Month: January 2012

I Want Pictures!

Saturday, January 21, 2012

“Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed” (John 20:29 KJV).

Once, when my mom offered to read the Holy Scriptures to my then five-year-old niece, the latter protested, “I want pictures!” 🙂 I could not help but chuckle upon hearing that. Yet, how many churchgoers prefer experiences that can seen and felt rather than sound doctrine that can be read and believed?

Most Bibles lack pictures, which makes God’s Word less appealing to the average reader. But, these precious souls fail to understand God never intended His Word to be a photo album or art portfolio. God wanted us to know information, but He did not communicate that information using paintings, drawings, or photographs. God wanted to not just give us His thoughts, but His very words (Deuteronomy 8:3; Psalm 12:6,7; Matthew 4:4; Luke 4:4)! Jesus Christ declared: “Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away” (Matthew 24:35; cf. Mark 13:31; Luke 21:33).

While God could have communicated His truth in any way He wanted, He determined to have His truth permanently written down in a Book, His Book, whose words would span the eons of eternity future. That Book would be independent of the reader, and would serve as an objective standard to distinguish truth from error. It would never change, it would always be relevant, and it would never be lost to time. He would preserve the words of the Book forever and ever and ever.

Instead of us seeking “pictures” (visual confirmation of Scripture) like my niece and doubting Thomas of today’s Scripture, let us pursue “the wholesome words of Jesus Christ and the doctrine which is according to godliness” (1 Timothy 6:3). We place no authority on experiences, but we trust alone in the King James Bible’s authority, the only standard by which we gauge the veracity or falsity of all experiences. “We walk by faith, not by sight” (2 Corinthians 5:7).

“The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: but the word of our God shall stand for ever” (Isaiah 40:8; 1 Peter 1:24,25).

No Blood Indicates No Faith #3

Friday, January 20, 2012

“By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts: and by it he being dead yet speaketh” (Hebrews 11:4 KJV).

According to God, Abel brought “of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof” whereas his brother Cain offered “fruit of the ground” (Genesis 4:3,4). Cain’s offering appeared innocent, but God considered it “evil” (1 John 3:12). Why?

“Without faith, it is impossible to please him [God]” (Hebrews 11:6). Cain did not please God. He did not believe anything God said, so he ignored God’s command to bring a blood sacrifice. No blood sacrifice indicated no faith. Essentially, Cain was ignoring what that blood sacrifice represented: the blood of the coming Redeemer Jesus Christ!

Sadly, today, mankind generally shares Cain’s attitude in refusing to believe God’s Word, especially regarding salvation. God has told them they are guilty sinners who cannot work for salvation, but they refuse to listen. God wants them to trust in His Son alone, but they want to trust in their works and His Son. God will not have it. Jesus Christ is “well pleasing” to God the Father, we are not (Matthew 3:17; Matthew 12:18; Matthew 17:5; Mark 1:11; Luke 3:22).

Please be not one of the billions of precious souls attempting to appease God and merit salvation and heaven with their “good” works. Like Cain’s offering, this “innocent-looking” activity is evil! (Remember, even Jesus claimed some “good” works were “iniquity” in Matthew 7:22,23). These “good-works” people are attempting to substitute Christ’s perfect blood sacrifice on Calvary with their “dung” and “filthy rags” (their “good” works). God will not have it.

God wants our faith exclusively in what His Son Jesus Christ did for us. Has Jesus Christ’s blood been imputed to your account? If it has, that blood applied to you indicates your faith! If Jesus’ blood has not been imputed to you, you need to trust exclusively in the Lord’s finished crosswork on Calvary. For salvation, God will accept nothing else but your faith resting in Christ Jesus alone.

No Blood Indicates No Faith #2

Thursday, January 19, 2012

“By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts: and by it he being dead yet speaketh” (Hebrews 11:4 KJV).

