tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-61570918933577384082024-03-13T10:50:25.952-07:00Midwest Independent Baptist Pastor's FellowshipLancehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04407932936189262291noreply@blogger.comBlogger108125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6157091893357738408.post-80252729509909185372018-04-08T19:02:00.002-07:002018-04-08T19:02:09.597-07:00The Rapture of the Church and the Marriage Supper of the Lamb<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">Zechariah</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">Chapter Seven</span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">The Rapture of the Church and the Marriage Supper of the Lamb</span></b></div>
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-2UtPJ7j1E7I/WsrJOqiWq_I/AAAAAAAAEFs/ApaL42FuKb43k9T53ckKNsPDnwAn7dTtACLcBGAs/s1600/rapture.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="330" data-original-width="600" height="220" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-2UtPJ7j1E7I/WsrJOqiWq_I/AAAAAAAAEFs/ApaL42FuKb43k9T53ckKNsPDnwAn7dTtACLcBGAs/s400/rapture.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">Christian-dumb</span></i><span style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;"> is rampant with various <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">rapture theories</i>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, the Scriptures are clear. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We must be careful in our reading of the Bible
texts and what they teach about the resurrection.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There are three basic positions on the
rapture of the Church; Pre-tribulation, Mid-tribulation (included here is the
Pre-wrath rapture position), and Post-tribulation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To arrive at a Biblical understanding, we
must be careful to maintain two distinct perspectives from the Word of
God.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>First, we must maintain a literal
hermeneutic giving us an understanding of transitions between
Dispensations.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Second, we must be
equally careful to maintain a clear distinction between the Church and Israel
in our Eschatology.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Failure in either of
these areas will prove fatal.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">It is critically important to see that the
resurrection of Church Age believers takes place in three phases.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></b>Paul refers to these three phases of the
“first resurrection” in I Corinthians 15:23 as “every man in his own
order.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<sup><span style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">“<span style="font-size: x-small;">17</span></span></sup><span style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;"> And if Christ be not raised, your faith <i>is</i>
vain; ye are yet in your sins. <sup>18</sup> Then they also which are fallen
asleep in Christ are perished. <sup>19</sup> If in this life only we have hope
in Christ, we are of all men most miserable. <sup>20</sup> But now is Christ
risen from the dead, <i>and</i> become the firstfruits of them that slept. <sup>21</sup>
For since by man <i>came</i> death, by man <i>came</i> also the resurrection of
the dead. <sup>22</sup> For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be
made alive. <sup>23</sup> But <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">every man
in his own order</b>: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ’s
at his coming {<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">“in the air” for the
Church and then establish to the Kingdom</i>}” (I Corinthians 15:17-23). </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">It is also
important to understand that the resurrection of the body is not merely the
resurrection of a dead, corrupt body of flesh to exist as it did before
death.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The resurrected body of the
believer will be glorified.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This means
this new body will not be the same as the old body.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This new body will be eternal, it will not
grow old, and it will not suffer from many of the limitations of the fallen
body.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">“<sup>1</sup> Behold, what manner of love the Father
hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the
world knoweth us not, because it knew him not. <sup>2</sup> Beloved, now are we
the sons of God, and <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">it doth not yet
appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be
like him; for we shall see him as he is</b>. <sup>3</sup> And every man that
hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure” (I John 3:1-3).</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">The
first thing we should understand is that the seven-year tribulation period is
the seventieth week of Daniel.</b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It
refers to a dispensational transitory period between the Church Age and the
Millennial Kingdom Age.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It deals
specifically with the judgment of this world and the restoration and judgment
of national Israel just before the second coming of Jesus to the earth.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is to what God refers in Zechariah
2:10-13.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">“<sup>10 </sup>Sing and rejoice, O daughter of Zion:
for, lo, I come, and I will dwell in the midst of thee, saith the LORD. <sup>11</sup>
And many nations shall be joined to the LORD in that day, and shall be my people:
and I will dwell in the midst of thee, and thou shalt know that the LORD of
hosts hath sent me unto thee. <sup>12</sup> And the LORD shall inherit Judah
his portion in the holy land, and shall choose Jerusalem again. <sup>13</sup> Be
silent, O all flesh, before the LORD: for he is raised up out of his holy
habitation” (Zechariah 2:10-13).</span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">The Church is
not mentioned after Revelation 4:1</span></b><span style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;"> where the Apostle John represents all believers at
the rapture.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Notice the similarities
between Revelation 4:1 and I Thessalonians 4:14-17.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">“After
this I looked, and, behold, a door <i>was</i> opened in heaven: <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">and the first voice which I heard <i>was</i>
as it were of a trumpet talking with me</b>; which said, Come up hither, and I
will shew thee things which must be hereafter” (Revelation 4:1).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">“<sup>14
</sup>For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which
sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.<sup> 15</sup> For this we say unto you
by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive <i>and</i> remain unto the
coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. <sup>16</sup> <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">For the Lord himself shall descend from
heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God</b>:
and the dead in Christ shall rise first:<sup> 17</sup> Then we which are alive <i>and</i>
remain shall be caught up together with <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">them
in the clouds</b>, to <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">meet the Lord in
the air</b>: and so shall we ever be with the Lord” (I Thessalonians 4:14-17).</span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>The tribulation period is the “day of
God’s wrath.”</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It
will be preceded by the rapture of the Church.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The first thing that will happen after the rapture of the Church is the
revealing of the Antichrist on Earth (Revelation 6:2; the rider on “a white
horse”) in the opening of the first “seal” judgment.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He will be a part of the releasing of God’s
wrath upon the earth.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is obvious from
Scripture that God’s intent is to completely deliver all Church Age believers
from this “wrath.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">“But
after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thyself wrath
against <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">the day of wrath</b> and
revelation of the righteous judgment of God” (Romans 2:5).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">“Much
more then, being now justified by his blood, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">we shall be saved from wrath </b>{<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">not
just some wrath, but ALL wrath</i>}<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"> through
him</b>” (Romans 5:9).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">“And
to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, <i>even</i>
Jesus, which <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">delivered us from the wrath
to come</b>” (I Thessalonians 1:10).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">“For
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">God hath not appointed us to wrath</b>,
but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ” (I Thessalonians 5:9).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">There are many
who errantly believe that God will not rapture the Church from the earth until
after the Tribulation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This cannot
possibly be true for several reasons.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
central evidences against the Post-tribulation rapture are twofold.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>First, Christ cannot return with His “saints”
at the end of the tribulation period to establish His Kingdom if they have not
already been resurrected and glorified.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Yet the Scriptures repeatedly state He will return with His “saints.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">“<sup>13
</sup>I saw in the night visions, and, behold, <i>one</i> like the Son of man
came <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">with the clouds of heaven</b>, and
came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him.<sup> 14</sup>
And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people,
nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion <i>is</i> an everlasting
dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom <i>that</i> which shall
not be destroyed” (Daniel 7:13-14).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">“And
ye shall flee <i>to</i> the valley of the mountains; for the valley of the
mountains shall reach unto Azal: yea, ye shall flee, like as ye fled from
before the earthquake in the days of Uzziah king of Judah: and the LORD my God
shall come, <i>and</i> <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">all the saints
with thee</b>” (Zechariah 14:5).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">“To
the end he may stablish your hearts unblameable in holiness before God, even
our Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">with all his saints</b>” (I Thessalonians 3:13).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">“And
Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these, saying, Behold, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his
saints</b>” (Jude 1:14).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>A
basic understanding of the Old Testament reveals that “fine linen” was the
clothing of the priests.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The saints of the
New Covenant will be the “royal” and “holy” priesthood of Christ during the
Kingdom Age (I Peter 2:5-9; Revelation 1:6; 2:26-28; 5:10; and 20:6).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">“<sup>11
</sup>And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon
him <i>was</i> called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and
make war.<sup> 12</sup> His eyes <i>were</i> as a flame of fire, and on his
head <i>were</i> many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but
he himself.<sup> 13</sup> And he <i>was</i> clothed with a vesture dipped in
blood: and his name is called The Word of God.<sup> 14</sup> <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">And the armies <i>which were</i> in heaven
followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean</b>”
(Revelation 19:11-14).</span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">The secondly thing we must also understand
is that the “marriage supper of the Lamb” (Revelation 19:7-10) will take place in
Heaven prior to the second advent of Christ, which will obviously require the
presence of the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Bride </i>(the Church).</b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">The common
Jewish wedding celebration (“marriage supper”) lasted seven days. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Since the tribulation period is the
“seventieth week” of Daniel, we can conclude that the “marriage supper of the
Lamb” will last for the whole of the tribulation period.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Church will be in glory with Christ for
that whole period, not just the last few <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">days
</i>(years).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Some confusion regarding when the rapture
of the Church happens is caused by a misunderstanding of the completion of the
“first resurrection” in Revelation 20:4-6.</b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>During the Tribulation, millions of people will accept Christ as their
Savior.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Most of these people will be
martyred for Jesus Christ.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They will
either be “beheaded” or they will starve to death because they will not be
allowed to work or buy or sell goods without the “mark of the beast.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">“<sup>15
</sup>And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image
of the beast should both speak, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">and
cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed</b>.<sup>
16</sup> And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and
bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads:<sup> 17 </sup><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">And that no man might buy or sell, save he
that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name</b>”
(Revelation 13:15-17).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>The
resurrection and glorification of the <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">martyred
Tribulation saints</b> will not take place until after (or at) the second
advent of Christ.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This means they will
be resurrected from the dead (redemption of the body, Romans 8:23 and
glorification) at the beginning of the Kingdom Age.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They will share in the Kingdom Age reign of
Christ.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">completes</b> the first resurrection that began with Christ’s
resurrection/glorification, then the rapture of Church Age believers prior to
the beginning of the Tribulation period. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">“<sup>4
</sup>And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto
them: and <i>I saw</i> the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of
Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither
his image, neither had received <i>his</i> mark upon their foreheads, or in
their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.<sup> 5</sup>
But the rest of the dead {<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">the lost</i>}
lived not again until the thousand years were finished. <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">This <i>is</i> the first resurrection</b>.<sup> 6</sup> Blessed and
holy <i>is</i> he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second
death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall
reign with him a thousand years” (Revelation 20:4-6).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">The tribulation saints must be distinguished
from Israel as well.</b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The probability
is they will share in rule with Christ as part of the Church since they die
prior to the second advent of Christ.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The Tribulation is transitory in nature. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">“<sup>9
</sup>After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could
number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the
throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their
hands. . .<sup>14 </sup>And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to
me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their
robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb” (Revelation 7:9 and 14).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>From
all that we can see from an inductive, literal interpretation of Scripture up
to this point, it would be a serious mistake to presume that because the
Tribulation saints are not resurrected until after the Tribulation that the
rapture of the Church will not take place until that time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It should be clearly understood from
Revelation 20:5 that this is intended to complete the first resurrection that
had happened earlier.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">Christ
is the “firstfruits” (I Corinthians 15:20-23), then all Church Age believers
from the Day of Pentecost to the beginning of the Tribulation, and then the
martyred tribulation saints at the second coming of Christ.</span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">Another text
that causes much confusion because it is taken out of its dispensational
context is Matthew chapter twenty-four.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The confusion is forced upon Matthew chapter twenty-four because of a
misunderstanding of Christ’s epistle to the local church at Sardis in
Revelation chapter three.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Because people
confuse Christ’s statement about coming as a thief, they assume He is coming
for believers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Revelation 3:1 tells us
that there were lost people in the church of Sardis.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Therefore, Jesus speaks to the lost in first
part of Revelation 3:3 calling them to remember the Gospel, repent, and be
saved.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This manifest their being lost
because they do not “watch” for the coming of Jesus. </span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">“Remember
therefore how thou hast received and heard, and hold fast, and repent. If
therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt
not know what hour I will come upon thee” (Revelation 3:3).</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Therefore,
Revelation 3:3 is not referring to the rapture of Church Age believers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Instead, the text refers to the second coming
of Jesus Christ after the Tribulation period and at Armageddon.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The ramifications of this warning are very
broad.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Since the redeemed will not go
through the Tribulation period and will be raptured (I Thessalonians 4:16-17)
prior to this, this means that these people are lost.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This confirms the meaning behind the
statement “thou hast a name that thou livest, and art dead” (Revelation 3:1).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Christ’s coming “as a thief” is a reference
to Matthew 24:43.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In this context, this
phrase refers to Christ coming in <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">judgment</i>.
</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">“<sup>37
</sup>But <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">as the days of Noe </b><span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">were {<i>Did the lost survive the judgment
of God in the great flood?</i>}</span>, so shall also the coming of the Son of
man be.<sup> 38</sup> For as in the days that were before the flood they {<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">the lost</i>} were eating and drinking,
marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark,<sup>
39</sup> And knew not until the flood came, and <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">took them all away </b>{<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">in
judgment and death</i>}; <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">so shall also the
coming of the Son of man be </b>{<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">this is
at Armageddon</i>, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">when Jesus comes to
the Earth, not just in the air</i>}.<sup> 40</sup> Then shall two be<i> </i>in
the field; the one shall be taken {<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">killed
in judgment</i>}, and the other left {<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">alive
to go into the Kingdom Age</i>}.<sup> 41</sup> Two <i>women shall be</i>
grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken {<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">killed in judgment</i>}, and the other left {<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">alive to go into the Kingdom Age</i>}.<sup> 42</sup> Watch {<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">this is for those saved during the
Tribulation; saved people ‘watch’</i>} therefore: for ye know not what hour
your Lord doth come.<sup> 43</sup> But know this, that if the goodman of the
house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched{<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">lost people do not watch</i>}, and would not
have suffered his house to be broken up.<sup> 44 </sup>Therefore <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">be ye also ready</b> {<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">this is for those saved during the Tribulation</i>}: for in such an
hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh” (Matthew 24:37-44).</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>In the “days of Noah,” those taken by
the flood were taken in judgment and condemned.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The “one” taken in Matthew 24:40 is taken in judgment and
condemned.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Those left will enter His
kingdom alive.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Therefore, the warning in
Revelation 3:3 appears to be that they should carefully consider if there is
any reality to their faith because their practices were contrary to their
profession of faith in Christ.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
warning of Revelation 3:3 to “watch” is to be prepared for the coming of the
Judge.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The only way to be prepared for
His coming is to be prepared by salvation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“<sup>1 </sup>And after these things
{<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">the judgment of the great whore</i>} I
heard a great voice of much people in heaven, saying, Alleluia; Salvation, and
glory, and honour, and power, unto the Lord our God: <sup>2</sup> For true and
righteous <i>are</i> his judgments: <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">for
he hath judged the great whore, which did corrupt the earth with her fornication,
and hath avenged the blood of his servants at her hand</b>. <sup>3</sup> And
again they said, Alleluia. And her smoke rose up for ever and ever. <sup>4</sup>
And the four and twenty elders and the four beasts fell down and worshipped God
that sat on the throne, saying, Amen; Alleluia. <sup>5</sup> And a voice came
out of the throne, saying, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Praise our
God, all ye his servants, and ye that fear him, both small and great. <sup>6</sup>
And I heard as it were the voice of a great multitude, and as the voice of many
waters, and as the voice of mighty thunderings, saying, Alleluia: for the Lord
God omnipotent reigneth</b>. <sup>7</sup> <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Let
us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is
come, and his wife hath made herself ready</b>. <sup>8</sup> And to her was
granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine
linen is the righteousness of saints. <sup>9</sup> And he saith unto me, Write,
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Blessed <i>are</i> they which are called
unto the marriage supper of the Lamb.</b> And he saith unto me, These are the
true sayings of God. <sup>10</sup> And I fell at his feet to worship him. And
he said unto me, See <i>thou do it</i> not: I am thy fellowservant, and of thy
brethren that have the testimony of Jesus: worship God: for the testimony of
Jesus is the spirit of prophecy: (Revelation 19:1-10). </span></div>
<span style="background: silver; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-font-width: 95%; mso-highlight: silver;"></span><i><br /></i>
<i>Anonymous comments will not be allowed. </i><br />
<i>Numerous studies and series are available free of charge for local churches at:
http://www.disciplemakerministries.org/ </i><br />
<i>Dr. Lance Ketchum serves the Lord as a Church Planter, Evangelist/Revivalist. </i><br />
<i>He has served the Lord for over 40 years.</i>Lancehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04407932936189262291noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6157091893357738408.post-9345318834058991092018-04-02T05:18:00.002-07:002018-04-02T05:18:04.771-07:00Lost in the Darkness of Unbelief<br />
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<b><span style="font-family: "Bodoni MT Black",serif; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">Lost in the Darkness of Unbelief</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-font-width: 90%;">Ethos is the
distinguishing character, sentiment, moral nature, or guiding beliefs of a
person, group, or institution.</span></b></div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-G6ptrojGloY/WsIe0ExfKqI/AAAAAAAAEE8/CSatI00WfuIN_cDmLswWJZAW8EDE4IPDwCEwYBhgL/s1600/Dark_World_by_barrena.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="819" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-G6ptrojGloY/WsIe0ExfKqI/AAAAAAAAEE8/CSatI00WfuIN_cDmLswWJZAW8EDE4IPDwCEwYBhgL/s320/Dark_World_by_barrena.png" width="218" /></a><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-font-width: 90%; mso-ligatures: none;">It is difficult to understand the dynamic of hatred
in <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">mob-think</i>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When mobs are incited with hatred,
psychopathic monsters are created from otherwise normal people.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Group-think</i>
usually means the cessation of an individual’s thought process often
accompanied by the complete abandonment of any governing moral ethic or ethos.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Under such circumstances, the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">monster</i> within the fallen human nature
is exposed in all its demonic horrors.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>This was the scenario around the crucifixion of Jesus.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This was a demonically controlled and
orchestrated event.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yet, God allowed it to
take place to secure the possibility of humanity’s redemption.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-font-width: 90%;">“</span><sup><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-font-width: 90%;">33 </span></sup><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-font-width: 90%;">And when they were come unto a
place called Golgotha, that is to say, a place of a skull, <sup>34</sup> They
gave him vinegar to drink mingled with gall: and when he had tasted <i>thereof</i>,
he would not drink. <sup>35</sup> And they crucified him, and parted his
garments, casting lots: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the
prophet, They parted my garments among them, and upon my vesture did they cast
lots. <sup>36</sup> And sitting down they watched him there; <sup>37</sup> And
set up over his head his accusation written, THIS IS JESUS THE KING OF THE
JEWS. <sup>38</sup> Then were there two thieves crucified with him, one on the
right hand, and another on the left. <sup>39</sup> And they that passed by
reviled him, wagging their heads, <sup>40</sup> And saying, Thou that
destroyest the temple, and buildest <i>it</i> in three days, save thyself. If
thou be the Son of God, come down from the cross. <sup>41</sup> Likewise also
the chief priests mocking <i>him</i>, with the scribes and elders, said, <sup>42</sup>
He saved others; himself he cannot save. If he be the King of Israel, let him
now come down from the cross, and we will believe him. <sup>43</sup> He trusted
in God; let him deliver him now, if he will have him: for he said, I am the Son
of God. <sup>44</sup> The thieves also, which were crucified with him, cast the
same in his teeth. <sup>45</sup> Now <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">from
the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land unto the ninth hour</b>. <sup>46</sup>
And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama
sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? <sup>47</sup>
Some of them that stood there, when they heard <i>that</i>, said, This <i>man</i>
calleth for Elias. <sup>48</sup> And straightway one of them ran, and took a
spunge, and filled <i>it</i> with vinegar, and put <i>it</i> on a reed, and
gave him to drink. <sup>49</sup> The rest said, Let be, let us see whether
Elias will come to save him. <sup>50</sup> Jesus, when he had cried again with
a loud voice, yielded up the ghost. <sup>51</sup> And, behold, the veil of the
temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake,
and the rocks rent; <sup>52</sup> And the graves were opened; and many bodies
of the saints which slept arose, <sup>53</sup> And came out of the graves after
his resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many. <sup>54</sup>
Now when the centurion, and they that were with him, watching Jesus, saw the
earthquake, and those things that were done, they feared greatly, saying, Truly
this was the Son of God.<b>” </b>(Matthew 27:33-54).</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ligatures: none;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>In
the middle of <span style="mso-font-width: 90%;">Matthew 27:33-54,</span> we find
the remarkable truth of verse 45, “Now from the sixth hour there was darkness
over all the land unto the ninth hour.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The first hour of the day was at Sunrise.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The first event of this Wednesday morning
(not Friday) is recorded in Matthew 27:1-2.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">“<sup>1 </sup>When the morning was
come, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">all the chief priests and elders
of the people took counsel against Jesus to put him to death</b>:<sup> 2</sup>
And when they had bound him, they led <i>him</i> away, and delivered him to
Pontius Pilate the governor” (Matthew 27:1-2).</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ligatures: none;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>The
interrogation of Jesus by Pilate, the choosing of the murderer Barabbas over
Jesus, and the scourging and mockery of Jesus all took place within a three-hour
period (6 A.M. to 9 A.M.).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Mark 15:25
tells us Jesus was nailed to the Cross on the third hour, or at nine A. M.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For the next three hours, Matthew 27:36 says,
“And sitting down they watched him there.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>For those three hours the scene is an amphitheater of carnality.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The crowds and the soldiers impudently mock
Jesus. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then they join with the chief
priests and the scribes as they ridicule and mock Jesus on the Cross.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">“<sup>41 </sup>Likewise <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">also the chief priests mocking</b> <i>him</i>,
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">with the scribes and elders</b>, said,<sup>
42</sup> He saved others; himself he cannot save. If he be the King of Israel,
let him now come down from the cross, and we will believe him.<sup> 43</sup> He
trusted in God; let him deliver him now, if he will have him: for he said, I am
the Son of God” (Matthew 27:41-43).</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-font-width: 99%; mso-ligatures: none;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-font-width: 95%; mso-ligatures: none;">Then
God steps in to get their attention.</span></b><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-font-width: 95%; mso-ligatures: none;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>In the very middle of the day, when the scorching Sun stood directly overhead,
God turn out the lights.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I would imagine
that for the next three hours there was some soul searching going on within
that darkness.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I imagine a few chief
priests and scribes were <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">sweating bullets</i>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One thing of which we can be sure, for three
hours <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">the ridicule stopped</i>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Another thing of which we can be sure is that
for a while there was panic and then everything settled down <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">into silence</i>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For the next three hours, the scene around
the Cross was one of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">solemn silence</i>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Darkness and silence can be two somber experiences
to generate sober thinking.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ligatures: none;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><span style="mso-font-width: 97%;">What kind of Being can turn the brightness of noonday
into the blackness of night?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Only the
Creator can do that.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>God was showing the
world His presence at the Crucifixion of His “only begotten Son” and teaching these
impudent people to be reverent before His Son Jesus.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-font-width: 97%; mso-ligatures: none;">“For, lo, he
that formeth the mountains, and createth the wind, and declareth unto man what <i>is</i>
his thought, </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman Bold",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-font-width: 85%; mso-ligatures: none;">that maketh the morning darkness</span></b><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-font-width: 97%; mso-ligatures: none;">, and treadeth
upon the high places of the earth, The LORD, The God of hosts, <i>is</i> his
name” (Amos 4:13).</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-font-width: 89%; mso-ligatures: none;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>The word “darkness” in Matthew 27:45
is translated from the Greek word <i>skotos</i> (skot'-os).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This Greek word can refer to <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">night darkness</i>, or it can refer to <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">darkened eyesight;</i> <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">blindness</i>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is also used
metaphorically of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">ignorance respecting
divine things and human duties</i>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This
Greek word is the general word for <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">darkness</i>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-font-width: 89%; mso-ligatures: none;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>The Greek word <i>gnophos</i>
(gnof'-os) is the word used for the kind of darkness that accompanies a
storm.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So we know this was not the kind
of darkness referred to in Matthew 27:45.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It was not a <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">stormy day darkness</i>
because it was not a cloudy day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Even on
a cloudy day there is still some light.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The Greek word <i>achlus</i> (akh-looce') is the common word used to
denote darkness which is <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">due to fog or a
mist</i>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Therefore, we know it was not this
kind of darkness because it was not foggy out.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-font-width: 89%; mso-ligatures: none;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Since this was the Passover, we know
this darkness could not have been due to a solar eclipse since the Passover
takes place during the time of the full moon. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A solar eclipse could not happen during this
time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Greek word <i>zophos</i>
(dzof'-os) is used for the darkness of Hell.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Therefore, we know this darkness is not of demonic origin.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">This
darkness was <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">caused</i> by God</b>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This darkness was a miraculous supernatural
interference with the normal aspects of the creation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>God spoke to this solemn assembly in the only
kind of language lost men understand.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He
took away the normal and replaced it with the abnormal.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Everyone in that city new that this was the
judgment of God and they quaked in fear.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-font-width: 89%; mso-ligatures: none;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Suddenly, the silence is broken with a
voice out of the darkness.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“And about
the ninth hour Jesus <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">cried with a loud
voice</b>, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God,
why hast thou forsaken me?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At the voice
of Jesus, the Creator of Heaven and earth, light bursts forth into the
darkness.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-font-width: 89%; mso-ligatures: none;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">For
the space of three hours, Jesus Christ the incarnate, eternal Son of God was
alone in the darkness of broken fellowship with the Father.</b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For all the eternal existence of the Triunity
of the Godhead, the fellowship of the Godhead had never for one moment been
broken.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Take the loneliest day of your
life and multiply that by a billion and you will not even touch upon the agony
of those three hours.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Add to that the
most stressful, painful day of your life and multiply that by a billion and you
are still nowhere near the suffering of Jesus on the Cross of Calvary.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This loneliness of separation from God is the
primary torment of Hell.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-font-width: 89%; mso-ligatures: none;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>We can identify with suffering in the
terms of pain, loneliness, stress, and anguish.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Yes, Jesus suffered all those things, but on top of all of that He took
our <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">eternal separation</i> from God upon
Himself. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now, for three hours, God the
Father poured out His eternal wrath upon the sin of all mankind on the body of
His only begotten Son.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In that three-hour
moment of darkness, Jesus bore the torment of eternal Hell for all of
mankind.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-font-width: 89%; mso-ligatures: none;">“<sup>4 </sup>Surely
he hath borne <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">our</b> griefs, and
carried <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">our</b> sorrows: yet we did
esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.<sup> 5</sup> But he <i>was</i>
wounded for <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">our</b> transgressions, <i>he
was</i> bruised for <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">our</b> iniquities:
the chastisement of <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">our</b> peace <i>was</i>
upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.<sup> 6 </sup>All we like sheep
have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all</b>” (Isaiah
53:4-6).</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ligatures: none;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-font-width: 95%;">Darkness as
a separation from the light of God’s knowledge is a small token of one aspect
of Hell.</span></b><span style="mso-font-width: 95%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is to what God refers in Psalm
112:10.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is spiritual death.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is separation from God.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He took the death of separation from God upon
Himself and <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">then</b> He died physically
(Matthew 27:50).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Jesus took our death
sentence upon Himself and suffered death for us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In doing so, He broke the bondage of the
curse of death.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-font-width: 95%; mso-ligatures: none;">“<sup>10 </sup>Such
as sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, <i>being</i> bound in affliction
and iron;<sup> 11</sup> Because they rebelled against the words of God, and
contemned the counsel of the most High:<sup> 12</sup> Therefore he brought down
their heart with labour; they fell down, and <i>there was</i> none to help.<sup>
13</sup> Then they cried unto the LORD in their trouble, <i>and</i> he saved
them out of their distresses.<sup> 14</sup> <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">He brought them out of darkness and the shadow of death</b>, and brake
their bands in sunder.<sup> 15</sup> Oh that <i>men</i> would praise the LORD <i>for</i>
his goodness, and <i>for</i> his wonderful works to the children of men!<sup>
16</sup> For he hath broken the gates of brass, and cut the bars of iron in
sunder” (Psalm 107:10-15).</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-font-width: 95%; mso-ligatures: none;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">It
is the “thick darkness” that separates sinful men from a holy God.</b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Without that darkness, the glory of God would
burst forth upon lost man and consume him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The darkness of the three hours of the Crucifixion was necessary because
Jesus was bearing the sin of all mankind and it exhibits the spiritual reality
of God’s separation from sin.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is most
probable that the darkness shielded the lost from the glory of God’s holiness
shining in burning wrath upon His Son during His crucifixion as Jesus
vicariously bore our sin in His body on the tree (I Peter 2:24).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-font-width: 95%; mso-ligatures: none;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman Bold",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-font-width: 90%; mso-ligatures: none;">Darkness was a solemn reminder to the
Jew of God’s presence.</span></b><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-font-width: 95%; mso-ligatures: none;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Chief
priests and scribes who knew the Scriptures were very much aware of what this
darkness meant.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-font-width: 95%; mso-ligatures: none;">“<sup>18 </sup>And
all the people saw the thunderings, and the lightnings, and the noise of the
trumpet, and the mountain smoking: and when the people saw <i>it</i>, they
removed, and stood afar off. <sup>19 </sup>And they said unto Moses, Speak thou
with us, and we will hear: but let not God speak with us, lest we die.<sup> 20</sup>
And Moses said unto the people, Fear not: for God is come to prove you, and that
his fear may be before your faces, that ye sin not.<sup> 21</sup> And the
people stood afar off, and <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Moses drew
near unto the thick darkness where God <i>was</i></b>” (Exodus 20:18-21).</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-font-width: 95%; mso-ligatures: none;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>For those of simple minds, who can see
the torments of the curse of God upon humanity only in the terms of physical
anguish and torments of the flesh, they do not comprehend the horrors of Christ
drinking the cup of God’s wrath in the three hours of darkness.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Within those few hours of time were
compressed the eternal wrath of God upon all sinful men now poured out upon the
body of the Lord Jesus.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For Jesus, the
momentary physical torments of the mind and flesh were insignificant to bearing
God’s wrath upon the sins of all humanity.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>If anyone was to be saved from God’s wrath upon sin, Jesus had to drink
the “cup” of God’s “indignation” (violent passion-filled wrath). </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-font-width: 95%; mso-ligatures: none;">“</span><sup><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">4 </span></sup><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">The LORD
<i>is</i> in his holy temple, the LORD’S throne <i>is</i> in heaven: his eyes
behold, his eyelids try, the children of men. <sup>5</sup> The LORD trieth the
righteous: <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">but the wicked and him that
loveth violence his soul hateth</b>. <sup>6</sup> Upon the wicked he shall rain
snares, fire and brimstone, and an horrible tempest: <i>this shall be</i> <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">the portion of their cup</b>” (Psalm
11:4-6).</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-font-width: 95%; mso-ligatures: none;">“</span><sup><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">17 </span></sup><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">And the
seventh angel poured out his vial into the air; and there came a great voice
out of the temple of heaven, from the throne, saying, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">It is done</b>. <sup>18</sup> And there were voices, and thunders, and
lightnings; and there was a great earthquake, such as was not since men were
upon the earth, so mighty an earthquake, <i>and</i> so great. <sup>19</sup> And
the great city was divided into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell:
and great Babylon came in remembrance before God, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">to give unto her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of his wrath</b>”
(Revelation 16:17-19).</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-font-width: 95%; mso-ligatures: none;"></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ligatures: none;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>No
one can understand the Gospel who does not grasp Jesus vicariously drinking the
“cup” of God’s wrath upon sin for all sinners.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>He was not drinking that “cup” for His own sin, for He had no sin (II
Corinthians 5:21).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He was drinking the
“cup” of God’s wrath for the sins of all humanity for all times.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, Jesus drank MY “cup” and YOUR “cup”
so we could be redeemed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">“</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but
also for <i>the sins of</i> the whole world” (I John 2:2).</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">“</span><sup><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">22</span></sup><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"> Who {<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Jesus</i>} did no sin, neither was guile {<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">intended deceit</i>} found in his mouth: <sup>23</sup>
Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened
not; but committed <i>himself</i> to him {<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">God</i>}
that judgeth righteously: <sup>24</sup> Who his own self bare our sins in his
own body on the tree {<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">He drank OUR cup</i>},
that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes
ye were healed. <sup>25</sup> For ye <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">were</b>
as sheep going astray; but <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">are now</b>
returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls” (I Peter 2:22-25).</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ligatures: none;"></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">The engulfing darkness
during the crucifixion of Jesus is not the end of the story.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The crowd and the soldiers had a change of
heart after those three hours in the darkness.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>God was still moving and when God moves, things happen.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-font-width: 95%; mso-ligatures: none;">“<sup>51 </sup>And,
behold, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">the veil of the temple was rent
in twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks
rent;<sup> 52</sup> And the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints
which slept arose</b>,<sup> 53</sup> And came out of the graves after his
resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many.<sup> 54</sup>
Now when {<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">all the previous mockers</i>} the
centurion, and they that were with him, watching Jesus, saw the earthquake, and
those things that were done, they feared greatly, saying, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Truly this was the Son of God</b>” (Matthew 27:51-54). </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-font-width: 95%; mso-ligatures: none;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>We read these verses and wonder at the
miracles of the earthquake and giant rocks being torn apart like pieces of
paper.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We wonder at dead men rising from
their graves for family reunions.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><b>Yet,
there are two miracles here that overwhelm all the others.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-font-width: 95%; mso-ligatures: none;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><b>First</b>, the two-foot-thick veil
that shut men out of the Holy of Holies and away from direct access to God was
torn in two from the top to the bottom.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It did not just have a tear in it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It was completely torn into two pieces.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>That darkness that separated God from man was no longer needed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Saved man could now have direct access to
God.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Jesus has removed the veil and open
the door to the presence of God. </span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-font-width: 95%; mso-ligatures: none;">“<sup>14 </sup>Seeing
then that we have a great high priest {<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">the
resurrected and glorified Jesus</i>}, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus
the Son of God, let us hold fast <i>our</i> profession.<sup> 15</sup> For we
have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our
infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as <i>we are, yet</i> without
sin.<sup> 16</sup> <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Let us</b> <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">therefore come boldly unto the throne of
grace</b>, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need”
(Hebrews 4:14-16).</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-font-width: 95%; mso-ligatures: none;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><b>The second miracle</b> that
overwhelms all others is when unbelievers become believers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>God is willing to save even the likes of
those who ridiculed and mocked Jesus.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Jesus made intercession for the very people that mocked Him and
Crucified Him as was prophesied in Scripture.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Jesus died for sinners.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Only
sinners can be saved.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-font-width: 85%; mso-ligatures: none;">“<sup>10 </sup>Yet
it pleased the LORD to bruise him {<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">in
anticipation of the redemption outcomes</i>}; he hath put <i>him</i> to grief:
when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see <i>his</i> seed
{<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">saved souls</i>}, he shall prolong <i>his</i>
days {<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">resurrection</i>}, and the pleasure
of the LORD shall prosper in his hand {<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">dominion
restored</i>}.<sup> 11</sup> He shall see of the travail of his soul, <i>and</i>
shall be satisfied {<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">satiated; His wrath
satisfied or propitiated</i>}: by his knowledge {<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">understanding what the Gospel of Jesus accomplishes for the believing
sinner</i>} shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their
iniquities.<sup> 12</sup> Therefore will I divide him <i>a portion</i> with the
great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured
out his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he
bare the sin of many, and <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">made
intercession for the transgressors</b>” (Isaiah 53:10-12). </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-font-width: 85%; mso-ligatures: none;">“Then said
Jesus, Father, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">forgive them; for they
know not what they do</b>. And they parted his raiment, and cast lots” (Luke
23:34).</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ligatures: none;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><span style="mso-font-width: 95%;">Out of the protective and binding darkness of the
fall of mankind into sin, “light” once again shines forth.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The “light” of the Gospel of Jesus Christ as
He died on the Cross of Calvary is to bear the death sentence upon all mankind
and to reconcile “whoever will” to fellowship with God.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yet there are those who refuse to look at the
“light” of God’s grace in Christ Jesus. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They cover their eyes to the wondrous story of
the Cross of Christ and blind their eyes to the Gospel of gift salvation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They continue to live in the blindness of
their ignorance of God and His love for them.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">“<sup>3 </sup>But if our gospel be
hid, it is hid to them that are lost:<sup> 4</sup> In whom the god of this
world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the
glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them. <sup>5
</sup>For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord; and ourselves
your servants for Jesus’ sake.<sup> 6</sup> For God, who commanded the light to
shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to <i>give</i> <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">the light of the knowledge of the glory of
God</b> in the face of Jesus Christ” (II Corinthians 4:3-6).</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ligatures: none;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>The
darkness was there because God was imputing man’s sin to Christ on Calvary
where Jesus bore the “wages of that sin” (Romans 6:23a), which was death.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He did that to open the door to God’s impartation
of the righteousness of Jesus Christ to the believing sinner (justification) in
the gift of God’s indwelling Spirit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Can you honestly say with the soldiers and
the crowds, “Truly this was the Son of God”?</b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Until you do, you are still lost in your
sin.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You need to understand and believe
the Gospel.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You will need to publicly
acknowledge that Jesus is the Lord of your life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<br />
<i>Anonymous comments will not be allowed. </i><br />
<i>Numerous studies and series are available free of charge for local churches at:
http://www.disciplemakerministries.org/ </i><br />
<i>Dr. Lance Ketchum serves the Lord as a Church Planter, Evangelist/Revivalist. </i><br />
<i>He has served the Lord for over 40 years.</i>Lancehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04407932936189262291noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6157091893357738408.post-71189652900733069462018-03-26T06:00:00.001-07:002018-03-26T06:00:28.677-07:00Messiah’s Hypocrites<br />
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<strong><span style="font-size: 26px;"><span style="color: #000033;"><span style="font-family: "Bodoni MT Black",serif;">Messiah’s Hypocrites</span></span></span></strong></div>
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-3RLdFT9OCKw/Wrjuq1coE6I/AAAAAAAAEEg/_DiJPc0ZJkUV2H6y65fzL8n6xz0caz8RQCLcBGAs/s1600/Pharisees-Question-Jesus-Les-pharisiens-questionnent-Jesus-Detail-Pharisees.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="665" data-original-width="1200" height="221" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-3RLdFT9OCKw/Wrjuq1coE6I/AAAAAAAAEEg/_DiJPc0ZJkUV2H6y65fzL8n6xz0caz8RQCLcBGAs/s400/Pharisees-Question-Jesus-Les-pharisiens-questionnent-Jesus-Detail-Pharisees.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
The birth of the Messiah was about four-hundred years after the
Malachi’s prophecies in B.C. 397. Zechariah prophesied from B.C. 520
through B.C. 487 to the remnant that had returned to Jerusalem. Haggai
was also a prophet to the returned remnant in B.C. 520. <br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><strong></strong></span><br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><strong>Why are these facts important? </strong> These
three prophecies were the last times God spoke to the children of
Israel until the coming of John the Baptist and the birth of the
Messiah. The substance of these last three messages from God to the
faithful remnant of Israel would have been given great consideration.
The faithful remnant would have been very familiar with the substance of
these prophesies. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">Professing
believers tend to generate and image of God, or an understanding of
what He is going to do, from an inaccurate understanding of Scripture.
The most significant contributors to these misunderstandings are often
false teachers. The second most significant contributor to
misunderstanding prophetic events is to misunderstand the chronology of
those events.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><strong>This was certainly true of the first advent of Jesus.</strong>
The Jews almost completely ignored those prophesies that spoke of the
“stone the builders rejected” (Psalm 118:22). This is the text Jesus
quoted to “the chief priests and Pharisees” in Matthew 21:42-46. The
statement of Jesus to “the chief priests and Pharisees” is the <em>final straw</em>
in their decision to have Jesus killed. Jesus threaten that the
authority of the Kingdom rule would be taken from “the chief priests and
Pharisees” and given “to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof”
(Matthew 21:43). </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">This “nation” would be the new priesthood of all believers from the Church Age BUILT UPON THE FOUNDATION OF THE <strong>FAITH WAY IN KING JESUS</strong> as the <strong>DOOR</strong> INTO THE KINGDOM AGE. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">“<sup>42</sup> Jesus saith unto them, Did ye never read in the scriptures, <strong>The stone which the builders rejected</strong>, the same is become the head of the corner: <strong>this is the Lord’s doing</strong>, and it is marvellous in our eyes? <sup>43</sup> Therefore say I unto you {<em>the ‘chief priests and Pharisees,’ vs 45</em>}, <strong>The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof</strong>. <sup>44</sup> And whosoever shall fall on this stone shall be broken: but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder. <sup>45</sup> And when the chief priests and Pharisees had heard his parables, <strong>they perceived that he spake of them</strong>. <sup>46</sup> But when they sought to lay hands on him, they feared the multitude, because they {<em>the multitude</em>} <strong>took him for a prophet</strong> {<em>not the Messiah</em>}” (Matthew 21:42-46). </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">
It is important to read this portion of Matthew chapter twenty-one
because it gives us the immediate context of what happened immediately
after Jesus rode into Jerusalem claiming to be the
Prophet/Priest/King/Messiah of Israel. Every Jew would have understood
what Jesus was doing as He came riding into Jerusalem on “a colt the
foal of an ass” (Matthew 21:5). </span><strong><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman Bold",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"></span></strong></div>
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<strong><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman Bold",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"></span></strong><br /></div>
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<strong><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman Bold",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">Matthew
chapter twenty-one is a very informative and important chapter in
understanding the chain of events leading up to the crucifixion of Jesus
by the priesthood of Israel with a large portion of the Jews consenting
because they were deceived by the corrupt priesthood corrupted with a
lust for power and prestige. This is the substance of the chapter.</span></strong><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"> <strong>A
main emphasis of the prophesies of Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi is
the failure and pending removal of the Levitical priesthood of Israel
from the leadership over Israel.</strong> The chief priests and
Pharisees to which Jesus spoke in Matthew 21:42-46 would certainly have
been familiar with messages from God that these prophets had given about
their pending removal from power of their priesthood. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">The
chief priests’ and Pharisees’ great failure in understanding the
prophesies of Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi was the failure to see
themselves as a part of the fulfillment of that prophecy. Their
self-righteousness blinded them from seeing themselves as the problem
and enemies of God’s promised redemption offered by grace and received
through faith in the Messiah’s death, burial, and resurrection. They
had become so preoccupied with ensuring that the remnant of Israel keep
the Law to ensure no future captivity, they could not see themselves
still under the Roman captivity prophesied by Daniel 2:31-45.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"> </span></div>
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<strong><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">Jesus
entered into this deadly nest of hypocritical vipers as recorded in
Matthew 21:1-11 knowing full well what they were going to do to Him.</span></strong><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"> This event is often foolishly called <em>the triumphal entry of Christ into Jerusalem</em>.
The ignorance of God’s people to what was happening made a debacle and
farce out of Jesus’ coming to His Temple to be given authority to rule
over His chosen people (John 1:11-12). With their mouths they cried
“Hosanna {<em>save now</em>} to the Son of David.” In their
hypocritical ignorance, they were crying out for Jesus to establish the
Kingdom and for deliverance from Roman bondage while knowing nothing of
their great need for their deliverance from their bondage to sin, death,
and condemnation. Self-righteous people know nothing of their
wretchedness in the eyes of God and their offense against His holiness!
How quickly we are willing to create God in our image. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">“<sup>1</sup> And when they drew nigh unto Jerusalem, and were come to Bethphage, <strong>unto the mount of Olives </strong>{<em>Zechariah 14:4</em>}, then sent Jesus two disciples, <sup>2</sup> Saying unto them, Go into the village over against you, and straightway ye shall find an ass tied, and a colt with her: loose <em>them</em>, and bring <em>them</em> unto me. <sup>3</sup> And if any <em>man</em> say ought unto you, ye shall say, The Lord hath need of them; and straightway he will send them. <sup>4</sup> <u>All this was done</u>, <strong>that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying, <sup>5</sup> Tell ye the daughter of Sion, <u>Behold, thy King</u> cometh unto thee, meek, and sitting upon an ass, and a colt the foal of an ass </strong>{<em>Zechariah 9:9</em>}. <sup>6</sup> And the disciples went, and did as Jesus commanded them, <sup>7</sup> And brought the ass, and the colt, and put on them their clothes, and they set <em>him</em> thereon. <sup>8</sup> And a very great multitude spread their garments in the way; others cut down branches from the trees, and strawed <em>them</em> in the way. <sup>9</sup> And the multitudes that went before, and that followed, cried, saying, <strong>Hosanna to the Son of David</strong>: Blessed <em>is</em> he that cometh in the name of the Lord; Hosanna in the highest. <sup>10</sup> And when he was come into Jerusalem, all the city was moved, saying, <strong>Who is this</strong>? <sup>11</sup> And <strong>the multitude said</strong>, This is Jesus <strong>the prophet</strong> of Nazareth of Galilee” (Matthew 21:1-11).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"> <strong>Ignorance often keeps people from seeing and perceiving the obvious.</strong>
The “multitude” could believe in Jesus as “the prophet.” They cried
out to Him “Hosanna to the Son of David.” Therefore, they were
knowledgeable of these two aspects of the coming of Messiah. <strong></strong></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><strong></strong></span><br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><strong>Where then were they ignorant? </strong>They
were ignorant of the suffering Saviour of Psalm twenty-two and Isaiah
fifty-three. They were ignorant of the fact that Jesus had to become
their Saviour before He would ever become their King delivering <em>them into the Kingdom</em>. This reality is greatly different than delivering <em>the Kingdom to them</em>. <strong>The Kingdom is ONLY for the Redeemed</strong>.
No one can have the Kingdom until he becomes one of the Redeemed “by
grace through faith.” To be part of Christ’s Kingdom, a person must be
“born again” by receiving Jesus as Saviour and Lord before there is any
significance to believing Him to be “the prophet” and the heir to
David’s throne. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">
The Levites of Israel served God because that was their duty. They had
positions of power and prestige before the children of Israel. These
positions demanded certain practices and ways of life from them. In
most cases, these men served God because it was the only way to
guarantee the continuance of their positions of prestige and power over
the children of Israel. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><strong></strong></span><br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><strong>Herein is uncovered the fountain of hypocrisy –serving God to get the personal benefits of that service</strong>.
The truth is that a true believer will worship God and serve Him even
if he was still going to Hell. He would worship and serve God because
he believes God deserves his worship and service because of Who God is
and because he believes he really DESERVES HELL. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">Most
people are quick to acknowledge they deserve nothing from God. It is
true that none deserve any grace from God for if we deserve grace, it is
no longer grace. However, few will worship God out of gratitude for
grace in not receiving from Him what we all deserve. We deserve the
eternal fires and torments of Hell prepared for Satan and rebellious
angels. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">Worship
birthed from anything less is ignorant hypocrisy! We do not want to
talk about this because we want to feel good about ourselves. We want
to think we are pretty good people. The fact is, apart from God’s
marvelous grace, we are ALL hateful, wicked, deceitful monsters. If we
try to live one moment apart from God’s supernatural enabling grace, we
will find ourselves oozing back into the slime pits of corruption out of
which the grace of God dragged us. Admit it! Then, and only then,
might genuine worship burst forth from your life. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">The Jews of Matthew 21:1-11 should have known from Zechariah 9:9<em> </em>that the one upon which they looked was <em>King Jesus the Saviour</em>,
not just another “prophet.” The true spirit of loving forgiveness is
the desire to deliver a person from your own anger and wrath. It has
been said, “God loves the sinner, but hates his sin.” What foolish
nonsense. God hates the sinner and his sin and extends to that sinner
the most extreme wrath imaginable -the torment of eternal Hell. Yet,
“God is love” (I John 4:8). </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><strong>God’s love extends God’s unsearchable grace to the sinner that God hates.</strong>
God’s love does not accept sinners as sinners. God does not say, “I
understand. You are a sinner and you cannot help that you sin, so I
forgive you.” Redemption is God doing what He commands believers to do;
“Love your enemies, do good to them which hate you, Bless them that
curse you, and pray for them which despitefully use you” (Luke
6:27b-28). Jesus Christ’s death burial, and resurrection mediates the
wrath of an angry God and offers the only reconciling solution – the
gift of God-kind righteousness imparted to the believer “through
faith.” That is love! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">What
did Jesus do immediately after the Jews hypocritically proclaim Him to
be their prophet and restorer of the throne of David? He went to claim
the Temple they had built for His coming. The Jews allowed Him to do
what is recorded in Matthew 21:12-14 because the multitudes saw Jesus as
having the authority of <em>a</em> prophet. That means, they saw Jesus
as having more authority than the “the chief priests and Pharisees.”
However, it is clear from Matthew 21:15-16 that the “the chief priests
and Pharisees” did not believe Jesus to be their Messiah. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">“<sup>12</sup> And <strong>Jesus went into the temple of God</strong>,
and cast out all them that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew
the tables of the moneychangers, and the seats of them that sold doves,
<sup>13</sup> And said unto them, It is written, <strong><u>My</u> house shall be called the house of prayer; but ye have made it a den of thieves</strong>. <sup>14</sup> And the blind and the lame came to him in the temple; and he healed them. <sup>15</sup> And when the chief priests and scribes saw the wonderful things that he did, and the children <strong>crying in the temple, and saying, Hosanna to the Son of David</strong>; they <u>were sore displeased</u>, <sup>16</sup>
And said unto him, Hearest thou what these say? And Jesus saith unto
them, Yea; have ye never read, Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings
thou hast perfected praise? <sup>17</sup> And he left them, and went out of the city into Bethany; and he lodged there” (Matthew 21:12-17).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">After
Jesus purged the Temple of the money changers, Matthew 21:17 tells us
He left Jerusalem and traveled about two miles to “Bethany.” He probably
went to stay in the house of Lazarus, Mary, and Martha who lived in
Bethany. Jesus “lodge there” often. The next morning Jesus and His
disciples returned to Jerusalem to go back to the Temple and teach
there. Before the event of Jesus’ next confrontation of “the chief
priests and Pharisees” with Who He is, a short lesson through an
exhibition was necessary for the disciples. The disciples needed to
learn a lesson about faith and faithfulness. Before you face the
hypocrisy of the hypocrite, remember to confirm your faith in the
faithful One!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">“<sup>18 </sup>Now in the morning <strong>as he returned into the city</strong>, he hungered. <sup>19</sup>
And when he saw a fig tree in the way, he came to it, and found nothing
thereon, but leaves only, and said unto it, Let no fruit grow on thee
henceforward for ever {<em>Jesus cursed the unproductive fig tree</em>}. And presently {<em>instantly or right away</em>} the fig tree withered away {<em>shriveled or dry up</em>; <em>it died</em>}. <sup>20</sup> And when the disciples saw <em>it</em>, they marveled {<em>why did they marvel?</em>}, saying, How soon is the fig tree withered away! <sup>21</sup> Jesus answered and said unto them, Verily I say unto you, If ye have faith, and doubt not, ye shall not only do this <em>which is done</em>
to the fig tree, but also if ye shall say unto this mountain, Be thou
removed, and be thou cast into the sea; it shall be done {<em>this miracle was nothing compared to the impact these men were going to have on the world ‘by grace through faith’</em>}. <sup>22</sup> And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive” (Matthew 21:18-22).</span></div>
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<strong><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">We
really cannot understand what is going on in the events of Matthew
chapter twenty-one if we do not review the summary statement regarding
it all in John 1:11-13.</span></strong><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"> Jesus knew what was going on. We can be quite sure that His disciples did not <em>have a clue</em>.
Jesus was presenting Himself as the Messiah/King/LORD of Israel. THAT
IS WHO HE IS! The point of His presentation is His RECEPTION as MESSIAH
LORD by the nation of Israel, including “the chief priests.” We have
already seen on two occasions in Matthew 21:11 and 46 that the
“multitude” (majority) of the Jews believed Jesus was a prophet. They
did not believe Jesus was Messiah/King/LORD, and these three
nomenclatures are synonymous. If Jesus is going to be received as your
Saviour, He must also be received as your LORD.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">“<sup>11 </sup>He came unto his own, and his own received him not. <sup>12</sup> <strong>But as many as received him</strong>, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, <em>even</em> to them <strong>that believe on his name</strong>: <sup>13</sup> Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God” (John 1:11-13).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">The
four Gospels present Jesus as the King of the Jews (Matthew), Servant
or Prophet (Mark), Man or Priest (Luke), and God or Jehovah incarnate
(John). It is not that each Gospel does not support what the other
Gospels teach about Who Jesus is. It is just that each Gospel writer
has his own emphasis. To deny any one of these four aspects of the
character and nature of Jesus is to deny Jesus. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><strong>To
believe in Jesus as Messiah is to accept and believe in each of these
four aspects of His character and nature with EQUAL VERACITY!</strong> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">This
is the point of Matthew 21:18-21. Jesus interjects this miracle of the
immediate withering of the fig tree upon His cursing it to present
Himself as the Sovereign Creator with absolute authority over His
creation. What we do not have in Matthew chapter twenty-one is what
John recorded that Matthew does not. Therefore, reading all the Gospels
together is critical to our getting the whole picture. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">“<sup>13 </sup>And whatsoever ye shall ask {<em>the Father</em>} <strong>in my name</strong>, that<strong> will I do</strong> {<em>Jesus answers prayers</em> <em>in that He is the executor of God’s will or plan</em>}, that the Father may be glorified <strong>in the Son</strong>. <sup>14</sup> If ye shall ask any thing <strong>in my name</strong>, I will do <em>it</em>” (John 14:13-14).</span></div>
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<strong><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">The Name of Jesus is more than a means to get His attention.</span></strong><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">
To ask in the Name of Jesus is to ask believing in all to which His
Name connects. If Jesus is the Messiah, He is Jehovah, the incarnate
Word/Will of God in a human body. If Jesus is Jehovah, He is the
Creator of Heaven, Earth, and all that is therein. If Jesus is the
Creator, He has Sovereign authority (the power of life, death, blessing,
and curse) over all that He has created. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">When
professing faith in Jesus, understanding of all these connecting links
are presumed. Faith in Jesus is all of this or nothing. To profess
faith in Jesus is to proclaim to believe a cacophony of all that the
Bible teaches about Who He is. In other words, a person cannot just
believe in one aspect of Jesus while rejecting ANY other. To believe in
Jesus is to believe in ALL that He is and ALL to which His Name
connects Him. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">Unbelief
is often merely another word for ignorance. To profess faith in Jesus
without understanding to all that the Name Jesus connects is really an
empty testimony and empty faith. Therefore, it is important to
understand that “faith <em>cometh</em> by hearing, and hearing by the
word of God” (Romans 10:17). The more you understand of the Word of
God’s teaching about Who Jesus is, the more your faith is increased. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">God
created a perfect Adam, who was corrupted by Satan’s deception. Adam
became the progenitor of monsters of sin and all-consuming pride and
selfishness. Cain was the first that manifested the monstrous
wickedness of which humanity is capable, but not the last. However, we
fail to see that Abel would have been a progenitor of monsters too, just
like his daddy. So are you and so am I!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">Underneath the sanctifying grace of God in each of our lives, there is a wicked, sinful monster. That monster is the real <em>boogeyman</em> under our beds and <em>demon</em>
hiding in our closet. That monster we simply call a sin nature is the
real threat posed to our children and the influence we have upon the
next generation of humanity. Until we understand this reality, we will
live under the deception of our own hypocrisy. Unless we are willing to
give Christ full surrender of our hearts, we WILL procreate <em>spiritual monsters</em> that will be just like we are underneath God’s enabling grace. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">“<sup>23 </sup>And
when he was come into the temple, the chief priests and the elders of
the people came unto him as he was teaching, and said, <strong>By what authority doest thou these things? and who gave thee this authority</strong>? <sup>24</sup>
And Jesus answered and said unto them, I also will ask you one thing,
which if ye tell me, I in like wise will tell you by what authority I do
these things. <sup>25</sup> The baptism of John, whence was it? from heaven, or of men? And they reasoned with themselves {<em>instead of just saying the truth, they start playing politics</em>}, saying, <strong>If we shall say</strong>, From heaven; he will say unto us, Why did ye not then believe him? <sup>26</sup> But <strong>if</strong> <strong>we shall say</strong>, Of men; we fear the people; for all hold John as a prophet. <sup>27</sup> And they answered Jesus, and said {<em>they give a politically correct answer, which is another phrase for side stepping the truth</em>}, <strong>We cannot tell </strong>{<em>simple translation of what they said: unbelief</em>}. And he said unto them, Neither tell I you by what authority I do these things” (Matthew 21:23-27).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"> Many, like “the chief priests and Pharisees,” fail to see what the Law of God really says in its summary of the <em><span style="color: black;">Decalogue</span></em><span style="color: black;"> that we know as the</span></span><span style="color: black; font-size: 14.0pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">Ten
Commandments. The message of the Law is simple. All are sinners
(Romans 3:23). The Law says, “The soul that sinneth, it shall die”
(Ezekiel 18:20).</span> <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">The Law says, “the wages of sin <em>is</em> death” (Romans 6:23). </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">“<sup>28 </sup><strong>But what think ye</strong> {<em>Jesus is speaking specifically to the chief priests and Pharisees</em>}? A <em>certain</em> man had two sons; and he came to the first, and said, Son, go work to day in my vineyard. <sup>29</sup> He answered and said, I will not: but afterward he repented, and went. <sup>30</sup> And he came to the second, and said likewise. And he answered and said, I <em>go</em>, sir: and went not {<em>they would not repent of their works way</em>}. <sup>31</sup> Whether of them twain did the will of <em>his</em> father? They say unto him, The first. Jesus saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, That <strong>the publicans and the harlots go into the kingdom of God before you</strong>. <sup>32</sup> For <strong>John came unto you in the way of righteousness </strong>{<em>the faith way, not the works way</em>}, and ye believed him not: but <strong>the publicans and the harlots believed him</strong> {<em>the faith way</em>}: and ye, when ye had seen <em>it</em>, repented not afterward, that ye might believe him {<em>referring to</em> <em>John the Baptist</em> <em>pointing Jews to the faith way in Jesus Christ ‘the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world,’ John 1:29</em>}” (Matthew 21:28-32).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 7.0pt;"></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 7.0pt;"></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><strong>The
“chief priests and the Pharisees” were looking for entrance into the
Kingdom through the “works of the Law.” They could see no other way
because they had blinded themselves to the <em>way of faith</em>. </strong> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">They had completely and totally rejected the <em>way of faith</em>. They believed God had removed the <em>way of faith</em> in the Abrahamic Covenant and replaced it with the <em>way of works</em> in the Mosaic Covenant. Paul explains this all in great detail in Galatians chapter three. Those of the <em>works way</em> hated John the Baptist and all the other Baptists who believed in the <em>faith way</em> into the Kingdom. Those of the <em>works way</em> have always hated and persecuted those of the <em>faith way</em>. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">“<sup>17 </sup>And this I say, <em>that</em>
the covenant, that was confirmed before of God in Christ, the law,
which was four hundred and thirty years after, cannot disannul, that it
should make the promise of none effect. <sup>18</sup> For if the inheritance <em>be</em> of the law, <em>it is</em> no more of promise: but God gave <em>it</em> to Abraham by promise” (Galatians 3:17-18).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">John the Baptist was the forerunner of Messiah. He was <em>a</em> prophet, but not <em>thee</em>
Prophet spoken of by Moses. As a prophet of God, John the Baptist
spoke with the authority of a prophet when he called the scribes and
Pharisees coming to his baptisms “a generation of vipers” (Matthew
3:7). Jesus exposed them as a “generation of vipers” in Matthew 12:24
and again in Matthew 23:33 adding on numerous occasions in addressing
them with the label of “hypocrites.” A <em>viper</em> has the sting of death in his mouth/bite. Their propagation of the <em>works way</em> in their false teaching was what made them <em>vipers</em>. The <em>works way</em> is Satan’s invention and his deception. However, its way is the <em>way of death</em>. “There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof <em>are</em>
the ways of death” (Proverbs 14:12). The works way seems like it
should be the right way, but it can never get a person to the destiny it
promises!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">“<sup>33 </sup><strong>Hear another parable</strong>: There was a certain householder, which planted a vineyard {<em>the Kingdom of Israel promised to Abraham and delivered to the faithful of Israel under Joshua’s leadership</em>}, and hedged it round about {<em>God’s protection</em>}, and digged a winepress in it {<em>God’s provision for blessing</em>}, and built a tower {<em>for God’s stewards to watch over His vineyard</em>}, and let it out to husbandmen {<em>the priesthood of Israel</em>}, and went into a far country {<em>waiting for the harvest</em>}: <sup>34</sup> And when the time of the fruit drew near, he sent his servants to the husbandmen, that they might receive the fruits of it {<em>not
the fruits which was the righteousness of the Law, but the heart fruits
of genuine faith and the righteousness birthed through the New Birth</em>; <em>II Corinthians 5:21</em>}. <sup>35</sup> And the husbandmen took his servants {<em>referring to the prophets that called the priests to repent of their works way</em>}, and beat one, and killed another, and stoned another. <sup>36</sup> Again, he sent other servants more than the first: and they did unto them likewise. <sup>37</sup> But last of all he sent unto them his son {<em>Jesus the Messiah</em>}, saying, They will reverence my son. <sup>38</sup> But <strong>when the husbandmen </strong>{<em>those propagating the works way</em>} <strong>saw the son </strong>{<em>all they saw in the ‘Son’ was opposition to their false works way</em>}, they {<em>plotted His murder to kill the faith way once and for all</em>} said among themselves, This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and let us seize on his inheritance {<em>the Kingdom and its subjects of the faith way</em>}. <sup>39</sup> And they caught him, and cast <em>him</em> out of the vineyard, and slew <em>him</em>. <sup>40</sup> When the lord therefore of the vineyard cometh, what will he do unto those husbandmen? <sup>41</sup> They {<em>the chief priests and Pharisees</em>} say unto him, He will miserably destroy those wicked men, and will let out <em>his</em> vineyard unto other husbandmen, which shall render him the fruits in their seasons. <sup>42</sup> Jesus saith unto them, <strong>Did ye never read in the scriptures</strong>,
The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of
the corner: this is the Lord’s doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes? <sup>43</sup> Therefore say I <strong>unto you </strong>{<em>the chief priests and Pharisees</em>}, The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof. <sup>44</sup> And whosoever shall fall on this stone {<em>see the fallacy of the works way</em>} shall be broken {<em>and through repentance of the works way come to faith in the faith way in Christ Jesus</em>}: but on whomsoever it shall fall {<em>because they refuse to repent of the works way believe in the faith way</em>}, it will grind him to powder. <sup>45</sup> And when the chief priests and Pharisees had heard his parables, <strong>they perceived that he spake of them</strong> {<em>they understood but refused to believe thereby sealing their destiny of eternal damnation</em>}. <sup>46</sup> But when they sought to lay hands on him, they feared the multitude, because they took him for a prophet” (Matthew 21:33-46).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">What
most people often fail to see in Matthew chapter twenty-one is that
because the priesthood of Israel rejected Jesus as Messiah/King/LORD,
the Kingdom Age was postponed. Jesus said; “Repent: for the kingdom of
heaven is at hand” (Matthew 4:17). The Kingdom was <em>within the reach</em> of the Jews if they would simply repent of their <em>works way</em> into the Kingdom and trust in the <em>faith way</em> into Kingdom through faith in Christ’s gift of God-kind righteousness. </span></div>
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<strong><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">Of what did these Jews need to repent? </span></strong><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"> They
certainly were not the Jews that were immersed in the paganism of old
Israel. These were the Jews that were the descendants of the faithful
remnant that had returned to rebuild the Temple and Jerusalem under the
leadership of Ezra and Nehemiah four hundred years earlier. However, in
overemphasizing the works of Law to ensure that Israel not go back into
captivity, they made the way into the Kingdom the <em>works way</em>. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">Secondly,
they failed to see, or refused to see, the continuum of captivity in
the succeeding earthly empires revealed in Daniel 2:31-45. Repentance
of the <em>works way</em> by the nation of Israel was necessary before Jesus would usher in His Superior Kingdom through the <em>faith way</em>.
