Thematic Essay Acts 13-28

“But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witness unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.”  The apostles are fulfilling the journey and work of the command of witness.  They were guided by the Holy Ghost to Antioch, Iconium, Lystra, and Jerusalem.

[1]“…the Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them.”  The Holy Ghost being the conductor of the Co-mission paired up the two as example for the work.  Only to be rarely broken this pattern.  Witnessing two by two we see great value as one speaks and the other is silent.  The silent partner, by being silent stands in affirmation of the speaker.  The concept of Paraclete or advocate is utilized in many ways for effect of dispensation of the Gospel as well as during the steps to and from to facilitate the event.

Bar gives patronymic value to a name.  This sorcerer found in verse six of chapter 13 is claiming to be son of the anointed.  His name being Elymas was an agent of the devil sent to turn deputy Sergius Paulus from the truth.  [2]“Then Saul, (who also is called Paul,) filled with the Holy Ghost, set his eyes on him. And said, O full of all subtilty and all mischief, thou child of the devil, thou enemy of all righteousness, wilt thou not cease to pervert the right ways of the Lord?”  By the work of the Holy Ghost in him, Paul calls out the devil and rebukes him.  Paul later writes, [3]“…mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them.” Elymas was given blindness for a season as a mark of his work against the Holy Ghost.  Paulus witnessed these things and believed.

When a subject has come to belief, the Apostles move on and in Pisidia where Paul gave the Gospel to the Jews.  However, they didn’t want to listen. [4]“And when the Jews were gone out of the synagogue, the Gentiles besought that these words might be preached to them the next sabbath.” Something wonderful has happened to the Glory of God.  Some will harden their hearts and the chosen among the Gentiles desired the milk of the word.  [5]“…It was necessary that the word  of God should first have been spoken to you; but seeing ye put it from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, lo we turn to the Gentiles.” The Jews, have made their choice.  Christ made it clear that because of their decision there would be consequences.  [6]“Therefore say I unto you, The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof.” This concept of the Gospel being dispersed to the Jew first and then to the Gentile was not of weight, but of chronology.  Nothing is owed to this race of people.  [7]God is not a respecter of persons.  [8]“He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.” This does bring the hand of judgment upon them.  The Abrahamic promise belongs to those who believe and has never changed from the very moment God gave the promise to Abraham.  [9]“And if ye be Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.”

One must believe in Christ to be an heir.  In Iconium we see the work of the Holy Ghost and the advisory. [10]“…a great multitude both of the Jews and also of the Greeks believed.”  However, it only takes a few to corrupt.  In verse 2 those Jews who did not believe, being agents of their father, stirred up the Gentiles to evil. But this did not stop the apostles.

A cripple in Lystra was healed when hearing Paul speak.  [11]“So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.”  However, preaching to pagans, they immediately gave the credit to Jupiter and Mercury.  Paul and Barnabas rent their cloths in distain. [12]“And saying, Sirs, why do ye these things? We also are men of like passions with you, and preach unto you that ye should turn from these vanities unto the living God, which made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and all things that are therein:” Never the less, there was fruit from witnessing.  Even as a result of the evil infected by those who serve their father the devil to those misguided in worship of things they have made, the Holy Ghost did and does change hearts.

In Athens, Paul was met with more paganism at Mars hill.  Once again, some hardened their hearts and others believed. [13]“Howbeit certain men clave unto him, and believed; among which Dionysius the Areopagite, and a women Damaris, and others with them.”

Some stoned him, others tried, and because we are called to follow Christ, sometimes we are brought before the magistrate.  The years Paul spent in prison under Felix, Festus and Agrippa in succession.

Paul gives the Gospel to Felix and Drusilla and it convicts to fear.  [14]“And as he reasoned of righteousness, temperance, and judgment to come, Felix trembled, and answered, Go thy way for this time; when I have a convenient season, I will call for thee.”  And that calling never came.

After two years, Paul is in the judgment seat before Festus and the Jews.  No journey to Jerusalem.  They convene in Caeserea for the hearing.  Paul answered the charges.  “ Then said Paul, I stand at Caesar’s judgment seat, where I ought to be judged: to the Jews have I done no wrong, as thou very well knowest. For if I be an offender, or have committed any thing worthy of death, I refuse not to die: but if there be none of these things whereof these accuse me, no man may deliver me unto them. I appeal unto Caesar.” Paul, being bold and polished in Levitical law, a Pharisee himself, filled with the understanding and wisdom the Holy Ghost has given him, addresses the court with commitment.  Being also of Rome, they appealed to Caesar and sent him to Rome relieving Festus of the Jews.

King Agrippa expresses his concern for why he is involved. [15]“For it seemeth to me unreasonable to send a prisoner, and not withal to signify the crimes laid against him.”  This initial response does not show favor to the accusers.  Which leads to Agrippa wanted to hear Paul’s testimony.

Paul stretches out his hand to let them know he is about to address them.  And Paul proceeded to give his testimony of his life as a Pharisee, persecuting Christians, judgment, conviction, correction and regeneration of himself.  Paul expressed the Co-mission given unto him by Christ. [16]“Then Agrippa said unto Paul, Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian.”

