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*Light*

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  1. The bible says that we can know for certain that we're on our way to heaven in 1 John 5:13. Have you examined yourself to see whether you are truly in the faith, or whether you're a reprOBate? Here are 11 tests given from John MacArthur.

    11 Biblical Tests of Genuine Salvation
    By John MacArthur



    Do you enjoy Fellowship with God and Christ?
    Are you Sensitive to Sin in your Life?
    Do you OBey the Scriptures?
    Do you Reject this Evil World?
    Do you Love Christ and eagerly await His Return?
    Do you see a Decreasing Pattern of Sin in your Life?
    Do you Love other Christians?
    Do you Receive Answers to your Prayers?
    Do you Experience the Ministry of the Holy Spirit?
    Can you Discern between Spiritual Truth and Error?
    Have you Suffered on Account of your Faith in Christ?

    There are links to these questions but I haven't given them due to the rules of posting links on this board. Genuine Christians CAN at times doubt whether they're save or not but this should not be the case if we're living in the light of His return or doing His will. If there arise doubts in your hearts as to whether you may not be saved then please examine yourself with God's Word and repent from the sins in your life that give rise to these doubts. Keep in mind that these aren't rules to BE saved...they are signs that a person IS saved and have truly been born again.

    God Bless!

  2. Yes, the NIV is known for its omission of words from the infallible scripture. To change or omit even the appearance of a letter (tittle) or even the smallest of letters (jot) is to tamper with the Word of God. Why is doing the will of God omitted? and why does it appear as if we have the power to forgive the sins of others? We know that Satan is known for his rebellion and wanting to do things his own way, and for taking scripture out of context. Who's really behind the NIV translation?

    God Bless!


  3. Omega's theology falls apart on one simple premise: he teaches that the Tribulation is not a period of God's wrath - therefore the church can go through it. However, the Bible teaches in two parallel passages that the whole seven years IS God's wrath. If he misses the boat on that main point, I daresay he will be off on other endtimes theology!

    If the people in view in Luke 21 (quoted below) are the church, then God's Word contradicts as Isaiah states that those who undergo these things are experiencing the wrath of God.

    Luke 21:25-28 And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring; Men's hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken. And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh.


    Greetings brother Jerry!

    I am busy daily serving the Lord in several ministries, so my apologies for any delayed responses or posts I have not replied to.

    What you posted is a common mistake that many pre-tribbers make. There are no passages that places God's wrath during the Tribulation, and the passages you cited proves just the opposite. Both of the passages you cited places "the day of the Lord" after the Tribulation. Take a closer look again at the passage in Matthew 24, which is a parallel of Luke 21:25-28

    Here again is my opening post:

    Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened' date=' and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken:[/b'] And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. (Matthew 24:29,30)

    Now these signs (the sun being darkened, stars falling from heaven, the moon not giving it's light, etc.)...Jesus said in Matt. 24:29 that these occur immediately "after" the Tribulation period. Now if we allow the scriptures to interpret the scriptures rather than our own views to interpret the scriptures...we will see that this occurs after the Tribulation and hear the people say that the wrath of the Lamb has come. When? after the Tribulation. Believers are protected from His wrath, but this occurs "after" the Tribulation.


    Now I'm sure that we can both concede that "the wrath of the Lamb" is the wrath of God, so let us look to Revelation 6 as a prooftext that God's wrath (wrath of the Lamb) occurs after the Tribulation. The celestial events that unfold in Luke 21:25-28 and Isaiah 13:6-13 are indentical to that of Revelation 6.

    And I beheld when he had opened the sixth seal, and, lo, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became as blood; And the stars of heaven fell unto the earth, even as a fig tree casteth her untimely figs, when she is shaken of a mighty wind. And the heaven departed as a scroll when it is rolled together; and every mountain and island were moved out of their places. And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every bondman, and every free man, hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains; And said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb: For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand? (Revelation 6:12-17)

    Both passages you cited (Luke 21:25-28; Isaiah 13:6-13) are parallel passages of Revelation 6:12-17 which clearly teaches that God's wrath occurs after the Tribulation. The bible cannot be any clearer. I believe that the church today is too complacent and the end time Tribulation is what the Lord will use to give the church a good spanking. I would be more than happy if you can prove me wrong, because nOBody wants to go through the Tribulation. However, I also know that my opinions and desires don't amount to a hill of beans when it stands against the Word of God.

    God Bless!
  4. Our Bible has been calculated to contain 31,101 verses and 791,328 words, all of which are from God, and all of which we are to live by. OBviously I cannot cover everything the Bible tells us to do in this thread. (This is a good reason why, in addition to doing this study, you should daily spend time reading the Bible on your own so that you get to know it cover to cover). We will, however, take a good survey, which will give us an idea of how we match up. Remember that God's Law reflects who He is; He commands us "Be ye holy" because He Himself is holy (1 Pet.1:15-16). Also, the Bible tells us that "sin is the transgression of the law" (1 Jn.3:4); we sin when we do what God says not to do, do not do what He tells us to do, or are not what He tells us to be. With this in mind, let us begin our study of God's Law with the ten commandments, found in Exodus chapter twenty.

    • The first commandment is found in Exodus 20:1-3: "And God spake all these words, saying, I am the LORD thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. Thou shalt have no other gods before me." God here forbids all worship not directed to Him, Jehovah, the great Triune God. To worship anyone or anything else is idolatry and sin. This would forbid the worship of Islam, modern Judaism, Hinduism, Buddhism, and all other non-Biblical religions, as well as the worship of those groups within Christiandom that deny the Trinity, such as the Watchtower society (so-called "Jehovah's Witnesses"), Mormonism, Unitarianism, Oneness Pentecostalism, etc. However, God wants more than just a rejection of all false religion; He wants to be first place in your life. People can make "gods" of all sorts of other things. You could worship the "almighty dollar" by putting money first place in your life. You could worship yourself by putting what you want ahead of what God says. You could put friends or family ahead of God. Jesus Christ (who is God) demands first place in your life, and if others will not follow Him, you must do so anyway. He said in Matthew 10:34-37, "Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword. For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law. And a man's foes shall be they of his own household. He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me." Have you always put the true God first in your life, and loved and sought for Him before all other persons or things? If not, you have broken the first commandment!
    • The second commandment is found in Exodus 20:4-6: "Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me; And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments." Here God forbids any to worship Him with images. This prohibits the making of any pictures of God Himself, as well as practices such as bowing down before images of saints or Mary, even with the intent to worship God, not them. John 4:24 says, "God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth." All physical images of God necessarily misrepresent Him?as an invisible Spirit, He is not material and cannot be pictured. Furthermore, the second commandment agrees with other Scripture in forbidding the making or use of images of Jesus Christ in worship. Jesus Christ is God, and so no images of Him should be made. No image could be made to represent His divine nature, since that is invisible and spiritual. No image correctly represents the awe-inspiring glorified body He received after His resurrection which made the one who saw it fall at his feet as dead (Rev.1:10-18). No image correctly represents His human nature during His earthly ministry, for the Bible records nothing of His appearance at that time (compare 1 Pet.1:8; 2 Cor. 5:16). No image could, therefore, correctly represent He who is one Person with two natures, a human and a Divine. Furthermore, the common pictures of Christ with long hair are a Satanic attempt to imply that He was sinful, since "if a man have long hair, it is a shame unto him" (1 Cor.11:14). If you have associated images with the worship of God, you have broken the second commandment. However, there is more to it than this. The point of the second commandment is that we recognize God for who He is and serve and worship Him in the way that He has commanded. In Romans 1:18-25, the Bible explains how mankind turned from the true God to idolatry, which then led to many other sins (Rom.1:26-32). Please read Romans 1:18-32. We see there that "the wrath of God" (v.18) was upon men for rejecting what the character of God (v.19), which included His "eternal power and Godhead" (v.20). They saw who God was, since v. 21 says that they "knew God," but they "glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened" (v. 21). They would not recognize God for who He was, nor reverence Him, or love or be thankful for who He was, but set up their own ideas of God instead. This is very much the idea behind the second commandment. Since they would not have God for who He was, they "changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things" (v. 23). They turned from the true God to worship gods of their own imagination, gods that were like them, gods that they liked better. They "changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever." (v. 25), and had terrible judgment fall upon them (v. 18, 24, 26-32). God demands that you understand and accept Him for exactly who He says He is in His Word, and worship and serve Him on His own terms. This forbids, OBviously, both the idolatry and image-use mentioned before, but also all other false concepts of God. For example, if you believe in a god that is so "good" that he lets you do whatever you want, and just overlooks sin, or who is so merciful that he will not punish anyone in hell (Rev 21:8), you have a false concept of God which violates the second commandment. If you want God to be kind of like a lucky charm or like Santa Claus, so that you don't live for Him for His own sake, but when you are in trouble and or want something?perhaps some material thing, or help in sickness, of a way out of a difficult situation?you ask Him for help, and if you do not get it, you become angry at Him for not giving you what you want, you have also broken the second commandment. To attempt to re-fashion God into someone you like better is a very wicked thing, deserving of severe punishment. He is a "jealous" God (Exodus 20:5), demanding exclusive devotion (Ex.34:14; Deut.4:24; 5:9; 6:15). He will not tolerate false worship.
    • The third commandment is found in Exodus 20:7: "Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain; for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain." This certainly does forbid references to God and Jesus Christ in curse phrases. We have an example of a man in Israel who did this in Leviticus 24:10-16. The man "blasphemed the name of the Lord, and cursed." (v. 11). Jehovah commanded, in v. 14-16, "Bring forth him that hath cursed without the camp; and let all that heard him lay their hands upon his head, and let all the congregation stone him. And thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel, saying, Whosoever curseth his God shall bear his sin. And he that blasphemeth the name of the LORD, he shall surely be put to death, and all the congregation shall certainly stone him: as well the stranger, as he that is born in the land, when he blasphemeth the name of the Lord, shall be put to death." (Lev.24:14-16). Today many wickedly curse like this and think nothing of it, when God had those who did it in Israel put to death. A bad situation, such as getting dangerously cut off by a car on the road, or hitting your finger with a hammer, is no excuse. This man cursed during a fight (Lev.24:10), but he was still put to death. If you have cursed with God's name, you deserve to die. Furthermore, it was customary when one heard blasphemy in Israel to rend or tear his clothes as an expression of great sorrow and horror (2 Kings 18:37; 19:1; cf. 2 Kings 18:28-35; 19:3, 6). Perhaps you do not curse yourself, but it does not bother you when others do it?the kind of sorrow and horror over bad language that would make you tear your clothes is the farthest thing from your mind! Do you watch TV programs with cursing, or read books with it? When others do it do you reprove them, and try to get them to stop, or do you say nothing, and so become complicit in their sin? However, there is more to the third commandment than cursing or blaspheming God. What is forbidden is to take His name in "vain." This would forbid speaking of God in a light or frivolous way, rather than speaking of Him reverently and giving Him the honor that is His due. The commandment forbids making jokes or speaking in an irreverent way about God, about Christ, the Bible (which God has "magnified . . . above all [His] name,"Psalm 138:2), the things of God, and so on. It would also forbid careless references to Him, such as singing hymns or songs about God when you do not pay attention to what you are saying, or prayer where you are not really speaking to God but it is just a ritual or a formality or something done for show. If you have cursed, or spoken of God in a light and careless way, you are guilty of breaking the third commandment!
    • The fourth commandment is found in Exodus 20:8-11: "Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work: But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates: For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it." In Israel, every Saturday was set apart for the worship of God, and secular work ceased. In the New Testament, churches assemble to worship on Sunday, and Christians are not to be "forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching." (Heb.10:25). If you skip church on Sunday, you are sinning against God. Watching a TV preacher, listening to Christian radio, spending some time on Sunday reading the Bible or talking with friends about spiritual things is not enough; the verse commands "assembling . . . together" in church. Furthermore, just as in Israel the Sabbath was set apart for the worship of God, so we should remember that church is about worshiping God, not about our convenience or preferences, and so we must go to one of Christ's true churches, where the Bible is believed and practiced, and not just whatever happens to be closest to our house or we prefer for whatever reason; if we are not in a real church, we are not OBeying God's command. Nor does it honor God if we go merely out of a sense of duty or necessity. The attitude of the godly is seen in Psalm 122:1: "I was glad when they said unto me, Let us go into the house of the LORD." Those right with God love His times of public worship because they love Him. They can say with Psalm 84:2, "My soul longeth, yea, even fainteth for the courts of the LORD: my heart and my flesh crieth out for the living God." We should not just serve God on Sunday, however; He wants us to use all of our time for Him. The worship and religious service of those who live for themselves is "vain . . . abomination . . . iniquity . . . [something God's] soul hateth . . . a trouble unto [Him]," and when they "make many prayers, [He] will not hear" (Isa.1:13-15; cf. Ps.50:16; Zech.7:4-14). We are to be "redeeming the time, because the days are evil" (Eph.5:16). 1 Corinthians 10:31 commands, "Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God." Does all your time belong to God? Certainly if it does, you will be in church?but can you say your time is His if you do not practice even such basics as reading His Word (2 Tim.2:15) and praying (Ps.5:3) daily? Do you spend more time on hOBbies, watching TV, amusing yourself, and doing other non-Scriptural things, then you do in the service of God? Certainly we learn from the fourth commandment that church attendance is necessary, and if you skip it for anything other then matters like severe sickness, you are guilty. God commands you to go to church, love His worship, and glorify Him with all your time. If you do not, you are guilty!
    • The fifth commandment is found in Exodus 20:12: "Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee." OBedience is certainly related to honoring parents (Eph.6:1, "Children, OBey your parents," cf. Col.3:20); if your parents command you to do something, unless they command you to act sinfully, it is hard to see how you could honor them and disOBey. But honor is more than just OBedience. Notice Deuteronomy 27:16: "Cursed be he that setteth light by his father or his mother. And all the people shall say, Amen." Honor involves respecting your parents and giving great weight to their wishes, desiring always to please them. It goes beyond OBedience to their commands to knowing their desires, and, with a spirit of love and respect, acting in accordance with their wishes without ever being asked. Notice Leviticus 19:3: "Ye shall fear every man his mother, and his father, and keep my sabbaths: I am the LORD your God." You must give your parents a reverential fear and respect from your heart. To not honor your parents is terrible evil. In Israel, God commanded that one who hit his parents (Ex.21:15), or who cursed his parents (Ex.21:17), should "surely be put to death," and a child who is "stubborn and rebellious" and consistently will "not OBey the voice of his father, or the voice of his mother" was worthy of death (Deuteronomy 21:18-21). God also specifically condemns not listening to and despising parents (Prov.23:22), rOBbing them (Prov.28:24), not blessing them (Prov.30:11), and mocking them (Prov.30:17). Children must behave in this way simply because of their parents' position over them; God never says that only parents who are a good example themselves, or who always treat their children correctly, or who are loving and kind, etc. must be treated in this way. While parents are responsible to act properly toward their children (Prov.22:6), children must honor them no matter what. You should also honor your elders in general; Leviticus 19:32 commands, "Thou shalt rise up before the hoary head, and honour the face of the old man, and fear thy God: I am the LORD." If you have not at all times and in all ways honored your parents, you are guilty of breaking the fifth commandment!


