of Jesus Christ.  

Or that God can and will use EVERYTHING in a believer’s life, even their sin, to cause them to come to closer to Him and become stronger, if they will allow it.

I cannot tell you of how many hundreds of super spiritual individuals I’ve known that drop the name of Jesus every chance they get to impress others, always saying praise the Lord our God bless you (Forgetting Abraham’s word that only the greater blesses the lesser, as if they get out blessings from God in a sanctimonious manner.  I’ve learned to pray for God’s blessing on people but I don’t need to tell them about it in a bragging manner) but that when things turn wrong, they can’t understand why this evil is happening to them, displaying a complete lack of Biblical faith.  

I watch ministers all around me falling due to either lustful temptation, self-righteousness which leads to spiritual decline where they use every psychological ploy as an excuse to rationalize their sin, yet all displaying a lack of real understanding when it comes to what Biblical faith truly means.  

I’m aware that these words are very harsh, and it is why so many will read articles about subjects on my blog site that they are curious about or having a problem with, but yet pass by the articles regarding “faith” or “salvation,” thinking they already know the subject matter yet displaying their immaturity when devastation comes, and it will come. 

Yet, I correspond with dozens of these individuals via email when tragedy comes into their life and they can’t understand why God has abandoned them, or so they say.  

Attempting to again lay down the elementary doctrines of the Bible which becomes hard work, attempting to understand in greater depth what God wishes us to know in order to make disciples of all men.  How easy it seems to hand out tracks and to make converts, yet we were not told to make converts of all men, we were told to make students of all men, necessitating digging deep into God’s word.  

Not simply spending a few minutes of our extra time introducing into the kingdom, but being willing to sacrificially put them first, spending time with them taking them by the hand and going deep into God’s word to teach them as disciples, as our Savior has commanded us to do.

God has put me in an environment where I watch people die, believers and unbelievers alike.  Weeping with those that weep, and attempting to convey the love of God when people have lost their loved ones, grandparents, soulmates for five or six decades, and babies.

So please excuse my harshness when it comes to those of us within the body of Christ that have it so good, and have become so lazy and self-serving.  It is by the grace of God that we all live another day.

Getting on the Soapbox
Please allow me to fall off my soapbox as these words have been true in my own life as well, I acknowledge I am a terrible sinner saved only by the grace of God, indebted did Jesus more than I could ever say.  

The Soldiers Education
Most Christians are not prepared concerning the armament which is to be their protection so that we can stand, as well as their protection when they are ordered to go into battle.

If any of these articles of spiritual warfare are damaged, it is between the battles that we are to use God’s Word to repair them.

If there is an issue within our theology that troubles us, we need to get into God’s Word and figure it out – fix it before the battle starts up again, and also humble ourselves by seeking the wise counsel of wise Bible teachers’ insights.

Defining the Armament
Within the context of this Scripture, the following definition of the armaments and their symbols are as follows:

1. Truth = The Inerrancy, Trustworthiness and completeness of God’s Word.

2. Righteousness = The breastplate of righteousness, that protects our vital organs is Christ’s righteousness, not our own. We must understand that it is the Divinity of Jesus as the only begotten Son of God, and Him dying for our sins that is the only righteous aspect of our lives. To think that the marginalizing of our own righteousness leads to sinfulness displays a carnal perspective.

3. The Gospel = Understand the Gospel of Jesus Christ, the atonement & propitiation.

4. Faith = Thoroughly research Biblical faith, it is not primarily about petitioning God, it is the foundation of your relationship with Him, trusting He is in complete control of your life no matter what it looks like the current time.

5. Salvation = Study & thoroughly understand Biblical salvation, it is vain without understanding. Understanding you’re saved for eternity, not temporarily. It is this understanding that purifies our motives, and increases our faith; without such we become either self-righteous, or stagnant.

6. Word Of God = Studying & understanding God’s Word mandates intensity and devotion. Having God’s word regurgitated for 40 minutes every Sunday morning is not enough. You won’t know God and what He wants unless you study His book in detail.

7. Prayer = prayer is not mainly about asking for things, it’s about getting our heads right in gratitude and acceptance. Prayer only necessitates time, which is based upon commitment and discipline. It also clarifies the authority of God in His ability and desire to not only meet our needs, but to aid us in growing in our discipleship based upon faith in Him.

Understanding God’s Word is a lifelong pursuit, and without such, a soldier has no ability to protect himself or to gain ground in the enemy’s territory.

It is in understanding such doctrines as: God Proper, the Trinity, Salvation, Eternal Security, Christ’ Righteousness, Christ’s Incarnation, the true definition of the Gospel, the Holy Spirit in the believer’s life, biblical faith based upon a relationship with God, wherein we trust Him no matter how bad the events of our lives become, along with a myriad of other doctrines (#2), that the child of God becomes a soldier of the Lord

Brent
(I am still working on the “Dying-to-self Series” and “The Eternal Security Series”

Footnote

1.  The Power of Faith when Believers Ban Together

This is called the turtle.  It is one of the many advances that the Roman military had achieved in utilizing their armament by constantly preparing and training.  This particular routine was used when their opposing forces were approaching on chariots, wherein the turtle would protect them from the horseman, as well as the arrows coming overhead.  

This reminds me of what it’s like to be with a group of believers when they are committed in faith to fulfilling God’s will in their community.      

2.  Systematic Theology

Theology Proper – The study of the character of God
Bibliology – The study of the bible
Christology – The study of Christ
Pneumatology – The study of the Holy Spirit
Soteriology – The study of salvation
Anthropology – The study of the nature of humanity
Hamartiology – The study of sin
Angelology – The study of angels
Ecclesiology – The study of the church
Eschatology – The study of the end times
Misthology – The study of rewards
Israelolgy – That study of Israel

General Introduction
The reason I started this series is because of how the Holy Spirit has been working in my life in a special way. 

Personal Motivation
I have experienced a renewed commitment and zeal of the Spirit concerning my service to our Lord and Savior; in holiness producing love – “love the Christian way.”

Holiness & Sin
It has been precipitated by a desire to become more holy (“Separated unto God”) in my walk with Christ, by addressing sin in my life, especially what is referred to as those “small sins,” which some have even referred to “unintentional sins.”

Unintentional Sin
There is no biblical reference to sins that man would try to escape judgment from, or rationalize in any manner by terming them “unintentional sins.” Some refer to these “so-called” unintentional sins as being based upon David referring to them in Psalm 19:12 as “secret faults,” which is completely incorrect – attempting to define the Hebrew words translated into the English “secret sins” as unintentional sins is in direct opposition to what the Hebrew words mean (Please see Footnote #1).

And the fact that the Levitical system presented sacrifices for sins of neglect or is translated into “unintentional” sins as stated in Numbers 15:22, what you must notice is that there were still the necessity of a sacrifice for the sins, those who would claim to have done them could not escape the penalty for those sins any different than those sins that were presumptuous.  

The Law
The law was not meant to teach us that man could accidentally sin, as Paul has stated the law was to teach us, that it was to be “our schoolmaster,” (Galatians 3:24-25) that “all have sinned and come short of the glory of God“ (Romans 3:23).  It is translated in the newer translations as “unintentional” sins, this is never found in the Septuagint Greek translation of the Bible (Please see Footnote #2), nor the Hebrew used in the King James translation as well (This is one of the many reasons that I use the Textus Receptus Greek New Testament, as well as the majority text and other Byzantine Codices and the Greek Septuagint Old Testament; as opposed to the Alexandrian Codices, and 9th century Hebrew Old Testament manuscripts.).  The word used is “erred,” which comes from the Hebrew word: shawgaw, which comes from the primitive root; “to stray,” “to mistakenly,” “to transgress,” or to “go astray,” or to “to wander off.”

It is the text used in the Septuagint that we need to be mindful of, because this is what Jesus quoted from regarding what we refer to as the Old Testament Scripture, Jesus validated the Septuagint translation by using it.  Many of the newer translations, which Jesus did not authenticate by using them, use different words which lead to the idea of individual sinning unknowingly, and therefore being innocent from those sins.  

This is never taught in the Bible.  All sin mandated punishment, therefore the perpetrator is never innocent.  Even negligence, by its very definition insist that the individual did not prepare properly for a situation that developed into a tragedy, and was held responsible for the consequences of that situation.

Excuses
Calling a sin unintentional is simply an excuse, And those that live by excuses never grow to maturity in Christ, nor successful in life.

Every sin that man commits is without excuse, and demands justice and punishment, where even the smallest sin condemns an individual to hell.  

There are no free passes when it comes to the Holiness of God, and anything that “misses the mark” of God’s purity, is sin, and must be atoned for, or paid for.  

For the believer there is atonement, for the unbeliever there is punishment.

Man cannot play the victim, he is the victimizer. 

Sin
We must understand that all sin is sin, if you remember the Greek definition of the word “sin” (Greek: hamartano) used through almost all of the New Testament, means: “missing the mark,” and in no way, shape, or form, allows for the concept of smaller or greater errors, missteps, mistakes; or any other term that we might try make sin sound smaller.

If we attempt to negate our responsibility for our sin, we are simply attempting to place a fig leaf to cover the violation, and Hell will be our destiny for it.

(If you are now joining this article in “Part 2” of this series, you need to access “Part 1” first, which deals with “Part 1 – Knowledge – The Problem – Self and Sin.”)

We can never come to a place of dying-to-self if we do not deal with sin first. This will be reflected when we speak about our attitude in following Christ a little further down this article.

Outline of this Series
This series on dying-to-self has three parts:

Part 1 – Knowledge – The Problem – Self and Sin
This examination concerns the knowledge necessary to regard the problem of self and sin.

Part 2 – Wisdom – The Solution – From God’s Word
God’s word displays the wisdom that is necessary in order to gain the proper perspective, wherein we gain the correct attitude in learning how to die-to-self.

Part 3 – Understanding and Application – Enabling Dying-To-Self
Understanding, which is perception, Biblical perception, enabled only by the Holy Spirit: gives the opportunity for the correct application of how to specifically practice dying-to-self.

Foundation ~ God’s Word
As always, our foundation and only guide concerning this quest is the inspired, inerrant Word of God, the Holy Bible (This is not to imply that we do not seek the wise insight of scholars that the Holy Spirit has blessed with insights, we do. But it is only their insights into GOD’S WORD and language and grammar that is relevant), as delivered in the Hebrew language concerning what we call the Old Testament, and the Greek language in regard to the New Testament. The Greek translation that I utilize is the Textus Receptus, please see Footnote #3, concerning the issue of biblical manuscripts.

God’s Whole Word
No Scripture stands alone and must be interpreted based upon the full context of God’s word (As well as the immediate context, but we are to never stop with the immediate context without considering the whole counsel of God – Isaiah 28:10, 13; Acts 20:27), 66 books which make up one volume, with only one Author, but 40 scribes.

Our Key Text
Luke 9:23-25 states:

“And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me. (24) For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it. (25) For what is a man advantaged, if he gain the whole world, and lose himself, or be cast away?”

Whose Cross?
Notice in the second part of the first verse, what it does not say. It does not say to pick up Jesus’ cross — no one could do that. As the holy sinless Son of God, who is the only one that could be our substitution, taking our sins having none himself; it is pride, and the height of arrogance and heresy to believe that we could pick up His cross and what He was to do for humanity, that no one else could.

It does not say to pick up Jesus’ cross, it says for the follower to pick up “his” cross, and to deny “himself.”

The use of the Greek word translated into the English “himself” is a reflective pronoun, further illustrating that the cross spoken of is the individual’s cross, belonging to he who is listening to what Jesus is saying, or reading this passage in reference to anyone that wishes to follow Jesus.

One, Not Two
Yes, according to the Greek grammar of Luke 9:23, it is speaking about one behavior, not two when you read the statements “let him deny himself” and “take up his cross daily” are speaking about the same thing, not separate behaviors.

“…let him deny himself, and (Greek: kia) take up his [Greek: tov] cross daily…”

In Koiné Greek, when two nouns are connected with the conjunctive, “and” (Greek: kia [G2532]), and have the same case (Accusative); and ONLY one has the definite article, (Greek: tov [G3588]), while the other noun does not have the definite article; the two nouns are speaking about the same thing in essence, they are referring to the same person or thing; not separate entities.

The definite article can normally be found in one of three different spellings in the Greek; ho, hay, to (Greek: G3588), though there are other definite articles which apply as well. In most cases the definite article is translated into the English words: “the,” “this,” “these,” “that,” “his,” “he,” “her,” “she,” “some,” “it;” as well as other pronouns.

What Does Jesus Mean?
What does a cross symbolize? It is a device, an instrument that kills – thus when Jesus uses the word “cross,” He is referring to instruments that are to kill the flesh; they are things that we can use to put our self-centered, self-dependent, and self-ruling life to death – they are pragmatic tools.

We must understand that there are specific things that Christ is speaking about that we are to use in our seemingly impossible effort to die-to-self. This is just not metaphorical mumbo-jumbo, the grammar demands that it is speaking about things which are specific, but what could that be?

