Archive for the 'Religion' Category

Pastor John Weaver Oct 9, 2022

While Americans are busy searching headlines to find what chapter of Revelation they think we’re in, the truth is even more disturbing. It’s not Satan’s fault, it’s ours, and we’re the only ones that can do something about it. They are looking in the wrong book, both for the problem and the solution.

Hopefully, this sermon upsets you as much as it does me. Pastor Weaver only scratches the surface of all we could say. There’s nothing we can do to fix you or America. Each man must make himself upright before a Holy God.

Where is the power of the Christian? It’s in Christ, or there is none. There’s the root of the problem. American Christians have taken the grace of God as license to breeze through a sin-cluttered life, and that’s wrecking civilization. Therefore they have no power to fix it. If being Christian is only a part of who you are, perhaps you’re only partly converted, which is to say, not at all. Watch the whole video, but first, carefully read the topic section of Scripture, Deuteronomy 28, particularly from verse 15 onward.

Deuteronomy 28:15-68:

“15 But it shall come to pass, if thou wilt not hearken unto the voice of the LORD thy God, to observe to do all his commandments and his statutes which I command thee this day; that all these curses shall come upon thee, and overtake thee:

16 Cursed shalt thou be in the city, and cursed shalt thou be in the field.

17 Cursed shall be thy basket and thy store.

18 Cursed shall be the fruit of thy body, and the fruit of thy land, the increase of thy kine, and the flocks of thy sheep.

19 Cursed shalt thou be when thou comest in, and cursed shalt thou be when thou goest out.

20 The LORD shall send upon thee cursing, vexation, and rebuke, in all that thou settest thine hand unto for to do, until thou be destroyed, and until thou perish quickly; because of the wickedness of thy doings, whereby thou hast forsaken me.

21 The LORD shall make the pestilence cleave unto thee, until he have consumed thee from off the land, whither thou goest to possess it.

22 The LORD shall smite thee with a consumption, and with a fever, and with an inflammation, and with an extreme burning, and with the sword, and with blasting, and with mildew; and they shall pursue thee until thou perish.

23 And thy heaven that is over thy head shall be brass, and the earth that is under thee shall be iron.

24 The LORD shall make the rain of thy land powder and dust: from heaven shall it come down upon thee, until thou be destroyed.

25 The LORD shall cause thee to be smitten before thine enemies: thou shalt go out one way against them, and flee seven ways before them: and shalt be removed into all the kingdoms of the earth.

26 And thy carcase shall be meat unto all fowls of the air, and unto the beasts of the earth, and no man shall fray them away.

27 The LORD will smite thee with the botch of Egypt, and with the emerods, and with the scab, and with the itch, whereof thou canst not be healed.

28 The LORD shall smite thee with madness, and blindness, and astonishment of heart:

29 And thou shalt grope at noonday, as the blind gropeth in darkness, and thou shalt not prosper in thy ways: and thou shalt be only oppressed and spoiled evermore, and no man shall save thee.

30 Thou shalt betroth a wife, and another man shall lie with her: thou shalt build an house, and thou shalt not dwell therein: thou shalt plant a vineyard, and shalt not gather the grapes thereof.

31 Thine ox shall be slain before thine eyes, and thou shalt not eat thereof: thine ass shall be violently taken away from before thy face, and shall not be restored to thee: thy sheep shall be given unto thine enemies, and thou shalt have none to rescue them.

32 Thy sons and thy daughters shall be given unto another people, and thine eyes shall look, and fail with longing for them all the day long: and there shall be no might in thine hand.

33 The fruit of thy land, and all thy labours, shall a nation which thou knowest not eat up; and thou shalt be only oppressed and crushed alway:

34 So that thou shalt be mad for the sight of thine eyes which thou shalt see.

35 The LORD shall smite thee in the knees, and in the legs, with a sore botch that cannot be healed, from the sole of thy foot unto the top of thy head.

36 The LORD shall bring thee, and thy king which thou shalt set over thee, unto a nation which neither thou nor thy fathers have known; and there shalt thou serve other gods, wood and stone.

37 And thou shalt become an astonishment, a proverb, and a byword, among all nations whither the LORD shall lead thee.

38 Thou shalt carry much seed out into the field, and shalt gather but little in; for the locust shall consume it.

39 Thou shalt plant vineyards, and dress them, but shalt neither drink of the wine, nor gather the grapes; for the worms shall eat them.

40 Thou shalt have olive trees throughout all thy coasts, but thou shalt not anoint thyself with the oil; for thine olive shall cast his fruit.

41 Thou shalt beget sons and daughters, but thou shalt not enjoy them; for they shall go into captivity.

42 All thy trees and fruit of thy land shall the locust consume.

43 The stranger that is within thee shall get up above thee very high; and thou shalt come down very low.

44 He shall lend to thee, and thou shalt not lend to him: he shall be the head, and thou shalt be the tail.

45 Moreover all these curses shall come upon thee, and shall pursue thee, and overtake thee, till thou be destroyed; because thou hearkenedst not unto the voice of the LORD thy God, to keep his commandments and his statutes which he commanded thee:

46 And they shall be upon thee for a sign and for a wonder, and upon thy seed for ever.

47 Because thou servedst not the LORD thy God with joyfulness, and with gladness of heart, for the abundance of all things;

48 Therefore shalt thou serve thine enemies which the LORD shall send against thee, in hunger, and in thirst, and in nakedness, and in want of all things: and he shall put a yoke of iron upon thy neck, until he have destroyed thee.

49 The LORD shall bring a nation against thee from far, from the end of the earth, as swift as the eagle flieth; a nation whose tongue thou shalt not understand;

50 A nation of fierce countenance, which shall not regard the person of the old, nor shew favour to the young:

51 And he shall eat the fruit of thy cattle, and the fruit of thy land, until thou be destroyed: which also shall not leave thee either corn, wine, or oil, or the increase of thy kine, or flocks of thy sheep, until he have destroyed thee.

52 And he shall besiege thee in all thy gates, until thy high and fenced walls come down, wherein thou trustedst, throughout all thy land: and he shall besiege thee in all thy gates throughout all thy land, which the LORD thy God hath given thee.

53 And thou shalt eat the fruit of thine own body, the flesh of thy sons and of thy daughters, which the LORD thy God hath given thee, in the siege, and in the straitness, wherewith thine enemies shall distress thee:

54 So that the man that is tender among you, and very delicate, his eye shall be evil toward his brother, and toward the wife of his bosom, and toward the remnant of his children which he shall leave:

55 So that he will not give to any of them of the flesh of his children whom he shall eat: because he hath nothing left him in the siege, and in the straitness, wherewith thine enemies shall distress thee in all thy gates.

56 The tender and delicate woman among you, which would not adventure to set the sole of her foot upon the ground for delicateness and tenderness, her eye shall be evil toward the husband of her bosom, and toward her son, and toward her daughter,

57 And toward her young one that cometh out from between her feet, and toward her children which she shall bear: for she shall eat them for want of all things secretly in the siege and straitness, wherewith thine enemy shall distress thee in thy gates.

58 If thou wilt not observe to do all the words of this law that are written in this book, that thou mayest fear this glorious and fearful name, THE LORD THY GOD;

59 Then the LORD will make thy plagues wonderful, and the plagues of thy seed, even great plagues, and of long continuance, and sore sicknesses, and of long continuance.

60 Moreover he will bring upon thee all the diseases of Egypt, which thou wast afraid of; and they shall cleave unto thee.

61 Also every sickness, and every plague, which is not written in the book of this law, them will the LORD bring upon thee, until thou be destroyed.

62 And ye shall be left few in number, whereas ye were as the stars of heaven for multitude; because thou wouldest not obey the voice of the LORD thy God.

63 And it shall come to pass, that as the LORD rejoiced over you to do you good, and to multiply you; so the LORD will rejoice over you to destroy you, and to bring you to nought; and ye shall be plucked from off the land whither thou goest to possess it.

64 And the LORD shall scatter thee among all people, from the one end of the earth even unto the other; and there thou shalt serve other gods, which neither thou nor thy fathers have known, even wood and stone.

65 And among these nations shalt thou find no ease, neither shall the sole of thy foot have rest: but the LORD shall give thee there a trembling heart, and failing of eyes, and sorrow of mind:

66 And thy life shall hang in doubt before thee; and thou shalt fear day and night, and shalt have none assurance of thy life:

67 In the morning thou shalt say, Would God it were even! and at even thou shalt say, Would God it were morning! for the fear of thine heart wherewith thou shalt fear, and for the sight of thine eyes which thou shalt see.

68 And the LORD shall bring thee into Egypt again with ships, by the way whereof I spake unto thee, Thou shalt see it no more again: and there ye shall be sold unto your enemies for bondmen and bondwomen, and no man shall buy you.

This is a sketch of the structure of the Book of Revelation Chapters 6 through 11: 7 seals, 7 Trumpets, 3 Woes, glorious depictions of Heaven, and blessings of God.

This post is in no way meant to be a complete study. It’s a draft outline with some points of interest to prime our understanding of the middle portion of the book of Revelation.

“1 The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him, to shew unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass; and he sent and signified it by his angel unto his servant John: 2 Who bare record of the word of God, and of the testimony of Jesus Christ, and of all things that he saw. 3 Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand.” – Revelation 1:1-3

For all of its horrifying imagery and vivid depictions of evil people, strange symbols, and descriptions of the works of corruption at the hand of the devil, it’s not a book about any of that; it’s (verse 1, the very first phrase) the Revelation of Jesus Christ.

