What is backsliding, and how do we prevent it to stop a complete falling away? Some might argue that it is not possible to fall away once you believe or are baptized, but that is another discussion for another day. Backsliding, simply put, is when you begin committing sins, usually small ones at first then gradually increase them, after you are a Christian, until complete apostasy (or a falling away) occurs. In man's world, problems occur all the time, and man tries to come up with ways to prevent these problems. In medicine, hospital workers are trained to wash hands when entering and leaving a patients room to prevent the spread of disease. In the auto industry, car makers are constantly inventing new and safer cars to prevent accidents and injury such as seat belts, airbags and new braking systems. So are there ways to prevent one from falling away from God so he/she can do as God wants? Here are some things to consider.
We should let God SAY something to us every day. I don't mean by His physical voice, but by His Holy Word. Psalms 119:105 "Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path." When we listen to God, we don't have to be afraid and walk in the dark. Psalms 1:1-2 "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. But his delight is in the law of the Lord; and in his law doth he meditate day and night." When we walk in the dark, we use flashlights to guide our way, and show us any dangers that might lay ahead. His Word is our light to show us the dangers of the world, if we would just listen. We should take great delight in listening to God talk to us.
When we listen to the Word and read the Bible, we should do more than just take a mere glance at the particular subject, but study the complete topic to hear all God is trying to tell us. Jesus told us He wants us to study the scriptures. John 5:39 "Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me." Paul tells us in his letter in 2 Timothy 2:15 "Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman need not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth." Not only are we told to study the scriptures, but we are given an example of some who did this in the first century in Acts 17:11 "These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so." Why would all the time and effort be taken to write the Bible if God felt there was little need to study it daily? Did you ever know of someone backsliding who allowed God to talk to them everyday? We are far more likely to fall away when we stop searching the scriptures daily.
We should also Say something TO God every day, not only starting our day off with a prayer to Him, but pray throughout the day. We should thank Him for our many blessings, and no matter your situation, you have many. Not to thank Him shows ingratitude for all that He has done, including giving us His only son to be crucified for us. One preacher put it this way, "Either prayer will stop sin, or sin will stop prayer." This goes along with studying of the scriptures, because if we don't His Word and do as He commands, why should He listen to us? The Bible says this in Proverbs 28:9 "He that turneth away his ear from ear from hearing the law, even his prayer shall be an abomination." Too many people think that God will listen to us and grant our prayers without listening to Him. This is not the case though as we just read in Proverbs.
You can always tell much about a man when he is a faithful praying man. A faithful man is filled with love, is kind and normally is one who will do all that he can to help someone else. An angry, hateful person is usually one who does not pray or read the scriptures. James 5:16 "Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much."
We should also make sure we say something FOR God everyday. Many are afraid to stand up and say something about God for fear of being ridiculed. We live in a world today where we must tiptoe around and be careful what we say so as not to offend. But when it comes to God, what does He think of us if we don't stand up for Him, or teach someone about Him? When we talk, our speech should have more of God in it so others can learn more about Him. After all, it our job to spread the Word and bring lost souls to Him, or bring those who have fallen away, back to Him. This is the greatest work we can do. James 5:19-20 "Brethren, if any of you do err from the truth, and one convert him; Let him know, that he which converteth the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins."
There are opportunities that we find ourselves in everyday where we should be speaking for God. Philippians 1:27 "Only let your conversation be as it becometh the gospel of Christ: that whether I come and see you, or else be absent, I may hear of your affairs, that ye started fast with one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel." We should not be ignoring these chances speak up for God, and you never know when you might be saving a soul, and help us from losing ours.
Finally, we should DO something for God everyday. Our days of full of things that we do, whether it be work, school, playing golf or fishing, we do something. However, most if not all of what we do, has anything to do with God. We should look for opportunities to do something good in the name of God. Galatians 6:10 "As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith."
One of the greatest things we can do as a Christian is let our light shine, show men what our good works are all about. Matthew 5:16 "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven." We should let our light shine, but not shine our lights. We have all seen the T.V. evangelists who thrive on the attention the receive, instead of letting the Word of God be the center. Some of us go to a certain church, or watch someone because of how entertaining they are, but the lesson we are learning from are often times far from the truth. If we do something for God, no matter what it is, it is never in vain. 2 Corinthians 15:58 "Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, foreasmuch as ye know that your labor is not in vain in the Lord."
So if we do these four things, letting God say something to us, saying something to God, saying something for God, and doing something for God, everyday, we will live righteously, and have no fear of slipping down that slope of apostasy. The Israelites in the Old Testament failed to do this, and every other generation would fall away, and God would punish them for this. We cannot be like them, but we must do as God says, for He loves us and wants to us to be happy, truly happy. It is amazing how good your and satisfying your life will be, not to mention your eternal salvation.
A Christian Blog that uses the Bible as it's only source of doctrine.
Saturday, June 27, 2015
Thursday, June 25, 2015
One Faith: Age of the Earth and Dinosaurs Part 1
One Faith: Age of the Earth and Dinosaurs Part 1: With the new blockbuster movie about dinosaurs out in theatres, it amazes me how people just believe what "educated" people...
Monday, June 15, 2015
Age of the Earth and Dinosaurs Part 2
We left talking about dinosaurs, a subject that almost all people love, and definitely watch at the movies. The common belief is that dinosaurs are millions of years old and died out long before man ever evolved from the apes. However, this is what the scientists have told us, but what do the facts say? Well, let's take a look and see if the Bible mentions anything about them.
At first glance, there is no mention of them. Of course the word dinosaur would not be in it because dinosaurs were not "discovered" until the early 1800's. However, there is something interesting written about two specific creatures in the book of Job. In chapter 40 starting in verse 15, Job talks about a creature called Behemoth. Modern day dictionaries and even the American Standard version's dictionary say this is simply a hippopotamus, a large but not giant animal that is or at least was common in this area. But there is a problem with this by the description Job gives. This animal eats grass like an ox (hippos do not), his tail is like a cedar (a hippos is more like a reed), his bones are like tubes of brass and iron, and the mountains bring him food. He does not fear floods (which is the only likeness to a hippo), and there is no animal that he is afraid of. After reading this description, Job is clearly not speaking about a hippo, but something much, much larger. In fact, if you describe a Brontosaurus, it would sound much like Job's description would it not?