God instructed Cain and Abel to bring blood sacrifices. However, only Abel obeyed God because he alone had faith. Cain lacked faith, so he completely ignored God’s Word. Cain wanted to do what Cain wanted to do. This is typical human nature, and it has not changed one wit. Man is naturally sinful in that he seeks autonomy—to be his own god and to do what he wants to do!

“Cain… was of that wicked one [Satan!]… his own works were evil, and his brother’s [Abel’s] righteous” (1 John 3:12). Now, Cain’s vegetation offering did not look evil—it was just “fruit of the ground” (Genesis 4:3). Yet, despite its innocent appearance, it was evil and God rejected it. How was it evil? God wanted blood sacrifices, not crops (Hebrews 12:24)! Cain displeased God because he had no faith (Hebrews 11:6).

Now, apply that scenario to today. Billions of church members are doing everything they can to work for heaven. Like Cain, they completely ignore God’s Word when it says their “good” works are actually “filthy rags” (Isaiah 64:6) and “dung” (Philippians 4:8). They give faithfully, pray daily, attend church weekly, help the poor, clean the church building, sing in the choir, and so on. Sadly, this is vain activity, for God never commanded them to work for heaven!

In this the Dispensation of Grace, God is freely offering His grace, love, mercy, forgiveness, salvation, acceptance, fellowship, and righteousness in the Person of His Son Jesus Christ. “But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him [Jesus Christ] that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness” (Romans 4:5).

Salvation is so simple, yet religion complicates it with our works. We sinners cannot work for salvation. The Bible says the only way to heaven, and everlasting salvation, is to trust in what Jesus Christ already did for you, not what you can do for Him.

No Blood Indicates No Faith #1

Wednesday, January 18, 2012

“By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts: and by it he being dead yet speaketh” (Hebrews 11:4 KJV).

Adam and Eve had two sons, Cain the farmer and Abel the shepherd (Genesis 4:1,2). When it came time to sacrifice to God, “Cain brought fruit of the ground,” but “Abel…brought the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof. And the LORD had respect unto Abel and to his offering: but unto Cain and to his offering, he had not respect…” (verses 4,5). Why did God accept Abel’s offering, but reject Cain’s? How could Abel’s sacrifice be “more excellent than Cain,” as today’s Scripture teaches?

After sin entered the world by Adam (Romans 5:12), God demanded blood sacrifices for atonement (to make God and sinner “at one”). God shed innocent blood to cover Adam and Eve’s sin (Genesis 3:21). Outside of our dispensation, and before Christ came, those who wanted a right standing before God—“righteousness”—had to offer blood sacrifices by faith. “…[W]ithout the shedding of blood is no remission [forgiveness]” (Hebrews 9:22b).

Cain had no faith, so he ignored God’s instructions and brought no blood. He brought the fruit (crops) of his own work, but Abel, by faith, brought blood sacrifices (obeying God). God accepted Abel’s sacrifice because Abel had faith!

Are you like Cain, trying to merit salvation and please God with your own “good” works? Quit please! You lack Christ Jesus’ blood sacrifice because you lack faith in His blood as the fully satisfying payment for your sins. God never told you to work to heaven. You need a blood sacrifice—place your faith exclusively in Jesus Christ’s shed blood and resurrection, and God will “accept you in the beloved” (Ephesians 1:6).

God will “have respect” unto Christ’s finished crosswork alone. He will always reject your “good” works for salvation. Those who ignore the sufficiency of Christ’s blood to atone for their sin and sins will suffer the same doom of Cain—paying for their sins in the everlasting lake of fire!

Israel, Rise Up and Walk!

Tuesday, January 17, 2012

“Then Peter said, Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk. And he took hold of him by the right hand, and lifted him up: and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength” (Acts 3:6,7 KJV).

In this the Dispensation of Grace, Israel lacks her once privileged position before God. Her Temple is destroyed. Jews are scattered worldwide, absent from the land that God promised their father Abraham. Sadly, Israel is lost, far removed from JEHOVAH who dealt with her patriarchs in time past (Romans 10:1-3; Romans 11:11-32; 2 Corinthians 3:14-16). This is only temporary!