This is the reason for this series, because we learn that these are not requests. This instruction of Christ is in the Greek imperative, It’s not an option, it’s a command.

The verse may also mean that we may suffer physically in order to follow Christ. Other passages talk about the fact that believers will suffer persecution as pilgrims on this earth, and may suffer physically, which is more common than not.

Therefore, what this verse is saying is that denying yourself is the same as picking up your cross, the two are the same in essence.  

And according to the book of Luke how often do we do this, daily; which in the Greek actually means currently all day long.

Very simply, Christ is defining how we pick up our cross, how we crucify the flesh, how we die to self; which is done by denying ourselves.

Therefore, we must conclude that this is a command from Jesus. The structure is plural and it is referring to tools, things that we can use in order to achieve dying-to-self by using instruments to put the flesh to death (Because it is in the plural, there is more than one tool to accomplish this purpose, I know of at least two pragmatic tools that He is referring to, but that is for later), to crucify self, so let us continue to lay the foundation by which these tools can be used correctly.

Conditions of Following Christ – Our Attitude

We must understand that accepting Jesus Christ means to accept Him as our Lord and Savior. This places us as His servants, and demands certain conditions which are self-evident. First among these is that we present ourselves to Him as living sacrifices. He is King and we are His slaves, not just servants.

Bondslaves
How easy it is to say we are his servants, but by doing so we often lack the true understanding of our relationship to God.

We turn to Paul in order to gain this perspective.

Paul, Peter, James, and Jude (Romans 1:1; Galatians 1:10; Philippians 1:1; Titus 1:1; Philemon 1:16; James 1:1;2 Peter 2:19; Jude 1:1), referred to themselves, as translated into the English, as “a servant of Jesus Christ,” yet it is the original Greek text that we need to consider to understand what they are saying.

The Greek word translated into the English word “servant” is doulos and literally means a “bondslave.”

A bondslave is an Old Testament term that goes back to the time of the before the Exodus when a slave would work off the time he owed his master, because of prior loans or other forms of being indentured (a 17^th-century word concerning those that would pay for their passage to the New World by doing work; though the term also represents any form of slavery where someone sells themselves for a committed amount of time). Once the debt was paid and the slave was free, they could choose to maintain their position in the household. This was common when they had married another household slave in order to keep their family together.

The Ear Ring
To be a bondslave was a term of honor for a slave that was no longer indebted but served his master because of his free will. There was a ceremony where they would take a nail, actually an awl and pierce the servant’s earlobe as they leaned against the threshold of the house. A ring would then be inserted through the hole in the bondslave’s ear, representing how they were bonded to the house, in an act of free will rather than a slave that still owed a debt to the household.

A function carries over this idea in the current prison system. Long time, responsible prisoners earn the privilege of becoming Trustees, who enjoy greater liberty and are trusted to do jobs normally done by the guards. Though they are not free, they work with the guards to maintain management of the other inmates.

The voluntary position of Bondslave (doulos), was called that because they were bonded to the house by a piece of the flesh of their ear being embedded into the threshold of their master’s door.

Bondslaves were always recognized because of this earring, and treated with much honor, due to the integrity that they displayed. A master with many Bondslaves showed himself as an honorable man wherein his slaves desired to work for him even after they did not need to do so.

This was also the manner of when a slave married another slave; they could stay on in the household to work off the debt of their wives as well as the children that were born to them.

Jesus Became a doulos for Us
Jesus is referred to as a Bondslave in Philippians 2:7. We recognize that God created this role as an object lesson so that we would understand what Christ did for us, and which in return we are to do for God.

The Scripture refers to the born-again believer as a doulos as seen in: Romans 6:16, 19; 1 Corinthians 7:21, 22; 2 Corinthians 4:5; Galatians 4:1, 7; Ephesians 6:6; Colossians 4:12; 2 Timothy 2:24; 1 Peter 2:16; Revelation 1:1; 2:20; 7:3; 10:7; 11:18; 15:3; 19:2, 5; 22:3:6.

Mindset
Following Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior as a Bondslave is another way of saying that we are to present ourselves as a living sacrifice to do God’s will, which is the attitude we are to maintain, daily (Also remembering: Proverbs 23:7 [KJV], which states: “For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he: Eat and drink, saith he to thee; but his heart is not with thee.”).

Many people conflate (Conflation occurs when the identities of two or more individuals, concepts, or places, sharing some characteristics of one another, seem to be a single identity.), being a bondslave (doulos), with our key text of denying ourselves and picking up our cross daily and following Christ, yet there is a distinction.

An Attitude
Being a bondslave of Jesus Christ is an attitude that we are to maintain, realizing that He is our Master and that we are to sacrificially serve Him.

According to Paul, the attitude that we are to have as followers of Jesus Christ is seen in Romans 12:1-2 which states:

“I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. (2) And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.” (KJV)

Individuals Who May Say They Are Saved, but Are Not
If this does not become an attitude of the believer, then that individual needs to consider the legitimacy of their relationship with Christ.

In dealing with the subject of what is referred to as “Eternal Security” (A term I detest because it is not in God’s word, and as Jesus refers to salvation as “Eternal Life,” I believe this should be what we should be referring to when we are talking about salvation); it is these individuals who manifest what is referred to as “cheap grace” (Another term I detest because it is an undignified reference concerning God’s marvelous grace, and is not in God’s word), wherein individuals appear to be born again believers, yet when they eventually fall away, and never come back; they reveal that they were not true followers of Jesus Christ.

They displayed that they have never studied God’s word because they do not follow it, they pay lip service only; they may even be like the Pharisees that present holiness on the outside, yet their inside motivations display the total lack of the Lordship of Jesus Christ in their lives.

They are not prodigal sons. The prodigal son returned, giving us an example that Christians can backslide – TEMPORARILY.

These individuals who do not display an attitude of servitude to their Lord and Savior Jesus Christ may fool others, and may even fool themselves. But they create misunderstanding concerning what Jesus refers to when He speaks of salvation, which He calls “Eternal Life” (Please see Footnote #5).

Living Sacrifices
This is an attitude, commonly referred to as the “Mind of Christ,” (Philippians 2:2-10) which displays humility to God and men, as well as complete allegiance and submission to God the Father and Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior, seeking the guidance and power of the Holy Spirit, and it is those pragmatic acts that we’ll address in “Part 3” of this series (In a few weeks): ways of daily denying ourselves by picking up our cross by doing individual acts.  

Yet a few more issues must be laid out before then. We need to continue on dealing with our attitude, which is displayed in our lifestyle.

Put Off the Old Man, Put on the New Man
It is our attitude, which is displayed to the world as our lifestyle that we need to now address. One of the best examples is found in Ephesians 4:21-32 (KJV), which states:

“If so be that ye have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus: (22) That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; (23) And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; (24) And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness. (25) Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour: for we are members one of another. (26) Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath: (27) Neither give place to the devil. (28) Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth. (29) Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers. (30) And grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption. (31) Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice: (32) And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.”

Conversation

In verse 22 of the above Ephesians passage, the word “conversation” is used, which has a different meaning than it did at the original writing of the King James Bible which is based upon the Textus Receptus (Please see Footnote #3).

The English word conversation, which currently is understood to be an auditory function in which people speak words to one another, is not what the Greek word that it is translated from actually means.

This is because at the time of the writing of the King James this Greek word anastrophe meant something different altogether, it meant behavior in the plural sense or a person’s lifestyle. And as stated before, the lifestyle should display our attitude.

Lifestyle
Therefore the apostle is stating that we are to put off the form of habitual behavior or lifestyle of the old man which is corrupt according to the deceitful lust. Not that we are to change our vocabulary.

Put Off
The point that Paul is making is that we are to stop living in sin because it is no longer our master, even in spite of the fact that we are sinners and will sin. The Greek word translated into the English “put off” is apotithemi.

The parsing of this verb is:

Tense-Second Aorist – “As if the” Action Occurred in the Past (“Once & for all”) to connote certainty

What this means is that in the aorist tense it is not concerned with time and is not addressing the chronological occurrence. It is a way of speaking about something as if it is a fact which occurred in the past, though it can be present or even future tense in the English.

The idea is that since the past cannot be changed, the verb that is in aorist tense is equally unchangeable. This is an unusual concept to our Western way of thinking, but the main point is it has to do with proving the fact that something that was done “once and for all,” and has no ability to be undone, is a complete and utter certainty.

Voice-Middle – Subject & Object Receives the Action

The middle voice indicates that both the subject and the object receive the action, meaning that we; who are defined in the previous verses as believers, receive the action or the ability to do the action. We cannot do this by ourselves, but are instead empowered to do so.

The Power of the Holy Spirit
The point that is made is that born again believers are empowered by the Holy Spirit to achieve the ability to control their lifestyle to the extent that they do not have to live in sin as a lifestyle, and this is made possible by having the Mind of Christ – the correct attitude.

We must always keep in mind that we are sinners, and will sin daily.

HOWEVER, this is not to say that sin is our master.

Final Deliverance of Sin
This is the paradox of living as a soul committed to God within a sinful body within this current physical existence, which we refer to as this life. We are to take comfort that the salvation that Christ brought to those who are the children of God, who are saved by grace through faith, is eternal life. It cannot be compared or contrasted to our current existence. It is our great hope upon His returning for us in the clouds.

Therefore
We are not to allow the sins that crop up in our lives turn us from that which God has called us to do: to die-to-self by denying ourselves and therefore enabling us to put off the old man, and not let the sin nature (or the old man as it is referred to) control our lifestyle and the behavior it produces.

When dealing with sin there are three simple but difficult steps that we should take.

Step 1. Take ownership of our sins, confess them, repent (Forsake them) of them.

Ownership – John states as recorded 1 John 1:8 (KJV):

“If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.”

The grammar concerning the verb translated into the English “we have” (Greek: echo), is in the present tense, meaning it is a current action that never ends, which demands that what the apostle was saying is that we will sin is long as we are in this physical existence. Therefore we must take ownership of when we sin, with no excuses and no rationalizing; simply admitting that we have sinned against God. Psalms 32:5 (KJV) says:

“I acknowledged my sin unto thee, and mine iniquity have I not hid. I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the LORD; and thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin. Selah.”

Confession – Solomon stated as recorded in Proverbs 28:13 (KJV):

“He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy.”

And John states as recorded in 1 John 1:19 (KJV):

“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

Repent – Paul, in explaining his ministry for Jesus to King Agrippa stated in Acts 26:19-20 (KJV):

“Whereupon, O king Agrippa, I was not disobedient unto the heavenly vision: But shewed first unto them of Damascus, and at Jerusalem, and throughout all the coasts of Judaea, and then to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, and do works meet for repentance.”

Paul was using the word repentance in a way that the word fully means in the Greek, which is somewhat different than the English.

Repentance in the English can be a verbal behavior, and may be nothing more beyond that and a conviction of guilt.

In the Greek, the word repentance means to change one’s mind so thoroughly as it changes their behaviors, it is not simple verbiage, it is not guilt our sorrow, it’s a change in one’s lifestyle which displays a change in one’s attitude.

Yet be on this original repentance that one does to become saved, the grammar concerning the Greek word “repent” (Greek: metanoeo), is that it is in the present tense, meaning it is a continuous action that once it takes place never ends.

The point that this word makes according to the grammar is that repentance is not a singular event that occurs in salvation, it is a lifestyle of constantly changing our mind and coming back to Christ. It points to the fact that we don’t become saved them become perfect, but as sin exist in our mortal body, wherein we choose to go our own way, rather you call it backsliding if it is habitual, or a singular sin, you must change your mind from that sin and come back to the correct attitude a desire to do God’s will rather than your own.

How slipshod it is to think that we repent once and therefore maintain God’s desired attitude, wherein we habitually follow Christ and do not deviate from the course.

We constantly deviate from the course, which is what sin is, therefore repeatedly throughout our life we will habitually sin and therefore as a grammar demands we will habitually have to repent, changing our mind that our sin was okay, seeing it as Christ did as being filthy, demanding his death upon the cross as a propitiation, a atonement, wherein Christ took our place and paid the penalty not just for past sins, but current sins, and future sins.

This is why in the Gospels in almost every occasion that the word repent is used, it is in the present tense, necessitating that it is a lifelong re-occurrence in the life of the believer. And were other tense are used, they do not represent singular occurrences, but different tense or used which never validate the point that repentance is a lifelong attitude of the born-again believer in Jesus Christ.

Repentance by its very nature demands a forsaking of sin, not simply a guilt shame or confession that.

Forsaking sin – Hebrews 12:1b (KJV), says:

“… let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,”

Step 2.   Flee when we are tempted to sin. Refuse to entertain thoughts of sin.

This advice is from Paul the head elder and founder of most of the Gentile churches to a minister (as a bishop), who was over all the churches in the city and area of Ephesus. This was from one mature, seasoned pro in the ministry to another.

Paul stated to Timothy, as recorded in 1 Timothy 6:11 (KJV):

“But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness.”

Paul later said to Timothy, as recorded in 2 Timothy 2:22 (KJV):

“Flee also youthful lusts: but follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace, with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart.”