Therefore, Jesus calls Israel to “Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is
at hand” (Matthew 4:17). There is no room or allowance in the “Kingdom
of heaven” for people refusing to repent of the <em>works way</em>. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">“<sup>30</sup> What shall we say then? That the Gentiles, which followed not after righteousness, have attained to righteousness, <strong>even the righteousness which is of faith</strong>. <sup>31</sup> But Israel, which followed after the law of righteousness, <strong>hath not attained to the law of righteousness</strong>. <sup>32</sup> Wherefore? <strong>Because <em>they sought it</em> not by faith, but as it were by the works of the law</strong>. For they stumbled at that stumblingstone {<em>faith in Jesus</em>}; <sup>33</sup> As it is written, Behold, I lay in Sion a stumblingstone and rock of offence: and whosoever <strong>believeth on him</strong> shall not be ashamed” (Romans 9:30-33).</span></div>
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<i>Numerous studies and series are available free of charge for local churches at:
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<i>Dr. Lance Ketchum serves the Lord as a Church Planter, Evangelist/Revivalist. </i><br />
<i>He has served the Lord for over 40 years.</i>Lancehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04407932936189262291noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6157091893357738408.post-88244954865150981492018-03-19T06:42:00.002-07:002018-03-19T06:42:19.611-07:00IV. The Church and Biblical Zionism<br />
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<span style="font-size: 24px;"><strong>Zechariah</strong></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 16px;">Chapter Seven</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span><strong>IV. The Church and Biblical Zionism</strong></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16px;"> <span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-vwWecTpBs0U/Wq-97gFqaSI/AAAAAAAAED4/5uHzE9FP2z0OgkipNaH568qlL5IcVZB6gCLcBGAs/s1600/Grace.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="225" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-vwWecTpBs0U/Wq-97gFqaSI/AAAAAAAAED4/5uHzE9FP2z0OgkipNaH568qlL5IcVZB6gCLcBGAs/s400/Grace.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">There is much talk about grace these days. Unfortunately, most of it distorts what the Bible teaches. <strong>Grace is God’s undeserved supernatural enabling to the faithful, yielded believer to live the Christ-life.</strong>
Therefore, with that supernatural enabling comes accountability and
culpability for its use – “stewards of the manifold grace of God” (I
Peter 4:10). Faithful stewardship of grace results in Kingdom rewards.</span><div style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span>“<sup>17</sup> Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil. <sup>18</sup>
For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one
tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled. <sup>19</sup> Whosoever therefore {<em>application</em>} shall break {<em>luo loo'-o; literally loosen; the idea is to teach a more relaxed, broader, more liberal interpretation</em>} one of these least {<em>in size or importance; i.e.; seemingly insignificant</em>} commandments, and shall teach men so, <strong>he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach <em>them</em>, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven</strong>. <sup>20</sup> For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed <em>the righteousness</em> of the scribes and Pharisees {<em>Jesus
is referring to the imparted righteous in the indwelling Spirit, or
salvation by grace, and the practical righteousness produced through the
infilling of the Spirit, or sanctification by grace</em>}, <strong>ye shall in no case</strong> {<em>double negative in Greek text; not at all or not by any means</em>} enter into the kingdom of heaven {<em>this
is not referring to the final eternal state of existence, but is
referring to the Kingdom Age because God-kind righteousness is required;
i.e., justification ‘by grace through faith’</em>}” (Matthew 5:17-20).</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span><strong>What decisions do we need to make and keep regarding Jesus’ statements about rewards? </strong></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span><strong>1.</strong> Salvation is a gift, but rewards are earned for faithful service in the “work of the ministry.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span><strong>2.</strong>
God has not lowered or lessened His standard of righteousness. In
fact, He has redefined His expectations to living His communicable
attributes.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span><strong>3.</strong> We have already been given everything we need to live the <em>Christ-life</em> in the Person of the indwelling Holy Spirit of God.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span><strong>4.</strong> The believer will <strong>ONLY</strong> be rewarded for the “fruit” produced through the supernatural enabling of the Holy Spirit (Grace).</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span><strong>5.</strong>
We are individual stewards of this supernatural enabling of the Holy
Spirit (Grace); meaning we will be held accountable for how we use it
and for the “fruit” God desires to produce through our lives.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span><strong>6.</strong> Our <em>positions</em>
in the Kingdom Age will be determined by the degree of our faithfulness
to the stewardship of Grace. This is what the parable of the “talents”
details in Matthew 25:14-30. Some will live in glorified bodies
throughout the Kingdom Age but live in disgrace and shame because they
were irresponsible “stewards of grace.”</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span><strong>7.</strong>
The believer must decide each day, and each moment of each day, to
allow Christ to live through us; completely and totally yielded to doing
God’s will in every moment of life to win souls and make disciples to
the glory of God.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span> Paul’s next reference to an Old Testament prophecy in his statement in Romans 9:27-28 is Isaiah 10:20-23; “<sup>27</sup>
Esaias also crieth concerning Israel, Though the number of the children
of Israel be as the sand of the sea, a remnant shall be saved: <sup>28</sup> For he will finish the work, and cut <em>it</em> short in righteousness: because a short work will the Lord make upon the earth” (Romans 9:27-28). </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span>“<a data-cke-saved-name="#17871" href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="#17871"><sup>20</sup> And it shall come to pass in <strong>that day</strong> {<em>equivalent to the ‘day of the Lord’</em>}, <em>that</em> the remnant of Israel, and such as are escaped of the house of Jacob, shall no more again stay {<em>rest/trust/rely</em>} upon him that smote them; but <strong>shall stay </strong>{<em>rest/trust/rely</em>} <strong>upon the LORD</strong>, the Holy One of Israel, in truth. </a><a data-cke-saved-name="#17872" href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="#17872"><sup>21</sup> <strong>The remnant shall return</strong>, <em>even</em> the remnant of Jacob, unto the mighty God. </a><a data-cke-saved-name="#17873" href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="#17873"><sup>22</sup> For <strong>though thy people Israel be as the sand of the sea, <em>yet</em> a remnant of them shall return</strong>: the consumption {<em>the consummation in the judgment of the Gentile nations</em>} decreed shall overflow with righteousness. </a><a data-cke-saved-name="#17874" href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="#17874"><sup>23</sup> <strong>For the Lord GOD of hosts shall make a consumption, even determined, in the midst of all the land</strong></a>” (Isaiah 10:20-23).</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span> <strong>Genuine
repentance is the necessary precedent to all true and genuine revival.
Repentance is a change of mind, attitude, and heart about two things:</strong></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span><strong>1.</strong> What constitutes sin in the eyes of God?</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span><strong>2.</strong> What constitutes holiness in the eyes of God?</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span> <strong>Repentance is the <u>desire</u>
to abandon all that constitutes sin in the eyes of God and pursue all
that constitutes holiness in the eyes of God. The degree to which a
person has repented is measured by the passion a person has and the
effort he exerts to abandon all that constitutes sin in the eyes of God
and pursue all that constitutes holiness in the eyes of God.</strong>
The person with this passion to abandon all that constitutes sin in the
eyes of God and pursue all that constitutes holiness in the eyes of God
diligently and passionately searches the Scriptures to know the will of
God in the matters of sin and holiness. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span>
David speaks of God’s common intimate omniscient knowledge of every
aspect of a person’s life in Psalm 139. He concludes the Psalm by
expressing his will to God for the greatest level of intimacy possible; “<sup>23 </sup>Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: <sup>24</sup> And see if <em>there be any</em>
wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.” These words
reflect the character of a genuinely repentant heart because the words
reflect a genuine desire for change. The repentant heart is the heart
of the genuinely spiritually revived person. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span></span><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span> Again, a <em>Complimentary Hermeneutic</em>
must be applied in understanding Isaiah 10:20-23 and Romans 9:27-28.
Paul is providing new revelation in Romans 9:27-28 regarding the
interpretation of Isaiah 10:20-23. Isaiah 10:21 and 22 says, “the
remnant shall return” and “a remnant of them shall return.” <strong>In Romans 9:27 Paul says, “a remnant shall be saved” and applies this to saved Jews <u>and Gentiles</u> of the Church Age.</strong> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span>
Although there was a great harvest of Jews in the early years of
Christianity after the Day of Pentecost recorded in Acts chapter two,
there will be another great harvest of Jews during the seven-year
Tribulation. The saved Jews that survive the Tribulation will enter the
Kingdom Age in physical bodies to marry and produce children. The
saved Jews that are martyred from the Tribulation will be resurrected
and glorified at the second coming of Jesus (Revelation 20:4-6). These
glorified resurrected martyrs will reign with Christ and the church age
believers throughout the Kingdom Age as priests of God (Revelation
20:6).</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span>“<sup>4 </sup>And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and <em>I saw</em>
the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for
the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his
image, neither had received <em>his</em> mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and <strong>they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years</strong>. <sup>5</sup> But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This <em>is</em> {<em>completes</em>} the first resurrection. <sup>6</sup> <strong>Blessed and holy <em>is</em>
he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death
hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall
reign with him a thousand years</strong>” (Revelation 20:4-6).</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span>On the Day of Pentecost, a new host of <em>Messengers of Grace</em>
were saved, baptized with the Holy Spirit into the “body of Christ,”
indwelled by the Holy Spirit, and sent into all the world to preach the
wonderful Gospel of Jesus Christ. This was the formation of a new <em>Priesthood of all believers</em>, “born again” of the Spirit of God, and sent forth as <em>Ambassadors of Jesus Christ</em>, as <em>Ministers of Reconciliation</em>, and given the “words of reconciliation.”</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span>“<a data-cke-saved-name="#28895" href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="#28895"><sup>17</sup> Therefore if any man <em>be</em> <strong>in</strong> Christ, <em>he is</em> a new creature {<em>Gal. 6:15</em>}: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become {<em>perfect tense</em>} new. </a><a data-cke-saved-name="#28896" href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="#28896"><sup>18 </sup>And all things <em>are</em> of God, who hath reconciled us {<em>Church Age believers</em>} to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us {<em>Church Age believers</em>} the ministry of reconciliation; </a><a data-cke-saved-name="#28897" href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="#28897"><sup>19</sup>
To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not
imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us {<em>Church Age believers</em>} the word of reconciliation. </a><a data-cke-saved-name="#28898" href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="#28898"><sup>20</sup> Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech <em>you</em> by us: {<em>the following words define the Ambassadorship of all believers “in Christ” and their <strong>appeal</strong> to salvation “by grace through faith” to the lost of the whole world, not just the Jews</em>} we pray <em>you</em> in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God {<em>the
Ambassadorship extends beyond helping people understand the Gospel and
respond in faith to teaching them to ‘observe’ the teachings of Jesus</em>}. </a><a data-cke-saved-name="#28899" href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="#28899"><sup>21</sup> For he hath made him <em>to be</em> sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be <strong>made</strong> the righteousness of God in him</a> {<em>progressive transfiguration to Christlikeness; Romans 12:1-2</em>}” (II Corinthians 5:17-21).</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span> Because so many professing Christians misunderstand the Biblical <strong>continuity</strong>
within the Abrahamic Covenant, they lack the understanding of the
overwhelming nature of the beginning of the transition within the
Abrahamic Covenant in the setting aside of the Mosaic Covenant and the <em>beginning</em> of the unfolding (<em>already, not yet</em>)
of the New Covenant “in Christ.” Because many professing Christians do
not understand this transition, they do not understand their <em>stewardship</em> within the Age of Grace and exactly for what God will hold Church Age believers accountable. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span>
Prior to the Day of Pentecost, the physical descendants of Abraham were
God’s chosen people through which the Seed (Messiah; i.e. JEHOVAH
incarnate) would be born into humanity (the “last Adam” and the
“Firstborn” of the New Genesis). </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0.2in 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span>“<a data-cke-saved-name="#563" href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="#563"><sup>15</sup> And the angel of the LORD called unto Abraham out of heaven <strong>the second time</strong>, </a><a data-cke-saved-name="#564" href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="#564"><sup>16</sup> And said, By myself have I sworn, saith the LORD, for because thou hast done this thing, and <strong>hast not withheld thy son</strong>, thine only <em>son</em>: </a><a data-cke-saved-name="#565" href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="#565"><sup>17</sup>
That in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply
thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which <em>is</em> upon the sea shore; and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies; </a><a data-cke-saved-name="#566" href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="#566"><sup>18</sup> <strong>And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because thou hast obeyed my voice</strong></a>” (Genesis 22:15-18).</span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span>
Paul tells us in Galatians 3:16 that the “seed” of Genesis 22:18 does
not refer to the many physical descendants of Abraham, but to One
Individual; the Christ of God that we know as Jesus. When we read the
Messianic Psalm 72, we should understand that every Jew <strong><em>should have</em></strong>
known that the Messiah was the Seed to which God refers in the
Abrahamic Covenant. Paul tells us in very specific words in Galatians
3:16 that this is God’s intent.</span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0.2in 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span>“His name shall endure for ever: his name shall be continued as long as the sun: and <em>men</em> shall be blessed in him: all nations shall call <strong>him</strong> blessed” (Psalm 72:17).</span></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0.2in 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0.2in 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span>“<a data-cke-saved-name="#29114" href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="#29114"><sup>11</sup> But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, <em>it is</em> evident: for, The just shall live by faith. </a><a data-cke-saved-name="#29115" href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="#29115"><sup>12</sup> And the law is not of faith: but, The man that doeth them shall live in them. </a><a data-cke-saved-name="#29116" href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="#29116"><sup>13</sup> Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed <em>is</em> every one that hangeth on a tree: </a><a data-cke-saved-name="#29117" href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="#29117"><sup>14</sup>
That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus
Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith. </a><a data-cke-saved-name="#29118" href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="#29118"><sup>15</sup> Brethren, I speak after the manner of men; Though <em>it be</em> but a man’s covenant, yet <em>if it be</em> confirmed, no man disannulleth, or addeth thereto. </a><a data-cke-saved-name="#29119" href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="#29119"><sup>16</sup> Now to Abraham and his seed were the <strong>promises</strong> made {<em>plural; refers to the Palestinian and Davidic Covenants as part of the Abrahamic Covenant</em>}. He saith <strong>not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ.</strong> </a><a data-cke-saved-name="#29120" href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="#29120"><sup>17</sup> And this I say, <em>that</em> the covenant, that was confirmed before of God in Christ, the law, which was four hundred and thirty years after {<em>the Abrahamic Covenant}</em>, cannot disannul, that it should make the <strong>promise</strong> {<em>the Abrahamic Covenant of salvation gifted by grace through faith</em>} of none effect. </a><a data-cke-saved-name="#29121" href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="#29121"><sup>18</sup> For if the inheritance {<em>Kingdom Age promises to national Israel</em>} <em>be</em> of the law, <em>it is</em> no more of <strong>promise</strong> {<em>gifted by grace through faith</em>}: but God <strong>gave</strong> <em>it</em> to Abraham by <strong>promise</strong></a> {<em>by grace through faith</em>}” (Galatians 3:11-18).</span></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0.2in 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span>
Essential to our understanding of Romans 11:11-32 is to exactly
understand what Romans 11:11 says, “I say then, Have they {<em>national Israel</em>} stumbled that they should fall? God forbid: but <em>rather</em> through their fall salvation <em>is come</em>
unto the Gentiles, for to provoke them to jealousy.” The problem in
most English translations lies in the use of the same word “fall” to
translate two different Greek words. The first word translated “fall in
the opening question is from the Greek word <em>pipto</em> (pip'-to). The second word translated “fall” is from the Greek word <em>paraptoma</em>
(par-ap'-to-mah). These two Greek words are not referring to the same
thing. That is why the translation as we read it does not make much
sense. </span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span></span><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span>In
the question, “Have they stumbled that they should fall,” the answer is
emphatic in the negative; “God forbid.” It corresponds with the
opening question and answer in Romans 11:1, “Hath God cast away his
people? God forbid.” The opening question of Romans 11:11 consents to
Israel’s <em>stumble</em>. The question is, did Israel <em>fall completely and for good</em><a data-cke-saved-href="#_ftn1" data-cke-saved-name="_ftnref1" href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=931265740727391506#_ftn1" name="_ftnref1" title="">[1]</a>.
The “God forbid” is Paul’s inspired response to such a foolish notion.
The facts of the existence of both the Palestinian Covenant and the
Davidic Covenant would emphatically refute the very idea of such a
question. </span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span></span><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span>The second use of the word “fall” translated from <em>paraptoma</em> (par-ap'-to-mah) could be translated <em>side-slip</em> referring to a <em>lapse or deviation</em><a data-cke-saved-href="#_ftn2" data-cke-saved-name="_ftnref2" href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=931265740727391506#_ftn2" name="_ftnref2" title="">[2]</a> from the right pathway. A more common term for this would be <em>backsliding</em>.
The text is not referring to the salvation of individuals or even the
backsliding of individual Jews. The text is referring to <em>corporate Israel,</em> or <em>the nation of Israel collectively </em>and<em> primarily</em> as represented in the priesthood of Israel. <strong>The fact that the spiritual condition of the Levitical Priesthood of Israel was <em>thee</em> representation, not merely <em>a</em>
representation, of the spiritual condition of the nation of Israel is
critical to our understanding of what Paul is saying in Romans chapter
eleven. </strong></span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0.2in 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span>“<a data-cke-saved-name="#22135" href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="#22135"><sup>1</sup> Hear the word of the LORD, ye children of Israel: for the LORD hath a controversy with the inhabitants of the land, because <strong><em>there is</em> no truth, nor mercy, nor knowledge of God in the land</strong>. </a><a data-cke-saved-name="#22136" href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="#22136"><sup>2</sup> By swearing, and lying, and killing, and stealing, and committing adultery, they break out, and blood toucheth blood. </a><a data-cke-saved-name="#22137" href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="#22137"><sup>3</sup>
Therefore shall the land mourn, and every one that dwelleth therein
shall languish, with the beasts of the field, and with the fowls of
heaven; yea, the fishes of the sea also shall be taken away. </a><a data-cke-saved-name="#22138" href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="#22138"><sup>4</sup> Yet let no man strive, nor reprove another: for thy people <em>are</em> as they that strive with the priest. </a><a data-cke-saved-name="#22139" href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="#22139"><sup>5</sup> Therefore shalt thou fall in the day, and the prophet also shall fall with thee in the night, and I will destroy thy mother. </a><a data-cke-saved-name="#22140" href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="#22140"><sup>6</sup> <strong>My
people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected
knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me:
seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy
children</strong>. </a><a data-cke-saved-name="#22141" href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="#22141"><sup>7</sup> As they were increased, so they sinned against me: <em>therefore</em> will I change their glory into shame. </a><a data-cke-saved-name="#22142" href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="#22142"><sup>8</sup> They eat up the sin of my people, and they set their heart on their iniquity. </a><a data-cke-saved-name="#22143" href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="#22143"><sup>9</sup> And <strong>there shall be, like people, like priest</strong>: and I will punish them for their ways, and reward them their doings</a>” (Hosea 4:1-9).</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0.2in 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span>“<a data-cke-saved-name="#18207" href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="#18207"><sup>13</sup> Wherefore the Lord said, Forasmuch as this people draw near <em>me</em>
with their mouth, and with their lips do honour me, but have removed
their heart far from me, and their fear toward me is taught by the
precept of men: </a><a data-cke-saved-name="#18208" href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="#18208"><sup>14</sup> Therefore, behold, I will proceed to do a marvellous work among this people, <em>even</em> a marvellous work and a wonder: for the wisdom of their wise <em>men</em> shall perish, and the understanding of their prudent <em>men</em> shall be hid. </a><a data-cke-saved-name="#18209" href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="#18209"><sup>15</sup>
Woe unto them that seek deep to hide their counsel from the LORD, and
their works are in the dark, and they say, Who seeth us? and who knoweth
us? </a><a data-cke-saved-name="#18210" href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="#18210"><sup>16</sup> Surely <strong>your turning of things upside down</strong>
shall be esteemed as the potter’s clay: for shall the work say of him
that made it, He made me not? or shall the thing framed say of him that
framed it, He had no understanding (Isaiah 29:13-16)?</a></span></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0.2in 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span> The priesthood of Israel’s <em>side-step</em>,
referred to by the second use of the word “fall” in Romans 11:11, was
the priesthood leading the nation of Israel away from salvation “by
grace through faith” to salvation by “works”; i.e., Moralism and
Ritualism. Because of this <em>side-step</em> of the priesthood of
Israel, God would call a new priesthood of all believers during the
Church Age and test that new priesthood throughout everyone’s lifetime.
God would prove that new priesthood by individual faithfulness to
discipleship and the Great Commission with the intent that those proven
faithful will be <em>installed</em> (consecrated) over national Israel
at the beginning of the Kingdom Age as the new Melchisedecan Priesthood,
then ruling with Christ in glorified bodies. </span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span></span><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span>The criteria for <em>testing</em> and <em>proving</em>
of this new Priesthood of all believers are found in two phrases in the
Scriptures: saved “by grace through faith” and “the just {<em>those saved</em>}
shall live by faith” (Romans 1:17; Galatians 3:11; Hebrews 10:38).
Many get saved “by grace through faith,” but few of those that get saved
“live by faith” (the <em>grace-life</em>)<em>. </em> The <em>grace-life</em> is the <em>Christ-life</em> that becomes available to every believer in the <em>indwelling</em> of the believer and is manifested through the <em>filling</em> of the Spirit. </span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0.2in 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span>“<a data-cke-saved-name="#29104" href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="#29104"><sup>1</sup>
O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey
the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth,
crucified among you? </a><a data-cke-saved-name="#29105" href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="#29105"><sup>2</sup> This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? </a><a data-cke-saved-name="#29106" href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="#29106"><sup>3</sup> <strong>Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh</strong>? </a><a data-cke-saved-name="#29107" href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="#29107"><sup>4</sup> Have ye suffered so many things in vain? if <em>it be</em> yet in vain. </a><a data-cke-saved-name="#29108" href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="#29108"><sup>5</sup> He therefore that ministereth to you the Spirit, and worketh miracles among you, <em>doeth he it</em> by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith” (Galatians 3:1-5)?</a></span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span> It is to this outcome that the phrase “but <em>rather</em> through their {<em>national Israel’s</em>} fall {<em>side-slip</em>} salvation <em>is come</em> unto the Gentiles {<em>ethnos; foreigners to national Israel and by implication all heathen ethnicities</em>}, for to provoke them to jealousy” refers in Romans 11:11. Therefore, God has two purposes in this:</span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt 0.2in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span><strong>1.</strong>
That this new Priesthood of evangelists could lead both Jews and all
other (“whosoever” of Romans 10:13) ethnicities to salvation “by grace
through faith” in the “finished” work of redemption in the death,
burial, and resurrection/glorification of Jesus Christ.</span></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt 0.2in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span><strong>2.</strong>
So that the nation of Israel would be provoked to “jealousy” and
repent, turning to faith in Jesus as the Christ themselves one day.
This will happen during the last half of the Tribulation through the
miraculous witnessing of the two witnesses and the 144,000 sealed Jews
who all will preach Jesus as the Messiah and redemption “by grace
through faith” in Him. </span></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt 0.2in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span> This is all important in the sense that, during the Church Age, national Israel is <em>set aside</em> and exists in the very place to which they have <em>slipped</em>. Although still God’s chosen people, they presently are viewed by God as <em>common sinners</em> like everyone else in the world and need to get saved the same way any Gentile needs to be saved. </span></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0.2in 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0.2in 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span>“<a data-cke-saved-name="#27449" href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="#27449"><sup>6</sup> And the apostles and elders came together for to consider of this matter. </a><a data-cke-saved-name="#27450" href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="#27450"><sup>7</sup> And when there had been much disputing, Peter rose up, and said unto them, Men <em>and</em>
brethren, ye know how that a good while ago God made choice among us,
that the Gentiles by my mouth should hear the word of the gospel, and
believe. </a><a data-cke-saved-name="#27451" href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="#27451"><sup>8</sup> And God, which knoweth the hearts, bare them witness, giving them the Holy Ghost, even as <em>he did</em> unto us; </a><a data-cke-saved-name="#27452" href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="#27452"><sup>9</sup> And <strong>put no difference between us</strong> {<em>Jews</em>} <strong>and them</strong> {<em>Gentiles</em>}, purifying their {<em>Gentiles’</em>} hearts by faith</a>” (Acts 15:6-9).</span></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0.2in 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0.2in 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span>“<a data-cke-saved-name="#28011" href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="#28011"><sup>19</sup>
Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who
are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world
may become guilty before God. </a><a data-cke-saved-name="#28012" href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="#28012"><sup>20</sup> Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law <em>is</em> the knowledge of sin. </a><a data-cke-saved-name="#28013" href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="#28013"><sup>21</sup> But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; </a><a data-cke-saved-name="#28014" href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="#28014"><sup>22</sup> Even the righteousness of God <em>which is</em> by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: <strong>for there is no difference</strong>: </a><a data-cke-saved-name="#28015" href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="#28015"><sup>23</sup> For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; </a><a data-cke-saved-name="#28016" href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="#28016"><sup>24</sup> Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: </a><a data-cke-saved-name="#28017" href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="#28017"><sup>25</sup> Whom God hath set forth <em>to be</em>
a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness
for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of
God; </a><a data-cke-saved-name="#28018" href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="#28018"><sup>26</sup> To declare, <em>I say</em>, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus. </a><a data-cke-saved-name="#28019" href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="#28019"><sup>27</sup> Where <em>is</em> boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? of works? Nay: but by the law of faith. </a><a data-cke-saved-name="#28020" href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="#28020"><sup>28</sup> Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law. </a><a data-cke-saved-name="#28021" href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="#28021"><sup>29 </sup><em>Is he</em> the God of the Jews only? <em>is he</em> not also of the Gentiles? Yes, of the Gentiles also: </a><a data-cke-saved-name="#28022" href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="#28022"><sup>30</sup> Seeing <em>it is</em> one God, which shall justify the circumcision by faith, and uncircumcision through faith. </a><a data-cke-saved-name="#28023" href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="#28023"><sup>31</sup> Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid: yea, we establish the law</a>” (Romans 3:19-31).</span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0.2in 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span>“<a data-cke-saved-name="#28201" href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="#28201"><sup>12</sup> For <strong>there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek</strong>: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. </a><a data-cke-saved-name="#28202" href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="#28202"><sup>13</sup> For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved</a>” (Romans 10:12-13).</span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span> From this contextual continuity, we can transition into the statement of Romans 11:12, “Now if the fall {<em>paraptoma</em>; <em>same as the second use of “fall” in verse 11</em>}<strong> </strong>of them {<em>national Israel</em>} <em>be</em> the riches of the world, and the diminishing of them {<em>national Israel</em>} the riches of the Gentiles; how much more their {<em>national Israel’s</em>} fullness {<em>referring to the restoration and salvation of national Israel during the Tribulation time</em>}?” </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span></span><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span>When the priesthood of national Israel <em>side-slipped</em> away from the <em>pathway,</em> or the <em>faith-way,</em>
of salvation and the blessings God’s, the riches of God’s grace were
extended into every ethnicity in the world through the preaching of the
Gospel of Jesus Christ by those sent into the world through the Great
Commission. </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span></span><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span>The
“riches of the Gentiles” does not refer to material wealth or material
blessings. The phrase refers to the “riches of grace” in the new
Priesthood of all believers of the Church Age. This corporate election
is the substance of the epistle to the Ephesians. </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span></span><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span><strong>Zionism
means Jesus will physically rule over a literal worldwide Israeli
Empire from Jerusalem during the Kingdom Age. Jesus will share His rule
with faithful believers from throughout the Church Age.</strong> Church Age believers will constitute a new Melchizedecan priesthood under their Great High Priest Jesus. </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span></span><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span>The
metaphor of Jesus as the Bridegroom and the “church of the firstborn”
as His Bride is integral to our understanding of the Kingdom
relationship of Christ to His Church. The espoused Bride becomes the
wife of the Bridegroom when the Bridegroom brings the Bride home to His
Kingdom. The “marriage supper of the Lamb” takes place in Heaven during
the seven years of Tribulation on Earth. Obviously, if the “marriage
supper of the Lamb” takes place in Heaven before the Bridegroom brings
His Bride to His Kingdom to reign with Him, the Bride must be in Heaven
for the “marriage supper of the Lamb.”</span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span><br /></span></span><div id="ftn1">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span><a data-cke-saved-href="#_ftnref1" data-cke-saved-name="_ftn1" href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=931265740727391506#_ftnref1" name="_ftn1" title="">[1]</a> A.T. Robertson’s Word Pictures, Romans 11:1, SwordSearcher Software 4.8</span></span></div>
</div>
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<div class="MsoFootnoteText" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span><a data-cke-saved-href="#_ftnref2" data-cke-saved-name="_ftn2" href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=931265740727391506#_ftnref2" name="_ftn2" title="">[2]</a> Strong’s Greek Dictionary, SwordSearcher software 4.8</span></span></div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><i>Anonymous comments will not be allowed. </i></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><i>Numerous studies and series are available free of charge for local churches at:
http://www.disciplemakerministries.org/ </i></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><i>Dr. Lance Ketchum serves the Lord as a Church Planter, Evangelist/Revivalist. </i></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><i>He has served the Lord for over 40 years.</i></span>Lancehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04407932936189262291noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6157091893357738408.post-92164742578148228592018-03-12T04:51:00.002-07:002018-03-12T04:51:52.178-07:00III. The Church and Biblical Zionism<br />
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<span style="font-size: 18px;"><strong>Zechariah</strong></span></div>
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Chapter Seven</div>
<div align="center" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #000033;"><span style="font-size: 20px;"><strong>III. The Church and Biblical Zionism</strong></span></span></div>
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-kG1q71Qn-S4/WqZpkLPtZ4I/AAAAAAAAEDc/GsLwMC81h-sRCvb7nmpHCxR1seyhtZxAACLcBGAs/s1600/flying-puzzles-nokhoog-buchachon.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="400" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-kG1q71Qn-S4/WqZpkLPtZ4I/AAAAAAAAEDc/GsLwMC81h-sRCvb7nmpHCxR1seyhtZxAACLcBGAs/s320/flying-puzzles-nokhoog-buchachon.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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The
understanding of prophecy is often like putting together a jigsaw
puzzle. When each connecting piece is put in the right place, we are
progressively enabled to see the whole picture. </div>
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In Zechariah 2:11, God says, “And many nations shall be joined to the LORD in <strong>that day</strong> {<em>at the beginning of the Kingdom Age and the second coming of Jesus</em>}, and <strong>shall be my people</strong>.” God said in Hosea 1:10, “it shall come to pass, <em>that</em> in the place where it was said unto them, Ye <em>are</em> not my people, <em>there</em> it shall be said unto them, <em>Ye are</em>
the sons of the living God.” Galatians 3:6-29 is the definitive text
explaining God’s prophetic statement in Hosea 1:10, which we know from
Romans 9:26 includes Church Age Gentiles saved through faith in Jesus
Christ.</div>
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“<sup>6</sup> <strong>Even as</strong> {<em>in the same way</em>} Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness. <sup>7</sup> Know ye therefore <strong>that they which are of faith </strong>{<em>trust in Christ and are “born again”</em>}, <strong>the same are the children of Abraham</strong>. <sup>8</sup> And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify {<em>save</em>} the heathen through faith, preached before the gospel unto Abraham {<em>Gen. 12:3</em>}, <em>saying</em>, In thee shall all nations be blessed. <sup>9</sup> <strong>So then they which be of faith </strong><em>{“born again” believers from all nations</em>} <strong>are blessed with faithful Abraham</strong>. <sup>10</sup> For as many as are of the works of the law {<em>The
Mosaic Covenant was a suzerain-vassal agreement, meaning it was a
bilateral and conditional covenant between God and Israel and,
therefore, was a covenant of “works,” unlike the Abrahamic Covenant,
which was an unconditional covenant <u>promised</u> “by grace” and received “through faith.”</em>} are under the curse {<em>of
the Mosaic Covenant, the ‘curse’ meaning the opposite of God’s
conditional blessing; this is not referring to the curse of Hell.</em>}: for it is written, Cursed <em>is</em> every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them {<em>the Mosaic Covenant was a “blessing and a curse” covenant; Deut. 11:26-32 compared with Deut. 29:1 through 30:20</em>}. <sup>11</sup> <strong>But that no man is justified</strong> {<em>saved</em>} <strong>by </strong>{<em>keeping</em>} <strong>the law in the sight of God</strong>, <em>it is</em> evident {<em>keeping
the conditions of the Mosaic Covenant could not save anyone; this
Covenant was not about salvation even though Apostate Israel had made it
to be</em>}: for, The just shall live by faith. <sup>12</sup> And the law {<em>the Mosaic Covenant</em>} is not of faith: but, The man that doeth them shall live in them. <sup>13</sup> Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed <em>is</em> every one that hangeth on a tree: <sup>14 </sup><strong>That the</strong> {<em>unconditional</em>} <strong>blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ</strong>; that we might receive the <strong>promise</strong> of the Spirit {<em>being “born again” or regenerated</em>} through faith. <sup>15</sup> Brethren, I speak after the manner of men; Though <em>it be</em> but a man’s covenant, yet <em>if it be</em> confirmed, no man disannulleth, or addeth thereto. <sup>16</sup> <strong>Now
to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to
seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ</strong> {<em>the
promises of the Abrahamic Covenant were actually made to Christ and all
those expressing faith in the Promised One; i.e., Christ</em>}” (Galatians 3:6-16).</div>
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The
Judaizers were Jews who had professed Christ to be their Messiah and
Saviour but were corrupting local churches by corrupting what was
required to be saved. They believed that faith in Christ was necessary,
but also believed it was necessary to keep the moral commandments,
observe the Holy Days of the Law, continue under the Levitical
priesthood and the sacrifices of the Mosaic covenant, and to be
circumcised. All these things are summed up by the Apostle Paul with
the words “works of the Law.” </div>
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In Galatians 2:16, Paul emphatically states, “Knowing that <strong>a man is not justified by the works of the law</strong>, but by the faith {‘<em>finished’ vicarious work of redemption</em>} of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith {‘<em>finished’ vicarious work of redemption</em>} of Christ, and <strong>not by the works of the law</strong>: for <strong>by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified</strong>.”
The “works of the law” were sanctificational in their scope. They were
never intended to be salvational. The “works of the law” were intended
for people already “born again” by having entered the Abrahamic
Covenant offered “by grace” and received “through faith” (Ephesians
2:8-9).</div>
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“<sup>17</sup> And this I say, <em>that</em> the covenant, that was confirmed before of God in Christ, the law {<em>Mosaic Covenant</em>}, which was four hundred and thirty years after {<em>the Abrahamic Covenant</em>}, cannot disannul {<em>the Abrahamic Covenant</em>}, that it should make the promise of {<em>the Abrahamic Covenant</em>} none effect. <sup>18</sup> For if the inheritance <em>be</em> of the law {<em>Mosaic Covenant</em>}, <em>it is</em> no more of promise {<em>the Abrahamic Covenant</em>}: but God gave <em>it</em> to Abraham by promise {<em>the Abrahamic Covenant</em>}. <a data-cke-saved-name="#29122" href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="#29122"><sup>19</sup> Wherefore then <em>serveth</em> the law {<em>Mosaic Covenant</em>}? It was added because of transgressions, till the seed {<em>Messiah</em>} should come <strong>to whom the promise </strong>{<em>the Abrahamic Covenant</em>} <strong>was made</strong>; <em>and it was</em> ordained by angels in the hand of a mediator. </a><a data-cke-saved-name="#29123" href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="#29123"><sup>20</sup> Now a mediator is not <em>a mediator</em> of one, but God is one. </a><a data-cke-saved-name="#29124" href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="#29124"><sup>21</sup> <em>Is</em>
the law then against the promises of God? God forbid: for if there had
been a law given which could have given life, verily righteousness
should have been by the law. </a><a data-cke-saved-name="#29125" href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="#29125"><sup>22</sup> But the scripture hath concluded all under sin, <strong>that the promise </strong>{<em>the Abrahamic Covenant</em>} <strong>by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe</strong>. </a><a data-cke-saved-name="#29126" href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="#29126"><sup>23</sup> But before faith came, we were kept {<em>preserved</em>} under the law, shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed. </a><a data-cke-saved-name="#29127" href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="#29127"><sup>24</sup> Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster {<em>guardian or child-leader</em>} <em>to bring us</em> unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith. </a><a data-cke-saved-name="#29128" href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="#29128"><sup>25</sup> But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster {<em>guardian or child-leader</em>}. </a><sup>26</sup> <strong>For ye are all </strong>{<em>Jew and Gentile believers</em>} <strong>the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus</strong>. <sup>27</sup> For as many of you as have been {<em>Holy Spirit</em>} baptized into Christ have put on Christ. <sup>28</sup> There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for <strong>ye are all one</strong> in Christ Jesus. <sup>29</sup> <strong>And if ye <em>be</em> Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise</strong>” (Galatians 3:17-29).</div>
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<strong>As
said, within the above text of Galatians 3:10, the Mosaic Covenant was a
suzerain-vassal agreement, meaning it was a bilateral and <em>conditional covenant</em> between God and the nation of Israel (not individuals)</strong>. Therefore, the Mosaic Covenant was a covenant of “works,” unlike the Abrahamic Covenant, which was an <em>unconditional covenant</em>
given “by grace” and received “through faith.” The Abrahamic Covenant
too was a dualistic covenant with both national and spiritual Israel.
To be part of national Israel, one needed to be born a descendant of
Abraham. To be part of spiritual Israel, one needed to be a “born
again” descendant of Christ. The Abrahamic Covenant was <em>typically</em> made with Abraham<strong>, but <em>actually</em> made with Christ (see Galatians 3:19, 26, and 29).</strong></div>
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<strong></strong><br /></div>
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<strong>
The Mosaic Covenant was a “blessing and a curse” covenant (see
Deuteronomy 11:26-32 compared with Deuteronomy 29:1 through 30:20). </strong>The
significance of these facts regarding our understanding of Romans
chapter nine is that the clear majority of national Israel had been
misled by the priesthood of Israel to believe that the “blessing and a
curse” covenant was conditions for <em>individual</em> salvation. In
other words, the clear majority of national Israel had been misled into
placing their faith in their keeping the conditions of the Mosaic
Covenant to be saved, which to them came to mean being part of the <em>Kingdom on earth</em> promises of God. </div>
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This was a complete misunderstanding of the “blessing and a curse” of
the Mosaic Covenant (Galatians 3:19). Paul introduced the fact that
Gentiles were part of the Abrahamic Covenant as early as Romans 3:19-31 <em>correcting</em> the false doctrine that justification came through the “blessing and a curse” Mosaic Covenant. </div>
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“<sup>19</sup> Now we know that what things soever the law {<em>Mosaic Covenant</em>}
saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be
stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God. <sup>20</sup> Therefore <strong>by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law <em>is</em> the knowledge of sin</strong>. <sup>21</sup> But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; <sup>22</sup> Even the righteousness of God <em>which is</em> by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference: <sup>23</sup> For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; <sup>24</sup> Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: <sup>25</sup> Whom God hath set forth <em>to be</em>
a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness
for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of
God; <sup>26</sup> <strong>To declare, <em>I say</em>, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus</strong>. <sup>27</sup> Where <em>is</em> boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? of works? Nay: <strong>but by the law of faith</strong>. <sup>28</sup> Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law. <sup>29</sup> <strong><em>Is he</em> the God of the Jews only? <em>is he</em> not also of the Gentiles? Yes, of the Gentiles also</strong>: <sup>30</sup> Seeing <em>it is</em> one God, which shall justify the circumcision <strong>by faith</strong>, and uncircumcision <strong>through faith</strong>. <sup>31</sup> Do we then make void the law <strong>through faith</strong>? God forbid: yea, we establish the law” (Romans 3:19-31).</div>
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The idea of the two phrases “by” and “through” in Romans 3:30 are best understood by the fact that <strong><em>by</em></strong> the covenant promise of God to Abraham, Jews were brought into a relationship with God <strong>as a nation</strong> although they may not have been saved individually (Romans 9:6-7). Each individual Jew still needed to be saved <strong>“by</strong>”
the door of personal faith in the promised “seed” typified in Isaac;
that “seed” was Christ (Galatians 3:16). On the other hand, the
Gentiles stood completely outside of this covenant relationship of God
with the nation of Israel. Therefore, the Gentiles needed to enter a
relationship <strong>“through”</strong> the door of personal faith in
Christ. There really is no significant difference in the meaning of the
two phrases. Everyone, Jew or Gentile, can only be saved “by grace”
and “through faith” (Ephesians 2:8). </div>
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“<sup>12 </sup>For <strong>there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek</strong>: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. <sup>13</sup> For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord {<em>Jehovah;</em> <em>having
rested is the vicarious propitiation of God in the crucifixion of
Christ Jesus and he gift of God-kind righteous offered in the indwelling
Spirit</em>} <strong>shall be saved</strong>” (Romans 10:12-13).</div>
</div>
<br />
<i>Anonymous comments will not be allowed. </i><br />
<i>Numerous studies and series are available free of charge for local churches at:
http://www.disciplemakerministries.org/ </i><br />
<i>Dr. Lance Ketchum serves the Lord as a Church Planter, Evangelist/Revivalist. </i><br />
<i>He has served the Lord for over 40 years.</i>Lancehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04407932936189262291noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6157091893357738408.post-51819518759630114162018-03-05T06:56:00.006-08:002018-03-05T06:56:35.529-08:00II. The Church and Biblical Zionism<br />
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<strong>Zechariah</strong></div>
<div align="center" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; text-align: center;">
Chapter Seven</div>
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<span style="color: #000033;"><span style="font-size: 20px;"><strong>II. The Church and Biblical Zionism</strong></span></span></div>
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<strong>The context of God’s mercy in Romans chapter nine is determined by the context of God’s mercy in Hosea 2:23.</strong> God’s mercy refers to God’s <em>special grace</em> in extending mercy to national Israel in her restoration at the second coming of Christ. Therefore, contextually, this <em>special grace</em> is to national Israel according to God’s determinant will. This <em>special grace</em> does not refer to the salvation of individuals. The point is that national Israel did not deserve to be restored. </div>
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“<sup>6</sup> Not as though the word of God hath taken none effect. For they <em>are</em> not all {<em>spiritual</em>} Israel, which are of {<em>national</em>} Israel: <sup>7</sup> Neither, because they are the {<em>physical</em>} seed of Abraham, <em>are they</em> all children: but, In Isaac shall thy {<em>spiritual</em>} seed be called. <sup>8</sup> That is, They which are the children of the flesh {<em>physical seed</em>}, these <em>are</em> not the children {<em>spiritual seed</em>} of God: but the children of the promise {<em>faith</em>} are counted for the {<em>spiritual</em>} seed” (Romans 9:6-8).</div>
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“<sup>14 </sup>What shall we say then? <em>Is there</em> unrighteousness with God? God forbid. <sup>15</sup> For he saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion. <sup>16</sup> So then <em>it is</em> not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy. <sup>17</sup>
For the scripture saith unto Pharaoh, Even for this same purpose have I
raised thee up, that I might shew my power in thee, and that my name
might be declared throughout all the earth. <sup>18</sup> Therefore hath he mercy on whom he will <em>have mercy</em>, and whom he will he hardeneth” (Romans 9:14-18).</div>
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Therefore, what Paul is telling us in Romans chapter nine is that we have two elect Israel’s. Election is <em>conditional (CHART)</em> in both two elect groups. </div>
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<strong>1.</strong>
We have elect national Israel with earthly and temporal promises
conditioned upon being a physical (genetic) descendant of Abraham. Only
Jews can be part of this elect group.</div>
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<strong>2.</strong>
We have spiritual elect Israel with heavenly and eternal promises
conditioned upon being “born again” through faith in the Promised Seed
(Christ). “Whosoever {<em>of any individual from any nation or ethnic group</em>} shall call upon the Name of the Lord shall be saved” (Romans 10:13).</div>
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In Romans 9:25, Paul quotes from Hosea. “Osee” in our KJV is Hosea. <strong>God told Hosea to take a whore for his wife. Hosea obeys and marries a whore named “Gomer the daughter of Diblaim” (Hosea 1:3).</strong>
God uses Gomer to typify national Israel since most Jews were involved
with the licentious, pornographic, sexual cultus of Baalism. It is
clear in the prophecy from Hosea 2:1-23 that God is NOT casting national
Israel away. It is clear from the prophecy from Hosea 2:1-23 that God
is <em>withdrawing</em> His blessings from national Israel and that, if national Israel did not repent, God would bring about a <em>diaspora; </em>scattering or dispersal of the Jews into the nations of the world. Although this <em>diaspora</em>
was partially fulfilled in the Assyrian conquests, the complete
fulfillment did not happen until 70 A.D. when Rome destroyed the Temple
in Jerusalem as was prophesized by Christ (Matthew 24:1-2). This <em>scattering</em>
extended beyond national Israel into the faithful remnant of spiritual
Israel and also into the Church (Luke 1:5-55, Acts 8:1-4; 11:19, James
1:1 and I Peter 1:1). This is the contextual substance of Hosea 2:1-23.</div>
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“<a data-cke-saved-name="#22107" href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="#22107"><sup>1</sup> Say ye unto your brethren, Ammi; and to your sisters, Ruhamah. </a><a data-cke-saved-name="#22108" href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="#22108"><sup>2</sup> Plead with your mother, plead: for she <em>is</em> not my wife, neither <em>am</em> I her husband: let her therefore put away her whoredoms out of her sight, and her adulteries from between her breasts; </a><a data-cke-saved-name="#22109" href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="#22109"><sup>3</sup>
Lest I strip her naked, and set her as in the day that she was born,
and make her as a wilderness, and set her like a dry land, and slay her
with thirst. </a><a data-cke-saved-name="#22110" href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="#22110"><sup>4</sup> <strong>And I will not have mercy upon her children; for they <em>be</em> the children of whoredoms</strong>. </a><a data-cke-saved-name="#22111" href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="#22111"><sup>5</sup>
For their mother hath played the harlot: she that conceived them hath
done shamefully: for she said, I will go after my lovers, that give <em>me</em> my bread and my water, my wool and my flax, mine oil and my drink. </a><a data-cke-saved-name="#22112" href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="#22112"><sup>6</sup> <strong>Therefore</strong>, behold, I will hedge up thy way with thorns, and make a wall, that she shall not find her paths. </a><a data-cke-saved-name="#22113" href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="#22113"><sup>7</sup> And she shall follow after her lovers, but she shall not overtake them; and she shall seek them, but shall not find <em>them</em>: then shall she say, I will go and return to my first husband; for then <em>was it</em> better with me than now. </a><a data-cke-saved-name="#22114" href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="#22114"><sup>8</sup> <strong>For she did not know that I gave her corn, and wine, and oil, and multiplied her silver and gold, <em>which</em> they prepared for Baal</strong>. </a><a data-cke-saved-name="#22115" href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="#22115"><sup>9</sup>
Therefore will I return, and take away my corn in the time thereof, and
my wine in the season thereof, and will recover my wool and my flax <em>given</em> to cover her nakedness. </a><a data-cke-saved-name="#22116" href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="#22116"><sup>10</sup> And now will I discover her lewdness in the sight of her lovers, and none shall deliver her out of mine hand. </a><a data-cke-saved-name="#22117" href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="#22117"><sup>11</sup> <strong>I will also cause all her mirth to cease, her feast days, her new moons, and her sabbaths, and all her solemn feasts</strong>. </a><a data-cke-saved-name="#22118" href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="#22118"><sup>12</sup> And I will destroy her vines and her fig trees, whereof she hath said, These <em>are</em> my rewards that my lovers have given me: and I will make them a forest, and the beasts of the field shall eat them. </a><a data-cke-saved-name="#22119" href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="#22119"><sup>13</sup> <strong>And
I will visit upon her the days of Baalim, wherein she burned incense to
them, and she decked herself with her earrings and her jewels, and she
went after her lovers, and forgat me, saith the LORD</strong>. </a><a data-cke-saved-name="#22120" href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="#22120"><sup>14</sup> {<em>beginning during the Tribulation, God will begin to draw Jews to Him with special and miraculous means</em>} <strong>Therefore</strong>, behold, I will allure her, and bring her into the wilderness, and speak comfortably unto her. </a><a data-cke-saved-name="#22121" href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="#22121"><sup>15</sup>
And I will give her her vineyards from thence, and the valley of Achor
for a door of hope: and she shall sing there, as in the days of her
youth, and as in the day when she came up out of the land of Egypt. </a><a data-cke-saved-name="#22122" href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="#22122"><sup>16</sup> And it shall be at that day, saith the LORD, <em>that</em> thou shalt call me Ishi; and shalt call me no more Baali. </a><a data-cke-saved-name="#22123" href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="#22123"><sup>17</sup> For I will take away the names of Baalim out of her mouth, and they shall no more be remembered by their name. </a><a data-cke-saved-name="#22124" href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="#22124"><sup>18</sup> And in that day will I make a covenant for them with the beasts of the field, and with the fowls of heaven, and <em>with</em>
the creeping things of the ground: and I will break the bow and the
sword and the battle out of the earth, and will make them to lie down
safely. </a><a data-cke-saved-name="#22125" href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="#22125"><sup>19</sup>
And I will betroth thee unto me for ever; yea, I will betroth thee unto
me in righteousness, and in judgment, and in lovingkindness, and in
mercies. </a><a data-cke-saved-name="#22126" href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="#22126"><sup>20</sup> I will even betroth thee unto me in faithfulness: and thou shalt know the LORD. </a><a data-cke-saved-name="#22127" href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="#22127"><sup>21</sup> And it shall come to pass in that day, I will hear, saith the LORD, I will hear the heavens, and they shall hear the earth; </a><a data-cke-saved-name="#22128" href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="#22128"><sup>22</sup> And the earth shall hear the corn, and the wine, and the oil; and they shall hear Jezreel. </a><a data-cke-saved-name="#22129" href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="#22129"><sup>23</sup> <strong>And I will sow her unto me in the earth; and I will have mercy upon her that had not obtained mercy; and I will say to <em>them which were</em> not my people, Thou <em>art</em> my people; and they shall say, <em>Thou art</em> my God</strong></a>” (Hosea 2:1-23).</div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<strong>All that God said He would do in Hosea 2:9-13 has already been fulfilled.</strong> Because Israel credited the Baals (“Baalim”) with their material blessings, God was going to “take away” or <em>take back</em>
what He had given them (vs. 9). God would do this at the very time
when Israel expected their harvests to come in. Although there was a
partial fulfillment of this at the time of Hosea as God caused the crops
to fail and brought the Assyrians upon them, ultimately and
chronologically, this prophecy was fulfilled at the first advent of
Messiah. <strong>Israel was expecting deliverance into the Kingdom.
Instead, they were dispersed into the nations of the world. Therefore,
this refers to “the times of the Gentiles.”</strong></div>
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</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; text-align: justify;">
There
are two main New Testament texts connecting the Church Age with “the
times of the Gentiles” that are prophesied in Hosea 2:11-13. These two
texts are Luke 21:20-24 and Romans chapter eleven. We will not take the
time to deal extensively with these two texts here because we will deal
with them when we look at Romans chapter eleven. </div>
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<strong></strong><br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<strong>However, there are certain truths from Hosea 2:11-13 that show us when this prophecy was fulfilled.</strong> “<sup>11</sup> I will also cause all her mirth to cease, her feast days, her new moons, and her sabbaths, and all her solemn feasts. <sup>12</sup> And I will destroy her vines and her fig trees, whereof she hath said, These <em>are</em> my rewards that my lovers have given me: and I will make them a forest, and the beasts of the field shall eat them. <sup>13</sup>
And I will visit upon her the days of Baalim, wherein she burned
incense to them, and she decked herself with her earrings and her
jewels, and she went after her lovers, and forgat me, saith the LORD.” </div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<strong></strong><br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<strong>Four judgments are described as part of the times of the Gentiles and the Church Age. </strong></div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-left: .2in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<strong>1.</strong> <strong>“Mirth to cease;”</strong>
through the institution of the New Covenant, God caused National Israel
to be dispersed in all the nations of the world, where since the
beginning of the Church Age they have been under the chastisement of
God. </div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-left: .2in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<strong>2.</strong> <strong>“Her feast days, her new moons, and her sabbaths, and all her solemn feasts” would cease</strong>;<strong>”</strong> none of these aspects of the Mosaic Covenant are carried into the New Covenant (Gal. 4:10, Col. 2:16-17). These <em>days</em> have <em>ceased</em>. The word “cease” in Hosea 2:11 is actually the Hebrew word <em>shabath</em> (shaw-bath'), the same word translated <em>Sabbath</em> in the Old Testament books. In other words, these Mosaic times, seasons, and Sabbath days would be <em>put on hold</em> or <em>to rest</em> throughout the Church Age until the beginning of the Kingdom Age. This is a critical truth for the various types of <em>Sabbatarian</em><em>s</em> of modern day Christianity (Seventh Day Adventists, Seventh Day Baptist, and Covenant Theologians with their <em>Sunday Sabbath</em> replacement). </div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-left: .2in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<strong>3.</strong> <strong>“And I will destroy her vines and her fig trees;”</strong>
God would make Israel a wasteland (Jer. 2:15; 4:17; Ezek. 12:20) as
opposed to it having been “a land flowing with milk and honey” (Exodus
3:8 & 17).</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-left: .2in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<strong>4.</strong> <strong>“And I will visit upon her the days of Baalim;”</strong>
this refers to the paganism of the Gentiles in “the times of the
Gentiles.” The “times of the Gentiles began with the capture of
Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar in 606 B.C. Jehoiakim reigned in Jerusalem
as a puppet of Nebuchadnezzar until 598 B.C. when Nebuchadnezzar marched
an army to Jerusalem and Jehoiakim immediately surrendered. The “times
of the Gentiles” will continue until the second coming of Messiah (Rev.