Today’s Scripture records the Apostle Peter’s first miracle—healing a lame man. In the context, Apostles Peter and John are going to the Temple to pray (verse 1). Verses 2-5 explain that a man lame from his mother’s womb is brought daily to sit at a Temple gate. As Peter and John pass, he begs them for alms (donations/money). Today’s Scripture is Peter’s reply.

The man, lame from birth, symbolizes Israel, spiritually impotent from her beginning (dead in her sins; Matthew 1:21; Matthew 18:11). By performing this miracle through Peter, the Holy Ghost is signifying to lost Israel that He can heal them spiritually like He physically restored the lame man (Acts 4:8-12)

Interestingly, the Temple gate by which the lame man sat was called “Beautiful” (Acts 3:2). He sat just outside God’s blessings (Israel’s kingdom), but he needed strength to get there. He needed God’s power to raise him up! After Peter healed him, he walked into the Temple, leaping and praising God (verses 8-10).

At His Second Coming, Jesus Christ will heal Israel of her existing lost, impotent state (Acts 3:19-21). As God gave the lame man strength to walk into the Temple, He will empower Israel to rise up in salvation (Romans 11:26-29) and literally walk into her kingdom (Isaiah 35:1-10; Ezekiel 37:1-28). In the name of Jesus Christ, Israel will be healed, delivered into her kingdom of everlasting salvation, peace, and prosperity (Jeremiah 23:5-8; Hosea 2:14-23; Luke 1:67-75; 1 Peter 2:9,10).

The Temporal Blindness of Israel

Monday, January 16, 2012

“And now, behold, the hand of the Lord is upon thee, and thou shalt be blind, not seeing the sun for a season. And immediately there fell on him a midst and a darkness; and he went about seeking some to lead him by the hand” (Acts 13:11 KJV).

God formed Israel so He could utilize them in a kingdom to send His salvation to the Gentiles (non-Jews). When God sent Israel’s Messiah-King, Jesus, the Jews demanded His crucifixion. Even after Jesus was resurrected, they still rejected Him: Israel refused the apostles’ ministry (technically, the Holy Spirit’s ministry) in the early Acts period. Until all of Israel was saved, her kingdom could not be established, keeping the Gentiles from receiving salvation. But God had a plan to circumvent this rebellion!

Today’s Scripture is the Apostle Paul’s first recorded miracle—the physical blinding of Elymas. Why did Paul do this? According to verses 6-8, a lost Gentile, Sergius Paulus, sought to hear God’s Word from Paul, but Elymas, a Jewish sorcerer, attempted to prevent this Gentile from hearing God’s Word and trusting Christ.

Verses 9 and 10 read: “Then Saul, (who also is called Paul,) filled with the Holy Ghost, set his eyes on him [Elymas], 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?”

Elymas symbolizes lost national Israel that prevents Gentiles from hearing God’s Word. Paul writes, “the Jews…[forbid] us to speak to the Gentiles that they might be saved, to fill up their sins alway…” (1 Thessalonians 2:14-16).

As Paul begins his apostolic journeys, God signifies, through the blinding of Elymas, that He will temporarily spiritually blind Israel and send salvation to the Gentiles through Paul’s ministry, without Israel (Romans 11:11-13). In our dispensation, Israel is “[blinded]…until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in” (Romans 11:25). When our dispensation ends (the rapture), God will return to Israel (Romans 11:26-29). Just as Elymas was blinded “for a season”—not eternally—Israel is temporarily blinded. God is not finished with Israel.

Whom Doth Thou Really Follow? #3

Sunday, January 15, 2012

“Then they reviled him, and said, Thou art his disciple; but we are Moses’ disciples. We know that God spake unto Moses: as for this fellow, we know not from whence he is” (John 9:28,29 KJV).

