Note: All Scripture quotations found in this article are from the text of the Authorized King James Version of the Bible.
This will be a brief article proving that the sons of God in the Old Testament are the fallen angels and not the "sons of Seth/men".
Genesis 6:2 "That the sons of God saw the daughters of men that they were fair; and they took them wives of all which they chose."
Genesis 6:4 "There were giants in the earth in those days; and also after that, when the sons of God came in unto the daughters of men, and they bare children to them, the same became mighty men which were of old, men of renown."
Notice the distinction between the sons of GOD and daughters of MEN. It is clear these are angels because if they were just men, there would be no distinction. These angels are the angels that "kept not their first estate"(Jude 1:6). Also, notice their offspring were giants.
Job 1:6 "Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan came also among them."
Job 2:1 "Again there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan came also among them to present himself before the LORD."
These are the fallen angels because they are with Satan, who had also fallen, but remember that Satan is a Cherub (Ezekiel 28:14) and not an angel. He only appears as an angel of light (2 Cor. 11:14).
Job 38:7 "When the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy?"
If you read in Job 38:4, you will see that this event was around the time God laid the foundations of the earth, which was before Adam or Seth was even around. The morning stars are angels like in Revelation 1:20. The sons of God are with the angels in Heaven singing and shouting. These sons of God are clearly not human, rather the angels.
Later on in the New Testament, the people that are saved are called the sons of God (Romans 8:14, 19; Philippians 2:15, 1 John 3:1) because we are to replace the fallen angels that fell and even help Jesus Christ judge them at the White Throne Judgment (1 Cor. 6:3). What is even more amazing is that when we are Raptured, our bodies will be glorified and fashioned like His body. Keep in mind that every angel in the Bible is a male, Jesus Christ was male and Adam who was made in the image of God was male (Genesis 1:26). Also, there will be no marriage in heaven (Mark 12:25).
1 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."
Wednesday, July 31, 2013
Thursday, July 11, 2013
Capital Punishment
Note: All Scripture quotations found in this article are from the text of the Authorized King James Version of the Bible.
The Lord was the first one who institute the death penalty in the first book of the Bible. The death penalty is given before the law, under the law and after the law. This below verse is before the law was given.
Genesis 9:6 "Whoso sheddeth man's blood, by man shall his blood be shed: for in the image of God made he man."
God Almighty has given man the responsibility to execute those that have murdered others.
Exodus 21:12 "He that smiteth a man, so that he die, shall be surely put to death."
As said before, Capital Punishment was given during the law in the Old Testament also.
Numbers 35:16 "And if he smite him with an instrument of iron, so that he die, he is a murderer: the murderer shall surely be put to death. 17 And if he smite him with throwing a stone, wherewith he may die, and he die, he is a murderer: the murderer shall surely be put to death. 18 Or if he smite him with an hand weapon of wood, wherewith he may die, and he die, he is a murderer: the murderer shall surely be put to death. 19 The revenger of blood himself shall slay the murderer: when he meeteth him, he shall slay him."
Some will argue that since it's given in the Old Testament, we are not under the law, so it's no longer in place, but Capital Punishment is also a New Testament command.
Romans 13:1 "Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God. 2 Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God: and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation. 3 For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power? do that which is good, and thou shalt have praise of the same: 4 For he is the minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain: for he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil."
Not only did Paul approve of Capital Punishment, he also submitted to it himself in the book of Acts. Paul was the greatest Christian to ever live and he is also where we get our doctrine. We are to follow the Old Testament unless said otherwise in the New Testament.
Acts 25:11 "For if I be an offender, or have committed any thing worthy of death, I refuse not to die: but if there be none of these things whereof these accuse me, no man may deliver me unto them. I appeal unto Cæsar."
Capital Punishment is not only mentioned in the first book of the Bible, but also the very last book in the Bible.
Revelation 13:10 "He that leadeth into captivity shall go into captivity: he that killeth with the sword must be killed with the sword. Here is the patience and the faith of the saints."
Those that do not put Capital Punishment in place are responsible for defiling the entire land. How's that for an Environmental plan? Those that follow Capital Punishment are blessed by God.
Deuteronomy 19:11 "But if any man hate his neighbour, and lie in wait for him, and rise up against him, and smite him mortally that he die, and fleeth into one of these cities: 12 Then the elders of his city shall send and fetch him thence, and deliver him into the hand of the avenger of blood, that he may die. 13 Thine eye shall not pity him, but thou shalt put away the guilt of innocent blood from Israel, that it may go well with thee."
Numbers 35:30 "Whoso killeth any person, the murderer shall be put to death by the mouth of witnesses: but one witness shall not testify against any person to cause him to die. 31 Moreover ye shall take no satisfaction for the life of a murderer, which is guilty of death: but he shall be surely put to death. 32 And ye shall take no satisfaction for him that is fled to the city of his refuge, that he should come again to dwell in the land, until the death of the priest. 33 So ye shall not pollute the land wherein ye are: for blood it defileth the land: and the land cannot be cleansed of the blood that is shed therein, but by the blood of him that shed it. 34 Defile not therefore the land which ye shall inhabit, wherein I dwell: for I the LORD dwell among the children of Israel."
Truth is, if Capital Punishment was shown publicly like it was in the Old Testament with Israel, the crime rate would go down. Anyone that disagrees with Capital Punishment is simply humanistic in their thinking and ignores the word of God. Capital Punishment is just, Biblical and would make murderers think twice before going through with the sin. It is my personal belief that every murderer should be given the choice to accept Jesus Christ as their Saviour before put to death. God can forgive all sins, but most murderers are so evil and proud that they would turn their nose at the Gospel.
The Lord was the first one who institute the death penalty in the first book of the Bible. The death penalty is given before the law, under the law and after the law. This below verse is before the law was given.
Genesis 9:6 "Whoso sheddeth man's blood, by man shall his blood be shed: for in the image of God made he man."
God Almighty has given man the responsibility to execute those that have murdered others.
Exodus 21:12 "He that smiteth a man, so that he die, shall be surely put to death."
As said before, Capital Punishment was given during the law in the Old Testament also.
Numbers 35:16 "And if he smite him with an instrument of iron, so that he die, he is a murderer: the murderer shall surely be put to death. 17 And if he smite him with throwing a stone, wherewith he may die, and he die, he is a murderer: the murderer shall surely be put to death. 18 Or if he smite him with an hand weapon of wood, wherewith he may die, and he die, he is a murderer: the murderer shall surely be put to death. 19 The revenger of blood himself shall slay the murderer: when he meeteth him, he shall slay him."
Some will argue that since it's given in the Old Testament, we are not under the law, so it's no longer in place, but Capital Punishment is also a New Testament command.
Romans 13:1 "Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God. 2 Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God: and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation. 3 For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power? do that which is good, and thou shalt have praise of the same: 4 For he is the minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain: for he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil."
Not only did Paul approve of Capital Punishment, he also submitted to it himself in the book of Acts. Paul was the greatest Christian to ever live and he is also where we get our doctrine. We are to follow the Old Testament unless said otherwise in the New Testament.
Acts 25:11 "For if I be an offender, or have committed any thing worthy of death, I refuse not to die: but if there be none of these things whereof these accuse me, no man may deliver me unto them. I appeal unto Cæsar."
Capital Punishment is not only mentioned in the first book of the Bible, but also the very last book in the Bible.
Revelation 13:10 "He that leadeth into captivity shall go into captivity: he that killeth with the sword must be killed with the sword. Here is the patience and the faith of the saints."
Those that do not put Capital Punishment in place are responsible for defiling the entire land. How's that for an Environmental plan? Those that follow Capital Punishment are blessed by God.
Deuteronomy 19:11 "But if any man hate his neighbour, and lie in wait for him, and rise up against him, and smite him mortally that he die, and fleeth into one of these cities: 12 Then the elders of his city shall send and fetch him thence, and deliver him into the hand of the avenger of blood, that he may die. 13 Thine eye shall not pity him, but thou shalt put away the guilt of innocent blood from Israel, that it may go well with thee."
