inspiration of the Bible – Page 7

Not Left to Ourselves

Tuesday, November 1, 2016

“But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God” (1 Corinthians 2:9,10 KJV).

Hallelujah—God did not leave us to ourselves!

Recently, while taking care of business at a government office, my services took so long to be rendered. While I sat waiting, the clerk helping me struck up light conversation. She complained to me how the procedure was “so complicated”—she had to go through so many steps on her computer before she could access my files and print my necessary papers. The thought immediately occurred to me. Millions of people think bigger government will solve our problems! (*Smacks forehead*)

Friends, as a dear brother in Christ often says, when God wants to judge mankind, He does not have to break out into a sweat. He can simply give mankind over to himself and mankind will ruin himself (see Romans 1:17-32). Mankind is just so naturally corrupt, so he will always eventually find himself before insurmountable obstacles and in inescapable dilemmas. Look at the world religions—the absolute spiritual darkness of people who worship rats, trees, cows, monkeys, bread and wine, and even small children! Look at the world governments—avarice, sex scandals, lies, and wasteful spending. Look at the educational system—empty curriculums, confused young people, comical opinions of men proclaimed as “the truth.” (All because they refused the light of the Word of God.)

Left to ourselves, we would truly be helpless and hopeless! However, praise God for the “but” of today’s Scripture! In His goodness, He did not leave us without revelation. He caused His inspired Word to be written down long ago, to be preserved through the ages in a multiplicity of manuscript copies, and to be translated into our language (English) so we can have it right now. We hold that inspired, inerrant, preserved Word of God when we have a King James Bible. If ever we drift away from the standards found in that King James Bible, we will surely go back the way of darkness!

Bible Q&A #320: “Seethe not a young goat in his mother’s milk?”

Unity in Variety

Thursday, October 13, 2016

“I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire” (Matthew 3:11 KJV).

Let us consult Mark, Luke, and John.

Friend, the Bible is truly a remarkable Book—yea, rather, the world’s greatest Book! If you carefully read its words, looking for related phrases and words elsewhere, you begin to assemble a giant puzzle. What was mysterious is now somewhat understandable. While absolute clarity is impossible in this life—for our flesh limits us—we can appreciate a wide range of contexts and concepts by simply comparing Bible verses. Unfortunately, most have resorted to comparing verses with commentaries and dictionaries. Eventually, the commentaries and dictionaries become believable and the verses become doubtful.

It comes as no surprise that Bible detractors usually dismiss the writers of Scripture as “collaborators.” They say that Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John were from one written source. However, that argument does not hold up. While we can study and compare those Four Gospel Records, and see how they do oftentimes agree, in several places, these four books starkly depart from each other. John especially stands almost entirely alone. All the more reason to believe them as true! Why?

Consider today’s Scripture (Matthew): “[W]hose shoes I am not worthy to bear….” Mark’s version (1:7) says: “And preached, saying, There cometh one mightier than I after me, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to stoop down and unloose.” Finally, Luke’s version (3:16): “John answered, saying unto them all, I indeed baptize you with water; but one mightier than I cometh, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to unloose….” (John does not record this at all in his book!)

Notice how they do not read word-for-word. They are not supposed to read verbatim, either—that would certainly merit suspicion of collaboration! These accounts read differently… but, friend, fret not! They are four different men looking at the same John the Baptist (although, actually, the same Lord Jesus Christ) from four different perspectives. And, yet, the same Holy Spirit leading them all! Such unity in variety!

An Inconvenient Truth

Saturday, September 10, 2016

“For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day” (2 Corinthians 4:16 KJV).

Into what depths of madness will we descend if we ignore today’s Scripture?

An elderly lady once expressed to me a most unpleasant dilemma. For years she had known a Roman Catholic priest and his “healing missions trips” to foreign countries. Those poverty-stricken people overseas did not have viable healthcare, so they embraced his “healing campaigns.” She explained he had come to her house many times before to hold “healing”/prayer meetings. She not only let him come but she also participated. In recent years, however, he had not visited her home (perhaps she could no longer afford donations?!). Furthermore, she had had severe health (largely mobility) problems that prevented her from attending his meetings being held elsewhere. Her lack of healing proved today’s Scripture. Despite all the “healing claims,” these temporary bodies are still wearing down and dying!

