Category: sin

Follow Father’s Folly Versus Follow Father’s Faith

Saturday, November 7, 2015

“And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart: And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up” (Deuteronomy 6:6,7 KJV).

May we save our future generations from apostasy!

Recently, I watched an online video, the only interview of a notorious American serial killer later murdered in prison. Psychologists and psychiatrists alike were baffled. Why did this young man commit nearly 20 extremely graphic mutilations and murders? Beloved, we need not several years of psychology training to figure it out. It is called sin! He simply acted naturally, and his particular sin was murder (for others, it is lying, stealing, pride, et cetera).

The saddest part of the interview was when the father told the reporter he often wondered what he could have done to prevent his son’s horrific behavior. (Today’s Scripture?!) Then, the father admitted that he was not there for his son growing up. He did not teach him any values or morals. His poor son had no spiritual leader growing up. Think. Twenty people—and 20 families—suffered the consequences!

We can see why God through Moses warned Israel in today’s Scripture not to forget to teach the Ten Commandments to their children. Those laws, given in the previous chapter, were the foundation of the Jewish religion. Israel had just spent 40 years breaking them in the wilderness wanderings. Now, 120-year-old Moses is cautioning these new generations of Jews not to forsake JEHOVAH’S Word to them. He advises them to diligently teach those divine words to their children. That was their salvation from Satan’s deception.

It is sad, but many fathers today are not teaching their children God’s Word to us. And we wonder why society is falling apart? Our salvation from sin and Satan’s deception is found in Paul’s epistles, Romans through Philemon. Men, I exhort you to remember and fulfill your role as spiritual leaders in your households. You can pass on an eternal heritage—the Message of God’s Grace and the Epistles of the Grace Life! Let it be “father’s faith” rather than “father’s folly!” 🙂

When Adam Should Have Spoken Up

Thursday, November 5, 2015

“And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived was in the transgression” (1 Timothy 2:14 KJV).

What could have Adam done instead of willfully following Eve in sin?

Numbers chapter 30 contains 16 verses, God’s rules concerning Jews making vows. Verses 3-5 say, if an unmarried Jewish woman made a vow to the LORD, to bind herself by a bond, her father who heard it could speak up that day and annul the vow, and God would cancel it. If the father stayed silent, not protesting, the woman had to fulfill her vow. Verses 6-8 say if a married Jewish woman vowed something that would bind her soul, her husband who heard it could speak up that day, objecting, and her vow would be canceled. If her husband said nothing, she was obligated to fulfill it.

“[11] And her husband heard it, and held his peace at her, and disallowed her not: then all her vows shall stand, and every bond wherewith she bound her soul shall stand. [12] But if her husband hath utterly made them void on the day he heard them; then whatsoever proceeded out of her lips concerning her vows, or concerning the bond of her soul, shall not stand: her husband hath made them void; and the LORD shall forgive her. [13] Every vow, and every binding oath to afflict the soul, her husband may establish it, or her husband may make it void. [14] But if her husband altogether hold his peace at her from day to day; then he establisheth all her vows, or all her bonds, which are upon her: he confirmeth them, because he held his peace at her in the day that he heard them.”

Going back in time, Eve had eaten the forbidden fruit, but mankind had not yet fallen into sin. The federal head, Adam, had not yet eaten. Sin had not yet entered the world. Although Eve had rebelled, it was not too late for Adam. Adam could have protested before God and Eve would have been forgiven. Had Adam spoken up in defense of God’s righteousness and Eve’s foolishness, man would have never fallen! Alas, Adam went right along silently, eating the fruit himself, confirming his wife’s decision to follow Satan!

Our latest Bible Q&A: “How long did it take for Israel to cross the Red Sea?”

When Sadness Fled Concerning the Dead

Wednesday, November 4, 2015

“Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life; he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?” (John 11:25,26 KJV).

Scripture says Jesus attended three “funerals” during His earthly ministry. Today’s Scripture says all three services were canceled!

Evolutionary theory postulates that death is good, eliminating the sick and weak so the young and healthy can have the maximum number of resources to continue their species. However, God’s Word declares death as something bad. The Lord Jesus Christ is life: as the living God, He can impart and has given us life. He never intended death in His creation. Alas, “As by one man [Adam] sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned” (Romans 5:12). Bad news! Where sin is, physical death and spiritual death are certain. Good news! Where Jesus Christ is, physical life and spiritual life are sure.

It is never easy when loved ones die. Imagine how grief-stricken the widow of Nain was as the coffin of her only son passed through the city. Grief and heartache! Consider how distraught Mary and Martha were when their ill brother Lazarus died. Tears and wailing! Imagine Jairus’ heartbreak when his little 12-year-old daughter died from her sickness. Sorrow and sadness!