Numbers 35:30 "Whoso killeth any person, the murderer shall be put to death by the mouth of witnesses: but one witness shall not testify against any person to cause him to die. 31 Moreover ye shall take no satisfaction for the life of a murderer, which is guilty of death: but he shall be surely put to death. 32 And ye shall take no satisfaction for him that is fled to the city of his refuge, that he should come again to dwell in the land, until the death of the priest. 33 So ye shall not pollute the land wherein ye are: for blood it defileth the land: and the land cannot be cleansed of the blood that is shed therein, but by the blood of him that shed it. 34 Defile not therefore the land which ye shall inhabit, wherein I dwell: for I the LORD dwell among the children of Israel."
Truth is, if Capital Punishment was shown publicly like it was in the Old Testament with Israel, the crime rate would go down. Anyone that disagrees with Capital Punishment is simply humanistic in their thinking and ignores the word of God. Capital Punishment is just, Biblical and would make murderers think twice before going through with the sin. It is my personal belief that every murderer should be given the choice to accept Jesus Christ as their Saviour before put to death. God can forgive all sins, but most murderers are so evil and proud that they would turn their nose at the Gospel.
Wednesday, February 20, 2013
The Two Witnesses
Note: All Scripture quotations found in this article are from the text of the Authorized King James Version of the Bible.
Revelation 11:3 "And I will give power unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days, clothed in sackcloth."
In this article, we will be identifying who the two witnesses that show up in the Tribulation are in the above verse. There are many bizarre interpretations about these two men. The Mormons believe that the two witnesses are the Book of Mormon and the Bible. Some Catholics believe that it is the Apocrypha and the Bible. Some Jews believe it is the Old Testament and the Talmud. The list goes on, but the next two passages expose those beliefs as absurd.
Revelation 11:4 "These are the two olive trees, and the two candlesticks standing before the God of the earth. 5 And if any man will hurt them, fire proceedeth out of their mouth, and devoureth their enemies: and if any man will hurt them, he must in this manner be killed. 6 These have power to shut heaven, that it rain not in the days of their prophecy: and have power over waters to turn them to blood, and to smite the earth with all plagues, as often as they will. 7 And when they shall have finished their testimony, the beast that ascendeth out of the bottomless pit shall make war against them, and shall overcome them, and kill them."
Zechariah 4:11 "Then answered I, and said unto him, What are these two olive trees upon the right side of the candlestick and upon the left side thereof? 12 And I answered again, and said unto him, What be these two olive branches which through the two golden pipes empty the golden oil out of themselves? 13 And he answered me and said, Knowest thou not what these be? And I said, No, my lord. 14 Then said he, These are the two anointed ones, that stand by the Lord of the whole earth."
There is no way these passages are talking about books. The two witnesses are obviously two men. Zechariah 4 was talking about "two anointed ones" in the present tense (530-487 B.C.), way before any of those books were even written. These two anointed ones "stand by the Lord of the whole earth".
Revelation 11:5 "And if any man will hurt them, fire proceedeth out of their mouth, and devoureth their enemies: and if any man will hurt them, he must in this manner be killed."
No book that a person can burn has fire that comes out and burns them, including the Book of Mormon and Apocrypha. These are two men that breathed fire out of their mouths to destroy their enemies.
Revelation 11:6 "These have power to shut heaven, that it rain not in the days of their prophecy: and have power over waters to turn them to blood, and to smite the earth with all plagues, as often as they will."
They have the power to shut heaven so that it will not rain upon the earth. This tells us who one of the witnesses are for sure when we look at the book of James.
James 5:17 "Elias was a man subject to like passions as we are, and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain: and it rained not on the earth by the space of three years and six months."
One of the witnesses is the Prophet Elijah who has the power to shut the heaven to cease rain for 3 1/2 years. Elijah stood before the Lord and was present on the Mount of Transfiguration in Matthew 17 on the right side of the candlestick. The next witness was the person who was on the left side of the candlestick, which was Moses.
Look back up at Revelation 11:6 and notice the colon in the middle of the verse after the word "prophecy". The second clause applies to the other witness, which is Moses who has the power to turn water into blood and smite the earth with plagues. Sound familiar? It does if you have read the passages about Moses in the Old Testament.
Both Moses and Elijah stood before the Lord of the whole earth in both the New and Old Testament. Not only that, but both of them were anointed.
Exodus 33:20 "And he said, Thou canst not see my face: for there shall no man see me, and live. 21 And the LORD said, Behold, there is a place by me, and thou shalt stand upon a rock:"
While reading the next verses, remember the fire in Revelation 11:5. These verses are Moses speaking to men and then men being consumed by fire from the Lord.
Numbers 16:31 "And it came to pass, as he had made an end of speaking all these words, that the ground clave asunder that was under them: 34 And all Israel that were round about them fled at the cry of them: for they said, Lest the earth swallow us up also. 35 And there came out a fire from the LORD, and consumed the two hundred and fifty men that offered incense."
Elijah, like Moses, also had fire to destroy his enemies in 2 Kings.
2 Kings 1:10 "And Elijah answered and said to the captain of fifty, If I be a man of God, then let fire come down from heaven, and consume thee and thy fifty. And there came down fire from heaven, and consumed him and his fifty."
Some people try to argue that Enoch would be a good candidate for one of the witnesses, but there are many reasons that he could not be one of them. He was not anointed, he did not stand by the Lord of the whole earth, he did not have his enemies destroyed by fire, he did not smite the earth with plagues, he did not keep it from raining, he was not on Mount Sinai for forty days and forty nights, he did not have ministers that took up his ministry (Joshua and Elisha) and he did not appear on the Mount of Transfiguration with Jesus Christ. Not only that, but he was not one of the last two men mentioned in the Old Testament in Malachi 4. Moses and Elijah fit everyone of these qualifications.
There are some people that bring up weak arguments on why these two witnesses could not be Moses and Elijah. One of the reasons is because Moses was not caught up without dying. They say that because Moses died and was buried then he cannot be one of the witnesses. This is wrong because they could not find where the Lord buried Moses.
Deuteronomy 34:5 "So Moses the servant of the LORD died there in the land of Moab, according to the word of the LORD. 6 And he buried him in a valley in the land of Moab, over against Beth–peor: but no man knoweth of his sepulchre unto this day."
They could not find Moses because he did not stay buried. Moses came up from the dead and came up to Heaven ahead of time, which explains the contention between the devil and Michael in the book of Jude over the body of Moses. His body appearing at the Mount of Transfiguration proves that he was taken up ahead of time.
Jude 1:9 "Yet Michael the archangel, when contending with the devil he disputed about the body of Moses, durst not bring against him a railing accusation, but said, The Lord rebuke thee."
Then there are people that bring up objections about Elijah being one of the witnesses. They say that since Elijah was already come in the form of John the Baptist that he could not be one of the witnesses. This is just nonsense though when one reads the below verses.
Matthew 17:9 "And as they came down from the mountain, Jesus charged them, saying, Tell the vision to no man, until the Son of man be risen again from the dead. 10 And his disciples asked him, saying, Why then say the scribes that Elias must first come? 11 And Jesus answered and said unto them, Elias truly shall first come, and restore all things. 12 But I say unto you, That Elias is come already, and they knew him not, but have done unto him whatsoever they listed. Likewise shall also the Son of man suffer of them. 13 Then the disciples understood that he spake unto them of John the Baptist."
Notice the word "restore" in verse 11 and know that it is always in connection with the Second Coming of Jesus Christ (Acts 3:20-21). The above passage says that Elijah will come in the Second Coming, not the First Coming. There are events that are prophesied of in the Old Testament that has not taken place yet, so Elijah is still expected to come in the Second Coming, along with all of the other prophesies that did not take place in the First Coming.
Jesus Christ said that John the Baptist was Elias, yet John said that he was not in John 1:19-21. This "contradiction" is easily answered in the book of Luke though.
Luke 1:15 "For he shall be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink; and he shall be filled with the Holy Ghost, even from his mother's womb. 16 And many of the children of Israel shall he turn to the Lord their God. 17 And he shall go before him in the spirit and power of Elias, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just; to make ready a people prepared for the Lord."
The answer is that John the Baptist came in "the spirit and power of Elijah" and if the people would have accepted Jesus Christ as their Messiah in Acts 2-7 then Jesus would have came back and John would have been Elijah, but as we know, they rejected Jesus Christ, so that did not happen. If they would have received Jesus Christ as their Messiah then the First Coming would have been the Second Coming and all of the Old Testament prophesies would have been fulfilled then at that time. Comparing Malachi 4:4-6 and Luke 1:17 shows that John the Baptist was only a type of Elijah.