In the same book in the next chapter, Job begins describing a sea creature called Leviathan. Again, modern interpretations say this is a crocodile, a creature commonly found in the middle-east. In Job's description, notice he never mentions this animal being on land, where a croc spends much of his time. Leviathan is very large, can't be caught with a hook or rope, and has mighty scales that can't be broken. In verse 30 his underparts are "sharp potsherds", whereas a croc's is tough, yet penetrable. This animal also lives in the deep, much like a whale, which of course does not have scales nor tough skin. Job's leviathan appears to be uncatchable, a monster that man can't tame. Although crocs are large, mean, tough and cannot be tamed, Job not only calls it by a different name, but does not fit the description as given by the patriarch. Both animals appear to be something different than what we are familiar with today, possibly animals that are extinct.
All scholars believe Job is the oldest written book in the Bible, probably written before Moses, Abraham and even Noah, seeing as though none of them are mentioned in his book. So, if these were dinosaurs, they would be a just a few thousand years old, not millions. This could also mean that most of these beasts died during the great flood, could it not? If that were the case though, didn't Noah save at least a pair of each? The answer is yes, but we don't know when these animals died off either. Recently, a statue was found in Peru that was believed to be about 900 years old and was made by the local Indians. In the middle of this statue, with many other animals depicted all around it, was an obvious stegosaur, which of course would be "unknown" for around 1100 more years, and millions of years since their "extinction". How could it be possible that Peruvian Indians knew of these creatures unless they had seen one? Maybe, just maybe, scientists are wrong about when they died off and how.
First, the how. There are many different theories as to how dinosaurs became extinct, with the most popular being a meteor strike. That does not hold water though when considering that it only killed off "some" and not all of the animals on earth. After all, alligators, birds, insects and most mammals survived, and no crater large enough has ever been found. Disease is always a possibility, but again, there were other reptiles that were not affected. When you also consider that there may not have been near as many dinosaurs as we think, a simple dying away, something that happens very often, could have been the culprit. That, coupled with a worldwide flood that evidence of has been found on all continents, could have been the doom of these great animals.
What about the when? Scientists have convinced most that millions of years have passed since the last dinosaur walked the earth. How did they get that number? Mainly by using carbon 14 dating, which there is a long mathematical calculation that has to be considered. In this calculation, it must be determined how much C14 is forming in the atmosphere against how much is decaying and so on. To understand the whole process, please visit sites like anthropology.msu.com, livescience.com and others. According to Michigan State University, there is a major problem with C14 dating. The rate at which C14 is decaying is much larger than originally thought, almost 35% more, meaning that their numbers on dating could be off by extremely high numbers. In other words, no one can possibly know for sure how old anything is. This explains why trees on Mt. St. Helens known to be planted in the 1940's were dated 350,000 years old, because the decay was much larger than normal.
So what does all this really mean? Scientists are no closer today disproving God than Darwin was when he came up with his theory. They constantly must change their theories and calculations because as new things are discovered, they are forced to backtrack. Yet the truth of God and what He has told us never changes, and still is the only plausible reason. Why do men continue to try to prove the Bible is wrong? Because they don't believe in God, and many people simply follow along without doing due diligence themselves. You can do as I did and review all this yourself, and use the Bible in reference, and come up with the same conclusion. God is the true creator of all things, and no man or unproven theory will ever be able destroy Him. Grace be with you.
At first glance, there is no mention of them. Of course the word dinosaur would not be in it because dinosaurs were not "discovered" until the early 1800's. However, there is something interesting written about two specific creatures in the book of Job. In chapter 40 starting in verse 15, Job talks about a creature called Behemoth. Modern day dictionaries and even the American Standard version's dictionary say this is simply a hippopotamus, a large but not giant animal that is or at least was common in this area. But there is a problem with this by the description Job gives. This animal eats grass like an ox (hippos do not), his tail is like a cedar (a hippos is more like a reed), his bones are like tubes of brass and iron, and the mountains bring him food. He does not fear floods (which is the only likeness to a hippo), and there is no animal that he is afraid of. After reading this description, Job is clearly not speaking about a hippo, but something much, much larger. In fact, if you describe a Brontosaurus, it would sound much like Job's description would it not?
In the same book in the next chapter, Job begins describing a sea creature called Leviathan. Again, modern interpretations say this is a crocodile, a creature commonly found in the middle-east. In Job's description, notice he never mentions this animal being on land, where a croc spends much of his time. Leviathan is very large, can't be caught with a hook or rope, and has mighty scales that can't be broken. In verse 30 his underparts are "sharp potsherds", whereas a croc's is tough, yet penetrable. This animal also lives in the deep, much like a whale, which of course does not have scales nor tough skin. Job's leviathan appears to be uncatchable, a monster that man can't tame. Although crocs are large, mean, tough and cannot be tamed, Job not only calls it by a different name, but does not fit the description as given by the patriarch. Both animals appear to be something different than what we are familiar with today, possibly animals that are extinct.
All scholars believe Job is the oldest written book in the Bible, probably written before Moses, Abraham and even Noah, seeing as though none of them are mentioned in his book. So, if these were dinosaurs, they would be a just a few thousand years old, not millions. This could also mean that most of these beasts died during the great flood, could it not? If that were the case though, didn't Noah save at least a pair of each? The answer is yes, but we don't know when these animals died off either. Recently, a statue was found in Peru that was believed to be about 900 years old and was made by the local Indians. In the middle of this statue, with many other animals depicted all around it, was an obvious stegosaur, which of course would be "unknown" for around 1100 more years, and millions of years since their "extinction". How could it be possible that Peruvian Indians knew of these creatures unless they had seen one? Maybe, just maybe, scientists are wrong about when they died off and how.
First, the how. There are many different theories as to how dinosaurs became extinct, with the most popular being a meteor strike. That does not hold water though when considering that it only killed off "some" and not all of the animals on earth. After all, alligators, birds, insects and most mammals survived, and no crater large enough has ever been found. Disease is always a possibility, but again, there were other reptiles that were not affected. When you also consider that there may not have been near as many dinosaurs as we think, a simple dying away, something that happens very often, could have been the culprit. That, coupled with a worldwide flood that evidence of has been found on all continents, could have been the doom of these great animals.
