Category: sound doctrine

Penance in Eden

Sunday, July 10, 2016

“And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons. And they heard the voice of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God amongst the trees of the garden” (Genesis 3:7,8 KJV).

Itchy, itchy, itchy!

Friend, have you ever picked figs? Their leaves are prickly, and can make you itch! As I recently picked figs, I constantly thought on Genesis chapter 3, when the parents of the human race sinned against a holy God and attempted to cover their nakedness. What did they use to clothe their bare skin? According to today’s Scripture, they grabbed prickly fig leaves! They preferred this—suffering in uncomfortable clothes—to coming to God and admit their failure. Human nature is prideful; it has never changed in all these years.

While not explicitly stated in the Bible, perhaps Adam and Eve used fig leaves to make themselves suffer, possibly attempting to make God feel sorry for them. After all, some religious people make themselves suffer so as to appease some deity. They have the twisted idea that they can suffer enough for their sin and “God” will be happy with them. It is called “penance.” They are to give up pleasures and recite complicated prayers. They wear various torture bracelets on their fingers or arms and torture rings around their legs. They may don itchy hair shirts or pants. They whip themselves with leather straps. Every drop of blood they make themselves shed is assumed to make God just a tad happier with them. Allegedly, the more they suffer, the “holier” they become, and that much closer to heaven!

Beloved, on Calvary’s cross, the Lord Jesus cried out, “It is finished!” (John 19:30). We have no reason to suffer for our sins because Jesus already did. Still, if we want to suffer for our sins, God will grant us our wish. He has prepared a lake of fire and brimstone in which unredeemed souls will suffer forever. Something far worse than itchy fig leaves and hair shirts!

Remember, the online grace Bible conference runs until Thursday! http://understandgrace.com/2016-summer-family-bible-conference/

Do Not Lose It All!

Saturday, July 9, 2016

“For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?” (Matthew 16:26 KJV).

In this world, you can lose most. In the next, please do not lose all.

I recently saw a documentary about one of the world’s most famous couples of the 20th century. Despite wealth and royalty, they were no exception regarding the curse of sin. While they appeared happy on the surface, their marriage gradually disintegrated—insecurity, exorbitant spending, extramarital affairs, health problems, depression, and eventually separation and divorce. Near the close of this last century, the lady died in a tragic automobile accident. Her two young sons grew up in luxury, albeit without their mother. Her husband married his extramarital lover.

See, dear friends, money is not everything. While it is not a sin to be rich, it is not easy either. If you are trying to fill your heart’s “God-shaped hole” with money, sex, fame, drugs and alcohol, education, religion, and the like, let me just tell you right now you will never be satisfied. Apart from Jesus Christ, you will always struggle to find purpose, meaning, acceptance, and love. It makes no difference whether you are poor or rich, sexually active or celibate, famous or unknown, inebriated and high on drugs or not, educated or non-educated, religious or nonreligious!

The ground is level at the foot of the Cross of Jesus Christ. Friend, you can have all the wealth of this world, all the fame, all the education, but you die without a personal relationship with the God of the Bible through Jesus Christ, you will live all of eternity without Him. Your conscious soul will burn alive forever in the righteous fury of a holy, offended God. Oh, but do not go there! You do not have to go to hell! God sent Jesus Christ to die for your sins. The Prince of Heaven came to give His life a ransom for the spiritual paupers of Earth!

Trust exclusively Jesus Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection as sufficient payment for your sins. You will become a child of God—true royalty, love, acceptance, security, and spiritually rich beyond your wildest dreams!

ATTENTION: The 2016 Grace School of the Bible Summer Family Bible Conference will begin streaming online tonight live beginning at 7PM Central U.S. Time. It will continue through Thursday, July 14. Please see the following link for the schedule and video feed: http://understandgrace.com/2016-summer-family-bible-conference/.