A considerable measure of many people’s difficulty in understanding the book of Revelation resides in not seeing the book’s structure or type of outline. Seeing the seven seals, trumpets, woes, and blessings within the design of God’s inspired writing help us delineate narrative shifts, including stopping and starting points within the text.

Woefully overlooked are our Lord’s triumphant interludes showing the beauty of Heaven and God’s mercy, grace, power, and love for His people; these are rarely discussed. Lest the believer’s heart begins to faint, blessings are knitted among the wrath-filled destructive events in the book. The visions given to John show the glory of God’s power and plan for the believer. Why believers love to discuss satan and the catastrophic events instead of Jesus and His glorious appearing in dominion and total victory while showering blessings upon His faithful sainted joint heirs is troubling. We suppose; “if it bleeds, it leads.” is human nature, even in God’s word.

A note about angels in Revelation: some are God’s angels created before the earth and Adam. Some are messengers of God, that are men. For context, you must know which type of angel speaks or acts upon God’s instructions. The angels of the seven churches in chapters 2 and 3 we recon to be messengers of the Gospel of Christ. They are the Pastors who were the primary teachers of God’s people, also preaching the word in those seven literal first-century Churches before the destruction of Jerusalem. And we consider the four in Chapter 7 and verse 1 to be angelic beings, not men. Those are two examples.

And note that the scene location often shifts through the fantastic action in chapters 6 through 19. One moment we’re in Heaven worshiping the Lamb as He defeats satan and His human foes, then we’re whisked away to earth to view what becomes of the decrees John has heard and seen in the throne room; this, too, can confuse. Remember, context is king; where and to whom events occur is essential to track as you read.

The seals, trumpets, and woes are declared in Heaven and carried out on earth, yet some scenes that bring glory to God are solely in Heaven, such as Chapter 7:9-17 and the angel with the golden censure (8:3-5), and see 10:1-7. Also, some things that happen only on earth are amazing and glorify God in the highest such as Chapter 11:3-13, the two resurrected witnesses. Who among us doesn’t long to hear; come up hither!?!

So much of the book of Revelation is appropriated language and imagery from the Old Testament that this also can obscure meanings confusing the modern western reader. Many definitions of symbols are found in their Old Testament root and not explained in Revelation.

The sequence of events in Revelation may be somewhat linear, but there is much overlap with things happening simultaneously and multiple depictions of the wrath of God.

We will provide a partial outline of the book and show some helpful divisions within the incredible activity that John sees and hears.

The seven seals are thus laid out: the first four seals are chapter six’s Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse.

Seals five and six also appear in Revelation chapter six.

Seal one, the white horse, 6:1-2.

Seal two, the red horse, 6:3-4.

Seal three, the black horse, 6:5-6.

Seal four, the pale (light greenish) horse, 6:7-8.

The fifth seal is the scene of the martyrs under the altar; 6:9-11.

And the sixth seal, 6:12-17, is full of striking imagery and parabolic statements typical of a biblical apocalypse when God is making cataclysmic changes in world history. However, it’s not only parabolic; there may be some correlation to events that occurred during the destruction of Jerusalem. Read the sixth seal with Matthew 24:29-31; the lead-in to the gathering of the elect in Chapter 7 and the seven trumpets sounding beginning in chapter 8 is no coincidence. Do you see these things? Before Revelation can be grasped, Matthew 24 must be understood in its proper context.

So far, that’s not too complicated. But in chapter eight, things change, but first, a note on chapter seven.

Chapter seven is the sealing of the saints of God, the true and faithful Israel of God, and martyrs in glory before the throne of the Almighty. This, most recon, is ongoing. A very narrow reading of this chapter could conclude that this happened in the first century alone and doesn’t depict the continuous “church age.” Further, some consider, and with careful examination, they may be correct, that the martyrs under the altar in the fifth seal (6:9-11) are shown freed in chapter 7 and standing before the throne along with all believers throughout the millennial reign since 70AD and ongoing. If you’re looking for too tight a literal depiction of chapter 7, you miss the point; God’s people from all ages are before the throne in worship, praising our Holy Creator who saved us by the blood of the Lamb. Chapter seven has been ongoing since the first century. We don’t consider this, as some do, to be a break in the action; it’s merely the place God chose to show us these things, and we think fittingly so; the martyrs under the alter (6:9) are vindicated, their “little season” (6:11) of waiting, ends after the sixth seal, 6:12-17. Though an ongoing revelation today, chapter seven is fittingly placed between the end of the sixth seal and before the seventh.

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Chapter eight starts the seventh seal as the angels with the seven trumpets are prepared, chapters 8 through 11.

All of Heaven is stunned at the Revelation of the seventh seal and what must occur shortly. The text provides the best description:

“1 And when he had opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven about the space of half an hour. 2 And I saw the seven angels which stood before God; and to them were given seven trumpets.” – Revelation 8:1-2

The seventh seal has the most activity, being broken into multiple sub-parts. Chapters 8 through 11 are written in such a fashion to show the increasing severity and sheer amount of devastation wrought upon the people of the land under the wrath of God.

Within the seventh seal are seven trumpets and three woes. The seventh seal is opened, and seven trumpets announce the subsequent seven destructive events. In the last three trumpets, three terrible woes are added. The depth of destruction under the wrath of the Almighty grows ever more perilous to those under His determinations.

In 8:1-2 the seal is opened, and seven angels stand forth to receive the announcement trumpets. And yet, in verse 3, while the seven trumpeters are simultaneously preparing (verse 6), another angel comes with the golden censure of incense. In all that happens, the prayers of the saints are not forgotten, and praise His holy name; they are answered. Don’t miss God’s blessings and glorious works for His people in the book.

In chapter 8:3-5 an angel has the golden censer offered alongside the saint’s prayers, ascending up before God arrayed in His glory. This, too, depicts the saints crying out for mercy and need of Holy God, a sweet-smelling savor before the throne. As His true and faithful are persecuted on earth, God hears our prayers and answers them; vengeance is the Lord’s, and His innocent will not suffer in vain; there is a just settlement. God is the God of the just balance; all will be answered (Proverbs 16:11).

The seven trumpets are all part of the seventh seal. Chapter 8:7 is the first trumpet of the seventh seal. 8:8-9 is the second trumpet. 8:10-11 is the third trumpet, and 8:12-13 is the fourth trumpet. Verse 8:13 announces the three woes. Chapter 9:1-12 is the fifth trumpet, and 9:13-11:14 is the sixth trumpet. 11:15-19 is the seventh trumpet.

In Revelation 8:13, three woes are declared. Verse 8:13 is the key to understanding the three woes. Within the seventh and last seal, each of the last three trumpets, 5, 6, and 7, are woe 1, 2, and 3, respectively. Woe one ends concurrently with the 5th trumpet in 9:12. Woe two begins immediately and ends concurrently with the sixth trumpet in 11:14. Woe three starts with the very next verse, 11:15, which is the declaration of the seventh trumpet; the 3rd woe is congruent to and part of the seventh trumpet through chapter 11. We suppose that the seventh seal, seventh trumpet, and third woe conclude at the end of chapter 11.

Here’s the breakdown of the seventh seal:

8:1 seventh seal is opened

8:2, 6 the seven trumpets announced/prepared

8:7 seventh seal, first trumpet

8:8-9 seventh seal, second trumpet

8:10-11 seventh seal, third trumpet

8:12 seventh seal, the fourth trumpet

8:13, three woes are announced (added)

9:1-12 seventh seal, fifth trumpet, first woe

9:13-11:14 seventh seal, sixth trumpet, the second woe

11:15-19 seventh seal, seventh trumpet, the third woe

So we see the increasingly destructive force unleashed by God upon the land as the seventh seal unfolds.

Note: Chapters 10 and 11 have some interludes with scenes inserted into the midst of the revelation of the seventh seal. One example is 10:8-11; John eats the scroll of the (rest of the) prophesy, sweet to his taste but bitter to his belly. What better sum of Revelation than sweet in the mouth as the Lamb triumphs but painful to swallow for the destruction unleashed against the disobedient, our fellow man? If they would only believe and be saved!

We suppose chapters 12 through 14 to be parabolic and, at times, hyperbolic visions of the birth of the Church and the fall of spiritual Babylon, which is Jerusalem. Further details are illustrated about the triumphs of the Lamb over His enemies and the vindication of the saints. We take most of chapters 12 through 14 roughly sketched as: the Church birthed and growing, the Gospel preached, and the devil is wreaking havoc on the Church. But the Lamb, by His angels, reaps a stunning harvest of the wicked, in His wrath bringing victory and glory to Himself and setting the Church in motion to conquer the world (Matthew 28:18-20).

Chapter 15 starts the seven angels with the vials of the last plagues of God’s further wrath upon the earth as the vials are poured out in Chapter 16. But most of 15 is a remarkable picture of the song; all the nations shall come to worship to the Lamb.

No symbolic repetitions in apocalyptic literature are precisely aligned. We don’t necessarily see the seven vials as a different judgment but as additional information, from another point of view, about the same seven (perfect/complete) penalties in the seals, particularly the seventh seal. This is very typical of apocalyptic literature in the Bible. Remember, much of the imagery is representative of the catastrophic events on earth, which are quite real.

