Tag Archives: God

May 17, 2015 · 10:30

The Unifying Theme

holy-bible

For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;  (Romans 3:23)

Critics of the Bible abound even among so-called mainline “Christian” denominations, but when examined closely, the criticisms always fail to stand up to the truth of God’s Word. As the Apostle Paul said, “let God be true, but every man a liar” (Romans 3:4). So it is.

Perhaps the greatest testament to the veracity of the Bible is the unifying theme that it carries throughout its pages. There exists no other so-called “holy” writing that compares with the Bible in clarity and unity of thought, even though it was penned by over 40 different authors (most of which did not know one another so that they could collaborate) over a period of about 1500 to 2000 years. Compare that to the Qur’an which was written by one man over a period of about 22 years (610-632 AD) and compiled over a period of only three years (653-656 AD). Or compare the Book of Mormon written by John Smith. It was produced in only two years between 1827 and 1829. Neither of the “holy” books compares to the Bible in unity of thought even though they were composed by one man each. Yet the Bible, with all of its various human writers over a very long period of time maintains a consistent theme. What is that theme?

The God of the Bible is unique among all other gods. All the gods devised by man demand that man lay down his life for them. The God of the Bible laid down His life for man. The gods devised by man demand that man earn their favor. The God of the Bible completed all the work of redemption, offers it as a free gift, and “asks” man to accept His gift. Let us examine how that plays out.

“In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth” (Genesis 1:1). From the very start, we are introduced to God as Creator. The verses that follow detail His work of creation and we are awestruck at His omniscience and omnipotence. So great is He that one must immediately decide whether to believe or reject the account of His creation, and therein lie the trappings of disbelief. As we continue in our reading we discover that God’s final and most cherished creation is man. “And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness … So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them” (Genesis 1:26, 27). Man bears the image of God. It is no wonder that God’s first command for human government was “Whoso sheddeth man’s blood, by man shall his blood be shed: for in the image of God made he man” (Genesis 9:6). The creation of man was the cherry on top of God’s cake, “And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good” (Genesis 1:31). “Very good” in God’s economy is flawless.

So far, so good, but then all that fell apart when man disobeyed God’s only command, “But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die” (Genesis 2:17). Adam and Eve disobeyed God’s only command (Genesis 3). They sinned. Some attempt to blunt the edge of the word “sin” by suggesting that it means to “miss the mark.” They arrive at this by quoting a passage from the book of Judges describing the accuracy of the Benjamites with a sling. “Among all this people there were seven hundred chosen men lefthanded; every one could sling stones at an hair breadth, and not miss” (Judges 20:16).   The Hebrew word translated “miss” is châṭâ’, which is often translated “sin.” It could be said that the Benjamites sling a stone without “sinning.” But sin is not so much like taking aim at a target, and missing the bull’s eye. Accurately hitting a target is a product of our own efforts. Sometimes we hit; sometimes we miss. Oh, well! “Sin” cannot be taken so lightly. Paul, quoting Psalm 14:1-3, tells us that, “As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God” (Romans 3:10-11). To suggest that sin is “missing the mark” implies that the sinner is trying to “hit the mark,” Scripture suggests otherwise – there is none that seek to “hit the mark,” at least not the mark that God has set. No, sin is more egregious than, “Oops! I missed!”

Sin is outright rebellion against God. More than that, it is man’s attempt to usurp God’s rightful place. Note Satan’s threefold assault on Eve. First, he cast doubt on the Word of God: “Yea, hath God said …?” (Genesis 3:1). Second, he denies the truth of God’s Word: “Ye shall not surely die” (3:4). Finally, he accuses God of keeping something better from them: “For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil” (3:5, emphasis mine). And that, boys and girls, is the basis for all sin. Man desires to be his own god and determine good and evil for himself. This truth repeats itself over and over in a variety of different scenarios throughout Scripture. But look what God does.

