Category Archives: Second Coming of Christ

May 9, 2021 · 10:00

God’s Devil

And the LORD said unto Satan, Behold, all that he hath is in thy power; only upon himself put not forth thine hand. So Satan went forth from the presence of the LORD. (Job 1:12)

Satan (the name means “adversary”) appears in many forms in the human imagination. He has been depicted as a grotesque angelic being with a goat’s head and goat’s legs and hooves. The Satanic Temple in Detroit houses an idol by the name of Baphomet that represents their god, Satan. At the other extreme is “Hot Stuff,” a fun-loving comic book character that enjoys playing pranks on people. Either extreme makes Satan an imaginary figure that can easily be dismissed along with any other fairy tale character.

However, Satan is very real. Ask any Satanist. While you are at it, ask the Satanist if Jesus is real. So, why do they worship Satan, rather than Jesus? It is because they have fallen for Satan’s lie that he will overcome the kingdom of Christ. Satan has seduced them with the power he possesses.

Satan does have a lot of power; however, his power is nowhere near the power of God. For example, Satan is not omnipresent like God is. He can only be in one place at one time, which means that we cannot blame the devil for every sin we commit; he is not always around to tempt us. However, he does have millions of demons doing his dirty work for him, but they are limited in their power too. Satan cannot read our minds or our hearts like God can, but he and his demons can observe our actions and listen to what we say. When they see our weaknesses, they know how to attack us.

Satan cannot act on his own initiative. He needs permission from God to carry out his deeds. Reading the first two chapters of the Old Testament Book of Job makes this very clear. It appears that God holds a heavenly council where all His angels, good and bad, come before Him. The psalmist says, “God standeth in the congregation of the mighty; he judgeth among the gods” (Psalm 82:1). The Hebrew word translated “might” is ‘êl which means “god, god-like, mighty one.” This verse shows God standing among “the gods” and judging among them.[1] At the opening of Job’s saga, we find that Job lives in the land of Uz.[2] By God’s standards, Job is a righteous man that shuns evil. God blesses Job with wealth and a large family for whom Job intercedes before God just in case his children have fallen into sin.

The scene then shifts to heaven and God’s council, where all of God’s angels come before Him.[3] Scripture points out that Satan was among them. So God asks Satan to report, and Satan says he has been wandering up and down the earth (remember, he is not omnipresent). The Apostle Peter says that Satan wanders the earth like a ravenous wolf seeking whom he may devour.[4] God then asks Satan if he has taken notice of Job, and God brags on Job. (Would it not be great if God could brag about you?) So Satan points out that Job only worships God because God has blessed him with a good life, a large family, and much wealth. Then Satan suggests that God test Job by taking away all of his blessings. God gives Satan permission to remove all of Job’s blessings, but He prohibits Satan from touching Job’s body.

Satan attacks Job by taking away all of Job’s blessings, but Job remains faithful to God. Next, in Chapter Two, at the following council of God, God asks Satan for a report on Job. Satan, knowing that he failed, suggests that Job remains faithful only because he still has his health. So, God gives Satan permission to touch Job’s body, but he is not allowed to take Job’s life.

The point in all of this is that Satan cannot do anything without God’s consent. At the end of the saga, we learn that Job remained faithful to God, and God restored all that Job lost and much more.[5]

Jesus demonstrated His authority over Satan every time He cast out demons. Luke records one of the most dramatic accounts of a man of the Gadarenes that was possessed by a “legion” of demons.[6] In this account, the demons recognized Jesus from a distance and started crying out begging Jesus not to send them to the abyss (the bottomless pit) before their time. They begged Jesus’ permission to go into a herd of hogs instead, and Jesus gave them permission.

On another occasion, Jesus informed Peter that Satan asked permission to sift him as wheat.[7] At the same time, Jesus assured Peter that He had prayed for him that his faith would not fail. Satan cannot do anything unless God gives him permission.

