tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34429225797771141652023-11-15T05:49:46.060-08:00Logos and RhemaBrian D Scarboroughhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12489965712075602631noreply@blogger.comBlogger138125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3442922579777114165.post-52949163717012711062020-10-11T12:24:00.002-07:002020-10-11T12:24:39.812-07:00Suffering For The Lord - Or Not<p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Christians talk a lot about their trials, their sufferings, but rarely seem to examine the Scriptures regarding suffering. Like a lot of subjects, Christians often quote verses from the Bible regarding suffering thinking that all suffering is essentially the same. I have heard Christians say that when someone in their family got some chronic disease and made them a burden to care for that they were suffering for the Lord's sake. This is an error. Sickness and disease are in this world because of the Fall. To suffer sickness is not to suffer for the Lord's sake. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">It is important that we distinguish between different kinds of suffering and know what our attitude should be to them. The best way to do this is to study First Peter whose subject is suffering. We will add some other Scriptures as well. <span> </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span>One of the first things we can note is that Peter says that there are "... those who suffer according to God's will ..." (1 Peter 4:19) This tells us two things. First, that there is suffering that is according to God's will. But it implies something else, too. There is suffering that is not according to His will. And if there is suffering that is not according to His will, we should seek to avoid it or get out of it. </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span>PERSECUTION:</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><i><span class="text 1Pet-4-12" style="background-color: white;">Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal among you, which comes upon you for your testing, as though some strange thing were happening to you;</span><span class="text 1Pet-4-13" id="en-NASB-30460" style="background-color: white;"><span class="versenum" style="display: inline; font-weight: 700; line-height: normal; position: relative; top: auto; vertical-align: text-top;"> </span>but to the degree that you share the sufferings of Christ, keep on rejoicing, so that also at the revelation of His glory you may rejoice with exultation.</span><span class="text 1Pet-4-14" id="en-NASB-30461" style="background-color: white;"><span class="versenum" style="display: inline; font-weight: 700; line-height: normal; position: relative; top: auto; vertical-align: text-top;"> </span><u>If you are reviled for the name of Christ</u>, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you ...</span><span class="text 1Pet-4-16" id="en-NASB-30463" style="background-color: white;"> if anyone suffers as a Christian, he is not to be ashamed, but is to glorify God in this name. 1 Peter 4:12-16</span></i></span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="background-color: white;">Sometimes we do not acknowledge that "being reviled" is real persecution. After all, many believers around the world suffer far more for their faith than we do in America. Some are beaten, imprisoned or even killed for Christ. But in the NT, the term 'persecution is used very broadly. It refers to any suffering for simply being a Christian or acting and speaking as a Christian. Suffering persecution is to share in His sufferings.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="background-color: white;">We should also note that we should rejoice even when persecuted and that we are blessed because of it. This is one form of suffering that God honors the most. This does not mean that we should seek it, nor does it mean that we should not pray to be delivered from it. The church prayed for Peter when he was in prison and going to be executed, and God sent angels to deliver him.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="background-color: white;">SUFFERING FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS' SAKE</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-family: helvetica;">For this finds favor, if for the sake
of conscience toward God a person bears up under sorrows when suffering
unjustly. For what credit is there if, when you
sin and are harshly treated, you endure it with patience? But if when you
do what is right and suffer for it you patiently endure it,
this finds favor with God. For you have been called for
this purpose, since <u>Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an
example for you to follow in His steps,</u> <b><sup> </sup></b>who committed
no sin, nor was any deceit found in His mouth;<b><sup> </sup></b>and
while being reviled, He did not revile in return; while suffering, He
uttered no threats, but kept entrusting Himself to Him who
judges righteously. 1 Peter 2:19-23</span></i></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Sometimes suffering is caused by someone who does not allow us to follow our conscience. There is a lot of this happening today, but I do not want to rehash it all here. God honors the suffering we might experience because we are avoiding violating our own conscience.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Furthermore, Peter says that Christ was our example in this kind of suffering. He did nothing wrong yet He suffered. He did not retaliate against those who caused him to suffer. He entrusted Himself to God. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Of course, suffering for righteousness' sake really includes, more broadly, persecution as we talked about above, but it is worth mentioning suffering simply for the sake of doing right and following one's conscience.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">SUFFERING BECAUSE OF YOUR SINS</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="background-color: white;">Make sure that </span><span style="background-color: white;">none of you suffers as a murderer, or thief, or evildoer, or a </span><span style="background-color: white;">troublesome meddler. 1 Peter 4:15</span></span></i></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">This seems rather obvious, but Peter brings it up anyway. What he is really saying in the context of his writing is that we must distinguish between the kind of suffering that honors God and that which does not. One thing I find interesting in this verse is that Peter mentions murder as something that a Christian might commit. Many of us would deny that a true Christian could commit murder, yet Peter seems to think that they could. He also mentions those who suffer because they stick their nose in the business of others. Interesting.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><i><span style="background-color: white;">He Himself </span><span style="background-color: white;">bore our sins in His body on the </span><span style="background-color: white;">cross, so that we </span><span style="background-color: white;">might die to </span><span style="background-color: white;">sin and live to righteousness 1 Peter 2:24a</span></i></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="background-color: white;">Christ died for our sins so that we would not longer live in them. It was His suffering in substitution that frees us. God does not want us to suffer because of sins.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="background-color: white;">SUFFERING BECAUSE OF MINISTRY TO WHICH GOD HAS CALLED US</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="background-color: white;">Sometimes we think that being called into ministry is a great blessing and privilege - and it is. But there is often suffering that goes along with the fulfillment of that calling. </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><i>Are they servants of Christ?—I speak as if insane—I
more so; in far more labors, in far more imprisonments, beaten
times without number, often in danger of death. Five times I received
from the Jews thirty-nine lashes. Three times I
was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, three times I was
shipwrecked, a night and a day I have spent in the deep. I have been on
frequent journeys, in dangers from rivers, dangers from robbers, dangers
from my countrymen, dangers from the Gentiles, dangers in
the city, dangers in the wilderness, dangers on the sea, dangers
among false brethren; I have been in labor and
hardship, through many sleepless nights, in hunger and thirst,
often without food, in cold and exposure. <b><sup> </sup></b>Apart
from such external things, there is the daily pressure on
me of concern for all the churches. 2 Corinthians 11:23-28</i><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Paul, here, is explaining to the church at Corinth that there can be suffering that goes with the ministry. He had a great ministry, but he had great suffering as well. In fact, in the next chapter, he calls these things his "thorn in the flesh". </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">God honors those who suffer because of the ministry to which He has called them. We often think that big ministries "have it made", but we have no idea how difficult it can be. Not all suffering is as public as Paul's was. Everybody could see and understand what happened to him. But there is a lot we do not know about.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">SUFFERING SICKNESS, PAIN AND INFIRMITY</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Now we are entering into controversial territory. People have very strong ideas about this subject especially if they, or a loved one, has suffered intensely or for a protracted period of time. There are times when we don't understand why things happen to us and we question why God does or allows such things to happen. We cannot answer all questions here, but we do need to examine the Scriptures to find some answers anyway.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Let's go back to where we started. Is experiencing sickness or pain suffering according to God's will or not? We must ask this simple question in search of a straightforward answer. Fortunately, the Bible does answer it.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Jesus, in His ministry, was the will of God revealed to us. "<span style="background-color: white;">He who has seen Me has seen the Father." (John 14:9) </span></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: helvetica;">Many times in the gospels it is said, "He healed them all", "all" being those who came to Him for healing. Jesus' ministry shows us God's attitude towards sickness and infirmity.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="background-color: white;">You know of</span><span style="background-color: white;"> </span><span style="background-color: white;">Jesus of Nazareth, how God </span><span style="background-color: white;">anointed Him with the Holy Spirit and with power, </span><span style="background-color: white;">and </span><span style="background-color: white;">how</span><span style="background-color: white;"> He went about doing good and <u>healing all who were oppressed by the devil,</u> for </span><span style="background-color: white;">God was with Him. Acts 10:38</span></span></i></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">This clearly says that everyone who He healed was "oppressed by the devil" and since He "healed all" then we know that all who are sick are oppressed by Satan.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">In the OT, all sickness and infirmity was under the "curse of the [broken] Law". (Deuteronomy 28:61) "Christ redeemed us from the curse of the Law" (Galatians 3:13) That means we are redeemed from sickness just like we are redeemed from sin.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="background-color: white;">Peter confirms this twofold redemption. "</span><span style="background-color: white; font-style: italic;">He Himself </span><span style="background-color: white; font-style: italic;">bore our sins in His body on the </span><span style="background-color: white; font-style: italic;">cross, so that we </span><span style="background-color: white; font-style: italic;">might die to </span><span style="background-color: white;"><i>sin and live to righteousness; by Whose wounds you were healed." (1 Peter 2:24) </i>Healing for our sickness and diseases is in the Atonement. </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">So, it is evident from both the New and Old Testaments that sickness is not God's will since it was part of the punishment for breaking the Law of Moses, and since Jesus healed all who came to Him. Sickness is part of our fallen world because there is a devil loose in it and he wants to put everyone in bondage. </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Sickness is not suffering "according to the will of God", it is of the devil. We should do everything in our power to resist it. This is especially important to know in a time of a pandemic. This pandemic is not the will of God. Satan concocted it to "steal, kill and destroy" us. Jesus came to "give us life and give it abundantly." (John10:10)</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">OTHER KINDS OF SUFFERING</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">We have not exhausted the subject of suffering in the Bible. But I hope that we have established the fact that there is suffering according to the will of God and there is suffering that is outside of His will and, therefore, should not be accepted as being from Him - it should be resisted. </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">We live in a world with a lot of suffering, and we know that the devil is behind it all - from persecution and harm caused by human sin and sickness and death. </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">God is good - all the time.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">[The comments section does not seem to be working. If you have a question or comment, please email me at brian.scarborough@aol.com]</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></p>Brian D Scarboroughhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12489965712075602631noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3442922579777114165.post-2968326799993282962020-06-07T12:42:00.000-07:002020-06-07T12:42:42.077-07:00Old Testament Types and Shadows<div class="chapter-2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: black; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 400 1.6rem/1 system-ui,-apple-system,Segoe UI,Roboto,Ubuntu,Cantarell,Noto Sans,sans-serif,Arial; letter-spacing: normal; min-width: 0px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span style="font-size: x-small; line-height: 1;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica"; line-height: 1;"><i><font size="2"><span class="text 1Cor-10-1" style="line-height: 1;">I do not want you to be ignorant of the fact, brothers and sisters, that our ancestors were all under the cloud and that they all passed through the sea.</span> <span class="text 1Cor-10-2" id="en-NIV-28570" style="line-height: 1;">They were all baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea.</span> <span class="text 1Cor-10-3" id="en-NIV-28571" style="line-height: 1;">They all ate the same spiritual food</span> <span class="text 1Cor-10-4" id="en-NIV-28572" style="line-height: 1;">and drank the same spiritual drink; for <u>they drank from the spiritual rock that accompanied them, and that rock was Christ.</u></span> <span class="text 1Cor-10-5" id="en-NIV-28573" style="line-height: 1;">Nevertheless, God was not pleased with most of them; their bodies were scattered in the wilderness.</span></font></i></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small; line-height: 1;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica"; line-height: 1;"><i><font size="2"><span class="text 1Cor-10-6" id="en-NIV-28574" style="line-height: 1;">Now these things occurred as examples to keep us from setting our hearts on evil things as they did.</span> <span class="text 1Cor-10-7" id="en-NIV-28575" style="line-height: 1;">Do not be idolaters, as some of them were; as it is written: “The people sat down to eat and drink and got up to indulge in revelry.”</span> <span class="text 1Cor-10-8" id="en-NIV-28576" style="line-height: 1;">We should not commit sexual immorality, as some of them did—and in one day twenty-three thousand of them died.</span> <span class="text 1Cor-10-9" id="en-NIV-28577" style="line-height: 1;">We should not test Christ, as some of them did—and were killed by snakes.</span> <span class="text 1Cor-10-10" id="en-NIV-28578" style="line-height: 1;">And do not grumble, as some of them did—and were killed by the destroying angel.</span></font></i></span></span></div>
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<span class="text 1Cor-10-11" id="en-NIV-28579" style="line-height: 1;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: x-small; line-height: 1;"><i><font size="2"><u>These things happened to them as examples</u> and were written down as warnings for us. (1 Corinthians 10:1-11)</font></i></span></span></div>
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<span class="text 1Cor-10-11" id="en-NIV-28579" style="line-height: 1;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: x-small; line-height: 1;"><font size="2">I have quoted here from a New Testament (NT) passage where Paul uses the Old Testament (OT) to teach about Christ. The OT passages being referred do not predict the coming of the messiah or the kingdom of God. In fact, these are narratives regarding the exodus and the wandering through the wilderness by the Israelites. During that time, manna came from heaven to feed the people and water came from a rock. Nevertheless, Paul says that the rock that gave them water and actually followed them through the wilderness was Christ, or we might say, the pre-incarnate Second Person of the Trinity. </font></span></span></div>
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<span class="text 1Cor-10-11" id="en-NIV-28579" style="line-height: 1;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: x-small; line-height: 1;"><font size="2">Then Paul notes that many in the wilderness committed idolatry and fornication and were subsequently judged. He uses this example to warn the Corinthian church about going to the temples of idols or committing fornication. We all understand that. The judgments of the OT teach us what we need to beware of doing. </font></span></span></div>
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<span class="text 1Cor-10-11" id="en-NIV-28579" style="line-height: 1;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: x-small; line-height: 1;"><font size="2">But there is more here. Paul sees the deliverance from Egypt and the wilderness wanderings as foreshadowing things in the NT church. He says the Israelites were all "baptized in the cloud and in the sea." So, he is relating our baptism into Christ to what happened to the Israelites when they passed through the Red Sea. And, again, he is relating the food and drink given supernaturally to the Israelites during their wanderings to the spiritual nourishment we receive in Christ as we walk with Him in this world. Therefore, the events of the parting of the Red Sea and wilderness wandering are a foreshadowing of the experience of Christians today. We were joined with Christ through baptism and we are fed spiritually by Him. (Baptism here refers not to water baptism, but to baptism into Christ when we were born again - see Romans 6:3-4) </font></span></span></div>
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<span class="text 1Cor-10-11" id="en-NIV-28579" style="line-height: 1;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: x-small; line-height: 1;"><font size="2">Paul is telling the Corinthians that despite the fact that they have been joined with Christ and partake of His spiritual blessings while we walk with Him, they can still be judged for committing sins like fornication and idolatry when there is no repentance. And he uses the experiences of the ancient Israelites as proof of this.</font></span></span></div>
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<span class="text 1Cor-10-11" id="en-NIV-28579" style="line-height: 1;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: x-small; line-height: 1;"><font size="2"></font><br /></span></span></div>
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<span class="text 1Cor-10-11" id="en-NIV-28579" style="line-height: 1;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: x-small; line-height: 1;"><font size="2">Perhaps the most interesting part of this, however, is that Paul says the "rock was Christ". Did the pre-incarnate Christ actually become a rock and follow the Israelites through the wilderness? Should we take that literally, or is Paul simply saying that the rock symbolized Christ? I will make no argument one way or the other. I will leave it up to you. The point I wish to make is that the rock was a "type" of Christ, symbolic of Him. So, then, what is a "type"? </font></span></span></div>
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<span class="text 1Cor-10-11" id="en-NIV-28579" style="line-height: 1;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: x-small; line-height: 1;"><font size="2"></font><br /></span></span></div>
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<span class="text 1Cor-10-11" id="en-NIV-28579" style="line-height: 1;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: x-small; line-height: 1;"><font size="2">A biblical "type" is a subtle form of OT prophecy that shows what the coming Christ will be. I call it a subtle because no prophet is directly predicting the coming messiah. Instead, events in history are seen to foreshadow things about Christ or the Christian era. In this instance, the "rock" which gave natural water to the Israelites is like Christ is to the Christian believer, the source of spiritual blessing and nourishment. The rock is the "type"; Christ would be the "antitype" or fulfillment of that "type". The "type" predicts what will happen and Christ (or the church) fulfills that type. (This is called 'typology'.) Let's look at a bigger example. </font></span></span></div>
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<span class="text 1Cor-10-11" id="en-NIV-28579" style="line-height: 1;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: x-small; line-height: 1;"><font size="2"></font><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: black; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 400 1.6rem/1 system-ui,-apple-system,Segoe UI,Roboto,Ubuntu,Cantarell,Noto Sans,sans-serif,Arial; letter-spacing: normal; min-width: 0px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span class="text 1Cor-10-11" id="en-NIV-28579" style="line-height: 1;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: x-small; line-height: 1;"><font size="2">Joseph was the second youngest son of Jacob and the favorite. Jacob's other sons were jealous of Joseph and sold him into slavery. While a slave, Joseph was falsely accused and sent to prison. Eventually, he was released from prison and immediately exalted to second-in-command in Egypt. Pharaoh gave Joseph complete rule over everything in Egypt except Pharaoh himself. </font></span></span></div>
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<span class="text 1Cor-10-11" id="en-NIV-28579" style="line-height: 1;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: x-small; line-height: 1;"><font size="2"></font><br /></span></span></div>
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<span class="text 1Cor-10-11" id="en-NIV-28579" style="line-height: 1;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: x-small; line-height: 1;"><font size="2">Think about the many parallels there are between Joseph and Christ. The Jewish leaders were jealous of Jesus and sought to get rid of Him. They falsely accused Him and turned Him over to Gentiles to crucify Him. After Jesus died on the cross, He descended into Hades, which was like Joseph in prison. [See Acts 2:27 - some translations have "realm of the dead" or something similar, but the word is literally "Hades" in the Greek.] Then Jesus was resurrected and was taken up into heaven and seated at the right hand of God the Father. Being seated at the right hand of a king meant to share the authority of his throne. Jesus now rules the universe as Joseph ruled Egypt. </font></span></span></div>
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<span class="text 1Cor-10-11" id="en-NIV-28579" style="line-height: 1;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: x-small; line-height: 1;"><font size="2"></font><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: black; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 400 1.6rem/1 system-ui,-apple-system,Segoe UI,Roboto,Ubuntu,Cantarell,Noto Sans,sans-serif,Arial; letter-spacing: normal; min-width: 0px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span class="text 1Cor-10-11" id="en-NIV-28579" style="line-height: 1;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: x-small; line-height: 1;"><font size="2">We could even take this a step further to the time when Joseph brought his family out of Canaan into Egypt. We might say that this is like the rapture of the Church when Jesus takes us into heaven from whence He rules. Now some might that this is taking it too far but I will not debate it. And I will admit that we can take these things too far. After all, Joseph married a foreign woman and had two sons by her. Is there any significance to that? Not that I can see. Not everything in Joseph's life is like Christ's. This is the limitation of biblical types. </font></span></span></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: black; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 400 1.6rem/1 system-ui,-apple-system,Segoe UI,Roboto,Ubuntu,Cantarell,Noto Sans,sans-serif,Arial; letter-spacing: normal; min-width: 0px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span class="text 1Cor-10-11" id="en-NIV-28579" style="line-height: 1;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: x-small; line-height: 1;"><font size="2"><br /></font></span></span></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: black; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 400 1.6rem/1 system-ui,-apple-system,Segoe UI,Roboto,Ubuntu,Cantarell,Noto Sans,sans-serif,Arial; letter-spacing: normal; min-width: 0px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span class="text 1Cor-10-11" id="en-NIV-28579" style="line-height: 1;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: x-small; line-height: 1;"><font size="2">You might be asking at this point, "How many types of Christ can be found in the OT?". Probably thousands. I don't know if anyone has tried to count them but despite any criteria that they might use, you certainly could find even more. It is an endless study. That is because we can never plumb the depths of who Christ is even in the Old Testament. So, let's read the OT and look for these types, shadows and parallels that tell us about Jesus Christ and His church.</font></span></span></div>
Brian D Scarboroughhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12489965712075602631noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3442922579777114165.post-42180720391281411522020-05-31T11:25:00.003-07:002020-05-31T11:25:39.488-07:00Are the promises in the Old Testament valid for us today?<span style="font-family: system-ui,-apple-system,Segoe UI,Roboto,Ubuntu,Cantarell,Noto Sans,sans-serif,Arial;"><span style="background-color: white;">W<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: black; display: inline !important; float: none; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">e are discussing the relationship between the Old Testament and the New Testament. In this post, we are talking about the promises in the Old Testament and how they might apply to us today. It is clear that the OT promises are for the Jewish people, but what about the Christian church? In what way might these promises be applied to us.</span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: system-ui,-apple-system,Segoe UI,Roboto,Ubuntu,Cantarell,Noto Sans,sans-serif,Arial;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: black; display: inline !important; float: none; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><br /></span></span></span>
<span style="font-family: system-ui,-apple-system,Segoe UI,Roboto,Ubuntu,Cantarell,Noto Sans,sans-serif,Arial;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: black; display: inline !important; float: none; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">First, we must look at what the New Testament, which was written to the church, says about the Old, which was written to the Jewish people. </span></span></span><span style="font-family: system-ui,-apple-system,Segoe UI,Roboto,Ubuntu,Cantarell,Noto Sans,sans-serif,Arial;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: black; display: inline !important; float: none; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><br /></span></span></span><br />
<b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike><span style="font-family: system-ui,-apple-system,Segoe UI,Roboto,Ubuntu,Cantarell,Noto Sans,sans-serif,Arial;"></span><span style="background-color: white;"></span><br />
<i><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: black; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: system-ui,-apple-system,Segoe UI,Roboto,Ubuntu,Cantarell,Noto Sans,sans-serif,Arial; font-size: 16px; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">For all the promises of God in Him </span>are</i><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: black; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: system-ui,-apple-system,Segoe UI,Roboto,Ubuntu,Cantarell,Noto Sans,sans-serif,Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><i> Yes, and in Him Amen, to the glory of God.</i> (2 Corinthians 1:20)</span><br />
<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: black; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: system-ui,-apple-system,Segoe UI,Roboto,Ubuntu,Cantarell,Noto Sans,sans-serif,Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><br /></span>
<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: black; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: system-ui,-apple-system,Segoe UI,Roboto,Ubuntu,Cantarell,Noto Sans,sans-serif,Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">There is a wonderful statement! All the promises of God, in both the Old and New Testaments, are ours! That is good news.</span><br />
<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: black; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: system-ui,-apple-system,Segoe UI,Roboto,Ubuntu,Cantarell,Noto Sans,sans-serif,Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><br /></span>