So in conclusion, there is no doubt that the two witnesses are Moses and Elijah. No other men or books fit the criteria. The scriptures interpret themselves and the Holy Spirit is very clear about who the two men are that come back in the Tribulation before Christ's Second Coming.
Revelation 11:3 "And I will give power unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days, clothed in sackcloth."
In this article, we will be identifying who the two witnesses that show up in the Tribulation are in the above verse. There are many bizarre interpretations about these two men. The Mormons believe that the two witnesses are the Book of Mormon and the Bible. Some Catholics believe that it is the Apocrypha and the Bible. Some Jews believe it is the Old Testament and the Talmud. The list goes on, but the next two passages expose those beliefs as absurd.
Revelation 11:4 "These are the two olive trees, and the two candlesticks standing before the God of the earth. 5 And if any man will hurt them, fire proceedeth out of their mouth, and devoureth their enemies: and if any man will hurt them, he must in this manner be killed. 6 These have power to shut heaven, that it rain not in the days of their prophecy: and have power over waters to turn them to blood, and to smite the earth with all plagues, as often as they will. 7 And when they shall have finished their testimony, the beast that ascendeth out of the bottomless pit shall make war against them, and shall overcome them, and kill them."
Zechariah 4:11 "Then answered I, and said unto him, What are these two olive trees upon the right side of the candlestick and upon the left side thereof? 12 And I answered again, and said unto him, What be these two olive branches which through the two golden pipes empty the golden oil out of themselves? 13 And he answered me and said, Knowest thou not what these be? And I said, No, my lord. 14 Then said he, These are the two anointed ones, that stand by the Lord of the whole earth."
There is no way these passages are talking about books. The two witnesses are obviously two men. Zechariah 4 was talking about "two anointed ones" in the present tense (530-487 B.C.), way before any of those books were even written. These two anointed ones "stand by the Lord of the whole earth".
Revelation 11:5 "And if any man will hurt them, fire proceedeth out of their mouth, and devoureth their enemies: and if any man will hurt them, he must in this manner be killed."
No book that a person can burn has fire that comes out and burns them, including the Book of Mormon and Apocrypha. These are two men that breathed fire out of their mouths to destroy their enemies.
Revelation 11:6 "These have power to shut heaven, that it rain not in the days of their prophecy: and have power over waters to turn them to blood, and to smite the earth with all plagues, as often as they will."
They have the power to shut heaven so that it will not rain upon the earth. This tells us who one of the witnesses are for sure when we look at the book of James.
James 5:17 "Elias was a man subject to like passions as we are, and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain: and it rained not on the earth by the space of three years and six months."
One of the witnesses is the Prophet Elijah who has the power to shut the heaven to cease rain for 3 1/2 years. Elijah stood before the Lord and was present on the Mount of Transfiguration in Matthew 17 on the right side of the candlestick. The next witness was the person who was on the left side of the candlestick, which was Moses.
Look back up at Revelation 11:6 and notice the colon in the middle of the verse after the word "prophecy". The second clause applies to the other witness, which is Moses who has the power to turn water into blood and smite the earth with plagues. Sound familiar? It does if you have read the passages about Moses in the Old Testament.
Both Moses and Elijah stood before the Lord of the whole earth in both the New and Old Testament. Not only that, but both of them were anointed.
Exodus 33:20 "And he said, Thou canst not see my face: for there shall no man see me, and live. 21 And the LORD said, Behold, there is a place by me, and thou shalt stand upon a rock:"
While reading the next verses, remember the fire in Revelation 11:5. These verses are Moses speaking to men and then men being consumed by fire from the Lord.
Numbers 16:31 "And it came to pass, as he had made an end of speaking all these words, that the ground clave asunder that was under them: 34 And all Israel that were round about them fled at the cry of them: for they said, Lest the earth swallow us up also. 35 And there came out a fire from the LORD, and consumed the two hundred and fifty men that offered incense."
Elijah, like Moses, also had fire to destroy his enemies in 2 Kings.
2 Kings 1:10 "And Elijah answered and said to the captain of fifty, If I be a man of God, then let fire come down from heaven, and consume thee and thy fifty. And there came down fire from heaven, and consumed him and his fifty."
Some people try to argue that Enoch would be a good candidate for one of the witnesses, but there are many reasons that he could not be one of them. He was not anointed, he did not stand by the Lord of the whole earth, he did not have his enemies destroyed by fire, he did not smite the earth with plagues, he did not keep it from raining, he was not on Mount Sinai for forty days and forty nights, he did not have ministers that took up his ministry (Joshua and Elisha) and he did not appear on the Mount of Transfiguration with Jesus Christ. Not only that, but he was not one of the last two men mentioned in the Old Testament in Malachi 4. Moses and Elijah fit everyone of these qualifications.
There are some people that bring up weak arguments on why these two witnesses could not be Moses and Elijah. One of the reasons is because Moses was not caught up without dying. They say that because Moses died and was buried then he cannot be one of the witnesses. This is wrong because they could not find where the Lord buried Moses.
Deuteronomy 34:5 "So Moses the servant of the LORD died there in the land of Moab, according to the word of the LORD. 6 And he buried him in a valley in the land of Moab, over against Beth–peor: but no man knoweth of his sepulchre unto this day."
They could not find Moses because he did not stay buried. Moses came up from the dead and came up to Heaven ahead of time, which explains the contention between the devil and Michael in the book of Jude over the body of Moses. His body appearing at the Mount of Transfiguration proves that he was taken up ahead of time.
Jude 1:9 "Yet Michael the archangel, when contending with the devil he disputed about the body of Moses, durst not bring against him a railing accusation, but said, The Lord rebuke thee."
Then there are people that bring up objections about Elijah being one of the witnesses. They say that since Elijah was already come in the form of John the Baptist that he could not be one of the witnesses. This is just nonsense though when one reads the below verses.
Matthew 17:9 "And as they came down from the mountain, Jesus charged them, saying, Tell the vision to no man, until the Son of man be risen again from the dead. 10 And his disciples asked him, saying, Why then say the scribes that Elias must first come? 11 And Jesus answered and said unto them, Elias truly shall first come, and restore all things. 12 But I say unto you, That Elias is come already, and they knew him not, but have done unto him whatsoever they listed. Likewise shall also the Son of man suffer of them. 13 Then the disciples understood that he spake unto them of John the Baptist."
Notice the word "restore" in verse 11 and know that it is always in connection with the Second Coming of Jesus Christ (Acts 3:20-21). The above passage says that Elijah will come in the Second Coming, not the First Coming. There are events that are prophesied of in the Old Testament that has not taken place yet, so Elijah is still expected to come in the Second Coming, along with all of the other prophesies that did not take place in the First Coming.
Jesus Christ said that John the Baptist was Elias, yet John said that he was not in John 1:19-21. This "contradiction" is easily answered in the book of Luke though.
Luke 1:15 "For he shall be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink; and he shall be filled with the Holy Ghost, even from his mother's womb. 16 And many of the children of Israel shall he turn to the Lord their God. 17 And he shall go before him in the spirit and power of Elias, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just; to make ready a people prepared for the Lord."
The answer is that John the Baptist came in "the spirit and power of Elijah" and if the people would have accepted Jesus Christ as their Messiah in Acts 2-7 then Jesus would have came back and John would have been Elijah, but as we know, they rejected Jesus Christ, so that did not happen. If they would have received Jesus Christ as their Messiah then the First Coming would have been the Second Coming and all of the Old Testament prophesies would have been fulfilled then at that time. Comparing Malachi 4:4-6 and Luke 1:17 shows that John the Baptist was only a type of Elijah.
So in conclusion, there is no doubt that the two witnesses are Moses and Elijah. No other men or books fit the criteria. The scriptures interpret themselves and the Holy Spirit is very clear about who the two men are that come back in the Tribulation before Christ's Second Coming.
Monday, August 20, 2012
Repentance
Note: All Scripture quotations found in this article are from the text of the Authorized King James Version of the Bible.
In this article, we will review the two kinds of repentance. There is a difference between repentance for the saved and repentance for the lost. I apologize in advance because this will be a very repetitive lesson. However, this was done to make the subject matter more clear and memorable.