What we must remember is that these admonitions are directly made to Timothy, who was not a young man at this time, but a Bishop over many churches. Yet Paul still warns him to flee temptations and to follow after righteousness, goodness, faith, love, patience, and meekness. Apparently falling back into the trap of youthful desires was still a distinct possibility to be warned against.

The Greek Grammar
The Greek grammar found in the word “flee” is that it is in the present tense, meaning it is current and will never ever end. It is also in the active voice, meaning that the subject or the person that this is addressed to, or hears it, is the one that is supposed to flee.

The point is this passage from Paul to Timothy must be understood that it is not just to the young or immature in the faith. The word “youthful,” does not have to do with the present condition of the subject or hearer of this advice, it has to do with the fact that every temptation known to man occurs from his youth on up, it just presents itself in different forms, or in greater lasciviousness.

On a personal note, I have found that if I allow myself to think about a sin, even if I dwell on what is so wrong about it, I end up entertaining the thought of it wherein as James says, this enticement leads to sin as recorded in James 1:14-16 (KJV):

“But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. (15) Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death. (16) Do not err, my beloved brethren.”

Flee – Do Not Entertain Sin in Your Thoughts
If we know something is a sin, why do we need to think about it in any way shape or form? No conversation should take place in our head about it, as soon as we spot a change in what we’re thinking about, or change what we’re looking at toward something that entices us, or change anything that causes us to entertain thoughts about sin, otherwise; we will normally find ourselves being drawn away from dwelling on Christ because of these enticements.

The most important aspect of dealing with sin in our lives
Very appropriate vernacular is used regarding fleeing by stating that we should not entertain sinful thoughts. Unfortunately that’s what sin usually does: it entertains us.

Proverbs 23:7 (KJV) says:

“For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he: Eat and drink, saith he to thee; but his heart is not with thee.”

This is why Jesus said in Matthew 5:28 (KJV):

“But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.”

Flee – The Antidote – Stop considering or dwelling upon sin

2 Corinthians 10:5 (KJV) says:

“Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ”

Philippians 4:8 KJV

“Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.”

When Paul says “finally,” he is letting us know the conclusion of what was said before, and in the case of Philippians Chapter 4 as well as the previous three chapters this is his conclusion concerning all of which concerns the growth of the gospel, which is seen in the growth of the individual believer. For a believer to grow in faith, we must lay down these little sins that beset us. And this all starts and ends with the mind.

Philippians 4:8 can be summarized by saying “Stop thinking about sin, and start dwelling upon the Word of God, because it is the Word of God that is true, honest, just, pure, lovely, and of a good report; if it contains virtue, and praise regarding God; this is what we are to think upon.”

It is the only way for the child of God to obtain peace, as Warren Wiersbe states concerning this passage.

Warren Wiersbe’s commentary regarding Philippians 4:8:

Right thinking (Php. 4:8)
Peace involves the mind (see Isa. 26:3 and Rom_8:6). Thoughts are powerful; “as he thinketh, so he is” (Pro. 23:7). Wrong thoughts will lead to unrest and discouragement, but spiritual thinking will lead to peace. Paul tells us in this verse what to think about; if you compare these virtues to Psa. 19:7-9, you will see that the Word of God meets all of these requirements. Meditation on the Word of God will always bring peace (Psa. 119:165).

Conclusion
Whereas, Step 1 is mandatory in order to approach Step 2, fulfilling Step 2 and dealing with our thought life brings peace to the life of the believer, and maturity in our walk following our Savior.

Step 3. Press On – This is what we do when we fail to appropriately deal with sin: we go back to Step 1. Paul says in Philippians 3:13-14 (KJV):

“Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, (14) I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.”

Brent

Footnotes
1. Psalms 19:12-13

“Who can understand his errors? cleanse thou me from secret faults. (13) Keep back thy servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me: then shall I be upright, and I shall be innocent from the great transgression.” (KJV)

The “secret faults” spoken about in Psalms 19:12 is not talking about unintentional sin, as the Hebrew word sawthar here for “faults,” actually means “hidden” sins that are concealed from others, not displayed.  (Regarding Old Testament manuscripts, please see Footnote #2) 

It is a sin that the perpetrator is fully aware of but hides from the outside world, it is not a sin done accidentally, as if the person could do it unintentionally.

In fact, both these verses are talking about the same thing, it is not talking about two separate types of sins, the “them” is not found in the text, it is added by the translators to make the English sound correct.

These two verses are not separate passages. We must understand that splitting the Holy Word into numbered chapters only happened 800 years ago and then dividing those up into numbered verses only happened 500 years ago.

These divisions are not a part of the inspiration of Scripture or else God would have included them. These additions were simply added to help the reader. They are not part of the holy writ.

A secret fault or hidden sin that someone hides from others is a presumptuous sin.

All sins are presumptuous unless they are done due to the person not knowing it is a sin, or unaware that they committed it indirectly. And if they are unaware that they committed this sin how could they pray about that which they are unaware of.

Typically, these are internal sins such as self-centeredness, pride, jealousy, envy, strife, a bitter spirit, contention, superiority, self-righteousness, righteous-in-self, and worst of all: spiritual pride (See Footnote #6).

2.  Regarding the Greek Septuagint Old Testament Scriptures

Once upon a time there was a tribe living in the Middle East that had a collection of sacred texts written in Hebrew, Chaldean and Aramaic. It is the nature of sacred tests to be venerated and transmitted from generation to generation unaltered.

As time passed members of this tribe emigrated to areas where Hebrew and Aramaic and Chaldean were not spoken. A large community settled and prospered in the city of Alexandria in Egypt. Greek replaced their tribal language. They needed an accurate translation of their venerated documents into Greek.

Around 250 B.C. [272 – 278 B.C.; by Brent] seventy rabbis translated the sacred texts into Greek. This translation was not a bootleg edition. The project was approved by the High Priest and the Sanhedrin in Jerusalem. The Septuagint, the translation of the seventy, was an official document.

A Hebrew Bible exists today. It is used by Jews everywhere. It is called the Masoretic text. It was compiled around 700 A.D. It is almost one thousand years newer than the Septuagint. The rabbis who compiled the Masoretic text were not accountable to the High Priest in Jerusalem. There no longer was a High Priest. The rabbis who compiled the Masoretic text were not accountable to the Sanhedrin in Jerusalem. There no longer was a Sanhedrin.

The Septuagint predates the first appearance of the Masoretic text by almost ten centuries. The Septuagint is based upon Hebrew texts at least twelve centuries older than the texts upon which the Masoretic version is based. Yet, modern Christian translations of the Old Testament rely on the Masoretic Text, not the Septuagint.

Where is the problem?

Most of the quotations from the Old Testament in the New Testament used the Septuagint as their primary source. The integrity and truthfulness of the Septuagint is completely dependent on the Septuagint being a truthful translation. Discredit the Septuagint and there is no New Testament.

There was no controversy about the integrity of the Septuagint from 250 B.C. until 135 A. D.

What had happened to provoke dissatisfaction with the Septuagint among the Jews?

Annas and Caiaphas and the Sanhedrin had rejected the messianic claims of Jesus. The New Testament documents had been written and were circulating by A.D. 70. The Jews knew that the credibility of the Christian Gospels depended on the credibility of the Septuagint.  Something had to be done.

Around 95 A.D. Rabbi Akiva, who later proclaimed Bar Kochba as the messiah, hired a man named Aquila to translate a Hebrew to Greek version of the Old Testament that would undermine the messianic claims of Jesus found in the Septuagint. Some scholars believe that the Masoretic text was based in part on this tendentious translation by Aquila.

How is the Masoretic text different from the Septuagint?

Psalm 22:16 the word “pierced” has been replaced by “lion”.

Psalm 145: 13 omitted entirely.

Isaiah 53:11 the word “light” is omitted.

On 134 occasions the Tetragrammaton, the name of God, has been replaced by “Adonai”.

Psalm 151 was omitted entirely. (It is now omitted by almost all Christian Bibles!).

Exodus 1: The number 75 replaced by 70.

Genesis 10:24 some generations removed.

Deuteronomy 32:8 “Angels Of Elohim” replaced with “children of Israel.”.

Jeremiah 10 verses 6 and 7 have been added in the Masoretic.

Psalm 96:10 “Say among the nations, YHWH reigns from the wood” omitted.

Isaiah 19:18 “city of righteousness” changed to the “city of the sun” or in some versions “the city of destruction.”

The Masoretic scribes purposely and willfully rearranged the original chapter order in the prophetic Book of Daniel, so that the chapters make no sense chronologically.

Isaiah 61:1 “recovery of sight to the blind.” omitted.

In Psalm 40:6 “a body you have prepared for me” was replaced by “you opened my ears.”

Deuteronomy 32:43 ‘Let all the messengers of Elohim worship him.’” omitted.

Genesis 4:8: “Let us go into the field” is omitted.

Deuteronomy 32:43. Moses’ song is shortened.

Isaiah 53 contains 10 spelling differences, 4 stylistic changes and 3 missing letters for light in verse 11, for a total of 17 differences.

Isaiah 7:14. “Virgin” replaced by “young woman.”

(When Aquila made his Greek translation of the Old Testament at the behest of Rabbi Akiva, he changed the Septuagint’s “virgin” into “young woman”. The Masoretic compilers may have followed his lead.) [This was done because Rabbi Akiva did not believe in the inspiration and in inerrancy of the Scripture, and could not conceive of a virgin giving birth, therefore thinking the Scripture was wrong had it changed.  by Brent]

The Masoretic text differs from the Septuagint in hundreds of places.

How do we know which text is accurate?

The Dead Sea Scrolls were discovered just after World War II.

According to carbon dating, textual analysis, and handwriting analysis the documents were written at various times between the middle of the 2nd century BC and the 1st century AD.  There are fragments from all of the books of the Hebrew Bible fragments except the Book of Esther and the Book of Nehemiah.

In addition an independent Aramaic translation of the Hebrew Bible exists, the Peshitta.

Control of the Dead Sea Scrolls was a military objective of Israelis. It was achieved by their victory in the Six Days War.

The publication of the scrolls slowed to a trickle.

After 1971, the international team even refused to allow the publication of photographs of the material. They excluded scholars who wanted to make independent evaluations.

The embargo was not broken until 1991.

An addition to the Dead Sea Scrolls, scholars can use the Peshitta to decide between the Masoretic text and the Septuagint.

The given examples above of some of the places the Dead Sea Scrolls, the Peshitta, and the Septuagint agree.

The Masoretic Text is part of a tradition that began with Rabbi Akiva. Rabbis rewrote the Jewish Bible to destroy the credibility of the New Testament.

The Hebrew versions of the Old Testament have been used to proclaim scores of “messiahs.”

The Septuagint was only used once.

By Robert E. Reis

[This also explains why when using the Protestant translations of the Bible, often you will read a Old Testament quote as found in the New Testament, wherein the quotes are not exactly the same, sometimes quite different.  The reason why is that at the time of the New Testament the Septuagint was what they were quoting from, and are modern English translations of the Old Testament utilize the Masoretic text, therefore the quotations are not exactly the same.  Yet the main point of utilizing the Septuagint, is that Jesus, except man in the Temple or synagogue, quoted from the Septuagint, therefore validating it as the accepted text of our Lord.  We do not have a copy of the Hebrew text that he read in the synagogue concerning Isaiah 61:1 and 2b, and other passages.  This is why it is prudent for the diligent Bible student who desires to do word studies in the Hebrew utilizes same text that Jesus validated and used Himself, the Greek Septuagint.  By Brent.]

3.  Greek Translation ~ Textus Receptus

Time does not permit for a proper examination of Textual Criticism concerning which Greek New Testament is best. Many have spent dozens or even a few hundred hours studying Textual Criticism in Bible College or Schools of Theology.

I have spent thousands of hours (I an not a King James only extremist, because I trust in the Majority Text also; the common denominator is that they were NOT based upon any of the Alexandrian Codices, but upon the Byzantine Codices only) and have come to the conclusion that the Byzantine Codices (Collected by Lucian of Antioch, Presbyter of Antioch and founder of the School of Antioch, who in the third century, compiled what became the Greek New Testament utilized for over 1000 years which eventually became the basis in the 15^th century Textus Receptus, used in the translation of the King James Bible, completed in 1611), used in the Textus Receptus is the best Greek New Testament to utilize.

Greek Text & Grammar ~ Not Greek Root Dictionary
Many individuals, unfortunately many ministers as well misunderstand the purpose of Strong’s Dictionary, which is associated with “Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible.”

James Strong along with 100 other associates produced a concordance in order to locate Scriptures based upon a single word that is remembered. The Hebrew and Greek dictionaries placed in the back, which concerning the Greek have subsequently have become a freestanding Greek dictionary, which is simply a root dictionary, meaning it defines generic roots of words, not the specific words used in any individual text.

Expository Greek Dictionary
This is why many Christians use “Vine’s Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words,” which will list specific words according to their passage in defining these words, yet it still does not break down the grammar by way of explanation, wherein greater nuances are achieved. Though it does many times directly indicate what the grammar means.