In the context of today’s Scripture, Jesus heals a blind man. After he appears before the unbelieving Pharisees, they summon his parents to confirm his former blindness (verses 18-21). His parents fear being cast out of the synagogue, so they avoid admitting Jesus Christ healed him (verses 21-23). Contrariwise, their son boldly holds to God’s truth, refusing Israel’s vain religion. Thus, the Pharisees “reviled [insulted] him” (today’s Scripture). How we Pauline dispensationalists face the same persecution today!

Most Jews—especially Israel’s religious leaders—refused to trust in Jesus as their Messiah. Any Jew who embraced Jesus as Messiah was alienated by his friends and family, for the Jews who followed Jesus Christ went counter to Israel’s apostate religious system. The parents of the man in today’s Scripture feared losing their popularity, so they did not confess Christ. Eventually, the Pharisees cast out the man for following Jesus (verse 34).

Similarly, if you have trusted exclusively in Christ Jesus, and you are not relying on your good works for salvation, you are going contrary to the prevalent works-religion system of our day. The lost world avoids you because you are God’s child. Moreover, if you study and believe the King James Bible “rightly divided,” as 2 Timothy 2:15 teaches, you become even less popular. The denominationalists and religionists do not want you either!

We follow our Apostle Paul as he follows Christ (1 Corinthians 11:1). Since most of Christendom abhors dispensational Bible study, they keep their distance from us. The denominationalists and religionists treat us the same way the wicked Pharisees treated the Jewish believers—criticize and ostracize! Like the Pharisees, they reject sound Bible doctrine and keep their tradition. Moreover, the non-religious lost world rejects us too, for we trust in Jesus Christ while they trust in their worthless idols.

Let us continue following Paul as he follows Christ, even as they criticize and ostracize! 🙂

Whom Doth Thou Really Follow? #2

Saturday, January 14, 2012

“Then they reviled him, and said, Thou art his disciple; but we are Moses’ disciples. We know that God spake unto Moses: as for this fellow, we know not from whence he is” (John 9:28,29 KJV).

In Jesus’ day, many Jews claimed to follow Moses (claimed to follow JEHOVAH). Yet, when JEHOVAH came in the flesh, Jesus Christ, their hypocrisy was exposed. By rejecting Jesus Christ, they openly admitted to not following Moses—ultimately, to never having followed JEHOVAH.

Today, there are over two billion professing Christians. Are they really following Jesus Christ as they claim? According to the Bible, most are not! The Pharisees rejected Moses’ words regarding Jesus to keep their tradition. Likewise, religionists today fully ignore when Jesus claimed He spoke to Israel only in the Four Gospel Records (Matthew 10:5-7; Matthew 15:24; John 4:22; Romans 15:8). Why? That they may keep their tradition!

Christendom today pledges its allegiance, not to Bible’s authority alone, but to the Bible and church tradition. Can you just hear these “Christians in name only?” They echo the Pharisees’ religious hypocrisy (see today’s Scripture):  “The Bible says Paul is our pattern, but we prefer our religious tradition that mandates we follow Jesus’ earthly ministry! Thou art Paul’s disciple, but we are Jesus’ disciples. We know that God spake unto Jesus: as for this fellow [Paul], we know not from whence he is.” Sad!

If you want to follow Jesus Christ today, you must, must, must follow the Apostle Paul as he follows Christ (1 Corinthians 11:1). Paul is our apostle (Romans 11:13) and our “pattern” (1 Timothy 1:15,16). Paul, filled with the Holy Ghost, wrote, “Be ye followers of me” (1 Corinthians 4:16; cf. Philippians 3:17). We do not follow Jesus Christ after His earthly ministry (2 Corinthians 5:16). Rather, we follow Jesus Christ after His heavenly ministry, as He reveals Himself in Paul’s 13 epistles, Romans through Philemon.

By not following Paul, the members of Christendom’s 38,000+ denominations are exposing their unbelief—they are not following Christ! They follow the “tradition of men,” not Jesus Christ (Colossians 2:8; cf. Mark 7:9).

So, whom doth thou really follow?