The lost person cannot be saved by turning from each of his individual sins. A born again child of God, on the other hand, is the one who should obey that type of repentance to maintain close fellowship with his heavenly Father. Salvation is by faith alone, so repenting of certain sins cannot be included in salvation because salvation is not of works.
The truth is, the people that preach that a person has to repent of sins to be saved are mostly concentrating on the physical sins that can be seen, but what about the internal sins like a lustful heart, envy, hatred, covetous, gossiping and etc? Most lost people have not read the Bible extensively, so they are not even aware of all the sins man could commit in his heart. When we first got saved, not one of us fully repented of every sin. Turning away from tobacco and alcohol is not part of salvation. That is work-based salvation. Do not get me wrong; sins should be repented of, but it is not part of salvation.
Ephesians 2:8 "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9 Not of works, lest any man should boast."
Salvation repentance is not about repenting of sins (plural), but it is about repenting of sin (singular). We find out which sin to repent of to be saved in John 16. The sin is unbelief in Jesus Christ. To be saved, one must turn from the sin of unbelief and believe on the Lord Jesus Christ alone for salvation. A person gets righteousness by trusting Jesus Christ, not repenting of individual sins or any other works. Notice in verse 9, the sin of verse 8 is defined in the below passage.
John 16:7 "Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you. 8 And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: 9 Of sin, because they believe not on me; 10 Of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more; 11 Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged."
The first time that "repent" is mentioned in the Bible is in Genesis 6. In this chapter it means "a change of mind", not to repent of individual sins. God repents (changes His mind) of making man because of the wickedness of man, then drowns them all out, besides Noah and his family. So according to the law of first mention and by Bible definition, repentance is not "quitting sin", rather it is a change of mind.
Genesis 6:5 "And GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. 6 And it repented the LORD that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart."
Also in Exodus 13:17, repent means to "change one's mind". Again in Exodus 31:12, Moses pleads with God to "repent/change His mind" about destroying the people. Later on, God does change His mind about the evil He was going to do to the people because of Moses' prayer. There is power in prayer.
Exodus 13:17 "And it came to pass, when Pharaoh had let the people go, that God led them not through the way of the land of the Philistines, although that was near; for God said, Lest peradventure the people repent when they see war, and they return to Egypt:"
Exodus 32:12 "Wherefore should the Egyptians speak, and say, For mischief did he bring them out, to slay them in the mountains, and to consume them from the face of the earth? Turn from thy fierce wrath, and repent of this evil against thy people. 13 Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, thy servants, to whom thou swarest by thine own self, and saidst unto them, I will multiply your seed as the stars of heaven, and all this land that I have spoken of will I give unto your seed, and they shall inherit it for ever. 14 And the LORD repented of the evil which he thought to do unto his people."
Salvation repentance is defined in Acts 20:21. The repentance here could not mean repent of sin because it says "repentance TOWARDS God", which means to turn toward God and believe on Jesus Christ by faith.
Acts 20:21 "Testifying both to the Jews, and also to the Greeks, repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ."
The heresy of preaching that repenting of sins is part of salvation is even popular in Baptist circles. Some preachers, just to get results when the altar call is made, will say that if someone is doing a certain sin or has not repented of a certain sin, then they are not truly saved. Salvation is to those who believe, not to those who work by doing or not doing something. It is Satanic to tell someone he is not saved because of his lack of giving up sin.
Romans 4:5 "But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness."
Paul said that people who preach this type of gospel are accursed. If you believe you are saved because YOU repented of certain sins in your life, then you should stop trusting in your works, realize you are a sinner and trust Jesus Christ alone to save you. If you are telling people that they need to repent of sins to be saved, then you need to quit preaching your work-based false doctrine.
Galatians 1:9 "As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed."
Again, I am not against preaching against sins. I believe people should hear that type of preaching constantly (saved or lost), but when it comes to salvation, repenting of sins is not the Gospel. The Gospel is that you are a sinner in unbelief and you need to trust what the Saviour did for you (death, burial, resurrection)—not YOUR works.
Galatians 3:1 "O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth, crucified among you? 2 This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? 3 Are ye so foolish?.."
No person has any business going up to a sinner and saying that if they are willing to quit drinking or smoking or lying or anything else then they can get saved. No lost person has the power to repent of anything. They might by their own will, but they need to be saved first. After salvation, the saved person has the Holy Spirit in him to help him turn from sins that hurt his walk with God, not before.
This brings me to my last point, which is repentance for saved sinners. A person who is saved needs to repent of sins daily. There is a heresy today taught among Hyper Dispensationalists that says that saved people do not have to repent because all our sins are forgiven.
It is true doctrinally that all the saved person's past, present and future sins are under the Blood; but we still have to maintain daily fellowship with God. Like our father on earth, we will always be his son, but we have to maintain good fellowship with him. As children of God, we should repent and confess our sins to our Father to stay close to God. Revelation 2, 3 and 2 Corinthians 12:20-21 records God telling Christians to repent of certain sins.
Even though we are saved by grace alone, we should still live for God because He died for us. Our work and repentance after salvation shows our love for God, but it does not save us or keep us saved.
Romans 6:1 "What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? 2 God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?"
In 1 Corinthians 11:28-32, it tells Christians that they should examine and judge themselves before partaking of the Lord's Supper. Paul says that if we do not judge our sins then the Lord will chasten us.
1 Corinthians 11:28 "But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup. 29 For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord's body. 30 For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep. 31 For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged. 32 But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world."
The next passage includes key verses about the Christian repenting and confessing sins in order to live a joyful Christian life. The context shows that the verses (specifically verses 6 and 7) are not speaking about salvation, but rather fellowship. Verse 9 shows us that we need to repent to have close fellowship and to be used by God. If we do not confess our sins daily then we will become callous towards God and His righteousness and our fellowship with Him will subsequently fall apart.
1 John 1:6 "If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: 7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. 8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us."
To conclude, repentance for the lost and saved person is different. The lost person should repent—as in turning to God and believing on Jesus Christ for salvation. The saved person should repent and confess of sins daily to keep good fellowship with God, and because they have to appear at the Judgment Seat of Christ (2 Cor. 5:10-11). A saved person cannot go to Hell, but he can lose rewards at the Judgment Seat of Christ for living in sin and not repenting. If you are saved, then you are "standing" in Christ, but you still have to work on your "state" with God. If you are lost, then repenting of certain sins cannot help you work your way to Heaven because salvation is not of works. Turn to God from your unbelief, and believe on the Lord Jesus Christ; then the Holy Spirit will help you turn from sins AFTER salvation, not before. The love of God will help us live for God and repent of sins after we get saved.
2 Corinthians 5:14 "For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead: 15 And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again."
In this article, we will review the two kinds of repentance. There is a difference between repentance for the saved and repentance for the lost. I apologize in advance because this will be a very repetitive lesson. However, this was done to make the subject matter more clear and memorable.
The lost person cannot be saved by turning from each of his individual sins. A born again child of God, on the other hand, is the one who should obey that type of repentance to maintain close fellowship with his heavenly Father. Salvation is by faith alone, so repenting of certain sins cannot be included in salvation because salvation is not of works.
The truth is, the people that preach that a person has to repent of sins to be saved are mostly concentrating on the physical sins that can be seen, but what about the internal sins like a lustful heart, envy, hatred, covetous, gossiping and etc? Most lost people have not read the Bible extensively, so they are not even aware of all the sins man could commit in his heart. When we first got saved, not one of us fully repented of every sin. Turning away from tobacco and alcohol is not part of salvation. That is work-based salvation. Do not get me wrong; sins should be repented of, but it is not part of salvation.
Ephesians 2:8 "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9 Not of works, lest any man should boast."
Salvation repentance is not about repenting of sins (plural), but it is about repenting of sin (singular). We find out which sin to repent of to be saved in John 16. The sin is unbelief in Jesus Christ. To be saved, one must turn from the sin of unbelief and believe on the Lord Jesus Christ alone for salvation. A person gets righteousness by trusting Jesus Christ, not repenting of individual sins or any other works. Notice in verse 9, the sin of verse 8 is defined in the below passage.