Word Study Dictionary
I prefer word study dictionaries, regarding the Greek I use more than any other “The Complete Word Study Dictionary, New Testament” by Spiros Zodhiates, which I use alongside of Greek grammar guides in breaking down the exact meaning of words, as compared to the generic root word meanings.

One of the other reasons that I use Spiros Zodhiates material more than any other is I have found his work to display immense integrity, also understanding that he is Orthodox in all of his biblical stances concerning biblical doctrine, and he singularly utilizes the Textus Receptus.

During my decades of research on Biblical translation, I have noted that almost all research sources, including James Strong material utilize Alexandrian Codices.

James Strong was a devout adherent of work of Brooke Foss Westcott and Fenton John Anthony Hort, who challenged and changed the accepted rules interpretation, impugned the Textus Receptus, and caused all of Christendom to utilize the contaminated Alexandrian manuscripts (This is a immense and complicated subject, my article on this is over 80 pages long, please email if you wish more information on Textual Criticism).

This is why I do not utilize Strong’s concordance because it is merely a root dictionary, which does not give specific meanings on specific words and specific passages (When utilizing Strong’s dictionary, which is never meant for a word study or to handle the Greek or its grammar specifically, it is normal that one word translated into the English will represent two or more words that originated in the Greek, which have differences in meaning, some only nuances, others quite substantial based upon the grammar).

I must point this out because many times in defining the Greek grammar of a specific word, individuals will use a root dictionary which will not give them the nuances which the Greek grammar does, and therefore will doubt the credibility of what I have presented.

I welcome individuals investigating what I present, this is what I desire for individuals to do, to quit having others fish for them, and simply eat off someone else’s plate, wherein they become subject to that person’s interpretation or presuppositions. I have wasted too many years doing this myself. I present what the Greek grammar states, this is not subject to interpretation, and follows what I believe should be the mandate of every teacher of God’s word, it is the only way to be true to Peter’s admonition when he as recorded in 2 Peter 1:20-21, which states:

“Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.” (KJV)

A good example of how Scripture becomes distorted when the grammar is not correctly applied, is this very Scripture. When the grammar is broken down what this Scripture is stating is that there is a singular meaning and therefore interpretation to any passage in God’s word, and that an individual’s interpretation, they are private interpretation is not allowed.

If you were brought up in the same denominational circles as I was, this passage was abused and taught completely in reverse, when someone didn’t like your interpretation of the Scripture, they would use this to say that there is not a private interpretation; as if there was not a singular interpretation of any passage, that anyone could have their own individual interpretation (Please see Footnote #4 in considering what Warren Wiersbe has presented on the subject.).

4. Warren Wiersbe ~ 2 Peter 1:20

“Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.” (KJV)

“In 2 Peter 1:20, Peter was not prohibiting the private study of the Bible. Some religious groups have taught that only the “spiritual leaders” may interpret Scripture, and they have used this verse as their defense. But Peter was not writing primarily about the interpretation of Scripture, but the origin of Scripture: it came by the Holy Spirit through holy men of God. And since it came by the Spirit, it must be taught by the Spirit.

The word translated “private” simply means “one’s own” or “its own.” The suggestion is, since all Scripture is inspired by the Spirit it must all “hang together” and no one Scripture should be divorced from the others. You can use the Bible to prove almost anything if you isolate verses from their proper context, which is exactly the approach the false teachers use.

Peter stated that the witness of the Apostles confirmed the witness of the prophetic Word; there is one message with no contradiction. Therefore, the only way these false teachers can “prove” their heretical doctrines is by misusing the Word of God. Isolated texts, apart from contexts, become pretexts.

The Word of God was written to common people, not to theological professors. The writers assumed that common people could read it, understand it, and apply it, led by the same Holy Spirit who inspired it. The humble individual believer can learn about God as he reads and meditates on the Word of God; he does not need the “experts” to show him truth.

However, this does not deny the ministry of teachers in the church (Eph. 4:11), special people who have a gift for explaining and applying the Scriptures. Nor does it deny the “collective wisdom” of the church as, over the ages, these doctrines have been defined and refined. Teachers and creeds have their place, but they must not usurp the authority of the Word over the conscience of the individual believer.”

5. Jesus’ Definition of Salvation ~ Eternal life

Salvation is always defined as receiving eternal life according to Jesus. A consequence of receiving eternal life is that sin will no longer be your master, though you will sin is long as you are in your earthly body (1 John 1:8-10).

All sins are intentional, unintentional sins would be sins that you’re unaware that you do so you don’t even know if you do them. The “secret faults” David speaks about are intentional sins that are secret from the world, they are hidden sins that nobody sees but he that commits them. This is what the Hebrew means, and cannot be disputed.

Salvation is not freedom from sin, though the believer has been free from the price of sin, and when he receives his resurrection body sin will no longer be a part of his life, believers do not pay the punishment of their sin, though most of the time they pay the consequences for those sins.

Jesus always defines salvation as receiving eternal life!

Jesus is recorded in John 10:28-30, as stating:

“And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand. I and my Father are one.”

Eternal life Passages – Where Salvation is Identified as Receiving Eternal life

And, behold, one came and said unto him, Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life? (Matthew 19:16 KJV)

And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal. (Matthew 25:46 KJV)

And when he was gone forth into the way, there came one running, and kneeled to him, and asked him, Good Master, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life? (Mark 10:17 KJV)

But he shall receive an hundredfold now in this time, houses, and brethren, and sisters, and mothers, and children, and lands, with persecutions; and in the world to come eternal life. (Mark 10:30 KJV)

And, behold, a certain lawyer stood up, and tempted him, saying, Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life? (Luke 10:25 KJV)

And a certain ruler asked him, saying, Good Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life? (Luke 18:18 KJV)

That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. (John 3:15 KJV)

And he that reapeth receiveth wages, and gathereth fruit unto life eternal: that both he that soweth and he that reapeth may rejoice together. (John 4:36 KJV)

Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me. (John 5:39 KJV)

Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day. (John 6:54 KJV)

Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life. (John 6:68 KJV)

And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. (John 10:28 KJV)

He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal. (John 12:25 KJV)

As thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him. (John 17:2 KJV)

And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent. (John 17:3 KJV)

And when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad, and glorified the word of the Lord: and as many as were ordained to eternal life believed. (Acts 13:48 KJV)

To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and immortality, eternal life: (Romans 2:7 KJV)

That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord. (Romans 5:21 KJV)

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

Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses. (1 Timothy 6:12 KJV)

Laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life. (1 Timothy 6:19 KJV)

In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began; (Titus 1:2 KJV)

That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life. (Titus 3:7 KJV)

(For the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and shew unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us;) (1 John 1:2 KJV)

And this is the promise that he hath promised us, even eternal life. (1 John 2:25 KJV)

Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him. (1 John 3:15 KJV)

And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. (1 John 5:11 KJV)

These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God. (1 John 5:13 KJV)

And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may know him that is true, and we are in him that is true, even in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life. (1 John 5:20 KJV)

Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life. (Jude 1:21 KJV)

Do you notice how many times in the sentences eternal life is the last word, conveying the idea that eternal life is the conclusion and cannot be changed, a point not missed by many translators. Also notice that is always used with the same term “eternal life.” And notice that a word search for everlasting indicates that there are only two choices, everlasting fire or hell, or everlasting life with God in heaven, and the sentence structure and grammar pronounces that a person is in either one state or the other.  Though there are times where it talks about an individual becoming a believer has now entered into salvation – yet the point is no one ever leaves everlasting life to go to everlasting damnation.

Wherefore if thy hand or thy foot offend thee, cut them off, and cast them from thee: it is better for thee to enter into life halt or maimed, rather than having two hands or two feet to be cast into everlasting fire. (Matthew 18:8 KJV)

And every one that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name’s sake, shall receive an hundredfold, and shall inherit everlasting life. (Matthew 19:29 KJV)

And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal. (Matthew 25:46 KJV)

Who shall not receive manifold more in this present time, and in the world to come life everlasting. (Luke 18:30 KJV)

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. (John 3:16 KJV)

He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him. (John 3:36 KJV)

But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life. (John 4:14 KJV)

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 5:24 KJV)

Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you: for him hath God the Father sealed. (John 6:27 KJV)

And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day. (John 6:40 KJV)

Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life. (John 6:47 KJV)

And I know that his commandment is life everlasting: whatsoever I speak therefore, even as the Father said unto me, so I speak. (John 12:50 KJV)

Then Paul and Barnabas waxed bold, and said, It was necessary that the word of God should first have been spoken to you: but seeing ye put it from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, lo, we turn to the Gentiles. (Acts 13:46 KJV)

But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life. (Romans 6:22 KJV)

For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting. (Galatians 6:8 KJV)

Howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might shew forth all longsuffering, for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting. (1 Timothy 1:16 KJV

6.  Spiritual Pride

Spiritual pride is no doubt perhaps the worst form of pride there is.  The end condition of spiritual pride is seen in the class of people referred to as Pharisees in Jesus’ day. Those He had nothing good to say about, who He spoke about as appearing good on the outside, yet on the inside were dead man’s bones, venomous snakes, and other repulsive metaphors.

The main aspect of the mind of Christ is humility, the polar opposite of pride, and no doubt the worst displays of pride is spiritual pride, because it is completely descriptive.  At least the pride of someone like Donald Trump is acknowledged, but how evil is it when someone ACTS humble out the outside, yet inside is full of nothing but pride, especially if they are ACTING spiritual, such as in spiritual pride.   

Wherein unlike Christ, we must gain a proper mindset concerning our own sinfulness, limitations, and for those in public ministry; especially spiritual pride in order to submit not only to Christ’s will our lives, but the fact that He sometimes allows great travesties which are not meant to have dominion over us, but meant to bring us to the end of ourselves.

If you know someone entangled by spiritual pride, which is normally evidenced in either self-righteous at the most extreme, or righteous-in-self at the least, which is very easy to fall into; show them love and humility as an example of what Christ would have us focus on, so that they may come to the place of understanding their sinful character in order to become a profitable vessel in Christ hands.  Otherwise, left to their own selves, they will be very surprised at the Bema seat of Christ, if they even make it there.

This speech was broadcast by legendary ABC Radio commentator Paul Harvey on  April 3, 1965:

If I were the Devil . . .

I mean, if I were the Prince of Darkness, I would of course, want to engulf the whole earth in darkness.

I would have a third of its real estate and four-fifths of its population, but I would not be happy until I had seized the ripest apple on the tree, so I should set about however necessary to take over the United States.

I would begin with a campaign of whispers.

With the wisdom of a serpent, I would whisper to you as I whispered to Eve: “Do as you please.” “Do as you please.”  

To the young, I would whisper, “The Bible is a myth.”

I would convince them that man created God instead of the other way around.

I would confide that what is bad is good, and what is good is “square”. 

In the ears of the young marrieds, I would whisper that work is debasing, that cocktail parties are good for you.

I would caution them not to be extreme in religion, in patriotism, in moral conduct. And the old, I would teach to pray.

I would teach them to say after me: “Our Father, which art in Washington” . . .

If I were the devil, I’d educate authors in how to make lurid literature exciting so that anything else would appear dull an uninteresting.

I’d threaten T.V. with dirtier movies and vice versa.

And then, if I were the devil, I’d get organized.

I’d infiltrate unions and urge more loafing and less work, because idle hands usually work for me.

I’d peddle narcotics to whom I could.

I’d sell alcohol to ladies and gentlemen of distinction.

And I’d tranquilize the rest with pills.

If I were the devil, I would encourage schools to refine young intellects but neglect to discipline emotions . . . let those run wild.

I would designate an atheist to front for me before the highest courts in the land and I would get preachers to say “she’s right.”

With flattery and promises of power, I could get the courts to rule what I construe as against God and in favor of pornography, and thus, I would evict God from the courthouse, and then from the school house, and then from the houses of Congress and then, in His own churches I would substitute psychology for religion, and I would deify science because that way men would become smart enough to create super weapons but not wise enough to control them.

If I were Satan, I’d make the symbol of Easter an egg, and the symbol of Christmas, a bottle.

If I were the devil, I would take from those who have and I would give to those who wanted, until I had killed the incentive of the ambitious.

And then, my police state would force everybody back to work.

Then, I could separate families, putting children in uniform, women in coal mines, and objectors in slave camps.

In other words, if I were Satan, I’d just keep on doing what he’s doing.

Paul Harvey, Good Day.

From Brent:
“How prophetic that 51 years ago, as the Supreme Court was taking God out of our schools, and had rationalized the slaughter of babies in the womb, that this dear Saint of God would describe our current day in such a exact way, wherein only a few more evil deeds need to yet be fulfilled . . . and no doubt they will.

What is so amazing is how much more evil has abounded in the last seven years, wherein:

‘Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!’  (Isaiah 5:20 – KJV)

Some believers, with good intentions have suggested that our current president may be the Antichrist, which Scripture does not currently support (But who knows, perhaps in future the UN, who is always looking for a good man…). 

Yet, I have thought a bumper sticker which be so very correct, that I would caution believers not to create, which would state:

‘If you love Obama, you’re going to think the Antichrist is fantastic.'”  

