Devotion
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My main teacher and source of consistent theology is Dr James White. There are few in this dark world I trust and he is one. Here in the above video is one very good scripture that I believe many just simply skip over in their bibles to great detriment. Its based on the following passage in 2 Corinthians 1:2-7
“Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, 4 who comforts us in all our affliction so that we will be able to comfort those who are in any affliction with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. 5 For just as the sufferings of Christ are ours in abundance, so also our comfort is abundant through Christ. 6 But if we are afflicted, it is for your comfort and salvation; or if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which is effective in the patient enduring of the same sufferings which we also suffer; 7 and our hope for you is firmly grounded, knowing that as you are sharers of our sufferings, so also you are sharers of our comfort”. 2 Corinthians 1:2-7
See? I did not ever really understand these verses until I myself received the comfort of Christ in my suffering. In the afflictions of Christ received in my body, and in my trials kindly given to me by the Lord I learned that the Lord truly comforts us. But then even more so, I was amazed to find that I could help others in their afflictions with the comfort I myself received from the Lord. The Lord Jesus Christ working through me to comfort others.
It is a deeper knowledge also to know that all our sufferings, whether we are to blame or not, are the sufferings of Christ. They are Christ being formed in us. This is not to say that we can say “let us sin that grace may abound!” No. But rather as we learn to repent and be shaped into the image of Christ, we suffer the death of our mortal bodies and the death even of everything contrary to Christ. We are being transformed into the image of Christ.
This is why I go on so much about sin on my site. This is why tolerating sin and excusing it is so despicable. The scripture tells us that willful disobedience is so displeasing to Christ that it is everything Christ is not. Should we find sin in our lives we kill it. Mortify the flesh and all its desires. The chief commands-Love God and love others, are sums of all the laws. Even if we cannot see it in the small things. The so called “victimless” crimes are not victimless. Every sin has God and others as their victim. As King David once lamented, “Against You, and You only (God) have I sinned!”
Finally, let us learn from our kind and loving Father who through the incarnated Lord Jesus Christ gave himself in such a way as to know our sufferings. He who knew no sin became sin for us. He never sinned. But he paid the sin debt. And he intercedes on our behalf. Through the Holy Spirit he comforts us in all our afflictions. ALL OF THEM. Comfort others with these words. Never think that God will condemn you. There is no condemnation for those WHO ARE IN CHRIST JESUS. If you are indeed born again, you have the righteousness of Christ. You can call upon the Name of the Lord. And He will comfort you. Set you free. And comfort you. And we will be able to pass it on.
Daniel Pia 11/30/22
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What’s Going On? Why So Many Opinions and Heresies and Differences In This World?
Truth. There is a great lack of clarity on what the truth is and that boils down to having a standard. As said Joe Boot, that as in older days, great barges were pushed down the river by long poles that were used against the bank or bottom. Our minds are the boat and the heart has a standard of reality-the bank. If are hearts are stone, as says God’s Word, and they are before we are redeemed and renewed, our thinking becomes monumentally sinful and offensive to God, because there is no anchor point-no grounding principle and truth to govern our thoughts. What’s the condition of the heart of man before God? It doesn’t want Him or love Him and desire Christ above all things.
That wasn’t exactly how Joe put it, but it got me realizing how critical the word of God is. So often we hear someone railing along in some inane rant that seems so right to the speaker, but to us who have had our hearts regenerated and our minds renewed by that right principle and standard of truth-the Bible-we can’t seem to fathom how this railing speaker is coming to his conclusions. Ever wonder why there is so many denominations and so much crazy talk- basically?
It’s because our hearts, that ego and seat of emotions and inclination-the part of us that often differs with our minds- that heart is created by Yahweh of Hosts, Jesus Christ the Creator-and He has given us an inspired text to guide us into all truth. But it says clearly that no one is pleasing to God. It says that no one is righteous. Not one person EVER. Except the GOD-Man, Jesus Christ.
Ever since the creation of the world, when Adam and Eve ate of the forbidden tree of KNOWLEDGE of GOOD and EVIL, the world has fallen into disrepute, sin, wickedness and all forms of idolatry. Our hearts are not inclined rightly to Christ Jesus. The heart forms your worldview, and the way you ground all the thoughts you have. If you are a son or daughter of Adam, you have a sinful heart that needs regeneration and renewal. Otherwise, no one can know truth.
Sure people can do math and build houses and cars and treat their neighbor to a kindness once in a while. But unless you perfectly do the right thing, in the right way for the right reasons, you are guilty of sin. Sin separates us from our Creator and the penalty is death. “Whatever is not done in faith is sin”. Faith’s object is Jesus Christ.
But now whereas the Christian community at various times and places, once had a cohesion, an agreement on the veracity of the Bible, it is now in rebellion. Hordes of unsaved, unborn again people calling themselves Christian, have infiltrated the church-Christ’s body- and are purposely de validating the Word of Yahweh. Examples include: The last century or so, its said that we should keep religion and politics separate. Really? How? So it’s okay to make your religion “private” whilst babies are murdered, sexually immoral people by government fiat force you to agree, even speak lies? While you pass by – you the Christian now- pass by those who do not know Him and say nothing-and they force you to say what they say? “Love your neighbor by not judging them”? “There is no truth”, “the theory of Evolution is a fact!” and many more we’ve swallowed.
These very idioms has brought about a generation of God Haters who have hearts full of idols and then charge us with hatred?! No, this country and most of the world is under the wrath of God. I am not afraid of saying what Gods Holy Writ says so clearly. “Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD”-Yahweh. Romans one makes it clear that all have gone aside and in their hearts suppress the truth of God, especially in LGBTQIA+. At no other time in history have more Christian’s been persecuted, killed, etc. Never before. And if you persecute a born again believer in Christ, YOU PERSECUTE CHRIST, the ruler and king of all Kings. He presently reigns over this world. He punishes wickedness. And I glorify Him for that. Praise the King, The Son of God-the Righteous One.
I have given you who are reading an insight I believe, about hearts and minds… We have a world under great philosophical madness. Saying there is no truth, that there is no God, and that religion is the madness of this world instead. I would agree if you mean every religion not biblical in its faith of Christ. But no, they mean YOU. The follower of Christ. And they don’t care what denomination you are.
So drop what you are doing and fall to the ground. If not in your body, in your mind and heart. Beg the Most High for sanctification and grace. Beg Lord Jesus to cause you to be born again into a living hope, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. We inherit in a way, our sinful estate from Adam. But the second Adam, Christ Jesus has lived a perfect life you could not live. He died the death you deserve. He rose for the justification of His elect, His sheep. He is the only way to be righteous in Gods sight. The Only Way. You can’t think your way out of this one! Christ is coming to judge the living and the dead! Only He can give His Spirit for a cleansing-a renewing of the heart and the transforming of your minds to His image. But don’t think for minute you can make all the rest up. Truth is the 66 books of the Bible and they are GOOD_BREATHED. Kiss the Son lest you perish in the way. Truth is His Word.
Daniel Pia
11/3/22
Did God Turn His Face Away? “My God, My God, Why Have You Forsaken Me?”
So there He is. Gasping and struggling to accomplish every breathe. I’m thinking that without doubt it was not all that clear, at best, even what He said from that dreadful cross. {meaning they who were there may have been struggling to hear due to the aforementioned scenario} These words recorded for us in Holy writ, (you look it up because if I provide the chapter and verse I am doing disservice) WHAT! “Daniel you are such a jerk!” As well I may be, but I am caught up in love for Christ, not love for me, and I am even caught up in this love to the point, were it possible, that I’m unconcerned, with you the reader. Yet I am entirely concerned…but out of love for Him. That being the case if you are one of these squishy “God loves me so very much that He sent His only Son to not only die for me but to disrupt the Trinity and I am so different from the unbeliever in that the being of God should be disrupted for it!” LOVE LOVE LOVE, becomes love me -love me- love me.
Yes, I’m mad. I’m angry and it seems precious few stop to think about what they are saying and doing in regards to His majesty and great person and work. Instead we settle for what we think is great:
God so1 loved us because of our great value and worth2 that He even went so far as to be separated3 from The Father and The Father turned His face away because The Father cannot look on SIN!4
Let’s see if the scriptures say any such thing. This that I hear so often, yet I assert is not true. And keep in mind what I did not say. I did not say that God does not love us. I did not say that we have no worth. I did not say that nothing happened on that cross, so that when Jesus uttered the 1st line of Psalm 22, a very Messanic Psalm, it was only a reference to prophecy, and had nothing to do with the pain and suffering of bearing our sin.
You saw the superscripts I hope. So lets deal with superscipt 1.
GOD SO LOVED US
You’ll notice that I underlined SO and nothing else. Because John 3:16 has clearly spoken to the fact that not only the elect but the whole cosmos- the whole world -God the Father loved. Yet in these verses we have conflict. One group sees in these verses universal love. They, I think, fail to see the same discriminate lovingkindness God has always shown to His elect people, His bride. Yet I must acknowledge here that The verse says “Kosmos”. Here, not in the way so many assume, but in some way, a broad sense, the whole world benefited from Christ’s atoning work. Even if one is not a believer, not of His sheep and not of the elect, they still are benefiting from his victory over Satan and the powers of darkness. I will not tarry over this point, but if you disagree, look at the subject with open mind and verses will pop out to an open heart. If you think that Man is the center of the universe, and Christ is not, you may think contrarywise.
However, even a cursory look at the definition of κόσμος has John 3:16 in it’s mention. For the very next verses have those who are condemned already. Does not God’s love have discriminating powers? Do not even we love our wives and children differently than we do thieves and murderers and those who hate God? Why Daniel, says the reader, doesn’t God love everyone? “God is love” We cannot fathom it. Yes this is right, that also He is light. So if I turn on a light is that God? Likewise if I assume a thing to be love, is it God’s love? (Is that love)? But His word is the measure of faith. And faith has an object. Christ. Yahweh. Consider the following passage…
7 “The LORD did not set His love on you nor choose you because you were more in number than any of the peoples, for you were the fewest of all peoples, 8 but because the LORD loved you and kept the oath which He swore to your forefathers, the LORD brought you out by a mighty hand and redeemed you from the house of slavery, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt. 9 Know therefore that the LORD your God, He is God, the faithful God, who keeps His covenant and His lovingkindness to a thousandth generation with those who love Him and keep His commandments; 10 but repays those who hate Him to their faces, to destroy them; He will not delay with him who hates Him, He will repay him to his face. 11 Therefore, you shall keep the commandment and the statutes and the judgments which I am commanding you today, to do them. Deuteronomy 7:7-11
Now, let’s do what few do, read all of the context of John 3:16, because if ever there is a cause of misunderstanding and twisting of scripture, it is taking things out of context. There is much more that Jesus said:
Now there was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews; 2 this man came to Jesus by night and said to Him, “Rabbi, we know that You have come from God as a teacher; for no one can do these signs that You do unless God is with him.” 3 Jesus answered and said to him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.”
4 Nicodemus *said to Him, “How can a man be born when he is old? He cannot enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born, can he?” 5 Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. 6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7 Do not be amazed that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ 8 The wind blows where it wishes and you hear the sound of it, but do not know where it comes from and where it is going; so is everyone who is born of the Spirit.”
9 Nicodemus said to Him, “How can these things be?” 10 Jesus answered and said to him, “Are you the teacher of Israel and do not understand these things? 11 Truly, truly, I say to you, we speak of what we know and testify of what we have seen, and you do not accept our testimony. 12 If I told you earthly things and you do not believe, how will you believe if I tell you heavenly things? 13 No one has ascended into heaven, but He who descended from heaven: the Son of Man. 14 As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up; 15 so that whoever believes will in Him have eternal life.
16 “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him. 18 He who believes in Him is not judged; he who does not believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. 19 This is the judgment, that the Light has come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the Light, for their deeds were evil. 20 For everyone who does evil hates the Light, and does not come to the Light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. 21 But he who practices the truth comes to the Light, so that his deeds may be manifested as having been wrought in God.” John 3:1-21
So, it seems…does it not? that…
- We must be born from above or again by the Holy Spirit to even to see the Kingdom of God.
- That which is born of flesh is flesh, that which is born of Spirit is spirit: So obviously, the wind, or pneuma, in the greek, it is the Spirit Jesus speaks of, we cannot control whether we are born again. Therefore it’s not looking good for those who want to be born again. Yet, where does it say even that? Who wants God and Christ and God rejects him? No one. We all go astray right? Jesus said no one comes to the Father unless He draws them. You can’t control the Spirit. It’s not by our will, but His will. But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name, 13 who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God. John 1:12-13
- O BE CONTINUED
THE FROG AND THE SCORPION-THE NATURE OF SIN AND FAITH
I’m writing this one without preparation. Let’s see what happens when a preacher doesn’t prepare, no notes, no study, and no alliteration. I just have an idea and a bold thought that came to mind. Now that doesn’t mean it isn’t from the Lord. Now that right there! The reformed camp, of which I am, will furrow their brow and the more Cessationist they come, the more they would object. If you are not familiar with what a cessationist is then let me get that clear for you. It will help this be a devotional for us all.
“Cessationism is the view that the “miracle gifts” of tongues and healing have ceased—that the end of the apostolic age brought about a cessation of the miracles associated with that age. Most cessationists believe that, while God can and still does perform miracles today, the Holy Spirit no longer uses individuals to perform miraculous signs”
https://www.gotquestions.org/cessationism.html
Click that link if you want more. I once had an email; exchange with our beloved brother Justin Peters on the issue. I really appreciate both he and John Macarthur’s strong fight against the crazy Charismatics, but they, in their zeal to fight the blasphemies of the Holy Spirit, have gone all the way to the right, or left-something- right into error. Now that’s not to say anything about them except that we must find the truth about these things. And the Holy Spirit is not a “thing”, but He is a Person, indeed the God of all things and has been sent by Christ and the Father to apply, for lack of better words, the work that Christ has accomplished in our lives. But what of miracles and charismatics? And… what’s this to do with frogs and scorpions? Well, there was once a frog…
Anyway, we like sheep have all gone astray and gone our own way, the scorpion too. No way home really. We, by our federal head, Adam, fell, and inherited a sin nature that enslaves us. Its in our nature to sin. Unless the second Adam, Christ had come and lived perfectly, fulfilling the law perfectly, and then dying willingly, nailing the certificate of debt, containing the decree of debt against us, of all that we have so wickedly done against God to His cross, we would have remained unable to come to Christ, to God, to life. And because we were bound to our sinful nature, we were justly condemned to die forever. But When the Holy Spirit causes us to be born again, takes out the heart of stone and gives a heart of flesh, makes us new creatures, and more so, a circumcision made without hands, writing the law on our hearts and minds, we are sealed with the promised Holy Spirit. We are granted repentance and faith and through that faith raised up to life. If you missed any of that it was laced with scripture. look it up! And so…
There was a scorpion that wanted to cross a raging river and he just could not. There was a time when the river was still. But times were rough and the river had become tempestuous. So he approached a frog and asked for passage. The frog startled, turned to hop away but the scorpion blocked his path, saying “stop!”, “stop!”. So the frog said to him sternly “What is your business with me you dreadful scorpion?!, I know your deeds. You have no good in you. Only you kill and then pine away at the insides of your prey while they live. Sneaking up on your prey at night, while they sleep-at their most precious moments. Sweeping away the young with the old.”
But, the Scorpion, undeterred by the frogs fearless slander, looked the frog in his eyes, and with a silvery tongue said calmly, “I am dire need of passage over the river. I have young on the other side. You cannot, but I can hear them calling. Please won’t you carry me on your back to the other side.” The Frog said, “O’ no, but you will sting me and we will both drown.”
The scorpion lowered his tail, and with a slight bow, said, “No, I will not, for that would kill us both, and my young, who wait for me on the other side. I will not sting you. And from now and after will leave you be as long as I live.”
The frog could hear his heart beating in his chest. The scorpion was not to be trusted, but neither was he moving off and leaving either. The frog knew he could hop off in a sudden burst of energy and almost certainly get away. But instead, he heard himself saying his next words, “Okay you Scorpion, I will carry you on my back, but remember, if you sting me we will both drown”. The Scorpion crawled up on the frogs back and they began to cross the river, as the river began raging quicker, the scorpion’s pinchers grabbed tightly. Halfway through, a slight pinch was felt, but the frog was distracted by his swimming and battling of the waters. He felt sick and realized he couldnt hardly move at all. At once, he realized just now he had been stung by the Scorpion. His guaging of time was not right. The poison flowing through his veins was killing him even now. “Why did you you sting me?! We will both die! Your young will die!”
“I have no young. Its in my nature to kill, and lie. I couldn’t do otherwise. I’m sorry Mr. Frog.” Said the scorpion at last. And they both sunk into the raging river both of them perished. The two of them perished.
Now, I am no charismatic. But many of my friends are staunchly opposed to that first statement which I made saying, “from the Lord”. Or even more some say “thus says the Lord”. We have many texts that plainly say to seek spiritual gifts, like prophecy. That we may prophesy. But lest I get too far off track, let me say that what I think is at the heart of the matter is but two. The conflation (mixing up two different things) of what revelation is in the form of canonized speaking of the Holy Spirit, and the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit and His “speaking” to us. I don’t intend to go far into this. But as in John 6, “They will all be taught of God”, which many other passages clearly teach is the Spirit by or accordance to the Word. But how? It is spiritually discerned. Example: You are in a conversation or disagreement or something along these lines with your wife or boss or friend and you are struggling-maybe you become angry. The Spirit brings to your mind the passage that you should not or must not be angry, hate or a host of other commands. Now it is here that the proverbial rubber meets the road. For it is NOT the letters on pages that is working or speaking. Yes it may be your study and memorization as well. But primarily what makes an elect child of God so different and sure of their salvation? Why are they so free and why does Christ send the Spirit to be with them and in them (in this regard)? Because as many passages expose to us, the Spirit takes these truths and whispers the relevant passages and truths into our hearts and mind at the right time and place for the glory of God and to our benefit-for the overcoming or sin to the conformation of Christ. Knowledge is one thing. Say “Be angry and sin not”, but when it is to be applied and in what situation etc etc is quite another thing.
For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. 13 And no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account” Hebrews 4:12-13
That is more than just a self contained statement of letters on pages. It is a statement of the power of truth and of the Holy Spirit’s ability to cut down to the heart of man and expose his inmost thoughts. But if a man is hard hearted and quenches the Spirit, refusing to listen to Him speaking….what then?