We need to explain this by examples. The creation account is instructive to show our point. Different aspects of the same events are further built upon in the narrative God lays out for us. In Genesis 1:27, God makes the man; in Genesis 2:7, God shows us more details about how He did that. Keep in mind that Genesis is also an apocalypse; God delivered it to Moses, who was not present at creation, making it a revelation of God. The flood account is also instructive; we see in Genesis 8:3-4 that the flood ended and the ark came to rest on dry ground. But the following verses, 6 and 7, indicate that a raven was sent forth until the waters were dried up. Then Noah sent the dove to see if the waters had abated (verse 8), yet in verse 3, we were already told they had. Yet in verse 11, after the dove comes with an olive branch, Noah knew the waters were abated. We have two separated but interwoven accounts building upon our knowledge of the same drying of the earth prior to Noah and his company disembarking the ark.

So, we may carefully examine the seven seals and the seven vials with our minds trained to read the apocalyptic literature of God and consider that these occasions are the same occurrences from another angle and with amplifying information. These magnificent events help us admire the Almighty and the book’s structure.

Note about the Two Witnesses, verses 11:3-12. With the two witnesses, we don’t get carried away with wild speculation about who they are (11:4). If God wanted us to know, He would have told us. But look to Zechariah Chapter 4, and make application to the New Covenant. The candlestick was the temple and now the Church (the body of Christ, the true tabernacle), perhaps. The olive trees represent two of God’s anointed in the book of Zechariah in the days of Joshua and different anointed later in Revelation. Also, don’t get confused by looking for a direct linear timeline with the two witnesses and other events. We are interested if there are any eyewitness accounts of them from the siege. More study is needed here.

This is a rough sketch outline that perhaps we’ll fill in as time allows.

Note: Tagged Gospel Witness with the other posts in this series.

If you haven’t read the Gospel Witness posts, start here. You need to learn how to share the Gospel clearly and with purpose. The harder times get, the more people will be looking for answers. If you’re God’s, you’ve got the answers they need.

“Then he called for a light, and sprang in, and came trembling, and fell down before Paul and Silas, And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” – Acts 16:29-30

If the lost sinner asks questions during your talk, that’s usually a good indicator of their involvement. However, it’s not necessarily a bad thing if they don’t. Some come under very hard conviction and receive what the word of God says in short order without much fuss. But some get more involved in the conversation as you explain the shared verses.

What we’re doing is having a directed conversation. We don’t want to get off of our current topic or off point, which has the potential to disrupt the conversation. Remember, the dialogue is between the lost sinner and the Holy Spirit of God. Don’t get distracted. This prevents the lost sinner from also drifting. Stay on topic (1 Corinthians 2:2).

“Jesus answered and said unto her, If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink; thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water. The woman saith unto him, Sir, thou hast nothing to draw with, and the well is deep: from whence then hast thou that living water?” – John 4:10-11

The Samaritan woman at the well asks Jesus a great question. It’s both constructive to the conversation and within the context of the immediate discussion. She asks; where is this living water?

If a lost sinner asks questions within the context of that truth being discussed, simply answer the question. It’s a good indication that they understand and want to know Jesus. Good questions will help the lost sinner confess their understanding and need for salvation.

As with questions in context, if a question is somewhat out of context but nonetheless constructive to driving the point of their need for salvation through Jesus Christ on the cross, these questions should also be answered. Questions not out of scope should be answered. This helps the witness build the case for salvation through Jesus Christ our Lord and is an excellent opportunity to drive home the lost sinner’s need for salvation.

If the question doesn’t help the topic at hand, the best thing to do is tell the lost sinner that you’ll come back to that question. You can answer the question after your talk. Regardless of how the conversation goes, bring the topic back up at the end of the discussion.

You can also defer if you don’t know the answer to a question. You will be asked questions that you can’t answer. Stay calm when this happens. It’s important that the lost sinner not lose confidence in the witness. We tell them, again in this case, that you’ll come back to that. After your talk, simply admit that you don’t fully know the answer. You can offer to meet them again or invite them to church with you, where you can provide a researched solution.

Those are the simplest ways to handle the most common situations with questions. It doesn’t matter if they ask you to explain a more profound or different doctrinal truth than is in the verse you’re discussing. And it doesn’t matter if we know the answer or not. And it doesn’t even matter if a question is out of context or not constructive to the case for the Gospel of Jesus Christ. In these several ways, handling a lost sinner’s question can apply to any type of enquiry.

Every question has the potential to be asked again by somebody else. Some questions are common, so we should incorporate that knowledge into how we share the Gospel of Jesus Christ while learning and growing as a Soul Winner.

That’s a clue: when you are asked the same question more than once. We should treat each of the people we contact as also being a messenger to us. When asked about any topic in your talk with a contact, be they lost or saved, there may be at least one of three things happening.

1. God is demanding that you be able to answer this question. This is the most likely reason. If you are faithful, His purposes in this will be evident to you soon.
2. Your presentation of this concept is incomplete and needs a supporting verse or a more thorough explanation as you share it.
3. Holy God is preparing you to be able to share this point later with somebody else that He will save. God will plant a seed in you that is a pivotal truth your next contact needs to hear so that they realize salvation by faith and get saved. You have to see these workings of Holy God to believe them.

The faithful witness is often given things to say and verses to share ahead of time because God has prepared the heart of the next soul that you contact to hear this message and be converted. You can see the Kingdom of God in action firsthand, being part of God’s plan to see souls converted!

Finding correlating verses that support the concept of that truth solves all three potential reasons. Your ability to relate the idea within the question may be used shortly with another lost soul to help that lost sinner make the hurdle of faith in Jesus Christ. Don’t regret forsaking the research that’s needed. Any questions or areas of trouble should be examined that same day. This will have you working with the Holy Spirit as you go to share the Gospel the next time.

“And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.” – 1 Timothy 3:16

We find this unusual and compelling verse amid the instruction to pastor and preacher Timothy. It’s complex and rich, full of the revelation of Christ but put in simple terms that we’ll examine to find the depth of purpose in this writing. There are many verses we won’t use for length of post considerations. Perhaps you’ll think of some related verses.

This verse is oddly placed between the teaching of what makes a qualified bishop or deacon in 1 Timothy chapter 3 and before a prophetic warning in chapter 4 about some who shall depart from the true faith to chase fables forbidding that which is lawful in the New Covenant.

There are many verses like this in Scripture; God gives us a foundation upon which our faith is built, reminding us who we are supposed to worship and what happened that brought in the New Covenant. The Old Testament Jews were constantly reminded of how God brought them out of Egypt. God did this so that they might not stray. Some verses in the New Testament are designed to summarize and remind us of the life, crucifixion, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, the destruction of the Old Covenant, Christ’s current office, our duties in the body, and His return.

It’s indeed a Gospel verse. It begins:

“And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness”

One of the remarkable things about this verse is there’s no claim as to a lack of controversy over the mystery of godliness. Well, that might seem odd. Millions have been slaughtered for the name of Jesus; nations and empires have fallen, and risen, and fallen again upon His word. Jesus is by far the most controversial name in history. It’s reviled, spit at, laughed at, ignored, used as a cuss, and railed against, and those that claim it are treated upon the scale from pity to murderous rage. But, it’s believed on, called upon, depended upon, glorified, and sought both in the light and in the depths of darkest despair by those coming to the awareness of Christ and God’s sainted believers.

Keep in mind that in Bible terms, the word mystery means being revealed. It does not mean some hidden thing or strange understanding that only the learned, priest or a mystic can proclaim. The Bible explains each mystery it shows; it’s a book of revelations. The Bible is the only and best source for finding the answer to every mystery within its pages. Everything the Bible proclaims, it also demonstrates. Every Law is also exemplified.

The first phrase doesn’t say that there’s no controversy about Jesus Christ; it says there’s not a controversy that the mystery of Christ is great. That simple fact is incontrovertible. The revelation of the Son of God is indeed great. So too, is the manner in which God forges His followers upon the trials of faith and service, regenerating them into the likeness of Christ and further purifying their hearts with each refining.

The revelation of godliness is so great that millions have died, age after age, in every land on earth to bring it to fruition. Nobody can deny it. To the believer and unbeliever alike, the faithful and the heathen, the wise and the simple, the religious and spiritual, there is no controversy that the mystery of God is great and captivating, causing the full range of emotions in believers and unbelievers alike.

All have wondered at the notion of God. We were built that way; to seek Him and to know Him. Though most admire the mystery of His creation, why do they not marvel at Him; why do they not pursue? This is the mystery revealed by our sin.

What is godliness? When we first set out to teach this some time ago, searching the Holy Bible for a definition of godliness proved difficult. Having learned much since then, we see it hinted at in places. An online dictionary defines it thusly: “The character or quality of being godly; conformity to the will and law of God; piety.” Conformity to the will and Law of God is not a terrible description.

To have the character and qualities of being Godly, one must know God, be like God, and follow God by keeping His Law-word while seeking His will. Ecclesiastes 12:13 tells us to “Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.”

That’s an immense undertaking, a lifetime pursuit of allowing the Holy Spirit of God to transform you into a son of God, in His likeness (Romans 8:29). It’s easy to see an ungodly person or thing, but blessed be the man that shows himself to be God’s man in all things (1 Peter 1:16).