Satan is real. Satan has a lot of power. Satan can cause us a lot of misery. However, Satan is God’s Devil, and God has him on a short leash – but not for long. Soon, God will unleash Satan to terrorize the entire world, but His own He will spare from the Tribulation to come. For now, the only defense we have against Satan is to remain in the shadow of the Almighty. He hears us when we call out to Him. “Shew thy marvellous lovingkindness, O thou that savest by thy right hand them which put their trust in thee from those that rise up against them. Keep me as the apple of the eye, hide me under the shadow of thy wings, From the wicked that oppress me, from my deadly enemies, who compass me about” (Psalm 17:7-9)

If you are reading this and do not have the assurance of God’s protection on you, please read my page on “Securing Eternal Life.”

Notes:

[1]  I realize this concept may be foreign to most of my readers, but the Bible, when carefully studied does not deny the existence of other gods, but rather it clearly points out that they are “no gods” at all. In other words, even though they do exist and exercise power over humans, they do not approach the power of Yahweh, the God who created them. For an in-depth study on this topic, I recommend Michael S. Heiser’s book, The Unseen Realm.

[2]  Job 1:1

[3]  Job 1:6-12

[4]  1 Peter 5:8

[5]  Job 42:12-17

[6]  Luke 8:26-39

[7]  Luke 22:31-34

Comments Off on God’s Devil

Filed under Apologetics, Bible, Christianity, Satan, Second Coming of Christ, Theology

Tagged as , , ,

May 2, 2021 · 10:00

Son Against Father

The father shall be divided against the son, and the son against the father; the mother against the daughter, and the daughter against the mother; the mother in law against her daughter in law, and the daughter in law against her mother in law. (Luke 12:53)

I celebrated my 71st year of life this past week, and I must admit that it was the worst birthday of my life. It ended with a decision I have mulled over for many years, but only now have I decided to follow through with it. I decided to sever communications between my sons and myself in order to (hopefully) relieve myself of the heartache of strained relationships and the knowledge that my sons are lost and, unless the Lord intervenes, bound for eternal damnation.

Some may criticize my decision and think of me weak as both a father and a Christian for not persevering in prayer for my lost sons. Those that think that may be right; however, I would ask that you not be too quick to judge without knowing that with which I have contended for over 25 years. This was not a snap decision done in a moment of anger, but one that has been carefully weighed over many years. It should also be understood that I am not closed to the possibility of reconciliation later on, if the Lord delays His coming. I have not “disowned” my sons. How could I? They carry my DNA. I have only decided to break off any further contact with them and turn them over to the Lord and let Him deal with them.

I do not want to go into detail as to what brought this to a head. Basically it had to do with a post I made on Facebook with which they vehemently disagreed. They both seized the opportunity to berate, disrespect, and humiliate me on social media. It is not the first time this has occurred, but in past times the offense was easily overlooked considering the source. Not this time.

In the process of making my decision, I remembered our Lord’s account of the Prodigal Son[1] who disrespected his father and separated himself from him. It occurred to me that the father did not chase after the son, but rather waited patiently for the son to “come to himself” and return of his own volition. That is what I have decided to do.

I know many Christian parents these days are experiencing the same thing. We are living in the “last days” as we wait for Jesus’ return to take us home. Jesus predicted this would happen. “Suppose ye that I am come to give peace on earth? I tell you, Nay; but rather division: For from henceforth there shall be five in one house divided, three against two, and two against three. The father shall be divided against the son, and the son against the father; the mother against the daughter, and the daughter against the mother; the mother in law against her daughter in law, and the daughter in law against her mother in law” (Luke 12:51-53). Certainly, many can relate.

Mark records Jesus’ words in the Olivet Discourse like this: “Now the brother shall betray the brother to death, and the father the son; and children shall rise up against their parents, and shall cause them to be put to death. And ye shall be hated of all men for my name’s sake: but he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved” (Mark 13:12-13, emphasis mine). Of course, Jesus referred to the time of Tribulation, but what we see now is the beginning of these things.