Then We will give account at the end. Because no one will be able to open their mouths and answer back to God. As it stands now, as one who is seeking to know God, I am given the Holy Spirit and want to “hear” him. I will not be told He is not speaking!! In addition to all this, the one who refuses to hear is stepping right into the plans and decree of a holy God who has all things in His power. Man’s will is not autonomous or determinative. Just as Pontious Pilate and the Romans and the Jews sought to kill Jesus, but all were meaning to do harm, against the prescriptive will of God, but all according to the decreetive will of God. So there is no contradiction here.
So what is this to do with the sin nature and faith? Without the Holy Spirit causing us to born from above, we are incapable of anything. John 15:5 says that unless we abide in Him, we can bear no fruit. Jesus said we cannot come to him unless we are enabled. All the Father gives to Christ will come, and all that come will be raised up at the last day. He makes us new creatures in Christ and new creatures want to please God. The Father gives the Spirit to all who are in Christ. The work of the Spirit in regeneration is different than being indwelt. So don’t get that mixed up btw.
As unbelief is rebellion and incapable, inherited and hopeless, so belief-faith- is given, submitted and finds its power in the capacity given to it by the Spirit. It has its hope in the glory of the resurrection of Christ.
We have been given a new nature that is unlike the scorpion and the frog. We neither fall for the scorpion’s tactics or should we seek to deceive as does the scorpion. So when all is said, as was said in His word, put to death the flesh and walk in the Spirit. Whereas the unregenerate man cannot do so. We, the children of light are free and can do so.
Daniel Pia 7/29/2022
They Will All Be Taught Of God
We benefit from gifted teachers like Macarthur, Sproul, Baucham and Steve Lawson. All of them are placed in the Body of Christ to help us understand His Word to us. But often we think they are so special that they have some almost mystical abilities that the rest of us don’t have. Even they will tell you that If you are a believer in whom the Spirit of God dwells, the promises of God are yes! Meaning that God will lead you and teach you the truth. Even many deep truths.
So many heresies and wayward ideologies abound in our world today and false shepherds seek to confound us. But if we will tremble at the Lord’s Word and trust in Him to teach us by His Spirit, we can be guided into all truth. Listen to this short video on the subject…
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Killing Sin
I heard a Jewish Rabbi giving a history lesson on the Apostle Paul. In it he said that Paul was confused about the Law. Hmmm. Well, no Paul wasn’t. People are confused about the Law of God because they have always thought that they can be good enough to earn their salvation, please God, and enter eternal life.
Paul clearly laid out the function of the Law, it’s many faceted glories and how we are to view and value it in our lives. It is not a means to salvation but an expression of truth and righteousness. So, better said, it shows us who we are, exposes our unrighteousness and even causes us to stumble because it often makes us want to break it.
Yet when one is born again a new law is at work. The Law of Christ. Yet the law is never done away with. It is fulfilled. It is fullfilled in Christ Jesus. He was God in flesh. He was the 2nd Adam and the head of a new race. So when one is born again through the Spirit of Christ, we are given grace to obey the perfect law (Though until we are perfected and glorified in the resurrection we cannot attain perfection). So law keeping becomes the fruit of faith and salvation, not the means to it. James 2. John 6. Ephesians 2
Paul tells us we who are of faith, who are born again must go about putting sin to death. For sin results in death.
It is clear that the scriptures say that we must kill sin BECAUSE…because we have died with Christ and because we have been raised with Him and are seated in the Heavenly places with Him. So, don’t miss the reasons!
“If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. 3 For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.
5 Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. 6 On account of these the wrath of God is coming. 7 In these you too once walked, when you were living in them. 8 But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth. 9 Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices 10 and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator.”
Colossians 3:1-10
So often we read the scriptures and feel this ornary compulsion. That is, our flesh says “I don’t want to stop having fun”. But we are followers of the Most High God. Putting sin to death is what we do. And the reasons are clear. Sin separates us from communion, or relationship with God. Not only that but sin is idolatry. We are living for pleasure and serving ourselves when we sin rather than using our minds, and bodies for Christ Jesus.
When we kill sin and live for Christ great things happen. Fruits of the Spirit begin to develop and love, joy, peace and more overflow to righteousness. God is glorified and we our filled with peace as we come into close fellowship with our Father. Satan seeks to Kill, steal and destroy. He does it through sin. Christ seeks to give life, give gifts and build up and encourage us. He does it through the Spirit and through His word.
May the Grace of Christ, the Love of the Father and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all
Daniel Pia
5/19/2021
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The Fear of The Lord & The Fear of Man
Romans 3:16-18“…ruin and misery lie in their wake, and the way of peace they have not known. There is no fear of God before their eyes…
So cruel is the tyranny of men. Here I speak not of totalitarian governments and like rages, but of the tendency of our own hearts to elevate others to such high places that they rule over us. How often have you been sickened by crowds of screaming, adoring fans literally worshipping a pop star? Or when’s the last time you simply didn’t want to confess your love of Christ for fear of what your co-workers might think?
We were created by Christ Jesus, for Christ Jesus and His glory and Majesty is beyond our capacity to envision. Yet He has revealed so much of the Father to us through Himself, His Word and His people and most of the time we are seemingly uninterested. Yet, “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, And the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding. Proverbs 9:10 [KJV]
Luke 12:4,5
And I say unto you my friends, Be not afraid of them that kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do.5 But I will forewarn you whom ye shall fear: Fear him, which after he hath killed hath power to cast into hell; yea, I say unto you, Fear him.
How many in urban areas, brag of their criminal lives, and all in the name of fear of some gang. Songs are made and rise to the top of the charts. Why not turn to Christ? Christ Jesus is Mighty and strong! He will deliver His people from any circumstance, giving them purpose and safety in Him. Men can kill the body, but God can cast into eternal death! And give eternal life.
Too often those who call themselves Christians are lacking of the fear of the Lord. One thing people do in great numbers is make idols. And in making Jesus out to be something He is not, an idol is made. The scripture, the Word of God, which Christ is, plainly states that the coming wrath against sin will be full of vent. Yet for a so called Christian to sin without regard to the offense it is to a Holy God is terrible and will bring about death/consequences eventually, especially if that one has not the Spirit of Christ. Where making an idol of Christ and God comes in is when one thinks God is so loving that He won’t judge such deeds and thoughts. You have a different God, one of your own making.
This makes me think of questions asked of me often, in regards to Hell. Why is the punishment forever? How could Christ Jesus make atonement for sins in such short space and yet sinners be cast into torment forever? In answer, consider first that all sin is against Yahweh, His righteousness and great holiness. He is eternal and unlimited in every way that is good and beautiful. When we sin, we sin against that infinite wonder. So the debt we incur is also infinite. Also, the one who dies in sin and is cast into Hell does not stop sinning. And how can that one be made righteous so that his/her debt could be paid off?
Finally, every person I suppose is asking why. Why am I here? What is my purpose? Who am I? And I would presume that everyone wants the answers to life. Everyone wants to pine the depths of wonder and climb the slopes of knowledge and wisdom. To know love and relationship that is meaningful and lasting. All that to say the least. It is Yahweh, the Lord God of the Bible, who is seen in Christ Jesus, that one can find all these things, and only in Him. Through Christ Jesus, by grace through faith in His death, burial and resurrection that one can find all of it and eternal life. Without Christ there is left only true fear-Fear of death and pain and a casting away from all that good and right and true. Lost and slaves to sin everyone who doesn’t know Christ Jesus, having been born again by the Spirit, indeed has something greatly to fear. That is why the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. To know, and to be reconciled with God through Jesus Christ is life and diminution of frightening fear and transition to reverence and love and awesome wonder towards the Holy God who has saved you. Perfect love casts out fear.
This life is temporary. To give up eternity for the short time here is serious stupidity. That is Satan’s error. He doesn’t love the goodness of goodness. He doesn’t love Christ Jesus. He believes in Christ, he knows the truth, believes the truth but won’t love the truth. He even fears God. But his fear is deficient. His values are stupid. Knowing His prideful and selfish hatred is pushing him to eternal torment, he still persists. There is no hope for him, but for you, the reader, there is hope. Fear God, repent and believe in Him who gave himself to save a chosen and royal nation. Are you one of those who see the brilliance of the Mighty God? Are you able to see the value of the Son of God? Are you willing to lay down your life in this life for Him who laid down His life for your life in His life here? 🙂 It’s a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the Living God, but a wondrous thing to fall at His feet in humble adoration!
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The Incarnation-A Christmas Story
Whether you are celebrating Christmas or not, I hope you will consider the depth and breadth of the condescension of Christ. He who existed eternally by the Father’s side in glory came to exist temporally alongside us. He who created all things, knows all things, is before all things and all things exist for Him.
Colossians 1:15-20 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation: 16 for by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones, or dominions, or rulers, or authorities—all things have been created through Him and for Him. 17 He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together. 18 He is also the head of the body, the church; and He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that He Himself will come to have first place in everything. 19 For it was the Father’s good pleasure for all the fullness to dwell in Him, 20 and through Him to reconcile all things to Himself, whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of His cross.
But even this exhaustion of the greek language to describe Christ’s deity and dominion only touches on his magnificent brilliance and eternal glory. He is intellectually massive. So I say because in this day and age, we put much stock in smarts. If a large brain indicates intelligence then his would surpass, literally, the size of our galaxy. His power is likewise limitless as is his intelligence. His love and justice, or the capacity and measure of it, is beyond extraordinary. He is the standard and measure of every very good and wonderful thing that exists.
In fact, all that does exist is upheld by Him. He sustains and orders all things by His vitality and wisdom. We’ve all heard the “baby Jesus” story so much and seen the long haired blue eyed European great looking guy Jesus so much that we’ve become accustomed, and that to a Jesus that is nothing like the real. It seems that we have this off balance super love Jesus that wouldn’t hurt a fly Jesus. Do we all really know who Jesus Christ really is? John 14:8 Philip said, “Lord, show us the Father and that will be enough for us.” Jesus answered: “Don’t you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father.
In another place Jesus said these words to those who were slaves to sin…John 8:24 Then He told them, “You are from below; I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world. 24 Therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins; for unless you believe that I am, you will die in your sins.” 25“Who are You?” they asked. “Just what I have been telling you from the beginning,” Jesus replied.
Most people think of Christmas as a time of gifts and fun and lights and drinking and parties. Many Christians think of it the same way! But I’d like to ask you to think of this: This great and unthinkably massive and glorious Jesus, incredibly powerful and Holy, eternally wise and unendingly righteous and without limit as to His presence and transcendence, He humbled Himself and became a small child, in a dirty cave and in a manger, a feeding trough. No great throngs of people were gathered to herald his arrival. There weren’t giant choirs of people and endless parades of adoring crowds. Even the wise men with their gifts seemingly came two years late. And the response was to try and kill him!
But for this greatly Holy and righteous and unlimited and powerful God to come to into the very creation He himself made and become a man that He himself has made, is enormously amazing. There is no way for us to over think such a thing! John 3:16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son…
It’s like squeezing all the power of a billion suns into the space of a light bulb. And also, Christ was without sin. He was perfect in a world filled with transgression. He was in every way tempted as we are yet never once did He think or do or act to commit transgression against the Father. So that Jesus might be able to go to the cross as the sinless perfect Lamb of God.
He made Him who knew no sin to be sin in our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. [2 Corinthians 5:21]
This Christmas, remember the Lord, and set Christ Jesus apart in your heart as Yahweh, as HOLY, as your LORD and Savior. And have the same attitude as He did.
Philippians 2:1-11 Therefore if there is any encouragement in Christ, if any consolation of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and compassion, 2 make my joy complete by being of the same mind, maintaining the same love, united in spirit, intent on one purpose. 3 Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility consider one another as more important than yourselves; 4 do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others. 5 Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, 6 who, as He already existed in the form of God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, 7 but emptied Himself by taking the form of a bond-servant and being born in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death: death on a cross. 9 For this reason also God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Merry Christmas-Daniel Pia
12/16/2020
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EXAMINATION & ASSURANCE
2 Corinthians 13:5 [esv]
“Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Or do you not realize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you fail to meet the test!” [Emphasis mine]
What could be more of import? How can a person be more sorry after death than to think how much importance they had placed on work, relationships, on this and that yet not placing primary importance on one’s own soul and the eternal state of it!!
In this video with the beloved Dr. John Piper, he in short time gives us a thoroughly instructive test for our salvation. Listen to this __ it is only 13 minutes!
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“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ!…”
So often, too often I believe, we are thinking of ourselves too much. Desperately reaching out, up and everywhere for help and something to build ourselves. But we are made for the glory of God. In 1 Peter 1:3 Peter cries from his heart BLESSED! But does he say blessed be I? No he say Blessed be God! The perfect and glorious God and Father of our Savior has passed through the Heavens after descending to earth to procure our redemption. All this benefits us greatly, but all is to His great glory. By this he has given us hope and an inheritance that cannot fade away. As we await our prize we are guarded through the gift of faith. The glorious Holy Spirit is in every believer to sustain and guide and give us life eternal.
“…According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, 5 who by God’s power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.”
When we close our eyes in death we know that we will be present with Him. So many gifts! So many blessings! We draw nearer and nearer through the veil by our great God and Savior and so thankful are we, and so should we be.
I pray with all my heart that as you read this now, you are able to wipe away all your cares and anxieties, by the power of His Spirit, and stir up the hope within you, knowing that He will sustain you forever and has seated you in the heavenlies by His oath which He swore. His promises are sure and He never lies. May the God of hope give you all joy and peace in believing.
Daniel Pia 9/28/2020
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In this our times, stress, anxiety and just plain trauma can be a real ongoing issue. But for those of us who know Christ Jesus, we have rest in Him. Don’t miss this wonderful devotion of passages addressing our delightful rest in Christ Jesus!
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“Why O’ Why Is This Happening To Me!” How often we are shocked to find ourselves in the midst of severe trouble, sickness, victims of crime and worse, shaking our fists at God; too often perplexed as if its not fair or as if the Lord of all righteousness owes us an explanation. But here in this 12 minute message on 1 Peter 4:12-19, John Piper delivers an inspiring treatment of God’s purposes and intentions in our lives through suffering.
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The Road To Emmaus
Luke 24:26,27
“Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory?” And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.”
From Beginning to end, all thing were were created by Him and for Him. Christ is the center and purpose of all life and focus of scripture. Enjoy this impactful message by Dr. Steven Lawson on Christ in the Scriptures.
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Isaiah 26:8 “Indeed, while following the way of Your judgments, O Lord,
We have waited for You eagerly; Your name, even Your memory, is the desire of our souls.“[NASB]
To be Born again, to have eternal life, is to desire Jesus Christ personally and His renown, His fame and glory globally above all else! If He is not your treasure in your heart above all else including yourself, you don’t know Him. Listen to this extraordinary high Christology…
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How Can I know If I am Saved? A Simple Way of Knowing
By Daniel Pia
Usually every time I would address something like this I would include a lot of scripture. That is the right way. But today I want to speak in a straightforward and common way. Don’t take me wrong. What I am about to say is wholly based on The Word of God.
You may of heard of Lordship salvation. Many have argued that Lordship salvation, which is simply a way of saying that one has not only confessed Christ as Savior, but has “made Jesus Christ Lord”. Why should this cause concern? Well because many make a personal decision, raise their hand in church or some such thing and sort of get their “ticket punched“. Then they move on in life living somewhat as they always did without much change taking place, so that Christ seems to have made no difference to them. But in this case what Has Jesus saved them from? It seems that many just don’t want to go to Hell! It seems they want to be Lord of their own lives and live the way they want to, sinning and displeasing God the way they’ve always done. But the very gospel message is that we have all gone astray. Every single person is a slave to sin and is under God’s wrath and displeasure. The wages of sin is death and the gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus, his death, burial; and resurrection. If we repent and believe we have Eternal Life. That is Lordship Salvation. To think we need not repent but to continue living in sin is to be in error to say the least. And to those who say that their faith need not be proved by works of righteousness are indeed in error. Deeds do not save us. They follow true saving faith.
So how does one know they are saved? To state it simply, you know because you can say with joy that Jesus Christ is Lord! You love Him! You want Him to be Lord of your life. When you sin you hate it. If you are truly His disciple you love Him and His people. And nothing means more to you than your salvation, your relationship with Him and all that He has said and done for you and for us.
One last thing. The Holy Spirit is given to those that belong to Christ. If you belong to Him he will testify of these things, to all of the things I have shared with you. He is our seal and promise.
Think about it. Pray about it. Read about it in His Word. Eternity is a long time to be wrong. Forever is joyous to the redeemed.
Daniel Pia 10/7/2020
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Peace I Give You-Jesus Christ
So often, too often, we are wracked with anxiety. Fears within and without assail our hearts and minds until we either can’t sleep or can’t be fully awake and sober enough to live peaceable lives. A general look at Jesus’ ministry reveals many interesting things. One is that He spoke of fear and anxiety more than almost anything else. So what is the answer? Pharmecueticals? WIld sexuality? Illicit drug use? Anger?
These are but a few of the normal ways that people deal with their anxieties. These are the main reasons societies are tearing down. The judgement of God. But why would God judge us for this? Simply put, He has made promises to us and He he keeps His promises. God is Sovereign. Jesus is King. Please don’t move on but click below and listen to RC Sproul reveal God’s answer-His word on fear and worry…
Theology
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The Watchmen on the Wall-Who Is He?
The word of the LORD came to me: 2 “Son of man, speak to your people and say to them, If I bring the sword upon a land, and the people of the land take a man from among them, and make him their watchman, 3 and if he sees the sword coming upon the land and blows the trumpet and warns the people, 4 then if anyone who hears the sound of the trumpet does not take warning, and the sword comes and takes him away, his blood shall be upon his own head. 5 He heard the sound of the trumpet and did not take warning; his blood shall be upon himself. But if he had taken warning, he would have saved his life. 6 But if the watchman sees the sword coming and does not blow the trumpet, so that the people are not warned, and the sword comes and takes any one of them, that person is taken away in his iniquity, but his blood I will require at the watchman’s hand.
7 “So you, son of man, I have made a watchman for the house of Israel. Whenever you hear a word from my mouth, you shall give them warning from me. 8 If I say to the wicked, O wicked one, you shall surely die, and you do not speak to warn the wicked to turn from his way, that wicked person shall die in his iniquity, but his blood I will require at your hand. 9 But if you warn the wicked to turn from his way, and he does not turn from his way, that person shall die in his iniquity, but you will have delivered your soul. Ezekiel 33:1-9
I am reading this passage, having heard so much about it, and as I always try, I read with an open mind, as if for the first time, though this isn’t really possible. And as I am reading, I am thinking, “Well, it is a watchmen even so, and it is a sort of, military thing, so how much does it apply to being responsible for others who are doing sinful things, immoral things, ungodly things. Because as we have been told time and time again: Morality is a matter of opinion is it not? Is not it a fact that what you think is immoral and what I think is immoral a highly subjective thing?
