Category: seminary

Moses the Learned

Tuesday, September 8, 2015

“In which time Moses was born, and was exceeding fair, and nourished up in his father’s house three months: And when he was cast out, Pharaoh’s daughter took him up, and nourished him for her own son. And Moses was learned in all the wisdom of the Egyptians, and was mighty in words and in deeds” (Acts 7:20-22 KJV).

Was Moses some “backwards hick?” Oh, certainly not!

Bible critics have a great hatred for anything and everything in the Scriptures. That includes doubters within the ranks of Christendom’s “scholarship!” One of their many attacks on the Old Testament is to deny Moses as writer of Genesis through Deuteronomy. They claim Moses was nothing more than an unlearned, illiterate buffoon who herded sheep, so he could not have penned one sentence, let alone five books! On the contrary, the New Testament (today’s Scripture) reminds us of what the Old Testament already said about Moses.

Moses’ birth and childhood are briefly described in Exodus 2:1-10. Moses was born of Hebrew parents enslaved in Egypt. His mother hid him three months, before placing him in a basket in the river. When Pharaoh’s daughter came to the river to wash herself, she noticed the basket and sent a maid to fetch it. She opened the basket to see three-month-old Moses inside! Moses’ older sister Miriam watched nearby, and asked if she could return the child to his mother for nursing. Pharaoh’s daughter agreed.

When Moses was weaned, perhaps as old as four or five years old, he was returned to Pharaoh’s daughter. For the first few years of his life, his mother Jochebed had instructed him in Jewish culture and the Hebrew language. Pharaoh’s daughter later adopted him, and he grew up as an Egyptian prince. As a member of the royal family, Moses was trained in history, literature, grammar, music, geography, philosophy, and particularly Egyptian hieroglyphics (word pictures). See today’s Scripture.

JEHOVAH God used Moses’ education to enable him to write down His words, Genesis through Deuteronomy, on papyrus, a rough paper used in Egypt. Using God’s wisdom, Moses was able to lead his people Israel into fulfilling God’s plan for them. And as they say, “the rest is history!” 🙂

Our latest Bible Q&A: “Was John the Baptist really Elijah?”

The King Immortal and His Words Eternal

Monday, August 31, 2015

“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” (Psalm 12:6,7 KJV).

Dear friends, we know the King immortal by reading His eternal words. Yea, He is the greatest Person ever known, and He speaks the greatest words ever heard!

From Satan’s finagling Eve to question and deny God’s Word (Genesis 3:1-5) all the way up to our present-day with nearly 200 modern English versions (disparities) all allegedly “Holy Bibles,” there is a very subtle and wicked plan to prevent mankind from knowing God’s eternal words. Despite all the “illuminating” manuscript discoveries and new “helpful” translations, we are not getting closer to the truth. Though the average “scholar” will disagree, the fact is that we are getting further from the original manuscripts. During the past few centuries, there has been an increase—not a decrease—in Bible ignorance.

Take today’s Scripture, for example. Did you know modern English versions attack it by watering it down? As it sits in our King James Bible, David describes how God will “keep them” and “preserve them.” The “them” of verse 7 is the noun of verse 6—“the words of the LORD.” This is one of the clearest passages on the doctrine of Bible preservation. Demonstrating their utter incompetence and downright unbelief, the translators of nearly all modern English versions replace “them” with “us” twice. So, the “revised” reading says God will guard believing Israel from her oppressors and He will preserve believing Israel from her enemies. Why this textual change? Because their underlying manuscripts are not those of our King James! They are using a different Hebrew (and Greek) Old Testament text (and a different Greek New Testament).

Beloved, faith leads us to believe the Bible’s testimony of itself. God’s Word is “pure” and “preserved.” We can present our King James Bible for examination and it is vindicated. We can scrutinize the modern versions. They thoroughly condemn themselves. If we claim to believe the Bible is perfect, but we cannot produce a perfect copy, then that, friends, is as worthless as believing nothing to start with. Think on it! 🙂

Paul and Dispensationalism #10

Monday, August 17, 2015

“If any man think himself to be a prophet, or spiritual, let him acknowledge that the things that I write unto you are the commandments of the Lord. But if any man be ignorant, let him be ignorant” (1 Corinthians 14:37,38 KJV).