<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: black; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: system-ui,-apple-system,Segoe UI,Roboto,Ubuntu,Cantarell,Noto Sans,sans-serif,Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">Of course, now we have to look at some promises and see how they might fit us. After all, many promises were made to the NATION of Israel and not individuals within it. There are good examples of this in the writings of the prophets. They prophesied about the future restoration of the nation of Israel, which will culminate when the messiah comes to establish His kingdom in its fullness. (We know that this occurs at the Second Coming of Christ.) How can we apply something like that to ourselves? Let's look at one passage from Isaiah. </span><br />
<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: black; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: system-ui,-apple-system,Segoe UI,Roboto,Ubuntu,Cantarell,Noto Sans,sans-serif,Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><br /></span>
<i><span class="text Isa-54-11" id="en-NKJV-18735" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: black; font-family: system-ui,-apple-system,Segoe UI,Roboto,Ubuntu,Cantarell,Noto Sans,sans-serif,Arial; font-size: 16px; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; position: relative; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">O you afflicted one,</span><br style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: black; font-family: system-ui,-apple-system,Segoe UI,Roboto,Ubuntu,Cantarell,Noto Sans,sans-serif,Arial; font-size: 16px; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;" /><span class="text Isa-54-11" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: black; font-family: system-ui,-apple-system,Segoe UI,Roboto,Ubuntu,Cantarell,Noto Sans,sans-serif,Arial; font-size: 16px; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; position: relative; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">Tossed with tempest, and not comforted,</span><br style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: black; font-family: system-ui,-apple-system,Segoe UI,Roboto,Ubuntu,Cantarell,Noto Sans,sans-serif,Arial; font-size: 16px; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;" /><span class="text Isa-54-11" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: black; font-family: system-ui,-apple-system,Segoe UI,Roboto,Ubuntu,Cantarell,Noto Sans,sans-serif,Arial; font-size: 16px; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; position: relative; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">Behold, I will lay your stones with colorful gems,</span><br style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: black; font-family: system-ui,-apple-system,Segoe UI,Roboto,Ubuntu,Cantarell,Noto Sans,sans-serif,Arial; font-size: 16px; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;" /><span class="text Isa-54-11" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: black; font-family: system-ui,-apple-system,Segoe UI,Roboto,Ubuntu,Cantarell,Noto Sans,sans-serif,Arial; font-size: 16px; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; position: relative; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">And lay your foundations with sapphires.</span></i><br style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: black; font-family: system-ui,-apple-system,Segoe UI,Roboto,Ubuntu,Cantarell,Noto Sans,sans-serif,Arial; font-size: 16px; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;" /><span class="text Isa-54-12" id="en-NKJV-18736" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: black; font-family: system-ui,-apple-system,Segoe UI,Roboto,Ubuntu,Cantarell,Noto Sans,sans-serif,Arial; font-size: 16px; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; position: relative; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><sup class="versenum" style="display: inline; font-family: system-ui,-apple-system,Segoe UI,Roboto,Ubuntu,Cantarell,Noto Sans,sans-serif,Arial; font-size: 1.2rem; font-weight: 700; left: -4.4em; line-height: normal; position: absolute; top: auto; vertical-align: text-top;"><i>12 </i></sup><i>I will make your pinnacles of rubies,</i></span><br style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: black; font-family: system-ui,-apple-system,Segoe UI,Roboto,Ubuntu,Cantarell,Noto Sans,sans-serif,Arial; font-size: 16px; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;" /><i><span class="text Isa-54-12" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: black; font-family: system-ui,-apple-system,Segoe UI,Roboto,Ubuntu,Cantarell,Noto Sans,sans-serif,Arial; font-size: 16px; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; position: relative; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">Your gates of crystal,</span><br style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: black; font-family: system-ui,-apple-system,Segoe UI,Roboto,Ubuntu,Cantarell,Noto Sans,sans-serif,Arial; font-size: 16px; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;" /><span class="text Isa-54-12" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: black; font-family: system-ui,-apple-system,Segoe UI,Roboto,Ubuntu,Cantarell,Noto Sans,sans-serif,Arial; font-size: 16px; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; position: relative; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">And all your walls of precious stones.</span></i><br style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: black; font-family: system-ui,-apple-system,Segoe UI,Roboto,Ubuntu,Cantarell,Noto Sans,sans-serif,Arial; font-size: 16px; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;" /><span class="text Isa-54-13" id="en-NKJV-18737" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: black; font-family: system-ui,-apple-system,Segoe UI,Roboto,Ubuntu,Cantarell,Noto Sans,sans-serif,Arial; font-size: 16px; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; position: relative; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><sup class="versenum" style="display: inline; font-family: system-ui,-apple-system,Segoe UI,Roboto,Ubuntu,Cantarell,Noto Sans,sans-serif,Arial; font-size: 1.2rem; font-weight: 700; left: -4.4em; line-height: normal; position: absolute; top: auto; vertical-align: text-top;"><i>13 </i></sup><i>All your children shall be taught by the <span class="small-caps divine-name" style="font-variant: small-caps;">Lord</span>,</i></span><br style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: black; font-family: system-ui,-apple-system,Segoe UI,Roboto,Ubuntu,Cantarell,Noto Sans,sans-serif,Arial; font-size: 16px; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;" /><span class="text Isa-54-13" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: black; font-family: system-ui,-apple-system,Segoe UI,Roboto,Ubuntu,Cantarell,Noto Sans,sans-serif,Arial; font-size: 16px; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; position: relative; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><i>And great shall be the peace of your children.</i></span><br style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: black; font-family: system-ui,-apple-system,Segoe UI,Roboto,Ubuntu,Cantarell,Noto Sans,sans-serif,Arial; font-size: 16px; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;" /><span class="text Isa-54-14" id="en-NKJV-18738" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: black; font-family: system-ui,-apple-system,Segoe UI,Roboto,Ubuntu,Cantarell,Noto Sans,sans-serif,Arial; font-size: 16px; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; position: relative; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><sup class="versenum" style="display: inline; font-family: system-ui,-apple-system,Segoe UI,Roboto,Ubuntu,Cantarell,Noto Sans,sans-serif,Arial; font-size: 1.2rem; font-weight: 700; left: -4.4em; line-height: normal; position: absolute; top: auto; vertical-align: text-top;"><i>14 </i></sup><i>In righteousness you shall be established;</i></span><br style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: black; font-family: system-ui,-apple-system,Segoe UI,Roboto,Ubuntu,Cantarell,Noto Sans,sans-serif,Arial; font-size: 16px; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;" /><i><span class="text Isa-54-14" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: black; font-family: system-ui,-apple-system,Segoe UI,Roboto,Ubuntu,Cantarell,Noto Sans,sans-serif,Arial; font-size: 16px; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; position: relative; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">You shall be far from oppression, for you shall not fear;</span><br style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: black; font-family: system-ui,-apple-system,Segoe UI,Roboto,Ubuntu,Cantarell,Noto Sans,sans-serif,Arial; font-size: 16px; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;" /><span class="text Isa-54-14" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: black; font-family: system-ui,-apple-system,Segoe UI,Roboto,Ubuntu,Cantarell,Noto Sans,sans-serif,Arial; font-size: 16px; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; position: relative; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">And from terror, for it shall not come near you.</span></i><br />
<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: black; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: system-ui,-apple-system,Segoe UI,Roboto,Ubuntu,Cantarell,Noto Sans,sans-serif,Arial; font-size: 16px; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><i>Isaiah 54:11-14 </i></span><br />
<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: black; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: system-ui,-apple-system,Segoe UI,Roboto,Ubuntu,Cantarell,Noto Sans,sans-serif,Arial; font-size: 16px; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><br /></span>
<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: black; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: system-ui,-apple-system,Segoe UI,Roboto,Ubuntu,Cantarell,Noto Sans,sans-serif,Arial; font-size: 16px; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">I have quoted here just a portion of a prophecy and promise that Isaiah gave to the Jewish people regarding the coming restoration of the nation of Israel. In fact, this passage is really about the Millennial Reign of Christ when there will be perfect peace - no terror, etc. We can see that quite clearly. But equally clear are some promises that could as easily apply to Christian believers. For instance, there is a verse in the middle of it that says, "<i>All your children will be taught by the Lord, and great shall be the peace of your children.</i>" That is a promise that is as much for us today as it will be for Israel during the Millennium. I personally have prayed this verse over my own children many times. </span><br />
<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: black; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: system-ui,-apple-system,Segoe UI,Roboto,Ubuntu,Cantarell,Noto Sans,sans-serif,Arial; font-size: 16px; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: system-ui,-apple-system,Segoe UI,Roboto,Ubuntu,Cantarell,Noto Sans,sans-serif,Arial;"><span style="background-color: white;">[<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: black; display: inline !important; float: none; font-size: 16px; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">I think it is a good practice to pray the promises of God. The promises of God are the will and plan of God. Therefore, they are the proper basis for the prayer of faith.]</span></span></span><br />
<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: black; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: system-ui,-apple-system,Segoe UI,Roboto,Ubuntu,Cantarell,Noto Sans,sans-serif,Arial; font-size: 16px; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><br /></span>
<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: black; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: system-ui,-apple-system,Segoe UI,Roboto,Ubuntu,Cantarell,Noto Sans,sans-serif,Arial; font-size: 16px; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">So, a promise that applies to Israel in one way can apply to the church in another. Sometimes we have to "spiritualize" a promise to make it apply to Christian believers today. For examply, there are many passages in the OT where God promises Israel victory over its enemies. </span><br />
<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: black; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: system-ui,-apple-system,Segoe UI,Roboto,Ubuntu,Cantarell,Noto Sans,sans-serif,Arial; font-size: 16px; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><br /></span>
<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: black; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: system-ui,-apple-system,Segoe UI,Roboto,Ubuntu,Cantarell,Noto Sans,sans-serif,Arial; font-size: 16px; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><i><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: black; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: system-ui,-apple-system,Segoe UI,Roboto,Ubuntu,Cantarell,Noto Sans,sans-serif,Arial; font-size: 16px; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">The </span><span class="small-caps divine-name" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: black; font-family: system-ui,-apple-system,Segoe UI,Roboto,Ubuntu,Cantarell,Noto Sans,sans-serif,Arial; font-size: 16px; font-variant: small-caps; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">Lord</span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: black; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: system-ui,-apple-system,Segoe UI,Roboto,Ubuntu,Cantarell,Noto Sans,sans-serif,Arial; font-size: 16px; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"> </span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: black; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: system-ui,-apple-system,Segoe UI,Roboto,Ubuntu,Cantarell,Noto Sans,sans-serif,Arial; font-size: 16px; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">will cause your enemies who rise against you to be defeated before your face; they shall come out against you one way and flee before you seven ways.</span> </i> </span><br />
<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: black; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: system-ui,-apple-system,Segoe UI,Roboto,Ubuntu,Cantarell,Noto Sans,sans-serif,Arial; font-size: 16px; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">Deuteronomy 28:7 </span><br />
<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: black; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: system-ui,-apple-system,Segoe UI,Roboto,Ubuntu,Cantarell,Noto Sans,sans-serif,Arial; font-size: 16px; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><br /></span>
<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: black; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: system-ui,-apple-system,Segoe UI,Roboto,Ubuntu,Cantarell,Noto Sans,sans-serif,Arial; font-size: 16px; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">This is a good example of such a promise (though the promise was conditional upon Israel's obedience). And Israel did defeat its enemies when they were in obedience to God. But for the church, we are told that people are not our enemies. (Some Christians need a revelation of this.)</span><br />
<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: black; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: system-ui,-apple-system,Segoe UI,Roboto,Ubuntu,Cantarell,Noto Sans,sans-serif,Arial; font-size: 16px; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: black; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: system-ui,-apple-system,Segoe UI,Roboto,Ubuntu,Cantarell,Noto Sans,sans-serif,Arial; font-size: 16px; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><i><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: black; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: system-ui,-apple-system,Segoe UI,Roboto,Ubuntu,Cantarell,Noto Sans,sans-serif,Arial; font-size: 16px; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against </span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: black; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: system-ui,-apple-system,Segoe UI,Roboto,Ubuntu,Cantarell,Noto Sans,sans-serif,Arial; font-size: 16px; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">principalities, against powers, against </span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: black; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: system-ui,-apple-system,Segoe UI,Roboto,Ubuntu,Cantarell,Noto Sans,sans-serif,Arial; font-size: 16px; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">the rulers of </span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: black; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: system-ui,-apple-system,Segoe UI,Roboto,Ubuntu,Cantarell,Noto Sans,sans-serif,Arial; font-size: 16px; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">the darkness of this age, against spiritual </span>hosts<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: black; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: system-ui,-apple-system,Segoe UI,Roboto,Ubuntu,Cantarell,Noto Sans,sans-serif,Arial; font-size: 16px; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"> of wickedness in the heavenly </span>places.</i></span><br />
<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: black; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: system-ui,-apple-system,Segoe UI,Roboto,Ubuntu,Cantarell,Noto Sans,sans-serif,Arial; font-size: 16px; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">Ephesians 6:12</span><br />
<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: black; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: system-ui,-apple-system,Segoe UI,Roboto,Ubuntu,Cantarell,Noto Sans,sans-serif,Arial; font-size: 16px; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: system-ui,-apple-system,Segoe UI,Roboto,Ubuntu,Cantarell,Noto Sans,sans-serif,Arial;"><span style="background-color: white;">T<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: black; display: inline !important; float: none; font-size: 16px; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">his NT passage shows us two things. One - people are not our enemy. Two - the devil and his demons are. So, do we go fight the devil in the same way that the Israelites fought their enemies? No. Jesus has already defeated the devil; we just have to enforce his defeat. </span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: system-ui,-apple-system,Segoe UI,Roboto,Ubuntu,Cantarell,Noto Sans,sans-serif,Arial;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: black; display: inline !important; float: none; font-size: 16px; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><br /></span></span></span>
<span style="font-family: system-ui,-apple-system,Segoe UI,Roboto,Ubuntu,Cantarell,Noto Sans,sans-serif,Arial;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: black; display: inline !important; float: none; font-size: 16px; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">Jesus, in giving the Great Commission to His apostles, said, <i>"</i><span class="woj" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: black; font-family: system-ui,-apple-system,Segoe UI,Roboto,Ubuntu,Cantarell,Noto Sans,sans-serif,Arial; font-size: 16px; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><i>In My name they will cast out demons." </i>(Mark 16:17)<i> </i>It is our responsibility to cast the devil out of every part of our lives. That is how we deal with our enemies. </span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: system-ui,-apple-system,Segoe UI,Roboto,Ubuntu,Cantarell,Noto Sans,sans-serif,Arial;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: black; display: inline !important; float: none; font-size: 16px; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span class="woj" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: black; font-family: system-ui,-apple-system,Segoe UI,Roboto,Ubuntu,Cantarell,Noto Sans,sans-serif,Arial; font-size: 16px; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><br /></span></span></span></span>
<span style="font-family: system-ui,-apple-system,Segoe UI,Roboto,Ubuntu,Cantarell,Noto Sans,sans-serif,Arial;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: black; display: inline !important; float: none; font-size: 16px; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span class="woj" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: black; font-family: system-ui,-apple-system,Segoe UI,Roboto,Ubuntu,Cantarell,Noto Sans,sans-serif,Arial; font-size: 16px; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">So, we can apply every promise in the Bible to ourselves, but we do have to remember that the NT church is in a different situation, physically and spiritually, than were the ancient Israelites to whom the promises were made. Those promises are truly for us, but may be applied rather differently than they are for the Jews. On the other hand, we should not hesitate to ask God to fulfill those promises in our lives because in Christ, they are "Yes" and "Amen" to the glory of God. </span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: system-ui,-apple-system,Segoe UI,Roboto,Ubuntu,Cantarell,Noto Sans,sans-serif,Arial;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: black; display: inline !important; float: none; font-size: 16px; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike><i></i><i></i><br /></span></span></span>
<span style="font-family: system-ui,-apple-system,Segoe UI,Roboto,Ubuntu,Cantarell,Noto Sans,sans-serif,Arial;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: black; display: inline !important; float: none; font-size: 16px; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"> </span></span></span><i></i>Brian D Scarboroughhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12489965712075602631noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3442922579777114165.post-34831293647096057422020-05-17T11:25:00.001-07:002020-05-17T11:25:46.121-07:00Old Testment laws for today?<span class="text Lev-11-2" id="en-NKJV-3000" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: black; font-family: system-ui,-apple-system,Segoe UI,Roboto,Ubuntu,Cantarell,Noto Sans,sans-serif,Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">In the next few posts, we will be discussing the relationship between the Old Testament and the New Testament. We are still covering principles of Bible interpretation, so I have not really started a new series. Consider this Season 2, Episode 1 of Reading the Bible in Context. The Old Testament (OT), for the Christian, is interpreted by the New Testament. Then, again, the New Testament (NT) cannot be understood without the Old. </span><br />
<span class="text Lev-11-2" id="en-NKJV-3000" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: black; font-family: system-ui,-apple-system,Segoe UI,Roboto,Ubuntu,Cantarell,Noto Sans,sans-serif,Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><br /></span>
<span class="text Lev-11-2" id="en-NKJV-3000" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: black; font-family: system-ui,-apple-system,Segoe UI,Roboto,Ubuntu,Cantarell,Noto Sans,sans-serif,Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">When we read from either the Old or New Testament, we must keep the other Testament in mind. And this we generally do without thinking about it. We turn to Isaiah 53 where it says, "He was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities" and we understand this as referring to the cross of Christ. But we should realize that Jewish rabbis, as a whole, reject this interpretation. It seems obvious to us, but that's because we understand the New Testament. On the other hand, we understand a lot about the cross by reading Isaiah 53. We must know that the OT enriches our understanding of the NT. </span><br />
<span class="text Lev-11-2" id="en-NKJV-3000" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: black; font-family: system-ui,-apple-system,Segoe UI,Roboto,Ubuntu,Cantarell,Noto Sans,sans-serif,Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><br /></span>
<span class="text Lev-11-2" id="en-NKJV-3000" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: black; font-family: system-ui,-apple-system,Segoe UI,Roboto,Ubuntu,Cantarell,Noto Sans,sans-serif,Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><u>What OT laws must the Christian obey today?</u><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"> </span></span><br />
<span class="text Lev-11-2" id="en-NKJV-3000" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: black; font-family: system-ui,-apple-system,Segoe UI,Roboto,Ubuntu,Cantarell,Noto Sans,sans-serif,Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><br /></span>
<span class="text Lev-11-2" id="en-NKJV-3000" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: black; font-family: system-ui,-apple-system,Segoe UI,Roboto,Ubuntu,Cantarell,Noto Sans,sans-serif,Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">This is one of the most difficult subjects to deal with in regards to understanding the OT in particular. There are 613 laws in the OT of which less than 300 could even possibly be obeyed today. That is because most of the laws have to do with the temple and sacrifices. Since the temple was destroyed in 70 AD, those laws cannot be followed at all. Additionally, the NT teaches that Christ fulfilled those sacrificial laws by sacrificing Himself. By accepting Christ and His sacrifice, we are considered to have fulfilled all of that. </span><br />
<span class="text Lev-11-2" id="en-NKJV-3000" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: black; font-family: system-ui,-apple-system,Segoe UI,Roboto,Ubuntu,Cantarell,Noto Sans,sans-serif,Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><br /></span>
<span class="text Lev-11-2" id="en-NKJV-3000" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: black; font-family: system-ui,-apple-system,Segoe UI,Roboto,Ubuntu,Cantarell,Noto Sans,sans-serif,Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">But let's look at some other OT laws. How about the kosher laws about what can be eaten or not. Leviticus 11:2-3 reads, </span><br />
<span class="text Lev-11-2" id="en-NKJV-3000" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: black; font-family: system-ui,-apple-system,Segoe UI,Roboto,Ubuntu,Cantarell,Noto Sans,sans-serif,Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><br /></span>
<span class="text Lev-11-2" id="en-NKJV-3000" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: black; font-family: system-ui,-apple-system,Segoe UI,Roboto,Ubuntu,Cantarell,Noto Sans,sans-serif,Arial; font-size: 16px; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><i>Speak to the children of Israel, saying, ‘These are the animals which you may eat among all the animals that are on the earth: </i></span><span class="text Lev-11-3" id="en-NKJV-3001" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: black; font-family: system-ui,-apple-system,Segoe UI,Roboto,Ubuntu,Cantarell,Noto Sans,sans-serif,Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><i>Among the animals, whatever divides the hoof, having cloven hooves and chewing the cud—that you may eat</i>.</span><br />
<span class="text Lev-11-3" id="en-NKJV-3001" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: black; font-family: system-ui,-apple-system,Segoe UI,Roboto,Ubuntu,Cantarell,Noto Sans,sans-serif,Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><br /></span>
<span class="text Lev-11-3" id="en-NKJV-3001" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: black; font-family: system-ui,-apple-system,Segoe UI,Roboto,Ubuntu,Cantarell,Noto Sans,sans-serif,Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"> What follows is a list of criteria of what can and cannot be eaten. Must we eat like this today? I know of Christians who say that we do. But what does the NT say? Are Christians ever told to eat kosher? Are they ever rebuked for not doing so, or exhorted to do so.</span><br />
<span class="text Lev-11-3" id="en-NKJV-3001" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: black; font-family: system-ui,-apple-system,Segoe UI,Roboto,Ubuntu,Cantarell,Noto Sans,sans-serif,Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">Not at all. In fact, Jesus tells us that it is irrelevant to us if our hearts are pure. "<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: black; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: system-ui,-apple-system,Segoe UI,Roboto,Ubuntu,Cantarell,Noto Sans,sans-serif,Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">Not what goes into the mouth defiles a man; but what comes out of the mouth, this defiles a man.” (Matthew 15:11). Later Paul would write to Timothy, "F<span class="text 1Tim-4-3" id="en-NKJV-29751" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: black; font-family: system-ui,-apple-system,Segoe UI,Roboto,Ubuntu,Cantarell,Noto Sans,sans-serif,Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">ood [which] God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth.</span><span class="text 1Tim-4-4" id="en-NKJV-29752" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: black; font-family: system-ui,-apple-system,Segoe UI,Roboto,Ubuntu,Cantarell,Noto Sans,sans-serif,Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><sup class="versenum" style="display: inline; font-family: system-ui,-apple-system,Segoe UI,Roboto,Ubuntu,Cantarell,Noto Sans,sans-serif,Arial; font-size: 1.2rem; font-weight: 700; line-height: normal; position: relative; top: auto; vertical-align: text-top;"> </sup>For every creature of God <i>is</i> good, and nothing is to be refused if it is received with thanksgiving;</span><span class="text 1Tim-4-5" id="en-NKJV-29753" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: black; font-family: system-ui,-apple-system,Segoe UI,Roboto,Ubuntu,Cantarell,Noto Sans,sans-serif,Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><sup class="versenum" style="display: inline; font-family: system-ui,-apple-system,Segoe UI,Roboto,Ubuntu,Cantarell,Noto Sans,sans-serif,Arial; font-size: 1.2rem; font-weight: 700; line-height: normal; position: relative; top: auto; vertical-align: text-top;"> </sup>for it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer" (1 Timothy 4:2-4). </span></span></span><br />
<span class="text Lev-11-3" id="en-NKJV-3001" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: black; font-family: system-ui,-apple-system,Segoe UI,Roboto,Ubuntu,Cantarell,Noto Sans,sans-serif,Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: black; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: system-ui,-apple-system,Segoe UI,Roboto,Ubuntu,Cantarell,Noto Sans,sans-serif,Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span class="text 1Tim-4-5" id="en-NKJV-29753" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: black; font-family: system-ui,-apple-system,Segoe UI,Roboto,Ubuntu,Cantarell,Noto Sans,sans-serif,Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><br /></span></span></span>
<span class="text Lev-11-3" id="en-NKJV-3001" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: black; font-family: system-ui,-apple-system,Segoe UI,Roboto,Ubuntu,Cantarell,Noto Sans,sans-serif,Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: black; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: system-ui,-apple-system,Segoe UI,Roboto,Ubuntu,Cantarell,Noto Sans,sans-serif,Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span class="text 1Tim-4-5" id="en-NKJV-29753" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: black; font-family: system-ui,-apple-system,Segoe UI,Roboto,Ubuntu,Cantarell,Noto Sans,sans-serif,Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">We have made some progress! We have determined that some laws - sacrificial laws and kosher laws - do not apply to the Church. </span></span></span><br />