The chapter closes with Paul’s almost acquittal.  [17]“Then said Agrippa unto Festus, This man might have been set at liberty, if he had not appealed unto Caesar.”  But once again, the Gospel was given.  Christ had made abundantly clear for all those who have ears to hear in the Parable of the Sower.  Only God knows where those seeds will land.

The progression of the Holy Ghost through Paul is that of a train picking up speed.  The more of the Gospel given, the closer Paul gets to the Cross at Calvary as he truly takes up his cross and follows Christ up Calvary’s road.  Some [18]“waxed gross”, some [19]“blasphemed”, and some [20]“set to be lights” in this Co-mission with the Holy Ghost.

We are ALL called to be in this Co-mission with the Holy Ghost, and on our own roads to Christ, some will harden their hearts, some will mock us, and others will come to Christ and become kingdom builders themselves to the Glory of God.  Never forget that our road can and should bear the same fruit.  Some of the fruit will be persecution and potentially persecution unto death.  Paul writes, “For I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ; which is far better:” Don’t rush this, there’s a lot of work to be done.

 

 

 

 

Bibliography

The Holy Bible: Authorized King James. Cadillac, MI: Church Bible Publishers, 2017

[1] The Holy Bible, Acts 13:2. 1611

[2] The Holy Bible, Acts 13:9, 10. 1611

[3] The Holy Bible, Romans 16:17, 1611

[4] The Holy Bible, Acts 13:42. 1611

[5] The Holy Bible, Acts 13:46. 1611

[6] The Holy Bible, Matthew 24:43. 1611

[7] The Holy Bible, Acts 10:34. 1611

[8] The Holy Bible, John 3:18. 1611

[9] The Holy Bible, Galatians 3:29. 1611

[10] the Holy Bible, Acts 14:1. 1611

[11] The Holy Bible, Romans 10:17. 1611

[12] The Holy Bible, Acts 14:15. 1611

[13] The Holy Bible, Acts 17:34

[14] The Holy Bible, Acts 24:25. 1611

[15] The Holy Bible, Acts 25:27. 1611

[16] The Holy Bible, Acts 26:28. 1611

[17] The Holy Bible, Acts 26:32. 1611

[18] The Holy Bible, Acts 28:27. 1611

[19] The Holy Bible, Acts 18:6. 1611

[20] The Holy Bible, Acts 13:47. 1611

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Theo Statements: Authority of Scripture, Marriage and Family, Gender and Sexuality

Without an authority, we have no right or clout to profess our Christianity.  Scripture binds us to Jesus Christ through the moral compass He has placed upon our hearts. The bible says [1]“And it is easier for heaven and earth to pass, than one tittle of the law to fail.” The Holy Bible is a foundation greater than heaven and earth. However, there is one authority that is greater, that being the author of the Good Book.  [2]“By definition a final authority cannot be proven as an authority on the basis of some higher authority. The highest authority must be self-attesting. Only God is such an authority.” God’s power is reveal through nature, [3]“For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:” His position of Divine Providence over all and through His living Word.  [4]“The Bible’s authority can and does communicate across cultural, geographical, and temporal differences between the biblical world and our setting. Scripture is authoritative as it is rightly and faithfully interpreted in its historical setting” The Bible has time and time again, proven itself over any other historical document.  In fact the supernatural aspect of Scripture is defined by Psalm 12:6-7. “The words of the Lord are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times. Thou shalt keep them, O Lord, thou shalt preserve them from this generation for ever.” While the worlds history continues to be in error, God’s word proves itself right.  From geographic references of the position of Ararat to the Ark landing the Word of God is correct and we were in error.  The location existence of Jericho was deemed myth because they did not rely on Scripture.  Dating authentically, the remains of the Walls of Jericho were discovered.

There is a passage in Paul’s letter to Timothy that textual authority is often related to and that text opens with a bold word that leaves no room for discussion or debated. “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:” Not some of the Old Testament that suits our needs today and a majority of the New Testament we feel comfortable talking about.  There can be no mistake in defining the word “all” as to the entirety of the God ordained and breathed 66 inspired, inerrant and preserved books of the Holy Bible. No need for read letter when we know the black encompass all of His righteous words.

[5]“God forbid: yea, let God be true, but every man a liar;” Even with the most difficult of text, it is my experience that submission to it has liberated me from retraction. If the Bible says…, then it is true! It is my duty in relation to the Word of God to rightly divide this.  Wrestling with Scripture is what we were intended to do.  Wisdom does not come easy.  However it is given freely in His good time.

Relying solely upon the one true inspired, inerrant, preserved Word of God, is no easy task when the world and the master of wants to undermine it and question it’s very authority. With faith and understanding by rightly dividing the Word, we can and do live by this Holy Book as He suggests we should.  It is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness and we can profess boldly to be fundamentally bound to His authority brought to us without error in His perfect preserved Word.

God ordained marriage and family as a holy union betwixt one another and Himself.  He officiates and ordains these unions to His glory.  The Hebrew word Davaq means to stick to or become one flesh.  That term holds massive implications.  Being one, we are counted as one and are held accountable one to another and under Christ a holy ordained order of the husband being the final resting place for accountability.  From the very beginning man was alone and in order to fully comprehend our position and to develop purpose, a help meet was necessary.  And God created woman, in turn to have husband to care for and to desire.  This is also a physical manifestation of the Trinity.  Husband and wife are bound by the Word.

