tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30966700021915387742024-03-12T20:48:26.493-04:00Thoughts and TheologyApologetics, testimonies, videos, Creation vs. Evolution, graphics, and more, often of a controversial nature.Jeffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01146601338956701881noreply@blogger.comBlogger555125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3096670002191538774.post-30837973261782482942014-03-14T14:50:00.001-04:002014-03-14T14:50:21.761-04:00FEAR OF GOD LEADING to Eternal Life<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="270" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/eCXACrWuwNY" width="480"></iframe>Jeffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01146601338956701881noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3096670002191538774.post-10283454380507074722013-11-22T23:11:00.000-05:002013-11-22T23:11:00.583-05:00Messiah in the Old Testament and the New TestamentThe Suffering Messiah was prophesied about in the Old Testament.
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Here is just one example:
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“But He was wounded for our transgressions. He was bruised for our iniquities. The chastisement for our peace was upon Him and by His stripes we are healed.” (Isaiah 53:5)
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It was fulfilled here:
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“Then he released Barabbas to them. And when he had scourged Jesus, he delivered Him to be crucified.” (Matthew 27:26)
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Here is another example:
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“I gave My back to those who struck Me and My cheeks to those who plucked out the beard. I did not hide My face from shame and spitting. (Isaiah 50:6)
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It was fulfilled here:
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“Then they spat in His face and beat Him. And others struck Him with the palms of their hands." (Matthew 26:6)
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Regarding Isaiah 53, going back to Isaiah 53:2, it says:
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"He grew up before him like a tender shoot, and like a root out of dry ground. He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him, nothing in his appearance that we should desire him."
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That is talking about the Messiah.
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Isaiah 49:3, 'servant' cannot mean literally national Israel, since in verse 5 this "servant" has a mission to Israel. The Messianic servant is the ideal Israel through whom the Lord will be glorified. I was going to type more, but since you keep entering comments, you make me feel rushed, so I'm not going to spend much more time here now. There are many verses dealing with this subject in general, and it would take a good bit of time to try to cover it all, but I have a lot of things to do, so I need to be going.
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In Isaiah 4:2, it talks about the "Branch of the Lord." This is a Messianic title related to the "shoot" (53:2) and "Branch" descended from David.
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"A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse; from his roots a Branch will bear fruit." (Isaiah 11:1)
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In the next verse of Isaiah 53, it says this:
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"He was despised and rejected by mankind, a man of suffering, and familiar with pain. Like one from whom people hide their faces he was despised, and we held him in low esteem."
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Compare this to Isaiah 49:7:
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"This is what the Lord says—the Redeemer and Holy One of Israel—to him who was despised and abhorred by the nation, to the servant of rulers: “Kings will see you and stand up, princes will see and bow down, because of the Lord, who is faithful, the Holy One of Israel, who has chosen you.”
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Also compare it to Psalm 22:6:
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"But I am a worm and not a man, scorned by everyone, despised by the people."
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Then, going on to Isaiah 53:4:
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"Surely he took up our pain and bore our suffering, yet we considered him punished by God, stricken by him, and afflicted."
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Compare that to Matthew 8:17:
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"This was to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet Isaiah: “He took up our infirmities and bore our diseases.”
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In relation to this, look at Isaiah 1:5-6:
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"Why should you be beaten anymore? Why do you persist in rebellion? Your whole head is injured, your whole heart afflicted. From the sole of your foot to the top of your head there is no soundness—only wounds and welts and open sores, not cleansed or bandaged or soothed with olive oil."
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I already mentioned Isaiah 53:5, so let's go on to 53:6, in order to look at the surrounding verses, instead of just the one verse.
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"We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to our own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all." (Isaiah 53:6)
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Compare this to Psalm 119:176:
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"I have strayed like a lost sheep. Seek your servant, for I have not forgotten your commands."
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Also compare Jeremiah 50:6:
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“My people have been lost sheep; their shepherds have led them astray and caused them to roam on the mountains. They wandered over mountain and hill and forgot their own resting place."
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And compare Jesus' parable in Luke 15:3-7:
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"Then Jesus told them this parable: “Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Doesn’t he leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it? And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.’ I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent."
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Also compare this to Ezekiel 34:1-6:
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"The word of the Lord came to me: “Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel; prophesy and say to them: ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Woe to you shepherds of Israel who only take care of yourselves! Should not shepherds take care of the flock? You eat the curds, clothe yourselves with the wool and slaughter the choice animals, but you do not take care of the flock. You have not strengthened the weak or healed the sick or bound up the injured. You have not brought back the strays or searched for the lost. You have ruled them harshly and brutally. So they were scattered because there was no shepherd, and when they were scattered they became food for all the wild animals. My sheep wandered over all the mountains and on every high hill. They were scattered over the whole earth, and no one searched or looked for them."
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Isaiah 9:6-7 – “For a child is born to us, a son is given to us. And the government will rest on His shoulders. These will be His royal titles: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. His ever expanding, peaceful government will never end. He will rule forever with fairness and justice from the throne of His ancestor David. The passionate commitment of the Lord Almighty will guarantee this!”
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And this is quoted in Matthew 12:18-21:
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“Here is my servant whom I have chosen, the one I love, in whom I delight; I will put my Spirit on him, and he will proclaim justice to the nations. He will not quarrel or cry out; no one will hear his voice in the streets. A bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out, till he has brought justice through to victory. In his name the nations will put their hope.”
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Isaiah 53, also known as the “Suffering Servant,” has been long understood by the historical Rabbis of Judaism to speak of the Redeemer who will one day come to Zion.
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The Babylonian Talmud says: "The Messiah, what is his name? The Rabbis say, The Leper Scholar, as it is said, ‘surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him a leper, smitten of God and afflicted...'" (Sanhedrin 98b).
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Midrash Ruth Rabbah says: "Another explanation (of Ruth 2:14): He is speaking of king Messiah; ‘Come hither,' draw near to the throne; ‘and eat of the bread,' that is, the bread of the kingdom; ‘and dip thy morsel in the vinegar,' this refers to his chastisements, as it is said, `But he was wounded for our transgressions, bruised for our iniquities.'"
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The Targum Jonathan says: "Behold my servant Messiah shall prosper; he shall be high and increase and be exceedingly strong."
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The Zohar says: "’He was wounded for our transgressions,' etc....There is in the Garden of Eden a palace called the Palace of the Sons of Sickness; this palace the Messiah then enters, and summons every sickness, every pain, and every chastisement of Israel; they all come and rest upon him. And were it not that he had thus lightened them off Israel and taken them upon himself, there had been no man able to bear Israel's chastisements for the transgression of the law: and this is that which is written, `Surely our sicknesses he hath carried.'"
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The great (Rambam) Rabbi Moses Maimonides says: "What is the manner of Messiah's advent...there shall rise up one of whom none have known before, and signs and wonders which they shall see performed by him will be the proofs of his true origin; for the Almighty, where he declares to us his mind upon this matter, says, `Behold a man whose name is the Branch, and he shall branch forth out of his place' (Zechariah 6:12). And Isaiah speaks similarly of the time when he shall appear, without father or mother or family being known, He came up as a sucker before him, and as a root out of dry earth, etc....in the words of Isaiah, when describing the manner in which kings will harken to him, At him kings will shut their mouth; for that which had not been told them have they seen, and that which they had not heard they have perceived."
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Unfortunately, modern Rabbis of Judaism believe that the “Suffering Servant” of Isaiah 53 refers perhaps to Israel, or to Isaiah himself, or even Moses or another of the Jewish prophets. But Isaiah is clear - he speaks of the Messiah, as many ancient rabbis concluded.
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The second verse of Isaiah 53 confirms this clarity. The figure grows up as “a young plant, and like a root out of dry ground.” The shoot springing up is beyond reasonable doubt a reference to the Messiah, and, in fact, it is a common Messianic reference in Isaiah and elsewhere. The Davidic dynasty was to be cut down in judgment like a felled tree, but it was promised to Israel that a new sprout would shoot up from the stump. King Messiah was to be that sprout.
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Beyond doubt, the “Suffering Servant” of Isaiah 53 refers to Messiah. He is the one highly exalted before whom kings shut their mouths. Messiah is the shoot who sprung up from the fallen Davidic dynasty. He became the King of Kings. He provided the ultimate atonement.
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Isaiah 53 must be understood as referring to the coming Davidic King, the Messiah. King Messiah was prophesied to suffer and die to pay for our sins and then rise again. He would serve as a priest to the nations of the world and apply the blood of atonement to cleanse those who believe. There is One alone to whom this can refer, Jesus Christ!
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Those who confess him are his children, his promised offspring, and the spoils of his victory. According to the testimony of the Jewish Apostles, Jesus died for our sins, rose again, ascended to the right hand of God, and he now serves as our great High Priest who cleanses us of sin (Hebrew 2:17; 8:1). Jesus, the Jewish Messiah, is the one Isaiah foresaw.