As Jesus entered Nain, He saw the funeral procession exiting the city (Luke 7:11-18). He cried out to the bereaved widow, “Weep not!” Approaching the platform holding the corpse, Jesus touched it and commanded, “Young man, I say unto thee, Arise!” The dead man arose! Later, Jairus’ only daughter grew sick and was dying (Matthew 9:18-19,23-26; Mark 5:22-24,35-43; Luke 8:41-42,49-56). He begged Jesus to come and heal her. As Jesus was coming, He was delayed, and she died. The Lord said, “Weep not; she is not dead, but sleepeth!” The Jews laughed. “Maid, arise!” She came back to life! Just before Christ’s death, Lazarus died of sickness. His sisters were sad to hear Jesus deliberately came late. He encouraged them with today’s Scripture. “Lazarus, come forth!” And, Lazarus lived again!

Three “funerals” history will NEVER forget! 🙂

The Unknown God Made Known #2

Tuesday, November 3, 2015

“O righteous Father, the world hath not known thee: but I have known thee, and these have known that thou hast sent me” (John 17:25 KJV).

“He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not” (John 1:10).

As Paul the Apostle traveled throughout Gentile lands, it was Father God traveling in and through him. These idolaters were strangers from Israel’s covenants. They had never heard of Jesus Christ or JEHOVAH. But, like all people aware of some “mysterious higher power,” they were religious. Take, for example, the Athenians.

Recorded in Acts chapter 17, Paul noticed their various “devotions” (objects of worship, such as idols and altars). One particular altar’s inscription caught his attention, “TO THE UNKNOWN GOD” (verse 23). They ignorantly worshiped Him. There was no real knowledge of the one true God, but just in case they had overlooked a deity, they put a shrine for him, too. Paul took advantage of that and said, “Him declare I unto you.” The Creator God would be unknown to them no more. Through Paul, Jesus Christ preached a wonderful Gospel message to these lost and dying heathen (verses 24-31). Many mocked and laughed at Calvary’s finished crosswork, but a few believed on the Lord Jesus Christ and received eternal life (verse 34).

“Paul… saw the city wholly given to idolatry” (verse 16). So religious—so superstitious. So educated—so ignorant. They had their religion and their philosophy, but they had no relationship with the one true God. Note! Neither religion nor philosophy is how we reach the Creator God. We approach Him by way of the Gospel of His Grace. Specifically, He sent Paul to preach Jesus Christ’s finished crosswork to us, that we outside of Israel’s program and covenants could approach Him by simple faith. Writing to the former idolaters not far away from Athens, Paul told the Corinthian believers: “God is faithful, by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord” (1 Corinthians 1:9).

As Jesus Christ made His Heavenly Father known to sinners, as Paul the Apostle made his Heavenly Father known to sinners, may we make our Heavenly Father known to sinners.

Our latest Bible Q&A: “Should we pray for the peace of Jerusalem?”

The Unknown God Made Known #1

Monday, November 2, 2015

“O righteous Father, the world hath not known thee: but I have known thee, and these have known that thou hast sent me” (John 17:25 KJV).

“He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not” (John 1:10).

Yea, the world is not Christian-friendly. Here, in the United States, once known for its “Christian” values, people are becoming increasingly hostile and hateful toward biblical Christianity. Christians in other countries have it worse.

Lost people have no relationship with “righteous” (holy) Father God. As unredeemed sinners, alienated from God’s life (Ephesians 4:17-19), they cannot know Him on the personal, intimate level we Christians do. His ideas, His deeds, and His words are meaningless to them. When Christ spoke His Father’s words, most common Jews disregarded. Yet, there was a believing remnant—the “little flock” (Luke 12:32). Those few Messianic Jews, they knew Father God sent Jesus to them. They believed His words. Through Christ’s words, Israel’s little flock enjoyed the same fellowship with Father God as Jesus Christ Himself.

As the Apostle John wrote firsthand in 1 John 1:1-3: “[1] That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life; [2] (For the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and shew unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us;) [3] That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ.”

Today’s evil world system operated during our Lord’s earthly ministry. Lost people hated Him because they hated His Heavenly Father. Likewise, lost people dislike us. Christian friend, never take it personally. What really bothers them is the Father God who lives in us. The words we speak, the ideas we believe, and the works we do, they reflect our Father’s Word working in and through us. They do not know Him, but through the Message of Grace we preach, they can know Him! May we make Him known to them!

