All Things New

All Things Over

2011-04-13T12:26:00.002-04:00

I've decided to bring an end to this blog. I haven't really been into it for a while now, and so it is time to let it go. At this point, anyway, I intend to leave it up for anyone who is interested. I am still teaching and preaching as I have the opportunity, I just won't be blogging. For future plans, I am contemplating writing a short commentary on Romans, and perhaps other Bible subjects as well.

Thanks for reading and God bless!

MDR #6: The Apostle Paul Part I

2011-04-08T17:17:00.005-04:00

I apologize for dragging this series on for so long. I've had a case of severe allergies for weeks, maybe months now, I lose track. Ugh.

Having reviewed the OT's teaching concerning marriage/divorce/remarriage, we now turn to the NT. What we will see is that Jesus and Paul teach the same thing the Law and the Prophets taught.

Ephesians 5

Ephesians 5:28-29 says, "So husbands ought also to love their own wives as their own bodies. He who loves his own wife loves himself; for no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ also does the church..."

Paul points out three duties the husband has to his wife: to love, nourish, and cherish her. Paul doesn't come up with this stuff out of the blue, it comes directly from the passage in Exodus 21:10-11.

When Paul speaks of loving one's wife, this is referring to the "conjugal rights" in marriage, which as we've explained, refers not only to physical affection, but affection in general (emotional support). The husband is to nourish his wife, that is, to provide food for his wife, referring to the obligation of providing material support. The word translated "cherish" literally means "to keep warm," which fits with the obligation to clothe from Exodus.

1 Corinthians 7

These three things are also mentioned by Paul in 1 Corinthians 7. In 1 Corinthians 7:3, Paul wrote, "The husband must fulfill his duty to his wife, and likewise also the wife to her husband." The right he is referring to is the conjugal right. This confirms the interpretation I have presented previously, that these obligations are not one-sided, but mutual.

In 1 Corinthians 7:33, Paul says, "but one who is married is concerned about the things of the world, how he may please his wife." As mentioned before, the obligations of food and clothing were often consolidated into a single category, that of material support. This is what Paul is referring to when he speaks of "the things of the world."

The marriage of Christ

Getting back to the passage in Ephesians, Paul illustrates our marital duties by Jesus' marriage to the Church. Christ is the perfect husband, and therefore our role-model in marriage. Jesus loves His church (Romans 5:8), nourishes His church (John 4:10-14 and 6:26-58), and clothes His church (Galatians 3:27).

So as Jesus and Paul point out several times in the NT, they didn't contradict the Law of Moses, Christianity is the fulfillment of it. The same is true regarding MDR.

MDR #5: The Prophets Part II

2011-03-31T21:20:00.003-04:00

God is a divorcee

This may sound shocking, but the Bible teaches that God Himself is a divorcee. In fact, it isn't that God was divorced, but that He divorced His wife. This drives home the point that divorce is not sin, for otherwise God would be a sinner. But God is holy, righteous, good, and perfect. The sin is not in divorce, but in breaking one's marriage vows. All a divorce does is acknowledge what is already the case, that the marriage contract is over.

Jeremiah 3:6-10 says, "Then the LORD said to me in the days of Josiah the king, 'Have you seen what faithless Israel did? She went up on every high hill and under every green tree, and she was a harlot there.

I thought, "After she has done all these things she will return to Me"; but she did not return, and her treacherous sister Judah saw it.

And I saw that for all the adulteries of faithless Israel, I had sent her away and given her a writ of divorce, yet her treacherous sister Judah did not fear; but she went and was a harlot also.

Because of the lightness of her harlotry, she polluted the land and committed adultery with stones and trees.

Yet in spite of all this her treacherous sister Judah did not return to Me with all her heart, but rather in deception,' declares the LORD."

God is depicted as being married to two sisters - Israel and Judah. God doesn't endorse polygamy, much less marrying sisters, however. God only married one woman - Israel. But His "wife" then split into two "women," which obviously doesn't happen in literal marriages.

Anyway, God points out that His wife Israel breaks her marriage vows through adultery. God doesn't end the marriage then, but seeks restoration. However, Israel refuses to repent, so God puts in her hand the certificate of divorce (as found in Deuteronomy 24:1).

Therefore the view that it is always wrong to get a divorce is incorrect.

MDR #4: The Prophets Part I

2011-03-26T09:09:00.004-04:00

Previously, we've seen that the Law of Moses teaches there are four promises made in a marriage, and therefore there are four grounds for divorce. The four promises concern food, clothing, conjugal rights, and faithfulness. In regards to a valid divorce, one may divorce one's spouse for abuse, neglect, and immorality. To get a valid divorce is to have the right to remarry.

But is this the correct interpretation of the Law of Moses? There are two passages in the Prophets that reinforce this interpretation, one of which is Hosea 2:8-13.

Hosea and the four grounds for divorce

Hosea depicts God's relationship with Israel as that of a Husband and wife. In Hosea 2:8-13, all four promises and grounds for divorce are referred to.

Hosea 2:8 "For she does not know that it was I who gave her the grain, the new wine and the oil, and lavished on her silver and gold, which they used for Baal."

As was a husband's duty, God provided food for his wife. But God goes beyond what is required - He doesn't just provide her with clothing, He also lavishes her with jewelry. This demonstrates both His material support, and that He loved His wife.

On the other hand, Israel has been faithless. Instead of taking the food, clothing, and ornaments that her Husband had provided for the sake of serving her Husband, she instead gives them in service to another "man," another "god," Baal.

Israel breaks all four wedding vows. She gives her food and clothing/jewelry to Baal. In doing so, she is giving the love and service that belongs to her Husband to another man, thus not fulfilling her conjugal duty, and committing adultery.

Hosea 2:9 "Therefore, I will take back My grain at harvest time and My new wine in its season. I will also take away My wool and My flax given to cover her nakedness."

In response to the breaking of her vows (all four of them), God says He will divorce her - that is, by taking back all of the things He was obligated to provide as a husband. So God takes away His food, and clothing. In the following verses, God says He will take away His protection (remove His affection), and she will be punished.

The implications of Hosea 2

Since Hosea says God will divorce Israel, and since God is holy, pure, and sinless, then that means divorce itself is not inherently sinful. The sin occurs not at divorce, but when the vows are broken. God did not break His vows, Israel did. At that point, the marriage covenant was broken, so God incurred no guilt in divorcing Israel.

When God justifies His divorce against Israel, He alludes to all four grounds for a divorce according to the Law of Moses. The point is, you aren't required to have all four grounds to get a divorce, but that each of the four are valid reasons to get a divorce. Here, we see that God was the perfect Husband, and that Israel was utterly faithless in every respect to her marriage covenant.

MDR #3: Law of Moses Part II

2011-03-18T08:07:00.003-04:00

Continuing our look at what the Law of Moses teaches concerning marriage, divorce, and remarriage, the other significant passage is Deuteronomy 24:1-4.

v.1 "When a man takes a wife and marries her, and it happens that she finds no favor in his eyes because he has found some indecency in her, and he writes her a certificate of divorce and puts it in her hand and sends her out from his house,"

v.2 "and she leaves his house and goes and becomes another man's wife,"

v.3 "and if the latter husband turns against her and writes her a certificate of divorce and puts it in her hand and sends her out of his house, or if the latter husband dies who took her to be his wife,"

v.4 "then her former husband who sent her away is not allowed to take her again to be his wife, since she has been defiled; for that is an abomination before the LORD, and you shall not bring sin on the land which the LORD your God gives you as an inheritance."

The abomination

The first thing I want to point out is that this text explicitly says a man is not to remarry his former wife if she has remarried. I point this out, because many people teach that a person who is remarried ought to divorce their current spouse and return to their first spouse. This is not correct. In fact, it is an abomination.

Why is this considered an abomination to God? The text doesn't say, but it is easy to figure out once you are familiar with ancient marriage practices. Just as it is today, back then, there was often the exchange of money and goods when marriages and divorces took place. Without boring you with the details of how the dowry system worked, it was possible to "game the system."

A man could divorce his wife, she could marry another man, and then when that marriage ended, she could come away with additional money and goods. Then she would remarry her original husband, and he would profit from it. This law was to prevent unscrupulous men from effectively prostituting their wives. Such a practice makes a mockery of the institution of marriage, and it is easy to understand why God strongly condemns this as an abomination.

Second, this prohibition was intended to make people think long and hard before divorce. If you were to divorce your spouse, and they remarry someone else, your marriage could not be restored.

The fourth ground for divorce

In this passage, we read about a fourth ground for divorce, in addition to the three in Exodus 21:10-11. Deuteronomy 24:1 says that, "she finds no favor in his eyes because he has found some indecency in her..." More literally, he can divorce her for "a thing of nakedness."

What is "a thing of nakedness?" The precise meaning is now lost, but it is thought to have something to do with the ritual purity/cleanliness laws. Whatever the exact meaning, it certainly includes adultery, and this was the accepted meaning in the first century.

But didn't the Law of Moses said you were to stone adulterers? Why would it say you could divorce adulterers? Remember that you were only permitted to carry out the death penalty with the testimony of two or three eye-witnesses (Deuteronomy 17:6). By the very nature of adultery, there would rarely have been two or three eye-witnesses to the act.

The fourth marriage vow

To put this positively, this means we promise to be faithful to our spouse when we get married. When people get married, they promise to their spouse to feed, clothe, love, and be faithful to them. This, then, is the marriage covenant, or contract.

What this means is, if either party (the husband and/or wife) breaks these vows, the marriage contract has been broken. At such a point, the marriage may be ended in a divorce.

The divorce certificate

For the time and place, Deuteronomy 24:1 is unique, in that it has a man write out a certificate of divorce for his wife. Why?

In the surrounding cultures, a man could simply leave his wife any time he felt like it. Deserted, such a woman would oftentimes remarry. The problem was, the original husband could come back at a later time and reclaim his "wife." For the other husband, who had taken her in, that was just too bad.

It isn't difficult to see why some men would do this. They could take a wife and have children. Then he could desert his wife and children while the children were still young (and thus a financial burden), and leave it to another man to do the hard part of supporting them. He could then come back when the children are older, and reclaim them, since they were now a financial boon since they could be put to work.

Obviously, this also makes a mockery of marriage, and puts the wife and any potential children at a serious disadvantage. Some cultures created laws that imposed a time limit on how long a man could leave his wife and come back to reclaim her. One culture had it at five years. So if a woman was deserted for five years, after that point, her original husband could not come back and reclaim her. Obviously, this was still problematic, because five years is a long time to live in limbo.

This is why the Law of Moses commands the men who divorce their wives to write them a certificate of divorce - so that they could not later come back and claim the woman as their wife. If a man divorced his wife, and then later tried to reclaim her from another man, she could pull out her divorce certificate, that said he had no claim over her written in his own hand. "In your face, buddy!"

The Bible doesn't say what was to be written on the certificate of divorce, but from ancient Jewish divorce certificates that have survived, the key part is this, "you may marry any man you wish." Thus, the whole point in the divorce certificate was so that you could remarry.

MDR #2: Law of Moses Part I

2011-03-16T16:46:00.003-04:00

In the lead up to Jesus' teaching on MDR in Matthew 5:31-32, Jesus specifically affirms that His teaching does not contradict the Law or the Prophets (Matthew 5:17-19). Naturally, that brings up the question, what does the Law of Moses teach concerning MDR (marriage, divorce, and remarriage)?

There are two key passages on MDR in the Law of Moses. One of those passages is Exodus 21:7-11.

Exodus 21:7-11 and slave wives

Exodus 21:7-11 deals with what happens when a man takes a female slave to be his wife. When she is taken as a wife (or given to his son for a wife), then she is no longer considered a slave, but a wife (or daughter-in-law), see 21:9. What this means is that, if he divorces her, he is not allowed to sell her (21:11b).

It also discusses what was to happen if the man then took a second wife. If he takes another wife, he is not allowed to "reduce her food, her clothing, or her conjugal rights. If he will not do these three things for her, then she shall go out for nothing, without payment of money."

The rabbis argued that, if the slave woman had these rights in marriage, then surely the free woman also had these three rights. And if the wife had these rights in marriage, then so does the husband. Similar lines of reasoning can be found in Matthew 12:11-12 and 1 Corinthians 9:8-10.

Division of labor in marriage

An ancient marriage typically worked like this. The husband was obligated to go out and work, and bring home either the food, or money to buy food. The wife's obligation was to take the food her husband provided, and use it to prepare meals for husband, herself, and their family.

The husband was obligated to go out and work, and bring home either the thread, or the money to buy thread. The wife's part was to take the thread and fashion garments for her husband, herself, and their family.

The third obligation had to do with conjugal rights - sex. However, the rabbis reasoned that it did not only refer to physical affection, but included affection in general - love.

Implications of Exodus 21:10-11

The first two obligations (food and clothing) were often consolidated into a single category - material support, and the conjugal rights formed the foundation for emotional support. So when a man married a woman, he promised to love and support her, and she promised to love and support him.

If either the husband or the wife breaks their marriage vows (to love and support), then they had the right to a divorce (Exodus 21:10-11). The rabbis extrapolated that failure to uphold your material support constituted neglect, and failure to perform your conjugal duties, to love, constituted abuse. So Exodus 21:7-11 provides three grounds for a valid divorce: food, clothing, and conjugal rights. In practical terms, this means that a man or woman was permitted to divorce his/her spouse in the case of neglect or abuse.

(to be continued...)

MDR #1: What A Mess!

2011-03-14T23:50:00.004-04:00

One of the things I struggle with is how God could allow important, basic truths concerning His will to be so widely misunderstood for long periods of time. Ultimately, I know and believe that God works all things together for the best, but I still find it difficult to accept. Case in point, the Bible's teaching on marriage, divorce, and remarriage has been almost universally misunderstood throughout the history of the Church.

It is easy to see how the issue of MDR has come to be misunderstood. For years, I wasn't sure what to think, much less teach on the subject. The source for the confusion and controversy is largely based upon the teachings of Jesus recorded in the Gospels.

No exceptions?

Luke 16:18 says, "Everyone who divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery, and he who marries one who is divorced from a husband commits adultery."

That sounds pretty open and shut right there. This verse has caused many to believe divorce and remarriage is always wrong, no exceptions.

In Mark 10:11-12, Jesus says, "Whoever divorces his wife and marries another woman commits adultery against her; and if she herself divorces her husband and marries another man, she is committing adultery."

Again, it seems Jesus' teaching could not be any clearer. Divorce and remarriage is always condemned, no exceptions. In fact, it appears that to remarry is to live in sin, that it is considered to be an ongoing case of adultery.

One exception?

Things get a bit murkier when we read Jesus' parallel teachings in Matthew. In Matthew 5:32 and 19:9, Jesus appears to allow a single exception - for immorality. "And I say to you, whoever divorces his wife, except for immorality, and marries another woman commits adultery."

Clearly, Jesus' teaching on MDR was a hard teaching, because His disciples respond, "If the relationship of the man with his wife is like this, it is better not to marry," Matthew 19:10.

So in two passages, Jesus allows no exceptions. In two other passages, Jesus allows only one exception: unchastity/immorality. But wait, it gets even more confusing when we see what Paul has to say on the subject!

A second exception?

In 1 Corinthians 7:15, Paul writes, "Yet if the unbelieving one leaves, let him leave; the brother or sister is not under bondage in such cases, but God has called us to peace." Here, Paul appears to add one more exception: abandonment.

So the question is, how are we to make sense of this? What are we to say to those who have been married, divorced, and remarried? Are spouses in abusive marriages supposed to stay in the marriage, even if their lives are in real danger? Can people who have divorced and remarried still go to Heaven?

Stay tuned for the next post, where we begin studying the context of Jesus and Paul's teaching on MDR.

Back In The Saddle

2011-03-11T13:33:00.003-05:00

Howdy y'all! I am alive and well, and blessed far beyond what I deserve. There has been a lot on my mind lately, and I should be posting in the days and weeks to come. Here are some of the things that I've been meditating and studying on in no particular order:

the state of Christianity in America today,

Christ's marriage to the Church and what this says about worship,

marriage, divorce, and remarriage in the Bible,

same sex marriage and the gay agenda,

gender roles in the family and in the Church,

old earth vs. young earth, creation vs. evolution,

race in the Church.

This should keep me busy posting for some time to come. If any of these are of particular interest to my readers, please post here what you'd like to see. Otherwise, I will probably be addressing these issues in whatever order just happens to pop into my head.

You'll probably notice that I haven't posted in a few months. I apologize for not warning of a drop off in posting, but I wasn't sure if I would continue blogging or not. This is my first (and thus far, only) blog. This was an experiment for me, and I decided to try to post regularly. I ended up averaging a post every two or three days. At that pace, after about half a year, I got burnt out on blogging, hence the break. From now on, posts will be more sporadic - once a day, a week, or a month.

Auld Lang Syne

2011-01-01T21:35:00.005-05:00

"Auld Lang Syne" is an old traditional song from Scotland. It is often sung at the end of one year and the beginning of another. It appears to mean something like "old long since." It is looking at the past and the present as we move towards our future.

This blog was started about half a year ago, and the posting schedule has averaged one post every two or three days. It was a new experience for me, and it took a lot more effort than I had expected.

Christian Cartoons

Initially, this blog was started to provide Christian cartoons, and information about my then upcoming book on Revelation. The cartoons didn't appear to have much appeal to folks, and I soon lost interest in doing them anyway. I would have figured free Christian cartoons would have appealed to people, even if they are sub par. Cartoons are like pizza - even if it's not very good, it's still pretty good. But maybe that's just me. =)

Revelation: All Things New

The book was finished on time, and in my expectations for it, very successful. I would have figured many would request the free pdf version of it, but only a few would buy the book in print. As it actually turned out, very few people requested a pdf version of it for free, whereas many more actually bought a physical copy of the book. Many of those have either completed it or are currently working through it. Some have even finished the book and passed it on to another to read, or have given it away and bought replacement copies!

One of my friends' reaction was identical to my own as I was conducting the study that resulted in this book. He initially thought "No way." But the more he read it and thought about it, the more it seemed to make sense. He, like myself, has gradually come to accept that it may very well be correct. It would certainly explain a lot of things! If you've read my book, you probably know exactly what he was talking about, whether you ultimately agree with us or not on the various views presented.

Readers

Over these past few months, I have a few regular readers, as well as a few more semi-regular readers. I am grateful to you all for dropping by here, especially those that took the time to comment.

Strangely, most of my readers are people I have never met. In fact, most of my readers are from Washington state, which is pretty much the opposite corner of the country from here. I'm not sure what that says about me, that the people that know me the best don't read my blog, hahaha. Or maybe there is something to that whole "A prophet is not without honor except in his hometown and in his own household" thing. They're probably just sick of me. =)

Random Visitors

I did get a number of visitors who happened across my blog through various Internet search engines. Most of those visits had to do with people searching about the gifts of the Holy Spirit and the baptism of the Holy Spirit.

Future Plans

Book-wise, I have no current plans to write anything. If I do write another book, it will probably be on faith, baptism, and the Holy Spirit. Or possibly a book on the early chapters of Genesis, although my views concerning this part of the Bible are briefly outlined in my book on Revelation. In any case, I can't imagine sitting down to write unless my mom comes back up and stays with us a while, to help with the kids. Perhaps this summer, or perhaps not.

Now that I have accomplished my original purposes for this blog, as my interest in continuing this blog wanes, and as my interest in pursuing other activities is on the rise, I'm not sure how much more I will be posting here.

With my church's preacher taking a Sabbatical in the near future, I am currently preparing to preach a series throughout the month of February on the nature of worship, and the nature of Christ's relationship to the church. Included in these sermons, the controversial issue of MDR (marriage, divorce, and remarriage) will be addressed. (For those interested in the definitive Bible study on this controversial issue, I highly, highly recommend the research of Dr. David Instone-Brewer, who has written two books on the subject. I own and have read them both, as well as many of his articles available online, and I think he nails it.)

Auld Lang Syne. Looking back, and looking forward. "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come." 2 Corinthians 5:17

All things change, and for those in Christ, the best is yet to come!