What else can the Apostle Paul teach us about dispensational Bible study?

Just what is the test for true spirituality? How many hymns we sang? How many large tithes we gave? How many “unknown tongues” we uttered? How many long prayers we recited? How many theology books we read? How many miracles we performed? How well we know Hebrew, Greek, and Latin? How many confessions we made? How many times we attended church? How high we jumped and how well we danced during “worship?” While in religion these are seen as “marks” of true Holy-Spirit-led Christian service, the Holy Spirit Himself has quite a different opinion (today’s Scripture).

In Corinth, carnality and Biblical ignorance abounded among Christians. It broke Paul’s heart to see that assembly in spiritual shambles… the very same saints he had taught personally for 18 months (Acts 18:11)! Pagan philosophy had enticed and deceived them, they were suing each other, they behaved as drunken gluttons at the Lord’s Supper, they abused spiritual gifts for personal gratification, et cetera. The Corinthians thought they were so spiritual and so wise, while in reality they were so fleshly and so silly! (Like today’s professing “church!”)

Today’s Scripture declares that a Spirit-led Christian, one speaking on behalf of God, acknowledged Paul’s apostolic authority over us Gentiles. The Corinthians were not spiritual—they rejected Paul’s apostleship in chapters 10 through 13 of 2 Corinthians. Paul knew, however, some Christians would continue deliberately ignoring his apostleship. His advice? Let them stay “ignorant!”

First Corinthians 2:6-8 says God’s “hidden wisdom” is manifested for all to see in the writings of Paul the Apostle, Romans through Philemon. Sadly, like the Corinthians, most true Christians today are too deceived, too weak, and too immature to appreciate “the preaching of Jesus Christ according to the revelation of the mystery.” They cannot handle the deeper things of God. May we be as patient with them as possible, but when they persistently resist God’s truth, do not waste time. Friend, move on to others!

Paul and Dispensationalism #6

Thursday, August 13, 2015

“For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace” (Romans 6:14 KJV).

What else can the Apostle Paul teach us about dispensational Bible study?

A preacher recently described his former days in Bible College. Students were to pick sides in the infamous “Paul-James debate,” better known as the “faith-without-works-versus-faith-plus-works clash.” There were those who would quote verses from Romans chapters 3 and 4 and then there were those who would cite verses from James chapter 2. The loser of the debate would be the one who ran out of verses to quote!

All religious absurdities aside, James chapter 2 is quite a simple passage. However, cults mindlessly quote James chapter 2 out of context. Before James wrote chapter 2, he wrote chapter 1, the key to grasping chapter 2! For example, James wrote, “to the twelve tribes scattered abroad, greeting…. The trying of your faith worketh patience” (1:1,3). Firstly, James is writing to the nation Israel, not us Gentiles! James would know more about his own epistle than today’s theologians and ecclesiastical leaders, yes? Secondly, James is encouraging believing Israel in their “trial of their faith.” They are being tested. Satan’s evil world system (the Antichrist) is tempting believing Israel to follow him. In chapter 2, James tells Israel to follow believing Father Abraham, to have works that demonstrate their salvation (verses 14-26).

Paul, however, writes to us Gentiles (Romans 11:13). We are under grace, not law (today’s Scripture). Fellowship with God today is not dependent on our performance—it is Jesus Christ’s performance at Calvary. Romans through Philemon never tell us we must work to be saved or to prove our salvation. Israel must demonstrate her faith with works, but we are under no such requirements in our Dispensation of Grace. It is important that we get this, for if we place ourselves under law, sin will dominate our lives. However, if we understand how the grace life begins (Romans chapters 3-5), how it operates (Romans chapters 6-8), and what it looks like (Romans chapters 12-16), we will not fall prey to legalism. We will not mix law and grace as the Galatians did. Pauline dispensationalism spares us from misery, frustration, and defeat!