    • The sixth commandment is found in Exodus 20:13: "Thou Thou shalt not kill" God forbids the taking of innocent life. Since mankind is in the image of God, murder strikes at Him by killing one created in His image (Genesis 9:6). Not only is killing adults and youth murder, but abortion is the murder of a pre-born baby. In Exodus 21:22-25, if a man hurt a pregnant woman with child, so that she gave birth prematurely and the child died, God said to give "life for life." God uses the same word for both the "babe . . . in [the womb]" (Lk.1:41, 44) and the "babe" outside of his mother, in a crib and desiring his mother's milk (Lk.2:12, 16; 1 Pet.2:2). God has a purpose for and knows children before their birth (Jer.1:5; Ps.139:13-16). One becomes a new person in the image of God at the time of conception (Ps.51:5). You are a murderer, or are involved in the commission of murder, if you have had an abortion, assisted in an abortion, counseled someone to have an abortion or not warned someone you knew who planned to have one, voted to support abortion (the party platform of the Democrats, and the position of some Republicans), directly owned companies that support abortion through possessing their stock, or indirectly possessed such stock through mutual funds. Furthermore, some "contraceptive" devices actually prevent the implantation of the already conceived child, rather than conception, and so lead to abortions: the IUD regularly causes early abortions, and the standard birth control pill, the "morning after" pill, Norplant, and other chemical "contraceptives" sometimes do not prevent conception but abort already conceived children instead. If you have used, sold, recommended, or not warned against any of these things you are involved in murder. Furthermore, we are responsible for more than just not killing others ourselves; we must seek to protect those whom others seek to murder. Proverbs 24:11-12 reads, "If thou forbear to deliver them that are drawn unto death, and those that are ready to be slain; If thou sayest, Behold, we knew it not; doth not he that pondereth the heart consider it? and he that keepeth thy soul, doth not he know it? and shall not he render to every man according to his works?" If you do nothing to oppose abortion you are guilty, just as you would be if you saw a criminal attack and kill someone in the street and did nothing. God absolutely forbids murdering anyone, and commands us to seek to protect innocent life. The Lord Jesus Christ also commented on the sixth commandment in Matthew 5:21-22: "Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment: But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire." Christ equated unjust anger with murder. The only just anger is a selfless hatred of sin (cf. Mk.3:1-5). If someone has done you wrong, so you have been angry with him, or someone has cut you off on the road and you have been angry with him, or you have in anger insulted someone ("Raca" was an insult in the Lord Jesus' day), you are a murderer. If you have broken the sixth commandment, it is extremely serious; Jesus Christ said that you are "in danger of hell fire" (Matt.5:22).


    • The seventh commandment is found in Exodus 20:14: "Thou shalt not commit adultery." God forbids all sexual relationships outside of marriage. Hebrews 13:4 reads, "Marriage is honourable in all, and the bed undefiled: but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge." Adultery, sexual relations with someone other than one's spouse in marriage, is sin. So is sex before marriage, or fornication. Paul warns in 1 Corinthians 10:8, "Neither let us commit fornication, as some of them committed, and fell in one day three and twenty thousand." referring to Numbers 25:1-9, when the Lord killed 23,000 in Israel for that sin in one day, and a total of 24,000 in the plague. God also condemns all sexual perversion, such as homosexuality and bestiality (Lev.18:22-30; Rom.1:26-28). Furthermore, Christ said in Mark 10:11-12 that "Whosoever shall put away his wife, and marry another, committeth adultery against her. 12 And if a woman shall put away her husband, and be married to another, she committeth adultery." Jesus Christ forbade divorce ("putting away"?Malachi 2:16), and if someone divorces his spouse and marries someone else, adultery is committed. Only after the death of one's husband or wife is remarriage not adultery (Rom.7:1-3). God not only commands us to abstain from the actual commission of sexual sin, but He commands in Ephesians 5:3-7 that "fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints; Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient: but rather giving of thanks. For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disOBedience. Be not ye therefore partakers with them." God not only forbids all sexual immorality, but the dirty or off-color joke, and all uncleanness of speech. Furthermore, Christ said in Matthew 5:27-28, "Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery: But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart." You can have "eyes full of adultery" (2 Pet.2:14) without ever committing the actual act. If you look at pornography, allow your eyes to linger over people in immodest clothing (or wear it; compare Prov.7:10; Zeph.1:8; 1 Tim.2:9), or simply have lustful thoughts, the Lord Jesus Christ says you are an adulterer. You have broken the seventh commandment!


    • The eighth commandment is found in Exodus 20:15: "Thou Thou shalt not steal." God forbids taking anything that is not yours. It does not matter if it is only a "little" thing which you may think does not matter. The commandment also condemns things like not telling the grocery store clerk when you are accidentally undercharged?you seek to get your money back when you are overcharged, don't you? You are also a thief if you rip people off selling things?this is an "abomination to the LORD" (Prov.20:10; Lev.19:35-36; Prov.11:1; 16:11). God forbids exploitation of the poor for gain (Deut.24:10-15; Matt.5:42), and all "extortion" and "dishonest gain" (Ezek.22:12-13). You break the eighth commandment if you do not put in all your time at work; arriving late or leaving early without the consent or knowledge of your employer is stealing, for you are not working all the time you said you would to get your pay; so is staying home "sick" when you feel fine. Using pirated software or violating copyright laws is stealing. Cheating on your taxes is stealing (Rom.13:6-7). Furthermore, in Malachi 3:8 God says, "Will a man rOB God? Yet ye have rOBbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we rOBbed thee? In tithes and offerings." If you do not give tithes (10% of your income) and offerings through God's institution for this age, the church (1 Cor.16:2; 9:13-14; Matt.23:23; Hebrews 7, etc.) you are rOBbing God! The Bible also condemns borrowing things and not giving them back. Psalm 37:21 reads, "The wicked borroweth, and payeth not again: but the righteous sheweth mercy, and giveth." We should work hard at honest employment, and then be generous with what we earn; as Ephesians 4:28 says, "Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth." God forbids all dishonest gain in the eighth commandment. If you have stolen anything, you are guilty!


    • The ninth commandment is found in Exodus 20:16: "Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour." To "bear false witness" is to lie. Proverbs 6:16-19 tells us that "the LORD [doth] hate . . . a lying tongue . . . [and] a false witness that speaketh lies." In fact, Revelation 21:8 informs us that "all liars . . . shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death." John 8:44 tells us that "the devil . . . is a liar, and the father of it," so when you lie, you act like the devil. In contrast, God is a "God of truth" (Deut.32:4; Ps.31:5), One who "cannot lie" (Tit.1:2). You break the ninth commandment not only by boldfaced lies, but also by "white" lies, twisting or coloring the facts a bit, such as saying that someone looked good when you did not think that was the case, saying on the phone that someone was not home when the person was, and so on. The commandment also forbids slander, gossip, and other sorts of speech that falsely attack people. You also bear false witness if you tell only part of the truth and cover up the rest to make yourself look good and mislead people. The Son of God is "the faithful and true witness" (Rev.3:14), so to bear false witness is utterly contrary to His character, and a horrible sin before God. In Matthew 12:36, Christ warns, "But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment." If you have ever borne false witness, you are guilty!


    • The tenth commandment is found in Exodus 20:17: "Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbour's." To covet is to desire what God has not provided for you or be dissatisfied with what you have. It is to see someone else's house, or car, or clothes, or spouse, and to say, "Why does he get that, and I don't?" When other people get good things, you should be happy about it, and you should never rejoice when disaster or trouble comes to them (JOB 41:29; Rom.12:15; 1 Cor.13:4). Hebrews 13:5 shows us that covetousness and contentment are opposites when it says, "Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee." Read 1 Timothy 6:6-10. Verse eight commands, " food and raiment let us be therewith content." Gambling is certainly based on covetousness; out of a lust for wealth and a dissatisfaction with what God has provided for you, it hopes to take the money or other goods supplied by others without honest work (compare 2 Thess.3:10-12, Eph.4:28). Covetousness is associated with envy, which God calls "earthly, sensual, devilish" (James 3:14-16). Covetousness also leads to complaining, against which God warns in 1 Corinthians 10:10: "Neither murmur ye, as some of them also murmured, and were destroyed of the destroyer." God knows what is best for you (Matt.6:25-34). When you wish for what God has not given you, you attack His goodness, and declare He is not caring, and is unjust towards you. This is why Colossians 3:5 states "covetousness . . .is idolatry." When you are covetous, you break the first and second commandments as well as the tenth commandment. Ephesians 5:5 reads, "For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God." Have you always been fully content with your own condition, and happy with the prosperity of others, without any envy of what is theirs? If not, you are guilty of breaking the tenth commandment!


    The ten commandments do not cover all that God demands of you. Romans 1:18 tells us that "the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men," not just violations of the ten commandments. If you read Romans 1:19-32, you will see that many other sins are mentioned. For example, Romans 1:29-31 mentions "unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness . . . envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; [being] whisperers, backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disOBedient to parents, without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, [and] unmerciful." Read that list carefully, pausing for a moment over each sin that is listed. Are you guilty of any of them? Romans 1:32 tells us that "the judgment of God [is] that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them." The Bible also states that "whatsoever is not of faith is sin" (Rom.14:23). Many other commands are also found in the 31,101 verses and 791,328 words of the Bible. I am not teaching legalism, for we are saved by Grace through faith, but knowing the extent of the commandments will do a great deal in our pursuit of holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord. (Hebrews 12:14). We keep the commandments of God not to be saved, but because we are saved.

    He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. (1 John 2:4)

    God Bless!
  5. There are many Christians today who put God in a box and believe that He no longer administors the gift of healing, tongues, and prophecy. There are many charlatans who work false healings, tongues, and prophecy, but there are also those whom the Holy Spirit has gifted with the gift of the genuine speaking of tongues, healings, and prophecy. Oftentimes, a misinterpretation of scripture or a passage which is taken out of context is the cause of why some Christians no longer believe that these gifts are in effect today. Let us look to 1 Corinthians 13:8-13

    Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away. For we know in part, and we prophesy in part. But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away. When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things. For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known. And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity. (1 Corinthians 13:8-13)

    A lot of godly men twist this passage out of it's context and try to say that this passage teaches that when the bible is completed, when the last book is written (Revelation circa 90-95 AD), then these other gifts (tongues, prophecy, gift of knowledge) will cease. That's the view that they hold to. However, the context is clearly pointing to another event. Not the completion of the bible, but a different event, and we can substantiate this with scriptures.

    Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy. (Daniel 9:24)

    This passage tells us that after these 70 weeks are completed, vision and prophecy will be sealed up. That is saying the same exact thing that Paul is saying in 1 Corinthians 13, that the gift of prophecy will be done away at a certain point in time. And this point in time tells us if your read it further that it is talking about the 2nd coming of Jesus Christ. The final week, the end of the 7 year period, Jesus Christ returns to the planet earth and ushers in the righteous Kingdom of God on earth, and prophecy and vision are sealed up. We will also see other hints in 1 Corinthians 13 that will tie it in to the 2nd coming of Christ and not to the completion of the canon or the completion of the scriptures.

    "But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away." The greek word for part (meros) means incomplete. The greek word for perfect (teleion) means complete. Now there are lots of words in the bible that tells us the the bible (Word of God) is perfect. The word "perfect" here is in the neuter gender (neither masculine or feminine). Now there are 3 basic views about the perfect:

    1). The completion of the bible (90-95 AD).

    2). Jesus. We would all agree that Jesus is perfect. If it just means Jesus, teleion would have to be a different variation of that word so that it could be translated, when the perfect "man" comes, or when the perfect (masculine gender) comes, so we can't say that it means Jesus.

    3). Christians today (me included), we know in part, we prophecy in part, but the day is going to come when the perfect "thing" (neuter gender) is going to come to Daniel. When Daniel is perfected, when Daniel is glorified at the 2nd coming of Christ. He will no longer need visions, he will no longer need prophecies.