In completion of God creating this union He makes another command to them that of family.  This is a holy order to procreation and is the very origin of term marriage.  The union of two has to have the fundamental, natural ability to procreate.  This is the only holy union under heaven that is acceptable.  [6]“And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.” Repeatedly through out the book of Genesis or generations of, the command of marriage witnessed.  This is necessary to bring about the Son of God.

The order of family is in place for edification, preservation and God’s glory.  It is an honored position to have a wife. [7]“Whoso findeth a wife findeth a good thing, and obtaineth favour of the Lord.” To what did we do earn such favour? Nothing.  God has determined we are not to be alone.  [8]“A virtuous woman is a crown to her husband:” That virtue is found in the work of her hands and her heart toward her husband and children. A man honors his wife with wisdom and provision.  The ultimate responsibility of a man is to minister the Word of God to his house.  [9]“Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.” It is the glory of a man to see the Word lived in his children.

Family is something holy and is the very body of Christ. The devil has been working diligently to circumvent the coming of Jesus Christ and the growth of His family for generations.  In the book of Generations or Genesis, [10]chapter 38 we see such an account and God took it so seriously; He struck two dead for circumventing the coming of Christ.  In verse 9 we see Onan practicing what would be considered the rhythm method today, and verse 10 reads, “And the thing which he did displeased the Lord: wherefore he slew him also.”  Preventing birth seems almost as bad as taking the life. Children are so very important to Jesus.  His statement to “suffer the little children to come unto him” was a clear indication that He holds them in high regard.  [11]As well as any trying to harm them, it is better for them to drown in the deepest see than to contend with Him.

Sexuality and gender is the way the world is looking at the order especially in order to infiltrate family and recruit children to a perverse way of order.  Sexualizing children young enables a easier path to gender confusion.  Sexuality is not at all considered in scripture in regards to children.  It is only referred as consummation of marriage.  Hence the term of marriage’s etymological origin that of maternity and procreation.  When a mind is fresh it can be altered.  A wicked soul can impose this through media and society with programming.  Programming is an old term used for television shows.  They have abandoned it for it’s true implication.  Disney has been the forerunner of sexualizing children.  The movie Decedents offers a look into not only that but also gender confusion or even neutrality.  [12]“The woman shall not wear that which pertaineth unto a man, neither shall a man put on a woman’s garment: for all that do so are abomination unto the Lord thy God.” The wearing of gender specific clothing is not the entirety of what the text is referring to hear.  It is all aspects of the role of a man or women.  God created all things for purpose.  And who are we to suggest anything regarding His purpose.  It is preposterous and presumptuous for dirt to speak to the LORD in such a way.

Sex is a gift of God and to be received in that manner only in the context He ordained.  All acts outside of the covenant of marriage is an act of fornication or adultery.  Fornication comes in many forms.  Fornication in this day is well encouraged with ones self, with a member of the opposite sex or one of that the Bible calls exceeding wicked, sodomy.  Scripture speaks against acts with ones self in 1 Corinthians 6:9.  Scripture says God will judge the adulterer and sexual immorality in Hebrews 13:4.  Genesis 13:13 identifies the sins of sodomy as exceedingly wicked.  The sins of Sodomites is so abominable past the book of Leviticus 18:22  and utter destruction of two cites in Genesis 19, for God to remind us of this in Jude. [13]“Even as Sodom and Gomorrah, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire.” The sins of sodomy are not a genetic thing.  It is a sin that is committed just as any other.  We are not born thieves or with the intentions to commit adultery or any other.  It is however a worldly indoctrination.  [14]“48% of respondents [of members of People Can Change online support groups, which have a combined membership of 600 men] said that, as children or youth, they had been sexually abused by an older or more powerful person. Usually it was by a male (83 out of 205 respondents, or 40%), and in those cases, 96% considered the abuse to be a contributing factor to their developing SSA feelings, and 43% said the abuse was one of the three most significant factors.”

[15]“For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature: And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet. And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient;”

Unnatural acts, sexual deviation outside of marriage are all an abomination to the Lord.  A repentant heart, a reborn creature of holiness and righteousness aims to please our Lord.  He becomes the desire of our hearts.  [16]“But if they cannot contain, let them marry: for it is better to marry than to burn.”

Let God’s word be true and all men liars. Since His word is truth, than marriage is holy and the consummation there of should be considered holy as He intended.  The result of this consummation brings forth a new creation which has no godly business with things that pertain to anything sexual up until that time in which they receive the gift of marriage, lest the dire consequence of ungodly acts be of burning as Paul states.