<span class="text Lev-11-3" id="en-NKJV-3001" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: black; font-family: system-ui,-apple-system,Segoe UI,Roboto,Ubuntu,Cantarell,Noto Sans,sans-serif,Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: black; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: system-ui,-apple-system,Segoe UI,Roboto,Ubuntu,Cantarell,Noto Sans,sans-serif,Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span class="text 1Tim-4-5" id="en-NKJV-29753" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: black; font-family: system-ui,-apple-system,Segoe UI,Roboto,Ubuntu,Cantarell,Noto Sans,sans-serif,Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><br /></span></span></span>
<span class="text Lev-11-3" id="en-NKJV-3001" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: black; font-family: system-ui,-apple-system,Segoe UI,Roboto,Ubuntu,Cantarell,Noto Sans,sans-serif,Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: black; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: system-ui,-apple-system,Segoe UI,Roboto,Ubuntu,Cantarell,Noto Sans,sans-serif,Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span class="text 1Tim-4-5" id="en-NKJV-29753" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: black; font-family: system-ui,-apple-system,Segoe UI,Roboto,Ubuntu,Cantarell,Noto Sans,sans-serif,Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">Now let's look at some other laws and what some have said about them. We are told by some (so-called?) Christians that since the aforementioned laws, the sacrificial and kosher laws, are in the book of Leviticus, mainly, then we should not have to obey any of the laws in Leviticus which are supposedly "out-of-date". Why do they say this? Well, it just so happens that the prohibitions against homosexuality are in Leviticus 18 and they approve of that. They want it removed from the list of sins. Of course, what they fail to mention is that the prohibitions against incest and bestiality are in that chapter as well. </span></span></span><br />
<span class="text Lev-11-3" id="en-NKJV-3001" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: black; font-family: system-ui,-apple-system,Segoe UI,Roboto,Ubuntu,Cantarell,Noto Sans,sans-serif,Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: black; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: system-ui,-apple-system,Segoe UI,Roboto,Ubuntu,Cantarell,Noto Sans,sans-serif,Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span class="text 1Tim-4-5" id="en-NKJV-29753" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: black; font-family: system-ui,-apple-system,Segoe UI,Roboto,Ubuntu,Cantarell,Noto Sans,sans-serif,Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><br /></span></span></span>
<span class="text Lev-11-3" id="en-NKJV-3001" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: black; font-family: system-ui,-apple-system,Segoe UI,Roboto,Ubuntu,Cantarell,Noto Sans,sans-serif,Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: black; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: system-ui,-apple-system,Segoe UI,Roboto,Ubuntu,Cantarell,Noto Sans,sans-serif,Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span class="text 1Tim-4-5" id="en-NKJV-29753" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: black; font-family: system-ui,-apple-system,Segoe UI,Roboto,Ubuntu,Cantarell,Noto Sans,sans-serif,Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">So, what can we say to this? Quite simply, we look at the New Testament and see what it says. Paul writing Romans 1:27 condemns homosexuality outright. <span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: black; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: system-ui,-apple-system,Segoe UI,Roboto,Ubuntu,Cantarell,Noto Sans,sans-serif,Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">"<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: black; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: system-ui,-apple-system,Segoe UI,Roboto,Ubuntu,Cantarell,Noto Sans,sans-serif,Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">men, leaving the natural use of the </span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: black; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: system-ui,-apple-system,Segoe UI,Roboto,Ubuntu,Cantarell,Noto Sans,sans-serif,Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">woman, burned in their lust for one another, men with men committing what is shameful, and receiving in themselves the penalty of their error which was due." I could quote other NT passages including statements by Jesus, that condemns that and similar sexual sins that we find were condemned in Leviticus. </span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span class="text Lev-11-3" id="en-NKJV-3001" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: black; font-family: system-ui,-apple-system,Segoe UI,Roboto,Ubuntu,Cantarell,Noto Sans,sans-serif,Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: black; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: system-ui,-apple-system,Segoe UI,Roboto,Ubuntu,Cantarell,Noto Sans,sans-serif,Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span class="text 1Tim-4-5" id="en-NKJV-29753" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: black; font-family: system-ui,-apple-system,Segoe UI,Roboto,Ubuntu,Cantarell,Noto Sans,sans-serif,Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: black; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: system-ui,-apple-system,Segoe UI,Roboto,Ubuntu,Cantarell,Noto Sans,sans-serif,Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: black; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: system-ui,-apple-system,Segoe UI,Roboto,Ubuntu,Cantarell,Noto Sans,sans-serif,Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><br /></span></span></span></span></span>
<span class="text Lev-11-3" id="en-NKJV-3001" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: black; font-family: system-ui,-apple-system,Segoe UI,Roboto,Ubuntu,Cantarell,Noto Sans,sans-serif,Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: black; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: system-ui,-apple-system,Segoe UI,Roboto,Ubuntu,Cantarell,Noto Sans,sans-serif,Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span class="text 1Tim-4-5" id="en-NKJV-29753" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: black; font-family: system-ui,-apple-system,Segoe UI,Roboto,Ubuntu,Cantarell,Noto Sans,sans-serif,Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: black; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: system-ui,-apple-system,Segoe UI,Roboto,Ubuntu,Cantarell,Noto Sans,sans-serif,Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: black; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: system-ui,-apple-system,Segoe UI,Roboto,Ubuntu,Cantarell,Noto Sans,sans-serif,Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">Now we have established a principle that if an OT law is repeated in the NT, the OT law is still to be followed. In fact, sometimes the OT law contains more detail than the NT "version" of it, but we should still apply the parts of that OT law that do not appear in the NT. </span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span class="text Lev-11-3" id="en-NKJV-3001" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: black; font-family: system-ui,-apple-system,Segoe UI,Roboto,Ubuntu,Cantarell,Noto Sans,sans-serif,Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: black; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: system-ui,-apple-system,Segoe UI,Roboto,Ubuntu,Cantarell,Noto Sans,sans-serif,Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span class="text 1Tim-4-5" id="en-NKJV-29753" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: black; font-family: system-ui,-apple-system,Segoe UI,Roboto,Ubuntu,Cantarell,Noto Sans,sans-serif,Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: black; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: system-ui,-apple-system,Segoe UI,Roboto,Ubuntu,Cantarell,Noto Sans,sans-serif,Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: black; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: system-ui,-apple-system,Segoe UI,Roboto,Ubuntu,Cantarell,Noto Sans,sans-serif,Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><br /></span></span></span></span></span>
<span class="text Lev-11-3" id="en-NKJV-3001" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: black; font-family: system-ui,-apple-system,Segoe UI,Roboto,Ubuntu,Cantarell,Noto Sans,sans-serif,Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: black; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: system-ui,-apple-system,Segoe UI,Roboto,Ubuntu,Cantarell,Noto Sans,sans-serif,Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span class="text 1Tim-4-5" id="en-NKJV-29753" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: black; font-family: system-ui,-apple-system,Segoe UI,Roboto,Ubuntu,Cantarell,Noto Sans,sans-serif,Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: black; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: system-ui,-apple-system,Segoe UI,Roboto,Ubuntu,Cantarell,Noto Sans,sans-serif,Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: black; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: system-ui,-apple-system,Segoe UI,Roboto,Ubuntu,Cantarell,Noto Sans,sans-serif,Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">There is one more area that remains: what about the laws that are not specifically done away with in the NT, like the kosher laws, but are not repeated in the NT. The biggest of these are the sabbath laws. Exodus 20:8 says, <span class="text Exod-20-8" id="en-NKJV-2060" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: black; font-family: system-ui,-apple-system,Segoe UI,Roboto,Ubuntu,Cantarell,Noto Sans,sans-serif,Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">“Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. </span><span class="text Exod-20-9" id="en-NKJV-2061" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: black; font-family: system-ui,-apple-system,Segoe UI,Roboto,Ubuntu,Cantarell,Noto Sans,sans-serif,Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">Six days you shall labor and do all your work, </span><span class="text Exod-20-10" id="en-NKJV-2062" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: black; font-family: system-ui,-apple-system,Segoe UI,Roboto,Ubuntu,Cantarell,Noto Sans,sans-serif,Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">but the seventh day <i>is</i> the Sabbath of the <span class="small-caps divine-name" style="font-variant: small-caps;">Lord</span> your God. <i>In it</i> you shall do no work." This is one of the Ten Commandments and, yet, Christians disagree as to whether or not to keep it. Some Christians, Seventh-Day Adventists, keep a Saturday sabbath. Many other Christians keep a Sunday sabbath. They say it was changed to the first day of the week. Their reason is that Jesus arose on a Sunday and we now commemorate that day of the week as "the Lord's Day". </span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span class="text Lev-11-3" id="en-NKJV-3001" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: black; font-family: system-ui,-apple-system,Segoe UI,Roboto,Ubuntu,Cantarell,Noto Sans,sans-serif,Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: black; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: system-ui,-apple-system,Segoe UI,Roboto,Ubuntu,Cantarell,Noto Sans,sans-serif,Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span class="text 1Tim-4-5" id="en-NKJV-29753" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: black; font-family: system-ui,-apple-system,Segoe UI,Roboto,Ubuntu,Cantarell,Noto Sans,sans-serif,Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: black; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: system-ui,-apple-system,Segoe UI,Roboto,Ubuntu,Cantarell,Noto Sans,sans-serif,Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: black; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: system-ui,-apple-system,Segoe UI,Roboto,Ubuntu,Cantarell,Noto Sans,sans-serif,Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span class="text Exod-20-10" id="en-NKJV-2062" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: black; font-family: system-ui,-apple-system,Segoe UI,Roboto,Ubuntu,Cantarell,Noto Sans,sans-serif,Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><br /></span></span></span></span></span></span>
<span class="text Lev-11-3" id="en-NKJV-3001" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: black; font-family: system-ui,-apple-system,Segoe UI,Roboto,Ubuntu,Cantarell,Noto Sans,sans-serif,Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: black; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: system-ui,-apple-system,Segoe UI,Roboto,Ubuntu,Cantarell,Noto Sans,sans-serif,Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span class="text 1Tim-4-5" id="en-NKJV-29753" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: black; font-family: system-ui,-apple-system,Segoe UI,Roboto,Ubuntu,Cantarell,Noto Sans,sans-serif,Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: black; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: system-ui,-apple-system,Segoe UI,Roboto,Ubuntu,Cantarell,Noto Sans,sans-serif,Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: black; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: system-ui,-apple-system,Segoe UI,Roboto,Ubuntu,Cantarell,Noto Sans,sans-serif,Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span class="text Exod-20-10" id="en-NKJV-2062" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: black; font-family: system-ui,-apple-system,Segoe UI,Roboto,Ubuntu,Cantarell,Noto Sans,sans-serif,Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">I must say that I find the reasoning behind changing the day of the week as very weak. It "makes sense" in some ways but we find no such reasoning in the NT. Now it does seem that the church met on Sundays, but nowhere is it even implied that it was a new sabbath day. If you want to keep it as a day of rest and do it to honor the Lord, then that is fine. But if not, then that is fine, too. Nowhere in the NT are Christians rebuked for not keeping a sabbath day. Nowhere are Christians specifically enjoined to keep a sabbath day. This is telling. I am convinced that if Christians were to keep a sabbath, it would have been put in the NT somewhere! I cannot believe that no church ever needed to be reminded or exhorted to keep a sabbath day as we find it in the OT if, in fact, Christians were supposed to keep it. They had to be reminded about everything else! </span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span class="text Lev-11-3" id="en-NKJV-3001" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: black; font-family: system-ui,-apple-system,Segoe UI,Roboto,Ubuntu,Cantarell,Noto Sans,sans-serif,Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: black; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: system-ui,-apple-system,Segoe UI,Roboto,Ubuntu,Cantarell,Noto Sans,sans-serif,Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span class="text 1Tim-4-5" id="en-NKJV-29753" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: black; font-family: system-ui,-apple-system,Segoe UI,Roboto,Ubuntu,Cantarell,Noto Sans,sans-serif,Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: black; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: system-ui,-apple-system,Segoe UI,Roboto,Ubuntu,Cantarell,Noto Sans,sans-serif,Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: black; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: system-ui,-apple-system,Segoe UI,Roboto,Ubuntu,Cantarell,Noto Sans,sans-serif,Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span class="text Exod-20-10" id="en-NKJV-2062" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: black; font-family: system-ui,-apple-system,Segoe UI,Roboto,Ubuntu,Cantarell,Noto Sans,sans-serif,Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><br /></span></span></span></span></span></span>
<span class="text Lev-11-3" id="en-NKJV-3001" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: black; font-family: system-ui,-apple-system,Segoe UI,Roboto,Ubuntu,Cantarell,Noto Sans,sans-serif,Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: black; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: system-ui,-apple-system,Segoe UI,Roboto,Ubuntu,Cantarell,Noto Sans,sans-serif,Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span class="text 1Tim-4-5" id="en-NKJV-29753" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: black; font-family: system-ui,-apple-system,Segoe UI,Roboto,Ubuntu,Cantarell,Noto Sans,sans-serif,Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: black; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: system-ui,-apple-system,Segoe UI,Roboto,Ubuntu,Cantarell,Noto Sans,sans-serif,Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: black; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: system-ui,-apple-system,Segoe UI,Roboto,Ubuntu,Cantarell,Noto Sans,sans-serif,Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span class="text Exod-20-10" id="en-NKJV-2062" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: black; font-family: system-ui,-apple-system,Segoe UI,Roboto,Ubuntu,Cantarell,Noto Sans,sans-serif,Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">My conclusion is this: If an OT law is repeated in the NT, then we must keep that law. If not, then we need not do so.</span></span></span></span></span></span>Brian D Scarboroughhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12489965712075602631noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3442922579777114165.post-2139384996025628822020-05-09T11:04:00.001-07:002020-05-09T11:04:58.566-07:00Reading the Bible in Context, part 5 - Patterns
<br />
<span style="line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">One
the most important ways you can tell what a passage means is to compare it to
similar passages. Otherwise, we might reach the wrong conclusion about what we
may be reading. In this post, we will look at a passage from John’s Gospel that
is frequently quoted, but not without controversy. It is John 10:10. </span></span><br />
<br />
<i><span style="line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The
thief does not come except to steal, and to kill and to destroy. I have come that
they may have Life, and that they may have it more abundantly.</span></span></i><br />
<br />
<span style="line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">When
the first part of this verse is quoted, the assertion is made that the “thief”
is Satan. However, there are many, especially among Christian academics, who
say that the “thief” here is not Satan, but the Jewish leadership in Jesus’
day. After all, Jesus had just gotten through saying that “<i>All who came
before Me are thieves and robbers</i>.” Jesus then asserts that a thief comes
to steal, etc. There is certainly logic to this. Yet many still see the “thief”
as Satan. Who is right?</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Here
is where studying patterns in other scriptures becomes very helpful. We will
look at the OT prophets to see what we find. Isaiah had prophesied that during
the Babylonian Captivity, a ruler named Cyrus would deliver the Jews from captivity.
(Isaiah 45:1) While the prophet Daniel was in Babylon, the Persian king, Cyrus,
overthrew the Babylonians and eventually ended the captivity. </span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">When
the captivity did not end right away, Daniel prayed and interceded to get an answer
from God about the seeming delay of the return of the Jews to their homeland.
While Daniel fasted and prayed, an angel came to Daniel. He informed Daniel
that God had sent him with the answer when Daniel prayed, but “<i>the prince of
the Kingdom of Persia” </i>withstood the angel for 21 days. (Daniel 10:13) No
man, no king can resist an angel because angels are spirits. Who, then, is this
“prince”? It is clearly an evil spirit. It is revealed to be the ‘power behind
the throne’, so to speak. In other words, behind the human ruler of Persia,
there was an evil spirit who actually ruled that kingdom. </span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So,
there is a dual kingdom – a natural and a spiritual existing side-by-side.
Daniel saw that this pagan kingdom was actually ruled by an evil spirit and not
men. This idea is confirmed in other scriptures as well.</span></span><br />
<span style="line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br /></span>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Ezekiel 38</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><span style="color: black;">“Son of man, say to the prince of Tyre, ‘Thus says the Lord </span></i><i><span style="color: black; font-variant: small-caps;">God</span></i><i><span style="color: black;">:</span></i></span><i><span style="color: black;"></span></i><br />
<br />
<div style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 2.4rem; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; min-width: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><span style="color: black;">“Because your heart is lifted<sup>]</sup>
up,</span></i><i><span style="color: black;"><br />
And you say, ‘I am a god,<br />
I sit in the seat of gods,<br />
In the midst of the seas,’<br />
Yet you are a man, and not a god,<br />
Though you set your heart as the heart of a god … <br />
<span id="en-NKJV-21168">You shall die the death of the
uncircumcised</span><br />
By the hand of aliens;<br />
For I have spoken,” says the Lord <span style="font-variant: small-caps;">God</span>.’ ”</span></i></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Notice that above it says
that this prince of Tyre is a man who exalted himself and therefore will be
judged. Below we have the “king” of Tyre who is not a man, but is Satan
himself. He was the true ruler of Tyre. </span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><i><sup><span style="color: black;"> </span></sup></i></b><i><span style="color: black;">Moreover, the word of the </span></i><i><span style="color: black; font-variant: small-caps;">Lord</span></i><i><span style="color: black;"> came to me, saying, <span id="en-NKJV-21170">“Son of man, take up a lamentation for the king of Tyre, and
say to him, ‘Thus says the Lord </span></span></i><i><span style="color: black; font-variant: small-caps;">God</span></i><i><span style="color: black;">:</span></i></span><i><span style="color: black;"></span></i><br />
<br />
<div style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 2.4rem; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; min-width: 0px;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><span style="color: black;">“You were the seal of
perfection,</span></i><i><span style="color: black;"><br />
Full of wisdom and perfect in beauty.</span></i></span></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><i><sup><span style="color: black;"> </span></sup></i></b><i><span style="color: black;">You were
in Eden, the garden of God;</span></i><i><span style="color: black;"><br />
Every precious stone was your covering:<br />
The sardius, topaz, and diamond,<br />
Beryl, onyx, and jasper,<br />
Sapphire, turquoise, and emerald with gold.<br />
The workmanship of your timbrels and pipes<br />
Was prepared for you on the day you were created.</span></i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<div style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 2.4rem; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; min-width: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span id="en-NKJV-21172"><i><span style="color: black;">You were
the anointed cherub who covers;</span></i></span><i><span style="color: black;"><br />
I established you;<br />
You were on the holy mountain of God;<br />
You walked back and forth in the midst of fiery stones.<br />
<span id="en-NKJV-21173">You were perfect in your ways from the
day you were created,</span><br />
Till iniquity was found in you.</span></i></span></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<div style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 2.4rem; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; min-width: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span id="en-NKJV-21174"><i><span style="color: black;">By the
abundance of your trading</span></i></span><i><span style="color: black;"><br />
You became filled with violence within,<br />
And you sinned;<br />
Therefore I cast you as a profane thing<br />
Out of the mountain of God;<br />
And I destroyed you, O covering cherub,<br />
From the midst of the fiery stones.</span></i></span></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<div style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 2.4rem; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; min-width: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span id="en-NKJV-21175"><i><span style="color: black;">Your
heart was <sup data-fn="#fen-NKJV-21175b" data-link="[<a href="#fen-NKJV-21175b" title="See footnote b">b</a>]">[<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ezekiel+28&version=NKJV#fen-NKJV-21175b" style="box-sizing: border-box; min-width: 0px;" title="See footnote b"><span style="color: #4a4a4a;">b</span></a>]</sup>lifted up because of your beauty;</span></i></span><i><span style="color: black;"><br />
You corrupted your wisdom for the sake of your splendor;<br />
I cast you to the ground,<br />
I laid you before kings,<br />
That they might gaze at you.</span></i></span></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<div style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 2.4rem; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; min-width: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span id="en-NKJV-21176"><i><span style="color: black;">You
defiled your sanctuaries</span></i></span><i><span style="color: black;"><br />
By the multitude of your iniquities,<br />
By the iniquity of your trading;<br />
Therefore I brought fire from your midst;</span></i></span></div>
</div>
<div style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 2.4rem; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; min-width: 0px;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><span style="color: black;">It devoured you.</span></i></span></div>
<br />
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This king of Tyre is definitely
Satan. He was in the garden of Eden. It was he who tempted Eve to eat the
forbidden fruit. Much later, he ruled over Tyre. (Tyre is north of Israel so it
seems that Satan wanted to be close by Israel to keep an eye on it.) </span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So, we see a simple truth
here. Behind evil human rulers and kingdoms, there are Satan and his evil
spirits motivating and manipulating them. God has pulled back the veil of the
flesh to reveal the unseen realm where angels and demons exist. They have real influence in our world. </span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Getting back to John 10:10,
we can see the same pattern of evil human rulers (the Jewish leadership of
Jesus’ day) and the devil, who is motivating and manipulating those rulers. So,
having established a pattern of evil human ruler with evil spirits behind them,
it makes sense that the “thief” is, in fact, Satan. Even though Jesus had just
called those who came before Him “thieves and robbers”, He indicates who our
true enemy is, the devil.</span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This theme continues throughout
the New Testament. Paul almost always called evil spirits some kind of name
that indicates that they wish to rule over men. He taught us that we do not
wrestle against flesh and blood, but against “rulers and authorities”,
indicating that demons and not men are our problem. So, the devil and his demons
not only want to put us into bondage to sin, but they seek to rule over us and
oppress us. We must learn to resist the devil and keep him from stealing,
killing and destroying us. </span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<i><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">“The Son of God was
manifested to destroy the works of the devil.” 1 John 4</span></span></i><i><span style="color: black;"></span></i></div>
<br />
<br />
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<br />
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<b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span>Brian D Scarboroughhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12489965712075602631noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3442922579777114165.post-7676221324152656512020-05-02T12:09:00.001-07:002020-05-02T12:10:44.730-07:00Reading the Bible in Context, part 4<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We are going to
discuss two issues regarding the interpretation of a verse of scripture. One we
have dealt with somewhat: Interpreting a verse without comparing it to other
similar passages. In this case, we will take a careful look at a verse
which is both well-known and well-loved, but generally misinterpreted. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The second issue
is not interpreting a text according to its ancient context, rather putting a
modern interpretation on an ancient text and doing so erroneously. Now errors
like this are understandable since the correct interpretation depends on a
knowledge of ancient history and culture that not many have. However, we will
see that if we had looked at similar passages containing a particular
word, then we might have questioned our interpretation. But when something
seems crystal clear we tend to assume that we have understood it perfectly.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The passage for
study is Psalm 47:1-3. It reads:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<i><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: black;">Clap</span></b><span style="color: black;"> your
hands, all you peoples;</span><span style="color: black;"> shout
to God with the voice of triumph.</span></span></span></i></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<div style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 2.4rem; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; min-width: 0px;">
<i><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span id="en-NIV-14628"><span style="color: black;">For the </span><span style="color: black; font-variant: small-caps;">Lord</span><span style="color: black;"> Most High is awesome, </span></span><span style="color: black;">the
great King over all the earth.<br />
<span id="en-NIV-14629">He subdued nations under us, </span> peoples
under our feet.</span></span></span></i></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> I have put the
word “clap” in bold because that word is the key to our study. It seems
at first glance to be talking about what we call “applause” or a “clap offering”.