    Number 3 is the only interpretation that fits the context. This completion is when the goal has been accomplished. When sin is done away with, when righteousness will reign forever. When Jesus comes and we will be changed in the twinkling of an eye. And for the first time in our lives there is no way that could be said that we fall short from the glory of God. And for the first time in our lives we will fully glorify God to the exact degree that He created us to do.

    Paul says that we see through a glass, darkly. but then face to face: now I know in part. But when the perfection comes to us, when we're completed or glorified, we'll see Christ face to face. That's not talking about when the bible is complete and don't let anybody fool you on that passage. Let's take a look at 1st John 3:2.

    Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. (1 John 3:2)

    John is saying that you're not going to see in the mirror dimly any longer. You're going to see Jesus face to face, and when you see Him, you will be like Him because you will see Him as He is. Take a look at Isaiah 11:9.



    They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain: for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea. (Isaiah 11:9)

    When Jesus returns, the earth will be full of the knowledge of the Lord. The same thing that Paul is saying, "but then shall I know." You're not going to need a prophecy when Jesus is sitting in the temple. You're not going to need a vision when the King of Kings is ruling the world. Looking back at 1 Cor. 13, Paul is saying that he will see that day (but then shall I know even as also I am known). Paul died in 67 AD. and the bible was not completed until about 95 AD. If the completion of the bible is when the perfect comes, then Paul never saw that day. However, if when the perfect comes is when Jesus Christ returns and raises the dead and glorifies all believers, then Paul, like all Christians will see that day. Let us also look to that day, the hope of Glory.

    And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God. And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away. And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful. (Revelation 21:3-5)

    God Bless!

  6. Further proof from scripture on why the church will go through the Great Tribulation. Now the Word of God clearly teaches a 2nd coming of Christ, not 3 comings where Christ secretly comes for His church a 2nd time and returning a 3rd time to earth. Jesus Christ said that He will come on the clouds of heaven to gather His elect "after" the Tribulation (Matt. 24:29-31). To suggest that the "elect" here refers only to the 144,000 Jews is reading into the text what we want to believe. All throughout the Gospels Jesus welcomed both Jews and Gentiles into His fold, and both Jew and Gentile believers are the elect of God. The Word of God clearly teaches that there will be Gentile believers who will be saved during the Tribulation, and to suggest that these are not considered the elect is to conform Gods' Word to our liking. Jesus Christ said that His return would be OBvious, not in secret. Jesus Christ also never hinted that there would be two separate phases to His return.

    And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment: So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the SECOND TIME without sin unto salvation. (Hebrews 9:27,28)

    The burden of proof rests on the pre-tribbers to try to show that there are 2 separate phases to the 2nd coming of Christ. How can you have 2 separate phases to the 2nd coming of Christ with the 7 year tribulation period in between the 2 of them and not call that a 2nd and 3rd return. It is very clear from the Word of God that there will be a 2nd coming of Christ, not a 2nd and 3rd return. The time is nigh and if there's ever been a generation of Christians that needed a good spanking...it's us right now. Let us not be discouraged by God's Word. Many Christians like to have their ears tickled because they're afraid to come out from their comfort zone. But we need to understand that no trials and tribulation, and no amount of persecution that we may suffer in this world can compare to the glory that awaits us in the hereafter. I am writing this to exhort believers in Christ to be prepared for the coming Tribulation and put on the full armor of God.

    Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken: And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other. (Matthew 24:29-31)

    He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; (Revelation 2:7a)

    God Bless!

  7. I am not here to debate. I am here to give a message to the church regarding the end times. Many Pre-Tribbers assume that the church is not mentioned within the chapters of Revelation 4-18 therefore this is proof the the church will not endure the Tribulation. However, in Revelation, the Greek word "ekklesia" always refers to a "local" church (the church of Laodicea, Sardis, Ephesus, Smyrna, etc.) and addresses them (all) in the plural and not once refers to it as the universal church. There are not going to be local churches during the Tribulation. You're not going to go to Calvary Baptist church during the Tribulation period. The word church is not mentioned during 4-18, however, the Greek word "hagion" (saints) is mentioned 13 times in Revelation, and 11 out of 13 times is mentioned during the chapters 4-18. The word "hagion" is mentioned 46 times in the NT outside of the 13 times in the book of Revelation. Out of those 46 times, only once does it refer to saints outside the church (Matt. 27:52 - the Jews who were raised during Jesus' crucifixion). So 45 out of 46 times it refers to church age saints. So when the Antichrist wages war against the saints in Revelation 13:7, we can be almost certain that it refers to church age saints. Furthermore, the word "ekklesia" for church is also nowhere to be found in any supposed Pre-Trib prooftexts. Is the church today not willing to suffer persecution for Christ in the hands of the Antichrist? has the church become complacent in their persecution-free theology? Jesus warned to be careful of those who tell us of "secret" gatherings such as the Pre-trib rapture.

    Behold, I HAVE TOLD YOU BEFORE. Wherefore if they shall say unto you, Behold, he is in the desert; go not forth: behold, he is in the secret chambers; believe it not. FOR AS THE LIGHTNING COMETH OUT OF THE EAST, AND SHINETH EVEN UNTO THE WEST; SO SHALL THE COMING OF THE SON OF MAN BE. (Matthew 24:25-27)

    Pre-tribbers will also quote 1 Thess. 5:9 and Rev. 3:10 in an attempt to prove that the church is not destined for God's wrath and therefore will be kept out of the Tribulation.

    For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to OBtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ, (1 Thessalonians 5:9)

    Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth. (Revelation 3:10)

    God indeed has promised to keep us from His wrath but has never promised protection from Satan's wrath. We also find that God's wrath follows the Tribulation as we shall see from Revelation 6:12-17 and Matthew 24:29,30.

    And I beheld when he had opened the sixth seal, and, lo, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became as blood; And the stars of heaven fell unto the earth, even as a fig tree casteth her untimely figs, when she is shaken of a mighty wind. And the heaven departed as a scroll when it is rolled together; and every mountain and island were moved out of their places. And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every bondman, and every free man, hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains; And said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb: For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand? (Revelation 6:12-17)

    Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken: And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. (Matthew 24:29,30)

    Now these signs (the sun being darkened, stars falling from heaven, the moon not giving it's light, etc.)...Jesus said in Matt. 24:29 that these occur immediately "after" the Tribulation period. Now if we allow the scriptures to interpret the scriptures rather than our own views to interpret the scriptures...we will see that this occurs after the Tribulation and hear the people say that the wrath of the Lamb has come. When? after the Tribulation. Believers are protected from His wrath, but this occurs "after" the Tribulation.

    Now let us look at Revelation 11:18

    And the nations were angry, and thy wrath is come, and the time of the dead, that they should be judged, and that thou shouldest give reward unto thy servants the prophets, and to the saints, and them that fear thy name, small and great; and shouldest destroy them which destroy the earth. (Revelation 11:18)

    So the time of God's wrath had come, but verse 15 tells us that it occurs when? during the 7th trumpet.

    And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever. (Revelation 11:15)

    So the 7th trumpet occurs when Jesus Christ returns to set up His kingdom on planet earth which is AFTER the Tribulation. All other mention of God's "wrath" (Rev. 14:19; 15:1,7; 16:1,19) is toward unbelievers and occurs when Christ returns "after" the Tribulation. Now let's look at Revelation 19:15.

    And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. (Revelation 19:15)

    When does God's wrath come? when Jesus Christ returns after the Tribulation period when He comes on the clouds of heaven with His heavenly hosts and brings with Him God's wrath on earth. So yes, believers are not destined for God's wrath and at the same time the Tribulation period is a combination of the wrath of man (man reaping what he sowed) plus the wrath of Satan during the last half of the Tribulation when his activities are centered in the earthly sphere.
    Therefore rejoice, ye heavens, and ye that dwell in them. Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea! for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time. (Revelation 12:12)

    Another verse that Pre-tribbers cite is Revelation 4:1 which reads as:
    After this I looked, and, behold, a door was opened in heaven: and the first voice which I heard was as it were of a trumpet talking with me; which said, Come up hither, and I will shew thee things which must be hereafter. (Revelation 4:1)

    Some pretribbers will say that "come up hither" is symbolic of the rapture, but this is not the rapture at all. Compare this with 2 Corinthians chapter 12 when Paul was caught up to heaven and received visions that he could not even speak of. Now when we compare them both (John and Paul), both were caught up to receive visions and not as a rapture of the church. If we are honest with ourselves, we can clearly see that Pre-tribbers are simply reading into the text what is clearly not there. The voice in Revelation 4:1 tells John to come up hither to receive visions of what must take place in the hereafter. Let's take the Word of God at face value. Let's forget about twisting scripture and acting like..."well the American church isn't going to be persecuted." We have to accept the scriptures for what they say. Just as Christians throughout the centuries have been persecuted, the American Christian church as spoiled brats are going to be persecuted some day. Someone had asked, "If you were about to marry your bride, would you allow for her to be persecuted before your wedding day?" I said Brother, the apostle Paul was as much a part of the Bride of Christ as I am. And if they could bury his body separate from his head...they could do the same for me. We need to get off our high horse and realize that we are not a mature church that does not deserve judgment. We're an immature church that hasn't faced persecution, we're spoiled brats. The time is nigh and the Kingdom of our Lord is near. The question is..."are you ready?"

    God Bless!

  8. It says in John 6:29, "This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent". There is no real distinction in this passage between the work which God wants us to do and His Will which desires that work. God wants all to be saved (1Tim.2:4); that is His "will". We can certainly extrapolate from this that God wants what is best for us in every case, and we also know that what is pleasing to Him is what is best for us. There is thus not a millimeter of daylight between God's will and our best interests as they are truly (and divinely) defined:

    Romans 8:28 - And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.

    If we truly "love God", and if everything we do reflects this perfectly, then everything we do dovetails perfectly with everything He is doing for us. That is the ideal. In practice of course we are imperfect. We are imperfect in our knowledge, in our faith, and in our application. But "doing what is well-pleasing to Him" is indeed the key to doing His will and, consequently, what is most beneficial to us in every way. In broad terms we know exactly what is "His will". We know He wants us to be saved, and, once saved, to follow His Son our dear Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. That means growing in the truth by hearing it and believing it, putting that truth into practice in all we think, say and do, making progress in our walk, and making progress in the preparation for and implementation of the particular ministries to the Body to which we have been severally called.

    God gives us a good deal of leeway in how we approach more mundane and general matters. As Paul says, "All things are lawful for me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but all things edify not". We are soldiers who have been entrusted with a very important mission (spiritual growth, progress, and production). But our commanding officer has left it in our hands precisely how we are to go about it. As we grow and proceed, things will become more and more clear to us in regards to our particular path, and as the Spirit makes things clear to us in general terms, it is our responsibility to respond both generally and specifically. For example, if we are called to go to seminary, it behooves us to prepare in all appropriate ways for that experience ahead of time (that would certainly be "the will of God"). But as far as the more mundane specifics of our life are concerned, we are charged with growing spiritually, and our spiritual growth, the building up of our consciences, and the ever more clear testimony of the Spirit to our hearts as we grow will all combine to increase our "spiritual I.Q." so as to give us the guidance we need to figure out whether a particular action (or refraining from action) is truly "profitable" or not. We know not to sin, of course. And as we become more convinced about what it Jesus is calling us to do in this life, we begin to make decisions which are supportive of that specific mission we have been given. Indeed, the more "reward motivated" we become (and in the Christian life the motivation of eternal rewards is not only legitimate but extremely important), the more we find ourselves deferring present comfort and enjoyment for the sake of the "mission". You only have to take a look at a person like Paul to see what near perfect "mission-dedication" looks like. Paul came as close as anyone ever has (outside of our Lord Jesus whose approach was perfect of course) to subordinating his personal wants and desires to the "best possible" response to the Will of God, and as a result his eternal reward will be one of the greatest for all eternity.

    It is not as if there is only one possible outcome or that every decision hinges on some very specific communication of the will of God to us (in cases where a contemplated action or inaction is not sinful). We have free-will faith, and that is at its essence the ability (and opportunity) to respond to the Lord by doing what is well-pleasing to Him. This "first best will" is not a matter of passive decisions concerning the mundane and largely unimportant things of life -- unimportant, that is, if divorced from our overall purpose. This "first best will" only even comes into play once we have begun to move forward spiritually, once we have decided to seek Him and follow Him, once we have begun to discover and */believe/* His truth, putting it into practice in our lives not only defensively (by avoiding sin), but offensively (by growing, applying the truth to life, passing tests, and serving Jesus through our spiritual gifts). It is only in that light that this question even becomes important. That is because for the vast majority of Christians who are sitting on their hand and not growing, progressing and producing, asking "what is God's will?" is absolutely ridiculous: God's will is that they get up and get moving, start seeking the truth, believe and apply it, start passing tests and living the Word, start following Jesus */forward/*, and begin to employ their gifts in the service of the growth of His Body the Church. Only then does this question become relevant, and, inevitably, when it does the person in question is already largely */doing/* God's will, so that more mundane questions on this score begin to answer themselves. Once we begin to ask ourselves "Is this the best way to carry out my mission? Will this help or hinder my efforts to gain the maximum possible reward in this life", then we are very close to seeing the will of clearly in all things great and small.

    In the One who will reward us for everything we have done for Him on that great day of days, our dear Lord Jesus Christ.

    God Bless!