[1] The Holy Bible, (1611) CBP, Cadillac, MI, Luke 16:17

[2] Goldsworthy, G., (2015), According to Plan, ch  3, pg 44

[3] The Holy Bible, (1611) CBP, Cadillac, MI, Romans 1:20

[4] Dockery, David S., (2008) SBCLIFE, Journal of the Southern Baptist Convention, The Authority of the Bible

[5] The Holy Bible, (1611), Cadillac, MI, Romans 3:4

[6] The Holy Bible, (1611), Cadillac, MI, Genesis 1:28

[7] The Holy Bible, (1611), Cadillac, MI, Proverbs 18:22

[8] The Holy Bible, (1611), Cadillac, MI, Proverbs 12:4

[9] The Holy Bible, (1611), Cadillac, MI, Proverbs 22:6

[10] The Holy Bible, (1611), Cadillac, MI, Genesis 38:3-10

[11] The Holy Bible, (1611), Cadillac, MI, Matthew 18:6

[12] The Holy Bible, (1611), Cadillac, MI, Deuteronomy 22:5

[13] The Holy Bible, (1611), Cadillac, MI, Jude 1:7

 

[14] Borngay.procon.org, (2013) Can Childhood Sexual Abuse Cause Homosexuality?

[15] The Holy Bible, (1611), Cadillac, MI, Romans 1:26-28

[16] The Holy Bible, (1611), Cadillac, MI, 1 Corinthians 7:9

The purpose, function, and method of the Lord’s Supper: Matthew 26:26-29, Mark 14:22-24, Luke 22:7-23

 

The two views on the Lord’s Supper commonly known and practiced are the Eucharist where the bread and wine are subject to supernatural transubstantiation a part of a ritual known as Mass that predates the church. The supernatural aspect was added by Pope Innocent in 1215 A.D. The Protestants and Baptists ([1]Baptist predate Protestants and historically outside both Protestant and Catholic, therefore listed separately) view it as a remembrance of the sacrifice our Lord made for us. The function and methods thereof are almost the same were, generally a small wafer or bread is consumed with a sip of wine. The Lord’s Supper as conveyed in Scripture cannot be mistaken as anything other than remembrance of what Christ has done for us. The Lord’s Supper is to be a reminder to be Berean in efforts to learn and submit to His new covenant. There is no evidence of supernatural transubstantiation of the bread and wine or the warrant for re-sacrificing Christ.

Matthew 26:26-29, Mark 22-24, Luke 22:7-39 present the accounts of the events in the upper room for Passover. [2]Passover bread was unleavened bread and likely thick and dense to contrast Matzo today. When tearing this bread it must have been dramatic and rightfully so to represent the tearing of Christ’s body. [3]And they served wine and water mixture. The Jewish tradition states that this may have been the fourth glass of wine that there were consuming. Intoxication is not an option. Luke 22:19 clearly states, [4]“this do in remembrance of me.” We are a forgetful creature. Israel gave plenty of evidence of our forgetfulness. [5]“And it came to pass, as soon as Gideon was dead, that the children of Israel turned again, and went a whoring after Baalim, and made Baalberith their god.” Judges 8:33

Dr John MacArthur writes, [6]“No Eucharist miracle of transubstantiation was implied, nor could the disciples have missed the symbolic intent of His statement, for His actual body- yet unbroken-was before their very eyes.”

Christ clearly being metaphoric is substantiated by when He was temped by Lucifer after fasting for over a month’s time. Matthew 4:4 reads [7]“It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.”  The bread is symbolic of Christ’s living word, the Holy Bible. Drinking of the wine as symbol of the New Testament, a new covenant, to blot out our sins, and wash them away by taking of the cup as a symbol. All of these things are merely outward expressions.  Wine is poured out lavishly like the Samaritan to the man on the road. The blood is given freely to the believers. And its sufficiency is everlasting. This imagery closes the separation between us and the Father once and for all. Christ’s prays fervently on our behalf in Gethsemane for this very thing.  John 17:22 reads, [8]“And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one:” The blood is “a cash” used to pay for sins.  Christ’s replaced a multitude of beasts because they are not sufficient.  Only the blood of a righteous one true God who came off the throne can pay justice to the Father for our fallen natures. Paul writes in Romans 5:9, [9]“Much more than, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.”

Therefore, the crucifixion was not meant to be repeated. It was most certainly sufficient. Hebrews 10:18 explains there is no repeat occurrence for offerings for sin. [10]“Now where remission of these is, there is no more offering for sin.” Colossians 1:15-28 shows the supremacy of God. But in 1 Peter 3:18 Peter drives home sufficiency in these words, “For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit.”

[11]However, repeating crucifixion is common practice under the sacraments of Mass and Eucharist. The proceedings of Eucharist start with an offering or oblation. This offering changes from what we see as a wafer and sacramental wine to the actual flesh and actual blood of Christ. The sacrament must be administered by a sanctified priest.  He is called a minister of sacrifice. The Papacy go so far as to call the wafer the victim. The addition by the Papacy of these sacraments is supporting evidence of the powers of papal dominion over the Holy Bible. Scripture shows no evidence of the breaking of bread and drinking of wine to be a presentation ‘to’ God. The Bible shows no transubstantiation in the text. Nowhere in the entire Bible is the position of a priest by any title given the same rights or abilities specifically designated to Jesus Christ.  The re-sacrificing of Christ in a literal sense through transubstantiation contradicts Romans 6:10, Hebrews 10 and1 Peter 3:18. The Catholic Church depicts Christ’s work on the cross as insufficient. The work on the cross wasn’t good enough and it needs to be repeated by a priest and administered to the sinner. Mass is another practice not found in text. Mass is even deemed holy. Mass is described as a sacramental ritual where a priest is possessed by Christ for the moment to administer the ritual. The Catholic Church call this the Sacred Host. They also deem Christ a victim, which implies He had no foreknowledge or control of the events leading up to His capture, conviction and crucifixion.