The Apostle Paul predicted the general character of people in the last days. “This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, [without self-control], fierce, despisers of those that are good, Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away. For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts, Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth” (2 Timothy 3:1-7, emphasis mine). Those characteristics that I emphasized describe my sons. That last sentence especially fits them to a tee. My oldest son graduated from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary with a Masters Degree in Family Counseling, and later declared himself to be an atheist. My youngest son dropped out of high school but is self-educated; he is actually highly intelligent, and he considers himself quite the intellectual. Both of them consider me a rube for taking the Bible seriously and for my faith in God. Although I never push religion on them, they know where I stand and they resent that I will not move from my opinions. Truthfully, I am very flexible in my opinions, but God’s Word is not my opinion, and that is what they do not seem to understand.

As I said, I am not alone in this dilemma – torn between the love of God and the love of children – but I decided long ago to heed the words of Jesus. “And a man’s foes shall be they of his own household. He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me. He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it” (Matthew 10:36-39, emphasis mine). Personally, I prefer to be worthy of Jesus even if it means losing my sons. Sadly, that includes grandchildren too.

The time is short. Jesus may come for His Church – His Bride – at any moment. There is no time or place for divided loyalties. I choose Christ!

Notes:

[1]  Luke 15:11-24

3 Comments

Filed under Apologetics, Bible, Christianity, Current Events, End Times, Second Coming of Christ

Tagged as , , , ,

March 28, 2021 · 10:00

Victorious Entrance

And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war. His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself. And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God. And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean. And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS. (Revelation 19:11-16)

This Sunday, March 28, celebrates Palm Sunday when we commemorate Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem in the final week of His earthly ministry. We term this event as the “Triumphal Entry,” but in many respects, the term is a misnomer.

Daniel predicted the event to the very day of its occurrence. “Seventy weeks [70 x 7 years, or 490 years] are determined upon thy people [Israel or the Jews] and upon thy holy city [Jerusalem], to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness [beginning with the Millennial reign of Messiah], and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy [Messiah]. Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem [decreed by Artaxerxes Longimanus, 444 BC] unto the Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks [7 x 7 or 49 years], and [plus] threescore and two weeks [62 x 7 or 434 years; 49 + 434 = 483 years]: the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublous times. And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself: and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary; and the end thereof shall be with a flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are determined” (Daniel 9:24-26, emphasis mine). Daniel divides the 490 years (70 weeks) into three segments of 49, 434, and 7 years. The first segment began when Artaxerxes Longimanus issued the fourth decree to rebuild Jerusalem with its walls in 444 BC, and ended in 395 BC when the project was completed – 49 years.[1] The next segment encompassed the 400+ “silent years” until Jesus, Messiah, entered into Jerusalem. Four hundred eighty three (483) years were fulfilled at that time and the final segment of seven years remains to be fulfilled. At the end of the 483 years, to the very day, Jesus, Messiah, was “cut off” at the cross.

The prophet, Zechariah, predicted that the Messiah would present Himself riding on a donkey. “Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: behold, thy King cometh unto thee: he is just, and having salvation; lowly, and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt the foal of an ass” (Zechariah 9:9, emphasis mine). All four Gospel writers record this event from their unique perspectives.[2] Most Bibles that use sub-title divisions of chapters title this event as the “Triumphal Entry.” However, Jesus did not enter Jerusalem as conquering king. He presented Himself as the Melek Shâlêm, the King of Peace. A conquering king would have presented himself with great pomp and ceremony,[3] riding on a white charger followed by his conquering armies, parading the spoils of his conquests.

