Category: God: The Father, the Son Jesus Christ, & the Holy Ghost

The Asbestos Fire

Thursday, November 2, 2017

“Whose fan is in his hand, and he will throughly purge his floor, and gather his wheat into the garner; but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire” (Matthew 3:12 KJV).

What does God’s Word say about asbestos?

Asbestos is a group of a half-dozen naturally occurring silicate minerals that have long, thin, fibrous crystals. Since they are fireproof, manufacturers once used them to insulate products and make them heat- and flame-resistant. However, the very small fibers, when inhaled, can cause lung diseases; therefore, asbestos has been almost universally banned.

Our English word “asbestos” is actually a transliteration of the Greek, “asbestos”—literally, “not quenchable; inextinguishable.” A fire cannot put out the mineral-product asbestos; flames are unable to consume it. Similarly, the fire of today’s Scripture cannot be extinguished: yea, “asbestos” is rendered “unquenchable.” The Greek term appears three other times in Scripture.

Mark 9:43: “And if thy hand offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter into life maimed, than having two hands to go into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched….” And verse 45: “And if thy foot offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter halt into life, than having two feet to be cast into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched….” Finally, Luke 3:17 (the parallel of today’s Scripture): “Whose fan is in his hand, and he will throughly purge his floor, and will gather the wheat into his garner; but the chaff he will burn with fire unquenchable.”

Some people argue that a “loving” God would never send people to an eternal Hell. They contend that everlasting punishment is not fair retribution for a “short” life of 70 or 80 years of sin. Actually, friends, God in His love did everything to keep us from going to Hell. Someone who dies and goes to Hell could have avoided that awful torment had they believed on the Lord Jesus Christ and His finished crosswork. Hell’s torments are literally never ended—the fire is never quenched—because God’s wrath against sin is never satisfied there. To wind up in such a terrible place is to bypass every warning God has issued in His precious Book about the “asbestos” fire!

To Please Men, or God?

Wednesday, November 1, 2017

“Servants, obey in all things your masters according to the flesh; not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but in singleness of heart, fearing God: And whatsoever ye do it, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men” (Colossians 3:22,23 KJV).

Whom shall we please—men, or God?

For two years, a Christian man periodically taught Bible studies at his house. He invited various individuals, including his sister (who he knew was unsaved and trapped in the cult he himself had escaped decades earlier). At his request, she attended most, if not all, his studies. He gave a clear Gospel message and invitation after each meeting. One day, she informed him that she was going away for the weekend. Why? That cult was sponsoring a retreat and she had enrolled!! The dear brother in Christ was disappointed beyond words. Evidently, she had been attending his studies simply to satisfy him.

A new Christian woman recently expressed to me bewilderment about a “spiritually disjointed” married couple she knew. The wife was a “Bible reader,” supposedly “skilled in the Scriptures;” her husband was a cult member. They attended services at a “feel-good” prosperity church and assembled with the cult for “worship services.” The Christian woman asked me how such incongruity could exist. I explained to her that the wife is likely reading verses but not studying them rightly divided. She cannot discern truth from error because she knows no truth. Furthermore, it appears she “fellowships” (?) with her husband’s denomination just to gratify him. The “feel-good” church is evidently her preference, so he goes there to pacify her.

While today’s Scripture features the servant-master (employee-employer) relationship, by extension, it better explains the Christian-God relationship. Whom should we be serving? Are we to attend Bible study or church services to satisfy a spouse, neighbor, sibling, parent, or friend? Is our behavior merely to impress those people watching us (“eyeservice, as menpleasers”)? Whatever we do, friends, we should do it in “singleness [sincerity] of heart, fearing God: And whatsoever ye do it, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men.” Above all, we must conduct our lives motivated by heart faith in God’s message of grace to us. “…As to the Lord, and not unto men.”

Arrayed in Hypocrisy

Tuesday, October 31, 2017

“Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men’s bones, and of all uncleanness. Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity” (Matthew 23:27,28 KJV).

“Looks can be deceiving” is not only true during Halloweentime, but confirmed year-round within Christendom.

Today is Halloween, when children dress up and feign themselves to be creatures they are not. Likewise, many church leaders today wear “Christian” garbs, but their ministries do not bring the Lord Jesus Christ glory and honor. They promote their denomination, and seek to perpetuate it, rather than serve and exalt the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ. The Bible manifests these who appear to be good, as “wolves in sheep’s clothing.”