Satan and Dispensationalism #25

Friday, October 30, 2015

“Whereof I am made a minister, according to the dispensation of God which is given to me for you, to fulfil the word of God; Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints:” (Colossians 1:25,26 KJV).

Dispensational Bible Study enables us to see and appreciate the final revelation from God. Satan is thus utterly embarrassed!

It is written down forever in the eternal Word of God. Looks were indeed deceiving at Calvary. Satan, appearing victorious, actually participated in his own defeat! Beloved, the preaching of the cross is that God outsmarted Satan. Jesus Christ’s shed blood can deliver sinners—even wretched, uncircumcised Gentiles such as ourselves—from Satan’s domain!

“[12] Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light: [13] Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son: [14] In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins” (Colossians 1:12-14).

That God would take Jews and Gentiles who would simply trust His Son’s finished crosswork, and form one new man, the Church the Body of Christ—completely unheard of in the Old Testament! Even Satan could not and did not figure it out. It was not revealed to Satan, his fallen angels, God’s elect angels, and man until God saved miserable Saul of Tarsus and commissioned him as the Apostle Paul. As God’s apostle of the Gentiles, Paul had a special role. He was given the privilege to finish God’s Word (today’s Scripture).

Through the Pauline epistles, Romans through Philemon, God has made known unto us “the mystery of his will” (Ephesians 1:9). God had a secret will, friends. Now that God has revealed His secret through Paul’s writings, Satan has an active campaign to keep it hidden. Dispensational Bible Study is watered down, slandered, and ignored by the religious crowd and the modern English versions, that Satan not be exposed as foolish. Let us not be foolish. Lest we miss God’s latest (and final) revelation, may we recognize and hold fast to by faith the Dispensation of Grace given to us by Jesus Christ through the Apostle Paul.

-FINIS!- 🙂

Satan and Dispensationalism #24

Thursday, October 29, 2015

“Whereof I am made a minister, according to the dispensation of God which is given to me for you, to fulfil the word of God; Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints:” (Colossians 1:25,26 KJV).

Dispensational Bible Study enables us to see and appreciate the final revelation from God. Satan is thus utterly embarrassed!

Lucifer was (still is as Satan) the wisest creature. However, that which is created can never be greater than its creator. God knows Satan’s thoughts, but Satan knows not God’s thoughts. While the triune Godhead revealed Their will for the earth and Israel, They kept something secret. Satan was intelligent, but not omniscient (all-knowing); some things were completely unknown to him. The triune Godhead skillfully let Satan participate in Calvary’s crosswork. After Calvary, the Godhead revealed Their original purpose in Calvary.

Had Satan really known what God would do through Christ’s finished crosswork, Satan would have done everything he could to prevent Calvary. Paul writes in 1 Corinthians chapter 2: “[6] Howbeit we speak wisdom among them that are perfect: yet not the wisdom of this world, nor of the princes of this world, that come to nought: [7] But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory: [8] Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.”

Colossians 2:14,15: “Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross; And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it.”

Through Christ’s shed blood, all sinners can now be reconciled to God. In the future, Israel’s New Covenant can be established, to save her from her sins and make her God’s earthly kingdom of priests. Moreover, the direct divine revelation given to Paul is that Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection is how (now, in our Dispensation of Grace) all people—Jew or Gentile—can by faith join the Church the Body of Christ and form God’s heavenly kingdom.

Satan and Dispensationalism #22

Tuesday, October 27, 2015

“Whereof I am made a minister, according to the dispensation of God which is given to me for you, to fulfil the word of God; Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints:” (Colossians 1:25,26 KJV).

Dispensational Bible Study enables us to see and appreciate the final revelation from God. Satan is thus utterly embarrassed!

By nature, Satan is a genius. From his creation, he has operated on a mental level far, far, far beyond every other creature of God. Lucifer was “full of wisdom and perfect in beauty” (Ezekiel 28:12). As creation’s song-leader, Satan was to devise ways to glorify his Creator, the Lord Jesus Christ. Lucifer became prideful (verses 15-18): his wisdom and beauty made him fall in love with himself. Lucifer concluded that he belonged on God’s throne, that he was wiser, more fit to govern creation. Thus, began the spiritual battle that is waged even today.

Beginning in Genesis chapter 3, Satan involved mankind in usurping God’s authority. Genesis chapters 4-6 were intensifications of that battle. Unbelieving Cain killed his believing brother Abel—the first murder. Man’s wickedness was so great that God finally destroyed that ancient world with a global flood. Next, the disastrous one-world government and one-world religion at the Tower of Babel (Genesis chapter 11). Satan thought he would somehow always outsmart God.