  9. Greetings!

    The Testimony of the Bible on Cosmetics

    Biblical Evidence

    Presuppositions:

    1.) Scripture is sufficient for teaching us how to live:

    All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works. (2 Tim 3:16-17). It can make us ?perfect.? Every word of ?all scripture? is profitable for teaching us. This includes the large portions of the Bible that are not direct commands or didactic statements, but narratives and examples. We are to get teaching from the examples of Scripture: ?Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come? (1 Corinthians 10:11). ?For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning? (Romans 15:4); cf. Romans 4:23; 1 Corinthians 9:10.

    2.) Scripture also has only one correct interpretation (2 Peter 1:20). We cannot allow our interpretation of verses to be determined by what we want, by our culture or pressure from the world-system (1 John 2:15-17), by ?majority rule,? (Prov 14:12; 16:25; 30:12) or by fear of what people will think (Prov 29:25). We must, believing that God is a good God, without any prejudice come to Scripture, passionately wishing to completely follow God in whatever He says. When we repented and were born again, we gave up our life to live the life that Christ wants (Luke 9:24), and we are to continue in that attitude, out of love for our Savior.

    The Passages Which Mention Cosmetics:

    Passages where cosmetics are condemned:

    1.) And when Jehu was come to Jezreel, Jezebel heard of it; and she painted her face, and tired her head, and looked out at a window. (2 Kings 9:30)

    ?This casts light enough on Jezebel's painting, &c., and shows sufficiently with what design she did it, to conquer and disarm Jehu, and induce him to take her for wife, as Jarchi supposes? (Adam Clarke).

    ?Jezebel painted her face . . . according to a custom . . . of staining the eyelids with a black powder made of pulverized antimony, or lead ore mixed with oil, and applied with a small brush on the border, so that by this dark ligament on the edge, the largeness as well as the luster of the eye itself was thought to be increased.? (Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown Commentary)

    Note that Revelation 2:20 indicates that Jezebel wanted ?to teach and to seduce [God?s] servants to commit fornication.? Jezebel, a primary model for the ungodly, ?cursed woman? (2 Kings 9:34; cf. Revelation 2:20), painted her face for the purpose of seduction. Scripture records no other purpose for cosmetics than this.

    2.) And when thou art spoiled, what wilt thou do? Though thou clothest thyself with crimson, though thou deckest thee with ornaments of gold, though thou rentest thy face with painting, in vain shalt thou make thyself fair; thy lovers will despise thee, they will seek thy life. (Jeremiah 4:30)

    ?Though thou rentest thy face with painting?: ? Reference is here particularly made to the practice of harlots to allure men. (Adam Clarke)

    ?Rentest thy face?: Judah is here compared to a harlot, who, in her eagerness to apply the paint, tears or furrows the lids. (Family Bible Notes, Justin Edwards).

    The desperate condition of Israel is finally pictured under the figure of a harlot who even in her desperate hour still tries to allure the enemy by her wiles (v.30). Her ?lovers? (lit., ?paramours?) will be unimpressed and will despise her. . . . The courtesan will be murdered by her lovers . . . In order to allure her enemies (former paramours) from their murderous intentions, Judah seeks to improve her appearance by well-known coquettish devices. One of these is enlarging the eyes with paint. . . . This was done by the use of black mineral powder (antimony, stibium), as the Egyptian women did in ancient days and as Arab women?and many women in the western world?do today. . . . The word translated ?lovers? is not the usual Hebrew one for illicit lovers It is the masculine plural participle of . . . agab , ?to have inordinate affection, lust?; BDB, s.v.). This unusual verb is used only here and in Ezek 23:5, 7, 9, 12, 16, 20, where Samaria and Jerusalem are personified as harlots. The lovers here are not idols but foreign nations. (Expositor?s Bible Commentary).

    ?Now here he compares her to a harlot abandoned by all the lewd ones that used to make court to her. . . . She rents her face with painting, puts the best colours she can upon her present distresses and does her utmost to palliate and extenuate her losses, sets a good face upon them. But this painting, though it beautifies the face for the present, really rends it; the frequent use of paint spoils the skin, cracks it, and makes it rough; so the case which by false colours has been made to appear better than really it was, when truth comes to light, will look so much the worse.

    "And, after all, in vain shalt thou make thyself fair;

    all thy neighbours are sensible how low thou art brought;

    the Chaldeans will strip thee of thy crimson and

    ornaments, and then thy confederates will not only

    slight thee and refuse to give thee any succour, but

    they will join with those that seek thy life, that

    they may come in for a share in the prey of so rich

    a country."

    Here seems to be an allusion to the story of Jezebel, who thought, by making herself look fair and fine, to outface her doom, but in vain, 2Ki 9:30,33. See what creatures prove when we confide in them, how treacherous they are; instead of saving the life, they seek the life; they often change, so that they will sooner do us an ill turn than any service. And see to how little purpose it is for those that have by sin deformed themselves in God's eyes to think by any arts they can use to beautify themselves in the eye of the world. (Matthew Henry)

    Here again, cosmetics are condemned. Scripture associates them again with the appearance of a harlot. No exception is made for ?moderate? use, whatever that is supposed to be.

    3.) And furthermore, that ye have sent for men to come from far, unto whom a messenger was sent; and, lo, they came: for whom thou didst wash thyself, paintedst thy eyes, and deckedst thyself with ornaments (Ezekiel 23:40)

    This verse pictures Samaria and Jerusalem as women who are involved in ?adulteries . . . [and] whoredoms? (v. 43), who are ?lewd women? and ?harlot? (v. 44). The prophet, under inspiration, deliberately includes a mention of cosmetics on these harlot-women. Ezekiel?and the Spirit who inspired his canonical book?considers this use of paint is an ungodly characteristic of prostitutes which contributes to the picture of these women as loose, lustful, and sinful.

    Selected Commentaries on Ezekiel 23:40:

    ?Paintedst.? Kachalt aineych, rendered by the LXX. estibizou touv ofyalmouv sou; "thou didst paint thine eyes with stibium," and Vulgate circumlinisti stibio oculos tuos, "thou didst paint round thine eyes with stibium," or lead ore; whence it is called in Arabic kochl, and in Syriac kecholo, and koochlo. (Treasury of Scripture Knowledge)

    ?Thou didst wash thyself, paintedst thy eyes, and deckedst thyself with ornaments.? This is exactly the way in which a loose female in Bengal adorns herself to receive guests. She first bathes, then rubs black paint around her eyes, and then covers her body with ornaments.-WARD'S Customs. (Adam Clarke)

    ?for whom thou didst wash thyself, paintedst thy eyes, and deckedst thyself with ornaments;? just as harlots do to make themselves agreeable to their lovers; who use washes and paint, as Jezebel did, and dress themselves in their best clothes, and adorn themselves in the best manner they can. Harlots had their particular attire, by which they were known, Pr 7:10 and they not only used bagnios or baths, but washes for their face, to make them look beautiful; and particularly painted their eyes, to make them look larger; for large eyes in women, in some nations, were reckoned very handsome, particularly among the Greeks: hence Juno, in Homer {d}, is called bowpivthe ox eyed, as some translate it; or rather the large eyed Juno: and the Grecian women, in order to make their eyes large, made use of a powder mixed with their washes, which shrunk their eyebrows, and caused their eyes to stand out, and look fuller and larger; and such was the paint which Pliny, {e} calls stibium, and says, it was by some named "platyophthalmon", because in the beautiful eyebrows of women it dilated the eyes; and it seems that painting with something of this nature was used by the Jewish women, in imitation of the Heathens, for the same purpose, especially by harlots; hence the phrase of rending the face, or rather the eyes, with paint, Jer 4:30, so the Moorish women now, as Dr. Shaw {f} relates, to add a gracefulness to their complexions, tinge their eye lids with "alkahol," the powder of lead ore; and this is performed by first dipping into this powder a small wooden bodkin, of the thickness of a quill, and then drawing it afterwards through the eyelids, over the ball of the eye; and which is properly a rending the eyes indeed, as the prophet calls it, with powder of "pouk", or lead ore.? (John Gill)

    Black paint was spread on the eyelids of beauties to make the white of the eye more attractive by the contrast, so Judah left no seductive art untried. (Jamieson-Fausset-Brown)

    These two cities seduced foreign nations as a harlot would lure lovers with her cosmetics and clothing, even offering them a feast in which they used the incense and oil of the Lord?s sanctuary (vv.40-41). All sorts of sordid ?men? responded to the wooing, even drunkards from the desert?most likely a reference to the Arabians, Moabites, Edomites or Sabeans (cf. note at v.42). These ?lovers? gave Judah the hire of harlots?bracelets, crowns, etc. (v.42). (Expositor?s Bible Commentary)

    Summary of the three definite passages:

    In each one of these passages, cosmetics are associated with harlots, fornication, and ungodly, wicked women. One verse should suffice for us, but how can we say that God does not condemn cosmetics when we have ?two or three witnesses? establishing this teaching (2 Corinthians 13:1)? None of the passages say a word about ?excessive? use or putting on ?too much.? The item itself is viewed negatively. How is a woman who wants to follow Scripture to know that a certain amount is ?moderate? and a certain amount is ?excessive? and so is then sinful? How can one know, remembering that ?whatsoever is not of faith is sin? (Romans 14:23), that a given amount is not enough to bring Scriptural condemnation, when the Bible never hints that a little bit is OK, but simply condemns the item itself?

    Two further possible references:

    Isaiah 3:16:

    Is. 3:16 Moreover the LORD saith, Because the daughters of Zion are haughty, and walk with stretched forth necks and wanton eyes, walking and mincing as they go, and making a tinkling with their feet:

    Here, the word ?wanton? comes from the Hebrew saqar, which may refer to cosmetics, as the following lexical definition demonstrates:

    rqc: the cognate languages offer two possibilities: ?a. MHeb. rqs qal to look at, nif. to be looked at; JArm. r

  10. Greetings!

    How do we know that we're Christians? What defines a Christian?

    Well, the biblical answer would be two fold: 1) *knowledge, *belief (or assent), and *trust in Jesus Christ.

    1. Knowledge in that one intellectually apprehends the essential facts of who Christ is--namely, that He is God in the flesh (sent by the God the Father) that He really died and *physically* raised from the grave, and born of a virgin (also including the facts of the Tri-unity of God: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit sharing the nature of the ONE God, i.e., one God co-existing as three eternal, equal, "distinct" persons).

    2. Belief (or assent) in those facts.

    3. Trust in that Jesus Christ is Lord and Savior.

    The word believe as in for example, John 6:47 (as well as 3:16; 5:24; 1 John 5:11-12; etc.), is from the Greek word pisteuon. This word translated "believes" or "believe" is really a present active participle. A present active participle in Greek denotes a continuous action of the verb. For example the participle of "run" is running. Basically, you can make an English word a present participle by adding "ing" to a verb (swim = swimming, walk =walking, etc.). It shows the real active "on-going" faith of a real Christian; a faith that was the result of regeneration. Scripture knows of no one that has faith for a little while then loses his or her faith or stops believing (note: "believe" and "faith" comes from the same Greek word: "pistis"). Further, the term (pistis) does not only mean "knowledge" or only "belief" (for even demons believe), but rather in Greek all three components: knowledge, assent, and trust is the meaning of the term. So, first, if one is a true Christian he or she will have knowledge, belief (assent), and trust in the true Christ of biblical revelation (John 8:24; 17:3).

    Second (recalling above, I said two-fold), a true faith will be an active faith. In other words, a true faith (as the apostle James points out), a true faith is demonstrated by works (also for example Gal. 5 speaks of the fruits the Spirit). Thus, how does one know that he or she is a true Christian?: doctrine and love (i.e., a true faith will be demonstrated by works). We are saved by faith ALONE, but that faith is not alone. God Bless!

    In Christ,
    Daniel

  11. Greetings...

    He taught them many things by parables...the farmer sows the word. Some people are like seeds along the path, where the word is sown. As soon as they hear it, Satan comes and takes away the word that was sown in them (Mark 4:1-15).

    The parable of the sower is the first parable given in the book of Mark. In it, Jesus compares the ways people receive the gospel with the ways sown seeds grow. His first example is that of freshly sown seeds being devoured by birds before they have time to take root. Just as birds eat some of the seeds, so Satan comes to take away the word of truth that some people have received. A few things to note. First, Satan doesn't come to take the truth away from everyone who receives it. Second, we are not told why Satan comes to some and not others. Third, people are not actually seeds and Satan is not actually a bird; it's only an analogy. The fact that Satan takes away the truth one time, doesn't mean he can do it every time. It is important to know that Satan is not all he's cracked up to be. He's definitely more powerful than us humans, but he is no match for Jesus Christ.

    God vs. Satan

    Have you ever seen a gospel tract depicting a battle between Satan and God for the souls of humans? Sometimes they are in comic book form, showing a demon sitting on one shoulder of a person and an angel on the other shoulder. All rests on the person's decision, and the two spirits do all they can to sway the person to their side. It belongs in a comic book, because it is a parody of the truth. Satan is not on a par with God, as though he has the power to prevent God from his redemptive purpose for humanity. In other words, there is no battle between God and Satan for your soul. That battle, such as it was, was won before the foundation of the world and was made plain to the world in the life, death and resurrection of Jesus. When a person is the best at doing something, you might say, "She could do that in her sleep." Well, Jesus not only could defeat Satan in his sleep, he defeated him in his death. Satan is a lame duck ruler. His days as corrupt, bully "prince of this world" (John 12:31) are numbered. He doesn't have the last word; Jesus does. And Jesus' word for humans is "Yes." Satan is our enemy, to be sure. Peter tells us that he "as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour" (1 Pet. 5:8). We are no match for a lion, roaring or not, and we are no match for the devil. But Jesus is. Jesus has already de-fanged and de-clawed this "lion." So Peter goes on to say, "Resist him [the devil], standing firm in the faith..." (verse 9). Peter is talking about faith in the Son of God. When we stand with Jesus, trusting Him, we stand also in his victory over the devil.