Well, it turns out that it isn’t so subjective after all. Not when you judge things rightly according to scriptures. If we will derive our beliefs and epistemology (same thing) from the Holy Word of God- knowledge, that is step 1, and apply it rightly, wisdom, step 2, we will find ourselves in a less subjective world. But far too often we are weighed down by sinful desires and even more so we are less inclined to judge ourselves by the same standard. What is discussed less often is the application of equal scales.
Our legal system speaks much about equal scales. The application of justice EQUALLY. So the same law and the same police force should apply the same law equally to the democrat as to the republican or the white man or the black man. And the police force is not to be used as a powerful tool in the hands of one party against the other. Much in the same way, we as Christians are to use God’s standard of law, the Word, justly. As it says as in Romans 6, Luke 6, John 7, all speak of proper judgement. James does so as well. Yet we trounce around professing Christ, the supreme judge of all the earth as though we have never read any of these passages.
That aside for a moment, though keeping it in mind, we are to warn people of The Impending Judgement. If we are not committed to this most dreadful command, understanding why and equipped to do so, the blood of many will be on our heads. Without going into what it means for their blood to be on our heads, yet whatever it means, not wanting that to happen, we continue the discussion. For to go into ALL the world and preach the gospel, teaching them to obey Christ and baptizing them in the Name of the Father, Son and Spirit is. if not anything else, most pressing. As I thought before writing, The Devil knowing his time is short, is filled with wrath. This takes place after the person and work of Christ, so it speaks to me here of the eternal torment coming to those who reject Christ and hate God and will forever-FOREVER-suffer wrath. Don’t we care? If not about what our Savior commands, at least about our fellow man who is going to drop into torment the second they die then at the resurrection finally to Hell!
Have we not any pity? We pass people on the streets and at work and in CHURCH no less, and fight and spit and complain, yet no effort is given to the gospel. Instead we are about the business of perverting the gospel instead of preaching it.
Yet as watchmen. we have a high view. We are on the wall. So first a watchmen has a high view of the scriptures. His standard is the Word of God. By it he lives and moves and has his faith. Every wayward movement and tenant of epistemology is rooted in a twisting of scripture, which is a result of a low view of scripture. Or a gross mishandling of scripture. Second, the watchmen is capable of sounding the alarm. He has his feet shod in the gospel of peace. Able to soundly grasp the gospel and trumpet it. Through preaching, teaching, and with winsome words and truthful arguments he gives truth to error and love to hate. With gentleness and respect he loves his enemies and does good to those who hate him. But as a watchmen, he never fails to sound the alarm. And have no doubt that the enemy is coming.
What is the enemy here? To the God hater I mean. Too many have said that Christ is Love love love. Does it not say in His word that God is love? Yet with a low view of scripture we twist such words, taking them out of their context, and with disregard for the other passages that clearly portray Christ as coming in wrath at the consummation, they fail to warn of the fact that God, the Father, has set a day of judgement for each, on which to judge the world by the man Jesus Christ. He comes in peace at the first century AD. But the last shall be in terror! For us who are known by Him, no. But to them who hate him, every deed laid bare and torment forever.
Have we no responsibility? Yes. For Christ has made us ambassadors of reconciliation. Ambassadors who fail to do their jobs are lazy and slothful. Woe to them. Think ye that because the cross paid your debts that no discipline will come to you? Say, what if no harm comes to you for caring not for others. Yet they lie in flames with no end. One million years into heaven you lie on your couch strumming your harp in praise to Jesus as the sinner plays his burning tongue another note altogether. One of gnashing and anger screaming; remembering he passed your redeemed soul everyday and you said nothing! Pearls before swine ye said.
Finally I say that the world has this thing where they object to moral judgements. Many have shrunken and stepped back. No answer can we give to this. But let me give you an answer, though not from me but from Him, the Christ we claim to serve.
You, however, have followed my teaching, my conduct, my aim in life, my faith, my patience, my love, my steadfastness, 11 my persecutions and sufferings that happened to me at Antioch, at Iconium, and at Lystra—which persecutions I endured; yet from them all the Lord rescued me. 12 Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, 13 while evil people and impostors will go on from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived. 14 But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it 15 and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. 16 All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work. 2 Timothy 3:10-17
That’s 2 Timothy 3:10-17. Usually it’s 16. But I give the context greater because its relevant here. Notice that Paul tells Timothy he followed the teaching. Praising him. And that persecution followed. Yet he was steadfast.
And that
“while evil people and impostors will go on from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived. 14 But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed…”
So I think that maybe many of us are afraid of persecution, not having answers and or being shamed, and so we give up. But no! As with the watchmen in Israel, and the prophets before and after them. They blew the trumpets in Zion and many other places in the promised land, even in Ninevah, a Pagan land, and they were usually persecuted for it. Yet they persisted and were rewarded. Often with death. But God rewarded them. Many were saved, as with Elijah, when thinking only he was godly-believed-yet “I have reserved seven thousand…” Said the LORD a remnant always exists so we are not alone and even if only you are faithful. Be faithful! Christ says he is returning and His reward, (our reward) is with Him.
All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work…
And the scriptures are our guide and useful for everything. Many say not exhaustive, Well not for building a four barrel carburetor, But it has everything we need for faith, life and godliness-Everything and all answers, it is God-breathed and useful for all things.
I must say to all who read: Stop reading church fathers and Joel Osteen and Furtick and Hinn and Burkoff and many others and USING THEM AS YOUR FINAL AUTHORITY. There is nothing wrong with reading, as well you can and maybe should. But when the scripture is not the LENS by which you view and read and JUDGE all things, and instead in its place you have traditions of men and other things and teachers as your final authority and/or use them as your lens by which you READ THE SCRIPTURE, then you have found the reason for your error. The reason for all hypocrisy, heterodoxy and heresy. Sola Scriptura means just that. Not SOLO scriptura. Sola Scriptura. You see?
All the treasures of wisdom and knowledge are in Christ. Once you are known by Him and you He, and the Gospel is obtained and or given to you, and you know it clearly, preach it, sound the alarm and absolve yourself of the blood of the heathen mass. Make them into believers, yet not you but the Holy Spirit who causes us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead! 1 Peter 1:3 and following . 1 John 5:1 John 3 and 6:35-65
THE FROG AND THE SCORPION-THE NATURE OF SIN AND FAITH
I’m writing this one without preparation. Let’s see what happens when a preacher doesn’t prepare, no notes, no study, and no alliteration. I just have an idea and a bold thought that came to mind. Now that doesn’t mean it isn’t from the Lord. Now that right there! The reformed camp, of which I am, will furrow their brow and the more Cessationist they come, the more they would object. It matters because I believe the Reformed that lean too hard on Cessationism are scraping against vital tenants of our faith. The faith! If you are not familiar with what a Cessationist is then let me get that clear for you. It will help this be a beneficial for us all.
“Cessationism is the view that the “miracle gifts” of tongues and healing have ceased—that the end of the apostolic age brought about a cessation of the miracles associated with that age. Most cessationists believe that, while God can and still does perform miracles today, the Holy Spirit no longer uses individuals to perform miraculous signs”
https://www.gotquestions.org/cessationism.html
Click that link if you want more. I once had an email; exchange with our beloved brother Justin Peters on the issue. I really appreciate both he and John Macarthur’s strong fight against the crazy Charismatics, but they, in their zeal to fight the blasphemies of the Holy Spirit, have gone all the way to the right, or left-something- right into error. Now that’s not to say anything about them except that we must find the truth about these things. And the Holy Spirit is not a “thing”, but He is a Person, indeed the God of all things and has been sent by Christ and the Father to apply, for lack of better words, the work that Christ has accomplished in our lives. But what of miracles and charismatics? And… what’s this to do with frogs and scorpions? Well, there was once a frog…
Anyway, we like sheep have all gone astray and gone our own way, the scorpion too. No way home really. We, by our federal head, Adam, fell, and inherited a sin nature that enslaves us. Its in our nature to sin. Unless the second Adam, Christ had come and lived perfectly, fulfilling the law perfectly, and then dying willingly, nailing the certificate of debt, containing the decree of debt against us, of all that we have so wickedly done against God to His cross, we would have remained unable to come to Christ, to God, to life. And because we were bound to our sinful nature, we were justly condemned to die forever. But When the Holy Spirit causes us to be born again, takes out the heart of stone and gives a heart of flesh, makes us new creatures, and more so, a circumcision made without hands, writing the law on our hearts and minds, we are sealed with the promised Holy Spirit. We are granted repentance and faith and through that faith raised up to life. If you missed any of that it was laced with scripture. look it up! And so…
There was a scorpion that wanted to cross a raging river and he just could not. There was a time when the river was still. But times were rough and the river had become tempestuous. So he approached a frog and asked for passage. The frog startled, turned to hop away but the scorpion blocked his path, saying “stop!”, “stop!”. So the frog said to him sternly “What is your business with me you dreadful scorpion?!, I know your deeds. You have no good in you. Only you kill and then pine away at the insides of your prey while they live. Sneaking up on your prey at night, while they sleep-at their most precious moments. Sweeping away the young with the old.”
But, the Scorpion, undeterred by the frogs fearless slander, looked the frog in his eyes, and with a silvery tongue said calmly, “I am dire need of passage over the river. I have young on the other side. You cannot, but I can hear them calling. Please won’t you carry me on your back to the other side.” The Frog said, “O’ no, but you will sting me and we will both drown.”
The scorpion lowered his tail, and with a slight bow, said, “No, I will not, for that would kill us both, and my young, who wait for me on the other side. I will not sting you. And from now and after will leave you be as long as I live.”
The frog could hear his heart beating in his chest. The scorpion was not to be trusted, but neither was he moving off and leaving either. The frog knew he could hop off in a sudden burst of energy and almost certainly get away. But instead, he heard himself saying his next words, “Okay you Scorpion, I will carry you on my back, but remember, if you sting me we will both drown”. The Scorpion crawled up on the frogs back and they began to cross the river, as the river began raging quicker, the scorpion’s pinchers grabbed tightly. Halfway through, a slight pinch was felt, but the frog was distracted by his swimming and battling of the waters. He felt sick and realized he couldnt hardly move at all. At once, he realized just now he had been stung by the Scorpion. His guaging of time was not right. The poison flowing through his veins was killing him even now. “Why did you you sting me?! We will both die! Your young will die!”
“I have no young. Its in my nature to kill, and lie. I couldn’t do otherwise. I’m sorry Mr. Frog.” Said the scorpion at last. And they both sunk into the raging river both of them perished. The two of them perished.
Now, I am no charismatic. But many of my friends are staunchly opposed to that first statement which I made saying, “from the Lord”. Or even more some say “thus says the Lord”. We have many texts that plainly say to seek spiritual gifts, like prophecy. That we may prophesy. But lest I get too far off track, let me say that what I think is at the heart of the matter is but two. The conflation (mixing up two different things) of what revelation is in the form of canonized speaking of the Holy Spirit, and the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit and His “speaking” to us. I don’t intend to go far into this. But as in John 6, “They will all be taught of God”, which many other passages clearly teach is the Spirit by or accordance to the Word. But how? It is spiritually discerned. Example: You are in a conversation or disagreement or something along these lines with your wife or boss or friend and you are struggling-maybe you become angry. The Spirit brings to your mind the passage that you should not or must not be angry, hate or a host of other commands. Now it is here that the proverbial rubber meets the road. For it is NOT the letters on pages that is working or speaking. Yes it may be your study and memorization as well. But primarily what makes an elect child of God so different and sure of their salvation? Why are they so free and why does Christ send the Spirit to be with them and in them (in this regard)? Because as many passages expose to us, the Spirit takes these truths and whispers the relevant passages and truths into our hearts and mind at the right time and place for the glory of God and to our benefit-for the overcoming or sin to the conformation of Christ. Knowledge is one thing. Say “Be angry and sin not”, but when it is to be applied and in what situation etc etc is quite another thing.
For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. 13 And no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account” Hebrews 4:12-13
That is more than just a self contained statement of letters on pages. It is a statement of the power of truth and of the Holy Spirit’s ability to cut down to the heart of man and expose his inmost thoughts. But if a man is hard hearted and quenches the Spirit, refusing to listen to Him speaking….what then?
Then We will give account at the end. Because no one will be able to open their mouths and answer back to God. As it stands now, as one who is seeking to know God, I am given the Holy Spirit and want to “hear” him. I will not be told He is not speaking!! In addition to all this, the one who refuses to hear is stepping right into the plans and decree of a holy God who has all things in His power. Man’s will is not autonomous or determinative. Just as Pontious Pilate and the Romans and the Jews sought to kill Jesus, but all were meaning to do harm, against the prescriptive will of God, but all according to the decreetive will of God. So there is no contradiction here.
So what is this to do with the sin nature and faith? Without the Holy Spirit causing us to born from above, we are incapable of anything. John 15:5 says that unless we abide in Him, we can bear no fruit. Jesus said we cannot come to him unless we are enabled. All the Father gives to Christ will come, and all that come will be raised up at the last day. He makes us new creatures in Christ and new creatures want to please God. The Father gives the Spirit to all who are in Christ. The work of the Spirit in regeneration is different than being indwelt. So don’t get that mixed up btw.
As unbelief is rebellion and incapable, inherited and hopeless, so belief-faith- is given, submitted and finds its power in the capacity given to it by the Spirit. It has its hope in the glory of the resurrection of Christ.
We have been given a new nature that is unlike the scorpion and the frog. We neither fall for the scorpion’s tactics or should we seek to deceive as does the scorpion. So when all is said, as was said in His word, put to death the flesh and walk in the Spirit. Whereas the unregenerate man cannot do so. We, the children of light are free and can do so.
Daniel Pia 7/29/2022
NO SUCH THING AS FREE WILL OF MAN-in regards to salvation
We are living in a day and age doused in free-willism. The wretched idea that unless we have free autonomous will, God is on the hook for all the evil in the world…Huh?
Now you may be thinking, “Hey , slow down there buddy, I don’t believe in free will because of that!”. And that may be so, but for the most part the ideas and philosophies of free will (libertarian) have their roots in Theodicy. Theodicy being the vindication or conviction [I’m being snarky there] of God in light of evil and suffering in the world. And if God is not entirely sovereign and the maker of all things, the principle planner of all things, like the Bible says, than you have to come up with some explanation. And free will-that being self determinative-is the answer that has prevailed among the unbelievers and unfortunately among most believers, roughly speaking. (Yeah that’s right I just questioned your salvation!)
But hey, why not since we are making Jesus a hippie, LGBTQ alright, sinning ok, don’t ever preach repentance [waiving finger around like a teenager mockingly], and the wrath of God is a no no. Free will-ism just fits right in there. We are FREE!!! God isn’t free to do with us as He pleases. But we are! YAAAY!
Now that I’ve been sufficiently sardonic, sarcastic, and whatever else that was, I must say that the scripture, without fail, portrays our God as One who determines all things. That doesn’t mean we are puppets or are being forced against our wills (whatever kind of will we have) to sin in whatever way we may think. You see, I think we are not understanding that it is God who is truly autonomous and free-not we. We are enslaved to sin and responsible for our sinfulness. For we can plainly see from scripture that we are held rightly responsible for our sins. And that same revelation from God says that we are enslaved to sin unless and until The Lord in His mercy sets us free from our sin by causing us to be born again and granting us a new heart, repentance and faith and mercifully, all in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Rather than annoy you non Reformed folk out there anymore, I thought I’d post a very good exegesis type thing from the best of them on some very key scriptures in this regard by Dr. James White. This way I can show you from the scriptures the proof of what I say…and yes proof is what the scriptures say! Not what man says and all his philosophies. God is true and every man a liar. Notice in the following exegetical outlay, a lot of scripture rightly interpreted. Wow, interesting stuff.
An Affirmative and Exegetical Presentation
James White
A number of years ago I found myself locked in an intense conversation with a young Mormon man on the sidewalk outside the LDS Temple in Mesa, Arizona. He had asked me initially why I thought there were so many churches, and part of my reply had been that I believed many people do not believe all of Scripture, but instead pick and choose what parts they will, or will not, believe. He did not seem overly impressed, but we continued on, and very soon came to the issue of the gospel of God’s grace. He immediately sensed that I was presenting a very strong view of grace, and asked, “So, are you saying that God saves only by His grace? That we don’t have anything to do with it?” “Yes,” I replied. He looked amazed, and said, “So, you don’t believe in predestination, do you?” Rather than respond immediately, I opened my Bible to Ephesians 1:11, and read it in his hearing: “In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will” (KJV). My LDS friend replied, “So, you are saying.” I stopped him in mid-sentence and re-read the passage. He said, “So, you believe.” I again stopped him, and again re-read the passage. At this point he looked over the top of my Bible, found the passage (outlined in yellow), pointed to it and said, “That passage is wrong, and I feel good saying that.” I closed my Bible, looked at him, and said, “Sir, when you first came up to me, you asked why there were so many different churches. I told you that it was because people will pick and choose what they will and will not believe. Sir, no one has ever given me a better example of that than you.”
Sometime in October of 1998 I entered a chatroom in AOL and engaged Darryl Barksdale in a discussion on the subject of salvation. I was not using my normal screen name at the time. When the issue of predestination came up, I pointed to Ephesians 1:11. At that time Mr. Barksdale offered to give me a “lesson in exegesis.” I gladly accepted the invitation, and we began to look closely at the text itself. Out of that interaction has come this debate on predestination in Scripture.
In keeping with Mr. Barksdale’s kind offer to give me a “lesson in exegesis,” I hope that this debate will, in fact, focus upon just that: the meaningful, fair, scholarly exegesis of the text of Scripture. Indeed, for my part, I shall do all I can to keep the focus where it needs to be. I firmly believe that the close, fair, honest exegesis of the text of the Bible will yield only one truth, and that truth is that God is sovereign in all things, including the matter of salvation, and that He has an elect people, chosen specifically by Him, who are the heirs of eternal life. This is not the teaching of Mormonism, to be sure, nor is it the teaching of a large portion of Protestantism and Roman Catholicism. Yet, the Scriptures are clear.
Ephesians 1
Numerous biblical passages can be cited that plainly teach the divine truth that God predestines men unto salvation. John 6:35-45, Romans 9:10-24, and 2 Timothy 1:8-10 all teach this truth. But I shall focus first upon the classicus locus, Ephesians 1:3-11, for my initial exegetical defense of this divine truth. As space permits, I will then briefly address Romans 9 and John 6. I invite the interested reader to follow along. I shall use as my base text the Nestle-Aland 27th edition of the Greek New Testament. English translations are my own.