After Adam and Eve sinned, God gave opportunity for redemption. Notice Who looks for who. “And the LORD God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where art thou?” (Genesis 3:9). Does anyone really think that the omniscient and omnipresent God did not know where they were hiding? God gave Adam and Eve the opportunity to confess their sin and ask forgiveness. “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9).  But rather than confess, they started making excuses and refusing to take responsibility for their own actions – much like people do today. In His patience, God continued to probe, “And he said, Who told thee that thou wast naked? Hast thou eaten of the tree, whereof I commanded thee that thou shouldest not eat?” (Genesis 3:11).  Again, rather than accept responsibility and confess their sin, the couple made excuses. You can read the results for yourself. I want to highlight what God did.

The couple did not die instantly, but their sin set in motion the physical dying process. It has been said that from the moment of our birth, we all start dying. That is so true, but more than that, their sin disconnected them from their source of eternal life. “The Spirit of God hath made me, and the breath of the Almighty hath given me life” (Job 33:4). The penalty of their sin was death, “For the wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23). Someone or something had to die to pay the penalty for their sin, but it could not be the man or the woman, for they were now corrupt, and their death could not satisfy Holy God. So God Himself intervened. “Unto Adam also and to his wife did the LORD God make coats of skins, and clothed them” (Genesis 3:21). In order to make “coats of skins,” innocent, perfect animals, probably sheep, were slaughtered to make coverings (atonement) for the naked pair. I believe that the preincarnate Christ performed the sacrifice before them to set the pattern that they would follow from then on. On an altar of stone the Lamb of God, shed innocent blood to atone for the sin of man.

That set the pattern for millions of similar blood sacrifices to follow. In the succeeding chapter we find righteous Abel continuing the practice handed down from God Himself (Genesis 4:4). Older brother Cain chose to sacrifice in a way not prescribed by God; he chose to do things his own way and bring the fruits of his own labor (Genesis 4:3). His offering may seem more “humane” in that no blood was shed, but it was what God demanded. “And the LORD had respect unto Abel and to his offering: But unto Cain and to his offering he had not respect. And Cain was very wroth, and his countenance fell” (Genesis 4:4-5). Like many people today, Cain thought his own efforts done in his own way should be acceptable to God, but God does not see it that way. Like people today, Cain thought that all ways lead to God, but for God, there is only one way and that is through the blood. “For the life of the flesh is in the blood: and I have given it to you upon the altar to make an atonement for your souls: for it is the blood that maketh an atonement for the soul” (Leviticus 17:11).

From the beginning, it has always been the shedding of innocent blood that made atonement (a covering) for sin. The sacrificial system was codified in the Mosaic Law and practiced throughout Old Testament history.  But, “it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins” (Hebrews 10:4).  Something more permanent needed to be put in place. “But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons” (Galatians 4:4-5). “Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross” (Philippians 2:5-8).

In short, the unifying theme of the Bible is that Holy God created man in His image. Man sinned against God and earned the penalty of sin which is death, both physical and spiritual. God intervened on man’s behalf initially by substituting innocent animal blood to atone for sin, but ultimately He took on human form and as a sinless (innocent) man, shed His own blood on the cross for our sin. “By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all” (Hebrews 10:10). There is no other “holy” book that makes such a claim. There is no other God that does for His creation, what the God of the Bible did for us.

Comments Off on The Unifying Theme

Filed under Apologetics, Bible, Christianity, Creation, Death, Evangelism, Gospel, Religion, Salvation, Theology

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

May 3, 2015 · 10:30

Adam & Steve or Bev & Eve?

Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.  (1 Corinthians 6:9-10)

This week the United States Supreme Court met to hear arguments for and against constitutional protection or sanction of same-sex “marriage” nationwide. Regarding traditional marriage – between one man and one woman – Justice Anthony M. Kennedy made this poignant statement: “This definition has been with us for millennia, and it’s very difficult for the court to say, ‘Oh, well, we know better.’”[1] Chief Justice John G. Roberts, Jr. zeroed in on the agenda driving the gay rights same-sex marriage movement. He rightly pointed out, “You’re not seeking to join the institution [of marriage] – you’re seeking to change what the institution is. “The fundamental core of the institution is the opposite-sex relationship, and you want to introduce into it a same-sex relationship.”[2] Justice Antonin Scalia points out the religious issues that might arise from a favorable ruling from the court. “I’m concerned about the wisdom of this court imposing through the Constitution a requirement of action which is unpalatable to many of our citizens for religious reasons. They are not likely to change their view about what marriage consists of. And were the states to adopt it by law, they could make exceptions to what is required for same-sex marriage, who has to honor it and so forth.”[3]