    Not a Quitter

    "...but when they have heard, Satan cometh immediately, and taketh away the word that was sown in their hearts." (Mk. 4:15). But what happens next? Does Jesus throw up his hands, sigh heavily and shake his head in defeat? Does he say, "Well, you got me on that one, Satan." In the parable, Satan takes away the word that was planted in the person. We are not told in the parable what the sower does about that. But we are told in the Bible that God does not change in his covenant faithfulness to redeem lost humans. "For I am the LORD, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed." (Mal. 3:6). Jesus said, "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved." (Jn. 3:16,17). Jesus is a sower who does not give up. The fact that Satan might take away the word from a person doesn't mean that Jesus won't sow in that place again. Sometimes, in fact, he might sow in such a place through you.

    God Bless!

  12. Are You WORSHIPPING JEHOVAH?

    Many people today claim to be Christians and would want to believe that they love God. These people would assume that they worship Jehovah. In fact, one may very well have a majority of people respond to this question, "Yes, I worship God; I worship Jehovah!"

    It is one thing to say you worship Jehovah, but it is an entirely different thing to actually worship Jehovah. Jesus said in Matthew 15:7-8 "Ye hypocrites, well did Esaias prophesy of you, saying, This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me." (KJV) Just saying you love God, does not make it so. Likewise claiming to be a follower and worshipper of Jehovah in no way proves that you are. Some people might think that they surely must be worshippers of Jehovah because they always use the name Jehovah to refer to God Almighty. But again, just using Jehovah's name, or even claiming to defend the honor of Jehovah's name, in no way proves that one truly worships Jehovah.

    The Bible even suggests that someone may think he is worshipping Jehovah and yet be entirely mistaken. Jesus said that "Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven?Many will say?Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then I will profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity." (Matt. 7:21-23) If we had asked the people Jesus talked about "Are you worshipping Jehovah?" they certainly would have claimed they were; but they were really working iniquity. (Also consider that some are "opposing themselves" 2 Tim. 2:25-26 and others are "blinded" 2 Cor. 4:4)

    In light of these facts, let us go to the Scripture to determine whether we are worshipping Jehovah or whether we are "deceiving (our) own selves" (James 1:22).

    What is Worship?

    "Worship" can be defined as "to attribute worth to an object or person" or "to do reverence or give homage to a superior being". The Greek and Hebrew words used for worship in the Bible carry with them the idea of prostrating oneself and humbly showing submission to another.

    Just understanding what worship is does not mean we are actually worshipping. Scripture gives some necessary qualities in order for worship to be accepted.

    How does one Worship?

    There are two key texts, among many others, that help us know how to worship Jehovah. The first is John 4:23-24 "But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth." Worshipping in spirit means worshipping with your whole being. God is not pleased without true heart-felt worship. Many perform the rituals or routine practices of their religious organizations yet are not worshipping God from their heart.

    Worship must also be done "in truth". This means that it matters to Jehovah what we believe and even in what form our worship to Him takes place. Everything must be done "in truth" and The Bible, the Word of God, is truth (Jn. 17:17). If we do not practice Biblical worship, it will not be acceptable before Jehovah. (Example= Cain sincerely offered God fruits and vegetables; but since it was not the offering God had required, since it was not worship in truth, God did not accept Cain's offering.)

    The second key text telling us how to worship is 1 Chronicles 16:29-30, "Give unto the LORD the glory due unto his name: bring an offering, and come before him: worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness. Fear before him, all the earth?." Worship includes giving. Bringing offerings and giving glory, honor, and strength to Jehovah accompanies true worship. Some of the offerings which God is pleased with are mentioned in Heb. 13:15-16 "By him (Jesus) therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name. But to do good and to communicate forget not: for with such sacrifices God is well pleased." Praising and thanking Jehovah, doing good, sharing with others-these are "spiritual sacrifices" (1 Pet. 2:5) pleasing to God. These are ways to worship Jehovah. (also prayer--Ps. 141:2)

    The phrase "worship?in the beauty of holiness" encompasses all of the spirit, which must permeate true worship. A holy life in and of itself is worship. An unholy life offering worship to Jehovah does not please Him. (Is. 29:13ff.) Worship not according to truth can not be considered holy. Many professing Christians today offer up worldly music as worship-this is an offense to God! Worship is not a feeling but an action of service to God accompanied by the attitudes of humility, reverence, and fear.

    Who are we to Worship?

    This may seem like a strange and insignificant question. In light of the fact that the Father must be worshipped in truth, however, nothing could be more important.

    When Satan tried to get Jesus to worship him, Jesus responded by saying, "?it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve." (Matt. 4:10) "Lord" is the Greek word (kurios) for "LORD"* -"Jehovah"-which was used in the verse Jesus was quoting (Deut. 6:13). Thus, Jehovah alone is to receive worship. *[in the KJV, "LORD" or "GOD" is used for the Hebrew word "Yehovah" (English "Jehovah") most of the time.]

    Certainly, if any god, any person (even self), or any thing is worshipped besides Jehovah, false worship (i.e. SIN) is occurring. In fact Jehovah's servants are very careful not to receive worship, but to direct all worship to God alone. Peter and Paul both refused worship (Acts 10:26, 14:14-15). Even angels do not receive worship (Judg. 13:16, Rev. 19:10, 22:8-9). Only Jehovah is to receive worship.

    But what about Jesus? Some people worship and sometimes pray to Jesus. Does this mean that they are practicing false worship and thereby sinning against Jehovah? To answer this question we must first honestly acknowledge that the Bible says?

    Jesus received worship

    If you will recall, Jesus told Satan he must only worship Jehovah. However, Hebrews 1:6 says, "And again, when he bringeth in the firstbegotten into the world, he saith, And let all the angels of God worship him." Here God the Father is telling angels (Satan included) to worship the "firstbegotten"-Jesus Christ! Jesus is worshipped by men in Matt. 14:33, 28:9, 28:17 and many other places. Lk. 24:52 is a good example, "And they worshipped him (Jesus), and returned to Jerusalem with great joy." Here it is significant that they worshipped Jesus after he was "carried up into heaven." (Lk. 23:51)

    If you are using a New World Translation (NWT) of the Bible, here we must stop and point out something. You may have noticed that Heb. 1:6 says "?And let all God's angels do obeisance to him." What you may not know is that the 1961 edition {as used in the 1969 Kingdom Interlinear Translation of the Greek Scriptures (KIT)} says, "?And let all God's angels worship him." Why did they change the translation? Also disturbing to notice is that every time "proskuneo", the Greek word for "worship", is used in reference to God the Father, it is translated "worship" (Rev 5:14, 7:11, 11:16, 19:4, and Jn. 4:20). Yet every time the same word is used in reference to Jesus Christ (as in the earlier examples) it is translated "do obeisance". Why the inconsistency?

    If Jesus receives worship, which is only to be offered to Jehovah, what does that imply? Jesus is not

    What about the Bible?

    You may be tempted to stop reading this. "Oh! This is teaching that Jesus is God! I don't believe that!"

    But wait! What about the Bible? What does the Bible say about this issue?

    The Jehovah's Witnesses are right when they say, "So our entire future hinges on our knowing the true nature of God, and that means getting to the root of the Trinity controversy. Therefore, why not examine it for yourself?" {"Should You Believe in the Trinity?" by the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society (WTS) in 1989, pg. 3.} The Bible itself says in 2 Jn. 9 "Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God?." It is vitally important to be correct about the doctrine (teaching) of Christ. If you are wrong, you cannot worship Jehovah in truth, and you are no follower of His.

    Many people say they believe the Bible, yet they don't obey it, or they explain parts of it away. A real belief in the Bible results in this attitude, "The Bible says it. That settles it." When archeology, science, or history "contradicts" the Bible, the true Bible believer turns a deaf ear. Since the Bible is God-breathed and perfect, it is the only source of 100% truth.

    Some things the Bible tells us have to be believed even though they do not seem logical or rational to us. Can anyone really comprehend the fact that God never had a beginning? No! We believe it because the Bible says it. Does it seem fair or logical that humans can be redeemed but angels cannot? Again, we have to just go with what the Bible says. When it comes to the identity of Jesus Christ-his true nature, we must let the Bible speak for itself.

    1 Thessalonians 4:21 says "Prove all things; hold fast that which is good." This means we are commanded to test all things according to the Bible, and accept that which is proven good. Let me ask you, "Are you willing to have your beliefs tested by Scripture?" If not, why not? If the Bereans had not been willing to listen to Paul and check out what he said with the Bible, they would have remained Jews and never been gloriously converted to New Testament Christianity.

    Since the Bible tells us Jesus was worshipped, and it also tells us only Jehovah is to be worshipped, we must look closer at what the Bible teaches concerning Jesus' identity. This will help us understand why Jesus could receive worship. But, first?.

    Which Translation?

    Any doctrinal study must be based in the Bible. But there is a problem today which did not really exist two hundred years ago. Today, there are so many different translations. Which one is the best? Rather than asking science or history to tell us, let us see what the Bible itself, the only source of 100% truth, would say about the topic.

    Scripture teaches that each and every word of the Bible is inspired of God and therefore perfect. (2 Tim. 3:16, 2 Pet. 1:21, 1 Cor. 2:13, Matt. 4:4, Ps. 19:7) Jehovah also promises in the Bible that all of these words would be preserved. (Ps. 12:6-7, Ps. 119:160, Mt. 24:35, 1 Pet. 1:25) Since all of the words will be preserved, we would expect that none of them would have been lost and in need of being restored. We would also expect that God's people would have access to and be using these preserved Words throughout the centuries. Is. 59:21 confirms this assumption, "As for me, this is my covenant with them, saith the LORD; My spirit that is upon thee, and my words which I have put in thy mouth, shall not depart out of thy mouth, nor out of the mouth of thy seed, nor out of the mouth of thy seed's seed, saith the LORD, from henceforth and for ever."

    In light of this testimony from the Bible, we would not expect new findings of lost or neglected manuscripts to correct the traditionally accepted texts that have been in use for centuries. But this is exactly what the editors of the modern Greek texts believe. They believe they are correcting or restoring the text based on manuscripts that were discarded and ignored for hundreds of years. This does not agree with God's promise to preserve the words of the Bible and ensure that His people were using them.

    Although there are dozens of English Bible translations today, there are only three types of Greek texts. The first is the widely-accepted modern text first popularized by Wescott & Hort in 1881 and now represented by the Nestle & Aland (or U.B.S.) text. Another text used today is based on an educated guess as to what the majority of Greek manuscripts say and is called the Majority Text. The third text used today was put into print shortly after the invention of printing in the 1500's and became known as the Received Text (Textus Receptus) because the vast majority of God's people in that day received it as God's words.

    The first two types of texts were formed by men who were guided by the principles of rationalistic, higher criticism, which views the Bible through the eyes of science. The third text was put together by men who were guided by faith in God's preservation of the words of Scripture.

    The only major Bible today that is based on the traditional Old and New Testament texts is the King James Version. The other versions do not merely use modern English; they use a modern Greek and Hebrew text!

    It is easy to see many of the numerous differences in the texts by looking at a New World Translation (based on a reprint of Wescott's & Hort's 1881 text). The NWT shows which verses were deleted from the Received Text by a line. For example, "14 ." would indicate that verse 14 is in the KJV or the Received Text but not in the NWT or the Wescott & Hort text. The following verses are all deleted in the NWT: Mt. 17:21, 18:11, 23:14; Mk. 7:16, 9:44, 9:46, 11:26, 15:28; Lk. 17:36, 23:17; Jn. 5:4; Acts 8:37, 15:34, 24:7, 28:29; Rm. 16:24 (1 Jn. 5:7 is also deleted although not shown as such in the text). How could God's Word have been preserved before the modern texts came along, and yet need this many corrections? (Actually, there are over 7,000 words changed, added, or omitted by the new texts!)

    The King James Version is used in this post not only because it is based on the preserved traditional texts, but also because it is an accurate translation. The New World Bible Translation Committee, however, claims that the KJV, along with all other English versions (excepting the NWT), has "fallen victim to the power of human traditionalism in varying degrees". And that, "In support of a preferred religious view, an inconsistency and unreasonableness have been insinuated into the teachings of the inspired writings. If you disagree than honestly answer these next questions.

    1. Why does the NWT add "[the]" in 2 Pet. 1:1 to the phrase, "of our God and Savior Jesus Christ" {so that it reads, "of our God and [the] Savior Jesus Christ"}, when the exact same Greek phrase is used without "[the]" in 2Pet 1:11, 2:20, and 3:18 with the exception that these verses have "Lord" instead of "God". Grammatically they should be treated the same, but they are not! (The same thing is done in Titus 2:13)

    2. Why does the NWT translate the Greek words "ego eimi " as "I am" every time it appears in the New Testament (e.g. Jn. 6:35, 6:41, 8:24, 13:19, 15:5, etc.) except in Jn. 8:58, where it is translated as "I have been", even though the KIT has it as "I am"? The answer is that in any translation except the NWT, Ex. 3:14 has God Almighty declaring Himself as, "I AM THAT I AM?I AM." And if Jesus said in a similar way, "I am", then, Watchtower doctrine would be wrong.