19:11-21).</div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<strong>This leads us to the next text in Hosea 1:9-10 that Paul references in Romans 9:26. </strong>“And it shall come to pass, <em>that</em> in the place where it was said unto them, Ye <em>are</em> not my people; there shall they be called the children of the living God.”</div>
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<br /></div>
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“<a data-cke-saved-name="#22104" href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="#22104"><sup>9</sup> Then said <em>God</em>, Call his name Loammi<strong>: for ye <em>are</em> not my people</strong>, and I will not be your <em>God</em>. </a><a data-cke-saved-name="#22105" href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="#22105"><sup>10</sup>
Yet the number of the children of Israel shall be as the sand of the
sea, which cannot be measured nor numbered; and it shall come to pass, <em>that</em> in the place where it was said unto them, Ye <em>are</em> not my people, <em>there</em> it shall be said unto them, <em>Ye are</em> the sons of the living God</a>” (Hosea 1:9-10).</div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<strong>This next point is critical</strong> - <strong>Israel would be <em>set aside</em> (not <em>cast away</em>) for the duration of the Church Age. </strong>The fact that this <em>setting aside</em>
of Israel would take place over three generations is manifested by the
three successive children of “Gomer the daughter of Diblaim” (Hosea 1:3;
because Diblaim was a whore, we cannot assume these children were the
children of Hosea). As the <strong>Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown Commentary</strong> says, the names of each of these children show the progression of God’s chastisement on national Israel. </div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-left: .2in; margin-right: .2in; margin-top: 0in; text-align: justify;">
“<strong>Lo-Ammi</strong>--once ‘My people,’ but henceforth <em>not</em>
so (Eze 16:8). The intervals between the marriage and the successive
births of the three children, imply that three successive generations
are intended. Jezreel, the first child, represents the dynasty of
Jeroboam I and his successors, ending with Jehu’s shedding the blood of
Jeroboam’s line in Jezreel; it was there that Jezebel was slain, in
vengeance for Naboth’s blood shed in the same Jezreel (1Ki 16:1; 2Ki
9:21,30). The scenes of Jezreel were to be enacted over again on Jehu’s
degenerate race. At Jezreel Assyria routed Israel [JEROME]. The
child’s name associates past sins, intermediate punishments, and final
overthrow. Lo-ruhamah (‘not pitied’), the second child, is a <em>daughter,</em>
representing the effeminate period which followed the overthrow of the
first dynasty, when Israel was at once abject and impious. Lo-Ammi
(‘not my people’), the third child, a <em>son,</em> represents the
vigorous dynasty (2Ki 14:25) of Jeroboam II; but, as prosperity did not
bring with it revived piety, they were still <em>not God’s people.</em>”<a data-cke-saved-href="#_ftn1" data-cke-saved-name="_ftnref1" href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=931265740727391506#_ftn1" name="_ftnref1" title="">[1]</a></div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; text-align: justify;">
God’s chastisement of Israel would come in three stages or phases
revealed by the names of the three children of Gomer.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-left: .2in; margin-right: .2in; margin-top: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-left: .2in; margin-right: .2in; margin-top: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<strong>1. Jezreel</strong> (yiz-reh-ale'); meaning <em>God will sow.</em>
“In that day” (Hosea 1:5) refers to the God’s breaking up the house of
Israel (the ten Northern tribes), which followed shortly after the
“overthrow of the house of Jehu<a data-cke-saved-href="#_ftn2" data-cke-saved-name="_ftnref2" href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=931265740727391506#_ftn2" name="_ftnref2" title="">[2]</a>.”</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-left: .2in; margin-right: .2in; margin-top: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<strong>2. Lo-ruhamah</strong> (lo roo-khaw-maw'); meaning <em>not pitied</em>.
The Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown Commentary translates this name, “not
an object of mercy or gracious favor.” “MAURER translates according to
the primary meaning, ‘No more will I have mercy on the house of Israel,
so as to <em>pardon</em> them’<a data-cke-saved-href="#_ftn3" data-cke-saved-name="_ftnref3" href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=931265740727391506#_ftn3" name="_ftnref3" title="">[3]</a>.”
Once the Assyrians took the Northern Kingdom (the ten northern tribes),
Israel was never again restored. Judah (and Jerusalem) was captured by
Babylon and restored after seventy years of captivity<a data-cke-saved-href="#_ftn4" data-cke-saved-name="_ftnref4" href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=931265740727391506#_ftn4" name="_ftnref4" title="">[4]</a>.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-left: .2in; margin-right: .2in; margin-top: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<strong>3. Lo-Ammi</strong> (lo am-mee'); meaning <em>not my people</em>. Because God’s chastisement did not bring the repentance and the revival as intended, God would <em>set aside</em> Israel until a future day of restoration (see Hosea 2:10-11 below). </div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-left: .2in; margin-right: .2in; margin-top: 0in; text-align: justify;">
“<sup>10</sup>
Yet the number of the children of Israel shall be as the sand of the
sea, which cannot be measured nor numbered; and it shall come to pass, <em>that</em> in the place where it was said unto them, Ye <em>are</em> not my people, <em>there</em> it shall be said unto them, <em>Ye are</em> the sons of the living God. <a data-cke-saved-name="#22106" href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="#22106"><sup>11</sup>
Then shall the children of Judah and the children of Israel be gathered
together, and appoint themselves one head, and they shall come up out
of the land: for great <em>shall be</em> the day of Jezreel</a>” (Hosea 1:10-11).</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-left: .2in; margin-right: .2in; margin-top: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; text-align: justify;">
Clearly the text of Hosea 1:10-11 is referring to the nation of Israel
(the ten Northern tribes). However, in Romans 9:26, Paul by the
inspiration of the Spirit of God is including Gentiles saved during the
Church Age in with restored national Israel (Romans 9:30; this is what
is commonly referred to as a <em>Complimentary Hermeneutic</em>; in other words, new and added revelation by the inspiration of the New Covenant Scriptures <em>completes</em> or <em>clarifies</em>
what has been said previously in the Old Testament Scriptures). Of
course, these saved Gentiles will be grafted into the new nation of
Israel (primarily the 144,000 sealed Jews from Revelation 7:4-9 along
with all other Jews entering the Kingdom Age who will also become saved
Jews during the seven-year Tribulation; Romans 11:26-32) as they become
part of spiritual Israel, which is the <em>Faith Seed</em> of Abraham. Church Age believers, including saved Gentiles and saved Jews from the Church Age, will become the <em>new</em>
Melchisedecan priesthood (“sons of Zadok,” Ezekiel 40:46, 44:15, 48:11 –
to be dealt with extensively later) of Israel during the Kingdom Age. <strong>This fact is primary in the purpose of Romans chapters nine, ten, and eleven. </strong></div>
<div>
<br /><div id="ftn1">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText">
<a data-cke-saved-href="#_ftnref1" data-cke-saved-name="_ftn1" href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=931265740727391506#_ftnref1" name="_ftn1" title="">[1]</a> <strong>Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown Commentary</strong>, Sword Searcher Software, 4.8</div>
</div>
<div id="ftn2">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText">
<a data-cke-saved-href="#_ftnref2" data-cke-saved-name="_ftn2" href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=931265740727391506#_ftnref2" name="_ftn2" title="">[2]</a> <strong>Keil and Delitzsch Old Testament Commentary</strong>, SwordSearcher Software, 4.8</div>
</div>
<div id="ftn3">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText">
<a data-cke-saved-href="#_ftnref3" data-cke-saved-name="_ftn3" href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=931265740727391506#_ftnref3" name="_ftn3" title="">[3]</a> <strong>Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown Commentary</strong>, SwordSearcher Software, 4.8</div>
</div>
<div id="ftn4">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText">
<a data-cke-saved-href="#_ftnref4" data-cke-saved-name="_ftn4" href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=931265740727391506#_ftnref4" name="_ftn4" title="">[4]</a> Ibid</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<br />
<i>Anonymous comments will not be allowed. </i><br />
<i>Numerous studies and series are available free of charge for local churches at:
http://www.disciplemakerministries.org/ </i><br />
<i>Dr. Lance Ketchum serves the Lord as a Church Planter, Evangelist/Revivalist. </i><br />
<i>He has served the Lord for over 40 years.</i>Lancehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04407932936189262291noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6157091893357738408.post-87986493424102930922018-02-26T08:07:00.002-08:002018-02-26T08:07:34.934-08:00I. The Church and Biblical Zionism<br />
<div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 18px;"><a data-cke-saved-href="http://www.disciplemakerministries.org/Pages/Books/BookStore.htm" href="http://www.disciplemakerministries.org/Pages/Books/BookStore.htm">DR. KETCHUM'S BOOKS LINK HERE</a></span></div>
<div>
<div align="center" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; text-align: center;">
<strong></strong><br /></div>
<div align="center" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; text-align: center;">
<strong>Zechariah</strong></div>
<div align="center" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; text-align: center;">
Chapter Seven</div>
<div align="center" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #000033;"><span style="font-size: 20px;"><strong>I. The Church and Biblical Zionism</strong></span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-k1za-TfvxzE/WpQwklymMRI/AAAAAAAAECc/teluljwnJBcI2XT32Q2X6m7MNLQ3e1a-wCLcBGAs/s1600/zionism.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="200" data-original-width="300" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-k1za-TfvxzE/WpQwklymMRI/AAAAAAAAECc/teluljwnJBcI2XT32Q2X6m7MNLQ3e1a-wCLcBGAs/s1600/zionism.jpg" /></a></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<strong>What is God’s purpose in giving us prophetic utterances about the future?</strong>
God’s purpose in giving prophetic utterances about the future is to
inform faithful believers and encourage them by reminding them He is
going to do what He says He will do. Secondly, God’s purpose in giving
prophetic utterances about the future is to warn the unfaithful
believers and call them to repentance. If knowing prophetic truth does
not get you serious about what is coming, and if it does not change the
way you live because of that knowledge, you are merely seeing prophecy
as <em>fiction</em> or <em>fantas</em>y. The Bible word for living unchanged in the light of God’s revealed knowledge about the future is simply – UNBELIEF!</div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<strong>Zechariah 2:8 says, “for he that toucheth you {<em>the nation of Israel</em>} toucheth the apple of his {God’s} eye.” </strong>The
intent here seems to mean that any person that sets out to injure or
harm the nation of Israel must see himself as trying to harm God
Himself. A person succeeding in touching Israel to harm her will
ultimate be held accountable by God Himself in that such ill
determinations are viewed by God as attempting to thwart God’s plans for
Israel. </div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; text-align: justify;">
Some
commentaries say that the pronoun “his” in the phrase “toucheth the
apple of his eye” is referring to someone that touches Israel to harm
her is actually harming himself. However, the phrase must be understood
from the context of a previous statement from Deuteronomy 32:9-10 where
the pronoun is clearly God. Scripture interprets Scripture!</div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-left: .2in; margin-right: .2in; margin-top: 0in; text-align: justify;">
“<sup>9 </sup>For the LORD’S portion <em>is</em> his people; Jacob <em>is</em> the lot of his inheritance. <sup>10</sup> He {<em>God</em>} found him {<em>Jacob or Israel</em>} in a desert land, and in the waste howling wilderness; he {<em>God</em>} led him {<em>Jacob or Israel</em>} about, <strong>he {<em>God</em>} instructed him {<em>Jacob or Israel</em>}, he {<em>God</em>} kept him {<em>Jacob or Israel</em>} as the apple of his {<em>God’s</em>} eye</strong>” (Deuteronomy 32:9-10).</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; text-align: justify;">
Zechariah
chapter two is encouraging words to a disparaged and captive people.
The last four verses of Zechariah chapter two confirm that encouragement
of the faithful is God’s intent. In the last four verses of Zechariah
chapter two, we see the promise of people of “many nations” “joined to
the LORD” in the Kingdom Age. These are saved Gentiles from many
ethnicities and nations of the world.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; text-align: justify;">
The
“times of the Gentiles began in B.C. 606 with Nebuchadnezzar’s capture
of the city of Jerusalem. Throughout the “times of the Gentiles,”
Jerusalem “shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the
Gentiles be fulfilled” (Luke 21:24). The words “trodden down”
literally means <em>under foot</em>. The intent is that they will not
regain their sovereignty as a nation completely independent of Gentile
authority/occupation until the second coming of Jesus. Thousands of
years have passed since the beginning of the “times of the Gentiles,”
but God tells the faithful, believing remnant of Jews that He “will
dwell in the midst of thee” (Zechariah 2:10). </div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<strong>Biblical Zionism in modern theological terminology is most often just known as <em>Millennialism</em>. </strong>Although
Biblical Zionism is predominantly Jewish in nature, it does involve the
Church at the second coming of the Lord Jesus. Although the Church is
never national Israel, the Church will be grafted into national Israel
as a new Melchisedecan Priesthood and the “bride of Christ” under her
High Priest Christ Jesus at the beginning of the Kingdom Age. </div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; text-align: justify;">
The
Church Age accounts for most of the time of the gap between the
sixty-ninth and seventieth weeks of Daniel 9:24. These “seventy weeks”
are the “times of the Gentiles” and God’s judgment on the nation of
Israel for their breach of their promise to keep the Mosaic Covenant. </div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; text-align: justify;">
Zechariah
2:10-13 is the consummate statement regarding the one-thousand-year
reign of Jesus Christ and Biblical Zionism. Zechariah 2:10-13 also
confirms God’s promise to Abraham; “<sup>17 </sup>And the LORD said, Shall I hide from Abraham that thing which I do; <sup>18</sup> Seeing that Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation {<em>Israel</em>}, and <strong>all the nations of the earth shall be blessed</strong> in him (<em>because through Abraham’s generations, ‘thy Seed, which is Christ’ will come; Gal. 3:16</em>}”
(Genesis 18:17-18)? It is through faith in the promised Seed that “all
the nations of the earth shall be blessed.” Zechariah 2:10-13 also
confirms a literal Hermeneutic as the only acceptable interpretation,
thereby excluding all other <em>theories</em> regarding the Millennial Kingdom on Earth. </div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-left: .2in; margin-right: .2in; margin-top: 0in; text-align: justify;">
“<sup>10</sup> Sing and rejoice, O daughter of Zion: for, <strong>lo, I come</strong>, and <strong>I will dwell in the midst of thee</strong>, saith the LORD. <sup>11</sup> And <strong>many nations shall be joined to the LORD in that day</strong>, <strong>and shall be my people</strong>: and I will dwell in the midst of thee, and thou shalt know that the LORD of hosts hath sent me unto thee. <sup>12</sup> And the LORD shall inherit Judah his portion in the holy land, and shall choose Jerusalem again. <sup>13</sup> <strong>Be silent, O all flesh, before the LORD: for he is raised up out of his holy habitation</strong>” (Zechariah 2:10-13).</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<strong>
Since God has said this same thing in so many other portions of
Scripture, why does He feel the need to say it again to the faithful
remnant of Israel?</strong> God repeats these promises to reaffirm them
and reassure the faithful. These things can be said a thousand times
to the unbelieving and they will mean nothing. However, the believers
are encouraged to continue in their faithfulness. Through the
repetition of God’s promises, believers are confirmed in their resolve
to persevere to the end. The “lo, I come” statement of the preincarnate
LORD in Zechariah 2:10 is the same confirmation given by Peter to
Church Age believers in II Peter 3:10. It is also clear from II Peter
3:9 that Christ’s delay in His second coming is due to His passion for
lost souls to come to repentance and faith. </div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-left: .2in; margin-right: .2in; margin-top: 0in; text-align: justify;">
“<sup>9</sup>
The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count
slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should
perish, but <strong>that all should come to repentance</strong>. <sup>10</sup> But <strong>the day of the Lord will come</strong>
as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a
great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth
also and the works that are therein shall be burned up. <sup>11</sup> <strong><em>Seeing</em> then </strong><em>that</em> all these things shall be dissolved, <strong>what manner <em>of persons</em> ought ye to be in <em>all</em> holy conversation and godliness</strong>, <sup>12</sup>
Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the
heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt
with fervent heat? <sup>13</sup> Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness. <sup>14</sup>
Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent
that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless” (II
Peter 3:9-14).</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-left: .2in; margin-right: .2in; margin-top: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; text-align: justify;">
In 2016, Israel and the United States accounted for 83% of the Jewish
population of the world. The total number of Jews in the world in 2016
was 14.4 million. About 1.5 million of those Jews profess to be <em>Christians</em>
of some sort or another. Only a small percentage of the Jews
professing Christianity would be truly “born again” Christians. Yet, by
the end of the Tribulation, God will have a nation of saved Jews that
will trust in Jesus and confess Him as LORD. Only saved Jews and saved
people from Gentile nations, surviving the Tribulation judgments and the
persecutions of Antichristism, will enter the Kingdom Age in physical
bodies. All other occupants of the Kingdom Age at its beginning will be
in glorified bodies. These glorified believers will return to Earth
with Jesus at the battle of Armageddon. </div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-left: .2in; margin-right: .2in; margin-top: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-left: .2in; margin-right: .2in; margin-top: 0in; text-align: justify;">
“<sup>25</sup> As he saith also in Osee, I will call them my people, which were not my people; and her beloved, which was not beloved. <sup>26</sup> And it shall come to pass, <em>that</em> in the place where it was said unto them, Ye <em>are</em> not my people; there shall they be called the children of the living God. <sup>27 </sup>Esaias also crieth concerning Israel {<em>Isaiah 10:22</em>}, Though the number of the children of Israel {<em>all Jews from all times</em>} be as the sand of the sea, a remnant {<em>very few; faithful believers</em>} shall be saved: <sup>28</sup> For he will finish the work, and cut <em>it</em> short in righteousness: because a short work will the Lord make upon the earth {<em>the seven-year Tribulation</em>}. <sup>29</sup> And as Esaias said before {<em>Isaiah 1:9</em>}, Except the Lord of Sabaoth {<em>a Hebrew military term for the hosts of war; armies; Zechariah 2:8</em>} had left us a seed {<em>believing remnant</em>}, we had been as Sodoma, and been made like unto Gomorrha. <a data-cke-saved-name="#28186" href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="#28186"><sup>30</sup>
What shall we say then? That the Gentiles, which followed not after
righteousness, have attained to righteousness, even the righteousness
which is of faith. </a><a data-cke-saved-name="#28187" href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="#28187"><sup>31</sup> But Israel, which followed after the law of righteousness, hath not attained to the law of righteousness. </a><a data-cke-saved-name="#28188" href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="#28188"><sup>32</sup> Wherefore? Because <em>they sought it</em> not by faith, but as it were by the works of the law. For they stumbled at that stumblingstone; </a><a data-cke-saved-name="#28189" href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="#28189"><sup>33</sup>
As it is written, Behold, I lay in Sion a stumblingstone and rock of
offence: and whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed</a>” (Romans 9:25-33).</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-left: .2in; margin-right: .2in; margin-top: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; text-align: justify;">
Romans
chapters nine, ten, and eleven critically explain what Zechariah
chapter two means regarding Zionism. When it comes to understanding the
future of Israel and the role that the Church will have in Zionism, our
understanding would be greatly hindered without the explanations of
these three chapters of Scripture. It would be irresponsible to look at
the future of Israel without carefully evaluating what God says to
Christian Jews and all Gentile believers in these three chapters of
Scripture. Romans chapter nine explains God’s election/choosing of the
nation of Israel through which Messiah would be born. Chapter nine also
explains which Jews part of true Israel are. Chapter ten explains to
Jews how to become part of true Israel. </div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-left: .2in; margin-right: .2in; margin-top: 0in; text-align: justify;">
“<sup>6 </sup>Not as though the word of God hath taken none effect. <strong>For they <em>are</em> not all Israel, which are of Israel</strong>: <sup>7</sup> Neither, because they are the seed of Abraham, <em>are they</em> all children: but, In Isaac shall thy seed be called. <sup>8</sup> That is, They which are the children of the flesh, these <em>are</em> not the children of God: but the children of the promise {<em>faith in the Promised Propitiator of the Abrahamic Covenant</em>} are counted for the seed” (Romans 9:6-8).</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-left: .2in; margin-right: .2in; margin-top: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<strong>Five categories of people that will inhabit the earth during the Millennial Kingdom</strong></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-left: .2in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<strong>1.</strong><strong> The Bride of Christ, His Church</strong>,
who will return with Jesus in their glorified state at His second
advent to rule with Him on the earth for one thousand years. These
people will occupy the Kingdom in glorified bodies and rule with
Christ. </div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-left: .2in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<strong>2.</strong><strong> All the saved of all Ages resurrected from the dead</strong> and given glorified bodies (most likely resurrected at the time of the Church Age saints). </div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-left: .2in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<strong>3. All those who were martyred for Christ during the Tribulation time</strong> (Revelation 2:26-27 and 20:4-6). These people will occupy the Kingdom in glorified bodies. </div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-left: .2in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<strong>4.</strong><strong> All those who have put their faith in Christ for salvation from all the nations of the world during the Tribulation</strong>
and who have not been killed by Antichrist, or who have not died during
the Tribulation (Revelation 7:9-17). These people will occupy the
Kingdom in physical bodies.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-left: .2in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<strong>5.</strong><strong> The 144,000 Jews, 12,000 from each tribe</strong>,
sealed in heaven in their foreheads with the Name of God, will
constitute the protected remnant of Israel; and all the people who will
be won to Christ by the two witnesses and this remnant (Revelation
7:2-8, compare Revelation 9:4). The first group of 144,000 sealed Jews
will occupy the Kingdom in glorified bodies, while those Jews won to
faith in Christ by them and survive the Tribulation will enter the
Kingdom in physical bodies. </div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-left: .2in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; text-align: justify;">
Romans chapter eleven tells us God will graft a <em>wild branch</em> (Gentile believers of the Church Age) into the <em>Root</em> of the Olive Tree Israel. The <em>Root</em> of course is Jesus Christ, the <em>Rod out of the stem of Jesse</em>. <strong>This is the Abrahamic Covenant.</strong>
Most professing Christians do not possess even the most basic
understanding of the connection between the Abrahamic Covenant and the
Mosaic Covenant. <strong></strong></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<strong></strong><br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<strong>The Abrahamic Covenant is PRIMARY.</strong> The Mosaic Covenant is secondary. The Abrahamic Covenant defines salvation <em>by grace through faith</em>. The Mosaic Covenant defines sanctification for a redeemed nation by God’s enabling grace through works. </div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<strong>Romans 9:25-33 must be the most ignored verses of Scripture in the Word of God.</strong>
Why do I say that? I say that because these verses seem to be ignored
by Covenant Theologians, Reformed Theologians, and even some
Dispensational Theologians. These verses correct the false notions of a
Universal Church Theonomically replacing the nation of Israel. These
verses correct the false notion that all national Israel is lost and
cast away to reprobation by God. These verses correct the false notion
that Church Age believers are <em>not</em> a partial fulfillment of the
New Covenant within the Abrahamic Covenant. Paul quotes from seven Old
Testament texts to show that Church Age saints, made up of “born again”
Jews and Gentiles, <em>partially</em> fulfill the prophecy of seven texts and that this new elect group (chronologically) joins with the <em>Faith Seed</em>
of Abraham (“born again” believers within national Israel; i.e., the
genetic Seed of Abraham) promised within the Abrahamic Covenant. These
seven texts are:</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-left: .2in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<strong>1.</strong> Hosea 2:1-23 (Romans 9:25)</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-left: .2in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<strong>2.</strong> Hosea 1:9-10 (Romans 9:26)</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-left: .2in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<strong>3.</strong> Isaiah 10:20-23 (Romans 9:27-28)</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-left: .2in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<strong>4.</strong> Isaiah 1:2-9 (Romans 9:29)</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-left: .2in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<strong>5.</strong> Psalm 118:19-29 (Romans 9:33)</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-left: .2in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<strong>6.</strong> Isaiah 8:9-15 (Romans 9:33)</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-left: .2in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<strong>7.</strong> Isaiah 28:14-22 (Romans 9:33)</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-left: .2in; margin-right: .2in; margin-top: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<strong>Hosea
2:1-23 gives us an expanded context of Paul’s previous statement in
Romans 9:14-15 regarding what God said to Moses at Mt. Sinai; “<sup>14</sup> What shall we say then? <em>Is there</em> unrighteousness with God? God forbid. <sup>15</sup> For he saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.”</strong>
We must bring the context of the prophecy of Hosea chapter two, from
which Paul quotes, into the context of what Paul is saying in Romans
chapter nine regarding national Israel (the natural or genetic seed of
Abraham) and spiritual Israel (the <em>Faith Seed</em> of Abraham, which is the <em>remnant</em> Seed of Israel). </div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; text-align: justify;">
(Continued next Week)</div>
</div>
</div>
<br />
<i>Anonymous comments will not be allowed. </i><br />
<i>Numerous studies and series are available free of charge for local churches at:
http://www.disciplemakerministries.org/ </i><br />
<i>Dr. Lance Ketchum serves the Lord as a Church Planter, Evangelist/Revivalist. </i><br />
<i>He has served the Lord for over 40 years.</i>Lancehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04407932936189262291noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6157091893357738408.post-26068934433496560092018-02-12T07:56:00.002-08:002018-02-12T07:56:54.058-08:00Biblical Zionism Counterfeited<br />
<div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 18px;"><a data-cke-saved-href="http://www.disciplemakerministries.org/Pages/Books/BookStore.htm" href="http://www.disciplemakerministries.org/Pages/Books/BookStore.htm">DR. KETCHUM'S BOOKS LINK HERE</a></span></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<div align="center" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; text-align: center;">
<strong>Zechariah</strong></div>
<div align="center" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; text-align: center;">
Chapter Six</div>
<div align="center" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; text-align: center;">
<strong>Biblical Zionism Counterfeited</strong></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-x-F2L6Y4CDw/WoG4xCAbk6I/AAAAAAAAECA/3rCFVk3f5-AKd2N8Ic1IcKxj8NAJnW9ywCEwYBhgL/s1600/Crisis%2Bof%2BZionism.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="420" data-original-width="624" height="215" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-x-F2L6Y4CDw/WoG4xCAbk6I/AAAAAAAAECA/3rCFVk3f5-AKd2N8Ic1IcKxj8NAJnW9ywCEwYBhgL/s320/Crisis%2Bof%2BZionism.jpg" width="320" /></a> <span id="goog_1641254406"></span><span id="goog_1641254407"></span> Zechariah 2:6-9 begins with the<em> “alas, alas, come forth</em>” call of the Messiah to the Jews to regather themselves in Israel. <strong>This call happens at the beginning of the Kingdom Age.</strong>
It is important to understand that this is a Kingdom Age call because
the Antichrist will counterfeit this at the beginning of the seven-year
Tribulation. The theological position known as Amillennialism
pre-programs professing (but still lost) <em>Christianity</em> for the coming of the great Deceiver. <strong>Whatever God plans, Satan counterfeits</strong>. </div>
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-left: .2in; margin-right: .2in; margin-top: 0in; text-align: justify;">
“<sup>6</sup> Ho, ho, <em>come forth</em>,
and flee from the land of the north, saith the LORD: for I have spread
you abroad as the four winds of the heaven, saith the LORD. <sup>7</sup> Deliver thyself, O Zion, that dwellest <em>with</em> the daughter of Babylon. <sup>8</sup> For thus saith the LORD of hosts; <strong>After the glory hath he sent me unto the nations which spoiled you: for he that toucheth you toucheth the apple of his eye</strong>. <sup>9</sup>
For, behold, I will shake mine hand upon them, and they shall be a
spoil to their servants: and ye shall know that the LORD of hosts hath
sent me” (Zechariah 2:6-9).</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; text-align: justify;">
The Antichrist will rise to power at the beginning of the seven-year
Tribulation. The Antichrist will present himself as the Messiah of
Israel through a false peace pact with Israel. He will impersonate the
true Messiah by regathering the Jews to the land of Israel near the
beginning of the seven-year Tribulation. We must remember that the
Antichrist is Satan’s counterfeit Messiah presented to the Jews as their
theology falsely views Him and why they rejected Jesus at the first
advent. The corrupted Jewish priesthood, and most of the Jews that the
priesthood had corrupted, wanted only a conquering King, not a suffering
Saviour. The corrupted, apostate Church wants only the suffering
Saviour and does not want the conquering King. The Jesus of Zechariah
is not the Jesus of apostate Christianity and Replacement Theology. We
see this counterfeit Messiah in Daniel 9:27 and Revelation 6:1-2. All
the prophetic books are Messianic in scope. However, Isaiah, Jeremiah,
Ezekiel, Daniel, Zechariah, and Revelations are primarily Messianic. </div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-left: .2in; margin-right: .2in; margin-top: 0in; text-align: justify;">
“And he shall <strong>confirm the covenant with many for one week</strong> and in the midst of the week {<em>three and a half years</em>} he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make <em>it</em> desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate” (Daniel 9:27).</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-left: .2in; margin-right: .2in; margin-top: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-left: .2in; margin-right: .2in; margin-top: 0in; text-align: justify;">
“<sup>1 </sup>And
I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seals, and I heard, as it were
the noise of thunder, one of the four beasts saying, Come and see. <sup>2</sup>
And I saw, and behold a white horse: and he that sat on him had a bow;
and a crown was given unto him: and he went forth conquering, and to
conquer” (Revelation 6:1-2).</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-left: .2in; margin-right: .2in; margin-top: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; text-align: justify;">
Many people will be confused and deceived because of the false end-time view known as <em>Amillennialism</em>. <em>Amillennialists </em>believe
that there will be no literal reign of Christ on Earth. They believe
the Church will usher in a utopian kingdom on earth through what is
known as Kingdom Constructionism. In other words, <em>Ecumenical Christianity</em> will be so effective in its <em>dialogue</em> that peace on earth will be accomplished and poverty will end through the redistribution of wealth. </div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt;">
<strong>Three Theological Positions on the Millennium</strong></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<strong>The word Millennium means a <em>thousand-year period</em>.</strong> Another word for it is <em>Chiliasm</em>
coming from the Greek word CHILIAS meaning one-thousand. Chiliasm
refers specifically to the teaching that Jesus Christ will reign on
earth for one thousand years after His second coming. This is
essentially the meaning of the first theological position on the
Millennium called <em>Premillennialism</em>. This is Biblical Millennialism.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; text-align: justify;">
Premillennialism is the outcome of literal interpretation of prophecy
resulting in what is known as Dispensationalism. Dispensationalism sees
the Church Age (the sixth Dispensation) coming to a catastrophic end
due to the judgment of God upon the earth. Premillennialists see the
redeemed (the saved of the Church Age) removed (raptured) from the earth
prior to the judgments (tribulation) beginning. Almost all historians
of early church history agree that Premillennialism was the view held by
those of the Apostolic Age.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; text-align: justify;">
Premillennialism also distinguishes between God’s dealings with the
Church and Israel in end time prophecies. It holds to the regathering
and restoration of the literal nation of Israel at the beginning of the
theocratic Millennial Kingdom under Jesus Christ.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<strong>A second theological position is known as <em>Amillennialism</em></strong><em>.</em>
Central to this position is the denial of the literal reign of Jesus
Christ upon the earth. There are two central divisions in this
position. There are those who believe the prophecies relating to the
millennium are being fulfilled presently on earth as Christianity
subdues the world and ushers in a utopian society (this is the
Augustinian position of Amillennialism).</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; text-align: justify;">
Then, there are those who believe the <em>saints in heaven</em>
are fulfilling the prophecies about the millennium during this period
(proposal by Kliefoth). This requires the spiritualization (allegory)
of these prophecies in that they cannot apply to people living on
earth. These two Amillennial positions require an allegorical
interpretation of Scripture. In both cases, they believe the eternal
state will happen immediately after the second coming of Christ. Many
do not believe in a literal second coming or an eternal state.
Theological liberals commonly hold this position.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<strong>The third major theological position is known as <em>Postmillennialism</em>.</strong>
This position was first proposed by the English Unitarian, Daniel
Whitby (1638-1726). Much of this position is the direct result of the
interpretation of the purpose and work of Christ from the Unitarian
perspective of salvation and the Church.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="text-align: justify;">
<strong><em>Postmillennialists</em></strong> believe the Church Age will end with the whole earth turning to <em>Christianity</em> (at least their concept of <em>Christianity</em>). They believe that once this is accomplished, <strong>then</strong> Christ will return. <em>Post </em>means after, therefore <em>Postmillennialism</em>
means Christ will return after the Millennium, not before it. This not
only requires the allegorical interpretation of prophecy, it requires
the rejection of many portions of Scripture regarding the Millennial
Kingdom (such as Revelation 20:1-7).</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<strong>In the middle of all this theological deception and confusion we find the Deceiver lying in wait to deceive.</strong>
Fitting right in with Amillennial views, it seems apparent that the
Antichrist will make a “covenant” of peace “with many” nations at the
beginning of the seven-year Tribulation. If we understand the “bow” of
Revelation 6:2 to represent the power to project missiles over a long
distance, we can understand what he may use to procure this peace treaty
(“covenant”). It is also apparent from Matthew 24:5 that he will not
come in his own name but pretending to possess power and authority from
God. He will come disguised as God’s Christ and offering a
pseudo-peace. This fact is primary to revealing the Antichrist.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-left: .2in; margin-right: .2in; margin-top: 0in; text-align: justify;">
“<sup>1 </sup>But of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you.<sup> 2</sup> For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night.<sup> 3</sup> For when <strong>they</strong> {<em>according to Daniel 9:24, this is particularly the Jews, although it includes all unbelievers of the prophetic Word of God</em>} shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon <strong>them</strong>, as travail upon a woman with child; and <strong>they</strong> shall not escape.<sup> 4</sup> <strong>But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief </strong>{<em>the Church is excluded from the Tribulation</em>}” (I Thessalonians 5:1-4).</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-left: .2in; margin-right: .2in; margin-top: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-left: .2in; margin-right: .2in; margin-top: 0in; text-align: justify;">
“For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many” (Matthew 24:5).</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-left: .2in; margin-right: .2in; margin-top: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-left: .2in; margin-right: .2in; margin-top: 0in; text-align: justify;">
“I am come in my Father’s name, and ye receive me not: if another shall come in his own name, him ye will receive” (John 5:43).</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; text-align: justify;">
The opposite is the false peace offered by the rider on the white
horse. Matthew 24:6-7 is speaking about the seventieth week of Daniel
just prior to the coming of Messiah to establish the Kingdom Age. </div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-left: .2in; margin-right: .2in; margin-top: 0in; text-align: justify;">
“<sup>6 </sup>And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all <em>these things</em> must come to pass, but the end is not yet. <sup>7 </sup>For
nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and
there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers
places” (Matthew 24:5-6).</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-left: .2in; margin-right: .2in; margin-top: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; text-align: justify;">
As soon as the Antichrist has deceived the world into thinking he is
the great peacemaker that the Amillennialists are looking for, he will
turn to his real agenda; DESTRUCTION (compare I Thessalonians 5:1-4).
Just as soon as the utopian liberals begin to believe that Ecumenicism
will usher in the utopian kingdom of socialism and world peace, “the
sudden destruction cometh on them . . . and they shall not escape.”</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; text-align: justify;">
Each of these four horsemen of Revelation 6:1-8 offers an illusion of
Christ. They will offer one thing but give another. Part of the
effectiveness of the delusions is that the “delusion” of these four
horsemen is probably the fulfillment of II Thessalonians 2:1-12.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: .5in; margin-top: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-left: .2in; margin-right: .2in; margin-top: 0in; text-align: justify;">
“<sup>1 </sup>Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and <em>by</em> our gathering together unto him,<sup> 2</sup> That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, <strong>nor by letter as from us</strong>, as that the day of Christ is at hand.<sup> 3</sup> Let no man deceive you by any means: for <em>that day shall not come</em>, except there come a falling away first, and <strong>that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition</strong>;<sup> 4</sup>
Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that
is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing
himself that he is God.<sup> 5</sup> Remember ye not, that, when I was yet with you, I told you these things?<sup> 6</sup> And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time.<sup> 7</sup> For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth <em>will let</em>, until he be taken out of the way.<sup> 8</sup>
And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume
with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of
his coming:<sup> 9</sup> <strong><em>Even him</em>, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders,<sup> 10</sup>
And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish;
because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be
saved. <sup>11 </sup>And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:<sup> 12</sup> That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness</strong>” (II Thessalonians 2:1-12).</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; text-align: justify;">
The “lie” is that this Antichrist is Christ. Daniel 11:21-23 adds more to this whole pattern:</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-left: .2in; margin-right: .2in; margin-top: 0in; text-align: justify;">
“<sup>21 </sup>And in his estate shall stand up a vile person, to whom they shall not give the honour of the kingdom: <strong>but he shall come in peaceably, and obtain the kingdom by flatteries</strong>.<sup> 22</sup>
And with the arms of a flood shall they be overflown from before him,
and shall be broken; yea, also the prince of the covenant.<sup> 23 </sup>And after the league <em>made</em> with him he shall work deceitfully: for he shall come up, and shall become strong with a small people” (Daniel 11:21-23).</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-left: .2in; margin-right: .2in; margin-top: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; text-align: justify;">
The above verses certainly describe the actions of present day world
politics, “vile” people, given “honour” or leadership by the populace,
by using “flatteries” and “deceitfulness.” Modern politics is built
upon this foundation of deceit. They use polls to find out what the
majority wants and then tell them what they want to hear just to get
their following (at least until they are elected). It is little wonder
that the Antichrist will be able to step into that system and be
accepted with open arms. Currently, the best politician is always the
best deceiver. He will come proposing to establish the Kingdom of God
on earth knowing full well it is really the Tribulation time. The “rider
on the white horse” represents this aspect of the character of the
Antichrist.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="text-align: justify;">
Under the counterfeit promise of peace, the Antichrist will bring war
(“white horse”). Under a flag of truce, the Antichrist will conquer the
trusting and unsuspecting (“red horse”). Under the promise of
prosperity and re-distribution of wealth, the Antichrist will bring
famine (“black horse”). And under the promise of the <em>great life</em> under the <em>Great Society</em>, will instead come the final awakening to his reality, DEATH (eternal death).</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
Daniel 9:24 gives us six reasons for the “times of the Gentiles” and
the “seventy-weeks” of years that define the literal chastisement of God
on a literal nation of Israel. </div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-left: .2in; margin-right: .2in; margin-top: 0in; text-align: justify;">
“<sup>24 </sup>Seventy weeks are determined upon <strong>thy</strong> <strong>people</strong> {<em>the Jews, not the Church</em>} and upon <strong>thy</strong> <strong>holy city</strong> {<em>Jerusalem, not the Church</em>}”</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-left: .2in; margin-right: .2in; margin-top: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-left: .2in; margin-right: .2in; margin-top: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<strong>(1)</strong> <strong>“to finish {<em>restrict or restrain</em>} the transgression”</strong> {<em>Israel’s
spiritual revolt against God, the goal of this 70 years of chastisement
is to bring the nation of Israel to repentance and acceptance of the
Messiah and His finished work of redemption</em>}</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-left: .2in; margin-right: .2in; margin-top: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<strong>(2) “to make an end of sins”</strong> {<em>to
seal up the sins of Israel like a criminal in a prison cell. This
keeps God’s Name from being blasphemed in that without the chastisement
God would be viewed as being acceptable with Israel’s great compromises</em>}</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-left: .2in; margin-right: .2in; margin-top: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<strong>(3) “to make reconciliation for iniquity;”</strong>
- “All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his
own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all” Isaiah
53:6). Although Jesus has propitiated the wrath of God for the sins of
the whole world (I John 2:2), this statement is specific to the national
sins of the nation of Israel in her failure to keep (righteously
enforce) the statutes and judgments of the Mosaic Covenant. </div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-left: .2in; margin-right: .2in; margin-top: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<strong>(4) “to bring in everlasting righteousness;”</strong>
this is the Kingdom Age rule of the “rod of iron” of Jesus and His new
priesthood of all faithful Church Age believers. The first generation
of the Kingdom Age will begin with only “born again” people. The
restored nation of Israel will be comprised of only saved Jews
regathered to the Promised Land. Righteousness and justice will be
enforced like an unbending “rod of iron.” </div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-left: .2in; margin-right: .2in; margin-top: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-left: .2in; margin-right: .2in; margin-top: 0in; text-align: justify;">
“<sup>33 </sup>But this <em>shall be</em> the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel {<em>Kingdom Age</em>}; After those days, saith the LORD, I will put my law {<em>Mosaic Covenant</em>} in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people. <sup>34</sup>
And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his
brother, saying, Know the LORD: for they shall all know me, from the
least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the LORD: for I will
forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more” (Jeremiah
31:33-34).</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-left: .2in; margin-right: .2in; margin-top: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-left: .2in; margin-right: .2in; margin-top: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<strong>(5)</strong> <strong>“to seal up the vision and prophecy;”</strong>
to make an end to the prophecy of the “times of the Gentiles” in the
chastisement of the nation of Israel due to her refusal to hear the
prophets of God and repent and keep the Mosaic Covenant. </div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-left: .2in; margin-right: .2in; margin-top: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-left: .2in; margin-right: .2in; margin-top: 0in; text-align: justify;">
“<sup>25 </sup>For
I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest
ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part {<em>this was due the hardness of their own unrepentant hearts, some Jews got saved and accepted Jesus as LORD and Saviour</em>} is happened to Israel, <strong>until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in</strong>. <sup>26</sup> And so all Israel shall be saved {<em>the nation of saved Jews that begins the Kingdom Age</em>}: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer {<em>the physical presence of King Jesus in sovereign power</em>}, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob: <sup>27</sup> For this <em>is</em> my covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins {<em>nation sins</em>}” (Romans 11:25-27)</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-left: .2in; margin-right: .2in; margin-top: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-left: .2in; margin-right: .2in; margin-top: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<strong>(6)</strong> <strong>“to anoint the most Holy;”</strong>
Jesus anoints of the “most Holy Place” by His presence there. Jesus’s
presence will “anoint” “the most Holy” as the Shekinah of God in the
Temple of the Millennial Kingdom. The “most Holy” place is the “most
Holy” because of the <strong>abiding presence</strong> of Jesus. God
gives two prophetic chapters of Scripture in Ezekiel chapter forty-one
and forty-two to tells us that the Kingdom Age Temple will be a literal
Temple constructed with exacting detail and specific measurements.
These exacting details and specific measurements are intended to
eliminate any possibility for someone to allegorize the text into
something mystical. </div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-left: .2in; margin-right: .2in; margin-top: 0in; text-align: justify;">
“<sup>25 </sup><strong>Know therefore and understand</strong>, <em>that</em> from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince <em>shall be</em> <strong>seven weeks</strong>, and {<em>plus</em>}threescore and two weeks {<em>7 + 62 = 69 or 483 years</em>}: the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublous times {<em>Jacob’s troubles or the seventieth week of years = the Tribulation</em>}. <sup>26</sup> And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off {<em>the first advent and the crucifixion</em>}, but not for himself {<em>vicarious sacrifice</em>}: and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary; and the end thereof <em>shall be</em> with a flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are determined. <sup>27</sup>
And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the
midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to
cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make <em>it</em> desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate” (Daniel 9:25-27).</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<strong>1.</strong>
The prophecy has to do with Daniel’s people - Israel and the city of
Jerusalem (Daniel 9:24). The true Church is not included because she is
already in Heaven. </div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<strong>2.</strong>
The time specified in the prophecy is seventy weeks (of years) as
specified in verse twenty-four. This period is then divided into three
lesser periods:</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-left: .2in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<strong>A.</strong> A period of seven (7) weeks (of years) or 49 years (vs. 25)</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-left: .2in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<strong>B.</strong> A period of sixty-two (62) weeks (of years) or 434 years (vs. 25)</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-left: .2in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<strong>C.</strong> A period of one (1) week (of years) or 7 years (vs. 27)</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<strong>3.</strong> The beginning of this time-period of seventy weeks of years is fixed at<em> </em>“the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem” (verse 25).</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<strong>4.</strong>
The end of the seven weeks of years and the sixty-two weeks of years -
49 plus 434 years (483 years) will be some event in the life of Messiah,
the Prince of Israel (verse 25). This is what we know as Palm Sunday.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<strong>5.</strong> After sixty-nine weeks of years (483 years) Messiah will be <em>cut off</em>
and Jerusalem will be destroyed by the people of another prince who is
yet to come (verse 26). This is the crucifixion and the Roman
destruction of the Temple in the Jerusalem in A.D. 70.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<strong>6.</strong>
After these important events, we come to the last or seventieth week of
(7) years, the beginning of which will be marked by the covenant or
treaty, which the coming prince (Antichrist) will make with national
Israel, the promised duration of this treaty is originally for seven
years (see verse 27).</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<strong>7.</strong> In the midst of the seven years (the Tribulation) the treaty will be broken, and the coming <em>prince</em>
will cause the Jewish sacrifices to cease and his wrath to fall on
national Israel. This condition will prevail for the remainder of the
week, or the last 3<sup>1/2</sup> years of the Tribulation - see verse 27.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<strong>8.</strong>
With the completion of the seventy weeks of years (490 years) a time of
great blessing will be ushered in for Israel (verse 24 – the Kingdom
Age).</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<strong>Zechariah 2:8 says, “for he that toucheth you {<em>the nation of Israel</em>} toucheth the apple of his {God’s} eye.” </strong>The
intent here seems to mean that any person that sets out to injure or
harm the nation of Israel must see himself as trying to harm God
Himself. Such as person that succeeds in touching Israel to harm her
will ultimate be held accountable by God Himself in that such ill
determinations are viewed by God as attempting to thwart God’s plans for
Israel. </div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; text-align: justify;">
Some
commentaries say that the pronoun “his” in the phrase “toucheth the
apple of his eye” is referring to someone that touches Israel to harm
her is actually harming himself. However, the phrase must be understood
from the context of a previous statement from Deuteronomy 32:9-10 where
the pronoun is clearly God.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-left: .2in; margin-right: .2in; margin-top: 0in; text-align: justify;">
“<sup>9 </sup>For the LORD’S portion <em>is</em> his people; Jacob <em>is</em> the lot of his inheritance. <sup>10</sup> He {<em>God</em>} found him {<em>Jacob or Israel</em>} in a desert land, and in the waste howling wilderness; he {<em>God</em>} led him {<em>Jacob or Israel</em>} about, he {<em>God</em>} instructed him {<em>Jacob or Israel</em>}, he {<em>God</em>} kept him {<em>Jacob or Israel</em>} as the apple of his {<em>God’s</em>} eye” (Deuteronomy 32:9-10).</div>
</div>
</div>
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<i>Numerous studies and series are available free of charge for local churches at:
http://www.disciplemakerministries.org/ </i><br />
<i>Dr. Lance Ketchum serves the Lord as a Church Planter, Evangelist/Revivalist. </i><br />
<i>He has served the Lord for over 40 years.</i>Lancehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04407932936189262291noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6157091893357738408.post-89163088437289917182018-02-05T08:01:00.002-08:002018-02-05T08:01:43.523-08:00I. Biblical Zionism<br />
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<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; text-align: center;">
<strong><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16.0pt;">Zechariah</span></strong></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">Chapter Five</span></div>
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<strong><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16.0pt;">I. Biblical Zionism</span></strong></div>
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We need no other evidence other than Zechariah chapter two to refute
the false, heretical doctrines of Replacement Theology. Reformed
Theology and Covenant Theology are simply other names for Replacement
Theology. The primary false doctrine of Replacement Theology is that
God has cast away the nation of Israel after which all God’s promises to
national Israel are now transferred to a Theonomic institution call the
Church. There are numerous variations of views regarding Replacement
Theology among different <em>Christian</em> denominations. However,
Replacement Theology is a serious doctrinal error because it makes God a
liar regarding His promises to Abraham regarding the nation of Israel.
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">“<sup>1</sup> I lifted up mine eyes again, and looked, and behold a man with a measuring line in his hand. <sup>2</sup> Then said I, Whither goest thou? And he said unto me, To measure Jerusalem, to see what <em>is</em> the breadth thereof, and what <em>is</em> the length thereof. <sup>3</sup> And, behold, the angel {<em>the preincarnate Son of God</em>} that talked with me went forth, and another angel went out to meet him, <sup>4</sup> And said unto him, Run, speak to this young man, saying, <strong>Jerusalem shall be inhabited <em>as</em> towns without walls for the multitude of men and cattle therein: <sup>5</sup> For I, saith the LORD, will be unto her a wall of fire round about, and will be the glory in the midst of her</strong>” (Zechariah 2:1-5). </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">Zechariah
2:1-5 gives us two critical criteria that define Biblical Zionism. We
cannot have a true Biblical vision of Zionism if either of these two
criteria are absent. In many cases, the Jewish movement known as
Zionism is the hope of a restored nation of Israel with Jerusalem as its
capital but absent of the hope of looking for the Messiah. Biblically,
if the Messiah is absent Zionism has not taken place. </span></div>
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<strong><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">1.</span></strong><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"> The Messiah MUST be physically present in POWER</span></div>
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<strong><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">2.</span></strong><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"> Jerusalem MUST be restored as the capital city of the nation of Israel</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">In
Scripture, Zion is synonymous with the city of Jerusalem. However,
Zion can refer to the city of Jerusalem on earth throughout all
dispensations and especially the city of Jerusalem as the center of the
world-wide dominion of Jesus during the Millennial Kingdom. During this
one-thousand-year rule with a “rod of iron,” Jesus reigns on earth as
the Great Prophet, High Priest of a Melchizedecan Priesthood, and King
of kings. Jesus will rule over the population of the world during the
Kingdom Age through the instrumentality of His faithful new Priesthood
of all Church Age believers. At the beginning of the Kingdom Age, the
Church will be grafted into restored and revived national Israel. </span></div>
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<strong><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">Replacement Theology demands an allegorical interpretation of prophecy</span></strong><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">. Allegorical interpretation of Scripture means the prophetic words of the Bible </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">have “hidden spiritual meaning that transcends the literal sense of a sacred text.”</span><span style="font-size: 8px;"><a data-cke-saved-href="#_ftn1" data-cke-saved-name="_ftnref1" href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=931265740727391506#_ftn1" name="_ftnref1" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn1;" title=""><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">[1]</span></span></a></span><a data-cke-saved-href="#_ftn1" data-cke-saved-name="_ftnref1" href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=931265740727391506#_ftn1" name="_ftnref1" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn1;" title=""><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"></span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="font-size: 8px;"> </span> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">Allegorical interpretation of Scripture allows a person to read almost any <em>imagination</em> or <em>supposition</em>
into the Scripture. For instance, when Replacement Theology comes to
Scripture with the presupposition that God has cast away the nation of
Israel and replaced Israel with the Church, that supposition demands an
allegorical interpretation be used for all prophecy. This means these
people use two different methods to interpret the Bible (double
Hermeneutic). They claim a literal interpretation for most of the Bible
while using an allegorical method for prophecy (and anything else that
does not fit their theology). </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">Therefore,
when a person using a grammatical/historical method of interpretation
of the Bible is in a discussion with such people, it is important to
understand that these two methodologies are incompatible. In other
words, do not expect to make much progress in convincing a person using
an allegorical methodology of his errors. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">Zechariah
chapter two certainly establishes God’s intent for a literal
interpretation of prophecy. We know this especially because of
Zechariah 2:1-5. In this text. God is establishing a literal Jerusalem
that can be physically measured (compare Revelation 11:1-2). If this
was an allegorical, mystical Jerusalem there would be no possibility of
physically measuring it. This is a physical Kingdom Age Jerusalem with
measurements and boundaries, although no physical walls to protect
against invasions. Jesus is the Protector of this physical Jerusalem. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">Secondly,
the Jerusalem of the Kingdom Age should not be confused with the
Jerusalem of the New Heaven/Earth created after the Kingdom Age in the <em>New Genesis</em>. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">“</span><sup><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">1 </span></sup><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">And I saw <strong>a new </strong>{<em><span style="color: black;">kainos</span></em><span style="color: black;">}</span></span><strong><span style="color: black; font-size: 14.0pt;"> </span></strong><strong><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">heaven and a new </span></strong><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">{<em><span style="color: black;">kainos</span></em><span style="color: black;">}</span></span><strong><span style="color: black; font-size: 14.0pt;"> </span></strong><strong><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">earth</span></strong><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea. <sup>2</sup> And I John saw <strong>the holy city, new </strong>{<em><span style="color: black;">kainos</span></em><span style="color: black;">}</span></span><strong><span style="color: black; font-size: 14.0pt;"> </span></strong><strong><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven</span></strong><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. <sup>3</sup> And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God <em>is</em> with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, <em>and be</em> their God. <sup>4</sup>
And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be
no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any
more pain: for the former things are passed away. <sup>5</sup> And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, <strong>I make all things new </strong>{<em><span style="color: black;">kainos</span></em><span style="color: black;">}</span>. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful. <sup>6</sup> And he said unto me, <strong>It is done </strong>{<em>everything God said He would do is finished, including the New Genesis</em>}<strong> </strong>I
am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him
that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely. <sup>7</sup> <strong>He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son</strong>. <sup>8</sup>
But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers,
and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall
have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which
is the second death” (Revelation 21:1-8).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">The modern <em>Zionist Movement</em> is credited to have begun through a book entitled <em>Der Judenstaat</em> (meaning <em>The Jew’s State</em>) published in 1896 A.D. by a Jew named </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">Theodor
Herzl. Herzl described his vision of the founding of a future Jewish
state during the twentieth century that would be independent of another
overlord nation</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">. However, the modern <em>Zionist Movement</em>
is predominantly secular and therefore is disconnected from looking for
a coming Messiah to physically reign over Zion. This is important
because Bible believers should not confuse the <em>Zionist Movement</em> with Biblical Zionism. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">Biblical
Zionism is Kingdom Age Dispensationalism where Jesus will physically
reign on the restored throne of David over twelve literal tribes of a
literal and physical national Israel with Jerusalem as its capital. All
faithful Church Age believers will reign with Jesus. In Revelation
2:18-29, Jesus is speaking to professing believers in the church of
Thyatira. It is important to understand that Jesus is speaking so we
understand that the pronouns He uses is referring to faithful believers.</span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">“</span><sup><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">26 </span></sup><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">And he {<em>believers</em>} that <strong>overcometh</strong> {<em>saved; I John 5:4-5</em>}, <strong>and keepeth my works unto the end</strong>, to him {<em>the faithful believer</em>} will I give power over the nations: <sup>27</sup> And he {<em>the faithful believer</em>} shall rule them {<em>the people of the Kingdom age</em>} with a rod of iron; as the vessels of a potter shall they be broken to shivers {<em>divided into small city states</em>}: even as I received of my Father” (Revelation 2:26-27).</span></div>
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<strong><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">Why is knowing these things important to every true Christian? </span></strong><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"> Knowing
these things is important to every true Christian because every true
Christian is commanded to be involved in winning souls to Christ by
preaching the Gospel. Every true Christian is commanded to make
disciples of all nations, which involves them in understanding these
truths and teaching them to others. We cannot teach what we do not
know.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">Psalm
122 gives us many details about Kingdom Age Zionism. As we read Psalm
122, remember that Zechariah 2:5 tells us that the protecting “walls” of
the Kingdom Age Jerusalem will be Jesus. Zechariah 2:5 does not say
the Kingdom Age Jerusalem will be without walls, but that Jerusalem will
be “inhabited <em>as</em> towns without walls.” </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">“</span><sup><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">1 </span></sup><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">A Song of degrees of David.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"> I was glad when they said unto me, Let us go into the <strong>house of the LORD</strong>. <sup>2</sup> Our feet shall stand within thy gates, O Jerusalem. <sup>3</sup> Jerusalem is <strong>builded as a city that is compact together</strong>: <sup>4</sup> Whither the tribes go up, the tribes of the LORD, unto the testimony of Israel, to <strong>give thanks unto the name of the LORD</strong>. <sup>5</sup> For there are set <strong>thrones of judgment</strong>, the thrones of the house of David. <sup>6</sup> <strong>Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: they shall prosper that love thee</strong>. <sup>7</sup> <strong>Peace be within thy walls</strong>, <em>and</em> <strong>prosperity within thy palaces</strong>. <sup>8</sup> For my brethren and companions’ sakes, I will now say, <strong>Peace <em>be</em> within thee</strong>. <sup>9</sup> Because of the house of the LORD our God I will seek thy good” (Psalm 122:1-9). </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">The
Jews during the 1800’s remained dispersed throughout the nations of the
world, especially in Europe. There were many Jews predominant in
almost every field of science and business. The Rothchild family (Jews)
controlled most of European wealth through their banking system.