In today’s Scripture, Jesus Christ exposed Israel’s corrupt religious leaders who misled the nation in His day. In His Parable of the Tares, Matthew 13:24-30,37-43, Christ explained how just as He had sown good seed (wheat, believing Jews) in Israel, Satan had also sown tares/weeds (unbelieving Jews). Tares resemble wheat; unbelieving Jews resemble believing Jews. The unbelieving Pharisees and scribes, for instance, looked like God’s people (believing Israel). Judas Iscariot was another example of Satan’s tares—the apostles never realized who Judas really was until it was too late!

But Satan’s counterfeit believers are not confined to Israel’s program. Today, within local assemblies of the Body of Christ, there are people feigning themselves to be Christians: “For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works” (2 Corinthians 11:13-15).

Beloved, beware of the church leaders who are arrayed in hypocrisy, “and avoid them” (Romans 16:17b). If their teaching does not agree with the rightly divided King James Bible, you have no business as a child of God to be listening to them.

*This is excerpted from a larger Bible study with the same name. The Bible study can be read here or watched here.

You may also see our special study, “Should Christians celebrate Halloween?”

Bible Q&A #435: “Can you explain the ‘Corban’ tradition?”

Sola Fide

Monday, October 30, 2017

“For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast” (Ephesians 2:8,9 KJV).

On October 31, 2017, we Bible believers celebrate the 500th anniversary of the beginning of the Protestant Reformation!

The third Reformation principle, “sola fide” (Latin, “faith alone”), protests the well-known Roman Catholic mishandling of James 2:24. “A man is justified by faith and works” is clearly written to Israel (chapter 1, verse 1). Following God’s instructions to others is surely destructive. Lost people wake up in eternal hellfire quoting Scripture (including James 2:24!).

In this the Dispensation of God’s Grace, salvation is by grace through faith plus nothing. Romans chapter 3: “[26] To declare, I say, at this time [God’s] righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus. [27] Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? of works? Nay: but by the law of faith. [28] Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law.”

Our Apostle Paul (Romans 11:13) continues in chapter 4: “[3] For what saith the scripture? [Sola Scriptura!] Abraham believed God [Sola Fide!], and it was counted unto him for righteousness. [4] Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace [Sola Gratia!], but of debt. [5] But to him that worketh not [Sola Fide!], but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly [Sola Fide!], his faith [Sola Fide!] is counted for righteousness.” Rather than having religious self-righteousness (Romans 10:1-3), remember that Heaven is gained by faith alone in Christ’s righteousness alone! “Christ died for our sins, He was buried, and He rose again the third day” (1 Corinthians 15:3,4).

The Reformers, while lacking the more perfect Bible understanding we enjoy, nevertheless walked in the spiritual light they had. They understood justification by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone (Romans chapters 1-5). In the 500 years since, we have recovered the rest of the Book of Romans that religious tradition had stifled (chapters 6-16—victorious Christian identity and living, differences between Israel and the Body of Christ, and grace principles for various life situations). Brethren, let us walk in the light we have, further building on the Reformers’ efforts! 🙂

“Soli Deo Gloria!”
(Glory to God alone!)

Sola Gratia

Sunday, October 29, 2017

“Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus” (Romans 3:24 KJV).

On October 31, 2017, we Bible believers celebrate the 500th anniversary of the beginning of the Protestant Reformation!

“Sola gratia,” another Bible teaching the Reformers recovered (not invented!), is Latin for “grace alone.” How can we be justified—made right—before God? By God’s goodness alone? Or, because of God’s goodness and our goodness?

As per “sola Scriptura”—by Scripture alone—we see that Adam has caused man’s nature to be corrupt from conception. After committing his horrible sin with Bathsheba, King David confessed in Psalm 51:5: “Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me.” When David prayed, verse 1 has him saying: “Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions.” Why would God forgive David? Because of David’s “goodness?” Nay, evil David would be forgiven only because of God’s grace!

Jeremiah 17:9 says: “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?” The Lord Jesus affirmed in Mark chapter 7: “[20] And he said, That which cometh out of the man, that defileth the man. [21] For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, [22] Thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness: [23] All these evil things come from within, and defile the man.” No wonder Romans 3:23 says: “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;….” Try reading Romans chapter 1 without getting nauseated!