What about the when? Scientists have convinced most that millions of years have passed since the last dinosaur walked the earth. How did they get that number? Mainly by using carbon 14 dating, which there is a long mathematical calculation that has to be considered. In this calculation, it must be determined how much C14 is forming in the atmosphere against how much is decaying and so on. To understand the whole process, please visit sites like anthropology.msu.com, livescience.com and others. According to Michigan State University, there is a major problem with C14 dating. The rate at which C14 is decaying is much larger than originally thought, almost 35% more, meaning that their numbers on dating could be off by extremely high numbers. In other words, no one can possibly know for sure how old anything is. This explains why trees on Mt. St. Helens known to be planted in the 1940's were dated 350,000 years old, because the decay was much larger than normal.
So what does all this really mean? Scientists are no closer today disproving God than Darwin was when he came up with his theory. They constantly must change their theories and calculations because as new things are discovered, they are forced to backtrack. Yet the truth of God and what He has told us never changes, and still is the only plausible reason. Why do men continue to try to prove the Bible is wrong? Because they don't believe in God, and many people simply follow along without doing due diligence themselves. You can do as I did and review all this yourself, and use the Bible in reference, and come up with the same conclusion. God is the true creator of all things, and no man or unproven theory will ever be able destroy Him. Grace be with you.
Age of the Earth and Dinosaurs Part 1
With the new blockbuster movie about dinosaurs out in theatres, it amazes me how people just believe what "educated" people tell them about the age of the earth, and the truth about dinosaurs. Of course when I say truth, I am talking about actual evidence and not a theory that can never be proven, a claim that even the most famous scientists admit. But few want to listen, and fewer even know the truth and what the Bible says on these matters. Like most everything else, the Bible is not silent on this. Again, these are not my opinions, but facts that are stated by experts and scientists, which I am neither, and I list when possible, where you can find these statements and search them for yourself. This is what I think is the most important issue in all of this, decide for yourself. Don't take the word of people as complete truth just because they have a P.H.D. or Masters, but yet can't prove anything. Study the evidence as well as the logic, and you might be surprised at the results.
First, let's take a look at how old the earth is. An exact date cannot be proven on either side, but what does the Bible say? In Genesis chapter 1, the Bible says God created the earth and everything on it in 6 days. Science of course says this is not possible and even laughable. Remember this though, most scientists are atheists, and will come up with any theory to counter anything in the Bible. In one theory, and the most famous one, they believe the universe was created by the "Big Bang", an incident that is very detailed and thought out, but cannot (according to Carl Sagan and Stephen Hawking) ever be proven. This theory states that the whole universe was compacted into a very small mass, and the energy was so great that it exploded and after eons, the matter eventually formed into solar systems, with earth included. Eventually, after more eons, single cell life formed, crawled out of the ocean, and the rest is history. This of course is a much shortened version, and I am not trying to be disrespectful for some have spent lifetimes studying and writing this, so I encourage you to read more on this, but there are many problems that they can't seem to answer.
Not only does this go against God's Word, but science itself says there are many issues with it. One is this, how can life simply begin out of lifeless matter? Granted, they don't say it happened right away, but at some point it did happen, right? Well, science (or at least natural law) says this is impossible. The Law of Thermodynamics and Biogenesis, both of which are proven laws, states that matter when going through changes, is always weaker than it was in it's original state. For instance when you bend a piece of metal, it is weaker than before. It is never stronger, unless given added support by something with intelligence, such as man. Biogenesis proves that life cannot come from non-life, period. It cannot happen, no matter how hard science tries, it is impossible. Scientists all agree on this, except in the case of the beginning of the world and life on it. Where did life on earth begin? How did it begin if the laws of nature say it can't be done? Even Charles Darwin on his deathbed said he couldn't see how life started without a higher being designing it. So this should be a slam dunk for Christians, right? Enter the somewhat new theory of Theistic Evolution.
Theistic Evolution is the theory that the days in Genesis do not mean actual 24 hour periods, but could be hundreds or even thousands years apart, and evolution happened after creation by God. This appeases Christians who believe anything a scientist will tell them, but actually goes against both science AND the Bible. This theory also cannot be proven due to the facts stated above, but also goes against God's Word. How can they say the Word of God absolutely true, but was mistaken in the very beginning of the first book? Unfortunately, they are mistaken in a very key element. The Hebrew word used in Genesis chapter 1 is Yom, which is used many other times in the Old Testament, and every other time it means a 24 hour period. Hebrew does have a word for millennia, eons, centuries and other long periods of time which all can be found in the Old Testament as well, but is not used in Genesis. Why would the inspired writers do this? Because they were writing what God was directing them to write, the truth. Also, look at what things were created in order in Genesis. First there was light, then the land, then the plants which would need both land and light, and then the animals, which would need light, land and plants to survive. Granted, it may not take much to figure this out, but couple this with the other evidence and lack of evidence from science and theistic evolution, what makes logical sense? Friends, the earth and all that was on it was created in six 24 hour periods, just as God proclaimed. He was not mistaken nor misleading.
So now we come to another "confusing" subject to many. If the earth was created in six true days, the earth would still have to be millions of years old because dinosaurs are that old right? Well, what do we really know about our ancient friends? Many of us believe that there were countless dinosaurs roaming the entire earth and dominating their time. This may be far from the truth. So far, we have only found 700 different species of dinosaurs and a whopping 2,100 complete skeletons (pubs.usgs.org). Granted, there are many more to find, but how many? Compare those numbers with the numbers of other animals. There are 10,000 species of birds, 27,300 fish, 5,416 mammals and 950,000 insects. By these numbers, there were never anywhere near the amount that we really believe existed. Does this really matter though? Well, if what we originally believe was wrong, what else could be? Their age? Did they live at the same time as humans? Laughable again, right? Would it interest you to know that there is evidence that these animals might have lived with man, did not die off in a massive single disaster, and may not be near as old as once thought? Science again will tell you no, but again, is there a possibility they could be wrong? You bet. In the second part, we'll look at this as well as the problems scientists have with carbon dating and how old could the earth be?
First, let's take a look at how old the earth is. An exact date cannot be proven on either side, but what does the Bible say? In Genesis chapter 1, the Bible says God created the earth and everything on it in 6 days. Science of course says this is not possible and even laughable. Remember this though, most scientists are atheists, and will come up with any theory to counter anything in the Bible. In one theory, and the most famous one, they believe the universe was created by the "Big Bang", an incident that is very detailed and thought out, but cannot (according to Carl Sagan and Stephen Hawking) ever be proven. This theory states that the whole universe was compacted into a very small mass, and the energy was so great that it exploded and after eons, the matter eventually formed into solar systems, with earth included. Eventually, after more eons, single cell life formed, crawled out of the ocean, and the rest is history. This of course is a much shortened version, and I am not trying to be disrespectful for some have spent lifetimes studying and writing this, so I encourage you to read more on this, but there are many problems that they can't seem to answer.