The “clapping” is in the middle of a praise to God. So, it basically means “clap
offering”, right? Case closed? </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">No, the case is
not closed. First of all, there is uncertainty as to the meaning of the Hebrew word translated “clap”. Is
it clapping in rhythm, applause or simply putting one’s hands together? We have
assumed it means “applause” and have practiced it that way, but the meaning is uncertain. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Moving on, we now
will look at passages that contain that same word and see how it is used. Let’s
use several.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Job 27:13-23 (with verses skipped for the sake of brevity)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<i><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Here is the fate God allots to the wicked,</span><span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"> the heritage a
ruthless man receives from the Almighty … <br />
<span id="en-NIV-13496" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; orphans: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">However many his children, their fate is the
sword;</span> </span><span style="box-sizing: border-box;">his offspring will never have
enough to eat. The plague will bury those who survive him,</span> <span style="box-sizing: border-box;">and their widows will not weep for them <b><sup>… </sup></b>Terrors
overtake him like a flood;</span> a tempest snatches
him away in the night.<b><sup data-cr="#cen-NIV-13502AJ" data-link="(<a href="#cen-NIV-13502AJ" title="See cross-reference AJ">AJ</a>)" style="box-sizing: border-box;"></sup></b><b> </b>The east wind carries
him off, and he is gone; It <u>claps its hands in derision</u><u>
and hisses him out of his place.</u></span></span></i><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Job 34:36-37 [Elihu condemns Job]</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<i><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Oh, that Job might be tested to the utmost</span><span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><br style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; orphans: 2; word-spacing: 0px;" />
<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; orphans: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"> </span>for answering
like a wicked man!<br style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; orphans: 2; word-spacing: 0px;" />
<b><sup><span id="en-NIV-13721" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; orphans: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"> </span></sup></b>To his sin he adds
rebellion;</span><br style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; orphans: 2; word-spacing: 0px;" />
<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; orphans: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"> </span>scornfully <u>he
claps his hands among us</u><u><br style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; orphans: 2; word-spacing: 0px;" />
</u><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; orphans: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"> <u> </u></span><u>and
multiplies his words against God</u>.</span></span></i><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="color: black; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Lamentations 2:15</span></span><br />
<span style="color: black; line-height: 107%;"><i></i><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br /></span>
<br />
<i><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><u><span style="color: black; line-height: 107%;">All that pass by <b>clap</b> their hands at thee; they hiss and
wag their head</span></u><span style="color: black; line-height: 107%;"> at the daughter of Jerusalem, saying, Is this the city that
men call The perfection of beauty, The joy of the whole earth?</span></span></span></i><br />
<span style="color: black; line-height: 107%;"><i></i><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br /></span>
<br />
<span style="color: black; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">There is something very strange here, isn’t there? Whatever a “clap”
was, it was not like the applause we know today. In fact, we can only trace ‘applause’
back to first century Rome. In the contexts in Job and Lamentations, the term “clap”
or “clapped their hands” has nothing to do with praising God. It seems to be a custom
that is associated with the defeat or overthrow of an enemy, especially as a
result of a judgment of God. Job is (falsely) accused of doing this
wickedly, but correctly applied it is often a result of God’s righteous judgment. The people of
God then may clap over the enemies that God has defeated. </span></span><br />
<span style="color: black; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br /></span>
<br />
<span style="color: black; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The word ‘clap’ is put together with speaking words against
someone (Job 34), wagging the head (Lam. 2) and hissing (Job 27 and Lam. 2) It
all seems to be a way of expressing the downfall of evil people (clapping) followed
by a show of contempt for those who are fallen (hissing and head-wagging). </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="color: black; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Now we can return to our original text. I am quoting again Psalm
47:1, 3 (sans verse 2) </span></span><br />
<span style="color: black; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br /></span>
<br />
<i><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: black; line-height: 107%;">Clap</span></b><span style="color: black; line-height: 107%;"> your hands, all you peoples;<br />
shout to God with voice of triumph … <br />
<u>He subdued nations under us,</u><br />
peoples under our feet.</span></span></span></i><br />
<span style="color: black; line-height: 107%;"><i></i><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br /></span>
<br />
<span style="color: black; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Now there is certainly a “shout to God”, which is praise, but a
careful examination of the context reveals that the Israelites were to “clap their
hands” to indicate the fall of their enemies, but they were not to show contempt
for them by hissing. Rather, they were to praise God for “subduing the nations
under us.” </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: black; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span><br /></span>
<span style="color: black; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">This is a victory psalm that tells God’s people to declare victory over their enemies and then praise God for it. So, praise is present, but it is the shout that is
praise, not the clapping. The clapping is the custom that showed the overthrow of one’s enemies. (In my view, if
you want to clap, clap over the devil – Jesus defeated him!)</span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: black; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br /></span>
<br />
<span style="color: black; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In fairness, there are other OT scriptures that speak of clapping
in a positive manner and even in praise. However, they are clearly metaphors from
nature. Isaiah and some psalmists speak of trees and waves “clapping their
hands”. When the wind blows, both waters and trees move in such a manner that
it resembles people clapping their hands over their heads. But we are neither
trees nor waves. All of creation gives praise to God but in different ways than
humans do. </span></span><br />
<span style="color: black; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br /></span>
<br />
<span style="color: black; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I am fairly certain that the clapping of hands in worship began in
the 1970’s. It seems to be unknown in the ancient church or the New Testament. I don’t find that
practice in the Bible in light of a thorough study of Psalm 47. </span></span><br />
<span style="color: black; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br /></span>
<br />
<span style="color: black; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I trust that I have not lost too many of my readers from this. Whenever a person shows that a verse does not mean what they think it means, they sometimes turn you off. But even if you disagree with me, please do pick up on the fact
that we must not interpret passages in isolation. We must study the uses of the same word elsewhere or we might miss the meaning altogether. I used to think that "clap" meant "clap offering", but now I have a fuller and richer understanding of the Bible because I found out differently. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: black; line-height: 107%;"><u></u><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span><br /></span>
<span style="color: black; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><u>Even more important, we must be aware of the fact that it is very
easy to read our modern culture and meanings and impose them onto the Bible when the ancient
world would have had no idea what we are talking about. </u>We do this a lot when we read the Bible and it is hard to do otherwise. But as we study and grow and learn, we can rejoice that our minds are being renewed to the Word of God and that we are thinking biblically and not according to this world's wisdom.</span></span></span><br />
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<b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span>Brian D Scarboroughhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12489965712075602631noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3442922579777114165.post-48628127824001001352020-04-26T13:29:00.000-07:002020-04-26T13:29:13.854-07:00Reading Bible Verses in Context, part 3
<br />
I sometimes have issues with the way that certain
verses are translated in certain translations in the Bible. Now I
am not suggesting that I know more than translators know. I have a
rudimentary knowledge of ancient Greek and even less of Hebrew. But if I opened
a mathematics textbook and I see that they have added 2 plus 2 and gotten 5, I
can say that it is wrong even though the authors know a thousand times more
math than I do. So, I feel free to criticize the translation of a certain verse
if I can show that it was not well done.<br />
<br />
<br />
Before we get to an example that will involve reading in
context, I want to explain that there are different theories of translation. I
will oversimply it for you here. The two basic theories are called “formal equivalence”
and “dynamic equivalence”, at least the last time I checked. (The names and
theories may have been altered, but that will not change what I am arguing
here.)<br />
<br />
<br />
The idea behind formal equivalence is something like we
might be tempted to call word-for-word translation. Of course, there is no such
thing as word-for-word translation since different languages have different
words, grammar, syntax, etc. Nevertheless, the translator tries to keep to the
words of the biblical text as close to the original as he or she can.<br />
<br />
<br />
The idea behind dynamic equivalence is that the
translation gives us the meaning of the original since the attempt at
word-for-word translation can often lead English readers with the wrong
impression regarding the meaning of a particular passage. For example, after
Jesus healed the woman with the blood flow, he told her, “Your faith has saved
you.” (KJV) That is a literal translation. But that might lead us to the
conclusion that this woman was just “saved”. A dynamic translation would say,
“Your faith has made you whole” or “Your faith has healed you”. That is clearer
to us than the word “saved” though in the Greek, it is the same word, “sozo”,
which refers most often to eternal salvation. In this case, the dynamic
equivalent method seems to be superior to the formal equivalent method, but I
don’t think that that is generally the case. Dynamic equivalence is actually
more likely to mislead the reader than formal equivalence.<br />
<br />
<br />
With that said, we are ready to look at an example of
poor translation by the method of dynamic equivalence. I will use two
translations – the New American Standard, which uses formal equivalence, and
the New Living Translation which uses dynamic equivalence. The verse in
question is 1 Corinthians 12:8a. The subject is spiritual gifts, or
supernatural manifestations of the Spirit of God.<br />
<br />
<br />
New American Standard:<br />
<br />
<br />
“For to one is given the word of wisdom through the
Spirit.”<br />
<br />
New Living Translation:<br />
<br />
<br />
“To one person the Spirit gives the ability to give wise
advice.”<br />
<br />
<br />
Notice that the NASB simply says “the word of wisdom” and
the NLT says that this gift is the “ability to give wise advice”. The NLT is
clearly an interpretation. The Greek says, “logos sophias”. Logos is the word
for word or utterance, and Sophia is a word for wisdom. We can see that “word
of wisdom” is roughly the same as “logos sophias”. It is quite literal.<br />
<br />
<br />
So, what is a “logos sophias” in this context? It could
mean the giving of wise advice. That is one good option. It is the one that the
NLT translators chose. But what if it means something else?<br />
<br />
Let’s focus on the word, “sophias” or “wisdom”. The NLT
translators have interpreted it as “wise advice”. Now I think that giving wise
advice is a wonderful thing, but I do not think it is a spiritual gift. I think
it is something else. How can we know whether or not “sophias” should be
translated as “wise advice”?<br />
<br />
<br />
Context.<br />
<br />
<br />
If we look at the context of the whole Bible, we will
immediately notice that wisdom can mean “practical advice”. Just read the book
of Proverbs. It is full of advice and wise sayings. It’s a very practical book.<br />
<br />
<br />
Then again, we also know that wisdom is the proper way of
looking at the world according to the revelation that God has given us.<br />
<br />
<br />
So, the context of the whole Bible might not help us
here. Instead, we must look at how Paul used the word “sophias” in the rest of
1 Corinthians. After all, it is highly unlikely that he would use such an
important word in different ways, especially in the same letter. The context
that is critical here is the context is how this author he uses words in this
letter he has written to the Corinthians.<br />
<br />
Earlier in this letter, Paul spoke of two very different
sources of wisdom. One was the wisdom of the world, which is wrong. The other
is the wisdom of God, which we need to learn and follow. But in neither case
does Paul use the word to indicate “practical advice”. Rather he was talking about
two very different ways to view the world.<br />
<br />
<br />
The wisdom of the world caused the Corinthians to see the
world the way the ancient Greeks and Romans did. There world was full of
factions, divided between those who followed different philosophical teachers. Hence,
the Corinthians were arguing over who they should follow – Paul, Apollos or
Peter. They also denied the resurrection of the dead. The reason they did this
was because in their philosophy (wisdom), the body was the prison of the soul
and the soul needed to be released from its prison never to return.<br />
<br />
<br />
But that is not the wisdom of God. God’s wisdom is based
on Jesus Christ and him crucified – and resurrected. Paul urges the Corinthians
to turn away from the wisdom of the world and accept God’s wisdom who is
Christ.<br />
<br />
<br />
1 Corinthians 2:6-8 NLT<br />
<br />
<br />
<i>When I am among mature believers, I do
speak with words of wisdom, but not the kind of wisdom that belongs to this
world or to the rulers of this world, who are soon forgotten. No, the wisdom we speak of is the mystery of God]—his plan
that was previously hidden, even though he made it for our ultimate glory
before the world began. But the rulers of this world
have not understood it; if they had, they would not have crucified our glorious
Lord.</i><br />
<span><i></i><br /></span>
<br />
Notice that I have used the NLT for this passage. Wisdom,
from God, is a revealing of His purpose and plan. In this passage, it
specifically refers to God’s plan to reconcile humanity to Himself by sending
Jesus to die on the cross for us.<br />
<br />
<br />
This leads me to conclude that when Paul speaks the wisdom
of God, he is talking about a revelation of the purpose and plan of God. The
word of wisdom, then, is not the giving of practical advice, but God revealing
what He is planning to do in the life of an individual, a church or even a
nation. <br />
<br />
When King Hezekiah was sick, Isaiah had a word of God’s
wisdom for him. Hezekiah was told to put his house in order because he was going
to die. Hezekiah then prayed and plead his case to God. God then extended his
life for 15 more years.<br />
<br />
<br />
Hezekiah knew that this was not practical advice that
Isaiah was giving him, but God was telling him that under the circumstances he
was going to die. Hezekiah did not set his house in order; he changed the
situation through prayer.<br />
<br />
<br />
I think that I have shown definitively that the NASB
translation is much better than the NLT. And I have also demonstrated that a
dynamic translation, being interpretive, can lead us in the wrong direction due
to the opinion of the translators. They obviously believed that the verse in
question means “giving wise advice”.<br />
<br />
<br />
The NASB translation could lead to any of several
interpretations. With the NASB, you could come to the conclusion, as many have,
that “logos sophias” means “giving wise advice”. But any good translation
should allow for interpretations other than the one that the translators
determine must be correct. The job of a translator is to translate the text freely
and faithfully, not to determine the complete meaning for us and translate it
accordingly.<br />
<br />
<br />
But I must return to our main theme of interpreting by
context. In my first post on the subject, I showed how the immediate context is
the most important. In the second, I showed that the context of the whole Bible
is important as well, especially when it comes to application.<br />
<br />
<br />
Now we can see that how the human author uses certain
words also helps us determine what a word means, particularly in the same book.
Get into the habit of reading context, the surrounding context and the context of
the book of the Bible you are reading as well.<br />
<br />
God bless.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
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<b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike>Brian D Scarboroughhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12489965712075602631noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3442922579777114165.post-49997655405641233252020-04-18T12:12:00.001-07:002020-04-18T12:13:20.360-07:00Reading Bible Verses in Context, part 2<div>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">In the last post, we looked at a passage of Scripture that many have taken too broadly; namely, that Paul in calling himself "the worst of sinners" was not referring to his present state but to his past - before Christ. In this case, Christians have made too much out of what Paul said. We cannot make a doctrine out of it. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">In this post, we will look at a verse that has sometimes been taken too narrowly often by scholars. We will look at Philippians 4:12-13</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><i><span class="text Phil-4-12" id="en-NIV-29455" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: black; font-size: 16px; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">I (Paul) know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry,<sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-29455P" data-link="(<a href="#cen-NIV-29455P" title="See cross-reference P">P</a>)" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 0.62em; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"></sup> whether living in plenty or in want.<sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-29455Q" data-link="(<a href="#cen-NIV-29455Q" title="See cross-reference Q">Q</a>)" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 0.62em; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"></sup></span><span style="background-color: white; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 24px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"> </span><span class="text Phil-4-13" id="en-NIV-29456" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: black; font-size: 16px; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><sup class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 12px; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"> </sup><b>I can do all things through him who gives me strength.</b></span></i></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">I have put in bold letters the part of this which is often quoted. Christians have applied this principle to just about any situation. They declare that God empowers us to go through all kinds of circumstances particularly when we are answering his call. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">Biblical scholars cry foul on this. They say that the context of the latter part of this only applies to the situation of Paul having much or little in terms of material things and does not relate to anything else. In other words, it is said that the time that God gives us strength and ability is in regards to our material circumstances only. Now they would have an excellent point if that was the only biblical passage that spoke of this. It is not. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">We not only need to know the immediate context of a verse, we need to understand it in the context of the whole Bible. To say it a little differently, we have to ask ourselves if this principle is only applicable to this situation, or is it a larger principle that Paul has applied right here and we can apply it to other situations as well. I think it is the latter. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">Isaiah 41:10</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><i><span class="text Isa-41-10" id="en-NIV-18462" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: black; font-size: 16px; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; position: relative; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">So do not fear,<sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-18462AF" data-link="(<a href="#cen-NIV-18462AF" title="See cross-reference AF">AF</a>)" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 0.62em; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"></sup> for I am with you; </span><span class="indent-1" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: black; font-size: 16px; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span class="text Isa-41-10" style="box-sizing: border-box; position: relative;">do not be dismayed, for I am your God.</span></span></i></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><i><span class="text Isa-41-10" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: black; font-size: 16px; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; position: relative; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><b>I will strengthen<sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-18462AH" data-link="(<a href="#cen-NIV-18462AH" title="See cross-reference AH">AH</a>)" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 0.62em; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"></sup> you</b> and help<sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-18462AI" data-link="(<a href="#cen-NIV-18462AI" title="See cross-reference AI">AI</a>)" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 0.62em; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"></sup> you;</span><span class="indent-1" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: black; font-size: 16px; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span class="indent-1-breaks" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: monospace; font-size: 0.42em; line-height: 0;"> </span><span class="text Isa-41-10" style="box-sizing: border-box; position: relative;">I will uphold you<sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-18462AJ" data-link="(<a href="#cen-NIV-18462AJ" title="See cross-reference AJ">AJ</a>)" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 0.62em; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"></sup> with my righteous right hand.</span></span></i></span></div>
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This is a promise from the Old Testament that God will strengthen us and uphold us by his right hand. Who is God's right hand? It is Christ. Now the context of this verse is referring to the return of the exiles from the Babylonian Captivity. But notice how similar it is to what Paul said. We can see exactly the same principle applied to very different circumstances. </div>
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And there are many such examples of God strengthening His people to accomplish His will. It is a principle that applies to many more situations that what we find in Philippians. So, it is proper to interpret Philippians 4:13 more broadly than some scholars would allow. </div>
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I hope that you have noticed that we have done something similar in last week's and this week's post. We have looked at the immediate context and we have looked at the larger context of the whole Bible. In last week's post, we showed that the immediate context was of great importance. Paul clearly said that he had been an awful sinner. Things he said elsewhere showed that he considered a born-again Christian to be righteous before God. </div>
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This week we saw that the context of the whole Bible was actually the more important one. So, you might ask the question, "How do we know which one is more important?". Well, that's where we have to keep studying the Scriptures. The more we know, the better we can interpret any verse. </div>
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One thing you can do is word studies. You can take prominent words and study how they are used in the Bible. Better yet, you can study certain subjects in the Bible. That means the whole Bible and not just the New Testament though the New Testament does interpret the Old. </div>
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So, I encourage everyone to keep reading, studying and meditating on the Word of God.</div>
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Brian D Scarboroughhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12489965712075602631noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3442922579777114165.post-77883996517324976232020-04-11T09:04:00.002-07:002020-04-18T11:16:24.544-07:00Reading Bible Verses in Context, part 1<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Since most of us have more alone time at home and may be having church online, I am hoping that my fellow Christians are spending more time reading the Bible for themselves. In view of that, I want to share some ways to read the Bible with better understanding.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I want to start with the subject of reading the Bible in context. Those of you who are educated in these things might be tempted to nod your head and stop reading this post because you know all about that. But I encourage you to keep reading because my guess is that you are as guilty of this as anyone else. You take scriptures out of context or simply ignore the context in determining the meaning. We have all done it. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Before we get into this, though, I want to make sure I am not misunderstood. Even when we get into the various ways we can better understand the Scriptures, I am not saying that we can figure it all out in our heads. We cannot. We have the Holy Spirit to teach us and to lead us into all truth. (John 14:26; 16:13) Always look to Him for understanding, first and foremost, then use the other tools that can aid our minds in grasping the truths of the Bible. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">First, I want to admit that certain verses that we often quote and use are well understood even without a lot of context. Take John 3:16. We quote that verse, we understand it correctly, we use it correctly so we do not have to take too much time talking about the context. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">But even in this instance, if someone knows nothing about Christ, nothing about sin, and nothing about eternal judgement, then he would not have any idea what this verse is actually saying. A uniformed pagan might ask "Which god?", or, "Since God has given His Son to give us everlasting life, how can I find Him?" He might understand nothing of the cross much less about sin or redemption or faith. The context of the whole Bible would have to tell him those things.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">So, let's look at an example of a verse that is commonly misunderstood and misapplied because the context is not carefully considered. 1 Timothy 1:15 says, "<span style="background-color: white; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">Here is a trustworthy saying</span><sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-29712AD" data-link="(<a href="#cen-NIV-29712AD" title="See cross-reference AD">AD</a>)" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 22px; orphans: 2; position: relative; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; top: 0px; vertical-align: top; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"></sup><span style="background-color: white; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"> that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners</span><sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-29712AE" data-link="(<a href="#cen-NIV-29712AE" title="See cross-reference AE">AE</a>)" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 22px; orphans: 2; position: relative; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; top: 0px; vertical-align: top; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"></sup><span style="background-color: white; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">—of whom I am the worst." So Paul calls himself the "worst of sinners" or, as some translations say, "the chief of sinners". I have heard this many times used to "prove" that we should consider ourselves to be sinners of the worst sort if we want to be humble Christians. After all, if the great Apostle Paul whom we consider to be among the best Christians ever thought of himself as the worst sinner, how should we see ourselves? We should see ourselves as awful sinners as well. Right? </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span class="text 1Tim-1-12" style="box-sizing: border-box;"><sup class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"></sup>"I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength,<sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-29709W" data-link="(<a href="#cen-NIV-29709W" title="See cross-reference W">W</a>)" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"></sup> that he considered me trustworthy, appointing me to his service.<sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-29709X" data-link="(<a href="#cen-NIV-29709X" title="See cross-reference X">X</a>)" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"></sup></span> <span class="text 1Tim-1-13" id="en-NIV-29710" style="box-sizing: border-box;">Even though I was once a blasphemer and a persecutor<sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-29710Y" data-link="(<a href="#cen-NIV-29710Y" title="See cross-reference Y">Y</a>)" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"></sup> and a violent man, I was shown mercy<sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-29710Z" data-link="(<a href="#cen-NIV-29710Z" title="See cross-reference Z">Z</a>)" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"></sup> because I acted in ignorance and unbelief.<sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-29710AA" data-link="(<a href="#cen-NIV-29710AA" title="See cross-reference AA">AA</a>)" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"></sup></span> <span class="text 1Tim-1-14" id="en-NIV-29711" style="box-sizing: border-box;">The grace of our Lord was poured out on me abundantly,<sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-29711AB" data-link="(<a href="#cen-NIV-29711AB" title="See cross-reference AB">AB</a>)" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"></sup> along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. </span><span class="text 1Tim-1-15" id="en-NIV-29712" style="box-sizing: border-box;">Here is a trustworthy saying<sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-29712AD" data-link="(<a href="#cen-NIV-29712AD" title="See cross-reference AD">AD</a>)" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"></sup> that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners<sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-29712AE" data-link="(<a href="#cen-NIV-29712AE" title="See cross-reference AE">AE</a>)" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"></sup>—of whom I am the worst.</span> <span class="text 1Tim-1-16" id="en-NIV-29713" style="box-sizing: border-box;"><sup class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"> </sup>But for that very reason I was shown mercy<sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-29713AF" data-link="(<a href="#cen-NIV-29713AF" title="See cross-reference AF">AF</a>)" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"></sup> so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his immense patience<sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-29713AG" data-link="(<a href="#cen-NIV-29713AG" title="See cross-reference AG">AG</a>)" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"></sup> as an example for those who would believe<sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-29713AH" data-link="(<a href="#cen-NIV-29713AH" title="See cross-reference AH">AH</a>)" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"></sup> in him and receive eternal life." </span>1 Timothy 1:12-16</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">When you read this in context, Paul is not saying that he was the worst sinner when he wrote this, but before he was saved. Although he uses the present tense to say "worst of sinners", it is clear that he is talking about the time he "<u>was</u> a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent man." He used the past tense there because he was no longer that man. That man was saved by the merciful Savior Jesus. Paul is telling Timothy to use him as an example of the mercy that Christ shows to sinners. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Perhaps you have met, or have been, one of those who think that God will not save them because they have been so bad. Paul uses himself as proof that God will save the worst of sinners. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">So to use this one verse to prove some idea that we are still sinners after salvation is just not tenable. We must consider the context of all that Paul has said along these lines. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">"<span class="text Rom-5-8" id="en-RGT-4910" style="box-sizing: border-box;">God exhibits his love towards us, in that <u>while we were still sinners</u>, Christ died for us.</span><span class="text Rom-5-9" id="en-RGT-4911" style="box-sizing: border-box;"><sup class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"> </sup>Much more, then, being justified now by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him." Romans 5:8-9 Notice that "sinners" is referenced in the past tense. The implication is that we were sinners until we received our justification by the blood of Jesus.</span></span></div>
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<span class="text Rom-5-9" id="en-RGT-4911" style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">"<span style="background-color: white; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">For if, by the offense of one, death reigned through one, much more so shall those who receive the abundance of grace, and the <u>gift of righteousness</u>, reign in life through One - Jesus Christ." Romans 5:17 Righteousness (not just a legal kind of righteousness) is a gift and has nothing to do with works.</span></span></span></div>
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<span class="text Rom-5-9" id="en-RGT-4911" style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="background-color: white; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">"N<span style="background-color: white; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">ot having my own righteousness (which is of the Law) but that which is through faith in Christ - the <u>righteousness which is from God by faith</u>." Philippians 3:9 We obtain righteousness from God by faith.</span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">"<span style="background-color: white; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">For He has made him to be sin for us, Who knew no sin; that we should be <u>made the righteousness of God in Him</u>." 2 Corinthians 5:21 The strongest statement in the New Testament regarding our righteousness. The context here reveals that he is talking about us being made new creations in Christ, brand new people with a new nature. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I could quote more verses, but if you study these things (in context, of course) you will find that Paul consistently says that we<u> were</u> sinners but have received the gift of righteousness and received it by faith. We have been new creations, created in righteousness and true holiness. (2 Cor. 5:17; Ephesians 4:24) Thank God that though we were sinners, we were saved, that is, made righteous, by faith in Christ and His redemptive work on the cross. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">So I encourage everyone to study the context of every passage, both the immediate context of where that verse is, but also the context of what else the Bible says about that subject. Let's not build our theology on verses ripped out of their context to prove our theology. Sometimes our more used verses, taken out of context, have led us into misunderstanding and poor theology.</span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I hope that this has been enlightening or, at least, challenging. I encourage comments and questions - even arguments. However, the Comments Section of this blog does not seem to work, so put in the Facebook post or email me at brian.scarborough@aol.com</span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">NEXT TIME (maybe): Using the context to interpret too narrowly. </span></div>