Freed from Sin

Friday, July 8, 2016

“For he that is dead is freed from sin” (Romans 6:7 KJV).

What can today’s Scripture teach us?

Friend, notice the Bible does not say we are free from sin, as in sinlessness. It says we are “freed from sin,” “sin” (singular) being the nature rather than the actions the nature causes (“sins”). As verse 6 says, “Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him [Christ], that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.” Our Adamic sin nature does not have to control us anymore because God crucified it with Christ on Calvary. Certainly, it is a supernatural event. When we trusted Christ Jesus as our personal Savior, God credited Christ’s death (which happened 20 centuries ago) as our death to sin. He also credited Christ’s resurrection as our resurrection unto eternal life (verses 1-5,8-23).

In stark contrast, the natural man, a person outside of Jesus Christ, one who is dead in trespasses and sins, he or she has no choice but to sin. We read in Ephesians 2:1-3: “[1] And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins; [2] Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: [3] Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.”

There is no power for lost people to do righteousness because the flesh is weak. They need God’s power if they are to walk in righteousness. They need to be liberated from the power of Adam and Satan. Today’s Scripture says that we have been freed from the power of sin, “That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord” (Romans 5:21).

Our latest Bible Q&A: “Why did Jesus say, ‘My God, my God?’”

Prayer and the Word

Tuesday, July 5, 2016

“But we will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the word” (Acts 6:4 KJV).

Any ministry worth anything must have these two elements—prayer and the ministry of the Word.

When the book of Acts opens, Israel’s Little Flock grows more and more. Please note that while early Acts has absolutely nothing to do with us, the Church the Body of Christ, we can still learn a valuable lesson. As these Jewish kingdom saints are pooling together their wealth (Acts 2:44,45; Acts 4:31-37; cf. Luke 12:31-33), goods are being distributed to needy believers. They are living for one another—a picture of God’s earthly kingdom yet future!

Chapter 6 of Acts, the context of today’s Scripture, says: “[1] And in those days, when the number of the disciples was multiplied, there arose a murmuring of the Grecians [foreign Jews] against the Hebrews, because their widows were neglected in the daily ministration. [2] Then the twelve called the multitude of the disciples unto them, and said, It is not reason that we should leave the word of God, and serve tables. [3] Wherefore, brethren, look ye out among you seven men of honest report, full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business. [4] But we will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the word.”

The 12 apostles, unlike so many (clueless) church leaders today, actually knew their priorities. It was not to distribute funds to those in need. Rather, they chose seven honest, Spirit-filled, wise men to undertake that task. The 12 apostles were very much aware of the importance of prayer and the ministry of the Word. They were to continue talking to God in light of His Word to them, and they were to continue telling others His Word to them. Every other responsibility could be delegated elsewhere.

Philanthropic issues are all well and good, but when our churches are too busy organizing blood drives, clothing drives, food drives, et cetera, they are ignoring prayer and God’s Word. They need to get their priorities straight, lest their “ministry”—void of God’s words and power—vanishes!

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.

Helpers, Not Policemen

Wednesday, June 29, 2016

“Not for that we have dominion over your faith, but are helpers of your joy: for by faith ye stand” (2 Corinthians 1:24 KJV).

Behold, a ministry verse worth memorizing!

A grace pastor or Bible teacher should use today’s Scripture as a litmus test for his own ministry. Does he bully people into believing what he does, fussing them about everything they are doing wrong? Or, does he lovingly teach them God’s Word rightly divided and cause them to rejoice in believing it? Seeing the Apostle Paul conduct his ministry allows us to recognize how the Holy Spirit would have us operate our ministry.

The Corinthians were the most carnal (fleshly) believers in all the Bible. Although citizens of heaven, they acted like people from hell! Such poor examples of Christian living! Such immature believers! Such grievers of the Holy Spirit! First Corinthians chapter 3 says: “[1] And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ. [2] I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able. [3] For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?”