Paul begins this tremendous introduction to his letter1 with a word of blessing addressed to God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ (1:3). All of salvation comes from the Father, its source, and its end. It is the Father who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ. Immediately we encounter three vital truths: 1) God is the one who has blessed us (we did not bless ourselves); this is seen in recognizing that oJ eujloghvsa” refers to the Father specifically; 2) that Paul is not speaking of all mankind here, but specifically of the redeemed, for he uses the personal pronoun hJma’” (us) when speaking of the scope of the blessing of the Father; we will see this is continued throughout the text; and 3) the phrase ejn Cristw’ (in Christ) or its equivalent in Him, is central to Paul’s thought. All of salvation takes place only “in Christ.”
Verse 4 is central to our subject: “just as He chose us in Him before the creation of the world so that we should be holy and blameless before Him.”2 Again the Father is in view, for He is the one who chose us (hJma’”, accusative, indicating direct object of “to choose”). This choice is exercised only in Christ (there is no salvation outside of the Son). It is vital to recognize the personal aspect of this choice on the part of God the Father. The passage says that we were chosen by God the Father, not that a mere “plan” was chosen, or a “process” put in place. The choice is personal both in its context (in the Son) and in its object (the elect). Next, the time of this choice by the Father is likewise important: before the creation of the world. This is a choice that is timeless. It was made before we were created,3 and therefore cannot possibly be based upon anything that we ourselves do or “choose.”4 This is sovereignty–free and unlimited.
God does nothing without a purpose. Both the means, and end, are in view. God chooses the elect to the end that they should be “holy and blameless before Him.” God is redeeming for Himself a people, and no power in heaven or earth can stop Him from accomplishing His intention.
Paul continues to expand upon the nature of the Father’s choice: “In love He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will” (v. 5). This is the first appearance of the word “predestined” in the text. The exact same term (proorivzw) is used in verse 11 as well. The meaning of the term is not ambiguous, no matter how hard some might try to avoid its impact. It means “to choose beforehand” or “to predestine.”5 In this context, it is unquestionably personal in its object, for again we find hJma’” as the direct object of the action of predestination. This is truly the key element of this debate, for grammatically there is no escape from the plain assertion here made: God the Father predestined us. He did not predestine a plan, He did not merely predestine a general conclusion to all things, but He chose us and predestined us. The “us” of Ephesians 1:5 is the “we” of Ephesians 1:11 and the “elect” of Romans 8:33 and those who are “given” by the Father to the Son in John 6:37.
Often we are asked “upon what basis does God choose one person, and leave another in their sins?” Paul answers in 1:5b-6, “according to the good pleasure of His will, to the praise of His glorious grace which he freely gave us in the Beloved One.” We note that there is nothing whatsoever here about man doing anything. Instead, we have the good pleasure of God’s will, nothing more. And this is perfectly logical, for, as Paul says, this is to result in the praise of His glorious grace. If salvation were the result of man’s choosing God (rather than God choosing man), then God’s grace would not be the sole and sufficient basis for salvation, and it would not, therefore, be the object of our praise in eternity to come. But Paul here sums it all up for us, indicating that the basis is solely God’s will, and therefore all praise and honor and glory will go to God’s glorious grace, that grace whereby the elect of God are saved, and will persevere into the eternal state. Such a truth is utterly shattering to human pride, and to all systems of works salvation. But it is the truth nonetheless. And note as well: again hJma’” appears, this time as the direct object of the free giving of God’s grace. This is saving grace, efficient grace, that actually accomplishes the salvation of its object. And hence, it is given to the redeemed, to the elect, and they alone. This is no mere “common grace” given to all: this is specific, saving grace. And, as is his constant strain throughout this opening passage of Ephesians, Paul emphasizes once again the fact that this saving grace is only in Christ, here described as “the beloved One.”
Having mentioned Christ, the beloved Son of the Father, Paul goes on to assert that it is in Him alone that we (again the elect, this time found in the first person plural ending of e[comen) have, present tense, redemption through His blood (literally, the redemption), which Paul then re-describes appositively6 as “the forgiveness of our sins.” The standard of God’s forgiveness is said to be “according to the riches of His grace,” which surely means that there is no limitation to the scope, nor power, of Christ’s redeeming blood.7 This grace, verse 8 goes on to say, was “lavished” on us, or “super-abounded” toward us (the now almost ubiquitous hJma’” once again); obviously, it has not so abounded toward all, hence, again, the specificity of Christ’s work of salvation, including His work of atonement, is seen.8
In the next phrases (1:8b-10), Paul explains the centrality of Christ, both in the work of redemption as well as in the revelation of God’s intention, will and purpose. All is summed up in Christ, Paul says. The Father’s will is that everything be done in Christ. This “mystery of His will” He has made known to us (here hJmi’n, dative, because of gnwrivsa”).
We come then, far too quickly, to the eleventh verse, wherein we again see plainly the outcome of our debate: “In Him (that is, in Christ) also we have been claimed as God’s own possession,9 having been predestined according to His purpose who works all things after the council of His own will.”
Note how this passage functions as a “bookend” to sum up the preceding section:
1) The Father’s work of salvation takes place exclusively in the realm of the Son, “in Him.” It is in Christ that we have “been claimed as God’s own possession,” that is, have received the promised inheritance, though the emphasis is upon the God-ward side of this transaction, not the human side. The concept of “God’s own possession” comes up again in verse 14. The elect are God’s people,”a people for His own possession, zealous for good deeds” (Titus 2:14).
2) Those who are God’s people are so because they were “predestined.” Again, no ambiguity exists in the meaning of the term, nor its use in the passage. Mr. Barksdale, in our discussion of this passage in AOL, indicated that he believed that God had predestined a plan in this verse. I pointed out to him that proorisqevnte” is an aorist passive participle, 1st person plural. A “plan” would call for a singular form, not a plural form. Why is it plural? Because is it referring back to “we have been claimed.” The subject of the participle is found in the plural ending of ejklhrwvqhmen. It cannot be a “plan” but is a people, God’s people, the elect, who are here plainly seen to be the object of God’s act of predestination.
3) The basis for God’s choice is again removed from the human realm and placed squarely and inalterably in the divine. God chooses on the basis of His own purpose (not on the basis of what we do). When Paul speaks of God’s purpose, He attaches a clause that describes his God. Literally, it would read, “the all things working according to the council of His will One.” The emphasis in the clause is on ta; pavnta, “all things.” God works all things after the council of His will. Not some things, not most things, but all things. This is true in all aspects of His creation: the God Paul proclaims is sovereign over all things, is in control of all things, and all things exist at His command, and for His purpose. That is why the Psalmist could say, “Whatever the LORD pleases, He does, In heaven and in earth, in the seas and in all deeps” (Psalm 135:6).
Paul then applies this eternal truth to his immediate audience, those who were “the first to hope in Christ.” Thanks be to God that He has continued to draw His elect over the ages, so that we living in our present day can likewise join with them in hoping in Christ, and hence resound to the “praise of His glory.” But I hasten to emphasize: His glory is only praised when His complete sovereignty in salvation is plainly seen and proclaimed. Even saving faith in Christ is a gift of God given to the elect.10 Men dare not intrude upon God€s sole glory: and that is exactly what we see in those systems that attempt to place man in control of God, and make God dependent upon man and the puny creatures will in the matter of redemption.
Romans 9
Space will demand a less in-depth look at my other two passages, Romans 9 and John 6. Both, however, will be seen to repeat the same concepts found in Ephesians 1.
The relevance of Romans 9 is obvious upon the most casual reading. It comes on the heels of a passage that again uses the specific term “predestined” of the elect people of God (8:29-33). Paul begins by illustrating God’s electing grace in the patriarchs of the Jewish people, proving, thereby, that the Jews have no basis upon which to complain now that God, in His grace, has chosen to extend His covenant mercies to the Gentiles as well. Paul points to Jacob and Esau (9:10-13) as an example of this: “before the twins were born or had done anything good or bad” God said, “the older will serve the younger.” Why does Paul emphasize that this was said before the birth of the twins, and before they had done anything good or bad? The text is plain: “in order that God’s purpose according to election would stand not on the basis of works, but on the basis of the One calling.” God’s purpose in election will stand, infallibly. The choice of Jacob over Esau was not on the basis of the actions of the twins (indeed, both showed themselves unworthy by their sinful attitudes of any of God’s blessings). Instead, the basis is always found in God, “the One calling.” Because of this, it is written in Scripture, “Jacob I loved, and Esau I hated.”
It is fascinating to note that Paul had obviously heard all the objections against the Gospel many times before. He includes an “imaginary objector” in this section to voice all the common complaints about God’s absolute sovereignty and man’s complete dependence upon Him. Fallen man outside of Christ hates the truth that God is the Potter, we are the clay. The unregenerate heart rebels against such a truth. When we read, “Jacob I loved, Esau I hated,” we say, “that is not fair! That is unjust!” And indeed, Paul immediately voices that objection, and then answers it as well. But before looking at his answer, do remember this: the amazing thing about the statement “Jacob I loved and Esau I hated” is not that God hated Esau: Esau was a sinner, an enemy of God, and God’s wrath abides upon anyone still in their sins. The amazing thing about the statement is “Jacob I loved.” That is grace undeserved.
“What will we say, then? There is no injustice with God, is there?” (v. 14). As soon as sovereignty is seen, man cries foul. Paul’s answer is quick: “May it never be! For he said to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I have mercy and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion. Therefore it does not depend on the one who wills, neither on the one who runs, but on God, who shows mercy.” The NET translates it, “it does not depend on human desire or exertion, but on the mercy of God.” In either case, the actions and will of man are utterly removed from consideration by Paul’s response. God’s choice is totally free. Mercy and compassion cannot be demanded of the Righteous Judge of all. They must be free. Rather than defending the “freedom of man,” the truly regenerate heart should be jealous for the freedom of God instead.
The Scriptures go on to illustrate this truth in the life of Pharaoh. Paul asserts (9:17) that God raised up Pharaoh for a specific purpose: that God’s name might be proclaimed in all the earth. Again the rebellious heart cries out in complaint, while the believer bows in humble adoration. “May I be used only to bring honor and glory to the name of my God” is the cry of the broken heart. So Paul goes on to press the point home in verse 18, “Therefore He has mercy on whom He wishes; but He likewise hardens whom He wishes.” How much more plainly can it be stated? The context is clearly personal: Pharaoh was a person, as were Jacob and Esau. God shows mercy to individuals, and, likewise, whether we like it or not, He hardens individuals as well. This is predestination, plain and clear.
Of course, immediately the creature rebels and cries out (v. 19), “Why does He still find fault? Who has ever resisted His will?” The clay attempts to demand of the Potter a reason for His actions. The creature climbs onto the throne of the Creator and acts as if he has a right to be there. Make no mistake: this response, natural as it is for the sinful heart, is, itself, a symptom of sin, and is an act of rebellion. As Paul will point out, it is as foolish as a cup demanding its Maker give an account for its size, color, or shape. Cups have no such rights, and neither does the creature, man. Of course, it is just here that I would assert that the LDS faith has no way of even beginning to make sense of what Paul is saying, or how he is about to respond. You see, the God Paul worshipped, the God of Christianity, is the Almighty Maker of all things. He has eternally been God, and anything that exists, anywhere and at any time, does so at His will and command. Joseph Smith proclaimed in the King Follett Funeral Discourse, “We have imagined and supposed that God was God from all eternity. I will refute that idea, and take away the veil, so that you may see.” Hence, Mormonism simply does not have a concept of God that can possibly undertake to make sense out of Paul’s reply. As the NET renders it, “But who indeed are you a mere human being to talk back to God?” More traditionally, “Who are you, O man, to answer back to God? The thing molded will not say to the molder, Why did you make me like this, will it?” The answer is devastating, but only when, by grace, your heart is “given ears to hear” what it is saying. It is a shattering experience to really come to see yourself as you are: a creature, formed and made by another for His own purposes (not yours!), utterly dependent upon Him. There is no room for pride in such a truth and so the natural man rejects it, and indeed, in my experience, hates it.
Man is the “thing molded.” God is the molder. God is God, man is man. In Mormonism, God and man are of the “same species,” and God is, in fact, an “exalted man,” or as one LDS acquaintance of mine puts it, “a theomorphic man.” Therefore, this passage makes no sense in the LDS context (because, I strongly assert, LDS theology is not biblical theology, but its opposite). For Paul is not saying, “Who are you, yet-to-be-exalted man, to talk back to the already-exalted man?” No, there is no Potter/pot relationship in Mormonism, hence, there is no room for this truth in LDS thinking.
Paul presses onward to his conclusion: “Or does not the Potter have authority over the clay, to make from the same lump of clay one vessel for honorable use, and yet another for common use?” His illustration is striking. Potters have full authority to do with a lump of clay whatever they wish. It is irrational to insist that the potter has to make from one lump of clay all honorable vessels or all common ones. He can do what he wishes. But what bothers us so tremendously here is the obvious fact that we are the vessels formed from clay! And we have no say over the purpose for which we have been made: that is the right of the Potter.
Paul goes on in verses 22-23, “What if God, although willing to demonstrate His wrath and to make His power known, has endured with much patience vessels of wrath made for destruction, in order that He might make known the riches of His glory upon vessels of mercy which He prepared beforehand for glory?” Who are these vessels prepared beforehand for glory? The elect of God, the people He has redeemed for His own name’s sake. It is hard to see how Paul could have been any more clear, any more direct in his presentation of the absolute sovereignty of God in election.
John 6
It has been my experience over the years that some people, especially Mormons, have an implicit distrust in “things Pauline.” Hence, it would be good, very briefly, to demonstrate that the Apostle Paul was simply presenting the same truths enunciated by the Lord Himself in the synagogue at Capernaum. Here is the relevant passage, John 6:35-40, 44-45:11
Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life. The one coming12 to Me will never hunger, and the one believing in Me will never thirst. But I said to you that you have seen Me, and yet you do not believe. All that the Father gives to me will come to Me, and the one coming to Me I will never cast out, for I have come down out of heaven not to do My own will, but the will of the One who sent Me. This is the will of the One who sent Me: that of all that He has given Me I lose none of it, but instead raise it up on the last day. For this is the will of My Father, that everyone looking on the Son and believing in Him should have eternal life, and I Myself will raise him up on the last day. . . . No one is able to come to Me unless the Father, who sent Me, draws him, and I will raise him up on the last day. It stands written in the prophets: and they shall all be taught by God. Every one who hears from the Father and learns comes to Me.”
Every word the Lord Jesus speaks is filled with meaning. He introduces Himself as the bread of life, the only true source of spiritual nourishment. Yet, the Jews do not believe. Why? The very incarnate Son of God was standing right in front of them! Why would they not believe? Because, as Jesus explained in John 10:26, they were not of His “sheep.” They were not given to Him by the Father, for all that the Father gives to the Son will, without question, without failure, come to Him. Note that for the Father to be able to give men to the Son we must be talking about the same Father of Ephesians 1 and Romans 9: the sovereign God who is maker and creator of men, not merely an exalted man. He has the sovereign right to give certain men to Christ, but not others. Those who are given come: those who are not do not. The divine order is clear: God’s giving of men to the Son precedes and determines their coming to Christ. First comes the action of God, and then the action of men. God acts, man responds, never the other way around, in the matter of salvation.
The security of the elect is plainly seen in this text: Christ will never cast out the one who has been given to Him by the Father and has come to Him as a result; indeed, it is the very will of the Father that the Lord Jesus lose nothing of all that has been given to Him! What a wonderful promise to realize that the Lord Jesus will never fail to do the Father’s will, and hence, the salvation of God’s people is as sure as the power, purity, and purpose of the very Son of God Himself!
Briefly, the final verses likewise present the utter sovereignty of God in predestination. Jesus makes it clear: No one has the ability to come to Him unless something else happens: the drawing of the Father. Now, many would say, “Well, the Father draws everyone.” That is untrue. The Father draws the elect, including the elect of all nations and tribes and tongues and peoples.13 Even this passage makes this clear, as it is obvious that all who are drawn are also raised up on the last day, a phrase that in John is equivalent to being given eternal life.14 Hence, here we are told that God draws the elect to Christ, and outside of that effectual drawing, there is no person who will come to Christ. Indeed, as Paul said, “there is no God-seeker” (Romans 3:11).
Conclusion
The thesis our debate is clear: does the Bible teach predestination? The answer is obvious: yes, it does. It teaches the specific, personal, individual predestination of the entire body of the elect people of God. God chooses the objects of His mercy and grace, and others He leaves in their sin and rebellion.
It is my hope that my opponent will offer specific, meaningful exegetical responses to these passages, so that the reader can do as Isaiah said long ago: “To the law and to the testimony! If they do not speak according to this word, it is because they have no dawn” (Isaiah 8:20).
Notes:
1 I believe the letter to the Ephesians was a circular letter, i.e., meant to be read in all the churches in the Lycus River Valley (cf. Col 4:16).
2 There are a number of punctuation variants in this passage. At this point, I think “in love” would go best with the following phrase, providing the realm in which predestination itself takes place, that being God’s loving purpose. The NASB follows this understanding.
3 I reject the LDS doctrine of pre-existence, and there is nothing in Paul’s theology, or the Bible’s teaching, that presents such a concept. Indeed, in Romans 9:11 Paul speaks of the time before the birth of Jacob and Esau as a time when “they had not done anything good or bad.” It is basic to that passage to see that Paul does not hold the LDS idea of pre-existence.
4 For a discussion of the common use of the term “foreknowledge,” see Douglas Moo, The Epistle to the Romans (NICNT), Eerdmans, 1996, pp. 532-534, John Murray, The Epistle to the Romans Eerdmans, 1997, pp. 315-319, and White, God’s Sovereign Grace, Crowne Publications, 1991, pp. 117-122.
5 See any standard lexical source, such as BAGD (p. 709) or Louw & Nida (pp. 360-361).
6 Syntactically the accusative in simple apposition. This is important since some groups separate redemption and the specific forgiveness of sins.
7 This would involve a denial of the LDS doctrine of “blood atonement,” that concept wherein there are certain “grievous” sins for which the blood of Christ will not atone.
8 I refer here briefly to the biblical teaching on the specific purpose of Christ’s atoning sacrifice: the redemption of the elect. For more on this, seen John Murray, Redemption Accomplished and Applied, Eerdmans, 1955.