Frankly, God does not “owe” us a way to Heaven, as there is nothing in our nature that He accepts. In fact, His justice demands that His righteousness be enforced. Anything short of His holiness—including man’s sin nature—deserves His wrath. That fury is Hell and, ultimately, everlasting punishment in the Lake of Fire. No religious activity (water baptism, church membership, confession, prayer, et cetera) can abolish man’s sin nature or rescue him from his deserved eternal doom. As David realized, man, spiritually bankrupt, must look beyond himself and his feeble abilities to God’s grace, what God can do for him!

Our latest Bible Q&A: “If suffering is sure to follow, why serve Jesus Christ?”

Anonymous Donors

Friday, October 27, 2017

“And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him” (Colossians 3:17 KJV).

Whatever we do in word or deed, we should do all in the name of the Lord Jesus—not ourselves!

A little girl, partly raised by her poor widowed Christian grandmother, could not afford a coat for church. Her grandmother informed her that a couple had given her money to purchase such a garment. They requested to remain anonymous, so the grandmother withheld their names from the little girl. Years later, after their deaths, she revealed those names to her granddaughter. It was a deacon and his wife from the church.

Let us face it, dear friends. Our flesh loves to glory in itself. That is what makes religion so popular and enticing. “Look at what I did! Notice how I did it ‘just right,’ with ceremonial exactness!” Study Matthew chapter 23 and see the Lord Jesus’ harsh words for Israel’s religious leaders who were stuck on advertising all their religious performances. They loved to “make a fair shew [beautiful display] in the flesh” (Galatians 6:12,13)—what religious people do even today.

It is better to be like the aforementioned humble deacon and his wife. They did the right thing, but they never sought the praise of men. Rather than wanting their names known far and wide, it is assumed they loved the Lord Jesus Christ. What they did was not for themselves, for they requested to remain unnamed. One day, God will reward all Christians for their service to Him. We need not worry about being acknowledged by man for every good work our Saviour does in and through us. After all, He is the Witness who matters, and that is enough.

First Corinthians chapter 4: “[4] For I know nothing by myself; yet am I not hereby justified: but he that judgeth me is the Lord. [5] Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts: and then shall every man have praise of God.”

(That little girl was Mom!)

Filled with the Fruits of Righteousness

Tuesday, October 24, 2017

“And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgment; That ye may approve things that are excellent; that ye may be sincere and without offence till the day of Christ. Being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God” (Philippians 1:9-11 KJV).

“Fruits” are “the results of work or activity.” Who exactly is working?

Works-religion parading as “Christianity” has led us to believe that Christian living involves us making ourselves holy by working to keep rules and regulations. However, the Bible says Christian living is “being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ.” This is not self-righteousness, what religion produces. It is not artificial or superficial righteousness, what religion generates.

Nay, it is true righteousness, a new (righteous) nature in Christ and its resultant actions. First Corinthians chapter 1, verse 30: “But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption:….” If we have trusted Jesus Christ as our personal Saviour, we share His identity—He is our wisdom, He is our righteousness, He is our sanctification (holiness), and He is our redemption (freedom from sin). From Him springs forth our righteousness. From Him working in us through the indwelling Holy Spirit, righteousness abounds in our hearts and lives.

First Thessalonians 2:13: “For this cause also thank we God without ceasing, because, when ye received the word of God which ye heard of us, ye received it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which effectually worketh also in you that believe.” Ephesians 3:16 says: “That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man;….” Finally, Galatians chapter 5: “[22] But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, [23] Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.” There is the life of Christ, friend, in its fullness, available by daily faith in Him… something religion can never produce!

Our latest Bible Q&A: “Is ‘excellent’ a ‘mistranslation’ in Philippians 1:10 in the King James Bible?”

Of God’s Own, We Give

Monday, October 23, 2017

“Now therefore, our God, we thank thee, and praise thy glorious name. But who am I, and what is my people, that we should be able to offer so willingly after this sort? for all things come of thee, and of thine own have we given thee” (1 Chronicles 29:13,14 KJV).

What can King David teach us here?