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Rabbi Moshe Kohen Ibn Crispin said, “This rabbi described those who interpret Isaiah 53 as referring to Israel as those "having forsaken the knowledge of our Teachers, and inclined after the `stubbornness of their own hearts,' and of their own opinion, I am pleased to interpret it, in accordance with the teaching of our Rabbis, of the King Messiah. This prophecy was delivered by Isaiah at the divine command for the purpose of making known to us something about the nature of the future Messiah, who is to come and deliver Israel, and his life from the day when he arrives at discretion until his advent as a redeemer, in order that if anyone should arise claiming to be himself the Messiah, we may reflect, and look to see whether we can observe in him any resemblance to the traits described here; if there is any such resemblance, then we may believe that he is the Messiah our righteousness; but if not, we cannot do so.”
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Here is another example that addresses your original question of verses in the Old Testament that talk about a Suffering Messiah:
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“All who see Me ridicule Me. They shoot out the lip, they shake the head, saying, ‘He trusted in the Lord. Let Him rescue Him. Let Him deliver Him, since He delights in Him!’” (Psalm 22:7-8)
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It was fulfilled here:
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“When they had twisted a crown of thorns, they put it on His head, and a reed in His right hand. And they bowed the knee before Him and mocked Him saying, ‘Hail, King of the Jews!’” (Matthew 27:29)
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And here:
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“In the same way the chief priests, the teachers of the law and the elders mocked him. ‘He saved others,’ they said ‘but he can’t save Himself! He’s the King of Israel! Let him come down now from the cross, and we will believe in him. He trusts in God. Let God rescue Him now if He wants…’” (Matthew 27:41-43)
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Not only did the New Testament authors realize that God is a Triune Being, but even Genesis 1:26 implies this:
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“Then God said, “Let <i>us</i> make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.”
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"Us" cannot mean the angels, because God made man in His image, not in the image of angels. Not only that, but angels do not create humans.
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In Genesis 1:1, the Hebrew plural noun "Elohim" is used. In Genesis 1:26, 3:22, 11:7 and Isaiah 6:8, the plural pronoun for “us” is used. The word "Elohim" and the pronoun “us” are plural forms, definitely referring in the Hebrew language to more than two. This denotes the aspect of plurality in God.
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Christians believe in one God, Who is unique from any creature in that He is a Triune Being, consisting of three Persons. Not persons like human beings are persons, because with human beings, one person = one being. But not all beings are the same. Fish don't have feathers or fur, and birds do not have gills or scales. Man was made in God's image, but that doesn't mean man is exactly like God in every way. Man is not omniscient, omnipresent, or omnipotent. Man does not live outside of the confines of time and space. Man is flesh and blood, whereas God is not. Similarly, God is a Being consisting of three Persons. The only reason we call them "Persons" is because that is the closest term we can use to understand the concept. Just like we call Jesus the "Son" of God, even though Jesus is not God's biological son, contrary to what the Mormon cult believes, and contrary to what Muslims mistakenly think that Christians believe. "Son" is more of a spiritual son than a biological son, and is just the closest term we have to understand that concept. The same applies to calling God "Father." God does not have any biological children; neither does He have a wife.
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Going on, Isaiah 48:16 mentions the Holy Spirit:
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"Draw near to me, hear this: from the beginning I have not spoken in secret, from the time it came to be I have been there.” And now the Lord God has sent me, and his Spirit."
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Isaiah 61:1 also mentions the Holy Spirit:
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"The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the poor; he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound."
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In fact, in Isaiah 48:16 and 61:1, the Son is speaking while making reference to the Father and the Holy Spirit. 48:16 says, "from the beginning I have not spoken in secret," and "from the time it came to be [the beginning] I have been there." 61:1 talks about the Son/Messiah and says, "the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the poor; he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound."
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Luke 4:14-19 makes reference to this:
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"And Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit to Galilee, and a report about him went out through all the surrounding country. And he taught in their synagogues, being glorified by all. And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up. And as was his custom, he went to the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and he stood up to read. And the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written, “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”
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And in verse 21, guess what Jesus says?
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"He began by saying to them, “Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.”
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Jesus was claiming that Isaiah 61:1 was talking about Him!
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And in verses 23-29, it says:
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"Jesus said to them, “Surely you will quote this proverb to me: ‘Physician, heal yourself!’ And you will tell me, ‘Do here in your hometown what we have heard that you did in Capernaum.’” “Truly I tell you,” he continued, “no prophet is accepted in his hometown. I assure you that there were many widows in Israel in Elijah’s time, when the sky was shut for three and a half years and there was a severe famine throughout the land. Yet Elijah was not sent to any of them, but to a widow in Zarephath in the region of Sidon. And there were many in Israel with leprosy in the time of Elisha the prophet, yet not one of them was cleansed—only Naaman the Syrian.” All the people in the synagogue were furious when they heard this. They got up, drove him out of the town, and took him to the brow of the hill on which the town was built, in order to throw him off the cliff. But he walked right through the crowd and went on his way."
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Did you get that? Jesus' point was that when Israel rejected God's messenger of redemption, God sent Him to the Gentiles---and so it will be again if they refuse to accept Jesus. For example, in Luke 10:13-15, Jesus says:
“Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago, sitting in sackcloth and ashes. But it will be more bearable for Tyre and Sidon at the judgment than for you. And you, Capernaum, will you be lifted to the heavens? No, you will go down to Hades."
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Back to Luke 4, because of Jesus' condemnation of Israel and favorable attitude toward Gentiles, the Jews tried to throw Jesus off a cliff! But because Jesus' time had not yet come (i.e., to die on the cross for men's sins), Jesus was able to merely walk right through the murderous crowd!
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<b>The Trinity</b>
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Going on, Matthew 28:19 lists the Persons of the Trinity:
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"Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit."
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2 Corinthians 13:14 also mentions the Persons of the Trinity:
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"The grace of the <i>Lord Jesus Christ</i> and the love of <i>God</i> and the fellowship of the <i>Holy Spirit</i> be with you all."
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Jesus said there is only one God:
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"How can you believe if you accept praise from one another, yet make no effort to obtain the praise that comes from <i>the only [monos] God</i>?" (John 5:44)
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"After Jesus said this, he looked toward heaven and prayed: "Father, the time has come. Glorify your Son, that your Son may glorify you. For you granted him authority over all people that he might give eternal life to all those you have given him. Now this is eternal life: that they may know you, <i>the only [monos] true God,</i> and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent. I have brought you glory on earth by completing the work you gave me to do. And now, Father, glorify me in your presence with the glory I had with you before the world began." (John 17:1-5)
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Notice that in the above verses, Jesus refers to God as "Father" and calls Him "the only true God," yet He also refers to Himself as the Son, and says that the Father has given Him authority over all people to grant eternal life!
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In both John 5:44 and John 17 (above), the word "monos" is used to describe God, which means "alone."
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However, in the following verses, the word "hen" is used instead:
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"The foremost is, 'Hear, O Israel! The Lord our God is one [hen] Lord." (Mark 12:29)
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"I and the Father are one [hen]." (John 10:30)
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In the New Testament, this is the Greek equivalent to the Hebrew word for 'one.' In Matthew 19:5, Jesus quotes Genesis 2:24 about a husband and wife becoming one flesh; the word used is 'hen.' Jesus prays that believers will be one, even as He and the Father are one. He did not mean their persons would be fused together; it means spiritually united. They are not one Person, but in nature they are unified. The God of the Old Testament is a united one. The God of the New Testament is a united one. This is what is meant by God being one.
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In the Old Testament, teachings were focused on God being one in contrast to the polytheism of the nations that surrounded Israel. There are statements that speak of the plurality of this *one* God in the Old Testament record.
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However, it is only when we come to the New Testament that this one in unity is explained.
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Where John 10:30 says, "I and my Father are one," this is not a numerical one. Jesus is not saying He is the Father. They are not one person, but in nature they are unified. It actually reads "we are one" in Greek. The first-person plural 'esmen' means ‘we are.’ Again, this is a unity in nature, not a numerical statement.
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The word 'one' in Greek is 'Hen,' and it is a neuter nominative, so it refers to one in essence and nature and kind. In John 10:30, it is saying that Jesus is deity just as the Father is. He went on to explain that he is the Son of God, and the Pharisees understood his claim of making himself out to be equal with the Father. That's why, in John 10:31, it says that the Jews took up stones to stone Jesus.
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In the Old Testament, God is described as one. Deuteronomy 6:4 says, "Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one." (Or, "The Lord our God is one Lord.") The phrase "one Lord" is preceded in the Hebrew by 'elohenu;' it is "our God is one." The word for 'one' is not a numerical one, but is actually a <i>united</i> one. The Hebrew word for 'one' is 'echad,' which comes from the root word 'achad,' which means 'to unify or collect together' (the intensive reflexive form signifying 'to unite'). If this was meant to be a strict numerical statement, the Holy Spirit would have had Moses use the word 'yachid,' which means an absolute one; single; only one. 'Yachid' is used twelve times in the Scriptures; but <i>not once</i> is it used for YHWH God!