9 So NET (cf. 1:14); “we were also chosen” (NIV), “obtained an inheritance” (NASB, NRSV).
10 See Colossians 1:3-4, 2 Thessalonians 2:13, Acts 3:16, Hebrews 12:2, Philippians 1:29, Galatians 5:22, Ephesians 2:8-9.
11 For a fuller exposition of John 6:35-45, see my work, Drawn by the Father, Crowne Publications, 1991).
12 Both “coming” and “believing” are present-tense participles. Saving faith is a persevering faith, for it is the gift of God, and it accomplishes what God intends it to accomplish, through grace.
13 John 12:32, Revelation 5:9-10.
14 There is no concept of “eternal lives,” “exaltation,” celestial, terrestrial, and telestial levels of heaven, etc., in John’s writings (nor anywhere in the Christian Scriptures) in the LDS understanding of such terms. Hence, “eternal life” is the highest gift given by God to His people.
Word Count: 4933
3
Colossians 2 is beautiful. Not that all of scripture isn’t just as wonderful. But in this article we focus on chapter 2 of Colossians because in contrast I’m thinking of how terrible is the scourge of a lost world seeking endlessly for meaning elsewhere. Some try hard and some don’t. You know, 10 reasons for this and 5 reasons for that but ultimately they are wandering around in the darkness unless they find the light of Christ Jesus. He, Paul, says in verse 2 and 3,
“…that their hearts may be encouraged, having been knit together in love, and attaining to all the wealth that comes from the full assurance of understanding, resulting in a true knowledge of God’s mystery, that is, Christ Himself, 3 in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.” Colossians 2:2-3
I think to myself, that it’s strange how the gospel, that is the message of the person and work of Christ Jesus, is foolishness to those that are perishing, but to those that BEING SAVED, the power of God!
So how strange that often people who don’t believe say things like, “You have BLIND faith”, or “you have a crutch”. Or they think we are walking around in darkness when we are actually in the light of day and it is they who are in the dark of night.
People so often are asking who they are and what their purpose is. They want to know where they’ve come from and where they are going. Yet here in this verse, in Colossians, the second chapter, having already been told that Christ is our maker, the one who upholds the universe by the word of his power, and also in Him is how and where we live and move and have our being, we are now told it is in Him in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. Here is a video saying a bit more on the subject. For if we abide in Him, seek Him, and live in Him, we have everything, if we do not, we have nothing and can do nothing-worthwhile anyway.
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The Bible Can Be Trusted! Here’s Why/New Testament-Reliability
You’ll notice, if you’re paying close attention, that every wayward idea, doctrine, and liberal notion is and has this propensity to either insinuate or flat out declare that the Bible is not reliable. It may be said in different ways of course. From the one who rejects the gospel-rejects Christ- to the so called Christian who twists or rejects certain foundational truths, they all are challenging the authority and inspiration of the eternal, God-breathed Word of God contained in the 66 books of the Old and New Covenants…The Tanakh, the Torah, The Nevi’im and Ketu’vim, that is the Law, the Prophets and the Writings. You will see this especially as it pertains to the New Testament.
The last generation of believers has in large part failed to properly ground and teach the nature and scope , the very depth and breadth and power and evidence and to rightly divide the bible to it’s children. So, too often young people go to universities and come out with much doubt about the reliability of the Bible. Many abandon their faith altogether. At the head of the march against the Bible’s veracity is people like Dr. Bart Ehrman. He takes facts like, “there are around 138,000 words in the New Testament and around 400,000 variants (mistakes) in the same. That’s 3 per word.” making misapplication. When you listen to the following video with Dr. James White on Wretched TV giving a presentation on NT Reliability, you will see that the very issue, the very facts cited by folks like Ehrman meant by them to cast doubt are actually evidence of God’s providence, and the Bible’s truth and reliability, not the usual fallacious ideas about it being like a “phone game”, where what we have today is likened unto someone whispering into someone’s ear and as it’s passed from one to another what you get is nothing like what was said at first. Indeed, the truth is, God has done something quite different. And if you are willing, you will see that what we have today is quite clearly what was given nearly 2000 years ago. Unlike the phone game canard, it was actually multiple authors writing letters at multiple times to multiple locations and then they were copied multiple times. There was no time when any central authority had control over the Bible to change it or its message or doctrines. It is unlike the Quran, which was handled in that way. That could have and I believe was corrupted. But that implies inspiration to begin with.
Anyway, this multi-focality, means that God providentially both preserved and allowed for our comparing and substantiating the scriptures. We know that what we have today is what was written then. The DaVinci code fiction is impossible and a ploy to make money for Dan Brown. It’s not the truth. NT reliability is DEMONSTRABLE. We need to know these things as Christians. Every thing we know about God, the Gospel, truth etc., is contained in the scripture and God will hold us accountable to it. Christ Himself said this very thing. Not much more could be important. And what is is contained in the scriptures.
If you ever take the time to carve out an hour and a half to listen to anything. LISTEN TO THIS!
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What Is Truth?
Then Pilate said to him, “So you are a king?” Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. For this purpose I was born and for this purpose I have come into the world—to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice.” 38 Pilate said to him, “What is truth?” John 18:37-38
I remember clearly just before The Lord saved me, the messenger who shared the gospel with me being thrown off-guard by my attack on the Word of God. His truth claim- the gospel of Christ- was clearly based on the scriptures and I knew it. So I was saying to him that it was unreliable because as Pilate said, “what is truth?”. Or in that case, Who is truth?
If you are reading this and you believe that the scriptures are the word of God, you are in a tiny minority! You are in fact a very blessed and Spirit empowered-enabled minority. “And they will all be taught of God”. John 6:45
Now, let’s attempt to bring in another thing to consider. As Pilate, we all have many problems to grapple with. And unfortunately, many fail to rightly understand the foundational causes-the underlying issues. As Pilate stood in front of Christ, hearing the shouts of the throngs for Christ’s blood, he knew that the claim was that Christ Jesus was King of Kings. Jesus goes on to say that all who hear the truth listen to Him! Then all the wrenching hatred for God and truth comes to his mind and he spews out the ancient mantra, “What is truth!”.
This is the very thing being said today by all who reject and hate God, indeed Christ today. They hate truth. And they say that you have your truth and “I have mine”. Yet the gospel of God requires repentance and faith in Christ. Without knowledge of and assent to the truth claims of the living God about our sinful estate, we cannot repent of that which we refuse to believe. The gospel of God says, I am the living God who created all men everywhere. All men have sinned and fallen short of my Glory and are indeed wicked. Yet I have so loved the world that I have sent my Son so as to provide justice in his sacrificial life, death and resurrection in the place of the one who repents and believes in Christ Jesus, who is God in Flesh. One day He will return and judge the living and the dead. Every knee will bow and tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the Glory of The Father. He is the only way, truth and Life.
Yet we continue to rebel against the creator, King and Savior in every way conceivable. Demanding his bowing to our image! “Become like us”, we say. And we serve and worship everything else instead of Him. But I won’t take the time to prove this. Those who know the truth recognize the demonstrable futility and repeatable offense of this idolatry in every generation. Yet The Father has continued to save and sanctify His own all through history through faith in Christ all to His glory. Praise Yahweh!
Now God has said, in regards to truth, that sin is the problem. Every problem, every issue that man so desperately grapples with and so viciously contorts and renames is simply Sin. We have transgressed His law. We are born in sin and we continue in it wantingly. Sin kills, steals and destroys. Then ultimately separates us from God temporally, then eternally. Man takes all his time doing all he can to sin and run from God. See how that works? See the Garden of Eden thing where Adam and Eve sinned. They were walking with God, they sinned, realized they were naked, then hid themselves.
Christ said that he who sins is a slave to sin. Paul said we are dead in sins and trespasses. Only through the renewal of the Holy Spirit, faith in Christ’s atoning work on the cross can anyone have reconciliation with God and know truth. This is where we get into deep truth. One can read the Bible all day, and certainly even know what the bible is saying. But just as one can have knowledge of the truth of Christ, and have assent or acknowledge it, which even demons do, until there is true fiduciary trust and love for Christ there is no salvation. “Depart from me for I never knew you”.
Just as I may know who my wife is, acknowledge her and really like her, until I’m committed to her and truly love her and am committed to her with a true love for her beauty and spirit, I’m no different than anyone else to her. It is God that gives me my faith, my true saving faith in Him.
To be set free from sin and to know the truth truly, I must know and be known by my Lord, Christ Jesus. Love and be loved. He does the saving, the knowing and the loving and the action-the choosing. “You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide…” John 15:16
“If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you“. John 15:19
It’s not as if I do nothing, but all that I do, I do in response to being born again into a living hope. I do what I do because I have true saving faith-a faith that is given. John 6- James 2.
Now here I’m figuring is where some detect a Calvinistic bent. But I disagree entirely. This is entirely scriptural. There is no A=non A. The Emperor has clothes Dr. Flowers! I am as Romans 8 tells us, Foreknown, Predestined, Called, Justified and Glorified. Romans 8. Everything I’ve said is what Jesus said, what the Spirit of God said and with all due respect, if you don’t get it, you’re not hearing the truth.
Why is this so very important? Because sin being the problem, must be defined and understood to be overcome. We are told as believers who are freed from sin to put it to death… “So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.” John 8:36 . But way too often we just concentrate on NOT SINNING. If you concentrate on your sin you will be overcome by it. The anti Calvinist always thinks of the free will of man. Not the power of God. We must be God-centered not man-centered.
“But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh” Galatians 5:16
So in his letter to Galatia, Paul by the Spirit tells his wayward church to walk by the Spirit. It is then you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. Concentrate on walking in union with Christ, in the power of His Spirit, His truth, His Spirit in you, which is the hope of glory.
Fundamentalists make the error of focusing on outward righteousness and killing sin without the law of Christ. Which we all know is wrong, and recognize to varying degrees because of this truth. It is in this that error is so often found-the difference between justification and sanctification. Works come from a saving faith worked in us by the power of the Spirit. We are not saved by works. As the scripture so clearly expounds, it is not the one who runs or works (in regards to salvation). Nor is it the one who wills. Calvinism is not a branch of theology, nor a wayward determinism, theistically inclined to make us robots. It is truth. Here I do not intend to say that Calvin has in every way expounded the truth for us. But Reformed theology when properly understood and applied according to the scriptures and defined by proper interpretation of John 6, Ephesians 1, Hebrews and many other passages, even the TULIP is indeed true. It is what the word of God says. That God has Foreknown, predestined, called, and justified His people and will glorify them-indeed HAS. He alone sent His son to pay the atoning sacrifice for their sins in his flesh on the tree. By his death, burial and resurrection and now intercession they were, are and are being and will be saved by the righteousness of Christ. He changes those he intends to save by the renewal-regenerating work of the Spirit unto repentance and faith. John 3 and John 6, Titus 3:4-7 1 John 5:1. When we start saying otherwise, we end up with various forms of works salvation, universalism and other like heresies that bring God down and exalt man’s role in salvation and mitigate God’s power.
So when it comes to the believer, the true justified Spirit filled person of Christ, that one must follow the commands given to him-To walk by the power of the Spirit in his quest to do the will of the Father in righteousness. The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit. Galatians 5:22-25
For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life. Galatians 6:8
Too often, from the laymen, the ignorant, the foolish and even professing Christians to those with doctorates in theology and other educated folk, they seem to be unable to understand the distinction between the clear teaching, the clear sovereign work of God in saving His people by the person and work of Christ, a given faith in Him, by grace and regeneration of the Holy Spirit and the ongoing work of sanctification in the life of the same. The fruits of true saving faith do not save. They are not efficacious. As the scripture proclaims over and over. No one may boast before Him.
As in 1st John 5:1, The one who believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God. Jesus said over and over that those who did not believe in Him did not do so because they were not “of God”. Yes, the gospel is calling us to repent and believe in Christ-His person and work. But clearly no one is able unless He enables us. After we are justified and newly created in Christ we are dependent upon Him, the Spirit, to overcome the desires of the flesh.
IF you are reading this and are one of those that think, “but this chosen business, it makes us robots”. This is not the case. This is the beginning of wisdom, for it is the fear of God. To know that we are unable to please God in and of ourselves when we realize that we are but mere creatures and He is the creator. He is the only truly free and righteous God. Do not find yourselves constantly defending the free will of man. For as in the letter to the Ephesians, “He made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His kind intention which He purposed in Him” Ephesians 1:9
Indeed, how does one read Romans 3-9, John 3-6, and Hebrews 7-10 Ephesians 1-3 and still come away with the free will of man and a provisionist gospel? If you take all the scriptures, everything the Lord has said and understand that we are unable, He is able. Every scripture makes sense. He is soveriegn and free, we are not. He is righteous and we are not. He chose us we did not choose Him! And O the depth and breadth of the Love of God, the justice and righteousness and power of the Lord of all the earth. To Him be glory, and power and majesty forever-Amen.
Is the Cross Essential for Salvation?
Isaiah 53:4,5
“Surely he has borne our griefs
and carried our sorrows;
yet we esteemed him stricken,
smitten by God, and afflicted.
5 But he was pierced for our transgressions;
he was crushed for our iniquities;
upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace,
and with his wounds we are healed.”
In the following video, which I recommend heartily, Dr. James White debates Muslim apologist Adnan Rashid. It is a brilliant and moving debate on the centrality of the Cross in salvation, history and indeed all of life.
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The Trinity and The Redemption of Souls
The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God,
and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with you all.
[2 Corinthians 13:14 NASB]
Way too ubiquitous is ignorance of a right understanding of the doctrine of the Trinity. Which is a proper way of saying that believers and unbelievers on the whole do not know who God has revealed himself to be. This saddens me greatly, in fact, very much burdens me because the triune God has revealed Himself this way-in between the testaments because it was perfectly timed.
Ephesians 3:9 and to bring to light for everyone what is the plan of the mystery hidden for ages inGod, who created all things… Ephesians 1:10 As a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth.
The Father, The Son, and The Holy Spirit, have clearly revealed themselves and their purposes to us and we are greatly responsible to repent and believe in Christ’s person and work for salvation. He is the truth, the way and the life. He is the only truth, the only way and the only life. Christ has clearly revealed The Father as His express image by the incarnation and born the sins of His people by His cross, burial and resurrection. The Father raised Him from the dead, and seated Him at the His right hand to intercede for His people to save them perfectly. After Christ Jesus went to The Father He sent the Holy Spirit to His chosen to be their guide, consoler, the Spirit of Truth, and to dwell within them for the process of sanctification, a seal of the hope of redemption that is the guarantee to all that belong to our God and Savior Jesus Christ.
Do you see the Trinity here? The Grace of Jesus? He was sent by the Father. Christ Jesus gives himself for those the Father gives to him. The Son sends the Spirit to those that are His to sanctify and work to do the Father’s will. The Father sends the Son, the Son sends the Spirit. The Spirit glorifies the Son, the Son glorifies the Father. The more you consume the scripture, the God-breathed word, you become delighted and amazed at the grand unique glory and redemptive beauty of the Trinity in salvation.
All throughout the scriptures, Christ is referred to as Yahweh. Christ Himself claims to be God. The apostles refer to Him as God. All three persons are referred to as deity. They are referred to as persons. Each are clearly preexistant.
Colossians 1. John 1. John 17. Hebrews 1. Philippians 2. All clearly reveal Christ as preexistant and as God. Not the Father but as as deity.
The Holy Spirit likewise is deity and personal…
Hebrews 9:14
…how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without blemish to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?
2 Peter 1:21
…for no prophecy was ever made by an act of human will, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God.
1 Corinthians 6:11
…Such were some of you; but you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God.
Matthew 28:19
…Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit,
Acts 5:3,4
…Then Peter said, “Ananias, how is it that Satan has filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and withhold some of the proceeds from the land? 4 Did it not belong to you before it was sold? And after it was sold, was it not at your disposal? How could you conceive such a deed in your heart? You have not lied to men, but to God!
Psalm 139:7-10
Where can I go from Your Spirit?
Or where can I flee from Your presence?
If I ascend to heaven, You are there;
If I make my bed in Sheol, behold, You are there.
If I take the wings of the dawn,
If I dwell in the remotest part of the sea,
1 Corinthians 2:11
…For who among men knows the thoughts of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him? Even so the thoughts of God no one knows except the Spirit of God.
What is the Trinity? So many make these strange analogies. comparisons of water, ice and vapor- of modalism and multiple heresies do result in so many cases of people not rightly dividing the word. This is NOT a case of my interpretation verses Yours! If you have not the Spirit of Christ in you,you do not belong to Him. If you are not born of the Spirit you cannot even see the kingdom of God, let alone approach understanding who God has revealed Himself to be. I don’t think God is about the business of satisfying some strange curiosity of gnostic narcigesis in the puffed up mind. As it goes with the Word of God, in the knowledge and wisdom of men, the gospel is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved- the power of God! I believe the revelation of the Trinity is found in redemption. As is rightly said, a right definition is this: There are three co equal, co eternal persons sharing the one being of God. That is-three who’s and one what.
Now, think with me here, Only God saves. But God is saving who? Men! Certain men, a chosen, elect group of called out ones. They need saving because they were dead n sins and trespasses, unable to save themselves-slaves to sin. Only Christ Jesus is the Incarnate God in flesh, the second Adam who lived a perfect sinless life and bore the sins of the many, took the punishment of their sins- became sin for them that they may become the righteousness of God in Him. Now they who were once vacuous temples- who once were Ichabod, now become dwelt by the Holy Spirit! The Father, lavishes love on the people who were not a people and makes them His people. Lo Ammi become Ammi. All according to His counsel and will. The Father’s love intends to have perfect grace through His only Son, by His perfect work on the Cross, and in so doing, we become temples of the living God. All to the Glory of God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit.
When it comes to the Gospel, what is simple becomes so all encompassing and harrowing that you must realize that the very power and nature and work of God and your eternal soul is on the line. Get this wrong and you will so waofully regret it unendingly for all eternity in such dreadfully intense ways that it is impossible for me to explain it to you. PLEASE HEAR ME. Take every single horrible wicked evil painful dreadful thing you can imagine and multiply it by exceedingly aggregious numbers. Blow it up and do what you’d like. You can’t imagine the terrible pain and anguish you’ll suffer, and that rightly and justly for hating God and refusing His Son. Here’s the deeper thing, you can’t repent and you can’t believe unless the Spirit of God renews your heart and grants you faith in Him. See John3, John 6:35 and following. Why do I say this you say? I have a will and I can do what I want? Great. Please prove me wrong and turn to Christ who made you for the wages of sin is death but the gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus who was crucified and made alive again, and is at the right hand of God. He ever lives to make intercession for his own people. He is able to save perfectly those who draw near to the Father by Him.