Jesus entered humbly as the King of Peace. His week would end with a tortuous, humiliating death on a Roman cross. From a human perspective, that hardly qualifies as a triumph. However, the following Sunday, the earth shook[4] as Jesus ripped apart the chains of death and conquered man’s final enemy.[5] “O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Corinthians 15:55-57). Yet, we still die physically, but our spirit lives on. “We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord” (2 Corinthians 5:8). One day, even physical death will be lost even to the memory. “And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death” (Revelation 20:14). Our present bodies (whether alive or dead) will be transformed into eternal bodies like the body of the resurrected Christ. “Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption. Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we [who are living at the time] shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality” (1 Corinthians 15:50-53, emphasis mine).

Jesus conquered death at His resurrection, but He has yet to enter Jerusalem in triumph. Our starting verse above, Revelation 19:11-16, describes His real Triumphal Entry. He will enter Jerusalem from His departure point on the Mount of Olives riding on a white horse – not a donkey this time. He will be followed by His heavenly hosts (angelic armies) and by the spoils of His victory, His saints, all riding white horses and dressed in white robes – no weapons in hand. When His foot touches Earth, the Mount of Olives will split in two,[6] half to the north and half to the south. From there He will travel north to the Jezreel Valley, for the Battle of Armageddon. That too is a misnomer, because it will be no battle at all. “And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God” (Revelation 19:15, emphasis mine). That “sword” out of His mouth is His Word. He will speak and the “battle” will be over. “And the LORD shall be king over all the earth: in that day shall there be one LORD, and his name one” (Zechariah 14:9).

Now, that is a Triumphal Entry!

The current events of our world signal that the time of Jesus’ Victorious Entrance is soon approaching. He will come for His Bride, the Church, at any moment; although we do not know when. However, if the signs indicate that His return is near, that means the catching up of His Bride is even closer. Soon after that, Daniel’s final week, the last seven years known as the Tribulation, will begin. Those who are not snatched away by Jesus will remain on earth to suffer through the judgments of God like at no other time in world history. If you are not sure where you stand with Jesus, you can escape that awful time by putting your trust in Him as your Savior. Read my page on “Securing Eternal Life.”

Notes:

[1]  John F Walvoord and Roy B. Zuck, The Bible Knowledge Commentary- Old Testament, (SP Publications, 1985), p.1363.

[2]  Matthew 21:1-11; Mark 11:1-11; Luke 19:28-44; John 12:12-19

[3]  “The Triumphal Entry,” — https://erniecarrasco.com/2019/04/14/the-triumphal-entry/

[4]  Matthew 28:2

[5]  1 Corinthians 15:26

[6]  Zechariah 14:4

Comments Off on Victorious Entrance

Filed under Apologetics, Bible, Christianity, Current Events, Death, Easter, End Times, Evangelism, Gospel, Heaven, Hell, Holidays, Resurrection, Salvation, Second Coming of Christ, Theology

Tagged as , , , , , , , , , , ,

March 14, 2021 · 10:00

Peace

These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world. (John 16:33)

What images enter your mind’s eye when you hear the word “peace”? Do you picture cloudless blue skies over a quiet deserted palm-lined tropical beach disturbed only by the lapping of the rising tide, the whisper of the ocean breeze, and the occasional caw of a soaring seagull? Or, do you imagine a silent stony perch atop a tall Rocky Mountain overlooking a thick pine and aspen forest below alternately lighted and shaded by passing puffy clouds? Is your idea of peace a serene humble home on five or ten acres of land far, far away from the rush and bustle of urban life? Do you think of a world without crime, without war, without pestilence and hunger, and without hate?

All those visions of peace exist only in the imagination, and if by experience, they are only temporary. The quiet beach will soon fill with noisy sunbathers. The silent mountain scene gets interrupted by an unpredicted thunderstorm. The endless chores disturb the serene little farm house. As for peace in the world, you can forget that.