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</span>Brian D Scarboroughhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12489965712075602631noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3442922579777114165.post-69498180263532771532019-12-14T14:50:00.001-08:002019-12-14T14:50:18.615-08:00The Departure of the Church<span style="font-family: inherit;">I occasionally watch on television a Bible teacher who teaches concerning Bible prophecy. Consistently, he talks about the pre-tribulation rapture of the church. So, I began to wonder why he beat this drum so often. After all, there are many subjects in Bible prophecy to discuss. Why always the pre-trib rapture? Isn't that a fairly settled subject in charismatic circles? I have discovered that it is not.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Before we go further, I need to define some terms. The Tribulation period refers to the seven year period right before the Second Coming of our Lord. You can read about the Second Coming in Revelation chapter 19. That event is followed by the Millennial Reign of Christ when He will rule the earth from Jerusalem for 1000 years. (Some recently have revived the idea that Christ will return after the Millennium, but Revelation chapters 19 and 20 are quite clear: the Millennium will follow the Second Coming, not precede it.)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">The prophet Daniel in about 535 B.C. spoke about 70 seven year periods that would precede the reign of the Messiah. 69 of those seven year periods took place before the messiah was "cut off", or crucified. Because the Jews had rejected their messiah, that last seven year period has been put off until Israel is ready to accept Jesus. In the meantime, God formed the Church to preach the gospel to all nations. So that last seven year period has been delayed until the Church finishes its task of preaching the gospel to the uttermost parts of the earth. After that, God will again "restart the clock" and the seven year Tribulation period will begin. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">The teaching regarding the pre-tribulation rapture of the church states that before that Tribulation period begins, the church will be resurrected and caught up into heaven thus missing that time of judgement. This has been the teaching especially in Baptist and charismatic circles for a long time. Yet, there have always been those who disagreed with that scenario putting the rapture in the middle or at the end of the Tribulation.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">The most recent departure from the teaching of the pre-trib rapture has come from Jewish Christians and others who have a real heart for Israel and the Jewish people. They have brought the church great blessing by showing us things like the meaning of the feasts that God commanded the Israelites to keep. They have noted that some of the church has viewed the church as replacing the Jews in the plan of God. That view regards all prophecies regarding Israel as applying to the church only. They do not believe that God will have any more dealings with the Jews as His own people. He is done with them. Until the nineteenth century, this was the standard view in every church. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">But when God brought the Jews back into Palestine after the world wars, many Christians began to see that God was beginning to restore the Jewish people back to the Promised Land as He said He would in the prophets. So many Christians began to see the Jews and the Christians as two peoples of God each with a distinct place in the overall plan of God. The old idea of Christians replacing the Jews was largely pushed aside. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Recently, though, another idea arose which rejects the distinction between the church and the Jews as separate peoples of God. After the Six-Day war in 1967, many Jews began to accept Jesus as their Messiah and Lord. Of course, they had a desire to see their Jewish brethren accept the Lord and were big supporters of Israel. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">However, some began teaching that Israel and the church were one. Scriptures like those in Romans chapter 11 were used to "prove" that God "grafted" the church into the Jewish people. Hence, the church and the Jews are really not separate, but belong to the same covenant and have the same purpose. A careful reading of these passages must cause us to draw another conclusion. What the church is grafted into is not Israel or the Covenant (Law) of Moses, but the Abrahamic Covenant. Paul called Christian believers "sons of Abraham" not "sons of Israel". The Abrahamic Covenant created both the Jewish nation (Israel) and the church. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Regarding the Jewish nation, God promised Abraham, "I will make you a great nation." Regarding the church, God promised "In you all the nations of the earth will be blessed." Gen 12</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Paul consistently said that the church is not under the Law of Moses, but confirmed that we are children of Abraham, the father of faith, and that we have the blessing of Abraham. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">So we now have a situation where some are saying that the church will go through the Tribulation and not be raptured beforehand. They view the church and the Jews as one people of God. It would make sense then that the church and the Jews would share the same destiny. The church, though, is made up of believing Jews and believing Gentiles. Unbelieving Jews are not part of the church. The unbelievers (Jews and Gentiles alike) will go through the Tribulation. The church, having fulfilled its commission will go to be with the Lord. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">The NT also confirms that the (unbelieving) Jewish nation and the church (believing Jews and Gentiles) are distinct. "Give no offense, either to the Jews or to the Gentiles or to the church of God." (1 Cor. 10:32) Paul did not teach that the Jews and the church are 'one'. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Some might counter this argument by noting Ephesians 2:14-16, "<span class="text Eph-2-14" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">He Himself is our peace, who has made both [Jews and Gentiles] one, and has broken down the middle wall of separation, </span><span class="text Eph-2-15" id="en-NKJV-29245" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><sup class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"> </sup>having abolished in His flesh the enmity, <i style="box-sizing: border-box;">that is,</i> the law of commandments <i style="box-sizing: border-box;">contained</i> in ordinances, so as to create in Himself one <sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NKJV-29245V" data-link="(<a href="#cen-NKJV-29245V" title="See cross-reference V">V</a>)" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"></sup>new man <i style="box-sizing: border-box;">from</i> the two, <i style="box-sizing: border-box;">thus</i> making peace, </span><span class="text Eph-2-16" id="en-NKJV-29246" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><sup class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"> </sup>and that He might <sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NKJV-29246W" data-link="(<a href="#cen-NKJV-29246W" title="See cross-reference W">W</a>)" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"></sup>reconcile them both to God in one body through the cross, thereby <sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NKJV-29246X" data-link="(<a href="#cen-NKJV-29246X" title="See cross-reference X">X</a>)" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"></sup>putting to death the enmity." </span></span><br />
<span class="text Eph-2-16" id="en-NKJV-29246" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span><br /></span>
<span class="text Eph-2-16" id="en-NKJV-29246" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Doesn't that say that the Jews and believing Gentiles are one in messiah? No. It is saying that believing Jews and believing Gentiles are one. Paul says this several times in his letters. The point that Paul is making is that the divisions created by the Law of Moses between Jews and Gentiles are gone IN CHRIST because no believer, whether Jew or Gentile, is under the Law. It was the Law that brought a separation. Jews would not even eat with Gentiles. In Christ, we are in full fellowship with one another.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Paul teaches the pre-tribulation rapture of the church. "Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day [of the Lord beginning with the Tribulation] will not come unless the <i>falling away </i>comes first." (2 Thess. 2:3) The Greek word that is here translated as "falling away" would better be translated "departure", meaning the departure or rapture of the church. The word is 'apostasia' and it literally means 'departure'. The reason it has been translated as 'falling away' is that is what it means in 1 Timothy 4:1, "Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith." The assumption has been made that 'departure' must mean 'departure from the faith'. But Thessalonians says nothing about departure from the faith. The context is the place of the church at the end of the age.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">I discovered this many years ago in my own studies. Some years later I found one commentator who agreed with me. Now this view, that the word means 'departure' and not 'falling away', is becoming increasingly accepted in Christian academic circles. I expect it to become the standard view in time.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Additionally, we also need to read this passage in view of the Jewish marriage ceremony. In that ceremony, the bride waits for her bridegroom to come to her home and take her to his home. Although legally they are already married, they would not live together until that time. Note John 14:2-3 "<span class="text John-14-2" id="en-NASB-26671" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span class="woj" style="box-sizing: border-box;"><sup class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"> </sup>In My Father’s house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for <sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NASB-26671B" data-link="(<a href="#cen-NASB-26671B" title="See cross-reference B">B</a>)" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"></sup>I go to prepare a place for you.</span></span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: black; display: inline !important; float: none; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 24px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"> </span><span class="text John-14-3" id="en-NASB-26672" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span class="woj" style="box-sizing: border-box;"><sup class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"> </sup>If I go and prepare a place for you, <sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NASB-26672C" data-link="(<a href="#cen-NASB-26672C" title="See cross-reference C">C</a>)" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"></sup>I will come again and receive you to Myself, that <sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NASB-26672D" data-link="(<a href="#cen-NASB-26672D" title="See cross-reference D">D</a>)" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"></sup>where I am, <i style="box-sizing: border-box;">there</i> you may be also." A bridegroom, in preparation for this event, would build on his father's land and prepare a place for her to live with him. When all preparations were done, he would come to get her. This is precisely the idea in 2 Thessalonians. </span></span></span><br />
<span class="text John-14-3" id="en-NASB-26672" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span class="woj" style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span><br /></span></span>
<span class="text John-14-3" id="en-NASB-26672" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span class="woj" style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">For this, and many other scriptural reasons, we should maintain the doctrine of the pre-tribulation rapture of the church. </span></span></span><br />
<span class="text John-14-3" id="en-NASB-26672" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span class="woj" style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></span>
<span class="text John-14-3" id="en-NASB-26672" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span class="woj" style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Shalom.</span></span></span><br />
<span class="text John-14-3" id="en-NASB-26672" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span class="woj" style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></span>
<span class="text John-14-3" id="en-NASB-26672" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span class="woj" style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">[The comments section of this blog site is not working.]</span></span></span><br />
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<b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span><br />Brian D Scarboroughhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12489965712075602631noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3442922579777114165.post-84462371940977756072019-09-21T14:12:00.001-07:002019-09-21T14:46:41.074-07:00There Is Nothing New Under The SunWhen I first began studying the OT prophets, I looked for prophecies pertaining to Christ, particularly regarding His first coming. That was my main interest. Obviously, I spent much time in Isaiah as he had many prophecies about Christ, especially chapter 53 which tells us about His crucifixion. After that, I began to become interested in the end times and prophecies regarding that. Of course, that has to do with the second coming of Christ which is in our near future.<br />
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But I sort of glossed over the other prophecies about how Israel continually disobeyed and fell short of keeping their covenant with God. And I mentally cringed at the awful judgments pronounced, and carried out, against God's people. Over the years, though, I began to see the justice of God's judgments and I saw how patient He had been with them. They were rarely faithful to the covenant they had made with the Lord. They committed idolatry upon idolatry, and oppression and murder and adultery for hundreds of years before God brought the "promised" judgments. I used to wonder about how God could do such "terrible" things to His people and now I wonder how He put up with them so long. Still, I have not spent much time reading about these things. Not many Christians do. It does not seem all that interesting.<br />
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Occasionally, though, someone comes up with a new idea that revives interest in a neglected part of the Bible. Recently, some scholars have begun to view the prophets in a new way. They see the prophets not as enforcers of God's covenant, but as visionaries who began to see Israelite society in a new and different way. They cried out against what they saw as social injustices and told them that God was displeased with them as a result. In other words, the prophets were creative and foreward-looking. They wanted a brand new society based upon new principles and new revelations of God's justice.<br />
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These same scholars, and their followers, believe that the church should do the same thing. Preachers and believers should have a "prophetic voice" that cries out against various injustices and inequities in our society. Some have begun to do so. Sadly, however, this so-called "prophetic voice" often sounds a lot like the secular progressives raging against things they don't like and for things society has rejected throughout history. They promote things like gay marriage and abortion "rights". They promote activism in areas like climate change. They talk about how capitalism is "oppressing" the poor.<br />
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(I am tempted to give a lesson in economics at this point. Criticizing capitalism for poverty is like criticizing a goose because she did not lay enough golden eggs for everyone. One of the leading scholars teaching this stuff is actually a Marxist - talk about ungodly! <span style="background-color: white; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">But I digress.)</span><br />
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I will not read the prophets that way. I must take another approach. And I am doing so. Recently, I began an in-depth study of the prophets, beginning with Isaiah, focusing on the basis on which they condemned Israel for its sins. I have discovered, thanks to some wonderful conservative commentators, that the prophets did nothing "creative". The only real, new revelations they had was of the coming of the messiah and the kingdom of God. Regarding sins, they simply applied the Law to their current situation. The Law of Moses, especially Deuteronomy 28-33 and Leviticus 26, contain curses or punishments that Israel would incur if they violated the covenant stipulations. The prophets proclaimed that Israel would suffer the exact thing that God had told them they would suffer if they violated the Ten Commandments and the other laws in the Torah.<br />
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You can go through each prophet and what they said would happen to Israel and then trace it back to an exact curse in the Law. Scholars have numbered each type of curse and often just refer to them by number. You can do this verse by verse. So, there is nothing "creative" about the prophets. They did not discover a new way to order society. They looked back to the Law of Moses and saw that the Israelites were disobedient. They told the people that God was going to punish their disobedience in precisely the way that He said they would. And we have the historical books of the OT to show us that this is what came to pass.<br />
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But those who teach that the prophets had a new vision based on some new "revelation" for Israelite society miss this key point. They also miss the point that the canon is closed. There will be no additions to the Bible. God has not changed His mind about homosexuality or anything else. I will not accept any so-called "revelation" or insight that someone gets that is contrary to the Bible even if it seems just and right to modern society. Any prophecy or revelation has to be in line with the Bible. Otherwise, it is to be rejected. God is not giving out new revelations to straighten out the church or society.<br />
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Of course, some would point out that God has raised up people like Martin Luther King Jr. to correct injustices in our society. That is true. But if you listen to his speeches and read his writings, you will discover something very interesting. He had a vision of a just society not just for his people but for all. He did it by calling people back to the Bible and to the Declaration of Independence that says that all men are created equal. He pointed out that many whites were hypocritical in proclaiming the Bible and maintaining prejudice and discrimination against blacks. King was, in this sense, a conservative calling us to live by the standards of the Bible and by the ideals of the Declaration. The problem was not that we needed a new vision of what justice is, we simply needed to apply the principles we were supposed to be living by in the first place. No new revelation was necessary.<br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">The prophets should never be read as if they were a manual for us to become social justice warriors. They should be read for what they were: applications of the Word of God given at that point and exhortations to keep that same Word. Therefore, we should do the same thing. We should constantly harken back to what God said in His Word (mainly the New Testament) and apply it in our lives, in our churches, and in our society as we able.</span><br />
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<br />Brian D Scarboroughhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12489965712075602631noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3442922579777114165.post-26125512803999557612019-08-16T13:39:00.002-07:002019-08-16T13:39:49.584-07:00What is Leviathan?[I realize that this little study might seem a bit 'nerdish' to some people since it regards the definition of an obscure word in the OT. However, please read through it all and get the real lesson that I finally get to at the end. As before, the comments section is not working. If you have any questions or comments, please email me at brian.scarborough@aol.com Thanks for reading.]<br />
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Sometimes I run across a word, especially in the Old Testament, that I do not understand, and since it usually is not that important, I do not bother to study it out. One of those words has been the word "Leviathan".<br />
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Though I had been puzzled by what the word means or what/who it refers to, I had never bothered to really study it out - until now. The reason I have done so is that someone who is considered a prophet declared that he had a revelation from God about this "Leviathan". That caught my interest. He said that God showed him that Leviathan was a powerful evil spirit who has "been awakened" and is becoming active and that we must all watch out for him. I was skeptical of this because of the fact that spirits do not sleep or remain dormant for hundreds or thousands of years and then wake up to cause havoc. Evil spirits cause problems whenever they have the opportunity. They do not "wake up" since they do not sleep.<br />
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So, I thought I would study it out myself and see what I could come up with. There did not seem too much to work with because the word "Leviathan" is only referenced five times and only in the Old Testament. It is twice in Job, twice in Psalms and once in Isaiah where it is used prophetically about the End Times.<br />
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The one thing that stands out about most of these references is that Leviathan is some kind of sea creature or sea serpent. But that itself does not tell us much. This is where historians of the ancient world come in handy. Scholars say Leviathan may be an actual sea creature (perhaps no longer extant) or a mythological creature of the pagan religions. This sea monster represented the forces of chaos. One commentary on Job indicates that "to awaken Leviathan is to 'annihilate the existing order and plunge into catastrophe'". Some call it "the chaos monster".<br />
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Thinking this through we have to understand what things can be like on the sea or ocean. Things can get very chaotic. Winds and waves can toss a ship all around and sink it in minutes. A body of water that is usually calm can become deadly in a short period of time. This represents what life can become for people, families or even a nation. Things go along fine and then the unthinkable happens. A terrorist attack or a natural disaster can throw people into a disorder and chaos.<br />
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Let's go back to the scriptures again and see if we can understand better what the biblical writers were telling us.<br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: black; display: inline !important; float: none; font-style: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">"In that day the </span><span class="small-caps" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: small-caps; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">Lord</span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: black; display: inline !important; float: none; font-style: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"> with his sore and great and strong sword shall punish Le</span>viathan<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: black; display: inline !important; float: none; font-style: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"> the piercing serpent, even L</span>eviathan<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: black; display: inline !important; float: none; font-style: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"> that crooked serpent; and he shall slay the dragon that is in the sea." Isaiah 27:1 KJV</span></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: black; display: inline !important; float: none; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><b></b><b></b><b></b><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: black; display: inline !important; float: none; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">The expression, "in that day", refers to the Day of the Lord in prophecy which is the Tribulation Period followed by the Millennial Reign of Christ. So, now we must see if there are any parallels in the New Testament to this passage. And we do find a couple.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: black; display: inline !important; float: none; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: black; display: inline !important; float: none; font-style: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>"<span class="text Rev-12-7" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: black; font-style: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">Michael and his angels fought <sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NKJV-30899M" data-link="(<a href="#cen-NKJV-30899M" title="See cross-reference M">M</a>)" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"></sup>with the dragon; and the dragon and his angels fought, </span><span class="text Rev-12-8" id="en-NKJV-30900" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: black; font-style: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">but they <sup class="footnote" data-fn="#fen-NKJV-30900a" data-link="[<a href="#fen-NKJV-30900a" title="See footnote a">a</a>]" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"></sup>did not prevail, nor was a place found for <sup class="footnote" data-fn="#fen-NKJV-30900b" data-link="[<a href="#fen-NKJV-30900b" title="See footnote b">b</a>]" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"></sup>them in heaven any longer.</span><span class="text Rev-12-9" id="en-NKJV-30901" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: black; font-style: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><sup class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"> </sup>So <sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NKJV-30901N" data-link="(<a href="#cen-NKJV-30901N" title="See cross-reference N">N</a>)" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"></sup>the great dragon was cast out, <sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NKJV-30901O" data-link="(<a href="#cen-NKJV-30901O" title="See cross-reference O">O</a>)" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"></sup>that serpent of old, called the Devil and Satan, <sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NKJV-30901P" data-link="(<a href="#cen-NKJV-30901P" title="See cross-reference P">P</a>)" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"></sup>who deceives the whole world; <sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NKJV-30901Q" data-link="(<a href="#cen-NKJV-30901Q" title="See cross-reference Q">Q</a>)" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"></sup>he was cast to the earth, and his angels were cast out with him." Revelation 12:7-9</span></b></span></span><br />
<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: black; display: inline !important; float: none; font-style: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><span class="text Rev-12-9" id="en-NKJV-30901" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: black; font-style: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><br /></span></b></span></span>
<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: black; display: inline !important; float: none; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span class="text Rev-12-9" id="en-NKJV-30901" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: black; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><span class="text Rev-20-1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: black; font-style: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">"Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven, <sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NKJV-31040A" data-link="(<a href="#cen-NKJV-31040A" title="See cross-reference A">A</a>)" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"></sup>having the key to the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. </span><span class="text Rev-20-2" id="en-NKJV-31041" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: black; font-style: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><sup class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"> </sup>He laid hold of <sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NKJV-31041B" data-link="(<a href="#cen-NKJV-31041B" title="See cross-reference B">B</a>)" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"></sup>the dragon, that serpent of old, who is <i style="box-sizing: border-box;">the</i> Devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years; </span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: black; display: inline !important; float: none; font-style: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"></span><span class="text Rev-20-3" id="en-NKJV-31042" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: black; font-style: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><sup class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">3 </sup>and he cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and <sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NKJV-31042C" data-link="(<a href="#cen-NKJV-31042C" title="See cross-reference C">C</a>)" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"></sup>set a seal on him, <sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NKJV-31042D" data-link="(<a href="#cen-NKJV-31042D" title="See cross-reference D">D</a>)" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"></sup>so that he should deceive the nations no more till the thousand years were finished." Revelation 20:1-3</span></b></span></span></span><br />
<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: black; display: inline !important; float: none; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="text Rev-12-9" id="en-NKJV-30901" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><b></b><b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike><b></b><br /></span></span></span>
<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: black; display: inline !important; float: none; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="text Rev-12-9" id="en-NKJV-30901" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">Notice that the dragon of Revelation who is Satan and the Devil is also called a serpent just as Leviathan was in Isaiah 27. To me, this is quite clear. Satan and Leviathan are the same. There is not a separate spirit apart from Satan called Leviathan. </span></span></span><br />
<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: black; display: inline !important; float: none; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="text Rev-12-9" id="en-NKJV-30901" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><br /></span></span></span>
<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: black; display: inline !important; float: none; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="text Rev-12-9" id="en-NKJV-30901" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">Leviathan is actually an older concept than Satan is. Or, rather, the force that causes trouble and chaos in this world was called in very ancient times 'Leviathan'. Later, God revealed to Israel as late as the Babylonian Captivity that there was a fallen angel originally called Lucifer who fell and became 'Satan'. (It might seem strange to us, but there are no direct references to Satan before Isaiah 14.) After the Captivity (6th century B.C.), there are no more references to Leviathan but only to Satan. So, the New Testament never uses the term and, in fact, the Greek language had no word for it. </span></span></span><br />
<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: black; display: inline !important; float: none; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="text Rev-12-9" id="en-NKJV-30901" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><br /></span></span></span>
<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: black; display: inline !important; float: none; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="text Rev-12-9" id="en-NKJV-30901" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">I have written all the above to say this. If you think that you have a revelation from God regarding some part of the Bible, study it out thoroughly in the Word before you seek more revelation on it and insist that it is all from God. If you don't you are opening yourself up to deception. This person who proclaimed that some ancient spirit was back from who knows where and that we have to watch out for him is, frankly, deceived. Leviathan is an ancient spirit, but we now know him as Satan.</span></span></span><br />
<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: black; display: inline !important; float: none; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="text Rev-12-9" id="en-NKJV-30901" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><br /></span></span></span>
<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: black; display: inline !important; float: none; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="text Rev-12-9" id="en-NKJV-30901" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">All right, you might say, but why make a big deal about this fellow who thinks that Leviathan is some special evil spirit apart from Satan. Well, there is a tendency among some Christians today to focus too much on Satan and evil spirits. Now I believe in the activity of Satan and his demons and in spiritual warfare. But the Bible does not reveal a whole lot about any evil spirit other than Satan, a fallen angel. We do not have names of these evil spirits. We are sometimes given different classes of demons (principalities, powers, rulers of darkness and spiritual wickedness) and types of demons (unclean spirits is a general term for evil spirits, but there are spirits of divination and others). </span></span></span><br />
<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: black; display: inline !important; float: none; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="text Rev-12-9" id="en-NKJV-30901" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><br /></span></span></span>
<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: black; display: inline !important; float: none; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="text Rev-12-9" id="en-NKJV-30901" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">But some have focused on certain spirits and assigned them names and claiming that it is scriptural. (Jezebel comes to mind.) Then we are warned to watch out for these spirits and given a list of things these spirits do which look remarkably like what Paul calls the works of the flesh - strife, envy, etc. What this does is cause us to focus on evil spirits, real and imagined, instead of the Lord. Books about some so-called evil spirits are multiplied and those who are on the lookout for these spirits are considered spiritual themselves. </span></span></span><br />
<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: black; display: inline !important; float: none; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="text Rev-12-9" id="en-NKJV-30901" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><br /></span></span></span>
<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: black; display: inline !important; float: none; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="text Rev-12-9" id="en-NKJV-30901" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">I lived through that era in the charismatic world when we had the so-called "deliverance ministries". It was not pretty. We were told that there were demons in everybody and everything. Thank God, I was delivered from the deliverance ministry. That does not mean that I reject deliverance from demons or for the need for them to be cast out when necessary. But the incessant focus on the devil is unhealthy and unscriptural. The Bible tells us how to deal with the devil in very simple terms. "Resist him, firm in the faith." "Put on the full armor of God … " It says to "be vigilant, because your adversary, the devil … seeks whom he may devour."</span></span></span><br />
<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: black; display: inline !important; float: none; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="text Rev-12-9" id="en-NKJV-30901" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><br /></span></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">But what happens when we start watching out, not just for Satan, but for Leviathan and Jezebel and whatever supposed evil spirit we are told about. Now we have a multitude of evil spirits to be aware of. This can make us demon-minded. We are no longer "seeking those things that are above", but those things on the earth especially evil spirits. You know, it seems like the old errors of the past, like the so-called deliverance ministries, just crop up in a different form later on. Once the church realizes and understands the activity and reality of the spirit realm, especially evil spirits, Satan is happy to give us a lot of "fake news" regarding what he is up to. He likes attention from the church though he hides himself from the world. </span><br />
<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: black; display: inline !important; float: none; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="text Rev-12-9" id="en-NKJV-30901" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><br /></span></span></span>
<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: black; display: inline !important; float: none; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="text Rev-12-9" id="en-NKJV-30901" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">Therefore, anything that is revealed to us must be tested by the Word. The Word is final authority. Too many times we have gotten a little revelation and then turned it into a big revelation by adding to it and distorting the original revelation we were given. And sometimes we did not really get a revelation at all. We must "test all things, hold fast to what is good". Then discard the rest. </span></span></span><br />
<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: black; display: inline !important; float: none; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="text Rev-12-9" id="en-NKJV-30901" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><br /></span></span></span>
<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: black; display: inline !important; float: none; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="text Rev-12-9" id="en-NKJV-30901" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">I am glad that we live in a time when the spiritual gifts are flowing. I want more of them. But if we are not careful we will get drawn off into error and deception. This has happened in the past and God has had to shut down the flow of revelation because immature and "enthusiastic" Spirit-filled believers could not handle it. </span></span></span><br />