We learn in 1 Timothy 3:12, just before our topic verse, that all who live godly shall suffer persecution. After our verse, 1 Timothy 4:8 says in part: “godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come.” Godliness is profitable that it may go well with us now and reap the blessings of God’s rewards in eternity. And We find in 2 Peter that we ought to be holy in all conversation (all we show outwardly) and godliness.

The first Psalm provides a satisfactory definition of godliness as well. We are to be godly that whatsoever we do will prosper.

“1 Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. 2 But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night. 3 And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither, and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.” – Psalm 1:1-3

And what better than for all men to delight in the Law of the Almighty, seeking the face of the Lord, praying without ceasing, bringing forth good fruit, laying up treasures in heaven, and always going about to please the one that saved you and gave you the promise of life now and eternity to come: indeed, without controversy, great is the mystery of godliness.

After that introductory phrase, the text takes a shift. Though we’ve searched the Scriptures for an adequate definition of godliness, we take this verse as self-defining about the mystery and godliness, for there is nothing hidden; all is brought to light by God to those that love Him.

The great mystery from before time and through all ages, evident in creation, hinted at and pointed to within God’s holy word arrived in the flesh as John Baptist declared; “Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.” If you want to know godliness, look to Christ, for He is God.

“God was manifest in the flesh”

The phrase here starts the revelation of the mystery by defining the life and work of Jesus Christ; God in man. And what a great mystery, Christ was prophesied to be a man, born of a virgin (Isaiah 7:14). Malachi points to His arrival in chapter 3 and verse 1. And as the time drew near (Matthew 1:23), God, as He’s always done, delivered upon His promise.

God was in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:19, John 14:10-11); what more straightforward statement than “I and my Father are one.” – John 10:30. We take the virgin birth as sufficient. Christ is the deity in the flesh, having the pure and perfect blood of the Father. The Scripture is fulfilled from Genesis forward up to the virgin birth. The immaculate blood of Christ (God in flesh) is sufficient for the remission of sin. Jesus is the Son of God, and God the Son.

Also, see Isaiah 53:2-5.

What a thing that Holy God would have you to know that Jesus was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. He was stricken and smitten, tortured to death for your sin, but He had done no wrong and knew no sin. We supposed it correct to point out that He rose from the grave again the third day (1 Corinthians 15:3-4), showing Himself among many witnesses, and to Thomas, the holes in His hands and side were still there (John 20:27-28). Having power from the Father to lay down His life and take it up again: God was manifest in the flesh.

“justified in the Spirit”

Jesus is the incarnate Word, the Spirit in flesh. Not simply was the Scripture fulfilled when Christ arrived, but the Word was justified becoming God in flesh; in Him dwells the fullness of the Godhead bodily (John 1:14, Colossians 2:9).

This is the most difficult of all the phrases in this verse. Jesus is justified in the Spirit. He didn’t become Christ after the Holy Spirit alighted upon Him in the form of a dove. He was always God the Son. The build of the dove was so that John Baptist, and you, by his recorded testimony in the book of John, might know that this same Jesus of Nazareth is the Son of God and Christ (John 1:32-33).

How can the unjust justify? The notion that Jesus was not Christ until His baptism by John is erroneous. His mother (Luke 1:30-35) and her husband (Matthew 1:18-21) were both told. Simeon in the temple saw Jesus as a personal fulfillment of prophecy and global fulfillment for the salvation of His people (Luke 2:25-32) – Daniel’s 70 weeks were coming to their end – Jesus arrived right on time according to the Scriptures. John leapt in the womb (Luke 1:41-42) and knew that Christ was among them before he saw the image of a dove (John 1:26-27). Jesus taught the Pharisees at 12 years old (Luke 2:46-47).

The triune God is One (1 John 5:7 and John 1:1-3). What will those that deny His deity say when they see him? Well, nothing; they’ll be flat on their faces, speechless, scared out of their minds. Here’s what a true believer and His best friend on earth did when he saw Christ: Revelation 1:17.

Still, we admit this is one of the most complex things to understand anywhere in Scripture. It’s much easier to accept by faith for a believer, but the Godhead is often a sticking point for the lost man trying to understand who and what God is. Those who don’t believe will know what Just is when they see face-to-face He who justifies.

Shifting gears, we’ll examine some aspects of this more.

“I give thee charge in the sight of God, who quickeneth all things, and before Christ Jesus, who before Pontius Pilate witnessed a good confession” – 1 Timothy 6:13

Not that Christ needed any justification by men, but Pontius Pilate found Him not guilty of the things the Jews charged. Jesus committed no offense, and in this, He was justified in all He did and said.

“And Pilate asked him, saying, Art thou the King of the Jews? And he answered him and said, Thou sayest it.” – Luke 23:3

Also, we’ll say that Pilot found no fault with Jesus, even after Jesus essentially told Pilot that he himself knew Christ was the King of the Jews.

Jesus was justified at His trial, but the Jews would hear none of it and thrice asked, with increasing vehemence, that Jesus be crucified. Jesus was found not guilty, justified as God in the flesh, and just according to the Spirit as recorded in the word of God. Jesus was justified in all He did and now does; the guilt of His death, therefore, is upon the Jews.

He swears His covenants by Himself since there is none higher; it’s important to note that it’s God who justifies Himself; He needs no man for this. Indeed, being sinners, none can justify God or Christ.

Being the Son of God, He thought it not robbery to be equal with God (Philippians 2:6). Jesus, doing miracles, teaching, and preaching, all in the spirit of truth, operated as the finger of God (Luke 11:20).

But we think Pentecost also provides a sure clue.

Note: see Joel 2:28-32, Matthew 24:29-30, and Acts 2:16-21 together. Jesus was justified in the Spirit for destroying Jerusalem.

The Apostles did err at times, and some had a season of doubt. Still, the Holy Spirit was sent to lead, guide, and direct them into all truth (John 14:17, John 16:13). The arrival of the Holy Spirit justified all of Jesus’ life and ministries, being the Son of man and the Son of God. What surer evidence than the Holy Spirit sent from God fulfilling Christ’s promise of power from heaven?

“16 But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel; 17 And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams: 18 And on my servants and on my handmaidens I will pour out in those days of my Spirit; and they shall prophesy: 19 And I will shew wonders in heaven above, and signs in the earth beneath; blood, and fire, and vapour of smoke: 20 The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before that great and notable day of the Lord come: 21 And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.” – Acts 2:16-21

When the Spirit was poured out from the Father, Peter was reminded by the Spirit of Joel 2:28-32 and the end of the Old Covenant and the birth of the New Covenant. This is, in part, what Christ spoke of in Matthew 24:29-30. The period from Pentecost through Jerusalem’s destruction fulfilled Joel’s prophecy, justifying Christ by the Spirit as the rightful heir of all things and the Judge of the quick and the dead, great High Priest, for a better covenant. The New Covenant, which was sealed in the blood of Jesus Christ on the cross, was brought in; the Old Covenant necessarily passed away.

“seen of angels”

Angels announced the birth of Christ (Luke 2:9-14), attended to Christ after the temping (Mark 1:13), in Gethsemane (Luke 22:43), at His resurrection (Matthew 28:5-6), and at His ascension to the right hand of Power (Acts 1:10). And see Hebrews 1:6.

Angels were very involved in the ministry of our Lord. Though Christ was despised by mighty men and those wise in their conceit (1 Corinthians 1:26-27), all of heaven was keenly interested in this most important (so far, He’s coming back) of days in all of human history.

Some are interested in angels. We thank the Father for His angels, but more so, we thank God for His messages delivered by them. However, studying angels in the Bible has never been a priority. But they’re often in Scripture pointing to the power of God and delivering the message of hope in Christ to His people. If one were to study them, look for their announcements more than any other aspect, for God’s promises and plan are in the messages.

“preached unto the Gentiles”

Jesus healed a Gentile Roman Centurion’s servant (Matthew 8:5-13). Somebody told the centurion, or he witnessed Jesus’ ministry, but most importantly, he believed. Jesus said of him: “Verily I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel.”

After receiving the Holy Spirit, later in Acts 15, Peter was called upon to preach unto the Gentile Cornelius in Acts 10:34-44.

Also, in Acts 15, a sect of the Pharisees (Judaizers) claimed the Gentiles needed to be circumcised and follow the Law of Moses. Peter explains that this is not so.

“6 And the apostles and elders came together for to consider of this matter. 7 And when there had been much disputing, Peter rose up, and said unto them, Men and brethren, ye know how that a good while ago God made choice among us, that the Gentiles by my mouth should hear the word of the gospel, and believe. 8 And God, which knoweth the hearts, bare them witness, giving them the Holy Ghost, even as he did unto us; 9 And put no difference between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith. 10 Now therefore why tempt ye God, to put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples, which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear? 11 But we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved, even as they.” – Acts 15:6-11

The preaching of the Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ by His death, burial, and resurrection has gone out to all men. And in Romans 11:13, Paul claims the office of the “Apostle of the Gentiles.”

The mystery of godliness in the Gospel has even been preached unto the Gentiles on TCJ: here, here, here, and others.

“believed on in the world”

“9 If we receive the witness of men, the witness of God is greater: for this is the witness of God which he hath testified of his Son. 10 He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself: he that believeth not God hath made him a liar; because he believeth not the record that God gave of his Son.” – 1 John 5:9-10

Either you believe in Jesus Christ, or you don’t. We that believe have the witness in us and do testify that these things are so: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory. This is the record; God has given us eternal life in Jesus Christ by belief through faith in His finished work on the cross.