Spiritual Weight Loss For His Glory

2010-12-29T08:57:00.002-05:00

(The exciting conclusion of the "spiritual weight loss" series!)

The three Rs of spiritual weight loss are Recognize, Repent, and Replace. These three simple steps really do work.

Bad Habits

I used to use foul language all of the time. When I met my (now) wife, she didn't use that kind of language, and she would give me a dirty look when I talked like that. That, plus reading Ephesians 5:4 made me recognize that I needed to stop talking that way.

But I couldn't. Once you've done something for so long, it becomes a part of you. You do it without even thinking about it. I did stop using foul language, but it took me years to finally get past it. It all had to do with the influences in my life. We can either put positive influences in our lives (blessings), or we can put obstacles in our lives (curses).

Breaking Bad Habits

One of the things I changed was who I hung out with. If you hang around people who cuss, you are more likely to cuss. If you hang around people who don't cuss and don't accept it, you will stop cussing.

Another important change I made was to replace the music I was listening to. The music I liked back then was, when you sat down and looked at it, about sex, drugs, and cussing. Just replacing secular music with Christian music made a huge difference.

Nowadays, foul language is repulsive to me. I have actually walked out of a movie because it had so much cussing in it, I just had no desire to sit through it. The beautiful thing is, what you do over time becomes a part of you. Christ really will change your life, but only if you follow Him.

Perseverance and the Goal

Much like losing the extra weight, it took me a few years to finally put that sin behind me. Of course, the key to keeping the weight (both physical and spiritual) off is vigilance. It is important for me to keep doing what has worked, and to keep NOT doing what didn't work. Progress can be slow, but it is important that we do not lose heart and give in.

Many people put the focus on "getting saved," and then leave it at that. "Getting saved" is to life in Christ as getting born is to life. Obviously, being born is important, but there is so much more to life than just being born. The same is true in Christ. There is so much more than just "getting saved." We weren't saved just to be saved, we were saved so we would walk in newness of life, for His glory.

The Third "R" Of Spiritual Weight Loss

2010-12-27T03:58:00.002-05:00

(Continuation in the "spiritual weight loss" series)

One of the saddest passages in the Bible is Jeremiah 18:11-12. God warns Judah that unless they changed their ways, they were going to receive God's wrath. Judah's response can be summed up as "It is hopeless, because we're just gonna keep on doing what we've always done before." How sad to receive a warning, and then do nothing in response.

Getting stuck in a rut

And yet it is so easy to get stuck in a rut. Old habits die hard. Sometimes the task of giving up the old ways can be so difficult, that we're tempted to never even try.

One of the things I couldn't ever imagine giving up was soda. I grew up drinking sodas. For my entire life, I had drank almost exclusively sodas. I had heard that you can lose weight just by dropping sodas out of your diet, but how could I possibly give it up? I wasn't able to give up sodas until...

The third "R" is for Replace

The third "R" of spiritual weight loss is Replace. It is not merely enough to repent, to give something up. If all we do is practice self-denial, and depend upon our own willpower, we are bound to fail eventually. Jesus doesn't just want us to stop doing the bad that we've been doing, He wants us to start doing the good.

In Matthew 12:43-45, Jesus speaks of a man who was demon possessed. The demon leaves the man, but after a time, the demon returns to find the man empty. The demon returns, this time bringing with him many more demons. The man is worse off than before!

In context, I believe Jesus is referring to the heightened activity of demons during the time of Jesus and the Apostles' ministry. Jesus and the Apostles cast the demons out, but because the Jews rejected their message, the demons would return and in greater force (in the lead up to the destruction of Jerusalem in 70AD). It isn't enough to get rid of the bad, the void then needs to be filled with the good.

Avoid yo-yo dieting

In dieting terms, we would call this yo-yo dieting. People will often take the easy way out to weight loss. They'll adopt a harsh diet, having enough willpower to stick with it for a time. However, since it is not a permanent change, people often put all that weight back on, and usually gain more weight than they had lost in the first place!

The changes we make to our diets, both physical and spiritual, need to be permanent and sustainable. It has to be a true change in lifestyle, replacing our old ways with new ways.

I wasn't able to give up sodas until I found something to replace sodas. (I had tried switching to diet sodas, but that didn't help my weight.) I started making homemade tea. I began with a modest amount of sugar, and then I gradually reduced the amount of sugar until the overall sugar content was very low. I had replaced my soda with basically colored water (I brewed the tea weak, with very little sugar). Once I had made the switch, I immediately dropped ten pounds!

The same is true for spiritual matters. Replace the bad habits in your life with good habits, and you will be amazed at the results!

(to be continued...)

Happy Winter Break!

2010-12-25T13:51:00.003-05:00

Since everyone was home and well rested yesterday (a rarity), we decided to do some cleaning up around the place. I came across this comic that a friend had given to me a couple of years ago. I don't know where the comic came from, but it is funny. Sadly.

Back in when I was a little kid, it was still called Christmas break. By the time I had graduated from high school, it had become Winter break. Seriously, who are they kidding?

I'm hardly what you would call a "Christmas warrior." I'm not very big on the holiday because, if it ever was a truly Christian holiday, it has been hijacked by secularism and consumerism. How many Christmas movies and specials today have anything to say about Christ?

I don't see why the secularists even bother to protest the name of the holiday "Christmas." In English, anyway, the word "Christmas" doesn't sound like "Christ." So sure, refuse to call it Christmas. Call it something else, like "Happy Holidays." Except what is a "holiday" other than a "Holy Day"?

Merry Christmas! Bah Humbug! But as a matter of principle, I refuse to wish people a happy Kwanza. Seriously, I've never even MET someone who celebrates Kwanza, whatever that is.

The Second "R" Of Spiritual Weight Loss

2010-12-23T14:39:00.001-05:00

(Continued from the previous post)

After the first "R" of spiritual weight loss - Recognize, the second "R" of spiritual weight loss is for Repent. But what does it mean to repent?

Perhaps it was put best by that great theologian "Guitar Slim." For those who don't know, Guitar Slim was a blues guitarist from back in the day. He had a hit with the song "Things That I Used To Do." The song began like this: "The things that I used to do... I won't do no more." And that is what it means to repent.

Dr. Phil has a habit of asking, "How's that been workin' for ya?" People are doing such and such, and it has gotten them into trouble. Well, if doing such and such is what got you into this mess in the first place, then why are you still doing it?! When you find yourself in a whole, the first thing you need to do is to stop digging.

When you recognize you have a weight problem, be it physical or spiritual, you need to repent, to stop doing what you've been doing.

(to be continued)

In Need Of A Spiritual Scale

2010-12-21T14:47:00.002-05:00

(Continued from the previous post)

I didn't put on the extra weight over a single meal, or in a single day, or week, or month, or year. It was slow and gradual. And it snuck up on me. I didn't really know how much weight I was putting on, because I never weighed myself.

In the same way, we often find ourselves mired deep in sin because we didn't know how bad we were getting. One of the things that helped me lose and keep off my physical weight was that I went out and bought a scale. I weigh myself on a daily basis. Well, just as we ought to check our physical weight every day, how much more so should we check our "spiritual weight" every day. This way we can deal with our "spiritual weight (sin) problem" before it becomes even more difficult than it already is. As in most things, the sooner you get started, the better off you'll be.

According to James 1:21-25, God's Word is like a mirror that shows us our sins. Much like a scale, the mirror doesn't lie. Those aren't abdominal muscles I saw in the mirror, those were rolls of fat! I can remember back when I began to read the Bible. I was absolutely shocked by what I read. The Bible portrays a very different picture of Jesus than what the "conventional wisdom," "cultural Christianity" portrays Him as. This Jesus is hardcore! He is demanding to the extreme, and He doesn't compromise. The Bible pointed out all kinds of things in my life that needed to change.

In 2 Corinthians 12:5, Paul tells us to test ourselves, to see if Christ is in us. In order to recognize when we have a problem, we need to regularly examine ourselves in light of God's Word. As the saying goes, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

(To be continued...)

Minimizing Sin

2010-12-16T12:47:00.001-05:00

(Continued from the previous post)

Part of recognizing that we have a problem is addressing the size of the problem. When it comes to my own flaws, I prefer to "minimize" them. Remember how I had told myself that I had only put on a "little" bit of weight? No, buddy, you put on over 30 pounds! I think that is almost as much as my 5 year-old weighs! That puts it in perspective.

The same is true for sin. We oftentimes are either in denial, or at least try to minimize our sin problem. Try asking random people if they think they're going to Heaven when they die. Many will answer, "Well, yeah, sure, I'm a pretty good person." Since they're a "good person," they don't need saving, they don't have a sin problem.

Other people will answer, "I guess, I mean, I love my children, pay my taxes, go to work... I'm not perfect, but I'm no Hitler or anything." They have sin, but it's just a little sin, so no big deal. Besides, they're not Hitler. As if Hitler was the standard!

Heaven is the perfect reward. Only perfect people deserve to go to Heaven. And according to the Bible, there has only been one perfect person who has ever lived: Jesus Christ. "Pretty good" people don't go to Heaven, perfect people go to Heaven. Our problem is that God only has one standard. The standard He has for Himself, perfection, is the standard we are judged by also.

It is like thinking you deserve a spot in the Olympics because you're a "pretty good" athlete. "I'm not the fastest, but I'm not the slowest, either. I'm no couch potato, anyway." Pretty good athletes aren't allowed to compete in the Olympics, only the best athletes are worthy of the Olympics. The same is true for entrance into Heaven.

Since there has only been one perfect person, Jesus, He is the only one who has earned His place in Heaven. The only other people who go to Heaven only get there because they are considered as if they were perfect - those who have been forgiven. In other words, pretty good ain't good enough.

So whether you've committed "big" sins, or only "little" sins, lots of sins, or only a "few" sins, you don't deserve to go to Heaven. The wages of sin is death, permanent separation from God, Hell. From reading the Bible, I believe there are indications that there are different levels of punishment in Hell. However, whatever Hell is like, I believe one of the greatest torments will be realizing that you have forever missed out on Heaven, and that is something you'll have to live with forever.

So don't deny you have a problem, and don't try to minimize it. We all have a sin problem. A BIG, fat, sin problem. And if it isn't dealt with honestly, it will lead to death.

(to be continued...)

The First "R" Of Spiritual Weight Loss

2010-12-15T07:45:00.002-05:00

(Continued from the previous post)

The first "R" of spiritual weight loss is Recognize. We are all sinners, and we need to recognize that we have a sin problem.

About 3 years ago, I went to the doctor because I had a problem with acid reflux. When I checked in, they took my weight. It was an older scale, the kind where you have to balance the weights up top in order to determine how much you weigh. This means the nurse needed to have a rough idea of how much I weighed, so she would know where to place the larger weight on the scale.

The nurse asked me, "How much do you weigh?" Being a smart alec, I thought to myself, "Isn't that what you are supposed to tell me?" Fortunately, I didn't say that out loud. It was actually a good question, because I hadn't weighed myself since college. Hmmm, let's see, at the end of college, I had finally achieved my desired weight: 180lbs. (I was very, very skinny when I was young). I also realized that I had put on a little weight since then. Just a little, mind you. So I told the nurse I weighed 190lbs. It seemed like a reasonable guess at the time...

Needless to say, when she moved the weights to 190lbs., that wasn't even close. She moved the big weight to 200lbs., and then she started sliding the little weight. I weighed 212lbs.! I couldn't believe it! The nurse looked at me with an obvious smirk on her face and said, "190lbs., huh?" As if I had lied to her! I didn't know! 190lbs was my best guess!

I hadn't put on the weight all at once; it was a very slow, gradual process. And then one day BAM! I realized I had a weight problem. In the same way, often times we don't find ourselves mired in sin because of a single moment. No, too many times, it is the result of a series of choices that slowly add up, until one day we wake up and realize "Hey, I have a sin problem!"

At that point, we have a choice to make. And it is a choice. Facts don't force you to believe anything; there are some people who'll believe whatever they want, regardless of the facts. I've seen it. The choice before us is this: will I deny I have a problem, or will I recognize that the problem is real?

(To be continued...)

The 3 "R"s Of Spiritual Weight Loss

2010-12-14T10:33:00.002-05:00

I am a firm believer that God's rules don't just work up in Heaven, but they also work here on the Earth right now. One of the things I enjoy doing is comparing earthly things to heavenly principles. After all, God is not just the God of Scripture, He is the God of the entire universe!

Something that has been on my mind lately is my weight. Like a lot of people, I had gradually put on some extra weight. Three years later of trying this and that, I have finally lost all that extra weight and am now back to my old college weight. Something I've noticed about my efforts to lose (and keep off) the weight is how they reflect deeper spiritual truths taught in the Bible.

In Hebrews 12:1, sin is described as an encumbrance, something which entangles us, hindering us in our own race. The race we are in is a race of endurance (Hebrews 12:1). Jesus said that all who are "faithful until death" will receive the "stephanos," (the crown given to victorious athletes) which is the crown of life (Revelation 2:10).

One of the keys to running a race of endurance is getting rid of every unnecessary weight. A long distance runner needs to be as light as possible, because over a long run, any extra weight will gradually wear you down.

So we are all in a struggle over our weight (whether it be our physical weight, or with sin, our "spiritual weight"). Even if we have already lost the "weight," we must be vigilant to continue to "keep the weight off." Whether it is our physical weight, or our sin, most people want an easy, short term fix. But the true answer to our "weight" problem isn't found in a magic pill, but in a changed lifestyle.

The three "R"s of spiritual weight loss are:
#1. Recognize - the first thing you have to do is recognize you have a problem.
#2. Repent - the next thing you have to do is stop doing what you've been doing.
#3. Replace - the final step is to replace the bad with the good.

This pattern is repeated throughout the Bible. Over the coming posts, we'll see how this relates to both losing physical weight, and more importantly, what this teaches us about losing our "spiritual weight," the sin in our lives.

Baptism Study #14: Born Of Water And The Spirit Part III

2010-12-08T22:30:00.002-05:00

(Continued from the two previous posts)

Not only does the context of John chapter 3 have to do with John the Baptist and John's baptism, Jesus' teaching in this chapter also looks toward Christian baptism.

Both John 3 and Christian baptism deal with the cross of Christ

In John 3:14, Jesus makes a veiled reference to His cross, just as Jesus makes a veiled reference to Christian baptism throughout this chapter. Jesus says the Son of Man must be lifted up (crucifixion), so that whoever believes will in Him have eternal life. Likewise, Christian baptism is baptism into the death of Christ and crucifixion with Christ (Romans 6:1-11).

Both John 3 and Christian baptism have to do with being born again

John 3:3 and 3:5 is an example of Hebrew parallelism. A common device used in Hebraic poetry was to make a statement, and then to restate it with slightly different wording. So although the wording is different, they essentially mean the same thing. Compare:

"Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God."

"Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of God."

So to be #1. "born of water and the Spirit" is to be #2. "born again," and #3. to gain entrance into the kingdom of God. Let's see how each of these things ties in with Christian baptism.

#1. Born of water and the Spirit

Water = water, and the Spirit = the Spirit. Obviously, Christian baptism involves water. As I have argued in a previous study, the saving indwelling of the Holy Spirit is received at water baptism.

#2. Born again

How is one born again? The second birth is contrasted with the first birth. That is, the first birth is physical, but the second birth is spiritual (John 1:12-13 and 3:6).

2 Corinthians 5:17 says, "Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature [creation]; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come." So if you are in Christ, you are a new creation; something has died, and something new has arrived.

How do you come to be in Christ? Galatians 3:27-28 says, "For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus." You come to be in Christ by being baptized into Christ. What kind of baptism, the baptism of the Holy Spirit? No, it is the same baptism spoken of in 1 Corinthians 1:11-15 - water baptism into the name of the Lord. The baptism in Galatians 3:27-29 and 1 Corinthians 1:11-15 is the same baptism, for it is baptism into Christ and His body the church.

2 Corinthians 5:17 also speaks of something that has passed away, and something new that has come. The same thing is true of baptism in Romans 6:2-4. We died in baptism, and we were raised to walk in newness of life as we came out of baptism. Baptism is a death and a rebirth.

Galatians 6:15 says, "For neither is circumcision anything, nor uncircumcision, but a new creation." So this new creation, this new birth is contrasted against the controversy over circumcision. The same contrast is made between baptism and circumcision in Colossians 2:11-12. Paul argues that it is not circumcision that saves, but spiritual circumcision, which happens when, by faith (this is why you don't baptize babies), we are baptized. As Colossians 2:13- goes on to say, baptism is our burial and our resurrection to new life.

#3. Entrance into the kingdom

Being born of water and the Spirit, born again, is tied to entrance into the kingdom of God. Water baptism into the name of the Lord is how we gain entrance into the kingdom of God.

As has already been shown, water baptism is how we get into Christ and His church. If we are in His church, we are in His kingdom. That is what it means to be baptized into the name of the Lord - the "name" referring to His power and authority. To be baptized into His name is to be baptized into His authority, to become His possession, to become God's man/woman, to become one of His people.

One is not born again when one merely believes, nor is it when one says "the sinner's prayer." You are born again when you are born of water and the Spirit - baptized by water in the name of the Lord for the forgiveness of sins, to receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. At that time, you are grafted into God's kingdom and become one of Abraham's descendants, heirs according to promise (Galatians 3:29). We are born into the kingdom not according to the flesh, but according to the promise and the power of the Holy Spirit. Therefore we are like Isaac and not like Ishmael (Galatians 4:22-31).

Baptism Study #13: Born Of Water And The Spirit Part II

2010-12-07T09:06:00.003-05:00

(Continued from previous post)

Having established that being born of water and the Spirit is referring to water baptism, the question is, which water baptism was Jesus speaking of in John 3:5? Was Jesus speaking of John's baptism, or Christian baptism? I believe Jesus was speaking of both baptisms.

Answering an objection

Some will object that Jesus could not be speaking to Nicodemus about Christian baptism, since he could not possibly be expected to understand Christian baptism. After all, Jesus rebukes Nicodemus with "Are you the teacher of Israel and do not understand these things?" (John 3:10). Nicodemus would be familiar with John's baptism, but not Christian baptism.

First, the focus of this dialogue isn't on baptism itself, but spiritual rebirth (which happens WHEN one receives water baptism). This main point, that it is about being born of the Spirit rather than the flesh, is something someone with only the OT should have been able to figure out. Abraham had two sons (he actually had more than two) - one according to the flesh, and the other by the power of the Holy Spirit. But Ishmael isn't considered "a son of Abraham," only Isaac is. This is essentially Paul's point in Galatians 4:21-31, "Tell me, you who want to be under law, do you not listen to the law?" A Jew should have been able to understand that physical descent from Abraham was not enough. So Jesus' rebuke need not include his ignorance of Christian baptism, but his ignorance on John's baptism and the broader point about about spiritual rebirth.

Second, Jesus often spoke to people during His ministry in ways they could not possibly have fully understood at that time. The fuller meaning of Jesus' teaching would only be understood after His death, burial, and resurrection. In John 3:14, it is virtually certain Nicodemus wouldn't have understood what Jesus meant when Jesus taught the Son of Man must be lifted up. In John 6:32-69, Jesus teaches on faith by speaking of the Lord's Supper, in a manner that was deliberately difficult (impossible at the time) for them to understand. Given that Jesus later in the Gospel of John speaks of the Lord's Supper to people who could not understand it, how is it thought impossible Jesus would speak of Christian baptism to people who could not understand it? Christian baptism is, after all, very similar to John's baptism.

John's audience

Scholars are in agreement that John's Gospel was the last of the four canonical Gospels to have been written. As I've explained in my book Revelation: All Things New, I believe John's Gospel was written years after the destruction of Jerusalem, when John was approaching death (placing it in the 70s to 90s AD). Since John's baptism had been replaced by Christian baptism for 40-60 years by the time John was writing, it is unlikely John would have spent a lot of time writing about John's baptism.