John 16:7 "Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you. 8 And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: 9 Of sin, because they believe not on me; 10 Of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more; 11 Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged."
The first time that "repent" is mentioned in the Bible is in Genesis 6. In this chapter it means "a change of mind", not to repent of individual sins. God repents (changes His mind) of making man because of the wickedness of man, then drowns them all out, besides Noah and his family. So according to the law of first mention and by Bible definition, repentance is not "quitting sin", rather it is a change of mind.
Genesis 6:5 "And GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. 6 And it repented the LORD that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart."
Also in Exodus 13:17, repent means to "change one's mind". Again in Exodus 31:12, Moses pleads with God to "repent/change His mind" about destroying the people. Later on, God does change His mind about the evil He was going to do to the people because of Moses' prayer. There is power in prayer.
Exodus 13:17 "And it came to pass, when Pharaoh had let the people go, that God led them not through the way of the land of the Philistines, although that was near; for God said, Lest peradventure the people repent when they see war, and they return to Egypt:"
Exodus 32:12 "Wherefore should the Egyptians speak, and say, For mischief did he bring them out, to slay them in the mountains, and to consume them from the face of the earth? Turn from thy fierce wrath, and repent of this evil against thy people. 13 Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, thy servants, to whom thou swarest by thine own self, and saidst unto them, I will multiply your seed as the stars of heaven, and all this land that I have spoken of will I give unto your seed, and they shall inherit it for ever. 14 And the LORD repented of the evil which he thought to do unto his people."
Salvation repentance is defined in Acts 20:21. The repentance here could not mean repent of sin because it says "repentance TOWARDS God", which means to turn toward God and believe on Jesus Christ by faith.
Acts 20:21 "Testifying both to the Jews, and also to the Greeks, repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ."
The heresy of preaching that repenting of sins is part of salvation is even popular in Baptist circles. Some preachers, just to get results when the altar call is made, will say that if someone is doing a certain sin or has not repented of a certain sin, then they are not truly saved. Salvation is to those who believe, not to those who work by doing or not doing something. It is Satanic to tell someone he is not saved because of his lack of giving up sin.
Romans 4:5 "But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness."
Paul said that people who preach this type of gospel are accursed. If you believe you are saved because YOU repented of certain sins in your life, then you should stop trusting in your works, realize you are a sinner and trust Jesus Christ alone to save you. If you are telling people that they need to repent of sins to be saved, then you need to quit preaching your work-based false doctrine.
Galatians 1:9 "As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed."
Again, I am not against preaching against sins. I believe people should hear that type of preaching constantly (saved or lost), but when it comes to salvation, repenting of sins is not the Gospel. The Gospel is that you are a sinner in unbelief and you need to trust what the Saviour did for you (death, burial, resurrection)—not YOUR works.
Galatians 3:1 "O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth, crucified among you? 2 This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? 3 Are ye so foolish?.."
No person has any business going up to a sinner and saying that if they are willing to quit drinking or smoking or lying or anything else then they can get saved. No lost person has the power to repent of anything. They might by their own will, but they need to be saved first. After salvation, the saved person has the Holy Spirit in him to help him turn from sins that hurt his walk with God, not before.
This brings me to my last point, which is repentance for saved sinners. A person who is saved needs to repent of sins daily. There is a heresy today taught among Hyper Dispensationalists that says that saved people do not have to repent because all our sins are forgiven.
It is true doctrinally that all the saved person's past, present and future sins are under the Blood; but we still have to maintain daily fellowship with God. Like our father on earth, we will always be his son, but we have to maintain good fellowship with him. As children of God, we should repent and confess our sins to our Father to stay close to God. Revelation 2, 3 and 2 Corinthians 12:20-21 records God telling Christians to repent of certain sins.
Even though we are saved by grace alone, we should still live for God because He died for us. Our work and repentance after salvation shows our love for God, but it does not save us or keep us saved.
Romans 6:1 "What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? 2 God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?"
In 1 Corinthians 11:28-32, it tells Christians that they should examine and judge themselves before partaking of the Lord's Supper. Paul says that if we do not judge our sins then the Lord will chasten us.
1 Corinthians 11:28 "But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup. 29 For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord's body. 30 For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep. 31 For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged. 32 But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world."
The next passage includes key verses about the Christian repenting and confessing sins in order to live a joyful Christian life. The context shows that the verses (specifically verses 6 and 7) are not speaking about salvation, but rather fellowship. Verse 9 shows us that we need to repent to have close fellowship and to be used by God. If we do not confess our sins daily then we will become callous towards God and His righteousness and our fellowship with Him will subsequently fall apart.
1 John 1:6 "If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: 7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. 8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us."
To conclude, repentance for the lost and saved person is different. The lost person should repent—as in turning to God and believing on Jesus Christ for salvation. The saved person should repent and confess of sins daily to keep good fellowship with God, and because they have to appear at the Judgment Seat of Christ (2 Cor. 5:10-11). A saved person cannot go to Hell, but he can lose rewards at the Judgment Seat of Christ for living in sin and not repenting. If you are saved, then you are "standing" in Christ, but you still have to work on your "state" with God. If you are lost, then repenting of certain sins cannot help you work your way to Heaven because salvation is not of works. Turn to God from your unbelief, and believe on the Lord Jesus Christ; then the Holy Spirit will help you turn from sins AFTER salvation, not before. The love of God will help us live for God and repent of sins after we get saved.
2 Corinthians 5:14 "For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead: 15 And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again."
Thursday, July 5, 2012
The Two Churches
Note: All Scripture quotations found in this article are from the text of the Authorized King James Version of the Bible.
The word "church" is used five different ways in the scriptures: Israel (Acts 7:38), pagan assemblies (Acts 19:39), a glorified church (Eph. 5:27), a local assembly of Christians (Rev. 1-3) and the Body of Christ on earth (Eph. 1:22-23). In this article, we will focus on the two main applications of the word "church" that are commonly talked about today.
1. The Universal Church - This Church contains all of those that have trusted Jesus Christ to be their Saviour in the Church Age (1 Cor. 12:13). Everyone in this Church will go up in the Rapture before the Tribulation. There is no particular denomination that is the Church. The Catholics and Baptist Briders are wrong. It is possible for a person to truly get saved and be part of a denomination that teaches heresy. The Church is also called the Body of Christ and the Bride of Christ (Eph. 5:22-32).
1 Corinthians 12:27 "Now ye are the body of Christ.."
Revelation 21:9 "And there came unto me one of the seven angels which had the seven vials full of the seven last plagues, and talked with me, saying, Come hither, I will shew thee the bride, the Lamb's wife."
2. The Local Church - This is a group of believers joined together by doctrine, desires, goals, convictions and affections. Some people are against denominational titles, such as "Baptist", but denominational standings are needed among the local church bodies for the sake of true unity, for the protection of doctrine and the gospel of Jesus Christ. Eighty percent of the references to a church in the Bible are to the local church. Paul wrote to local churches in the New Testament and the Book of Revelation records seven local churches (Rev. 1-3). Ecumenicism has tried to "demonize" denominational labels, but this is just to draw a big crowd by throwing away sound doctrine and bringing worldly entertainment, such as Contemporary "Christian" Music in the churches.
Romans 16:1 "I commend unto you Phebe our sister, which is a servant of the church which is at Cenchrea: 4 Who have for my life laid down their own necks: unto whom not only I give thanks, but also all the churches of the Gentiles. 5 Likewise greet the church that is in their house. Salute my wellbeloved Epaenetus, who is the firstfruits of Achaia unto Christ. 16 Salute one another with an holy kiss. The churches of Christ salute you."
(Also read: Acts 15, 19; 1 Cor. 4, 6, 7, 11, 14)
So, the Universal Church is made up of all saved people and the local church is a group of believers that usually meet in a church building or house. Keep in mind that someone can be part of a local church and not be part of the Universal Church, meaning they are not really saved. In the rest of this article, the local church will be emphasized.
After a person is Born Again, they should become a member of a local church and not just any church, but a scriptural church.
Matthew 5:14 "Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. 15 Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house."
Revelation 1:20 "The mystery of the seven stars which thou sawest in my right hand, and the seven golden candlesticks. The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches: and the seven candlesticks which thou sawest are the seven churches."