Nonetheless, there was a prevailing attitude of Anti-Semitism in Europe
and around the world. Roman Catholicism, Lutheranism, and most Reformed
denominations hated the Jews. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">“<sup>6</sup> Ho, ho, <em>come forth</em>,
and flee from the land of the north, saith the LORD: for I have spread
you abroad as the four winds of the heaven, saith the LORD. <sup>7</sup> Deliver thyself, O Zion, that dwellest <em>with</em> the daughter of Babylon. <sup>8</sup> For thus saith the LORD of hosts; <strong>After the glory hath he sent me unto the nations which spoiled you: for he that toucheth you toucheth the apple of his eye</strong>. <sup>9</sup>
For, behold, I will shake mine hand upon them, and they shall be a
spoil to their servants: and ye shall know that the LORD of hosts hath
sent me” (Zechariah 2:6-9). </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">The
preincarnate Jehovah in the form of a “man” (Zechariah 2:1) is still
speaking. He is also “the LORD of hosts” (Zechariah 2:6). Anytime the
KJV uses the word “LORD” with all capital letters, it is translating the
Name Jehovah. Zechariah 2:6-9 tells us that Jehovah dispersed the Jews
into all the Gentile nations of the world and it is Jehovah who calls
the Jews back to the land of Israel. “[T]he daughter of Babylon” refers
to all Gentile nations and corrupt religions occupied by the children
of Israel. Although God is again assembling the Jews in our present
time in the land of promise, Zechariah 2:6-9 is the Kingdom Age call of
Jesus, the “King of kings and Lord of lords” (Revelation 19:16). The
return of the faithful remnant at the time of Zechariah was only typical
of what Jesus will do at the beginning of the Kingdom Age. “Ho, ho” of
Zechariah means “Alas, alas.” It is the final proclamation by the LORD
to the dispersed Jews around the world to gather themselves to
Jerusalem. Only believing saved Jews will obey. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">“</span><sup><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">11 </span></sup><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him <em>was</em> called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war. <sup>12</sup> His eyes <em>were</em> as a flame of fire, and on his head <em>were</em> many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself. <sup>13</sup> And he <em>was</em> clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God. <sup>14</sup> And the armies <em>which were</em> in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean. <sup>15</sup>
And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite
the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth
the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. <sup>16</sup> And he hath on <em>his</em> vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS” (Revelation 19:11-16).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">In Zechariah 2:7, Jehovah says, “Deliver thyself, O Zion, that dwellest <em>with</em>
the daughter of Babylon.” The “daughter of Babylon” is the Gentile
political powers of the world in which the children of Israel had grown
comfortable. Even though a large remnant at the time of Zechariah had
returned to Jerusalem to labor rebuilding the city and the Temple, the
vast majority of Jews were satisfied to languish in the comforts and
wealth of their captors. Zechariah 2:7 addresses the same problem in
the last days <em>prior to the second coming of Jesus. During the last three and a half years of the</em>
seven-year Tribulation, Jehovah will use “two witnesses” and
one-hundred and forty-four thousand sealed Jews to preach the Gospel to
the Jews as they are called to return to their land of promise (these
are NOT the cult of <em>Jehovah Witnesses</em>). In Revelation 17:5, God reveals that the “daughter of Babylon” in Zechariah 2:7 is offspring of the “MOTHER OF HARLOTS.” </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">“<sup>1</sup> And there came one of the seven angels which had the seven vials, and talked with me, saying unto me, Come hither; <strong>I will shew unto thee the judgment of the great whore that sitteth upon many waters</strong>: <sup>2</sup>
With whom the kings of the earth have committed fornication, and the
inhabitants of the earth have been made drunk with the wine of her
fornication. <sup>3</sup> So he carried me away in the spirit into the
wilderness: and I saw a woman sit upon a scarlet coloured beast, full of
names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns. <sup>4</sup> And
the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet colour, and decked with gold
and precious stones and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of
abominations and filthiness of her fornication: <sup>5</sup> And upon her forehead <em>was</em> a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH. <sup>6</sup>
And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the
blood of the martyrs of Jesus: and when I saw her, I wondered with great
admiration” (Revelation 17:1-6). </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">The greatest apostasy corrupting Biblical Christianity can be traced back to Constantine’s integration of paganism in with <em>Christianity</em> when he declared the Roman Empire to be <em>Christian</em>.
In doing so, Constantine would lay the foundations for the Roman
Catholic Church and thereby paganized the vast majority of
Christianity. Augustine would systemize the theology of Roman
Catholicism. Roman Catholicism has persecuted Jews wherever they were
found. The Roman Catholic <em>Christian Crusades</em> was to take the
Holy Land of Israel from Muslim control for Roman Catholicism. Roman
Catholicism claims that the first church in Jerusalem was the first
Roman Catholic Church and is the <em>mother of all churches</em> everywhere. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">The
San Giovanni Laterno Church is the first church of Rome. An
inscription on the front of the church (translated from Latin) says,
“MOST HOLY LATERAN CHURCH, MOTHER AND MISTRESS OF ALL CHURCHES OF THE
CITY AND THE WORLD.” God calls this “Mother and Mistress” “the great
whore” and “THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS.” She gave birth to religious
apostasy within Christianity. The believers in Heaven will rejoice at
God’s judgment of “the great whore,” which corrupted the world with her
false beliefs and apostasy. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">“For true and righteous <em>are</em> his judgments: <strong>for he hath judged the great whore, which did corrupt the earth with her fornication</strong>, and hath avenged the blood of his servants at her hand” (Revelation 19:2).</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"> <span style="font-size: 18px;"><span style="font-family: times new roman,times,serif;">
Some of the apostasy introduced by Augustine through Roman Catholicism
was the corruption of a literal one-thousand-year Kingdom Age.
Augustine introduced an allegorical/mystical interpretation of the end
times that came to be known as <em>Preterism</em>. The word <em>Preterism</em> comes from the Latin word <em>praeter</em> meaning <em>past</em> or <em>beyond</em>. <em>Preterists</em>, those who believe in <em>Preterism</em>, believe that all (<em>full Preterism</em>) of the events, or most (<em>partial Preterism</em>),
of the book of Revelation took place before 70 A.D. Since the Apostle
John was given “the Revelation of Jesus Christ” (Revelation 1:1) in 96
A.D., the <em>Preterists</em> believed John was just giving an interpretation of <em>past</em> events that had already happened. There is but one word for this nonsense – FOOLISHNESS! </span></span></span></div>
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<div class="MsoFootnoteText">
<a data-cke-saved-href="#_ftnref1" data-cke-saved-name="_ftn1" href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=931265740727391506#_ftnref1" name="_ftn1" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn1;" title=""><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 10.0pt;">[1]</span></span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"> </span><a data-cke-saved-href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/allegorical" href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/allegorical"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/allegorical</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">, accessed 2/1/2018.</span></div>
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<i>Anonymous comments will not be allowed.
Numerous studies and series are available free of charge for local churches at:
http://www.disciplemakerministries.org/
Dr. Lance Ketchum serves the Lord as a Church Planter, Evangelist/Revivalist.
He has served the Lord for over 40 years.</i>Lancehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04407932936189262291noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6157091893357738408.post-5914716655587882402018-01-22T07:18:00.001-08:002018-01-22T07:18:54.831-08:00The Four Horns and Four Carpenters<br />
<div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 18px;"><a data-cke-saved-href="http://www.disciplemakerministries.org/Pages/Books/BookStore.htm" href="http://www.disciplemakerministries.org/Pages/Books/BookStore.htm">DR. KETCHUM'S BOOKS LINK HERE</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 18px;"><strong>Zechariah</strong></span></div>
<div align="center" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 18px;">Chapter Four</span></div>
<div align="center" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="color: #20124d;"><span><strong>The Four Horns and Four Carpenters</strong></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 18px;"> </span></div>
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-kRjRqnkvTk4/WmYAkz1Vg7I/AAAAAAAAEBE/pQZBIyB-hF8tcjYd71l4-M_kAwgnftuHgCLcBGAs/s1600/four-horns%2Bvision-of-the.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="375" data-original-width="500" height="240" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-kRjRqnkvTk4/WmYAkz1Vg7I/AAAAAAAAEBE/pQZBIyB-hF8tcjYd71l4-M_kAwgnftuHgCLcBGAs/s320/four-horns%2Bvision-of-the.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
In
Zechariah 1:18, Zechariah is given a vision of “four horns.” We know
from Daniel 7:24 and Revelation 17:12 that these are four of ten Gentile
kings. We must understand that God’s resistance of these kings is His
resistance against satanic globalism. This satanic globalism, in its
many attempts, opposes God’s divine dominion. God’s divine dominion
will be established through the restored nation of Israel and His
promised Messiah fulfilled in the incarnation, death, burial,
resurrection, glorification, and second coming to establish God’s one
world Kingdom on Earth. Therefore, a major aspect of satanic globalism
is the destruction of the nation of Israel by scattering the Jews around
the world. Gentile globalism is predominantly Anti-Semitic
characterized by extreme hostility towards Jews and the support of the
nation of Israel. Therefore, Antisemitism is a predominant
characteristic of Antichristism. The promise of the vision of
Zechariah 1:18-21 is that although Satan will succeed for a short time,
ultimately Satan’s plan will fail.<br /><div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; text-align: justify;">
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At the time of Zechariah’s prophecy only two of these four horns had
come into power; Babylon and Medo-Persia. Graeco-Macedonia Empire would
succeed the Medo-Persia Empire as Zechariah 9:13 foretells. The Roman
Empire would be the fourth and last as spoken of in Daniel chapters two
and seven. The Roman Empire will be revived as the one-world Antichrist
government of the seven-year Tribulation period. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 18px;">“<sup>18 </sup>Then lifted I up mine eyes, and saw, and <strong>behold four horns</strong>. <sup>19</sup> And I said unto the angel that talked with me, What <em>be</em> these? And he answered me, These <em>are</em> the horns which have scattered Judah, Israel, and Jerusalem. <sup>20</sup> And the LORD shewed me <strong>four carpenters</strong>. <sup>21</sup> Then said I, What come these to do? And he spake, saying, These <em>are</em> the horns which have scattered Judah, so that no man did lift up his head: but these {<em>the four carpenters</em>} are come to fray them, to cast out the horns of the Gentiles, which lifted up <em>their</em> horn over the land of Judah to scatter it” (Zechariah 1:18-21).</span></div>
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These “four horns” are described as “the horns which have scattered
Judah, Israel, and Jerusalem” (Zechariah 1:21). God was giving hope to
the faithful remnant of Israel through prophecies like this. Although
there was going be centuries where Israel would remain scattered, the
promise of God is that He would restore and revive the nation of Israel
one day in the distant future. For people who see the consequences of
their faithfulness beyond themselves into their future generation, these
prophecies were a great encouragement. </span></div>
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What we see in these prophecies of Zechariah, given to the faithful
remnant of Israel, gives us great insight into understanding God’s
empathy for the faithful within the nation of Israel. God gives these
prophecies to the faithful remnant while they are in the middle of the
crisis of chastisement for the failures of the unfaithful in the nation
of Israel. God gives these prophecies because the faithful must never
forget that the unfaithful are a major responsibility of their prayer
life and their ministry in preserving the Word of God through teaching.
In other words, even though God was not going to restore and revive the
nation of Israel for thousands of years, there was something every
faithful person in every generation could do. They could be faithful,
and they could try to persuade the unfaithful to become faithful. We
have a very similar message to the Jews professing faith in Christ
during the Church Age in the epistle to the Hebrews.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 18px;">“<sup>8 </sup>By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, <strong>obeyed; and he went out</strong>, <strong>not knowing whither he went</strong>. <sup>9</sup> By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as <em>in</em> a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise: <sup>10</sup> <strong>For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker <em>is</em> God</strong>. <sup>11</sup>
Through faith also Sara herself received strength to conceive seed, and
was delivered of a child when she was past age, because <strong>she judged him faithful who had promised</strong>. <sup>12</sup> Therefore sprang there even of one {<em>Abraham</em>}, and him as good as dead, <em>so many</em> as the stars of the sky in multitude, and as the sand which is by the sea shore innumerable. <sup>13</sup> <strong>These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of <em>them</em>, and embraced <em>them</em>, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth</strong>. <sup>14</sup> For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country. <sup>15</sup> And truly, if they had been mindful of that <em>country</em> from whence they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned. <sup>16</sup> <strong>But now they desire a better <em>country</em>, that is, an heavenly</strong>: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city {<em>New Jerusalem</em>}” (Hebrews 11:8-16).</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 18px;">
Every generation of faithful believers must be able to see all the
difficulties and impossibilities of life in the light of faith in God’s
eternal promises. They may have no control over the circumstances of
the governments and wickedness of the people with which they must share
this planet, but they can maintain a faith vision that sees past it all
so as to keep their hope in God’s promises. This is the testimony of
the faithful recorded by God in Hebrews chapter eleven. Faithfulness
remains faithful because these people shared an eternal hope that
transcended the temporal difficulties of their lives. This does not
mean that these people did not struggle with occasional bad choices
within the difficulties of their lives, but that God saw their
faithfulness within those struggles and counted them faithful. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 18px;">
The faithful remnant had to maintain a spiritual perspective of the
work they were sent back to Jerusalem to do. The Temple upon which they
were making reparations was merely symbolic, or typical, of an ongoing
and constant need of spiritual revival in their own lives and in the
lives of every generation that would follow them. The Temple upon which
they worked to restore, repair, and rebuild was just a building made
with stones. God wanted them to see that the real temple they were
building to His glory was the recovery of lost souls and the lives of
people who had lost hope in God’s eternal promises. It is easy to get
lost and discouraged when we are blind to the spiritual and preoccupied
with the daily routine of just working at surviving in the middle of the
temporal. It is a difficulty every person faces; especially the
faithful. It becomes easy to forget God and just give up on spiritual
goals. The satanic influences of this world, the curse upon this world,
and the worldly people we seek to win to Christ entice sinners with
promises of momentary pleasures. They do this while mocking the things
the faithful hold precious.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 18px;">
The prophecy of the “four horns” of four coming world powers that would
dominate, control, and scatter Israel for thousands of years was not a
prophecy to discourage, although it might be discouraging. It is not
discouraging because God does not end with just telling them the <em>bad news</em>. God gives them <em>good news</em> with the <em>bad news</em>. God is going to raise up “four carpenters,” one for every “horn.” </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 18px;">The
prophecy of the “four carpenters” is God telling His remnant that they
are just one of many generations of repairers, restorers, and
rebuilders. God is telling His faithful remnant, to which Zechariah
prophesied, that God was going to maintain a faithful remnant under
every one of these world powers. God’s maintenance of the remnant is
God’s working with them to recover and restore souls. The faithful
remnant was not abandoned by God as the circumstances made it appear.
However, abandonment is how the forces of evil want the faithful remnant
to see their circumstances. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 18px;"></span><br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 18px;"> God is working <em>through</em>
His Spirit anointed and Spirit-filled redeemed people. God will not
over-ride His gift of the free-will given to humanity. God uses the
faithful remnant to persuade those lost in the darkness of unbelief or
within the numerous corruptions of false doctrines and idolatry. We
cannot blame God for the ever-increasing growth of iniquity in the world
when the professing faithful remnant is increasingly being seduced into
worldliness. This is what Paul addresses in Romans chapter ten in his
second of three chapters addressed to national Israel. Any one and
everyone can be saved according to Romans 10:13. However, the problem is
not with God’s provision and offering of the gift of salvation. The
problem is with the silence of the redeemed regarding the message of
Gospel of Jesus Christ. “Whosoever” could be saved, but the “whosoever”
needed to be told they could be saved and how to be saved (Romans
10:1-17). </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 18px;">“<sup>13</sup> For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. <sup>14</sup>
How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how
shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall
they hear without a preacher? <sup>15</sup> And how shall they preach,
except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of
them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good
things! <sup>16</sup> But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Esaias saith, Lord, who hath believed our report? <sup>17</sup> So then faith <em>cometh</em> by hearing, and hearing by the word of God” (Romans 10:13-17).</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 18px;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 18px;">God
uses the faithful redeemed to persuade and convince the lost and the
unfaithful of righteousness and His judgment of unrighteousness. This
goes on in the Church and in the world. This persuasion is the
substance of preaching, teaching, and evangelism. Paul’s epistles to
the Church at Corinth exemplify the careful art of persuasion. The
Church at Corinth was a particularly carnal bunch. They had professed
faith in Christ, but were integrating their previous worldly and
idolatrous practices and lifestyles in with their <em>Christianity</em>. Paul’s emphasis in his persuading arguments to them was that what they were presenting to their world as <em>Christianity </em>was not <em>Christianity</em> at all. Paul admonishes these believers in one of the most remarkable chapters of Scripture in the Bible.</span></div>
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<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-left: .2in; margin-right: .2in; margin-top: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 18px;">“<sup>1 </sup>For we know that if our earthly house of <em>this</em> tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. <sup>2</sup> For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with our house which is from heaven: <sup>3</sup> If so be that being clothed we shall not be found naked. <sup>4</sup> For we that are in <em>this</em>
tabernacle do groan, being burdened: not for that we would be
unclothed, but clothed upon, that mortality might be swallowed up of
life. <sup>5</sup> Now he that hath wrought us for the selfsame thing <em>is</em> God, who also hath given unto us the earnest of the Spirit. <sup>6</sup> Therefore <em>we are</em> always confident, knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord: <sup>7</sup> (For we walk by faith, not by sight:) <sup>8</sup> We are confident, <em>I say</em>, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord. <sup>9</sup> <strong>Wherefore we labour</strong>, that, whether present or absent, we may be accepted of him. <sup>10</sup> For we <strong>must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ</strong>; that every one may receive the things <em>done</em> in <em>his</em> body, <strong>according to that he hath done</strong>, whether <em><s>it be</s></em> good or bad. <sup>11</sup> <strong>Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men</strong>; but we are made manifest unto God {<em>our motives; Paul was being accused of men-pleasing and of trying to win the following of people for his own personal gain</em>}; and I trust also are made manifest in your consciences. <sup>12</sup> For we commend not ourselves again unto you, but give you occasion to glory on our behalf, that ye may have somewhat to <em>answer</em> them which glory in appearance, and not in heart. <sup>13</sup> For whether we be beside ourselves, <em>it is</em> to God: or whether we be sober, <em>it is</em> for your cause. <sup>14</sup> For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead: <sup>15</sup> And <em>that</em> he died for all, <strong>that they which live should</strong><strong> </strong><strong>not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them</strong>, and rose again” (II Corinthians 5:1-15).</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 18px;"></span><br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 18px;">
The faithful remnant’s maintaining of an eternal perspective in life
will always be one of the greatest difficulties in the Christian life.
The world is no friend to maintaining this perspective of time in the
midst of eternity. The very people to whom the faithful remnant
ministers will be the faithful remnant’s most discouraging foes. The
faithful must always remember that their responsibility is to be
faithfully and lovingly persuasive. Peter addressed this problem in his
second epistle as does Jude in his epistle. Notice that each call
believers to <em>remember</em>. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 18px;">“<sup>1</sup> This second epistle, beloved, I now write unto you; in <em>both</em> which <strong>I stir up your pure minds by way of remembrance</strong>: <sup>2</sup> That ye may <strong>be
mindful of the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets, and
of the commandment of us the apostles of the Lord and Saviour</strong>: <sup>3</sup> Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days {<em>the Church Age</em>} scoffers, walking after their own lusts, <sup>4</sup> And saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as <em>they were</em> from the beginning of the creation. <sup>5</sup>
For this they willingly are ignorant of, that by the word of God the
heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of the water and in the
water: <sup>6</sup> Whereby the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished: <sup>7</sup>
But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept
in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition
of ungodly men. <sup>8</sup> <strong>But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day <em>is</em> with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day</strong>. <sup>9</sup>
The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count
slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should
perish, but that <strong>all should come to repentance</strong>. <sup>10</sup> But the day of the Lord <strong>will come</strong>
as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a
great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth
also and the works that are therein shall be burned up. <sup>11</sup> <em>Seeing</em> then <em>that</em> all these <strong>things shall be</strong> dissolved, what manner <em>of persons</em> ought ye to be in <em>all</em> holy conversation and godliness, <sup>12</sup>
Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the
heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt
with fervent heat? {<em>maintain a Biblical and eternal perspective of reality</em>} <sup>13</sup> Nevertheless <strong>we</strong> {<em>the faithful</em>}, <strong>according to his promise</strong>, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness. <sup>14</sup> Wherefore, beloved, <strong>seeing that ye look for such things</strong> {<em>the faith perspective of life</em>}, be diligent that ye may <strong>be found of him </strong>in peace, without spot, and blameless. <sup>15</sup> And account <em>that</em> the longsuffering of our Lord <em>is</em> salvation; even as our beloved brother Paul also according to the wisdom given unto him hath written unto you; <sup>16</sup> As also in all <em>his</em>
epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things
hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest,
as <em>they do</em> also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction. <sup>17</sup> Ye therefore, beloved, <strong>seeing ye know <em>these things</em> before</strong>, beware lest ye also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own stedfastness. <sup>18</sup> But grow in grace, and <em>in</em> the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him <em>be</em> glory both now and for ever. Amen” (II Peter 3:1-18).</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 18px;"> Zechariah 1:21 says, “these {<em>the ‘four carpenters’</em>} are come to fray them, to cast out the horns {<em>the dominating world empires</em>} of the Gentiles, which lifted up <em>their</em> horn over the land of Judah to scatter it.” The word “carpenters” is from the Hebrew word <em>charash</em>
(khaw-rawsh’). The word refers to a skilled carver in wood or skilled
engraver in stone. The intent is that skilled craftsmen enabled of God
shape the lives of individuals thereby rescuing those individuals from
the pending and inevitable judgment of God. The world will not be
changed! </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 18px;"> The word “fray” in Zechariah 1:21 is from the Hebrew word <em>charad</em> (khaw-rad’). This word means <em>to shudder with terror</em> or <em>to hasten with fearful anxiety</em>.
As the faithful minister to individuals in the world, they must be
careful not to eliminate the warnings of God’s pending judgment. This
is the foolishness of giving the <em>good news</em> of God’s gift of salvation without warning people with the <em>bad news</em> of God inevitable and eternal judgment upon the lost. This is Jude’s reminder to believers in his epistle. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 18px;">“<sup>15 </sup>To execute <strong>judgment upon</strong> <strong>all</strong>, and to <strong>convince all</strong> {<em>to fully convict of their pending punishment</em>} that are ungodly {<em>irreverent and therefore wicked</em>} <strong>among them of all</strong> their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed, and of <strong>all their hard <em>speeches</em></strong> {<em>harsh and severe comments that are blasphemous towards God and His redeemed</em>}, which ungodly sinners have spoken against him. <sup>16</sup> These are murmurers, complainers, walking after their own lusts; and their mouth speaketh great swelling {<em>overloaded</em>} <em>words</em>, having men’s persons in admiration because of advantage. <sup>17</sup> But, <u>beloved</u>, <strong>remember ye the words which were spoken before of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ</strong>; <sup>18</sup> How that <strong>they told you</strong> there should be mockers in the last time, who should walk after their own ungodly lusts. <sup>19</sup> These be they who separate {<em>disjoin by creating factions and sects</em>} themselves, sensual, having not the Spirit. <sup>20</sup> But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost, <sup>21</sup> <strong>Keep yourselves in the love of God</strong>, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life. <sup>22</sup> <strong>And of some have compassion, making a difference: <sup>23</sup> And others save with fear, pulling <em>them</em> out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh</strong>. <sup>24</sup> Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present <em>you</em> faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy, <sup>25</sup> To the only wise God our Saviour, <em>be</em> glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen” (Jude 1:15-25).</span></div>
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That God has entrusted the preservation and propagation of His truth
from generation to generation to His faithful redeemed is a reality that
should overwhelm our senses with both gratitude and responsibility.
Many professing Christians spend their lifetimes trying not to offend
anyone. They do not share their understanding of the Bible because of
fear of offending people. They finally discover at the end of their
lives that they have been unfaithful to their primary purpose in life –
confronting the world with eternal realities of God’s judgment and the
provisions of His grace in Christ Jesus.</span></div>
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Francis Schaeffer made an excellent comment about the moral obligation
of faithful believers confronting error and apostasy in his appendix to
his book <em>What Difference Does Inerrancy Make?</em> He says:</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 18px;">“When
[one] come[s] to the central things of doctrine, including maintaining
the Bible’s emphasis that it is without mistake, and the central things
of life, then something must be considered. Truth carries with it
confrontation. Truth demands confrontation; loving confrontation, but
confrontation nevertheless. If [one’s] reflex action is always
accommodation regardless of the centrality of the truth involved,
there’s something wrong.<sup>”</sup></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 18px;">“<sup>22</sup>
Flee also youthful lusts: but follow righteousness, faith, charity,
peace, with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart. <sup>23</sup> But foolish and unlearned questions avoid, knowing that they do gender strifes. <sup>24</sup> And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all <em>men</em>, apt to teach, patient, <sup>25</sup> <strong>In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves</strong>; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth; <sup>26</sup> And <em>that</em> they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will” (II Timothy 2:22-26).</span></div>
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<i>Anonymous comments will not be allowed. </i><br />
<i>Numerous studies and series are available free of charge for local churches at:
http://www.disciplemakerministries.org/ </i><br />
<i>Dr. Lance Ketchum serves the Lord as a Church Planter, Evangelist/Revivalist. </i><br />
<i>He has served the Lord for over 40 years.</i>Lancehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04407932936189262291noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6157091893357738408.post-1553794914525604512018-01-15T06:31:00.000-08:002018-01-15T06:34:23.184-08:00Defining the Church<br />
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<span style="font-size: 20px;"><a data-cke-saved-href="http://www.disciplemakerministries.org/Pages/Books/BookStore.htm" href="http://www.disciplemakerministries.org/Pages/Books/BookStore.htm">DR. KETCHUM'S BOOKS LINK HERE</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 22px;"><span style="color: #000066;"><b>Defining the Church</b></span></span></div>
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-dcj06t8HNL0/Wly6dSvh1jI/AAAAAAAAEAk/b7ncrr_1zXAvLGpsPcKxt8QKv4zGlp66ACLcBGAs/s1600/1_peter_2_5_you_also_like_living_stones_powerpoint_church_sermon_Slide05.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="403" data-original-width="543" height="296" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-dcj06t8HNL0/Wly6dSvh1jI/AAAAAAAAEAk/b7ncrr_1zXAvLGpsPcKxt8QKv4zGlp66ACLcBGAs/s400/1_peter_2_5_you_also_like_living_stones_powerpoint_church_sermon_Slide05.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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There is almost complete ignorance by most professing Christians of
what God’s Word teaches about the Church (Ecclesiology). Most
professing Christians have simply accepted what they have been wrongly
taught because they have believed in the authority and expertise of
their pastors and priests. These pastors and priests, in most cases,
have never looked beyond what their denominations have taught them. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">“<a data-cke-saved-name="#23686" href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="#23686"><sup>13</sup>
When Jesus came into the coasts of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his
disciples, saying, Whom do men say that I the Son of man am? </a><a data-cke-saved-name="#23687" href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="#23687"><sup>14</sup> And they said, Some <i>say that thou art</i> John the Baptist: some, Elias; and others, Jeremias, or one of the prophets. </a><a data-cke-saved-name="#23688" href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="#23688"><sup>15</sup> He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am? </a><a data-cke-saved-name="#23689" href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="#23689"><sup>16</sup> And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. </a><a data-cke-saved-name="#23690" href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="#23690"><sup>17</sup> And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed <i>it</i> unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven. </a><a data-cke-saved-name="#23691" href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="#23691"><sup>18</sup> And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and <b>upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it</b>. </a><a data-cke-saved-name="#23692" href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="#23692"><sup>19</sup>
And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and
whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and
whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. </a><a data-cke-saved-name="#23693" href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="#23693"><sup>20</sup> Then charged he his disciples that they should tell no man that he was Jesus the Christ</a>” (Matthew 16:13-20). </span></div>
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When Christ says to Peter, “That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I
will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against
it,” what is He saying? The translation is somewhat misleading. Jesus
is actually saying, “thou art <i>Petros</i> (pet’-ros; <i>literally a piece of rock</i>), and <b>upon this Rock</b> (the foundational truth of Peter’s proclamation of faith that Jesus is “the Christ, the Son of the living God”) <b>I will build my church</b>.”
The very first criterion for constituting a local church is that every
member must be examined to ensure he has this same testimony of faith in
Christ before he is added to the church. Embodied in Peter’s testimony
that Jesus is “the Christ, the Son of the living God” is all the
Scriptural testimonies of what “the Christ” (Messiah) was prophesied to
do, which is the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Faith in what the Bible
teaches about Who Jesus is and what He was incarnated to do is the
foundational truth necessary for acceptance into the membership any
local church. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Apart
from the reality of Jesus being “the Christ, the Son of the living
God,” the work of redemption could not have been completed, God could
not have been propitiated, and justification “by grace through faith”
could not have been offered. From this proclamation of faith and upon
this foundational “Rock,” Jesus would begin to build His church one <i>living stone</i> at a time.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">“<sup>4 </sup>To whom coming, <i>as <b>unto</b></i><b> a living stone</b>, disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of God, <i>and</i> precious, <sup>5</sup> Ye also, <b>as
lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to
offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ</b>. <sup>6</sup> Wherefore also it is contained in the scripture, Behold, <b>I lay in Sion a chief corner stone, elect, precious: and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded</b>. <sup>7</sup> Unto you therefore which believe <i>he is</i> precious: but unto them which be disobedient, <b>the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner</b>, <sup>8</sup> And a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, <i>even to them</i> which stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed” (I Peter 2:4-8).</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"> When we read the Epistles of the New Testament Scriptures, we can clearly see that they are addressed to <i>the Church</i>.
However, is this Church some ambiguous entity without geographical
boundaries or theological definitiveness? Is this Church universal and
international in scope and governance? Is the Church a hierarchal and
Theonomic institution intent upon ruling over nations and kings
establishing and dictating moral Law to the people of the world? Does
this Church hold the “keys of the Kingdom,” determining who can be saved
and who will go to Hell? According to the teaching of Scripture, we
must answer each of these questions with a resounding - No! </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"> <b>For what purpose does the Church exist and how is it to be governed and administrated?</b>
Every local church is a gift from God and a “holy priesthood” of every
believer (I Peter 2:5). Therefore, every local church as a “holy
priesthood” is governed by our Great High Priest Jesus Christ. Jesus is
the “chief Shepherd” (I Peter 5:4). Jesus governs every local church
by gifting local churches with pastors to teach, guide, and administrate
the individuals that constitute the ministering priesthood of believers
united with that local assembly. This Biblical and Dispensational
definition of the Church helps us answer all questions about why God has
established local churches. The epistle of Paul to the Ephesians is
the <i>Magna Carta</i> for teaching the administration of the priesthood of all believers in every local church. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">“<sup>11 </sup>And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; <sup>12</sup> <b>For</b> the perfecting of the saints, <b>for</b> the work of the ministry, <b>for</b> the edifying of the body of Christ: <sup>13</sup>
Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the
Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the
fulness of Christ: <sup>14</sup> That we <i>henceforth</i> be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, <i>and</i> cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; <sup>15</sup> But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, <i>even</i> Christ: <sup>16</sup>
From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that
which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the
measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of
itself in love” (Ephesians 4:11-16).</span></div>
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How we answer these questions about the purpose and administration of
local churches is singularly important to our worldview and establishing
God’s purpose for believers in the world. Our answer to these
questions will also define how believers are to be trained to fulfill
that purpose, how believers are to be administrated in their ministry to
one another and to the world, and how accountability to God, His truth,
one another, and moral culpability is to be administrated. Therefore,
every believer needs a doctrinally sound local church. Finding a
doctrinally sound local church is the great difficulty. </span></div>
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When we read of “the church” in the New Testament Scriptures, its use
is directed to all believers in the Lord Jesus Christ living after the
Day of Pentecost (Acts 2:1-3). The term “church” cannot be divorced
from a dispensational transition from the Dispensation of the Law
(Mosaic Covenant) to the Dispensation of the Church Age (commonly
referred to as the Age of Grace or New Covenant). Although Jesus began
building His church with the Apostles, the Church was not ordained into
existence until the coming of the promised <i>Parakletos</i> (Holy Spirit). This historical event of the coming of the promised <i>Parakletos</i> marks the beginning of the Church Age. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">The Church is a <i>living organism</i>
built upon the foundation living Rock of Jesus being “the Christ, the
Son of the living God.” The Church is a building of “living stones”
built upon the Rock of the life-giving Stone, Jesus Christ. These are
metaphors revealing deep spiritual Truths defining what the Church is
and for what purpose it is created. Therefore, the Church is much more
than an <i>organization</i> (although it is <i>organized</i>). The Church is a <i>living organism</i>
spiritually energized by the indwelling Holy Spirit intended to be a
synergism of believers united into a working/ministry partnership with
God. These believers are united by truth {“the faith”) and enabled by
the power of God in them. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">“<a data-cke-saved-name="#30401" href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="#30401"><sup>1</sup> Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings, </a><a data-cke-saved-name="#30402" href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="#30402"><sup>2</sup> <b>As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby</b>: </a><a data-cke-saved-name="#30403" href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="#30403"><sup>3</sup> If so be ye have tasted that the Lord <i>is</i> gracious. </a><a data-cke-saved-name="#30404" href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="#30404"><sup>4</sup> To whom coming, <i>as unto</i> a living stone, disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of God, <i>and</i> precious, </a><a data-cke-saved-name="#30405" href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="#30405"><sup>5</sup> Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house {<i>the Church collectively</i>}, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ. </a><a data-cke-saved-name="#30406" href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="#30406"><sup>6 </sup>Wherefore
also it is contained in the scripture, Behold, I lay in Sion a chief
corner stone, elect, precious: and he that believeth on him shall not be
confounded. </a><a data-cke-saved-name="#30407" href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="#30407"><sup>7</sup> Unto you therefore which believe <i>he is</i>
precious: but unto them which be disobedient, the stone which the
builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner, </a><a data-cke-saved-name="#30408" href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="#30408"><sup>8</sup> And a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, <i>even to them</i> which stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed. </a><a data-cke-saved-name="#30409" href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="#30409"><sup>9</sup> But ye {<i>the Church collectively</i>} <i>are</i>
a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar
people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you
out of darkness into his marvellous light: </a><a data-cke-saved-name="#30410" href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="#30410"><sup>10</sup> Which in time past <i>were</i> not a people, but <i>are</i> now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy. </a><a data-cke-saved-name="#30411" href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="#30411"><sup>11</sup> Dearly beloved, I beseech <i>you</i> as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul; </a><a data-cke-saved-name="#30412" href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="#30412"><sup>12</sup> Having your conversation honest among the Gentiles: that, whereas they speak against you as evildoers, they may by <i>your</i> good works, which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation</a>” (I Peter 2:1-12).</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"> However, before this spiritual dynamic of the Church being a <i>living organism</i>,
believers must be sanctified to bring glory to God. Therefore, the
teachings of the doctrine of grace (supernatural enablement of the
indwelling Holy Spirit) must be taught and understood as this doctrine
relates to the sanctification and then the consecration of the
Priesthood of believers that makes up the <i>living organism</i> Christ calls His Church.</span></div>
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Where then do we find the Bible’s teaching regarding the true doctrine
of the Church? Gathering all that the New Testament teaches about the
doctrine of Ecclesiology must be done <i>inductively</i> (the sum of
the parts equals the whole). However, the epistle to the Ephesians
gives us the greatest depth of teaching regarding the doctrine of the
Church. </span></div>
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<sup><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">“3</span></sup><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"> Blessed <i>be</i> the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed <b>us </b>with all spiritual blessings in heavenly <i>places</i> in Christ: <sup>4</sup> According as he hath chosen <b>us</b> in him before the foundation of the world, that <b>we</b> should be holy and without blame before him in love: <sup>5</sup> Having predestinated <b>us</b> unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, <sup>6</sup> To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made <b>u</b>s accepted in the beloved. <sup>7</sup> In whom <b>we</b> have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace; <sup>8</sup> Wherein he hath abounded toward <b>us</b> in all wisdom and prudence; <sup>9</sup> Having made known unto <b>us</b> the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself: <sup>10</sup>
That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather
together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and
which are on earth; <i>even</i> in him: <sup>11</sup> In whom also <b>we</b>
have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the
purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will:
<sup>12</sup> That <b>we</b> should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ. <sup>13</sup> In whom <b>ye</b> also <i>trusted</i>, after that <b>ye</b> heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that <b>ye</b> believed, <b>ye</b> were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise, <sup>14</sup>
Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the
purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory” (Ephesians 1:3-14). </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Notice
that every pronoun in chapter one referring to believers is plural.
This is evident in the KJV, but not all other English translations.
This is important in that the <i>election</i> (“chosen,” vs. 4) of Ephesians chapter one is the <i>election</i> of the Church corporately to be a new priesthood. It is not the <i>election</i> of individuals to be saved. Election is <i>vocational</i>, not <i>salvational</i>.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">If
we draw the rest of Scripture revelation together with the teaching of
the epistle to the Ephesians, we can formulate a thorough inductive
understanding of the doctrine of the Church. A basic outline of
Ecclesiology from the epistle to the Ephesians chapter one is as
follows:</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">A. </span></b><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">The
Church is a corporation of “saints” (sanctified priests), as “born
again” believers, faithful to the commands of Jesus Christ (v.1).</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">B.</span></b><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">
The Church is distinct from the nation of Israel and her blessings are
eternal and spiritual rather than temporal and earthly (v. 3).</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">C.</span></b><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">
The Church is chosen corporately “in Christ,” her High Priest, as a
new, spiritual Priesthood before “the foundation of the world” (i.e.,
not an afterthought, but a <i>before creation thought</i>, v. 4).</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">D.</span></b><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">
This whole new priesthood, that is “saved by grace through faith,” is
predestined to glorification (v. 5). This is the meaning of the word
“adoption” – translated from the Greek <i>huiothesia </i>(hwee-oth-es-ee’-ah). The word means the <i>placement or position of the sons of God</i>.
This cannot be understood apart from the placement of the “firstborn”
as the typical priesthood now fulfilled in the Church as the priesthood
of all believers in the “church of the firstborn” (Hebrews 12:23). </span></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">E.</span></b><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"> This new priesthood is “accepted” (positionally sanctified and consecrated) in Christ, “the beloved” (vs. 6-9).</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">F.</span></b><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">
The Church is embryonically what all believers of all Ages will be in
“the regeneration” in the new Heaven/Earth – a kingdom of glorified
priests (vs. 10-14).</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">G.</span></b><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"> Paul’s prayer for the <i>enabling power</i> of the indwelling <i>Christ-life</i>
of the believer’s High Priest to be realized, actuated, and released in
and through the local church as the “body” of Christ (vs. 15-23). </span></div>
</div>
<br />
<i>Anonymous comments will not be allowed.</i><br />
<i>Numerous studies and series are available free of charge for local churches at:
http://www.disciplemakerministries.org/ </i><br />
<i>Dr. Lance Ketchum serves the Lord as a Church Planter, Evangelist/Revivalist. </i><br />
<i>He has served the Lord for over 40 years.</i>Lancehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04407932936189262291noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6157091893357738408.post-54295582636219672472017-09-25T07:53:00.000-07:002017-09-25T07:54:12.232-07:00Faulty Faith and Foolish Decisions<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="color: #20124d;"><b>Faulty Faith and Foolish Decisions</b></span></span></div>
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<br />
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"> </span></div>
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-bu3lRwedjkU/WckYBbrXyuI/AAAAAAAADrY/y8iYEINJ_7E3mwUVoisI5rxFXrNO8RbzgCLcBGAs/s1600/Faith%2Bquote-christianity-has-been-successfully-attacked-and-marginalized-because-those-who-professed-william-wilberforce-76-33-23.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="850" height="186" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-bu3lRwedjkU/WckYBbrXyuI/AAAAAAAADrY/y8iYEINJ_7E3mwUVoisI5rxFXrNO8RbzgCLcBGAs/s400/Faith%2Bquote-christianity-has-been-successfully-attacked-and-marginalized-because-those-who-professed-william-wilberforce-76-33-23.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<b>God
is constantly working to grow our faith in Him, test the reality of our
faith in Him, and prove the strength of our faith in Him.</b>
This process of spiritual growth is very similar to what physically
happens in muscle growth. When a person exercises or lifts weights,
muscles are actually damaged, torn, and stressed. This is why your
muscles hurt after strenuous exercise or work. Muscle growth happens
when these damage muscles begin to repair themselves through a cellular
process where the human body fuses muscle fibers together to form new
muscle protein strands or <i>myofibrils</i>. <b>However, this muscle growth happens <i>after</i> exercise and <i>during</i> muscle rest. </b>Muscle
growth is actually part of the body’s healing mechanism. It is foolish
to think we can grow muscle without some pain and without work and
exercise. God did not create our bodies to work that way.<br />
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">
The process of growing faith is very similar to the process of growing
muscle. People grow spiritually through knowing the Word of God and
putting the Word of God into the practical applications of everyday life
<i>while living in the midst of the curse</i>. Living in the midst
of the curse is living in the midst of the constant resistance and
opposition to practically living the Word of God in everyday situations
of life. The testing of the strength of our faith is when God allows
Satan to tempt us with sin and various situations that will require
decisions to be faithful to our professed beliefs. Such <i>testings</i>, or <i>trials</i>,
are usually personally painful and difficult. These trials can be
health issues, financial issues, or the drama of life through personal
relationships. Most of the time these trials come to us by <i>personal delivery</i> with someone’s name and personality plainly labeled on the <i>package</i>.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">This
whole process of spiritual growth and the trying of our faith is what
is communicated between two phrases in Job 1:6 and Job 1:13. In Job
1:6, the phrase is “now there was a day.” This phrase refers to the
angels of God giving account to God about humanity’s behavior. The
second phrase in Job 1:13, “And there was a day,” refers to God’s
allowing the testing of the faith of people against the accusations of
Satan against all of humanity. The satanic accusation is that without
God’s blessings, humanity would not worship God but instead would curse
Him. God had particularly singled Job out of all of humanity because
God <i>believed in Job</i>. God believed that Job was a man of very
strong faith and that Job’s faith would stand against Satan’s accusation
and slander against humanity. This testing is a historical practicum
existing in every person’s life by the degree that begins with the words
“And there was a day” in Job 1:13. It is in-between these two
statements where <i>life happens</i>! This is the reality of our <i>under the sun</i> existence within the curse.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Not
everyone will be tested to the same degree. God is still in control of
the minutia of the testings of our faith. God promises us; “There hath
no temptation {<i>putting to test to prove</i>} taken you but such as is common to man {<i>this is happening to everyone to some degree</i>}: but God <i>is</i> faithful {<i>Romans 8:28</i>}, who will not suffer you to be tempted {<i>tested</i>} above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear <i>it </i>{<i>God believes you capable of succeeding in the testing</i>}”
(I Corinthians 10:13). It is one thing for us to profess belief in
God, however it is another thing altogether to understand that God
believes in us. Every trial of our faith is a testimony to God’s faith
in us!</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">“<sup>6</sup> <b>Now there was a day</b> when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan came also among them. <sup>7</sup>
And the LORD said unto Satan, Whence comest thou? Then Satan answered
the LORD, and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking
up and down in it. <sup>8</sup> And the LORD said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that <i>there is</i> none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil? <sup>9</sup> Then Satan answered the LORD, and said, Doth Job fear God for nought? <sup>10</sup>
Hast not thou made an hedge about him, and about his house, and about
all that he hath on every side? thou hast blessed the work of his hands,
and his substance is increased in the land. <sup>11</sup> But put forth thine hand now, and touch all that he hath, and he will curse thee to thy face. <sup>12</sup> And the LORD said unto Satan, Behold, all that he hath <i>is</i> in thy power; only upon himself put not forth thine hand. So Satan went forth from the presence of the LORD. <sup>13</sup> <b>And there was a day</b> . . .” (Job 1:6-13 a). </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"> Every person will make hundreds, if not thousands of decisions each day. These decisions will be <i>faith decisions</i>
if those decisions are based upon solid knowledge of the principles and
precepts of the Word of God. However, for most people those decisions
will be made from ignorance of the principles and precepts of the Word
of God. For many others, those decisions will be made by purposefully
ignoring the principles and precepts of the Word of God. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">
The purpose of preaching/teaching and personal Bible study is to
prepare people to make decisions that will bring glory to God. Bringing
glory to God means living in a manner that is a manifestation of the
righteous desires of God and doing so out of a genuine love for God with
“all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might”
(Deuteronomy 6:5).</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"></span><br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"> <b> “Those that entice you to buy into sin won’t be around to help you pay for it.”</b><span style="font-size: 9px;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">[1]</span></span>
However, other faithful believers in your local church will be aware
and try to help you recover yourself from the “snare of the devil” (II
Timothy 2:26). </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">“<sup>1</sup> Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, <b>ye which are spiritual</b>, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; <b>considering thyself</b>, lest thou also be tempted {<i>tested</i>}. <sup>2</sup> Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ. <sup>3</sup> For if a man think himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself. <sup>4</sup> But let every man prove {<i>test</i>} <b>his own work</b> {<i>the intent is to insure that his ministry is in alignment with the revealed will of God according to the inspired Words of God</i>}, and then shall he have rejoicing in himself alone {<i>not in what God did through someone else’s work</i>}, and not in another. <sup>5</sup> <b>For every man shall bear his own burden</b> {<i>every individual will be held accountable for his own ministry work</i>}. <sup>6</sup> Let him that is taught in the word communicate {<i>share with or contribute to; I Corinthians 9:7-15</i>} unto him that teacheth in all good things. <sup>7</sup> {<i>Paul then gives this general governing law that applies to all issues of life</i>} Be not deceived; God is not mocked: <b>for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap</b>. <sup>8</sup> For he that soweth to his flesh {<i>selfish,</i> <i>carnal, sensual, and worldly desires</i>} <b>shall of the flesh reap corruption</b> {<i>This is</i> <i>decadence
resulting in ruin and waste of life; the natural fruit of a natural
life is destruction. This is a universal and natural principle and does
not require God to act in forms of judgments or chastisements.</i>}; but he that <b>soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting</b> {<i>the supernatural fruit of a Spirit-filled life is supernaturally Spirit produced life in this world</i>}. <sup>9</sup> And let us not be weary in well doing: <b>for in due </b>{<i>your own individual season or time</i>} <b>season we shall reap</b> {<i>fruit is not produced the moment the Seed is sown</i>}, <b>if we faint not</b> {<i>remain faithful; the intent is that we can corrupt spiritual seed that has been sown through unfaithful living</i>}. <sup>10</sup> As we have therefore opportunity {<i>every moment of every day is an opportunity to sow to the Spirit</i>}, let us do good unto all <i>men</i>, especially unto them who are of the household of faith {<i>summary
statement about what was said in Galatians 6:1 about doing what is
necessary to maintain a sanctified existence and helping others
believers within your realm of influence to remain faithful</i>}” (Galatians 6:1-10). </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"> <span style="font-size: 20px;">The word “fault” in Galatians 6:1 is from the Greek word <i><span style="color: black;">paraptoma </span></i><span style="color: black;">(par-ap’-to-mah). The word means to make a <i>side-slip</i> or a <i>lapse in judgment</i>.
The idea is a deviation from the right pathway in life. This deviation
can be an unintentional error or a willful transgression. The
admonition is about protecting the spiritual seed that has been sown
from the corrupting influences of selfishness, carnality, and
worldliness by restoring other believers to live Spirit-filled and
sanctified lives. </span></span></span><span style="font-size: 20px;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 20px;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="color: black;"></span></span></span><br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 20px;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><b>One
of the great difficulties of ministry is watching saved people freeze
spiritually when the fire of God’s revival is but a prayer of repentance
away from them!</b> Hungering and thirsting after righteousness
(sanctification and the Spirit-filled life; Matthew 5:6) should be the
normal and all-consuming desire of truly fully surrendered Christian. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 20px;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"></span></span><br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 20px;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><b>There
is little wonder why there is no real harvest of spiritual fruit in the
lives of most professing believers because worldliness has been
redefined and selfishness is condoned under the disguise of pursuing
self-esteem.</b> This corruption corrupts sanctification, which in
turn corrupts the testimony of local churches to the world. God
cannot, and will not, bless ministry with worldly and selfish
foundations. The emphasis of Galatians 6:7-10 is built upon the
foundation and expanding upon what was already said in Galatians
5:22-26.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 20px;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">“<sup>22</sup> But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, <sup>23</sup> Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. <sup>24</sup> And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. <sup>25</sup> If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. <sup>26</sup> Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another” (Galatians 5:22-26).</span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 20px;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"> These few verses of Scripture define what is said in Galatians 6:8, “</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">he
that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.”
The point is that none of us, born of the cursed seed of Adam, can ever
produce spiritual seed apart from the supernatural operation that takes
place through the Spirit-filled life of faithfulness. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 20px;"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">Four Principles of Sowing</span></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 20px;"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">1.</span></b><span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"> We reap what we sow!</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 20px;"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">2.</span></b><span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"> We reap more than what we sow.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 20px;"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">3.</span></b><span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"> What we sow must be protected against corruption.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 20px;"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">4.</span></b><span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"> We reap later then when we sow. </span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 20px;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">We
have a puppy in our home. Everyone who has ever had a puppy
understands that there will be a rather lengthy time of daily dealing
with rather unpleasant things that I call <i>puddles</i> and <i>piles</i>.
The puppy is just doing what comes naturally to him. He is not even
aware of the unpleasantness and inconveniences he creates with his <i>puddles</i> and <i>piles</i>.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 20px;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"></span></span><br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 20px;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">However, if the puppy’s owner is not willing to make the necessary time and effort to train him to make his <i>puddles</i> and <i>piles</i> outside the house, the <i>puddles</i> and <i>piles</i> just get bigger and more unpleasant. This training is often called <i>house breaking</i> a dog. There is a close similarity to Biblical discipleship. Without discipleship, believers will continue to leave <i>puddles</i> and <i>piles</i> in the lives of everyone with whom they come in contact. Bible history is redundant with <i>puddles</i> and <i>piles</i> believers who just never seem to get <i>house broken</i>. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 20px;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"></span><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 20px;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">We
have many negative examples given in the Bible of reaping what we sow.
The historical account of the life of Lot is certainly one of these
negative examples of a lifetime of reaping the outcome of a very selfish
decision. The whole point of God’s very extensive narrative (Genesis
chapter eleven through chapter nineteen) regarding Lot is that the
corrupted seed of one selfish decision just kept producing corrupted
fruit generation after generation even until today. Lot lived with his
uncle Abraham and was saved under Abraham’s influence. Lot shared real
estate with Abraham until the acreage they occupied together was unable
to sustain the wealth of their herds of animals. Lot’s servants began
to strive with the servants of Abraham over the grazing areas allotted
to each of their herds. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 20px;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"></span></span><br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 20px;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">Lot
was given the first choice of the place he would resettle with his
herdsmen and animals. This reveals that Abraham trusted God while Lot
choose to profit himself. Lot foolishly chose the fertile plain of
Jordan where Lot “dwelled in the cities of the plain, <b>and pitched <i>his</i> tent toward Sodom</b>”
(Genesis 13:12). This verse tells us of the inclination of Lot’s
choice. Lot had a propensity to be selfish and worldly. People will
always fall in the direction they lean. The big city and all it offers
can be quite tempting to a farm boy. This is the same scenario of the
parable of the prodigal son. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">“<sup>6 </sup>And turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrha into ashes condemned <i>them</i> with an overthrow, making <i>them</i> an ensample unto those that after should live ungodly; <sup>7</sup> And delivered just {<i>justified by grace through faith</i>} Lot, vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked: <sup>8</sup> (For that righteous {<i>imputed</i>} man dwelling among them, <b>in seeing and hearing</b>, vexed {<i>tortured or tormented</i>; <i>he was under constant conviction about the things he saw and with which he lived everyday</i>} <i>his</i> righteous {<i>imputed</i>} soul from day to day with <i>their</i> unlawful deeds;) <sup>9</sup>
The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to
reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished” (II Peter
2:6-9). </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 20px;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">Although
selfish and sinful decisions can mess up and mix up life to the point
it seems it can never be straightened out, God’s grace still intervened
in Lot’s life and got him out of the mess he chose for his existence.
However, Lot still had a freewill. Although God got Lot out of the mess
Lot created for himself, the real mess was still inside Lot and he
continued to make bad, selfish, and sinful decisions. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 20px;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 20px;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">There
are many question that come to mind as we read of Lot continuing to
live a lifetime in the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah. If Lot was under
constant conviction, why didn’t he just repent and get out of there?
What happened to all of Lot’s herdsmen? What happened to the wealth of
his herds? Who did his other daughters marry? Did Lot in fact choose
his daughters’ future husbands when he made the choice to dwell “in the
cities of the plain, and pitched <i>his</i> tent toward Sodom”
(Genesis 13:12)? Why was he willing to sacrifice his two remaining
virgin daughters to the mob of licentious sodomites? Lot’s desire for
wealth and fame was Satan’s <i>hook in his flesh</i>. It was not the <i>hook</i> that held onto Lot’s <i>flesh</i>. It was Lot’s <i>flesh</i> that held onto the <i>hook</i>. Lot was willing to sacrifice ANYTHING and EVERYTHING to his idol – HIS OWN CARNAL DESIRES!</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 20px;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Never underestimate the ability of one bad decision to snowball down the hill to an ever-increasing problem. </b>Lot’s
faith was tested just like Job’s faith was tested, but with
devastatingly different results. Lot would end upon committing incest
with his two surviving virgin daughters producing two sons that would
become the tribes of the Moabites and Ammonites. These two tribes would
be a constant thorn in the flesh of the nation of Israel for
millennia. The descendants from these tribes would intermarry with the
descendants of the Ishmaelites, Abraham’s <i>failure</i>, and later
become the nation of Islam. Thousands of years later, the whole world
is still paying for the failures of Abraham and Lot – two “born again”
men who made foolish decisions. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 20px;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"></span></span><br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 20px;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">However,
the problem of living within the temptations and testings of the curse
did not begin with Abraham and Lot and it did not end with them. The
same problem is continued and increased by the carnal choices of
believers every day. Every single one of us add to the <i>puddles</i> and <i>piles</i>
of corruption deposited into this cursed world every day. This is
always the outcome when the “just” do not “live by faith.” Each of us
add to the continuum of corruption by the carnal, selfish, and worldly
decisions we make each day. We infect other people with our corrupt
decisions. When we sow corruption, we reap corruption in the lives of
people for generations after us. There comes a time when the only
solution to the extreme breadth of corruption in the world is for God to
intervene and end it lest true faith is completely destroyed upon the
earth. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 20px;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"></span></span><br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 20px;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">Christ
spoke to this issue of ongoing corruption that infects and destroys
each generation more and more in a parable in Luke chapter eighteen.
The point of the parable is the about the faithful prayers of the
righteous when being overrun with the evils of corruption in the world
(Luke 18:1). </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">“<sup>1</sup> And he spake a parable unto them <i>to this end</i>, <b>that men ought always to pray, and not to faint</b> {<i>not give into evil influences</i>}; <sup>2</sup> Saying, There was in a city a judge {<i>corrupted in that he saw himself in his position above all, even God</i>}, which <b>feared not God</b>, <b>neither regarded man</b>: <sup>3</sup> And there was a widow in that city; and she came unto him, saying, Avenge me of mine adversary. <sup>4</sup> And he would not for a while: but afterward he said within himself, Though I fear not God, nor regard man; <sup>5</sup> Yet because this widow troubleth me, I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me {<i>even a self-serving, corrupted, indifferent judge will intervene if you are persistent in petitioning him for justice</i>}. <sup>6</sup> And the Lord said, Hear what the unjust judge saith. <sup>7</sup> And shall not God {<i>Who is perfectly just</i>} avenge his own elect {<i>those that are dear to Him</i>}, which cry day and night unto him {<i>for righteousness sake</i>}, though he bear long with them {<i>waiting for the fruit of righteousness to be borne through their faithfulness; James 5:7</i>} ? <sup>8</sup> I tell you that he will avenge them speedily. <b>Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth</b>” (Luke 18:1-8)? </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 20px;"><b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">Living by faith is the knowledge of, and the obedience to, the revealed will of God in the Word of God.</span></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">
The issue of the question of Luke 18:8, “when the Son of man cometh,
shall he find faith on the earth,” is will He find the kind of
persistent faith exhibited by the petitions of the woman in the parable
or will every believer just give up on hope for the salvation and
sanctification of the worldly. The faithful must remember that our
desires should be reflected in our prayer life and actions to see BOTH
the salvation of lost souls <b>and</b> the sanctification of
believers. Evangelical focus has become dominated by the salvation of
lost souls while almost completely abandoning the sanctification of the
redeemed. The implication is that there will be a very small remnant of
faithful believers at the time of the second coming of Jesus. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 20px;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 20px;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">These
types of foolish people are described in II Peter 2:10-22 extending
from what God has said already about Lot. Corrupted faith corrupts
everything it touches. Perhaps the greatest descriptor of this
thoughtless, carnal selfishness in the Bible is the word “selfwilled”
(II Peter 2:10). </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 20px;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">“<sup>10</sup> But chiefly them that walk after the flesh in the lust of uncleanness, and despise government. Presumptuous <i>are they</i>, <b>selfwilled </b>{<i>self-pleasing and pleasure focused</i>}, they are not afraid to speak evil of dignities. <sup>11</sup> Whereas angels, which are greater in power and might, bring not railing accusation against them before the Lord. <sup>12</sup>
But these, as natural brute beasts, made to be taken and destroyed,
speak evil of the things that they understand not; and shall utterly
perish in their own corruption; <sup>13</sup> And shall receive the reward of unrighteousness, <i>as</i> they that count it pleasure to riot in the day time. Spots <i>they are</i> and blemishes, <b>sporting themselves with their own deceivings while they feast with you</b> {<i>in the midst of the churches</i>}; <sup>14</sup> Having eyes full of adultery, and that cannot cease from sin; <b>beguiling unstable souls</b>: an heart they have exercised with covetous practices; cursed children: <sup>15</sup> Which have forsaken the right way, and are gone astray, following the way of Balaam <i>the son</i> of Bosor {<i>a believing prophet</i>}, <b>who loved the wages of unrighteousness</b>; <sup>16</sup> But was rebuked for his iniquity: the dumb ass speaking with man’s voice forbad the madness of the prophet. <sup>17</sup> These are wells without water, clouds that are carried with a tempest; to whom the mist of darkness is reserved for ever. <sup>18</sup> For when they speak great swelling <i>words</i> of vanity, they allure through the lusts of the flesh, <i>through much</i> wantonness, those that were clean escaped from them who live in error. <sup>19</sup> <b>While they promise them liberty, they themselves are the servants of corruption</b>: for of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he brought in bondage. <sup>20</sup>
For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the
knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled
therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the
beginning. <sup>21</sup> For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known <i>it</i>, <b>to turn from the holy commandment </b>{<i>sanctification</i>} delivered unto them. <sup>22</sup> But it is happened unto them according to the true proverb, The dog <i>is</i> turned to his own vomit <b>again</b>; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire” (II Peter 2:10-22).</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 20px;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">The
reason a spiritual leader fights the fight of faith and struggles in
his life for personal holiness and spiritual maturity is simple. The
spiritual leader understands that the imperfections in his life will
usually be reproduced in the lives of others. This corrupting influence
is the greatest fear of his life!</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 20px;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"></span></span><br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 20px;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">President Donald Trump, in his speech to the United Nations on September 19<sup>th</sup>, 2017 said, <b>“If
the righteous many do not confront the wicked few, then evil will
triumph. When decent people and nations become bystanders to history,
the forces of destruction only gather power and strength.” </b> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 20px;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"></span></span><br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 20px;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">Why is it that Christians cannot understand this simple principle when it is repeatedly stated throughout Scripture?</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">“</span><sup>1</sup> <span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">To the chief Musician, <i>A Psalm</i> of David. In the LORD put I my trust: how say ye to my soul, Flee <i>as</i> a bird to your mountain? <sup>2</sup> For, lo, the wicked bend <i>their</i> bow, they make ready their arrow upon the string, <b>that they may privily shoot at the upright in heart</b>. <sup>3</sup> <b>If the foundations be destroyed, what can the righteous do?</b> <sup>4</sup> {<i>Now the answer is given</i>.} The LORD <i>is</i> in his holy temple, the LORD’S throne <i>is</i> in heaven: his eyes behold, his eyelids try, the children of men. <sup>5</sup> The LORD trieth the righteous: but the wicked and him that loveth violence his soul hateth. <sup>6</sup> Upon the wicked he shall rain snares, fire and brimstone, and an horrible tempest: <i>this shall be</i> the portion of their cup. <sup>7</sup> For the righteous LORD loveth righteousness; his countenance doth behold the upright” (Psalm 11:1-7).</span></div>
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<div class="MsoFootnoteText">
<a data-cke-saved-href="#_ftnref1" data-cke-saved-name="_ftn1" href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=931265740727391506#_ftnref1" name="_ftn1" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn1;" title=""><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 10.0pt;">[1]</span></span></a><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"> Pastor John McDonald, Calvary Baptist Church, Utah, Facebook post. </span></div>
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<i>Dr. Lance Ketchum serves the Lord as a Church Planter, Evangelist/Revivalist. </i><br />
<i>He has served the Lord for over 40 years.</i>Lancehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04407932936189262291noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6157091893357738408.post-40996636796067446102017-09-11T08:01:00.002-07:002017-09-11T08:01:27.730-07:00Contending for The Faith<br />
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<span style="font-size: 24px;"><span style="color: #000066;"><strong>Contending for The Faith</strong></span></span></div>
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Perhaps the first thing we learn as Christians desiring to lead people
to following Christ is that most have little interest in such things.