The Gospel writers have been known to "editorialize" Jesus' teachings. That is, when they recorded what Jesus taught, they didn't necessarily use precise quotes. The focus was on explaining to their audience what Jesus' teaching meant for them when the Gospels were written, rather than recording Jesus verbatim.

This can be seen by Matthew and Mark adding the parenthetical note "let the reader understand" in Matthew 24:15 and Mark 13:14. In Mark 7:19b, Mark writes, "Thus He declared all foods clean." The problem is, Jesus words as recorded does not have Him declaring all foods clean at that point in time. In fact, we know Jesus didn't declare all foods clean during His earthly ministry, because that would be violating/changing the Law of Moses, which Jesus explicitly denied doing (Matthew 5:17-20). Since Jesus was born UNDER the Law (Galatians 4:4), and a Jew born under the Law remains under the Law until he dies (Romans 7:4-6), Jesus was obligated to keep the Law of Moses until He died on the cross. The dietary restrictions weren't actually removed until several years later in Acts 10.

In Mark 7:19, Jesus isn't declaring all foods clean, He is laying the foundation for when He would declare all foods clean. Mark editorializes this into the Gospel, in order to show how Jesus' teaching is relevant to his current audience. I believe John may have done the same with baptism in John 3.

In any case, by the context, Jesus is clearly speaking of John's baptism in John 3, and looking towards the coming Christian baptism. In the next part of this study, we will look at the direct connections between Jesus' teaching in John 3 and Christian baptism.

(to be continued...)

Baptism Study #12: Born Of Water And The Spirit Part I

2010-12-06T09:16:00.002-05:00

What was Jesus referring to when He told Nicodemus, "unless one is born of water and the Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of God"? (John 3:5). While there are many different interpretations, we will limit our study to two of these views for the sake of brevity.

The OT view

One view is that Jesus was making an allusion to OT prophecy - such as Ezekiel 36:25-27: "Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your filthiness and from all your idols. Moreover, I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; and I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will be careful to observe My ordinances." Similarly, Isaiah 44:3 says, "For I will pour out water on the thirsty land and streams on the dry ground; I will pour out My Spirit on your offspring and My blessing on your descendants."

One problem with this view is that these OT verses do not combine "water and the Spirit" the same way Jesus does. In these OT verses, water and the Spirit are separated into separate sentences or thoughts. But Jesus combines the two together in a single phrase.

Another problem is that this interpretation would make Jesus' sentence awkward. According to this view, the water in John 3:5 would be a symbol for the Holy Spirit, or the life-giving properties of the Holy Spirit, or something similar. It would have Jesus saying something like, "You must be born of the Spirit and the Spirit," or "You must be born of the life-giving properties of the Spirit and the Spirit." Such a reading sounds both awkward and forced.

The biggest problem for this view is the context. Jesus does not refer to "Scripture," nor does He use a discernible quote from Scripture. Not only this, the context is overwhelmingly against this view, as will be seen when we consider another view.

The water baptism view

When Jesus spoke of being born of water and the Spirit in John 3:5, Jesus spoke of water baptism. Here is the evidence:

#1. In context, Jesus contrasts "we" and "our" against "you" in John 3:11. The "you" obviously refers to Nicodemus (and probably the Jewish religious leaders as a whole), but who is with Jesus in the "we/our?" It probably isn't the Holy Spirit, because Nicodemus (unlike others) accepts the "testimony of the Holy Spirit," that is, he accepts Jesus' miracles as coming from God (John 3:2).

The "we" refers to Jesus and John the Baptist. Both taught people to be baptized in water, and both were rejected by the religious leaders. If Nicodemus only came to Jesus under the cover of night (John 3:1-2), and that most religious leaders refused baptism, it is safe to assume he would not have submitted to a public baptism by John the Baptist. This naturally would lead Jesus to confronting Nicodemus about his need to submit to baptism.

#2. In the broader context surrounding John chapter 3, there is a focus on the ministry of two people: Jesus and John the Baptist, both of which consisted of having people baptized in water. The two chapters prior to John 3 introduce us to the ministry of John the Baptist and Jesus. Immediately after John wraps up the dialogue between Jesus and Nicodemus, John immediately starts talking about how Jesus and John the Baptist were baptizing people in water (John 3:22-23).

#3. John 3:8 says, "The wind blows where it wishes and you hear the sound of it, but do not know where it comes from and where it is going; so is everyone who is born of the Spirit." But what in the world does that mean?

John 3:8 is akin to Matthew 21:22-27. Jesus asks the "chief priests and the elders" (in other words, people like Nicodemus) a question: Is John's baptism from heaven or from men? Because they had rejected John's baptism, but were cowardly hypocrites, they answered, "We do not know." So just like John 3:8-12 says, the Jewish religious leaders rejected John's baptism, claiming they did not know where it came from.

#4. The necessity of being born of water and the Spirit is contrasted with the irrelevance of physical birth (John 3:3-6) in regards to seeing and entering the kingdom. John the Baptist also emphasized that physical birth/lineage was insufficient in view of the coming kingdom (Matthew 3:1-12). John tells the Jewish religious leaders not to think that having Abraham as their physical ancestor meant they were going to be included in the Messiah's kingdom. That wasn't enough - they needed to repent and be baptized in water in preparation for the kingdom that was coming soon.

(To be continued...)

Baptism Study #11: The Baptism Of Jesus

2010-12-04T09:07:00.002-05:00

That Jesus was baptized by John is something that is recorded in all four Gospels. But since John's baptism is a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins (Mark 1:4), and Jesus is sinless (Hebrews 4:15), people are often confused why He was baptized at all. When Jesus came to John for baptism, John the Baptist recognized Jesus' righteousness. "But John tried to prevent Him, saying, 'I have need to be baptized by You, and do You come to me?' But Jesus answering said to him, 'Permit it at this time; for in this way it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness'" (Matthew 3:14-15.

Fulfilling all righteous

What did Jesus mean by being baptized to "fulfill all righteousness?" As John the Baptist explains in John 1:29-34, one of the purposes of his ministry of baptism was to present the Messiah to the Jewish people.

"The next day he saw Jesus coming to him and said, 'Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! This is He on behalf of whom I said, "After me comes a Man who has a higher rank than I, for He existed before me." I did not recognize Him, but so that He might be manifested to Israel, I came baptizing in water.' John testified saying, 'I have seen the Spirit descending as a dove out of heaven, and He remained upon Him. I did not recognize Him, but He who sent me to baptize in water said to me, "He upon whom you see the Spirit descending and remaning upon Him, this is the One who baptizes in the Holy Spirit." I myself have seen, and have testified that this is the Son of God.'" (John 1:29-34)

So one of the reasons the Holy Spirit sent John to baptize was that this would be the method for identifying the Messiah. John did not know who the Messiah was, but it would be revealed to him and others by something special happening when the Messiah came forward to be baptized - the visible anointing of the Holy Spirit upon that Person. Jesus didn't come forward to be baptized in order to repent or be forgiven, He was baptized to begin His ministry and "fulfill all righteousness."

Jesus receives the Holy Spirit

The Holy Spirit falls upon Jesus in a visible manner, as a visible sign. This is similar to what happens to the Apostles in Acts 2 and Cornelius in Acts 10. In all of these instances, the receiving of the Holy Spirit can be observed, and it is to receive the miraculous empowering of the Holy Spirit (not the saving indwelling of the Holy Spirit). Jesus received the miraculous power of the Holy Spirit upon baptism (specifically, while in prayer just after baptism, see Luke 3:21-22 and Matthew 3:16).

Upon receiving the Holy Spirit, Jesus is led by the Spirit (Matthew 4:1 and Luke 4:1). This is the turning point in Jesus' life where He begins His ministry of inspired preaching and miracle-working. As has been pointed out in a previous baptism study, baptism is to prepare us for a life of service to the Lord.

The humanity and divinity of Jesus

Since Jesus is God, He has all of the power of God within Himself. However, when He was born a man, He set aside His divine privileges and powers (Philippians 2:5-8). Jesus lived His life on this earth as a man just like us (Hebrews 4:15). Therefore He did not make use of His divine omniscience and power (Matthew 24:36).

Jesus did not do or say anything of His own accord. Rather, He only spoke and did those things which the Father directed Him to do through the Holy Spirit (John 8:26, 8:38, 8:42, 5:19-30, etc.).

When Jesus performed miracles or cast out demons, it wasn't by His own power He did these things (although He certainly could have, had He chosen to do so). Living as a man, Jesus did these things under the direction of the Father, by the power of the Holy Spirit (Matthew 12:28). During His earthly life, Jesus spoke by inspiration and performed miracles the same way other prophets did these things - by the power of the Holy Spirit, which He received at His baptism.

So for these reasons, even though Jesus was baptized in the baptism of John, His baptism was a unique baptism.

My Book Is Now Bigger And Better (Minus The Better Part)

2010-12-03T15:42:00.002-05:00

By request, I have made my book "Revelation: All Things New" available in a large print version. The book is a lot bigger and therefore costs more, but it is available for those who prefer larger print. I haven't ordered a test-copy of the large print version, so I can't guarantee all the page numbers line up. Except for the larger font size and higher page count, the content is identical to the original version.

Here is the link to the large print version:
http://www.lulu.com/product/paperback/revelation-all-things-new/14006987

And here is the link to the regular version:
http://www.lulu.com/product/paperback/revelation-all-things-new/13227754

And of course, it is still available for free in a pdf format - all you have to do is contact me.

Baptism Study #10: John's Baptism

2010-12-02T09:03:00.003-05:00

John the Baptist's baptism and ministry had two purposes: to prepare the Jewish people for the Messiah and His kingdom, and to present the Messiah to the Jews. The OT prophecies of John the Baptist can be found in Isaiah 40:3-5, Malachi 3:1-5 and 4:5-6.

John's message is summed up as "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand (Matthew 3:2). Luke 3:3 says John came "preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins," and Luke 3:18 says he "preached the gospel to the people." His ministry and baptism emphasized that physical birth and lineage was not sufficient for entrance into God's kingdom and avoiding His wrath (Matthew 3:7-10), thus necessitating repentance and baptism.

Repentance

John's baptism was a baptism of repentance (Mark1:4-5) which was accompanied by the confession of their sins. Like Christian baptism, repentance was a prerequisite for John's baptism (Acts 2:38).

John's baptism was not only a baptism of repentance, but it is also called a baptism into (eis) repentance (Matthew 3:11). Repentance was not only required to be baptized, but baptism was a commitment to continue living a lifestyle of repentance (Luke 3:8 and 3:10-14). Romans 6:1-11 tells us that we died to sin when we were baptized, and we were raised up out of baptism to walk in newness of life - a new lifestyle.

Confession

John's baptism was accompanied with confession (Mark 1:5). Whereas people publicly confessed their sins for John's baptism, we have no record of this happening with Christian baptism. Instead, something else is confessed - Jesus is Lord (Acts 8:37 and Romans 10:9-13).

Forgiveness of sins

John's baptism was a baptism into (eis) the forgiveness of sins, that is, to obtain the forgiveness of sins (Mark 1:4). The same is true for Christian baptism (Acts 2:38 and 22:16). The forgiveness offered was not only at the moment of baptism, but it was an ongoing forgiveness, so long as the person continued to live a life of faith, repentance, and obedience to God. That is why people were not continually being baptized day after day.

What John's baptism was NOT

John's baptism was not baptism into the name of the Lord, it was not baptism into Christ, and it was not baptism into the church/kingdom. John's baptism was to prepare people FOR the kingdom, but it was not entrance INTO the kingdom. Matthew 11:11-13 tells us that the kingdom wasn't available to enter into until after John's death. It wasn't a baptism that confessed Jesus is Lord (for Jesus had not yet been revealed when John began baptizing), instead, it was a baptism "to believe in Him who was coming after him" (Acts 19:4). It was not baptism into the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ (Romans 6) because these things had not yet happened.

John's baptism is superseded by Christian baptism

John "taught people to believe in Him who was coming after him, that is, Jesus" (Acts 19:4). Since John's baptism lacked the previously mentioned aspects of Christian baptism, it was completely superseded, replaced, by Christian baptism - baptism into the name of the Lord. Therefore, those who had been baptized with John's baptism would need to later be baptized into Christ.

As Acts 19 suggests, John's baptism was to be discontinued, and those who had previously been baptized in the baptism of John would be expected to be baptized in Christian baptism when it was revealed. Chronologically, the first record we have of Christian baptism being taught is in Matthew 28:18-20, after Jesus' resurrection, and prior to Pentecost. The first record of a public proclamation of this new baptism is seen at Pentecost in Acts 2.

Baptism Study #9: The Humiliation and Origin of Baptism

2010-12-01T09:44:00.002-05:00

In the coming days, I will be posting studies on John's baptism, the baptism of Jesus, and what it means to be born of water and spirit (John 3:5), which will give us additional insights into Christian baptism. Today, however, I want to investigate the origin of baptism.

The origin of baptism

Christian baptism is distinct from the baptism of John. Christian baptism superseded John's baptism (Acts 19:3-5). Though there are differences between the two baptisms, Christian baptism obviously came from John's baptism.

So where did John's baptism come from? John the Baptist was a prophet of God (Luke 1:76). Matthew 21:23-27 indicates that the authority for John's baptism came from heaven. John 1:33 tells us that God sent John to baptize. So the baptism of John originated with the Holy Spirit telling John the Baptist to baptize.

Why baptism?

The next question is, why did the Holy Spirit decide to have John baptize (immerse) people in water, as opposed to something else? Couldn't John have simply told people to repent, or repent and believe, or say the sinner's prayer, or something else? Why immersion in water?

Water has an obvious connection with the idea of cleansing. There were a number of ritual washings and baths practiced in Judaism, although nothing quite like baptism. Since John the Baptist's ministry concerned preaching the knowledge of salvation and the forgiveness of sins (Luke 1:76-77), it makes sense that this cleansing of sin would be connected with water. But I think there is more to it than just that.

The arrogance of the Jews of Jesus' day

Many Jews of John the Baptist's day believed they were automatically saved and fit for the Messiah's kingdom for simply being born a Jew, a physical descendant of Abraham. This can be inferred by John's teaching: "Do not suppose that you can say to yourselves, 'We have Abraham for our father'; for I say to you that from these stones God is able to raise up children to Abraham" (Matthew 3:9). The same inference can be made from Paul's teaching in Romans, especially in Romans 2:17-29. The thought was, a Jew could not be lost, and a Gentile could not be saved.

One of the things a Gentile would undergo when converting to Judaism was a ritual bath. I believe this is the reason the Holy Spirit chose water baptism - it pointed to what a Gentile would do to become a Jewish proselyte. In effect, John's ministry of baptism told the Jews that they were no better than the Gentiles! Neither was fit by birth for God's kingdom, they both needed a ritual bath. To the first century Jew, this was shocking and scandalous.

John the Baptist was paving the way for the Lord and the Gospel. When people came forward to be baptized, he told them not to trust in their physical birth or lineage (Matthew 3:7-10). John also introduces the scandlous thought that sons of Abraham can come from sources other than the Jews (Matthew 3:9), which is a veiled reference to Gentiles entering the kingdom of God.

The humiliation of baptism

To undergo baptism was humiliating. It meant acknowledging that you didn't deserve God's blessings or entrance into His kingdom. It meant acknowledging that you were lost, and you were no better than anyone else, you were not even better than "the lowest of the low" (the Gentiles). It meant acknowledging you were a sinner, and you needed to change your ways.

And that is precisely why the Jewish religious leaders refused to be baptized (Matthew 21:24-27 and John 3:11-12). Contrary to those who claim baptism for salvation gives man something to boast about, it actually is a humbling act. God brings down the proud, but He exalts the humble.

This Is Good Stuff!

2010-11-27T18:49:00.004-05:00

According to the following article, a man was shot twice after picking up a sandwich from a deli. He was shot in the leg and the groin. He goes home, eats his sandwich, and THEN he goes to the hospital.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/40135089/ns/us_news-weird_news

I don't know about you, but here's my reaction to the story. I want to know which deli that was, because I want to go there and try one of their sandwiches. That must be some good stuff!

Which makes me think about the Gospel. Do we live our lives in such a way that people look at us and think "Wow, that must be some good stuff. I want what they have!"?

"Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven." Matthew 5:16

Black Friday

2010-11-26T21:57:00.003-05:00

Today is "Black Friday," so-named because this is the day many retailers begin to turn a profit and start using black ink. It is the official beginning of the Christmas shopping season, even though now-a-days the Christmas shopping push seems to predate even Thanksgiving.

If you're anything like me, your e-mail inbox was filled with all of these "great offers" that you must not miss. Which reminds me of another great offer that I hope we do not miss:

My favorite proverb says to buy the truth, and do not sell it (Proverbs 23:23).

Jesus said to the Father, "Your word is truth" (John 17:17).

Jesus also said, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life" (John 14:6).

So on this, the busiest of shopping days, I want to remind you to buy the Truth, and do not sell it. Because Jesus really is one steal of a deal!

Gift of the Holy Spirit Study #9: Past, Present, and Future

2010-11-19T11:24:00.003-05:00

As you have probably guessed by now, I am a cessationist. I believe the miraculous "gift of the Holy Spirit" - the miraculous empowering of the Holy Spirit, was only for the Christians in the first century. I do not believe Christians today receive the miraculous empowering of the Holy Spirit.

Cessation of miraculous gifts

The primary evidence for this view is what we see, and don't see, today. We simply do not see the kinds of things happening today that we read about happening in the early church when the NT was being written. People today who claim to speak in tongues do not speak real languages like in Acts 2:6-11. Instead, they speak gibberish. The "miracles of healing" aren't the kinds of healings we read about in the NT, but tend to be limited to those things that are currently medically unexplainable - a "God of the gaps."

Why?

But if these miraculous gifts have stopped, we must then ask ourselves why they have stopped. Is it because people today have less faith than the people we read about in the Bible? I have known people who say this, but I do not believe this is correct. From the portrait of people in the Bible, they were just as "human" as people today. I have known great people of faith today, people who have suffered much, and would gladly suffer more for the sake of Christ. Do none of them have enough faith to perform miracles? No, the Bible records both the successes and failures of people like the Apostle Peter to show us that they were normal people with imperfect faith, just like us.

If we look in the NT, we see people receive the ability to do miracles in one of two ways. Since I believe neither of these ways are available to us today, then it makes sense that we no longer have miraculous gifts.

Baptism of the Holy Spirit

One way NT people received miraculous power was through the baptism of the Holy Spirit - the Holy Spirit spontaneously falling upon them, enabling them to do miracles. We see this only twice in the NT - Acts 2 and 10. These two events were both unique and parallel to each other. In Acts 2, you have the beginning of the church, when Jews began to enter into the church. In Acts 10, you have the first Gentiles (who had not converted to Judaism) enter the church. So the baptism of the Holy Spirit was to mark the entrance of Jews and Gentiles into God's church. With Jews and Gentiles covered, what does that leave? That covers everybody. Therefore there is no reason to think such an event will happen again.

The problem for those who believe the baptism of the Holy Spirit is still available today is that Scripture only explicitly identifies two events as the baptism of the Holy Spirit: Acts 2 and 10-11. And in both cases, it just so happens that the baptism of the Holy Spirit was observable, it was a sign to all those around. So for those who say this baptism is still received by everyone when they believe, the problem is, it is nothing like what we see in the Bible. Where are the obvious, undeniable miracles? Where is the observable sign?

Laying on of the Apostles' hands

The other way we see people receiving the miraculous empowering of the Holy Spirit is through the laying on of hands by an Apostle. We see this in Acts 8:14-19, 19:2-6, and 2 Timothy 1:6. We only see this kind of power imparted through the hands of Apostles. While Acts 8:18 does not prove my case, it does seem to at least imply it. Why did the Apostles have to go up to Samaria (Acts 8:14-16)? Apparently, it was only the Apostles who could transfer miraculous power, apart from the two instances of the baptism of the Holy Spirit in Acts 2 and 10. Since all of the Apostles are long gone (an Apostle was an eye-witness to the resurrection of Jesus), then miraculous power is no longer received through them.