Excerpt from Walking Dead Man:

“11 Verily, verily, I say unto thee, We speak that we do know, and testify that we have seen; and ye receive not our witness. 12 If I have told you earthly things, and ye believe not, how shall ye believe, if I tell you of heavenly things?” – John 3:11-12

“There is murder, war, adultery, child trafficking, and on and on the list of grievous sins could go. From the earliest days of history, Holy God has sent many witnesses into the world to testify of the things they have seen and heard of God. Jesus says if you can’t hear of the earthly things, how shall you believe the heavenly things? If you won’t believe that God made you in the first place, how will you believe He can make you anew by His Spirit?”

“1 God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, 2 Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds; 3 Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high” – Hebrews 1:1-3

God, in these last days, has spoken unto us by his Son, and we heard.

We believe all men are sinners born that way by inheritance of sin from the first man, Adam. We believe that all men are sinners, and because of sin, all men are appointed once to die, then to stand in judgment before God Almighty. We believe that death and wrath abide on all men because of their sin; this wrath is outer darkness, eternal torment, hell, and burning alive. We believe and do know that under our own power, we cannot cease from sin, that the consequences of sin are eternal damnation, that following the Law cannot save anybody’s soul from death and eternal torment, and that no amount of appeasement toward God Almighty or good works on our part could save us. Man is totally depraved, and without God, he is lost forever, having no power on his own to save himself.

But we believe and do know that “God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.” Having been the enemy of the Almighty, Christ made peace between God and us by His literal bodily blood sacrifice on a cross at a place called Golgotha in Israel just outside the city gates of Jerusalem some 2000 years ago. That same Jesus was and is the Christ of God. And He was buried in a never before used tomb owned by one Joseph of Arimathea, a prominent man. And we believe that this same Jesus Christ rose from the dead again the third day and was seen by apostles and other eyewitnesses over a 40-day-long period, including being seen and spoken with in the presence of 500 brethren at once. Christ was alive again in power and glory, teaching and preparing His men for the birth of the New Covenant by the Holy Spirit that would come into them. Then, also witnessed by many, He ascended into a cloud out of sight and, still today, is seated in judgment at the right hand of Majesty in heaven.

This same Jesus, the Christ, is the highest Judge and final authority in all things. We believe He is ruling and reigning in heaven and earth in the affairs of men and nations until His literal bodily return, the day of which no man knows, but you must be ready for that final day when He will judge the quick and the dead.

After His resurrection and ascension, He sent the destructive forces of the first-century Roman Empire against the temple and Jerusalem in 70AD to show that the Old Covenant temple worship system was completed in Him, ending it once for all.

We know and testify that He has forgiven us our sins and saved us from the wrath of God, death, and hell, having, by His grace, given us eternal life. And we do testify that if any would believe in the power of God to forgive you of your sin and save your immortal soul through faith in Jesus Christ’s atoning death, burial, and resurrection, Holy God is faithful to forgive your sin and save your soul. You, too, can enter into the New Covenant by Christ’s blood having life everlasting in heaven with Holy God.

We further believe and do know by the Holy Spirit in us that the real Holy Bible is the perfect, inspired Word of God, holy and inerrant, the words of God to all men, given by Him that you might know Him and His mind toward you.

“received up into glory”

“7 And he said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power. 8 But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth. 9 And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight. 10 And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel; 11 Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.” – Acts 1:7-11

All that Christ has done, in our topic verse, is the revelation of the mystery to man, showing evidence in abundance that they might be brought back from their course toward hell and made one with Christ in God.

This wonderful article captures the millennial hope our Christian forbears sought so diligently. Read the whole thing without delay. It’s suitable because it correctly identifies what Americans were, why they were the men and women they became and to whose culpability our current problems must be attributed. The loss of Christian America can only be the responsibility of Christians. Writing this post has reminded us of the damage the pessimism of Premillennialism can have on civilization.

Nothing below is a slight against the author or the article. This post is categorized under Religion and tagged Christian Instruction. It’s posted with a prayer to God that He brings joyfulness to the hope of the believer.

The author discusses happiness in a very biblical way, yet happiness is the wrong word; it’s not what the Christian ethic is about. Words matter, a lot, and all the more as communists destroy the actual and historical meaning of language.

A modern American dictionary will claim that Happiness and Joy and virtually synonymous. Those are the same dictionaries that claim a nation is a country and vice-versa.

You might get temporary happiness from a psychiatrist or psychologist, but joy is of the Lord. You can, at times, be content in your external situation, but internal contentedness comes from the knowledge of Christ Jesus, joy abounding unto the fruit of the Christian in service of Him toward your fellow man. Joy is a gift too precious not to share.

“22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, 23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.” – Galatians 5:22-23

If you have a Bible translation that replaces joy with happiness, it was written by an inferior mind, one probably trained by communists. It’s not merely a matter of interpretation; it’s translated wrong! I’m not going to delve into the greek to show why; I couldn’t. But better yet, we’ll show what God does in the heart of the believer because that’s what matters. The issue is so important that we doubt the salvation of the translator who would use happiness.

It’s not happiness. Happiness comes from that which is external. Everything that happens to us and around us causes an emotional response, one of which can be happiness. Happiness is caused by things that happen; for that is the hap. Dear Christian friend, if you’re looking for happiness from external motivations, that is NOT Christianity!

The fruit of the Spirit, as we’ve explained prior, is not our fruit; it’s God’s fruit in and through you. It’s the Holy Spirit’s fruit, and He is God. Nor is the fruit of the Spirit many fruits; they are a single fruit that shows in the believer and through his converted heart to others.

The very first aspect of this fruit is love! Love does not cause happiness alone. In fact, if you love God and have a personal relationship with Him through Christ, you will experience the full range of emotions, and at times happiness will be one of them, and you may encounter a range of emotions all at once. But God is not a feeling or an emotion and not happiness.

Ah, but joy, dear brothers and sisters, the joy in Christ Jesus, there is the thing. Joy is the inward condition of the believer because the love of God by the Holy Spirit of God resides in the believer’s heart overriding all externalities; it’s the manifestation of love, the very love of God Almighty.

Joy is what keeps the believer calm when under persecution, and dear American believers, you need to know that because your day is swiftly approaching. Joy is what overrides the feeling of disgusted yuckiness so that we smile, take the hand of somebody who hasn’t bathed in a month or more, hug them and tell them that Jesus loves them and wants to save their eternal soul from damnation.

It’s joy, and man is this important, that overrides the desire for the momentary and fleeting happiness we get from sinning! This Joy of ours is caused by love; we have the love of God in us, His joy filling us; therefore, we depart from evil, rejecting the short season of pleasure (happiness) in sin, desiring much more so to please Him that we may attain to the fullness of the image of Christ Jesus in eternal life.

When we’re wronged by a brother in Christ; it doesn’t cause happiness! But it’s joy that makes us quick to forgive our brothers or share the Gospel even with those lost souls that have wronged us. You might assert those who hate God deserve nothing from you, but that’s wrong. They deserve to hear the Gospel of Jesus Christ, for who were you but dead in your own trespasses and sins! We’re full of joy because we know God, lest we be high-minded, somebody loved us enough to tell us of the marvelous salvation in Christ by faith in His crucifixion, burial, and resurrection. It’s the joy of His love for us that causes the believer to overcome doubt, nervousness, or shyness about openly discussing our Saviour and all He is willing to do for those that call upon Him in repentance of sin and hope of eternal life.

The love of God manifests the steady joy in knowing Christ is our King, God is our provider, and heaven is our home as we serve and live in the Kingdom of God awaiting the last day. This brings the desire in the Christian heart to give, care, and assist others while longing for the day of righteousness in Christ we know is coming by His vengeance upon all that reject His holy name. This is my considered and experiential observation; joy is the patience of the saints to those who keep His commandments.

These attributes of God, from Ephesians 5, imputed unto us should show outwardly toward a dead and dying, wicked, and sin-filled world as peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, and temperance, which is a sober and sound mind. The love of God through His Spirit brings the joy from which all the fruit of the Spirit is bound to flow, changing the environment everywhere a Christian lays claim in the name of his King. The Love of God will cause us to show all these traits of God at once if only we would let Him. And that’s what they are, God’s own traits; His children should look and act like Him.

Hope and joy and love and peace aren’t mere words in the economy of God; they are how we proceed daily as we live, and move, and have our being in Him. Happiness comes and goes, but joy is our eternal state in the heavens before the throne of the Almighty, worshiping and bringing Him glory for today and evermore. Amen.

Happiness comes in a moment, and more often than not, from sin, which later brings heartbreak and suffering under the weight of the curse of God for our disobedience. Whereas joy comes from Christ in the heart of the believer so that in the face of all the ugliness the communists can muster, our giving and caring spirit remain to show outwardly as love and kindness for our fellow broken man.

This is how our Christian ancestors weathered hard times, and it’s what made them salt and light:

“17 Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines; the labour of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat; the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls: 18 Yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will joy in the God of my salvation.” – Habakkuk 3:17-18

God is love. Joy brings rejoicing in Christ to those that have eternal salvation.

Excerpt from Charles Spurgeon Sermon, The Throne of Grace, November 19, 1871, at the Metropolitan Tabernacle, London.