“[12]Whatever else the Mass may be, it is the commemoration and the repetition of the Last Supper. It is the perpetual fulfillment of the command given by Jesus Christ to his Apostles, and through them, to all his priests until the end of time” The beginning of Catholic tradition can be traced outside of Christendom. There are great many practices, rituals, idols and images that have been consumed from outside sources, beliefs and religions. The Eucharist is depicted as a real sacrifice, with the real presence and real body and blood by supernatural means. “The Jews partake of the altar, and the heathens partake with devils, when they eat of the things which have been sacrificed on the altar or sacrificed to the devils. Similarly if the Christians are partakers of the blood of Christ and of his body, as St Paul says they are, this can only be so because, in drinking and eating of them …”

[13]In order to follow any of this, one must be aware of the Lateran Council in 1215, where this sacrament was added by Pope Innocent III. Papal powers are infallible on the word of God. The sacrament was instituted by another Innocent, Innocent I, in his reign in 401-417.

As the Word of God states, the Lord’s Supper a remembrance of what Christ has done for us. As fallen creatures, we should submit to the Holy Bible. The only evidence of substantiation is by men who deemed themselves equals with Christ and above Scripture. There is no indication of validity to their supremacy and infallibility. The ordinances are to be in remembrance of this covenant, or New Testament is to remind us of the purchase of ourselves. Breaking and eating of bread and drinking the wine are all symbols, metaphors and outward expressions not unlike wearing a wedding ring. If the practices of consuming the broken bread and drinking the wine be more than remembrance, then they are works to obtain salvation. Christ is sufficient.

 

 

 

Bibliography

Bickersteth, E., Thomson, J. R., Rowland, A., Given, J. J., Muir, A. F., Johnson, E., & Green, R. (2011). The Pulpit Commentary Vol XVI Mark & Luke. In H. D. Spence & J. S. Exell

Christian, J. T. (1919). A History of the Baptists. New Orleans, Lousiana: http://www.solidchristianbooks.com.

Clevendenen, E. R., & Howards, J. R. (Eds.). (2015). Holman Illustrated Bible Commentary. Nashville Tennessee: B&H Publishing Group.

Farrar, F. W., Thomas, D., Hurndall, E., Thompson, J. R., Lipscomb, C., Tuck, R., … Bremner, H. (2011). The Pulpit Commentary XIX Corinthians. Peabody Massechucetts:

Hendrickson Publishers Marketers LLC.

Keener, C. S. (1993). The IVP Bible Background Commentary. Downers Grove Illinois: Inter-Varsit Press.

MacArthur, J. (1982). The John MacArthur Bible Commentary. Nashville Tennesse: Thomas Nelson.

Schouppe, R. (1939). A Course of Religious Instruction (A New Edition ed.). London: Burns Oates & Washbourne LTD.

Shaddai, E. (1611). The Holy Bible. Lansign, MI: Local Church Bible Publishers.

Smith, D.D., Ph. D., G. D. (1961). The Teachings of the Catholic Church. New York: The MacMillan Company.

O’Mallye, J.W., (2009). A History of the Popes. New York: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, INC.

 

The Triune God

Triune God

The fundamentals to stand upon before understanding the Triune God, being first God, the Holy inerrant word of God and His laws.  God is glorious and holy.  He always has been and always will be.  The word of God teaches us about Him without err.  And finally His laws were put in place for us to first and foremost to glorify Him and secondly to give us order in our lives and to naturally protect us from ourselves.

The bible as has declared the essence or being of God to God the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit in that order and yet also defines their person as being able to act upon their own.  Essence is intrinsic nature or indispensable quality of something, especially something abstract, that determines its character.  The “being” of God means soul, nature, ESSENCE, inner being, inner self or psche.  The essence and being of the Triune God is that unlike you and I, they do not operate apart from one another.

To make this image clear I will use an example.   You have three people in a space in charge of a child.  The child is about to hurt themselves.  Assuming all three are decent people, they will all act in their own way to prevent the child from hurting itself.   The action was done out of natural safety mechanism built with in us to protect and preservation of creature.

Now, in the same space, the three being God the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, they have already been aware of the what the child will do, and the outcome of what that hurt may have as a consequence and all the people it will effect for generations to come.   Their actions are not without ONE accord.  The do not react out of protection mechanism.  The have predestined action based upon the thought they had for that child’s life prior to the foundation of the planet.  When they do step in or not, the consciousness of the Triune God operates together in all matters.   I our Triune God has foreordained that the child should not endanger itself, the Father operates in commanding the basic existence of, the Son determines is life of separation from the world or of the world.  If it pleases Him to hold the pain for another time, to His glory, then Holy Spirit will engage a deterrent of some kind.  Perhaps a parent near by will stop the child, but only by the whisper of the Spirit to mind the child.