But what about the saving indwelling of the Holy Spirit?

I believe this view fits the best of what we see both in Scripture and what see/don't see today. But what about the saving indwelling of the Holy Spirit? Is that still available for those who believe today? Yes, the indwelling of the Holy Spirit is still given to those who believe today.

Over the past several studies, I have explained why I believe there is a distinction between the miraculous empowering of the Holy Spirit, and the saving indwelling of the Holy Spirit. Therefore, my argument against modern day miraculous gifts does not apply to the saving indwelling. So we have no evidence that the saving indwelling has ended.

As I have argued, the saving indwelling of the Holy Spirit has never been something you could see, hear, or feel. It is tied to the forgiveness of sins. Can you see or feel your sins cut off from you when you become saved? No, you cannot. But that isn't reason for us to doubt our salvation.

Romans 8:9-11 and Ephesians 1:13-14 clearly connects receiving the Holy Spirit with receiving salvation. Paul says if you do not have the Holy Spirit, you are not saved. So how is it that some can claim we can be saved today apart from having received the Holy Spirit? On what basis are we supposed to conclude that was only during the days of Paul, but not for Christians of another era? Where's the Scripture that says God will stop giving out the Holy Spirit to believers? It's not there. Where's the empirical evidence that God stopped giving out the Holy Spirit? It is not even possible to prove such a thing. So we have the plain teaching of Paul versus, well, nothing. The only way such an argument could work is if you can prove there is no distinction between the miraculous empowering of the Holy Spirit, and the saving indwelling of the Holy Spirit, that they are one and the same thing. And given my previous posts, I don't think that view holds up.

Gift of the Holy Spirit Study #8: Acts 2:38

2010-11-17T09:27:00.004-05:00

"Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit." In Acts 2:38, what does "the gift of the Holy Spirit" refer to, and when/how is it received? Unfortunately, these questions are not answered, at least not in the immediate context. There is some ambiguity here - is the gift received at the point of baptism, or some time after baptism? It can be understood either way.

One possibility

One possibility is that it refers to the miraculous empowering of the Holy Spirit, that would be received after water baptism. The other possibility, which is the view I hold to, is that it refers to the gift of salvation, the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, which is received at baptism.

The phrase "the gift of the Holy Spirit" is used in Acts 10:45 to refer to the miraculous empowering of Cornelius and friends. If this is what the gift refers to in Acts 2:38, then it would fit the usual order of things. Cornelius would obviously be the exception to the rule of water baptism first, then receiving the miraculous empowering of the Holy Spirit (as seen in Acts 8:14-19 and 19:2-6).

So even though I do not hold to this view, it is certainly a perfectly legitimate interpretation of the gift of the Holy Spirit in Acts 2:38. Now I will explain why I believe the gift is probably referring to the saving indwelling of the Holy Spirit, received in water baptism.

Another possibility

The same author can use the same words/phrase in the same book to refer to different things. As one example, there are three passages in Daniel that refer to the abomination of desolation (Daniel 9:27, 11:31, and 12:11). In Matthew 24:15, Jesus refers back to Daniel's "abomination of desolation." Without getting into an indepth analysis of these passages, I believe the three abomination of desolation passages refer to two different events, even though they use the same/similar language.

Another example is found in the book of Acts. Barnabus is not considered an Apostle in Acts 4:36. But in Acts 14:14, Barnabus is called an Apostle. So Luke, the author of Acts, appears to use the same word "Apostle" to mean different things in his book. In one case, it refers specifically to "the Twelve," and in the other case, it can refer to anyone who was sent (the word apostle means one who is sent, Barnabus was sent out by the Holy Spirit back in Acts 13:1-3).

So for these reasons, I do not believe Acts 10:45 is alone sufficient to prove Acts 2:38 is referring to the same thing. When we examine the context of Acts 2:38, I believe the context indicates it means something different.

The context

Acts 2:38 is Peter's answer to a question. The question was, what must those Jews do to get out from under the wrath of God that was sure to come upon them for crucifiying the Messiah? It was a question of salvation. Therefore it makes sense that Peter's answer would be concerning salvation. In fact, through the next several verses, the focus is still upon salvation, as seen in Acts 2:40-41.

There is no doubt that the immediate context of Acts 2:38 is focused on salvation. The question is, is there any indication from the immediate context about the Jews receiving the miraculous empowering of the Holy Spirit? Peter does refer to the Apostles having received power from the Holy Spirit in Acts 2:33, but this does not prove he said anything about his listeners' receiving this power. In Acts 2:43, Luke does speak of numerous miracles taking place, but they are described as happening "through the Apostles." It does not give any indication that other people were performing miracles at this time.

As we've seen in previous studies, there are many different kinds of "gifts" from God and His Holy Spirit, not just miraculous power. Salvation, the forgiveness of sins, is not our wages for what we have done, but is the gift of God. As Colossians 2:11-14 makes clear, the Holy Spirit was at work in our baptism. There we received a circumcision done without hands. Since Jesus has hands, I believe this refers to the Holy Spirit. In water baptism, the Holy Spirit removes our sins from us. This matches up perfectly with Acts 2:38, where it speaks of the "remission" (removal) of our sins, in conjunction with the gift of the Holy Spirit. As Romans 8:9-11 says, we received spiritual life when we received the Holy Spirit.

The promise is still good

In Acts 2:39, Peter says, "For the promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off, as many as the Lord our God will call to Himself." What is the promise? Peter only refers to a promise, not promises. To me, this suggests that repentance plus baptism equals forgiveness is the same thing as the gift of the Holy Spirit in this passage. This promise, the promise of salvation and the Holy Spirit for those who repent and are baptized, is for everyone who will be saved. So I believe the saving indwelling of the Holy Spirit is still given today, to everyone who believes and is baptized. That promise is good in perpetuity, until the end.

This is why I believe the "gift of the Holy Spirit" in Acts 2:38 refers to the saving indwelling of the Holy Spirit received in water baptism.

Gift of the Holy Spirit Study #7: Cornelius

2010-11-16T11:39:00.002-05:00

The story of Cornelius in Acts 10-11 is often cited by those who believe baptism of the Holy Spirit is for salvation, and water baptism is not. So this study will examine what the text says about these baptisms, and the salvation of Cornelius.

What it does not say

No where in this passage does it say Cornelius was saved prior to being baptized in water. Those who believe baptism of the Holy Spirit is for salvation either assume it, or try to read it into it through some faulty, convoluted argument. What the text does say is that the Holy Spirit fell upon Cornelius and friends, giving them the gift of the Holy Spirit - speaking in tongues. As I have demonstrated previously, there is a distinction between the miraculous empowering of the Holy Spirit, and the saving indwelling of the Holy Spirit.

What the passage does say about salvation

If we look at what the passage says about salvation, it says, "Of Him all the prophets bear witness that through His name everyone who believes in Him receives forgiveness of sins" (Acts 10:43). In looking back on the events of Cornelius' conversion, it was said, "Well then, God has granted to the Gentiles also the repentance that leads to life" (Acts 11:18). Cornelius was told that Peter "will speak words to you by which you will be saved" (Acts 11:14).

So we see several things tied to Cornelius' salvation: Forgiveness of sins is through the name of Jesus, with belief. It is through repentance. And it is through the words of Peter. Now what does that sound like? Nope, it doesn't sound like speaking in tongues or the miraculous empowering of the Holy Spirit. It sounds exactly like what we find in Acts 2.

Deja vu all over again

When Peter convinced the crowd in Acts 2:36-37 that Jesus was the Messiah, they they naturally ask the question, "Brethren, what shall we do?" Staggeringly, some people are in such denial that they shamelessly twist that question to mean the exact opposite of what it means in context. There are actually some that claim the crowd was asking, "Now that we're saved, what should we do?" Yes, even the head guy over at the CARM website clings desparately to this interpretation (or at least he did several years ago when we were having a series of exchanges of e-mails on baptism).

Now to anyone with an ounce of integrity, the meaning of the question is obvious. Those Jews had just been told that they had rejected, humiliated, tortured, and murdered God's Messiah. They realized they were DOOMED, which was why "they were pierced to the heart." So they asked what they had to do, not because they're saved, but what they had to do to BE saved. Peter answered, "Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit."

So in the previous example, you have belief, salvation through the name of Jesus (in water baptism), repentance, and the words of Peter by which people were saved. Putting aside the question of what exactly Peter meant by "you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit" (I will address this in a future study), the forgiveness of sins is explicitly connected with neither belief, repentance, or the gift of the Holy Spirit, but with water baptism. (Obviously, water baptism apart from faith, repentance, and the Holy Spirit is worthless.)

The name of Jesus and salvation

So if you go back to Acts 10, Peter says forgiveness of sins comes through the name of Jesus (Acts 10:43). Where do we read about the name of Jesus in Acts 10? Yup, when Peter speaks about water baptism. Peter "ordered them to be baptized in (en) the name of Jesus Christ." Just like other passages that explicitly connect the name of Jesus with the moment of salvation (Acts 2:38, 22:16, etc.), it is speaking of water baptism.

As previous studies have shown, water baptism is how we are baptized into Christ, into His possession, into His kingdom, and into His church. If Cornelius was saved prior to water baptism, then he was saved prior to being baptized into Christ and His church. If one believes Cornelius was saved prior to water baptism, then that would mean Cornelius was saved while he was still outside of Christ, and outside of His church. And that is something I reject. Jesus said, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me" (John 14:6).

You can be miraculously empowered by the Holy Spirit and still not be saved, see King Saul and the prophet Balaam.

Gift of the Holy Spirit Study #6: Romans 12

2010-11-15T15:26:00.002-05:00

While at first glance Romans 12 seems very similar to 1 Corinthians 12, a close examination will show the two passages as being quite different from each other. In 1 Corinthians 12, there is no doubt that at least some of those gifts are miraculous (and I believe all of them are). However, in Romans 12, none of these gifts are necessarily miraculous (and I believe none of them are).

Contrast between 1 Corinthians 12 and Romans 12

Whereas both 1 Corinthians 12:9 and Romans 12:3 speak of faith, they are not speaking of the same thing. Whatever the "faith" of 1 Corinthians 12:9 is, it cannot refer to saving faith. In context, 1 Corinthians 12 is speaking of gifts that only some Christians have, not all, and obviously all Christians have saving faith, or else they wouldn't all be saved! The faith mentioned in Romans 12:3, however, is a faith that every Christian possesses.

Non-miraculous gifts

In Romans 12, there are gifts listed that could be miraculous gifts, but they need not be. For example, one can be either an inspired or an uninspired prophet. An inspired prophet is guided by the Holy Spirit, who guarantees the inspired prophet proclaims the truth. But there are uninspired prophets, too. To be a prophet means to be a mouthpiece for God. To prophesy is to speak forth the mind and will of God. Inasmuch as any preacher accurately proclaims what we find in the Bible, that person is an (uninspired) prophet. So the gift of prophecy spoken of in Romans 12:6 need not refer to inspired prophecy.

There is no obvious reference to any miraculous gift or power found anywhere in Romans chapter 12. For most of the chapter, at least, there is no question that it is referring to "mundane" living for the Christian. So from the context, I believe that nothing in this chapter refers to miraculous gifts.

More on gifts

Not all gifts are miraculous. In Matthew 19:11, Jesus refers to the ability to remain content within a celibate lifestyle as something that is only "given" to certain people. If it is given, then it is a gift. Who does the gift come from? From God. It is a "gift" received either at birth, or through the experiences of life. Some people are content in celibacy because they are just born with a low libido. Other people have developed the self-control through their life experiences to be content with celibacy. These people are in contrast to those who will get into trouble without being able to have sex (within the confines of marriage, see 1 Corinthians 7:9).

In Ephesians 4:7-16, Paul refers to certain people as Christ's gifts to the church. Obviously, we no longer have Apostles, but we do have their teachings (through the NT). We still have (uninspired) prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers, in order to accomplish the same purpose - "the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ." In Ephesians 4:16, Paul goes on to describe everyone in the church as providing benefit for everyone else, essentially making everyone in the church Christ's gift to His church.

The giving of gifts

So spiritual gifts are not solely miraculous, but can be "mundane," too. Whereas the miraculous gifts were received either through a spontaneous baptism of the Holy Spirit or the laying on of the Apostles' hands, other gifts are given to the church through the Holy Spirit deciding where to place a given person (Acts 17:26b), and which gifts to give them, whether through birth or by opportunities in life (Matthew 19:11-12).

God has gifted us all with abilities, talents, and skills, and He placed us where He wanted us so that we might use them in order to build up His church.

Gift of the Holy Spirit Study #5: 1 Corinthians 12

2010-11-14T16:23:00.002-05:00

What are the spiritual gifts that Paul talks about in 1 Corinthians 12? Is Paul only referring to miraculous gifts, or is Paul also speaking of non-miraculous gifts, too? This question is relevant in regard to the position of those that claim there is no distinction to be made from the miraculous empowering and the saving indwelling of the Holy Spirit.

The position of some is that we all receive the Holy Spirit at the point where we believe in Christ. By "receiving the Holy Spirit," we receive both salvation and a spiritual gift. This spiritual gift can either be miraculous - being able to heal the sick or predict the future, or non-miraculous - being able to teach or do mundane administrative work.

Houston, we have a problem

There are several problems with this view. As I have explained in a previous study, the evidence goes against the view that miraculous gifts are still around. As 1 Corinthians 12 shows, there is a distinction made between the miraculous empowering of the Holy Spirit and the saving indwelling of the Holy Spirit.

Furthermore, there are no "mundane gifts" according to this view, because even if you receive a "mundane skill" when you believe, it is received in a miraculous manner. Therefor any such gift would be a miracle.

It is beyond dispute that 1 Corinthians 12 mentions miraculous gifts of the Holy Spirit - "the effecting of miracles," as but one example in verse 10. The real question is, are any of these gifts mentioned in chapter 12 mundane? The answer is no.

The miraculous mundane

Exodus 31:1-11 speaks of God filling certain people with the Spirit of God, miraculously giving them the knowledge and skill to make the things God had commanded. The ability to make a tent or a lampstand is a mundane skill. But if you are instantaneously given this ability without ever practicing or studying it, then it is miraculous. It is the same thing with speaking in tongues - speaking in a foreign language. Being able to speak in another language is not miraculous, but being able to speak in another language that you have never studied or been exposed to is miraculous.

If this happens today, what gift/ability/skill did you suddenly receive when you believed that you did not have before? I don't see any evidence of this today, even though these things were abundantly obvious in Paul's day.

Getting to the heart of the matter

The main point Paul is making in 1 Corinthians 12 is not about the use of spiritual gifts, but unity. The use of their spiritual gifts had become a problem because of their disunity and spiritual immaturity.

In 12:4-11, Paul explains that the various gifts given to various people all come from the same Spirit. Only the Holy Spirit gets to decide which people will receive which gifts. Therefore the gifts should be used in service to Holy Spirit, and not to promote one person over another.

To strengthen Paul's main point, he teaches that they were also made into one group by this same Spirit in 12:12-13. Paul does not equate this baptism that makes them all into one body with the previously mentioned spiritual gifts. Rather, Paul marks a transition in the beginning of verse 12 by bringing up an additional point to strengthen his teaching on unity in the Spirit. "All of your gifts are from the same Spirit. Similarly, you are all made into a single body of people by this same Holy Spirit."

All were baptized by one Spirit

"For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free, and we were all made to drink of one Spirit." They had all been baptized into (eis) the same body, which is the body of Christ. When are people baptized into Christ, baptized into the same body, into the same group? Earlier in this letter, the clear implication of 1 Corinthians 1:11-15 is that they were all made into a single group without divisions when they were baptized into (eis) the name of the Lord, which refers to water baptism.

"And we were all made to drink of one Spirit." What does that mean? Drinking of the one Spirit has to do with receiving life through the Holy Spirit. In John 4:10-14, Jesus speaks of "living water" that brings about eternal life within an individual, water that you drink so you never thirst again. So the baptism into the one body is the baptism where you receive not the miraculous empowering of the Holy Spirit, but the saving indwelling of the Holy Spirit. Which baptism is for salvation? Water baptism, since it is baptism into Christ and for the forgiveness of sins.

Notice that this chapter does not say when or how they received the miraculous empowering of the Holy Spirit, nor does it teach that all of the Christians at that time had received one of these miraculous gifts.

Gift of the Holy Spirit Study #4: Romans 8:9-11

2010-11-09T13:39:00.002-05:00

Here we will examine Romans 8:9-11 to see what it has to say about the Holy Spirit and salvation. For a fuller analysis of the broader context of Romans chapters 7 and 8, see my appendix on Resurrection in my book Revelation: All Things New.

"However, you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. But if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Him." Romans 8:9

Those who belong to God have the Holy Spirit, and those who do not have the Holy Spirit do not belong to God. So a person receives the saving indwelling of the Holy Spirit when they come to belong to God. How does a person come to belong to God? By being baptized into the name of God (Matthew 28:19). When we are baptized into the name of God, we become one of His people (1 Corinthians 1:11-15). The "name" signifies the authority. So to be baptized into God's name is to be baptized into His authority. That is, it is to come under His authority, to become one of His people. Therefore, the saving indwelling of the Holy Spirit is received when we are baptized by water into His name.

"If Christ is in you, though the body is dead because of sin, yet the spirit is alive because of righteousness." Romans 8:10

When Paul speaks of Christ being in you, he is referring to the Spirit of God/Christ he spoke of in the previous verse, the Holy Spirit. For more information about what Paul meant by the body being dead, but the spirit being alive, see my appendix on Resurrection in my book Revelation: All Things New.

"But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you." Romans 8:11

Paul compares Jesus' example to our future. Jesus' dead body was resurrected because the Holy Spirit indwelt Jesus' body. When did the Holy Spirit come to dwell with Jesus in the flesh? When Jesus was baptized in water.

The contrast Paul is making is this. Just as Jesus received the Holy Spirit (at water baptism), so his Christian readers received the Holy Spirit at water baptism. The result of having the indwelling of the Holy Spirit is that we will one day be raised in glory, just as Jesus was raised in glory.

This entire passage entails that we receive the saving indwelling of the Holy Spirit when we are made alive with Christ. Well, according to Paul, when were we made alive with Christ? When we were baptized into His death, burial, and resurrection (Romans 6:1-11, Colossians 2:11-14).

According to Colossians 2:11-12, we receive a spiritual circumcision when we are baptized. This circumcision (which is the cutting away and removal of sin) is done without hands. That is, it is performed by Spirit, the Holy Spirit. Which form of baptism is explicitly connected to the removal of sins? Water baptism. Acts 2:38 says, (this is not an argument, this is simply what the text says) baptism is for the remission (removal) of sins.

Gift of the Holy Spirit Study #3: Old Testament

2010-11-08T17:09:00.002-05:00

I believe there is a distinction between the miraculous empowering of the Holy Spirit, and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit which is the seal of salvation. If I am correct, that these are two different things, then it would impact both miraculous gifts in the present day, and salvation in regards to baptism. It is relevant to the doctrine of water baptism in that Cornelius was miraculously empowered by the Holy Spirit prior to being baptized in water (Acts 10). If the miraculous empowering of the Holy Spirit is the saving indwelling of the Holy Spirit, then this would undermine the doctrine that water baptism is for salvation.

The Holy Spirit in the OT

Before getting to the NT, how does the Holy Spirit work in the OT? The OT makes a distinction between the miraculous empowering of the Holy Spirit from the saving, indwelling of the Holy Spirit.

The Holy Spirit came upon Balaam, giving him the gift of prophecy (Numbers 24:2). Balaam sought to use his prophetic power to make a profit, by leading the Israelites into sin (Numbers 31:16). In the NT, Balaam is used as a symbol for wickedness (2 Peter 2:15, Jude 11, Revelation 2:14). So here we have a clear case of the Holy Spirit coming upon and miraculously empowering someone who was nevertheless lost.

The Holy Spirit fell upon King Saul, causing him to prophesy, even as he was actively trying to murder David, the Lord's anointed (1 Samuel 19:23-24). So this is a second example of the Holy Spirit falling upon people, giving them miraculous gifts, even as they were lost.