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An example of this 'united one' is Genesis 1:5, where evening and morning are called one day (a combination of two parts to make one). They are both considered a day, yet we can distinguish them as different phases.
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Another example is Genesis 2:24, where Adam and Eve become one flesh. Here, two personalities come together in marriage and become one---not one person, but one in unity. God sees them as one, even though they are not physically fused together like Siamese twins. So, if we say 'echad' in Deuteronomy 6:4 ("one") means a numerical one, then Siamese twins would be the only consideration for our understanding of Genesis 2:24 for man and wife becoming one flesh.
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Other instances of 'echad,' which is also used for "one" in Deuteronomy 6:4 to describe God, is Genesis 11:6, where the people are one; or Ezra 2:64, where the whole assembly of Israel is like one.
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Yet another example is Numbers 13:23, where, according to their view, when the spies went over into the land of Canaan, they brought back "one" grape (Hebrew: 'eschal echad.') It says that two of them carried it on a pole between them, along with pomegranates and figs. Why would they bring just one grape? Was one grape really that huge? Can anyone actually think it was a numerical statement? But in fact, it means a 'cluster' of grapes.
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Other examples are Psalm 133:1, where the brethren is to dwell as one (in unity); 1 Samuel 3:17, where they are called one company; 2 Samuel 2:25, one troop; 1 Kings 7:42, one tribe; and in 1 Kings 11:13, Israel is called one nation.
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Yet another example of 'echad' for "one" is Ezekiel 37:17, where Ezekial is told to put two sticks together, so that combined, they become 'one' stick, showing that the nation would be unified. In all these examples, it is not a strict singular meaning. This same word is applied to the 'one' God, and is clearly used as a compound unity.
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The word for a strict single is 'yachid.' It's used in Genesis 22:2: "Take thy one and only son." This can also be used for God's only Son being unique and one-of-a-kind.
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God is above and beyond all of us. None of us can fully and completely comprehend God. If we could, then He wouldn't be God. There is one and only one God. God eternally exists in three distinct Persons. In other words, God is said to be three Persons in one essence, nature, or being. The Father is God, the Son is God, and the Holy Spirit is God. The Father is not the Son, the Son is not the Father, the Father is not the Spirit. Jesus is not a lesser deity than the Father. The Father, Son and Holy Spirit are co-equal in nature. However, the Holy Spirit glorifies the Son and the Son glorifies the Father. The Trinity is not 1 + 1 + 1 (= 3) , but rather 1 x 1 x 1 (= 1).
Jeffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01146601338956701881noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3096670002191538774.post-25825214034841656492013-11-18T13:19:00.000-05:002013-11-18T13:19:00.192-05:00Being filled with the Holy SpiritInstead of writing an article, this time I'm just providing a few linked websites having to do with the subject of being filled with the Holy Spirit, mainly just as handy references:
<a href="http://www.cru.org/training-and-growth/classics/10-basic-steps/3-the-holy-spirit/06-filled-continually.htm">How You Can Continue to Be Filled with the Holy Spirit</a>
<a href="http://www.letusreason.org/Biblexp212.htm">What is the difference of being baptized with the Spirit and filled with the Spirit?</a> <i>(Let Us Reason Ministries)</i>
<a href="http://www.jdgreear.com/my_weblog/2012/03/filled-with-the-holy-spirit-what-when-and-how.html">FILLED WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT: WHAT, WHEN, AND HOW</a>
<a href="http://www.gotquestions.org/feel-Holy-Spirit.html">Is a believer supposed to be able to feel the Holy Spirit?</a>Jeffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01146601338956701881noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3096670002191538774.post-70336916671141448032013-11-13T06:45:00.000-05:002013-11-13T06:45:00.339-05:00Did Adam have the Holy Spirit?<p>
The Bible says, "And the LORD God commanded the man, "You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat of it you will surely die." (Genesis 2:16,17 NIV)
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So, before Adam and Eve ate of the tree, they apparently did not have the knowledge of good and evil. But once they ate of it, the Bible says, "The man has now become like one of us, knowing good and evil." (Genesis 3:22 NIV)
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The word "knowledge" in the Hebrew is <i>'Yada'</i> and it means to know, to perceive, to perceive and see, find out and discern, to discriminate, distinguish, to know by experience, to recognize, admit, acknowledge, confess, or to consider.
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So, in man's original state, he did not have the knowledge of good and evil. Yet those are attributes that you would normally associate with God. So, if Adam had the Holy Spirit in him, then surely he would have the knowledge of good and evil.
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Therefore, it would follow that Adam did not have the Holy Spirit in him, though he did live in a state of sinless perfection. Adam lived in a state of innocence, not knowing the difference between good and evil.
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The Holy Spirit gives spiritual wisdom. So again, if he had the Holy Spirit, don't you think he would have the knowledge of good and evil?
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In fact, Adam may not have even <i>had</i> a conscience, because a conscience is what tells us the difference between wrong and right. And he had no awareness of that, since he didn't have the knowledge of good and evil.
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At the new birth, a person is given the Holy Spirit to deal with the need for victory over sin. Adam, before the fall, didn't <i>have</i> any sin to deal with, so therefore he didn't need the indwelling Holy Spirit.Jeffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01146601338956701881noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3096670002191538774.post-75100670228291664052013-11-08T06:25:00.000-05:002013-11-08T06:25:00.233-05:00Is the Holy Spirit the same as the breath of life that God breathed into man?<p>
The Hebrew word <i>ruwach</i> is used to designate God’s Spirit in the Old Testament, and sometimes it's also used to designate <i>man’s</i> spirit. However, when God breathed life into Adam, a <i>different</i> word is used, which is <i>neshamah</i>, which means "breath," according to Strong's. This word is used in association with giving life to a human soul. So Genesis 2:7 does <b><i>not</i></b> use <i>ruwach</i>, but rather <i>neshamah</i>.
<p>
When God created Adam, He breathed into him the “breath of life” and Adam became a living soul (Genesis 2:7). The Hebrew word <i>"nephesh"</i> is the word translated "soul" in Genesis 2:7. The Hebrew word <i>nephesh</i>, although translated as "soul" in some older English Bibles, actually has a meaning closer to "living being"...a living, breathing conscious person, rather than to an immortal soul. According to Genesis 2:7, God did not make a body and put a soul into it like a letter into an envelope of dust; rather he formed man's body from the dust, then, by breathing divine breath into it, he made the body of dust live. In other words, the dust did not embody a soul, but it <i>became</i> a soul—--a whole creature. So, in other words, God gave that body of dust <i>life</i>. Though it's a very poor comparison, it's sort of like the story of Frankenstein, when lightning hit that dead body and it came to life.
<p>
1 Corinthians 15:45 says, "And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a <i>living soul</i>; the last Adam was made a <i>quickening spirit</i>." The Greek word for "quickening" is <i>"zoopoieo"</i> (Strong's Number 2227), whose word usage includes "life-giving." The Greek-English New Testament shows the literal translation from the Greek as being, "So also it has been written: became The first man Adam - soul 'a living;' the last Adam - spirit 'a life-giving.'" Matthew Henry's Commentary says, "The first Adam was made a living soul, such a being as ourselves. The second Adam is a quickening Spirit..." The first part of the word '<i>zoopoieo</i>,' which is <i>zoo</i>, or <i>zoe</i>, means “life” in the sense of resurrection life. As a resurrected person (“spirit”), our Lord will “quicken” people or make alive in the resurrection. The second part, '<i>poieo</i>,' means “to make,” in the sense of produce, construct, form, or fashion. It is equivalent to the Hebrew <i>‘asah</i>, which means “to make” or “produce by labour.” <i>‘Asah</i> is used in reference to the manufacture or construction of any thing. Putting these two parts together, we have the basic sense of <i>zoopoieo</i>, “to make alive with resurrection life,” or “to construct alive with resurrection life.”
<p>
1 Corinthians 15:45-49 says that He was resurrected from the dead through the <i>Ruach HaKodesh</i> (Holy Spirit) as the second Adam, and, according to 1 Corinthians 15:20-28, that He will reign on the earth during the Messianic Kingdom until its end when all things return back to the Father.
<p>
John 5:26 says, "For as the Father has life in Himself: so hath He given to the Son to have life in Himself."