<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: black; display: inline !important; float: none; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="text Rev-12-9" id="en-NKJV-30901" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><br /></span></span></span>
<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: black; display: inline !important; float: none; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="text Rev-12-9" id="en-NKJV-30901" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">We need, in these last days, more than ever to keep disciplined and focused on Jesus and the Word of God. Yes, we need the Spirit, but we need to put the Word first and the Spirit second. That is the divine order and it will keep our attention on the right things.</span></span></span><br />
<b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike><b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span><br />
<br />Brian D Scarboroughhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12489965712075602631noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3442922579777114165.post-31762225051903515462019-06-22T11:51:00.001-07:002019-06-22T16:49:44.888-07:00Two Words of Wisdom<span style="color: black; font-family: inherit;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; display: inline !important; float: none; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">The title I have given this blog post might be a little misleading. The expression, "word of wisdom', is a spiritual gift listed in 1 Corinthians 12. It refers to the revealing of God's purpose and plan. However, that is not the subject of this blog post. Rather, I am talking about two New Testament Greek words which are translated as wisdom - 'sophia' and 'phronesis'. These words have similar meanings that even overlap a bit. They can be used interchangeably at times, but we want to look at their differences in the New Testament. We will primarily use the epistle of James for this study.</span></span><br />
<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; display: inline !important; float: none; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: black;"></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span><br /></span>
<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; display: inline !important; float: none; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; display: inline; float: none; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">The Greek word 'phronesis' is a word f<span style="color: black;">or a type of </span></span><span style="color: black;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wisdom" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;" title="Wisdom">wisdom</a><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; display: inline; float: none; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"> or </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intelligence" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;" title="Intelligence">intelligence</a></span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; display: inline; float: none; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: black;">. It i</span>s more specifically a type of wisdom relevant to practical action, implying both good judgement and excellence of character and habits, or practical virtue. </span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; display: inline !important; float: none; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><b style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"></b><i style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"></i><u style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: underline; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"></u><sub style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"></sub><sup style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"></sup><strike style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: line-through; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"></strike><b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike><span style="color: black;"></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span><br /></span>
<span style="color: black; font-family: inherit;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; display: inline !important; float: none; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">The Greek word 'sophia' is a word which means "knowledge of the divine plan, the wisdom of God as evinced in forming and executing His counsels". (Thayer's Greek Lexicon) </span></span><br />
<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; display: inline !important; float: none; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: black;"></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span><br /></span>
<span style="color: black; font-family: inherit;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; display: inline !important; float: none; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">Sophia is the "thousand foot high view", so to speak,while 'phronesis' is about solving a practical problem what now. 'Sophia' answers questions like "Why do things like this happen?" and phronesis answers questions like "What do we do right now?".</span></span><br />
<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; display: inline !important; float: none; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: black;"></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span><br /></span>
<span style="color: black; font-family: inherit;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; display: inline !important; float: none; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">Now we will examine the book of James and learn about both of these concepts. </span></span><br />
<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; display: inline !important; float: none; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: black;"></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span><br /></span>
<span style="color: black;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; display: inline !important; float: none; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">James 1:2-5 "<span class="text Jas-1-2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters,<sup class="footnote" data-fn="#fen-NIV-30269a" data-link="[<a href="#fen-NIV-30269a" title="See footnote a">a</a>]" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"></sup> whenever you face temptations, tests and trials of many kinds,<sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-30269F" data-link="(<a href="#cen-NIV-30269F" title="See cross-reference F">F</a>)" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"></sup></span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; display: inline !important; float: none; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"> </span><span class="text Jas-1-3" id="en-NIV-30270" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><sup class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">3 </sup>because you know that the testing of your faith <sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-30270G" data-link="(<a href="#cen-NIV-30270G" title="See cross-reference G">G</a>)" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"></sup>produces perseverance.<sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-30270H" data-link="(<a href="#cen-NIV-30270H" title="See cross-reference H">H</a>)" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"></sup></span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; display: inline !important; float: none; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"> </span><span class="text Jas-1-4" id="en-NIV-30271" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><sup class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">4 </sup>Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature<sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-30271I" data-link="(<a href="#cen-NIV-30271I" title="See cross-reference I">I</a>)" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"></sup> and complete, not lacking anything.</span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; display: inline !important; float: none; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"> </span><span class="text Jas-1-5" id="en-NIV-30272" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><sup class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">5 </sup>If any of you lacks <u>wisdom</u>, you should ask God,<sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-30272J" data-link="(<a href="#cen-NIV-30272J" title="See cross-reference J">J</a>)" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"></sup> who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you." [I have added "tests and trials" to "temptations" because the Greek word is the same for all three.]</span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: black;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; display: inline !important; float: none; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span class="text Jas-1-5" id="en-NIV-30272" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span><br /></span></span></span>
<span style="color: black; font-family: inherit;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; display: inline !important; float: none; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span class="text Jas-1-5" id="en-NIV-30272" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">I assumed, at one time, that the word for wisdom here must be 'phronesis'. It seemed to me that James was telling us to pray that God would give us practical steps to get out of the trial we are in. But the word is actually 'sophia'. We need to read what follows in the first chapter of James to see what he means.</span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #004000;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; display: inline !important; float: none; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: #006000;"></span><span style="color: #b09600;"></span><span style="color: black;"></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #004000;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; display: inline !important; float: none; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">James 1:13-17 "<span class="text Jas-1-13" id="en-NIV-30280" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;">When tempted, tested or tried, no one should say, “God is tempting, testing or trying me.” For God cannot be tempted, tested or tried by evil, nor does he tempt. tested or try anyone … </span><span class="text Jas-1-16" id="en-NIV-30283" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;">Don’t be deceived,<sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-30283Z" data-link="(<a href="#cen-NIV-30283Z" title="See cross-reference Z">Z</a>)" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"></sup> my dear brothers and sisters.</span><span class="text Jas-1-17" id="en-NIV-30284" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><sup class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"> </sup>Every good and perfect gift is from above,<sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-30284AB" data-link="(<a href="#cen-NIV-30284AB" title="See cross-reference AB">AB</a>)" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"></sup> coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights,<sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-30284AC" data-link="(<a href="#cen-NIV-30284AC" title="See cross-reference AC">AC</a>)" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"></sup> who does not change<sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-30284AD" data-link="(<a href="#cen-NIV-30284AD" title="See cross-reference AD">AD</a>)" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"></sup> like shifting shadows."</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="text Jas-1-17" id="en-NIV-30284" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><br /></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">James is not just interested in practical wisdom - how to handle the situation we are in - he is interested in us knowing what is going on in a larger sense. The first thing he wants us to 'get' is that God is not behind our problems or temptations. Only good things come from Him. In fact, it is hard to receive practical wisdom sometimes unless you understand what is 'going on'.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">If we think that our trial comes from God, we will give in to them and not seek His aid. Let's take sickness, for example. If you think that God has caused your sickness, or is allowing it so that you He can teach you something, or get you closer to Himself, or make you holier, then it will hinder your faith for healing. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">When it comes to healing God is your answer, not your problem. Peter made this very clear when he talked about Jesus' ministry. "How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, healing all who were oppressed by the devil." (Acts 10:38) "Many followed Him and He healed them all." (Matthew 12:15) All whom Jesus healed were oppressed by Satan and He healed all who came to Him for healing. That means that sickness is not from God but from the devil. The NT is consistent on this fact.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">But James is not just interested in having us understanding where our problems originates. He wants to know how to respond to the trial as well. At the end of his epistle, James does give us practical wisdom (phronesis) regarding sickness and other things. "<span class="text Jas-5-14" id="en-NASB-30369" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">Is anyone among you sick? Then call for <sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NASB-30369AJ" data-link="(<a href="#cen-NASB-30369AJ" title="See cross-reference AJ">AJ</a>)" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"></sup>the elders of the church and they are to pray over him, <sup class="footnote" data-fn="#fen-NASB-30369k" data-link="[<a href="#fen-NASB-30369k" title="See footnote k">k</a>]" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"></sup><sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NASB-30369AK" data-link="(<a href="#cen-NASB-30369AK" title="See cross-reference AK">AK</a>)" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"></sup>anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord;</span><span style="background-color: white; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"> </span><span class="text Jas-5-15" id="en-NASB-30370" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">and the <sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NASB-30370AL" data-link="(<a href="#cen-NASB-30370AL" title="See cross-reference AL">AL</a>)" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"></sup>prayer <sup class="footnote" data-fn="#fen-NASB-30370l" data-link="[<a href="#fen-NASB-30370l" title="See footnote l">l</a>]" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"></sup>offered in faith will <sup class="footnote" data-fn="#fen-NASB-30370m" data-link="[<a href="#fen-NASB-30370m" title="See footnote m">m</a>]" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"></sup><sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NASB-30370AM" data-link="(<a href="#cen-NASB-30370AM" title="See cross-reference AM">AM</a>)" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"></sup>restore the one who is sick, and the Lord will <sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NASB-30370AN" data-link="(<a href="#cen-NASB-30370AN" title="See cross-reference AN">AN</a>)" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"></sup>raise him up, and if he has committed sins, <sup class="footnote" data-fn="#fen-NASB-30370n" data-link="[<a href="#fen-NASB-30370n" title="See footnote n">n</a>]" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"></sup>they will be forgiven him." (James 5:14-15)</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">James wants us to have wisdom, both 'sophia' and 'phronesis'. He wants us to understand what in the world is going on and that God only brings good and not evil into our lives. And He also wants us to have practical wisdom to get out of our evil circumstances and back into the good that He wants us to have. So do I.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">[Note: When I suggest that James wants us to pray for 'sophia'-wisdom in chapter one, I do not want to leave the impression that you cannot pray for phronesis-wisdom as well. We often need God's wisdom to know what to do and to be led by His Spirit for He always makes a way of escape.]</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">[Addendum: Above I mentioned the spiritual gift of the 'word of wisdom' as a revealing of God's purpose and plan. To further explicate this, I want to add that the word for wisdom here is 'Sophia' not 'phronesis'. Many have been teaching that the spiritual gift of the word of wisdom is about giving practical advice to those who need it. This is not the case. Sophia reveals God's purpose and plan in the mind and will of God about the future. We should not confuse the spiritual gift if the word of wisdom with the practical advice we might be able to give to one another.]</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-small;">(The comment section is not working. Sorry.) </span>Brian D Scarboroughhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12489965712075602631noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3442922579777114165.post-27841297941767939262019-05-26T13:25:00.000-07:002019-05-26T13:25:33.782-07:00The Holy Spirit as Teacher, part 3 - Humility of MindThis is the third of a series of posts on the Holy Spirit as the Teacher of the Church. I encourage you to read the first two posts before reading this, though this post will stand on its own.<br />
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In my previous post I showed how sometimes we make errors in interpreting the scriptures, thinking the Lord has showed us something when He has not. And I showed how scholarship can keep us from certain errors.<br />
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This does not mean, however, that Bible scholars, or any teachers, are infallible. Naturally, scholars are very intelligent and well-educated people and, as such, tend to rely on their own ability to figure things out and understand them. Unfortunately, this is a major source of pride. Pride, especially intellectual pride, is a dangerous thing. "Knowledge inflates with pride." (1 Corinthians 8:1) "God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble." (1 Peter 5:5)<br />
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What conclusion can we draw? When someone becomes proud in their knowledge about the Bible, God can't teach them much anymore. They become increasingly unteachable. This happens even if they are honored in their church or in academic circles.<br />
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I have to say that I have benefited enormously by Bible teachers and scholars, but I have been aware right from the beginning that scholars often rely on their own understanding and too frequently make monumental errors, even believing and teaching heresy at times. Pride is a great danger to the scholar - and to us all. Today, many supposed conservative, orthodox Bible scholars deny certain portions of the Bible. (I have gone into more detail on this in previous posts.)<br />
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In times past, evangelical scholars affirmed the entire Bible as the Word of God, but it is becoming increasingly common for many to deny certain portions of it. Take, for example, the times when God told the Israelites to drive all the Canaanites out of the Promised Land or to kill every person in battle. That seems pretty bad, doesn't it. But instead of trying to learn from the Holy Spirit why God did this, they simply deny that God ever said it at all. It seems unjust to them, and since God is not unjust, then He must not have said it. The Israelites must have been wrong about what God said.<br />
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No, it is these scholars who are wrong about what God said. I, too, have had trouble understanding why God did some of these things. It seemed wrong to me as well at one time. But I did not reject the scriptures because of this. Rather, I accepted it as God's Word and figured that I simply did not understand. As time went by, He showed me little by little that His judgements of the Canaanites was just and right. I understand justice and judgment much better than I did before.<br />
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In other words, my mind became renewed to the truths that I struggled with because I maintained a teachable spirit and a humble mind. Now some people think that I was being intellectually dishonest. If I did not think that these things were right, then I should have rejected them. But I was actually submitting to the Word of God despite my own way of thinking. I knew that the Bible was right so there was something wrong with my thinking. That is intellectual humility. We have to say to ourselves that God is smarter than we are, that God knows what is right even when we think He's wrong.<br />
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Some are touting their "intellectual honesty" by rejecting parts of the Bible, not realizing they are rejecting God Himself. They have a different idea of who God is than all that the Bible teaches. They have made God in their own image as a result. He is now subject to their idea of who God ought to be and what He ought to do. This is pride and idolatry.<br />
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Now some would ask, "What if we have doubts about certain things? Is it okay for Christians to doubt?" But I think that is the wrong question. The question should be, "What do we do when we experience doubts?" A doubt is really a temptation not to believe what God has said. There is no sin in being tempted to doubt some things, but it is a sin to yield to it. We cannot end up saying that the Bible is in error. It is not. Our thinking can be in error, but His revelation cannot be. Therefore, the fault is in us and not in His Holy Word. We should not have to be intellectually persuaded of every last thing in the Bible for us to accept it all as God's Word. We have to have the humility to accept what we do not understand or even what does not seem right to us.<br />
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What we need is humility of mind, an attitude that believes what God has put into the Bible no matter that we may think otherwise. It is not being "authentic" or "honest" to reject the Word because we believe we have a better way of thinking. Our "honesty" is really a species of pride and will prevent God from teaching us and giving us understanding of those very things we question. Questions are fine; rejecting God's answers is not.<br />
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There are many things through the years that I have not understood, but I did not reject those things. I just assumed that my mind was not renewed to that particular thing, and that God would show me as time went by. The book of Proverbs says that it takes wisdom to understand justice and judgment. (1:3). It also says not to be wise in your own estimation. We gain wisdom from the Word and from the experience of life (assuming we are paying attention). Therefore, our understanding of things like God's judgments may be lacking when we are younger in the Lord.<br />
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When we do not understand something or we think that something in the scriptures cannot possibly be right, it should cause us to dig deeper into the Word, not find theories that supposedly reconcile what we think with what the Bible teaches. That corrupts the Bible and makes it an idol of our own making.<br />
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Some have accused those who hold to the Bible no matter what as making an idol out of it. But it those who try to remake the Bible in their own image by imaginatively reinterpreting it in light of their self-assumed enlightened thinking that truly make it an idol. When we exalt our own minds above God's Word, we rebel against Him. Being true to oneself is sin. Being true to God and the Bible is righteousness.<br />
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<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; color: black; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">(The comment section doesn't seem to be working.)</span><b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike>Brian D Scarboroughhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12489965712075602631noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3442922579777114165.post-80314370256579214272019-04-20T12:10:00.001-07:002019-04-20T12:10:30.686-07:00The Holy Spirit as Teacher, part 2<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: black; display: inline !important; float: none; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In the previous post, we saw that the Holy Spirit was given to us to, among other things, to teach us the truth. He is, in fact, called the Spirit of Truth. I also pointed out that this is not taught much in our churches. It is not hard to understand why. There are many competing claims about the meaning of just about every passage in the Bible especially by those who say "the Lord showed me" this, that or the other. I can see why pastors and other ministers might not want to encourage that kind of talk since competing claims cannot all be right. How can we deal with these competing claims to truth?</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">One of the things that we can do is to "study to show ourselves approved to God ... rightly dividing the word of truth." (2 Timothy 3:15) Some of us are going to be ashamed because we have been teaching wrong things thinking that the Lord has showed us something when He has not. Through reading, studying and meditating on the Word will be able to get our minds renewed to what the Bible actually teaches.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I realize that this might seem to be a contradiction to what I said in my previous post, but it is not. I do not mean that we figure it all out in our heads without the Spirit guiding us. Rather I am talking about allowing the Holy Spirit to use scholarly methods and knowledge as a tool to teach us. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Here is an example of what I mean:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Recently, I have heard a claim about a well-known scripture in Isaiah. It was Isaiah 40:31:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"They that <u>wait</u> upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they mount their wings as eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk, and not faint."</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The question was about the word, "wait". What does it mean? The claim was that it was waiting like a waiter waits on a table. It is active. We must be serving the Lord and not just waiting for God to do something. But it traditionally has been taken in a passive sense of waiting for someone. So, which is right?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This man, who is an outstanding Bible teacher, was emphatic that it must be taken in an active sense. And that certainly is possible if the Hebrew word which is translated as "wait" has the same meaning as the English word. But it does not. The Hebrew word which is translated as "wait" does not have this active meaning. It could never refer to someone waiting on a table or anything similar. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So, one of the tools available to us is looking up a biblical word to find the meaning in the original language - Hebrew or Greek. Or we might look up some scholarly source that tells us that. (I found out from my commentary on Isaiah.)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We could also look at other scriptures where this word is used. Although it is not 100%, if a Hebrew word is consistently translated by a certain English word, then we can tell what the Hebrew word means in multiple contexts. In other words, we compare scripture with scripture. There is another verse which helps us illustrate the meaning of the word "wait".</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: black; display: inline !important; float: none; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">Behold, as the eyes of servants look to the hand of their masters, and as the eyes of a maiden to the hand of her mistress; so our eyes <u>wait</u> upon the </span><span class="small-caps" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: black; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: small-caps; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">Lord</span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: black; display: inline !important; float: none; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"> our God, until that he have mercy upon us." Psalm 123:2</span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So, we can see now that the word "wait" in Isaiah 40:31 has the sense of waiting passively. And it does not mean that it is simply 'waiting around' for God to do something, but being in God's presence and looking to hear from Him. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I recommend that, if you don't already have one, get a good Study Bible and different translations and even scholarly books to help you in your studies. </span>W<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">e should not ignore good scholarship, but understand that it is a useful tool that the Spirit of Truth can use to teach and correct us.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">[The comments section is not working. Sorry for any inconvenience.]</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><span style="background-color: white;"></span>Brian D Scarboroughhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12489965712075602631noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3442922579777114165.post-15694519397182034142019-04-17T14:22:00.001-07:002019-04-19T09:54:43.272-07:00The Holy Spirit is the Teacher of the Church<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I assume that if you are reading this that you have received Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior. That is the most important thing for you to do in this life. Without it you are lost. With it you have access to everything that God has. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">One of the things that God has for you is the Holy Spirit. When you are born-again, the Holy Spirit comes to dwell inside of you. More than that, you can be filled with the Spirit as well. You can experience the gifts of the Spirit. You can be led by the Spirit and have Him be your guide in life. But did you know that there is more?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">You can receive the Holy Spirit as your Teacher just as you received Jesus as your Savior. In fact, He is already inside you trying to teach you - if you will listen.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">When Jesus was on the earth He was the Teacher of His disciples. "<span class="woj" style="background-color: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">But you, do not be called ‘Rabbi’; for One is your</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"> </span><sup class="footnote" data-fn="#fen-NKJV-23927c" data-link="[<a href="#fen-NKJV-23927c" title="See footnote c">c</a>]" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 22px; orphans: 2; position: relative; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; top: 0px; vertical-align: top; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"></sup><span class="woj" style="background-color: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">Teacher,</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"> </span><sup class="footnote" data-fn="#fen-NKJV-23927d" data-link="[<a href="#fen-NKJV-23927d" title="See footnote d">d</a>]" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 22px; orphans: 2; position: relative; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; top: 0px; vertical-align: top; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"></sup><span class="woj" style="background-color: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">the Christ, and you are all brethren."</span><i> </i>(Matthew 23:8) Wouldn't it have been wonderful to sit at Jesus' feet and listen to His teachings. What a great advantage those early disciples had?</span><br />
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</span> <span style="font-family: inherit;">Did you know that we have it better than they had? You might say that that is impossible. How could we have it better? But Jesus told the disciples:</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span class="text John-16-7" id="en-NASB-26734" style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span class="woj" style="box-sizing: border-box;">"I tell you the truth, it is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the <sup class="footnote" data-fn="#fen-NASB-26734c" data-link="[<a href="#fen-NASB-26734c" title="See footnote c">c</a>]" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"></sup><sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NASB-26734L" data-link="(<a href="#cen-NASB-26734L" title="See cross-reference L">L</a>)" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"></sup>Helper (The Holy Spirit) will not come to you; but if I go, <sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NASB-26734M" data-link="(<a href="#cen-NASB-26734M" title="See cross-reference M">M</a>)" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"></sup>I will send Him to you … </span></span><span class="text John-16-13" id="en-NASB-26740" style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span class="woj" style="box-sizing: border-box;">when He, <sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NASB-26740R" data-link="(<a href="#cen-NASB-26740R" title="See cross-reference R">R</a>)" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"></sup>the Spirit of truth, comes, He will <sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NASB-26740S" data-link="(<a href="#cen-NASB-26740S" title="See cross-reference S">S</a>)" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"></sup>guide you into all the truth; for He will not speak on His own initiative, but whatever He hears, He will speak; and He will disclose to you what is to come.</span></span> <span class="text John-16-14" id="en-NASB-26741" style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span class="woj" style="box-sizing: border-box;"><sup class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 700; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"> </sup>He will <sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NASB-26741T" data-link="(<a href="#cen-NASB-26741T" title="See cross-reference T">T</a>)" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"></sup>glorify Me, for He will take of Mine and will disclose <i style="box-sizing: border-box;">it</i> to you." JOHN 16:7, 12-14</span></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">"T<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="text John-16-14" id="en-NASB-26741" style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span class="woj" style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span class="text John-14-26" id="en-NASB-26695" style="background-color: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span class="woj" style="box-sizing: border-box;">he <sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NASB-26695AR" data-link="(<a href="#cen-NASB-26695AR" title="See cross-reference AR">AR</a>)" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"></sup>Helper, the Holy Spirit, <sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NASB-26695AS" data-link="(<a href="#cen-NASB-26695AS" title="See cross-reference AS">AS</a>)" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"></sup>whom the Father will send in My name, <sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NASB-26695AT" data-link="(<a href="#cen-NASB-26695AT" title="See cross-reference AT">AT</a>)" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"></sup>He will teach you all things, and <sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NASB-26695AU" data-link="(<a href="#cen-NASB-26695AU" title="See cross-reference AU">AU</a>)" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"></sup>bring to your remembrance all that I said to you. " JOHN 14:26</span></span><b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="text John-16-14" id="en-NASB-26741" style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span class="woj" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Notice that the Holy Spirit took Jesus' place in our midst. The Spirit is now the Teacher. </span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="text John-16-14" id="en-NASB-26741" style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span class="woj" style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"></span><br /></span></span></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="text John-16-14" id="en-NASB-26741" style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span class="woj" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I read these verses as a young Christian some 40 years ago. I accepted these vital truths for myself. I accepted the Holy Spirit as my Teacher. From then on He began to teach me many things. He began to guide me into many truths. He began to reveal Jesus to me. </span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="text John-16-14" id="en-NASB-26741" style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span class="woj" style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"></span><br /></span></span></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="text John-16-14" id="en-NASB-26741" style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span class="woj" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I know that we have all experienced this to one degree or another, but I don't think that we have embraced it as we should have. We have relied too much on human teachers or on our own minds to figure out what God's Word means. But human teachers can make mistakes and our brains are too puny to figure it all out. Unfortunately, some of the most educated and intelligent have made the most foolish errors. </span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="text John-16-14" id="en-NASB-26741" style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span class="woj" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Others have looked to their church or their denomination as their guide, and while they have gotten some things right they have gotten some things wrong as well. In the Middle Ages, the Church was afraid to give the Bible to the masses of people because they thought that people would come up with all sorts of stuff and would splinter the church into a thousand pieces. (They actually got that right!) Better to let the official Church tell everyone what the truth is, then we will be safe. But what happens when the official church is wrong or refuses to correct itself or refuses new light from the Word of God. No, each of us needs the Holy Spirit to teach us and to guide us into all truth.</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">However, m<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="text John-16-14" id="en-NASB-26741" style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span class="woj" style="box-sizing: border-box;">any Christians simply lack the confidence that they can learn more than basic truths from the Bible. Others are overconfident thinking that they have it all figured out. Neither type of Christian is really trusting the Holy Spirit to teach them and to correct their wrong thinking. </span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="text John-16-14" id="en-NASB-26741" style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span class="woj" style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"></span><br /></span></span></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="text John-16-14" id="en-NASB-26741" style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span class="woj" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">For the Holy Spirit to teach you, you must believe He will teach you and you must maintain a teachable spirit, leaning not on you own understanding. The Holy Spirit can then direct and guide you through the paths of Scripture. (See Proverbs 3:5-6, New King James if you have it)</span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="text John-16-14" id="en-NASB-26741" style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span class="woj" style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"></span><br /></span></span></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="text John-16-14" id="en-NASB-26741" style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span class="woj" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">So, does all this mean that we shouldn't listen to those who preach and teach the Bible? Should we learn simply on our own? Of course not. God has put teachers in the church to teach us. The Holy Spirit can teach them and anoint them to teach us. That is good as long as we still rely on the Holy Spirit to teach us and not just believe what brother or sister so-and-so said. (I might expand on this in a later blog post.)</span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="text John-16-14" id="en-NASB-26741" style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span class="woj" style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"></span><br /></span></span></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="text John-16-14" id="en-NASB-26741" style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span class="woj" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The most important thing is to maintain a teachable spirit. That is really what the word "meekness" means in the New Testament. It is the opposite of being partisan. I have learned very much from those with whom I have much disagreement. Nobody in the Body of Christ is wrong about everything and God does seem to show different things sometimes to different groups. I learn from them all, but it is all from the Holy Spirit who is the Teacher of the Church.</span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="text John-16-14" id="en-NASB-26741" style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span class="woj" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="text John-16-14" id="en-NASB-26741" style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span class="woj" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">[Apparently, the Comments thing is not working. A couple of readers have indicated that they tried to post comments and were unable to do so. Also, I got an alert about the comments and Google+ that I could not decipher. So, I am guessing that it just does not work at all. Sorry for any problems.]</span></span></span><br />