On the other hand, we see the saving indwelling of the Holy Spirit in the OT when King David appealed for God's mercy in Psalm 51:11-12. "Do not cast me away from Your presence, and do not take Your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of Your salvation, and sustain me with a willing spirit."

In context, David is not concerned about God taking away his ability to write divinely inspired poetry fit for Scripture. He pleads that the Holy Spirit does not leave him, and thus, losing his salvation.

So in the OT, we see that being miraculously empowered by the Holy Spirit does not prove one is saved. We do see that the presence of the Holy Spirit, however, is for salvation. This corresponds perfectly with my view that there is a difference between the miraculous gifts received through the Holy Spirit, and the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit for salvation. This being the case, Cornelius in Acts 10 does not undermine the doctrine of water baptism for salvation. Cornelius may very well have been empowered by the Holy Spirit prior to being saved.

Addressing an objection

In response, I have seen only one objection to this reasoning. The objection is based upon Joel 2:28-29, where Joel predicts that the Holy Spirit will work differently in the Christian era. Since the Holy Spirit works differently under the NT than He did under the OT, this is supposed to nullify my argument. Supposedly, in the Christian era, the receipt of miraculous power is the same thing as receiving the indwelling of the Holy Spirit.

While the Holy Spirit does work differently in the NT, the question is, how does the Holy Spirit work differently? All Joel 2:28-29 says is that the Holy Spirit will bestow a variety of miraculous gifts on a variety of people. This is distinct from what we see in the OT, since in the OT, we usually only see no more than a few people at any given time with miraculous gifts. That's it. Joel 2 does not teach that the miraculous empowering of the Holy Spirit will then be proof of salvation in Christianity. This is just made up; it is simply assumed.

In fact, Joel 2 poses a bigger problem for those who believe the miraculous empowering of the Holy Spirit is for salvation. Joel 2 does speak of salvation, but not in connection with the miraculous empowering of the Holy Spirit. Instead, salvation is connected to calling on the name of the Lord (Joel 2:32). In Acts 2, Peter quotes this passage. In context, the way we call on the name of the Lord for salvation is by being baptized in water upon the name of the Lord for the forgiveness of sins. As my previous studies on baptism have shown, calling on the name of the Lord in the NT refers to water baptism for salvation (Acts 22:16, Romans 10, etc.).

Gift of the Holy Spirit Study #2: Water vs. Spirit

2010-11-04T21:18:00.003-04:00

Baptism passages such as Romans 6, 1 Corinthians 12:13, Colossians 2:9-15, and 1 Peter 3:21 refer to water baptism and not Spirit baptism. Some will claim these passages refer to Spirit baptism, in an attempt to avoid the plain teaching of Scripture that water baptism is for salvation.

Those who deny the Biblical teaching on water baptism are usually motivated by the man-made doctrine of "faith alone." This doctrine is based upon interpreting Ephesians 2:8-9 out of context. As explained in a previous study, the context of Ephesians 2:8-9 is abundantly clear. Paul is teaching that salvation is apart from works of the Law of Moses, and apart from circumcision in particular. Paul is not teaching salvation is apart from any obedience on our part.

That the "faith alone" interpretation of Ephesians 2:8-9 is wrong is made even clearer when we consider the words of Jesus in John 6:27-29. Jesus plainly teaches that faith in Christ is itself a work that we do, not to earn salvation, but in order to receive the gift of salvation. Since faith itself is a work, an act of obedience on our part, salvation cannot be apart from any works. To see what the Bible actually teaches concerning "faith alone," see James 2:18-26. I have never seen a "faith alone" advocate even try to respond to these points.

About the word "baptize"

Now let's take a closer look at baptism. The word "baptize" is a transliteration of the word "baptizo." To transliterate a word is to take the sound of a word in one language, and duplicate the sound in another language. If we translate baptizo, rather than transliterating it, we find that it is just an ordinary word that means "to dip repeatedly, to immerge, submerge, to cleanse by dipping or submerging, to wash, to make clean with water." When used in a metaphorical sense, it means "to overwhelm." (According to Thayer's).

So the normal sense of the term has to do with immersion in water. Therefore, when we come across the word "baptize" in the NT, by default, it is referring to water baptism. It should be understood to refer to some other kind of baptism only if there is good reason for doing so in the context. Therefore the burden of proof that a given passage teaches on Spirit baptism instead of water baptism falls on the one claiming it refers to Spirit baptism.

Proof these passages speak of water baptism

As seen in a previous study, Acts 2:38 plainly teaches that water baptism is for the forgiveness of sins. Creative attempts to explain this away as teaching water baptism is because you've already been saved, or that it is repentance apart from baptism that is for forgiveness, have all been thoroughly refuted (see my previous studies on baptism).

Since Acts 2:38 teaches water baptism is for the forgiveness of sins, then it matches up with the baptism in Colossians 2, which is also for the forgiveness of sins. So the baptism of Colossians 2 is water baptism.

Since Colossians 2 says baptism is when we die and are made alive with Christ, and it is talking of water baptism, then the baptism of Romans 6 is also speaking of water baptism. Romans 6 says baptism is when we die with Christ and are raised up with Christ.

Since the Apostle Peter taught water baptism was for the forgiveness of sins, then the baptism that saves you, according to Peter in 1 Peter 3:21, is speaking of water baptism. This is confirmed since, in the immediate context, Peter is speaking of actual water.

Considering the other position

But let us suppose for the sake of argument that all of the previous passages speak of Spirit baptism instead of water baptism. By holding this position, one effectively nullifies the meaning for water baptism. There is nothing left. Some advocates of this view acknowledge that this leaves water baptism without a purpose as stated in the Bible. But it is hard to believe that something as so prominent in the NT as water baptism is left completely unexplained...

Having disposed of the reasons the Bible gives for baptism, they are left with a command with no apparent meaning. It is like the Nike slogan, "Just do it." It is commanded, so do it. Why? Just do it.

Of course, even supposing this view, this does not leave the Bible without teaching the meaning of water baptism. Water baptism is in the name of the Lord, or more literally, into (eis) the name of the Lord, as seen in Matthew 28:19 and 1 Corinthians 1:10-15. Water baptism into the name of the Lord is baptism into Christ. This conclusion is unavoidable after reading the passage in 1 Corinthians 1. Paul proves they do not belong to him, since they were not baptized into (eis) his name. The obvious implication is that they are not to be divided, but should be together in unity, since they were all baptized into the name of the Lord. That is how they all came to belong to the same group, and to belong to Christ - by water baptism.

This then is the baptism of 1 Corinthians 12:13, where it says they were all baptized into one body - the body of Christ. How are you baptized into Christ? By being baptized into His name, in water. I've yet to see the "Spirit baptism" camp respond to these points.

But since some believe there is no meaning for water baptism found in Scripture, they sometimes feel compelled to make one up. Usually, baptism is described as "an outward sign of an inward grace." That is, water baptism is a sign that you have already been saved. Which is, of course, entirely unbiblical. The Bible teaches no such thing.

Let us again suppose the position of some, that water baptism is to show you've already been saved, and that receiving the miraculous empowering of the Holy Spirit is the point of salvation. Such a view is incompatible with Acts 19:1-6, where people were first baptized in water, into (eis) the name of the Lord, and after this, they receive the miraculous empowering of the Holy Spirit. According to this view, they were baptized in water to show they were already saved, even though they weren't yet saved!

It is important to distinguish between the water baptism passages from the Spirit baptism passages.

Gift of the Holy Spirit Study #1: Baptism of Fire

2010-11-03T14:39:00.004-04:00

This is the start of a new study series examining the gift of the Holy Spirit. What is it? What is it not? What is the baptism of the Holy Spirit? What about miraculous gifts?

John the baptist taught that Jesus "will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire" (Matthew 3:11). Based upon this verse, some people believe the baptism of fire is the baptism of the Holy Spirit. In Acts 2, we read about the Holy Spirit coming upon the Apostles in "tongues of fire."

In reality, the baptism of fire is different from the baptism of the Holy Spirit. You do not want the baptism of fire!

The context of Matthew 3:11

In the context of Matthew 3, the fire John the baptist is talking about refers to the judgment Jesus would send upon the Jews of that generation (in 70AD, when Jerusalem was destroyed by the Romans). In the verses immediately before and after Matthew 3:11, John uses fire to depict the wrath of Christ.

"The axe is already laid at the root of the trees; therefore every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. As for me, I baptize you with water for repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, and I am not fit to remove His sandals; He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing fork is in His hand, and He will thoroughly clear His threshing floor; and He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire." (Matthew 3:10-12)

In context, there are two groups of Jews - the wheat and the chaff, just as there are two baptisms - of the Holy Spirit and of fire. The faithful Jews receive the Holy Spirit, and the unfaithful Jews receive the fire.

This distinction between the baptism of the Holy Spirit vs. the baptism of fire is corroborated when we examine the parallel passages in Mark 1:8 and Luke 3:7-17. In both Matthew and Luke, they record John the baptisst preaching about both the coming judgment upon the Jewish nation and the baptism of fire. But in Mark, while Mark records John teaching about the baptism of the Holy Spirit, he does not mention the baptism of fire. Why not? Because neither does he record the prediction of the coming judgment against the Jewish nation. The destruction of Jerusalem in 70AD is the baptism of fire.

More on fire

Hebrews 12:29, which is in context speaking to the coming destruction of Jerusalem, refers to God's wrath as a consuming fire. 2 Peter 3, which speaks of the heavens and earth being burned up with fire, refers to the coming destruction of Jerusalem. In Revelation 17:16, describing the destruction of Babylon the harlot (Jerusalem), the Apostle John says Jerusalem will be burned up with fire. (For proof that these passages refer to the destruction of Jerusalem in 70AD, see my book Revelation: All Things New.)

Josephus, an eyewitness to the fall of Jerusalem, records that the Temple was burned down. He also records how the Romans set fire to the city, and that the bloodshed was so great, the flow of blood in the streets even quenched some of the fires in the city. While the fire and destruction came at the hands of the Romans, it ultimately came at the behest of the providence of God. Jesus baptized the disobedient Jews with fire.

Trick or Treat?

2010-10-31T18:50:00.003-04:00

This evening, I took my kids to a local mall for trick or treating. There were a lot of people dressed in some strange outfits.

Maybe it is a sign of the times, or just a sign that I'm growing old, but the way some of the kids looked, I found myself wondering if they were trick or treating or that that was just how they normally dressed...

Hmmm, now that I think about it, that is probably how folks looked at me back when I was a teenager. Yup, growing old.

I know some Christians object to Halloween. I understand why they do. Personally, I am more of the "every day is the Lord's day" kind of Christian, and am not really into celebrating any holidays. But I have little kids, so that makes things difficult.

I don't look at Halloween as anything more than dressing up in a costume for fun and eating candy. As I see it, it is kind of like being a fan of the Orlando Magic, for example (I'm not really a fan of any basketball team; the only sports I watch is college football - gig'em Aggies!). Practicing magic is forbidden in the Bible, but I don't see the Orlando Magic as being the same thing. In the same way, I don't connect my daughter wearing her princess costume and getting candy with pagan worship, but that's just me. Everyone must follow their own conscience on the matter.

Get My Book In Print!

2010-10-30T14:28:00.004-04:00

Yesterday evening, the test-copy of my book Revelation: All Things New arrived in the mail. I can hardly believe I am holding a real book!

Just flipping through it, everything appears in order, and the pages match the table of contents, so there shouldn't be a problem. If you would like to order a print copy of my book, you can do so through here:

http://www.lulu.com/product/paperback/revelation-all-things-new/13227754

The cost of the book is $8.46 + S&H. If you would like a pdf version of the book, just e-mail me at rsteve76 AT hotmail DOT com, and I will e-mail it to you (I think lulu.com charges $.99 for a download).

For all of my local readers, don't buy a print copy of the book until contacting me. Tomorrow at church I will get a list of people who would like a print copy. Since I have a lulu.com coupon, I figure all of us (locally) here can make one order, and save some money from the coupon and combined S&H.

You Know You're A Christian Gamer When...

2010-10-26T08:17:00.002-04:00

You know you're a Christian gamer when you read about putting "on the breastplate of righteousness," and you wonder what its stats are (Ephesians 6:14).

You know you're a Christian gamer when you think a high Charisma score should give you bonus languages.

You know you're not a Christian gamer if you have no idea what I just said.

My Book Is Finished!

2010-10-23T16:01:00.003-04:00

I just finished my book!

The book is in a 6x9 format. Content-wise, it comes in under 180 pages. With the Title page, Table of Contents, etc. it comes out to 198 pages. Printed from lulu.com, it costs $8.46 plus S&H.

I just ordered a print copy of it to make sure it prints correctly. It is supposed to take 3-5 business days to print, and then another 5-15 business days to arrive in the mail. Once it arrives and I have a chance to look it over, I will then make the print version available to the public.

Of course, you don't have to wait for the pdf form of the book. The pdf form is 780 KBs, and I can e-mail it to you right now if you'd like. My e-mail address is rsteve76 AT hotmail DOT com.

If anyone has any advice about how I can make this book downloadable for free, let me know, since I am not that tech savvy.

Another Book Update

2010-10-19T22:45:00.003-04:00

Just another update on the status of my book.

I've completed editing the text of the book. I'm currently working on the Scripture Index, which will hopefully be completed tomorrow.

I decided not to make a topical index. I started to make one, but certain subjects were so common (70AD, Second Coming) and others were very uncommon, I wasn't sure it would be all that useful/worthwhile.

So at this point, I need to finish the Scripture Index. After that, I will need to put the book in a format so it can be printed. Then I'll order a test copy from lulu.com to make sure it comes out the way it is supposed to. If the test copy turns out fine, I will then put it up on lulu.com at print cost. I'm guessing the print form of the book will be available in early November.

The book should be available in an electronic/pdf format for free even sooner, probably before the end of October.

It is hard to believe after all these months it is almost finished.

Chapter 8: Multiplication Tables - Who Knew They'd Be Useful?!

2010-10-16T14:26:00.002-04:00

The following is an excerpt from chapter 8, which explains who the four horsemen and the 144,000 are.

Did you ever wonder as a kid sitting in school, "Will I ever use this in real life?" Of course, looking back as an adult, you realize that the answer is usually no. Except for multiplication tables. I've used those. Once. When reading Revelation.

We were forced to memorize our multiplication tables up to twelve times twelve. I don't actually remember my multiplication tables, but I do remember the product of that last multiplication on the table. Twelve times twelve equals one hundred and forty-four. So when I saw the 144,000 in Revelation, I knew it was the product of multiplying twelve times twelve times a thousand. Mrs. Merritt would be so proud of me today!

But before we get to the 144,000, let's talk about the four horsemen. I don't need a multiplication table to count them, just both my hands. Never juggle with a chainsaw.

The four horsemen of the apocalypse

In Revelation chapter 5, we are introduced to the scroll with seven seals. Every time Jesus breaks a seal, something happens. When Jesus breaks the first four seals, the four horsemen show up.

The first horseman is a rider on a white horse, signifying conquest (Revelation 6:1-2). This is not referring to Jesus, as Jesus is still in Heaven opening up the seals. This rider represents Rome coming in conquest against the Jewish people and the Holy Land. Rome is coming to conquer Jerusalem.

The second horseman rides upon a red horse, representing war and bloodshed (Revelation 6:3-4). He doesn't just represent war between the Romans and the Jews, but warfare amongst the Jews themselves. The Jewish rebellion was not a unified movement. The various rebel factions were fighting amongst themselves in Jerusalem, even as the Romans were at the gates. Their own infighting led to the destruction of Jerusalem's food supplies, which led directly to...

The third horseman rides on a black horse representing famine (Revelation 6:5-6). Since the Jews had destroyed their own food supplies, a severe famine struck the people of Jerusalem. Which led to...

The fourth horseman rides upon an ashen horse, bringing death and Hades (Revelation 6:7-8). This rider signified the massive slaughter of Jews at the end of the siege of Jerusalem.

The fifth and sixth seals

With the unleashing of the four horsemen to bring forth God's wrath upon Jerusalem, Jesus breaks the fifth seal. Then we see the souls of the martyrs, slain by their Jewish persecutors, asking God, "How long, O Lord, holy and true, will You refrain from judging and avenging our blood on those who dwell on the earth [land]?" (Revelation 6:10). They are told to wait just a little while longer - the four horsemen are already on their way.

With the sixth seal, the earth quakes, the sun goes dark, the moon turns blood red, and stars fall to the earth, symbolizing the fall of a nation (the ancient Jewish nation). In Revelation 6:15, it refers to the kings “of the earth," which is better rendered "of the land," since it is concerning a regional judgment. Most of the time you see the word "earth" in Revelation, it is better translated as "land," since Revelation is primarily about the judgment that was coming upon the Holy Land back in the first century. Revelation speaks about the final judgment only briefly.

The people of the land hide in caves, crying out, "Fall on us and hide us from the presence of Him who sits on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb; for the great day of their wrath has come, and who is able to stand?" (Revelation 6:15-17). This is the very thing Jesus prophesied would happen to Jerusalem within that generation (Luke 23:28-31). When the Romans occupied the last part of Jerusalem, the leaders of the Jewish rebellion literally hid themselves in the caves underneath Jerusalem, in a vain attempt to escape from the Romans. The destruction of Jerusalem was the vengeance the martyrs had been waiting for.

Chapter 7: Song Number Six Six Six

2010-10-15T13:11:00.004-04:00

Chapter 4 discusses the date Revelation was written, along with the timeframe it would be fulfilled. Chapter 5 identifies Babylon, and chapter 6 identifies the beast from the sea. The following is an excerpt from chapter 7, which identifies the second beast (the beast from the land), as well as the mark of the beast.

Admit it. Every time you hear the song leader say, "Now turn to song number six hundred sixty-six, song number six-six-six," you chuckle. When I used to work as a cashier, sometimes the total would come to $6.66. Some people would freak out, giving me $6.67 and demanding that I keep the change. When I moved to the state I currently reside in, I had to change my driver's license. My current driver's license number ends with, I kid you not, 666. On the bright side, I am now able to buy and sell in this state.

You will be relieved to know that the beast from the land that gives the mark of the beast is long gone. So when the antichrist soon takes over the United Nations, implants a microchip under the skin of your right hand so you can buy and sell, and tattoos "666" on your forehead, you won't have to worry about it. Just kidding. But I do still snicker every time I hear the song leader calling out song number six-six-six.

Description of the second beast

The second beast of Revelation is described as coming from the "earth," which is better translated as being from the "land," as in from the Holy Land. This is because this beast is in contrast to the one from the sea. Land and sea contrast each other in a way that earth and sea does not. Just as the first beast is from the sea, representing a Gentile beast, this beast is from the land, representing a Jewish beast. Whereas the first beast looks like the dragon, this beast has the voice of the dragon (Revelation 12:3, 13:1 and 11).

The second beast is depicted as having "two horns like a lamb" (Revelation 13:11). The reason he resembles a lamb is because Revelation also calls the second beast the "false prophet."[1] In Matthew 7:15, Jesus said, "Beware of the false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves." False prophets have the appearance of a sheep/lamb, but are as ravenous as wolves. They serve as a mouthpiece for the dragon (Satan), rather than for God, as a true prophet should.

Chapter 3: Jesus Said WHAT?!

2010-10-14T16:45:00.002-04:00

The following is an excerpt from the third chapter of my upcoming book. This chapter explains the Olivet Discourse, that controversial prophecy made by Jesus as recorded in Matthew chapters 24 & 25.

Jesus predicted that the sun, moon, and stars would all be destroyed, and that He would "gather together His elect from the four winds." Heaven and earth will be destroyed, and this would all happen within Jesus' own generation.[1] Say what?!

Anyone can look outside and tell that the sun and moon are still there. If you're like me, having lived in cities all your life, you may doubt the continued existence of the stars, but definitely not the sun and moon. Some say Jesus got it wrong. Others say Jesus didn't really mean "generation" when He said "generation." The truth is, both groups got it wrong, and Jesus got it right. Jesus doesn't need anyone to "correct" Him.