Not only does this go against God's Word, but science itself says there are many issues with it. One is this, how can life simply begin out of lifeless matter? Granted, they don't say it happened right away, but at some point it did happen, right? Well, science (or at least natural law) says this is impossible. The Law of Thermodynamics and Biogenesis, both of which are proven laws, states that matter when going through changes, is always weaker than it was in it's original state. For instance when you bend a piece of metal, it is weaker than before. It is never stronger, unless given added support by something with intelligence, such as man. Biogenesis proves that life cannot come from non-life, period. It cannot happen, no matter how hard science tries, it is impossible. Scientists all agree on this, except in the case of the beginning of the world and life on it. Where did life on earth begin? How did it begin if the laws of nature say it can't be done? Even Charles Darwin on his deathbed said he couldn't see how life started without a higher being designing it. So this should be a slam dunk for Christians, right? Enter the somewhat new theory of Theistic Evolution.
Theistic Evolution is the theory that the days in Genesis do not mean actual 24 hour periods, but could be hundreds or even thousands years apart, and evolution happened after creation by God. This appeases Christians who believe anything a scientist will tell them, but actually goes against both science AND the Bible. This theory also cannot be proven due to the facts stated above, but also goes against God's Word. How can they say the Word of God absolutely true, but was mistaken in the very beginning of the first book? Unfortunately, they are mistaken in a very key element. The Hebrew word used in Genesis chapter 1 is Yom, which is used many other times in the Old Testament, and every other time it means a 24 hour period. Hebrew does have a word for millennia, eons, centuries and other long periods of time which all can be found in the Old Testament as well, but is not used in Genesis. Why would the inspired writers do this? Because they were writing what God was directing them to write, the truth. Also, look at what things were created in order in Genesis. First there was light, then the land, then the plants which would need both land and light, and then the animals, which would need light, land and plants to survive. Granted, it may not take much to figure this out, but couple this with the other evidence and lack of evidence from science and theistic evolution, what makes logical sense? Friends, the earth and all that was on it was created in six 24 hour periods, just as God proclaimed. He was not mistaken nor misleading.
So now we come to another "confusing" subject to many. If the earth was created in six true days, the earth would still have to be millions of years old because dinosaurs are that old right? Well, what do we really know about our ancient friends? Many of us believe that there were countless dinosaurs roaming the entire earth and dominating their time. This may be far from the truth. So far, we have only found 700 different species of dinosaurs and a whopping 2,100 complete skeletons (pubs.usgs.org). Granted, there are many more to find, but how many? Compare those numbers with the numbers of other animals. There are 10,000 species of birds, 27,300 fish, 5,416 mammals and 950,000 insects. By these numbers, there were never anywhere near the amount that we really believe existed. Does this really matter though? Well, if what we originally believe was wrong, what else could be? Their age? Did they live at the same time as humans? Laughable again, right? Would it interest you to know that there is evidence that these animals might have lived with man, did not die off in a massive single disaster, and may not be near as old as once thought? Science again will tell you no, but again, is there a possibility they could be wrong? You bet. In the second part, we'll look at this as well as the problems scientists have with carbon dating and how old could the earth be?
Monday, March 30, 2015
Premillenialism and the Rapture
The subject of Premillennialism is important to me and to many millions of other people, but for many different reasons. This is a doctrine that I used to believe and subscribe to, even being the reason that I first started becoming interested in the secrets and mystery of the Bible. Many people from all types of Christian denominations believe that the Rapture is fact, and the time of it happening is at hand. There have been countless books and movies on this subject, the most famous of which was the "Left Behind" series, which I have read and must admit was very entertaining, but after close study, completely false. Please, let me explain by using scripture, and then I absolutely would love to hear what your opinions, and or facts are. The length of this post will be longer than others, so I will put the chapter and verse numbers up, but not write out the verse, so I encourage you to read these verses as you go.
People believe in the doctrine of Premillennialism because it is what they have been taught by their ministers or priests, but have not done a good study on this subject. Remember, we are to study the Word for ourselves and not rely on just what someone tells us (2 Tim. 2:15), for we are responsible for our own salvation. If someone teaches us something false, we should know or at the very least study what we are told, to ensure the Truth of the God's Word. And, after a close study, this doctrine is not found in scripture, it has been mistranslated and twisted.
The term Premillennialism comes from Latin, meaning "before", "1,000 year", "doctrine", and was first written and used in the late 1800's openly. The belief really appeals to man's love of the unknown, his love of mystery and secrets, which many falsely believe the Bible is all about. Jesus tells us though, "We can know the truth, and the truth will set you free." There is no mystery in the Bible. God has revealed to us exactly what He intended to, and it is up to us to accept it or not. It has been said you can prove or disprove anything with the Bible, but this is only true if you take one verse here, and put it with another verse there to come up with something that you want. We don't do this with any other book, so why do we do it with God's Word? This is what has happened to Premillennialism, or the belief that Christ will one day return to earth and sit upon a physical throne in Jerusalem. Here are the basic claims of this system.
1) God did not fulfill all of the land promise to the Israelites as first given to Abraham, then Isaac and Jacob.
2) Christ came to establish literal, earthly kingdom in Jerusalem.
3) The Jews foolishly rejected Christ, which was not expected, so God had to change plans.
4) The church was the substitute plan, temporary until kingdom would be established.
5) Christ, at this time is not on David's throne.
6) When the Lord comes to earth again, then He will be enthroned for 1,000 years.
7) When this happens, then the prophecies will all be fulfilled.
If any of these claims are proven to be false, then it only stands to reason that the whole doctrine should be ruled false. Again, because it would take a lot of time, and even more room, we will look at a couple of items that I think will make someone who believes in this, take a harder look at the scriptures.
First, let's look at the claim that the Jews rejecting Christ, caught God by surprise. This must be false without even question! If we are to believe that God is all-powerful and all-knowing, how could He have not known this? God created the universe, He parted the Red Sea and brought the ten plagues upon Egypt, and was able to feed His people manna while they were in the wilderness. Jesus healed many people, raised Lazarus from the dead, and He himself arose from the dead. Yet are we to believe that He was blindsided by the rejection of the Jews, and could not do anything to ensure God's plan? What many don't seem to realize, and the scriptures back this up, that this was indeed a part of the plan, God's grand scheme.