Our latest Bible Q&A: “How did God ‘testify’ of Abel’s gifts?”

Peter and Dispensationalism #5

Thursday, August 6, 2015

“And account that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation; even as our beloved brother Paul also according to the wisdom given unto him hath written unto you; As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction” (2 Peter 3:15,16 KJV).

What can the Apostle Peter teach us about dispensational Bible study?

Dear friend, to understand your Bible, the Holy Ghost wrote through Peter that you need to consult Paul’s epistles, the Bible books of Romans through Philemon. Paul was just a man, please understand, but he had a very special ministry. If you sincerely desire to exalt Jesus Christ, you will exalt Paul’s apostleship/office.

The Lord Jesus said, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that receiveth whomsoever I send receiveth me; and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me” (John 13:20). The Bible says Paul is “the apostle of the Gentiles” and that the Holy Ghost “magnifies” Paul’s office (Romans 11:13). Jesus Christ sent Paul to you and me, so if we honor Jesus Christ, we will accept Paul as his messenger to us! “If any man think himself to be a prophet, or spiritual, let him acknowledge that the things that I write unto you are the commandments of the Lord” (1 Corinthians 14:37).

Many people in Christendom today greatly dislike—yea, hate—the Apostle Paul. As our emails indicate, they call him a “false teacher” and want his epistles ripped from our Bibles! If Paul was a false teacher and he did not belong in the Bible, then today’s Scripture says Peter was a false teacher also and Peter does not belong in the Bible either! (To get around this, some deny Peter wrote the epistle of 2 Peter. Those who admit Peter wrote 2 Peter then claim he was wrong in calling Paul “our beloved brother.”) See, dear readers, nothing is changed. People are still “wresting” (distorting) the Bible, especially the Pauline books, just as in Peter’s day!

Our latest Bible Q&A: “How could Peter interpret Scripture in Acts 1:16-20?”

Cracknels

Thursday, July 30, 2015

“And take with thee ten loaves, and cracknels, and a cruse of honey, and go to him: he shall tell thee what shall become of the child” (1 Kings 14:3 KJV).

Just what in the world are “cracknels?”

As you know, our King James Bible is belittled for its “archaic language.” Modern Bible translators and publishers, greatly endeavoring to recommend and $ell their product, remind us that our “old” King James is “irrelevant,” “obsolete,” and “hard-to-understand.” If we really want to learn what God has to say, they claim we need an “updated” Bible. If we want a “richer” Word of God, we must appeal to them with their “advanced” scholarship and “new” manuscript readings. The rank and file Bible reader (consumer) repeats these “scholarly words of wisdom,” and discourages other Christians from using the “old-fashioned” King James Bible. Yes, Christians launch an attack against the Bible!!!

The English language is a very rich pool of words, but, unfortunately, our vocabulary has become very limited in recent decades. There are countless words today that we English speakers no longer use. Elegant speech and majestic writing is largely “archaic.” People want to “dumb down” the Bible, having it speak the “language of the street.” Such mentality popularizes and $ells “contemporary Bible paraphrases.”

What does “cracknels” mean? We do not need a Hebrew dictionary or Bible commentary, which would probably contain the anti-KJV comment, “‘Cracknels’ is a poor translation!” Firstly, we can use some context clues. “Cracknels” is used in conjunction with “ten loaves [of bread]” and “a cruse of honey.” Perhaps “cracknels” are a grain-related food item? Secondly, we can find a decent English dictionary—for example, The Oxford English Dictionary or Webster’s 1828 English Dictionary—and… horror of horrors!!!!… learn a new word. “Cracknel” is “a light, crisp, savory biscuit.” It can also be “small pieces of crackling.” Incidentally, here in southern Louisiana, we Cajuns are known for “cracklins,” or fried pork skins.