So many cults and false teachings and teachers are out there right now. They say things that often will make sense. But when we use the same hermeneutical approaches we use for other doctrines like justification by faith, the incarnation, sola scriptura, the Lord’s supper, and many fundamentals of the faith we will see the doctrine of the trinity come to life clearly. We can come to no other conclusion. The word Trinity does not have to be in the Bible. Just as Jesus never actually said, “I am God”, doesn’t in any way mean that He didn’t say He was God. My name is Daniel. Where in this web page have I actually said, “I am Daniel”? It is only because The bible was written in another language and they used different words and expressed themselves differently that we don’t don’t find that exact phrase in our English Bible. You do indeed find Jesus called God in the New Testament however!. …Waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ… Titus 2:13 [ESV] and by the way, its not referring to God AND the Savior, the Greek construction refers to the same person. It’s called the Grandville Sharp construction. (It appears in more than one place)
You’ll find Unitarians saying that The Old Testament says over and over that God said He was One God. Before me there was no God formed nor will there be one formed after. They will quote passages that say that God says He has no flesh and using passages that SEEM to contradict passages relating to Christ Jesus’ incarnation. However, it is plain that Yahweh was separating Himself from the false Gods of the surrounding pagan nations. When you read the scriptures in context with the intention of understanding them rightly as God really wants you to, it is clear what God wants to communicate. From the beginning, Yahweh intended to triumph over evil and Satan through His Son, the Messiah, by begetting a Son in flesh, this is seen in Isaiah 9, Isaiah 53 specifically and other places in the Book of Isaiah. Actually all of the Old Testament speaks of The Messiah, in types and shadows, directly and in allusions. To not see it is to be blind. The Sabbath, the 7th day is the first antitype. The curses, the seed of the woman, etc being some of the earliest. You can see Yahweh speaking of Himself in the just the majestic plural as some say at creation, but the NT says that all things were created by Christ and even are upheld and sustained by Him. The Holy Spirit hovered over the waters at the precipice of creation. Many rabbinic writers touched on the plurality of God’s nature.
Understand the difference between God’s being or nature and His persons. We can all understand the difference. For instance, All recognize that Humankind have a being or nature but many different persons. Hence, I as a human am one person of humankind. God the Son is one person of God kind. But there is only ONE GOD. If I were to say that I had three personalities they’d come and take me away in one of those odd white jackets. But God’s being is infinite and unlimited. He is unique. How is it that we are surprised that when God reveals Himself to us this way we reject Him as absurd? Did we all think that we could understand Him entirely? However, we are, we remain strict monotheist. We have only ONE GOD. Three persons, one in essence and being. There are not three gods! In the Scripture, The father , Son and Spirit are referred to as Yahweh. This alone settles the issue! Hebrews 1
Daniel Pia 12/15/2020
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At the bottom you’ll find, if you have time, a great debate between the best of opposite worlds- ATHEIST vs. CHRISTIAN! A friendly yet vigorous discussion…
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If God is Good, Why is There so Much Evil? By Daniel Pia
Theodicy. That’s what it’s called. The question that so many ask, “Why did God create this world if He knew that so much evil would take place? If God is love, how could He allow evil and hatred to exist?
Fundamentally, the question is flawed. Who are we to abstractly ask God to answer to us? When we ask such a question, we assume what good is. Dr. RC Sproul and Albert Mohler clearly explain this in the following Q & A.
Look at the story of Joseph and his brothers in Genesis 50:19-20. Joseph’s brothers clearly intended to kill Joseph, but God restrained their evil, indeed purposed for all of it to happen to preserve many lives. More than that, God purposed for the evil done by Joseph’s brothers so that the whole Exodus and Israelite deliverance would take place around 400 years later for His own glory! This is clearly testified to over and over in scripture.
The best example of God purposing evil to take place through the evil intent and actions of men for ultimate good is in the crucifixion of Jesus Christ.
In Acts 2
22 “Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a man attested to you by God with mighty works and wonders and signs that God did through him in your midst, as you yourselves know— 23 this Jesus,[c] delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men.”
The definite plan and foreknowledge of God! But Peter says “YOU” killed him. SO men are responsible for their actions. Many say that foreknowledge is God looking through the corridors of time to see what men and women will do and then responding- responding to free will and working out a sort of plan B type thing. But this is completely contrary to the bible. God has a will, a decree and plan, according to the counsel of His will. “A man’s heart plans his course, but the LORD determines his steps.” [Proverbs 16:9]
Yes we all have A creaturely will. But we are not completely free. Only God is autonomous and free entirely. And so it is with evil. All of history, the world and creation is a display of God’s wrath and/or His mercy in Christ Jesus. God has planned for every single action to take place for His glory. Otherwise the resultant thinking would be that there is purposeless evil. And God is somehow trying to do His level best to make good come out of it.
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.”
The gospel addresses this. If you are in rebellion to God and insolent, sinful and suppressing the truth, don’t think for a moment that all things will work out for your good. Romans 9 clearly shows that God has vessels of wrath and vessels of mercy. If you are in Christ, He Mercies you-if not in Christ, you are left in your condemnation. All things were made through Christ, by Christ, for Christ and in Christ. Refuse to repent and believe and you are evil!
John 3:18
“He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.“
In the end, what is called the eschatological view, the question of evil is best seen. God will put things under Christ’s feet. The last enemy, death, will die as well. All those who do not bow the knee to Christ Jesus in their lives will bow in the next and all things will be brought justly and righteously in view. All people, the damned and the righteous will agree that God is just and holy and true. Vengeance is the LORD’s to take. And the Lord of all the earth will do right. No one can attain eternal life through deeds of righteousness, but only through repentance and faith in Christ Jesus’ life, death, burial and resurrection. Yahweh incarnate is He. All is to the Glory of Jesus Christ to the glory of God the Father.
God does no evil, not as we measure it. Men and angels do. And they will be judged for it. Only in Christ Jesus is their forgiveness and renewal, reconciliation and hope. God is righteousness! And please forgive the presence of Ravi Zacharias in the video, With what we know now it is a bit creepy. It seems that he did not know the Lord. But we are not his final judges. I in no way would recommend listening to anything he says nor did I before the revelation of his indiscretions/sins. Listen to the first part of this Q & A for some answers to consider.
May the God of hope give you joy and peace in believing.
Daniel Pia 10/15/2020
Should We Unhitch the Old Testament from The New Testament? According to Pastor Andy Stanley, the world attacks the Word of God to try to destroy our Faith. He says that we should no longer defend it as our foundation, but the resurrection of Christ and Christianity’s historicity instead. Stanley also, you will notice, strives to use methods that cater to the post modern’s need for evidence. But Jesus Himself chastises people because they refuse to hear His word and demand evidences! Pastor Jeff Durbin of Apologia Church defends the Scriptures and our foundational views in this worthy video. It all takes place on the UK’s Unbelievable! *By the way, we don’t recommend Geisler, NT Wright etc,[mentioned by Stanley] if you want to know the truth 🙂 rather than man’s philosophies.
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The question is, are there woman teachers today that are really teaching the Holy Scripture as it pertains to our role as God intended it to be?
by Mary Pia
I went looking and to my surprise, I didn’t find any woman that I would listen to. In my opinion, the ones I did listen to didn’t have a good understanding of our role as God intended it to be. So I felt I was led to enlighten women in what God has made us for, and intended for our role in this life. I am going to put some scriptures on here to define our role as women as explained in the Word of God.
“The aged women likewise, that they be in behavior as becometh holiness, not false accusers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things; That they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children, To be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed.” [Titus 2:3-5 ]
“Let the woman learn in silence with all subjection. But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence for Adam was first formed, then Eve. And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived was in the transgression. Notwithstanding she shall be saved in childbearing, if they continue in faith and charity and holiness with sobriety.” [1 Timothy 2:11-15]
“Wives, submit to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord. Husbands, love your wives, and do not be harsh with them.” [emphasis mine] [Colossians 3:18-19]
“Likewise, wives, be subject to your own husbands, so that even if some do not obey the word, they may be won without a word by the conduct of their wives, when they see your respectful and pure conduct. Do not let your adorning be external—the braiding of hair and the putting on of gold jewelry, or the clothing you wear— but let your adorning be the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in God’s sight is very precious. For this is how the holy women who hoped in God used to adorn themselves, by submitting to their own husbands.”[1 Peter 3:1-6]
Now this might upset some woman or even prick there hearts. But I’m here to speak the truth.
Now let me explain why I put this scripture here. I want you to understand that women do have a vital role and that the world has at times used these verses to control women and to belittle women. They have taken these out of context purposely.
I am here to tell you that your Father in heaven said these words to keep order in the church, not to say women can’t learn or understand the scripture. I am saying that we are to teach women and young ladies, and to teach his scripture when we can. But we are not allowed to have a church and to teach men in a church. We by God’s law are not to take authority over men by standing in a pulpit teaching them.
To add to what I am understanding from the scripture, we are a vital part of men in the grand scheme of God’s decree. We are not just women, wives, mothers, daughters or sisters. We are the Glory of God when we obey his laws and live the way he created us to live. We inspire our husbands, children and our sisters, and most importantly we glorify our creator the Lord Jesus Christ by living accordingly to his words.
But if we defy him and his word and live by our own decree, and by what the modern world thinks and obviously demands us to do we create chaos and bring havoc in our lives and to the lives of the ones we love. Without Jesus we have what we now see in the world; society not distinguishing between men and women. If that’s not enough, we also lose the blessing and moreover the spiritual relationship with our Lord Jesus Christ that brings joy, peace, love and order.
Mary Pia [9/30/2020]
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The battle between Calvinism & Arminianism, predestination/election vs. free will, etc., is a battle between two views: monergism and synergism- that is a God centered theology vs. a man centered theology- and theology matters. Your theology is what you believe about the word of God, so how can it be man centered without dire consequences. In this and other videos which we post for your prayerful consideration, these issues are well tackled. Before listening, ask the Holy Spirit for guidance. And may all be to the Glory of God the Father through Christ Jesus our Lord.
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The Romans 9 Debate with Leighton Flowers and James White. Reformed Theology vs. The Modern Southern Baptist View
Romans 9:22-24
“What if God, desiring to show his wrath and to make known his power, has endured with much patience vessels of wrath prepared for destruction, 23 in order to make known the riches of his glory for vessels of mercy, which he has prepared beforehand for glory— 24 even us whom he has called, not from the Jews only but also from the Gentiles?” [ESV]
Is this a reference to the elect, Jews and gentiles? Or is it specifically referencing Gentiles, so that the chosen are those that choose Christ? Listen to this debate as its well worth the time…
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Listen to Dr. James White comment on how true reason is knowing that God is Sovereign over all people, all kingdoms and all time. Nebuchadnezzar was sure he was the “reason” that he conquered the known world. His pride and arrogance got the attention of God, so to speak, and in Daniel chapter 4:34,35, we read that The Lord took his reasoning for a time. When it returned, the scripture records this…
“At the end of the days I, Nebuchadnezzar, lifted my eyes to heaven, and my reason returned to me, and I blessed the Most High, and praised and honored him who lives forever, for his dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom endures from generation to generation; all the inhabitants of the earth are accounted as nothing,and he does according to his will among the host of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth; and none can stay his hand or say to him, “What have you done?”
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A High View of Scripture…by Daniel T. Pia
It seems clear that whether in religion or politics, personal matters or public, what you believe about the Bible matters. Let me explain. The Bible is the Word of God. Now Just making that statement will cause many to bristle. I have presuppositions. When I open my Bible I presuppose this: this that I am reading is what God has spoken and inspired his chosen to write. It is authoritative, infallible and the rule of life and faith for all.
Matthew 12:26 “have you not read in the book of Moses,
how in the bush God spoke unto him, saying…”.
InJohn 10:34,35, Jesus said, “Scripture cannot be broken.”
Well over ten times the Gospel writers record Him saying, “Have you not read . . . ?” and thirty times He defended His teaching by saying, “It is written.” He rebuked His listeners for not understanding and believing what he called the Law and the Prophets plainly says.
Over and over the LORD of the universe had a view of the scriptures supremely higher than most. The scriptures themselves testify that they are God-breathed– “theopneustos”, the greek for God-theos, and pneuma, for breath.
Now, you will notice that whenever one departs from this high view of scripture, things go south (or left). Whether in politics, religion etc. It always goes to the left! Immorality gets justified and scripture gets twisted, reinterpreted, taken out of context and abused. Then it is finally dismissed as just the religious musings of men in one way or the other. But how can we say that Christ is our Savior, indeed our God and then claim that he was wrong about what His word is, the nature of His word and the authority of His word?
Finally, all know God’s power and wonder. They all know Christ is King, even the demons-and they shudder. In fact, He is the Word of God! In Him we live and move and have our being. Even those who hate Him can’t take their next breath without His enablement. Every knee will bow and tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the Glory of God the Father. The 66 books of the OT and NT are his Word so graciously given. Repent and believe in the life, death and resurrection of Christ, who is Yahweh [God] in flesh, now- before its too late! All your questions are answered in Holy Writ from our both Merciful and Wrathful God. Merciful to those who turn in faith and repentance, yet wrathful and furious towards those who persist in rebellion and hatred towards Him. For now, His kindness is meant to lead you to repentance.
May the God of hope give you all joy and peace in believing.
D.T.Pia 9-24-2020
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Awesome debate on…Is the New Testament Evil? In this discussion, you’ll find a fascinating debate on issues like: babies in hell, the veracity of the bible, the true basis of morality, Hitler and much more!
White vs Silverman: An Atheist against a Christian. Fantastic debate! Plus a Q & A at the end.
Culture
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DARKNESS FOR LIGHT
If you read the scriptures with a mind set on life and truth, keeping in mind that God is Holy and righteous, you will see that immoral sexual behavior is greatly displeasing to the Lord. If not the most displeasing to Him. For our culture and people to be turning to sexual immorality as identity and a right is the greatest blasphemy ever perpetrated on Christ and His kingdom. I cringe to think of the wrath and outpouring of anger against those who engage in these abominations. From bestiality and sodomy, lesbianism and transgenderism to child molestation, and the age old practice of cheating on our spouses, we as Christians must fight with all our hearts to speak the truth in love.
We see Yahweh over and over likening unfaithfulness to adultery. Its no mistake that such misery in our world is had by sick perversions such as homosexuality. Sodomy, Lesbianism, bestiality and mixing violence with sex. All these things God will judge harshly.
Yet how did we get here? Simply put it is because we have made light of the standard of the truth by which we live. The high view of scripture is brought low. All 66 books of the Protestant Canon is indeed the words of God, yet if we fail to obey Him, we will suffer judgement. I care not if the president or anyone else says I am hating with my words. For if indeed my child whom I love were to constantly endanger herself or himself and I knew surely that certain doom was coming, how can it be said that love dictates silence? NO!!! Instead I must tell of the impending judgement. And certainly, there is ample evidence that those in the LGBTQIA+ community are suffering greatly under the consequences of their sins. Suicide and disease and disfunction- all are destroying them and us.
As said John Macarthur, ” And that is to say, God turns you over to the consequence of the iniquity that you persist in. That’s one of the horrific statements of judgment in the Bible, and you can tell when God is doing that in a society because homosexuality begins to be acceptable and to reign supreme. That is the evidence that a society is under the divine judgment of God for that sin.”
There are myths and lies relating to Gays. Here is the facts as published:
Facts About Homosexuality
Facts About Homosexuality
On June 2, 2000 President Bill Clinton officially declared June to be “Gay and Lesbian Pride Month” (President Barack Obama later expanded the month long celebration to include the bisexual and transgender communities).
In June of 2015 the Supreme Court ruled (5-4) that all States must now recognize Gay marriage.
“One of the supreme tragedies of our time is the declassification of homosexuality as a sin because when you declassify it as a sin, you cut them off from their salvation source…The kindest thing you could ever say to someone engaged in homosexual sin is “It is a sin that will damn you, and it will exclude you from the Kingdom of God forever.” That’s the kindest thing you could say.” -John MacArthur
Five Myths About Homosexuality
- Homosexuality Is Common
- Homosexual Love Is Like Heterosexual Love
- Homosexuals Are Born That Way
- Homosexuality Is Safe (Physically and Mentally)
- Homosexuality Is Safe Spiritually
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- Homosexuality Is Common
On July 15, 2014 the Obama administration released a report titled Sexual Orientation and Health Among U.S. Adults (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention).
- 96.6 % Of American Adults Identify as “Straight”
- 1.6 % Of American Adults Identify as “Gay” or “Lesbian”
- 0.7 % Of American Adults Identify as “Bisexual”
A Gallup Poll from April 24, 2015 yielded this statement: “The total of adults living in the U.S. in a same sex marriage or with a same sex domestic partner is 0.8 %.”
The UCLA Williams Institute Study from 2011 said that a generous estimate of those who would identify themselves as Gay or Lesbian in the World population is under 2 %.
- Homosexual Love is Like Heterosexual Love
- Homosexuals average 8 different sexual partners annually
- 43% of white male homosexuals have 500 partners over their lifetime
- 28% have over 1000 partners in their lifetime.
- 79% admitted that more than half of their partners were complete strangers
- Homosexuals Are Born That Way
Modern research has determined that there is no such thing as the “Gay Gene.” This is easily proven by research done on Identical Twins. Identical twins share the exact same genetic material—one fertilized egg split into two.
- If one genetically identical twin is a homosexual
- And if homosexuality is genetically determined at birth
- Then the identical twins would both be homosexuals (because they share the exact same genetic material)
“Identical twins have identical genes. If homosexuality was a biological condition produced inescapably by the genes, like eye color, then if one identical twin was homosexual, in 100% of the cases his brother would be too but we know that only about 38% of the time is the identical twin brother homosexual…This conclusion has been well known in the scientific community for a few decades but it has not reached the public. The public increasingly believes the opposite.” Neil Whitehead, PhD, “The Importance Of Twin Studies”, NARTH, April 20, 2006
“There is no consensus among scientists about the exact reasons that an individual develops a heterosexual, bisexual, gay or lesbian orientation. Although much research has examined the possible genetic, hormonal, developmental, social and cultural influences on sexual orientation, no findings have emerged that permit scientists to conclude that sexual orientation is determined by any particular factor or factors.” -American Psychological Association (Website)
“There is no such thing as a ‘gay gene’ and there is no evidence to support the idea that homosexuality is simply genetic. Numerous examples exist of people who have successfully modified their sexual behavior.” National Association Of Research And Therapy Of Homosexuals
This is a culmination of studies, research, science…it can be cross referenced…intellectual integrity requires that we admit that homosexuality is not genetically fixed.