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</span>Brian D Scarboroughhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12489965712075602631noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3442922579777114165.post-6653584701413272412018-09-01T13:20:00.000-07:002018-09-01T13:20:30.279-07:00Covetousness and ContentmentHow does one know if there is some covetousness in them? Is it okay to want what you do not currently have, or is that covetousness? Where do we draw the line?<br />
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One of the trickiest areas of determining sin in our lives is with covetousness. The NT says that covetousness is idolatry, and Paul said that when he was young it was covetousness that tripped him up. (Colossians 3:7; Romans 7:7 ff.) So if I want a new car, am I being covetous? Should I suppress that desire? Let's see what the scriptures might say about things like that.<br />
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Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you." Hebrews 13:5</blockquote>
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Now godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. And having food and clothing, with these we shall be content. But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and harmful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows. 1 Timothy 6:6-10</blockquote>
Most of us are familiar with the latter part of the Timothy passage. The expression "the love of money is the root of all evil" is well known not just in the church but in the world. Unfortunately, the rest of the passage is not that well known. And I think that it holds the key to helping define what covetousness is. <br />
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I want to note that in both of these passages, covetousness is contrasted with contentment. In other words, a content person is not covetous and a covetous person is not content with what he has. So, contentment is a key factor in not being covetous, perhaps the main one. And we are given a good reason to be content - because God will not forsake us financially and materially. That is what it says in Hebrews. I don't think that most Christians are aware of the fact that the author of Hebrews talks about the Lord "never leaving us, nor forsaking us" in the context of finances. <br />
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Jesus Himself said, "Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these [material things]will be added to you." (Matthew 6:33) That means we do not have to worry and covet and put material things first. God will meet our material needs if we serve Him first. I think there is another key to understanding our relation to material things. Jesus did not say not to obtain things. Just don't put them first. Put Him first. (Material things might be down the list a ways.) It is okay to desire things as long as it is in its proper place in your life.<br />
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Some examples: <br />
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Example 1: I know a woman who hated her carpet and wanted to change it. However, things did not work out in such a way that she was able to get a new one right away. She had children in college first and then a major financial setback and then other things happened making it hard to get new carpeting without going into debt.Eventually, she got her new carpeting and she actually got new furniture to match the carpeting and more as well. She was very patient to get all this. She waited for 21 years! That is a long time, but though she really wanted that new carpet, she had other priorities. She was not covetous. She was content with what she had. (By the way, I am not suggesting that it is wrong to borrow money to fix up your house.) She is much better off financially today because she was not covetous.<br />
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Example 2: I know a woman whose husband loved and wanted to buy something nice for her - a beautiful necklace. Unfortunately, they could not afford it as it cost $800.00 and they were already in debt. Nevertheless, they went together and bought the necklace anyway. (Some would find this romantic; I find it to be foolish.) It put them into a terrible financial bind and with many other bad financial decisions, they got into debt and bondage. That was covetousness. Some would find it to be romantic and think that God must approve, but I doubt it. Could a poor couple like this be considered covetous? Yes. Poor people can be just as covetous as anyone. Sometimes that is their problem. They can't wait until they can afford something, they have to have it NOW! This couple never made it financially and eventually they broke up. I cannot say why but their mishandling money certainly did not help.<br />
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In conclusion, I think it is safe to say that contentment will prevent covetousness, but that does not mean that one cannot desire material things. We just have to give them the proper priority and also not buy things you cannot afford. "Godliness with contentment is great gain."<br />
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<br />Brian D Scarboroughhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12489965712075602631noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3442922579777114165.post-43047855972080622882018-08-25T08:46:00.000-07:002018-08-25T08:46:24.061-07:00Breath and Inspiration2 Timothy 3:16 reads, "All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work." NIV<br />
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I want you to notice the term, "God-breathed", which is often translated "inspired". We know that the Scriptures are divinely inspired. But there are different theories about the inspiration of the Bible and what that means for us. Some say that the Bible is partially inspired, in other words, some parts came from God and some are just "harmless" human errors. Others affirm that the whole Bible, every word of the Bible, is true. <br />
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In recent years, there has been a new view the inspiration of the Scriptures. It is said that God did not speak or write through the human authors, but He inspired true ideas and let them write it out in their own words and with their own limited understanding and their supposedly erroneous history. For example, when we study Genesis 1-11, it is said that this is not history (though it is written as historical narrative like the rest of Genesis) but that God used their faulty understanding of history in such a way so as to convey the correct ideas. So, it is ideas which are the important part of this and not the history. <br />
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This causes us not a few problems. What about Christ's resurrection? Is that a historical event or does it just convey to us a correct idea? Some false teachers have put forth the notion that what is actually true is the idea behind the resurrection though the resurrection never actually occurred in time and space. This is the kind of conclusion that one can draw from separating historical truth from thematic truth. <br />
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God has revealed Himself in history through the nation of Israel and in Jesus Christ. We see God's action and not just His ideas. God's revelation of Himself is both historical and revelatory and those two exist in a tension that is shown to us in the Bible.<br />
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I am not getting into a full-blown discussion of this here, but I want to focus on the expressions "God-breathed" and "inspired" which are translations of a Greek compound word, "Theo-pneustos". Theo = God; pneustos = breath, or breathe out. In other words, God breathed out the Scriptures through the human authors who wrote it down. Examining the term, Theo-pneustos, we can uncover the true nature of divine inspiration. "Pneustos" is a Greek word with a broad semantic range. (The semantic range is the meanings of a particular word in various contexts.) "Pneustos" can mean 'spirit', 'air', 'anger', and 'breath'. It obviously means 'breath' in the context of 2 Timothy 3:16. <br />
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A heard a Greek word-study expert teach on the use of 'pneustos' occurring in ancient Greek literature. He noted that one way it was used was to denote the playing of a wind instrument. When someone plays the flute, for example, she breathes through the flute to produce a song. She moves her fingers to play certain notes ultimately making a melody. <br />
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This really captured my imagination. (Inspired me?) First, it is clear that divine inspiration does mean that God breathes his Word through "holy men of God who were carried along by the Holy Spirit (2 Peter 1:20)." But I also got the image that if you have two instruments, say, a flute and clarinet, and they each play the same tune, it will sound different. That's what we have in the Bible. Two human authors, each bringing forth the same truth, but sounding much different. <br />
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We find the truth expressed often in very different ways and in different words. The incarnation is a good example of this.<br />
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<blockquote>Christ Jesus, who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Philippians 2:5-8 </blockquote><blockquote>In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God … And the Word became flesh. John 1 <blockquote></blockquote></blockquote><br />
I had a discussion one time with someone who thought that the whole idea of incarnation was nothing but a conspiracy dreamed up by early Christians to convince everyone that they had had the truth. But if people conspired and came up with an idea like the incarnation of Jesus Christ, then why would they use such different language to express it. No, they would have agreed on the language and would say things the same way. <br />
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The fact that they had the same revelation and expressed it individually means that God truly inspired them with the same message. The very words themselves are inspired and true. As Paul wrote:<br />
<blockquote>Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may know the things freely given to us by God, which things we also speak, not in words taught by human wisdom, but in those taught by the Spirit, combining spiritual thoughts with spiritual words.</blockquote>Brian D Scarboroughhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12489965712075602631noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3442922579777114165.post-78281710761855707442018-08-11T14:02:00.001-07:002018-08-11T14:02:22.698-07:00Abraham Had Two Sons"Abraham had two sons..." So begins Paul's allegory regarding Israel and the Church, the two peoples of God. Let's look at this allegory from Galatians 4:21-31.<br />
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<blockquote>Tell me, you who desire to be under the law, do you not hear the law? For it is written that Abraham had two sons: the one by a bondwoman, the other by a freewoman. But he who was of the bondwoman was born according to the flesh, and he of the freewoman through promise, which things are symbolic. For these are the two covenants: the one from Mount Sinai which gives birth to bondage, which is Hagar — for this Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia, and corresponds to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children — but the Jerusalem above is free, which is the mother of us all. For it is written:<br />
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“Rejoice, O barren, You who do not bear. Break forth and shout,You who are not in labor! For the desolate has many more children than she who has a husband.” <br />
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Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are children of promise. But, as he who was born according to the flesh then persecuted him who was born according to the Spirit, even so it is now. Nevertheless what does the Scripture say? “Cast out the bondwoman and her son, for the son of the bondwoman shall not be heir with the son of the freewoman.” So then, brethren, we are not children of the bondwoman but of the free.</blockquote><br />
Paul had a problem in the churches in Galatia. Some Jews had infiltrated the churches telling the Gentile Christians that they had to be circumcised to be saved. They were saying that Gentiles must become Jews in order to become Christians. This is contrary to the gospel. Unfortunately, some Christian ministers even today are trying to put the church under the Law of Moses. Some insist that we ought to keep the Jewish festivals like Passover and others that we need to eat kosher and obey other OT laws that have nothing to do with living a godly life. <br />
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At the root of these false doctrines is a misunderstanding of the biblical covenants and the relationship between the (unsaved) Jews and the born-again Christians, the church. One must understand that three covenants are relevant to this question. The first is the covenant God made with Abraham. The second is the Mosaic covenant, or the Law of Moses. The third, of course, is the New Covenant. <br />
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God made a covenant with Abraham promising a "Seed" coming forth from his own body. God told him that his seed would be as "the sand of the sea" and the "stars of the sky". Now it is interesting that God gave Abraham two distinct images of what his seed would be. Many commentators believe that this indicates that there would be a natural seed of Abraham (the Jews like the sand of the sea) and a spiritual seed (the church like the stars of the sky). This would correspond with Paul's idea about the "two sons". <br />
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There is a covenant that belonged to Israel that God made with them when He brought them out of Egypt:<br />
<blockquote>So Moses came and told the people all the words of the Lord and all the judgments. And all the people answered with one voice and said, “All the words which the Lord has said we will do.” And Moses wrote all the words of the Lord. And he rose early in the morning, and built an altar at the foot of the mountain, and twelve pillars according to the twelve tribes of Israel. Then he sent young men of the children of Israel, who offered burnt offerings and sacrificed peace offerings of oxen to the Lord. And Moses took half the blood and put it in basins, and half the blood he sprinkled on the altar. Then he took the Book of the Covenant and read in the hearing of the people. And they said, “All that the Lord has said we will do, and be obedient.” And Moses took the blood, sprinkled it on the people, and said, “This is the blood of the covenant which the Lord has made with you according to all these words.” Exodus 24:3-8</blockquote><br />
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This was not a renewing of the Abrahamic covenant but it was another covenant that was needed because Israel violated the Abrahamic covenant. "It was added because of transgressions until the Seed should come to whom the promise was made." (Galatians 3:19) "Now to Abraham and his Seed were the promises made. He does not say, 'and to seeds' as of many, but as of one, 'and to your Seed', who is Christ." (Gal. 3:16) During the period from the exodus from Egypt until Christ (the Promised Seed), the natural son (Israel) was under the Mosaic Covenant (the Law). Once Christ came and fulfilled the Law, He inaugurated a New Covenant not based on physical descent but on faith in Him. "Therefore, it is of faith that it might be by grace, so that the promise might be sure to all the seed … to those who of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all." (Romans 4:16)<br />
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So, Christ is the Promised Seed of Abraham and because we are in Christ, we are also the seed of Abraham. "For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise." (Galatians 3:27-19)<br />
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Getting back to Paul's allegory, we find that unbelieving Israel is represented by Ishmael (Abraham's son born according to the flesh) who will not inherit with the promised seed Isaac, who was born by the Spirit, by a miracle. Isaac represents the church, the spiritual seed of Abraham. We do not need to be circumcised or to celebrate the "feasts of the Lord" or eat kosher or follow any other law except what we are given us under the New Covenant. <br />
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You might be tempted to say, "What about the scripture in Romans 11 that tells us that we are grafted in and the scriptures that say that Jew and Gentile will be "one new man"? Does that not indicate that Jews and Christians are to be one and that Christians should celebrate the feasts, etc. alongside our Jewish brethren?"<br />
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This is a misunderstanding. We need to examine scriptures that talk about these things in the context they were written and not isolate them from other relevant passages. It is only by taking into account all scripture on a particular subject can we get a proper understanding of it. <br />
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First, let's examine the context where Paul tells us we are "grafted in", Romans 11:17-26 <blockquote>If some of the branches (unbelieving Jews) were broken off, and you, being a wild olive tree, were grafted in among them, and with them became a partaker of the root and fatness of the olive tree, do not boast against the branches. But if you do boast, remember that you do not support the root, but the root supports you.<br />
You will say then, “Branches were broken off that I might be grafted in.” Well said. Because of unbelief they were broken off, and you stand by faith. Do not be haughty, but fear. For if God did not spare the natural branches, He may not spare you either. Therefore consider the goodness and severity of God: on those who fell, severity; but toward you, goodness, if you continue in His goodness. Otherwise you also will be cut off. And they also, if they do not continue in unbelief, will be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again. For if you were cut out of the olive tree which is wild by nature, and were grafted contrary to nature into a cultivated olive tree, how much more will these, who are natural branches, be grafted into their own olive tree? For I do not desire, brethren, that you should be ignorant of this mystery, lest you should be wise in your own opinion, that blindness in part has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. And so all Israel will be saved."</blockquote>Notice that Paul speaks of some being broken off from, andsome grafted into, the "olive tree". So, we must first determine what the "olive tree" is. Some are claiming that the olive tree is Israel because olive tree imagery is used throughout the OT. But that does not prove that the olive tree is referring directly to Israel or all Jews, because if the olive tree is Israel how could Jews be broken off from it? <br />
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No, the olive tree does not refer to Israel and the Jews but to Abraham and his covenant. The key passage in understanding this is actually in the book of Judges. I will not quote the whole passage, but it is written that there is 'the olive tree', 'the fig tree' and 'the vine' in that order. The vine is obviously referring to the church. Jesus said, "I am the vine, you are the branches." (John 15:5) The fig tree refers to the nation of Israel. Jesus told two parables about fig tree. In the first, the owner (God) says he will cut down his fig tree if it does not bear fruit. This corresponds to Israel rejecting their messiah and subsequently going into exile again. In speaking about the end times, Jesus uses the figure of the fig tree to indicate that Israel will become a nation again before His return. Israel became a nation again in 1948. <br />
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That leaves the olive tree and since it is before the fig tree in Judges, we should assume it came before the nation of Israel. This must mean Abraham and his covenant. We, as Gentile Christians, are grafted into Abraham, not Israel. Most Jews were broken off not from Israel but from Abraham because of their unbelief in rejecting their messiah. Believing Gentiles were grafted in. Eventually, when Christ returns, the remnant of the Jews at that time will receive Jesus and be grafted back in. <br />
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This view exactly corresponds with the allegory of Abraham and his two sons. Ishmael was "broken off" from Abraham while Isaac, including Gentiles who are grafted in, remains. The two sons will be reunited when the Jews, as a whole, receive Jesus as Messiah and Lord. Those Jews will be "grafted in" again.<br />
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This also agrees with what Paul said about Jews and Gentiles becoming "one new man." <blockquote>For He Himself is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of separation, having abolished in His flesh the enmity, that is, the law of commandments contained in ordinances, so as to create in Himself one new man from the two, thus making peace, and that He might reconcile them both to God in one body through the cross, thereby putting to death the enmity.</blockquote>This wonderful passage, in context, tells us that in Christ there is neither Jew nor Gentile, but both are one in Him. It is not saying that Christians need to become Jews. In fact, it is quite the opposite. They are one because they are in Christ and this is possible because that which was between them, that which separated them is gone, that is, the Law. It was the Law of Moses that was the "wall of separation" between Jews and Gentiles. It is not Gentiles who need to practice the Law; it is Jews who no longer need to do so. Christ abolished the law with its commandments. Now, those who are in Christ are not even considered either Jew or Gentile, but as members of the Church. "Give no offense, either to the Jews or to the Greeks (Gentiles) or to the church of God." (1 Corinthians 10:32) So, our identities have been changed. In OT times, there were two kinds of people, Jews and Gentiles (non-Jews). Today, there are three - Jews, Gentiles and the Church. The church is made up of believing Jews and Gentiles, but they are really the "one new man" in Christ. <br />
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When the Jews, en masse, receive Jesus as Messiah and Lord, then they become part of the 'one new man' or, better, 'the new humanity, the new creation in Christ.' "If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation". Our outward, ethnic identity is irrelevant. It is who are in Christ that matters. "For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything, but a new creation." (Gal. 6:15)<br />
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I know that there are some who will disagree with this and quote other scriptures in support of their view. But I think that our basic understanding of the standing of unbelieving Israel and the believing church before God needs to come from the above mentioned allegory. As much as we are desirous to see "all Israel saved", it seems that that is still in the future to be completed when Christ returns to earth. In the meantime, we should be aware that Abraham has two sons and that the son born of the flesh will not inherit with the son born by promise.Brian D Scarboroughhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12489965712075602631noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3442922579777114165.post-20993602753266037832018-07-14T13:15:00.000-07:002018-07-14T13:15:16.902-07:00The Supreme Court and the BibleRecently, Brett Kavanaugh was nominated for the Supreme Court. As expected, most liberals whined and most conservatives rejoiced. There was one response that I found to be quite enlightening. And it has to do with the differences in conservative and liberal Supreme Court justices and judges in general. The man said that he was disappointed, not because Kavanaugh was not a liberal, but that he was ideological. He longed for the time when justices had no ideology. (I am tempted to ask when that was.)<br />
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He has the mistaken idea that conservative justices today and liberal justices are mirror opposites of each other. They are not. Liberal justices "interpret" the Constitution, bending it to suit their own views on how things should be rather than simply applying the Constitution as it is written. I think we all know this, but many assume that conservatives do the same in the other direction making the Constitution to say something it does not to suit their own agenda. <br />
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But that is not the case. Today's conservative justices are not activists like the liberal justices who try to say that the Constitution says something it does not say. The Constitution says nothing about abortion or same-sex marriage yet liberal justices have somehow come up with the idea that the states cannot forbid abortions or refuse to recognize same-sex marriages. That is liberal activism in action. It is not applying the Constitution as it is written. However, conservative justices do not do the "opposite". They simply apply the Constitution. If they were activist ideologues, they would not only try to overturn Roe v. Wade, but they outlaw abortion entirely. We used to have conservative activists on the court in the second half of the 19th century and the early 20th century. That is how we got decisions like the Dredd Scott decision and Plessy V. Ferguson the latter which upheld Jim Crow laws. <br />
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But that is not what conservative justices do now. They would simply overturn Roe v. Wade and let the states decide what laws they wish to make about abortion. That is applying the Constitution, not imposing a conservative ideology. There is not activism on both sides. Only the liberals are the activists. The conservatives are originalists, taking the Constitution for what it actually says.<br />
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We have a similar thing happening with regards to the Bible. Theological liberals want the Bible to agree with their own views on a variety of issues and often corrupt or ignore what the Bible clearly says rather than simply letting the Bible speak for itself. They want to "amend" the Bible to justify things like homosexuality which the Bible clearly condemns as immoral. <br />
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The last two verses of the Bible make it plain what happens to those who 'add to' or 'take away' from the Bible. "For I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: If anyone adds to these things, God will add to him the plagues that are written in this book; and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part from the Book of Life, from the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book." (Rev. 22:18-19) Liberals are trying to take away the passages in the Bible they do not like. The verses regarding homosexual behavior is only the latest example. <br />
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So there is clear comparison between political liberals and theological liberals on how they approach the Constitution and the Bible. They treat it as if it malleable. They believe these documents have a different meaning from when they were written. That is clearly a corruption of these vital texts. Of course, it is far worse to tamper with the Scriptures than it is to tamper with the Constitution. <br />
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Having said all that, I want to give a little admonition to my conservative theological friends who are not immune from trying to make the Bible say something it does not say. Conservatives generally take the Bible for what it says, especially in those things which are of great importance. (We may disagree on lesser things which are less clear.) But too many conservative Christians have begun to seek revelations rather than the Lord. This is not good. We should always seek the Lord and not some new revelation. Some have followed after visions and dreams and prophecies. They have shared these things and people have gotten excited and gotten off track with the Lord. In some cases, people have been hurt. Often, though, it is harmless nonsense with people wasting their time and energy with something they think is from God. (Any good historian of the church knows what I am talking about. These things are not new.) It is deceptive especially since people think what they are doing is in line with the Bible. They have a few scriptures which, if read in a certain way, may seem to back up what they are saying. But they have not really studied the matter out and found if it lines up with all of the Bible. That takes study and seeking the Lord in the Scriptures. <br />
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Am I saying that I do not believe that God gives His people visions and dreams and revelations and prophecy? No, the Bible teaches that we can experience these things. I believe in them for today, but that does not mean that we can have any true revelation apart from the Bible. We have to test all things and hold fast to what is good. (1 Thess. 5:21)<br />
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I do not believe that we are making a good effort testing these things. We especially do not like testing things we get ourselves. We are so sure that they are from God. We can just feel it.<br />
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Here is a good example of how to correctly handle a revelation: Kenneth Hagin, a great teacher of the Bible, said that Jesus appeared to him and told him that he had to rebuke an evil spirit since he had the authority to do it. Hagin could not accept that and told the Lord to prove it from the Bible. And he said he wanted two or three Scriptures to back it up. He said that Jesus did not get mad. In fact, Jesus smiled at him and gave him four. This new idea greatly challenged Hagin's theology. He had trouble accepting what we now call 'the authority of the believer'. This was the early 50's and nobody was teaching it. <br />
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Now, Hagin could have discarded it, or he could have accepted it. His natural tendency may have been to forget the whole thing as a demonic deception but he decided to test it against the scripture. So, he studied these scriptures the Lord gave him and others and began to meditate on the scriptures. As he accepted this truth and understood it, he applied it in his own life. He proved it by the Bible and by living it out personally. Then he put it into a form where it could be taught. But when he taught it, he sometimes told of his experience with the Lord, but he taught it from the Word. <br />
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What he did not do, as many do today, is get a revelation this week and teach it the next. I find that many so-called revelations today have little Bible to back them up and certainly are not proven out in the lives of those teaching it. Reading the NT carefully, you will find that the apostles wrote things, especially the deeper revelations, towards the end of their lives. They taught the Word all the way along, but apostles like Paul wrote after years of reflection and of living out those revelations. <br />
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Early in his ministry, Paul was taken up into heaven where he got much of the revelation he got from the Lord. But many of those things he did not write down until decades later when he had a fuller and complete understanding of what the Lord had showed him. Also, the gospel writers did not record Jesus' words for many years until they had a complete understanding of what He had taught.<br />
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Today, instead of expounding the Bible, many seem to have a new revelation every week or every month. But when I hear or read what they say I am hardly sure of what exactly they are saying even means. They use new expressions which often go unexplained and it is evident to me that if I asked them they would struggle defining precisely what they do mean. Terms and expressions are thrown around like they are deeply meaningful when sometimes they mean almost nothing at all. It is confusing probably because they are not well thought out. Little scripture is used and when it is used it is often in a cursory way. But we are sure that this revelation is what we need at this very moment. No time is allowed for study and reflection much less applying it to one's own life.<br />
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There is even one person, who shall remain nameless, who constantly has revelations regarding Jezebel. That is not the Queen Jezebel in the OT, but the "spirit of Jezebel". (I have been reading the Bible for over forty years and have not come across this so-called "spirit of Jezebel". If you find it, please let me know.) This person has written more than a dozen books on this "spirit" and she keeps having more and more revelations and keeps writing more and more books. She seems to know all about this spirit and how to overcome it. But then she gets more revelations and writes more books. Apparently, this "spirit" causes all kinds of problems in the church. The "spirit of Jezebel" supposedly causes rebellion, idolatry, witchcraft and a whole litany of sins which includes almost every vice one can imagine. This spirit is quite busy. Should I be looking out for this spirit as she suggests? Not from what I read in the Bible. The Bible calls these things "the works of the flesh" not the works of some evil spirit. It is obvious to me that all she does is find a scripture to back up her "revelation" and declare her "revelation" to be all-important. There is not true testing it by the Word, only an admonition to "watch out" and to "act now". There is not real reflection on whether the Bible even teaches us to beware of any spirit. We are supposed to keep our eyes fixed on Jesus, not on an evil spirit either real or imagined. Her entire focus is wrong so she keeps getting more and more "revelations" and has not tested them by the Word, nor has she lived them out in her life. She couldn't have because she has not taken the time. <br />
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We need to listen to those who have, by experience and a thorough understanding of the Word, taught using the scriptures to prove what they say. It is interesting that only two people in the NT tell us that a celibate life is possible in the Lord. One was the Lord Himself and the other was Paul. Both were celibate men who had proved that what they were teaching was true. So, I am not impressed with a revelation received last week that is now available in a new book. I am willing to listen to those who live by the Word and teach what they have lived out. <br />