Regardless of what side of the issue you favor, with all due respect, your opinion on this matter and that of the Supreme Court is irrelevant. While the court’s ruling on this will have far-reaching implications for the course of our nation, the rule for human unions was issued at the beginning of creation from the One whose law supersedes all human laws and institutions. “And the rib, which the LORD God had taken from man, made he a woman, and brought her unto the man. And Adam said, This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man. Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh” (Genesis 2:22-24, emphasis mine). In Scripture, every reference to marriage is always and only presented as between a man and a woman. As Justice Kennedy pointed out, the definition of marriage as a male-female union “has been with us for millennia” – six millennia to be exact. God established marriage between a man and a woman, primarily for procreation, and secondly as the nucleus of social order. The most fundamental form of government is the family unit, and when that nucleus is destroyed, the social order breaks down.

The Bible, both Old and New Testaments, supports the nuclear family unit with one man and one woman as husband and wife. Any time there is a deviation from God’s plan presented in the Bible, there is always trouble associated with it. Take, for example, the relationship between Abraham, Sarah and Hagar, (Genesis 16 and 21). This relationship produced two sons, Ishmael and Isaac, whose descendants harbor aggression toward one another to this very day. Lot, Abraham’s nephew, after he was saved from the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, had incestuous relations with his two daughters that produced the pagan nations of Moab (Moabites) and Ammon (Ammonites) (Genesis 19). Then there was Jacob with his two wives and two concubines that resulted in 12 half brothers from a single father, but four different mothers. That became the nation of Israel, and there was constant trouble among the brothers. The father of Samuel had two wives and there was contention in that home (1 Samuel 1). Then there was David with all of his wives and the trouble that existed in that family. Not to be outdone, David’s son Solomon had 700 wives and 300 concubines (1 Kings 11:3), and following his death the kingdom was divided. The Bible is clear. Any marriage other than between one man and one woman is doomed for disaster. Jesus supported marriage between one man and one woman. “And he answered and said unto them, Have ye not read, that he which made them at the beginning made them male and female, And said, For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they twain shall be one flesh? Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder” (Matthew 19:4-6, emphasis mine). The New Testament outlines the proper function of the family unit (Ephesians 5:20-33; 6:1-4; Colossians 3:18-21; 1 Peter 3:1-7). There is never given such instruction for homosexual couples. According to God’s Word, “marriage” always and only properly exists between one man and one woman.

Now, this is my personal blog, and I am not beholding to or obligated to anyone for political correctness. I really do not care whether you favor “gay marriage” or whether you oppose it. My concern is for God’s opinion on the matter. Some may object by charging that this is just “my” interpretation of Scripture, and that I have simply misread the text. I will gladly take my lumps if I can be proven wrong (from Scripture), but there is no “interpretation” needed to see the obvious truth of the Bible. Take the following passages for example (and please feel free to read the passage in context, i.e., read the verses that precede and those that follow):

Thou shalt not lie [for intercourse] with mankind [Hebrew: zâkâr, i.e., a male], as with womankind [Hebrew: ‘ishshâh, i.e., a woman]: it is abomination [Hebrew: tô‛êbah i.e., something disgusting and abhorant] … For whosoever shall commit any of these abominations [including incest and bestiality (in context)], even the souls that commit them shall be cut off from among their people. (Leviticus 18:22, 29)

Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness [Greek: akatharsia, i.e., impurity] through the lusts [Greek: epithumia, i.e., longing, desire] of their own hearts, to dishonor [Greek: atimazō, i.e., to render infamous, contemn or maltreat] their own bodies between themselves … For this cause God gave them up unto vile [Greek: atimia, i.e., indignity or disgrace] affections [Greek: pathos, i.e., passion, inordinate affection, lust]: for even their women did change the natural [Greek: phusikos, i.e., physical, instinctive] use [Greek: chrēsis, i.e., sexual intercourse] into that which is against nature [Greek: phusis, i.e., growth (by germination or expansion), natural production]: And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned [Greek: ekkaiō, i.e., to inflame deeply] in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly [Greek: aschēmosunē, i.e., and indecency], and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet [Greek: dei, i.e., necessary] (Romans 1:24, 26-27).