Whom Doth Thou Really Follow? #1

Friday, January 13, 2012

“Then they reviled him, and said, Thou art his disciple; but we are Moses’ disciples. We know that God spake unto Moses: as for this fellow, we know not from whence he is” (John 9:28,29 KJV).

For approximately three years Jesus Christ preached to the nation Israel. He performed miracles (raised the dead, healed the sick, cast out devils) to verify that doctrine He taught. Alas, most Jews ignored their Messiah as He clearly demonstrated the powers of the world to come (Israel’s earthly kingdom) (Hebrews 2:3-5; cf. Isaiah 35:4-10).

In the context of today’s Scripture, John chapter 9, Jesus heals a blind man (verses 1-7). From verses 8-34, Jews debate whether or not Jesus performed the miracle using God’s power. Eventually, the man Jesus healed is brought before unbelieving Pharisees. These religious leaders of Israel then attempt to discredit the miracle and intimidate him into silence.

According to today’s Scripture, they insult the man and then—swelling with religious pride—claim, “Thou art his [Jesus’] disciple; but we are Moses’ disciples. We know that God spake unto Moses: as for this fellow [Jesus], we know not from whence he is.” What pathetic hypocrites!

Jesus declared (John 5:45,46): “Do not think that I will accuse you [unbelieving Jews] to the Father: there is one that accuseth you, even Moses, in whom ye trust. For had ye believed Moses, ye would have believed me: for he wrote of me. But if ye believe not his writings, how shall ye believe my words?” If these Pharisees really followed Moses (and thus, God), they would have followed Jesus, for Moses foretold Jesus’ coming (Deuteronomy 18:15,18; cf. Acts 3:22,23).

In John 1:45, Philip said, “We have found him, of whom Moses in the law, and the prophets, did write, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.” The Pharisees knew the Old Testament, yet they willingly ignored what Moses wrote of Jesus Christ (cf. John 5:39)—to retain their vain religious tradition, they pled ignorance. They claimed to be following God, yet they were not. Like today, many claim to be Christians, but just how many are really Christians?

Should We Be Loyal to a Bible Translation?

Thursday, January 12, 2012

“And the LORD said unto Moses, Hew thee two tables of stone like unto the first: and I will write upon these tables the words that were in the first tables, which thou brakest” (Exodus 34:1 KJV).

No autographs (original Bible manuscripts) exist today: these documents penned by God’s holy apostles and prophets are long gone (disintegrated through continued usage, deliberately destroyed, et cetera). Our link to the God-inspired autographs is apographs (manuscript copies). The Bibles we have today are based on manuscript copies (not the originals). Does that mean we do not have God’s Word today? NOT AT ALL.

Misinformed people (misled by “educated” seminarians) profess, “I owe my loyalty to the original Bible manuscripts, not to any one particular translation.” Utterly ridiculous—they owe loyalty to a non-entity (something that does not exist!)?!?

Indeed, the autographs were important (they contained the very words of God, first transcribed by God’s holy men; 2 Timothy 3:16). The problem is—the autographs do not exist anymore. Does that mean God’s Word is lost? GOD FORBID! Before the autographs were destroyed, God had saints copy them. God’s intention was to preserve the text of the autographs, not the autographs themselves.

Today’s Scripture provides an illustration of Bible preservation through copies. Moses had spent 40 days and 40 nights on Mount Sinai, communing with the LORD and receiving His commandments (Exodus 24:18). As Moses descended the mount, carrying the two stone tablets (the Ten Commandments), he observed Israel dancing naked around a golden calf idol (Exodus 32:19-25). In anger, Moses literally broke the tablets upon which the Ten Commandments were written.

What does today’s Scripture say? God would rewrite the stone tablets. According to God, the originals that Moses broke were not important. It was their text—their “words”—that was important.

One day, God will judge us using something we can read—an English Bible (specifically, the King James Bible). We can neither access nor read the original Greek and Hebrew Bibles (autographs). While we understand the autographs’ significance, we owe our loyalty to a copy of God’s Word that we can read and hold—the (English) King James Bible.