The above predicament describes the insanity one will experience if he or she rejects the plain and simple truths of the Word of God. When you consider the absolutely absurd beliefs abounding in the world, they generally fall into two categories—science and religion. Both parties have scorned the light and understanding God’s Word would have provided them had they received it (Psalm 119:130). Man refusing to hear the Word of God will wind up in the same spiritual darkness as he would have remained in had God not given us His Word at all.

Religion and science alike are largely based on man’s intuition and opinions, not on the Holy Spirit’s teaching ministry. Thus, they will never be the means whereby God reveals Himself. First Corinthians 2:9-10 says: “But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.” Friends, let us allow the Holy Spirit to teach us His inspired Word, the Holy Bible. If we refuse, pledging blind allegiance to religion and/or science, all boundaries of sanity will indeed be lifted!

Our latest Bible Q&A: “Are we humans created in ‘the image of God?’”

Liberated to Serve

Monday, July 4, 2016

“For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another” (Galatians 5:13 KJV).

Today, as we in the United States celebrate the 240th anniversary of our nation’s independence, we invite our Christian brethren worldwide to rejoice with us concerning our freedom in Jesus Christ.

When we proclaim Romans 6:14—“Ye are not under the law, but under grace”—people tend to assume “loose living.” Does “grace living” really mean we can now live any way we want? Lest anyone be misled in that regard, God the Holy Spirit moved the Apostle Paul to write in the next verse, “What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid [May God never let that happen!]” (Romans 6:15). Grace living is not Law-keeping, but it certainly is not Law-breaking either.

God still cares how we live, albeit He is not operating the “weak and beggarly” system of “bondage” (Law) that He once did with Israel (Galatians 4:9). God proved to the entire world that since Israel could not keep His commandments perfectly, no other sons of Adam (the Gentiles) could either: “Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them [Israel] who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world [Gentiles] may become guilty before God” (Romans 3:19).

We sinners cannot keep the Law. However, God in His grace provided us a way to escape that condemnation by sending Jesus Christ to offer Himself on Calvary’s cruel cross to pay for our sins. By simple faith in Jesus Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection as the fully-satisfying payment for our sins, we can now be “made the righteousness of God in [Christ]” (2 Corinthians 5:21). We can be delivered from the penalty of sin (hell and the lake of fire) and the power of sin (flesh-walking).

Why are we Christians free? To selfishly live any way we want? NO! Today’s Scripture says we are liberated to now serve others, especially our Christian brethren, just as Jesus Christ selflessly served His Father and selflessly died on our behalf. That is grace living!!!!

Please see our 2011 Fourth of July Bible study “Proclaim Liberty Throughout All the Land,” which can be watched here or read here.

Thus Saith the LORD

Tuesday, June 7, 2016

“Thus saith the LORD of hosts, Hearken not unto the words of the prophets that prophesy unto you: they make you vain: they speak a vision of their own heart, and not out of the mouth of the LORD” (Jeremiah 23:6 KJV).

“Thus saith Dr. So-and-So…?” (No.) “Thus saith St. This-and-That…?” (No.) “Thus saith Mother Church…?” (No.) Thus saith Lexicon…?” (No.) “Thus saith Seminary Professor…?” (No.)

The various Bible manuscripts and their resultant 200 modern English translations have caused most to not know what the Lord has said. Satan, in Genesis 3:1, questioned God’s Word: “Yea hath God said…?” Watered-down Bibles equal watered-down Christian lives. Thus, we unapologetically emphasize the King James Bible. It has stood the test of time for over 405 years—it has changed more lives worldwide than any other volume. You cannot say that about modern versions—NIV, NASB, NKJV, ESV, NRSV, HCSB, et cetera.

Some Bible readers will believe footnotes, commentaries, and study notes long before they will believe the Bible text; church members often believe their doctrinal statement long before they believe the Holy Scriptures from which the doctrinal statement supposedly came. Like the unbelieving “scholars” who taught them, they distrust the Bible. When approaching the Bible text, they cannot help saying, “Most scholars believe this verse should be translated as….” “Scholars” have spent so many years allegedly studying the Bible, so why doubt them? The fact is they have been trained to believe there is no perfect Bible on Earth today. In their minds, God has ordained them to reconstruct His Word for Him. What on Earth would God do without educated men? We shudder to think!

If you call yourself a “Bible-believing Christian,” you better have a Bible you actually believe! Friend, if you cannot hold up any book and say with absolute certainty, “Thus saith the Lord in His verbally inspired book preserved without error,” sit down, be quiet, and not utter one word about Jesus Christ or His Book until you find it and hold it!