So being in complete sovereignty from beginning to end, the Godhead of the Triune God is conscience of all that has been and will be, and places each individual thing in our lives by their essence in unity.  Their actions, based on fore thought in unison, the out come of what that potential hurt either occurs or doesn’t but all to the glory of His majesty to some end that will ultimately glorify God.

Had the Father, Son and Spirit not had the same essence of being, then we would in fact be in judgment of His first command.  He being a righteous God with One being, the law is righteous.

“And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM: and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you..” Ex 3:14  The Father identifies Himself as God.

“I said therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your sins: for if ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins.” John 8:24 Jesus Christ identifies Himself as God.

“Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit” Matt 28:19 The Holy Spirit is identified as God.

The most powerful Christology, (person and work of Christ) is found in John 1:14 “And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.”

“Hereafter shall the Son of man sit on the right hand of the power of God.” Luke 22:69

“The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool” Psalm 110:1

“But he, being full of the Holy Ghost, looked up stedfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God,” Acts 7:55

“Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.” Romans 8:34

The Holiness of the Triune God is the glory of their being in ONE mind and three persons.  Each with identity we can relate to, be reformed by and conformed to.  That one day, well will obtain the essence of being as glorified saints of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.  The very unity that Christ prayed for in Gethsemane in John 17.

 

Work Cited

Almighty, God. The King James Holy Bible. Lansing: Local Church Bible Publishers, 2015. Print.

The Impact of the Protestant Reformation

 

“The Impact of the Protestant Reformation”

A great many believe there is an elevated idea of freedom, government and rights.  However, this nation would not exist if not for the Reformation.   The grace of being able to know God has separated a great many even before Luther nailed his 95 thesis.  This was never the work of men.  Reformation has been going in through biblical time and it is a key component to our faith.  If we must know God, then we must be REFORMED.  This desire, at its root is to be under the Kingship of Jesus.  It makes for a very challenging life under a world leader and under God.

In 1776, a war with a very small percentage of the settlers and the English army was over to the victory of men that desired liberty to the end of death if not achieved.  But religious freedom and rights were not established.  There was persecution here of ecclesia.

Fifteen years later on December 15^th, the government had established its position to protect the church.  The government gave us the freedom to meet and worship our Lord.  The men of congress deemed it our liberty to publish holy works.

What is not seen in the document is Christ.  From the very foundation of this nation we put ourselves at risk to lose our freedoms and rights to compromise the liberties of other religions that have lived under the title secularism, atheism or Islam.

The state of our liberty as believers is no different than those who lived in Rome over a thousand years ago.  In our world today, the system of coexistence which will put the Christian community separatism once again.  Coexistence is a religion unto itself.  There was an attempt to unite under the Universal Church, but that lead to Schism and the Reformation.   And yet we have ideas drifting in and out of Reformed churches like “chrislam”.

If we don’t cling to the reality that we will always be pilgrims until the return of the King, we will be suffer a great many things.  We are already separated by our sins from Him, and this road will separate eternally.

“For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ:” Philippians 3:20

“Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God;” Ephesians 2:19

 

References

Almighty, G. (1611). The Holy Bible. Retrieved from

My Statement of Faith

 

 

I believe what has been come to be known as the Authorized Version of the King James Bible is the Holy Inerrant Word of God.  It is also known as the Holy Bible.  By the will of God Almighty, the commission of translating the original text was done according to His will.  It is given as gift to the reader for edification of our souls; that we be able to “know” God in all of His glory.

1. The Holy Bible consists of 66 books deemed canonical.
2. The books of the Holy Bible were written by 40 holy men by inspiration of our Triune God.
3. [1]The Holy Bible is inerrant and infallible, without error and unable to fail.
4. [2]The Holy Bible has been preserved for the edification of the elect saints.
5. The Holy Bible has been preserved for every generation.

[3]God is our provident and loving God, creator of all things.  He exists in Holy Trinity;  God the Father being the origin of all things, God the Son, our redeemer and the Holy Spirit our mighty Paraklete.  Known as one in essence and being and three persons in outward identity. The three, together formed all that we know as creation.  And with the Word, all things were made in six calendar days.

[4]By the voice of our Lord Jesus Christ, the universe was created.  He was born of a virgin to fulfill prophecy, that we may know He was the living God.  Fully man and fully God, He came to fulfill all the laws that we could not keep because of our fallen nature.  [5]He came to justify us of our sins against God and redeem us from the penalty of death.  For all those who truly believe and follow Christ may be saved and have eternal life.  He was crucified by all of us.  [6]Died on the cross and rose again on the third day becoming our King of kings at the right hand of God the Father.

[7]The Holy Spirit is responsible of a great many things from the very rebirth of a wretched soul, the elect of God, to a regenerate Christian.  The Holy Spirit aids, guides and facilitates all things that are in the path of Sanctification.  He also provides us with gifts that God deems necessary to fulfill His Holy will.  Anyone who receives Christ receives the Holy Spirit.