Yet dear saints, we should not end on such a negative note.

We must keep in mind that our Lord Jesus and the Father are in the Father’s throne and have complete control of this sinful world, wherein God’s Word has prophesied everything that is happening and will yet happen, wherein we know the end of the book is fulfilled in our destiny wherein God will annihilate evil and establish holiness throughout eternity.  

Why such evil – Love

I have been asked why would a good God allow such an evil world, the answer is very simple.

For love.  

Because for God to wipe out all the evil would necessitate Him destroying His own children who are sinful as well as those who are at the beck and call of the evil one himself.  

There was a man whose children were grown up, and his wife had died, who had a drug abusing brother, who was a terrible father and a criminal, who had died leaving a 12-year-old boy behind who was a thief and a drug abuser.  

The man in his love allowed the boy to live with him and suffered through the boys sinful behavior while living in his house.  The man attempted to train the boy, — who would receive his punishment when wrong — but kept on sinning, stealing, lying and getting into trouble. 

Those in this church were appalled and ask why this man would allow this evil little boy to live in this house.  

His answer was love as Jesus had shown sinners in this world.  

Years later, it was the love this boy experienced from his Uncle, and through this the witnessed love of Christ that led the boy to become saved and a great evangelist to great sinners, as he was; leading multitudes to the Lord.

Who understood more than almost anyone else, the love, mercy, and grace of God as seen in his Uncle who chose him, while suffering with the boys sin in his household.  

Brent

Introduction
Due to the corruption of the fallen nature of man, he is a sinner at birth, and no matter what will continue to be a sinner until the day he dies.

This is the first fact that we must deal with before going any further in regards to our fellowship with God the Father and Savior Jesus Christ.

Sin
First let us consider 1 John 1:8, which states:

“If we say that we have [words: G2192, Grammar: G5719 ] no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.”

The verb: “we have” (echo) is in the:
Present Tense, meaning it is: Continuous Action – Never stops
Active Voice, meaning it is: Subject Causes the Action (Object Receives Action)  ~ we choose to do it
Indicative Mood, meaning it is: Mood of Certainty – A Reality ~ it is an undeniable fact
First Person, meaning it is: Applies to the Speaker (“I” – “We”) ~ this is to you and I
Plural Number, meaning it is: Applies to All ~ it applies to everyone

The verb used before sin in this verse is in the present tense meaning it is an action that never stops.  The active voice means that the subject, the person is the one that is doing the sinning.  The indicative mood means that this is an absolute fact.  The first person means that John is applying this to himself.  And the plural number means it applies to everyone as well.   This is simply saying that every human being rather believer or not will sin all of their life until death.  This does not mean that sin will reign in the life of the believer as it does in the unbeliever.

Next let us consider 1 John 1:10, which states:

“If we say that we have not sinned [Word:G264, grammar: G5758], we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.”

The verb: “Sinned” (hamartano): [literally means: “to miss the mark”]
Perfect Tense, meaning it is: Completed in the Past, Results in the Present
Active Voice, meaning it is: Subject Causes the Action (Object Receives Action) ~ we choose to do it
Indicative Mood, meaning it is: Mood of Certainty – A Reality ~ it is an undeniable fact
First Person, meaning it is: Applies to the Speaker (“I” – “We”) ~ this is to you and I
Plural Number, meaning it is: Applies to All ~ it applies to everyone

– 1 John 1:8 refers to the state of sin within the human. A state that will never ever end during the current dwelling within this human body.

– 1 John 1:10 refers to the individual acts of sin. And though in the English it appears to be past tense, and is not, it is in the perfect tense which declares that the individual acts of sin are so established as to be referred to as having passed, where in the past can never be changed; so is it with sin even in the present in that the action of individual sins is so prominent as it cannot be changed as well. The results of sin are ever-present.

The point of these 2 passages is to nail down the fact that all of mankind sins in their life, even the believer.

Problem One – Broken Fellowship
So what does sin have to do with the subject matter of fellowship between man and God? While there is the obvious conclusion that for the believer sin becomes a barrier in our relationship with God as seen in 1 John 1:6-7, which states:

“If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth  But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.”

Problem 2 – Warped Perspective
One of the multitude of problems that sin introduces within humanity is a warped perspective regarding every part of a person’s life.

One of these areas in regards to our own skewed perspective has to do with our own self-centeredness.

Self-Centered
You see every sin that we ever contemplate or do is done to appease our self-worth as seen in our selfishness. We first see this played out when a person is born, children have no ability to perceive anything be on themselves and how they relate to their environment. It is completely natural that when a baby is hungry, Uncomfortable because it is soiled itself, physically discontented due to heat or cold, or lonely are anxious; they cry. They never think about how it affects others, that is not part of their psyche at the time, their awareness of the world around them is merely an extension of themselves. As children grow up we teach them to think in care about others, something that is completely unnatural.

And as we grow up we see reflected in the world around us a culture that is self-centered as the trade in every aspect of our lives.

For the Believer As Well
And it is this form of self-centeredness that plagues believer and skews the way that we look at things.

It affects the type of church services that we officiate, the lyrics of the songs that we sing, the emphasis the preacher places on text; because of our fallen nature we are all affected by the “I” syndrome. This is why it is so common for new believers to think that the Bible is about man and salvation.

In fact if you ask most believers the reason for man’s existence and they will naturally state is for fellowship with God that man was made.

The Reason for Man’s Creation
And while true, fellowship is one of the motivations of our existence, the highest motivation for God creating man was to glorify God, not man. This is readily seen in Isaiah 43:7, which states:

“Even every one that is called by my name: for I have created him for my glory, I have formed him; yea, I have made him.”

This verse, among many others points out that true Christians, those that are born again children of God are created to glorify God (See Endnote #1).

God created His creation for Himself – it is God that is the center of our universe, not man. And it is God himself that chose that His Son, The Messiah of Israel, Jesus the Christ would be preeminent in all of creation as seen in the following Scriptures:

Hence, the Reason for the Season of CHRISTmas
(“mas” means celebration)

The Volume of the Book
One of the passages that points out the preeminence of Christ, yet even more so when you understand what the Greek that lies beneath the surface says, is Hebrews 10:7 which states:

“Then said I, Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of me,) to do thy will, O God.”

First, we need to realize that the writer here is quoting Psalm 40:7, as well as stating it’s current application even as it related to the sacrificial system; thus indicating that this Scripture has fulfillment in the Old Testament and in the New Testament, as the passage has meaning concerning both the Old and New Covenants (Hebrews 8:13), indicating that Jesus is preeminent in both the Old and New Testament.

Psalm 40: 7 has always been understood to be a messianic Psalm referring to the Messiah.  Whereas the writer of the book of Hebrews indicates how Jesus was the fulfillment of the Hebrew Messiah.

In the English this text seems somewhat straightforward, though many misunderstand the use of the word “volume” thinking it means the amount of space concerning what is written; yet this is not what it means, it has greater significance than even this misunderstanding.

The word that is translated into the English word “volume” in the Greek is kephalis, which holds great significance in understanding this passage.

Biblical Scrolls
At the time it was written, the Hebrew Holy Scriptures were long manuscripts which we commonly refer to as scrolls which were rolled up due to their massive length (Codices, synonymous with our ideas of a book with individual pages that were held together by a binder, were not yet prevalent).

In order to handle the scroll without damaging it, and to aid in reading the scroll, the Hebrews used two kephalis, which were wooden rods that would be placed at the end of each side of the scroll, in order to facilitate the reading of the scroll by simply unrolling the kephalis on the left, and rolling up the kephalis on the right (Remember, Hebrew was read from the right to left). – see below.

The kephalis was what held the Scripture together and made it functional – readable, while at the same time protecting the scroll itself.

It would be somewhat synonymous with our current understanding of what bindings on books are meant to do.

Jesus Holds Together the Word of God, He is the Basis of Everything in It
The point that this Scripture is making is that Jesus holds together God’s Word and presents it in such a way that it is readable, understandable, and protected – Jesus in essence is the foundation and the mortar that holds the pages of God’s word together concerning its subject matter – which is Jesus Himself.

Preeminence of Christ
For the Christian, the first and primary rule of Biblical interpretation (hermeneutics) centers on the relationship of the Bible to Jesus Christ, in which Jesus must be placed in the center of every text (Eph. 1:21-22), hence referred to as the preeminence (meaning: “above and beyond everything else in importance” – pre [“before”], eminent [“importance”]) of Jesus Christ (Hebrews 2:10), in both the Old and New Testaments, as Creator (Col. 1:16) and Lord (Php. 2:10); that is far and above fulfilling the Will of the Father in gaining a greater understanding of what God would communicate to us in His Word (John 8:28).

“For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever“ (Romans 11:36)

As Jesus said of Himself in John 5:39,

“you search the Scriptures for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they that speak of me.“

Hebrews 10:7, which quotes Psalms 40:7, which is a Messianic passage, states:

“Then said I, Lo, I come: in the volume of the book it is written of me.”

It is these, among many other Scriptures that instruct us that the Scripture centers on the person of Jesus Christ, as the only begotten Son of the Father (2 Peter 1:17). It is in understanding His preeminence (Rom. 11:36) in fulfilling the Will of the Father, that allows the salvation of all of mankind (Heb. 2:10), yet concerning salvation man is not the focus of attention, God is (1 Peter 4:11); and it is Jesus Christ in which God reveals Himself to man (John 14:9), and Christ Jesus by whom God the Father is glorified (Col. 3:17).

Specifically concerning Christ preeminence, Colossians 1:16, states:

“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“

Concerning Christ and the law, Matthew 5:18, states:

“Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill. For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled.”

Concerning Jesus’ place in the Old Testament Scriptures, in Luke 24:27, Jesus states concerning Himself:

“And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself.”

Again, Luke 24:44-47, speaks of Christ’s fulfillment in prophecy when it states:

“And he said unto them, These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me. And He opened their understanding, that they might comprehend the Scriptures. Then He said to them, “Thus it is written, and thus it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day, “and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem“

John 1:1, states:

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”

John 1:14, states:

“And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.”

John 1:29, states:

“The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.“

John 1:45, which states:

“Philip findeth Nathanael, and saith unto him, We have found him, of whom Moses in the law, and the prophets, did write, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.“

John 5:46-47, states:

“For had ye believed Moses, ye would have believed me: for he wrote of me. But if ye believe not his writings, how shall ye believe my words“

John 12:16, states:

“His disciples did not understand these things at first; but when Jesus was glorified, then they remembered that these things were written about Him and that they had done these things to Him.”

John 14:6, states:

“Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.”

John 15:25, states:

“But this happened that the word might be fulfilled which is written in their law, `They hated Me without a cause.”

John 17:6-7, states:

“I have manifested thy name unto the men which thou gavest me out of the world: thine they were, and thou gavest them me; and they have kept thy word. (7) Now they have known that all things whatsoever thou hast given me are of thee.”

Acts 1:16, states:

“Men and brethren, this scripture must needs have been fulfilled, which the Holy Ghost by the mouth of David spake before concerning Judas, which was guide to them that took Jesus.”

Acts 2:16-36, states:

“But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel; (17) And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams: (18) And on my servants and on my handmaidens I will pour out in those days of my Spirit; and they shall prophesy: (19) And I will shew wonders in heaven above, and signs in the earth beneath; blood, and fire, and vapour of smoke: (20) The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before that great and notable day of the Lord come: (21) And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved. (22) Ye men of Israel, hear these words; Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you by miracles and wonders and signs, which God did by him in the midst of you, as ye yourselves also know: (23) Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain: (24) Whom God hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death: because it was not possible that he should be holden of it. (25) For David speaketh concerning him, I foresaw the Lord always before my face, for he is on my right hand, that I should not be moved: (26) Therefore did my heart rejoice, and my tongue was glad; moreover also my flesh shall rest in hope: (27) Because thou wilt not leave my soul in hell, neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption. (28) Thou hast made known to me the ways of life; thou shalt make me full of joy with thy countenance. (29) Men and brethren, let me freely speak unto you of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his sepulchre is with us unto this day. (30) Therefore being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him, that of the fruit of his loins, according to the flesh, he would raise up Christ to sit on his throne; (31) He seeing this before spake of the resurrection of Christ, that his soul was not left in hell, neither his flesh did see corruption. (32) This Jesus hath God raised up, whereof we all are witnesses. (33) Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, he hath shed forth this, which ye now see and hear. (34) For David is not ascended into the heavens: but he saith himself, The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, (35) Until I make thy foes thy footstool. (36) Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ.”

Acts 3:18, states:

“But those things, which God before had shewed by the mouth of all his prophets, that Christ should suffer, he hath so fulfilled.”

Acts 8:35, states:

“Then Philip opened his mouth, and began at the same scripture [which was Isa_53:7], and preached unto him Jesus.”

Acts 10:43, states:

“To him give all the prophets witness, that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins.”