Matthew chapters 24 and 25 record the words of Jesus in what is sometimes referred to as the Olivet Discourse. Matthew's Gospel records the longest form of this prophecy, but parts of it are found in parallel passages in the Gospels of Mark and Luke. This prophecy was spoken by Jesus to Peter, James, John, and Andrew[2] on the Mount of Olives at the end of Jesus' ministry. The Mount of Olives is adjacent to and overlooks the city of Jerusalem and the Temple complex.

The Olivet Discourse is the single most important prophetic passage in the New Testament, because how one understands this prophecy determines how one must interpret many other New Testament prophecies. This is because many other New Testament prophecies refer back to Jesus' teaching on the Mount of Olives.

The context is clear: Jesus begins the Olivet Discourse predicting the destruction of Jerusalem. The question is, during the Olivet Discourse, does Jesus ever transition from talking about the destruction of Jerusalem to talking about the Second Coming? Most people believe Jesus does go from talking about the destruction of Jerusalem in 70AD to the Second Coming, which is still in the future. If Jesus does change subjects, the next question is, where does Jesus change subjects?

Different people place the transition in different places. Some place the transition in Matthew 24:29, others in 24:35 or 25:1. Still others say Jesus goes back and forth between the two judgments. That there is no general consensus of when the transition occurs is best explained by the fact that there is no transition. Chapters 24 and 25 only refer to the judgment of Jerusalem in 70AD. Jesus does teach about the Second Coming, but He does not teach about it in the Olivet Discourse.

Chapter 2: What A Difference A Day Makes

2010-10-13T11:56:00.003-04:00

The following is an excerpt from the second chapter from my upcoming book. This chapter clarifies some of the prophetic language used in Revelation and elsewhere. Also explained here is the fact that the New Testament focuses in on two specific days of judgment. The nature of the "Second Coming," as well as why it is called the Second Coming are also clarified.

In order to understand the Bible, you have to understand the Bible's lingo. Every generation has its own language, often completely incomprehensible to other generations. One generation says, "That's cool!" Another generation says, "That's hot!" Still another generation says, "That's a gas, man!" (Did people ever really talk like that?! You know who you are!) The Biblical prophets also had their own lingo that we need to understand before trying to interpret prophecy. We don't want you mistaking "hot" for "cool" or a "gas," ya dig?

The prophet Isaiah records God calling the destruction of the ancient Babylonian empire "the day of the Lord" (Isaiah 13:6 and 13:9). At that time, the sun and the moon would go dark, and the world would be punished (Isaiah 13:10-11). The heaven trembled, and the earth quaked (Isaiah 13:13). This may sound like the end of the world, but God is in fact talking about the end of the Babylonian Empire that came at the hands of the Medes and Persians, back in 539BC. God sometimes uses figurative language to describe His judgment against a person or place. The destruction of Babylon is attributed to the work of God, even though from all appearances, it came at the hands of the Medes and Persians.

The sun, moon, and stars did not literally go out when God destroyed Babylon. The sun, moon, and stars are over all of the land and give light to all of the land. Therefore they are symbols for a nation's rulers and government. Genesis 1:16 depicts the sun and moon as "governing" over the day and night. In Joseph's dream, the sun, moon, and stars are symbols for people in relation to authority (Genesis 37:9-10). So when the Bible speaks of the sun, moon, and stars going out, it symbolizes the fall of a nation and its rulers. It is not the destruction of our world, it was the destruction of their "world."

When Isaiah 13:13 says "the earth will be shaken from its place," God is not speaking of a literal earthquake. When earthquakes occur, cities and buildings collapse into rubble. Earthquakes are symbols for the destruction of cities and nations. Those things which are "shaken," are those things which are removed and destroyed. That which cannot be "shaken" refers to that which can never be destroyed and will remain forever. This is spelled out in Hebrews 12:26-29.

Chapter 1: Ogres and Onions

2010-10-12T11:27:00.002-04:00

The following is an excerpt from the introductory chapter of my upcoming book:

"Ogres are like onions." As Shrek goes on to explain to Donkey, both ogres and onions have layers. Well, the book of Revelation has layers. Lots of layers. Revelation is a personal message from our Lord Jesus Christ to His church, expressed in a vision filled with symbols. The purpose of this book is to peel back the symbolism of Revelation layer by layer, so that the message of Christ may be understood by all.

Many people believe Revelation is a difficult book. Many things are difficult. Calculus is difficult. Finding a parking space downtown is difficult. Admitting to your spouse that you are wrong and they are right is difficult. Or so I hear, as I've never actually tried it. But Revelation is not difficult. Revelation is easy. Stop laughing!

How this book came to be

May I confess something to you? I used to never read Revelation. I used to avoid Revelation like the plague. Yes, that was a pun. No, it was not a good one. But when have you ever read a good pun? The only time I read Revelation was when I would read through the entire Bible. Revelation scared me. Revelation was scary not just because it was filled with scary visions, but even more so because I didn't understand any of it.

Oh sure, I had heard various people try to explain Revelation, but I was never convinced. In fact, I was under the impression that many of them didn't have a clue what they were talking about. As you are reading this book, you probably know exactly what I mean. Perhaps Revelation wasn't meant to be understood. Gradually, I began to believe Revelation was impossible to understand, so I stopped trying.

Unfortunately for you, I eventually went back to trying to understand Revelation, leading to the writing of this book.

I don't know how it is where you go to church, but most of the preachers where I have attended have rarely preached from Revelation. Oh sure, every once in awhile the preacher would say, "Now turn to the book of Revelation." "Ooo," I thought, "finally, someone is going to explain Revelation to me." But every time, I was only to be disappointed. They would just make a brief point from one of the seven letters in Revelation before moving on. Chapters 2 and 3 of Revelation, consisting of letters to various churches, actually made some sense to me. What I really needed was for someone to explain to me all those beasts, battles, and "locust-thingies!"

Book Update

2010-10-08T09:05:00.002-04:00

Just to give an update concerning my upcoming book on Revelation: I plan to have it ready by either the end of October or early November.

I had some volunteers to edit my book, but unfortunately they are behind schedule. If I hope to keep the book on schedule, I'll have to begin my second (and final) revision myself.

I had been planning to make a cover for the book, but I won't have the time to do a nice painting. Despite the amateurish look of my cartoons, I was a real artist in a "previous life." I won't be including any cartoons, either. Perhaps in a future edition I will get around to do a real cover, and include some cartoons.

In the meantime, as I go over and rewrite the book chapter by chapter, I will be posting excerpts of the book in my blog entries. So most or all of my posts in the coming weeks will be concerning the contents in this book. After the book is released, I'll probably get back into posting more cartoons, completing the study on baptism, etc.

Hopefully the reader will find the coming series worthwhile, as it is about many different, interesting subjects. This book isn't just about Revelation, but how Revelation fits within the rest of the Bible and prophecy. It is all about context.

Correcting The Record: The Woman Caught In Adultery

2010-10-07T11:20:00.003-04:00

As a follow up to a comment made on a previous topic concerning the Lord's Supper, I am posting this study on John 8:1-11 (the story concerning the woman caught in adultery).

This passage is often understood to teach that Jesus is merciful, and that He set aside the Law in order to forgive a sinner. While it is true that Jesus is merciful, that is not the point of this passage. In fact, no where in this passage is it recorded that Jesus forgave the woman. Furthermore, this passage actually shows that Jesus kept the Law of Moses perfectly, unlike His accusers.

Much of the confusion lies in Jesus' statement, "He who is without sin among you, let him be the first to throw a stone at her." Many take this to mean that only sinless people are allowed to condemn sinners. But if this was what Jesus meant, then He would be setting aside the Law of Moses (confirming the accusations of His critics, while contradicting Himself, see Matthew 5:17-20). For the Law of Moses clearly expected Israelites to stone certain people to death.

What those words of Jesus actually meant was this, "Let those who can accuse her without bringing guilt upon themselves, let them cast the first stone." In the Law of Moses, there were certain rules regarding testimony in a death penalty case, and those rules were not met.

The Law Of Moses Concerning Testimony In A Capital Case

One who testifies must do so from pure motives, for the sake of justice (Exodus 23:1-9 and Deuteronomy 16:19-20, 19:16-21). If there is something fishy about the accusation, the whole thing would be brought before the judges. If the judges determined the testimony of the witnesses was deceitful, what would have happened to the accused will instead happen to the malicious witnesses!

The entire situation in John 8 is clearly not about justice, but about trying to make Jesus look bad. That the whole thing was a sham was obvious from the fact that they only brought forth the woman. If she was caught in the very act of adultery, where was the man? The man should be stoned, too.

In order to put someone to death, the Law required the testimony of two or three witnesses. These witnesses would cast the first stone in the execution of the accused (Deuteronomy 17:6-7). Of course, by coming forward to cast the first stone, they were putting their own necks on the line.

The Response To Jesus' Words

That is why after Jesus' statement, no one stepped forward to cast the first stone. In fact, the older ones in the crowd left first, probably because they were the ringleaders behind this whole fiasco.

Since there were no witnesses to testify against the woman, the Law of Moses would require that she not be stoned. Hence Jesus' words, "Woman, where are they? Did no one condemn you?" "No one, Lord." "I do not condemn you, either. Go. From now on, sin no more."

Since the Law of Moses required that she not be stoned, she is let go, being told to stay out of trouble. And that is good advice for us all!

The Suffering of Children

2010-10-05T16:23:00.002-04:00

When my wife was pregnant with our first child, she wanted to show me a picture of what our child looked like at that (early) stage of development. So she pulled out one of her medical textbooks (she was in med school then), and began flipping through it. As she was looking for the picture, I was shocked at what I saw.

Page after page were photographs of deformed babies. Some of them were so grotesque, they didn't even look human. After a while, I had to turn away. I couldn't stand to look at them. That is when the thought occurred to me that one day I might have to look, because perhaps my child will become a photograph in a medical textbook.

Shortly after this, we were called in for a check-up. They had rescheduled our appointment for an earlier date. It turns out one of the tests had come back with an abnormal result. They told us there was a 1 in 60 chance our child would be born with a major defect of the spine. Upon further examination, they said the chances were reduced to a 1 in 500 chance.

As I walked to my car in the parking lot alone (my wife went back to class, which was located in that hospital), I asked myself a question. "Will I worship such a God as this, who stands by, allowing innocent children who have done no wrong, to be born deformed and disfigured?"

As I was thinking on these things, the words of the prophet Isaiah entered my mind.

"Just as many were astonished at you, My people, so His appearance was marred more than any man and His form more than the sons of men." God stood by and allowed His Son to be beaten so badly, He didn't look like Himself anymore. He didn't even look human.

"He was despised and forsaken of men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief; and like one from whom men hide their face He was despised, and we did not esteem Him." When they were done with Him, they couldn't even stand to look at Him.

"All of us like sheep have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; but the LORD has caused the iniquity of us all to fall upon Him." God stood by and allowed His one and only Son, in whom He was well pleased, who was perfect and innocent, to become deformed for us. For me. And for my child.

There in that parking lot I decided I would praise the Name of the Lord forever, no matter what happens, because He is worthy.

Lord's Supper vs. Transubstantiation

2010-10-02T10:50:00.002-04:00

In response to a recent comment, I am posting a study I did on the doctrine of transubstantiation. The doctrine of transubstantiation says that the bread and the wine at the Lord's Supper is transformed into the actual body and blood of Christ, even though by all appearances it still appears as bread and wine. The conjunction of this doctrine plus verses such as John 6:53 is a commonly used argument on behalf of Catholicism. Supposedly, only the Catholic church can transform the bread and wine into the flesh and blood of Christ, and consuming the literal flesh and blood of Christ is necessary for salvation. Therefore, Catholics claim salvation is only found within the Catholic church.

There is a serious problem with this. If the doctrine of transubstantiation is true, then that would make Christ a sinner, which is false (Hebrews 4:15).

Jesus was born under the Law of Moses (Galatians 4:4). According to Romans 7:1-6, a Jew born under the Law of Moses remained under that Law until he died. Therefore, from the time Jesus was born until the time He died on the cross, Jesus was under the Law of Moses.

What we see in the Gospels is that Jesus kept the Law of Moses perfectly. There are some passages commonly misunderstood where people think Jesus is setting aside or changing the Law of Moses as He deemed necessary, but this is not so. In Matthew 5:17-19, Jesus explicitly denies doing this. Jesus never rejected the Law of Moses, but He did often reject the traditions and faulty interpretations of the Law of Moses made by others.

According to Leviticus 17:10-16, consuming blood is forbidden by the Law of Moses. This is important, because the Lord's Supper was first instituted among men that were still under the Law of Moses. The first Lord's Supper was observed prior to Jesus' death on the cross. It would mean Jesus commanded His disciples (men still under the Law of Moses) to do that which is contrary to the Law, and would go against His teaching in Matthew 5:17-19.

Baptism Study #8: The Court of Appeals

2010-10-01T10:20:00.002-04:00

There are some who incorrectly claim 1 Peter 3:21 is not talking about water baptism. In the context, Peter had just said Noah's family was brought safely through the water. The very next words are, "Corresponding to that..." Corresponding to what? Corresponding to Noah being brought safely through the water, "baptism now saves you." So the natural conclusion is that Peter is referring to baptism in water.

That Peter is speaking of water baptism is confirmed when we compare 1 Peter 3:21 with Acts 2:38-41. In 1 Peter, Peter says baptism now saves you. In Acts 2:38, Peter taught water baptism was to receive the forgiveness of sins. Obviously, forgiveness of sins equals salvation. In fact, Acts 2:40 goes on to say that Peter used many other words, telling them to "Be saved from this perverse generation!" Peter taught water baptism as the means by which they would be saved from a wicked generation. Which is just what happened to Noah, as pointed out in 1 Peter 3:20-21. Just as Noah's family was saved from a wicked generation through water, the same was true for Peter's audience. Those who believed were baptized, and thus would be spared the destruction that would come upon that wicked generation (which came upon the Jews in Jerusalem in 70AD). For more information about who 1 & 2 Peter were written to, see my upcoming book on Revelation.

Baptismal Regeneration?

What I have been teaching, that salvation is received when we are baptized into Christ, is often slanderously called "baptismal regeneration." The very name implies that baptism itself saves you. This is obviously false. Baptism apart from faith in Christ, apart from the promises of Christ, apart from the grace of God, and apart from the atoning death of Jesus, apart from these things water baptism is useless.

Water baptism is comparable to the story of Naaman in 2 Kings 5. Naaman was a leper. He was told to wash himself seven times in the Jordan River. Let me ask you this: does bathing seven times in a muddy river cure leprosy? No it does not. And yet Naaman was cured of his leprosy when he did so. Why? Because the power of God was received through the water. The water didn't cure his leprosy, God cured his leprosy when he was bathed in the Jordan River that seventh time. Also notice that Naaman wasn't cleansed when he believed and decided to go to the Jordan River. It wasn't until he had carried out the commandment that He received the cleansing power of God.

Peter's Response to "Baptismal Regeneration"

In the same way, water baptism is how are sins are washed away. 1 Peter 3:21-22 says, "...baptism now saves you, not the removal of dirt from the flesh, but an appeal to God for a good conscience - through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, who is at the right hand of God, having gone into heaven, after angels and authorities and powers had been subjected to Him." It isn't that water can wash away your sins, it can't. Rather, water baptism is how we appeal to God for a good conscience. As one of my earlier studies has shown, water baptism is how we call upon the Name of the Lord for salvation - it is how we appeal to God to save us.

Just like Colossians 2:11-15, 1 Peter 3:21-22 teaches that our sins are removed from us when we are baptized in water with faith in Christ. That this is speaking of water baptism receives additional confirmation in that both Colossians 2:11-15 and 1 Peter 3:21-22 connect baptism with the exaltation, power, and authority of Christ. This is precisely what being baptized by water into the Name of God is all about (see my previous study on baptism into the Name of the Lord).

Hebrews 10:22, as I have explained in an earlier study, is referring to water baptism. In Hebrews 10:22, the writer says our hearts were sprinkled clean by the blood of Jesus, which happened when our bodies were washed in pure water (water baptism into the New Covenant). The writer says we were "sprinkled clean from an evil conscience." This coincides perfectly with 1 Peter 3:21 which teaches that in water baptism, we were appealing to God for a good conscience.

Pledge of Allegiance

There is one more point I would like to make concerning 1 Peter 3:21. If you read through various English translations, you will notice there are two different renderings of this verse. Some say that baptism is an appeal to God for a clean conscience, whereas others say baptism is a pledge of a good conscience towards God. The reason for this is that the original Greek is ambiguous, either understanding is possible. I believe this was intentional, since I believe Peter was making both points at the same time.

On the one hand, baptism is an appeal to God to save us from our sins (from our guilty conscience). On the other hand, baptism is a pledge to God, promising to follow Him forever, and pronouncing a curse upon us if we later turn away.

When we are baptized into the Name of God, we are baptized into His possession. That is the point at which we become His. Before being baptized, we confess Jesus is Lord - not just Lord of the universe, but we are stating that He is now Lord over my life. That is, when we are baptized, we commit ourselves to living for Him and dying to self (Romans 6:1-23).

When people came forward to receive John's baptism, John the Baptist warned them to "bear fruit in keeping with repentance" (Matthew 3:8). By being baptized, they were committing themselves to living a continuous life of repentance and obedience to God. The same is true for Christian baptism - we both appeal to God to save us, and we commit to following His ways.

Saving Faith

2010-09-29T10:57:00.002-04:00

The following is based upon a study by Gareth Reese in his commentary on the book of Acts.

Christianity teaches that we are saved by grace through faith. But what exactly is saving faith? As described in the New Testament, saving faith is made up of four components. Since the first three components are not controversial, I will spend extra time on the fourth aspect of saving faith.

#1. Knowledge

Saving faith includes an element of knowledge. You obviously cannot have faith in Christ if you have never heard of Christ. This isn't to say you must know everything (for only God knows everything), but there are some things one must know in order to have saving faith. See Romans 10:17 & Hebrews 11:6.

Mere knowledge, however, is not enough for salvation. Any atheist who has read the Bible knows what it says, but the atheist is not thereby saved.

#2. Mental Assent

Mental assent means to believe something is true. See Acts 8:12-13 & 26:27.

An atheist who has read the Bible knows that the Bible claims Jesus is the Son of God. Even so, the atheist doesn't actually believe Jesus really is the Son of God.

#3. Trust

It is not enough to have knowledge and mental assent. There are many people who believe Jesus is the Son of God, and yet they do not trust in Him for salvation. Instead, they continue to live in willful disobedience and dread of the coming judgment. Moving beyond mere knowledge and agreement on the facts, one must trust in Jesus, placing their confidence in Him. See Luke 24:25, Romans 9:33, 10:11, 1 Timothy 1:16, & 1 Peter 2:6.

#4. Obedience

Many people would end their definition of faith with #3, but this would be a mistake. As my previous study showed, choosing to believe in Jesus is itself an act of obedience (John 6:27-29). You can have all the evidence in the world, but if a person refuses to believe, you cannot make them believe. So belief is a choice, an action, an act of obedience. As Jesus describes it, faith is a work (to see why this does not contradict Ephesians 2:8-9, see my previous study on faith).

In Acts 24:24, Luke says Paul spoke to Felix about "faith in Christ Jesus." In the very next verse, Luke writes, "But as he was discussing righteousness, self-control and the judgment to come..." Here, faith in Christ is used interchangeably with self-control, obedience.

John 3:36 says, "He who believes in the Son has eternal life; but he who does not obey the Son will not see life..." Belief is contrasted with disobedience, indicating they are opposites.

Hebrews 3:18-19 says, "And to whom did He swear that they would not enter His rest, but to those who were disobedient? So we see that they were not able to enter because of unbelief." The writer indicates that unbelief and disobedience are synonymous.

Acts 6:7 describes how people "were becoming obedient to the faith."