• [8]Satan does exist, along with a legions of fallen angels, also known as demons and the only can do so by our Sovereign God, which means there is nothing they can do that is not within His will.
• [9]All men are fallen and therefore separated from God until they receive Christ.
• [10]Man can not do anything of himself to obtain righteousness.
• [11]Man was created in the image of God.
• Whoever truly believes in Jesus Christ and follows [12]Him shall not perish but have everlasting life.
• [13]As God’s chosen elect, you have the assurance of salvation.  If one “falls away” or turns from God, I submit, they were never saved or chosen.
• [14]The church as we have come to know it has a couple of meanings which are acceptable.  One being the place where the sinners, called out ones, ecclesia, congregate for edification, and worship of our God.  The church is also the bride of Christ and can be considered the individual vessel, person or steward of the word.
• [15]Full immersion into water is an outward expression and ordinance to us by our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  It is an expression of our crucifixion with Him that we may be joined with Him forever in the Holiest of Covenantal Marriages.
• [16]The Lords Super is a required ordinance.  I believe it should be observed as it was by the apostles on that Passover night.  I also believe if the Holy Spirit comes upon someone to partake of sacrament, it is their right to do so at will.  And in no way is the literal body and blood.
• [17]I do not believe in rapture as we know it.  I believe in the exactly what scripture states, that those who are alive and remain in the end will be caught up after those who died in Christ have risen.  I believe the church will endure tribulation but be protected to a certain extent.  Christ is only having one second coming.
• [18]Heaven is the Holiest of temples for all the priests and saints of God.  Hell is the eternal burning place for those who chose poorly.

 

[1] The Holy Bible, 2 Timothy 3:16

[2] The Holy Bible, 2 Timothy 3:16, 17

[3] The Holy Bible, Genesis 1:1

[4] The Holy Bible, John 1:1-4

[5] The Holy Bible, 2 Corinthians 5:21

[6] The Holy Bible, Matthew 27:46

[7] The Holy Bible, Matthew 12:31-33, John 3:6-8, Acts 2:1-5

[8] The Holy Bible, Job

[9] The Holy Bible, Romans 3:23

[10] The Holy Bible, John 15:5

[11] The Holy Bible, Genesis 1:26

[12] The Holy Bible, John 3:15, Matthew 22:37-40, John 14:15

[13] The Holy Bible, John 10:28

[14] The Holy Bible, 1 Corinthians 12:27

[15] The Holy Bible, Romans 6:3-5, Colossians 2:12, Galatians 3:27, Mark 1:4, Acts 22:16, Mark 16:16, Matthew 3:16, 28:19, 20,

[16] The Holy Bible, Matthew 26:26-29, 1 Corinthians 11:24-28

[17] The Holy Bible,  Matthew 24:29-31, 1 Thessalonians 4:15-18

[18] The Holy Bible, Revelation 4, Matthew 13:41-42, 49-50

Christian Worldview

 

Everyone has a worldview.  Worldview is our individual, personal idea of life and the world we live in.   It is defined by five parts being the origin of all things, who our personal identity is, the value of what we are or the “meaning of life”.   A clear definition of what is right and wrong, a set of rules we live by or a moral compass.  And finally our potential finality, destiny.  What will come of us?

The Author and Pioneer of life, all known and unknown is defined clearly multiple times in the Bible.  First being, “In the beginning God…” (Genesis 1:1, the Holy Bible)  God spoke the world into existence, creation ex nihilo “creation out of nothing.” (Finding Your Worldview: Thinking Christianly about the World, ch 5, pg 84)  General Revelation by David in Psalm 19:1, 3 depicts the realization of God in all things.  “God can be known in a general way by humans…” (Finding Your Worldview: Thinking Christianly about the World, ch 5, pg 80)  In a national conference in 2010, Albert Mohler was asked by his peers to give a message.  The message was, “Why Does the Universe Look So Old?”  And here, Mohler expresses the Hebrew literary genre of Genesis as being that a sort of amanuensis.   There was no hint of poetry.  The words were deliberate and methodical.  God inherently dictated the words of His creation to Moses.  And those words were Christ’s as John describes in John chapter 1.  God created all things with a Word.

“Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.”  (The Holy Bible, Mark 12:17) The image on the coin was Caesars.  The image upon us is God’s.  In Genesis 1:26, God being the Father, Son and Holy Spirit states, “Let us make man in our image…”  This is not only a clear indication of basic appearance but also intent of character.   That character being, “love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance”.  (The Holy Bible, Galatians 5:22, 23)   Keep in mind this was prior to the fall and after regeneration.  The words of our Lord in Mark also make clear indication of ownership.  Being bounty of redemption we are owned by the blood of Christ.  (Paraphrase of 1 Corinthians 6:20) When your direction of a fallen creature, without Christ is utter doom; the wages of sin are death, then you welcome the relinquishment of independence willfully, giving our person to Jesus Christ.  “He must increase, but I must decrease.” (The Holy Bible, John 3:30)

Being made in the physical likeness and the spiritual likeness through sanctification puts us above the beasts of land, air and sea.  “…and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon this earth.” (The Holy Bible, Genesis 1:26)  They are made first for His good pleasure and secondly to serve human kind.  For the greater of which is the well orchestrated system by our great Pioneer.   Of which serves us by sustaining life down to the buzzing bee.