Acts 13:27-37, states:

“For those who dwell in Jerusalem, and their rulers, because they did not know Him, nor even the voices of the Prophets which are read every Sabbath, have fulfilled them in condemning Him. And though they found no cause for death in Him, they asked Pilate that He should be put to death. Now when they had fulfilled all that was written concerning Him, they took Him down from the tree and laid Him in a tomb. But God raised Him from the dead. He was seen for many days by those who came up with Him from Galilee to Jerusalem, who are His witnesses to the people. And we declare to you glad tidings that promise which was made to the fathers. God has fulfilled this for us their children, in that He has raised up Jesus. As it is also written in the second Psalm: `You are My Son, today I have begotten You.’ And that He raised Him from the dead, no more to return to corruption, He has spoken thus: `I will give you the sure mercies of David.’ Therefore He also says in another Psalm: `You will not allow Your Holy One to see corruption.’ For David, after he had served his own generation by the will of God, fell asleep, was buried with his fathers, and saw corruption; but He whom God raised up saw no corruption.”

Acts 26:22-23, states:

“Having therefore obtained help of God, I continue unto this day, witnessing both to small and great, saying none other things than those which the prophets and Moses did say should come: That Christ should suffer, and that he should be the first that should rise from the dead, and should shew light unto the people, and to the Gentiles.”

Acts 28:23, states:

“And when they had appointed him a day, there came many to him into his lodging; to whom he expounded and testified the kingdom of God, persuading them concerning Jesus, both out of the law of Moses, and out of the prophets, from morning till evening“

Romans 1:1-3, states:

“Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated to the gospel of God which He promised before through His prophets in the Holy Scriptures, concerning His Son Jesus Christ our Lord, who was born of the seed of David according to the flesh, and declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the Spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead. “

Hebrews 1:1-3, states:

“In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom he made the universe. The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven.”

Hebrews 4:13, states:

“Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do“

Jesus is not only the reason for the season, which is named after Him; He is the reason for life itself.  

Endnote:
1. The word “glorify” as found in the Bible

~ Psalms 22:23 – “Ye that fear the LORD, praise him; all ye the seed of Jacob, glorify him; and fear him, all ye the seed of Israel.”

~ Psalms 50:15 – “And call upon me in the day of trouble: I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me.”

~ Psalms 86:9 – “All nations whom thou hast made shall come and worship before thee, O Lord; and shall glorify thy name.”

~ Psalms 86:12 – “I will praise thee, O Lord my God, with all my heart: and I will glorify thy name for evermore.”

~ Isaiah 24:15 – “Wherefore glorify ye the LORD in the fires, even the name of the LORD God of Israel in the isles of the sea.”

~ Isaiah 25:3 – “Therefore shall the strong people glorify thee, the city of the terrible nations shall fear thee.”

~ Isaiah 60:7 – “All the flocks of Kedar shall be gathered together unto thee, the rams of Nebaioth shall minister unto thee: they shall come up with acceptance on mine altar, and I will glorify the house of my glory.”

~ Matthew 5:16 – “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.”

~ Luke 2:20 – “And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told unto them.”

~ Luke 5:25 – “And immediately he rose up before them, and took up that whereon he lay, and departed to his own house, glorifying God.”

~ Luke 18:43 – “And immediately he received his sight, and followed him, glorifying God: and all the people, when they saw it, gave praise unto God.”

~ John 12:28 – “Father, glorify thy name. Then came there a voice from heaven, saying, I have both glorified it, and will glorify it again.”

~ John 13:32 – “If God be glorified in him, God shall also glorify him in himself, and shall straightway glorify him.”

~ John 16:14 – “He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you.”

~ John 17:1 – “These words spake Jesus, and lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, Father, the hour is come; glorify thy Son, that thy Son also may glorify thee”

~ John 17:5 – “And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was.”

~ John 21:19 – “This spake he, signifying by what death he should glorify God. And when he had spoken this, he saith unto him, Follow me.”

~ Romans 15:6 – “That ye may with one mind and one mouth glorify God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

~ Romans 15:9 – “And that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy; as it is written, For this cause I will confess to thee among the Gentiles, and sing unto thy name.”

~ 1 Corinthians 6:20 – “For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.”

~ 2 Corinthians 9:13 – “Whiles by the experiment of this ministration they glorify God for your professed subjection unto the gospel of Christ, and for your liberal distribution unto them, and unto all men”

~ 1 Peter 2:12 – “Having your conversation honest among the Gentiles: that, whereas they speak against you as evildoers, they may by your good works, which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation.”

~ 1 Peter 4:16 – “Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf.”

~ Revelation 15:4 – “Who shall not fear thee, O Lord, and glorify thy name? for thou only art holy: for all nations shall come and worship before thee; for thy judgments are made manifest.”

The word glorified as found in the Bible

~ Leviticus 10:3 – “Then Moses said unto Aaron, This is it that the LORD spake, saying, I will be sanctified in them that come nigh me, and before all the people I will be glorified. And Aaron held his peace.”

~ Isaiah 26:15 – “Thou hast increased the nation, O LORD, thou hast increased the nation: thou art glorified: thou hadst removed it far unto all the ends of the earth.”

~ Isaiah 44:23 Sing, O ye heavens; for the LORD hath done it: shout, ye lower parts of the earth: break forth into singing, ye mountains, O forest, and every tree therein: for the LORD hath redeemed Jacob, and glorified himself in Israel.”

~ Isaiah 49:3 – “And said unto me, Thou art my servant, O Israel, in whom I will be glorified.”

~ Isaiah 55:5 – “Behold, thou shalt call a nation that thou knowest not, and nations that knew not thee shall run unto thee because of the LORD thy God, and for the Holy One of Israel; for he hath glorified thee.”

~ Isaiah 60:9 – “Surely the isles shall wait for me, and the ships of Tarshish first, to bring thy sons from far, their silver and their gold with them, unto the name of the LORD thy God, and to the Holy One of Israel, because he hath glorified thee.”

~ Isaiah 60:21 – “Thy people also shall be all righteous: they shall inherit the land for ever, the branch of my planting, the work of my hands, that I may be glorified.”

~ Isaiah 61:3 – “To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he might be glorified.”

~ Isaiah 66:5 – “Hear the word of the LORD, ye that tremble at his word; Your brethren that hated you, that cast you out for my name’s sake, said, Let the LORD be glorified: but he shall appear to your joy, and they shall be ashamed.”

~ Ezekiel 28:22 – “And say, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I am against thee, O Zidon; and I will be glorified in the midst of thee: and they shall know that I am the LORD, when I shall have executed judgments in her, and shall be sanctified in her.”

~ Ezekiel 39:13 – “Yea, all the people of the land shall bury them; and it shall be to them a renown the day that I shall be glorified, saith the Lord GOD.”

~ Daniel 5:23 – “But hast lifted up thyself against the Lord of heaven; and they have brought the vessels of his house before thee, and thou, and thy lords, thy wives, and thy concubines, have drunk wine in them; and thou hast praised the gods of silver, and gold, of brass, iron, wood, and stone, which see not, nor hear, nor know: and the God in whose hand thy breath is, and whose are all thy ways, hast thou not glorified”

~ Haggai 1:8 – “Go up to the mountain, and bring wood, and build the house; and I will take pleasure in it, and I will be glorified, saith the LORD.”

~ Matthew 9:8 – “But when the multitudes saw it, they marvelled, and glorified God, which had given such power unto men.”

~ Matthew 15:31 – “Insomuch that the multitude wondered, when they saw the dumb to speak, the maimed to be whole, the lame to walk, and the blind to see: and they glorified the God of Israel.”

~ Mark 2:12 – “And immediately he arose, took up the bed, and went forth before them all; insomuch that they were all amazed, and glorified God, saying, We never saw it on this fashion.”

~ Luke 4:15 – “And he taught in their synagogues, being glorified of all.”

~ Luke 5:26 – “And they were all amazed, and they glorified God, and were filled with fear, saying, We have seen strange things to day.”

~ Luke 7:16 – “And there came a fear on all: and they glorified God, saying, That a great prophet is risen up among us; and, That God hath visited his people.”

~ Luke 13:13 – “And he laid his hands on her: and immediately she was made straight, and glorified God.”

~ Luke 17:15 – “And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, and with a loud voice glorified God”

~ Luke 23:47 – “Now when the centurion saw what was done, he glorified God, saying, Certainly this was a righteous man.”

~ John 7:39 – “(But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.)”

~ John 11:4 – “When Jesus heard that, he said, This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God might be glorified thereby.”

~ John 12:16 – “These things understood not his disciples at the first: but when Jesus was glorified, then remembered they that these things were written of him, and that they had done these things unto him.”

~ John 12:23 – “And Jesus answered them, saying, The hour is come, that the Son of man should be glorified.”

~ John 12:28 – “Father, glorify thy name. Then came there a voice from heaven, saying, I have both glorified it, and will glorify it again.”

~ John 13:31 – “Therefore, when he was gone out, Jesus said, Now is the Son of man glorified, and God is glorified in him.”

~ John 13:32 – “If God be glorified in him, God shall also glorify him in himself, and shall straightway glorify him.”

~ John 14:13 – “And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.”

~ John 15:8 – “Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples.”

~ John 17:4 – “I have glorified thee on the earth: I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do.”

~ John 17:10 – “And all mine are thine, and thine are mine; and I am glorified in them.”

~ Acts 3:13 – “The God of Abraham, and of Isaac, and of Jacob, the God of our fathers, hath glorified his Son Jesus; whom ye delivered up, and denied him in the presence of Pilate, when he was determined to let him go.”

~ Acts 4:21 – “So when they had further threatened them, they let them go, finding nothing how they might punish them, because of the people: for all men glorified God for that which was done.”

~ Acts 11:18 – “When they heard these things, they held their peace, and glorified God, saying, Then hath God also to the Gentiles granted repentance unto life.”

~ Acts 13:48 – “And when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad, and glorified the word of the Lord: and as many as were ordained to eternal life believed.”

~ Acts 21:20 – “And when they heard it, they glorified the Lord, and said unto him, Thou seest, brother, how many thousands of Jews there are which believe; and they are all zealous of the law”

~ Romans 1:21 – “Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.”

~ Romans 8:17 – “And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.”

~ Romans 8:30 – “Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.”

~ 2 Thessalonians 1:10 – “When he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be admired in all them that believe (because our testimony among you was believed) in that day.”

~ 2 Thessalonians 1:12 – “That the name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in you, and ye in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.”

~ 2 Thessalonians 3:1 – “Finally, brethren, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may have free course, and be glorified, even as it is with you”

~ Hebrews 5:5 – “So also Christ glorified not himself to be made an high priest; but he that said unto him, Thou art my Son, to day have I begotten thee.”

~ 1 Peter 4:11 – “If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God; if any man minister, let him do it as of the ability which God giveth: that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.”

~ 1 Peter 4:14 – “If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye; for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you: on their part he is evil spoken of, but on your part he is glorified.”

~ Revelation 18:7 – “How much she hath glorified herself, and lived deliciously, so much torment and sorrow give her: for she saith in her heart, I sit a queen, and am no widow, and shall see no sorrow.”

Introduction 
When was Jesus born?  This is not an attack on Christmas, it is a correction of the traditions of men, yet it is the savior of this universe that is important, not when men choose to celebrate his birth, please see my conclusion in order to gain a greater understanding of what I mean.

The Key
The key is Luke 3:1, which can help determine when Christ was crucified.  If we know when Jesus was crucified, and we understand that He was 33 and half years old when this occurred, we can determine when He was born by counting backwards 33 1/2 years.

This is the basis for Sir Robert Anderson’s book “The Coming Prince,” published in the 1890s.

Luke 3:1, which dates the start of Jesus ministry, when he was 30 years old (Luke 3:23, “about” – He was 30 1/2) at Passover, in April;   

“Now in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, Pontius Pilate being governor of Judaea, and Herod being tetrarch of Galilee, and his brother Philip tetrarch of Ituraea and of the region of Trachonitis, and Lysanias the tetrarch of Abilene.

Luke 3:22, is where Jesus enters the scene, at the same time. 

…Jesus also being baptized, and praying, the heaven was opened, And the Holy Ghost descended in a bodily shape like a dove upon him, and a voice came from heaven, which said, Thou art my beloved Son; in thee I am well pleased…

To summarize Sir Robert Anderson’s work; according to Luke 3:1, Jesus started his Ministry during (in) the 15th year of Tiberius. Tiberias was appointed during the year 14 AD (Augustus died August 19, 14 AD), therefore Jesus started his public Ministry in the year 29 AD.

We know that according to scripture Jesus was crucified on the fourth Passover after starting his public Ministry by utilizing the four Gospels, 3 are which are synoptic (Matthew, Mark, Luke) and can be aligned chronologically.

Therefore, Jesus was crucified on Passover, the 14th of Nisan (Hebrew calendar) in the year 32, which would’ve been April 10 in the year 32 AD on the Gregorian calendar. Jesus being 33 1/2 years old on this date, counting backwards would mean that He was born 1 BC in the autumn, around the first of the Hebrew month, “Tishri,” at the last of the month September on the Gregorian calendar, right around the “Feast of Trumpets.”