    3. Why does the NWT add the word "[son]" in Acts 20:28, when this word does not exist in the Greek text?

    4. For what other reason than "religious coloration" does the NWT add the word "[other]" or "[others]" (which are not in the Greek, see the KIT) in Acts 10:36, Phil. 2:9, Col. 1:16, 17, and 20?

    5. On what basis does the NWT translate "kolasis" in Mt. 25:46 as "cutting-off", when the word means "punishment" or "correction"? If Mt. 25:46 were to speak of "everlasting punishment" it would contradict Watchtower doctrine!

    6. As mentioned before, why does the NWT translate "proskuneo" as "worship" when referring to God the Father, but "do obeisance" when referring to Jesus?

    7. Why does the NWT change its punctuation of the oft-repeated phrase, "Verily (or truly) I say unto you," in Lk. 23:43? Every other time the comma follows "you", but in Lk. 23:43 the comma follows "today". This is a blatant mistranslation intended to prevent the verse from contradicting the Watchtower teachings on death.

    8. Why does the NWT most often translate "pneuma" as "spirit", and yet translate it as "inspired utterance" in 1 Tim. 4:1? Is the Watchtower trying to avoid the implications of the literal translation, "the Spirit speaketh"? See also 1 Jn. 4:1 "inspired _expression"; and Gen. 1:2 where the Hebrew word "ruwach", which means "spirit", is translated "active force". Clearly someone is "coloring" their translation!

    9. The most blatant of all translations done "in support of a preferred religious view" is the NWT translation of Jn. 1:1. The translation "a god" is not warranted by any Greek authority. [Which would also contradict Scripture, for how could Jesus be "a god" who is "with God" when in Dt. 32:39 Jehovah says "See now that I, even I, am he, and there is no god with me?"? And how could Jesus be a god, when Jehovah says, "beside me there is no god"? (Is. 44:6). And how could Jesus be a god whom Jehovah created when Jehovah said, "before me there was no God formed, neither shall there be after me"? (Is. 43:10)] For proof that this is not a "sectarian" viewpoint listen to this non-Christian Greek scholar.

    "No justification whatsoever for translating THEOS EN HO LOGOS as 'the Word was a god.' There is no syntactical parallel to Acts 28:6 where there is a statement in indirect discourse; John 1:1 is direct....I am neither a Christian nor a trinitarian." --Dr. J. Johnson of California State University, Long Beach: (taken from "What Greek Scholars Think of the New World Translation" posted on http://www.apologeticsindex.org)

    10. Why does the WTS hide the identities of the NWT translators? Why do they not reveal what academic distinctions qualify them to make so many unique and seemingly errant translations? Well, the truth is that only one of the translators had studied the original languages in any depth. He (Fred Franz), however, had studied Greek for only two years at the University of Cincinnati, and was only self-taught in Hebrew. When asked under oath in a courtroom to translate Gen. 2:7 (a verse any first-year Hebrew student could translate) he could not!

    A criticism the WTS would make concerning the KJV would be that it rarely uses the word "Jehovah". This criticism must be answered here briefly. The KJV uses "LORD" or "GOD" for "Jehovah". While it is true that LORD is not the meaning of the word "Jehovah" but rather of "Adonai" (usually translated "Lord"), LORD does fittingly describe the Person in view. Rather than being motivated by any sinister plot to malign Jehovah's name, the KJV translators were simply following the example of others. The Jews held the personal name of God in such high regard that they would rarely pronounce it (substituting "Adonai", which would translate "Lord" instead). The NT uses "Kurios" (translated "Lord") when referring to Jehovah. The Greek translation of the Old Testament also used the word "Kurios" for Jehovah. Most importantly they were following the example of Jesus, who in Mt. 23:39 quoted Ps. 118:26 "Blessed is he that cometh in the name of (Jehovah)" with the word "Kurios".

    As we move on in our study and begin to look at the identity of Jesus Christ, we will use the King James Version. I challenge you to compare these verses with the NWT and see that many we will use have been twisted and changed often in "inconsistent" and "unreasonable" ways in order to promote the teachings of the WTS. I further challenge you to write me about anything I will say and show me from Scripture that it is wrong. All of us are obligated to prove all things by the Bible. Truth does not fear investigation, but error shuns the light.

    In answering the question, "Who is Jesus?" we must first ask?

    Who is Jehovah?

    Perhaps the best place for seeing the essence of Who Jehovah is would be Ps. 83:18, which says; "That men may know that thou whose name alone is JEHOVAH, art the most high over all the earth." From this verse we understand that Jehovah is the ultimate Sovereign over all. He is the One in charge. In short, Jehovah is God.

    To answer this question clearly, however, we must remember that "Jehovah" is a name. We must see what attributes, actions and descriptions are ascribed to the one who possesses this name in order for us to be able to properly identify Jehovah.

    Attributes

    ETERNALITY. This attribute describes the fact of Jehovah's constant existence. He is truly eternal, without beginning or end. Ps. 90:2 and Hab. 1:12 teach this truth concerning Jehovah.

    OMNIPOTENCE. This attribute means that God is "all powerful". Jehovah's boundless and infinite power is taught in Is. 40:26, 28-29 and Jer. 32:17.

    OMNISCIENCE. This means that Jehovah is "all knowing." The Bible clearly teaches that God is all wise and absolute in His knowledge. Is. 40:28, Ps. 147:4-5, and Ps.139:1-6 clearly teach this.

    OMNIPRESENCE. This means that Jehovah is "everywhere present". God infinitely permeates space, because He created it. Prov. 15:3, Jer. 23:23-24, and Ps. 139:7-10 clearly teach this mind-boggling truth.

    IMMUTABILITY. This attribute describes the fact that Jehovah is "unchangeable". He does not deteriorate or improve, His nature and will are constant. Mal. 3:6 and Ps. 102:26-27 teach this.

    HOLINESS. This is God's supreme moral attribute. He alone is holy. The word holy means to be set apart. Jehovah is set apart from all others by means of His intrinsic goodness. Ex. 15:11, Hab. 1:12-13, and Is. 45:11 teach this.

    These are the chief attributes of Jehovah. These are not merely facts about Him; rather they define His nature--Who He is. We have seen what Jehovah is like, now let us see what kinds of things He does-His actions. For the purpose of this post, just a few of Jehovah's actions will be discussed.

    Actions

    [*]He created the world. Gen. 1:1, Is. 44:24. [*]He sustains the world. Neh. 9:6. [*]He will judge mankind. Ps. 98:9, Joel 3:12. [*]He can forgive sins. Jer. 31:34. [*]He can give eternal life. Is.26:19ff, Dan. 12:2, 1 Sam. 2:6. [*]He will raise the dead. Ez. 37:12-14, 1 Sam. 2:6, Dan. 12:2. [*]He receives worship. Ex. 34:8, Ps. 96:9, Is. 27:13.[/list:u] Descriptions We have learned much about Jehovah from studying His nature. The many descriptions, names, and titles of Jehovah add an extra dimension to our study. They provide us with an excellent picture of Who Jehovah is. Since whole books are devoted to this subject, (and since this is not a book), the following list cannot be exhaustive.







    [*]I AM. Exod. 3:13-14. [*]Holy One. Is. 45:11, 1 Sam. 2:2. [*]The Only Savior. Is. 43:11, Is. 45:21. [*]The First and Last. Is. 44:6, Is. 41:4. [*]Great King over all. Ps. 95:3. [*]Mighty God. Is. 10:11, Hab. 1:12. [*]The Rock. Dt. 32:3-4, 30-31. [*]The Stone of Stumbling. Is. 8:13-15. [*]The Great God. Dn.2:45,Is.43:11-12. [*]The One above all. Ps. 97:9. [*]Lord over All. 1 Chron. 29:11-12. [*]Lord of Lords. Dt. 10:17. [*]King of Glory. Ps. 24:7. [*]The Judge. Gen. 18:25, Joel 3:12. [*]The Shepherd. Is.40:10-11, Ps. 23:1. [*]The Light. Ps. 27:1. [*]The Light & Glory of Israel. Is. 60:19. [*]The Redeemer. Ps. 130:7-8, Hos. 13:14. [*]Lord of Glory. Is. 42:8. [*]The One who searches the hearts. Jer. 17:10. [*]The One who created all things for Himself. Prov. 16:4. [*]God. Is. 43:12, Is. 45:21.[/list:u] The evidence is in and we clearly know Who Jehovah is. God the Father clearly claims the right to possess the name Jehovah, since the above mentioned attributes, actions, and descriptions apply to Him. But do they apply to Him alone? Can anyone else claim the right to have the name Jehovah? In answering these questions we get back to our original question? Who is Jesus? To discuss Jesus' nature, it must first be declared that Jesus became a man. Yes, He was born a human in Bethlehem. Yet, the Scripture teaches that Jesus did not originate in Bethlehem-He is clearly more than a mere man. As we go through this post this will become more apparent. Thus, when studying Jesus Christ, one must remember that there is a human side to Jesus, and there is also that other side. To ascertain what this other dimension of Jesus' nature means we will first discuss Jesus' attributes, actions, and descriptions. Attributes ETERNALITY. The Bible clearly teaches that Jesus Christ (just like Jehovah) is not bound by time. Mic. 5:2 says "(his) goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting.". Col. 1:17 says "He is before all things,?". Jn. 1:1 teaches that Jesus existed before the "beginning", while Jn. 17:5 teaches that Jesus was with Jehovah "before the world was". Is. 9:6 says Jesus is "the everlasting Father" which clearly says Jesus is everlasting-eternal. OMNIPOTENCE. The Bible clearly teaches that Jesus Christ has the same kind of power that God the Father has. Jn. 5:19b says, "The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do: for what things soever he doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise." Is. 9:6 calls Jesus "the Mighty God", the same title being given to Jehovah (see name #6 for Jehovah). Heb. 1:3 says "He upholdeth all things by the word of his power". Jesus also claimed to have "all power (authority)" in Mt. 28:18. Mk. 4:41 illustrates the power Jesus had over the elements-which power proved He was more than just a man. OMNISCIENCE. Scripture clearly teaches that Jesus has all knowledge. During His ministry He often knew the thoughts and history of the people around Him. Jn. 2:24-25 says "for he knew what was in man.". Jesus did not correct His disciples when they twice affirmed that He "(knew) all things"-Jn. 16:30, 21:17. Col. 2:3 dogmatically affirms, "In whom (Christ-vs. 2) are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge." OMNIPRESENCE. Scripture also affirms that Jesus is not bound by the limits of space but is everywhere present. When he came as a man, he chose to be found in a body in one physical location. Yet even then He was not limited, for He declared Himself to be "in heaven" when He was talking to Nicodemus-Jn. 3:13. In Mt. 18:20, Jesus said, "For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them." Jesus was said to go with the disciples when they preached the gospel after His ascension-Mk.16:20. Eph. 1:23 refers to Jesus as the one who "filleth all in all". IMMUTABILITY. The quality of being unchangeable is also ascribed to Jesus in Scripture. While even the heavens change, Jesus Christ does not. Heb. 1:10-12 teaches this in the clearest possible words, "They shall perish; but thou remainest; and they all shall wax old as doth a garment; and as a vesture shalt thou fold them up, and they shall be changed: but thou art the same, and thy years shall not fail.". This passage is spoken of Jehovah in Ps. 102:25-27, but here it is spoken of Jesus Christ. Heb. 13:8 just as clearly teaches this truth when it says, "Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever." HOLINESS. Jesus is presented in the New Testament as being sinless. He is called "the Holy One and the Just" in Acts 3:14. 1 Jn. 3:3-5 presents Jesus as "pure" and declares, "in him is no sin." Heb. 7:26-27 emphatically teaches that Jesus Christ is holy. "For such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens; Who needeth not daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifice, first for his own sins, and then for the people's: for this he did once, when he offered up himself." Christ clearly possesses the same attributes Jehovah is said to possess. But what about actions? Actions The actions of Jehovah that were discussed earlier were clearly actions that only God can do. They are the types of things that one would expect Jehovah as God would do. Yet, interestingly, each of these exclusively divine actions is attributed to Jesus Christ.





























    [*]Jesus created the world. Col. 1:16, Jn. 1:3. [*]Jesus sustains the world. Heb. 1:3, Col. 1:17. [*]Jesus will judge mankind. Jn. 5:22, 2 Tim. 4:1. [*]Jesus can forgive sins. Mk. 2:5-10, Col. 1:14. [*]Jesus can give eternal life. Jn. 10:28. [*]Jesus will raise the dead. Jn.5:21, Jn. 6:39-40, Jn. 11:25. [*]Jesus receives worship. Mt. 28:9, Jn. 20:28, Phil. 2:9-11, Heb.1:6.[/list:u] Jesus has the attributes, does the actions of, and yes, even has the same descriptions as Jehovah! Descriptions Amazingly, each of these descriptions of Jehovah is specifically attributed to Jesus Christ in the New Testament.