We owe our every breath to God Almighty.  “It is a part of God’s nature to be creative. He is the divine Creator. It was His will to create.” (Finding Your Worldview: Thinking Christianly about the World, ch 5, pg 87)  “By the decree of God, for the manifestation of His glory…to praise of His glorious grace…” (The Baptist Confession of Faith, ch 3, pg 9)   We live by His grace and we live for His glory.

My purpose in all this is to be a steward of the Gospel, the highest honor and the most perilous appointment.  I heard Pastor J. John, with his creative expression of what we do.  He said, “I work for a global enterprise, we have got outlets in nearly every country in the world.  We’ve got hospitals and hospices and homeless shelters.  We do marriage work, we have got orphanages, and we’ve got feeding programs, educational programs.  We do all sorts of justice and reconciliation.  Basically we look after people from birth to death and we deal in the area of behavioral alteration.”  The lady of whom he was speaking to at Heathrow airport said, “WOW!!”  “It was so loud her wow, loads of people turned around and looked at us.”  She said, “What’s it called?”  “I said it’s called the church” (J. John, Trinity Broadcast Network, You Tube) I personally have worked in most of the areas that J. John so colorfully and humorously voiced.  It is with tremendous joy in service.  The Greek word would be agalliao, which means exceedingly glad, jumping for joy which can only be attributed to the Holy Spirit.  We could know no gladness like this outside of God.

Moral Compass was the subject of a sermon of mine.  To those who are saved, we recognize it as something written upon our hearts.  The Jews often refer to the “Law” as a labor of love.  We find ourselves desiring to please God.  “If ye love me, keep my commandments.” (The Holy Bible, John 14:15)  “…I will put my laws into their hearts…” (The Holy Bible, Hebrews 10:16)  The knowledge of right and wrong had been branded upon us from the author of morality.   You feel the simplest gratitude being right and the worst morose being wrong.  In that message, the compass always ports due north to God, look up.

Apocalypses is the Greek word for uncovering the veil.  The veil at the temple was rent by the work at the cross.  Christ being our great mediator, we can now, as reborn, regenerate souls, approach the throne as joint heirs with our petition to the most high God.  The uncovering of what Christ had planned for us is culminated in one book that is the only book that offers blessing to the one who reads and keeps it.  Keeping it is of a high accord.  In Hebrew the word would be Shamar.  In this Revelation we see heaven.  Heaven is the long awaited re-uniting of creature and Creator.  The prayer so fervently expressed by Christ in Gethsemane, John 17.  “That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.” (The Holy Bible, John 3:15) Believing is the ultimate form of faith.  We believe that Christ’s work upon the cross was sufficient for the atonement of our sins.  This justification pardons us from eternal death which we unequivocally deserve.  This grace is our free gift that only by the fruits of the Holy Spirit with in us, which is also a free gift; we can be free of the bounds of eternal death.  In Romans 6:14, 23 it states sin shall have no dominion, therefore neither do wages.

Many view heaven as a destination.  I believe much more.  I believe it is the Holy Matrimony of Christ and the bride; an eternal union of all things righteous.   “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering , gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law” (The Holy Bible, Galatians 5:22, 23)  Christ is the fruits and we will be joined in the first of these first and foremost which is love.  A place within Him where their can be no sorrow.   The scripture does depict a place of grandeur by John while on Patmos, but I feel, this is of no relevance to the glory and majesty of the Holy Union.  The walls with precious stone sand streets of gold are nothing in light of our King.

As a creature, born in the image of our God we have rights over the earth and all things there of.  As His creature we have thoughts and feelings that draw us to Him.  We are made with the desire to please Him.   The only way we can make our God happy is by faith and obedience.   He has gone above the mere actions of a flawed creature and given us these things through grace.  He wrote His name, His love and His law upon our hearts for all eternity.  That eternity will be spent in unity upon the day of our glorification, upon the day of our Lord.

 

Works Cited

Almighty, God. The King James Holy Bible. Lansing: Local Church Bible Publishers, 2015. Print.

The Baptist Confessional of Faith & The Baptist Catechism. Vestavia Hills: Solid Ground Christian Books and Reformed Bapstist Publications of the Association of Reformed Baptist Churches of America, 2014. Print.

John, J. “How to Explain What You Do, When You’re a Pastor.” Trinity Broadcasting Networking. http://www.youtube.com. N.p., 13 November 2014. Web. 16 September 2016. <http://youtu.be/L6TGxKSqH8&gt;.

Mohler, Albert. “2010 National Conference: Message 15, Why does the Universe Look So Old”.“ Online posting. http://www.ligonier.org/learn/conferences/tough-questions-christians-face-2010-national/why-does-the-universe-look-so-old/. http://www.ligonier.org, n.d. Web. 16 Sep. 2016. <www.ligonier.org/learn/conferences/tough-questions-christians-face-2010-national/why-does-the-universe-look-so-old/>.

Weider, Lee, and Ben Gutierrez. Finding Your Worldview: Thinking Christianly About the World. Database: B&H Academic, 2013. WORD Search.