Conclusion
So what does this mean?  As for me, I choose to celebrate the birth of my Savior on December 25 as a point of remembrance, understanding that we do not have the exact date of His birth because the first century church was consumed with the resurrection of Jesus, wherein he died for the sins of the world as opposed to His birth. 

The point I’m making is that it is not the innocent child born in the manger that we should be is consumed with, as much as the savior who died for the sins of the world. 

I celebrate and glorify God for the day that our Savior entered this sinful existence to live for 33 years on this hostile plane, in order that He would die for me, for my sins, and all of those that would choose to put their faith in Him. 

This knowledge doesn’t change my attitude of joy and gratitude for His birth, it simply gives more credence to my choice of when to worship the birth of the King of this universe. 

What’s most important is not when I celebrate, but who I celebrate. 

(Shorted form the article: “The Date Jesus was Born.” This full version is: LINK)

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The following was written by Koinonia House

Introduction
Each year at Christmas we celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ. After the New Year, we struggle to remember to add a year as we date our checks, which should remind us that the entire Western World reckons its calendar from the birth of the One who changed the world more than any other before or since.

Yet, it is disturbing to discover that much of what we have been taught about the Christmas season seems to be more tradition than truth.

Most serious Bible students realize that Jesus was probably not born on December 25th. The shepherds had their flocks in open fields, which implies a date prior to October. Furthermore, no competent Roman administrator would require registration involving travel during the season when Judea was generally impassable.

If Jesus wasn’t born on December 25, just when was he born? Although the Bible doesn’t explicitly identify the birthday of our Lord, many scholars have developed diverse opinions as to the likely birthday of Jesus.

The early Christian church did not celebrate Jesus’ birth, and therefore the exact date was not preserved in festivals. The first recorded mention of December 25th is in the Calendar of Philocalus (AD 354), which assumed Jesus’ birth to be Friday, December 25th, AD 1.

This was subsequent to Constantine’s Edict of Toleration in AD 313, which officially ended the government-sanctioned persecution of the Christians.

The date of December 25th, which was officially proclaimed by the church fathers in AD 440, was actually a vestige of the Roman holiday of Saturnalia, observed near the winter solstice, which itself was among the many pagan traditions inherited from the earlier Babylonian priesthood.

The year of Jesus’ birth is broadly accepted as 4 BC, primarily from erroneous conclusions derived from Josephus’ recording of an eclipse, assumed to be on March 13, 4 BC, “shortly before Herod died.”

There are a number of problems with this in addition to the fact that it was more likely the eclipse occurred on December 29, 1 B.C. Considerable time elapsed between Jesus’ birth and Herod’s death since the family fled to Egypt to escape Herod’s edict and they didn’t return until after Herod’s death. Furthermore, Herod died on January 14, 1 BC.

Tertullian (born about 160 AD) stated that Augustus began to rule 41 years before the birth of Jesus and died 15 years after that event. Augustus died on August 19, 14 AD, placing Jesus’ birth at 2 BC.

Tertullian also notes that Jesus was born 28 years after the death of Cleopatra in 30 BC, which is consistent with a date of 2 BC.  Irenaeus, born about a century after Jesus, also notes that the Lord was born in the 41st year of the reign of Augustus. Since Augustus began his reign in the autumn of 43 BC, this also appears to substantiate the birth in 2 BC.

Eusebius (264-340 AD), the “Father of Church History,” ascribes it to the 42nd year of the reign of Augustus and the 28th from the subjection of Egypt on the death of Anthony and Cleopatra. The 42nd year of Augustus ran from the autumn of 2 BC to the autumn of 1 BC.

The subjugation of Egypt into the Roman Empire occurred in the autumn of 30 BC. The 28th year extended from the autumn of 3 BC to the autumn of 2 BC. The only date that would meet both of these constraints would be the autumn of 2 BC.

Another approach in determining the date of Jesus’ birth is from information about John the Baptist. Elisabeth, John’s mother, was a cousin of Mary and the wife of a priest named Zacharias who was of the “course” of Abijah (Priests were divided into 24 courses and each course officiated in the Temple for one week, from Sabbath to Sabbath).

When the Temple was destroyed by Titus on August 5, 70 AD, the first course of priests had just taken office. Since the course of Abijah was the eighth course, we can track backwards and determine that Zacharias would have ended his duties on July 13, 3 BC.

If the birth of John took place 280 days later, it would have been on April 19-20, 2 BC (precisely on Passover of that year).

John began his ministry in the 15th year of Tiberius Caesar. The minimum age for the ministry was 30. As Augustus died on August 19, 14 AD, that was the accession year for Tiberius.

If John was born on April 19-20, 2 BC, his 30th birthday would have been April 19-20, 29 AD, or the 15th year of Tiberius. This seems to confirm the 2 BC date and, since John was five months older, this also confirms the autumn birth date for Jesus.

Elisabeth hid herself for five months and then the Angel Gabriel announced to Mary both Elisabeth’s condition and that Mary also would bear a son who would be called Jesus. Mary went “with haste” to visit Elisabeth, who was then in the first week of her sixth month, or the fourth week of December, 3 BC.

If Jesus was born 280 days later it would place the date of his birth on September 29, 2 BC. If Jesus was born on September 29, 2 BC, it is interesting to note that it was also the First of Tishri, the day of the Feast of Trumpets.

Written by: KOINONIA HOUSE, Founder: Chuck Missler, Coeur d’Alene, Idaho 83816, USA, 2008, eNews, electronic media.

Brent

Something to think about.

Introduction
Unfortunately, due to the fact that many of us do not understand koiné Greek we are unaware of many grammatical principles which alter the understanding of some verses when translated into the English vernacular.

In Koiné Greek, verbs ending in “oo” indicate that what is already on the inside – is then displayed on the outside (Which is not the same as asserting that what is seen on the outside creates what is on the inside, in fact it is antithetical to this).

Due to not being aware of this Greek grammatical principle divisions have been created within the English-speaking church, to the extent that denominations have been severed concerning such teaching as “works as a part of faith,” as opposed to “faith alone” regarding salvation, as well as the Christian walk.

One of the main texts that have been used to assert that works are necessarily a part of faith is taken from James 2:21, which would appear to indicate that Abraham was saved not by faith alone, but when works were added, as seen in:

James 2:21 ~ “Was not Abraham our father justified [Greek: dikaioo] by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar”

James is not saying that Abraham’s works made him justified before God, but that Abraham’s works were the outside manifestation of what had already taken place on the inside, Abraham was already justified by God prior to this event.

In this passage, James is referring to Abraham’s offering of Isaac as proof of his faith which is referred to in Genesis chapter 22, when Abraham was over 125 years old, perhaps even 130 years old (Making Isaac at least thirty years old, and as far as some topologists are concerned, Isaac would’ve had to be thirty-three years old to fit the typology [“shadow” Col. 2:17; Heb. 8:5] of Christ’s crucifixion). Yet, we understand that Abraham’s saving faith in which God counted it “for righteousness” occurred over at least forty years prior to this as recorded in:

Genesis 15:6 ~ “And he believed in the LORD; and he counted it to him for righteousness.”

Therefore, it is impossible for James to be stating that Abraham was saved by faith when he offered up Isaac more than forty years after Genesis 15:6, which is when he displayed saving faith (In which God counted it as righteousness) by believing God’s promise concerning becoming a mighty nation, by first having a physical son of his own.

What is easily understood especially in light of the Greek grammatical principle concerning Greek verbs ending in “oo”, is that James is stating that what was already on the inside of Abraham, saving faith in God, was fully displayed in the act of him being prepared to take the life of his son according to God’s direction.

This also clears up the misunderstanding that somehow presupposes that James teaching on faith is opposed to Paul’s teaching on faith. By example, Paul states in:

Romans 4:3-5 ~ “For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness. Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt. But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth [Greek: dikaioo] the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.”

Here, Paul is quoting from Genesis 15:6, when Abraham was around 85 years old, and is being justified according to his faith by God. Paul uses the same Greek verb for justifieth, indicating that he then was exercising that faith that had already dwelt on the inside concern in God and his promises.

We must remember that it was God that ten years before had instructed Abram to leave his home and relatives to go to a new land that God would later show him. Abram delayed his departure until his father had died (According to Stephen ~ Acts 7:4), then disobeyed God by taking his nephew Lot with him.

So though Abraham had faith in God, it had not matured to the place of confidence that would mandate obedience. Yet, the scripture is quick to tell us that it was his belief in God’s promise, not Abrams works wherein God saw his heart and imputed righteousness to him.

We understand that justification is God’s declaration that a person be treated as if he is innocent of the charges made against them. It is a declaration of immunity, being acquitted, not a pronouncement based upon evidence, but in spite of it. In reference to justification, Paul declares in:

Romans 4:1-11 ~ “What shall we say then that Abraham our father, as pertaining to the flesh, hath found? For if Abraham were justified by works, he hath whereof to glory; but not before God. For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness. Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt. But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth [Greek: dikaioo] the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness. Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works, Saying, Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered. Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin. Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin. Cometh this blessedness then upon the circumcision only, or upon the uncircumcision also? for we say that faith was reckoned to Abraham for righteousness. How was it then reckoned? when he was in circumcision, or in uncircumcision? Not in circumcision, but in uncircumcision. And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had yet being uncircumcised: that he might be the father of all them that believe, though they be not circumcised; that righteousness might be imputed unto them also”

Therefore, what James says in James 2:21; agrees with Paul says in Romans 4:1-11 (As well as Ephesians 2:8-9); whereas James states that Abraham displayed (What was on the inside was exhibited on the outside) his saving faith by his work (Deed), of trusting God when he was preparing to present his son as a sacrifice, this was 40-50 years after he was already saved by his faith in God as recorded in Genesis 15:6 (Paul states in Romans 4:3; 4:9; Galatians 3:6, that Abraham received his salvation when he first exercised faith back at Genesis 15:6), and Paul stated Abraham it was this same faith that was counted for righteousness unto salvation.

James says the act displayed what was already on the inside, and Paul that the inside created the act that was displayed on the outside.

Other Example of the Verb
Another example concerning Greek verbs ending in “oo” (Which indicate that what is already on the inside is then displayed on the outside) can be found concerning the Transfiguration of Christ as recorded in:

Matthew 17:2, regarding the Transfiguration of Christ, where the word: “transfigure“ (Greek: metamorphoo), means to change the appearance or form, yet it does not denote the change of the substance of that thing, but simply its appearance (With the use of this word, transfigure, we are forced to focus on Christ’s physical appearance).

And with the verb utilizing the “oo,” ending we further understand that the change referred to here is to display the radiance of his glory physically, exhibiting what is already on the inside, to the outside, which is Christ’s Divinity in visible form.

John 1:14, which speaks about Jesus in carnation, states that he “tabernacled“(Greek: skennoo), also translated: “dwelt among us.” As seen from above, with this Greek verb (Such as tabernacled) ending in “oo“, it indicates that “what is on the inside is displayed on the outside.”

The verb is used here concerns Jesus being made flesh, in regards to Him displaying in His behavior (on the outside ~ in regards to the use of the word tabernacled among men, we are forced to focus Christ’s behavior), that which had already existed in His essence, His Holiness as the only begotten Son of God, the “Word (Greek: Logos: “the literal communication”) of God, Personified.”

Ephesians 3:16, concerning the word: strengthened (Greek: krataioo – see Endnote #1), concerning the believers who have been strengthened on the inside by the Holy Spirit which should be exhibited on the outside.

What we must also understand concerning this word, strengthened (Noticed that it is past tense in the English), is that in the Greek grammar, it is in the passive voice, meaning that the person receives the power from another, not from themselves; and that it is in the aorist tense, meaning that the action occurred in the past (It occurred “Once & for all.” The action occurred or was made possible when Jesus died on the cross, giving the opportunity for the Holy Spirit to indwell the believers according to salvation as adopted sons of God) and it is in the indicative mood, meaning that it is a complete certainty (A reality ~ it is a done deal, completed).

Back to our texts – therefore, with this in mind, what these verses (James 2:21 and Romans 4:1-8) indicate is that by becoming a believer and therefore having the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, there is power available to the believer which indwells on the inside and should be displayed on the outside. (This is what true witnessing is all about; this is what 1 Peter 3:15 also alludes to as well.)

These types of passages which use Greek verbs ending in “oo” are simply stating the fact that the outside is then – showing what is already going on the inside (They are not saying that there is only an exterior application, but that there is an interior meaning that is expressed in the exterior as well – see Endnote #2).

Brent

Endnote
1. If you use a Greek Parallel Interlinear New Testament, you will notice that the spelling for the verbs referenced above (Justification, transfigured, dwelt, and strengthened) in the Greek language do not display two “oo,” just one. This is because in a Greek Parallel Interlinear New Testament, the Greek words are combined into cognates and not distinguished individually.

However, if you utilize a Bible Dictionary on Greek (Such as: Vine’s Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words; Expository Dictionary of Bible Words, Larry Richards; Jamieson, Fausset, Brown; Word Studies in the Greek New Testament, Kenneth S. Wuest; Word Meanings in the New Testament, Ralph Earl; Hebrew-Greek Key Study Bible & Word Studies, Spiros Zodhiates), as well as any of the current computer dictionary programs; the spelling of the individual words will be with the double “oo” ending.