In Acts 19:1-3, Paul asks some Ephesians, "Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?" When they answered no, Paul asked, "Into what then were you baptized?" Paul equates the moment they believed with submitting to baptism.

Acts 16:31-34 describes the conversion of the Philippian jailer. First, Paul tells the jailer, "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved." Luke then tells us they were baptized. Immediately after this, Luke says they "rejoiced greatly, having believed in God." As with other passages, this indicates submission to baptism with believing in the Lord for salvation.

Galatians 3:26-27 says, "For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ." As explained in a previous study on baptism, baptism into the Name of the Lord (water baptism) is how we become His possession. This passage equates faith in Christ with water baptism. This is because, as Colossians 2:12 explains, that water baptism is an act of faith in Christ.

So what is saving faith? Perhaps it was put best in that great song: "Trust and obey, for there's no other way..."

Faith vs. Works

2010-09-28T13:01:00.003-04:00

I'm taking a break from our study on baptism to take a brief look at faith. I will spend less time on faith, not because it is less important (it is far more foundational than baptism to be sure), but because it is generally far less controversial.

In Ephesians 2:8-9, Paul teaches, "For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast." Unfortunately, many people read this apart from the context and mistakenly believe Paul is saying salvation is apart from any obedience. While this view is commonly held, it is incorrect.

Work Is A Four-Letter Word

First, we must realize that faith itself is a work. What is a work? It is something you do. A work is not necessarily something we do to earn something. Sometimes we do something to receive something we did not earn. If I decide out of the goodness of my heart to give $1,000 to everyone who meets me after church, does everyone receive the money? No, only those who meet me after church. Does that mean they earned the money? No, because meeting someone after church generally doesn't earn you $1,000. You must do something in order to receive something you did not earn.

Jesus On Faith And Works

In John 6:27-29, Jesus explicitly says merely believing in Christ (faith) is a work that we are to do to receive what we did not earn. Jesus said, "Do not work for the food which perishes, but [work] for the food which endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you..." The crowd correctly understood Jesus was telling them to work (to do something) in order to receive the gift of eternal life. They responded, "What shall we do, so that we may work the works of God?"

Jesus answers, "This is the work of God, that you believe (pisteuo, the verb form of "faith") in Him whom He has sent." When Jesus speaks of doing the work of God, He is answering what they are to do. To do the works of God is to do what God would have you do - believe in Jesus. If I care for orphans and widows, I am doing the "work of God." That doesn't mean God is doing it for me, but that I am doing something in agreement with the will of God.

Choosing to believe in Jesus is a choice. It is something you either choose to do or choose not to do. Therefore, merely having faith is a work. But it is not a work of merit. That is, it isn't something that earns us anything. Rather, it is how we receive what we did not earn (salvation).

Back To Paul

So when Paul says we are saved by grace through faith apart from works, Paul is not saying we are saved apart from any works. Paul is specifically speaking of the works of the Law of Moses, and circumcision in particular. Paul is saying we are saved through faith in Christ apart from observing the Law of Moses.

Compare Ephesians 2:8-9 with Galatians 2:16, "nevertheless knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the Law [of Moses] but through faith in Christ Jesus, even we [Jews, Peter and Paul] have believed in Christ Jesus, so that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the Law [of Moses]; since by the works of the Law [of Moses] no flesh will be justified."

Romans 3:27-28 says, "Where then is boasting? It is excluded. By what kind of law? Of works? No, but by a law of faith. For we maintain that a man is justified by faith [in Christ] apart from works of the Law [of Moses]."

Back To Ephesians

Ephesians 2:8-9, in context (just like in Galatians 2 and Romans 3), is speaking about the controversy over whether or not circumcision and the Law of Moses was required for salvation. This is why Paul speaks about circumcision and the false teachers in Ephesians 2:11.

This is further seen in that Ephesians 2:9 refers to boasting - see Romans 3:27 & Galatians 6:12-15, where boasting is clearly tied to the issue of circumcision. Ephesians 2:8-9 is NOT discussing the controversy between faith vs. obedience, despite the fact that this is how almost everyone teaches it.

While we are not saved by our obedience, we are not saved without obedience, either. As the next study will show, obedience is an integral part of saving faith.

Baptism Study #7: Forgiveness of Sins

2010-09-28T10:26:00.003-04:00

Acts 2:38 is probably the most controversial non-controversial verse in the entire Bible. What I mean by that is both the language and the context of that verse is straightforward and clear. Nevertheless, it is considered controversial because many theologies disagree with its plain teaching.

In Acts 2:38, Peter tells the crowd, "Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit." The key word here is "for." The word translated "for" is eis, which is a preposition meaning "into." So literally, you are to be baptized into the forgiveness of sins.

Thayer's Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament is the standard; if your minister has but one Greek lexicon, it is probably this one. Under the entry for the word baptize (baptizo), when baptize is used in conjunction with eis, it is "to mark the element into which the immersion is made." Specifically, in Acts 2:38, Thayer's says it means "to obtain the forgiveness of sins."

So when Peter told them to be baptized for the forgiveness of sins, he taught that baptism was how we received the forgiveness of sins. On www.biblegateway.com, there are 21 English translations of the Bible. All 21 translations agree with this. I have 2 more translations on my shelf that aren't on biblegateway, the RSV & NRSV, and they both agree, also. Add to that my Greek-English interlinear translated by Alfred Marshall and my Thayer's lexicon, and that is a total of 25 out of 25 translations that I have available that all agree this is what the text means.

Even though there is no controversy over what the text says, many people refuse to accept it (often based upon a faulty understanding of Ephesians 2:8-9, which I will discuss in a later study). Here are a few of the more common attempts to get around the plain language of Acts 2:38.

Objection #1. Baptism is for the forgiveness of sins in the sense that we are baptized because we have already been forgiven. This is essentially what is meant by the phrase "baptism is an outward sign of an inward grace." Some will point to Matthew 3:11, where John baptized people for (eis) repentance. They claim that this means they were baptized because they were repentant, and not into repentance.

Answer: Given that so many denominations deny baptism is for the forgiveness of sins, there can be no doubt that many of the scholars on the various translation committees reject baptism for the forgiveness of sins. Nevertheless, not a single major English translation renders Acts 2:38 as being baptized "because you have already been forgiven." In fact, several translations are even more explicit, translating it "be baptized so that your sins will be forgiven." 0 out of the 25 translations I have access to render it this way, even though some would have a strong bias for doing it. That should speak volumes.

The Bible never teaches that baptism is an outward sign of an inward grace. The Bible never teaches baptism is a sign of anything. This objection cannot be sustained, especially when we look at Acts 2:38 in light of Acts 22:16.

The context of Matthew 3:11 makes it clear that John's baptism was "for," into repentance, not "because of" repentance. When people came forward to be baptized, John told them, "Therefore bear fruit in keeping with repentance" (Matthew 3:8). So baptism was a commitment to live a life of continued repentance. This is made even clearer when compared to the parallel verses in Mark 1:4 and Luke 3:3, which says John taught a baptism "of repentance for (eis) the forgiveness of sins." Thayer's lexicon also agrees with this assessment in his treatment of Matthew 3:11.

Objection #2. In Acts 2:38, the forgiveness of sins is a result of repentance, and not a result of baptism. This argument is based upon making a distinction between "(all of you) Repent," and "each of you be baptized."

Answer: 0 out of 25 translations I have available render it this way. Repentance is tied to the forgiveness of sins in that repentance is a prerequisite for "baptism for the forgiveness of sins."

Objection #3. Some claim the question the crowd asked didn't ask about how to be saved. Instead, the question in Acts 2:37 proves they believed in Jesus and were thus saved. The question "Brethren, what shall we do?" is not about salvation, but what they were to do now that they were saved.

Answer: Yes, folks, this is a real objection I have seen on more than one occasion. It is simply dishonest.

Acts 2:37 begins with, "Now when they heard this..." What had they just heard? They had just heard that they had rejected, humiliated, tortured, and murdered God's Chosen One, and they were about to be turned into footstools (see Acts 2:33-36). Anyone with a hint of objectivity will admit that they were asking Peter how to get off of God's "footstool list."

Furthermore, this view would mean people are saved even prior to repentance, which is obviously false as it goes against example after example found throughout the Bible.

Questions

When asked what they must do to be saved, Peter told them to repent and be baptized in the Name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sins, and they would receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. If someone asked you, "What must I do to be saved?" Would you hesitate in giving the exact same answer as the inspired Apostle Peter gave?

Were you baptized because you had already been forgiven, or were you baptized to receive the forgiveness of sins?

Baptism Study #6: Calling Upon The Name Of The Lord

2010-09-27T16:18:00.003-04:00

Whoever calls upon the Name of the Lord will be saved. But how does one call upon the Name of the Lord for salvation?

Romans 10:6-13

In Romans 10:6-8, Paul quotes from Deuteronomy 30:12-14, saying, "The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart." Paul is referring to the Gospel of Jesus Christ, that we are saved by grace through faith in Christ, apart from genealogy, cirumcision, and the works of the Law of Moses.

Drawing from Deuteronomy 30:14, Paul focuses in on the mouth and the heart for salvation. "If you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation."

Paul then quotes from Isaiah 28:16 in order to prove God saves both Jews and Gentiles through faith in Christ, apart from the works of the Law of Moses, for the promise is for whoever believes in Jesus, regardless if they are a Jew or not. Paul then quotes Joel 2:32 to drive his point home, "Whoever will call on the Name of the Lord will be saved."

Many people take Romans 10:9-10 as proof that salvation is apart from baptism, when in fact, these verses are referring to baptism. Before a person is to be baptized, they have to first believe in Jesus, and then confess Jesus is Lord. At that point, they are baptized into Christ (see Acts 8:36-38 as example of what Romans 10:9-13 is talking about). The way one calls upon the Name of the Lord to be saved is through baptism. Salvation comes when we believe, confess, and call upon His name for salvation (baptism).

Acts 2

In Acts 2:21, Peter also quotes Joel 2:32, "everyone who calls on the Name of the Lord will be saved." In the context of Peter's sermon, how were people saved? When the crowd asked what they must do to be saved, Peter told them to "Repent, and each of you be baptized in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit."

Obviously, to have your sins forgiven is to be saved. Whereas Matthew 28:19 says to baptize people into (eis) the Name of God, in Acts 2:38, Peter says to be baptized upon (epi) the Name of Jesus. Since the Name refers to the power and authority of God, they were to be baptized upon Jesus' power and authority, which Peter had just established in Acts 2:32-36. So according to Peter in Acts 2, the way we call on the Name of the Lord for salvation is when we are baptized upon the Name of Jesus for the forgiveness of sins.

Acts 22:16

We receive further confirmation that we call on the Name of the Lord for salvation through baptism in Acts 22:16. Paul was told to "be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on His Name." Once again, we see baptism, salvation, and calling upon the Name of the Lord are all connected together.

Calling Upon The Name Of The Lord For Salvation

So we see from Romans 10:9-13 & Acts 8:36-38, Acts 2:21-38, and Acts 22:16 that we call on the Name of the Lord for salvation when we are baptized upon His Name for the forgiveness of sins. To call upon the Name of the Lord for salvation acknowledges that we cannot save ourselves. By ourselves, we are powerless, lost, and under the wrath of God. Our only hope is to appeal to Jesus and fully depend upon Him. "And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved" (Acts 4:12).

Baptism Study #5: Leviticus & Leprosy

2010-09-25T10:27:00.002-04:00

Leviticus 14 is one of the most beautiful portraits of what our Lord Jesus Christ has done for us. It is all the more beautiful because this chapter deals with a very ugly subject - leprosy. Here, Moses describes the sacrifices to be offered once an Israelite has been healed from leprosy.

The Symbolism of Leprosy

Leprosy is a symbol for sin (God strikes people with leprosy as a divine punishment for sin in Numbers 12:9-10 & 2 Chronicles 26:19-20, for example). This is by no means to say every case of leprosy is directly related to one's sin (see Luke 13:1-5). Leprosy caused a person to be removed from the camp of God's people. Though they were still alive, they were effectively "dead men walking," much like those who are under sin in this world. The Law gives no cure for leprosy that a leper could perform. In this sense, the cure for leprosy could only come from God, just as only God can cure our sin problem.

Once a person had been healed from their leprosy, they would show themselves to the priest. If the priest sees that the leprosy is gone, he then performs a series of sacrifices that point directly to Christ and the New Covenant.

The First Sacrifice

The priest kills a bird over a clay jar filled with water, pouring out its life's blood into the water. The priest then takes the second bird and dips it into the blood and water in the clay jar. That bird is then set free.

On the one hand, this depicts the death, burial, & resurrection of Jesus Christ. A sacrifice is killed, then is buried in the earth, and then comes out of the earth and ascends into heaven.

In the same way, it also depicts what Jesus has done for the Christian. When the second bird is dipped, baptized into the water, it comes into contact with the blood of the one sacrificed (just as we saw in Hebrews 10:22 in our previous study). At this point, the second bird is buried (in the clay jar, made of earth), and then comes back out of the water/burial, just as we come back out of the waters of baptism. Since the first bird has died, the second bird gets to go free. The second bird is now free to fly away and ascend into heaven.

That is a beautiful depiction of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, but there is more. The priest sprinkles the blood & water upon the person seven times, and then pronounces him clean. It is done seven times to show that cleansing comes from God and not from man, since seven is the divine number. Notice the person is not clean until the blood of the sacrifice has been sprinkled upon him (Hebrews 10:19-22).

The Second Series of Sacrifices

Eight days later, the former leper is to offer a series of sacrifices. The significance of the eighth day is that it points to the resurrection of Jesus. Jesus completed the work of salvation with His death on the cross on a Friday, the sixth day of the week (John 19:30). On the seventh day, the Sabbath, His body lay in the tomb "resting" from His labor. Then on the next day, Sunday, the "eighth day," Jesus rose from the grave to live again. And with His resurrection, a new creation week began.

The first sacrifice offered was the guilt offering. The guilt offering was to atone for sins committed against his fellow man. Matthew 5:23-24 & 1 John 4:20 show the importance of making things right with our fellow man if we wish to be in covenant relationship with God.

The priest takes the blood of the sacrifice and places it upon the person's right earlobe, the right thumb, and the right big toe. This is to signify that the person will listen to God, will do the work of God (the things God would have him do), and will walk after God, following in His ways.

The priest then takes oil, signifying the Holy Spirit. The priest sprinkles the oil seven times, showing this is the work of God. The oil is then applied to the same places the blood was applied (the right earlobe, right thumb, and right big toe). The rest of the oil is then placed upon the person's head. This signifies that we receive the Holy Spirit once we have come into contact with the blood. Hebrews 10:22 teaches us that we come into contact with Jesus' blood when we are baptized in water. Acts 2:38 teaches us that when we are baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sins, we will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. So it is in water baptism that we come into contact both with the blood of Christ and the Holy Spirit, born of water and Spirit.

After all of this, the sin offering is made, to atone for sins made against God. With this, the atonement for sin is completed. Once the sin has been dealt with, the person is now able to offer pure worship. The burnt offering symbolized that the worshiper was dedicating their whole person for the purpose of pleasing God. The grain offering symbolized that the worshiper was dedicating all that he owned to the glory of God, that he would use his material blessings to honor God.

"Thus the priest shall make atonement for him, and he will be clean."

Epilogue

Jesus saves us to bring us into the camp of His people, into His kingdom (John 3:5). Jesus doesn't save us just to save us. He saves us for a purpose. Once we are saved, we are to offer pure worship to Him in the community of His saints. The rest of our lives should be dedicated for the glory of God, serving God and man. Baptism is not the end, it is a new beginning. "For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them" (Ephesians 2:10).

Baptism Study #4: Covenant & Curse

2010-09-24T10:10:00.008-04:00

Christianity is a blood covenant. But what does that mean?

A covenant is basically a contract. People enter contracts by agreeing to a set of terms, including penalties to be incurred if the contract is broken. Today, a contract isn't considered valid until the parties sign on the dotted line.

In the same way, when people enter into a covenant, they are bound to keep the terms of the agreement. If they do not, they will be punished. In contrast to modern contracts, a blood covenant only came into affect with the shedding of blood, the taking of a life, a sacrifice. To better explain the nature of a blood covenant, we will compare two blood covenants in the Old Testament to the blood covenant of Christ.

The Blood Covenant God Made To Abraham

Genesis 15:1-21 tells of a blood covenant God made to Abraham. God makes an incredible promise to Abraham. Abraham believes God, and yet he struggles with doubt (compare Genesis 15:6-8 with Mark 9:22-24). Abraham is seeking reassurance from God that He will keep His promise.

God does something amazing in order to alleviate Abraham's lingering doubts. God tells Abraham to take some animals and cut them in half. When Abraham falls asleep, he sees God pass through the animals halves in a vision. The significance of this is profound. By God passing through the sacrificed animals, God was making a blood covenant with Abraham. Effectively, God was saying "If I do not keep my promise, then may I be like these animals that were sacrificed."

So when we pass through the death of the One sacrificed, Jesus, we enter into a binding covenant with God - the covenant made in the blood of Christ, the New Covenant, Christianity. When do we pass through the death of Christ? Paul asks a rhetorical question in Romans 6:3, "Or do you not know [Paul knows they knew perfectly well] that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus have been baptized into His death?" Paul reminds his Christian readers of this in order to prove that the Gospel of grace does not give us a license to sin (Romans 6:1-2). When we were baptized into Christ's death, we died to sin (Romans 6:2) and entered a covenant promising to follow Christ. (Note that Romans 6 and Colossians 2 deal with the same kind of baptism, for both are baptisms into the burial and resurrection of Christ; also compare Romans 6's dying to sin and leaving sin behind with Colossians 2's having your sins cut off and thrown away).

The Blood Covenant God Made With Israel

Exodus 24:3-8 describes the Hebrew nation entering into a blood covenant (the Old Covenant) with God. In Exodus 24:3, the people review and agree to the terms of the covenant. After this, animals were sacrificed. The blood from the sacrifice was then sprinkled upon the people who had just agreed to God's covenant made through Moses (Exodus 24:7-8). By having the blood of the sacrifice sprinkled upon them, they were effectively pronouncing a curse upon themselves if they failed to keep the Old Covenant - may they be like the animals that were slain. So when the blood of the covenant is sprinkled upon you, you become bound to the covenant.

In the same way, we enter into the New Covenant when we agree with the terms and have Jesus' blood sprinkled upon us. According to Hebrews 10:19-22, we are able to draw near to God and enter into His presence because we have had "our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience." With what were we sprinkled clean? According to Hebrews 10:19, it was "by the blood of Jesus." When is the blood of Jesus sprinkled upon us? Hebrews 10:22 connects the sprinkling of His blood with the phrase "and our bodies washed with pure water." Our bodies were washed with water in the waters of baptism.

Covenant Birth

When the Hebrew people first entered into the Old Covenant, they entered into it by agreeing with it and by having the blood of the covenant sprinkled upon them. However, from that point on, Jews entered the Covenant of Moses simply by being born to parents who were already in the Mosaic Covenant.

In a similar (yet different) way, people must be born into the New Covenant. However, people aren't physically born into the New Covenant, like they were under the Covenant of Moses. In Jeremiah 31:27-34, God contrasts the Old Covenant with the New Covenant. In the Old Covenant, people were born into it by birth, and later had to be taught about the covenant they were already a part of. In the New Covenant, this would not be the case (Jeremiah 31:34). Instead, everyone in the New Covenant will have already been taught about God and the New Covenant before they enter into it. People are born into the New Covenant not on the basis of who their parents are, but are born of God (John 1:13 & 3:8)

We enter the New Covenant when we are born again, born of water and the Spirit (John 3:5). In 2 Corinthians 5:17, if we are in Christ, then we are a new creation. How do we get into Christ? By being baptized into Christ. When we are baptized into His death, we are raised up with Him to walk in newness of life (Romans 6:3-11). The old dies, and something new is born.