These words are found embedded in that gracious verse, “Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need”; [ Hebrews 4:16 ] they are a gem in a golden setting. True prayer is an approach of the soul by the Spirit of God to the throne of God. It is not the utterance of words, it is not alone the feeling of desires, but it is the advance of the desires to God, the spiritual approach of our nature towards the Lord our God. True prayer is not a mere mental exercise, nor a vocal performance, but it is deeper far than that—it is spiritual commerce with the Creator of heaven and earth. God is a Spirit unseen of mortal eye, and only to be perceived by the inner man; our spirit within us, begotten by the Holy Ghost at our regeneration, discerns the Great Spirit, communes with him, prefers to him its requests, and receives from him answers of peace. It is a spiritual business from beginning to end; and its aim and object end not with man, but reach to God himself.

[…]

If prayer should always be regarded by us as an entrance into the courts of the royalty of heaven; if we are to behave ourselves as courtiers should in the presence of an illustrious majesty, then we are not at a loss to know the right spirit in which to pray. If in prayer we come to a throne, it is clear that our spirit should, in the first place, be one of lowly reverence. It is expected that the subject in approaching to the king should pay him homage and honour. The pride that will not own the king, the treason which rebels against the sovereign will should, if it be wise, avoid any near approach to the throne. Let pride bite the curb at a distance, let treason lurk in corners, for only lowly reverence may come before the king himself when he sits clothed in his robes of majesty. In our case, the king before whom we come is the highest of all monarchs, the King of kings, the Lord of lords. Emperors are but the shadows of his imperial power. They call themselves kings by right divine, but what divine right have they? Common sense laughs their pretensions to scorn. The Lord alone hath divine right, and to him only doth the kingdom belong. He is the blessed and only potentate. They are but nominal kings, to be set up and put down at the will of men, or the decree of providence, but he is Lord alone, the Prince of the kings of the earth.

[…]

A throne, and therefore, in the second place, to be approached with devout joyfulness. If I find myself favoured by divine grace to stand amongst those favoured ones who frequent his courts, shall I not feel glad? I might have been in his prison, but I am before his throne: I might have been driven from his presence for ever, but I am permitted to come near to him, even into his royal palace, into his secret chamber of gracious audience, shall I not then be thankful? Shall not my thankfulness ascend into joy, and shall I not feel that I am honoured, that I am made the recipient of great favours when I am permitted to pray? Wherefore is thy countenance sad, O suppliant, when thou standest before the throne of grace? If thou wert before the throne of justice to be condemned for thine iniquities, thy hands might well be on thy loins; but now thou art favoured to come before the King in his silken robes of love, let thy face shine with sacred delight. If thy sorrows be heavy, tell them unto him, for he can assuage them; if thy sins be multiplied, confess them, for he can forgive them. O ye courtiers in the halls of such a monarch, be ye exceeding glad, and mingle praises with your prayers.

It is a throne, and therefore, in the third place, whenever it is approached, it should be with complete submission. We do not pray to God to instruct him as to what he ought to do, neither for a moment must we presume to dictate the line of the divine procedure. We are permitted to say unto God, “Thus and thus would we have it,” but we must evermore add, “But, seeing that we are ignorant and may be mistaken—seeing that we are still in the flesh, and, therefore, may be actuated by carnal motives—not as we will, but as thou wilt.” Who shall dictate to the throne? No loyal child of God will for a moment imagine that he is to occupy the place of the King, but he bows before him who has a right to be Lord of all; and though he utters his desire earnestly, vehemently, importunately, and pleads and pleads again, yet it is evermore with this needful reservation: “Thy will be done, my Lord: and, if I ask anything that is not in accordance therewith, my inmost will is that thou wouldst be good enough to deny thy servant; I will take it as a true answer if thou refuse me, if I ask that which seemeth not good in thy sight.” If we constantly remembered this, I think we should be less inclined to push certain suits before the throne, for we should feel, “I am here in seeking my own ease, my own comfort, my own advantage, and peradventure, I may be asking for that which would dishonour God; therefore will I speak with the deepest submission to the divine decrees.”

“Some men’s sins are open beforehand, going before to judgment; and some men they follow after.” – 1 Timothy 5:24

Some live in sin openly without fear of God; all see their sin and know it as such. Yet more men hide their sin from others, even trying to deny it to themselves, looking for and desiring some escape that never comes. There is no flight; all evil is set before the holy hill, appearing as a dead stinking fish in a meadow, entirely out of place before the throne of God. There is God and your sin before Him. There is no escape, whether iniquity is hidden in this life to follow after in final judgment or exhibited now going before you for judicial review.

There are sinners of the baser sort, foul creatures without remorse, having no fear of God and never considering a coming day with God, and such were some of you.

But others suppose that living in open sin while pretending it’s not wrong will have no consequence. Everybody looks upon their sin as they gallantly expect some new level of social sophistication in maturity, proclaiming their adult and responsible choices; God is not impressed. Hiding your sin in plain sight for all to see while pretending it’s not wickedness isn’t maturity; it’s childishness. You can fool some and even yourself for a time, but God sees your sin; all things are established before Him.

None will get away with sinning. Whether hidden in fear or seen by all, grossly in ignorance or with malignant intent, none don’t sin. It’s hard to know which curse is worse, the exposed sport before men or the hidden self-deceived before God, for none can honestly hide from God, and all are brought to justice.

“And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels” – 2 Thessalonians 1:7

The crack in the door to hell is creaking ever wider. You who are troubled with no refuge and nowhere to run, watching the world dissolve into fervor for wars with growing evil all around, seek rest with Jesus Christ. His vengeance against all the disobedient is coming; He will repay with tribulation. There is no other to whom you can hope for salvation than Christ.

“In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power” – 2 Thessalonians 1:8-9

Vengeance at the hand of the Lord our God shall fall upon all who know not the God of their creation. Having heard of Him, obeying not the truth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, they attempt to hide from God; eternal death is soon their home. By the glory and the power of the Lord, you, who reject the Christ of God, shall be punished under the eternal destruction of damnation in hell; flaming fire awaits as you are slipping toward hades, being removed from the presence of the Lord. Face Him now before it’s ever too late, admitting your sin in repentance; renounce the hidden things of dishonesty, not walking in craftiness.

“Thou hidest thy face, they are troubled: thou takest away their breath, they die, and return to their dust.” – Psalm 104:29

Christians are commanded to have no communion with the unclean thing and to depart from evil. Even God Almighty hides His face from those that are troubled and beset by iniquity, for He will not look upon sin; holy is He. There is a price upon your head. In the last, their final breath is taken from them, but all does not go blank; the soul of the sinner dies eternally, in torment, his worm ever turning to escape the wrath of God at the hand of evil. Is this your final lot?

They pay a man to read a Bible and lie about the passing; they say the dead was a good man. He was kind and caring and giving perhaps, but none are good; all have come short of the glory of God. And as they place the carcass in a box returning it to the dust, all those looking on also lie to themselves and each other, nodding in agreement claiming he was a good man, a just man; perhaps now he’s with Lord in glory? Certainly not, for God is holy; no sin may defile Him, nor ever will; He won’t look upon the unforgiven.

“Riches profit not in the day of wrath: but righteousness delivereth from death.” – Proverbs 11:4

His money didn’t protect him, nor did all the preparations for the end prevail, for God owns everything: every penny in the purse, every tool in the shed, and beans in the cupboard. Only the righteousness of Christ can deliver your soul from death. No deeds well done or riches stored up will profit. Hidden in the womb, you arrived naked, scared, and alone: and in dying, though you may try to hide, the transgressor returns naked and fearful before a holy God, alone without defense.

But there was One, sinless yet crucified, tortured to death, beaten and bloodied, with beard ripped from His face, who took His own cross and dragged up a hill, laying down upon it He stretched His arms wide in love and was nailed with spikes of iron. Then the cross was stood while all mocked and jeered; He was spat upon and ridiculed, dying there for you. He died for the sinner.

Dead in your trespasses against the Almighty and headed to wrath; Christ died there on that cross to save you from your sin and certain death. Holy Father God has turned His face and hidden it from you, ashamed of your folly, but this Jesus came to get you and rescue you from the certain eternal damnation of God’s judgment that you deserve. Jesus paid your debt in death and commended His own spirit to the Father.

As we today anticipate His return and the final judgment, some sadly doubt. Even two thousand years ago, they paused three days for the promise; some waivered then, but they waited.

“And to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come.” – 1 Thessalonians 1:10

And three days later, the Son of God was risen up from the dead, this Jesus of Nazareth who draws all the world to the curious affair of the crucifixion and His resurrection from the dead. He rose again from the dead that He might deliver us, deliver you, from the wrath to come. This is how you can know that Christ Jesus has the power of life. Death could not hold Him, the tomb and hell could not keep Him; this authority He had of Father God, to raise Himself again. Having risen again indeed, this power He has of Himself – to raise you to life eternal, presenting you blameless in the heavenly places with God Almighty.

“For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy toward them that fear him.” – Psalm 103:11

The fear of God is a mighty thing. This knowing, deep in your conscience, that indeed there is a God, and although you know Him not, and you’re not perfect by any stretch, you dare not to offend overtly putting yourself at ought with your Creator. This is a fear of the Lord yet without faith. For it is your decision, many are called, but few are chosen.