Their unbelief binds them to a prison of their own ignorance leading
them into ever increasing destructive life-patterns. In their
ignorance, they deem the preaching of the Cross a foolish waste of time
(I Corinthians 1:18). This ignorance of unbelief keeps them on worldly
pathways pursuing some ambiguous thing called <em>happiness</em>. For them, <em>happiness</em> is another word for <em>pleasure</em> and <em>love</em> is another word for <em>sex</em>. <br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">II
Timothy 2:22-3:5 defines both the problem and the solution. God
expects faithful believers to be proactive as these sinners are being
taken away by the <em>mudslide of sin</em> accelerating them towards the pending judgment of God on this world. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">“<sup>22</sup> Flee also youthful lusts: but follow {<em>chase after or steadily pursue</em>} righteousness, faith, charity, peace, <strong>with them</strong> that call on the Lord out of a pure heart. <sup>23</sup> But <strong>foolish</strong> and <strong>unlearned</strong> <strong>questions</strong> avoid, knowing that they do gender strifes. <sup>24</sup> And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but <strong>be gentle unto all <em>men</em>, apt to teach, patient, <sup>25</sup> In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves</strong>; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth; <sup>26</sup> And <em>that</em> they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will. <sup>1</sup> This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. <sup>2</sup>
For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud,
blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, <sup>3</sup> Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, <sup>4</sup> Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; <sup>5</sup> Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away” </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">(II Timothy 2:22-3:5).</span></div>
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<strong><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Contending for “the faith” is doing what is necessary to ensure that orthodoxy is transposed from one generation to the next. </span></strong><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"> This
transposition of “the faith” from one generation to the next focuses on
reaching the next generation through Evangelism, which is primarily
discipleship focused. The faithful disciples of one generation must
lead the next generation to receive Christ as Lord and be perfected to
do “the work of the ministry” (Ephesians 4:12). Any local church that
does not have this missional vision has been corrupted. The local
church is the emphasis of II Timothy 2:22 in the words “<strong>with them</strong>
that call on the Lord out of a pure heart.” Any Christian that is not
fully invested in a local church that has this missional vision has also
been corrupted. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">II
Timothy 2:23 tells the faithful believer with a Biblical missional
vision to “avoid. . . foolish and unlearned questions.” The reason
given to avoid these types of questions is “knowing that they do gender
strifes.” There are always those types of people who ask pointless
questions intent more upon arguing than upon edifying. The word
“foolish” is from the Greek word </span><em><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">moro</span></em><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">s (mo-ros’). </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"></span><br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">This
admonition about avoiding “foolish . . . questions” is most probably
addressing the questions that came from those that were, or had been,
involved in the <em>mystery religions</em> such as Gnosticism.
Gnosticism was the original religion of Syncretism – blending, merging,
and integrating all kinds of religious beliefs together through endless <em>Dialogue</em>.
The wise disciple-maker avoids these foolish discussions because his
source of Truth (Epistemology) and faith is founded solely in the clear
instruction of the inspired Words of God. Since the Bible is the ONLY
authority for life and practice, what the Bible says is final.
Therefore, to such a person, endless debates and arguments about
extra-biblical views and the philosophies of men are pointless wastes of
time (“strifes”). </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">The
word “unlearned” simply means uninstructed. This refers to those who
have never been discipled in the Word of God. They may have numerous
educational degrees and even be very <em>well read</em>. However, they
are “unlearned” in the Scriptures. The danger is that they come into
local churches with an appearance of knowledge or have much knowledge
about <em>religious ideas</em>. They will be respected by many because
of their education and status in life. They will often be promoted to
leadership positions in the church for which they are not qualified.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">The admonition regarding getting involved in these foolish discussions and debates is that “</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">the
servant of the Lord must not strive” (II Timothy 2:24). The “servant
of the Lord” must be able to distinguish between the person genuinely
wanting the Truth and the person who simply wants to debate. Once the
disciple maker gives a person a clear Bible answer to a question and
that person disagrees with that Bible answer – WALK AWAY! </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">There is an old saying, “</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Convince a man against his will, He’s of the same opinion still.”</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">
A person wanting to be right even when proven wrong is a fool.
However, he will not have a good opinion of the person that shows him to
be a fool. Therefore, Paul tells Timothy, “be gentle unto all <em>men</em>, apt to teach, patient, <sup>25</sup> In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves” (II Timothy 2:24b-25). There is often a thin line between being <em>pertinent</em> and <em>impertinent</em>.
Once a person crosses that line, the damage is already done.
Possessing dogmatic knowledge does not mean that such a person has a
right to be obnoxious. There are five words in I Timothy 2:24b-25 that
give us directions for reaching people who think they have the answers,
but are really <em>without a glue</em>. If we want to be effective in
reaching another generation in helping them become followers of Jesus,
we must understand these five words and how they are applied within the
spiritual dynamic of soul winning and disciple making. </span></div>
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<strong><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">1. Gentle</span></strong><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">- from the Greek word <em>epios</em> (<em>ay’-pee-os</em>) meaning friendly, pleasant, and a person with which it is easy to talk. The <em>gentle</em>
person can disagree without being disagreeable. He can contend for the
faith without being contentious. Being kind to the people we are
trying to reach must be apparent. Attacking lost people for the sins
they commit and the sinful practices of their lives is not the same as
patiently trying to persuade someone that God has absolute boundaries
for righteousness. This opposite of gentleness is often manifested by
those claiming to be <em>street preachers</em> where they stand on a corner or in a park shouting condemnations at lost people for how they dress or how they live. </span></div>
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<strong><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">2. Apt to teach</span></strong><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"> – is from one Greek word, </span><em><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">didaktikos</span></em><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">
(did-ak-tik-os’). The meaning is descriptive of a person whose
demeanor is instructive. A person can be instructive without being
condemning. Instruction from the Word of God has the power to convict
and condemn. Again, this instruction is intended to be directed to the
person asking questions with an interest in finding absolute answers.
This person “apt to teach” is willing to take the time to carefully
explain spiritual things to the person making inquiries. </span></div>
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<strong><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">3. Patient</span></strong><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"> is from the Greek word </span><em><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">anexikakos</span></em><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">
(an-ex-ik’-ak-os). This describes the person willing to endure the
arrogant, obtrusive ignorance that often accompanies people antagonistic
towards spiritual absolutes. Another good synonym is <em>forbear</em>. To be forbearing means to <em>hold yourself back</em>.
Not everything that can be said should be said. To be forbearing
understands the concept of the right time, place, and circumstances
while being self-disciplined enough to wait for that right time, place,
and circumstances.</span></div>
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<strong><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">4. Meekness</span></strong><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"> is from the Greek word </span><em><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">praotes</span></em><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"> (prah-ot’-ace). The practical meaning is <em>a gentle humility</em>. This is directed towards the way we instruct those that “oppose themselves.” The opposite of <em>gentle humility</em> is <em>rude haughtiness</em>.
If there is an underlaying attitude of arrogance towards the ignorant,
that attitude will manifest itself to some degree in negative ways.
When arrogance is perceived by the hearer, most of what is said will be
rejected regardless of the fact it is Bible Truth. </span></div>
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<strong><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">5. Instructing</span></strong><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"> is from the Greek word </span><em><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">paideuo</span></em><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"> (pahee-dyoo’-o), which literally means <em>to train up a child</em>.
It is critical to understand that people learn through levels of
comprehension. Understanding the level of comprehension of the person
with whom you speak is critical to instructing him so he can understand
what you are saying. Secondly, since the person thinks he has a level
of comprehension far above what he actually possesses, care must be
taken so as not to be condescending in instructing him. To help a
person grow in understanding is often done in <em>baby-steps</em>. Be
careful not to overload a person with too much information or you will
overwhelm him. Be patient and carefully explain small portions of
Scripture each time you meet. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Most
importantly, remember the last part of II Timothy 2:25b - “if God
peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the
truth.” Although considerable doubt is expressed in the text about such
a person ever changing his beliefs or unbelief, there is hope when we
understand that God’s involvement is the major part of any hopeful
possibility. Long after the words we say and the moment of instruction
passes, God remains with the person. There are no doors to shut Him out
or time restraints upon His access to the human spirit. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">II
Timothy chapter two explains how we are to deal with people that are
seeking truth, but are ignorant and confused. These people are
Agnostics. The word agnostic simply means - <em>I don’t know</em>. </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Jude
1:3-8 explains how to deal with the heretic who seeks to divide a local
church with false teaching. These types of people infiltrate local
churches and must be dealt with more swiftly and even harshly. These
are wolves intent upon carrying away innocent sheep. How many sheep
should be sacrificed to the wolf before the wolf is removed?</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">“<sup>3</sup>
Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common
salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort <em>you</em> that ye should <strong>earnestly contend for <u>the faith</u></strong> which was once {<em>for all</em>} delivered {<em>stewardship</em>} unto the saints. <sup>4</sup> For there are <strong>certain
men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this
condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into
lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ</strong>. <sup>5</sup>
I will therefore put you in remembrance, though ye once knew this, how
that the Lord, having saved the people out of the land of Egypt,
afterward destroyed them that believed not. <sup>6</sup> And the angels
which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he
hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of
the great day. <sup>7</sup> Even as Sodom and Gomorrha, and the cities
about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and
going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the
vengeance of eternal fire. <sup>8</sup> <strong>Likewise also these <em>filthy</em> dreamers defile the flesh, despise dominion, and speak evil of dignities</strong>” </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">(Jude 1:3-8).</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">
Jude 1:3-8 clearly details harsh and swift retribution to the types of
deceivers mentioned in this text. Such people are extremely dangerous.
They can destroy work that has taken years to accomplish. Over the
years, it has become increasingly apparent that the corruption of
society and the perversion of truth has no limitations. Just as in the
days of Noah, God must intervene and bring His judgment on the world to
halt the advancement of Satan’s agenda of corruption. Each year the
world has proven itself capable of going ever deeper into the miry pits
of the filth and degradation of sin. Professing believers no longer are
amazed at the world’s propensity for perversion. These <em>professors of faith</em> march just a few steps behind the worldly bringing the world into local churches.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"> However, it is continually amazing to watch the willingness of professing Christians in their <em>progressiveness</em>
in this perversion by staying one step behind the world like a child
following a trail of bread crumbs. These deceived never seem to give
any considerations to where they are in their own digression of
corruption and defilement. “Lukewarm” churches, meaning <em>compromising people</em>,
have become so complacent to doctrinal error and worldliness that they
have become completely silent, accepting almost anything without
question or consideration. God’s will in these matters never seems to
be addressed, nor His Word consulted.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">
Instead, the matters of “the faith” are relegated to humanistic
rationalism while the definitive truths of God’s Word are mitigated into
obscurity and irrelevancy. For much of today’s professing <em>Christians</em>, “the faith” is nothing more than a <em>hodge-podge</em> of human philosophies amalgamated together to appear non-judgmental and to give everyone a <em>warm, fuzzy feeling</em> with little or no consideration to whether those beliefs have any foundation in Divine origin or authority.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">
This humanistic perversion of Christianity has little connection to the
idea of “the faith” as detailed in God’s inspired Word. In fact, for
this type of <em>Christianity</em>, God’s Word is only referenced to
maintain a semblance of connection to the real thing. The only reason
this fiasco continues is that the clear majority of real, Bible
believing Christians have become theological pacifists and given up on
contending for “the faith.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">
“The faith” defined by Scripture is the body of divinely revealed truth
inscripturalized in the sixty-six books of the Old and New Testaments.
Most of God’s communication with mankind has not come in a booming
voice from Heaven (although He has done so on a few occasions). God has
chosen a few men with which to speak and through which He spoke down
through the ages. These men were called <em>Prophets of God</em>. They were Mediators (middle-men) between God and men. The last Mediator (and only remaining One) is Jesus Christ.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">“For <em>there is</em> one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus” (I Timothy 2:5).</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">“<sup>19</sup>
We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye
take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day
dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts: <sup>20</sup> Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. <sup>21</sup> For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake <em>as they were</em> moved by the Holy Ghost” (II Peter 1:19-21).</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"> The words “more sure” in II Peter 1:19 are from the Greek word <em>bebaios</em>
(beb’-ah-yos), which refers to something that is stable, firm, or
trustworthy. This is followed by the admonition “whereunto ye do well
that ye take heed.” The words “take heed” are from the Greek word <em>prosecho</em>
(pros-ekh’-o), meaning to apply one’s self to, attach one’s self to,
hold or cleave to a person or a thing. It can also mean to be given or
addicted to something or to be devoted to a thought or effort.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">
This statement is immediately followed with a warning regarding “false
prophets.” These were men that distorted and perverted God’s Words for
selfish purposes to gather a following so as to “make merchandise” of
those followers. Of course, in doing so, they must lead those followers
away from following Christ.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">“<sup>1</sup> But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be <strong>false teachers among you</strong>, who <strong>privily</strong> shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction. <sup>2</sup> And <strong>many shall follow their pernicious ways</strong>; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of. <sup>3</sup>
And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise
of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their
damnation slumbereth not” (II Peter 2:1-3).</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">
It is amazing how little concern people give to these warnings
regarding “false prophets” and their destructive “heresies.” Contending
for “the faith” involves every believer in the battle-arena for the
preservation of God’s Word by “contending” with these “false prophets”
and their manipulation of people through the distortion and perversion
of the Word of God. The grave danger of theological inclusivism is the
willingness to accept or tolerate obvious distortions and perversions of
the Word of God. Theological inclusivism ceases to contend for “the
faith” and, in doing so, allows for the distortion and perversion of
that “faith which was once delivered unto the saints” (Jude 1:3).</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"> The word “once” in Jude 1:3 is from the Greek word <em>hapax</em> (hap’-ax), which means <em>once for all</em>. The word “delivered” is from the Greek word <em>paradidomi</em>
(par-ad-id’-o-mee) and refers to something being given into the hands
of another to keep, use, take care of, and manage. In other words, the
Word of God was deposited into the hands of the Sanctified Ones
(Saints). God will hold us responsible for its preservation both in the
written documents (Apographs) and in the maintenance of doctrinal
purity.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">
The written composite of these ancient Mediators is called the Holy
Bible. The sixty-six books of the Old and New Testaments reveal God’s
historic dealings with mankind from the beginning of time. They reveal
His will in minute detail. The revealed will of God detailed in these
sixty-six books is what God’s refers to as “the faith.” Believers are
commanded to “keep the faith” and “contend for the faith.” The former
is about living “the faith” and the latter is about ensuring that God’s
revealed will is not changed, distorted, or perverted by mankind. This
is about what Jude warns in Jude 1:3-8.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"> <strong>Believers preoccupied with these two commands are called “the faithful.”</strong>
The “faithful” are concerned about any perversion of God’s revealed
will due to the propagation of false doctrine and lifestyles, including
their own, that lead people astray from the paths of righteousness
(right living). The “faithful” are unwilling to consent to any form of
perversion of truth to any degree. The moment they do, they cease to be
“the faithful.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"> The word “contend” of Jude 1:3 is from the Greek word <em>epagonizomai</em> (ep-ag-o-nid’-zom-ahee). It is a derivative of the Greek word <em>agonizomai</em> (ag-o-nid’-zom-ahee) with the <em>epi</em> (ep-ee’) prefix added to it. <em>Agonizomai </em>is the word from which we get the English word <em>agonize</em>. The <em>epi</em>
(ep-ee’) prefix heightens its meaning to the highest level. When it
comes to “the faith,” the believer is commanded to endeavor with the
highest level of strenuous zeal to insure the purity of theological
content and the clarity of meaning. This is the subject matter of all
twenty-five verses of the book of Jude, warning about those who turn
“grace” into “lasciviousness” (liberty into license). </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">
If there ever was a day in history that this admonition is relevant, it
is the twenty-first century. Today’s Christian seems to argue that
being out from under the Law and under grace means we can live any way
we want because then we let God do want He does best, i.e., show mercy
and forgive sin. This only goes to prove that “The thing that hath
been, it <em>is that</em> which shall be; and that which is done <em>is</em> that which shall be done: and <em>there is</em> no new <em>thing</em>
under the sun” (Ecclesiastes 1:9). The same old nonsense just keeps
re-arising out of the slime-pits of human corruption with new names on
it, but it is still nonsense.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">
This rationalistic scum on the pond of human depravity has been a
historical problem from the days of Apostolic Christianity. Paul had to
deal with it in his epistle to Rome in 50 A.D., less than twenty-seven
years after the resurrection of Christ.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">“</span><sup><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">1</span></sup><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"> What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? <sup>2</sup> God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein” (Romans 6:1-2)?</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"> This is what is known as <em>Antinomianism</em>.
This is what any deviation from “the faith” does. It perverts God’s
will and gives man permission to do what God forbids. It is not only a
perversion of the doctrine of grace (Divine enablement); it is a mockery
of the Lordship of Christ and denies the practical application of that
Lordship in the believer’s life.</span></div>
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This is one of the things that the Apostle Peter refers to in his
second epistle as “damnable heresies.” “Heresies” is from the Greek
word <em>hairesis</em></span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">
(hah’-ee-res-is), referring to false teachings that lure men away from
right practice and capture the deceived to form their own following.
The person thus deceived ceases to be a disciple of Christ and, in fact,
ends up becoming a disciple of the person that deceives him; forming
his own sect, yet still calling this perversion of truth <em>Christianity</em>. In doing so, the person deceived denies both the Lordship of Christ and “the faith.” The two are equal in scope.</span></div>
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Satanic attacks on “the faith” come on two fronts: questioning God’s
Word (distorting what God has said) and denying God’s Word (has God
said?). This is particularly evident in Satan’s deception of Eve. Be
aware of such nonsense and guard against it with every fiber of your
being! </span></div>
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Although a believer should contend for “the faith,” he is not to be
contentious (argumentative) or involve himself in raising questions
regarding theological issues to which the Word of God does not clearly
speak.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">“<sup>9</sup> But avoid {<em>shun; i.e., do not answer</em>} foolish questions, and genealogies {<em>Jewish pride of ancestry</em>}, and contentions, and strivings about the law; for they are unprofitable and vain. <sup>10</sup> A man that is an heretick after the first and second admonition {<em>calling attention to an error</em>} reject; <sup>11</sup> Knowing that he that is such is subverted {<em>turned around and hardened in his thinking</em>}, and sinneth {<em>false doctrine perverts practice</em>}, being condemned of himself” (Titus 3:9-11).</span></div>
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When dealing with someone holding to obvious theological heresy, we are
not to keep trying to change his mind. In fact, we are commanded not
to admonish him to change his beliefs more than two times, after which
we are commanded to “reject” the heretic. The word “reject” is from
the Greek word <em>paraiteomai</em> (par-ahee-teh’-om-ahee). It does
not refer to excommunication from the church, although that should be
required if the person’s doctrine disagrees with the church’s doctrinal
position. It means to shun or avoid. It literally means to have
nothing more to do with him. The reason behind this is stated in Titus
3:11. The word “subverted” is from the Greek word <em>ekstrepho</em>
(ek-stref’-o). It refers to something that is twisted or turned inside
out, or someone that is corrupt and perverted in his thinking. Changing
this type of person’s mind must be done by God. We should pray to that
end. Only God can open the eyes of the blind and cause the deaf to
hear, while the devil provides every opportunity for the dumb to speak.
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">“<sup>16</sup> And I will bring the blind by a way <em>that</em> they knew not; I will lead them in paths <em>that</em>
they have not known: I will make darkness light before them, and
crooked things straight. These things will I do unto them, and not
forsake them. <sup>17</sup> They shall be turned back, they shall be greatly ashamed, that trust in graven images, that say to the molten images, Ye <em>are</em> our gods” (Isaiah 42:16-17).</span></div>
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<i>Dr. Lance Ketchum serves the Lord as a Church Planter, Evangelist/Revivalist. </i><br />
<i>He has served the Lord for over 40 years.</i>Lancehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04407932936189262291noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6157091893357738408.post-10961910396728290822017-09-04T09:09:00.002-07:002017-09-04T09:09:18.710-07:00Faith and the Sanctity of Purpose<br />
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<span style="color: #003366;"><strong><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Faith and the Sanctity of Purpose</span></strong></span></div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zVdkh49t3TI/Wa16alBxSwI/AAAAAAAADp4/0ccdypNKLTIIcYe7a1nAehlRzlM-cVqlACLcBGAs/s1600/Haggai-1.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="225" data-original-width="300" height="240" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zVdkh49t3TI/Wa16alBxSwI/AAAAAAAADp4/0ccdypNKLTIIcYe7a1nAehlRzlM-cVqlACLcBGAs/s320/Haggai-1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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The prophet Haggai prophesies in about B.C. 520 according to Ussher’s
Chronology of the Bible. This places this minor prophet after the
seventy-year Babylonian captivity of Israel when king Cyrus financed the
return of a remnant of faithful Jews to rebuild the Temple in
Jerusalem. The substance of the prophecy is God’s displeasure with the
faithful remnant who were not being faithful in doing what they had been
returned to Jerusalem to do. These people had lost their spiritual
purpose and were preoccupied with building their own homes and their own
lives anew in the Promised Land. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">The whole of the book of Haggai is to correct a false belief of the returning remnant recorded in Haggai 1:2; “</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Thus speaketh the LORD of hosts, saying, This people say, <strong>The time is not come, the time that the LORD’S house should be built</strong>.”
In the next few verses, God speaks through Haggai to address this
corruption of His will and the corruption of their spiritual
priorities. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Keeping
first things first is often one of the most difficult things in a
believer’s life. First things are always God things! Why did God
redeem us? Why is God so concerned with our practical sanctity? God
wants to use us! However, God <em>will</em> not use us if we are not
sanctified in the priority of His purposes. Look at what God says to
the corruption of the sanctity of the priority of purpose in Haggai
1:3-11. In addressing the corruption of the sanctity of the priority of
purpose, God is addressing a severe corruption of “the faith.” </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">“<sup>3 </sup>Then came the word of the LORD by Haggai the prophet, saying, <sup>4</sup> <em>Is it</em> time for you, O ye, to dwell in your cieled houses, and this {<em>the Temple of God</em>} house <em>lie</em> waste? <sup>5</sup> Now <strong>therefore</strong> thus saith the LORD of hosts; <strong>Consider your ways</strong>. <sup>6</sup>
Ye have sown much, and bring in little; ye eat, but ye have not enough;
ye drink, but ye are not filled with drink; ye clothe you, but there is
none warm; and he that earneth wages earneth wages <em>to put it</em> into a bag with holes. <sup>7</sup> Thus saith the LORD of hosts; <strong>Consider your ways</strong>. <sup>8</sup>
Go up to the mountain, and bring wood, and build the house; and I will
take pleasure in it, and I will be glorified, saith the LORD. <sup>9</sup> Ye looked for much, and, lo, <em>it came</em> to little; and when ye brought <em>it</em> home, I did blow upon it. <strong>Why?</strong> saith the LORD of hosts. <strong>Because of mine house that <em>is</em> waste, and ye run every man unto his own house</strong>. <sup>10</sup> <strong>Therefore</strong> the heaven over you is stayed from dew, and the earth is stayed <em>from</em> her fruit. <sup>11</sup>
And I called for a drought upon the land, and upon the mountains, and
upon the corn, and upon the new wine, and upon the oil, and upon <em>that</em> which the ground bringeth forth, and upon men, and upon cattle, and upon all the labour of the hands” (Haggai 1:3-11).</span></div>
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This message from God came to Haggai and was delivered to the returned
remnant in Jerusalem on the first day of the sixth month (Haggai 1:1).
Zerubbabel the governor, Joshua the high priest and the people of Israel
immediately began to “fear before the LORD.” They feared because they
knew they deserved God’s chastisement. Out of their repentance, they
began to obey what God commanded (Haggai 1:12) and restore the priority
of their purpose in serving the Lord in the sanctity of that purpose.
They understood that God had separated them from the captive nation of
Israel for the specific purpose of rebuilding God’s Temple in Jerusalem.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Then God speaks again through His prophet Haggai in verse thirteen “saying, </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">I <em>am</em>
with you, saith the LORD.” These are words that all sanctified people
long to hear from God. These words “stirred up the spirit” of the
people of God (Haggai 1:14). The Hebrew word translated “stirred up”
means <em>to open the eyes</em> or <em>to awaken</em>. It is a sad
testimony of the carelessness of believers to see any of God’s children
sleeping while God’s Word is being proclaimed. However, the emphasis of
the text is that the remnant of Israel was wide awake physically
pursuing their own wants and desires while spiritually sound asleep to
God’s purposes. The demands and needs of life can very quickly consume
our time to the place it soon consumes our whole life. God’s purposes
increasingly become secondary until this group of believers might just
become known as the <em>Putoffski Clan</em>. All such people need a <em>stirring</em>
from God. The reality of their faith needed to be confronted and they
need a reminder of why they were at Jerusalem by the grace of God in the
first place.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Apathy
towards the purposes of God will slowly put the believer to sleep
spiritually. Faith in the knowledge of God’s presence awakens the
apathetic from the lethargy of spiritual slumber. They believed the
Word of God and God “stirred up the spirit” within them. What “spirit”
was that? God “stirred up the spirit” of their purpose for being at
Jerusalem. People who really believe the Word of God, get stirred up in
anticipation of what the presence of God in their midst means. This is
genuine spirituality. Genuine spirituality is excited about the things
of God and excited about participating with God in what He wants done.
If a person does not understand his spiritual purpose, God will not be
able to stir up that purpose. The purpose must be inside before it can
be stirred up. Perhaps this is why there is such a depth of lethargy in
the local churches of modern Christianity. They have lost sight of
their missional purpose for existence.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 20px;"><strong>The Discouragement of Comparisons </strong><strong>(Habakkuk 2:1-9)</strong></span></div>
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There were but a few of the faithful remnant who had seen the splendor
glory of the temple Solomon built for God. However, most had heard the
descriptions of that glorious structure. As they returned to rebuild,
they were sorting through and using the rubble of that destroyed
temple. Even the best of their restoration must have been discouraging
compared to their memory of Solomon’s Temple. This discouragement of
comparison was weakening their faith. They had neither the unlimited
resources nor the large skilled laborers that Solomon had available to
him. </span></div>
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There is also the context of the account of Ezra chapters five and six
that needs to be entered to all of this. Without going into detail, the
rebuilding of the Temple was stopped because some “adversaries of Judah
and Benjamin” (Ezra 4:1) and “<sup>4 </sup></span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Then the people of the land weakened the hands of the people of Judah, and troubled them in building, <sup>5 </sup>And
hired counsellers against them, to frustrate their purpose, all the
days of Cyrus king of Persia, even until the reign of Darius king of
Persia” (Ezra 4:4-5). Through some political maneuvering by the
adversaries, that began around B.C. 534, the work of rebuilding the
Temple was suspended by king Artaxerxes in B.C. 520 (Ezra 4:23-24). In
B.C. 519 (Ezra 6:14), Darius would confirm the decree of Cyrus to
rebuild the Temple in Jerusalem. The Temple rebuild would be completed
in the “sixth year of the reign of Darius the king” (Ezra 6:15). </span></div>
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In Haggai 2:10, the timetable is four years before the completion of
the Temple rebuild. In the middle of all this turmoil, we read about
what happened in Ezra chapters four through six. The substance of God’s
conversation with Haggai is to question the priests concerning their
own sanctity before God as a continuing source of hindrance to God’s
blessing upon the rebuild of the Temple. It would be worthless to have a
rebuilt Temple if the priesthood was still corrupted. The principle is
simple: spiritual work cannot be accomplished except by a spiritual
people! </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">“<sup>10</sup> In the four and twentieth <em>day</em> of the ninth <em>month</em>, in the second year of Darius, came the word of the LORD by Haggai the prophet, saying, <sup>11</sup> Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Ask now the priests <em>concerning</em> the law, saying, <sup>12</sup>
If one bear holy flesh in the skirt of his garment, and with his skirt
do touch bread, or pottage, or wine, or oil, or any meat, shall it be
holy? And the priests answered and said, No. <sup>13</sup> Then said Haggai, If <em>one that is</em> unclean by a dead body touch any of these, shall it be unclean? And the priests answered and said, It shall be unclean. <sup>14</sup> Then answered Haggai, and said, <strong>So <em>is</em> this people, and so <em>is</em> this nation before me, saith the LORD; and so <em>is</em> every work of their hands; and that which they offer there <em>is</em> unclean</strong>. <sup>15</sup> And now, I pray you, consider from this day and upward, from before a stone was laid upon a stone in the temple of the LORD: <sup>16</sup> Since those <em>days</em> were, when <em>one</em> came to an heap of twenty <em>measures</em>, there were <em>but</em> ten: when <em>one</em> came to the pressfat for to draw out fifty <em>vessels</em> out of the press, there were <em>but</em> twenty. <sup>17</sup> I smote you with blasting and with mildew and with hail in all the labours of your hands; yet ye <em>turned</em> not to me, saith the LORD. <sup>18</sup> Consider now from this day and upward, from the four and twentieth day of the ninth <em>month, even</em> from the day that the foundation of the LORD’S temple was laid, consider <em>it</em>. <sup>19</sup>
Is the seed yet in the barn? yea, as yet the vine, and the fig tree,
and the pomegranate, and the olive tree, hath not brought forth: from
this day will I bless <em>you</em>”</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"> (</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Haggai 2:10-19).</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"> When some professing Christians (let alone unsaved people) hear preachers preach about listening to <em>rock</em> or <em>country</em> music as sin, they must think them to be <em>narrow minded fruitcakes</em>.
When preachers give the Biblical definitions of modesty, they must
think them carryovers from the Victorian Age. When they preach that
social drinking, dancing, and going to movies are sin, they must think
of us as radical fanatics. Yet even these practices divide between the
holy and the unholy. Haggai 2:12-13 shows the extreme degree to which
God takes holiness. If we are to be holy, we must view holiness from
God’s perspective, not man’s. God has not changed! </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"> <strong>For many people, all these “No-No” things are viewed as the imposition of archaic rules to take the joy out of their lives.</strong>
Satan has succeeded in taking their focus from the blessings of God for
those living in holiness, and putting their focus on the restrictions
of God that keep us out of sin and living in holiness. When people
focus on the restrictions, they become bitter towards God and begin to
resent His demands on their lives. The reality is that God wants us to
live in holiness so that He might bless us and use us for spiritual
accomplishments in this life beyond our every expectation or
imagination. </span></div>
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God is holy! This fact is a reality to those with a real, living
Biblical faith. That kind of faith understands that because God is
holy, He cannot use a person who lives in sin to any degree. Although
preachers seldom communicate this very well, their concern is that
Christians live in holiness so that God can use their lives to His
glory. In preparing ourselves to be used of God, sanctity must be the
central priority of our lives. Sanctity begins in the heart. The
desire to be used of God begins with a consuming desire to be holy
before God. The first qualifier to any spiritual work is to “sanctify
the Lord God in your hearts” (I Peter 3:15a). </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">“<strong>But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts</strong>: and <em>be</em> ready always to <em>give</em> an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear:” (I Peter 3:15)</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"> So often we read this verse of Scripture and think that <em>knowin</em><u>g</u>
Scripture is what God means when He tells us to “be ready.” Read the
verse again. What is the conclusive statement that qualifies the
believer to always be ready to be a witness for Christ? It says,
“sanctify the Lord God in your hearts.” Obedience to what God says, not
knowing it, is what makes us “ready.” Something sanctified is
dedicated/devoted to what it separated unto. Every form of worldliness
must be eradicated from the believer’s life if he is to be sanctified
before God. You ask, what is worldliness? Worldliness is any thought,
desire, or action that cannot be done with a clear conscience that God
has authorized it by clear teaching from His Word. “</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">And he that doubteth is damned if he eat, because <em>he eateth</em> not of faith {<em>clear instruction from God’s Word</em>}: for whatsoever <em>is</em> not of faith is sin” (Romans 14:23).</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Biblical
faith understands that sanctity before God is an essential to God’s
blessings. Without sanctity, you will never be ready to serve God and
do “the work of the ministry” (Ephesians 4:12) no matter if you have the
whole Bible memorized chapter and verse. <em>Being ready means being right</em>. <strong>Let me ask you, can you be right if you allow <em>any</em> sin <em>any</em> place in your life? </strong></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">“If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear <em>me</em>:” (Psalm 66:18)</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"> The word “regard” (Hebrew, <em>ra'ah</em>,
pronounced raw-aw') means to give any place to sin, to the degree we
ought not to even consider doing anything God forbids. We should not
even think about sin, let alone do it, if we want to be used of God or
be blessed by Him. Scripture is redundant with this truth.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">“<sup>8</sup> For what <em>is</em> the hope of the hypocrite, though he hath gained, when God taketh away his soul? <sup>9</sup> Will God hear his cry when trouble cometh upon him” (Job 27:8-9)?</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">“The sacrifice of the wicked <em>is</em> an abomination to the LORD: but the prayer of the upright <em>is</em> his delight” (Proverbs 15:8).</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">“The LORD <em>is</em> far from the wicked: but he heareth the prayer of the righteous” (Proverbs 15:29).</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">“Now
we know that God heareth not sinners: but if any man be a worshipper of
God, and doeth his will, him he heareth” (John 9:31).</span></div>
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<strong><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Why is living in holiness so important? </span></strong><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">God
has taught me, by my own miserable failures, that service without
sanctity is an operation in futility. Unless God is with us, blessing
our efforts and spiritually empowering our lives, even the hardest work
and the most noble cause will fail to achieve its goal.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">“I am the vine, ye <em>are</em>
the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth
forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing” (John 15:5).</span></div>
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<strong><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"> </span></strong><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">The
formula for the blessing of God upon sanctified service is repeated
over and over throughout the Old Testament. That formula is summed up
in Romans 12:1-2. These verses summarize the practical necessities for
the service gifts of Romans 12:3-8 <u>before</u> those service gifts can be blessed of God.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">“<sup>1 </sup>I
beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present
your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, <em>which is</em> your reasonable service.<sup> 2</sup> And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what <em>is</em> that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God” (Romans 12:1-2).</span></div>
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<strong><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"> </span></strong><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">The word “prove” in Romans 12:2 is from the Greek word <em>dokimazo</em> (dok-im-ad’-zo), which means <em>to test something to prove it genuine after careful examination</em>.
There are three conditions in Romans 12:1 and 2 that are necessary
before God will prove to us that what we do and how we do it are His
will. Nothing done out of the will of God or contrary to these three
criteria can be blessed of God. Without God’s blessing, nothing will be
produced from our efforts regardless of how hard we work. That is also
exactly what Haggai 2:15-16 says as well.</span></div>
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<strong><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">The three conditions of service in sanctity of Romans 12:1-2</span></strong></div>
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<strong><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">1.</span></strong><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"> <strong>We must yield ourselves to God to be used of Him. </strong>However,
before we can be used, our lives must be separated from any practice
which God condemns (“thou shalt not”) and consecrated to do whatever God
commands (thou shalt). This is what God means by presenting our bodies
“holy” and “acceptable.”</span></div>
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<strong><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">2.
We must not allow the influences of this world (sociological or peer
pressure) to mold us in any way, shape our thinking, or influence our
practices. </span></strong><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">This is expressed by the words, “be not conformed to this world.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"> <strong> </strong>“Conformed” is from the Greek word <em>suschematizo</em> (soos-khay-mat-id’-zo), which means <em>not to conform one’s mind and character to any pattern of life other than God’s</em>. Paul expressed this another way in Colossians 2:6-8.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">“<sup>6</sup> As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, <em>so</em> walk ye in him: <sup>7</sup> Rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving. <sup>8</sup>
Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after
the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after
Christ” (Colossians 2:6-8).</span></div>
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<strong><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">3.</span></strong><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"> <strong>The
third condition for God’s acceptance and blessing on our service is
that we must work with Him at changing the way we think and see things
in this world. </strong>This is expressed by the words “be ye
transformed by the renewing of your mind.” Paul expressed this again in
II Corinthians 10:5.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">“<sup>4</sup> (For the weapons of our warfare <em>are</em> not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) <sup>5</sup>
Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself
against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought
to the obedience of Christ; <sup>6</sup> And having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled” (II Corinthians 10:4-6).</span></div>
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<strong><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">
In B.C. 536, a Gentile king named Cyrus decreed that a remnant of
Israel could return to Jerusalem to rebuild the Temple of God.</span></strong></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"> Ezra 2:64 tells us 49,997 dedicated, <em>cream of the spiritual crop</em>
Jews returned from Babylon to begin rebuilding the Temple of God. By
the second month of B.C. 535. According to Ezra 3:10, the foundation of
the Temple was complete. The work was progressing well in spiritual
unity. The people were consecrated to the work and doing it, serving
the Lord in sanctity. <strong>Then it happened. </strong>Satan introduced the contaminating spirit of defilement. <strong>The work stopped</strong>.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">“<sup>1</sup>
Now when the adversaries of Judah and Benjamin heard that the children
of the captivity builded the temple unto the LORD God of Israel; <sup>2</sup>
Then they came to Zerubbabel, and to the chief of the fathers, and said
unto them, Let us build with you: for we seek your God, as ye <em>do</em>; and we do sacrifice unto him since the days of Esarhaddon king of Assur, which brought us up hither. <sup>3</sup>
But Zerubbabel, and Jeshua, and the rest of the chief of the fathers of
Israel, said unto them, Ye have nothing to do with us to build an house
unto our God; but we ourselves together will build unto the LORD God of
Israel, as king Cyrus the king of Persia hath commanded us. <sup>4</sup> Then the people of the land weakened the hands of the people of Judah, and troubled them in building, <sup>5</sup>
And hired counsellors against them, to frustrate their purpose, all the
days of Cyrus king of Persia, even until the reign of Darius king of
Persia” (Ezra 4:1-5).</span></div>
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<strong><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"> </span></strong><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">For
the next fourteen years the work of God stopped while the people of God
pursued their own careers and built their own houses and land. They
lost their vision of the purpose for their return to Israel. How did
this happen? An unholy alliance sought in infiltrate their purity and
their sanctity. Their enemies were able to hinder and eventually stop
the work. During this time of work stoppage, the builders lost the
sanctity of their purpose for being in Jerusalem, which meant the loss
of spiritual empowerment. The loss of spiritual empowerment meant the
loss of desire for the work God sent them to do. Our ministry in
sharing the heart of God for the lost, ignorant, and confused, by soul
winning and discipleship of people, is our living sacrifice to God
(Romans 12:1). To think that personal sacrifices can be offered with
unclean hands that are not dedicated and committed is foolishness
(Haggai 2:12-13). This is the context of Romans 12:1-2 just before the
emphasis changes to the empowering of the service gifts in Romans
12:3-8.</span></div>
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Now, in the book of Haggai those fourteen years have passed. Haggai
and Zechariah are called of God to exhort the people back to the work of
building the Temple. However, before the work could resume and be
blessed of God, change in thinking and practice was required (“turning,”
Haggai 2:17). The people of God needed to be brought to the conviction
of their uncleanness, which existed because of their apathy and the
contamination of their lives due to the incorporation of lifestyle
practices offensive to God. They needed to be brought to the place of
recognition of sin, repentance, confession, and cleansing (four
decisions).</span></div>
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According to Haggai 2:17, God had brought tremendous chastisement upon
these people to turn their hearts to holiness. <strong>The work was a secondary priority</strong>. <strong>Holiness was the first</strong>. <strong>Never lose this perspective of ministry!</strong></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"> <strong>We often mistake doing spiritual work as spirituality.</strong>
For many years I dedicated myself to doing the work of ministry while
being complacent and unbroken about the lack of holiness in my life.
God wants dedication in holiness to Him, <em>before</em> He wants
dedication to the work. God wants dedication of our bodies and lives in
holiness to Him so that He can do the work of the ministry through us.</span></div>
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“From this day” (Haggai 2:19), the day when people return to service in
sanctity; from that day “will I bless you” (restore and revive you).</span></div>
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<strong><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">1.</span></strong><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"> Biblical faith understands that God expects more from us than just <em>getting to the work</em>. God expects holiness in our lives. </span></div>
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<strong><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">2. </span></strong><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Biblical
faith understands that God wants a return to the work based upon the
understanding that we serve Him. God expects holiness in that service.</span></div>
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<strong><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">3.</span></strong><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"> Biblical faith understands that our service must be permeated with personal holiness before God can bless it. Holiness <em>begins</em> with separation from worldliness and continues with and unswerving pursuit of godliness. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">The word “holy” refers to something sacred that is also morally and ethically pure. Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary<span style="font-size: 10px;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">[1]</span></span> defines <em>sacred</em>
as “devoted exclusively to one service or use (as of a person or
purpose).” The person who understands this, maintains this sanctity of
purpose as he goes through the daily routine in meeting the necessities
of life. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">“<sup>3 </sup>Blessed <em>be</em> the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly <em>places</em> in Christ: <sup>4</sup> According as he hath chosen us {<em>the priesthood of all believers</em>} in him before the foundation of the world, <strong>that we should be holy and without blame before him in love</strong>: <sup>5</sup> Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, <sup>6</sup> To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved” (Ephesians 1:3-6).</span></div>
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<div class="MsoFootnoteText">
<a data-cke-saved-href="#_ftnref1" data-cke-saved-name="_ftn1" href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=931265740727391506#_ftnref1" name="_ftn1" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn1;" title=""><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 10.0pt;">[1]</span></a> https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sacred</div>
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<i>Dr. Lance Ketchum serves the Lord as a Church Planter, Evangelist/Revivalist. </i><br />
<i>He has served the Lord for over 40 years.</i>Lancehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04407932936189262291noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6157091893357738408.post-28388551394644427712017-08-28T06:33:00.003-07:002017-08-28T06:33:26.523-07:00The Faith God Blesses and Uses!<br />
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<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span><strong>The Faith God Blesses and Uses!</strong></span></span></span></div>
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-oQAmYm32SDI/WaQbUbQ56cI/AAAAAAAADog/I3Bn-0KXQschsyr45xII72N51hEIFJPzACLcBGAs/s1600/FaithBuildingPart.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-oQAmYm32SDI/WaQbUbQ56cI/AAAAAAAADog/I3Bn-0KXQschsyr45xII72N51hEIFJPzACLcBGAs/s320/FaithBuildingPart.png" width="320" /></a></div>
Faith
building is a process that is often difficult and trying. Even when
people choose to trust in Christ for the gift of salvation, believing in
God and trusting Him with their lives is often described as a <em>roller-coaster</em>
existence. Humanity is by nature Empiricists. That simply means that
they believe in what they can see, taste, touch, smell, and feel.
Before Adam’s fall into sin, humanity could experience God through their
senses to some degree. We do not know to what degree that was, but we
know that Adam conversed with God. God’s first recorded communication
with Adam and Eve is recorded in Genesis 1:28-30. <br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify;">
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">“<sup>27 </sup></span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">So God created man in his <em>own</em> image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. <sup>28</sup> And God blessed them, and <strong>God said unto them</strong>,
Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and
have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air,
and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth. <sup>29</sup> <strong>And God said</strong>, Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which <em>is</em> upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in the which <em>is</em> the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat. <sup>30</sup> And to every beast of the earth, and to every fowl of the air, and to every thing that creepeth upon the earth, wherein <em>there is</em> life, <em>I have given</em> every green herb for meat: and it was so” (Genesis 1:27-30). </span></div>
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Adam and Eve knew God by experience and through conversation with Him,
but we can be sure that their comprehension of Who and What God is was
far beyond their empirical senses. Initially, knowledge of God would
come from understanding the infinite depth and complexity of His
creation as Adam named all the various species of animals, plants, and
insects. It would immediately become apparent that the Being that
created all the earth, animals, and all that sustains their existence,
must be a very powerful Being. Adam and Eve did not exist while God was
creating the universe, so the only way they knew about the God of
creation was the testimony of the existence of the creation. They knew
the creation belonged to God because God said, “</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">I have given you” (Genesis 1:29). They knew God was in authority because He commanded them, “<sup>16b </sup>Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: <sup>17</sup>
But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat
of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die”
(Genesis 2:16-17). The point in all of this is that humanity’s
knowledge of God has always been primarily by faith. There has been
historical encounters and interaction with God recorded in the
Scriptures by the inspiration of God to give us added knowledge of God
and His will, but faith is still predominant. Faith grows through
knowing the Word of God and the historical actions and conversations
with God from His Word (Romans 10:17).</span></div>
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Faith cannot be transferred from one person to another. A child does
not acquire faith from his parents. A child can begin to grow faith by
seeing the example of his parents’ faith, but he will need to apply his
own faith before that faith can be said to be <em>his faith</em>. There is no such thing as <em>surrogate faith</em> or <em>proxy faith</em>.
Just as parents cannot eat food for a child to sustain him, so it is
with faith. Everyone must build and develop his own faith. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"> In </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">II Kings</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">
2:1-15, in the account of Elisha acquiring Elijah’s mantle, people are
often confused into thinking that Elijah transferred his power with God
to Elisha in the transfer of Elijah’s mantle to Elisha. This is
certainly not the case. Power from God was not in the mantle, but in
the faith in God of the person owning the mantle. This is the substance
of the narrative of </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">II Kings</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"> 2:1-15. </span></div>
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Notice in II Kings 2:5 that all the “sons of the prophets,” including
Elisha, knew that it was the very day that God was going to take Elijah
home to glory. They all were waiting to see this miracle of God. Fifty
of the “sons of the prophets” </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">(</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">II Kings</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"> 2:7) “</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">stood
to view afar off.” Only Elisha was near Elijah having the kind of
faith that wanted the power with God in prayer that Elijah had. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">“<sup>1</sup> <strong>And it came to pass</strong>, when the LORD would take up Elijah into heaven by a whirlwind, that Elijah went with Elisha from Gilgal. <sup>2</sup> And Elijah said unto Elisha, Tarry here, I pray thee; for the LORD hath sent me to Bethel. And Elisha said <em>unto him, <strong>As</strong></em><strong> the LORD liveth, and <em>as</em> thy soul liveth, I will not leave thee</strong>. So they went down to Bethel. <sup>3</sup> And the sons of the prophets that <em>were</em>
at Bethel came forth to Elisha, and said unto him, Knowest thou that
the LORD will take away thy master from thy head to day? And he said,
Yea, I know <em>it</em>; hold ye your peace. <sup>4</sup> And Elijah said unto him, Elisha, tarry here, I pray thee; for the LORD hath sent me to Jericho. And he said, <strong><em>As</em> the LORD liveth, and <em>as</em> thy soul liveth, I will not leave thee</strong>. So they came to Jericho. <sup>5</sup> <strong>And the sons of the prophets that <em>were</em>
at Jericho came to Elisha, and said unto him, Knowest thou that the
LORD will take away thy master from thy head to day? And he answered,
Yea, I know <em>it</em>; hold ye your peace</strong>. <sup>6 </sup>And Elijah said unto him, Tarry, I pray thee, here; for the LORD hath sent me to Jordan. And he said, <strong><em>As</em> the LORD liveth, and <em>as</em> thy soul liveth, I will not leave thee</strong>. And they two went on. <sup>7</sup> And fifty men of the sons of the prophets went, and stood to view afar off: and they two stood by Jordan. <sup>8</sup> And Elijah took his mantle, and wrapped <em>it</em> together, and smote the waters, and they were divided hither and thither, so that they two went over on dry ground”</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"> (</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">II Kings</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"> 2:1-8)</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Three different times Elisha says to Elijah, “<em>As</em> the LORD liveth, and <em>as</em> thy soul liveth, <strong>I will not leave thee</strong>.”
The prophets all knew that this was Elijah’s appointed day to die.
They probably knew some catastrophe was going to happen and Elijah’s
life would be taken. They may have even known it was going to be by a
“whirlwind.” This is why they watch from a great distance. They did
not want to be killed by the “whirlwind” too. Elijah’s consistent
admonition to Elisha to stay away was the testing of Elisha’s faith.
Could God take Elijah with Elisha in close proximity without taking
Elisha also? </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">“<sup>9</sup> <strong>And it came to pass </strong>{<em>the proximity of the death of Elijah</em>},
when they were gone over, that Elijah said unto Elisha, Ask what I
shall do for thee, before I be taken away from thee. And Elisha said, I
pray thee, let a double portion of thy spirit be upon me. <sup>10</sup> And he said, Thou hast asked a hard thing: <em>nevertheless</em>, <strong>if thou see me <em>when I am</em> taken from thee, it shall be so unto thee; but if not, it shall not be <em>so</em></strong>. <sup>11</sup> And it came to pass, as they still went on, and talked, that, behold, <em>there appeared</em> a chariot of fire, and horses of fire, and <strong>parted them both asunder</strong>; and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven. <sup>12</sup> And Elisha saw <em>it</em>,
and he cried, My father, my father, the chariot of Israel, and the
horsemen thereof. And he saw him no more: and he took hold of his own
clothes, and rent them in two pieces {<em>an act of faith in anticipation of getting Elijah’s mantle</em>}. <sup>13</sup> He took up also the mantle of Elijah that fell from him, and went back, and stood by the bank of Jordan; <sup>14</sup> And he took the mantle of Elijah that fell from him, and smote the waters, and said, Where <em>is</em> the LORD God of Elijah? and when he also had smitten the waters, they parted hither and thither: and Elisha went over. <sup>15</sup> And when the sons of the prophets which <em>were</em> to view at Jericho saw him, they said, <strong>The spirit of Elijah doth rest on Elisha</strong>. And they came to meet him, and bowed themselves to the ground before him” </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">(</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">II Kings</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"> 2:9-15).</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">According
to II Kings 2:16-17, the fifty “sons of the prophets” thought God might
take Elijah up in the whirlwind only to cast his body upon some
mountain top or into some valley nearby. They would spend three days
searching for the body of Elijah. They most probably did not see
everything Elisha saw in Elijah’s death and home going. Although we do
not know for sure, they probably saw the “whirlwind,” but not the
“chariot of fire, and horses of fire.” Elisha did not need to go
searching for Elijah’s body with them. Elisha knew to where Elijah was
taken. There are some things we know by sight and other things we know
only by faith. Which of the two do you think God honors and blesses the
most? </span></div>
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In every generation of believers there have been men and women with
such high levels of faith and commitment to God, He has been able to
mold them to be wondrous vehicles of His power and grace. These people
have become living testimonies to the reality of God’s existence and His
ability to transform lives. God has moved in the lives of previously
insignificant people to shape their character in such a way as to be
able to use them to do great things. Faith is the key to all of this!</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"> <strong>God’s use of people is not always based upon what they are, but rather upon what they <em>could be </em>(potentially).</strong> God sees within them a <em>moldable spirit</em>
(we can change our spirit) and a quality of character that could be
developed because of a level of commitment to know Him and serve Him.
As their level of commitment increases, these believers’ quest to know
God personally and intimately increases (expressed in the O.T. by the
words “seek His face”).</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"> <strong>In
this process of growing in faith, God transforms the believer as the
believer sets aside worldly, selfish, and carnal desires to incorporate
the truths of God’s Word into his everyday life.</strong> Worldly,
selfish, and carnal desires are not compatible with the growth of faith
and spiritual growth. Their supreme quest of life was the search for a
personal and intimate knowledge of God that resulted in transformed
lives.</span></div>
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<strong><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">The transformed life that God uses to accomplish great things is the product of the quest for growing faith, not its goal. </span></strong><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">It
is a great thing to attend each of the weekly services of your local
church, but it is a vain and empty use of time if your primary goal is
not focused on meeting with God, worshiping Him in spirit and truth, and
cultivating a personal and intimate relationship with Him.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">
It is certainly a good thing to read and study the Word of God and
discover God’s wondrous truths, but it is a vain thing if those truths
do not bring us into a closer, more intimate relationship with God. It
is good to pray and witness, but they are empty exercises without the <em>touch of God</em> upon them.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"> <strong>What
differentiated Elisha from all the many other prophets (II Kings 2:3
& 5) prompting God to choose him as Elijah’s replacement?</strong> Why was <em>only</em> Elisha chosen to receive the same blessings that God had given Elijah and not <em>all</em>
the other prophets trained by Elijah? It would appear the reason why
was because Elisha’s central desire in life was to be used of God in
such a magnificent way as to enable him to daily glorify the God of
heaven on earth. Elisha sought to personally and intimately know the
incomprehensible God. Only God could make Himself comprehendible to
anyone. The Apostle Paul communicated this kind of knowledge of God and
the means through which any believer might attain it.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">“<sup>9</sup>
But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have
entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for
them that love him {<em>these things are incomprehensible and unimaginable</em>} . <sup>10</sup> But God hath revealed <em>them</em> unto us by his Spirit {<em>the inspired Scriptures</em>}: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God. <sup>11</sup>
For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which
is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of
God. <sup>12</sup> Now we have received, not the spirit of the world,
but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are
freely given to us of God. <sup>13</sup> Which things also we speak, not
in the words which man’s wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost
teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual” (I Corinthians
2:9-13).</span></div>
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You may not realize it, but every time you open your Bible, every time
you listen to a sermon, or participate in a Sunday School lesson, you
involve yourself in a supernatural event called <em>faith building</em>. The spiritual dynamic involves three elements.</span></div>
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<strong><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">1.</span></strong><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">
A sanctified believer (separated from worldliness unto God) desiring to
know God’s will for his life and to be used to bring God glory.</span></div>
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<strong><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">2.</span></strong><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"> The Holy Spirit as the <em>Illuminator</em> and <em>Convictor</em> of right and wrong</span></div>
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<strong><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">3.</span></strong><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"> Knowledge of the Word of God</span></div>
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Elisha wanted to be used of God in the same way and to the same degree
that Elijah had been used. His life was consumed with that desire. He
did not want this for personal fame or glory. He was a man who knew
that the greatest blessing of heaven would be to daily live in the
presence of God. The desire of his heart was to know God personally and
intimately. That is a desire God delights in giving.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">“<sup>1</sup> As the hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God. <sup>2</sup> My soul thirsteth for God, for the living God: when shall I come and appear before God” (Psalm 42:1-2)?</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">
When a true believer dies and goes to Heaven, do we cry because he is
gone or do we cry because we did not get to go with him? Answering this
question truthfully is a test of the reality of our faith. When the
Church’s desire is directed toward the world, rather than God, it will
always fail of the faith necessary to live for Him. Such people will
never be used of Him to fulfill the Great Commission. Elisha believed
his life would continue after Elijah’s departure. He was willing to
remain by Elijah’s side when God took his life. He was willing to risk
his own life to insure he had power with God as did Elijah. There was
no guarantee that God would give that same power to Elisha, even Elijah
knew that. Elisha was willing to risk his very life for the
possibility. This defines full surrender!</span></div>
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<strong><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">
The people who have historically been used of God to accomplish great
things are those people who have maintained a proper perspective of
their relationship with God. </span></strong><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">We
must maintain the perspective that we exist within a much larger and
spiritual dimension of God’s presence and existence. The person of
living faith understands that his being used of God is totally dependent
on God’s presence before he can accomplish anything for God. Although
we live and minister within a physical dimension of existence within the
spiritual dimension of existence, only that which is spiritually
accomplished in the spiritual dimension will have eternal benefits.
Jesus spoke of this reality in John 15:1-8. Being connected to the
“Vine” is being connected to the spiritual power of the eternal Creator
Jesus. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">“I am the vine, ye <em>are</em>
the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth
forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing” (John 15:5).</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">“I can do <strong>all things</strong> through Christ which strengtheneth me” (Philippians 4:13).</span></div>
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<strong><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">
Secondly, we must maintain the spiritual perspective that God is
seeking men and women that He can use in great ways. We must be
spiritually aware that each of us possesses the potential to be the kind
of person that God can use to magnify Himself to this world.</span></strong><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">
The reason there are so few of these people in history is because there
are so few who are willing to make the personal sacrifices in walking
away from their desires for the things of this world - FULL SURRENDER! </span></div>
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When considering the spiritual potential of people, we should wonder if
they will be one of those people God will use in some great way to
magnify Himself to this world. The potential to be one of those people
lies within every one of us. What might be the single thing that is
keeping God from using a person the way He wants to use him. What thing
of this world has a hold on your life that might be keeping you from
realizing the potential you have in Christ? Every one of us has
something. It is called a <em>besetting sin</em>. Sometimes the failure is as simple as putting your life goals for yourself before God’s life goal for you. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">“<sup>1</sup>
Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of
witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so
easily beset <em>us</em>, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, <sup>2</sup> Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of <em>our</em>
faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross,
despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of
God” (Hebrews 12:1-2).</span></div>
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<strong><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"> </span></strong><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Hebrews
12:1 reminds us that history has recorded and surrounded us with many
faithful, but imperfect, people who were greatly used by God. In most
instances, they were their own hinderers to being used of God to even a
greater degree than they were. However, we should never lose the
context of the reality that it was their own journey through their
failures that brought them to the place where they were totally
surrendered to God and dedicated to bringing Him glory.</span></div>
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<strong><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"> </span></strong><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">The
one thing that differentiated Elisha from all the other prophets was
his zeal and desire to be used of God as Elijah had been used. He would
not allow any desire in his life to hinder that from happening. How
can we be sure Elisha was that kind of person? We can know Elisha
wanted God’s will more than anything by with who he kept company and the
priorities of his life. There are four things apparent about Elisha
that are critical to understanding why God blessed him in the way He
did. </span></div>
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<strong><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">1.</span></strong><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"> He knew Elijah was the man God was using. Therefore, he spent every waking hour with Elijah.</span></div>
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<strong><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">2.</span></strong><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"> He wanted the power with God that Elijah had.</span></div>
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<strong><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">3.</span></strong><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"> It does not appear he was greedy for power or position. It seems his motives were pure.</span></div>
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<strong><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">4.</span></strong><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"> In the last hours of Elijah’s time on earth, God was testing Elisha, not Elijah.</span></div>
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<strong><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">
What did Elisha see in Elijah that filled him with the desire to be
used of God in the same way? Elijah was a man with a vision of life
that transcended this world. </span></strong><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">When
Elijah understood he was going to die soon, he planned a journey to
visit the three schools of the prophets at Jericho, Gilgal, and Bethel.