Know ye not that the unrighteous [Greek: adikos, i.e., unjust, wicked, treacherous] shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators [Greek: pornos, i.e., a male prostitute, a debauchee], nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate [Greek: malakos, i.e., soft, figuratively a catamite (a boy in a sexual relationship with a man)], nor abusers of themselves with mankind [Greek: arsenokoitēs, i.e., a sodomite]. (1 Corinthians 6:9).

The above passages are linked to Biblegateway.com in case the reader does not have a Bible handy. The text stands on its own merits, but I felt that translation of some of the words into their original languages was necessary to demonstrate how strongly God really feels about this issue. Homosexuality is a sin. It is abhorrent to God primarily because it goes against His “very good” design for human sexuality, procreation, and the social order of family. Homosexuality is unnatural. Even the gay activists that are fighting for same-sex marriage admit that fact. Two men or two women cannot produce children together. Procreation requires a man and a woman, and as previously noted, “marriage” from a biblical perspective can only be between a man and a woman.

I am firmly against same-sex “marriage.” That does not make me a homophobe. I do not have a phobia, i.e., a “fear,” of homosexuals, and I find the accusation insulting. I cannot speak for all Christians, but I am sure many would agree. I stand against homosexuality because God is against homosexuality. It is just that simple. I really do not care if gays want to practice their perversion; that is between them and God. However, it is the responsibility of every Christian to identify it for what it is – sin – and it is wrong for Christians to roll over and let the gay community try to redefine marriage. Marriage is, and always has been between one man and one woman.

Homosexuality is not the only sin that God hates, and it is not the “unpardonable” sin. Our starting Bible passage included a long list of other sins, not just that of homosexuality. Jesus said that all sin can forgiven except blasphemy against the Holy Spirit (Matthew 12:31). Blasphemy against the Holy Spirit simply means to reject the Holy Spirit’s call upon one’s heart. The Holy Spirit’s job description is to “convince” the individual of the truth of God’s Word, and “convict” him of his sin and his need to heed the message of God’s Word (John 16:7-11). To blaspheme against the Holy Spirit, then, is basically to call Him a liar. Homosexuality, like every other sin, can be forgiven, but it requires repentance, i.e., to agree with God, the Holy Spirit, that it is sin and, with God’s help, be willing to turn away from that lifestyle. God will forgive that sin as He will every sin, but the offender must first recognize it as sin.

This issue of gay “marriage” will ruin our nation. “There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death” (Proverbs 14:12). Too many very loud voices clamor to make this perversion the law of the land claiming “natural” rights, equality, etc., but they are wrong, and God promises that the consequence of such folly is destruction. Note what God said in the Leviticus passage quoted earlier:

Defile not ye yourselves in any of these things [all the illicit sex acts listed]: for in all these the nations are defiled which I cast out before you: And the land is defiled: therefore I do visit the iniquity thereof upon it, and the land itself vomiteth out her inhabitants … (For all these abominations have the men of the land done, which were before you, and the land is defiled) That the land spue not you out also, when ye defile it, as it spued out the nations that were before you. For whosoever shall commit any of these abominations [all the illicit sex acts listed], even the souls that commit them shall be cut off from among their people. (Leviticus 18:24-25, 27-29, emphasis mine)

God often receives a bad rap because He instructed the Israelites to kill every living thing in the land He was giving them. The reason for this was because of the perversion of the people inhabiting the land. These people were practicing homosexuals. They practiced bestiality.  They had male and female temple prostitutes. They were incestuous. They offered their babies up as burnt sacrifices to their pagan gods. Furthermore, God had given them opportunity to repent through the witness of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob plus over 400 years that the children of Israel were in Egyptian captivity, but they didn’t. These were vile people and God judged them to death at the hand of the Israelites. How much clearer a picture does one need to recognize the intensity of God’s abomination for this sin! Note His warning to the Israelites should they fall into the same practice. That warning speaks to our nation as well.