So why would they lie? They have a social goal that they want to accomplish by any means possible. They don’t want you to see this.
There are states that have outlawed counseling ministries that help people transition out of the gay lifestyle. “Gay Conversion Therapy” was outlawed by Governor Jerry Brown in CA in 2012. These are bully tactics. Anyone who tries to oppose gay pride is threatened. See threatening letter below from ACLU to our own Heber City Council regarding the placement of Rainbow flags on Main Street in Heber.
Christians! Tell the truth, preach the Gospel of Christ Jesus and warn people from this lie and terrible sin. God will judge!
“For this reason God gave them over to degrading passions; for their women exchanged the natural function for that which is unnatural, 27 and in the same way also the men abandoned the natural function of the woman and burned in their desire toward one another, men with men committing indecent acts and receiving in their own persons the due penalty of their error.
28 And just as they did not see fit to acknowledge God any longer, God gave them over to a depraved mind, to do those things which are not proper, 29 being filled with all unrighteousness, wickedness, greed, evil; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, malice; they are gossips, 30 slanderers, haters of God, insolent, arrogant, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, 31 without understanding, untrustworthy, unloving, unmerciful; 32 and although they know the ordinance of God, that those who practice such things are worthy of death, they not only do the same, but also give hearty approval to those who practice them. Romans 1:26-32
DOES THE BIBLE CONDONE SLAVERY?? IS THE BIBLE OUTDATED- THAT IS BUSTED?! ANSWERING YOUR 10 HARDEST QUESTIONS
When it comes to Homosexuality, I’ve often been the receptor of this strange quip: “Doesn’t the Law (referring to the Old Testament Law) that says homosexuality is a sin, also say eating shellfish is a sin?” Or In regards to slavery, I’ll get this one, “Doesn’t the Bible also say you can own slaves and beat them mercilessly?” or even this ridiculous trope, “The Chattel slave traders used the Bible to argue for slave ownership too, so don’t tell me I can’t be Gay, cause in doing so you’re being just like them-you bigot!” The problem with all of the questions and statements are that they are based on faulty assumptions about what the Word of God is actually saying. Instead of Writing a long article I will post a great little video provided by ReformedWiki2.0. I am not affiliated with them nor they with me and I do not necessarily agree with everything they say and the way they say it. But it’s well worth your time as it demonstrates how there are well reasoned answers for all these tough questions. Thanks to all that put the video together. Here are 10 of the hardest questions about the Bible!!!
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Are Homosexuals An Abomination? A refutation of 1946 The Movie
In the book of Romans , chapter 1, 2000 years ago, the God who made this world inspired the apostle Paul to tell us that He has a way of dealing with people and nations who hate him. Starting in verse 24 it says:
24 Therefore God gave them over in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, so that their bodies would be dishonored among them. 25 For they exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.
26 For this reason God gave them over to degrading passions; for their women exchanged the natural function for that which is unnatural, 27 and in the same way also the men abandoned the natural function of the woman and burned in their desire toward one another, men with men committing indecent acts and receiving in their own persons the due penalty of their error. Romans 1:24-27
And they say the Bible doesn’t condemn homosexuality! Indeed it does and God has turned them over. This, in the Greek, is a judicial term. Like when a criminal is handed over to the authorities. You can clearly see over the course of the last few decades that if not the world, our own country, has gone from polyamory (multiple partners & sex outside of marriage) to varied perversions and now to even gender confusion. All of this will go further, mark my words-Pedophilia and worse.
The movie 1946 seeks to make the case that the 1946 version of the RSV of the Bible took the Greek terms μαλακοὶ and ἀρσενοκοῖται in 1 Corinthians 6:9 and supposedly mistranslated it “Homosexuals”, thereby making being gay a terrible sin when it really isn’t and from then on causing great pain and duress to all those who are same sex attracted. They say in the film that the term “Homosexual” is used as a “sacred weapon” and imply that it has spawned hate. By the way, if you hate someone because of the way they sin, that’s not right. The Lord says that hatred is a terrible sin.
The gentlemen narrating the trailer of 1946 says he loves God so much, and that he being taught that being a homosexual is an abomination to God made him feel like he should maybe rid the planet of himself! There are a great many errors in all these statements and assertions and expressions of emotional fervor.
1st, If you really love God, you love what he loves and hate what he hates. Being sexually immoral and saying you love God is like a man cheating on his wife and saying he loves her at the same time. The wife wouldn’t put up with it and God isn’t either. As I will prove in the following video, God’s law is an expression of His holiness and love it’s apparent and clear as a bell that in Leviticus 18 and 20, the Lord says that a man should not lie with a man as he does with a woman.
You shall not lie with a male as one lies with a female; it is an abomination. 23
Leviticus 18:23
If there is a man who lies with a male as those who lie with a woman, both of them have committed a detestable act; they shall surely be put to death. Their bloodguiltiness is upon them Leviticus 20:13
So I could list many other verses. But I will go with these two. Go and look at the context. Do the proper exegesis. God is referring to sex in both cases. So trying to squirm out of it that way won’t work. Now in the 1st century when the Apostle Paul wrote Romans, they had access to and used the LXX, that is the Septuagint. It’s the Kione Greek version of the Old Testament. Remember that in the trailer and or the 1946 movie, they assert that malakoi and arsenokoitai were mistakenly translated as “homosexuals”. Liberal and heretical scholars alike all try to say that both in 1 Corinthians 6 and elsewhere Paul is not condemning homosexual behavior. Yet the issue is whether Yahweh, the LORD, and Jesus Christ our Savior and God condemns it or not…isn’t it? The bible is His word!!
Quickly let me let you in on something. You’ll notice in some translations, it’ll say something like, homosexuals and the effeminate.
The NASB has…
Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, (μαλακοὶ) nor homosexuals, (ἀρσενοκοῖται). 1 Corinthians 6:9
The ESV has
Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, (lumping both terms into one)
1 Corinthians 6:9
Herein lies some interesting issues. Nothing nefarious, as the wicked left wants you to believe. Think of prison today. Without getting graphic, the Greeks had this idea that the man doing the deed, so to speak was not doing anything wrong on the other man, but the man getting the deed done to him was. Just like in prisons today, there is a lot of men that feel that it’s okay to “do the deed” on another man and still retain your manhood. That is, not be sinning. This was well known and we have evidence to this. Paul was condemning all of it. He said both the aggressive man and the passive man was sinning.
Secondly, leviticus 18 in the Greek says this, and here’s the proof you won’t see the LGBTQ community and others showing you. In regards to Leviticus 18:22
22 ‘You shall not lie with a male as one lies with a female; it is an abomination.
Here it is in the Greek, which the Apostle Paul had…
καὶ μετὰ ἄρσενος οὐ κοιμηθήσῃ κοίτην γυναικός βδέλυγμα γάρ ἐστιν Leviticus 18:22 LXX
Notice the bold part. For those who don’t read greek. Its ARSENOS KOITEN. The same word in 1 Corinthians 6:9 That is Male Sex!!! Paul just apparently put the words together and coined the term! Now look at Leviticus 20, they’re right next to each other.
If there is a man who lies with a male as those who lie with a woman, both of them have committed a detestable act; they shall surely be put to death. Their bloodguiltiness is upon them. 1 Leviticus 20:13-14
καὶ ὃς ἂν κοιμηθῇ μετὰ ἄρσενος κοίτην γυναικός βδέλυγμα ἐποίησαν ἀμφότεροι θανατούσθωσαν ἔνοχοί εἰσιν Leviticus 20:13-14 LXX
In 1 Corinthians 6:9 Pauls says this in the greek, which your bibles are translated from…
9 “Or οὐκ do not οἴδατε you know ὅτι that ἄδικοι the unrighteous θεοῦ of God βασιλείαν the kingdom οὐ not κληρονομήσουσιν will inherit μὴ Do not πλανᾶσθε be deceived οὔτε neither πόρνοι fornicators οὔτε nor εἰδωλολάτραι idolaters οὔτε nor μοιχοὶ adulterers οὔτε nor μαλακοὶ effeminate οὔτε nor ἀρσενοκοῖται homosexuals
Malakoi μαλακοὶ may be in dispute as to what “soft” means in relation to homosexual behaviour means. But really, give me a break, I think we all get it. But ἀρσενοκοῖται , arsenokoitai is clearly from the law. The word is a compound greek word from the LXX-Septuagint clearly derived from God’s clear commands condemning Same sex activity.
And that’s just the beginning. Jesus addressed this when he says that God made us male and female. in the Hebrew, Ish (man) and Ishah, (woman) so God took the woman out of the man and for this reason a man leaves his mother and father and cleaves to his wife and the two become one flesh. Matthew 19:4,5 Genesis 2:24 Much insight is in these verses. In the scriptures it speaks of the male and female counterpart relationship. They are like two side of a building. They are like the left and the right hand. A key and a lock. LGBTQ is blasphemy against the Loving God who made us and spitting in the face of Christ Jesus and His church-His bride. Ephesians 5:31
Daniel Pia 5/21/2021
Jezabal, Kamela Harris and Tom Buck-Stand for Christ!
From the Baptist Global News:
The original Jezebel was a ninth century BCE character who features prominently in the Hebrew Scriptures in the books of Kings. She was married to King Ahab, who ruled the kingdom of Israel, and killed the Hebrew prophets and opened the worship of idols. Because of her evil deeds, Encyclopedia Britannica notes, “she has come to be known as an archetype of the wicked woman.”

Buck’s original tweet was condemned by another SBC pastor in Texas, Dwight McKissic, who has been leading the charge against the seminary presidents’ statement and other racist legacies within the SBC.
While explaining that he considers Buck a friend, McKissic took extreme exception to this particular statement in a series of tweets over several days. Among those: “I find his comment regarding Madam Vice President Kamala Harris extremely un-Christ like, unjustifiable & inconsistent with how he’s treated other female public figures. To refer to the Madam Vice President in any context as ‘Jezebel’ is simply unwarranted & disrespectful & extremely harmful to the image of Southern Baptists, when this label emanates from the heart & mouth of an SBC pastor. Consequently, I choose not to engage in any further fellowship with Tom Buck.”
I’ve purposefully waited for awhile to address this issue until having a wide view. As many know, Pastor and Dr. Tom Buck, a very godly and reformed, that is one who holds orthodox and consistent biblical worldviews in private practice it seems, made a statement on Twitter in response to Christians and others, NOT addressed to Vice President Kamela Harris, saying “I can’t imagine any truly God-fearing Israelite who would’ve wanted their daughters to view Jezebel as an inspirational role model because she was a woman in power.”
Now that quote was brought directly from the Baptist News Global. In that article they assume that Tom is using a racist trope. They insist he is racist and misogynistic. Here’s a direct quote from their article. These are supposed to be Christians mind you!
“His tweet came in the midst of women across the nation celebrating Harris as a role model for their daughters to believe they, too, could ascend to the top tier of elected leadership in America.
Buck’s tweet drew immediate and harsh response — especially from women and persons of color. Despite that, the next day he doubled down: “For those torn up over my tweet, I stand by it 100%. My problem is her godless character. She not only is the most radical pro-abortion VP ever, but also most radical LGBT advocate. She performed one of the first Lesbian ‘marriages.’ Pray for her, but don’t praise her!””
So, consider as well that no one tried to talk to Pastor Buck to ask him what his intentions were. It’s clear that If you are white, you can’t possibly mean what you say, make determinations based on biblical worldviews, Godly moral standards and even think like Jesus! Jesus Himself called a woman like Kamela Harris, who promoted sexual immorality of gross kind and was swaying the church a Jezebal. Yet It seems the world and even Christians (so called) think it good to elevate as an example to our daughters, a godless evil woman simply because she’s black and a woman in power. This is exactly what Tom Buck was saying we shouldn’t do!
At this point what’s usually said is, “What about Trump?” You support Trump and he has all kinds of character flaws”. Firstly, Trump has nothing to do with this issue being addressed. But I believe this is brought up because there is a worldview disconnect or error amongst Christians and others as well. The evaluation of leaders using biblical values must lead to sound judgement. Trump has his flaws and still does. But Since no one is perfect, and unless one requires certain contrivances, like the president must be a Baptist, a born again believer, or this or that, we must choose between candidates based on what we perceive are going to be the results of their governing. Let me break this down. Trump’s character will persuade some to fall in immorality, yes. Biden’s and Harris’s immorality being woafully greater will do so even more. This is based on biblical law. Both candidates past actions and stated intentions for the future. One can say all day that it is more important for a black woman to be in power, yet God says that murder (abortion), sexual immorality (her promotion of it) and that being forced upon the church and the populace and even into the minds of us all is the greater evil. If the church does not stand for truth and resist evil we are sinning.
Now that Trump is not in office, the issue is that the church and the country as a whole is swallowing Critical Race Theory, CRT, LGBTQ agendas and Marxism. All of which Harris and Biden not only believe in but intend to make law. We will all be destroyed in the biblical sense if we do not resist by stating what is true and doing what Tom Buck did and more. Not by taking up the sword of steel but the sword of the truth-the Word of God and the gospel.
Finally, we are all one in Christ Jesus, all one race. We are the human race. I’ve seen Coca Cola saying this is micro aggression! That whites are racist when we say we are not. But Man is not my authority. Christ Jesus is the final authority in Heaven and on earth. The gospel of Christ is the answer for all ills and truly saves. All lives matter. We must all preserve and defend the true gospel of Christ. There is no distinction. There is nether Jew, nor greek, nor slave nor free, no ethnicities- all has been made equal before our exalted Savior, Christ Jesus.
Stated plainly, what is wrong with CRT? It says that African Americans have been offended, “whites” are the offenders. It goes so far as to section all society into groups of the powerful and the powerless. This is the essence of it. It then brings in the government to “fix” the problem. Whether you are a hater of this group or not, you are part of that group of privilege and power.
Problem here is it doesn’t take into account my experience. It’s self refuting. First what is white? It seems plain to you but for me I can’t change it. I’ve struggled all my life. Never rich, always struggling, beaten up many times by, you guessed it, other races. Shall I grow up and forgive or shall I demand that every person that bears the color of the person that offended me repent? This whole country has become a deeply emotional group of offended ones. A cop kills a black person and then thousands are killed and looted and destroyed. The government says its ok, we need to understand. They foment violence and hatred. One race says they cannot be racist. Yet that’s the surest way to ensure they commit that sin!
On the other hand, Christ Jesus plainly reveals that all sin is ultimately commited against Him. David murdered Bathsheeba’s husband, committed adultery and more. He says, “Against you and you only have sinned, and done what is evil in your sight”. Every sin is against God. When one repents and turns away from unrighteousness and believes in the atoning death of Christ, We can no longer hold and keep demanding repentance from past sins-that person has been made righteous forensically in God’s sight. God has forgiven, who are we to put ourselves as judges above God?
As usual, every ill and every societal problem is rooted in our epistemology in regards to the Nature of God and the nature of man. So that with the LGBTQ perversions and CRT agendas, you see along with it a fundamental hatred for Christ and his church. If the church will stay in their “lane” just doing good things for people, the world will love us. But if we step out of line and start speaking the truth, saying that Christ is the King of Kings, the only way to eternal life and the truth, its then we get persecuted!
Yes, finally, I’ll say that God is love, but He remains in contempt for those who hate Him, and will judge. I being one who loves Him and therefore loves others, must warn the world of the coming judgement. Unless one repents and stops sinning and hating the truth about God, especially Christ Jesus, Hell awaits. That inludes Kamela Harris- that Jezebal! (Jezabal is a name that bears reference to the wife of King Ahab that was leading Israel to sin, and Ref Revelation 2:20)
Daniel Pia
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Marriage, Sexuality, and the LGBTQ error
In this video I discuss Matthew 19, Genesis 2 and how Jesus clearly defines marriage, sexuality and how dishonoring LGBTQ+ behavior and thinking is. It is not new. God has expressly forbid such behavior and there is a reason why He has done so. On the flip side, marriage between one man and one woman is a great blessing and gift given to us. It represents Christ and His church. Ephesians 5:32
In the following debate/discussion, Dr. Robert Gagnon debating with those who hold to views contrary to Christ our Lord discuss sexuality, the Bible and the LGBTQ fundamental error. What I found most interesting is how clear and pressing the scripture is, how clear and commanding Christ is and was in defining sexuality and marriage. Yet in the question and answer session you can hear people asking and insisting about “different ways of reading the scripture”. Openly “gay Christians”, a contradiction in terms, were unable to understand what’s wrong with their long term monogamous relationships with the same sex. For those who are looking for clear and compelling insight and understanding to equip oneself to give an apologetic for the hope within, this is a great one to watch.
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PRAVDA!
Its means TRUTH, Pravda. Yet everyone, or most, in Russia knew that the very name of that city, truth, was a sham. The lies and propaganda in that very place was opposite to the name. And now our great country has chosen to engage in the same sort of deceit. We are told over and over that one thing is actually something else.
So last year throngs of angry people were looting and killing and setting fires. They were damaging property and attacking police stations and other federal building and worse and yet the government and news outlets were telling us they were peaceful “protestors”. Yet now when the election was almost certainly stolen and at the least these allegations being so very treasonous should be addressed and should be investigated- now a group of “protestors” storming the capitol, is a very serious insurrection of aggregious proposrtions? Yeh and only because they all hate Trump and anything that doesnt fit their narrative of lies.
We are being lied to. One thing is something else and something else is one thing. The very president is being censured as are many others and the real treason is plain. The real lies are being told by servants of Satan, he is the liar. Transgenderism, pandemic panic, and every form of immorality that twists the laws of God to turn hatred of God into a fad, even worse into a requirement -that is the real treason. Christ Jesus is King & if we don’t realize what the real truth is we will stumble and fall.
This country like all other countries in all other ages in times past and present cannot stand on lies. Let the reader beware. This isn’t just a religious issue. A people unaware of history will repeat its mistakes. Socialism, communism and the like has never worked. Sure it works to kill steal and destroy, but not to the benefit of anything good and righteous and beneficial to the prosperity and longevity of a nation.
I say again, this is not an insurrection of treasonous nature. If the election was stolen and if the people want Trump to be president, then that changes everything. If we think its okay to kill steal and destroy because a couple cops killed a man, but not because of high treason in regards to the freedom of a Nation that will result in millions of deaths, something is terribly wrong with us. But I will take no violent action against anyone. I will use my folded hands in prayer and my words to wage war.