A Leap Day to Redeem

Monday, February 29, 2016
Happy Leap Day!

“Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it” (Proverbs 22:6 KJV).

Share God’s Word with a child you know today!

Teaching the rightly-divided Bible to children is very enjoyable. While they do not always pay attention like (some) adults do, they have much less theological garbage cluttering their minds. You share the Gospel with someone who has lived nearly a century in false religion, and, my, how resistant they are! Their hearts and minds are buried deep beneath many layers of church tradition. But, you get God’s truth into those children at an early age, and it is guaranteed to bring results at one point in their lives (today’s Scripture). You may not live to see it, but you just rest assured that God’s Word always prospers wherever He sends it, and it never returns to Him void, empty (Isaiah 55:11).

Recently, while I was talking to an adult about Scripture, my 10-year-old niece, sitting next to me, said, “You taught me that!” Why, yes, some weeks earlier, I had taught her and her brother, my seven-year-old nephew, all about Bible versions, Bible manuscripts, inspiration and preservation. Those little children know more truth about the King James Bible than most preachers and theologians ever will. Why? Religious pride blinds adults to a much greater degree than it does children. Even works-religion children will listen to Bible truth to some extent—but their hearts will be set in error by adulthood, so reach them with God’s truth before they reach adulthood! Parents and grandparents of the grace persuasion must keep that in mind.

The Millennials (born 1980-early 2000s), my generation, are so pitifully ignorant of truth and values. Only the previous generations—their parents, the Baby Boomers (1946-1964) and Generation X (1965-1980)—are negligent. It is not too late to instill into the next generation, those born since the early 2000s, as little as one single verse. How sad that so many parents and grandparents today do not have five minutes to share God’s Word with their children and grandchildren! Frankly, they will have no reason to complain if these children wind up in juvenile hall… or prison… or an early grave… or hell!

Divine Source and Human Receptor

Saturday, January 23, 2016

“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts” (Isaiah 55:8,9 KJV).

How does today’s Scripture explain Bible translation?

Friend, if you have ever stood for the King James Bible as the final authority for us English-speaking people, inevitably you have heard the old, soggy worn-out argument at some point, “Yeah, but the Greek really says…. The Hebrew really says…. The oldest and best manuscripts really say…. The King James Bible is not the original manuscript so it can have mistakes. Here, let me take that old book from you and tell you how it should read.” The King James rejecter and corrector flashes a foreign language text, lexicon, seminary textbook, book of scholarship. Thus begins the lecture on how your 1611 translators were inept buffoons.

In the spirit of a cult leader, looking to gain power over you, he or she laments: “Oh, look at this word here—how unfortunate they missed its full meaning! It should really read…. Oops, look another wrong word. How misleading! That should have been…. You should praise God that I am here with my ‘scholarly wisdom.’ Oh, how you would have never, ever understood your Bible had I not been here to remove all of its mistakes! But, let me assure you. The Bible is God’s Word, it is our authority, and you can always believe it.” (That utter foolishness is voiced every Sunday from “Christian” pulpits worldwide. It is taught in most every Bible college and seminary.)

What the know-it-all (actually know-nothing) King James Bible corrector does not know is that before God’s Word was translated into English from Hebrew and Greek, God’s thoughts were perfectly translated into human words. You can call me crazy, but I think it takes more power of God for Him to perfectly translate divine thoughts into human thoughts, than it takes for Him to perfectly translate one human language into another. After all, did He not create the languages of the world (Genesis chapter 11), and yet reverse that confusion by translating His Word perfectly in Acts chapter 2?

Understand and Enjoy the Bible! #11

Friday, January 15, 2016

“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).

Although there is so much confusion about it, can we really understand and enjoy the Bible?

Let us consider the fifth point from today’s Scripture: “as they do also the other scriptures….” Some in “Christianity” have claimed that Paul’s epistles, Romans through Philemon, should be ripped out of the Bible! (I receive such foolish emails.) Yet, if we are to toss out Paul’s epistles, we should also remove the whole book of Acts, plus Luke, and Peter’s epistles. In today’s Scripture, Peter endorsed Paul’s epistles as “scripture.” He placed the Pauline writings on the same level with Moses’ writings, the Four Gospels, Psalms, Isaiah, Daniel, and so on.