Elijah had started these schools to train another generation of
faithful men to continue doing the work of God. Another generation of
doctrinally sound, applicationally driven, faithful Christians should be
the goal of every believer. Who (<em>not what</em>) will be the generation of people you have trained to replace you?</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">
Never follow a leader who has no vision for the next generation or who
is not concerned that our children (and children’s children) are
prepared to live in the world that confronts their Christianity and
tempts their lives. Such a person has no vision of reality or of the
warfare in which we are all engaged. There are three <em>abilities</em> necessary to a blessed ministry.</span></div>
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<strong><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">1.</span></strong><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"> Availability – a person must be available whenever, wherever, and to everyone</span></div>
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<strong><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">2</span></strong><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">. Dependability – God and others must be able to depend upon us to do what we have committed ourselves to do</span></div>
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<strong><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">3.</span></strong><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"> Viability – a person must be proven, trained, and capable of doing what we are committing ourselves to do</span></div>
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<strong><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"> </span></strong><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Elijah
was a man of faith, of vision, of hope, and of unhesitant obedience to
God. He was a man who intimately knew God. This defines the “spirit”
of Elijah (II Kings 2:9) that Elisha wanted. Elijah’s <em>mantle</em>
was merely representative of this “spirit.” Elijah was anointed with
the Spirit of God in a very special, unique way. This was because
Elijah’s faith was special and unique. </span></div>
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<strong><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">
The “spirit” of a man is what motivates him and what compels him to act
in certain ways or to do certain things (II Kings 2:9). </span></strong><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Elijah’s
“spirit” had little or no inclination toward the things of this world.
He desired what God desired. Elisha could have asked for anything in
the world, but he asked for a “double portion” of Elijah’s “spirit.” <strong>God reads our hearts. </strong>He knows our desires and what we treasure in life. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">“<sup>19</sup> Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: <sup>20</sup>
But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor
rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: <sup>21</sup> For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also” (Matthew 6:19-21).</span></div>
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<strong><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"> Elisha wanted to think like Elijah.</span></strong><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">
He wanted to have faith like Elijah. He wanted a vision of life that
transcended this temporal world and he wanted a double portion of it.
All those Godly desires made up the character of the man that God had
used. This is what Elisha wanted from God upon Elijah’s death. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"> <strong>Elijah’s power was not some magical thing in his mantle.</strong> The <em>spirit</em>
of Elijah was whatever made him a person God could use. For years
Elisha had traveled with Elijah and in those years Elisha had learned
the lesson few men learn. He had learned the lesson of what made great
men of God great men of God. Here are three summary points for you to
consider about what made great men of faith great men of faith.</span></div>
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<strong><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">1.</span></strong><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"> It is not <em>who</em> they are. It is <em>what</em> they are. Elisha did not want to be <em>who</em> Elijah was. He wanted to be <em>what</em>
Elijah was and double that. The greatest failures I have known in
Christian service are those trying to be a carbon copy of someone they
hold in high regard.</span></div>
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<strong><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">2.</span></strong><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"> Elisha wanted the <em>spirit</em> of Elijah, which he would use in his own individuality.</span></div>
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<strong><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">3.</span></strong><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"> The <em>spirit</em> of Elijah was the <em>spirit</em>
of a man of God, which enabled him to hear the voice of God through all
the distracting calls from the temptations of this world. Being so
familiar with God, he knew it to be God’s voice and listened to that
voice alone.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"> Knowing what you know about the <em>spirit</em> of Elijah, what if you (like Elisha) were assured of having a double portion of that <em>spirit</em> if you wanted it? Would you ask for it? What if you knew that you could have the <em>spirit</em> that Christ possessed while He walked on this earth? Would you ask for it?</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">“<sup>15</sup> If ye love me, keep my commandments. <sup>16</sup> And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; <sup>17</sup>
Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it
seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth
with you, and shall be in you. <sup>18</sup> I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you. <sup>19</sup> Yet a little while, and the world seeth me no more; but ye see me: because I live, ye shall live also. <sup>20</sup> At that day ye shall know that I <em>am</em> in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you” (John 14:15-20).</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"> <strong>All the resources of the Spirit of Christ are already available to you in His indwelling Spirit.</strong>
It is just a matter of what you want in life. You can be filled and
controlled by the Spirit of Christ with a vision of eternity or you can
live your life chasing after fleeting promises of happiness in selfish
pursuits. It is just a matter of faith and full surrender. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">
The problem of not accomplishing great things to the glory of God is
not because you have failed in the past or even the sin in which you
have lived. What determines future successes for Christ is the
decisions we make <strong>today</strong>. The mantle of Christ is always available to the Christian who will make Christ’s desires his.</span></div>
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<br />
<i>Anonymous comments will not be allowed. </i><br />
<i>Numerous studies and series are available free of charge for local churches at:
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<i>Dr. Lance Ketchum serves the Lord as a Church Planter, Evangelist/Revivalist. </i><br />
<i>He has served the Lord for over 40 years.</i>Lancehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04407932936189262291noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6157091893357738408.post-47210748032454691012017-08-07T09:47:00.001-07:002017-08-07T09:47:14.103-07:00Faith and the Gift of Forgiveness<br />
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<span style="font-size: 22px;"><span style="color: #000033;"><strong>Faith and the Gift of Forgiveness</strong></span></span></div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-q08t689LB54/WYiZXC5GgoI/AAAAAAAADg0/sxe6WX0XwAEx16bSsCJeWhxItH5pbAz8ACLcBGAs/s1600/Forgiveness-vs-Unforgiveness.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="300" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-q08t689LB54/WYiZXC5GgoI/AAAAAAAADg0/sxe6WX0XwAEx16bSsCJeWhxItH5pbAz8ACLcBGAs/s400/Forgiveness-vs-Unforgiveness.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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There is really no Truth about God that impacts the lives of sinners
that is more significant to us than God’s merciful and gracious
forgiveness of our sins. We know about forgiveness only through faith
in God’s Word. There is no empirical way we can know that our sins are
forgiven and that the penalty of those sin are remitted except by
reading the promises of God in His Word. We accept this wondrous Truth
about forgiveness of sin with very little comprehension of the magnitude
of the gift. In fact, the gift is most often just taken for granted
and even more often abused. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"><strong>Forgiveness
of sin is a supreme example of the grace of God to sinners. God gives
forgiveness freely to all that repent as often as they repent.</strong> </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"> The
abuses of God’s gracious gift of forgiveness are those false teachings
that are contrary to what God promises. There is an attitude permeating
modern Christianity that radically cheapens the grace of God in the
forgiveness of sin. This abuse manufactures a false <em>god</em> that
is passive about all sin. In other words, in this false view of
forgiveness, God understands that we are all sinners and that we really
cannot help ourselves when we sin. This is theological nonsense. The
fact is such an attitude about sin and God’s forgiveness of sin will not
get forgiveness from God. This attitude is akin to the thief asking
forgiveness of his victim while he continues his larceny and felonious
assault upon his victim. </span></div>
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People actually think they will receive forgiveness from God for such
things as fornication and adultery while they continue in the very acts
for which they think they are being forgiven. These people are not
pursuing holiness in the eyes of God. These people are not hungering
and thirsting after righteousness. They just want to keep on lying,
stealing, fornicating, hating, and manipulating thinking that as long as
God is forgiving sin, all is well in <em>Godville</em>. They have no
conviction regarding their sin and no remorse. This corruption is much
more significant than just bad theology. This is blatant unbelief!</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">“</span><sup><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">1</span></sup><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"> Then said he <strong>unto the disciples</strong>, It is impossible but that offences will come: but woe <em>unto him</em>, through whom they come! <sup>2 </sup>It
were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and he
cast into the sea, than that he should offend one of these little ones {<em>bad examples to children</em>}. <sup>3 </sup><strong>Take heed to yourselves</strong>: If thy brother trespass against thee, rebuke him; <strong>and if he repent</strong>, forgive him. <sup>4</sup>And if he trespass against thee seven times in a day, and seven times in a day turn again to thee, saying, <strong>I repent</strong>; thou shalt forgive him. <sup>5</sup>And the apostles said unto the Lord, Increase our faith” (Luke 17:1-5). </span></div>
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There are those that will argue that in Matthew 18:21-35, Christ did
not mention repentance as necessary to giving forgiveness. They then
deduce that Matthew 18:21-35 over-rules Luke 17:1-5. This is a
deductive methodology and very poor Biblical exegesis. The fact is,
Luke 17:1-5 gives us the <em>additional</em> requirement that must be added to Matthew 18:21-35. This is an inductive methodology and is proper Biblical exegesis. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">“</span><sup><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">21</span></sup><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"> Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times? <sup>22</sup> Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until <strong>seven times: but, Until seventy times seven</strong>. <sup>23</sup> Therefore is the kingdom of heaven {<em>Millennial Kingdom where Christ will reign as King</em>} <strong>likened </strong>unto a certain king, which would take account of his servants. <sup>24</sup> And when he had begun to reckon, one was brought unto him, which owed him ten thousand talents. <sup>25</sup>
But forasmuch as he had not to pay, his lord commanded him to be sold,
and his wife, and children, and all that he had, and payment to be made.
<sup>26</sup> The servant therefore fell down, and worshipped him, saying, Lord, have patience with me, and I will pay thee all. <sup>27</sup> Then the lord of that servant <strong>was moved with compassion</strong>, and loosed him, and <strong>forgave him the debt</strong>. <sup>28</sup>
But the same servant went out, and found one of his fellowservants,
which owed him an hundred pence: and he laid hands on him, and took <em>him</em> by the throat, saying, Pay me that thou owest. <sup>29</sup> And his fellowservant fell down at his feet, and besought him, saying, Have patience with me, and I will pay thee all. <sup>30</sup> And he would not: but went and cast him into prison, till he should pay the debt. <sup>31</sup> So when his fellowservants saw what was done, they were very sorry, and came and told unto their lord all that was done. <sup>32</sup>
Then his lord, after that he had called him, said unto him, O thou
wicked servant, I forgave thee all that debt, because thou desiredst me:
<sup>33</sup> Shouldest not thou also have had compassion on thy fellowservant, even as I had pity on thee? <sup>34</sup> And his lord was wroth, and delivered him to the tormentors, till he should pay all that was due unto him. <sup>35</sup> <strong>So likewise</strong> shall my heavenly Father do also unto you, if ye <strong>from your hearts</strong> forgive not every one his brother their trespasses” (Matthew 18:21-35). </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"> As Matthew 18:35 details, true forgiveness is <em>from the heart</em>.
In other words, true forgiveness requires full effort and total
commitment. To get an understanding of the scope of the unforgiving
man’s debt to the king, we must understand that a common day’s wages at
this point in history was one penny. A person could sustain himself for
one day on that wage. A talent of silver is seven-hundred and fifty
ounces worth one-hundred and eleven pennies each ounce. Therefore, each
talent he owed the King was worth 8,250 days of labor (or twenty-two
years). The total ten-thousand talent debt would require just over
220,000 years to repay. Obviously, the intent is that the servant’s
debt was far beyond his ability to ever resolve. </span></div>
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The intent of the parable is to show the way most people are unwilling
to forgive others even when they have been forgiven an overwhelming and
unreconcilable debt of sin. Although no one can forgive sin but God, we
can forgive others for the <em>consequences</em> their sins bring into
our lives. When people fail God, they also fail hundreds of other
peripheral people with whom their lives intersect. </span></div>
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When God’s forgiveness is misrepresented in a way contrary to the
inductive teachings of the Word of God, God’s character and nature is
also misrepresented in very destructive ways. One of these
misrepresentations of God’s forgiveness is that God will forgive the
unrepentant. Verses like Christ’s prayer while He was being crucified
are quoted to support this view; “Father forgive them for they know not
what they do” (Luke 23:34).</span></div>
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The “them” here is national Israel. This prayer of Christ while
being crucified by apostate Israel is the fulfillment of Isaiah 53:12.
Israel’s gross sin of having an innocent man, their own promised
Messiah, framed and murdered was the <em>last straw</em>, yet God kept His promise to Abraham and did not completely cast them away as His chosen people (Romans 11:1-2). </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">“</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Therefore will I divide him <em>a portion</em>
with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because
he hath poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the
transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and <strong>made intercession for the transgressors</strong>” (Isaiah 53:12). </span></div>
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Therefore, Christ’s prayer, “Father forgive them for they know not what
they do” (Luke 23:34), is neither a prayer for the forgiveness of the
remission of the sin penalty for salvation or the forgiveness for sins
to restore a believer to fellowship with God. Christ was praying for
God to have mercy on the nation of Israel like Habakkuk’s prayer in
Habakkuk 3:2; “</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">in wrath remember
mercy.” God’s judgment was going to come on national Israel for what
they did by crucifying the Messiah, just as it did in the book of
Habakkuk. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Can
we even imagine the wrath of God upon this brutal, abusive treatment of
His “only begotten Son”? From a human standpoint, we can understand
how wrath can overwhelm all other emotions or appeals to rationality.
Christ’s crucifixion appeal is an appeal from the Son to His Father
simply for mercy in the midst of His wrath. God’s wrath upon national
Israel would extend throughout the time of the Gentiles to the second
coming of King Jesus at the end of the seven-year Great Tribulation on
Earth. This prayer of Christ is answered in the thousands of Jews saved
on the Day of Pentecost, as recorded in Acts chapter two, as well as
thousands of others down through the centuries. Even in God’s wrath
upon national Israel, God mercifully retained a remnant of saved Jews
(Romans 11:1-5), while the vast majority of Jews went the pathway of
reprobation and willful, unrepentant rejection of their Messiah.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Asking
for forgiveness presumes the acknowledgment and admission of
wrongdoing. To ask someone to give the gift of forgiveness should
include a frank and full confession of the wrongdoing including the sin
committed. This communication should reflect an understanding of the
pain the wrongdoing has inflicted upon the numerous individuals
involved, beginning with grieving God. Sin, any sin, <em>grieves</em> the Holy Spirit of God. Confession acknowledges this fact.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Confession
should include some degree of communication reflecting the pain the
wrongdoing has caused to others as well. Although we can only sin
against God, those sins do impact many other people in our lives. To
fail to understand this is gross carelessness, or at least gross
ignorance.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Ephesians
chapter four is one of the strongest texts in the Bible teaching how
God expects Christians to live their lives before God and in fellowship
with Him and with one another. The context is the vocational calling of
all believers living as servant/priests before God (Ephesians 4:1-2).
In Ephesians 4:3, believers are told, “Endeavouring to keep the unity of
the Spirit in the bond of peace.” It might also be interpreted as,
“Make every possible effort to guard the oneness {<em>doctrine, purpose, practice of the faith</em>} of the Spirit {<em>unity with the Godhead</em>} in the union {<em>joint tie or ligament</em>} of peace {<em>reconciliation with God that is part of being sealed with the Spirit of God unto the day of redemption; Ephesians 4:30</em>).</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">“<sup>20</sup> But ye have not so learned Christ {<em>in contrast to the life of paganism where the lusts of the flesh are fanned and cultivated to their fullest expression</em>}; <sup>21</sup> If so be {<em>the hypothetical, or condition, is if the knowledge of Christ is real in a person’s life</em>} that ye have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus: <sup>22</sup> That ye put off concerning the former conversation {<em>manner of living in pagan lasciviousness</em>} the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; <sup>23</sup> And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; <sup>24</sup> And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness. <sup>25</sup> Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour: for we are members one of another. <sup>26</sup> Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath: <sup>27</sup> Neither give place to the devil. <sup>28</sup> Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with <em>his</em> hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth. <sup>29</sup> Let no corrupt {<em>rotten, worthless</em>} communication {<em>primarily is referring to obscene conversing about perverse things</em>} proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying {<em>things that build others up in faith and holiness</em>}, that it may minister grace unto the hearers. <sup>30</sup> And <strong>grieve not the holy Spirit of God</strong>, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption. <sup>31</sup> Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice: <sup>32</sup> And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, <strong>forgiving one another</strong>, <strong><u>even as</u> God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you</strong>” (Ephesians 4:20-32).</span></div>
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<strong><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">The “I Am Sorry” Fiasco</span></strong></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">The
“I am sorry” fiasco often is a mere expression of no real conviction
that the failure just committed is actually sin. We often here such
nonsense as, “Johnny Goodchristian (or Jane) does it, therefore it must
be acceptable.” What you are hearing is a person proclaiming, “I have
no convictions of my own. I am living by the convictions (or lack
thereof) of Johnny (or Jane) Goodchristian.” This is <em>justification of sin terminology</em>.
It is not communicating a heart about what is righteous or any Biblical
support. The proper communication is, “I failed. Please forgive me.”
</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">The word <em>sorry </em>means
to feel sorrow, regret, remorse, to be mournful, or sad. Yet, most of
the time the “I am sorry” words do not reflect any of these things in
any meaningful or practical way. When this is the case, the expression
“I am sorry” are just empty, meaningless words. Some questions to such a
person are required:</span></div>
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<strong><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">1.</span></strong><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"> You say you are sorry, where are the tears?</span></div>
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<strong><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">2.</span></strong><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"> Tell me, for what exactly are you sorry and what does that mean to you?</span></div>
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<strong><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">3.</span></strong><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"> How did what you did (or failed to do) affect the lives of the people to which you are expressing your sorrow?</span></div>
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<strong><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">4.</span></strong><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">
Have you asked the person to which you are expressing your sorrow how
your failure has affected his life so that you can better understand the
consequences of what you have done? </span></div>
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<strong><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">5.</span></strong><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"> Detail the consequences of your wrongdoing.</span></div>
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<strong><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">6.</span></strong><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"> What are you willing to do to right the wrong you have created?</span></div>
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<strong><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">7.</span></strong><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"> Are you just saying you are sorry or are you also asking for forgiveness?</span></div>
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<strong><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">8.</span></strong><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"> What are you expecting if you are given the gift of forgiveness? </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">
Forgiveness is just as equally and as often misunderstood as it is
taken for granted. The remission of the death penalty upon sin is once
and is for all sin, which in this context is general forgiveness; “The
wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23a). This is the kind of forgiveness
of sin involved in redemption. Redemption is to pay the price of sin
and buy the sinner from the bondage of sin, which is death. Death is
eternal separation from God.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">There are two different main Greek words translated “forgive” in the New Testament books. First, there the Greek word <em>aphesis</em>
(af’-es-is). This Greek word is also translated “remission” on
numerous occasions. “Remission” is the better translation in that it is
more consistent with the idea of redemption through the payment of sin
by the Substitute. In this use, relating to salvation, “forgiveness”
refers to the release from bondage, imprisonment, or punishment. It
sets the guilty party free and treats him as if he has never committed
the crime <strong>completely remitting the penalty</strong>. Remission of the penalty is the primary focus of this word and <em>remission</em> should be the translation of the Greek word <em>aphesis</em> (af'-es-is) on every occasion.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"> The second Greek word translated “forgive” is the word <em>aphiemi</em> (af-ee’-ay-mee). It is always used for SAVED PEOPLE <strong>already within the covenant</strong> and relates to <em>restoration to fellowship</em>.
This is the kind of forgiveness that is the focus of this study.
Fellowship with God is what connects the believer’s life to God’s <em>fount of blessing</em>.
It is what the Bible refers to as “walking in the light” or walking “in
truth.” God can only bless our lives when we are in fellowship with
Him. </span></div>
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<strong><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">We forgive people to restore fellowship with them. </span></strong><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"> In other words, forgiveness is a <strong>personal</strong> <strong>commitment</strong>
involving restoring broken fellowship with someone to once again be
able to work together in harmony and unity for the cause of Christ.
Therefore, recognition of the failure and genuine repentance of the
failure is essential to restore fellowship for a <strong>trusting</strong>
working relationship between people. Although forgiveness does not
immediately restore trust, forgiveness does give the gift of a degree of
trust intent upon increasing trust as the individual’s repentance is
proven genuine.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">
Christians talk a lot about forgiveness. They expect God to forgive
them without question and often without them repenting of the sins they
have committed. Many other times, they expect God to give to them the
forgiveness that they are unwilling to give to others. Unforgiveness of
the trespasses of others against us is a sin that shuts the windows of
heaven to God’s forgiveness of our trespasses against Him. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">“</span><a data-cke-saved-name="#23292" href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="#23292"><sup><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">9 </span></sup></a><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. </span><img align="" alt="Anchor" class="cke_anchor" data-cke-real-element-type="anchor" data-cke-real-node-type="1" data-cke-realelement="%3Ca%20name%3D%22%2323293%22%20name%3D%22%2323293%22%3E%3C%2Fa%3E" data-cke-saved-src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAPABAP///wAAACH5BAEKAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAICRAEAOw==" src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAPABAP///wAAACH5BAEKAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAICRAEAOw==" title="Anchor" /><sup><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">10 </span></sup><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as <em>it is</em> in heaven. </span><img align="" alt="Anchor" class="cke_anchor" data-cke-real-element-type="anchor" data-cke-real-node-type="1" data-cke-realelement="%3Ca%20name%3D%22%2323294%22%20name%3D%22%2323294%22%3E%3C%2Fa%3E" data-cke-saved-src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAPABAP///wAAACH5BAEKAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAICRAEAOw==" src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAPABAP///wAAACH5BAEKAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAICRAEAOw==" title="Anchor" /><sup><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">11</span></sup><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"> Give us this day our daily bread. </span><img align="" alt="Anchor" class="cke_anchor" data-cke-real-element-type="anchor" data-cke-real-node-type="1" data-cke-realelement="%3Ca%20name%3D%22%2323295%22%20name%3D%22%2323295%22%3E%3C%2Fa%3E" data-cke-saved-src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAPABAP///wAAACH5BAEKAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAICRAEAOw==" src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAPABAP///wAAACH5BAEKAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAICRAEAOw==" title="Anchor" /><sup><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">12</span></sup><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"> <strong>And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors</strong>. </span><img align="" alt="Anchor" class="cke_anchor" data-cke-real-element-type="anchor" data-cke-real-node-type="1" data-cke-realelement="%3Ca%20name%3D%22%2323296%22%20name%3D%22%2323296%22%3E%3C%2Fa%3E" data-cke-saved-src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAPABAP///wAAACH5BAEKAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAICRAEAOw==" src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAPABAP///wAAACH5BAEKAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAICRAEAOw==" title="Anchor" /><sup><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">13 </span></sup><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">And
lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the
kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen. </span><img align="" alt="Anchor" class="cke_anchor" data-cke-real-element-type="anchor" data-cke-real-node-type="1" data-cke-realelement="%3Ca%20name%3D%22%2323297%22%20name%3D%22%2323297%22%3E%3C%2Fa%3E" data-cke-saved-src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAPABAP///wAAACH5BAEKAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAICRAEAOw==" src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAPABAP///wAAACH5BAEKAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAICRAEAOw==" title="Anchor" /><sup><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">14 </span></sup><strong><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: </span></strong><img align="" alt="Anchor" class="cke_anchor" data-cke-real-element-type="anchor" data-cke-real-node-type="1" data-cke-realelement="%3Ca%20name%3D%22%2323298%22%20name%3D%22%2323298%22%3E%3C%2Fa%3E" data-cke-saved-src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAPABAP///wAAACH5BAEKAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAICRAEAOw==" src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAPABAP///wAAACH5BAEKAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAICRAEAOw==" title="Anchor" /><strong><sup><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">15 </span></sup></strong><strong><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses</span></strong><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">” (Matthew 6:9-15).</span></div>
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<strong><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">In understanding the gift of forgiveness, it is extremely important to understand what we are <em>gifting</em> to a person when we agree to forgive. What does giving forgiveness involve?</span></strong></div>
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<span style="font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 14.0pt;">Ø </span><strong><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Forgiveness </span></strong><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">is the commitment to yourself and the offender, not to dwell on the offense which is forgiven.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 14.0pt;">Ø </span><strong><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Forgiveness </span></strong><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">is the promise not to raise the issue again to the offender, to others, nor to yourself.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 14.0pt;">Ø </span><strong><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Forgiveness </span></strong><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">is the desire to deal with the offense as <u>past history</u>; not as a present condition.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 14.0pt;">Ø </span><strong><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Forgiveness</span></strong><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"> is the promise to avoid holding the offense over the offender’s head.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 14.0pt;">Ø </span><strong><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Forgiveness </span></strong><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">understands the need to work at <u>forgetting</u> the offense.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 14.0pt;">Ø </span><strong><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Forgiveness </span></strong><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">is something granted, not felt.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">If
a person understands forgiveness, he understands he is making an
extreme commitment to the person being gifted forgiveness. The person
receiving the gift of forgiveness should also understand that the gift
he is receiving in one of the greatest gifts he could ever receive from
another person. Forgiveness is grace exemplified! </span></div>
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<strong><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Forgiving Yourself?</span></strong></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"> This is terminology that comes out of the <em>psychobabble</em> of modern Psychology. There is no such thought ever expressed anywhere in the Bible. People <strong>should</strong>
continue to have remorse and guilt for the sins they have committed
because the consequences of their failure continue to be borne by those
they love long after the sin is forgiven. These feelings of remorse and
guilt are spiritually healthy. These feelings of remorse and guilt are
continuing reminders that <em>no man is an island unto himself</em>. The choices of our lives impact the lives of others and often so in very negative ways. </span></div>
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<strong><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">The “Forgive them in your heart” fiasco</span></strong></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"> Here is more <em>psychobabble</em>
of modern Psychology. This is not Biblical terminology. This is just
another way of justifying giving the gift of forgiveness to unrepentant
people. The obedient, compassionate Christian should WANT to give
forgiveness because he has been forgiven so much so often by God.
However, even God does not gift forgiveness to the unrepentant.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Biblical
terminology is found in the admonitions of Scripture about not being
hateful or wanting revenge. The spiritual Christian should petition the
Spirit of God to help with feelings that stir the sludge pit of the
cesspool of unrighteous emotions towards those who have hurt us or
greatly offended us. If these feeling are not dealt with Biblically, at
the very moment they arise in our hearts, they will soon begin to
fester and pollute every aspect of our souls. Bitterness, wrath, and
hatred will begin to eat at the inner man like cancer in the soul.
Therefore, God commands us in Ephesians 4:31 to, “</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Let
all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking,
be put away from you, with all malice.” These things listed are the
enemies of everything righteous and good. When a believer gives them
opportunity to reside in the heart, he is giving “place to the devil”
(Ephesians 4:27). Every believer must be overly cautious about his soul
becoming the soil for the “root of bitterness” (Hebrews 12:15).</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Receiving
forgiveness from God is an expression of faith. In other words, we
know by faith that God gives the gift of forgiveness because He promises
that He will do so (I John 1:9). However, simply because God forgives
the sin, that does not mean that all the consequences and influences of
that sin will be removed from history. Like polluted water flowing
downstream, the sin will continue to defile and corrupt even though it
has been forgiven by God. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">This
is the substance of the history of Solomon’s numerous failures recorded
by him in whole book of Ecclesiastes. Living with knowledge of the
spiritual consequences of our numerous failures in life upon the lives
of those we love will be one of the greatest burdens of eternity. Only
those that truly understand this reality can truly appreciate Revelation
21:4. Then, we will finally see the full ramifications of God’s gift of
forgiveness!</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">“</span><sup><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">1 </span></sup><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea. <sup>2</sup> And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. <sup>3</sup> And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God <em>is</em> with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, <em>and be</em> their God. <sup>4</sup> <strong>And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes</strong>;
and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither
shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away”
(Revelation 21:1-4).</span></div>
</div>
<br />
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<i>Numerous studies and series are available free of charge for local churches at:
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<i>Dr. Lance Ketchum serves the Lord as a Church Planter, Evangelist/Revivalist. </i><br />
<i>He has served the Lord for over 40 years.</i>Lancehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04407932936189262291noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6157091893357738408.post-14204377561614447182017-07-17T08:19:00.003-07:002017-07-17T08:19:31.581-07:00Truths for which I would Die!<i> </i><br />
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<strong><span style="font-size: 24px;"><span style="color: #000066;">Truths for which I would Die!</span></span></strong></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"> </span></div>
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<strong>When we think of a militant Christianity, we must think of it in terms of self-sacrifice. </strong>That
is what defines a believer’s love for God. What are we willing to
sacrifice for the cause of Christ? Early Christianity was willing to
sacrifice their lives rather than compromise the truth of the Gospel of
grace or the purity of their worship to God alone. This was how Jesus
defined loving Him. He defined loving Him by what He did to redeem our
souls from Hell on the Cross of Calvary. <span style="color: windowtext; font-size: 14.0pt;">“</span><span style="color: windowtext; font-size: 14.0pt;">Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends” (John 15:13). </span><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify;">
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<span style="color: windowtext; font-size: 14.0pt;">The
Gospel is the details of what Jesus has done to save our souls from
condemnation AND what the believing sinner MUST do to receive the gift
of that salvation. Keeping these objective facts pure from corruption
and distortion is the primary militant responsibility of all believers.
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Even from the very beginnings of Christianity, there has been an
endless battle to maintain the purity of the Gospel of grace and the
purity of worship distinct from the influences of worldliness. The real
test of a militant Christianity is simple. For what are you willing to
stick out your neck out? For what are you willing to put your life on
the line? In Acts chapter fifteen, this is what these men were doing as
they stood militantly for the purity of the Gospel of salvation by
grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone. The primary marker
defining a militant faith is the willingness to separate from those
preaching “another gospel, which is not another” (Galatians 1:6b-7a).
Galatians chapter one is a shouting condemnation against the corrupting
influences of Ecumenicism and its acceptance of an <em>anything goes Gospel</em>. </span></div>
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In addressing this issue as Bible believing Christians, it is important
to understand that almost every sect of Christianity believes that
Jesus died for our sins, was buried, was bodily resurrected from the
dead, and was bodily glorified by God. Liberalism, Deism, and Arianism
(denied the Deity of Jesus) all corrupt the Gospel by corrupting the
virgin birth of Jesus and the supernatural aspects of the Bible by
replacing miracles with Naturalism (explaining away the miracles of the
Bible, and the denial of the Deity of Jesus Christ. Believing in their
corrupted Jesus cannot save anyone’s soul. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">However, the broadest and most acceptable form of the corruption of the doctrine of salvation came in the form of <em>Judaism</em>. <em>Judaism</em> was corrupted with Legalism, which made salvation a <em>process</em> of achievement by “works of the Law” (Galatians 2:16; 3:2 - Moralism and Sacerdotalism). Under Judaism, salvation was a <em>work achieved </em>rather than a <em>gift received</em>. Salvation was a <em>lifelong process</em> not a <em>momentary event</em>. Salvation as a <em>process</em> dominates most of professing Christianity.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">“Knowing that <strong>a man is not justified by the works of the law</strong>, but <strong>by the faith of Jesus Christ</strong>, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified <strong>by the faith of Christ</strong>, and not by the works of the law: for <strong>by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified</strong>” (Galatians 2:16).</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"> Galatians 2:16 is a clear and concise Bible condemnation of “works of the law” and <em>process salvation</em>.
This idea had become a serious problem for early Christianity. Had it
been allowed to continue; the Gospel would have been totally corrupted
within the first fifty years of the Church Age. Militant, fundamental
Christians continue to fight against this same type of corruption
today. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">“<sup>1</sup> And certain men which came down from Judaea taught the brethren, <em>and said</em>, Except ye be circumcised after the manner of Moses, ye cannot be saved. <sup>2</sup>
When therefore Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and
disputation with them, they determined that Paul and Barnabas, and
certain other of them, should go up to Jerusalem unto the apostles and
elders about this question. <sup>3</sup> And being brought on their way
by the church, they passed through Phenice and Samaria, declaring the
conversion of the Gentiles: and they caused great joy unto all the
brethren. <sup>4</sup> And when they were come to Jerusalem, they were received of the church, and <em>of</em> the apostles and elders, and they declared all things that God had done with them. <sup>5</sup>
But there rose up certain of the sect of the Pharisees which believed,
saying, That it was needful to circumcise them, and to command <em>them</em> to keep the law of Moses. <sup>6</sup> And the apostles and elders came together for to consider of this matter. <sup>7</sup> And when there had been much disputing, Peter rose up, and said unto them, Men <em>and</em>
brethren, ye know how that a good while ago God made choice among us,
that the Gentiles by my mouth should hear the word of the gospel, and
believe. <sup>8</sup> And God, which knoweth the hearts, bare them witness, giving them the Holy Ghost, even as <em>he did</em> unto us; <sup>9</sup> And put no difference between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith. <sup>10</sup>
Now therefore why tempt ye God, to put a yoke upon the neck of the
disciples, which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear? <sup>11</sup> But we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved, even as they. <sup>12</sup>
Then all the multitude kept silence, and gave audience to Barnabas and
Paul, declaring what miracles and wonders God had wrought among the
Gentiles by them. <sup>13</sup> And after they had held their peace, James answered, saying, Men <em>and</em> brethren, hearken unto me: <sup>14</sup> Simeon hath declared how God at the first did visit the Gentiles, to take out of them a people for his name. <sup>15</sup> And to this agree the words of the prophets; as it is written, <sup>16 </sup>After
this I will return, and will build again the tabernacle of David, which
is fallen down; and I will build again the ruins thereof, and I will
set it up: <sup>17</sup> That the residue of men might seek after the
Lord, and all the Gentiles, upon whom my name is called, saith the Lord,
who doeth all these things. <sup>18</sup> Known unto God are all his works from the beginning of the world”</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"> (Acts 15:1-18).</span></div>
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This is the record of the first church split in history. This was a
very difficult time for the church at Jerusalem. What defined a
Biblical response to the Gospel was being challenged that threatened to
split this church and all of Christianity from that day forward even to
today. <strong>Christianity would be divided into two factions.</strong> </span></div>
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<strong><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">1.</span></strong><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"> A <em>religion</em> of salvation by participation in religious rituals and ceremonialism (human accomplishment or <em>process salvation</em>) </span></div>
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<strong><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">2.</span></strong><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"> A <em>relationship</em> with God begun with God gifting salvation to the believing sinner <em>by grace through faith</em> in the finished, substitutionary work of Christ (Divine accomplishment or <em>event salvation</em>) </span></div>
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<strong><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Fighting for Truths for which we are willing to die (Acts 15:1 and 5)</span></strong></div>
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<strong><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"> </span></strong><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">The issue of the purity of the Gospel of salvation <em>by grace alone through faith alone</em> <em>in Christ alone</em> is a Truth for which a militant Christian must be willing to die. Salvation <em>by grace alone through faith alone</em> <em>in Christ alone</em> is essential truth in that only the true Gospel of Jesus “is the power of God unto salvation.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">“<sup>16</sup>
For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of
God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and
also to the Greek. <sup>17</sup> For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from {<em>saving</em>} faith to {<em>living</em>} faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith” (Romans 1:16-17).</span></div>
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<strong><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"> There is a rapidly growing movement among professing evangelical Christians to become <em>inclusivistic</em> and <em>tolerant</em> about what a person needs to trust in to be “born again.”</span></strong><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Ecumenicism and new evangelicalism have created a broad and sweeping tolerance of many false and unscriptural <em>gospels</em> and many evangelicals are getting on board the <em>Good Ship Tolerance</em>.
The Apostle Paul clearly addressed this tendency towards tolerance in
his epistle to the Galatians. Paul condemns it, understanding the
motivation of Peter and Barnabas for tolerance was to “please men” and
to maintain peace and unity at the sacrifice of doctrinal purity. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">“<sup>6</sup> I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel: <sup>7</sup> Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ. <sup>8</sup>
But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto
you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. <sup>9</sup> As we said before, so say I now again, If any <em>man</em> preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed. <sup>10</sup>
For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I
yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ” (Galatians
1:6-10).</span></div>
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<strong><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"> </span></strong><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Historically,
Christians (especially Baptists) have been willing to die very gruesome
and horrible deaths rather than deny the true faith in the true Gospel
by refusing to accept infant baptism (Pedo-baptism), baptismal
regeneration, transubstantiation, consubstantiation, and all other such
nonsense.</span></div>
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<strong><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"> </span></strong><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Many
pages of Baptist history have been written with the blood of faithful
martyrs who were tortured and murdered simply because they refused to
believe in anything else but salvation as a gift of God’s grace received
through faith in the finished work of Christ and totally apart from any
good works by the individual and totally apart from any religious
ceremony or ritual. Apart from the supernatural preservation of the
Word of God, it has been God’s grace manifested through the lives and
testimonies of the faith of such remarkable individuals that the truth
of the purity of the Gospel has been preserved for all these centuries.</span></div>
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There is not one recorded historical incidence where a Baptist ever
persecuted or killed anyone because someone did not believe the way he
believed. Yet throughout the centuries, Roman Catholics, Lutherans,
Calvinists, Anglicans, Congregationalist, and even the Puritans sought
the annihilation of individual Baptists and Baptist congregations over
the issue of salvation by grace alone through faith alone in Christ
alone. The Baptists chose imprisonment and often death over compromise.</span></div>
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<strong><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"> </span></strong><strong><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">The questions we must ask ourselves are simple.</span></strong><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">
Do we have the kind of militancy that is willing to die rather than
compromise God’s message of salvation (the Gospel)? Would we be willing
to be tortured and murdered rather than accept a manmade way of
salvation? The test of our militancy is the price we are willing to pay
to maintain a pure testimony of salvation by grace alone through faith
alone in Christ alone. If we are not willing to die to maintain that
testimony, we have abandoned the Apostolic faith.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">“<sup>6</sup>
And this is love, that we walk after his commandments. This is the
commandment, That, as ye have heard from the beginning, ye should walk
in it. <sup>7</sup> For many deceivers are entered into the world, who
confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. This is a deceiver
and an antichrist. <sup>8</sup> <strong>Look to yourselves, that we lose not those things which we have wrought, but that we receive a full reward. <sup>9</sup>
Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ,
hath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both
the Father and the Son</strong>. <sup>10</sup> If there come any unto you {<em>local churches meeting in households</em>}, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into <em>your</em> house, neither bid him God speed {<em>do not seek to encourage in any way</em>}: <sup>11</sup> For he that biddeth him God speed is partaker {</span><em><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">koinoneo;</span></em><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"> <em>working</em> </span><em><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">partner</span></em><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">} of his evil deeds” (II John 1:6-11).</span></div>
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<strong><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"> </span></strong><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">The word “doctrine” used in II John 1:9 and 10 is from the Greek word </span><em><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">didache</span></em><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"> (did-akh-ay’), meaning <em>teaching</em> or <em>instruction</em>. “Doctrine” is the Bible word for God’s content of teaching the Word of God to make <em>disciples</em>
(followers of the teachings of Jesus; Ephesians 4:12). The intent of
the statement is a warning to Christians (“look to yourselves”) about
being very cautious about being deceived into <em>following</em> false
teachers. The intent is that to follow the false teaching of false
teachers makes a person a false disciple in that such a person is not
following the teachings of Jesus.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">“Whosoever” (II John 1:9) not governing his life and living his life according to <strong>all</strong> the teachings of Jesus, “hath not God.” In other words, he “is not saved.” One cannot accept Jesus and then reject <strong>any</strong>
of His teachings. To reject His teaching is to reject Who and What He
is. Secondly, anyone teaching contrary to this is not to be welcomed
into the Church fellowship (II John 1:10-11). The is a command for
separation from those that minimize or reduce the commandments of Christ
(liberalism or neo-evangelicalism). </span></div>
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<strong><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"> </span></strong><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">The
fact that people believe Jesus is the Messiah is not sufficient
evidence to the reality of their salvation. Here is a primary dividing
line of truth between true Christianity and apostate Christianity. The
dividing line is that apostate Christianity believes that Jesus is the
Messiah of God and they believe He died on the Cross, but they do not
understand what He accomplished on the Cross for them (the propitiation
of God and the gift of the justification of sinners). The word <em>Christian</em> became another word for a person who was a follower/practitioner of the teachings of Jesus. The word <em>Christian</em>
was given to disciples of Jesus because they were willing to sacrifice
their lives rather than compromise the teachings of Jesus. </span></div>
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Many people, especially Jews, believed in Jesus, but rejected the
Gospel of salvation by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone.
Acts 15:5 says this “sect of the Pharisees. . . believed.” That means
they believed Jesus was their historical and promised Messiah. However,
the facts in the rest of Acts 15:5 reveal to us they did not understand
the Gospel and therefore continued to rely upon their religious
ceremonies and rituals to be saved. They continued to believe that
religious rituals (such as circumcision) were necessary to salvation.
This is clear evidence they did not understand the Gospel and therefore
could not, by faith, rest in the truths of the Gospel. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">The
Epistle to the Hebrews addressed this false kind of faith. The Epistle
to the Hebrews was written about 64 A.D., six years before the
destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem by the Roman Empire. Many
professing Jews were being persuaded to return to offering sacrifices at
the Temple and the necessity of keeping all the holy days of the Jewish
liturgical calendar. They were being told they still needed to
circumcise their sons and pay tithes to the Temple priesthood. All of
this was a contradiction of the teachings of Jesus in the abrogation of
the Mosaic Covenant and the beginning of the New Covenant of the Church
Age. The Epistle to the Hebrews confronts this false teaching and
equates it with the unbelief at Kadesh-Barnea where Israel’s unbelief
brought them into a thirty-eight-year funeral procession where every
Jews over the age of twenty (except Caleb and Joshua) died in the
wilderness. Therefore, corruption of faith is a serious failure with
eternal consequences.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">“</span><sup><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">7 </span></sup><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Wherefore (as the Holy Ghost saith, To day {<em>a new opportunity to be faithful</em>} if ye will hear his voice, <sup>8</sup> Harden not your hearts, as in the provocation {<em>the
children of Israel persisted in provoking God to anger and wrath with
unbelief over want of bread, water, meat instead of manna, golden calf
worship, and finally at Kadesh where they believed the enemies who
occupied the Promised Land were more powerful than God</em>} in the day of temptation {<em>a test to prove the reality or genuineness of something</em>} in the wilderness: <sup>9</sup> When your fathers tempted me, proved me, and saw my works forty years. <sup>10</sup> Wherefore I was grieved with that generation, and said, They do alway err in <em>their</em> heart; and they have not known my ways. <sup>11</sup> So I sware <strong>in my wrath</strong>, They shall not enter into my rest.) <sup>12</sup> Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God {<em>in returning to Mosaic Covenant practices</em> <em>thereby denying a finished work of redemption</em>}. <sup>13</sup> But exhort one another daily {<em>plead with one another</em>}, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. <sup>14</sup> For we are made partakers of Christ, <strong>if we hold the beginning of our confidence stedfast unto the end</strong>; <sup>15</sup> While it is said, To day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts, as in the provocation. <sup>16</sup> For some, when they had heard, did provoke: howbeit not all that came out of Egypt by Moses. <sup>17</sup> But with whom was he grieved forty years? <em>was it</em> not with them that had sinned, whose carcases fell in the wilderness? <sup>18</sup> And to whom sware he that they should not enter into his rest, but <strong>to them that believed not</strong>? <sup>19</sup> So we see that <strong>they could not enter in because of unbelief</strong>’ (Hebrews 3:7-19).</span></div>
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It is also clear that the leadership of Israel, in their corrupted
priesthood, had very selfish reasons in seeking the death of Jesus.
They would rather kill this innocent man then risk a revolution against
Rome thinking the followers of Jesus would make Him King. It would seem
they understood the prophesies regarding the death of Messiah, but
completely misunderstood what Jesus’ death was intended to accomplish.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">“<sup>49</sup> And one of them, <em>named</em> Caiaphas, being the high priest that same year, said unto them, Ye know nothing at all, <sup>50</sup> Nor consider that it is expedient for us, that one man should die for the people, and that the whole nation perish not. <sup>51</sup> And this spake he not of himself: but being high priest that year, he prophesied that Jesus should die for that nation; <sup>52</sup> And not for that nation only, but that also he should gather together in one the children of God that were scattered abroad. <sup>53</sup> Then from that day forth they took counsel together for to put him to death” (John 11:49-53).</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">“And certain men which came down from Judaea taught the brethren, <em>and said</em>, Except ye be circumcised after the manner of Moses, ye cannot be saved” (Acts 15:1).</span></div>
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<strong><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"> </span></strong><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">This false <em>gospel</em> of <em>surgical salvation</em> was soon replaced by salvation by <em>ritual purgation </em>(baptismal
purging of sin). This initially made ritual baptism the means of the
purging of sin, but would degenerate into other false doctrines to aid
in the purging of sin over the centuries. The Cross of Christ is the
only acceptable purging place of sin and the only place of purging
(Purgatory) mentioned in the Bible. That purging is a <em>finished </em>spiritual reality. This is a truth every true Christian should be willing to die rather than compromise.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">“<sup>1</sup> God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, <sup>2</sup> Hath in these last days spoken unto us by <em>his</em> Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds; <sup>3</sup> Who being the brightness of <em>his</em> glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, <strong>when he had by himself purged our sins</strong>, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high” (Hebrews 1:1-3).</span></div>
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<strong><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"> </span></strong><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">The whole premise of salvation by <em>ritual purgation</em>
of sin is a denial of the finished work of Christ, blasphemy against
God, and an insult against the grace of God, which reaches out in love
to save us. The person who rejects the once for all sacrifice of Christ
at Calvary, by looking to religious rituals for purging of sins
committed before or after he professes to trust in Christ, must
understand “there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins.” Baptismal
cleansing of sin is a horrendous lie against which every true Christian
should fight to opposed with his last breath. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">“<sup>26</sup> For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, <strong>there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins</strong>, <sup>27</sup> But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries. <sup>28</sup> He that despised Moses’ law died without mercy under two or three witnesses: <sup>29</sup>
Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy,
who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood
of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy {<em>common</em>} thing, and hath done despite {<em>an insult</em>} unto the Spirit of grace? <sup>30</sup> For we know him that hath said, Vengeance <em>belongeth</em> unto me, I will recompense, saith the Lord. And again, The Lord shall judge his people. <sup>31</sup> It<em> is</em> a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God” (Hebrews 10:26-31).</span></div>
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Secondly (Acts 15:1 and 5), these propagators of the “another gospel
which is not another,” not only wanted tolerance for their false gospel,
they wanted their false means of salvation to become the requirement
for all. </span></strong><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">It always
amazes me that those who seek tolerance of their false doctrines are the
most intolerant of those who are unwilling to compromise truth for
false unity. It was these “false brethren” who were intolerant. They
were willing to accept anyone into their circle of compromise, but they
have historically sought to annihilate anyone who was not willing to
compromise to accept them.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">“<sup>3</sup> But neither Titus, who was with me, being a Greek, was compelled to be circumcised: <sup>4</sup> And that <strong>because of false brethren</strong> unawares brought in, who came in privily to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus, that they might <strong>bring us into bondage</strong>: <sup>5</sup> To whom we gave place by subjection, <strong>no, not for an hour</strong>; that the truth of the gospel might continue with you” (Galatians 2:3-5).</span></div>
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<strong><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"> </span></strong><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Before
God can revive His Church and bless the way He wants to bless, that
local church must determine it will die rather than compromise the
Gospel, die rather than become tolerant of false doctrine, and die
rather than join hands in partnership (“fellowship”) with those
preaching salvation by ritual purgation in any form. That is the
challenge of the Apostle Paul in Galatians 5:1-9.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">“<sup>1</sup> Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage. <sup>2</sup> Behold, I Paul say unto you, that if ye be circumcised, Christ shall profit you nothing. <sup>3</sup> For I testify again to every man that is circumcised, that he is a debtor to do the whole law. <sup>4</sup> Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law {<em>false faith</em>}; ye are {<em>already</em>} fallen from grace. <sup>5</sup> For we through the Spirit wait for the hope of righteousness by faith. <sup>6</sup> For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision; but faith which worketh by love. <sup>7</sup> Ye did run well; who did hinder you that ye should not obey the truth? <sup>8</sup> This persuasion <em>cometh</em> not of him that calleth you. <sup>9</sup> A little leaven {<em>the smallest amount of trust in the ‘works of the law’</em>} leaveneth the whole lump” (Galatians 5:1-9).</span></div>
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<strong><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"> </span></strong><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">“Stand fast” in Galatians 5:1 is from the Greek word <em>steko</em> (stay'-ko) meaning <em>to persist</em>. The idea is to be uncompromising regarding the true way of salvation. “Persuasion” in Galatians 5:8 is from the Greek word <em>peismone</em> (pice-mon-ay'), which can mean <em>a treacherous or deceptive persuasion</em>. People will go to Hell for eternity if we do not boldly stand against this “persuasion” of corruption.</span></div>
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<strong><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"> </span></strong><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">The “little leaven” of Galatians 5:9 refers to allowing the acceptance of any kind ritual <em>conference of grace</em>
to be saved or cleansed from sin. To allow this or tolerate this
corruption is to compromise the purity of the Gospel of grace,
regardless of how insignificant it might seem. Allow any amount to be
part of this corruption to be part of your faith and you leaven the
whole of your faith with false doctrine making your profession of faith
false and unprofitable (Galatians 5:2). </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"> The introduction of <em>surgical purgation</em> of sin (circumcision) or salvation by <em>ritual purgation</em>
of sin (water baptism) into Christianity are tragic heresies that
continue to deceive people into a false hope of eternal life. Salvation
by the works of the Law (regardless of how insignificant these “works”
appear) is an insult against the grace of God. <em>Whatever</em> a
person trusts in, besides the finished work of Calvary, is what keeps
that person from wholly trusting in Christ. If he is ever going to be
saved, he must <em>turn away</em> (repent) of that “dead” work (Hebrews 6:1) and trust solely and wholly in the Person of Jesus Christ and His <em>finished</em> work of the Cross (Acts 4:12 & John 14:6). This is a truth for which a real faith will be willing fight and die. </span></div>
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<i>Numerous studies and series are available free of charge for local churches at:
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<i>Dr. Lance Ketchum serves the Lord as a Church Planter, Evangelist/Revivalist. </i><br />
<i>He has served the Lord for over 40 years.</i>Lancehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04407932936189262291noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6157091893357738408.post-50513285264383288382017-07-03T05:54:00.001-07:002017-07-03T05:54:43.417-07:00The Militancy of Faith<br />
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<span style="color: #000066;"><span style="font-size: 26px;"><b>The Militancy of Faith</b></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">This
world is steeping in a brew of evil growing ever stronger each moment
it continues to steep. We have seen the kind of evil of which humanity
is ready to heap upon one another already written on the pages of
historical infamy. Humanity would be as evil as Satan himself if we
were left to our own devices unrestrained by a conscience that works
because of restraining faith knowledge of God. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">We are approaching another historical epoch like Genesis 6:5 where God said, “</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">And GOD saw that the wickedness of man <i>was</i> great in the earth, and <i>that</i> every imagination of the thoughts of his heart <i>was</i>
only evil continually.” In Genesis 6:3, God said, “My spirit shall not
always strive with man.” The Great Flood is historical testimony that
God’s longsuffering eventually comes to an end. Satan has historically
done everything in his power to mock, eradicate, and eclipse the
testimony of God’s judgment in the Great Flood. Christians must fight
to keep these testimonies alive. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">“<sup>6</sup> But godliness with contentment is great gain. <sup>7</sup> For we brought nothing into <i>this</i> world, <i>and it is</i> certain we can carry nothing out. <sup>8</sup> And having food and raiment let us be therewith content. <sup>9</sup> But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and <i>into</i> many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition. <sup>10</sup>
For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted
after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through
with many sorrows. <sup>11</sup> But thou, O man of God, <b>flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness. <sup>12</sup> fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called</b>, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses”</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"> (I Timothy 6:6-12).</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"> <b>The Word of God is redundant with militant terms.</b>
These terms are used to describe the struggle of the Christian life;
terms like “war a good warfare” (I Timothy 1:18), “fight the good fight”
(I Timothy 6:12), “so fight I” (I Corinthians 9:26). In Ephesians
6:11, believers are commanded: “</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Put
on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the
wiles of the devil.” Understanding the Bible’s teaching on a life of
faith is to understand that believers will be at war against evil and
its influences until the creation of the new Heaven/Earth. </span></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">The
struggle of a life of faith involves every believer in a spiritual war
that began with the insurrection of an angel of God called Lucifer, who
rebelled against God’s sovereignty and usurped His authority by the
deception of Eve.</span></b><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"> In
this war, casualties are more severe than in other wars in that these
casualties involve the loss of souls, lost for all eternity, and the
loss of lives wasted in the pursuit of sinful pleasures that lead men
and women to live their lives in ways unimaginable.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"> <b>For the Christian, this is a battle about <i>recovery</i>.</b>
Although the Christian’s soul has been redeemed and eternally secured
by the Cross-work of Jesus Christ “by grace through faith,” every
Christian must <i>fight the fight of faith</i> in the recovery of this
temporal life from the dominion of sin -SANCTIFICATION. It is a
life-long battle with no intermissions or rest periods. Like swimming
upstream in a strong current, stop the struggle for one moment and you
are carried downstream. It will be a constant struggle to maintain
every inch of spiritual ground that is gained.</span></div>
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In II Corinthians 10:3-5, Paul talks about not warring “after the
flesh,” “the weapons of our warfare” not being “carnal” weapons, and
about the enemies against which we fight; “casting down imaginations,
and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God,
and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ.”
The battleground involves temptations from <i>without</i>, perverse desires from <i>within</i>.
This is a battle with humanity’s corrupted, un-Biblical,
extra-Biblical, and perverted knowledge of God. Simply because
believers still possess a Sin Nature does not mean their Sin Natures
must possess them. All believers can be enabled to live righteously by
the enabling power of the indwelling Holy Spirit. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">“<sup>20</sup> O Timothy, keep that which is committed to thy trust, avoiding profane <i>and</i> vain babblings, and oppositions of science falsely so called: <sup>21</sup> Which some professing have erred concerning the faith. Grace {<i>enabling of the Holy Spirit</i>} <i>be</i> with thee. Amen” (I Timothy 6:20-21).</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">In
Ephesians chapter 6:10-18, Paul talks about the warfare “against
principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of
this world, against spiritual wickedness in high <i>places</i>.”<i> </i>He
goes on to talk about the believer’s spiritual armament, commanding
believers to “take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able
to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.” Of
course, <i>standing</i> in these verses refers to <i>standing in battle</i>
against the influences of evil as opposed to retreating in defeat. He
uses a similar analogy to describe the struggle of the faith in I
Thessalonians 5:8-9.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">“<sup>8</sup>
But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of
faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation. <sup>9</sup> For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain {<i>to acquire the end of</i>} salvation {<i>used
here in the sense of the final victory over the flesh in the believer’s
glorification and reign with Christ in the Kingdom Age</i>} by our Lord Jesus Christ” (I Thessalonians 5:8-9). </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">In
I Thessalonians 5-8, the emphasis of the battle against the forces of
evil is the guaranteed victory “by our Lord Jesus Christ” at His second
coming. The emphasis of the warfare of the believer is simply to be
faithful in the battle, which is already won. Why then fight if the
victory is already won? As we battle <i>by faith for the faith</i>,
those fighting against us, who are under the influences of evil, are won
to Christ and are joined with us through their faith in Christ in the
guaranteed victory. Evangelism in sanctification is part of the
battle. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">In II Timothy 2:1-4, Paul uses similar military terminology to describe the spiritual struggles of men in the pastorate. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">“<sup>1</sup> Thou therefore, my son, be strong in the grace {<i>the enabling of the indwelling Spirit</i>} that is in Christ Jesus. <sup>2</sup>
And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the
same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others
also. <sup>3</sup> Thou therefore <b>endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. <sup>4</sup> No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of <i>this</i> life</b>; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier” (II Timothy 2:1-4). </span></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">As long as we live in this body of flesh, the Christian life will be an unending warfare.</span></b><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">
There can be no allowance for compromise in any form, for the enemy
takes no prisoners. He is described as the “deceiver” and the
“destroyer.” He is described as a “lion” that devours his prey bite by
bite. He destroys lives by getting people addicted to self-destructive,
sinful practices, and perversions of theology. His tactics are
ancient, perfected in their use, and well developed in their
application. These tactics are always aimed at our faith in that they
almost always question God’s wisdom or what God has said, seeking to
pervert our understanding of both.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">“Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, <b>hath God said</b>, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden (Genesis 3:1)?</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">The militant struggle for a pure faith involves every Christian in a spiritual war fought on two fronts.</span></b><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"> Every Christian must involve himself in the fight <b>by</b> <b>faith</b> and the fight <b>for</b> <b>the faith</b>.
Although these two fronts are not the same, they are dynamically
connected. Our knowledge of the Word of God, our living the Word of
God, and our use of the Word of God to bring the lost to saving faith in
Christ is what it means to fight <b>by faith</b>. The battle
against the corruption of Bible doctrine by the never-ending sedition
of the worldly influences of various levels of evil is what it means to
fight <b>for the faith</b>. </span></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">The fight of faith involves the believer with three enemies of a living faith.</span></b><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">
Those three enemies are the trinity of the fall; Sin, Self and Satan.
Satan is the tempter, the liar, and the deceiver. He tempts with sin.
Sin is anything that defiles the believer before God and breaks
“fellowship.” Sin is anything that the believer is forbidden to do. Sin
is also a failure to doing anything God commands to be done. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">The
paradox is that, in the fall of mankind, all of us received a sin
nature (Self) that wants to sin. The Bible words for Self (the Sin
Nature) are words like the “old man,” the “flesh,” or simply “sin.” The
point is that all men and women, believers and unbelievers alike, have a
serious <i>Wanter</i> problem when it comes to sin. We all have an
insatiable appetite for sin. The Bible word for this is “lust.”