<p>
<b>So the Scriptures make a specific distinction between the spirit that animated the first Adam’s soul, “the breath (<i>neshamah</i>) of life” from the Father, and the “quickening” life-giving Holy Spirit (<i>Ruach HaKodesh</i>) of the Father that animated His <i>Son’s</i> soul.</b>
<p>
Jesus was given life as a human, by the Holy Spirit, therefore His life force as a man is God’s Spirit. The Breath of Life – (<i>neshamah</i>) that we inherit from our parents was never intended to give eternal life. The longevity that was imparted to Adam and Eve was actually through their <i>diet</i>, the Tree of Life (Genesis 3:22) [Remember there were two trees, the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil, and the Tree of Life, and they were never told not to eat of the Tree of Life until after the Fall, when the angel guarded it with a flaming sword]. When we receive salvation, we receive the Holy Spirit, which enables our souls to have the same life as Jesus, which is eternal. When God created Adam, He breathed into his nostrils the breath of life (<i>neshamah</i>) and Adam became a living soul. This breath of life was never designed to impart eternal life to its bearer. When Adam and Eve disobeyed Him, they were denied access to the Tree of Life, which was the source of food that maintained their longevity (Genesis 3:22).
<p>
In the present ministry of the <i>Ruach HaKodesh</i> (Holy Spirit) by whose indwelling the believer is enabled to live a godly life (Ezekiel 36:26-27), the Holy Spirit is called <i>Ruach HaKodesh</i>, <b>not</b> just <i>Ruach</i>. <i>Ruach HaKodesh</i> means the 'Holy Spirit' or 'Holy Ghost' in Luke 3:16 and 11:13, Ephesians 1:13 and 4:30, 1 Thessalonians 4:8, Titus 3:5, 1 Corinthians 6:9 and Jude 1:20. "<i>Kodesh</i>" is an adjective meaning 'holy.' <i>HaKadosh</i> is a substantive that means "The Holy One," as in <i>Ha-Kadosh baruch hu</i>, or "the Holy One, blessed be He." <i>Ruach HaKadosh</i> would mean "the spirit of the holy one" as in a saint; it is <b><i>not</i></b> used for the Holy Spirit. <i>Ruach HaKo'desh</i> means "the holy Spirit" just like <i>har ha-ko'desh</i> means "the holy mountain," and <i>admat ha-ko'desh</i> means "the holy land," and <i>ir ha ko'desh</i> means "the holy city." <i>Ruach Elohim</i> means the spirit of God, found in Matthew 3:16 and 12:28, Romans 8:9,14 and 15:19, 1 Corinthians 2:11,14 and 3:16 and 7:40 and 12:3, Ephesians 4:30, and 1 John 4:2.
<p>
From Strong's, the most often-documented word used for "spirit" in the <b>Hebrew Bible</b> is <i>‘ruwach’</i> - roo’-akh. Strong (1986: 142). The most common word used in the <b>Hebrew Bible</b> for "soul" is <i>‘nephesh’</i> - neh’-fesh. Strong (1986: 105). The most used word for "spirit" in the <b>New Testament</b> is <i>‘pneuma’</i> - pnyoo’mah. Strong (1986: 78). The most common world for "soul" in the <b>New Testament</b> is <i>‘psuche’</i> - psoo-khay. Strong (1986: 106).
<p>
So, in conclusion, the Holy Spirit is not same as the breath of life that God breathed into man.Jeffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01146601338956701881noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3096670002191538774.post-78403131100628119842013-11-05T06:18:00.000-05:002013-11-05T06:18:00.067-05:00Were the Old Testament Saints Saved by Faith in the Coming Messiah?<p>
Yes. Isaiah and other books prophesy about how the Messiah would suffer and die and be glorified, so the Old Testament prophets, and those who believed them, looked forward to the coming Christ. The Old Testament Scriptures contained, for them, the gospel message, and faith in that message was how people got saved back then, even though Jesus had not died yet.
<p>
The Bible says:<br>
"Of this salvation the prophets have inquired and searched carefully, who prophesied of the grace that would come to you, <i>searching what, or what manner of time, the Spirit of Christ who was in them was indicating when He testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ and the glories that would follow.</i> To them it was revealed that, not to themselves, but to us they were ministering the things which now have been reported to you through those who have preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven—things which angels desire to look into." (1 Peter 1:10–12)
<p>
So the “prophets...who prophesied” longed for the arrival of an era of grace. The “Spirit of Christ” within them was witnessing through them and to them before the work of Christ had occurred, giving them a gospel message that talked about the coming, sufferings, and glory of the future Messiah. So even before the completion of the New Testament, the Old Testament served as the Scripture for Israel, and contained the gospel message.
<p>
Acts 3:18 says, "But those things <i>which God foretold by the mouth of all His prophets</i>, that the Christ would suffer, He has thus fulfilled." So the gospel theme was in the Old Testament. It continues through verse 24 and says, in part, "...Jesus Christ, who was preached to you before... <i>which God has spoken by the mouth of all His holy prophets since the world began.</i>"
<p>
So the gospel message of salvation was preached in the Old Testament, and faith in that gospel message is how people got saved, even though Jesus had not died yet. Paul explained in Romans 4 that salvation has always been, and will always be, by God’s grace, and received through faith alone. Genesis 3:15 promised that Someone would come to clear up the sin problem created by our first father Adam. As the Seed of the woman, He would be the one to battle and defeat the serpent. Even Abel understood the nature of a bloody sacrifice and the death of a substitute, and because of his faith in God, he was regarded by God as righteous (Hebrews 11:4). God has just <b><i>one</i></b> covenant of grace, not two, which was promised right after the fall in Genesis 3:15 proclaiming that the seed of the woman would crush the seed of the serpent.Jeffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01146601338956701881noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3096670002191538774.post-61907404049646141362013-11-02T10:08:00.000-04:002013-11-02T10:08:01.082-04:00God Elects Some And Leaves The Rest To Their Own Sinful Devices<p>
The Bible says prior to salvation, all people are dead in sin--spiritually dead (Ephesians 2:1-3). In this state of death, the sinner is utterly unable to respond to any spiritual stimulus and therefore unable to love God, obey Him, or please Him in any way. Scripture says the mind of every unbeliever "is hostile toward God; for it does not subject itself to the law of God, for it is not even able to do so; and those who are in the flesh cannot please God" (Romans 8:7-8). That describes a state of total hopelessness: spiritual death.
<p>
The effect of all this is that no sinner can ever make the first move in the salvation process. This is what Jesus meant in John 6:44, when He said, "No one can come to Me, unless the Father who sent Me draws him."
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This is also why the Bible repeatedly stresses that salvation is wholly God's work.
<p>
-In Acts 13:48 we read, <i>"And when the Gentiles heard this, they began rejoicing and glorifying the word of the Lord; and as many as had been appointed to eternal life believed."</i>
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-Acts 16:14 tells us that Lydia was saved when, <i>"... the Lord opened her heart to respond to the things spoken by Paul."</i>
<p>
-Romans 8:29-30 states, <i>"For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the first-born among many brethren; and whom He predestined these He also called; and whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified."</i>
<p>
-Ephesians 1:4-5,11 reads, <i>"Just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before Him. In love He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will ... also we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to His purpose who works all things after the counsel of His will."</i>
<p>
-Ephesians 2:8 says even our faith is a gift from God.
<p>
-In 2 Thessalonians 2:13, the apostle Paul tells his readers, <i>"God has chosen you from the beginning for salvation."</i>
<p>
-Second Timothy 1:9 informs us that God <i>"has saved us, and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was granted us in Christ Jesus from all eternity."</i>
<p>
If God's choice of the elect is unconditional, does this rule out human responsibility? Paul asks and answers that very question in Romans 9:19-20. He says God's choice of the elect is an act of mercy. Left to themselves, even the elect would persist in sin and be lost, because they are taken from the same fallen lump of clay as the rest of humanity. God alone is responsible for their salvation, but that does not eradicate the responsibility of those who persist in sin and are lost--because they do it willfully, and not under compulsion. They are responsible for their sin, not God.
<p>
The Bible affirms human responsibility right alongside the doctrine of divine sovereignty. Moreover, the offer of mercy in the gospel is extended to all alike. Isaiah 55:1 and Revelation 22:17 call <i>"whosoever will"</i> to be saved. Isaiah 45:22 and Acts 17:30 command all men to turn to God, repent and be saved. First Timothy 2:4 and 2 Peter 3:9 tell us that God is not willing that any should perish, but desires that all should be saved.
Finally, the Lord Jesus said that, <i>"the one who comes to Me I will certainly not cast out"</i> (John 6:37).
<p>
In summary, we can say that God has had a special love relationship with the elect from all eternity, and on the basis of that love relationship chosen them for salvation. The ultimate question of why God chose some for salvation and left others in their sinful state is one that we, with our finite knowledge, cannot answer. We do know that God's attributes always are in perfect harmony with each other, so that God's sovereignty will always operate in perfect harmony with His goodness, love, wisdom, and justice.