    [*]I AM. Jn. 8:58. Jesus' use of this title (ego eimi) to refer to Himself resulted in an attempt by the hearers to stone Him. This clearly proves that the Jews understood these Greek words to be a title of God. See also Jn. 6:20, 9:9, 8:24, 28, 13:19, 18:6. [*]Holy One. Acts 3:14. [*](The Only) Savior. 2 Tim. 1:10. [*]The First and Last. Rev. 1:17, 22:13. [*]Great King over all. 1 Tim. 6:14-16. [*]Mighty God. Is. 9:6. [*]The Rock. 1 Cor. 10:4. [*]The Stone of Stumbling. 1 Pt. 2:6-8. [*]The Great God. Tit. 2:13. [*]The One above all. Jn. 3:31. [*]Lord over All. Acts 10:36, Rm. 10:12. [*]Lord of Lords. Rev. 17:14. [*]King of Glory. Mt. 25:31-34,1Cor. 2:8. [*]The Judge. Mt. 25:31-46, 2 Tim. 4:1. [*]The Shepherd. Jn. 10:11, Heb. 13:20, 1 Pet. 2:25. [*]The Light. Jn. 8:12, Jn. 1:4-9. [*]The Light & Glory of Israel. Lk. 2:32. [*]The Redeemer. Rev. 5:9,Tit.2:13-14. [*]Lord of Glory. 2 pet. 3:18, 1 Cor. 2:8, Heb. 1:3. [*]The One who searches the hearts. Rev. 2:23. [*]The One who created all things for Himself. Col. 1:16. [*]God. Jn. 1:1, Jn. 20:28, Acts 20:28, Rm. 9:5, 1 Tim. 3:16, Tit. 2:13, Heb. 1:8, 2 Pet.1:1, 1 Jn. 5:20, Jude 4.[/list:u] Now, it must be obvious to anyone that two people cannot both be "The First and the Last", or "the Savior". (In fact, both of these titles are specifically stated to be Divine titles applicable only to Jehovah, see Is. 44:6, Is. 45:21, and Is. 43:11.) This argument is compounded when one understands that 22 names are in view, not just 2! If Jesus has the same attributes, actions, and descriptions as Jehovah, then he must also BE Jehovah! He must be able to claim the right to possess that name. This is clearly shown to be the case through the NT's quoting (or clearly alluding to) OT passages which refer specifically to Jehovah and applying them specifically to Jesus Christ. Notice the following? OT Passages Quoted in the NT which EQUATE JESUS & JEHOVAH










    [*]Num. 21:4-7 relays the story of God's judgment on Israel (with fiery serpents) because they had "spoken against the LORD (Jehovah)". 1 Cor. 2:9 however, says "Neither let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted, and were destroyed of serpents." Speaking against Jehovah is the same as tempting Christ! Jesus is Jehovah! [*]Ps. 68 is addressed to God (v. 7, 9, 10, 24, 28, 35), whose name is "JAH" (v. 4 a shortened form of Jehovah). Vs. 18a says, "Thou hast ascended on high, thou hast led captivity captive: thou hast received gifts for men?" But Ephesians 4:7-8 says "But unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ. Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men." Jesus is said to do the same thing Jehovah was said to have done in Ps. 68! [*]Ps. 102:25-27 is addressed to God (vs. 24), and to Jehovah (vs. 1) and describes Jehovah's creation and immutability. Yet it is quoted in Heb. 1:10-12 as being said about the Son (Heb. 1:8, all of the quotations in verses 5-14 are said of Jesus and are given to prove that Jesus is better than the angels). [*]In Jn. 1:23, John the Baptist said, "I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make straight the way of the Lord, as said the prophet Esaias". He had quoted from Is. 40:3 where "Lord" is "LORD (Jehovah)". But whom did John prepare the way for? Jesus Christ, obviously! The following verses in Jn. 1 make that abundantly clear! John was also said to be the promised forerunner who would go before Jehovah. His father, Zacharias, prophesied this in Lk. 1:76 where he quotes Mal. 3:1 applying it to John. Again, John went before Jesus Christ, and yet that fulfilled the prophecy that John would go before Jehovah. [*]Joel 2:32 makes the wonderful promise that all who call upon the name of Jehovah will be delivered from judgment. Yet this verse is quoted in Rm. 10:13 where it is most clearly Jesus Christ upon whom all who believe do call. So the name of Jesus must be equivalent to the name of Jehovah. In fact Acts 4:12 says that only in Jesus' name can anyone be saved. [*]Rm. 14:10b-12 says, "For we shall all stand before the judgment set of Christ. For it is written, as I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God. So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God." Is. 45:22-23 is being quoted and it is clear that Jehovah is speaking (see 45:21). Yet Romans takes this prophecy concerning Jehovah and cites it as proof that we will all stand before Jesus Christ's judgment seat. "Christ" at the end of v. 10 is clearly parallel with "God" at the end of v. 12! Surely this prophecy is in view when Phil. 2:9-11 describes the scene of every knee bowing and every tongue confessing that Jesus Christ is Lord! So bowing and confessing to Jesus is equivalent to bowing and confessing to Jehovah. [*]Zech. 12:10 describes the day when Jehovah brings judgment on all the earth. Jehovah himself is speaking (vs. 1, 4, the speaker never changes), and He says, "they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn?." When was Jehovah pierced? Rev. 1:7 makes this extremely clear when speaking of Jesus (v. 5 and 6) it says, "Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him?." Jesus will fulfill this prophecy concerning Jehovah, because He is Jehovah. [*]Zech. 14:2-9 describes the time when Jehovah will fight against all nations (v. 2-3) and establish his kingdom over all the earth (v. 9). Rev. 19:11-20:4 describes the same events, with one key difference. Instead of Jehovah fighting it is Jesus (v. 13-15, 21). And instead of Jehovah establishing a kingdom over all the earth, it is Jesus (19:15b, 20:4). Is. 40:10 also mentions that Jehovah "will come?(and) his reward is with him?." Jesus applied this prophecy to himself when He said, "Behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me?." (Rev. 22:12) [*]Perhaps the most convincing of all the examples of Jesus being equated with the Jehovah of the Old Testament is in Jn. 12:37-41. "But though he had done so many miracles before them, yet they believed not on him: That the saying of Esaias the prophet might be fulfilled, which he spake, Lord, who hath believed our report? And to whom hath the arm of the Lord been revealed? Therefore they could not believe, because that Esaias said again, He hath blinded their eyes, and hardened their heart; that they should not see with their eyes, nor understand with their heart, and be converted, and I should heal them. These things spake Esaias, when he saw his glory and spake of him." Isaiah spoke the words in vs. 40 when he saw "his glory, and spake of him." Whose glory? It is extremely clear in the context that it was Jesus' glory. Isaiah spoke of Jesus. (See v. 42 also. The "him" of v. 42 has to be the same as the "him" of v. 41) This becomes very important when you realize that the words to vs. 40 are recorded in Isaiah 6:10 during the very vision in which Isaiah exclaimed, "mine eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts." (Is. 6:5) So the Book of Isaiah says Isaiah saw Jehovah of hosts, but the Book of John says Isaiah saw Jesus' glory. Jesus must be Jehovah![/list:u] We have just completed a thorough examination comparing Jesus with Jehovah, which clearly leads us to believe that Jesus is Jehovah. At face value, this conclusion seems to fly in the face of Ps. 83:18's declaration that God alone has the name "Jehovah". How can Jesus share the name that God the Father has reserved exclusively for Himself? To prevent any misunderstanding concerning just this issue, God has made it very plain as to Jesus' right to be called Jehovah. Jer. 23:5-6, "Behold, the days come saith the LORD, that I will raise unto David a righteous Branch, and a King shall reign and prosper, and shall execute judgment and justice in the earth. In his days Judah shall be saved, and Israel shall dwell safely: and this is his name whereby he shall be called, THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS." Jehovah says that the Messiah will be called Jehovah our Righteousness! These verses leave no room for doubt-Jesus is Jehovah. Further Consideration Since Jesus rightfully bears the name Jehovah, it must be concluded that Jesus is God. Further, this truth provides a solid basis for believing and understanding the doctrine of the Trinity. This conclusion, however, flies in the face of the teaching of the WBTS. Since the Deity of Christ and the doctrine of the Trinity are so attacked by the WBTS and so misunderstood by those who are being deceived by this unScriptural organization, further consideration must be given to just these two points. More PROOF of the Deity of JESUS It hardly seems necessary to further prove the Deity of Christ after it has been established that He is Jehovah. Yet, a few more points will bring the doctrine of Christ into greater clarity. Due to limitations of space, however, this elaboration must be brief and will center on the Incarnation, Sonship, and claims of Christ. INCARNATION---Jesus, who has eternally existed as Jehovah, became a man. This is mysterious, yet wonderful. God became man through the virgin birth, in order "to seek and to save that which was lost" Lk. 19:10. 1 Tim. 3:16 clearly states, "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 clearest verse on Christ's Deity has been perverted by modern versions and the NWT on the basis of the scantiest of evidence). Phil. 2:5-8 teaches that Jesus was "in the form of God" yet emptied Himself and "took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men". Understanding that Jesus willingly limited himself helps one understand how Jesus' humanity relates to His Deity. In his humanity He was far inferior to God the Father, but in His Deity He willingly and independently chose to take up the limitations of humanity. SONSHIP---Jesus is called "the Son of God" over and over again in the New Testament. First, it must be stressed that "Son of God" in and of itself is a title of Divinity. The Babylonians understood this to be the case in Daniel 3:25. In Matt. 14:33, when Christ's disciples become fully convinced that Jesus is the Son of God, they worship Him. Since God the Father, by nature, is unchanging, His very essence and identity have and will always remain constant. If there was a time when Jesus was not the Son of God (i.e. did not exist), then there was a time God was not the Father. Although "son of" can mean "offspring of", in Scripture it also carries the meaning "of the order of". "The sons of the prophets" and "the sons of the singers" mean "of the order of" the prophets or singers. (1 Kings 20:35, Neh. 12:28) Son of Man would mean "of the order of man" (i.e. representative man). Son of God would likewise mean "of the order of God" (as fully God as a son of a human is fully human). That the Jews understood this to be the case is evident in how they reacted to Jesus claiming to be the Son of God. In Jn. 19:7 Jesus' claim to be the Son of God is equated with blasphemy and said to be the reason why Jesus must die. (cf. Jn. 5:17-18) That sonship does not convey inferiority is clear from the following analogy. You and your father are both equally human, both are made in the image of God, both pay taxes, and both are equally responsible to obey the law. And, while you may have great respect for your father, you are essentially his equal. CLAIMS---In spite of all the Scriptural evidence of the Deity of Christ, some would protest that Jesus never claimed to be God. Yet He unquestionably declared His Deity through several direct claims. He claimed to be the "Son of God" (which the Jews clearly understood to be a declaration of Deity) in Jn. 5:17-18, cf.19:7. Jesus claimed equality with the Father in Jn. 10:30-33. He demanded to be believed in the same way God was believed in Jn. 14:1. He demanded supreme and absolute love for Himself-Lk. 14:26,33. And, He declared that He deserves the same honor God deserves-Jn. 5:23. Before leaving the Deity of Christ it is interesting to note that in the New Testament, both Jesus and God the Father are called "the true God", Jn. 17:3, 1 Jn. 5:20. The DOCTRINE of the TRINITY Although the word Trinity does not appear in the Bible, the teaching clearly does. Since Jesus and the Father are both Jehovah, it is not surprising to understand that God is one essence with three distinct personalities. Since Jesus is God, and the Father is God, and the Holy Spirit is God, this understanding must follow. But be careful not to misunderstand this doctrine. It does not say that the Father is Jesus is the Holy Spirit (If that were the case a simple text showing Jesus speaking to the Father would refute the whole doctrine). It says that the Father, the Son, and the Spirit are equally God (eternal, omniscient, omnipotent, etc.), while each being distinct personalities. God thus has fellowship with Himself (Matt. 3:17, Jn. 17:5, 21), much like we discuss things with ourselves and approve or disapprove of ourselves. Yet this analogy, like all analogies, falls short. God is infinitely above us and beyond our comprehension as the following Scriptures attest-Is. 40:12-26 (especially v. 14, 18, and 25), Rm. 11:33-34; Is. 55:8-9. Briefly, we will here consider the Deity of the Holy Spirit, and some proofs for the Trinity. Scripture clearly reveals the Holy Spirit to be a person Is. 63:10, 1 Cor. 2:10-13, Acts 13:2 (here the Holy Spirit refers to Himself as "me" and "I"). At least three OT passages concerning Jehovah are quoted or alluded to in the NT as referring to the Holy Spirit: Is. 6:9-10 with Acts 28:25-27; Jer. 31:33-34 with Heb. 10:15-17; and Dt. 6:16 with Acts 5:9. Thus, the Holy Ghost can rightfully bear the name Jehovah as well. The Holy Spirit was involved in the creation of the world, Gen. 1:2, Job 33:4. He is also clearly equated with God in Acts 5:3-4. 2 Cor. 3:17 declares "Now the Lord is that Spirit?." These are just a few of many proofs of the Deity of the Holy Spirit. The OT frequently refers to a plurality concerning God's person-Gen. 1:26. Dt. 6:4 specifically uses a Hebrew word which can express a compound unity rather than using a different word (which is used elsewhere in the OT) which stresses a solitary unity, when referring to Jehovah as being "one LORD". Mt. 28:19, 1 Cor. 12:4-6, 2 Cor. 13:14 and Eph. 2:18 are a few examples of the close association of all three persons of the Trinity. The Trinity is not only implied in Scripture, however, it is emphatically stated: 1 Jn. 5:7 "For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one." What about Worship? We started with the question, "Are you worshipping Jehovah?" We explained that just because someone said they were, did not make it so. We explained what worship is, and how worship must be in order for Jehovah to accept it. Then we talked about Who we are to worship. Here we saw that the Bible says Jesus was worshipped. We have now concluded that the Bible affirms that Jesus is Jehovah-He is God. Now, are you worshipping Jehovah-are you worshipping Jesus? All who are called "saints" and who are "sanctified in Christ Jesus" "call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord." (1 Cor. 1:2) The only way to be saved from the future eternal punishment for our sins is to be one of the ones who call upon the name of the Lord Jesus-which means believing in Him and worshipping Him. (Rm. 10:12-14) For worship to be acceptable to God it must be according to truth. (Jn. 4:24) If you do not abide in the Biblical teaching of Jesus Christ, you do not have either the Father or the Son. (2 Jn. 9) Having concluded this post, what are its? Ramifications 1. The WTS is wrong in its denial of the Trinity, and should be mistrusted and avoided. The WTS is teaching "another Jesus" and "another gospel" (2 Cor. 11:4), and as such is "accursed" (Gal. 1:6-9). Since 1 Jn. 4:1-3 and 1 Thess. 5:20-21 clearly command us to test and prove any teachers or organizations, making such a judgment is based on the authority of Scripture. The extreme importance of the Deity of Christ and a prescribed reaction to any who deny it is clearly laid out in 2 Jn. 9-11. "Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son. If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed: For he that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his evil deeds." Vs. 10-11 must then be practiced with respect to the WTS and Jehovah's Witnesses. 2. Jesus Christ is God, is Lord, and demands your worship. The central theme of Scripture deals with Jesus Christ coming to reconcile man with God. Man was created to worship God, but he rebelled against God. Because of Adam and Eve's sin, all of their descendants became naturally evil, Rm. 5:12. Rm. 3:10-12, says in part, "There is none righteous, no, not one?there is none that doeth good, no, not one." Rm. 3:23 declares, "For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God." Anyone who honestly considers the ten commandments (Ex. 20:3-17) will agree that he is not only a sinner, but that he is very evil in God's sight. Sin has consequences. Rm. 5:12 says, "So death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned." Sin has brought something more than just physical death into the world. Gen. 2:17 teaches that Adam and Eve died the very day they ate the fruit-obviously their death was not physical, it was spiritual. They became separated from God. Man now has a sinful nature and is spiritually dead (Eph. 2:1). God is Holy and thus must judge sin, Heb. 9:27 "It is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment." God must condemn sinners to eternal judgment and separation from God in Hell. Ps. 9:17, Dan. 12:2, Lk. 12:5, 15:23-31, 2 Thess. 1:8-9, Rev. 20:10-15, 21:8. Jesus Christ, however, "came into the world to save sinners"1 Tim. 1:15. Jesus bore the punishment of our sins "in his own body on the tree" 1 Pet. 2:24. 2 Cor. 5:21 says, "For he hath made him (Jesus) to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him." Jesus died in our place, as our substitute-"Christ died for us", Rm. 5:8 says. Jesus' death provides us with an opportunity to be forgiven of our sin and to receive a new nature-spiritual life, and righteousness. "He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life." Jn. 5:24. This reception of life is described as a new birth in Jn. 3. One cannot do enough good works to receive forgiveness of sin and a new birth. Tit. 3:5 declares, "Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us." (cf. Eph. 2:8-9, Rm. 3:20, 4:1-4) To receive forgiveness, one must repent (turn) from his sin (Lk. 13:3,5), give up his life (Mk. 8:35-37), and believe on Jesus Christ--believe that He is Lord and that He will save you. Jn. 3:36 affirms, "He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life?." (cf. Rm. 10:9) When one trusts in Jesus Christ, He then is able to truly worship Him. 3. If someone does not believe that Jesus is God, he disagrees with and disbelieves the Bible. Jesus said, "If ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins." Jn. 8:24. God Bless!















































