Knowing the fear of the Lord, do you determine to believe by faith that He is also the God that can save you by His power? The idea in your gut is one thing; choosing Christ, making Jesus your Saviour and holy Father God your one and only God, is what awaits. Do it this day if ye will hear his call, harden not your heart.

“As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us.” – Psalm 103:12

And we testify that the love of God is sweet beyond measure; your sins can be hidden from His face and from the wrath to come. People may look upon your outward parts, and you seem the same. They may remember what you once did and were, but Holy God declares of all who trust in His Son; their sins and iniquities will I remember no more. And not only so, but your transgressions can be removed, gone, as though they never existed. You will change, released from chains of fear and regret. This is the forgiveness of Christ, who loves you and, in mercy, expended His life for you.

The human conscience is an alarm to return to God. Whether you’ve ever known God or not, all must return to Him for judgment. The conscience gives you an inkling to be prepared for that day, and it’s not wrong, for God has made us thus, that we might seek Him.

The only saving trial is forgiveness from sin and salvation from hell in the person of Jesus Christ. Return to God in contrite spirit. In Christ Jesus, those who understand they are dead already find forgiveness and life everlasting.

“For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.” – Colossians 3:3

Though you hid your sins from men and tried to conceal them from the Almighty, God will hide them as far as the east is from the west, seeing them no more. In Christ is a home unending, free with God. Call upon His holy name. Nothing can separate us from the Love of God. No man can pluck you out of Christ’s hand. No more fear in your conscience nor price upon your head; hallelujah, commending your spirit to the Father, your eternal soul can now be hid with Christ in God.

“And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.” – Matthew 16:16

This surely is the place to start. Jesus answering Peter says: “And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” – Matthew 16:18. Upon the fact that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God is the Church built. Jesus is the Rock (1 Corinthians 10:4), and the chief (first) cornerstone (Ephesians 2:19-21) being the Christ of God Almighty.

“22 And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church, 23 Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all.” – Ephesians 1:22-23

“And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence.” – Colossians 1:18

Jesus Christ is the head over all things to the Church, which is the body. Seems fairly simple.

“For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.” – Matthew 18:20.

We learn that where two or more believers are gathered, there is Jesus with them. This is an assembly (Hebrews 10:24-25) of followers of Christ.

Excerpt from Essential Christian Instruction Part Four:

“For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office: So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another.” – Romans 12:4-5. “Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular.” – 1 Corinthians 12:27 See also: 1 Corinthians 12:12

A local church is a body of believers. All followers of Jesus are His Church, sometimes referred to in Scripture as the body of Christ. The church of Jesus Christ is not a church building. When the members refuse to serve, they make the body lame and dysfunctional retarding the growth of His church by slowing the spreading of the Gospel to every tongue. God has a job for you to do that the body may be whole. That’s what the early Church did everywhere they went, including this example from Acts at Antioch.

“And when he had found him, he brought him unto Antioch. And it came to pass, that a whole year they assembled themselves with the church, and taught much people. And the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch.” – Acts 11:26

Prior to this, Christians were referred to as those [serving] “in the way” [of Christ].

Scripture also refers to a church when discussing one particular group of believers that assemble together, such as those at Antioch, Corinth, or Ephesus.

As best we can reckon, “house of God” appears 88 times in the KJV, a few of those times are in the New Testament, but only one of those is not a reference to an Old Testament instance:

“But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.” – 1 Timothy 3:15

According to the Holy Bible, the house of God is the church of the living God, a fact we’ve already rightly established; this is the Church, the body of Christ. It’s not a building. Paul, to Timothy, and by application to Pastors, Deacons, Bishops, and Preachers today, and by extension, all of us saints must behave ourselves fittingly of men and women that are in Christ Jesus as a member of the body of Christ. 1 Timothy 3:15 is not about a building; it’s about a temple not made with hands (Acts 7:47-5o): “Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?” 1 Corinthians 3:16. We are Christ’s house: see Hebrews 3:6. The same penman who, inspired of God, wrote 1 Timothy 3:15 also wrote Ephesians 1:21-22. There are no contradictions in the word of God.

The temple was specifically destroyed by Christ so that you might NOT build an altar to him anywhere but in your heart, the true altar being in Heaven (Revelation 5:9-14). Worship in a building ended in 70AD, ushering in a new and better covenant (Hebrews 8:13). I personally don’t begrudge folks that gather in a building, and we don’t think God does either; it’s out of the elements and away from distractions, after all.  But there is no more temple, no more house of God, and the wicked term used by the government and others that seek control by denoting all religious establishments as “houses of worship;” that term is repugnant to the clear word of God. There’s only one God and one Mediator (1 Timothy 2:5)! In those ‘houses of worship,” they worship what, they know not, and more likely they worship the devil himself.

See: The Preeminence Of The New Covenant And Abolishment Of The Old Covenant

Ye are the temple of the living God. The American Church is at the point where they have rejected the New Covenant in Christ’s blood. To be sure, nothing good will come of that.

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Disclaimer number one: The owner of this Blog has never expressed to me an opinion about church incorporation. The below are not the views of this Blog or its owner. Nor do I endorse any of the linked organizations.

Disclaimer number two: I’m not a lawyer, nor do I play one on the internet. Do your own research about the laws of men. I can, however, tell you that beyond the shadow of a doubt, the body of Christ seeking government to usurp in any way the form or functions of God or His authority, or that of Christ over His Church, is a violation of God’s Law-word in the First Commandment (Exodus 20:3).

Here’s the Wikipedia about the Johnson Amendment.

The amendment is named for then-Senator Lyndon B. Johnson of Texas, who introduced it in a preliminary draft of the law in July 1954.

Key graph (Wikipedia quoting the code. Bold in the original):

(3) Corporations, and any community chest, fund, or foundation, organized and operated exclusively for religious, charitable, scientific, testing for public safety, literary, or educational purposes, or to foster national or international amateur sports competition (but only if no part of its activities involve the provision of athletic facilities or equipment), or for the prevention of cruelty to children or animals, no part of the net earnings of which inures to the benefit of any private shareholder or individual, no substantial part of the activities of which is carrying on propaganda, or otherwise attempting, to influence legislation (except as otherwise provided in subsection (h)), and which does not participate in, or intervene in (including the publishing or distributing of statements), any political campaign on behalf of (or in opposition to) any candidate for public office.

And that is the crux of the law. As further background, a very popular pastor disgusted with Johnson’s Texas politics was railing against him from the pulpit. Johnson didn’t like it, of course, as it might have cost him his true aspirations of the White House, so he introduced this law. No more railing against the government from the pulpit was allowed.

Importantly, a group of believers in no way must register or take tax status. Under the First Amendment, the Church of Jesus Christ, that is, the body of Christ is immune to taxation.

The first amendment:

“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.”

Obviously, the Johnson Amendment violates the establishment clause. Congress made a law narrowing the scope of religious activity to something that can have zero effect on morality and the good order of civilization. This puts the Johnson Amendment in direct conflict with Jesus Christ under the mission of the Great Commission.

Three bodies are ordained in God’s created order: Church, Family, and State. The Church of Jesus Christ is to be the foremost moral authority and influence upon civilization. Government can no more be the moral authority than pigs can fly. Nor can the State raise children to be productive and moral citizens; that’s the function of God’s ordained Family. A quote from God’s Church, Family, State:

“The Church (body of Christ) is restorative. Only God can change a man’s heart, filling him with the fruit of the Spirit to make him a minister and servant of the good. The family, not the State, is preventive in the proper training and raising of the generations.”

I contend that at the root of the problem is property. A local body cannot buy a property without collateral (the body) and a property tax stamp which requires them to become an organization. The body of Christ, at this point, ceases to function under the Law of God, has taken a new master in the Government, and usually does so in order to take yet another master; a Banker, by seeking debt slavery to tend property forsaking the Great Commission given by Jesus Christ to go into all the world teaching and preaching the Gospel.

I further contend that the Church was nationalized by Constantine in the early 300s, “granting” the Church property. This wrecked the true Church. It was the first attempt to take over the Church by changing its mission from conquering the world in the name of Jesus Christ to settling down and tending to property, becoming a passive fraud with many government strings attached to the “free” property.

Some still see Constantine as acquiescing to the Church and consider what happened then to be a good thing. I strongly disagree, for unless the Church takes up arms and rules by force of Law over the Government, the converse will always happen, and I in no way endorse a Church ruling over men at the point of a sword because we are all sinners. I do, however, fully endorse the Church taking over the government under the Great Commission: by converting its people and otherwise populating every government position and seat with true believers that have the Holy Spirit of God in them. That’s the Bible way! Not only is “our” government incapable of ruling in the righteousness of Christ without a moral and religious people but neither can any government.

Once the Church comes under Government purview, as it did then and now again under the Johnson Amendment, it ceases in every way, shape, form, and manner to be the Church of Jesus Christ. It has become a creature of the State. Jesus is the King and shall have no co-equals; no man will ever rule Him! The Johnson Amendment, cleverly but by a different approach, has done the same here in the United States that wrecked the early Church in the 300s. Many consider what happened to the early Church as having later brought the dark ages by allowing paganism and all manner of depravity into the body; with this, I agree. The devil isn’t stupid, evil, yes; dumb, no! Many figure that a new dark age is on the horizon; how could they be wrong?

An interesting take is presented here about IRS 501(c)3 incorporation. Excerpt:

Organism or Organization?