Paul wrote the epistle of First Corinthians to instruct them in solving their problems. By the time he wrote Second Corinthians (today’s Scripture), they still had unresolved issues. They had matured some, but other difficulties remained in their thinking and behavior. Paul wrote, “Moreover, I call God for a record upon my soul, that to spare you I came not as yet unto Corinth” (verse 23). Today’s Scripture follows: “Not for that we have dominion over your faith, but are helpers of your joy: for by faith ye stand.”

Paul did not visit Corinth as a bully and forcibly reform these still wayward Christians. As a parent would want his or her child to grow up, he gave them opportunity to resolve their problems. In letting them sort out their own issues by allowing them to exercise faith in God’s Word to them (First and Second Corinthians), they could experience God’s joy. May we do likewise in our ministry! 🙂

A Prayer for Enlightenment Answered

Tuesday, June 28, 2016

“If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself” (John 7:17 KJV).

Friend, if you truly desire to do God’s will, you shall know God’s doctrine!

I recently sat with a new Christian only one year old in Christ. Having grown up in a “Christian” cult, having since come to recognize the errors of that works-religion, having since trusted Jesus Christ alone as her personal Saviour, she was interested in now learning the Bible. The other day, she was so desperate to hear the Word of God taught that she visited a local denominational assembly. She was sorely disappointed upon hearing their noisy, “contemporary worship” service. When I asked her if she learned anything there, she said, “I learned nothing.” She had even met another confused lady who had been attending services there for some time.

This precious new Christian was genuinely searching for the truth. However, like so many, she could not find it. She said she had prayed for God to give her enlightenment. As it turned out, her brother, also a Christian, recommended she and I meet for Bible study. She agreed. When I came to her house, and she told me how she had asked God to teach her His Word, I replied most cheerfully, “He answered your prayers by sending me!” We ended up having a four-hour-long Bible study. After we settled the issue of her soul salvation unto eternal life (just to be sure), she was introduced to the Bible timeline. While she admitted she was a “slow learner,” she was ever so grateful for that Bible study. She heard many strange things, things she had never heard before. Nevertheless, she finally had the answers to so many of her Bible questions.

Friend, there are just so many people not interested in learning anything from Scripture. They have several Bibles in their homes, but they know nothing about the Bible because they do not want to know. This lady, however, wanted to know, and she discovered answers to her questions. She would not find them in religion, but rather in the King James Bible rightly divided! Friend, please never forget that, either.

*NOTE: Today, dear friends, I mark 10 full years in the writing ministry! Praise our Lord Jesus Christ! 🙂

Fast Teaching and Preaching

Monday, June 27, 2016

“I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now” (John 16:12 KJV).

Jesus said it to His disciples; Bible teachers say it to their students!

Pauline dispensational pastors and Bible teachers are often known for “going too fast.” A Christian sister expressed some concern regarding one such minister. While difficult to follow someone who teaches Scripture very quickly, who speaks faster than most, remember that the Bible is an extremely rich book. Its in-depth topics are not for the average (lukewarm, shallow) Bible skimmer!

Frankly, denominational preachers are often normal-paced in their speaking because they have to draw out the message to cover the allotted period. They know few verses and must fill the rest of the time with stories. I know. One of our former pastors years ago first read a familiar Bible passage (five minutes or less) and then spent the rest of the hour telling jokes and short stories (sometimes unrelated to the passage).

If you have a grace Bible teacher or grace pastor who teaches the Bible quickly, relax. At least he actually teaches the Bible instead of merely talking about it! Honestly, I would rather spend one day in a church where the rightly divided Bible is taught quickly, than one year in a denominational church where a preacher delivers a very shallow, slow-paced message. Pauline dispensationalists teach and preach quickly because they have a limited amount of time to cover in-depth doctrine. On average, they spend more time studying the Bible and preparing messages than denominational people (who simply repeat the same basic verses and ideas every week that the denomination approves).