As Jesus faced the cross, He tried to prepare His disciples for what lay ahead. “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid” (John 14:27). He offered His peace, unlike the peace that the world can give. We personally enjoy quiet peaceful moments in this life, but they are temporary and fleeting. The world knows no peace. The interval between World War I, “the war to end all wars,” lasted less than 21 years before World War II flared up. Since then the United States prosecuted wars in Korea, Viet Nam, Iraq, Afghanistan, along with several “peace-keeping” skirmishes here and there. Meanwhile, the Middle East experiences fighting periodically and consistently throughout the Muslim world. If that were not enough, rioting breaks out in almost every country all the time. Now the entire world lives in fear of a man-made global pandemic. The world knows no peace.

Yet Jesus said, “My peace I give unto you.” To whom was this gift directed? Jesus addressed a very specific audience, His disciples. His peace is not for the world. It is for His disciples only. On that night, He spoke only to the twelve, but He intends all of His disciples to have the gift, that means you and me if we are truly His disciples – believers, followers of Jesus. In His high-priestly prayer He said, “I pray for them: I pray not for the world, but for them which thou hast given me; for they are thine” (John 17:9, emphasis mine). Then, so as not to exclude those that would follow, He said, “Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word” (John 17:20, emphasis mine).

The peace Jesus gives silences the most tempestuous storms of life, allays the deepest fear, and quiets the troubled mind. His supernatural peace confounds any false peace the world can offer. “These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world” (John 16:33, emphasis mine). His peace does not exempt us from the affliction, pressure, persecution, tribulation, or trouble that comes as part and parcel with life in this world. Indeed, He requested, “I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil [one]” (John 17:15, emphasis mine). Our peace comes from knowing that “[We] are not of the world, even as I am not of the world” (John 17:16). “For our [citizenship] is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ” (Philippians 3:20).

The world labors in vain for peace. The world alters language to stifle hate. The world blames the weather for rioting in the streets, so it implements draconian measures to curtail carbon emissions. The world cries, “Peace, peace; when there is no peace” (Jeremiah 6:14; 8:11). The world knows no peace, but the believer in Jesus can know peace. As the axiom makes clear, “No Jesus, no peace; know Jesus, know peace.” One day soon, the world will know peace, but not now.

Every true believer, every Christian should know peace. If not, there can only be two reasons that a Christian does not have peace. Either they have not been “born again” and do not know Jesus personally, or they have momentarily taken their eyes off of Him like Peter did when he tried to walk on the water (Matthew 14:22-32). If you do not know Jesus, but you want to know peace, see my page on “Securing Eternal Life.”

2 Comments

Filed under Apologetics, Christianity, Current Events, Evangelism, Gospel, Religion, Salvation, Second Coming of Christ, Theology

Tagged as , ,

February 28, 2021 · 10:00

It’s the Word!

So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it. (Isaiah 55:11)

This past Saturday morning, I met with my Gideon[1] brothers for our weekly breakfast gathering at IHOP.™ Frankly, I did not feel like getting up that early on a Saturday morning. It was damp and gloomy and not very inspiring for an early morning rising. I knew it would be that way from the previous day’s weather forecast, so I made up my mind that I would skip this meeting unless God woke me up to get me to go. At six A.M. God woke me up, but I rolled over in bed and told Him I really didn’t feel like going. Then at 6:15 A.M., the alarm clock, which neither my wife nor I had set, went off, so I said, “OK, Lord. I’ll get dressed and go.” I am learning not to argue with God when He wants me to do something.

The meeting was typical. We read Scripture, offered praises and prayer requests, and then enjoyed fellowship over breakfast. In the course of conversation, one of my Gideon brothers asked if any of us had heard about the sexual misconduct allegations recently made about Ravi Zacharias.[2] Zacharias, who died on May 19, 2020, was previously accused by a woman of inappropriate advances in an email scandal of which he was later cleared. Now, almost a year after his death, other questionable women, “massage therapists,” have come out accusing the evangelist of inappropriate touching, rape, and “spiritual abuse.” The ministry (RZIM) launched an investigation into the matter and issued an open letter[3] regarding the findings of the investigation.