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COVID-The Marraige of Science & Politics
I heard a major in biology who has multiple degrees, in fact more than one Phd talking about the current trend in thinking about Covid, vaccines and the like, how sinister and deceptive is the marriage of science and politics. I’m trying to be level headed. I want to love my neighbor, and I most certainly do. Of course no one loves perfectly. But we should strive to love God and our neighbor perfectly, for it is the summation of the law of God.
So back to Covid, what amounts to a virus that according to CDC published facts, has taken no more lives than was expected this year had Covid not hit than last year-Yes it’s true, shocking as that may sound. I can back everything up I am saying, I was shocked and continue to be by all that we, I,am told by news outlets, governments, etc. Then I click on the supporting links, studies and find published studies and results that in many cases say the opposite of what I or we are being told. So in support of what I just said, the expected deaths for this year for instance say heart disease and suicide and car accidents and so on went down by almost exactly the same amount as the number of Covid cases! So are people dying of Covid?
Well yes of course, but not anywhere near as many as we are being told. And masks are not anywhere near the protective force they are made out to be. Many studies show the opposite. But when people try to post these studies they are censored. So I will leave it to you to find these things out for yourself.
https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/deaths.htm
Then you have this study showing even the most extreme lockdowns won’t stop the spread.
The solution should not be worse than the problem itself. But that has been the pitch all along. The narrative has been false and all for the increased power of governments, for political power and all to the detriment of the common people.
Now we have a vaccine that is using genetic alteration, CRISPR and was made by detroying fetuses (BABIES). Normally vaccines take years to develop and test because they can have serious repercussions. We already know that they can make people very sick. All of this to stop something that is innocuous! Yes! INNOCUOUS! You’ve been told it’s the end of the world but it’s not. We’ve had the flu killing young and old alike for years and we haven’t shut down the economy and our churches and installed draconian practices and brought in mass purposeful societal suffering before, why are we doing this now? You know why, don’t you?
Censorship and plots have brought in a rebellion against the tenants that made this country great. As John Adams once said, “Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other.” It seems that ungodly people are trying to steal this election, and in so doing steal this nation, to persuade it for evil, not good…
We at Bridegroom Ministries have no qualms about Preaching the Truth. The saving grace of Christ Jesus is the answer to all Chaos, not the foolishness of men and their doctrines. The Word of God is sufficient for all life and godliness. Postmodern ideals are repeats of past sinful rebellions against God and His gracious Law:
Watch Dr. James White on Social Justice, Christians and their perversion of the gospel, racist attitudes, and more. This is a must watch, for Social Justice as it is promoted today is not justice at all. Surely God is just, but to claim that one’s views are just socially, yet have a view and policy that is unjust at the same time is to pervert the justice of God. This a fundamental point. Words are being slung about in this world in such a way as to deceive. For instance, one will say that Black Lives Matter. So another will say certainly I agree. A whole movement is formed from this motto. Yet if one examines the written precepts of the BLM platform, one finds the push for LGBTQ rights. Social Justice is inherently Marxist. Why? Because is patterns it’s thinking after the idea that society is grouped into power structures. This Hegemony is then blamed for all ills and the solution is a socialist and/or communist agenda. Communism has never worked. Why? Because as the Lord has clearly said, “all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God”. People are sinful and communism will oppress the people, ending in an oppression and stripping of freedom. There is much more to all of this as discussed in the following video…
**Bulletin** updated (since I got a little slack)
I Love Dr. John Piper, but This time he’s Wrong and Dangerously So!
John Piper wrote an article entitled “Policies, Persons, and Paths to Ruin”, on October 22, 2020. I was shocked, saddened and just plain afraid for all that would be influenced by the utter lack of sense that came from his pen. I am shocked because there are few on earth that have more of my respect and admiration than John Piper. It makes no sense to me that a man of his discernment would miss the mark so abhorrently.
In his article, he strongly implied that Trump’s pride, vulgarity and immorality were more damaging to the nation than the Democratic policies, bad judges and bad laws that Biden/Harris would usher in. Consider this quote from the article:
“I find it bewildering that Christians can be so sure that greater damage will be done by bad judges, bad laws, and bad policies than is being done by the culture-infecting spread of the gangrene of sinful self-exaltation, and boasting, and strife-stirring (eristikos).“
“How do they know this? Seriously! Where do they get the sure knowledge that judges, laws, and policies are less destructive than boastful factiousness in high places?“
Is he saying that Donald J. Trump’s pride, and factiousness is what is the main cause of all the ungodliness we see around us? This is just a couple of quotes. Consider this quote:
“I think Roe is an evil decision. I think Planned Parenthood is a code name for baby-killing and (historically at least) ethnic cleansing. And I think it is baffling and presumptuous to assume that pro-abortion policies kill more people than a culture-saturating, pro-self pride.”
So he thinks that Trumps character flaws are killing more people, causing more immorality and the like than bad judges, which the scriptures plainly outline as corrupting, bad laws, and the democratic platform and policies of abortion, sexual freedom in the form of homosexuality, transgenderism, profaning marriage and taking our freedom of religion? So if, and I mean let’s just assume for a second that Biden is a fine moral man, yet he plainly says that 8 year old boys should have the freedom to get hormones and drugs to become girls despite their parents objections! Harris, who is, but let’s say she isn’t as prideful as Trump, but has clearly backed destructive laws and policies (EQUALITY ACT) like the BLM movement, which teaches our children that they should decide for themselves whether they are boys, girls or merman!, Yet Piper is baffled that we presume this is more damaging than one man’s pride!
Be sure my friends, we aren’t at all compromising our faith if we decide to vote for Trump. Because it’s a vote against the Romans 1 platform of Biden/Harris! If you decide not to vote then I can understand that. But to make such egregious category errors as Piper has and ascribe what Christian voters for Trump are doing as some type of support for an “Evil King” is simply below the standard Piper has set for himself and frankly below the standard Christ Jesus has set for him. Or so I believe.
I wrote an article concerning Christian Worldview recently addressing this very issue.
What Piper is missing is that this is a worldview issue. One man’s sins is not what is so damaging. It is the worldview of millions that is destroying this country and indeed the world. And the worldview of the Biden/Harris ticket is so plainly perverse in contrast to Trump/Pence that evangelicals as well as others have made their decision. It’s not a decision, I believe, so much to back the person of Trump, but the worldview.
So when we are all in gulags, not allowed to worship, fined, or imprisoned for preaching the truth, attacked and looted, unable to get justice as our founders intended and trapped within some weird socialist utopia, John Piper and all those like him can proudly tell their children that we at least put our foot down when it came to a prideful president. I hope not.
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COUNTER CULTURE by Daniel Pia
Some have asked why we put these things on our Front Page or anywhere on a website devoted to Christ and His teachings. Are we Republicans? Are we mixing politics with religion? NO!! Trump, republicans and those in politics are people with a sin nature like the rest of us and I don’t think for a moment that they aren’t as sly and obstinate as any. BUT…Within the next few days, I will post a series of videos entitled “A Romans 1 World”.
Addressing our culture is necessary and even required as disciples of Christ. Why? Because IF Christ is our LORD then the lens with which we view all things should be through the Word of the Lord; hearts changed by the transforming of our minds.
Politics has changed, indeed the Democratic platform has changed. Its changed from being simply different from others to being inherently wicked, immoral and demonstrably so. Do your homework! Look and see. Abortion, homosexuality, sexual freedom, totalitarianism, laws that take our freedom, anti Christian laws, even more, all this written down and promoted by those in power with a big D in front of their names.
May God have mercy on us! Our ministry is not Republican. We are not Political. we are Not flag-wavers. Never would I pledge allegiance to the flag in church or anywhere else. But unlike the last 200 plus years, the Left, Democrats, BLM and like organizations, in so many cases are not just political, but rebellious, ungodly people who hate God and others and have found that killing, looting, burning and threatening others is justified. Embracing all that God condemns in the scripture.
In one case, a man committed suicide and many were glad, mocking his death- all because he was attacked for just being white and defending himself. In that case he was vindicated of manslaughter yet unjust lynch mob tactics drove him to end his life. It seems he wasn’t doing anything racist. He was just guilty of being white and nowadays, we’re being told that being racist isn’t a matter of the heart, and deed, but a matter of what group and color you belong to. Normally I’d stay of out of it all, but my fellow brothers and sisters are being attacked and murdered-black and white, indeed of all ethnicities. When a White man, cop or whatever hurts a black man it is assumed it is racism, and hundreds are murdered in retaliation. It is justified in these ungodly peoples minds. But in the following video, and there’s hundreds of cases where this kind of black on white crime takes place, you don’t see thousands of “whites” taking to the streets in violence. The white racist organizations are just as despicable in my opinion, and the ones that are violent should be condemned as well. KKK, David Duke and like- REPENT! And yes, I’ve seen with my own eyes videos of Trump firmly disavowing white racist organizations too.
So, right or wrong, whatever side your on, God’s law addresses these issues and many are in rebellion to it…
This next video addresses the threats of violence if Justice Ginsburg is replaced. The video after addresses Woke theology and Black racism. Are you willing to listen? A reasonable and wise man or woman listens to both sides and considers their value.
Yes, Its true, we all know what racism is, if you hate someone because of their color, you’re a racist! So let’s all think clearly and consistently. All should walk in the way of the LORD. God has addressed everything in His word and to fear man and his ideology instead, swallowing whole Social Justice (which isn’t justice at all) is cowardly and Marxist at it’s core.
Dr. James White on Social Justice, Christians and their perversion of the gospel towards their racist attitudes, and more.
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100’s of Christians gather to sing hymns of praise- some arrested at the City Council according to our 1st Amendment of the US Constitution. We have right to grievences. Yet more than once BLM protestors gathered there not near as peacefully and not social distancing. They gather at politician’s homes and threaten them. Yet lawful and religious activities are thwarted and Christians are arrested. BLM protestors are not. Why? Its clear as far as I am concerned. They, the BLM protestors are violent, they threaten, they intimidate, they loot, burn, shout, slander, and even murder others and feel they are justified in doing so.
So you may say, that’s just not true! Or this or that. But look at the facts! See the videos, see the violence, the racism against all but blacks, the burning buildings, the rising murder rates, the videos of police officers sitting in their cars doing nothing wrong and getting shot; they are mothers and fathers. I am told I am a racist because I am white. Not based on whether I actually hate a person based on their race but whether I am part of a group. Then I am told that because the government says so, I cannot stand within 6 feet of my friend or family, and I must wear a mask. But these rules don’t apply to the revolutionary.
I’m clear now, I see the war coming-it’s here. I’ve read the articles, seen the videos, heard the calls for violence. From Nancy Peloski, 4th from the presidency to the gangs on the street, its clear that I am in danger. I love all people of all races and all tribes. However, I will protect my family, live righteously and above all, SERVE MY GOD.
Joshua 24:15
“And if it seem evil unto you to serve the Lord, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.“
So go ahead all you people. Red, white, black or whatever. Makes no difference to me. What matters is the God you serve. I will love you as I do myself. If I find you in a ditch, I will bind your wounds and help you. But make no mistake. I will obey God rather than men. I will serve no other God than Jesus Christ!
Daniel Pia 9/28/2020
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The Cross Before The Flag-Our Sovereign Savior Before Our Sovereign Nation
Too often, especially at this time of elections, a Christian will boldly speak of his/her politics. With zeal will one proudly proclaim support for a candidate, like Trump or Biden, wearing hats and planting flags in the yard. But when it comes to The great Prophet, Priest and King of Kings, Jesus Christ, Savior of one’s own soul, suddenly the reason for meekness is because its too controversial. Listen to Dr. Michael Brown explain why of all we should be boldly proclaiming Him who loved us before the Nation We Love!
By the way, videos we put up have been taken down by Youtube! Nothing in these videos has pornography, cursing or anything foul, but instead a message and a worldview that is now unacceptable to social media.
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Do Black Lives Matter? Yes. ALL LIVES MATTER! And we as the people of God know why. Because we are made by Christ, for Christ, all to the Glory of God the Father. The current BLM movement/organization is Marxist as well as immoral, ie., in league with the LGBT agenda and more. It’s well worth reading this article with videos…
Voddie Baucham, pastor at Grace Family Baptist Church in Texas now serving as the Dean of Theology at African Christian University in Zambia
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In this message from Dr. Baucham, the insidious evil of marxism is addressed for what it is-wickedness.
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Corona Virus & Totalitarian Governments
Covid-19 has been the opportunity of governments and those in power to rule over us to our detriment. Both in The United States and in other countries, totalitarian rule has been the result. Romans 13 tells us that government has the responsibility of enforcing law and keeping people safe. Instead what we are seeing is at the least, an over reaction that results in laws that force people to stay at home, disallow public worship/gatherings, forcible face diapers and communistic style quarantines. Whether or not these measures save lives or destroy them doesn’t seem to matter to the authorities! Facts, science and demonstrable positions are discounted as unloving and even illegal.
John Macarthur of Grace Community Church in Sun Valley, CA., has been threatened by LA county and the courts with fines and imprisonment if he and his 7000 member church does not stop meeting together, singing, and worshipping the Lord Jesus Christ! See this video…
Woops, go figure, the video was censored!
In Australia a pregnant woman who was breathless and resting was threatened with arrest if she didn’t move along immediately! The stories go on and on. Women and children maced for not masking up. Governments openly vowing to track those who do not adhere to draconian policies. Suicides, divorces, abuse, indeed human suffering is the result of a pandemic that is barely more deadly than the seasonal flu. Bottom line is we must pray to our God for mercy in this time of pestilence and judgement. Christians must stand for what is right. We must obey God rather than men!
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May God have mercy on us! The Left, Democrats, BLM, whatever you want to call it; in so many cases its not just politics, its rebellious, ungodly people who hate God and others and have found that killing, looting, burning and threatening others is justified. In one case, included in the following video, a man committed suicide and many were glad- all because he was attacked for being white and defended himself. He was vindicated of manslaughter yet unjust lynch mob tactics drove him to end his life. Right or wrong, whatever side your on, God’s law addresses these issues and many are in rebellion to it…
SHOULD YOUR FAITH IN CHRIST JESUS INFLUENCE HOW YOU VOTE THIS NOVEMBER? HOW COULD IT NOT?
Romans 1 mandates God’s law and His wrath against the people and nation that disobey it, and the Democratic platform advocates sexual freedom in the form of sex outside of marriage, homosexuality, abortion, and a clear Communist/Marxist agenda-even more. How could any Christian vote Democratic? [We are not saying you should vote for Trump either] We should vote if we are, based upon our convictions. Be men and women of the times, as the Bible tells us. That means being aware of what is happening, and asking yourself this question, “what does the LORD think”? Are your Spirit-led virtues leading you? Is your worldview based on God’s worldview? In this video, among other issues, President Trump calls Pastor John Macarthur to congratulate him for the stand he has taken, both him and his 7000 member congregation, in refusing to follow government orders to NOT MEET TOGETHER! Yes! Here in America, we are told that we cannot worship, sing, fellowship and such because it may spread the Covid-19 virus. But while many may feel the narrative is reasonable, the narrative that the pandemic is so deadly that isolation is nec-cessary, indeed required- and fellowship, the economy and personal liberty is to be sacrificed so that .02 % may be preserved, the US constitution says differently. Look at what is happening. Divorce, abuse, suicide, homelessness, and so much more…
Here’s just a quick review or excerpt from a study on the study from Stanford University
“Brooks et al.1 conducted a review of studies
examining the effects of quarantine measures and identified several psychological impacts that include posttraumatic stress symptoms, confusion, and anger with longer quarantine duration, infection fears, frustration,
boredom, inadequate supplies, inadequate information, financial loss, and stigma contributing to psychological
stress. In addition, the Center for Disease Control (CDC)2 warns about feelings of guilt that may be associated with
not performing work or parenting duties. In this study, we examine the potential impact on USA and worldwide
suicide rates using estimates from existing research and public data, focusing on two factors which have estimates of
the initial impact of the pandemic and are also known to increase risk for suicide – social isolation/loneliness and
unemployment.
The adverse conditions precipitated by the effects of the pandemic as well as the social distancing measures threaten
positive self-evaluations among the entire population of the world in multiple ways, including the disruption of
esteem-supporting relationships (e.g., with co-workers, teachers, friends, neighbors). After disaster, adverse
conditions for positive self-evaluation exist and the context in which many individuals find themselves are thwarting
the use of strategies to maintain positive self-evaluations3,4. This may be particularly true for disadvantaged
communities and families, and in those whose identities rely on work or performance5
. In terms of social
relatedness, the social distancing measures are seriously disrupting social ties and one’s ability to access not only his
or her extended community, but with family members as well. Indeed, loneliness and related mental health impacts
are a very common outcome of social distancing measures1
. For example, Reynolds et al.6 found that loneliness was
reported in 38·5% (95% CI 35·5–41·5) and social isolation in 60·6% (95% CI 57·6 – 63·6) of a large sample
(n=1,057) of individuals quarantined during the 2003 severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) outbreak in
Canada.
In addition to social isolation, US jobless claims exceeded 3,200,000 on March 21, 2020 according to the US
Department of Labor7
, which was over 3 million more newly unemployed for each of the two prior weeks as well as
the same week one year ago. This number jumped to well over 6 million on April 2nd 7
. According to International
Labour Organization8 estimates the pandemic could result in 24·7 million jobs lost worldwide. Their analysis
indicates that this may be a worst-case scenario for global unemployment with estimates of a “low” unemployment
scenario of 5·3 million (already surpassed by the US alone) and “mid” scenario of 13 million jobs lost 8
. Supporting
relationships at the family, neighborhood, church, school, and work have been interrupted – threatening the amount
or the stability of contact with social ties, financial resources, and a sense of meaning 3,4,5
. Reasoning from these
considerations on social isolation and employment loss, there is a need to examine the potential for these effects to
impact the overall death rate via suicide. Using two well established factors associated with suicide, namely social
isolation and unemployment, allows for a somewhat conservative estimate of one of the most severe mental health
impacts.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO) 8
, suicide
Seems obvious that we would all understand that this supposed pandemic is being used as a power play. And the cure is worse than the illness-so to speak.
The flu every year kills more in various ways, younger and more viable people and to allow ourselves to be dictated to as if we are sheep and not lions is frankly, shocking.
I have a family. I have a wife and I will do what my Savior calls me to. I will care for them, and glorify my God in the process. To live in some strange bewildered, post apocalyptic society that keeps demanding I lie to myself and others about almost everything is absurd.
So the point is to tell the truth about everything. Preach the gospel of Christ. Live the truth and love others in and through it.
Amen.
Daniel T. Pia