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<i>(Thanks to John MacArthur for this information.)</i>Jeffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01146601338956701881noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3096670002191538774.post-32316115878684355452013-10-30T09:56:00.000-04:002013-10-30T09:56:00.553-04:00Election, Free Will and Evangelism<p>
If man comes to Christ through only free will, and not through the sovereign election of God, then that means when you (if you are a Christian) witness to someone, if they do not accept Christ, it is at least partially your fault, because if you had done a better job presenting the gospel, they might have come to Christ. So therefore, their eternal damnation could be in part because you did not do a good job evangelizing. So therefore, from that perspective, we are partially responsible for someone's salvation or damnation. If the lost person is free to choose or reject the gospel, and if it is completely up to them alone, then if the Christian who is witnessing to them doesn't present the gospel in a way that persuades that lost person to want to accept it, then that Christian presenting the gospel is at least partially at fault, because if they had done a better job, that lost person might have been saved. When a Christian witnesses to people and presents the gospel to them, and people do not respond – if that Christian really thought that it really depended on them (the fact that the lost person didn’t respond), it is feasible that the Christian could possibly even become extremely depressed and, in guilt and anguish...well, I could even imagine an extreme instance where a Christian who believed that, might even go home and pull out a knife and plunge it into their heart because they were such a failure, and because that lost person, or those lost people, going to Hell would be partially their fault, because their gospel presentation was not compelling enough.
<p>
On the other hand, if salvation is up to God's sovereign election, then when we witness to someone, all we are responsible for is to tell them, and we don't have to worry about the outcome, because that is up to God.
<p>
Ultimately, the salvation of souls depends upon the Lord God, and he has graciously given us the opportunity of being instruments in the accomplishment of his work. We (if we are born again, regenerated Christians whose lives have been radically transformed by the power of the Holy Spirit) are called to partner with Him and share in the great and glorious work of the Great Commission. We get the easy part (telling), and He does the rest. No higher calling could any individual ever have than being a co-worker with the Lord.
Jeffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01146601338956701881noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3096670002191538774.post-75176442953878644272013-10-27T09:44:00.000-04:002013-10-27T09:44:00.787-04:00Engaged To Be Married To Christ<p>
"And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, <i>you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit <b>guaranteeing</b> our inheritance</i> until the redemption of those who are God's possession—to the praise of his glory." (Ephesians 1:13-14)
<p>
The Greek word translated "deposit" (<i>arrabon</i>) speaks of a down payment that was made to secure a purchase. The moment you were saved, the Spirit of God became the down payment on God's final installment of your eternal glory. In modern Greek, <i>arrabon</i> includes the idea of an engagement ring, a deposit securing something in the future. The Holy Spirit is our guarantee that Christ will come again and take us with Him. In that sense, we can view the Holy Spirit as God's engagement ring to his Church, a sign of His deep love and His guarantee to keep His promises. Jesus and His Father give us a <b>guarantee</b> of His promise to marry us. If that marriage in Heaven does not happen between Him and us, then God did not honor His guarantee. So, if a person can lose their salvation, then God is a liar.
<p>
Christ purchased us. If He purchased us, He owns us, and we cannot get out of it. Therefore, a person cannot lose their salvation, because Christ bought them. He did not purchase every single person, for if He did, then every single human being would go to Heaven. He only purchased the Elect. And if He purchased us, then our belonging to Him has to do with <b>Him,</b> not with us. <i>“It does not, therefore, depend on human desire or effort, but on God’s mercy.” (Romans 9:16)</i>
<p>
Salvation is the work of God, not of man. It has to do with the sovereignty of <b>God</b>. The fact that salvation is the work of God, and not of man, works to the praise and glorification of God. But if it is up to man, then it works to the praise of man.
Jeffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01146601338956701881noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3096670002191538774.post-75910530799067768232013-10-24T09:42:00.000-04:002013-10-24T10:15:58.359-04:00Election: The Most Difficult Doctrine To Accept<p>
I have not posted any blog article here for the last seven months. But yesterday, a Facebook Friend prompted me to write a new blog article, so here I go. I will also try to schedule several new blog articles every few days, at least for a few weeks or so, as well.
One thing that theologians and Christians have disagreed on for centuries, I think, is Free Will vs. Predestination, or Election vs. Free Will, or Calvinism vs. Arminianism. Well, I'm going to devote the next few blog articles on this, and I know that there are many Christians who will disagree with me. But then, I've learned that, no matter who the person is, if you spend enough time with them, you will eventually disagree over something. No two people on this earth agree on every single subject; eventually, they will disagree on something. And when it comes to the things of God, even though a born again or regenerated Christian knows God personally, no human being understands God's nature to its fullest extent. Otherwise, God would not be God. God is unique and unequaled. So, with that in mind, let's proceed.
<p>
I used to believe that God 'elects' or 'chooses' some for salvation simply because He knows the future, and He knows who will accept Him and who will reject Him. However, if I could look fifty years into the future and see who will be President then, and say that I will elect and choose who will be President fifty years from now, it's really not me electing or choosing him, just because I merely know who will be elected and who the people will vote for fifty years from now. My knowing who will be elected to be President fifty years from now is not the same thing as my choosing and electing and controlling who will be President fifty years from now. Therefore, mere foreknowledge is not the same as choosing or electing. Knowing what will happen in the future is not the same as causing it to happen.
<p>
I now believe that, if God chose no one to be saved, then everyone would go to Hell, and God would be perfectly justified in allowing that to happen, because we all fully deserve Hell, so that would be completely fair to send everyone to Hell.
<p>
However, God is not only just and righteous; He is also love. So, to demonstrate His grace, mercy and love (for His glory), He chose a remnant to be saved.
<p>
In the Bible, a remnant was always saved...for example, only Noah's family was saved, while the rest of humanity was drowned in the Flood. Only the Jews were chosen in the Old Testament, while all other nationalities were left to follow after their false gods.
<p>
If God allowed <i>all</i> men to be saved, then there would be no real justice, because there would be no real and true and final punishment for sin. However, if God sent all men to Hell, then He would not be loving.
<p>
So, He chose some to demonstrate His love/mercy/grace upon, and some to demonstrate His justice on. On the surface, it seems unfair to us, but we need to remember that God is sovereign, He owns us all, and He can do with us as He pleases. And He is perfectly just to allow any or all of us to go to Hell if He wants, because all of us are wicked and rebellious sinners. So He has no obligation to do even the slightest good for any of us. Yet He sends rain on the just and the unjust, and He saves some of us, even though He is not obliged to.
<p>
The way I look at it is that all of us, as fallen, corrupted, rebellious sinners, were headed for Hell. But God, demonstrating His love, chose some of us to be saved from Hell. The others are left to their own free will, and free will, left to its own, will reject God every time, because the heart is wicked and deceitful above all things, and those who are dead in trespasses and sins are unable to have saving faith in Christ, because they are spiritually dead, and a dead person is unable to do anything. The spiritually dead, lost person is also blinded by the god of this world (Satan) and cannot see the Truth, and therefore, will never accept Christ. To accept Christ would be to submit to a Being (God) Who is the Ultimate Authority, and a person in rebellion against God is never going to submit to God, because they are in rebellion. Only the Holy Spirit can open that blind person's eyes, and therefore, it takes intervention by God to enable them to accept Christ. And God never fails, because God is all-powerful.
<p>
The offer of salvation is extended to all: “whosoever will.” But God chose some for salvation and left others in their sinful state. The Bible is full of instances where God chose a remnant. God saves some, and leaves the others alone, leaving them in their own rebellion. Anyone is free to come to Christ if they choose, but God insures that a remnant will indeed come to Him, and the rest He leaves up to their own free sinful will, but in that sinful free will, they reject Him.