Thayer’s Greek Dictionary is used concerning the above translation (This may not apply to certain deviant Alexandrian Codex utilized in a few of the modern translations; these text also modify passages concerning the Deity of Christ, and other Orthodox doctrines, yet they are unable to delete all scriptural basis for these doctrines, as even these deviant translations cannot completely change the Greek wording. If any of your current Bible translations omit the double “oo“, please forward this to me, and I will personally give you background information for greater clarity, and also I am doing ongoing research concerning these deviant Alexandrian Codices, as well as any Word Studies or Dictionaries which utilize them for their source material New Testament translations).

2. Concerning grammatical reference to the utilization of “oo” in Greek verbs wherein its usage “indicates that what is already present on the inside is then displayed on the outside;” Dr. Wayne A. Barber’s book, “The Surrendered Walk,” page 28 gives reference, as well as other Greek guides and books and which teach Koiné Greek of the first century.

“The difference between ‘involvement’ and ‘commitment’ is like an eggs-and-ham breakfast:
the chicken was ‘involved’ – the pig was ‘committed’.”

Introduction
Though I am a political individual by nature, within this ministry, I teach Jesus Christ and His word; and therefore trust the leading of the Holy Spirit to guide people into truth concerning the choices that they would make for the highest office of the land. (There are other venues that are more appropriate for which I would utilize concerning law, public policy and politics)

However, there are obvious observations concerning mankind, his nature, God’s Word, and life which I believe we could profit by in reexamine during this political season.

Therefore, I would like to put forth for your consideration some wise expressions I have collected over the years, many of whom I’m not aware of the author, but still desire to present as food for thought.  

Of these few opinions I present, none regard God directly out of reverence for Him, and as the Bible is meant for this purpose. 

I have broken down the expressions into different groups (If known, the author is listed), starting with the most important; God’s Word, and ending with society and  politics, freedom and liberty.  

The Word of God

“The Bible is such a book, as man could not write if he would,
& would not write if he could.”

“The New Testament is concealed in the Old,
and the Old is revealed in the New”
(Augustine?)

“The Bible: in the old the new is concealed,
in the new the old is revealed.”

“The Bible: in the old the new is contained,
in the new the old is explained.”

“An apparent Biblical contradiction is the Holy Spirit’s
way of getting the reader’s attention so as to point out a
hidden deep truth, which must be examined at great
expense, in order to discover the precious
faith building treasure it contains.” 
(Brent Bolin)

“To most Christians, the Bible is like a software license.
Nobody actually reads it. They just scroll to the bottom and click ‘I agree.'”

“This book contains the mind of God, the state of man, the way of salvation, the doom of sinners and that happiness of believers.  Its doctrines are holy, its precepts are binding, its histories are true, and its decisions are immutable.  Read it to be wise, believe it to be safe and practice it to be holy.  It contains light to direct you, food to support you and comfort to cheer you.  It is the travelers map, the Pilgrims staff, the pilots compass, the soldier sword and the Christians character.  Here paradise is restored, heaven opened and the gates of hell disclosed.  Christ is its grand object, our good is its design and the glory of God its end.  It should fill the memory, rule the heart, and guide the feet.  Read it slowly, frequently, and prayerfully.  It is given to you in life and it will be opened in the judgment and will be remembered forever.  It involves the highest responsibility, will reward the greatest labor, and will condemn all who trifle with its sacred contents.”

 “Liberal (Interpretation) theology has a God without wrath,
who brought men without sin, into a kingdom without judgment,
through the ministration of a Christ without a cross.” 
(Reinhold Niebuhr)

.

Faith

“Faith (The function of it) can be represented by the
acronym of ABC: Faith is Action, Based upon Belief,
Sustained by Confidence.”
(E. Scott)

“Faith is believing (B) what God has said in His Word,
due to the confidence (C) it has earned, to the point that
actions (A) are affected.” [Romans 10:17]  
(Brent Bolin)

“There is no other virtue known to man
that pleases God (Hebrews 11:6), therefore, it is faith
that deserves our unending attention in learning
how to please God more and more.” 
(Brent Bolin)

  “There are two ways to slide through life:
One is to believe everything you hear,
the other is to doubt everything you hear;
both ways are the same in that you need not think.”  
(A. Berlenske)

.

Grace

“Sometimes a man can meet his destiny
on the road he took to avoid it”

.

Christianity

“Christian idolatry is when believers:
worship their work,
work at their play,
and
play at their worship.”

“Christianity began in Judea as a community,
was taught in Greece as a philosophy,
was conducted in Rome as an institution,
  permeated Europe as a culture,
  in America became a lifestyle,
 which today has turned into a business.” 

“Christianity began as a company of lay witnesses,
that has become a professional troop of performers,
financed by lay spectators.”

“Many of us are loyal to our notions of Jesus Christ,
but how many of us are loyal to Him?
Loyalty to Jesus means I have to step out
where I do not see anything (ref Matt 14:29);
loyalty to my notions means that I clear the
ground first by my intelligence.
Faith is not intelligent understanding,
faith is deliberate commitment
to a Person where I see no way.”
(Oswald Chambers)

“Many folks want to serve God, but only as advisers.” 

“Coincidence is when God chooses to remain anonymous.” 

“God doesn’t call the qualified, He qualifies the called.”

“God promises a safe landing, not a calm trip.” 

“Without Him, we can’t; without us, He won’t.”    

.

Serenity

The Original / Full Serenity Prayer:
“God, give us grace to accept with serenity the things
that cannot be changed, Courage to change
the things which should be changed,
and the Wisdom to distinguish the
one from the other.  Living one day at a time,
enjoying one moment at a time, Accepting hardship as a
pathway to peace, Taking, as Jesus did, This sinful world
as it is, Not as I would have it, Trusting that You
will make all things right, If I surrender to
Your will, So that I may be reasonably happy
in this life, And supremely happy
with You forever in the next.”
 (Reinhold Nieber)

Short Serenity Prayer:
   “God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot
change, the courage to change the things I can, and the
wisdom to know the difference.” 
(Reinhold Nieber)

For the Substance Abuse Counselor:
“God grant me the serenity to accept the person I cannot
change, the courage to change the person I can,
and the wisdom to know that I am that person.” 
(An exhausted Substance Abuse Counselor)

For the Elderly:
“God grant me the senility to forget the people
I never liked, the good fortune to run into the ones I do,
and the eyesight to tell the difference.”

.

Character, Commitment, and Integrity

“Adversity doesn’t necessarily build character,
but it does display it”

I’m a great believer in luck, and I find that the
harder I work the more of it I have.” 
(Thomas Jefferson)

“Watch your thoughts, they become words;
watch your words, they become actions;
watch your actions, they become habits;
watch your habits, they become character;
watch your character, it becomes your destiny.”
(Frank Outlaw)

“Intimacy can be defined as: “In-to-me-you-see.”

“The difference between ‘involvement’ and ‘commitment’
is like an eggs-and-ham breakfast:
the chicken was ‘involved’ – the pig was ‘committed’.”

.

The Lack of Character & Integrity

 “The key is sincerity, once you learn to fake that, you have it made.”
(Movie studio executive)   

“Nothing does so much harm as good intentions”

“What one generation tolerates, the next generation embraces”

“When a well-packaged web of lies has been sold gradually
to the masses over generations, the truth will seem utterly
preposterous and its speaker a raving lunatic”
(Dresden James) 

“Gossip is vice enjoyed vicariously.”

“A secret is something you tell one person at a time.” 

.

Legalism

“Self-control without humility is legalism.”

“God made man in His own image and
man has been returning the favor ever since.”
(Mark Twain)

“The law is for the proud and grace is for the humble.”

    “The law is to convict the comfortable –
grace is to bring comfort to the convicted.”

       “Legalism butchers the sheep, but grace covers them.”

.

Pride

“If I bought you for what I thought you were worth,
and sold you for what you thought you were worth,
I’d make a small fortune.”          

“Pride can’t grow where humility is already planted.” 
(Brent Bolin)

“Pride is preoccupation with self, either through
grandiosity or self-loathing; the common denominator
is the focus of attention, which is on self.”
(Russell Kelfer)

“Pride has to do with one’s focus (on self): not one’s value.”

“Proud men usually bask in humiliating others,
while humble men usually find pride repulsive.” 

“An agnostic Jew is a Jew who knows what the God
that he doesn’t believe in, requires of him.”

“Denial can be defined as,
Don’t Even kNow I’m Lying… to myself.”

.

Planning and Preparation

“For the want of a nail, the shoe was lost;
for the want of a shoe the horse was lost;
and for the want of a horse the rider was lost,
being overtaken and slain by the enemy,
all for the want of care about a horseshoe nail.” 
 (Benjamin Franklin)

“We have a tendency in our planning to confuse the
unfamiliar with the improbable.  If the contingency
we have not considered looks strange; what looks
strange is therefore improbable; what seems
improbable need not be considered seriously”
– thus failure.
(Thomas C. Schelling)

“A lack of planning on your part
does not necessitate an emergency on my part”

.

 Investigation and Discretion

“There is a principle which is a bar against all information,
which is proof against all arguments, and which
cannot fail to keep a man in everlasting ignorance –
that principle is contempt prior to investigation.”
(William Paley)

“All of us are subject to the limitations imposed by the
presumptions we bring to a topic, and it may be essential
to step back from time to time and reestablish a fresh perspective.
Because the only certain barrier to truth
is the presumption that you already have it.”
(Chuck Missler)

“Sometimes in life the hardest thing to know is which bridges
to cross and which bridges to burn”

“Expediency & practicality are no excuse for compromise,
no matter how sincere the motive.”

“Don’t let the tyranny of the urgent,
preempt what is most important, the priority.” 

“You are still wrong if you achieve a right
conclusion based on a wrong hypothesis.”

“The worst mistake a Christian can make
is to substitute their will for God’s.”

“Once you eliminate the impossible,
whatever remains, no matter how improbable,
must be the truth.” – Sherlock Holmes
(by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, 1859-1930)

 .

Politics and Society

“Blaming the prince of the fools, should not blind anyone
to the vast confederacy of fools that made him their prince”
(Prager Zeitung)

“Socialism is the exploitation of the
productive by the unaccountable.”

“A government big enough to give you everything
you want is strong enough to take everything you have.”  
(Thomas Jefferson)

“You cannot strengthen the weak by weakening the strong.
You cannot bring about prosperity by discouraging thrift.
You cannot lift the wage earner up by pulling the wage payer down.
You cannot further the brotherhood of man by inciting class hatred.
You cannot build character and courage by taking away
people’s initiative and independence.  You cannot help people
permanently by doing for them,
what they could and should do for themselves.”  
(Abraham Lincoln)

 .

Freedom and Liberty

“The very atmosphere of firearms anywhere and
everywhere restrains evil interference –
they deserve a place of honor with all that’s good.”  
(George Washington)

“He that exchanges security for liberty deserves neither.”  
(Benjamin Franklin)

“The value of any commodity depends on its scarcity.”

”Crouch down and lick the hands which feed you.
May your chains sit lightly upon you, and may
posterity forget that ye were our countrymen” 
(Samuel Adams)

“A truth not worth fighting for is not worth dying for.”
(DB Warfield)

“All that is necessary for the triumph of evil
is that good men do nothing”  
(Edmund Burke)

“Freedoms given away are seldom returned
without the spilling of blood.” 
(Benjamin Franklin)

Yet we have this consolation with us,
that the harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph,” 
(Thomas Pain)

“What we obtain too cheap, we esteem too lightly:” 
(Thomas Pain)

“It is dearness only that gives everything its value,”
(Thomas Pain)

“Heaven knows how to put a proper price upon its goods;
and it would be strange indeed if so celestial
an article as freedom should not be highly rated” 
(Thomas Pain)

“Those who expect to reap the blessing of freedom
must understand the fatigue of supporting it”
(Thomas Pain)

“There are five things that you cannot recover in life:

The Stone………..after it’s thrown

The Word……………after it’s said

The Occasion……after it’s missed

The Time………….after it’s gone

A person……………after they die

I would simply add to this unknown Arthur’s list………a vote not cast.

Brent

Introduction
Man is so limited by the sin-nature that even the born-again believer is plagued with a sinful perception, wherein many times reality is beyond his comprehension.  We must remember: 

“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.” (Isa 55:8-9)

The following are a few examples of the difference between our perception and God’s perception.

The 7 Churches of the  Revelation of Jesus Christ
1) When one reads the first three chapters of the book of Revelation, which is the revelation of Jesus Christ which God gave to Him, Jesus to show to His servants (“The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him, to shew unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass; and he sent and signified it by his angel unto his servant John” ~ Revelation 1:1), beyond being amazed that Jesus truly did write part of the New Testament (dictated to John – John was merely the scribe, not the author) is that these seven letters to seven churches draw on the fact that even within the church there is the possibility of warped perspectives.