The church, which could not have been established until Christ sacrificed Himself, was and is God's eternal plan to redeem man. The plan was in place before the foundation of the world and God could, and did see that in time, man would sin, and He loved us so much that He made provisions so we can be reconciled with Him. That provision was sending His only son to be sacrificed for us (Luke 19:10). Without Him and the shedding of His blood, there would be no remission of sins according to Hebrews 9:22.
Jesus said seven things while He was on the cross, one of which was "It is finished" (John 19:30). What was finished? He came to earth to do the will of God who sent Him (John 5:30). He completed His task, this is why He said "It is finished". To say otherwise is to say either Christ mislead us, or God mislead Him in order to mislead us! God's eternal purpose (Eph. 3:10-11) was to offer sinful man a chance to redeem himself through the church which Jesus purchased with his blood (Acts 20:28). We can read that the kingdom has been established already (Mark 1:14-15; Mark 9:1; Luke 24), and happened exactly as the Old Testament predicted that it would (Isa. 2:2-3; Dan. 2:44; Micah 4:1-3). The kingdom that is talked about in the Old Testament is clearly the same as the church. When Peter exclaims in Acts 2:14-16, "This is that which was spoken of by Joel" is the kingdom AND the church! Peter was saying that what Joel had prophesied about, had now come to fruition.
Paul writes also that the kingdom and the church are the same (Eph. 3:9-11). If the kingdom was not established, how were Christians "in" the kingdom in Colossians 1:13? John also says that he was in the kingdom in Revelation 1:9. The writer of Hebrews also speaks of a present kingdom in Hebrews 12:28, which Christ is the head of (Eph. 1:22; Col.1:18).
Nowhere in scripture does it say Christ will reign over an earthly kingdom. In fact, Jesus denied this (John 6:15). Why would He establish a physical reign today when He taught against it? We know that His kingdom is eternal (Isa. 9:6-7), which is not a physical kingdom, nor ever says so. There is also no verse found in the Bible where Jesus will ever step foot on the earth again. This is a false man-made belief. The truth of the Word says that on the last great day, the Day of Judgment, Christians who believe and obey, will meet Him in the air (1 Thess. 4:17). Revelation also speaks of meeting Christ "In the clouds".
So what about Jesus sitting on the throne of David? The Bible tells us this is now the case, not something to take place in the distant future (Acts 2:29-33, Eph. 1, Rev. 1:5-6, Heb. 1:3-13, Joshua 21:43-45, Zech. 6:13, 1 Chronicles 29:23). With all of this combined, we can see how Christ is king of kings (1 Tim. 6:15), He gives us the Law (James 4:12), all authority was given to Him (Matthew 28:18, Eph. 1:22) and He will reign over His kingdom until death is destroyed (1 Cor. 15:24).
Those who teach the Premillennialist theory, rely on Revelation 20:1-3 as the basis of their belief, and as we have already seen, this is mistranslated to fit their doctrine. But let's look at the 1,000 year reign, as seen in this passage. We are expected to believe that literally, but not the other parts of that passage such as the bottomless pit, or the great chain. Why? I have not been able to find a good answer to that. Notice in this passage, nothing is said about Jesus' return, His physical rule in Jerusalem, an earthly kingdom, a literal throne, or a 1,000 year reign. And the Bible speaks of the great rapture and Christ's return to earth exactly zero times. Not once. Why? Because it is man-made and first introduced 1,800 years after the Bible was written.
So why is this doctrine so dangerous to believe? Because it is not from God, and in fact at times belittles God, and takes away the importance of Christ's sacrifice upon the cross. Anything that people claim is from God but isn't, is a doctrine of the devil, and must be avoided, as well as teachers who teach this. We can tell who is trying to mislead us by studying the Word, and trying what fallible men have told us. There will be a judgment day, and we will be judged by what we do and believe while we are here. But if we are waiting and teaching about the rapture, Satan is surely encouraging us to continue to do so. Follow God, and put your trust in His Word. Grace be with you.
People believe in the doctrine of Premillennialism because it is what they have been taught by their ministers or priests, but have not done a good study on this subject. Remember, we are to study the Word for ourselves and not rely on just what someone tells us (2 Tim. 2:15), for we are responsible for our own salvation. If someone teaches us something false, we should know or at the very least study what we are told, to ensure the Truth of the God's Word. And, after a close study, this doctrine is not found in scripture, it has been mistranslated and twisted.
The term Premillennialism comes from Latin, meaning "before", "1,000 year", "doctrine", and was first written and used in the late 1800's openly. The belief really appeals to man's love of the unknown, his love of mystery and secrets, which many falsely believe the Bible is all about. Jesus tells us though, "We can know the truth, and the truth will set you free." There is no mystery in the Bible. God has revealed to us exactly what He intended to, and it is up to us to accept it or not. It has been said you can prove or disprove anything with the Bible, but this is only true if you take one verse here, and put it with another verse there to come up with something that you want. We don't do this with any other book, so why do we do it with God's Word? This is what has happened to Premillennialism, or the belief that Christ will one day return to earth and sit upon a physical throne in Jerusalem. Here are the basic claims of this system.
1) God did not fulfill all of the land promise to the Israelites as first given to Abraham, then Isaac and Jacob.
2) Christ came to establish literal, earthly kingdom in Jerusalem.
3) The Jews foolishly rejected Christ, which was not expected, so God had to change plans.
4) The church was the substitute plan, temporary until kingdom would be established.
5) Christ, at this time is not on David's throne.
6) When the Lord comes to earth again, then He will be enthroned for 1,000 years.
7) When this happens, then the prophecies will all be fulfilled.
If any of these claims are proven to be false, then it only stands to reason that the whole doctrine should be ruled false. Again, because it would take a lot of time, and even more room, we will look at a couple of items that I think will make someone who believes in this, take a harder look at the scriptures.
First, let's look at the claim that the Jews rejecting Christ, caught God by surprise. This must be false without even question! If we are to believe that God is all-powerful and all-knowing, how could He have not known this? God created the universe, He parted the Red Sea and brought the ten plagues upon Egypt, and was able to feed His people manna while they were in the wilderness. Jesus healed many people, raised Lazarus from the dead, and He himself arose from the dead. Yet are we to believe that He was blindsided by the rejection of the Jews, and could not do anything to ensure God's plan? What many don't seem to realize, and the scriptures back this up, that this was indeed a part of the plan, God's grand scheme.