When denominations and religious organizations have understood the Bible according to their particular theological systems for many decades or centuries, they will (understandably) refuse to see Pauline dispensational Bible study. To admit wrong would mean losing salaries, memberships, egos, diplomas, real estate, buildings—literally everything! They, like the people in Peter’s day, pervert Paul’s epistles as they do the other Scriptures. Making everything in the Bible the same, they refuse to separate Peter’s ministry from Paul’s ministry. When they come across opposing verses in the Bible, they just dismiss them with, “Oh, this verse is questionable—it was not in the originals.” Or, “Do not take it literally. It means this rather than what it says.”

Christendom must swallow its pride. It must realize something. Accepting Paul’s epistles as literal and true is not to deny the rest of the Bible with which those epistles disagree. Rather, it is accepting Paul’s epistles as true because those Pauline epistles contain the secret will of God previously unknown to man! We should “rightly divide” “truth” from “truth” in the Scripture (2 Timothy 2:15), whether concerning Paul’s epistles or any other part of the Bible.

Understand and Enjoy the Bible! #10

Thursday, January 14, 2016

Although there is so much confusion about it, can we really understand and enjoy the Bible?

Let us consider the fourth point from today’s Scripture: “which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest.” Peter did not understand everything that Paul taught. Yet, at least Peter was Holy-Spirit-filled, honest enough to admit Paul taught some doctrine that was quite different from God’s previous revelations to mankind. What happens in the religious crowd (back then and still today) is that pride gets in the way and the Scriptures are pushed out of the way. Scholarship and denominations still militantly refuse to admit that Paul’s ministry and epistles are separate and distinct from the 12 apostles’ ministries.

Since it has been repeated for 2,000 years that “everything in the Bible is the same”—the assumption that there is only one “gospel” in the Bible, only one “church” in the Bible, only one “ministry” of Jesus Christ in the Bible, only one “program” in the Bible, et cetera—people are automatically inclined to reword any and every Bible verse to the contrary. Hence, modern English versions and their underlying manuscripts are so unreliable. Their editors, translators, and teachers—going back decades and centuries past—have rephrased verses so as to harmonize Paul’s ministry with Peter’s, combine the Church the Body of Christ with the nation Israel, et cetera.

As the Holy Spirit led Peter to write, these people “wrest” (pervert, distort) the Bible (today’s Scripture). They have not learned the truths of God’s Word rightly divided. They are thus “unstable”—“tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine” (Ephesians 4:14). Their “ministries” produce only equally unlearned (uninformed) and equally unstable (undecided) souls. Dearly beloved, now we know how the Body of Christ got into the mess in which it now sits!

What the Bible Writers Knew

Friday, September 4, 2015

“Now go, write it before them in a table, and note it in a book, that it may be for the time to come for ever and ever: That this is a rebellious people, lying children, children that will not hear the law of the LORD” (Isaiah 30:8,9 KJV).

Did the Bible writers know that their writings were divinely-inspired and perpetual? Yes!

A superficially clever—but actually ridiculous—defense used to try to deny the Bible’s constant authority, is to claim that none of the Bible writers knew we would read (or intended us to read) their books thousands of years later. (Oddly, the same people who use that argument still quote “2,000-plus-year-old” verses to support their denominational biases and they also cite the many-centuries-old writings of the “church fathers” who “also” did not intend for us to use their works centuries later!)

The Lord Jesus in His earthly ministry never said, “Hey, men of Israel, Moses never expected you to read his writings these 15 centuries later! They were only applicable back then so you can just throw away that old Torah!” (Imagine such rubbish anyway!)

Stop and think about today’s Scripture. The LORD is telling Isaiah to write down some words that will last forever and ever. In fact, we are reading those very words right now… some 2,700 years later! Isaiah knew exactly how long his divinely-inspired book would last because God Himself told him. People would read it for a literal eternity. In fact, we have 66 books of the eternal Bible today… amazingly, the same number of chapters in Isaiah’s eternal book!

David wrote, “The spirit of the LORD spake by me, and his word was in my tongue” (2 Samuel 23:2). Paul recognized he wrote “the commandments of the Lord” (1 Corinthians 14:37). And we know the word of the Lord lasts forever, Isaiah 40:6-8 says (cf. 1 Peter 1:23-25). As Isaiah realized, “And in that day [the Millennial Kingdom beyond our present-day] shall the deaf hear the words of the book, and the eyes of the blind shall see out of obscurity, and out of darkness” (29:18). 🙂

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this: