Category: bibliology / study of the Bible itself

To Pray a Better Way #7

Wednesday, March 4, 2020

“Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God” (Romans 8:26,27 KJV).

How does the Holy Spirit “maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God?”

Prayer would be utterly impossible without the ministry of the third Member of the Godhead. He intercedes or mediates by connecting our spirit with Father God. We better understand this by remembering the Holy Ghost played a vital role in producing the Holy Bible. “Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. 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 1:20,21). “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works” (2 Timothy 3:16,17). When God inspired the Bible, He put His Spirit in some words.

Once we believed the Gospel of the Grace of God—Christ died for our sins, He was buried, and He rose again the third day (1 Corinthians 15:3,4)—the Holy Ghost came to dwell within us. See Ephesians chapter 1: “[12] That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ. [13] In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise, [14] Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.”

God the Holy Spirit works by illuminating His inspired and preserved Word that we read, allowing us to believe it, and then causing us to pray in accordance with those Bible verses. Provided we permitted God to speak first, then speaking to Him will not be difficult….

Saints, please remember us in your monthly giving—these websites do cost money to run! 🙂 You can donate securely here: https://www.paypal.me/ShawnBrasseaux, or email me at arcministries@gmail.com. Do not forget about Bible Q&A booklets for sale at https://arcgraceministries.org/in-print/booklets-bible-q-a/. Thanks to all who give to and pray for us! By the way, ministry emails have really been backed up this year. I am handling them as much as humanly possible. Thanks for your patience. 🙂

Keep Your Priorities Straight!

Monday, February 24, 2020

“Till I come, give attendance to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine” (1 Timothy 4:13 KJV).

Friend, if you want to keep your thinking straight, you had better keep your priorities straight!

Every time we turn on televisions or computers, every time we pick up newspapers or books, we are really sitting in a classroom. Not only are we being programmed what to think, we are being trained how to think. The world’s philosophy entices us most subtly. Politicians tell us what is “best” for our country. Educators say what is “good” for our children. Counselors tell us what is “good” for our marriage. Indeed, we are seated in a classroom. Unless we have personal, daily Bible study to counter it all; we will surely adopt the world’s view concerning every aspect of life. Hence, much carnal thinking abounds in most professing Christians!

Reading the Bible for ourselves is unfathomably crucial. It is not enough to possess the Bible. It is not enough to listen to a priest or preacher read the Bible. We must open the Bible and “read” it for ourselves. All too often, the only “Bible” people really know is what they have heard others say about it (usually nothing but assumptions and misconceptions). How dangerous! “Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ)” (Ephesians 3:4). Unless we read the Bible for ourselves, we cannot understand it!

Moreover, it is not enough to read the Bible. We must “study” it too. It is not enough to study the Bible; we must also “rightly divide” it. “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15). Lastly, we should “believe” what we read, study, and rightly divide. “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” (1 Thessalonians 2:13).

As Bible-believing Christians, Pauline dispensationalists, we should “exhort” or urge one another to maintain this manner of life, stressing “doctrine” as opposed to sentiments and ignorance.

Our latest Bible Q&A: “Is ‘Abiathar’ a mistake in Mark 2:26?”

Inspired and Declared

Thursday, January 30, 2020

“With my lips have I declared all the judgments of thy mouth” (Psalm 119:13 KJV).

Do we agree?

The Psalmist viewed the Scriptures—which were just the “Old Testament” at the time—as “the judgments of [God’s] mouth.” Here is a veiled reference to Bible inspiration. Although often enigmatic and misunderstood (since “natural men” masquerading as “Bible scholars” have generated much of that confusion), the doctrine of inspiration is really not difficult to grasp. As long as we let the Bible describe itself, we will be on solid ground.

The famous Bible “inspiration” text is 2 Timothy 3:16,17: “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.” In Greek, “given by inspiration of God” is one word—“theopneustos” (literally, “God breathed”). “Spirit,” “air,” “wind,” and “breath” are closely related in the Greek language. Therefore, the Bible is words God spoke forth or breathed out.

“Holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost” (2 Peter 1:21). Scripture is “every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the LORD” (Deuteronomy 8:3; cf. Matthew 4:4). “The Holy Ghost by the mouth of David spake…” (Acts 1:16). “Have ye not read that which was spoken unto you by God, saying,…” (Matthew 22:31). Compare to today’s Scripture: “With my lips have I declared all the judgments of thy mouth.” The Psalmist spoke of the “judgments” (decrees, conclusions, laws) originating from God’s mouth.

Almighty God uttered “words,” not just thoughts. The Holy Spirit gave these inspired words to special men and He led them to write those Divine words. Either we believe this is the Bible’s origin (faith), or we do not (unbelief). There is no middle ground. Additionally, He gave those inspired words to preserve them throughout the centuries via a multiplicity of manuscript copies. We have those inspired, preserved words even now: in English, it is the King James Bible. So, the Psalmist had spoken to others what God had spoken to him. May we take the Bible and do likewise! “And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also” (2 Timothy 2:2).

Our latest Bible Q&As: “How was there healing in touching Jesus’ garment hem?” and “Should it be ‘virtue’ or ‘power’ in Mark 5:30, Luke 6:19, and Luke 8:46?”

A Book That Will Teach

Friday, January 3, 2020

“Which things also we speak, not in the words which man’s wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual” (1 Corinthians 2:13 KJV).

Today’s Scripture tells us who alone we can trust to teach us God’s truth!

Once, I heard a minister give his self-proclaimed “prophetic” message about top headlines that would appear in the coming year. While he reassured his audience that he received this information directly from “the Lord” (?), he gave a disclaimer: “I do not know, but at the end of this year, we will see if what I say came to pass.” Unlike the inner impressions and hunches of this “Christian” preacher, the Holy Bible is infallible, and we can trust its information completely.

Long, long ago, God Almighty wrote a Book, and He preserved it through history through a multiplicity of manuscript copies, so that it could eventually be translated into English, so we could read it even today! (Of course, Satan, the master counterfeiter that he is, most certainly had his own manuscripts—they still circulate today as corrupt Bible translations.) God promised to preserve His words forever (Psalm 12:6,7; Isaiah 30:8; Matthew 24:35; 1 Peter 1:25). Consequently, every person will stand before Him one day to give account as to what he or she did with that Bible. Did we reject it in favor of counterfeits? Did we re-translate it to fit our denominational beliefs? Did we apply it to life by faith? Did we even read it at all?

As English-speaking people, we understand—or, at least, we should understand—that we can trust the 400-year-old King James Bible. Sadly, even in many church circles, we are often cautioned not to trust God’s preserved Word. Unfortunately, footnotes, study notes, and seminarians usually attempt to claim that authority by offering “better” readings or “better” manuscripts. Beloved, we can do without unbelieving textual critics and their “scholarship.” God does not need lost people to explain His Word to His children; He never did and He never will (1 Corinthians 2:14). Never forget that!

The Holy Spirit will teach us the King James Bible if we “read” (Ephesians 3:4), “study” (2 Timothy 2:15), and “consider” it (2 Timothy 2:7)!

For What Saith the Scriptures?

Sunday, December 15, 2019

“For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness” (Romans 4:3 KJV).

Today, our Bible Q&A website, “For What Saith the Scriptures?,” celebrates its sixth anniversary!

A question rarely asked in Christian circles, “What saith the scripture?” is found twice in the Bible—today’s Scripture, and Galatians 4:30, “Nevertheless what saith the scripture? Cast out the bondwoman and her son: for the son of the bondwoman shall not be heir with the son of the freewoman.”

God’s will for our lives is summed up in 1 Timothy 2:4, “[God our Saviour] Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.” There are two issues here—soul salvation from sins and everlasting hellfire, and soul salvation from false teaching unto sound Bible doctrine. Firstly, God wants everyone to become Christians by trusting in and relying exclusively on His Son Jesus Christ and His finished crosswork at Calvary as sufficient payment for their sins. Secondly, God wants Christians to trust in and rely on the grace doctrines found in Paul’s epistles, Romans through Philemon.

Amazingly, both occurrences of “What saith the scripture?” have a special application to us—each instance correlates to one of the issues in 1 Timothy 2:4! The question “What saith the scripture?” in today’s Scripture uses the Bible to answer the question of soul salvation from sins and everlasting hellfire (faith instead of works, “all men to be saved;” 1 Timothy 2:4). The question “What saith the scripture?” in Galatians 4:30 uses the Bible to answer the question of soul salvation from false teaching unto sound Bible doctrine (grace instead of legalism, “come unto the knowledge of the truth;” 1 Timothy 2:4).

For these past six years, we desired you to have a clear understanding of how to have forgiveness of sins and justification unto eternal life, and for you to have a clear understanding of what God’s Word has to say about issues in your Christian life. We were honored to serve you in this additional capacity; thank you for the prayer and support this past year. As always, we welcome your Bible questions, and hope to serve you in that way for years to come! 🙂

Our final Bible Q&A of 2019 (Q&A #680): “What is the greatest threat facing the Grace Movement?” (~60 pages)

Delight and Forget Not!

Saturday, November 23, 2019

“I will delight myself in thy statutes: I will not forget thy word” (Psalm 119:16 KJV).

Dear friends, let us follow the example of the Psalmist!

Read the verse previous to today’s Scripture: “I will meditate in thy precepts, and have respect unto thy ways” (verse 15). For many people—yea, most—Bible study is “boring” because amusement is preferred. No thinking is required with entertainment. However, “meditate” implies someone is engaging in deep thought. There are simply too many individuals who possess the Bible but are not thinking critically about it. If they do read it, they really make no mental effort therein. For most, Bible reading is just a “necessary task” because it is “Christian” to do it. Do they not burn inside to understand the words of the eternal God, genuinely seeking His wisdom? Or, have they set out in the Scriptures merely to prove some pet theological belief or denominational tenet?

The Psalmist determined to “delight” in the LORD’S statutes (words, instructions). To him, learning Scripture was not done grudgingly or of necessity. In fact, he purposed to remember the Divine revelation to which he had been exposed. Moreover, the Psalmist decided to “have respect unto [God’s] ways.” It was not mindless memorization or dry repetition, but reverential appreciation. We too would do well, saints, to open the Bible every day and better acquaint ourselves with it. Considering the bombardment of lies we experience daily—from internet sites, television programs, printed material, and so on—we should renew our minds with the Word of God rightly divided.

“I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God” (Romans 12:1,2). “Till I come, give attendance to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine…. Meditate upon these things; give thyself wholly to them; that thy profiting may appear to all. Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee” (1 Timothy 4:13,15,16).

Signs of Shallowness #10

Thursday, November 21, 2019

“Of whom we have many things to say, and hard to be uttered, seeing ye are dull of hearing. For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat. For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe. But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil” (Hebrews 5:11-14 KJV).

Behold the signs of shallowness!

Dear friends and brethren, we grow spiritually by understanding and appreciating the completed Bible canon—particularly the Pauline epistles (Romans through Philemon) that closed it. Unless we notice God’s most recent revelation, we cannot know what He is doing today.

The Holy Spirit instructed and encouraged the baby saints at Corinth (who enjoyed being entertained with spiritual nonsense): “Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away. For we know in part, and we prophesy in part. But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away. When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things. For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known. And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity” (1 Corinthians 13:8-13).

In New Testament Greek culture (the Corinthians’ background), childhood ended for girls and boys at age 13. They would gather their toys and leave them at a pagan temple, signaling they were now adults. Dear friends, if we let the Bible rightly divided impact our minds and hearts, believing it (!), we too will “put away childish things.” Moving from shallow waters, we thus plumb the depths of God’s mystery wisdom (1 Corinthians 2:6-8)! 🙂

Signs of Shallowness #9

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

“Of whom we have many things to say, and hard to be uttered, seeing ye are dull of hearing. For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat. For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe. But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil” (Hebrews 5:11-14 KJV).

Behold the signs of shallowness!

Ephesians chapter 4: “[11] And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; [12] For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: [13] Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ: [14] That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; [15] But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ: [16] From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.”

Here is one enormous sentence in Greek! In short, the Lord Jesus Christ gave church leaders for the purpose of bringing the Church the Body of Christ to a place of “edifying” (building up) and “perfection” (spiritual maturity). At one time, there was no completed Bible—now there is. We thus have no reason to be “children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine.” Indeed, if we are shallow in the Scripture, we are vulnerable to such spiritual lies. Just look at church history and modern Christendom!

Let us summarize and conclude this devotionals arc….

Signs of Shallowness #8

Tuesday, November 19, 2019

“Of whom we have many things to say, and hard to be uttered, seeing ye are dull of hearing. For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat. For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe. But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil” (Hebrews 5:11-14 KJV).

Behold the signs of shallowness!

The writer of the Book of Hebrews could have written more about Jesus Christ, but national Israel was unable to handle it. So, it was necessary to start with the basics (higher doctrine would be presented later). Hebrews itself is the most fundamental treatise—a “beginner’s guide”—to the work of Christ with respect to Israel. Like Romans does for us the Church the Body of Christ, Hebrews underscores Calvary’s crosswork for Israel. As we do not stop in our edification in Romans, so Israel does not stay in Hebrews-level doctrine. They are to further mature, grasping the Books of James through Revelation.

Building on today’s Scripture (the close of chapter 5), the Holy Spirit began chapter 6: “[1] Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God, [2] Of the doctrine of baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment. [3] And this will we do, if God permit.” The “perfection” here is not sinlessness but spiritual maturity. God gave the Bible to Israel to grow her spiritually, and to mature us the Body of Christ spiritually.

Indeed, “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That [purpose/intent] the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works” (2 Timothy 3:16,17). We know exactly what God is doing, and we need not be shallow in our understanding….

But He Has a Doctorate!

Tuesday, October 22, 2019

“Which things also we speak, not in the words which man’s wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual” (1 Corinthians 2:13 KJV).

He may have a doctorate… but does he listen to the Holy Spirit?

Recently, I counseled with a highly confused Christian. Almost 40 years after trusting Christ, she still has not been stabilized in sound Bible doctrine! Her mind was greatly scrambled by various wild ideas. When I asked her to turn to a specific verse and read it, she replied, “Oh, I know that verse,” and then she proceeded to quote another verse! This dear soul is just one of two billion church members so thoroughly deceived in Christendom. They read books about the Bible, but do not read the Bible. If they have read Scripture, it is little snippets here and there—read while wearing denominational eyeglasses. Refusing to let the Holy Spirit teach them, they approach God’s Word with countless assumptions and misconceptions.

I was honest with that poor lady: “Your preacher is not telling you the truth, and you know it. He has hidden truths from you, concepts I just shared with you by having you read Bible verses.” Earlier, she defended her pastor by rebutting, “He has a doctorate! He has been to seminary!” After our discussion, she began to see that “seminary” is often nothing but a Bible cemetery! Here is another common fallacy worth correcting. The first qualification for a preacher is not a seminary diploma—or even a high school diploma for that matter! Any human Bible teacher must first have the real Bible Teacher: the indwelling Holy Spirit is the only ultimate Instructor in the Holy Scripture.

A man led by his flesh, a man not submitting to the Holy Spirit, has no business whatsoever teaching the Bible. It does not matter if he can speak and read Greek, Hebrew, Latin, and Aramaic. It does not matter if he has been a missionary to 80 countries. It does not matter if he has water baptized 50,000 people. It does not matter if 35,000 individuals attend his church services every week. Brethren, we must stop thinking about ministry like lost people. Let us heed the warnings of 1 Corinthians chapter 2—and fast!!

Bible Q&A #660: “Who or what are the 10 ‘toes’ or ‘horns’ or ‘crowns’ associated with the Antichrist?”