The candlestick is a representative of the local church. Therefore to have a good testimony in this night time dispensation, it is good to be part of a local church.
The local church testifies of the invisible, universal Body, to lost souls, to new Christians and to the spiritually mature. It testifies that there is more to life than physical responsibility and that there is something after death. It also testifies of both present and future separation from the world, at the Rapture and the White Throne Judgment.
The importance of the local church is seen in scripture many times.
1. The Gospels show the record of Christ organizing the church.
2. Acts is the history of early local churches.
3. Romans is written to all the saints at Rome where local churches had been established.
4. 1 Corinthians and 2 Thessalonians are written directly to local churches.
5. 1 Timothy and Titus are written to young preachers who were establishing local churches (1 Tim. 3, Titus 1).
6. Philemon was written to a man who had a local church in his house (Phil. 1:2).
7. Hebrews through Jude is indirectly related to the local churches (Heb. 12:23; James 5:14; 1 Peter 5:1-4,13; 3 John 1:6,9,10).
8. Revelation was written to seven local churches of Asia Minor (Rev. 2-3).
The local church is said to be a dwelling place of God and called the "house of God".
1 Timothy 3:14 "These things write I unto thee, hoping to come unto thee shortly: 15 But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth."
Noticing the nine temples in scripture give us good practical application for the local church (Exodus 40:33-38). When God's orders had been carried out and everything was in place then God would enter the temple and it was filled with the glory of God. For a local church to feel the spirit of God, the members must make sure their flesh is put out (Gal. 5:16-24).
The Nine Temples: Mosaic Temple, Solomon's Temple, Zerubabal's Temple, Herod's Temple, the Human Body of Christ, the Believer's body, the local assembly of the saints, Tribulation Temple and Millennial Temple.
1 Kings 8:10 "And it came to pass, when the priests were come out of the holy place, that the cloud filled the house of the LORD, 11 So that the priests could not stand to minister because of the cloud: for the glory of the LORD had filled the house of the LORD."
The word "church" means "a called out assembly". The church should be sanctified towards the gospel of Christ and separated from the world (Ezek. 37:1-10). Read in Ezekiel 37 and notice that the word of God is preached in the assembly.
Going back to 1 Timothy 3:15, notice the phrase "ground of the truth". The local church is the launch pad of God's work. Every ministry should be started out of a local church, so that it has a good foundation. When Christians come together as a local church, they are coming together as the house of God, an assembly called out by the living God, a pillar responsible for holding up the word of God and a place where they are edified by the preaching and teaching of the Bible.
1 Timothy 3:15 "..the pillar and ground of the truth."
A pillar is something that holds up and supports. The local church is to be supporting the "truth", which is the word of God. Therefore, the stronger the support of the word of God, the stronger the local church. The local church is responsible for preserving, publishing, pursuing and proclaiming the truth.
Hebrews 10:25 "Not 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"
The members of a local church can forsake assembly by laying out of church and denying God's order. Every member should be faithful to go to their church every time the doors are open, if possible. Also, God's order is for the purpose of unity. Without God's order, confusion is created in the local church. The work of a local church is not an earthly, humanistic business, rather it is the Father's business.
Business meetings usually cause division because a majority vote is not one mind (1 Cor. 1:10). The Lord Jesus Christ did not institute business meetings in the local church, but sometimes they are necessary today. There should be differences between a local church and a business. For example, a church is operated by faith, hope and charity, while a business is operated by money. The Lord Jesus Christ should be the head of the local church, while in businesses, the owners, stock holders and corporate heads are in charge. The members of a local church are purchased by the Blood of God (Acts 20:28), while businesses are bought, sold and are transitional. Local churches should be orderly, stable and secure, while businesses rise, fall and depend on the economy. If the local church is ran by politics then it will be ran by the rich members and the ones with the most family or friends.
1 Corinthians 14:40 "Let all things be done decently and in order."
The two offices in the local church are found in 1 Timothy 3, which are the Pastor and Deacon. Both of these are male servants of the Lord. The Pastor is called to feed the sheep with the word of God and pastor the flock. He is to be able to preach, teach, counsel, soul win and etc. The Deacon is an attendant, waiter, minister and handles the carrying out of suggestions and recommendations made by the elders or the church itself. He is not a rich businessman that handles the finances of the church. The Deacon has a spiritual calling to a spiritual job. Deacons should be leaders in things such as, hospital visitation, greeting people, prayer meetings, carrying out the distribution of goods, maintaining good relationships between the people and the Pastor and help to poor Christians (Acts 6:1-7).
Finally, the purpose of the local church is to exalt the Lord Jesus Christ, evangelize sinners and edify the saints (Eph. 4:7-15). Every local church should be involved in supporting Missionaries (Acts 1:8), preaching (Acts 11:19,29), witnessing (Acts 11:21), teaching (Acts 11:26), giving (Acts 11:29) and it should also be a praying and sending church (Acts 13:1-3).
The word "church" is used five different ways in the scriptures: Israel (Acts 7:38), pagan assemblies (Acts 19:39), a glorified church (Eph. 5:27), a local assembly of Christians (Rev. 1-3) and the Body of Christ on earth (Eph. 1:22-23). In this article, we will focus on the two main applications of the word "church" that are commonly talked about today.
1. The Universal Church - This Church contains all of those that have trusted Jesus Christ to be their Saviour in the Church Age (1 Cor. 12:13). Everyone in this Church will go up in the Rapture before the Tribulation. There is no particular denomination that is the Church. The Catholics and Baptist Briders are wrong. It is possible for a person to truly get saved and be part of a denomination that teaches heresy. The Church is also called the Body of Christ and the Bride of Christ (Eph. 5:22-32).
1 Corinthians 12:27 "Now ye are the body of Christ.."
Revelation 21:9 "And there came unto me one of the seven angels which had the seven vials full of the seven last plagues, and talked with me, saying, Come hither, I will shew thee the bride, the Lamb's wife."
2. The Local Church - This is a group of believers joined together by doctrine, desires, goals, convictions and affections. Some people are against denominational titles, such as "Baptist", but denominational standings are needed among the local church bodies for the sake of true unity, for the protection of doctrine and the gospel of Jesus Christ. Eighty percent of the references to a church in the Bible are to the local church. Paul wrote to local churches in the New Testament and the Book of Revelation records seven local churches (Rev. 1-3). Ecumenicism has tried to "demonize" denominational labels, but this is just to draw a big crowd by throwing away sound doctrine and bringing worldly entertainment, such as Contemporary "Christian" Music in the churches.
Romans 16:1 "I commend unto you Phebe our sister, which is a servant of the church which is at Cenchrea: 4 Who have for my life laid down their own necks: unto whom not only I give thanks, but also all the churches of the Gentiles. 5 Likewise greet the church that is in their house. Salute my wellbeloved Epaenetus, who is the firstfruits of Achaia unto Christ. 16 Salute one another with an holy kiss. The churches of Christ salute you."
(Also read: Acts 15, 19; 1 Cor. 4, 6, 7, 11, 14)
So, the Universal Church is made up of all saved people and the local church is a group of believers that usually meet in a church building or house. Keep in mind that someone can be part of a local church and not be part of the Universal Church, meaning they are not really saved. In the rest of this article, the local church will be emphasized.
After a person is Born Again, they should become a member of a local church and not just any church, but a scriptural church.
Matthew 5:14 "Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. 15 Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house."
Revelation 1:20 "The mystery of the seven stars which thou sawest in my right hand, and the seven golden candlesticks. The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches: and the seven candlesticks which thou sawest are the seven churches."
The candlestick is a representative of the local church. Therefore to have a good testimony in this night time dispensation, it is good to be part of a local church.
The local church testifies of the invisible, universal Body, to lost souls, to new Christians and to the spiritually mature. It testifies that there is more to life than physical responsibility and that there is something after death. It also testifies of both present and future separation from the world, at the Rapture and the White Throne Judgment.
The importance of the local church is seen in scripture many times.
1. The Gospels show the record of Christ organizing the church.
2. Acts is the history of early local churches.
3. Romans is written to all the saints at Rome where local churches had been established.
4. 1 Corinthians and 2 Thessalonians are written directly to local churches.
5. 1 Timothy and Titus are written to young preachers who were establishing local churches (1 Tim. 3, Titus 1).
6. Philemon was written to a man who had a local church in his house (Phil. 1:2).
7. Hebrews through Jude is indirectly related to the local churches (Heb. 12:23; James 5:14; 1 Peter 5:1-4,13; 3 John 1:6,9,10).
8. Revelation was written to seven local churches of Asia Minor (Rev. 2-3).
The local church is said to be a dwelling place of God and called the "house of God".
1 Timothy 3:14 "These things write I unto thee, hoping to come unto thee shortly: 15 But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth."
Noticing the nine temples in scripture give us good practical application for the local church (Exodus 40:33-38). When God's orders had been carried out and everything was in place then God would enter the temple and it was filled with the glory of God. For a local church to feel the spirit of God, the members must make sure their flesh is put out (Gal. 5:16-24).
The Nine Temples: Mosaic Temple, Solomon's Temple, Zerubabal's Temple, Herod's Temple, the Human Body of Christ, the Believer's body, the local assembly of the saints, Tribulation Temple and Millennial Temple.
1 Kings 8:10 "And it came to pass, when the priests were come out of the holy place, that the cloud filled the house of the LORD, 11 So that the priests could not stand to minister because of the cloud: for the glory of the LORD had filled the house of the LORD."
The word "church" means "a called out assembly". The church should be sanctified towards the gospel of Christ and separated from the world (Ezek. 37:1-10). Read in Ezekiel 37 and notice that the word of God is preached in the assembly.
Going back to 1 Timothy 3:15, notice the phrase "ground of the truth". The local church is the launch pad of God's work. Every ministry should be started out of a local church, so that it has a good foundation. When Christians come together as a local church, they are coming together as the house of God, an assembly called out by the living God, a pillar responsible for holding up the word of God and a place where they are edified by the preaching and teaching of the Bible.
1 Timothy 3:15 "..the pillar and ground of the truth."
A pillar is something that holds up and supports. The local church is to be supporting the "truth", which is the word of God. Therefore, the stronger the support of the word of God, the stronger the local church. The local church is responsible for preserving, publishing, pursuing and proclaiming the truth.
Hebrews 10:25 "Not 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"
The members of a local church can forsake assembly by laying out of church and denying God's order. Every member should be faithful to go to their church every time the doors are open, if possible. Also, God's order is for the purpose of unity. Without God's order, confusion is created in the local church. The work of a local church is not an earthly, humanistic business, rather it is the Father's business.
Business meetings usually cause division because a majority vote is not one mind (1 Cor. 1:10). The Lord Jesus Christ did not institute business meetings in the local church, but sometimes they are necessary today. There should be differences between a local church and a business. For example, a church is operated by faith, hope and charity, while a business is operated by money. The Lord Jesus Christ should be the head of the local church, while in businesses, the owners, stock holders and corporate heads are in charge. The members of a local church are purchased by the Blood of God (Acts 20:28), while businesses are bought, sold and are transitional. Local churches should be orderly, stable and secure, while businesses rise, fall and depend on the economy. If the local church is ran by politics then it will be ran by the rich members and the ones with the most family or friends.
1 Corinthians 14:40 "Let all things be done decently and in order."
The two offices in the local church are found in 1 Timothy 3, which are the Pastor and Deacon. Both of these are male servants of the Lord. The Pastor is called to feed the sheep with the word of God and pastor the flock. He is to be able to preach, teach, counsel, soul win and etc. The Deacon is an attendant, waiter, minister and handles the carrying out of suggestions and recommendations made by the elders or the church itself. He is not a rich businessman that handles the finances of the church. The Deacon has a spiritual calling to a spiritual job. Deacons should be leaders in things such as, hospital visitation, greeting people, prayer meetings, carrying out the distribution of goods, maintaining good relationships between the people and the Pastor and help to poor Christians (Acts 6:1-7).
Finally, the purpose of the local church is to exalt the Lord Jesus Christ, evangelize sinners and edify the saints (Eph. 4:7-15). Every local church should be involved in supporting Missionaries (Acts 1:8), preaching (Acts 11:19,29), witnessing (Acts 11:21), teaching (Acts 11:26), giving (Acts 11:29) and it should also be a praying and sending church (Acts 13:1-3).
Tuesday, June 19, 2012
Seven Mysteries
Note: All Scripture quotations found in this article are from the text of the Authorized King James Version of the Bible.
This will be a short article covering the seven mysteries found in the King James Bible. A good steward of the word of God will be aware of these seven mysteries found in the Pauline Epistles that apply to the Body of Christ and teach them. Some of these will be hard to understand, but that is why they are called mysteries. Our job is to believe them even if we do not fully understand them.
1 Corinthians 4:1 "Let a man so account of us, as of the ministers of Christ, and stewards of the mysteries of God. 2 Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful."
1. The Mystery of Godliness
1 Timothy 3:16 "And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory."
This mystery reveals that Jesus Christ was God manifest in the flesh. This teaches that God came to this earth as a baby with the mother being a virgin. Jesus was fully God, fully man and lived a sinless life while on this earth.
2. The Mystery of the Indwelling Christ
Colossians 1:27 "To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:"
This teaches that Jesus Christ is inside the Born Again man. It is such a mystery that a sinless Saviour would dwell within our wicked bodies. Every Christian should consider this mystery and realize that Jesus should be King over our body, not ourselves. This thought should also keep us from sinning knowing that He is inside us. Every believer has two natures, the flesh and the spirit.
3. The Mystery of the Body of Christ
Ephesians 5:32 "This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church."
Ephesians 3:1 "For this cause I Paul, the prisoner of Jesus Christ for you Gentiles, 2 If ye have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which is given me to you-ward: 3 How that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery; (as I wrote afore in few words, 4 Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ) 5 Which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit;"
This mystery tells us that anyone who is saved is in the Body of Christ, which is the Bride of Christ (Rev. 21:9). After the Rapture and the Judgment Seat of Christ, the Body of Christ, who is the Bride will meet her Bridegroom Jesus Christ at the Marriage Supper of the Lamb (Rev. 19:9). Right now, the Body of Christ is called a chaste virgin (2 Cor. 11:2) because the marriage has not yet happened. Although the marriage has happened spiritually already (1 Cor. 6:17), it has not happened bodily (2 Cor. 5:6-8).
4. The Mystery of the Blindness of Israel
Romans 11:25 "For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in. 26 And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob: 28 As concerning the gospel, they are enemies for your sakes: but as touching the election, they are beloved for the fathers' sakes. 29 For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance. 30 For as ye in times past have not believed God, yet have now obtained mercy through their unbelief:"
This mystery deals with the blindness of Israel as a nation and their restoration in the future during the Millennium. The mystery revealed is that God is not through with Israel. God will take the wandering Jews and bring them back to Palestine, which He has already done and convert them to Jesus Christ during the Tribulation. They will then get all of their land back in the Millennium.
5. The Mystery of Iniquity
2 Thessalonians 2:7 "For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way."
This mystery is talking about the Antichrist that will reign during the Tribulation (2 Thess. 2:2-8). This man's number will be 666 (Rev. 13:18). He will talk about peace and his salute will be the two-finger peace sign. He will be a Roman Catholic Pope (Zech. 11:17) and he will be of Jewish decent, Syrian through Ham (Dan. 11:37, Isa. 14:25, Rev. 13:2, Jer. 13:23). There is more information about this man in the Bible than any other man, besides Jesus Christ. If anyone wants more information about this man, go to my article titled "The Antichrist".
6. The Mystery of the Rapture
1 Corinthians 15:51 "Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, 52 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. 53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. 54 So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. 55 O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?"
This mystery deals with the disappearance of the Body of Christ at the end of the Church Age, before the Tribulation. There will be two types of people that go up in this rapture, the saved dead and the saved that are still alive. The saved will get glorified bodies and go up to meet Jesus and it will happen "in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye."
7. The Mystery of Babylon the Great
Revelation 17:5 "And upon her forehead was a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH."
This is a mystery concerning a woman that rides on a beast that has seven heads and ten horns. The woman is a city that reigns over the kings of the earth (Rev. 17:18). The seven heads of the beast are seven mountains (Rev. 17:9). She has a golden cup and wears purple and scarlet (Rev. 17:4). She is said to be the mother of all harlots. She will go along with the world to get the world's favor (Rev. 17:6). The city is said to be filled with the blood of martyrs of Jesus Christ (Rev. 17:6). Anyone who has studied history would know that this city is Rome. Her religion will be Roman Catholic, hence the blood of the martyrs and everything else mentioned above.