When teaching the King James Bible, one does not need to remove the “archaic” words (that generates doubt concerning the Bible text). He should leave the archaic words in the text and then define the word for his students. Fellow Bible teachers, that is how we expand our vocabulary and generate faith in the Bible!

Our 175th Bible Q&A: “Is Acts 16:31 a sufficient Gospel message?”

Ancient False Witnesses and Modern-Day Doubters

Monday, July 20, 2015

“Now the chief priests, and elders, and all the council, sought false witness against Jesus, to put him to death; But found none: yea, though many false witnesses came, yet found they none. At the last came two false witnesses,…” (Matthew 26:59,60 KJV).

As two false witnesses challenged the living Word of God, so two false manuscript witnesses attack the written Word of God!

The following question was asked on “Christian” television: “I’m afraid to believe what the Bible says because of all the changes that people have made to it over the years. Is it really God’s Word? The Bible says, ‘Blessed are those who believe and don’t see,’ but what if that’s not even true? … How can I strengthen my faith to believe in God’s Word?” [How to strengthen your faith in God’s Word? Doubt the “Bible scholars” and believe your King James Bible!]

Unlike most church leaders, the preacher answering the question admitted that there are differences in Bible translations because there are varying readings in Bible manuscripts. Yet, like most church leaders, he encouraged the questioner to use various Bible study tools, to track those translation changes, and then “make her own judgment.” Imagine! He said she could decide what words and verses were inspired of God and which were not. Reminiscent of cults, she could be her own authority. If she did not believe a certain part of the Bible was “really Scripture,” she had the preacher’s permission to omit it!

When lost people—those who lack the indwelling Holy Spirit—dictate to us Christians how to handle Bible manuscripts, and to embrace two error-filled Roman Catholic manuscripts (Codex Vaticanus and Codex Sinaiticus) as having closer readings to the original autographs, we adopt a lost person’s mindset about the Bible. This poor lady doubted her Bible because people who doubted the Bible taught her. Her questioning the Bible as God’s Word demonstrates that Satan has extensively damaged her soul. The on-air preacher who provided little helpful insight into the matter, many like him lead our churches, Bible colleges, and seminaries the world over. No wonder no one believes the Bible! They are encouraged not to! Beware, dear friends, of “unbelieving Bible scholarship!”

Knowing the Holy Bible

Monday, July 13, 2015

“For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost” (2 Peter 1:21 KJV).

Yea, “But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction” (2:1).

A “grace” Bible teacher once told me that the Holy Spirit had taught him through 26 different Bible versions! (Just like the Holy Spirit uses 4,200 world religions and 43,000 denominations to teach people, no?!) It is insanity, dear friend, utter insanity! Such is the place to which “Bible scholarship” leads! (Matthew 15:14)

Most people spend their whole lives searching for God’s will. They look in their circumstances, they follow scholarship and teaching bodies in religion, they pray, asking for or seeking any divine enlightenment. Yes, they may and often do mean well, but they are looking in all the wrong places. That includes false Bible versions, false Bible teachers, false prophets, et cetera.

Everything that God ever wants us to know, He wrote it down in a Book and preserved it through history so that we could have it today in our language. What was once written in Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek, is now available to much of the world in English. It is the Authorized Version, or the King James Bible. Just as Jesus Christ, the living Word of God, had enemies, so the written Word of God has counterfeits. Many people actively seek to pervert God’s precious Word: “many corrupt the word of God” (2 Corinthians 2:17). Paul mentioned a counterfeit Bible manuscript with his signature forged on it in 2 Thessalonians 2:2. How much more counterfeits 2,000 years later!

Thankfully, God has preserved His written Word through a multiplicity of copies. Most Bible manuscripts support the readings in the King James Bible and do not support modern English versions. It is not about archaic English or contemporary English. What matters are the manuscripts translated—Roman Catholic text (modern versions) or the Protestant text (King James Bible)? In eternity, we shall find out just how serious the Bible versions issue is!

You may click here for more information about Bible versions: https://333wordsofgrace.wordpress.com/bible-timeline-other-study-aids/.