Is the body of Christ an Organism or an Organization? An organism is a living thing. I am living, and I am part of the body of Christ. The body of Christ is the church. An incorporated Church is not an organism, but an organization. An organization is a creature of the State, and as such must hold allegiance to the creator of their organization.

All those who join with an organization that is under corporation status accept the debt of that organization, and become subject to that debt of another. I do not need to tell you what scripture tells us about this debt. Borrowing money, for expansion, from the ungodly bankers, is not a biblical principle and, as such, cannot be blessed by God.

Black’s Law Dictionary, 5th Edition, defines ‘organization’ as a “corporation or government subdivision or agency, business trust, partnership or association…or any other legal or commercial entity”. This definition shows that an organization (even if it functions as a church) is recognized as commercial and public; an incorporated Church is legally interpreted as a commercial entity. But didn’t Christ say “make not my Father’s house an house of merchandise” (John 2:16)?

The real benefit the 501(c)(3) Church looks for with incorporation is the ability to borrow large amounts of debt capital [debt is not capital, fyi]. This enslaves every man, woman, and child whose name appears on the membership roles of the Church. How can this be? Because every officer and member of the Church pledges themselves as surety for the commercial debts of the Church, whether they know it or not. Why is this? Because the member’s name that appears on the Church rolls is a beneficiary of the Church ‘services’, which are also construed as commercial by the government (the term ‘service’ is a commercial term, and means either to get paid for an occupation, or it means an act giving assistance or advantage to another, which results in a benefit). Additionally, the ‘tax-deductible contributions’ are further evidence of the commercial connection to the corporation.

A maxim of law states: “He who accepts the benefit must also bear the burden,” meaning if one accepts any benefit of the incorporated Church one is liable for the debts and acts of the church leadership. If the Church is sued and a cash settlement is ordered by the court, there is virtually no limit as to how far the court can extend its power to collect from the members, even if they are not the officers responsible for committing the civil crime. “For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light” (Mat.11:30).

“Although it was once said that ‘a corporation is not indictable, but the particular members are‘ [Anon., 12 Mod. 559], it is now well settled that a corporation may be indicted for omission to perform a public duty imposed upon it by law.” Reg. V. Birmingham & G. Ry. Co., 3 Q.B. 233; New York & G.L.R. Co. v. State, 50 N.J.Law 303, 13 Atl. 1, affirmed in 53 N.J.Law, 244, 23 Atl. 168.

In Jesus’ day, the chief priests bound themselves to Caesar (John 19:14-15). Who were they a priest of? Caesar. Who did they minister for? Caesar. Who does the 501(c)(3) Church now minister for? “We have no king but Caesar.” They have a United States flag in every one of their Churches. “We don’t make political statements from the pulpit anymore, we don’t ever preach against the one for whom we minister. We don’t want to lose our tax-exempt status!” So, we had fascism in Christ’s day, the same fascism we have today.

A local church I briefly attended was working toward planting another church in the same county. A prayer request sent to me and hundreds of others by the pastor spoke of finding a location under God’s calling and creating a “pioneer” team for that job, and the letter included this:

We spent much of last week finalizing the papers necessary to file for incorporation and 501(c)(3) status. This is tedious but very important work. These papers begin to establish the DNA of the church, and they are crucial prerequisites that set us up for the next set of milestones. Please pray that the filing process will go smoothly and quickly.”

Read that again carefully, and let it sink in. The very DNA of that church was not established in the deity of Christ; God’s only begotten Son by His perfect DNA spilled on the earth in His blood sacrifice for the salvation of His people and soon coming restoration of all things in the new heaven and the new earth. That church is not wed to Christ in the New Covenant. Nope… not at all. It says the DNA of that church is government organizational incorporation under tax-exempt status. That is disgusting! As far as I know, those people never objected, and they soon planted their church. I, needless to say, left. Who is Jesus Christ if He isn’t the DNA of His own Church!?! Even the use of the word DNA denotes a body in creation!!!

An interesting take is on this video (skip to 22:45 – 38:30).

A better one is here: Pastor John Weaver, The Bible and Treason. If you love the word of God, watch the whole thing. It’s a rich and interesting study. If not, you can skip ahead to about the 40:00 minute mark and watch to the end. Also, he cites a legal case, Hollis(sp?) v Marshall(sp?), 1981, about State Street Baptist Church in Kentucky, but we couldn’t find the decision using a simple web search. Perhaps someone enterprising or a lawyer can find it for us.

We encourage you to do your own research on the state of the American Church, 501(c)3 status, and to pray to God that He would guide you in this matter.

“1 Now of the things which we have spoken this is the sum: We have such an high priest, who is set on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens; 2 A minister of the sanctuary, and of the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, and not man.” – Hebrews 8:1-2

This is so heartbreaking:

The entertainment and legacy media present abortion as empowering, but that’s not the feeling that impelled one mother to agree to a medication abortion. “I was scared to death,” she told researchers.

The spirit of fear is not of God! (2 Timothy 1:7) Freedom from the Law of God and Bible Christianity has brought a lifetime of hurt, shame, and sorrow. The devil and his agents will tell you how free you can be from consequences, liberated to do as you please. But it’s all a lie. Plunged into the chains of bondage by sin is all you’ll get. The devil sells freedom, but he’s a slaver in disguise.

Even five [years] later, the woman — who still describes herself as “pro-choice” — says she regrets her chemical abortion. “Now I wish I would’ve just faced it all and had my baby,” she said. “I regret it still to this day and probably still will for the rest of my life.”

“I regret it every day and cry about it often,” said another woman one year after deciding to oversee her abortion at home. Far from making her feel independent, she said the overwhelming emotion she felt — and still feels — is “helplessness.”

God has reasons for stating plainly: “Thou shalt not kill.” – Exodus 20:13. And there are reasons for all of the Ten Commandments. He also has very good reasons for all that His Law-word declares to us; if only you would believe in His Son and keep His commandments.

God is not a petty tyrant desiring control: by ascribing the attributes of man to God, you become a rank pagan. The Romans had a god for each and every projection of a man’s actions; war, agriculture, hunting, and on and on. But the God of creation is holy, that’s His primary attribute, and that’s His very being.

God gave us His Law that it may go well with you! Please, we beseech you, be ye followers of Him, that it may go well with you. His laws come with the wonderful blessings in His promises of love, life, joy, and contentedness for those who hear Him and obey Him. We pray these women find peace in Christ before it’s too late.

Men, unless we get high-minded, we’ll remind that in God’s economy, the man is the head of the woman. Though these women are not without the guilt of murder, the blood of these babies is primarily on the head of the men that got them pregnant.

Via Instapundit

As He always does when He’s teaching me a complex doctrine, the Lord puts the question(s) on my heart first. Then He begins to provide lessons that fill in the question. I praise His holy name for this; Jesus Christ, by the Holy Spirit of God, is the Master Instructor. He’s been fulfilling the covenant we made from the start; if only I could be as steadfast as He is faithful.

There are questions on my mind about what verses in the writings of Paul point to which aspect of the Kingdom age(s); the time of the first advent – the intervening 2000 years plus (so far) of the end times – or His coming again. With this piece, the eschatological view of Paul is three-fold, but some verses are a combination adding a distinct aspect. With that, we agree.

There are three distinct strands in the structure of New Testament eschatology: (1) the strand represented by “the last days”; (2) the strand expressed in the contrast between “this age” and “the age to come”; and (3) the strand intimated in such expressions as “our citizenship is in heaven” (Phil. 3:20) and “we have been raised up together and made to sit together in the heavenlies in Christ Jesus” (Eph. 2:6; cf. Col. 3:1-3). We might speak of these three strands respectively as anticipated eschatology, prospective eschatology and projective eschatology.

First, some verses or sections of Scripture are clearly about the first advent.

Secondly, some are about the long intervening end times in which we now live. For two thousand years, we believers of each generation are already in Christ and one with Christ by the Holy Spirit in us, longing for the day and always gazing heavenward for His return.

Thirdly, some verses are about the Second Advent, when we shall be fully made one with Christ, the Church consummated, and the end judgment.

And lastly, some verses indicate two conditions simultaneously in anticipation of the final consummate order. Especially verses that show both the spiritual Kingdom of God that now is, as a type and yet a mere shadow of the final consummate kingdom in Christ, as we wait under dutiful service in anticipation of that last day. We exist in two places at once, seated with Christ in heavenly places, yet beset by sin all around us here on earth.

We’ve been trying to get a handle on the Pauline eschatological layout. The linked article is helpful. Perhaps it’s pretty simple to you, but to me, it’s big-brained multithreaded overlapping explanatory complexity. I appreciate that immensely. It makes us work, forcing us to think, bearing in mind the author’s interwoven points while simultaneously challenging their validity.

In contrast, modern Christian writers are dull for their lack of depth, the linked website excluded. I don’t know if contemporary writers are dumbing down their writings because they are trying to keep us dumb. Or perhaps they don’t think we’re smart enough to handle their doctoral prowess, or perhaps, they prefer spoon-feeding us sugar so as not to upset anybody. Well, whatever their reason, all three are offensive. Honestly, though, I am starting to think that they are the dumb ones; bless their hearts; doing the best they can :-) I don’t read any commentary that isn’t 150 to 200 years old or more. We don’t need Gerber mashed peas; ‘open wide, here comes the choo choo twain,’ and neither does anybody in the body of Christ; the Church is falling apart, and we need meat!

But we’re ranting. Read the linked piece.