This will be a short article covering the seven mysteries found in the King James Bible. A good steward of the word of God will be aware of these seven mysteries found in the Pauline Epistles that apply to the Body of Christ and teach them. Some of these will be hard to understand, but that is why they are called mysteries. Our job is to believe them even if we do not fully understand them.
1 Corinthians 4:1 "Let a man so account of us, as of the ministers of Christ, and stewards of the mysteries of God. 2 Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful."
1. The Mystery of Godliness
1 Timothy 3:16 "And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory."
This mystery reveals that Jesus Christ was God manifest in the flesh. This teaches that God came to this earth as a baby with the mother being a virgin. Jesus was fully God, fully man and lived a sinless life while on this earth.
2. The Mystery of the Indwelling Christ
Colossians 1:27 "To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:"
This teaches that Jesus Christ is inside the Born Again man. It is such a mystery that a sinless Saviour would dwell within our wicked bodies. Every Christian should consider this mystery and realize that Jesus should be King over our body, not ourselves. This thought should also keep us from sinning knowing that He is inside us. Every believer has two natures, the flesh and the spirit.
3. The Mystery of the Body of Christ
Ephesians 5:32 "This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church."
Ephesians 3:1 "For this cause I Paul, the prisoner of Jesus Christ for you Gentiles, 2 If ye have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which is given me to you-ward: 3 How that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery; (as I wrote afore in few words, 4 Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ) 5 Which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit;"
This mystery tells us that anyone who is saved is in the Body of Christ, which is the Bride of Christ (Rev. 21:9). After the Rapture and the Judgment Seat of Christ, the Body of Christ, who is the Bride will meet her Bridegroom Jesus Christ at the Marriage Supper of the Lamb (Rev. 19:9). Right now, the Body of Christ is called a chaste virgin (2 Cor. 11:2) because the marriage has not yet happened. Although the marriage has happened spiritually already (1 Cor. 6:17), it has not happened bodily (2 Cor. 5:6-8).
4. The Mystery of the Blindness of Israel
Romans 11:25 "For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in. 26 And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob: 28 As concerning the gospel, they are enemies for your sakes: but as touching the election, they are beloved for the fathers' sakes. 29 For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance. 30 For as ye in times past have not believed God, yet have now obtained mercy through their unbelief:"
This mystery deals with the blindness of Israel as a nation and their restoration in the future during the Millennium. The mystery revealed is that God is not through with Israel. God will take the wandering Jews and bring them back to Palestine, which He has already done and convert them to Jesus Christ during the Tribulation. They will then get all of their land back in the Millennium.
5. The Mystery of Iniquity
2 Thessalonians 2:7 "For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way."
This mystery is talking about the Antichrist that will reign during the Tribulation (2 Thess. 2:2-8). This man's number will be 666 (Rev. 13:18). He will talk about peace and his salute will be the two-finger peace sign. He will be a Roman Catholic Pope (Zech. 11:17) and he will be of Jewish decent, Syrian through Ham (Dan. 11:37, Isa. 14:25, Rev. 13:2, Jer. 13:23). There is more information about this man in the Bible than any other man, besides Jesus Christ. If anyone wants more information about this man, go to my article titled "The Antichrist".
6. The Mystery of the Rapture
1 Corinthians 15:51 "Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, 52 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. 53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. 54 So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. 55 O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?"
This mystery deals with the disappearance of the Body of Christ at the end of the Church Age, before the Tribulation. There will be two types of people that go up in this rapture, the saved dead and the saved that are still alive. The saved will get glorified bodies and go up to meet Jesus and it will happen "in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye."
7. The Mystery of Babylon the Great
Revelation 17:5 "And upon her forehead was a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH."
This is a mystery concerning a woman that rides on a beast that has seven heads and ten horns. The woman is a city that reigns over the kings of the earth (Rev. 17:18). The seven heads of the beast are seven mountains (Rev. 17:9). She has a golden cup and wears purple and scarlet (Rev. 17:4). She is said to be the mother of all harlots. She will go along with the world to get the world's favor (Rev. 17:6). The city is said to be filled with the blood of martyrs of Jesus Christ (Rev. 17:6). Anyone who has studied history would know that this city is Rome. Her religion will be Roman Catholic, hence the blood of the martyrs and everything else mentioned above.
Sunday, June 17, 2012
Martin Luther
"Cursed be that love for whose sake the Bible is put to the stake."
“I have held many things in my hands, and I have lost them all; but whatever I have placed in God's hands, that I still possess.”
“You are not only responsible for what you say, but also for what you do not say.”
“Pray, and let God worry.”
“Peace if possible, truth at all costs.”
“Grant that I may not pray alone with the mouth; help me that I may pray from the depths of my heart.”
“I never work better than when I am inspired by anger; for when I am angry, I can write, pray, and preach well, for then my whole temperament is quickened, my understanding sharpened, and all mundane vexations and temptations depart.”
"I am afraid that the schools will prove the very gates of hell, unless they diligently labor in explaining the Holy Scriptures and engraving them in the heart of the youth."
"I feel much freer now that I am certain the pope is the Antichrist."
"Let the wife make the husband glad to come home, and let him make her sorry to see him leave."
"You should not believe your conscience and your feelings more than the word which the Lord who receives sinners preaches to you."
“If you want to change the world, pick up your pen and write.”
“So when the devil throws your sins in your face and declares that you deserve death and hell, tell him this: "I admit that I deserve death and hell, what of it? For I know One who suffered and made satisfaction on my behalf. His name is Jesus Christ, Son of God, and where He is there I shall be also!”
“Feelings come and feelings go,
And feelings are deceiving;
My warrant is the word of God--
Naught else is worth believing.
Though all my heart should feel condemned
For want of some sweet token,
There is One greater than my heart
Whose Word cannot be broken.
I'll trust in God's unchanging Word
Till soul and body sever,
For, though all things shall pass away,
HIS WORD SHALL STAND FOREVER!”
“Where the battle rages, there the loyalty of the soldier is proved.”
“He [Christ] died for me. He made His righteousness mine and made my sin His own; and if He made my sin His own, then I do not have it, and I am free.”
"To be a Christian without prayer is no more possible than to be alive without breathing."
"Unless therefore I am convinced by the testimony of Scripture, or by the clearest reasoning, unless I am persuaded by means of the passages I have quoted, and unless they thus render my conscience bound by the Word of God, I cannot and will not retract, for it is unsafe for a Christian to speak against his conscience. Here I stand, I can do no other; may God help me! Amen!”
"The duty of every believer in every age is to find out the spirit of the age and then stand against it."
The people of Martin Luther's day said, "The whole world's against you." He said, "All right, then I'm against it!"
"I have made a covenant with my God that He send me neither visions, dreams, nor even angels. I am well satisfied with the gift of the Holy Scriptures, which give me abundant instruction and all that I need to know both for this life and for the life which is to come."
"My Katie is, thanks to God, gentle, obedient, compliant in all things, beyond my hopes. I would not exchange my poverty with her for all the riches of Croesus without her. If I were to lose my Katie, I would not take another wife if I were offered a queen."
“There comes a time when one must take a position that is neither safe, nor politic, nor popular, but he must take it because his conscience tells him it is right."
“The devil and temptations also do give occasion unto us somewhat to learn and understand the Scriptures, by experience and practice. Without trials and temptations we should never understand anything thereof; no, not although we diligently read and heard the same.”
"Our faith in Christ does not free us from works but from false opinions concerning works, that is, from the foolish presumption that justification is acquired by works."
"I believe that God is the creator, who has given me my body and soul, all members, all physical goods, all possessions. Therefore I owe it to him to serve, thank and praise him."
"Christians are not made righteous by doing righteous things, but being made righteous by faith in Christ, they do righteous things."
"What God says is true whether my senses corroborate it or not…though I do not fully comprehend it….I shall know it all in the life to come."
"Even if I knew that tomorrow the world would go to pieces, I would still plant my apple tree."
"The true rule is this: God's Word shall establish articles of faith, and no one else, not even an angel can do so."
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