Gay marriage is not “marriage.” Homosexual unions are wrong, not because of public opinion, but because God, who designed us male and female for procreation and companionship, says it’s wrong, and because it goes against His purpose. The opinion or ruling of the United States Supreme Court holds no sway over the Creator. “For I am the LORD, I change not” (Malachi 3:6). The final ruling by the Supreme Court will be sometime in June 2015. If they rule contrary to God’s law, our nation is doomed, and we will see a rise in the persecution of Christians who hold fast to God’s law. There is still time to pray.

 Notes:

[1] From The Washington Post, “Supreme Court hears arguments in historic gay-marriage case” http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/courts_law/supreme-court-will-hear-historic-arguments-in-gay-marriage-cases/2015/04/27/083d9302-ed24-11e4-8666-a1d756d0218e_story.html, accessed April 29, 2015.

[2] Ibid.

[3] Jeffrey Rosen, YahooNews, “The Supreme Court gay marriage arguments: What the justices revealed — quote by quote” https://www.yahoo.com/politics/the-supreme-court-gay-marriage-arguments-what-the-117695904751.html, accessed April 29, 2015.

8 Comments

Filed under Apologetics, Christianity, Creation, Current Events, Politics, Religion, Theology

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

April 12, 2015 · 10:30

Thou Fool!

lightstock_80572_xsmall_ernie

But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided? (Luke 12:20)

That seems like a rather harsh assessment considering that Jesus Himself said, “but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire” (Matthew 5:22). What would cause God to look upon an individual and make such an assessment? What qualifies as a fool in the eyes of God?

To begin with, “The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God” (Psalm 14:1, 53:1). Actually the words “there is” have been inserted in the English for readability, but they are not found in the original Hebrew. Therefore, the strict literal translation would be: “The fool has said in his heart, ‘No God.’” This implies more than just denial. It is outright rejection. The Bible teaches that there are no true atheists, i.e., someone who truly believes there is no higher power, i.e. God; “Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them” (Romans 1:19). Every person knows that God, or some “higher power” exists. So when the fool says, “No God,” he is not simply in denial, or ignorant; he is in rebellion. And when one considers against Whom he is rebelling, he really is a fool!

Fools display distinct characteristics. A fool prates; that is, he utters empty or foolish talk and talks excessively and pointlessly (Proverbs 10:8, 10). A fool utters slander (Proverbs 10:18). “The way of a fool is right in his own eyes” (Proverbs 12:15). “A fool’s wrath is presently known” (Proverbs 12:16). A fool readily displays his silliness (Proverbs 13:16). “A fool despiseth his father’s instruction” (Proverbs 15:5). A fool is hard-headed (Proverbs 17:10); he doesn’t learn (Proverbs 26:11). A fool is contentious and his mouth often gets him into trouble (Proverbs 18:6-7); he continually gets into arguments (Proverbs 20:3), and he is always happy and eager to speak his mind (Proverbs 29:11). A fool does not seek nor listen to advice (Proverbs 23:9). One can also recognize a fool by his self-centeredness or self-focus as seen in one of Jesus’ parables.

Our beginning verse concludes the parable Jesus told starting at verse 16. He recounted a story of a rich land owner who experienced a bumper crop one year, and rather than give thanks to God for the blessing, he took the credit for his success upon himself and planned on what to do with his profits. In the course of this short parable, the protagonist employs personal pronouns (I, me, my, mine) thirteen times in only three verses (vv. 17-19). Like any fool, he boasted of his own success. His plans for the future were “right in his own eyes,” and he had no qualms about taking all the credit for his gains.

God called him a fool. In all of his efforts he discounted God – the One who gave him the very basis for obtaining his wealth – his very life. Now, at the height of his self-perceived success, God comes to claim what belongs to Him – the fool’s life. And what about all of his stuff? “Then whose shall those things be?” What a fool! Jesus said, “So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God” (Luke 12:21). Jesus admonishes, “Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also” (Matthew 6:19-21). The fool is self-focused rather than God-focused. The fool lives his life in either overt or covert rebellion against God. He behaves as though God does not exist, and presumptuously assumes credit for all of his achievements. How terrible it would be to hear God say, “Thou fool! Today your soul is required of you.” In the words of the Doxology: “Praise God from Whom all blessings flow,” and you may not hear those awful words, “thou fool !”