When God created His special nation Israel (Genesis chapter 12), Satan began to focus on corrupting Israel. The rest of the Old Testament documents Satan corrupting Israel. During Jesus Christ’s earthly ministry, that spiritual battle reached its highest level of intensity. The bloodlust was so great in Satan that the greatest murder would occur now.

Satan could have sent an evil spirit to work in killing Jesus Christ. But, he did not. The Bible says Satan himself entered Judas (Luke 22:3). Satan was certain the job would be done right, once for all. Israel’s King would die! With Him dead, Israel’s kingdom would never come to pass. Israel was already dead in sin and Satan’s grip. The lost Gentiles could not be saved through Israel, for Israel could not rise to kingdom glory. With God’s Son dead, Satan had won. Or, had he?

Satan and Dispensationalism #21

Monday, October 26, 2015

“Whereof I am made a minister, according to the dispensation of God which is given to me for you, to fulfil the word of God; Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints:” (Colossians 1:25,26 KJV).

Dispensational Bible Study enables us to see and appreciate the final revelation from God. Satan is thus utterly embarrassed!

One of the most tragic situations in ministry is when “Christian-church-going” people have absolutely no idea what the Gospel is. Upon asking them, they silently and strangely gaze. They could not quote the Gospel of Grace if their lives depended on it. In fact, their eternal souls depend on it and they still do not have a clear understanding of it! After God has already revealed in His Word what the Gospel of Grace is, the millions upon millions who read the Bible and still never get it. Unable to tell us the central tenet of Christianity, they still say, “Oh, yes, I am a Christian!” (?)

There was a time where Calvary’s finished crosswork was unknown. The Gospel by which we are saved today, was once a secret, only known to God Himself. No man knew of it. Then, God began to speak about it in greater detail as the centuries passed. Calvary is spoken of in the Old Testament (Psalm 22; Isaiah chapter 53), but in veiled language, unclear and enigmatic. Jesus Christ knew Calvary was coming. He spoke of it to the Jews (Matthew 16:21; Luke 18:31-34; John 2:18-22). Still, He never preached Calvary as good news, and certainly not for the whole world to hear. Calvary was bad news, for Israel would—and did—reject and deliver Him to a cruel death. In the early Acts, Peter and the 11 referred to Calvary, but they preached it as a dastardly deed. Sinful Israel had murdered her King, but He had resurrected, was exalted at the Father’s right hand, and was coming back to judge them in wrath (Acts 2:22-40)!

Then, God finally disclosed the last part of His Word to man. With the Apostle Paul’s ministry, God revealed the full impact of Calvary, and it embarrassed Satan beyond comprehension!

Satan and Dispensationalism #19

Saturday, October 24, 2015

“For this cause I Paul, the prisoner of Jesus Christ for you Gentiles, If ye have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which is given me to you-ward:” (Ephesians 3:1,2 KJV).

Satan knows that Dispensational Bible Study is the key to understanding God’s Word. Thus, he denies it and corrupts it every chance he gets!

Pauline dispensationalism is the method whereby we determine God’s will for us today. The books of Romans through Philemon, the 13 epistles of the Apostle Paul, are our primary instructions books for Christian living. We consult them first because they are God’s Word to and about us. Paul is “the apostle of the Gentiles” (Romans 11:13), the Lord Jesus Christ’s spokesman to us. Whatever Paul’s epistles are silent about, we consult the rest of the Bible. Never do we throw away any of the 66 Bible books. We simply recognize their place in the program of God, and how those non-Pauline books do not describe God’s current operations.

There is the temptation to take Pauline dispensationalism to the extreme and thus destroy it. Because people needlessly struggle with Paul’s “Acts” ministry, wondering why he did all those “Jewish” things, they erroneously conclude that his “Acts” ministry must have been a continuation of Israel’s program and covenants. Hence, they say Paul’s epistles written during Acts—Romans, 1 & 2 Corinthians, Galatians, and 1 & 2 Thessalonians—have no relevance to us. Some “grace” people encourage us to toss those six epistles out entirely! (Heresy!) They say Paul quit working in Israel’s program when Acts ended, and that only his seven post-Acts (prison) epistles apply to us—Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, 1 & 2 Timothy, Titus, and Philemon. (Heresy!)

Paul’s “Acts” epistles and his “prison” epistles are not two dispensations—one dispensation not for us and one dispensation for us. They are one dispensation, and that dispensation is given to us through Paul, for Paul wrote them all (today’s Scripture). The “Acts” epistles are the basic doctrines of the Dispensation of Grace while the “prison” epistles are the more advanced doctrines of the Dispensation of Grace. Again, we need to quit the nonsense and stop complicating God’s Word. Satan does that enough in denominational circles!