  13. The Preservation of the Bible



    Some people say,"The Bible was God's Word when it was originally given, but since then there have been so many different copies and translations and changes that now we cannot believe anything that it says." Is this true? The evidence given above that the Bible was originally from God is irrefutable; but has it been changed? Is the infallible Word of God available today, or has mankind so twisted it that we now have nothing sure to depend upon? We will consider, first of all, what the Bible promises about its own preservation, and then we will look at its historical verification.

    What the Bible claims for itself

    The Preservation of the Bible:





    The Bible not only claims that its very words are inspired, that is, are God's words, as we saw above, but that every one of those inspired words would be preserved forever. Psalm 12:6-7 says, "The words of the LORD are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times. Thou shalt keep them, O LORD, thou shalt preserve them from this generation for ever." Jesus Christ said in Matthew 24:35, "Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away." These are very clear promises that God would preserve every Word of the Bible. In Matthew 5:18, the Lord Jesus said, "For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled." The "jot" was the smallest Hebrew letter, and the "tittle" referred to the minutest parts of their language, like the dot on our letter "i." The Bible claims that not one word of its inspired text ever be lost. In fact, not even one letter, one consonant or vowel, or even the smallest part of a letter, would ever be corrupted! This is because, as Matthew 4:4 states, "Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God." If we are to live by every one of God's words, they must all be preserved for us. Furthermore, they must be accessible, not just preserved somewhere where nobody knows about them or uses them. God promises us in Isaiah 59:21, "As for me, this is my covenant with them, saith the LORD; My spirit that is upon thee, and my words which I have put in thy mouth, shall not depart out of thy mouth, nor out of the mouth of thy seed, nor out of the mouth of thy seed's seed, saith the LORD, from henceforth and for ever." God promised that His people would have His words in their mouths, and so would their seed (descendants), forever. The Bible promises that all of God's inspired words would be preserved forever, and that they would be available to those who wanted to live by them. God did not give us a perfect Bible and then let it disappear, but He preserved it for us today. In the standard English Bible, the King James Version that you hold in your hand, which was accurately translated from the Hebrew Masoretic text and the Greek Received Text, you hold a copy of this preserved Word of God. This is what God promises?His Word has not been lost. Surely God, who is powerful enough to ensure the fulfillment of His prophetic predictions, as we have seen earlier in this study, is able to keep His promises about the preservation of His Word. Let us, however, examine the historical evidence that confirms these promises of perfect preservation.

    The Confirmation of History

    The Preservation of the Bible:





    The Bible is by far the best attested document of antiquity. There are over 5,600 known Greek manuscripts (abbreviated MSS) of the New Testament in existence, along with over 10,000 Latin manuscripts and at least 9,300 of other early versions,4 for a total of more than 24,000 manuscript copies or portions. The book with the second largest number of copies is the Illiad of Homer, with 643 manuscripts, less than 2.7% of the evidence for the New Testament, although it was the most widely read book of antiquity! Furthermore, New Testament MSS date back to the era of the composition of the books themselves; a number of papyri from the Qumran caves where the Dead Sea Scrolls were discovered have been dated as early as A. D. 50, and New Testament papyri from other locations date to close to A. D. 100, shortly after the final books of the New Testament were written. After this time the amount of evidence begins to grow with tremendous speed. In contrast to this early evidence, of the 643 MSS of Homer's Illiad, the earliest complete preserved text dates from the 13th century A. D.! Furthermore, all but 11 of the 7,957 verses of the New Testament could be reproduced without a single manuscript from the 36,289 quotes made by early writers in Christiandom from the second to the fourth century. With this kind of evidence, to assert that the New Testament has been corrupted requires one to not only reject God's promises of perfect preservation but to throw out all of ancient history.

    AUTHOR/When Written/Earliest Copy/Time Span/No. of Copies
    Casear 100-44 B. C. A. D. 900 1,000 yrs. 10
    Plato (Tetralogies) 427-347 B. C. A. D. 900 1,200 yrs. 7
    Tacitus (Annals) A. D. 100 A. D. 100 1,000 yrs. 20
    Pliny the Younger A. D. 61-113 A. D. 850 750 yrs. 7
    Thucydides (History) 460-400 B. C. A. D. 900 1,300 yrs. 8
    Suetonius A. D. 75-160 A. D. 950 800 yrs. 8
    Herodotus (History) 480-425 B. C. A. D. 900 1,300 yrs. 8
    Sophocles 496-406 B. C. A. D. 100 1,400 yrs. 193
    Catullus 54 B. C. A. D. 1550 1,600 yrs. 3
    Euripides 480-406 B. C. A. D. 1100 1,500 yrs. 9
    Aristotle 384-322 B. C. A. D. 1100 1,400 yrs. 49
    Aristophanes 450-385 B. C. A. D. 900 1,200 yrs. 10
    NEW TESTAMENT c. A. D. 35-95 for different books Papyri 7Q5-7 c. A.D. 50 negligible 24,000+ c. A. D. 50

    If the New Testament is not preserved, accurate, and historical, nothing is.

    What about the Old Testament? Can God's promises to perfectly preserve it be trusted? It also has a wide variety of attestatation and a great number of manuscripts; for example, one source, the Cairo synagogue geniza (a storehouse for manuscripts), discovered in the 1890s, held over 10,000 manuscript portions. Thousands of other Hebrew manuscripts from a wide variety of sources also exist elsewhere.

    The discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls in 1947 provided an opportunity to test the validity of the promises of Biblical preservation. They were over a thousand years older than previously known Old Testament manuscripts?if men had changed the Bible and allowed it to be corrupted, their actions would now be exposed by the discovery of the much older text. Furthermore, all the books of the Old Testament, except the short book of Esther, were discovered among the scrolls, so the test would either validate or invalidate the whole Hebrew Bible. They turned out to provide an astounding confirmation of the accuracy of the Old Testament?the Hebrew Masoretic text, which underlies the King James Bible and most other Bible versions, was found in the scrolls. The Bible had not been changed! Other early manuscripts found in other locations, such as those in the ancient fortress of Masada, also evidence the accuracy of the Hebrew text; for example, fragments from the Psalms, Leviticus, Ezekiel, and Deuteronomy were found that were letter-by-letter identical to our printed Hebrew texts.6

    The Jewish scribes were also phenomenally careful in their copying of the Hebrew text. They followed elaborate sets of rules to ensure an accurate textual transmission. The Jewish Talmud, for example, mandated, among other rules, that scribes needed to: 1.) Write no word or letter from memory, but have an authentic copy before him and read and pronounce each word before writing it. 2.) Wipe his pen each time before writing the word for "God" (Eloheim) and wash his whole body before writing the name Jehovah. 3.) Finish a roll within thirty days; otherwise the work was worthless. One mistake on a sheet condemned the sheet?three copying mistakes on any page and the entire manuscript was condemned. 4.) Every word and every letter was counted, and if a letter were omitted, an extra letter inserted, or if one letter touched another, the manuscript was condemned or destroyed at once. Evidence for the use of these rules is seen in the Masoretic notes found in the Hebrew Bible. For example, at the end of the book of Genesis, we find a note that reads in part:

    "The number of the verses of the book of Genesis is a thousand and five hundred and thirty and four. . . . And its middle point is, And by thy sword shalt thou live (27:40). And the words are twenty thousand and six hundred and twelve. And the letters are eight and seventy thousand and sixty and four."

    Think of it! Every verse, word, and letter was counted and accurately tabulated! Another note, this one at the end of the first five books of the Bible, referred to as the Pentateuch or the Law, reads in part:

    "The number of the verses of the whole Law is five thousand and eight hundred and forty and five. . . . And its middle point is, And he placed on the breastplate the Urim and the Thummim (Lev. 8:8). The number of all the words is eighty-one thousand four hundred and forty. The number of all the letters is three hundred and four thousand and eight hundred and seven."

    This kind of stunningly meticulous care for the accurate transmission of the Hebrew text provides amazing confirmation that God's promises of preservation have been fulfilled. The Bible we have today in our hands is indeed the same as that which was originally given by inspiration. To say otherwise not only requires one to reject God's promises, but to deliberately close his mind to overwhelming evidence.

    God Bless!

  14. Those who continue to reject the Doctrine of Eternal Security will more than likely continue to do so. But to those who have ears to hear, let them hear. I'd like to begin with the purpose of the WARNING passages regarding Apostasy in scripture:

    When God warns believers of apostasy, does He do that because believers can actually apostasize? Already converted, redeemed, justified, saved people cannot apostasize, but that does not mean that in this age that the warning of apostasy is not an appropriate motive for continued obedience of God's word. God uses the possibility of apostasy as a motivation for believers to overcome and persevere in the faith. The effort of a believer to hold fast in the faith is not, however, his basis for continuing, but the power of God that keeps a believer (1 Peter 1:5). Some will apostasize, but these are those were never saved in the first place (1 John 2:19; 3:6). They had some experience of the grace of God, but not in a saving capacity, so that they turned away.

    ETERNAL SECURITY IS NOT A LICENSE TO SIN!!!!, WHY?

    [*]1 John 3:6 "Whoseover abideth in him sinneth not:whoseover sinneth hath not seen him, neither known him." [*]The save person ("whoseover abideth in him") does not habitually sin ("sinneth not:). [*]The person who does sin as a lifestyle ("whoseover sinneth") has never been saved ("hath not seen him, neither known him."). [*]People who live a lifestyle of sin were never saved in the first place; they never saw the Lord or knew the Lord (cf. John 17:3) Believer do not characteristically "yield" to the flesh". (Rom, 6:16)[/list:u] Why the Bible teaches Eternal Security:





    • Salvation is of the Lord
  15. What does the bible say about Eternal Security? Are true believers genuinely secure?

    The bible is the inerrant word of God and has no contradictions, and this passage irrefutably proves the the a Child of God cannot lose their salvation. Any conditional security passage would posit a contradiction, thus they would have to be reconciled. The truth is that there are NO passages in scripture which can exegetically prove that a Child of God can lose their salvation.


    My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand. (John 10:27-29)


    First lets deal with The Recipients (SHEEP).

    The Recipients
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