Our latest Bible Q&A: “Were there five crosses on Calvary’s hill?”

Students, of Teachers or Scriptures

Monday, June 22, 2015

“Then they reviled him, and said, Thou art his [Jesus’] disciple; but we are Moses’ disciples” (John 9:28 KJV).

Similar pompous language is heard throughout Christendumb!

An emerging Christian writer was recently asked why he had such a strong Scriptural case for his uncommon end-times thesis. After all, most “Biblical prophecy scholars” have been teaching another position for decades, and if “Bible scholarship [?]” says so then it must be (pardon the pun) “gospel truth!” How could he—a “nobody”—be correct in quoting Scripture? Why disregard the many well-known “experts” who have preached and taught decades-old traditional eschatological ideas… without verses? How could “scholars” be wrong, much of the “Church” be wrong, and he be right by quoting verses? Did they not read those verses? “You know,” he replied, “I think we have been more students of our teachers than students of our Scriptures.” Upon hearing that, I could have leapt from my chair!

It is not uncommon to hear—“‘Dr. So-and-So’ says this verse is ‘better’ translated…”—“I go by what ‘Brother So-and-So’ teaches from that passage”—“My church’s teaching authority interprets the Bible for me”—“I will believe my study Bible’s notes long before I will believe my Bible text!”

Today’s Scripture is a case-in-point that Christendom is no different from Israel. They follow personalities and celebrities, religion and liturgy, but they do not value God’s Word and cannot see its simple truths. When convenient, conducive to church tradition, a verse is quoted. Remember, Israel studied Moses’ writings for 1,500 years and still overlooked the Messiah about whom Moses wrote. Nevertheless, they strictly followed the Mosaic Law—tithes, Sabbath day, kosher foods, et al. Similarly, Bible readers today still casually scan Holy Writ to find what they want to believe (and leave behind the divine words they prefer were not there). Why? They all are too busy following, mimicking, and believing apostate leaders!

Had those of today’s Scripture truly been Moses’ disciples, they would have let Moses’ inspired words teach them that Jesus was their fulfillment! Likewise, had all of today’s church members truly been Jesus Christ’s disciples, had they truly been Bible believers, they would have believed the Bible and the words of Jesus Christ spoken therein.

A Rude Apostle

Sunday, March 22, 2015

“But though I be rude in speech, yet not in knowledge…” (2 Corinthians 11:6a KJV).

Just how was Paul “rude?”

The Greek word translated “rude” in today’s Scripture is idiotes (from which we get “idiot”). It would be helpful to see how our 1611 translators rendered that word elsewhere.

First, Acts 4:13: “Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marvelled; and they took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus.” Then, 1 Corinthians 14:16: “Else when thou shalt bless with the spirit, how shall he that occupieth the room of the unlearned say Amen at thy giving of thanks, seeing he understandeth not what thou sayest?” The word “unlearned” appears in verses 23 and 24 as well. “Ignorant” or “unlearned” means “untaught, uneducated, in a particular subject.”

“Rude” in today’s Scripture did not mean that Paul spoke offensive, nasty language; it was “rude” as in rudimentary (basic, simple, plain). Paul knew proper Greek, Hebrew, and Aramaic—he had been trained under the guidance of Gamaliel, the chief rabbi of that time. He was highly educated in literature, history, and religion. Jesus Christ even taught him doctrine never before revealed. In short, Paul was no idiot. But, he did not use his education to form statements that would manipulate people to make them do or believe. Unlike Apollos (Acts 18:24-26), Paul chose not to be an eloquent speaker.

“[1] And I, brethren, when I came to you, came not with excellency of speech or of wisdom, declaring unto you the testimony of God. [4] And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man’s wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power: [5] That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God” (1 Corinthians 2:1,4,5).

Many church leaders need to understand this simple fact. According to God the Holy Spirit, it is not about using highly technical theological terms and defending complex denominational dogmas. It is all about using plain, simple language that common people (even children) can understand and believe. Remember, the King James Bible is sixth-grade English for a reason!