<p>
"For <i>he chose us</i> in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love <i>he <b>predestined us</b> for adoption to sonship</i> through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will — to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves." (Ephesians 1:4-6)
<p>
"In him <i>we were also chosen, <b>having been predestined</b> according to the plan of him</i> <b>who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will</b>." (Ephesians 1:11)
<p>
"And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, <i>who have been <b>called</b></i> according to his purpose. For those God foreknew <i>he also <b>predestined</b></i> to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. And <i>those he <b>predestined</b>, he also called; those he called, he also justified;</i> those he justified, he also glorified." (Romans 8:28-30)
<p>
"Not only that, but Rebekah’s children were conceived at the same time by our father Isaac. Yet, <i>before the twins were born or had done anything good or bad</i>—in order that God’s purpose in <b>election</b> might stand: not by works but by him who calls—she was told, “The older will serve the younger.” Just as it is written: “Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated.” What then shall we say? <i>Is God unjust? Not at all! For he says to Moses, “I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.”</i> <i><b>It does not, therefore, depend on human desire or effort,</b></i> but on God’s mercy. For Scripture says to Pharaoh: <i>“I raised you up for this very purpose, that I might display my power in you and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth.”</i> <i>Therefore God has mercy on whom he wants to have mercy, and he hardens whom he wants to harden.</i> One of you will say to me: <i>“Then why does God still blame us? For who is able to resist his will?”</i> <i>But who are you, a human being, to talk back to God? “Shall what is formed say to the one who formed it, ‘Why did you make me like this?’” Does not the potter have the right to make out of the same lump of clay some pottery for special purposes and some for common use?</i> What if God, although choosing to show his wrath and make his power known, bore with great patience the objects of his wrath—prepared for destruction? What if he did this to make the riches of his glory known to the objects of his mercy, whom he prepared in advance for glory—even us, whom he also called, not only from the Jews but also from the Gentiles?" (Romans 9:10-24)Jeffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01146601338956701881noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3096670002191538774.post-76507256831321917682013-03-05T14:26:00.001-05:002013-03-05T18:03:50.866-05:00The Most Important Message In The World<a href="http://soundcloud.com/jeff-jenkins-2/themostimportantmessageinthewo?utm_source=soundcloud&utm_campaign=share&utm_medium=blogger&utm_content=http://soundcloud.com/jeff-jenkins-2/themostimportantmessageinthewo">TheMostImportantMessageInTheWorld</a>Jeffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01146601338956701881noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3096670002191538774.post-45592280124226257372012-01-15T15:05:00.002-05:002012-01-15T15:15:40.357-05:00Guilt and forgivenessIt has been months since I have posted anything here on my blog site, due partially to spending so much time on Facebook; partially to my computer having died and having it worked on for several weeks now (apparently only the hard drive is recoverable, and I will probably lose all the data on it) and currently using an incredibly old and unbelievably slow, extremely lagging computer in its place that I kept around only for emergencies; and partially due to having to work 9-10 hours a day.<br /><br />So, since I’ve probably lost all 6 faithful blog readers that I used to have (j/k, LOL), I figured the best way to attract readers again is to write something that is very controversial and might lead some to get angry and upset. So here goes (tongue-in-cheek).<br /><br />Now, I don’t expect any non-Christian to agree with this, and I expect that quite a few Christians would also disagree (some even angrily) with me on what I’m about to say. But I believe that what I am about to say is completely true.<br /><br />Modern psychology teaches that you need to forgive yourself. This is man’s wisdom, and to a non-Christian, it would make complete sense. However, nowhere in the Bible does it teach that you need to forgive yourself. Nevertheless, this teaching (as has some other New Age teachings, teachings from psychology, etc.) has seeped into the Church.<br /><br />Actually, a Christian does not need to forgive themselves, because, biblically, you are unable to forgive your own sins, and only <I>God</I> can forgive your sins! Of course, you can forgive someone else if they have offended you, but if you have offended God, then only God can forgive you, because only the offended party can forgive the one who has caused the offense. What the Christian needs to do is to fully and completely trust in and accept God’s forgiveness through Christ. For God’s mercy is able, through the atoning sacrifice of Christ on the cross, to remove <I>all</I> guilt and sin. If you are still feeling guilt, then either you have not truly and fully repented of your sin and asked Christ to forgive you, or else you have not fully trusted in Christ’s forgiveness.<br /><br />“He does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities. For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him.” (Psalm 103:10-11)<br /><br />We must first realize that all of us are sinful:<br /><br />“For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:23)<br /><br />“…every inclination of the human heart is evil from childhood…” (Genesis 8:21)<br /><br />“All these evils come from inside and defile a person.” (Mark 7:23)<br /><br />“… though you are evil…” (Luke 11:13)<br /><br />“This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil.” (John 3:19)<br /><br /> However, to those that come to Christ in repentance, God is merciful:<br /><br />“But if from there you seek the LORD [in Hebrew, ‘Yahweh’] your God, you will find him if you seek him with all your heart and with all your soul. When you are in distress and all these things have happened to you, then in later days you will return to the LORD your God and obey him. For the LORD [‘Yahweh’] your God is a merciful God; he will not abandon or destroy you or forget the covenant with your ancestors, which he confirmed to them by oath.” (Deuteronomy 4:29-31)<br /><br />The mission of God’s mercy was to send Christ Jesus the Messiah (God the Son) to save people from God’s wrath by paying the price that we so justly deserve to pay…in other words, to take our place, and take our punishment upon Himself:<br /><br />“But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit.” (Titus 3:4-5)<br /><br />"For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast." (Ephesians 2:8-9)<br /><br />“But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved.” (Ephesians 2:4-5)Jeffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01146601338956701881noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3096670002191538774.post-78534644092925904922011-10-12T13:24:00.001-04:002011-10-12T13:26:56.304-04:00Why No Answers When We Pray?(Isaiah 59:1-2)<br /><br />(outline by <a href="http://www.westmarionbaptistchurch.com/gpage4.html">Pastor George Ragsdale</a>)<br /><br />I. Asking amiss (with wrong motives)<br />A. James 4:3<br />Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts.<br /><br />B. 1 John 5:14-15<br />14 And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask anything according to His will, he heareth us:<br />15 And if we know that HE hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of Him.<br /><br />II. Selfishness<br />A. James 4:3<br />Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss (wrong motives), that ye may consume (spend) it upon your lusts (pleasures).<br /><br />III. Unbelief<br />A. Mark 11:24<br />Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.<br /><br />IV. Discord with spouse<br />A. 1 Peter 3:7<br />…that your prayers be not hindered.<br /><br />V. Hypocrisy <br />A. Matthew 6:5<br />And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.<br /><br />VI. Sin: living an unrighteous life<br />A. Psalm 34:15-17<br />15 The eyes of the LORD are upon the righteous, and His ears are open unto their cry.<br />17 The righteous cry, and the LORD heareth, and delivereth them out of all their troubles.<br /><br />VII. Ingratitude<br />A. Philippians 4:6<br />Be careful for nothing (don’t be anxious about anything): but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.<br /><br />Conclusions:<br />A. “Give ear to my words, O LORD, consider my meditation. Hearken unto the voice of my cry, my King, and my God: for unto thee will I pray. My voice shalt thou hear in the morning, O LORD; in the morning will I direct my prayer unto thee, and will look up.” (Psalm 5:1-3)<br /><br />B. “Yet the LORD will command his lovingkindness in the day time, and in the night his song shall be with me, and my prayer unto the God of my life.” (Psalm 42:8)Jeffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01146601338956701881noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3096670002191538774.post-65110179326360112852011-09-25T14:22:00.001-04:002011-09-25T14:29:29.218-04:00Obsolete, archaic language in the KJVThe King James Version Bible was written in Early Modern English, which was used from the late 1400's till about 1650.<br /><br />The KJV is the first Bible I ever read cover-to-cover. I started reading it in 5th or 6th grade on my own at home. It confused me when it talked about "divers places." I didn't know why the Bible was talking about SCUBA divers. Many years later, I learned that was the Early Modern English spelling for "diverse."<br /><br />The KJV is still the most poetic version, IMO. However, it uses archaic words that we no longer use today, as well as words that mean something different today. There are many words in the KJV today that do not convey the meaning to the modern reader that the original writers intended to express. When the KJV came out in 1611, it was sixteenth century English at its best. Through the years many words and expressions have become ambiguous or misleading.<br /><br />Those who state that the KJV is the 'only' acceptable version of the Bible apparently ignore the fact that there are many translations in different languages around the world other than in English. If the KJV is the only acceptable version, then we need to burn all those translations in other languages that were translated by missionaries, etc., and let all those other people who don't speak English go without a Bible in their own language. Not to mention that Jesus did not speak King James English.<br /><br />Here is a list of some of the archaic words used in the KJV and what those words really mean:<br /><br />The word <b>ADMIRE</b>, or <b>ADMIRATION</b>, was used in 1611 to denote wonder or astonishment, without any implication of praise or approval. That is why John in Rev. 17:6 looks at the great Whore, which is the mother of harlots and abominations of the earth, and “wondered with great admiration.” Of course, John did not admire this wicked woman, but he was amazed and wondered. The NIV says,” I was greatly astonished.” The KJV conveys the wrong meaning here and in other places where these words are used.