The church, which could not have been established until Christ sacrificed Himself, was and is God's eternal plan to redeem man. The plan was in place before the foundation of the world and God could, and did see that in time, man would sin, and He loved us so much that He made provisions so we can be reconciled with Him. That provision was sending His only son to be sacrificed for us (Luke 19:10). Without Him and the shedding of His blood, there would be no remission of sins according to Hebrews 9:22.
Jesus said seven things while He was on the cross, one of which was "It is finished" (John 19:30). What was finished? He came to earth to do the will of God who sent Him (John 5:30). He completed His task, this is why He said "It is finished". To say otherwise is to say either Christ mislead us, or God mislead Him in order to mislead us! God's eternal purpose (Eph. 3:10-11) was to offer sinful man a chance to redeem himself through the church which Jesus purchased with his blood (Acts 20:28). We can read that the kingdom has been established already (Mark 1:14-15; Mark 9:1; Luke 24), and happened exactly as the Old Testament predicted that it would (Isa. 2:2-3; Dan. 2:44; Micah 4:1-3). The kingdom that is talked about in the Old Testament is clearly the same as the church. When Peter exclaims in Acts 2:14-16, "This is that which was spoken of by Joel" is the kingdom AND the church! Peter was saying that what Joel had prophesied about, had now come to fruition.
Paul writes also that the kingdom and the church are the same (Eph. 3:9-11). If the kingdom was not established, how were Christians "in" the kingdom in Colossians 1:13? John also says that he was in the kingdom in Revelation 1:9. The writer of Hebrews also speaks of a present kingdom in Hebrews 12:28, which Christ is the head of (Eph. 1:22; Col.1:18).
Nowhere in scripture does it say Christ will reign over an earthly kingdom. In fact, Jesus denied this (John 6:15). Why would He establish a physical reign today when He taught against it? We know that His kingdom is eternal (Isa. 9:6-7), which is not a physical kingdom, nor ever says so. There is also no verse found in the Bible where Jesus will ever step foot on the earth again. This is a false man-made belief. The truth of the Word says that on the last great day, the Day of Judgment, Christians who believe and obey, will meet Him in the air (1 Thess. 4:17). Revelation also speaks of meeting Christ "In the clouds".
So what about Jesus sitting on the throne of David? The Bible tells us this is now the case, not something to take place in the distant future (Acts 2:29-33, Eph. 1, Rev. 1:5-6, Heb. 1:3-13, Joshua 21:43-45, Zech. 6:13, 1 Chronicles 29:23). With all of this combined, we can see how Christ is king of kings (1 Tim. 6:15), He gives us the Law (James 4:12), all authority was given to Him (Matthew 28:18, Eph. 1:22) and He will reign over His kingdom until death is destroyed (1 Cor. 15:24).
Those who teach the Premillennialist theory, rely on Revelation 20:1-3 as the basis of their belief, and as we have already seen, this is mistranslated to fit their doctrine. But let's look at the 1,000 year reign, as seen in this passage. We are expected to believe that literally, but not the other parts of that passage such as the bottomless pit, or the great chain. Why? I have not been able to find a good answer to that. Notice in this passage, nothing is said about Jesus' return, His physical rule in Jerusalem, an earthly kingdom, a literal throne, or a 1,000 year reign. And the Bible speaks of the great rapture and Christ's return to earth exactly zero times. Not once. Why? Because it is man-made and first introduced 1,800 years after the Bible was written.
So why is this doctrine so dangerous to believe? Because it is not from God, and in fact at times belittles God, and takes away the importance of Christ's sacrifice upon the cross. Anything that people claim is from God but isn't, is a doctrine of the devil, and must be avoided, as well as teachers who teach this. We can tell who is trying to mislead us by studying the Word, and trying what fallible men have told us. There will be a judgment day, and we will be judged by what we do and believe while we are here. But if we are waiting and teaching about the rapture, Satan is surely encouraging us to continue to do so. Follow God, and put your trust in His Word. Grace be with you.
Friday, February 13, 2015
Scriptures on Marriage
The subject of marriage is one that many preachers and ministers try to stay away from because so many today think it is ok to divorce, and many in their congregation have even been divorced. Chances are, you probably even know someone who has had a failed marriage, and probably for any reason that they thought was right. According to the Pew Research Center, for those who even choose to get married, the majority of marriages (60%) now end in divorce. Not surprisingly, those numbers drop dramatically for couples who belong and are active in their church. The numbers are higher for more liberal churches than conservative, but still lower than those who do not attend church at all. Of course, scriptures are not silent when it comes to marriage, in fact God has a lot to say on this subject, and if we follow Him, as we should, marriage would be treasured and not just thrown away.
First off, let's clear up the topic of same sex marriage. Supporters of this like to claim that the Bible says nothing about homosexuality and same sex marriage. Well, the word homosexuality is not in scriptures, but there is plenty about sexual deviancy, man laying with man, etc. that there is no need to speak of that here. We also know that in Old Testament times that God accepted marriage, and under Mosaic Law, one could divorce for any and all reasons. This changed however with the coming of Christ and the New Law. God still accepted marriage, as we read in John chapter 2 where Christ performed His first miracle at a wedding in Canna. But later on His ministry, we read in Matthew chapter 19, the Pharisees challenged Him on reasons for divorce. Christ, as always, does not hold back, and tells them what God expects. Chapter 19: 8-9 "He saith unto them, 'Moses because of the hardness of your hearts suffered you to put away your wives: but from the beginning it was not so. And I say unto you, Whosever shall put away his wife, except it be for fornication, and shall marry another, committeth adultery: and whoso marrieth her that is put away doth commit adultery."
We can clearly see that even during Moses' day, divorce was tolerated by God due to the hardness of the people's hearts, but He didn't accept it. Now, however, the only acceptable reason for divorce, is when one party cheats on another. In verse 12 of the same chapter, the disciples asked Christ if it were best if men didn't marry, but Jesus answers in the negative, saying "He that is able to receive it, let him receive it." Through Christ's own words, it is good to find someone to share your life with, someone to have children with, someone to help you find heaven. But marriage is and should be for life, with only adultery being a Godly reason for divorce. Even with adultery though, it doesn't mean you must get a divorce, it is simply allowed by God. The symbolism of marriage can be used when reading about the Jewish people in the times of the Old Testament.