Summary

We pass through the death of Christ when we are baptized into Jesus' death. We have the blood sprinkled upon us when our bodies are washed in pure water. We are born into the New Covenant when we are born again, born of water and the Spirit. We enter the Covenant of Christ through the waters of baptism. By entering into a covenant relationship with Christ through baptism, we are pronouncing a curse upon ourselves if we do not remain faithful to Him. This is why Peter says it is worse for those who have come to Christ and then turn away, than for those who never came to Christ (2 Peter 2:20-21).

Baptism Study #3: Spiritual Circumcision

2010-09-23T21:24:00.002-04:00

In Colossians 2, Paul is preparing the Colossians to resist the false teachers. Among other things, the false teachers claimed circumcision was for salvation.

Paul makes an interesting argument to refute this false doctrine. In Colossians 2:8-15, Paul essentially agrees with the false teachers that salvation is found in circumcision. Only the circumcision that saves isn't done with human hands (compare Colossians 2:11 with Ephesians 2:11). The true circumcision that saves is the circumcision of Christ, which is performed without hands (performed by the Holy Spirit).

What happens in physical circumcision is that a piece of skin is cut off and thrown away. In spiritual circumcision, the Holy Spirit cuts our sins off from us and throws them away. When does this spiritual circumcision take place? According to Paul, it happens when, by faith, we are baptized (Colossians 2:11-12).

In baptism, we are both buried with Christ and raised up with Christ (Colossians 2:12). At that time, we were made alive together with Christ, and our transgressions were all forgiven (Colossians 2:13)

Since the Gentile Christians were all saved while they were still physically uncircumcised, Paul proves that keeping circumcision and the Law of Moses is not necessary for salvation.

There is one more point to be made here about Colossians 2 and baptism. Many people misunderstand this passage as teaching that baptism is a sign of the New Covenant, just as circumcision was a sign of the Old Covenant. But notice this is not what the text says.

Circumcision was a sign of the Old Covenant. The Jews weren't circumcised into the Old Covenant. Rather, they were born into the Old Covenant by virtue of having Jewish parents. Jewish baby boys would then be circumcised on the eighth day as a sign of the covenant, that is, as a sign that they were already in covenant relationship.

Since Paul here compares baptism to circumcision, many incorrectly conclude Paul is saying baptism is the sign of the New Covenant. Many mistakenly teach that the purpose of baptism is to show that you are already a part of the New Covenant. But neither here nor anywhere else in the New Testament is baptism called a sign of the covenant. In fact, baptism is never called a sign of anything. The oft repeated phrase "baptism is an outward sign of an inward grace" is entirely unbiblical.

Baptism is not to show that you are already in covenant relationship with Christ. As the next study will show, the Bible teaches that baptism is how one enters into the New Covenant.

Baptism Study #2: Baptism in the Name of the Lord

2010-09-22T13:29:00.002-04:00

In Mattthew 28:18-20, Jesus gives the great commission. In that great commission, Jesus tells His disciples to baptize people in the Name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. There are three divine Persons, yet only one divine Name (one of the foundational passages on the doctrine of the Trinity).

Taking a closer look, it says to baptize people "eis" the Name of the Lord. Literally, the disciples were to baptize people into the Name of the Lord. But what does it mean to be baptized into the Name of God?

The Name of God refers to the power (the ability to do something), and the authority (the right to use that power) that belongs to God alone. This authority belongs to Jesus (Matthew 28:18). We see a similar use of the word "name" when a police officer shouts "Stop in the name of the law!" The police officer has both the power and the authority to stop someone.

So when a person is baptized into the Name of the Lord, they are baptized into His power and authority. It means to come under His authority, to become God's possession. So when you are baptized into the Name of the Lord, you become one of His people.

This is demonstrated in 1 Corinthians 1:12-15. The Corinthians divided themselves into different groups, claiming they belonged to Paul, or Apollos, or Peter. Paul proves that none of them belong to him by pointing out that they were not baptized into (eis) the name of Paul.

Paul's reasoning was this. If you were not baptized into Paul's name, then that proves you do not belong to Paul. What that implies is that when they were baptized into the Name of the Lord, they all became God's possession and belonged to Him. Since they all belonged to God (having been baptized into His Name), they ought not to be divided since they are all one people - the people of God.

So when someone is baptized in the Name of the Lord, they become one of God's people.

Baptism Study #1: Addressing the Controversy

2010-09-21T17:23:00.002-04:00

This post is the first in a series on the subject of baptism.

Today, baptism is a controversial subject in the church. But it wasn't always this way. During the time that the New Testament books were being written, there was no controversy concerning baptism.

There is no passage in the New Testament that seeks to explain what baptism is. At no point does the Apostle Paul say, "And now I am going to explain what baptism is, in order to settle your dispute on this matter." Instead, it is always assumed the reader knows what baptism is all about. This is because baptism was not controversial. It was a foundational part of the Gospel message, and was universally understood by the early church.

Not only is there no record of a controversy over baptism in the New Testament, the New Testament writers use baptism in order to settle controversial matters. New Testament writers use baptism, which was well understood, in order to explain matters that were less well understood.

For example, Paul doesn't teach on baptism in Romans 6 for the sake of teaching about baptism. Rather, Paul uses baptism in order to explain why the Gospel of grace does not give one a license to sin (Romans 6:1). In Colossians 2:8-15, Paul brings up baptism in order to refute the most controversial issue in the early church - keeping the Law of Moses for salvation, especially circumcision.

So if the early church was unanimous on the matter of baptism, we would expect it to be a fairly simple, straightforward doctrine. Which it is. Then why is there so much controversy today over baptism? The controversy is there not because the Bible is unclear about baptism, but because people's theology often contradicts the plain teaching of Scripture.

Whatever the correct understanding of baptism is, it should be simple to understand. This isn't rocket science. If we let the Bible speak, the true meaning of baptism will be clear.

Fortune Cookie

2010-09-18T14:49:00.001-04:00

John 3:16 - "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life."

Filling Out Paperwork

2010-09-04T15:51:00.005-04:00

"I say we file this under an 'act of God...' "

Matthew 28:11 - "Now while they were on their way, some of the guard came into the city and reported to the chief priests all that had happened."

The End Is Near

2010-08-31T09:43:00.004-04:00

I believe when the Bible said Jesus was near, that He was coming soon and quickly, I believe those were literally correct. I believe NT prophecy focuses on two different days of judgment - when Jesus would come in judgment upon Jerusalem (which happened in that generation), and when Jesus would return in the flesh to raise the dead and judge the world (the Second Coming). (Jesus has come in judgment on individuals, churches, and nations throughout history, but the NT is primarily concerned with two judgments in particular.)

Jesus and His Apostles gave signs for when He was about to judge Jerusalem. This is important, because the Christians needed to know when to get out of Jerusalem so that they were not caught up in it when God pours out His wrath on the city. On the other hand, I do not believe there are any warning signs of when the Second Coming will happen. There are no need for signs, for the faithful Christian has nothing to fear about the final judgment. The only indication of when the Second Coming would happen is that it would be a long time after Jesus' generation.

I believe those who pick specific dates for the Second Coming misunderstand what the Bible teaches on this subject. Jesus might come back to judge the world today, tomorrow, ten thousand years from now, or whenever. We know it will happen, but we do not know when.

This is one of several comics I intend to include in my upcoming book Revelation: All Things New. I just finished my first revision of the book, and am now seeking out people who are interested in reading and critiquing it. For more information, see my earlier post entitled Book Announcement. Thanks!

Euodia and Syntyche

2010-08-27T15:52:00.004-04:00

"I urge Euodia and I urge Syntyche to live in harmony in the Lord." Philippians 4:2

Have you ever noticed that most arguments in the church are over minor things? Whatever Euodia and Syntyche were arguing about, I suppose it wasn't doctrinally important, because Paul doesn't even get into what the argument was about.

If Paul wrote a letter to your church today, would he mention you by name in a similar manner?

I'm pretty sure the Apostle Paul wouldn't have mentioned me in letters written to the churches I've attended over the years. Instead, he'd have probably written an entire series of letters directly addressing my problems! Just imagine how long the Bible would have been if I had been a contemporary of Paul. Paul would have written 1st Steve, 2nd Steve, 3rd Steve, 4th Steve...

Book Announcement

2010-08-24T19:12:00.003-04:00

As some of you may know, I am currently writing a book based upon my class series on Revelation and New Testament prophecy, called "Revelation: All Things New." While the book is focused on explaining the visions in Revelation, it also shows how Revelation fits in with the rest of the Bible, and in particular, the rest of the New Testament.

Do you find Revelation impossible to understand? Have you ever read the New Testament and got the impression that the Apostles expected Jesus to come back during their lifetime? Did you notice that other passages seem to indicate that Jesus would not return for a long, long time? I believe you really can understand Revelation and the end-times prophecies, and you can know you know. This book aims to show how Bible prophecy all fits together by closely examining and explaining the context behind these passages.

Since the closing chapters of Revelation are written in direct contrast to the opening chapters of Genesis, I have included an appendix that examines many of the mysteries of Genesis. The appendix deals with the age of the earth, the extent of Noah's flood, evolution, the long lifespans, and more. Also included are appendices on the nature of our resurrection bodies and confronting the heresy of hyperpreterism.

I have just finished the first draft of the book with foot notes. Once I have revised it, I will submit the book to several people for critique. After that, I will revise it one more time, adding the art for the cover, and finishing it up.

"Revelation: All Things New" will be released for free in pdf format, and in print, where it will be sold at cost through lulu.com. I hope to have the book fully completed and released within the next two months.

If you would like to participate in the critique, you can reach me by my address (rsteve76)-(at)-(hotmail)-(dot)-(com), minus the parentheses and dashes. If you do request to review the book prior to release, please make sure you have time to finish reading the book, and send in appropriate criticisms and suggestions within a month of receiving it (the book, as a regular MS Word doc, is about 75 pages long).

A Frivolous Lawsuit

2010-08-19T13:40:00.003-04:00

Lawyer: "By recruiting only heterosexual animal couples, you are discriminating against same-gender animal couples. I'm suing you and I'll expect to see you in court just as soon as the weather clears."

Genesis 6:19 - "And of every living thing of all flesh, you shall bring two of every kind into the ark, to keep them alive with you; they shall be male and female."

Apart from the heterosexual relationship, limiting the definition of marriage to two individuals is arbitrary.

Proverbs 31 Woman

2010-08-12T22:17:00.002-04:00

Quoting Bible passages out of context can be dangerous...

Proverbs 31:10 - "An excellent wife, who can find? For her worth is far above jewels."

For the sake of your marriage, you had better finish quoting that verse!

Fishers of Men

2010-08-11T21:38:00.002-04:00

"I think you're taking that whole 'fishers of men' thing a little too literally..."

Matthew 4:19 - "And He said to them, 'Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.'"

If at First You Don't Succeed...

2010-08-09T22:17:00.002-04:00

950th Try Is a Charm: Woman Finally Passes Driver's License Test

A woman in South Korea who tried to pass the written exam for a driver's license with near-daily attempts since April 2005 has finally succeeded on her 950th time. The aspiring driver spent more than $4,200 in application fees, but until now had failed to score the minimum 60 out of a possible 100 points needed to get behind the wheel for a driving test...

There is more on this story HERE.

2 Peter 1:5-7 - "Now for this very reason also, applying all diligence, in your faith supply moral excellence, and in your moral excellence, knowledge, and in your knowledge, self-control, and in your self-control, perseverance, and in your perseverance, godliness, and in your godliness, brotherly kindness, and in your brotherly kindness, love."

Now that is a lesson in perseverance!

Judgment Day

2010-08-08T22:36:00.003-04:00

"So... what You're telling me is that what happened in Vegas didn't stay in Vegas?"

Revelation 20:12 - "And I saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne, and books were opened; and another book was opened, which is the book of life; and the dead were judged from the things which were written in the books, according to their deeds."

This verse makes me grateful for God's grace!

The Original Talking Donkey

2010-08-07T10:34:00.003-04:00

"Yes, Balaam had a talking donkey."
"No, Balaam wasn't an ogre."

Numbers 22:30 - "The donkey said to Balaam, 'Am I not your donkey on which you have ridden all your life to this day? Have I ever been accustomed to do so to you?' And he said, 'No.'"

Well, I guess in a manner of speaking, Balaam was an ogre...

Priorities...

2010-08-06T15:51:00.004-04:00

"I know there are more important matters at hand, but I can't help wondering... is this a whale or a fish?"

Jonah 1:17 - "And the LORD appointed a great fish to swallow Jonah, and Jonah was in the stomach of the fish three days and three nights."

Am I the only one that occasionally gets caught up in wondering about trivial things?

Somebody in Christ

2010-08-05T23:10:00.003-04:00

A few weeks ago, I threw something messy (an open container of ketchup) into one of the trash cans at church. As it was dropping it into the trash can, I noticed there was no trash bag in it. Ketchup got all over the inside of the trash can. I thought to myself, "Somebody needs to put a trash bag in there."

The next thought that occurred to me was this: "I am somebody in Christ." By myself, I am nothing. But in Christ, He has made me a somebody. I was made new in Christ Jesus for good works.

So I grabbed a trash bag and emptied the trash can into the bag. I then got some Windex and paper towels and cleaned up the inside of the trash can. Finally, I put the trash bag into the trash can.

So the next time you find yourself thinking, "I wish somebody would..." or "Somebody needs to..." Whether it is something big, or something small (like cleaning a trash can), remember, you are "somebody" in Christ.

(Ephesians 2:10)

Now THAT Is a Sermon Illustration!

2010-08-04T11:49:00.003-04:00

Isaiah: "First, I wanted you to know that this was NOT my idea!"

Isaiah 20:2-4 - "At that time the LORD spoke through Isaiah the son of Amoz, saying, 'Go and loosen the sackcloth from your hips and take your shoes off your feet.' And he did so, going naked and barefoot. And the LORD said, 'Even as My servant Isaiah has gone naked and barefoot three years as a sign and token against Egypt and Cush, so the king of Assyria will lead away the captives of Egypt and the exiles of Cush, young and old, naked and barefoot with buttocks uncovered, to the shame of Egypt.'"

I've used some off the wall sermon illustrations in my day, but nothing like this.

Stealth Evangelism

2010-08-03T19:30:00.002-04:00

"Low-carb dieting is our new approach to evangelism. After a few days of this diet, it will make even the most die-hard atheist pray, 'Give us Lord our daily bread.'"

Matthew 6:11 - "Give us this day our daily bread."

Things Don't Always Go as Planned...

2010-08-02T13:22:00.004-04:00

"There are 5,000 people over there, and all they have between them are five barley loaves and two fish. I'm about to make a fortune!"

Mark 6:35-36 - "When it was already quite late, His disciples came to Him and said, 'This place is desolate and it is already quite late; send them away so that they may go into the surrounding countryside and villages and buy themselves something to eat.'"

The Church of Office Space

2010-08-01T20:08:00.001-04:00

In Boston, there are many beautiful, majestic church buildings. When I lived in the Boston area, my wife and I noticed that many of these grand churches had the same thing posted on their signs: "Office Space Available." The "church of office space" is alive and well in Boston.

It is sad to think that all of those great church buildings were once full of believers, but now sit vacant. They look marvelous on the outside, but are completely dead on the inside.

The disciples of Jesus were impressed with such outward appearances. When looking at the Temple, they said to Jesus, "Behold what wonderful stones and what wonderful buildings!" But Jesus was not impressed.

"Do not look at his appearance or at the height of his stature, because I have rejected him; for God sees not as man sees, for man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart." The Temple was a sight to behold. Many of those church buildings in Boston were beautiful. But God does not see as man sees. When God looks upon a church, He doesn't see the building, but the hearts of those inside it.

I currently attend a church that averages less than 100 people on Sundays, even though we are in a fair sized city. The church building is a trailer. It doesn't look like much. But do not be fooled by outward appearances. For those of you who love the Lord, do not be discouraged. We are not the church of office space. We are the bride, the body, the church of Christ.

And that is glorious indeed!

(Mark 13:1 and 1 Samuel 16:7)

Diet For Life

2010-07-31T23:07:00.002-04:00

"I always knew low carb dieting was the work of the devil!"

John 6:35 - "Jesus said to them, 'I am the bread of life; he who comes to Me will not hunger, and he who believes in Me will never thirst.'"

Whoops!

2010-07-30T22:48:00.003-04:00

"What do you mean He didn't mean that literally?!"

Matthew 5:29-30 "If your right eye makes you stumble, tear it out and throw it from you; for it is better for you to lose one of the parts of your body, than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. If your right hand makes you stumble, cut it off and throw it from you; for it is better for you to lose one of the parts of your body, than for your whole body to go into hell."

The "Sinner's Prayer"

2010-07-29T22:24:00.004-04:00

"Dear Lord, please help other people to be more like me. Amen."

Luke 18:11 "The Pharisee stood and was praying this to himself: 'God, I thank You that I am not like other people: swindlers, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector.'"

Can I confess something to you? I am often tempted to compare myself to those around me. Of course, I only want to compare my strengths to other people's weaknesses. I mean, there is no way I'd want to compare myself to others in every respect, just in those areas that really matter. Y'know, those areas where I happen to be strong.

And then the Holy Spirit comes and whacks me upside the head with my own sins and struggles and weaknesses. And I am reminded that there is only one comparison that matters - how I measure up to the Lord. And I don't. I'm just a sinner in need of grace. Just like everyone else.

Even that tax collector.

All Things New

2010-07-29T09:52:00.003-04:00

"Behold, I am making all things new... Write, for these words are faithful and true."

What an awesome promise! It's as if Jesus was saying to the Apostle John, "This is good stuff, why aren't you writing this down? Quote Me on it!"

After the death of Jesus, the disciples on the road to Emmaus hung their heads and bleated out, "We were hoping that it was He who was going to redeem Israel..."

They did not yet understand "that which you sow does not come to life unless it dies." God used the scheming of murderers to bring forth His grace.

Where we see only death, God is bringing life.

Where we see only sorrow, God is bringing joy.

Where we see only destruction and chaos, God is making a new creation.

Believe it.

(Revelation 21:5, Luke 24:21, 1 Corinthians 15:36)

Watch Where You Step!

2010-07-28T22:59:00.002-04:00

"And that's how the naval term 'poop deck' got its name."

Another Fish Story

2010-07-28T22:51:00.002-04:00

Jonah: "I was caught by a fish THIS big!"

Jonah 1:17 "And the LORD appointed a great fish to swallow Jonah, and Jonah was in the stomach of the fish three days and three nights."

Which was the bigger miracle, 3 days in the fish, or that the Ninevites actually believed him?

Words to Live By

2010-07-28T22:42:00.002-04:00

"Never trust anyone over 300!"

What was up with the long lifespans? That is definitely on my list of questions to ask when I get to Heaven.

Rough Crowd

2010-07-27T23:25:00.003-04:00

Acts 20:9 - "And there was a young man named Eutychus sitting on the window sill, sinking into a deep sleep; and as Paul kept on talking, he was overcome by sleep and fell down from the third floor and was picked up dead."

Perhaps it's just me, but have you ever wondered why Luke decided to include this story?

One of Those Days...

2010-07-27T23:15:00.004-04:00

"JUST GREAT! Why does the weird stuff always have to happen on MY shift?!"

Matthew 28:2 - "And behold, a severe earthquake had occurred, for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven and came and rolled away the stone and sat upon it."

Have you ever gotten so caught up in the routine that you've missed the significance of the people and events around you?

If Philip Had Been A Pharisee...

2010-07-27T22:49:00.003-04:00

"Whoa, slow down! All we've talked about so far is Jesus. We haven't even gotten to the important stuff like divorce & remarriage, gender roles, clapping in worship..."

Acts 8:35 - "Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning from this Scripture he preached Jesus to him."

One of the great things about God's grace is that you don't have to get everything right in order to go to Heaven.

WWJD?

2010-07-27T22:30:00.004-04:00

"Some people don't quite understand the whole WWJD? thing."

Luke 7:14 - "And He came up and touched the coffin; and the bearers came to a halt. And He said, 'Young man, I say to you, arise!'"

While trying to imitate Christ, have you ever just said or done the wrong thing?