2 Comments

Filed under Apologetics, Christianity, Death, Evangelism, Gospel, Religion, Salvation, Theology

Tagged as , , , , , , , ,

March 22, 2015 · 10:30

Seeing to Believe

"My Lord and my God."

“My Lord and my God.”

And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn. (Zechariah 12:10)

My blog is titled “Ernie’s Musings” because I write about things that cross my mind – when I can remember them. So it was this last week as I was in the shower in an effort to wake up and start the day. These days I think a lot about the Lord’s return with great anticipation as well as some dread for loved ones that are not prepared for the event. As I thought about that great event, I recalled the Scripture passage above and imagined the scene described in Revelation 19:11-16:

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.

God long ago selected Israel among all the other nations for a particular purpose:

For thou art an holy people unto the LORD thy God: the LORD thy God hath chosen thee to be a special people unto himself, above all people that are upon the face of the earth. The LORD did not set his love upon you, nor choose you, because ye were more in number than any people; for ye were the fewest of all people: But because the LORD loved you, and because he would keep the oath which he had sworn unto your fathers, hath the LORD brought you out with a mighty hand, and redeemed you out of the house of bondmen, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt. (Deuteronomy 7:6-8, emphasis mine)

God chose Israel for the purpose of bringing Messiah into the world and identifying Him with an undeniable lineage so that He wouldn’t be missed (see Matthew 1:1-16; Luke 3:23-38). God also promised the land of Israel to Abraham as an eternal possession (see Genesis 13:14-15). “Know therefore that the LORD thy God, he is God, the faithful God, which keepeth covenant and mercy with them that love him and keep his commandments to a thousand generations” (Deuteronomy 7:9, emphasis mine).

The history of Israel, from the time of the Exodus to the Babylonian captivity and beyond has been one of rebellion against God. Even now the majority of Israelis practice Judaism more out of tradition than out of a sincere devotion to God. Indeed, Israel is primarily a secular nation. Salvation for Israel has never been a “done deal.” God’s salvation is for individuals, not nations. John the Baptist made this point when a group of Pharisees and Sadducees came to him to be baptized: “And think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham” (Matthew 3:9).  Salvation is not a national right for Israel. Israel exists as a sign to the world and to give testimony of God’s faithfulness. “God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good?” (Numbers 23:19) God, because of His mercy and faithfulness, will give Israel one final chance to repent, and when they see the Lord returning in the clouds, “they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn” (Zechariah 12:10), but each individually, not as a nation.

As I mused on this, I recalled John’s account of Thomas, the apostle, following the resurrection of Christ. Jesus was crucified during Passover and placed in a tomb where He laid for three nights and three days (John 19:38-42). Then early on the first day of the week (Sunday), He reclaimed His life and rose from the grave (John 20:1). There He was seen by Mary Magdalene who clung to Him when she saw Him. “Jesus saith unto her, Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God” (John 20:17). Apparently, His absence was brief. Mary Magdalene gave Jesus’ message to the disciples who were holed up in the upper room “for fear of the Jews” (John 20:19). It was the same day in the evening (prior to 6 PM), when “came Jesus and stood in the midst, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you” (v. 19). Thomas was not in the group. When the others gave Thomas the news, “he said unto them, Except I shall see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into his side, I will not believe” (John 20:25). The following Sunday, Jesus once again appeared to His disciples, and this time Thomas was with the group.

Then saith he to Thomas, Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side: and be not faithless, but believing. And Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and my God. Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed. (John 20:27-29, emphasis mine)

I see a parallel here between this account of Jesus’ resurrection and His return at the last days. The day of Jesus’ resurrection is the presentation of the Gospel which the Apostles received upon seeing Him. Thomas was not there to witness the risen Christ, but the message was presented to him, and he rejected it. The period between the Sunday of Christ’s resurrection and the following Sunday can be compared to the “Church Age” where the Gospel – the good news – is proclaimed but the only evidence is the testimony of the messengers. Those who believe must do so by faith and the credibility of the message. The following week, Christ returns and this time Thomas sees Him in the flesh. This can be compared to the end of this age when the Lord returns to set up His millennial kingdom (Revelation 20). At that time many of the Jews who rejected Him by faith shall look upon Him “whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn” (Zechariah 12:10). And Jesus will say, “because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed” (John 20:29, emphasis mine). Jesus will return very soon. Don’t wait to see Him in order to believe. It may be too late then.