In chapter 28, dying David assembled all the rulers of Israel for to deliver a speech; among them is Solomon his son and successor (verse 9). David purposed to build the LORD God a temple, but He forbad him because he was a “man of war” (verse 3). God has determined that Solomon will build the Temple, so David encourages Solomon and gives him the pattern God revealed to him (verses 5-13). Moreover, David has stockpiled building materials—the very best (verses 14-21)!

Chapter 29 is a continuation of David’s charges to Solomon. David has prepared silver, gold, brass, iron, wood, onyx stones, precious stones, and marble stones in abundance (verses 1-5). Moreover, “the people rejoiced, for that they offered willingly, because with perfect heart they offered willingly to the LORD: and David the king also rejoiced with great joy” (verse 9).

Beginning in verse 10 and on into verse 19 (including today’s Scripture), David offers a humble prayer. Have they really done anything special for God in giving these supplies? No. As the Creator, He spoke those natural resources into existence… they were already His anyway! Yea, when He gave Israel victory over their enemies, the Jews gained such spoils/riches. Verse 16 says: “O LORD our God, all this store that we have prepared to build thee an house for thine holy name cometh of thine hand, and is all thine own.”

Today, how sad it is that sin causes many professing “Christians” to not give so much as one penny to the Lord’s work and ministry! This should not be, friends. If the Jews of old “with perfect heart… offered willingly”—with such joy—how much more we should gladly give today! “Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver” (2 Corinthians 9:7).

Prophecy, Peter, Paul, Postponement, and Preservation

Sunday, October 22, 2017

“The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance…. 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 3:9,15,16 KJV).

The prophetic program has been paused for nearly 20 centuries. Why?

Romans chapter 11 says: “[25] For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery [secret], lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in. [26] And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob:….”

After our Dispensation of Grace ends with the Rapture—the Church the Body of Christ completed and caught up into Heaven—Israel’s prophetic program will resume where it stopped in early Acts. Israel’s spiritual blindness will finally be lifted and she will return to her preeminent national status in the Earth. Her Little Flock of believers will read today’s Scripture and the Pauline epistles. Where has their kingdom program been for the last 2,000 years?

Today’s Scripture demonstrates the preservation of the Holy Bible. Not only will Peter’s inspired writings exist beyond our dispensation, but even Paul’s epistles will be read in the end-times. Israel’s believing remnant will look back on us—God’s work amongst the Gentiles apart from the kingdom program—and know just why their believing ancestors in Acts never saw Christ returning to judge His enemies and bring that literal, physical, visible, earthly, Davidic kingdom!

Exercising prudence, the Holy Spirit penned today’s Scripture not merely to answer scoffers (whether A.D. first century, or beyond our dispensation). He also purposed to enlighten curious believers in the Jewish program (whether A.D. first century, or beyond our dispensation).

Fury Turned Away? #10

Saturday, October 21, 2017

“And tarry with him a few days, until thy brother’s fury turn away; Until thy brother’s anger turn away from thee, and he forget that which thou hast done to him: then I will send, and fetch thee from thence: why should I be deprived also of you both in one day?” (Genesis 27:44,45 KJV).

How does this “fury” compare to Almighty God’s anger?

Second Peter 3:9 explains why God’s wrath is postponed, now 2,000 years: “The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.” Keep reading: “[15] 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; [16] 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.”

Concerning God’s present-day longsuffering, the Apostle Peter refers us to the Apostle Paul’s special ministry and message. Worldwide judgment should have been poured out back in Acts chapter 7. However, in chapter 9, Christ poured out mercy and peace… on His chief enemy, Saul of Tarsus (Paul). The Apostle Paul writes in 1 Timothy chapter 1: “[15] This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief. [16] Howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might shew forth ALL LONGSUFFERING [!!!!!!], for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting.”

Dispensational Bible study rescues us from unbelief and safeguards us from going the way of the scoffers. When there was nothing left on the prophetic timeline but wrath—divine revenge on Jew and Gentile alike—God interrupted that program and began a dispensation He had kept secret. As long as our Dispensation of Grace operates, praise God (!!!), His righteous wrath is restrained! Why? He wants all men everywhere—including scoffers!—to trust Jesus Christ as their personal Saviour, that they escape that “wrath [still] to come” (Matthew 3:7)!

Our latest Bible Q&A: “Are those Gentiles in Revelation 7:9?”