Regardless of the findings of the investigations or RZIM’s renouncement of Ravi’s alleged misconduct, I am not prepared to assign guilt. As I told my Gideon brothers, we cannot know the facts. We take the accusers’ words at face value without knowing the motive behind the accusation or whether the misconduct really took place. The man is dead. He cannot defend himself. Why bring up these charges now?

This I know. “… [A]ll have sinned, and come short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). “There is none righteous, no, not one” (Romans 3:10). No man is above sin. The allegations against Ravi Zacharias, may be true, and if true any heavenly rewards he earned here on earth will probably be cast aside as “wood, hay, and stubble,”[4] but “he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.”[5] God will make that determination.

I also know this. Satan is a liar and the father of lies.[6] Ravi had a powerful apologetics ministry. He destroyed enemies of the Gospel with his tremendous intellect and logic, and nothing would give Satan greater satisfaction than to destroy Ravi’s ministry and legacy, especially in these Last Days when the return of our Lord draws near.

This, too, I know. Regardless of the man, God’s Word will remain true. God promised, “For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater: So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it” (Isaiah 55:10-11, emphasis mine). Jesus put it this way, “Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away” (Matthew 24:35).

The human source from which God’s Word procedes matters not. It is God’s Word that will prevail. Consider the false prophet Balaam.[7] He was hired by Balak, the king of Moab, to curse the children of Israel, but every time Balaam opened his mouth, nothing but blessings came forth. Consider King David. He committed adultery with Bathsheba, had her husband Uriah killed, took a census of Israel that God did not authorize. Yet, he was called a man after God’s own heart, and he wrote, through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, most of the psalms in the Hebrew Psalter that bless us today. Take, also, Jonah as another example. God told him to go preach to the people of Nineveh, but Jonah boarded a ship bound for Spain in direct opposition to God’s command. Jonah became fish bait and fish vomit, but eventually, he preached to the people of Nineveh and they repented. God’s Word prevailed.

I also recall a modern-day evangelist, by the name of Bob Harrington.[8] He was known as the “Chaplain of Bourbon Street” because he would go into New Orleans strip clubs and witness to the ladies that danced there. Harrington would draw large crowds in his evangelistic campaigns. I first heard him preach while I was stationed in San Diego in the Navy. His messages were powerful, and he preached the Gospel straight. Many came to the Lord through his preaching of God’s Word. Later in life,[9] Harrington renounced the faith and pursued worldly pleasures, but that does not negate the Word he preached, or cancel the salvation of those who received the message he preached and accepted Christ because of it.

All of God’s messengers are flawed, and we, as Christians, need to take care not to allow them to become idols. They are fallen men, but it’s the Word of God they preach that matters. I do not know if Ravi Zacharias is guilty of the charges brought against him. However, I suspect that it is a ploy of the Devil to denigrate the Word of God. “God forbid: yea, let God be true, but every man a liar; as it is written, That thou mightest be justified in thy sayings, and mightest overcome when thou art judged” (Romans 3:4, emphasis mine). Men will always let you down, but God’s Word will always be proven true. It’s the Word, not the man. It’s the message, not the messenger. 

Notes:

[1] The Gideons International – https://www.gideons.org/

[2]  Ravi Zacharias International Ministry – https://www.rzim.org/

[3]  Open Letter/Board Statement – https://www.rzim.org/read/rzim-updates/board-statement

[4]  1 Corinthians 3:12

[5]  1 Corinthians 3:15

[6]  John 8:44

[7]  Numbers 22-24

[8]  “ ‘Chaplain of Bourbon Street’ dies at 89” – https://www.baptistpress.com/resource-library/news/chaplain-of-bourbon-street-dies-at-89/

[9]  “My Renewed Life Story” – http://www.thechaplain.com/testimony.htm

Comments Off on It’s the Word!

Filed under Apologetics, Bible, Christianity, Current Events, Evangelism, Gospel, Religion, Salvation, Second Coming of Christ, Theology

Tagged as , , , , , ,