2 Comments

Filed under Bible, Christianity, Easter, End Times, Evangelism, Gospel, Religion, Resurrection, Salvation, Second Coming of Christ, Theology

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

March 15, 2015 · 10:30

It’s Settled!

For ever, O LORD, thy word is settled in heaven. (Psalm 119:89)

My dad went to be with the Lord a little more than six months ago. He taught me many things as I was growing up and even into my adult life, but one of the most valuable lessons he taught me was to trust God’s Word in all matters. Even when I can’t make sense of it, God’s Word is true. To the skeptic this may sound as circular reasoning.

Why do you believe in the Bible?

Because it’s true; it’s God’s Word.

How do you know it’s true?

Because it’s the Word of God.

On its face, it may seem like circular reasoning, but it’s really not when one considers the source. Of essence, one must first believe in the existence of an omnipotent, omniscient God and that requires a certain amount of faith however small. “But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him” (Hebrews 11:6).

God is the Creator of all that exists, therefore all of creation is subject to Him. God created by His spoken Word. “And God said, Let there be light: and there was light … And God said, Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters … and it was so … And God said, Let the waters under the heaven be gathered together unto one place, and let the dry land appear: and it was so” (Genesis 1:3, 6-7, 9), etc. Everything that exists came about by the spoken Word of God.

After God created man, He placed him in a special garden and gave him only one rule: “of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die” (Genesis 2:17). Man was free to eat the fruit of every tree in the garden except for this one. One would think that such a simple command should have been easy enough to obey considering the abundance of other choices they were given, but remarkably this was the very part of God’s Word that was challenged. “Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden? … Ye shall not surely die: For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil” (Genesis 3:1, 4-5). Just in case you weren’t paying attention, Satan, the serpent, first called God’s Word into question. Next he claimed God’s Word was a lie, and finally he claimed that God was keeping the couple from something better. From creation to the present, Satan’s strategy remains the same.

The Bible that we currently have was canonized around the fourth century AD, many of the source texts, especially the Old Testament texts, go back thousands of years. For that reason, the skeptics charge that the originals have been corrupted, and since we do not possess the original autographs, we cannot trust our modern Bibles. “Has God really said?” Next they deny the historical and scientific accuracy of the Bible. “God did not create anything; it all started from a Big Bang and after billions of years life emerged from random chemical reactions that evolved over millions of years and eventually resulted in our existence. It was all due to natural processes.” The skeptics can say what they want, but the Bible has NEVER been proven wrong. Finally, following the teachings of the Bible will keep you from being all that you want to be, and from doing whatever you want to do. “What! You don’t want to live your life as a monk (or nun) do you?”

The Bible has withstood all the challenges of the skeptics for centuries. One of the earliest criticisms of the Bible was that it mentioned the nation of the Hittites for which there was no historical record. Then late in the 19th century archeological discoveries revealed that not only did the Hittites exist, but they were a powerful empire. Archeologists continue to discover evidences that confirm the veracity of the Bible. Within the last century, the oldest Hebrew and Greek manuscripts found hidden in the caves of Qumran validate the accuracy of scriptural transmission when compared to the manuscripts previously known. This fact alone testifies to the imperishability of the Word of God: “The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: but the word of our God shall stand for ever.” (Isaiah 40:8).

Jesus said, “Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away” (Matthew 25:35). He went further to say, “For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled” (Matthew 5:18). What He was saying was that neither the smallest letter nor even the smallest distinguishing nuance of a letter will be lost until all is fulfilled. That is a remarkable claim for any author to make about his book, but Jesus made that claim about His 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).

So, if God is who He claims to be, then His Word can be trusted completely because He, the Author, says so. I believe the Bible – all of it – because it is God’s Word; and because it is God’s Word, it is true. There is no question. It is settled forever!

14 Comments

Filed under Apologetics, Bible, Christianity, Gospel, Theology

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