<br /><br /><b>AFFINITY</b> means nearness of kin or mutual attraction today. The Hebrew word translated “affinity” by the KJV means, “relationship by marriage, especially by a father and a son-in-law.” In 2 Chronicles 18:1 Jehoshaphat “joined affinity with Ahab.” In Ezra 9:14 the KJV says, “Should we again break thy commandments, and join in affinity with the people of these abominations.” The NASB says “intermarry” or “allied himself by marriage.” The reader of the KJV will miss part of the meaning in these verses while the NASB makes it clear.<br /><br /><b>AGAINST</b> today means opposite or confronting. Notice how it is used in the KJV. In Genesis 43:25, “against Joseph came” and Exodus 7:15 it says, “against he come” and in II Kings 16:11, “against king Ahaz came.” In Numbers 25:4 it says, “Take the heads of the people and hang them up before the LORD against the sun.” Over and over the KJV uses the word “against” when another word would give a clearer meaning for the modern reader. The NIV and the NASB usually say “for” or “before” in these passages.<br /><br /><b>AGONE</b> is an outdated word for “ago.” In I Samuel the Egyptian said, “Three days agone I fell sick.”(30:13) The NASB says, “I fell sick three days ago.”<br /><br /><b>ALLEGE</b> today means merely to assert. In the sixteenth century it meant to produce evidence and to prove. In Acts 17, Paul for three Sabbaths reasoned with the Jews out of the Scriptures. Verse 3 says, “Opening and alleging, that Christ must needs have suffered, and risen again from the dead.” Does anyone believe that Paul only asserted but did not prove and give evidence for what he said? The NASB says, “Explaining and giving evidence.”<br /><br /><b>ALWAY</b> appears 23 times in the KJV and “always” 62 times. Today we always add the “s.” In Titus 1:12 Paul said, “The Cretians are alway liars.” Matthew 28:20 says, “Lo, I am with you alway.”<br /><br /><b>ANGLE</b> meant “fishhook” to the KJV translators. “All they who cast angle into the brooks” means “all those who cast a hook into the Nile.” (Isa. 19:8 NIV) The KJV turned around and translated the same word as “hook” in Job 41:1. “Canst thou draw out leviathan with an hook?”<br /><br /><b>ANON</b> means “soon” or “presently” in my dictionary today. The Greek word translated “anon” means “immediately” or “straightway.” The KJV can be misleading here. For example, in Mark 1:30, when Jesus entered Peter’s house they immediately tell Him about the sick mother-in-law. However, the KJV says that “anon” they told Him. This makes it sound like they waited awhile. The stony ground hearer, in the parable of the sower, heard the word and “anon with joy receiveth it.” (Matt. 13:20-21) The Greek says he received it immediately while the KJV makes it sound like he might have waited awhile. I realize this is no big deal. But the point I want to make is that throughout the KJV, in small things as well as the big, the reader is being misled.<br /><br /><b>APOTHECARY</b> appears six times in the KJV. The word means one who prepares and sells drugs for medicine. However, the Hebrew word means “perfumer.” The NASB always says “perfumer.”<br /><br /><b>ARMHOLE</b> is used for “armpit” in the KJV. In Ezekiel 13:18 it says, “Sew pillows to all armholes.” In Jeremiah 38:12 it says, “Put now these old cast clouts and rotten rags under thine armholes under the cords.” The NASB says, “Now put these worn-out clothes and rags under your armpits under the ropes.” Anyone can see that “armpit” is better than “armhole.” I am not sure what an “armhole” is, unless it is a hole in your arm.<br /><br /><b>AT</b> is used in an obsolete way in Exodus 19:15. It says, “Come not at your wives.” Numbers 6:6 tells the nazarite, “he shall come at no dead body.” The Hebrew means don’t come near your wives or near any dead body. I give only two examples here, but many times the KJV uses “at” in the obsolete sense.<br /><br /><b>AWAY WITH</b> is an old expression used in Isaiah 1:13. “I cannot away with.” The Hebrew means tolerate or endure. The NASB says, “I cannot endure.” This expression, which we never use today, makes it harder for the reader to see that God cannot endure false religion.<br /><br /><b>BAKEMEATS</b> is used in Genesis 40:17, where the chief baker was carrying “all manner of bakemeats for Pharaoh.” This simply means all sorts of food prepared by a baker, (which usually contained no meat). It has little to do with the modern conception of baked meats.<br /><br /><b>BEAST</b> is used in the KJV as a general term for all living creatures other than man. The word “animal” is not used in the KJV. The word “reptile” does not appear, since it is was not in current use then. The word “beast” is used in the book of Revelation to refer to the holy living creatures around the throne of God. (4:6,7,8) Remarkably, the same word is used to refer to the wicked “beast” that rises out of the sea, and the “beast” that rises out of the bottomless pit. (13:1,11; 17:8) There are two different Greek words used in these passages. One means “living creatures” and the other means “wild beasts.” The KJV makes no distinction. The NASB does.<br /><br /><b>BESOM</b> is an outdated word for broom. In Isaiah 14:23, God says of Babylon, “I will sweep it with the besom of destruction.”<br /><br /><b>BETHINK THEMSELVES</b> is used in I Kings 8:47, “Yet if they shall bethink themselves in the land.” The NASB says, “If they take thought in the land.”<br /><br /><b>BETIMES</b> means early or in time. However, the Hebrew word the KJV translates as “betimes” actually means diligent or persistent. In II Chronicles 36:15 when the Lord sent messengers “betimes,” it means He sent them persistently. In Proverbs 13:24 the KJV says chasten him “betimes.” It actually means to “discipline him diligently.” The reader should research every verse where the word is used before he assumes he knows the meaning of it.<br /><br /><b>BEWRAY</b> is an obsolete word which meant to reveal or disclose. In Matthew 26:73, Peter was told, “thy speech bewrayeth thee.” The NIV says, “Your accent gives you away.” I believe “bewray” is used about four times in the KJV.<br /><br /><b>BLOW UP</b> is used in the KJV sometimes instead of simply “blow.” In Psalm 81:3, it says, “Blow up the trumpet.” Today “blow up” means to explode or inflate.<br /><br /><b>BOLLED</b> is used in the KJV in Exodus 9:31. It says “the flax was bolled.” The Hebrew word means bud or bloom. Of course, the NASB or the NIV brings this out.<br /><br /><b>BOTCH</b>, as used by the KJV, is an archaic word that means boils or sores, as the “botch of Egypt”, etc.<br /><br /><b>BOWELS</b> is used 28 times in the Old Testament. Sometimes the word is used literally as we would use it today. In II Samuel 20:10, Joab cut out the “bowels” of Amasa. The NASB says, “inward parts,” which sounds better. Also, the KJV uses the word “bowels” to denote the womb and the male organs. This can be mis-leading. In about 10 instances the word “bowels” is used for feelings and emotions. Examples: “My bowels are troubled.” (Lam. 1:20) “My bowels were moved for him.” (S.S. 5:4) The KJV says of Joseph that “his bowels did yearn upon his brother.” (Gen. 43:30) In eight passages in the New Testament the KJV uses “bowels” in the sense of affection or compassion. The Greek word does not refer to the intestines specifically, but to the “inward parts.” It is much like the word for heart, which can mean your blood pump, or it can mean “inward affection” or “sincere emotion” (As, “I love you with all my heart.”) In the English language of 1611, both “bowels” and “heart” had this double reference to physical organs and to emotions of which these organs were supposed to be the seat. Today only the word “heart” retains the double meaning. When Paul tells the Philippians that he longs for them “in bowels of Jesus Christ” (1:8), he means the affections of Jesus Christ. In Colossians 3:12, Paul talks about “bowels of mercies.” In I John 3:17 the KJV says, “shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him.” The book of Philemon uses “bowels” about three times. This book will mean more if you put “heart” in the place of “bowels.” In fact, most passages where the word “bowels” is used, will mean more if you will read them in the NIV or the NASB. The word “bowels” was a good word in 1611, but I would not recommend that you use it in polite society today. It is a very crude word now. It should be updated.<br /><br /><b>BULLOCK</b> is used today only of bulls that have been castrated. In the KJV the word means a young bull. To use the word “bullock” today is a blatant mistranslation because the word means something different than it did in 1611. The Bible says the bull had to be without blemish to be offered to the Lord.<br /><br /><b>CARE</b>, <b>CAREFULNESS</b>, <b>CAREFUL</b> are words that can be misunderstood by the readers of the KJV. They appear in the sense of anxiety or worry. Martha was “careful and troubled about many things.” (Luke 10:41) This means she was worried and upset. Paul told the Corinthians, “I would have you without carefulness.” (I Cor. 7:32) This means that Paul wanted them free from worry or anxiety. God does not want His children to worry. (Phil. 4:6 NASB) The reader can miss some blessings unless he refers to another version where these obsolete words are not used.<br /><br /><b>CARRIAGE</b> in the KJV means that which is carried. Today it means a vehicle by which persons or things are carried, such as a horse and carriage. Some may read, “we took up our carriages and went to Jerusalem.”(Acts 21:15) and not understand the actual meaning, “that they took up their baggage.”<br /><br /><b>CERTIFY</b> today means to attest or declare by a formal or legal certificate. The KJV uses the word “certify” when the meaning is simply to tell or to make known. Examples: “Esther certified the king thereof.” (Esther 2:22) In Galatians 1:11, Paul says, “I certify you brethren.” In neither case is there any implication of formal attestation. The Greek means “to make known” or “I would have you to know.”<br /><br /><b>CHOLER</b> is an outdated word that once meant anger. In Daniel 8:7, “He was moved with choler.” In 11:11, “The king of the south shall be moved with choler.” The Hebrew word means he was enraged or moved with anger. We do not use the old word “choler” today. If you did, no one would know what you meant.<br /><br /><b>CLOSET</b> is used several times in the KJV. The word once meant a private room but this is not the meaning today. Sometimes the KJV translators use “chamber” for the same word. The Greek word for “closet” means private room or storeroom. “Closet” is ambiguous in Matthew 6:6, where it says, “enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut the door, pray to thy Father which is in secret.” The reader is misled in all other places where the word closet is used.<br /><br /><b>COLLEGE</b> is a mistranslation of the Hebrew word which means the second quarter or district. The KJV says Huldah the prophetess “dwelt in Jerusalem in the college.” (II Kings 22:14; II Chron. 34:22) The NIV says, “in the Second District.”<br /><br /><font size=1><i>(the above information is from <a href="http://www.kjvonly.org/robert/joyner_obsolete_words_1.html">HERE</a>)</i></font>Jeffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01146601338956701881noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3096670002191538774.post-74579032836218145372011-08-31T01:26:00.006-04:002011-08-31T01:43:09.133-04:00Knowing God<i>"This is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent."</i> (John 17:3)