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It was many years before Kenneth Hagin wrote his first book on the Authority of the Believer and it has become a classic work. He studied it out. He lived it out in his life and ministry. He gained a mature understanding of it. And now it is standard teaching in Pentecostal and charismatic circles. It has stood the test of time. And now it is pretty much taken for granted. Most teach it in some way, but most have no idea where it came from. It came from mature reflection and living by the Word. We need the revelation of the Spirit, but we need to put the Word first and the Spirit second. Some have put the Spirit first and have gotten off into a fantasy world they think is some sort of deep spirituality. But all things must be tested by the Word. <br />
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So let's use a little caution when dealing with this whole area. There is a lot of deception and a lot of nonsense and foolishness. For my part, I am going to just keep teaching what the Word says. That is the revelation already given to us. Let's not be like the liberals who add to and take away from the scriptures.<br />
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Brian D Scarboroughhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12489965712075602631noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3442922579777114165.post-9274350044835740802018-06-16T10:50:00.002-07:002018-06-16T10:50:54.251-07:00Are we allowed to have a conscience?I have been following with great interest the case of Jack Phillips, the owner of Masterpiece Cakes, in his Supreme Court case. He was a baker who had refused to make a cake for a wedding between two gay people. The couple sued him for violation of their civil rights. They claimed he was discriminating against them because they were gay and that this was illegal. <br />
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Phillips, however, pointed out that he was not refusing them service because they were gay but because making a special cake for them would violate his religious conscience by forcing him to participate in an activity he believes is wrong. He would be using his artistic talents to support something against what he believed. He noted that he also has refused to make cakes for Halloween as they celebrate something which he finds offensive. He said that he would not have refused the couple if they had bought a cake that was premade. <br />
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The Supreme Court came down on his side, but did not really make a sweeping decision in protecting the religious liberties of the people who refuse service for things they do not like. In fact, the Phillips decision has already been quoted by an Arizona court against a similar case! So, there is more to be done to protect religious liberty. <br />
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The court should have said that people, even businesses, that provide nonessential goods and services ought to be allowed to refuse service or goods when it would end in supporting something they think is wrong. A very good illustration of this is the imaginary case of a Jewish baker who is asked by neo-Nazis to bake a cake for a celebration of Hitler's birthday. Does anyone think that the baker should be forced to do this? Of course not.<br />
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But I also see something a little broader here with this illustration. Why should a baker be forced to participate in such a thing even if they were not Jewish or religious at all? In other words, isn't the conscience of the baker something which should be protected? I do not think an atheist baker should be forced to do this even if he has no religious motivation.<br />
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One thing that modern society needs to protect is the conscience of an individual. So, issues like this go beyond just the right of Christians to uphold their biblical values against things to the contrary, but it seems that various judges and bureaucrats and politicians are trying to force their values down our throats. This is nothing but totalitarianism. <br />
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We have short historical memories. The Puritans came to the New World to practice their religion freely. They were oppressed in England. Once they established themselves here they refused to allow others, like the Baptists, their religious freedom. Our Founding Fathers recognized that all must have their freedom, especially religious freedom, and put that in our First Amendment. I kind of wished that they had included something more general about the conscience of the individual. It seems to me that really was their intention - maximum freedom for the individual over against those who have power.<br />
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Do you want to stand for the powerless? Stand for the Jack Phillips who simply want to run their businesses without being forced to support what they do not believe in. It seems that, as we learn from history, that those who want rights and get them often turn against those who disagree with them. The oppressed (if that's what they even were) become the oppressors.<br />
Brian D Scarboroughhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12489965712075602631noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3442922579777114165.post-59823996830462677102018-04-16T19:02:00.000-07:002018-04-16T19:02:34.065-07:00Are There Apostles Today?When we think of apostles, we immediately think of Jesus' twelve disciples whom He sent out as apostles. Then we might think of Paul who constantly had to defend his own apostleship. So, a typical view is that the only apostles were the Twelve, minus Judas Iscariot, plus Paul. <br />
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But we actually find several more people, including one woman, who are called apostles in the New Testament. At one time, I counted up to 21 people called 'apostle'. Some of those are not certain, but at least 18 definitely have that title. And there were probably more not listed. <br />
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What is really controversial is the assertion by some that there are apostles today. The traditional view is that there were only apostles in the first century who bore witness to Christ's ministry, death and resurrection and who established the church. Paul came after the Twelve and did not personally witness these things but he received great revelation along with the other apostles. All of this was written down as the New Testament and handed down to us. Since this was done and there is no further revelation, the work of the apostles is complete so there is no need for any apostles any more. That has been the standard view for centuries.<br />
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Others disagree and say that God put the ministry of apostle along with the other ministries and that He never took them out. We may not have any new revelation, but we still need apostles today because there other things they did - like establishing churches and going into new places where the gospel has not been before and building the church. In fact, the apostolic ministry is one of foundation-laying. The church is built on the ministry of the apostle (and prophets). <br />
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That comes from Ephesians 2:20, "[The church] having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus Himself being the corner stone." <br />
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Also, 1 Corinthians 3:10-11, "According to the grace of God which was given to me, like a wise master builder I laid a foundation, and another is building on it. But each man must be careful how he builds on it. For no man can lay a foundation other than the one which is laid, which is Jesus Christ."<br />
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These two scriptures, both from Paul, say about the same thing. In Corinthians, he asserts that he established, or laid a foundation, upon which the church rests. That foundation is Christ. No doubt that refers to both the Person and Work of Christ as well as His teaching. <br />
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But in Ephesians, he adds apostles and prophets. What does this mean? Does that mean that every church or minister must have an apostle over them to be "foundation" for that church or ministry? Is it the apostles themselves that are the foundation? To find out, we must keep reading in Ephesians. Unfortunately, whenever we have a chapter division, we often think that the author has changed the subject. That is often not the case. Let's read in chapter 3 what Paul has to say about the apostles (and prophets).<br />
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Ephesians 3: "By revelation there was made known to me the mystery, as I wrote before in brief. By referring to this, when you read you can understand my insight into the mystery of Christ, which in other generations was not made known to the sons of men, as it has now been revealed to His holy apostles and prophets in the Spirit." So Paul is talking about the revelation that they received which have in the New Testament. He is not saying that the apostles themselves are the foundation. It's the revelation they received which is foundational. <br />
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And that makes sense too. Obviously, Jesus with His teaching and work on the cross and subsequent resurrection, are the true foundation as we saw in Corinthians. Yet even as we read the gospels we do not have the full revelation even of the cross. The disciples had no idea that He was dying for the sins of the world. The resurrection was a surprise to them even though Jesus had told them it would happen. <br />
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Later, revelation was given to the apostles that explained what actually happened and what effect it would have on the believers. So that foundation that was laid by the first century apostles is what the church for all ages is built upon. (Notice that in Ephesians 2, the church is already built upon that foundation.) When we get off that foundation, God sends ministers to get the church back on it. That is what the Protestant Reformation was about. <br />
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Now there are some today who are saying that in these last days, God is raising up a new group of apostles (and prophets) to make a foundation for today's church. Ministries and churches are now supposed to be under the ministry of these apostles. This will somehow make the church what it ought to be. But I do not think that we can apply Ephesians 2 to modern day apostles. We have all the revelation we need. We are built upon the foundation that Jesus and the original apostles laid. This does not need to be repeated. <br />
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Those who hold the view that there are no apostles today say that we have the foundation that was laid in the early church and that we need no other. We can only build on that foundation. So there are no apostles today. Some (not all) who say that there are apostles today claim that the Bible teaches that there are apostles and that they must be a foundation since their ministry is one of being a foundation for the church. <br />
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Both of these groups suffer from the same error. They do not recognize that there are different kinds, or classes, of apostles. First, there were the Twelve. Yes, one was lost (Judas) but another took his place in the ministry. (See Acts 1:15-26) These apostles are called the Twelve Apostles of the Lamb. <br />
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Revelation 21:10-14 "And he carried me away in the Spirit to a great and high mountain, and showed me the holy city, Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God ... And the wall of the city had twelve foundation stones, and on them were the twelve names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb." These apostles are in a class by themselves. They were trained by Jesus and they bore witness to His ministry, death and resurrection. They got some teachings from the mouth of Jesus that none others did. So their ministry is unique. And it was foundational. Nobody else can be an apostle in this way, not even Paul. We have their testimony in the four gospel accounts. <br />
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Another class of apostle is exemplified by the apostle Paul. We have seen how he received revelation which we have in his letters to the churches he established. Actually, there was at least one letter, Romans, which was written to a church he did not establish. So we have another class of apostle who, in the first century, received the revelation we have in the New Testament. I think that if Paul were teaching Ephesians 2 today, he would say that the New Testament is the foundation of the church since he is talking about revelation truth here, not personal ministry. The New Testament is complete and we are not to add to it as we are warned in the book of Revelation, the last book to be written. <br />
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If these two classes of apostles were the only ones, then it seems that the first group is correct. There are no more apostles today. But the NT implies that there ought to be. The apostolic, and prophetic, ministries are listed with those of evangelist, pastor and teacher. "He gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ." (Eph 4:11-12) All of these ministries are given for the same purposes. None is to be exalted above the others. They have different roles and we should recognize all ministries. Nowhere does it say that everyone must be under an apostle. <br />
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So, the question is, "Is there another class of apostles besides Jesus' disciples and those like Paul?" Think of the other work that apostles did in the New Testament. They went into the mission field and established churches. Many of our missionaries today are actually apostles though we may not have called them that. God sent St. Patrick to Ireland and converted the whole nation. Is that not the work of an apostle? In the early 20th century, John Lake established some 500 churches in South Africa in places where the gospel was unknown. <br />
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God has been raising up apostles right along. We just have not recognized them as such because we have assumed that an apostle would have to be like Peter or Paul. We do not have apostles who are in the classes they were in, but God gave us the New Testament so that we would have the apostles' teaching. But establishing churches in new areas is something we still need to do. We would do well to recognize that many who do great missionary work are truly apostles. <br />
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Apostles, however, are not given to rule over other ministers. In fact, sometimes it is a good thing if someone is called as an apostle to the mission field to be submitted to a pastor who is well-established in a church here in America. It grieves when I see some who call themselves "apostles" who want to "help" other ministers by ruling over them. That is not scriptural. If a minister, or other, needs leadership, God can provide that. In fact, the best thing a young, independent pastor can do is to submit to an older, experienced pastor, not necessarily an apostle. <br />
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It seems that every time that God starts to restore something to the Body of Christ - whether it is apostles or prophets or some spiritual gift - people take things too far. They try to build the church on their revelation or their ministry. A lot of people are calling themselves apostles or prophets today. It is the 'in' thing to do. I wonder if we do not simply make a fad out of things that need to be kept in balance. <br />
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God is not laying a new foundation for the church. He already did that and the original apostles played the key roles in that process. Now that that is done, two classes of apostles are no longer needed, but a third is still around. Once the "apostolic age" was over and we had the New Testament documents, God began to raise up many pastors because the people need someone to care for them who is close by. I believe in apostles but they tend to move from place to place and are often not there when you need personal ministry. Pastors are there for us all the time. <br />
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So, pastors now play the dominant role in established churches. Apostles played the dominant role in the churches still being established. One apostle I know of, T.L. Osborne, would hold large crusades and multitudes would come to the Lord. Then he would gather those who were called to pastor and he would take the time to teach and train them for the ministry. I like that. That is a good way to establish the church in any area. He did not wear himself out trying to do everything for all the new churches that would crop up, nor would he abandon those people who just came to Christ. <br />
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I thank God that he is restoring lost ministries to the church. I just hope we do not ruin the whole thing by getting things out of balance. "No man can lay a foundation other than the one which is laid, which is Jesus Christ."<br />
Brian D Scarboroughhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12489965712075602631noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3442922579777114165.post-81823192776914255522018-01-20T13:04:00.000-08:002018-01-20T13:04:46.074-08:00Is The Bible True All The Way Through - part 2In our last episode we learned that there are two ways to study the Bible - with faith and with skepticism. It used to be that believing scholars would approach the scriptures as being completely trustworthy in every respect. When the scriptures spoke of spiritual realities or of historical events, it was assumed that it was all true. The skeptics of the Bible made no such assumption and even seemed to go out of their way to discredit the Bible whenever possible. They developed Critical methodologies to pretty much make the Bible into a good book though riddled with error and myth.<br />
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Then a new group of evangelical scholars (those who believe in the basics doctrines of the Christian faith like the Trinity and the atoning death and resurrection of Christ) began using the Critical methodologies to study the Bible, but with some significant differences. They did believe that the Bible contains the Word of God, that it was inspired and authoritative but that not all of it was necessarily true. They generally held fast to the fundamentals of the faith (for example, the Apostles' Creed) while questioning the accuracy of some of the historical narratives. <br />
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They also often accepted the Critical idea that some of the historical narrative should not be read as history but as myth. Myth, they say, is not necessarily "false" simply because it has no basis in history. Instead it is like fiction. Fiction does not mean, as some Christians think, something that does not tell the truth, but something made up that is supposed to tell a truth. There is fiction in the Bible. Now before you stone me consider the Parable of the Prodigal Son. In it Jesus tells us the truth about God's attitude toward those who have departed from Him and returned. He is overjoyed to see them. But the events in this parable did not actually happen. It is not an historical depiction of events that have transpired. A parable is often a form of fiction that conveys a truth the teacher wishes to convey. However, everyone listening to the story knows that it did not actually happen. Yet the parable is truth.<br />
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Can the same thing be said about myth, and can certain events in the Old Testament, like the Noahic Flood, be considered truthful and unhistorical at the same time? Is it a true myth? These new evangelical scholars would say "yes". The two most common so-called myths are, of course, the creation story and the flood story. They note that ancient peoples almost all have both creation and flood stories in their traditions. They tell about how their own god or gods made their community and also of a flood that almost wiped them out. The Bible, it is claimed, just has another version, a "true" version of these similar stories. One of them writes:<br />
<blockquote>God adopted Abraham as the forefather of a new people, and in doing so also adopted the mythic categories within which Abraham - and everyone else - thought. But God did not leave Abraham in his mythic world. Rather, God transformed the ancient myths so that Israel's story would come to focus on its God, the real one [as opposed to the false gods of others].</blockquote>So, according to this scholar the purpose of the creation and flood accounts are not to tell us what happened historically, but to tell us who we should worship. In this view, we should not expect historical truth but theological truth. That is the truth that really counts - in their view. <br />
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Skeptics of the Bible had already been saying for a very long time that the creation and flood stories of the Ancient Near East (ANE) are very similar to those in the Bible. They believed that the biblical writer (they don't even acknowledge Moses as the author) simply took the older myths and reworked them. The new evangelical scholars like the one quoted above agree that they basically copied the story, but that they changed who the God was. <br />
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Let's examine these claims. First, we should note that even historical legends and myths usually have an historical root even if many additions and alterations have been made. Take the Homeric legend of the Trojan War. Homer wrote about it hundreds of years after the events that were depicted. Scholars used to doubt that there ever was a place called Troy and thought the whole thing was made up. Then an archaeologist decided to look for Troy and he found it. It was right where Homer said it had been. So we realize that legends and myths are not always purely made up but there is something that really happened at the root of it. <br />
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ANE scholars have studied the myths like the creation and flood stories of the Babylonians. Their myths were written down before Moses wrote and it is likely that Moses knew about them. He was a very educated adopted son of Pharaoh and likely had learned about them. So, did Moses just copy them and change the God who did all these things? Or did Moses know the historical root, the truth, about the events depicted in Genesis? <br />
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How can we tell? It is actually very easy to tell which story is more original and closer to the truth of the events depicted in mythologies. As a story is adopted by one group from its origin, two things happen. All irrelevant details are stripped away, and the story becomes increasingly long and complicated. Which story is short and simple and which is long and complicated. There is no doubt about it. The Babylonian myths are extremely long and complicated. Therefore, they are the newer stories and Genesis has the earlier stories. In fact, the creation story is summed up very simply as "In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth." There is more but it too is quite simple. So Genesis has by far the earlier stories and along with every Bible-believing Christian, I say they are the original, true-to-history stories. <br />
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So this idea of "true myth" does not bear up under close scrutiny. Besides this, the new evangelical scholars also claim that all of Genesis chapters 1 through 11 are mythological while the rest is historical. There is a problem that any language teacher will point out. All of Genesis is written as historical narrative. There is no break or distinction or even change in writing style or genre between the supposedly mythical parts and the historical parts. They are written in the same manner. So there is no grammatical reason to claim one story as myth and another as history. <br />
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Besides all this, there is a great danger here. Despite the insistence of the new evangelicals that they firmly believe in the resurrection of Jesus, what is to stop someone from saying that it is one of these "true myths"? One could say, and some have, that if what is inspired in the Bible is theological truth and not historical truth, then how do we know for certain if Christ was raised from the dead. There are already those who say that Christ's resurrection did not actually happen in an historical sense but it is a spiritual truth only. So it is easy to see where such an approach can lead - to the denial of the fundamental truths of the Christian faith.<br />
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Brian D Scarboroughhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12489965712075602631noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3442922579777114165.post-80257971034469312652018-01-15T11:53:00.000-08:002018-01-15T11:53:28.092-08:00Is The Bible True All The Way Through? - part 1The Bible is a controversial book. Some proclaim it as the Word of God and others deny it. This is not news to most people. Additionally, most Christians have been aware that in our elite academic institutions there are few, if any, scholars in the departments of religion that believe the Bible to be true. They no longer believe in the atoning death and bodily resurrection of Jesus nor that He is the Son of God. <br />
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Luke Timothy Johnson in his book, The Living Jesus, says that whether or not you believe that Jesus is alive determines how you will approach the Scriptures. A believing scholar will look to the Bible as revealing to us the truth about God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit. An unbelieving scholar will bring his own presuppositions to the Bible and tell us what he thinks is true or not true according to his own logic and reasoning. He will develop methods that will try to ferret out, for example, what they believe Jesus said or did not say. What Jesus did or did not do. Some of Jesus sayings they accept as authentic and others they believe have been added by his followers. The miracles, naturally, get short shrift. Of course, to them even if they accept something as coming from Jesus that does not mean that they will accept it as true. These methods are together called the historical-critical method, or simply Critical Scholarship. <br />
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I was born-again when I was 15 years old, but did not read my Bible or go to church until I went to college. So for a long time I was unaware of these divergent ways of studying the Bible. Wanting to learn more about the Bible, I took a college class on the New Testament. I had no idea what I was getting into. The class was taught by the chaplain of the college, an ordained minister, a professor in the Religion department. What could possibly go wrong?<br />
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Everything. The textbook laid out the methods of Critical scholarship which questioned everything written in the New Testament. They questioned whether Paul had written all the letters that bear his name. They questioned whether Jesus said this or did that. They questioned what "really" happened after Jesus died, implying that he could not possibly have been raised from the dead. They brought doubts about the "miracle stories" without even considering that they might be true. While today I could easily defend my faith against this barrage of unbelief, back then it felt like I was drowning. But I did not give in. I simply refused to use the Critical method and I knew that the professor could flunk me as a result. Too bad. I defied him. (And I passed.)<br />
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Fortunately, I had help. My youth group at school led me to resources and to believing scholarship that affirmed the truth of the Bible. I read apologists like C.S. Lewis and great Christian thinkers like Pascal. The leadership of our youth group was firmly grounded in the Bible and the foundational truths it contains. I learned much from them and I am very grateful for the foundation they put in my spiritual life. <br />
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On the other hand, they were Calvinists. I was introduced to their theology based on notions of double predestination and the denial of free will in salvation. However, I did not simply dismiss their theology because it is so contrary to the way we think today, but I studied it thoroughly and determined that it was wrong in key respects. Their theology regarding the Bible and justification were very good and I accepted that. But they were wrong in what we call Calvinism, the idea that God only chooses certain individuals to be saved and He damns the rest. His is sovereign and He makes all the decisions.<br />
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I have to say, though, that Calvinists are nothing if not persistent in their views. They are not really happy unless you become one of them. So many arguments with them ensued. At one point, I ended up having a debate at a lunch table with many witnesses against a world famous theologian, John Gerstner. He was one of the most prominent Calvinist theologians of that day. He was a mentor to R.C. Sproul, who just passed away, and to our adult youth leader. <br />
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So I ended up having to battle both an unbelieving professor and my Calvinist friends. And I do mean that I consider them to be friends and brothers in the Lord. I appreciate the firm stand they take for the Bible and for justification by faith. God has used them greatly in this area. <br />
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So, it used to be simple. You had the unbelieving skeptics of the Bible who denied the deity of Christ along with His atoning death and resurrection, and you had Bible-believing scholars and church leaders who accepted the whole Bible as God's Word. Unbelievers were interested in the Bible had their scholars; we believers had ours. We tend to stay in our own circles often vaguely aware of each other. In most of the churches I have attended these things did not even come up. We agreed that the Bible was true. We just had to let the Holy Spirit teach us and apply it to our lives while unbelievers tried to figure everything out in their foolish heads.<br />
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Those were the good ol' days. Things are more complicated now. Today, we have those who hold to the historic truths of the Christian faith - Christ's deity, death and resurrection - but who use and accept the methods of Critical scholarship. Part of the goal is to show the unbelieving scholars that their methods do not have to lead to unbelief but can even support the things the church has believed right along.<br />
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What could possible go wrong? {We will pick this up in the next post.}Brian D Scarboroughhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12489965712075602631noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3442922579777114165.post-46255229004419385072017-12-30T12:48:00.002-08:002017-12-30T12:49:17.860-08:00Is What Is "Good For You" Always Right?One of the best compliments I ever received was when a former pastor of mine told me that I had a very practical theology. Now he was not talking about the field of Practical Theology, but more broadly that I see the Bible, and God, as immensely practical. In my view, Christians often hold views about God and the Bible that are not the least bit helpful to us at all. <br />
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For example, I read a comment on 1 Corinthians 13 (the love chapter) that said that it expressed a wonderful ideal if we could reach it, but we cannot as we are bound by sin. To me this is nonsense on two levels. First, we are no longer bound by sin but free not to sin and, therefore, we can walk in love. But on a practical level, it is also wrong. What good does it do to tell us what it would be like to walk in the love of God if we cannot do it. That is impracticable and a waste of time as far as I am concerned. The Bible, the New Testament, tells us what to do and empowers us to do it! That is a practical theology. <br />
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On the other hand, we have to be careful not to become pure pragmatists. Americans are very pragmatic people. We believe that if something works then it is a good thing. If something has bad effects it is a bad thing. So the known results of something determine whether it is good or bad. A diet is good if it helps you lose weight and makes your body healthy, and a diet is bad if it does the opposite. It all seems very sensible.<br />
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But what seems sensible to us is not always good. Just yesterday, in fact, I was with a group of ladies at work who were discussing losing weight in the new year. (It seems that everyone is planning to lose weight after the fattening holidays are over. I am among them.) One woman was talking about using hypnosis in order to lose weight. They were all talking about it like it was perfectly alright. The only question in their minds was, "Will it work?". That is the question of a pragmatist. The pragmatist does not ask what is behind that hypnosis, but what will be the known practical effect of what I am doing. <br />
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One of the ladies, a Christian, asked me if hypnosis was "against Christianity". I was really quite bold. I not only stated that it was wrong, but I told them that it is a demon which causes hypnosis. Some of them heard me, but I am not sure they accepted it. One or two of them ignored me as if I had said nothing, but I hope that some had ears to hear. Then one woman said that 'you have to open yourself to it' for it to work. I said, "Open yourself to what?". <br />
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That is the non-pragmatic question. "What are you opening yourself to?" The idea of 'being open' sounds good to us. We are told to have open hearts and open minds, etc. 'Openness' is supposed to be a good thing. That is not always the case. <br />
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We are supposed to be open to the Spirit of God and closed to the devil. This woman does not realize that hypnotism is opening up oneself to evil spirits. The devil is glad to do "good things" for you if you open yourself to his influence. We must resist this kind of deception and warn others. Losing some weight is not worth opening yourself up to a demon spirit. <br />
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I later spoke privately to the woman who was considering hypnotism to lose weight. I explained that it was not a good thing. She said that she was a Christian and walked close to the Lord, but she was not going to do the hypnosis because she did not think she could be hypnotized. She does not think could open herself up like that. I am happy that she is giving up on this idea, but her reasons were actually more practical than spiritual. I pray that she get more wisdom and spiritual understanding. <br />
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Then we got onto the topic of yoga. I told her that some of the ladies used to do yoga before work hours. She said that the ladies were talking about that earlier. Then, I told her that I had rebuked the evil spirit behind it and it stopped. <br />
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Many Christians, unfortunately, are not informed about why yoga is wrong. They say it is healthy and makes one feel peaceful. They do not realize that this "peace" they get is deceptive. The devil can counterfeit the peace of God and make people temporarily feel better as a result. <br />
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But we have to understand what yoga is. It is worship of Hindu gods. The mantras that are repeated are names of gods. That is worship, false worship. And the music is praising these same gods. It is idolatry. But Christians, thinking that it is just a technique, are unaware of what they are doing. I do not think that God is mad at them or that they will go to Hell or anything, but we need to quit being so gullible where these things are concerned. We should know what something is really about, what its origins are, before we practice them. Instead, we just use it if it seems to make us feel better or lose weight or become healthier. <br />
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The apostle Paul ran into a similar thing at the church in Corinth. He became aware that some members were attending pagan temple services. Pagan temples served both a social and religious function. Obviously, they were places where idols were worshiped. But they also were places where people met together, ate dinner, and did business. Some Corinthian Christians did not see anything wrong with going there. They had learned that there was only one God. There were no other gods so going to the temple of a god who did not exist would do no harm. <br />
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But Paul explained that the idols, which are not true gods, are inhabited by demons who receive the worship being offered to the idols. Eating dinner with idols was having fellowship with demons. So, the Corinthians who thought they were wise in eating in pagan temples were actually foolish since they opened themselves to evil influences. <br />
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Some Christians who practice things like yoga think that since they don't believe in Hinduism and all their gods are not doing anything wrong. Or they do not even realize that yoga is a form of pagan worship and believe it is only exercise. Like the Corinthians they need to be more fully informed. We live in a world full of evil spirits and we must be careful not to open ourselves to them. <br />
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Many Christians think that as long as their hearts are right, everything is fine. They are not trying to worship demons so it doesn't matter what they do. But they open themselves up to the devil when they practice such things. <br />
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The devil knows that we are suckers for things that appear good and have good effects on our minds and bodies. He has devised things that "help" us feel better and look better so that he can gain some kind of foothold in our lives if possible. So, let's "be wise and understand what the will of the Lord is".<br />
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Brian D Scarboroughhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12489965712075602631noreply@blogger.com0