In Jeremiah 3:14, God is pleading with His "bride", the Jews, to come back to Him and turn away from idolatry. They were cheating on God, yet He asked them to come back. "Turn, O backsliding children, saith the Lord; for I am married unto you: and I will take you one of a city, and two of a family; and I will bring you to Zion." The point being made here is what I stated earlier, you don't have to divorce, but if you forgive, you must do so with all forgiveness, not holding the actions of your spouse over their head forever. If you can't do that, it might be best to divorce from them, but remember that to be a Christian, we must be able to forgive those who have trespassed against us. God was able to forgive the Israelites for their adultery for a time, but now Christ has come and we can only have forgiveness if we truly repent.
Marriage should not be taken lightly. God is, according to His own words, not pleased when we throw away our marriages for any reason. When we take those vows, we make them with God as well, and He expects us to uphold them. According to Him, we need to know that if we remarry after an unscriptural divorce, we are not married in His eyes. This is why it is so important that we truly know the person that we are to marry. Will they make a good mother or father to our children, will they follow God and do as He commands and help us achieve our goals? Too many of us marry too quickly without getting to know that person. Usually, we will be able to see the person's character after spending more time with them. It may not always be the case, which sometimes raises problems.
I have been asked a few times, what if the wife is living in a violent relationship? Usually, someone who is abusive becomes abusive while they are dating. Of course, if this happens, do not marry that person. But if they become abusive after marriage, is the woman commanded to stay? In searching scripture, there is nothing that states you must stay when a man is beating you. You should be allowed to protect yourself and your children by getting away from that person, but unfortunately, the rules for divorce still apply. Most times, if a man is coward enough to beat on a woman, he doesn't have enough morals to stop himself from cheating as well. Again though, this is why it is so important to know, truly know, everything about the person you want to spend the rest of your life with.
As I said, this is not always a very popular subject to write or speak about, but it is very important to know what God expects out of us. He wants us to love our spouse just as Christ loved the church, and treat them just as we should treat God. Marriage is so much more than a piece of legal paper, it is a vow with each other and with God that we should uphold at all times. Many churches have either split over this subject, or have lost many members because they have been divorced and are now remarried for unscriptural reasons, and they believe that this should be allowed. However, God makes it clear what is and isn't allowed, and we can't change His laws to suit our needs, no matter what the law is. I have been blessed with being married to my wife for 19 wonderful years, and pray for many, many more. As always, I am more than happy to discuss with anyone this or any other issues that you might have. Grace be with you.
First off, let's clear up the topic of same sex marriage. Supporters of this like to claim that the Bible says nothing about homosexuality and same sex marriage. Well, the word homosexuality is not in scriptures, but there is plenty about sexual deviancy, man laying with man, etc. that there is no need to speak of that here. We also know that in Old Testament times that God accepted marriage, and under Mosaic Law, one could divorce for any and all reasons. This changed however with the coming of Christ and the New Law. God still accepted marriage, as we read in John chapter 2 where Christ performed His first miracle at a wedding in Canna. But later on His ministry, we read in Matthew chapter 19, the Pharisees challenged Him on reasons for divorce. Christ, as always, does not hold back, and tells them what God expects. Chapter 19: 8-9 "He saith unto them, 'Moses because of the hardness of your hearts suffered you to put away your wives: but from the beginning it was not so. And I say unto you, Whosever shall put away his wife, except it be for fornication, and shall marry another, committeth adultery: and whoso marrieth her that is put away doth commit adultery."
We can clearly see that even during Moses' day, divorce was tolerated by God due to the hardness of the people's hearts, but He didn't accept it. Now, however, the only acceptable reason for divorce, is when one party cheats on another. In verse 12 of the same chapter, the disciples asked Christ if it were best if men didn't marry, but Jesus answers in the negative, saying "He that is able to receive it, let him receive it." Through Christ's own words, it is good to find someone to share your life with, someone to have children with, someone to help you find heaven. But marriage is and should be for life, with only adultery being a Godly reason for divorce. Even with adultery though, it doesn't mean you must get a divorce, it is simply allowed by God. The symbolism of marriage can be used when reading about the Jewish people in the times of the Old Testament.
In Jeremiah 3:14, God is pleading with His "bride", the Jews, to come back to Him and turn away from idolatry. They were cheating on God, yet He asked them to come back. "Turn, O backsliding children, saith the Lord; for I am married unto you: and I will take you one of a city, and two of a family; and I will bring you to Zion." The point being made here is what I stated earlier, you don't have to divorce, but if you forgive, you must do so with all forgiveness, not holding the actions of your spouse over their head forever. If you can't do that, it might be best to divorce from them, but remember that to be a Christian, we must be able to forgive those who have trespassed against us. God was able to forgive the Israelites for their adultery for a time, but now Christ has come and we can only have forgiveness if we truly repent.
Marriage should not be taken lightly. God is, according to His own words, not pleased when we throw away our marriages for any reason. When we take those vows, we make them with God as well, and He expects us to uphold them. According to Him, we need to know that if we remarry after an unscriptural divorce, we are not married in His eyes. This is why it is so important that we truly know the person that we are to marry. Will they make a good mother or father to our children, will they follow God and do as He commands and help us achieve our goals? Too many of us marry too quickly without getting to know that person. Usually, we will be able to see the person's character after spending more time with them. It may not always be the case, which sometimes raises problems.
I have been asked a few times, what if the wife is living in a violent relationship? Usually, someone who is abusive becomes abusive while they are dating. Of course, if this happens, do not marry that person. But if they become abusive after marriage, is the woman commanded to stay? In searching scripture, there is nothing that states you must stay when a man is beating you. You should be allowed to protect yourself and your children by getting away from that person, but unfortunately, the rules for divorce still apply. Most times, if a man is coward enough to beat on a woman, he doesn't have enough morals to stop himself from cheating as well. Again though, this is why it is so important to know, truly know, everything about the person you want to spend the rest of your life with.
As I said, this is not always a very popular subject to write or speak about, but it is very important to know what God expects out of us. He wants us to love our spouse just as Christ loved the church, and treat them just as we should treat God. Marriage is so much more than a piece of legal paper, it is a vow with each other and with God that we should uphold at all times. Many churches have either split over this subject, or have lost many members because they have been divorced and are now remarried for unscriptural reasons, and they believe that this should be allowed. However, God makes it clear what is and isn't allowed, and we can't change His laws to suit our needs, no matter what the law is. I have been blessed with being married to my wife for 19 wonderful years, and pray for many, many more. As always, I am more than happy to discuss with anyone this or any other issues that you might have. Grace be with you.