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<br />"Unless God is revealed to us through personal experience, we can never really know God. Most of us know <i>about</i> God, but that is quite different from really knowing God. We learn about God through the agencies of the church, the Sunday School, the youth activities, the worship services. Many people stop in their quest for God at this point. It is one thing to be introduced to a person, but quite another thing to know Him personally." <i>("Day-By-Day with Billy Graham," Jan. 14 entry, published by World Wide Publications, copyright 1976 by the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association.)</i>
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<br />"Christianity has at its core a transaction between a person and God. A person who becomes a Christian moves from knowing about God distantly to knowing about him directly and intimately. Christianity is knowing God." (Tim Keller, <a href="http://www.redeemer2.com/resources/papers/KnowGod.pdf">How Can I Know God?</a>)
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<br /><i>"But if from there you seek the LORD your God, you will find him if you seek him with all your heart and with all your soul."</i> (Deuteronomy 4:29)Jeffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01146601338956701881noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3096670002191538774.post-74677067445280640972011-08-24T18:16:00.000-04:002011-08-24T18:16:00.708-04:00Three broken but powerful, living tools of GodBethany Hamilton, Nick Vujicic, and Joni Eareckson Tada:<br /><br />-<i>All three</i> have extreme physical handicaps.<br /><br /><b>Bethany Hamilton</b> lost an arm due to a shark attack while surfing as a teenager.<br /><br /><b>Nick Vujicic</b> was born without limbs.<br /><br /><b>Joni Eareckson Tada</b> was paralyzed from the neck down during a diving accident as a teenager.<br /><br />-<i>All three</i> have ministries where they have inspired, helped and motivated millions world-wide.<br /><br />-<i>All three</i> have strong faith in Christ Jesus as their Lord and Savior.<br /><br />-And <i>none</i> of them would have the powerful, moving, inspiring, motivating testimonies, ministries to others, and global impact that they have, if not for their extreme disabilities.<br /><br />"Having one arm is the way He uses me." <i>(Bethany Hamilton)</i><br /><br />"The challenges in our lives are there to STRENGTHEN our CONVICTIONS. They are NOT there to run us over." <i>(Nick Vujicic)</i><br /><br />"Most of the verses written about praise in God's Word were voiced by people faced with crushing heartaches, injustice, treachery, slander, and scores of other difficult situations." <i>(Joni Eareckson Tada)</i>Jeffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01146601338956701881noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3096670002191538774.post-3924732064409562011-08-23T10:28:00.001-04:002011-08-23T10:28:00.693-04:00Nick Vujicic: Born without limbsNick Vujicic was born in Melbourne, Australia with the rare Tetra-amelia disorder: limbless, missing both arms at shoulder level, and having one small foot with two toes protruding from his left thigh.<br /><br />His life was filled with difficulties and hardships. One was not being able to attend a mainstream school because of his physical disability, as the law of Australia required, even though he was not mentally impaired. During his schooling, the laws were changed, and Nick was one of the first disabled students to be migrated to a mainstream school. He learned to write using the two toes on his left "foot," and a special device that slid onto his big toe to grip. He also learned to use a computer and type using the "heel and toe" method, as well as learning to do basic things such as throwing a tennis ball, answering the phone, shaving and get a glass of water.<br /><br />Being bullied at his school, Nick grew extremely depressed, and by the age of eight, started contemplating suicide. After begging God to grow arms and legs, Nick eventually began to realize that his accomplishments were inspirational to many, and began to thank God he was alive. A key turning point in his life was when his mother showed him a newspaper article about a man dealing with severe disability. This led him to realize he wasn't the only one with major struggles.<br /><br />Nick graduated from college at the age of 21 with a double major in Accounting and Financial Planning. <br /><br />Nick Vujicic - Fully living for Jesus Christ (Part 1 of 4) <br /><object style="height: 235px; width: 360px"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/YBSKjOfFHwI?version=3"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/YBSKjOfFHwI?version=3" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" allowScriptAccess="always" width="360" height="235"></object><br /><br />Nick Vujicic - Fully living for Jesus Christ (Part 2 of 4) <br /><object style="height: 235px; width: 360px"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/FpAGgnPdmJ8?version=3"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/FpAGgnPdmJ8?version=3" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" allowScriptAccess="always" width="360" height="235"></object><br /><br />Nick Vujicic - Fully living for Jesus Christ (Part 3 of 4) <br /><object style="height: 235px; width: 360px"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/H3o91J0b6lQ?version=3"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/H3o91J0b6lQ?version=3" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" allowScriptAccess="always" width="360" height="235"></object><br /><br />Nick Vujicic - Fully living for Jesus Christ (Part 4 of 4) <br /><object style="height: 235px; width: 360px"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/V-VlLMsNBWs?version=3"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/V-VlLMsNBWs?version=3" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" allowScriptAccess="always" width="360" height="235"></object>Jeffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01146601338956701881noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3096670002191538774.post-15550338231102129762011-08-20T01:23:00.000-04:002011-08-20T01:23:00.351-04:00Bethany Hamilton on Fear<object width="360" height="235"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/EjUbYx6ozic&hl=en_US&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/EjUbYx6ozic&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="360" height="235"></embed></object>Jeffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01146601338956701881noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3096670002191538774.post-65273468031293660612011-08-17T01:21:00.000-04:002011-08-17T01:21:00.322-04:00Bethany Hamilton: Soul Surfer<object width="360" height="235"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/-DF1Clfb3Vc&hl=en_US&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/-DF1Clfb3Vc&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="360" height="235"></embed></object>Jeffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01146601338956701881noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3096670002191538774.post-91269670653408053452011-08-14T01:11:00.000-04:002011-08-14T01:11:01.052-04:00Islam 101 for Westerners<object style="height: 235px; width: 360px"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/jbPIgSNfuzE?version=3"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/jbPIgSNfuzE?version=3" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" allowScriptAccess="always" width="360" height="235"></object>Jeffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01146601338956701881noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3096670002191538774.post-73896259798474137772011-08-11T01:09:00.001-04:002011-08-11T01:09:00.231-04:00Dragonflies Defy Evolution<object style="height: 235px; width: 360px"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/41OD5NEV-Kw?version=3"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/41OD5NEV-Kw?version=3" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" allowScriptAccess="always" width="360" height="235"></object>Jeffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01146601338956701881noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3096670002191538774.post-50055801846870748182011-08-08T01:07:00.001-04:002011-08-08T01:07:02.424-04:00Melipona Bee Defies Evolution<object style="height: 235px; width: 360px"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/7DV7TS3XB94?version=3"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/7DV7TS3XB94?version=3" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" allowScriptAccess="always" width="360" height="235"></object>Jeffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01146601338956701881noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3096670002191538774.post-35219925784979470422011-08-05T01:02:00.003-04:002011-08-05T01:02:00.497-04:00Incredible Creatures That Defy Evolution"For since the creation of the world, God's invisible qualities--his eternal power and divine nature--have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse." (Romans 1:20)<br /><br /><object style="height: 235px; width: 360px"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/bWWLK8JxX58?version=3"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/bWWLK8JxX58?version=3" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" allowScriptAccess="always" width="360" height="235"></object>Jeffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01146601338956701881noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3096670002191538774.post-34018838550395227572011-08-02T21:49:00.002-04:002011-08-02T21:51:21.750-04:00Bombardier Beetle Defies Evolution<object style="height: 235px; width: 360px"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/vJQLaP_zZi8?version=3"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/vJQLaP_zZi8?version=3" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" allowScriptAccess="always" width="360" height="235"></object>Jeffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01146601338956701881noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3096670002191538774.post-20216417534959001182011-07-29T22:41:00.001-04:002011-07-29T22:46:17.125-04:00The WoodPecker defies Evolution<iframe width="360" height="235" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/vKR9vS4df-I" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>Jeffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01146601338956701881noreply@blogger.com6