Therefore, the believer in his fight <b>by </b>faith <b>for</b> the faith fights even against his own evil influences upon the world. </span></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">There are three main avenues of sin into our lives.</span></b><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">
The wise believer understand that he must keep vigilant guard upon
these three doorways for sin to enter his life. He must build
reinforced gates against them with the understanding that his own
desires will want to leave them wide open and unrestrained. These three
main avenues of sin into our lives are defined for us in Satan’s
deception of Eve in the Garden of Eden and they are described by the
Apostle John.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">“And when <b>the woman saw</b> that the tree <i>was</i> good for food, and that it <i>was</i> <b>pleasant to the eyes</b>, and a tree to <b>be desired to make <i>one</i> wise</b>, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat” (Genesis 3:6).</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">“For all that <i>is</i> in the world, the <b>lust of the flesh</b>, and the <b>lust of the eyes</b>, and the <b>pride of life</b>, is not of the Father, but is of the world” (I John 2:16).</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Every believer must learn to meticulously guard these three <i>doorways</i> of sin into his life. </span></b><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Just
as it only took one sin to bring God’s curse upon all of humanity, one
sin is all it will take to defile the believer before God making him
“unclean.” Once this happens, restoration to “fellowship” with God must
be restored through repentance, confession, and cleansing (I John
1:7-9) before God can bless the believer’s works or answer his prayers.
The central purpose of the forgiveness of sins is not the removal of
guilt from the believer’s heart, but it is about the restoration of
“fellowship” with God so that a working relationship can once again take
place.</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">The struggle of a militant faith is about living the truth in unbroken “fellowship” with God.</span></b><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"> <b>This is a critical truth to the Christian life.</b>
It is the heart and soul of the doctrine of grace in the New Covenant.
This word “fellowship” is so often misunderstood and misapplied. It is
often only defined as relationship without the emphasis upon the
purpose of that relationship. The purpose of “fellowship” is a <i>working partnership</i> with God in the fight <b>by</b> faith <b>for</b> the faith in bringing lost souls to receive the gift of salvation and to be “born again.” </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">The word “fellowship” in the Bible is usually translated from the Greek word <i>koinonia</i> (koy-nohn-ee’-ah). Its usual meaning is <i>a communion of joint participation in something</i>. In other words, it is a word describing a <i>working relationship</i> of two or more people joining their energies and resources to achieve a common goal or purpose.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Therefore,
“fellowship” with God involves the believer in, and with, supernatural
forces and resources. In this “fellowship,” the power of the Divine is
united with the yielded and believing human. Therefore, a critical
aspect of “fellowship” with God and <i>the fight of faith</i> is about
this “unity” with God in living the truth. Paul talks about this
“unity” in Ephesians chapter four. Notice the emphasis on two areas in
the fight <b>by</b> faith and the fight <b>for</b>
the faith as these two arenas of struggle are discussed under the
doctrine of grace (God’s divine enabling through His Holy Spirit).</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">“<sup>1</sup> I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation {<i>the priesthood of all believers</i>} wherewith ye are called, <sup>2</sup> With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love; <sup>3</sup> <b>Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit</b> in the bond of peace. <sup>4</sup> There<i> is</i> one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; <sup>5</sup> One Lord, one faith, one baptism, <sup>6</sup> One God and Father of all, who <i>is</i> above all, and through all, and in you all. <sup>7</sup> But unto <b>every one of us </b>{<i>believer priests</i>}<b> is given grace</b> {<i>God’s enabling</i>} according to the measure of the gift of Christ. <sup>8</sup> Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts {<i>listed in verse eleven</i>} unto men. <sup>9</sup> (Now that he ascended, what is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth? <sup>10 </sup> He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things.) <sup>11</sup> And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; <sup>12</sup> <b>For the perfecting </b>{<i>equipping, maturing, thing Basic Training for warfare</i>} <b>of the saints, for the work of the ministry </b>{<i>spiritual warfare to engage the world with the Gospel of Jesus Christ and make disciples of Jesus Christ</i>}, for the edifying {<i>building up and strengthening of the structure of the Church</i>} of the body of Christ: <sup>13</sup> Till we all come in the <b>unity of the faith</b>,
and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the
measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ” (Ephesians 4:1-13).</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">The
critical part of a living faith is that “fellowship” with God cannot
exist apart from a life separated from sin (holiness) and separated unto
God (sanctification).</span></b><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"> These two arenas of Christian responsibility are the arenas in which the fight <b>of</b> faith and the fight <b>for</b> the faith are fought. This is what Christian <i>growth</i> is about and how it is measured (progressive sanctification). </span></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">The
purpose of the “perfecting of the saints” is for “fellowship” with God
to be achieved so that the “work of the ministry” can be supernaturally
actuated.</span></b><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"> The “work of the ministry” is <i>spiritual work</i>
demanding supernatural forces and resources. Christ refers to the
critical spiritual dynamic of this “fellowship” in John chapter 15 in
His use of the words “abide in him” involving the requirement of being
“clean.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">“<sup>1</sup> I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman. <sup>2</sup> Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every <i>branch</i> that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit. <sup>3</sup> Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you. <sup>4</sup> <b>Abide in me, and I in you</b>. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. <sup>5</sup> I am the vine, ye <i>are</i> the branches: <b>He that abideth in me, and I in him</b>, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing. <sup>6</sup> If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast <i>them</i> into the fire, and they are burned. <sup>7</sup> If ye <b>abide in me, and my words abide in you</b>, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you. <sup>8</sup> Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; <b>so shall ye be my disciples</b>” (John 15:1-8).</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Being a disciple of Jesus involves a believer in <i>following</i> Jesus in His warfare against the forces of evil.</span></b><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">
Disciples understand their own frailties when it comes to battling
against powers far greater than we can imagine. The believer’s abiding
in Christ and Christ’s abiding in the believer is the only possible way
the believer can win occasional victories in warring for the salvation
of lost souls and their discipleship after their salvation. Therefore,
do not miss the connection of the warfare <b>by</b> faith <b>for</b> the faith – winning lost souls to Christ and making disciples. <b>You are the connecting link!</b>
Your saved soul and sanctified life is the means through which Christ
wages His war for lost souls. Your personal compromises regarding any
issue of sin or false doctrine keeps Christ from being able to do what
you have been saved for Him to do <i>through</i> you. </span></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">When
this spiritual warfare vision of reality is a part of a person’s
everyday life, fighting the fight of faith will become a priority.</span></b><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"> Without this vision of reality, there really is no reality of personal faith and therefore the battles <b>by</b> faith <b>for</b>
the faith are never fought. Without abiding in Christ and Christ’s
abiding in the believer, these battles certainly cannot be won. It is
in this arena that a missional vision must find its foundation, for,
apart from this spiritual dynamic of holiness (separation from the
world) and sanctification (separation unto God), missions (the “work of
the ministry”) is nothing but an operation in futility. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">When
we think in the reality of the spiritual and eternal, we are
immediately transported into another real existence where miracles are
commonplace, where there is no such thing as the impossible, and where
the grace of God overwhelms any problem or difficulty that Satan might
throw at us to get us off track. When we think spiritually and
eternally, we move into a real realm of existence where the Creator of
Heaven and earth lives and reigns; a Kingdom of light and life; a place
where power is unlimited and dreams always become realities. Even though
we must continue to live in this present, wicked, temporal world, we
must work to keep our thinking and desires fixed on the spiritual and
eternal.</span></div>
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<i>Numerous studies and series are available free of charge for local churches at:
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<i>Dr. Lance Ketchum serves the Lord as a Church Planter, Evangelist/Revivalist. </i><br />
<i>He has served the Lord for over 40 years.</i>Lancehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04407932936189262291noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6157091893357738408.post-41058731627117767772017-06-26T04:31:00.002-07:002017-06-26T04:31:49.101-07:00Mortifying Faith<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="color: #000066;"><strong><span>Mortifying Faith</span></strong></span></span></div>
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When a person repents of sin and dead works, believes in the sacrifice
of Christ to satisfy God’s wrath upon all sin, confesses Jesus to be
Lord, calls upon the Lord Jesus to save his soul, and receives Jesus as
Lord of his life in the indwelling Person of the Holy Spirit of Christ,
everything that has happened to Jesus has <strong>already</strong>
happened to the believer POSITIONALLY (Colossians 2:10-15). The word
“complete” in Colossians 2:10 is a perfect, passive, participle.
However, these things will not be fully realized practically until the
believer has experience the “redemption of the body” (glorification;
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">“</span><sup><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">22 </span></sup><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now. <sup>23</sup> And not only <em>they</em>, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, <strong>waiting for</strong> the adoption, <em>to wit</em>, the redemption of our body” (Romans 8:22-23). </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"> The words “waiting for the adoption, </span><em><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">to wit</span></em><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">, the redemption of our body” in Romans 8:23 are words of great <em>faith anticipation</em>. A vision of faith sees a future beyond the so called <em>eternal sleep</em>
of death. This faith vision looks beyond the temporal existence into
the eternal to see the promised sharing of God’s eternality and the
blessings of eternal fellowship with Him. Paul speaks extensively of
this promised new existence in I Corinthians chapter fifteen summarizing
the teaching on the redemption of the body in verses fifty-one through
fifty-eight. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">“<sup>51 </sup>Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep {<em>die</em>}, but we shall all be changed {<em>glorified</em>}, <sup>52</sup>
In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the
trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we
shall be changed {<em>glorified</em>}. <sup>53</sup> For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal <em>must</em> put on immortality. <sup>54</sup>
So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this
mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the
saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. <sup>55</sup> O death, where <em>is</em> thy sting? O grave, where <em>is</em> thy victory? <sup>56</sup> The sting of death <em>is</em> sin; and the strength of sin <em>is</em> the law. <sup>57</sup> But thanks <em>be</em> to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. <sup>58</sup> <strong>Therefore</strong>,
my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in
the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in
vain in the Lord” (I Corinthians 15:51-58).<span style="color: black;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Life in this world, even as supernaturally enabled Christians, is a constant battle against temptations from <em>without </em>(opportunities to sin)<em> </em>and temptations from <em>within </em>(desires to sin). The “redemption of our body” is the final act of God in our <em>New Birth</em> whereby we fully receive our new spiritual bodies and are placed into the <em>New Creation</em>
as fully functional children of God unhindered by the baggage of a
fallen nature. This is a faith issue that can only be understood and
appreciated by those who are fully engaged in the constant spiritual
warfare against the “works of the flesh” (Galatians 5:19-21). This is a
spiritual war <em>by</em> faith <em>for</em> “the faith.” </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">The
practical reality of this truth is that even though every believer is
already “complete in Christ” (Colossians 2:1), each person still
possesses a sin nature that has a wicked propensity for sin. If our
faith is based upon a pure biblical epistemology, we will understand
that spiritual warfare is mostly an inward battle with the corrupted
desires of our own carnal natures. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">“<sup>1</sup> <strong>If </strong>ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. <sup>2</sup> Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. <sup>3</sup> For ye are dead, and your life is hid {<em>perfect, passive</em>} with Christ in God. <sup>4</sup> When Christ, <em>who is</em> our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory. <sup>5</sup> Mortify {<em>imperative</em>}
therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication,
uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness,
which is idolatry: <sup>6</sup> For which things’ sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience: <sup>7</sup> In the which ye also walked some time, when ye lived in them. <sup>8</sup> But now ye also put off {<em>imperative</em>} all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth. <sup>9</sup> Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds; <sup>10</sup> And have put on the new <em>man</em>, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him: <sup>11</sup> Where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond <em>nor</em> free: but Christ <em>is</em> all, and in all. <sup>12</sup> Put on therefore, as the elect of God {<em>refers vocationally to the priesthood of all believers</em>}, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering; <sup>13</sup> Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also <em>do</em> ye. <sup>14</sup> And above all these things <em>put on</em> charity, which is the bond of perfectness. <sup>15</sup> And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful. <sup>16</sup> Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; <strong>teaching and admonishing</strong> one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. <sup>17</sup> And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, <em>do</em> all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him” </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">(Colossians 3:1-17).</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"> A living faith is a faith that mortifies the sinful desires of the “old man” (the <em>Sin Nature</em>
or the “flesh”). Faith is more about what we do with what we believe
than it is about what we believe. What we believe is critical to faith,
but until those beliefs are <em>fleshed out</em>, they are nothing more
than assent to intellectual facts. There is no evident spiritual life
in the kind of profession of faith that does not live what it professes
to believe.</span></div>
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Just as a living faith evidences itself in outward expressions of “good
works,” a dead faith (unbelief) manifests itself in outward expressions
of bad “works.” These are what God called sins or the “works of the
flesh.” Paul deals with both the “fruit of the Spirit” (manifesting a
living faith) and the “works of the flesh” (manifesting a dead faith) in
Galatians 5:19-26.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">“<sup>19</sup> Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are <em>these</em>; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, <sup>20</sup> Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, <sup>21</sup> Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told <em>you</em> in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. <sup>22</sup> But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, <sup>23</sup> Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. <sup>24</sup> And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. <sup>25</sup> If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. <sup>26</sup> Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another” (Galatians 5:19-26).</span></div>
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<strong><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Every human being has a carnal beast living within. </span></strong><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"> We
all have a shocking propensity for wickedness and evil when left
unrestrained by the truth of God’s Word and the restraining of the Holy
Spirit as He uses Bible Truths to act upon the human conscience. This
restraining of evil in a person’s life is what defines that person
becoming <em>civilized</em>. The evil man is capable of acts beyond the imagination of <em>civilized people</em>.
Nonetheless, our history books and newspaper services provide ample
testimony to the wickedness of which men and women are capable without
Divine restraints upon their souls. A person with a living faith
understands this and sees the need for supernatural intervention and
enabling to overcome this carnal beast living within.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">“<sup>9</sup> The heart <em>is</em> deceitful above all <em>things</em>, and desperately wicked: who can know it? <sup>10</sup> I the LORD search the heart, <em>I</em> try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, <em>and</em> according to the fruit of his doings” (Jeremiah 17:9-10).</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">“But we are all as an unclean <em>thing</em>, and all our righteousnesses <em>are</em> as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away” (Isaiah 64:6).</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">The word “mortify” in Colossians 3:5 is from the Greek word <em>nekroo</em> (nek-ro’-o). It means <em>to slay</em> or <em>to put to death</em>. It can also mean <em>to deprive of power</em> or <em>to destroy the strength thereof</em>.
The latter meaning is the application in this text. The idea is to
insure there is no life remaining in the thing you “mortify.” </span></div>
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<strong><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Colossians 3:1-2 is an admonition of belief. </span></strong><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">“If ye” - the question is, if you believe the following, then here is what will take place in your life. The point is this, <strong>if
you have been spiritually resurrected out from among the spiritually
dead to a state of spiritual life, then you will constantly be seeking
spiritual things</strong>. This is quite a statement of expectation.
This is God’s expectation of all His “born again” children. When God
says we are to “seek those things which are above,” the statement is
further qualified by the words, “Where Christ sitteth on the right hand
of God.” The idea is more than seeking spiritual things above the
worldly things. The meaning is to seek the <em>exact same things</em> that Christ is seeking.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Christ
is sitting at the “right hand of the Father;” the place of
glorification, which signifies His work is “finished.” He is seated on
the Mercy Seat (the place of propitiation), where we are seated with
Christ. For the believer, this is a reminder that our Head is in Heaven
(Christ). The <em>body</em> is on earth (the Church). The work of the
“Head” is finished (the propitiation of God and the justification of
man). The work of the <em>body</em> is the “ministry of
reconciliation.” The “ministry of reconciliation” is about preaching
the Gospel of an already accomplished reality through the “finished”
Cross work of Jesus Christ.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">“</span><sup><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">18 </span></sup><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">And all things <em>are</em> of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation; <sup>19</sup>
To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not
imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the
word of reconciliation” (II Corinthians 5:18-19).</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">“Then Jesus said to them again, Peace unto you, as My Father hath sent me, even so send I you” (John 20:21).</span></div>
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<strong><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">The
purpose of mortifying the sinful desires of the “flesh” is to bring the
body under subjection to its “head” (Colossians 3:2). </span></strong><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">“Set
your affection,” means to bring one’s mind into union with the mind of
Christ. The life of Christ puts Christ first by bringing glorification
and praise to Christ through actions. Inconsistency brings reproach
upon the Name of Christ. Evidently, this has been a failure in the
lives of Christians since the time of the beginning of the Church Age.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">“<sup>19</sup> But I trust in the Lord Jesus to send Timotheus shortly unto you, that I also may be of good comfort, when I know your state. <sup>20</sup> For I have no man likeminded, who will naturally care for your state. <sup>21</sup> For all seek their own, not the things which are Jesus Christ’s” (Philippians 2:19-21).</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">A person of faith is to <em>set his desires</em>
on things above, “not on the things on earth.” The things that occupy
the earth are not sinful in themselves; alcohol, tobacco, money, etc.
There is nothing wrong with alcohol when it is used to clean a wound or
kill germs. I am sure that even the tobacco plant has some useful
purpose. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">The
Word does not say that “money is the root of all evil.” “The love of
money is the root of all evil.” Therefore, the sin problem is when we
become <em>preoccupied</em> with these “things on earth.” The things of
this world are often used to entice us away from serving God. The
solution is not just correcting our attitude towards the “things,” but
our attitude towards God. Our relationship God must be keep first.</span></div>
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<strong><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">The reminder (Colossians 3:3), “Ye are dead”</span></strong></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">As
far as a believer’s spirituality is concerned, the reminder “Ye are
dead” means the believer was separated from all the lusts and
enticements of this evil world when he was “born again.” Therefore, he
should be walking in the reality of the power of a resurrected spiritual
life. In fact, that reality should be so vivid that the world should
not be able to see his old life styles, but only the life of Christ.
Those old life styles and affections should be “hidden with Christ.” As
Christ is hidden from the view of the lost world in the Godhead, so
should the believer’s affections for the things of this world be hidden
from them “with Christ.” A life of sin, in any degree, is an
abomination to God and shouting proclamation to unbelief. The problem
is that the one person that cannot hear the <em>shouting</em> is the very person living in sin. </span></div>
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<strong><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">The practice of “Christ our life” (Colossians 3:5)</span></strong></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">When Christ is our life, it will be our desire to “mortify” the sin nature. To “mortify” the sin nature means <em>to deprive it of power</em> or <em>to destroy the strength thereof</em>. This is a reality of a living faith. Anything less is a perversion of “the faith.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">“<sup>2</sup> For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death. <sup>3</sup>
For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh,
God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin,
condemned sin in the flesh: <sup>4</sup> That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit” (Romans 8:2-4).</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">We
should never confuse our practical responsibilities in this temporal
world with our concrete and eternal position in Christ. Our position
never changes and is unaffected by our response to God’s expectation.
However, that does not give us the right to take license with God’s
grace. It is a perversion of “the faith” to say that Christian
“liberty” from the <em>Law</em> (Mosaic Covenant) gives the Christian freedom to live any way he wants. This perversion of grace is another ancient heresy.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">“<sup>1</sup> What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? <sup>2</sup> God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein? <sup>3</sup> Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? <sup>4</sup>
Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as
Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so
we also should walk in newness of life. <sup>5</sup> For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also <em>in the likeness</em> of <em>his</em> resurrection: <sup>6</sup> Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with <em>him</em>, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. <sup>7</sup> For he that is dead is freed from sin. <sup>8</sup> Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him: <sup>9</sup> Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him. <sup>10</sup> For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God. <sup>11</sup> Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. <sup>12</sup> Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof. <sup>13</sup> Neither yield ye your members <em>as</em>
instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God,
as those that are alive from the dead, and your members <em>as</em> instruments of righteousness unto God. <sup>14</sup> For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace. <sup>15</sup> What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid” (Romans 6:1-15).</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">“Mortify”
is not talking about spiritual suicide. It is referring to putting the
“carnal mind” effectively to death. To mortify means <em>to deprive of power</em> or <em>to destroy the strength. </em>Since our mind and thoughts control our bodies, the mind of which Christ is in control will control the body He possesses.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">“<sup>3</sup> For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: <sup>4</sup> (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) <sup>5</sup>
Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself
against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought
to the obedience of Christ; <sup>6</sup> And having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled” (II Corinthians 10:3-6).</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">In </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Colossians 3:5,<strong> </strong>“members”
refers to the parts of the body as they are employed in sin. These
“members” employ themselves in certain described sinful practices.</span></div>
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<strong><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">1.</span></strong><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"> “Fornication” is illicit sexual activity outside of the confines of a husband\wife relationship.</span></div>
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<strong><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">2. </span></strong><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">“Uncleanness” is any moral impurity as an outcome of gratifying selfish desires.</span></div>
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<strong><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">3. </span></strong><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">“Inordinate affection” is described in Romans 1:26-28 and refers to homosexuality.</span></div>
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<strong><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">4.</span></strong><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">
“Covetousness” carries climactic force in the Greek and could read
“especially covetousness.” It is a category of sin that stands by
itself called IDOLATRY. Covetousness is the greedy desire to have more
than a person needs. It is the epitome of ungratefulness. It is the
religion of the discontent. It is being unsatisfied with God’s
provisions. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">According
to Colossians 3:4, our ultimate incentive to “mortify” the desires of
our flesh should be the second coming of Christ. This is the Bride (the
Church) awaiting the Bridegroom coming to take the Bride home to
glory. This is a reality of a real belief in the imminent return of
Christ. Without this practical reality in our lives, we cannot claim to
believe this great Scriptural truth.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">
The Lordship of Jesus is not a visible sovereignty. Unless our life
actions (culturally and distinctively in the areas of personal holiness)
make His Lordship visible, His Lordship will remain invisible. Jesus
personally is hidden from the lost world because believers refuse to
reflect the “life of Christ.” When we sin, we are hiding Christ from
the world He died to redeem. It is a wonderful truth to know the
all-sufficiency of Jesus, but it is a sad fact that we, all too often,
do not manifest the all-supremacy of Jesus. A living faith lives to
this end.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">“<sup>14</sup> Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. <sup>15</sup>
Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a
candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. <sup>16</sup> <strong>Let your light so shine</strong> {<em>imperative mood</em>} before men, that they may <strong>see your good works</strong>, and glorify your Father which is in heaven. <sup>17</sup> Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil. <sup>18</sup>
For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one
tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled. <sup>19</sup>
Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and
shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of
heaven: but <strong>whosoever shall do and teach</strong> <em>them</em>, <strong>the same </strong>shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 5:14-19).</span></div>
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<br />
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<i>Numerous studies and series are available free of charge for local churches at:
http://www.disciplemakerministries.org/ </i><br />
<i>Dr. Lance Ketchum serves the Lord as a Church Planter, Evangelist/Revivalist. </i><br />
<i>He has served the Lord for over 40 years.</i>Lancehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04407932936189262291noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6157091893357738408.post-37382771389235993772017-06-05T06:34:00.002-07:002017-06-05T06:35:02.135-07:00The Living Oracles of Faith Language<br />
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<span style="color: #000099;"><span style="font-size: 20px;"><b>The Living Oracles of Faith Language</b></span></span></div>
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-1gLMohwofB4/WTVdiervyuI/AAAAAAAADE0/cZJY8lv3_4whpvPdot-MPJv4TQRbEZ5oACLcB/s1600/oracles-of-god.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="718" data-original-width="1600" height="177" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-1gLMohwofB4/WTVdiervyuI/AAAAAAAADE0/cZJY8lv3_4whpvPdot-MPJv4TQRbEZ5oACLcB/s400/oracles-of-god.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: 22px;"><b>Real faith speaks loudly and clearly through the language of a transformed life. </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Faith is not merely <i>lip service</i>
to a list of professed beliefs. Faith is living those professed
beliefs within the context of all types of trials and under all types of
duress and persecution for our attempts to bring the world to saving
faith in the finished work of redemption through faith in Christ. The
unbelieving world mocks at the hypocrisy of professed beliefs that are
not lived or that are easily compromised at the first moment of
difficulty or trial of life. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"> <b>Living according to the commands of God will never be easy in this life. </b>We
can see this difficulty even within local churches where believers are
supposed to agree about how they live. The closer a believer seeks to
walk with Jesus, the more abstract his life will appear to the
unbelieving world. Perhaps the greatest difficulty in living our faith
is to try to “walk in the light” without presenting a persona of being <i>holier than thou</i>. Being real and genuine about what we believe is a tough job description.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">“</span><sup><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">1 </span></sup><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Simon
Peter, a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ, to them that have
obtained like precious faith with us through the righteousness of God
and our Saviour Jesus Christ: <sup>2 </sup><u>Grace</u> and <u>peace</u> be multiplied unto you through the <u>knowledge</u> of God, and of Jesus our Lord, <sup>3 </sup>According as his <u>divine power</u> hath given {<i>perfect tense, passive voice</i>} unto us {<i>with the intent of causing</i>} all things that <i>pertain</i> unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him {<i>full or complete knowledge of God</i>; <i>the idea is having a thorough understanding of the Character and Nature of God and one’s own relationship to the Person of God</i>} that hath called us to <b>glory</b> {<i>restored dignity</i>} and <b>virtue</b> {<i>restored excellence; the idea is courage to fight for what is right and righteous</i>}: <sup>4</sup> Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye <b>might be</b> {<i>potentially become, not automatically</i>} <b>partakers</b> {<i>an associate or partner</i>} of the divine nature {<i>through the New Birth and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit</i>}, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. <sup>5 </sup><b>And beside this </b>{<i>for the purpose of escaping ‘the corruption that is in the world through lust’</i>}, giving all diligence, add {<i>imperative verb</i>} to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; <sup>6 </sup>And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; <sup>7 </sup>And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity. <sup>8 </sup><b>For if these things be in you, and abound, they make <i>you that ye shall</i> neither <i>be</i> barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge </b>{<i>full or complete knowledge of God</i>; <i>the idea is having a thorough understanding of the Character and Nature of God and one’s own relationship to the Person of God</i>} <b>of our Lord Jesus Christ”</b> (II Peter 1:1-8).</span></div>
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Christ considered a Christian or local church that did not win souls
and make disciples an anomaly that was wasting His <i>blood investment</i> in the redemption of their souls. Some type of <i>fruit bearing</i> is expected of all true believers!</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">“</span><sup><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">6</span></sup><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"> He spake also this parable; A certain <i>man</i> had a fig tree planted in his vineyard; and he came and sought fruit thereon, and found none. <sup>7</sup>
Then said he unto the dresser of his vineyard, Behold, these three
years I come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and find none: cut it down;
<u>why cumbereth it the ground</u>? <sup>8</sup> And he answering said unto him, Lord, let it alone this year also, till I shall dig about it, and dung <i>it</i>: <sup>9</sup> And if it bear fruit, <i>well</i>: and if not, <i>then</i> after that thou shalt cut it down” (Luke 13:6-9). </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"> <b>Within the text of II Peter 1:1-8, we find a trinity for <i>fruit production</i>. </b>
This trinity comes all wrapped up for us in the word “faith” in II
Peter 1:1. This trinity rapidly unfolds in the next seven verses in the
key words “grace,” “peace,” “knowledge,” and “divine power” ultimately
ending in <i>fruitfulness</i> (fruit bearing). This trinity involves three spiritual dynamics.</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">The Tripartite of Spiritual Power</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">1.</span></b><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"> Knowledge (illumination) of God’s will through His Word</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">2.</span></b><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"> The supernatural enabling of the Holy Spirit of God in the <i>illumination</i> and the <i>application</i> of God’s Word</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">3.</span></b><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"> Translating the Word of God into the <i>language of living</i> (becoming “doers of the Word”) </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Training
in these three areas is really what defines discipleship; “the
perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry” (Ephesians
4:12). Herein is where most local churches fail so often in their
discipleship (“perfecting”) ministry. This is also what makes <i>preaching</i> different than <i>teaching</i>. Teaching primarily appeals to the head while preaching primarily appeals to the heart. </span><span style="color: black; font-size: 14.0pt;">Preaching
is the dogmatic presentation of the truths of God’s Word in the power
of the Spirit of God (“unction”) resulting in the confrontation of our <i>Will Gates</i> with the intent of bringing our living into harmony with the Word of God (<i>living/doing</i> faith).</span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Knowing</span></i></b><b><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"> faith is not the same as <i>living</i> faith.</span></b><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">
Successful discipleship is measured in the realm of living faith, not
mere knowing faith. We see very few real life changing decisions today
in our invitations after preaching services. The lack of these
decisions is even more evident in the reality of the lack of any real
change in how people live out their professed faith in the everyday
living of their lives. If spiritual decisions are genuine, that
genuineness will manifest itself by these people engaging their <i>corporate ethic</i> with the Gospel of Jesus Christ. It is almost as if people think they can live the Christian life (<i>living</i> faith) covertly. This kind of thinking must be confronted and eradicated before true <i>living</i> faith can become a reality. <i></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"></span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"><i></i></span><b><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"><i>Living</i>
faith is a public faith that stands on the highest ground of a person’s
corporate and individual influence with a living testimony of a life
that points to Jesus Christ.</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">“</span><a data-cke-saved-name="#23443" href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="#23443"><sup><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">25 </span></sup></a><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">It
is enough for the disciple that he be as his master, and the servant as
his lord. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebub, how
much more <i>shall they call</i> them of his household? </span><img align="" alt="Anchor" class="cke_anchor" data-cke-real-element-type="anchor" data-cke-real-node-type="1" data-cke-realelement="%3Ca%20data-cke-saved-name%3D%22%2323444%22%20name%3D%22%2323444%22%3E%3C%2Fa%3E" src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAPABAP///wAAACH5BAEKAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAICRAEAOw==" title="Anchor" /><sup><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">26 </span></sup><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Fear them not therefore: for there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; and hid, that shall not be known. </span><img align="" alt="Anchor" class="cke_anchor" data-cke-real-element-type="anchor" data-cke-real-node-type="1" data-cke-realelement="%3Ca%20data-cke-saved-name%3D%22%2323445%22%20name%3D%22%2323445%22%3E%3C%2Fa%3E" src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAPABAP///wAAACH5BAEKAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAICRAEAOw==" title="Anchor" /><sup><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">27 </span></sup><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">What I tell you in darkness, <i>that</i> <b>speak ye in light</b>: and what ye hear in the ear, <i>that</i> <b>preach ye upon the housetops</b>. </span><img align="" alt="Anchor" class="cke_anchor" data-cke-real-element-type="anchor" data-cke-real-node-type="1" data-cke-realelement="%3Ca%20data-cke-saved-name%3D%22%2323446%22%20name%3D%22%2323446%22%3E%3C%2Fa%3E" src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAPABAP///wAAACH5BAEKAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAICRAEAOw==" title="Anchor" /><sup><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">28 </span></sup><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">And
fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul:
but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">” (Matthew 10:25-28).</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">“Let your light so shine before men, that they may <b>see</b> your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven” (Matthew 5:16).</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"> <a data-cke-saved-name="OLE_LINK12" href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="OLE_LINK12"><b>Orthodoxy should always result in orthopraxy.</b></a>
Orthodoxy involves knowing correct doctrine. Orthopraxy is accurately
living correct doctrine (Truth) to the degree that it reflects and
restores the image of Who God is in our lives resulting in manifesting
His communicable attributes to the world. This is known as <i>bringing God glory</i>.
Glorifying God (manifesting who He is through the way we live) is the
primary purpose of Bible study and the pursuit of orthodoxy. Without
orthodoxy, we can never achieve orthopraxy and we can never truly
glorify the Lord. The focal purpose of orthodoxy is always doxological
or it is not orthodoxy. </span></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Obtaining “Like Precious Faith”</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"> The word “faith” is used of both <i>saving</i> faith and <i>living</i>
faith in the Word of God. The context of use must determine too which
of these two meanings are being referred. These two meanings of faith
can be found together in Romans 1:17.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">“</span><a data-cke-saved-name="#27947" href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="#27947"><sup><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">16 </span></sup></a><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">For
I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God
unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also
to the Greek. </span><img align="" alt="Anchor" class="cke_anchor" data-cke-real-element-type="anchor" data-cke-real-node-type="1" data-cke-realelement="%3Ca%20data-cke-saved-name%3D%22%2327948%22%20name%3D%22%2327948%22%3E%3C%2Fa%3E" src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAPABAP///wAAACH5BAEKAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAICRAEAOw==" title="Anchor" /><sup><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">17 </span></sup><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from {<i>saving</i>} faith to {<i>living</i>} faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">” (Romans 1:16-17).</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"> The context of II Peter is referring to Christian service (ministry). Therefore, the meaning of the word “faith” here is <i>living</i> faith. </span><b><span style="color: black; font-size: 14.0pt;">In this context, the word “faith” refers to putting some <i>muscle</i> upon the <i>theological bones</i> of Bible doctrine. </span></b></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">It is not that the believer puts <i>life</i> to the Word of God (God’s Word is inherently <i>living</i>).
The idea is that the indwelling Holy Spirit of God puts life to our
bodies, dead in trespasses and sin and still possessing a <i>sin nature</i>,
through the transforming, cleansing power of the Living Word of God.
This happens when the believer yields to the indwelling Holy Spirit of
God and begins to live the Truths of God’s Word through the Spirit’s
supernatural enabling (grace). </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"> <b>However,
the miraculous work of the indwelling Spirit does not take place until a
believer yields to the indwelling Spirit AND begins to live the Word of
God (<i>living faith</i>).</b> </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"> Biblical faith is not merely what we <i>choose</i> to believe. Biblical faith is <i>Sola Scriptura</i>. <i>Sola Scriptura </i>means
our beliefs are what the Word of God teaches; nothing more and nothing
less. This is what the Word of God means when God speaks of “like
precious faith” and “the faith.” Biblical faith is not about man’s
opinions, traditions, or philosophies. Biblical faith is not about our
observations of human behavior patterns (psychology). Biblical faith is
not discovered by rationalism or human logic. Biblical faith comes by
the supernatural illumination of <i>Sola Scriptura</i>. This is an absolute necessity in the spiritual dynamic of <i>faith building</i> in both the life of the preacher/teacher and in the life of the disciple.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">“</span><a data-cke-saved-name="#5006" href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="#5006"><sup><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">1 </span></sup></a><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Now therefore hearken, O Israel, unto the statutes and unto the judgments, which I teach you, for to do <i>them</i>, that ye may live, and go in and possess the land which the LORD God of your fathers giveth you. </span><img align="" alt="Anchor" class="cke_anchor" data-cke-real-element-type="anchor" data-cke-real-node-type="1" data-cke-realelement="%3Ca%20data-cke-saved-name%3D%22%235007%22%20name%3D%22%235007%22%3E%3C%2Fa%3E" src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAPABAP///wAAACH5BAEKAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAICRAEAOw==" title="Anchor" /><sup><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">2 </span></sup><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Ye shall not add unto the word which I command you, neither shall ye diminish <i>ought</i> from it, that ye may keep the commandments of the LORD your God which I command you</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">” (Deuteronomy 4:1-2).</span></div>
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Therefore, the second aspect of the Tripartite of Spiritual Power
necessary to fruit bearing is the fact that Theology (knowing who God
is) is intricately connected to Pneumatology (knowing who the Spirit of
God is and what He is doing in our lives). This is the connecting link
in II Peter 1:1-8 between <i>saving</i> faith and <i>living</i> faith. This is communicated in this text by the words “grace,” “divine power,” and “</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">partakers
of the divine nature.” If we miss this truth, we miss the primary
distinctive characteristic of what defines the Age of Grace or the
Church Age. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">“<a data-cke-saved-name="#26687" href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="#26687"><sup>18 </sup>I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you. </a><a data-cke-saved-name="#26688" href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="#26688"><sup>19 </sup>Yet a little while, and the world seeth me no more; but ye see me: because I live, ye shall live also. </a><a data-cke-saved-name="#26689" href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="#26689"><sup>20 </sup>At that day ye shall know that I <i>am</i> in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you . </a><a data-cke-saved-name="#26695" href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="#26695">. . <sup>26 </sup>But the Comforter, <i>which is</i>
the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach
you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I
have said unto you</a>” (John 14:18-20, 26).</span></div>
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The third aspect of the trinity necessary to fruit bearing is that
Pneumatology (knowing who the Spirit of God is and what He is doing in
our lives) is the connecting link to translating the Word of God into
the language of living (becoming “doers of the Word and not hears
only”). </span><span style="color: black; font-size: 14.0pt;">Anything less than living supernaturally enabled by the indwelling Holy Spirit of God will be nothing more than carnal legalism.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">“</span><a data-cke-saved-name="#29104" href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="#29104"><sup><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">1 </span></sup></a><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">O
foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey the
truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth,
crucified among you? </span><img align="" alt="Anchor" class="cke_anchor" data-cke-real-element-type="anchor" data-cke-real-node-type="1" data-cke-realelement="%3Ca%20data-cke-saved-name%3D%22%2329105%22%20name%3D%22%2329105%22%3E%3C%2Fa%3E" src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAPABAP///wAAACH5BAEKAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAICRAEAOw==" title="Anchor" /><sup><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">2 </span></sup><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? </span><img align="" alt="Anchor" class="cke_anchor" data-cke-real-element-type="anchor" data-cke-real-node-type="1" data-cke-realelement="%3Ca%20data-cke-saved-name%3D%22%2329106%22%20name%3D%22%2329106%22%3E%3C%2Fa%3E" src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAPABAP///wAAACH5BAEKAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAICRAEAOw==" title="Anchor" /><sup><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">3 </span></sup><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh? </span><img align="" alt="Anchor" class="cke_anchor" data-cke-real-element-type="anchor" data-cke-real-node-type="1" data-cke-realelement="%3Ca%20data-cke-saved-name%3D%22%2329107%22%20name%3D%22%2329107%22%3E%3C%2Fa%3E" src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAPABAP///wAAACH5BAEKAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAICRAEAOw==" title="Anchor" /><sup><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">4 </span></sup><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Have ye suffered so many things in vain? if <i>it be</i> yet in vain. </span><img align="" alt="Anchor" class="cke_anchor" data-cke-real-element-type="anchor" data-cke-real-node-type="1" data-cke-realelement="%3Ca%20data-cke-saved-name%3D%22%2329108%22%20name%3D%22%2329108%22%3E%3C%2Fa%3E" src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAPABAP///wAAACH5BAEKAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAICRAEAOw==" title="Anchor" /><sup><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">5 </span></sup><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">He therefore that ministereth to you the Spirit, and worketh miracles among you, <i>doeth he it</i> by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">” (Galatians 3:1-5)?</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"> <b>The Christian life (<i>living faith</i>) is supernaturally produced</b>.
Apart from the supernatural enabling of the Holy Spirit of God, the
Christian life is completely beyond our realization. The Spirit of God
produces the Christian-life (the <i>Christ-life</i>) in us when we yield our <i>will gate</i> to Him as He reveals His will to us through the illumination of the Word of God. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">“</span><a data-cke-saved-name="#28049" href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="#28049"><sup><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">1 </span></sup></a><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: </span><img align="" alt="Anchor" class="cke_anchor" data-cke-real-element-type="anchor" data-cke-real-node-type="1" data-cke-realelement="%3Ca%20data-cke-saved-name%3D%22%2328050%22%20name%3D%22%2328050%22%3E%3C%2Fa%3E" src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAPABAP///wAAACH5BAEKAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAICRAEAOw==" title="Anchor" /><sup><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">2 </span></sup><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">By whom also <b>we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand</b>, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. </span><img align="" alt="Anchor" class="cke_anchor" data-cke-real-element-type="anchor" data-cke-real-node-type="1" data-cke-realelement="%3Ca%20data-cke-saved-name%3D%22%2328051%22%20name%3D%22%2328051%22%3E%3C%2Fa%3E" src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAPABAP///wAAACH5BAEKAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAICRAEAOw==" title="Anchor" /><sup><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">3 </span></sup><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">And not only <i>so</i>, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; </span><img align="" alt="Anchor" class="cke_anchor" data-cke-real-element-type="anchor" data-cke-real-node-type="1" data-cke-realelement="%3Ca%20data-cke-saved-name%3D%22%2328052%22%20name%3D%22%2328052%22%3E%3C%2Fa%3E" src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAPABAP///wAAACH5BAEKAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAICRAEAOw==" title="Anchor" /><sup><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">4 </span></sup><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">And patience, experience; and experience, hope: </span><img align="" alt="Anchor" class="cke_anchor" data-cke-real-element-type="anchor" data-cke-real-node-type="1" data-cke-realelement="%3Ca%20data-cke-saved-name%3D%22%2328053%22%20name%3D%22%2328053%22%3E%3C%2Fa%3E" src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAPABAP///wAAACH5BAEKAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAICRAEAOw==" title="Anchor" /><sup><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">5 </span></sup><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">” (Romans 5:1-5). </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"> In II Peter 1:5-8, the Christian life is described by seven tangible, evidentiary realities that are <b>added </b>to faith through <i>incremental decisions</i> intended to make a believer’s life fertile soil for <i>fruit bearing</i> to the glory of God. The word “add” is from the Greek word <i>epichoregeo</i> (ep-ee-khor-ayg-eh'-o). It literally means <i>to nourish </i>or <i>to aid</i>.
The context would imply that the seven attributes listed bring faith to
its fullest potential; i.e. fruit bearing. As these seven qualities
are built one <i>upon</i> another (the word “to” should be translated <i>upon</i>) and are connected one <i>to</i>
the other, they will nourish faith to its fullest stature and
potential. Living faith is defined by adding these virtues one upon the
other.</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">1. Virtue</span></b><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">: from </span><i><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">arete</span></i><b><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"> (</span></b><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">ar-et'-ay), manliness or valor and probably refers to moral strength of character</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">2. Knowledge</span></b><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">: from </span><i><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">gnosis</span></i><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"> (gno'-sis), most commentators agree that the context implies this to mean <i>applied knowledge</i> for discerning the will of God and therefore knowing the will of God with assurance dogmatically</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">3. Temperance</span></b><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">: from </span><i><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">egkrateia</span></i><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"> (eng-krat'-i-ah), self-control or self-restraint; refers to <i>holding</i> <i>in the</i> corrupted desires of the flesh</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">4. Patience</span></b><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">: from </span><i><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">hupomone </span></i><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">(hoop-om-on-ay'), meaning constancy; enduring under trials or difficulties</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">5. Godliness</span></b><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">: from </span><i><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">eusebeia </span></i><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">(yoo-seb'-i-ah), holiness or separation from worldliness and unto ministry (loving self-sacrifice)</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">6. Brotherly kindness</span></b><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">: </span><i><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">philadelphia</span></i><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"> (fil-ad-el-fee'-ah), kindness and generosity to other believers</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">7. Charity</span></b><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">: </span><i><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">agape</span></i><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"> (ag-ah'-pay), sacrificial benevolence to the benefit of others. This kind of love does not happen apart from GIVING of <u>self</u> sacrificially. It is the kind of love that God is. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"> These
seven character qualities added to our faith are the essentials of
grace to produce fruit through the empowering of the indwelling Holy
Spirit and a transformed life. In other words, there are some very
tangible aspects of Christian character that we must possess before the
power of the indwelling Spirit of God can be fully released through our
lives. The Word of God does not tell us to what extent we must have
these added qualities, but I would surmise that the more of these
qualities we possess the more eternal fruit will be produced through our
ministry by the Holy Spirit. </span><span style="color: black; font-size: 14.0pt;">These are the attributes of a <i>living faith</i> forged in the foundry of spiritual growth intent upon production of eternal fruit. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"> These attributes forge a <i>chain</i>
that connects the supernatural existence of God to the temporal
existence of mankind. The believer with these qualities added to
his/her faith becomes that <i>connecting link</i>. The outcome of that supernatural connection is </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">that “if these things be in you, and abound, they make <i>you that ye shall</i> neither <i>be</i> barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ” (II Peter 1:8).</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"> Central to a local church’s failure in fulfilling the Great Commission is the failure of people who have not forged a <i>real-world</i> faith in their lives and who are not living in the Tripartite of Spiritual Power. </span><i><span style="color: black; font-size: 14.0pt;">Wilderness Christians </span></i><span style="color: black; font-size: 14.0pt;">remain
in the barren wilderness of fruitlessness because they have a
superficial knowledge of God, a superficial knowledge of the ministry of
His indwelling Spirit, and a superficial faith that never connects them
to the spiritual warfare that living in the Promised Land
necessitates. Peter spoke of this living faith in his first epistle as
well. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">“<sup>1</sup>
Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm
yourselves likewise with the same mind: for he that hath suffered in the
flesh hath ceased from sin; <sup>2</sup> That he no longer should live the rest of <i>his</i> time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God. <sup>3</sup> For the time past of <i>our</i>
life may suffice us to have wrought the will of the Gentiles, when we
walked in lasciviousness, lusts, excess of wine, revellings,
banquetings, and abominable idolatries: <sup>4</sup> Wherein they think it strange that ye run not with <i>them</i> to the same excess of riot, speaking evil of <i>you</i>: <sup>5</sup> Who shall give account to him that is ready to judge the quick and the dead. <sup>6</sup> For for this cause was the gospel preached also to them that are dead {<i>when Christ descended into Abraham’s Bosom; i.e. paradise</i>}, that they might be judged according to men in the flesh {<i>at the Judgment Seat of Christ</i>}, but live according to God in the spirit.<sup>7</sup> But the end of all things is at hand: be ye <b>therefore</b> sober, and watch unto prayer. <sup>8</sup> And <b>above all things</b> have fervent charity <b>among yourselves</b>: for charity shall cover the multitude of sins. <sup>9</sup> Use hospitality <b>one to another</b> without grudging. <sup>10</sup> As every man hath received the gift, <i>even so</i> minister the same <b>one to another</b>, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. <sup>11</sup> If any man speak, <i>let him speak</i> as the oracles of God; if any man minister, <i>let him do it</i> as of the ability which God giveth: <b>that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ</b>, to whom be praise and dominion for ever and ever. Amen (I Peter 4:1-11). </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">In I Peter 4:7-9, God gives an admonition to believers within a local church <i>union</i> about living during the <i>last days</i>.
The Church Age Dispensation will end with the death of every lost soul
on the face of planet earth. Only the lost who enter alive into the
Tribulation and who repent of sin and trust in the finished work of
Christ for their redemption during the seven-year Tribulation will enter
into the Kingdom Age Dispensation alive. Every other person who has
received <i>the mark of the Beast</i> will be destroyed by the glory
of the coming of Christ. With this view in mind, the believer should
carefully follow the admonitions of I Peter 4:7-9. </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "times" , serif;"></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 20px;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "times" , serif;">
Along with what we are told in Revelation chapters four through
nineteen and numerous other prophecies, this is the world view of every
Christian who believes in the imminent (any moment) second coming of
Jesus Christ. This is the looming <i>dark cloud</i> of God’s promise
of His unleashed wrath in His judgment of the nations. This is the
theological foundation in the any moment pending reality to which the
words: “<sup>7</sup> But the end of all things is at hand: be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer. <sup>8</sup> And above all things have fervent charity among yourselves: for charity shall cover the multitude of sins. <sup>9</sup> Use hospitality one to another without grudging” (I Peter 4:7-9) are addressed. Perhaps if we truly understood this <i>any moment</i> pending reality, we might begin to take these words seriously.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 20px;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "times" , serif;"> The word “end” in I Peter 4:7 is from the Greek word <i>telos</i> (tel'-os). This word refers to <i>the point aimed at as a limit</i> or <i>the point of terminati</i>on.
The Church Age Dispensation is the next to the last age of God’s
longsuffering grace upon this fallen creation. Then comes the “day of
wrath” that Paul speaks of in Romans 2:5: “But after thy hardness and
impenitent heart treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of
wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God. . .” This is the
future <i>horizon</i> of which all Church Age believers must be constantly reminded. We must keep this prophecy as part of <i>today’s</i> possible realities. </span></span></div>
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In I Peter 4:7-11, we see many words that describe the overflow of the
Spirit of God that manifests His indwelling power flowing through our
lives. There are seven ministry areas of the Christian life that are
intimately and intricately connected to having a right <b>working </b>relationship
with the Lord. Understanding these words is critical to understanding
how God releases His power through our lives in ministry to one
another. </span></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">1.</span></b><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"> <b>Sobriety</b>: from the word <i>sophroneo</i> (so-fron-eh'-o), meaning sound of mind or thinking. Sound mindedness comes from <i>thinking things through</i> and taking into consideration all the Truths of God’s Word as they weigh upon any given subject or situation. <i>Sophroneo </i>was a word that described a person who did not allow his mind to come under the influence of alcohol.</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">2.</span></b><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"> <b>Watch unto prayer</b>: the word “watch” is from the word <i>nepho</i>
(nay'-fo), meaning to abstain from wine drinking and connecting
sobriety (right mindedness) with prayer (God-dependency) in power with
God in all matters of life. Contradistinctively, failure in <i>nepho</i>
(abstaining from wine drinking or any similar worldly practice) would
disconnect the believer from power with God. Worldly desires manifest a
<i>weak mind</i> (the opposite of a <i>strong</i> or <i>sound mind</i>).</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">3.</span></b><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"> <b>Fervent charity</b>:
literally, unceasing sacrificial (parenting kind of) love for other
true believers. The idea is the willingness to make extreme sacrifices
for one another, to help one another grow in grace, and to escape the <i>shackles</i>
of our own selfishness. The words “charity shall cover the multitude
of sins” in I Peter 4:8 is a quote from Proverbs 10:12. “Hatred stirreth
up strifes: but love covereth all sins.” The idea is that our love is
not constantly stirring up the <i>dunghill</i> of a fellow Christian’s past failures of which he has confessed and that have been forgiven.</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">4. Use hospitality</span></b><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">: from the word <i>philoxenos</i> (fil-ox'-en-os), it simply means <i>being fond of guests</i>.
Christians ought to enjoy the company of other Christians and “use
hospitality” to encourage one another. Notice this comes with the
qualifier, “one to another without grudging” (grumbling or complaining
about having to do it). Remember, “God loveth a cheerful giver” (II
Corinthians 9:7). Hospitality costs both time and money. If love does
not cost us something, we have not loved. </span></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">5. Minister “the gift</span></b><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">:” “gift” is from <i>charisma </i>and “minister” is from <i>diakoneo</i>
(dee-ak-on-eh'-o). In other words, God did not give us the
supernatural gift of spiritual enablement to consume upon ourselves. He
has <i>gifted</i> us with the intent we will use that “gift” and
spread it as a resource to the widest possible scale of our influence
“as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.” Notice, there is a <i>stewardship</i>
involved. Stewardship means we will be held accountable for this
“manifold grace of God.” This accountability defines the Dispensation
(stewardship) of Grace. Salvation is a free gift of grace, but with it
comes overwhelming spiritual responsibilities for which we are
accountable to God. He expects “fruit.”</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">6. Speech</span></b><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">: “If any man speak, <i>let him speak</i>
as the oracles of God” (I Peter 4:11). The word “the” is not in the
Greek text in front of the word “oracles.” It should read, “Speak as
oracles of God.” The idea is the “thus sayeth the LORD” proclamation of
the Old Testament prophets. The idea is that you are not communicating
some philosophical idea or some great thought from your own mind.
There is no option for debate or dissension. Truth is to come forth
from the mouth of the prophet of God, as if God is speaking Himself.
Therefore, when you are speaking forth the Word of God, you are to do
so with the authority of its Author. </span></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">7. Ministry to the glory of God</span></b><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">: “If any man minister, <i>let him do it</i>
as of the ability which God giveth: that God in all things may be
glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and dominion for ever
and ever. Amen” (I Peter 4:11b). We often hear the word <i>charismatic</i>
used to describe people who can attract large crowds. They are like
fly paper. The fly was just looking for a place to land to get
something to eat and then he found himself <i>stuck</i>. </span></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"> </span></b><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">When God uses the word <i>charisma</i>,
He uses it in the context of His supernatural enabling of a believer
for the “work of the ministry.” This gift of supernatural enabling
(grace) is never to be used for someone to build himself an empire of
loyal followers. God’s gift of grace should be used to make followers
of Jesus Christ where all that we do is intent upon bringing God glory.
To glorify God means revealing Him in all His wondrous attributes to a
blind, cursed, and dying world of sinners. Sometimes there is a narrow
line between a man building himself a kingdom or a man working to win
souls and make disciples for the Kingdom of God. That line is sometimes
difficult to discern. </span></div>
<span style="color: #660066;"><b><span style="font-size: 16pt;"></span></b></span></div>
<br />
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<i>Numerous studies and series are available free of charge for local churches at:
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<i>Dr. Lance Ketchum serves the Lord as a Church Planter, Evangelist/Revivalist. </i><br />
<i>He has served the Lord for over 40 years.</i>Lancehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04407932936189262291noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6157091893357738408.post-17057494763404871942017-05-01T05:26:00.003-07:002017-05-01T05:26:51.984-07:00II. False Faith and Self-Deception<i> </i><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="color: #660066;"><strong><span>II. False Faith and Self-Deception</span></strong></span></span><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify;">
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After God’s confrontation through the prophet Jeremiah of the corrupted
nation of Israel recorded in Jeremiah 7:1-15, God tells Jeremiah not to
even pray for those to whom he was to preach (Jeremiah 7:16). Although
God was telling the children of Israel where they had failed and was
calling them to repent, He knew their hearts were hardened in unbelief.
We cannot even imagine the despair of Jeremiah when God told him to
preach anyway knowing the children of Israel would not even listen to
what God had to say. Here are some of the saddest words in the Bible: </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Therefore
thou shalt speak all these words unto them; but they will not hearken
to thee: thou shalt also call unto them; but they will not answer thee
(Jeremiah 7:27).</span></div>
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It has been said that Psalm one-hundred and nineteen is like a field of
millions of acres of wisdom ripe and ready to be harvested. The focus
of those one-hundred and seventy-six verses is upon loving, reading, and
knowing the Word of God. To love the Word of God is to love the God of
the Bible.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"> Contradistinctively, to love the God of the Bible is to “</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">hate
every false way” (Psalm 119:104 and 128) because God hates “every false
way.” If such an attitude towards false doctrine and the pagan
intrusions of corruption into sanctification are not part of a
professing believer’s life practices, his faith is false by that same
degree. Within this corrupt attitude towards God’s Word is the <em>seed</em> for the potential of apostasy. Some of these <em>false ways</em>
may be sanctification issues. These things will keep a person from
being used of God or from having prayer answered. Other kinds of <em>false ways</em>
may be salvation issues and reveal that a person’s salvational faith is
false because the repentance foundation of that salvation in
corrupted. </span></div>
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<sup><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">16 </span></sup><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">These six <em>things</em> doth the LORD hate: yea, seven <em>are</em> an abomination unto him: <sup>17</sup> A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, <sup>18</sup> An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief, <sup>19</sup> A false witness <em>that</em> speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren (Proverbs 6:16-19).</span></div>
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<strong><em><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Worldliness</span></em></strong><strong><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"> is a perspective of life diabolically opposed to what God wants for us.</span></strong><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"> <em>Worldliness</em> is a basic <em>first level</em> manifestation of corrupted faith. Although <em>worldliness</em> involves practices, it is embodied in an <em>attitude</em> more than anything else. <em>Worldliness </em>focuses
our attention and consumes our time on ventures that provide no
lasting, eternal benefit other than fluffing our egos and puffing
ourselves up. <strong><em>Worldliness </em>wants to be entertained.</strong><em> </em>This attitude is a foundational characteristic of <em>worldliness</em>. When this attitude becomes dominant, it can potentially corrupt every choice in a person’s life. </span></div>
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<em><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Worldliness</span></em><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"> does not necessarily involve a person in issues of moral turpitude. In most cases, <em>worldliness</em> can be simply about appearances such as “a proud look” and wanting to be accepted by a culture that is <em>worldly</em>. <em>Worldliness</em>
can also involve immoral practices that have come to be acceptable by
most cultures and societies while being completely unacceptable to God,
such as “a lying tongue.” The worldly person is more concerned about
what his peers think about him than what God thinks about him. Such a
person will twist the truth to accomplish that goal. Although he may
talk about his concerns about God’s will, such talk is really
hypocrisy. He will walk as close to the world as his religious peers
allow, seeking to give himself at least a façade of acceptability with
God. This is false faith!</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">“<sup>15</sup> <strong>Love not the world</strong>, neither the things <em>that are</em> in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. <sup>16</sup> For all that <em>is</em>
in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the
pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. <sup>17</sup> And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever” (I John 2:15-17).</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"> <em>Worldliness</em> is being defined subjectively and narrowly within Evangelicalism and Fundamentalism in present day <em>Christianity</em>. This corrupted definition of <em>worldliness</em> creates a pseudo-Christianity. When John says, “Love not the world, neither the things <em>that are</em>
in the world,” what exactly does he mean? It is an important question
to answer because to “love the world” reveals that God’s love “is not
in” that person. There is <em>godly love</em> and <em>worldly love</em>.
Worldly love is any emotion that is fed by the corruption of the “the
lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life” (I
John 2:16). </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">“The
world” that we are commanded not to love is a very broad and
encompassing term. The word “world” is translated from the Greek word <em><span style="color: black;">kosmos</span></em><span style="color: black;"> (kos’-mos). The context defines the meaning as all the <em>satanic influences</em> within the corruptions of religion, politics, and economics. These <em>influences</em>
have varied through the millennia while maintaining certain
consistencies within the variations. Religions have evolved and
thousands of false religions have developed over the millennia. Within
these false religions, there is a commonality in varying degrees of
paganism, syncretism, and idolatry. Understanding these three
influences helps us understand the term <em>worldly</em>. </span></span></div>
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<strong><span style="color: black; font-size: 14.0pt;">Paganism</span></strong><span style="color: black; font-size: 14.0pt;"> </span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 14.0pt;">Paganism
is the corruption of human sexuality in numerous ways and in varying
degrees. Modern day paganism has corrupted human sexuality in degrees
equal to the worst that has ever been known in the world through the
corruption of our children and the inculcation of a culture that is
practically given over to the pornographic. The word “fornication” in
the Bible is usually translated from the Greek word </span><em><span style="color: black; font-size: 14.0pt;">porneia</span></em><span style="color: black; font-size: 14.0pt;">
(por-ni'-ah), which includes harlotry, incest, adultery, and any other
corruption of human sexuality outside the marriage relationship. </span><span style="color: black; font-size: 14.0pt;"> </span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 14.0pt;">The
most severe inculcation of worldly influence is the constant barrage
and instruction that corrupts children into accepting these corruptions
of human sexuality at the earliest ages possible. These corruptions are
taking enormous strides in the last days prior to the second coming of
Christ and are characteristic of the end times. During the last days,
even the apostate churches of apostate Christianity will condone these
“fornication” corruptions (Revelation 2:21 and 9:21). </span></div>
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<strong><span style="color: black; font-size: 14.0pt;">Syncretism </span></strong></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 14.0pt;">Syncretism
is the merging, blending, and integrating of false beliefs about God
into religious practices. Syncretism is the corruption of Bible
doctrine by degree through integrating false notions about God and what
is acceptable and unacceptable to Him. Syncretism is the corruption of
the worship of God by introducing worldliness and commonality into the
worship. Any worldly or common practice defiles both the worshiper and
the worship. </span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 14.0pt;">Syncretism
begins with the corruption of the Gospel and what defines a biblical
faith response to the Gospel to be saved. The span of this corruption
has extended to degrees one would have thought impossible. Yet, the
span of corruption continues to expand daily. Syncretism results in
Ecumenicism and Pluralism. <em>Toleration</em> is the banner under which Syncretism thrives and growths like a field of weeds strangling truth with its very contact. </span></div>
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<strong><span style="color: black; font-size: 14.0pt;">Idolatry</span></strong><span style="color: black; font-size: 14.0pt;"> </span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 14.0pt;">Idolatry
is exalting anyone or anything above the one true God in worship or in
worship practices. Idolatry does not need the presence of a stone,
wood, or metal god to exist in the hearts of humans. Idolatry exists
when entertaining people or even catering to their fleshly desires
enters into deciding what will be included in worshiping God. Idolatry
is any form of corruption of the sanctity of worship. Idolatry steals
worship from God to put it upon man. Idolatry puts other things than
God at the focus of ministry. Idolatry accepts any form of worship and
thereby extricates God from worship because God’s presence is always in
the midst of holiness. This world and all that is in it is corrupted by
sin and cursed of God. Therefore, God accepts only that which is
purified of worldliness to be used in worshiping Him.</span></div>
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In the simplest terms, worldliness is anything that caters to the
carnal “flesh” of humanity. Idolatry feeds the carnal “flesh” in
worship practices. This is what draws people to these types of
religions and churches. False teachers learn quickly that they cannot
draw large crowds preaching about the holiness of God and the sinfulness
of sinners. They learn quickly to cater to human desires and to give
people what they want. They learn to make a <em>carnival</em> appear like a <em>church</em> substituting <em>cotton candy platitudes</em> and <em>puppy dog moments</em> for “thus sayeth the Lord.” They are doomed to constantly needing to invent new carnal ways to appeal to the carnal crowd. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">There
is no doubt that the majority of children of Israel were living in open
rebellion against the Words of God given them in the Mosaic Covenant by
which their forefathers had agreed to live. About four hundred years
before Jeremiah comes onto the scene, Samuel had prophesied God’s
warning to Saul about his wicked rebellion against God. God had
commanded king Saul to utterly destroy the Amalekites, descendants of
Esau. Saul, in rebellion against God, spared Amalekite king Agag.