Friend, if you have a Bible teacher or pastor who teaches God’s rightly divided Word, but you have trouble following him in the verses because he reads them quickly, record him, or listen to his DVDs or CDs or MP3s. Pause and replay the media until you get the doctrine. Follow along in your Bible. It does not matter if it takes you a few hours to watch a one-hour message, do it. It is never time wasted. (By the way, written Bible studies such as these are advantageous in that you can use them at your own pace!) 🙂

Our three latest Bible Q&A articles: “Can you explain 1 John 5:8—‘the Spirit, the water, and the blood?’”, “What does the Bible mean, ‘Jesus Christ came by water and blood?’”, and “What does, ‘Born of water and of the Spirit,’ mean?”.

Walking in the Light We Have

Sunday, June 26, 2016

“Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded: and if in any thing ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you. Nevertheless, whereto we have already attained, let us walk by the same rule, let us mind the same thing” (Philippians 3:15,16 KJV).

Today’s Scripture tells us just how to walk in Christ.

Recently, I visited an elderly friend and she showed me her high school yearbook from 1955. After I browsed through it, I asked her what advice she would give to her younger self if she could go back in time. In other words, what wisdom would she impart to herself had she known back then what she knows now? She replied she would not have married at age 17. Furthermore, she would have not married her now ex-husband. Sadly, neither of them was happy during their 40-plus years of marriage. She wished she had made wiser decisions!

Although not a Christian, she reminds us we should walk with whatever wisdom we have at the time and learn from our mistakes. As believers, we should be striving to spiritually mature, to become even better acquainted with God’s purpose and plan for us. Whatever verses we know, we apply them to life as best we can. Whenever we learn more verses, or more about those verses, we then better apply them or learn they have nothing to do with our situation. This is what Paul is instructing the Philippians to do in today’s Scripture (see verses 10-16). After all, Paul himself was also a man. Although matured in Christ, he had more growing to do as well. Just as older people are physically mature but continue maturing, so it is in the spiritual realm.

Brethren, God expects us to walk in the light that we have from His Word. None of us knows everything in the Bible—the incentive to study more! In His written Word, God will reveal to us a better way to think and live. We should progress daily in spiritual maturity. Our spiritual vision will adjust, becoming increasingly clear. As the years pass, we will look back and say, “My, how little we knew then … and still know now!” 🙂

Ye Would Not!

Friday, June 24, 2016

“O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not!” (Matthew 23:37 KJV).

As in Christ’s earthly ministry, so today—God never takes free will away!

Recently, a brother in Christ shared his heavy burden with me. One of his relatives is in dire health, suffering 99 percent brain damage. His doctors say, even if he survives, he will be in a vegetative state. The brother explained to me that he shared the Gospel with this man years ago, but had not heard from him since. He is still worried the now-dying man never did anything with the Gospel—especially sad now that he is holding to life by a thread and maybe drawing closer to hell.

This brother had to understand it is beyond his control. He has shared the Gospel most faithfully, and there is nothing he can do for his relative but pray for him now. His brain is not functioning properly anymore, but he still may be aware in his soul. We cannot be sure just how alert such people are spiritually. If they so desire, God can always bring His Word to memory in those who have heard it years before.

Beloved, we should never beat ourselves up wondering if we shared the Gospel enough with someone who is dying or who has since died. If they only heard us share the Gospel with them once, that one time was all that we were able to do. While we care for them deeply, we cannot force people to trust Jesus Christ as their personal Saviour. The God of the Bible is all about freedom. If people do not want Him, He will not force them to accept Him. After three years of ministry, with a heavy heart, Jesus looked at Jerusalem and wept. They had no interest in Him or anything He had to say to them (today’s Scripture).

God has done everything to keep people out of hell by sending Jesus Christ to die for their sins. If they want to ignore that, that is their choice. Let it not be ours!

Our latest Bible Q&A: “Can you explain Jude 9?”