Wednesday, January 28, 2015
Is Anger a Sin?
Many people say one of the biggest problems with the nature of man, is his anger. There are countless books on the subject, therapists and psychologists make a very good living dealing with people with anger issues, and many churches have begun teaching that anger in itself is a sin. They teach that a good Christian does not get angry because he has nothing but love in his heart. However, this is not even a logical argument because it is in human nature, and okay to become angry, but it is how you deal with that anger that effects you spiritually. Even Christ Himself wasn't above getting angry, as we read in John chapter 2. In reading this incident though, we can see the example that Jesus gives us as to why He was angry, but also how we should handle it.
In John chapter 2, Jesus has entered Jerusalem to observe Passover, and upon arriving at the temple, he finds what can be best described as a market that is set up on the grounds. Verse 15ff: "And he made a scourge of cords, and cast all out of the temple, both the sheep and oxen; and he poured out the changers money, and overthrew their tables." He then tells them in verse 16, "Take these things hence; and make not my Father's house a house of merchandise." Jesus was angry over what they were doing, but His actions were not sinful, because we know that He was sinless (Heb. 4:15). What He did, however, was stand up for what He believed, and stood for God. He does this many times in His ministry, standing for what is right, and showing those that were in error how they were wrong.
Paul wrote in Ephesians 4:26 "Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down on your wrath". It is okay and natural to get angry, especially when someone mocks you for believing in God or standing for scripture, but he warns us to not let that anger smolder and build up. We are expected to stand up for what is right, even when it's unpopular, like the Bible is and always has been. But if we don't fight for God, and just let the argument alone, can we say we truly care for that other person's soul if we don't try to show them the truth? Ephesians 5:11 says that we should stay away from evil, and reprove those who spread it. 1 Corinthians 16:13 tells us we are to stand fast in the faith. How can we do that if we don't have a discussion when someone attacks God? And when they do, and they will, you might become angry, but be slow to anger, and use the Bible as your weapon. Not to hit someone with of course, but by using the scripture that God gave us to defend Him, and save souls.
There are those out there that seem to be angry all the time, those that are looking for a fight and just love to argue, even when they're wrong. I used to be that type of person, but upon study of the Bible, I have learned not to argue out of anger, but with truth. And there comes a time when we must walk away from those who will not hear or reason, for a discussion will easily lead to an argument, but we must also be good stewards of our time. If we spend all of our time arguing with one who won't listen, how many have we lost in the process? I'm not saying we should ever give up, but probably approaching them later, after the seed has been planted, might be a better idea. We should also note what the Bible says about those who are angry all the time as well. Proverbs 14:17 Tells us to control our anger and not be foolish, and Proverbs 22:24 and 29:22 warns us to stay away from foolish anger.
The reason why I wrote on this subject, is because it has become common place for those who don't love God or are not willing to listen to the Word, want to accuse Christians of being pushy, or just let all believe they want and leave well enough alone. In fact, the men at the temple that day asked Jesus what right did He have to do this. God has given us the right to stand fast in the faith, and fight for Him. What a wonderful present we are giving to Satan when we don't, because he doesn't need us to worship him, he just needs us to remain silent, and not spread the Word of God. Losing our temper is a tool of Satan's, but going the opposite is useful to him as well, but using our heads, speaking from our hearts and scripture is the last thing he wants. Fight the good fight of faith, and stand on the promises of God. Grace be with you.
In John chapter 2, Jesus has entered Jerusalem to observe Passover, and upon arriving at the temple, he finds what can be best described as a market that is set up on the grounds. Verse 15ff: "And he made a scourge of cords, and cast all out of the temple, both the sheep and oxen; and he poured out the changers money, and overthrew their tables." He then tells them in verse 16, "Take these things hence; and make not my Father's house a house of merchandise." Jesus was angry over what they were doing, but His actions were not sinful, because we know that He was sinless (Heb. 4:15). What He did, however, was stand up for what He believed, and stood for God. He does this many times in His ministry, standing for what is right, and showing those that were in error how they were wrong.
Paul wrote in Ephesians 4:26 "Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down on your wrath". It is okay and natural to get angry, especially when someone mocks you for believing in God or standing for scripture, but he warns us to not let that anger smolder and build up. We are expected to stand up for what is right, even when it's unpopular, like the Bible is and always has been. But if we don't fight for God, and just let the argument alone, can we say we truly care for that other person's soul if we don't try to show them the truth? Ephesians 5:11 says that we should stay away from evil, and reprove those who spread it. 1 Corinthians 16:13 tells us we are to stand fast in the faith. How can we do that if we don't have a discussion when someone attacks God? And when they do, and they will, you might become angry, but be slow to anger, and use the Bible as your weapon. Not to hit someone with of course, but by using the scripture that God gave us to defend Him, and save souls.
There are those out there that seem to be angry all the time, those that are looking for a fight and just love to argue, even when they're wrong. I used to be that type of person, but upon study of the Bible, I have learned not to argue out of anger, but with truth. And there comes a time when we must walk away from those who will not hear or reason, for a discussion will easily lead to an argument, but we must also be good stewards of our time. If we spend all of our time arguing with one who won't listen, how many have we lost in the process? I'm not saying we should ever give up, but probably approaching them later, after the seed has been planted, might be a better idea. We should also note what the Bible says about those who are angry all the time as well. Proverbs 14:17 Tells us to control our anger and not be foolish, and Proverbs 22:24 and 29:22 warns us to stay away from foolish anger.
The reason why I wrote on this subject, is because it has become common place for those who don't love God or are not willing to listen to the Word, want to accuse Christians of being pushy, or just let all believe they want and leave well enough alone. In fact, the men at the temple that day asked Jesus what right did He have to do this. God has given us the right to stand fast in the faith, and fight for Him. What a wonderful present we are giving to Satan when we don't, because he doesn't need us to worship him, he just needs us to remain silent, and not spread the Word of God. Losing our temper is a tool of Satan's, but going the opposite is useful to him as well, but using our heads, speaking from our hearts and scripture is the last thing he wants. Fight the good fight of faith, and stand on the promises of God. Grace be with you.
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