Samuel confronts the lying hypocrisy of Saul with the words “<sup>13 </sup>…Saul said unto him, Blessed <em>be</em> thou of the LORD: I have performed the commandment of the LORD. <sup>14</sup> And Samuel said, What <em>meaneth</em>
then this bleating of the sheep in mine ears, and the lowing of the
oxen which I hear” (I Samuel 15-13-14)? Then, Samuel rebukes king Saul
with words that echo through the great halls of historic failures of
false faith:</span></div>
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<sup><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">22 </span></sup><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">And Samuel said, Hath the LORD <em>as great</em> delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey <em>is</em> better than sacrifice, <em>and</em> to hearken than the fat of rams. <sup>23</sup> For rebellion <em>is as</em> the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness <em>is as</em> iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast rejected the word of the LORD, he hath also rejected thee from <em>being</em> king (I Samuel 15:22-23).</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">The
great lesson of God’s many messages through the prophets to the rebels
of Israel teach us a simple truth. Since God has given humanity a free
will, when humans are in rebellion, there is no power in the world that
can force their wills into obedience. The only thing anyone can do to
keep the rebel from destroying everything right and good is to restrain
his rebellion. This eventually means some form of prison or early death
for the rebel. This is always the eventual destiny of the rebel –
CAPTIVITY! Hell is the ultimate captivity for false faith. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">One need only read Paul’s epistle to the Galatian churches to see how God is contrary to this whole nonsense of the so-called <em>Church Growth Movement</em>. It would be difficult to even imagine one of these <em>crowd gathering churches</em>
ever honestly dealing with any of the substance of the context of the
rebuke given in the epistle to the Galatians. In Galatians, God calls
rebellion “the works of the flesh” and describes its many forms.</span></div>
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<sup><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">19 </span></sup><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are <em>these</em>; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, <sup>20</sup> Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, <sup>21</sup> Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told <em>you</em> in time past, <strong>that they which do </strong>{<em>prasso; or habitually practice</em>}<strong> </strong><strong>such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God</strong> (Galatians 5:19-21).</span></div>
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<strong><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Carnality is rebellion against God!</span></strong><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"> The words “</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">the
works of the flesh are manifest” are intended to confront all that is
contrary to supernaturally produced spiritual life of the truly “born
again” believer. These few verses are simply saying, this is what
carnality looks like. Any one of these practices or attitudes reveal
that the carnal nature, the “flesh,” is in control. Look at these words
carefully, because your toleration or condoning of any one of these
manifestations of carnality is where your spirituality ends and your
false faith begins. </span></div>
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These are the things of which God was calling Israel to repent. We can
have very little comprehension of the long-suffering of God until we
read His warnings through the hundreds of years of recorded history
through His prophets calling Israel to repentance. Isaiah was given
God’s message to preach to Israel to repent and returned to Him (Isaiah
1:11-17) in about B.C. 760. Jeremiah was given God’s message to preach
to Israel to repent and returned to Him in about B.C. 629. Amos was
given God’s message in about B.C. 787 to preach to the ten tribes of the
Northern Kingdom to repent and returned to Him even earlier than
Isaiah. The Southern tribes of Judah and Benjamin had been a faithful
remnant in Israel for centuries. Faithful believers from other tribes
had relocated to the south to join with the tribes of Judah and Benjamin
along with the faithful priests. This left the ten Northern tribes
without any faithful priests while living under corrupted pagan Jewish
kings and priests totally given over unto idolatry and the horrible
practices that were part of this wickedness. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">“</span><sup><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">21 </span></sup><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">I hate, I despise your feast days, and I will not smell in your solemn assemblies. <sup>22</sup> Though ye offer me burnt offerings and your meat offerings, I will not accept <em>them</em>: neither will I regard the peace offerings of your fat beasts. <sup>23</sup> Take thou away from me the noise of thy songs; for I will not hear the melody of thy viols. <sup>24</sup> But let judgment run down as waters, and righteousness as a mighty stream. <sup>25</sup> Have ye offered unto me sacrifices and offerings in the wilderness forty years, O house of Israel? <sup>26</sup> But ye have borne the tabernacle of your Moloch and Chiun your images, the star of your god, which ye made to yourselves {<em>during
the wilderness wanderings under Moses, many of the children of Israel
secretly maintained a portable shrine/tabernacle for their pagan Moloch
the star or fire god</em>}. <sup>27</sup> Therefore will I cause you to go into captivity beyond Damascus, saith the LORD, whose name <em>is</em> The God of hosts” (</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Amos 5:21-24).</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"> <strong>James said almost the same thing as Isaiah regarding what defines “pure religion.” </strong>True Christianity, the pure practice of <em>the faith</em>,
must translate itself into a genuine compassion for people or it is
“dead” faith. “Dead” faith means artificial, lifeless faith. “Dead”
faith is the same as false faith. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">“<sup>26</sup> If any man among you seem to be religious {<em>the external appearance or exercise of the faith</em>}, and bridleth {<em>controls</em>} not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man’s religion {<em>his external exercise of the faith} is</em> vain {<em>empty, profitless, like idolatry</em>}. <sup>27</sup> Pure religion {<em>exercise of the faith} </em>and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction {<em>be concerned about the needs of orphans and widows in the church</em>}, <em>and</em> to keep himself unspotted from the world” (James 1:26-27). </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"> <strong>James is dealing with religious externalism as an manifestation of false, dead faith.</strong>
Externalism will never look at a drunkard or a drug addict with a
broken heart for his soul, but you can be sure that is the way God sees
him. Externalism and self-righteousness see through the eyes of
contempt, not compassion. Externalism will never see a lost child the
way God sees him. Externalism will never see that lost kid with
compassion for his soul. Externalism will never be willing to reach out
and touch his life with a consistent investment of love, time, and
effort to bring him to Christ and disciple him so as to help him escape
the prison of the degradation of the life patterns his parents have been
building into him. Externalism will never try to bring the
life-transforming message of the Gospel into his home to try to reach
his family. Because of that, his soul will slip through the cracks of <em>God’s hand in this world</em> (local churches) to fall limp, broken and wasted on the hopeless and helpless heap of sin soaked, Hell bound souls. </span></div>
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God speaks to this externalism and its results in Jeremiah 2:13. This
verse speaks clearly to this issue. It speaks specifically to the false
faith of religion without relationship. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">“For my people have committed two evils; they have forsaken me the fountain of living waters, <em>and</em> hewed them out cisterns, broken cisterns, that can hold no water” (Jeremiah 2:13).</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"> In this verse, God speaks of <em>two evils</em>
generated in the false faith within the lives of people who are more
concerned with duties for God than they are about relationship with
God. <strong>The first is that t</strong><strong>hey have the order backwards. </strong>When
they cultivate intimacy with God, the duties God expects will flow from
that fountain of intimacy like living waters. God is the “fountain of
living waters.” The only way for those “living waters” to flow through
our lives is when we are connected to the Godhead by a living, loving,
and holy relationship of intimacy to which the Bible refers as
“fellowship.” This is the <em>Spirit-filled</em> life.</span></div>
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Most Christians are like a rubber garden hose that lays out in the Sun
for days and days, but never gets connected to the water supply. As a
result, they end up all dried out and cracked, because they never get
connected to the source of supply of “living waters.” We forsake the
potential of those “living waters” flowing through our lives when we
forsake our relationship with God. The Spirit-filled life of
“fellowship” with God is the connecting link to the Christ-life flowing
through us. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"> <strong>The
second evil of false faith was that they created their own man-made
sources of fulfillment to sustain them spiritually (whatever form this
takes, it is idolatry).</strong> These were man-made sources for
personal fulfillment or happiness. This is what God calls “broken
cisterns, that can hold no water.” In other words, these man-made
inventions will never be able to accomplish what people create them to
do. They are superficial and self-deceiving. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"> <strong>This
is to what God is referring in Jeremiah 7:4 and 8 when He says, “ye
trust in lying words.” He is talking about this self-deception of false
faith.</strong> We are lying to ourselves when we have religion, the
practice of the faith, without relationship. Externalism is idolatry.
The works of externalism become the externalist’s god and idol. Jesus
quotes Isaiah 29:13 in Matthew 15:8 and applies it to the Pharisees.
How accurately this describes all <em>religion</em> (a word used to describe ministry) without relationship.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">“This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with <em>their</em> lips; but their heart is far from me” (Matthew 15:8).</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"> <strong>How can we escape this deadly deception that generates such a facade and sham of Christianity? </strong>The
only way to escape it is by being brutally honest with ourselves and to
God. We need to take three basic steps. Each step takes us away from
the world and closer to God. Each step involves the believer in
communicating with God and allowing God to communicate directly to that
yielded believer’s heart. This is the pathway out of externalistic
religion.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"> <strong>The first step towards intimacy with God begins with prayer. </strong>Our
prayer life must be willing to communicate with God about every
integral aspect of our lives. Be sure of this, you will never shock God
or surprise Him with what is going on in your life. He already knows
and is working to help you get victory. Getting that victory begins by
coming to Him and talking with Him about everything that is going on in
your life. If you do not learn to communicate with God about the
intimate details of your thought life, the details of your so-called <em>secret sin</em> life, and the details of your struggles with temptation, do not expect intimacy with Him.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"> <strong>The second step towards intimacy with God involves your devotional life.</strong>
We have devotions to cultivate being devoted to God. Being devoted to
God will not happen by accident. Cultivation of devotion to God comes
when we are driven by a genuine desire to know Him. The Bible expresses
that concept by the words <em>hungering and thirsting after righteousness</em>
(Matthew 5:6). God’s promise to those who “hunger and thirst after
righteousness” is that “they shall be filled.” Devotions are not about
just reading your Bible and praying every day. Devotions are about
being consumed with knowing God intimately, personally, and seeking the
intimacy of being able to look into His face.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"> </span><strong><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Lastly,
when these previous two things become a reality in your life, you will
naturally involve yourself in the “work of the ministry.” </span></strong><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">If
we have cultivated a love relationship with God, we will gain His
heart. His heart is burdened to reach the lost. His heart is burdened
for the recovery of sinners and their deliverance from the bondage of
sin in their lives. If we are not driven by a concern about the things
God is concerned about, our Christianity and our professed faith is
nothing more than dead religious externalism. Fruitful ministry will
naturally flow from a life through which God overflows (John 15:1-8).
When God finally gets a hold on your heart and you get a hold on His, <strong>He will overflow </strong>(“fruit of the Spirit”).</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">“<sup>37</sup> In the last day, that great <em>day</em> of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink. <sup>38</sup> He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water” (John 7:37-38).</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"> If <em>flowing rivers of living water</em>
is what you want to see in your life, you are going to have to
seriously evaluate your priorities. The flow of that “living water”
will begin when your heart and God’s heart are one. It will not be just
a trickle. It will be a flood. However, first be sure your faith is
real. If you are not “born again” of the Spirit of God, there is
nothing you can do to produce spiritual life from your spiritually dead
carcass. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">One
cannot even imagine the many facets of worldliness. Most pastors
recognize worldliness as easily as one might see a painted red face in
the midst of a crowd. Worldliness is apparent in one’s mannerisms.
Worldliness is apparent in conversations, occupations, and even one’s
recreation. Worldliness is apparent in the way we dress and even in our
countenance. Worldliness is apparent by what we love and what we do
not love. Worldliness is apparent by what we do and what we do not do.
In most cases, there is very little difference between professing
Christians and the lost in all of these things. A Christian cannot love
the world and love God at the same time. Yet many worldly Christians
have deceived themselves about their worldliness and about their love of
God.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Over
the years, it has been my responsibility to speak to many parents about
the warning signs of worldliness apparent in the lives of their
children. In many cases, parents took offense when approached about
apparent signs of worldliness in their children. In almost every case,
when warnings went unheeded, those children later abandoned church
attendance, went off into the world, married unbelievers, and evidenced a
reality completely foreign to that of a “born again” individual. What
are some of the signs of worldliness in the lives of the children of
believing parents? </span></div>
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<strong><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">1.</span></strong><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"> They constantly bicker with their siblings. </span></div>
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<strong><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">2.</span></strong><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"> They come to church, but do not listen or hear what is being said. </span></div>
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<strong><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">3.</span></strong><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">
They have no burden for holiness in their own lives and they have no
burden for the lost with which they come in contact. They have no real
ministry in life that is motivated by their love for God. </span></div>
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<strong><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">4.</span></strong><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">
They love what the world loves and have secret, hidden lives known only
by them. Their friends know nothing of their professed Christianity.
They do not want their friends to know because they are ashamed of
Christ. </span></div>
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<strong><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">5.</span></strong><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">
They have no real interest in spiritual things, in building a
relationship with Christ, and no thoughts of ministering to anyone.
They have no fear of God (Romans 3:18). </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">As
a pastor, the lack of parental concern about worldliness in children
troubles me greatly. Worldly children grow to be worldly adults.
Sadly, many Christian homes are fertile greenhouses seemingly intent
upon nurturing worldliness. Our local churches and godly homes must
focus attention upon the abrogation of worldliness. Pagan and
materialistic cultures cultivate worldliness. We are bombarded with
worldliness at every turn in life. Our Hedonistic cultures teach
worldliness through <span style="color: black;">frequent repetitions and
admonitions. The answer is not isolation, but education. We must warn
of the subtle influences of worldliness. We must teach that the only
solution to worldliness is complete repentance that then seeks to live
in fellowship with Jesus.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="color: black;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 14.0pt;">It
is important that we understand that worldliness must be replaced with
the kind of spirituality that expresses itself through ministry.
Worldliness expresses itself through carnality and selfishness.
Spirituality always expresses itself through compassion, self-sacrifice,
and ministering the truths of the Word of God to others. Replacing
worldliness with spirituality is difficult in that spirituality can come
forth in an artificial form of worldliness known as <em>self-righteousness</em>.
This expresses itself through contempt towards those that do not
measure up. All these artificial means for self-fulfillment must be
replaced with genuine, compassionate ministry. This is known as the <em>Replacement Phenomena</em>. </span></div>
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<sup><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">17</span></sup><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"> This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, <u>that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind</u> {<em>empty of knowing God and His will</em>}, <sup>18</sup> Having the understanding darkened, <strong>being alienated from the life of God</strong> through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart: <sup>19</sup> Who being past feeling {<em>corrupted conscience</em>} have given themselves over unto lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness. <sup>20</sup> But ye have not so learned Christ; <sup>21</sup> If so be that ye have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus: <sup>22</sup> <strong>That ye put off</strong> concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; <sup>23</sup> And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; <sup>24</sup> <strong>And that ye put on</strong> the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness. <sup>25</sup> Wherefore <strong>putting away</strong> <strong>lying</strong>, speak every man truth with his neighbour: for we are members one of another. <sup>26</sup> Be ye <strong>angry</strong>, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath: <sup>27</sup> Neither give place to the devil. <sup>28</sup> Let him that stole <strong>steal</strong> no more: but rather let him labour, working with <em>his</em> hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth. <sup>29</sup> Let no <strong>corrupt communication</strong> proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers. <sup>30</sup> And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption. <sup>31</sup> Let all <strong>bitterness</strong>, and <strong>wrath</strong>, and <strong>anger</strong>, and <strong>clamour</strong>, and <strong>evil speaking</strong>, be put away from you, with all <strong>malice</strong>: <sup>32</sup>
And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another,
even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you (Ephesians 4:17-32).
</span></div>
</div>
</div>
<br />
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<i>Dr. Lance Ketchum serves the Lord as a Church Planter, Evangelist/Revivalist. </i><br />
<i>He has served the Lord for over 40 years.</i>Lancehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04407932936189262291noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6157091893357738408.post-20135587278787622082017-04-24T07:55:00.002-07:002017-04-24T07:55:31.544-07:00I.False Faith and Self-Deception<br />
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<span style="color: #660066;"><strong><span style="font-size: 16pt;">I.False Faith and Self-Deception</span></strong></span><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify;">
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In the time of the early prophecies of Jeremiah, the nation of Israel
is in its first years of recovery from the consequences of King Manasseh
and then his son Amon. These two kings were wicked idolaters following
the apostasy of king Solomon before he repented. Many of the children
of Israel were living in the pornographic, licentious culture of
paganism during the week while still maintaining a farcical involvement
with the Temple. Their worship of Jehovah was pure hypocrisy. Their
faith in God was corrupted with the merging and blending of paganism at
almost every level. They were offering sacrifices to Jehovah while
sacrificing their children to the pagan god Moloch. Every <em>high place</em> or <em>grove of trees</em> was a <em>worship center</em> and gathering place for the pornographic practices of pagan worship. <br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify;">
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Jeremiah begins to prophesy about sixty years after Isaiah’s death.
Jeremiah is contemporary with Zephaniah and Habakkuk in his early years,
thereby joining them in calling Israel to repent while warning of the
pending judgment of God in the Babylonian captivity. Jeremiah would
live long enough to be a contemporary of Daniel in the captivity of
which Jeremiah forewarns. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"> King Josiah, the <em>boy king</em> who began to reign at eight years of age under the tutelage of his godly mother </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Jedidah
(II Kings 22:1), was in his thirteenth year (Jeremiah 1:2) as king when
Jeremiah comes on the scene of biblical history. (PIC) <strong>Josiah declared war on paganism and idolatry.</strong>
He had the pagan idols crushed to dust and scattered the cursed dust
upon the graves of those who worshiped the pagan idols. Yet most of the
children of Israel continued their pagan practices in secret while
dualistically and publicly practicing the duplicity of Jehovah worship. </span></div>
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The spiritual condition of Israel at the time of Jeremiah’s prophecies
was very similar to modern Christianity. The practice of “the faith”
defined by the Law and the prophets was almost completely corrupted and
liberalized. The Word of God was no longer being read with few people
having access to the Scriptures. In the eighteenth year of Josiah’s
reign, five years after Jeremiah begins to prophecy, Josiah has the
priests of Israel repairing and cleaning out the Temple, which had
fallen into disrepair due to neglect. During that <em>house cleaning</em>, they discovered the original Book of the Law (the <em>Pentateuch</em>) from Moses.</span></div>
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The High Priest Hilkiah had Shaphan the scribe read the Book of the
Law to king Josiah (II Kings 22:8-9). Upon hearing the Word of the
Lord, Josiah is brought under deep conviction of the failures of the
nation of Israel. Josiah rents his garment and repents in heartbroken
tears before God. The transition in Josiah’s faith is from the words of
his godly mother, in that she knew that paganism was sin, to the very
Words of God in the Scriptures. Josiah’s solution is to personally read
the discovered book of the Law to the children of Israel (II Kings
23:2). </span></div>
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Jeremiah chapter seven takes place in about B.C. 600, ten years after
king Josiah’s reign ends. Although Josiah waged war against the
integration of paganism and idolatry in with the worship of Jehovah, the
war was not won. Paganism and idolatry continued to be practiced in
secret and dark recesses of human depravity by most the children of
Israel (described in Ezekiel chapter eight). Although the false faith
and pagan debauchery practiced by most of the children of Israel could
be hidden from the priests and the prophets, it was not hidden from
God. Jeremiah continues to expose what God sees. This is ALWAYS the
ministry of the responsible faithful. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">“<sup>1</sup> The word that came to Jeremiah from the LORD, saying, <sup>2</sup> Stand in the gate of the LORD’S house, and proclaim there this word, and say, <strong>Hear the word of the LORD, all <em>ye of</em> Judah, that enter in at these gates to worship the LORD</strong>. <sup>3</sup> Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, Amend your ways and your doings, and I will cause you to dwell in this place. <sup>4</sup> Trust ye not in lying words, saying, The temple of the LORD, The temple of the LORD, The temple of the LORD, <em>are</em> these. <sup>5</sup> For if ye throughly amend your ways and your doings; if ye throughly execute judgment between a man and his neighbour; <sup>6</sup> <em>If</em>
ye oppress not the stranger, the fatherless, and the widow, and shed
not innocent blood in this place, neither walk after other gods to your
hurt: <sup>7</sup> Then will I cause you to dwell in this place, in the land that I gave to your fathers, for ever and ever. <sup>8</sup> Behold, ye trust in lying words, that cannot profit. <sup>9</sup>
Will ye steal, murder, and commit adultery, and swear falsely, and burn
incense unto Baal, and walk after other gods whom ye know not; <sup>10</sup>
And come and stand before me in this house, which is called by my name,
and say, We are delivered to do all these abominations? <sup>11</sup> Is this house, which is called by my name, become a den of robbers in your eyes? <strong>Behold, even I have seen <em>it</em></strong>, saith the LORD”<strong> </strong></span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">(Jeremiah 7:1-11).</span></div>
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God is visible only through the realities of His operations within His
creation. He blesses the faithful and chastises the unfaithful. Unless
we generate considerable effort to keep God and our relationship with
Him at the forefront of our minds, it will not be long before our
Christianity slips into dead externalism where <em>church</em> is what we do a few hours on Sundays and <em>neo-paganism</em> is what we do the rest of the week. The consistent warning of Scripture is: <em>Don’t take God and your faith in Him for granted</em>.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"> <strong>It is work to maintain a faithful relationship with God. </strong>The
work it takes to maintain a relationship increases proportionately to
the intimacy we want (or need) in that relationship. The difficulty is
that most of us want a level of intimacy while being unwilling to invest
the time necessary to generate that intimacy. This is also true of
husband/wife relationships and parent/children relationships.</span></div>
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However, it is the truest of our relationship with God. We need
intimacy with God, but usually are unwilling to invest the time
necessary to get to know Him or to know what He expects from us in that
relationship. Studying Scripture is often not a priority of the lives
of most believers. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"> There are two Greek words used for <em>knowledge</em> in the Bible. One is <em>gnosis</em> (gno’-sis<em>)</em> and the other <em>epignosis</em> (ep-ig’-no-sis). There is considerable difference between these two kinds of <em>knowledge</em>. For instance, g<em>nosis </em>knowledge of the piano can discern between good and poor piano playing. <em>Epignosis </em>knowledge
of the piano can produce good piano music from a piano. What is it
that makes the difference between these two kinds of <em>knowledge</em>
of the piano? The latter requires that a person spend hours and hours
and hours and hours with that piano learning to play it. This latter
person has cultivated an intimacy with the piano the hearer can only
appreciate, but not necessarily understand.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"> <strong>One
thing we should all know for sure, God wants intimacy with His children
and is doing everything He can to bring us to the place where we will
begin working on what we need to do to have that intimacy. True worship
of God naturally flows from intimacy with God.</strong></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"><strong> </strong>The
difficulty is that we deceive ourselves into thinking we have an
intimate relationship with God when we really do not. We think because
we go to <em>church</em> regularly and pray before our meals that all is well in <em>Godville</em>. We think because we give money to the <em>church</em> and read our Bibles that we are doing what we need to do to have intimacy with God.</span></div>
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This is the way many men think about their families. They think they
have a loving relationship with them because they work hard to provide a
home for them, clothing for them, and food to fill their bellies.
Certainly, this manifests a faithfulness to some degree to one’s
family. There certainly is some sacrifice on the father’s part and it
certainly is an exhibition of love. It can also just be an exhibition
of duty or responsibility. Duty and responsibility do not translate
into intimacy with his family. In fact, he can be doing all that is
mentioned and providing abundantly and still not have an intimate,
loving relationship with his wife or with his children. Yet, like most
men, they wonder why their family do not appreciate all that they do for
them. The reality is they presume on an intimacy that does not exist.
They fall into the trap of self-deception by thinking externally.
Mothers naturally cultivate intimacy with their children because they
naturally understand the difference. Fathers naturally presume on
intimacy and do not work at cultivating intimacy with people, even their
children. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"> <strong>We have a horrendous propensity for thinking externally and God hates it.</strong>
External thinking focuses on external obedience and intellectual
knowledge rather than upon the strengths and weaknesses of people.
External thinking people do not have intimate conversations with other
people seeking to know their desires and ambitions. External thinking
people are not involved in the lives of people in a way that cultivates
intimate relationships to create an environment for positive spiritual
influence. Getting to intimately know people and allowing them to
intimately know you creates a fertile ground for genuinely ministering
one to another in such a way as to impact lives for generations. The
“work of the ministry” is hard word.</span></div>
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<strong><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">What motivates us to do what we do is what determines if we are externalists or not. </span></strong><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"> Church-going,
Bible reading, prayer, soul winning, ministry are all just minor parts
of intimacy with God. This is not to say such things are unimportant.
We can be doing all these things in abundance, but without joy in the
doing because they are all being done out of a sense of duty in the
“flesh” apart from an intimacy with God. When our focus is upon the
doing and not upon for Whom we do it, we will miss the most significant
aspect of faith – working together in fellowship with God. There is a
dangerous and slippery slope in this of which we all are very
susceptible - religion without relationship.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"> <strong>Externalism comes in all kinds of forms and in many degrees.</strong>
The nation of Israel at the time of Jeremiah was guilty of almost every
form of externalism. Rules without relationship always degenerate into
externalism. Religion without relationship is equally as deadly. That
is what God is saying in Jeremiah 7:4. “Trust ye not in lying words,
saying, The temple of the LORD, The temple of the LORD, The temple of
the LORD, are these.” The people of Israel had deceived themselves into
thinking that everything in their lives was right with God if their
Temple practices were in order; <em>in other words, they were going to Church</em>. What a debilitating form of self-deception.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"> <strong>Religion without relationship tends to generate worship of <em>form</em> and <em>practice</em> that lacks in any real heart motivation for real ministry and any real concern for souls and lives. </strong> This
may be the reason why change is so resisted in these kinds of local
churches. People do not want to change the way they do things because
they have come to worship the <em>form </em>and <em>practice</em> of their religion. God need not even show up. The worship of <em>form</em> and <em>practice</em> degenerates any ministry into a <em>substitute</em> for (or is misinterpreted as) a real <em>relationship</em> with God. <em>Form</em> and <em>practice </em>become
little more than another kind of idolatry. This is what happened to
the Samaritans in Northern Israel in the intermingling of paganism with
the worship of Jehovah. <em>Form</em> and <em>practice </em>became
substitutes for God. This is a subtle but debilitating kind of
self-deception because there is an appearance of worship. However, when
worship is commingled with false doctrine and unacceptable worship
practices, the leaven of this corruption regardless of how insignificant
it appears to be, leavens the whole and it becomes nothing more than <em>religion</em>. </span></div>
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<span style="color: windowtext; font-size: 14.0pt;">“</span><sup><span style="color: windowtext; font-size: 14.0pt;">22 </span></sup><span style="color: windowtext; font-size: 14.0pt;">Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews. <sup>23</sup>
But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall
worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such
to worship him. <sup>24</sup> God <em>is</em> a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship <em>him</em> in spirit and in truth” (John 4:22-24).</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"> <strong><em>Forms</em> and <em>practices</em>
as substitutes for a genuine relationship with God do not demand
transparency in our own lives, genuine heartfelt concern for people, or a
desire for intimacy with God.</strong> Yet <em>form</em> and <em>practice</em> easily mislead us into thinking all is well in <em>Godville</em> when our <em>forms</em> and <em>practices</em> generate a stench that reaches to the throne of God.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"> <strong>One
hundred and thirty years before the inspired record of the admonition
given by Jeremiah, God spoke through the prophet Isaiah with words that
communicate God’s heart regarding the stench of religion without
relationship.</strong> It is a message that is as timely and true in
the “lukewarm” Laodicean period of Church history (Revelation 3:14-22)
as it was it the days of Isaiah and Jeremiah.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">“<sup>11</sup> To what purpose <em>is</em> the multitude of your sacrifices unto me {<em>referring to sacrifices unaccompanied with a right heart relationship and a desire for a righteous life</em>}? saith the LORD: I am full {<em>weary</em>}
of the burnt offerings of rams, and the fat of fed beasts; and I
delight not in the blood of bullocks, or of lambs, or of he goats. <sup>12</sup> When ye come to appear before me, who hath required this at your hand, to tread my courts {<em>the rejection is the result of doing the ritual without the accompanying heart relationship and desire to please God</em>}? <sup>13</sup> Bring no more <strong>vain </strong>{<em>desolating,
evil; rituals, prayer, the observance special holy days to show respect
and reverence for God were all evil in the sight of God without really
loving Him and desiring to live to His glory</em>}<strong> oblations</strong>; incense is an abomination unto me; the new moons and sabbaths, the calling of assemblies, I cannot away with; <strong><em>it is</em> iniquity</strong>, even the solemn meeting. <sup>14</sup> Your new moons and your appointed feasts <strong>my soul hateth</strong>: <strong>they are a trouble unto me; I am weary to bear <em>them</em></strong>. <sup>15</sup> And when ye spread forth your hands {<em>signifying
they had offered all the appropriate sacrifices and observed all the
holy days thereby seeing themselves in a right relationship with God</em>}, <strong>I will hide mine eyes</strong> from you: yea, when ye make many prayers, <strong>I will not hear</strong>: your hands are full of blood. <sup>16</sup> Wash you, make you clean; put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes; cease to do evil; <sup>17</sup>
Learn to do well; seek judgment, relieve the oppressed, judge the
fatherless, plead for the widow” (Isaiah 1:11-17; compare Amos 5:21-24).</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"> <strong>God’s solution to this fiasco of superficiality is simple. </strong>God’s solution takes two directions. First, in Isaiah 1:16, God directs His children to <em>clean up their lives</em>.
They were to separate themselves from the carnal, worldliness that
preoccupied their lives and consumed their time. They were integrating
paganism into their lives and culture so gradually that it was done
almost unnoticed. This is the way worldly <em>gradualism</em> works.
Worldliness is like quicksand. A person slowly sinks into it until he
is imprisoned by it. The children of Israel, professing believers, were
commanded to “cease” doing evil. Here is where rules without
relationship become a problem. Why were the lives of the children of
Israel consumed with selfish priorities and worldliness? Why do
Christians struggle with and argue about practices that are clearly
worldly? Their ignorance of the God of the Bible allows them to create a
god who allows their worldliness. They do not get Truth from God’s
Word. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"> <strong>This
results in them having religion without a personal, intimate
relationship with the God of Truth generating dead externalism in their
lives. This is not real faith. </strong>Therefore, they view God’s
commandments as intrusions upon their lives and restrictions upon the
things they find pleasure in. They think temporally. They live
temporally. Their religion is simply a means to <em>manipulate </em>God
into providing them with the things they need and want. They do not
approach God in worship in open transparency, seeking intimacy with
Him. The deeper they sink into worldliness, the more shallow and
artificial their faith becomes. Those of Jeremiah’s day knew this. The
prophets exposed it to them. They knew it was true, but they loved the
worldliness! The great tragedy is that this self-deception manifests a
false faith and a false hope in a false salvation. The Apostle John
warned Christians about the same thing in I John chapters two and three.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">“</span><sup><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">12 </span></sup><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">I write unto you, little children, because your sins are forgiven you for his name’s sake. <sup>13</sup> I write unto you, fathers, because ye have known him <em>that is</em>
from the beginning. I write unto you, young men, because ye have
overcome the wicked one. I write unto you, little children, because ye
have known the Father. <sup>14</sup> I have written unto you, fathers, because ye have known him <em>that is</em>
from the beginning. I have written unto you, young men, because ye are
strong, and the word of God abideth in you, and ye have overcome the
wicked one. <sup>15</sup> <strong>Love not the world, neither the things <em>that are</em> in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him</strong>. <sup>16</sup> For all that <em>is</em>
in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the
pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. <sup>17</sup> And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever” (I John 2:12-17).</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"> <strong>Secondly, God instructs His children to begin to do what was right (“learn to do well,” Isaiah 1:17). </strong>We
think that we will start ministering to people once we get a burden for
people. That will never happen and that is the reason ministry never
begins in many people’s lives. We get a burden for people when we begin
to get involved in their lives. Why does God want His children to
minister? God wants His children to minister because that is where
God’s heart is. God wants us to be concerned about people the way He
is. </span></div>
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<br />
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<i>Dr. Lance Ketchum serves the Lord as a Church Planter, Evangelist/Revivalist. </i><br />
<i>He has served the Lord for over 40 years.</i>Lancehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04407932936189262291noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6157091893357738408.post-46186351136833572782017-04-17T07:13:00.000-07:002017-04-17T07:13:00.487-07:00Two Great Eternal Victories<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-family: "Bodoni MT Black",serif;">Two Great Eternal Victories</span></span></span></h2>
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It seems apparent that Jesus was crucified on Wednesday (possibly
Thursday) and then resurrected on Sunday morning. The significance of
the importance of the days is merely the fact that they fulfill specific
prophecies regarding the timing between His death and resurrection.
Therefore, although the timing of things has biblical significance, the
greatest significance is the spiritual accomplishments of the death,
burial, resurrection, and glorification of Jesus. <br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; text-align: justify;">
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">Although
the Blood offering of Jesus at Calvary is essential to the body of the
doctrine of salvation, the resurrection and glorification of Jesus is
the crown upon the Head of that body. </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">The
significance and spiritual ramifications of these accomplished
realities pertain to the wondrous gift of salvation provided “by grace
through faith” to the repentant believing sinner. I Corinthians chapter
fifteen is the substance of the lengthiest explanation of the
resurrection of Jesus in the Bible. Here, Paul begins with a basic
explanation of the Gospel (I Corinthians 15:1-4) going into considerable
detail about the ramifications of what the death, burial, resurrection,
and glorification of Jesus provides to the believing sinner in the gift
of salvation going far beyond mere <em>eternal life</em>. Here Paul
explains a completely new and perhaps unfathomable new spiritual
existence extending into a radically different kind of <em>new body</em>. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">“<sup>51</sup> Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be <strong>changed</strong>, <sup>52</sup>
In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the
trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we
shall be <strong>changed</strong>. <sup>53</sup> For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal <em>must</em> put on immortality. <sup>54</sup>
So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this
mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the
saying that is written {<em>Isaiah 25:8</em>}, Death is swallowed up in victory. <sup>55</sup> O death, where <em>is</em> thy sting? O grave, where <em>is</em> thy victory? <sup>56</sup> The sting of death <em>is</em> sin; and the strength of sin <em>is</em> the law. <sup>57</sup> But thanks <em>be</em> to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. <sup>58</sup>
Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always
abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour
is not in vain in the Lord” (I Corinthians 15:51-58).</span></div>
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The fifty-eight verses of Scripture in I Corinthians chapter fifteen
fully define and describe the scope of the doctrine of redemption
through the Blood of Jesus Christ. All of this was already settled in
the mind of God before God ever spoke time and matter into existence.
The believer’s pathway to the surety of this new existence began before
the foundation of the world in God’s plan and promise of His own
incarnation to substitutionally die to pay His own penalty for the sin
nature of humanity introduced into Creation through Adam’s sin. God’s
plan for humanity was a new spiritual/physical eternal existence lived
in harmony and fellowship with Him.</span></div>
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<strong><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">THE STING OF DEATH IS SIN</span></strong></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">
Sin entered the Creation first through the fall of Satan due to pride.
After God created Adam, God gave to humanity, represented in Adam,
sovereignty over God’s Creation. This included sovereignty over the
angels, which are also created beings. God had decreed that the angels
were to be the servants of humanity. Satan rebelled against God’s
sovereign decree due to pride. The prophet Isaiah gives us the details
of the fall of Satan.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">“<sup>12 </sup>How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! <em>how</em> art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations! <sup>13</sup> For thou hast <strong>said in thine heart</strong>, <strong>I will</strong> ascend into heaven, <strong>I will</strong> exalt my throne above the stars of God: <strong>I will</strong> sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: <sup>14</sup> <strong>I will</strong> ascend above the heights of the clouds; <strong>I will</strong> be like the most High. <sup>15</sup> Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit” (Isaiah 14:12-15).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">Sin
entered Creation in the “I will” declaration of Satan’s heart already
fallen in the sin of pride. It was in the heart also where Adam
failed. Satan created a situation through the deception of Eve and
Adam’s love for Eve where Adam put his desires above God’s desires.
Adam put his will above God’s will. Satan’s <em>sting</em> of sin was the <em>sting</em> of pride and it brought God’s curse upon the whole of God’s creation. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">Sin,
any sin, is the infection of death. Death is more than mere physical
death. Death is eternal separation from God. The lost of this world do
not understand the depth to which sin has infected their souls. Sin
has spiritually ruined every person descending from Adam. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">“<sup>12 </sup><strong>Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed </strong>{<em>seminally</em>}<strong> upon all men, for that all have sinned</strong>: <sup>13</sup> (For until the law sin was in the world: but sin is not imputed when there is no law. <sup>14</sup>
Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them that had
not sinned after the similitude of Adam's transgression, who is the
figure of him that was to come. <sup>15</sup> But not as the offence, so also <em>is</em> the free gift. For if through the offence of one many be dead, much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace, <em>which is</em> by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many. <sup>16</sup> And not as <em>it was</em> by one that sinned, <em>so is</em> the gift: for the judgment <em>was</em> by one to condemnation, but the free gift <em>is</em> of many offences unto justification. <sup>17</sup>
For if by one man’s offence death reigned by one; much more they which
receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign
in life by one, Jesus Christ.) <sup>18</sup> <strong>Therefore</strong> as by the offence of one <em>judgment came</em> upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one <em>the free gift came</em> upon all men unto justification of life. <sup>19</sup> For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous. <sup>20</sup> Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound: <sup>21</sup>
That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through
righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord” (Romans
5:12-21)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">Herein lays the necessity of the statement of Jesus to Dr. Nicodemus – “ye <strong>must</strong>
be born again” (John 3:7). The fallen nature of all humanity is
infected with eternal death, which means eternal separation from God and
eternal life. That infection complete and cannot be healed. The
infection cannot be stopped. The corrupted sinner needs a new nature
that is available only through regeneration, or being spiritually “born
again.” The sinner needs to become a <em>new creation</em>. </span></div>
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<sup><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">“45</span></sup><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"> And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; <strong>the last Adam <em>was made</em> a quickening spirit</strong>. <sup>46</sup> Howbeit that <em>was</em> not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural; and afterward that which is spiritual. <sup>47</sup> The first man <em>is</em> of the earth, earthy: the second man <em>is</em> the Lord from heaven. <sup>48</sup> As <em>is</em> the earthy, such <em>are</em> they also that are earthy: and as <em>is</em> the heavenly, such <em>are</em> they also that are heavenly. <strong><sup>49</sup> And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly</strong>. <sup>50</sup>
Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the
kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption” (I
Corinthians 15:45-50). </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">The
phrase “last Adam” is unique to I Corinthians 15:45. The phrase “last
Adam” refers to the Person of Jesus as the “firstborn” of the <em>New Genesis</em>;
particularly to the humanity of Jesus. The point of the text is that
God planned for Jesus as “the Lamb slain from the foundation of the
world” (Revelation 13:8) before Adam ever fell into sin bringing God’s
curse upon His creation. The birth of Jesus is the crown of humanity.
In Jesus, humanity was eternally united with the Creator through the
Theanthropic union of the eternal Son of God and the humanity of Jesus
through the virgin birth. In uniting the Creator with the humanity of
Jesus, then Jesus became the “last Adam” with the Divine power of both
redemption and regeneration. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">This
is expanded upon in Romans 5:12-19 providing a juxtaposition of
generation between the first Adam and the “last Adam,” i.e. Jesus as the
<em>firstborn</em> of the regeneration (the <em>New Genesis</em>). This is the significance of the phrase “the last Adam <em>was made</em> a quickening {<em>life giving</em>}
spirit” (I Corinthians 15:45). The gift of life here is not just a new
life like the old life a sinner had before he was saved from Hell and
regenerated. This is a <em>new kind of life</em> like the <em>kind of life</em> that Jesus had on earth. Eventually this <em>new life</em> will be put into a <em>new body</em> just as Jesus was resurrected and glorified into a <em>new body</em>. A new <em>place</em> of existence will be created for this new <em>manner </em>of
existence “in Christ” and the Christ-life through the filling of the
Holy Spirit Who indwells the believer when the believer is “born again.”
</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">It
is critically important to understand that a new resurrected/glorified
body will only be given to those who have been saved from Hell and
received the gift of redemption from eternal prison of death that is
offered by faith in the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ
in the Gospel of Jesus Christ (Romans 5:6-21).</span></div>
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<strong><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">THE STRENGTH OF SIN IS THE LAW</span></strong></div>
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What does this phrase mean? The point is that God is perfectly holy
and righteous. The Law defines sin and pronounces all men guilty as
sinners. The Law of God is the righteousness of God shining upon our
lives revealing us for what we are in the sight of God. The wrath of
God’s eternal judgment on sin MUST be satisfied (propitiated). God
cannot be righteous if the penalty of the curse is not satisfied.
Therefore, the binding power of sin is the righteousness of God
manifested in the Law. The Law cannot redeem. In fact, it has no
desire to redeem. The Law demands adjudication of the penalties
prescribed by breaching its commands from God. There can be NO pardon
apart from propitiation. The Law merely reveals to the sinner that he
is ALREADY bound and imprisoned awaiting the day of God’s Great White
Throne judgment where he will be cast into eternal Hell. This cursed
world is nothing more than a prison cell for the lost until the Great
White Throne. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">“<sup>19 </sup>Now
we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are
under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may
become <strong>guilty before God</strong>. <sup>20</sup> Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law <em>is</em> the knowledge of sin” (Romans 3:19-20).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">“<sup>10 </sup>As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: <sup>11</sup> There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. <sup>12</sup> They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one. <sup>13</sup> Their throat <em>is</em> an open sepulchre; with their tongues they have used deceit; the poison of asps <em>is</em> under their lips: <sup>14</sup> Whose mouth <em>is</em> full of cursing and bitterness: <sup>15</sup> Their feet <em>are</em> swift to shed blood: <sup>16</sup> Destruction and misery <em>are</em> in their ways: <sup>17</sup> And the way of peace have they not known: <sup>18</sup> There is no fear of God before their eyes” (Romans 3:10-18).</span></div>
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No sinner can truly be grateful to God until he realizes just how lost
he really is. No sinner will ever truly worship God until he
understands the miracle of the grace of God that rescued his wretched,
depraved, and sin soaked soul from a deserved destiny of eternal
torment. Paul makes the exclamation of his understanding of his own
depravity in Romans chapter seven as he teaches on the <em>warfare of the believer</em>
for practical sanctification against his own carnal nature. This
spiritual war with our own carnal nature will not end until the day of
our resurrection/glorification.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">“<sup>24 </sup><strong>O wretched man that I am!</strong> who shall deliver me from the body of this death? <sup>25</sup>
I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I
myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin” (Romans
7:24-25).</span></div>
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<strong><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman Bold",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">THE GOSPEL = GOOD NEWS</span></strong></div>
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<strong><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman Bold",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">THE VICTORY IS ALREADY WON AND POSSESSED BY THE REDEEMED!</span></strong></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">
Complete victory over sin and over the binding power of condemnation
and death was once for all won upon the death and resurrection of
Jesus. This victory was such a surety that the victory march was held a
week earlier on what we commonly call Palm Sunday. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">“<sup>54</sup>
So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this
mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the
saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. <sup>55</sup> O death, where <em>is</em> thy sting? O grave, where <em>is</em> thy victory? <sup>56</sup> The sting of death <em>is</em> sin; and the strength of sin <em>is</em> the law. <sup>57</sup> But thanks <em>be</em> to God, <strong>which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ</strong>” (I Corinthians 15:51-57).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">The
Truth communicated to us in this simple text is so overwhelming and
comprehensive it almost unfathomable to the human mind. In Matthew
26:39, Jesus said, <span style="color: black;">“O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou <em>wilt</em>.”
Jesus was speaking of substitutionally drinking the poison of
humanity’s death and condemnation to satisfy (propitiate) the wrath of
God’s judgment upon sin. Jesus took our sin penalty in His body (I
Peter 2:24) that “</span>that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man” (Hebrews 2:9). What wondrous, marvelous grace!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">“<sup>10 </sup>By the which will we are sanctified {<em>perfect, passive, participle; refers to positional sanctification</em>} through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ <strong>once</strong> <em>for all</em>. <sup>11</sup> And every priest standeth daily ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins: <sup>12</sup> But this man, after he had offered <strong>one sacrifice</strong> for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God; <sup>13</sup> From henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his footstool. <sup>14</sup> For by <strong>one offering</strong> he hath perfected {<em>perfect, active, indicative</em>} for ever them that are sanctified {<em>of vs. 10</em>}. <sup>15</sup> <em>Whereof</em> the Holy Ghost also is a witness to us: for after that he had said before, <sup>16</sup> This <em>is</em>
the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the
Lord, I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I
write them; <sup>17</sup> And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more. <sup>18</sup> Now where <strong>remission of these</strong> <em>is, there is</em> <strong>no more offering</strong> for sin” (Hebrews 10:10-18).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">These
few verses of Scripture in Hebrews 10:10-18 are an explanation and
expansion upon the simple declaration of Christ in His last Words on the
Cross of Calvary; <span style="color: black;">“It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost.”</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">“<sup>18 </sup>For
Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that
he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened
by the Spirit: <sup>19</sup> By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison {<em>‘Abraham’s bosom’ or ‘paradise’</em>}; <sup>20</sup>
Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God
waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few,
that is, eight souls were saved by water. <sup>21</sup> The like figure whereunto <em>even</em> baptism {<em>with the Spirit into the New Genesis in the body of Christ</em>} doth also now save us (<strong>not the putting away of the filth of the flesh</strong>, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) <strong>by the resurrection of Jesus Christ </strong>{<em>Jesus is the ‘firstborn’ of the regeneration</em>}: <sup>22</sup>
Who is gone into heaven, and is on the right hand of God; angels and
authorities and powers being made subject unto him” (I Peter 3:18-22).</span></div>
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<strong><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">THE BELIEVER’S RESURRECTION AND GLORIFICATION ARE SURE!</span></strong></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"> Although God has not <em>unconditionally chosen</em> anyone to be saved, everyone that chooses to receive the God’s gift of salvation is <em>predestined</em> to be resurrected/glorified. The “blessed hope” is a <em>surety</em>- a sure thing! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">“<sup>29 </sup>For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate <em>to be</em> conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. <sup>30</sup>
Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he
called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also
glorified” (Romans 8:29-30).</span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 14.0pt;">“Foreknow” in Romans 8:29 is an <em>aorist, active indicative</em>. The word “predestinate” in both verses 29 and 30 is also in the <em>aorist, active indicative</em> as well as the words “called,” “justified,” and “glorified” in verse 30. <strong>What
this all means is that these events in believer’s lives refer to
something God incorporated into His eternal plan of redemption in
eternity past (before time; before the “foundation of the world”) that
are being fulfilled <em>in time</em> (<em>actually</em>) or will be fulfilled in the future (<em>actually</em>).</strong> George Bryson says:</span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 14.0pt;">“Paul
tells us what is destined to be true for those whom God foreknows.
Inevitably they will be called, justified, and glorified. Moreover they
will be called according to His purpose. What is His purpose for those
He foreknows? It is that ultimately and inevitably they will be
glorified. <strong>Justification represents the predestined work of God
in time while glorification represents the predestined work of God in
eternity.</strong> From a temporal perspective justification must come first. From an eternal perspective if a person is <em>justified</em> in time, that person is also <em>predestined to be glorified</em> when time meets eternity for the believer.<a data-cke-saved-href="#_ftn1" data-cke-saved-name="_ftnref1" href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=931265740727391506#_ftn1" name="_ftnref1" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn1;" title=""><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">[1]</span></a>” (Bolding added)</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">There is a <em>divine order</em>
to the unfolding nature of “the regeneration” as defined by Romans
chapter eight. The central idea of the chapter is the absolute surety
of God bringing the promise of “the regeneration” into a complete
fulfillment. Although the price of redemption has been fully paid and
accepted by God (God is propitiated), the full benefits of redemption
are not yet fully realized. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">
Part of the “revelation of Jesus Christ” in His glorified state is His
revelation as the last Adam and the restored Federal Head over the
fallen creation. This is the same “creation” referred to in Romans 8:19
that watches and waits for this historical event. Included in the
second coming, is the revelation of “the sons of God” who are “joint
heirs with Christ.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">“</span><sup><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">2</span></sup><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">
Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we
shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him;
for we shall see him as he is. <sup>3</sup> And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure” (I John 3:2-3). </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">“</span><a data-cke-saved-name="#29519" href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="#29519"><sup><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">1</span></sup></a><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"> If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. </span><img align="" alt="Anchor" class="cke_anchor" data-cke-real-element-type="anchor" data-cke-real-node-type="1" data-cke-realelement="%3Ca%20data-cke-saved-name%3D%22%2329520%22%20name%3D%22%2329520%22%3E%3C%2Fa%3E" src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAPABAP///wAAACH5BAEKAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAICRAEAOw==" title="Anchor" /><sup><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">2</span></sup><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"> Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. </span><img align="" alt="Anchor" class="cke_anchor" data-cke-real-element-type="anchor" data-cke-real-node-type="1" data-cke-realelement="%3Ca%20data-cke-saved-name%3D%22%2329521%22%20name%3D%22%2329521%22%3E%3C%2Fa%3E" src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAPABAP///wAAACH5BAEKAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAICRAEAOw==" title="Anchor" /><sup><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">3</span></sup><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"> For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. </span><img align="" alt="Anchor" class="cke_anchor" data-cke-real-element-type="anchor" data-cke-real-node-type="1" data-cke-realelement="%3Ca%20data-cke-saved-name%3D%22%2329522%22%20name%3D%22%2329522%22%3E%3C%2Fa%3E" src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAPABAP///wAAACH5BAEKAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAICRAEAOw==" title="Anchor" /><sup><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">4</span></sup><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"> When Christ, <em>who is</em> our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">” (Colossians 3:1-3).</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">
Paul’s further expansion on his argument for giving believer’s
motivation for looking beyond the “sufferings of this present time” is
found in Romans 8:20-21 in his personification of “the creation.” “</span><sup><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">20</span></sup><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"> For the <u>creature</u> was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected <em>the same</em> in hope, <sup>21</sup> Because the <u>creature</u>
itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the
glorious liberty of the children of God.” Literally it reads, “the
creation became subordinate (<em>hupotasso, </em>hoop-ot-as'-so) to uselessness (<em>mataiotes</em>,
mat-ah-yot'-ace).” After the fall, the creation became subservient to
depravity and could no longer bring glory to God, although not
voluntarily (“willingly”). God initiated this subjection intent upon a
higher and nobler outcome; i.e., “hope.” </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"></span><br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"> The word “hope” in Romans 8:24 is translated from the Greek word </span><em><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">elpis</span></em><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">
(el-pece') and refers to the confident anticipation or expectation of
something good or pleasant. The creation could then look forward in
confident expectation to the time God would deliver the “creation itself
. . . </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">from the bondage of
corruption into the glorious liberty [Thayer: “liberty of glory”] of the
children of God” (Rom. 8:21); referring to “the regeneration” or the
creation of the new Heaven/Earth. When the “children of God” by
regeneration are finally glorified, they will be fully and finally
liberated from the subservience to the depravity of the fallen creation
and once again be able to fully glorify God. This will not happen until
the “redemption of the body” (Romans 8:23;
resurrection/translation/glorification). Although this has not yet
taken place historically, the believer can be sure that it will. The
“redemption of the body” is what is <em>predestinated</em>. Because
Jesus has been resurrected/glorified, we can be sure of the same
happening to us in the reality of the miraculous unfolding of God’s
redemptive plan.</span></div>
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<div class="MsoFootnoteText">
<a data-cke-saved-href="#_ftnref1" data-cke-saved-name="_ftn1" href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=931265740727391506#_ftnref1" name="_ftn1" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn1;" title=""><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 10.0pt;">[1]</span></a> George Bryson; <strong><em>The Dark Side of Calvinism: The Calvinist Caste System</em></strong>; Calvary Chapel Publishing, 2004; Page 209</div>
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<i>He has served the Lord for over 40 years.</i>Lancehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04407932936189262291noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6157091893357738408.post-78819035231786110582017-04-03T05:09:00.002-07:002017-04-03T05:10:10.789-07:00Abiding in the Word and the Prayer of Faith<br />
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<b><span style="color: #000066;"><span style="font-size: 26px;"><span style="font-family: "bodoni mt black" , serif;">Abiding in the Word and the Prayer of Faith</span></span></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-size: 18px;">God’s
inspired Bible speaks often of the “just” living “by faith” (Habakkuk
2:4, Romans 1:17, Galatians 3:11, and Hebrews 10:38). The “just” refers
to those justified through faith. Justified means God gifted to these
individuals His righteous in the gift of salvation. The gift of
God-kind righteousness comes to the believer through the impartation of
the Divine Nature (II Peter 1:4) in the indwelling Holy Spirit of the
Godhead. </span><span style="font-size: 18px;"><br /></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 18px;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">
The redeemed are obligated to live the Christ-life in the same way they
received the indwelling Christ – “by faith.” In doing so, they <i>releas</i>e the Christ-life through their lives. This is what God’s Word calls the <i>spiritual </i>life (I Corinthians 2:15, 3:1; Galatians 6:1, and I Peter 2:5), “fellowship” with God, and the <i>filling of the Spirit</i> (Ephesians 5:18) producing the <i>fruit of the Spirit</i> (Galatians 5:22-25). </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 18px;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"> Salvation brings the believer into <i>union</i> with Christ (Theanthropic Union). Practical sanctification brings the believer into <i>unity</i>
with Christ (“unity of the Spirit,” Ephesians 4:1-3). Practical
sanctification begins with the trusting believer fully yielding his
body, heart, and mind to the indwelling Christ (Romans 6:11-13). This
is a supernaturally produced sanctification accomplish through a
cooperative partnership with the empowering and enabling indwelling
Christ. Jesus speaks of this <i>spiritual unity</i> with Him in John 15:1-8. In this text, Jesus uses the word “abide” to communicate the imperative of <i>spiritual unity</i> with Him. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 18px;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">“<sup>1 </sup>I {<i>Jesus</i>} am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman. <sup>2</sup> Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every <i>branch</i> that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit. <sup>3</sup> Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you. <sup>4</sup>
Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself,
except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. <sup>5</sup> I am the vine, ye <i>are</i> the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing. <sup>6</sup> If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast <i>them</i> into the fire, and they are burned. <sup>7</sup> <b>If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you,</b> <b>ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you</b>. <sup>8</sup> Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye <b><u>be</u></b> my disciples” (John 15:1-8).</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 18px;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">The
importance of what Jesus teaches in John 15:1-8 will probably never be
fully realized until after we are dead, glorified, and finally standing
before the Judgment Seat of Christ. Then we will see the outcome of all
those moments of selfish inconsideration when we lived for carnal
pleasures and worldly pursuits.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 18px;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "times" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 18px;"><span style="color: windowtext;">In John 15:4. Jesus said, “</span><span style="color: black;">Abide
in me, and I in you.” The word “abide” is an aorist, active,
imperative. In other words, the believer is COMMANDED to abide in
Christ and to insure Christ abides in the believer. The word “abide”
means <i>to stay</i> or <i>remain</i>. To not abide in Christ is a
serious act of sinful disobedience. The context demands we understand
the meaning is to do whatever is required to ensure that we live in
continuous <i>Spirit-filled fellowship</i> with Jesus Christ. The
believer’s will must be so fully surrendered to Christ that their two
wills seems as one. This reality should be the condition of the heart
before any person makes any request to God. Such a person wants
intimacy <i>with</i> God before He wants things <i>from</i> God.
This factor defines living faith. Anything less is simply a foolish
attempt to manipulate God into doing what we want Him to do. What depth
of ignorance and unbelief do such attempts manifest in the lives of
those trying to do such foolishness as trying to manipulate God?</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "times" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 18px;"><span style="color: black;"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "times" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 18px;"><span style="color: black;">John
15:7 connects this responsibility to the blessing of answered prayer.
“If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye
will, and it shall be done unto you.” Notice that in John 15:7, Jesus
defines that living in unbroken fellowship with Him necessitates that
His “words abide in” us. In other words, this is not some metaphysical
spiritual experience without definitive parameters. This is not the
acceptance of some <i>anything goes</i> syncretistic religious
expression. The necessity that Jesus’ “words abide in” us defines pure
Christianity; purely the Word of God. </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "times" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 18px;"><span style="color: black;"></span></span><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "times" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 18px;"><span style="color: black;">What
is the first question you ask yourself when you do not receive answers
to your prayers? Are you FULLY surrendered? Do you have any area of
known disobedience to God’s Word in your life? Have you sought the
counsel of someone you respect spiritually? Will you give this person
permission to speak to you frankly about these questions? What really
defines the prayer of faith? Is faith somehow disconnected from our
walk with the Lord? The redundant pattern of Scripture is that faith
has more to do with the way we live our lives than it is about anything
else. </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "times" , serif;"><span style="color: windowtext; font-size: 14pt;">“<sup>7 </sup>But the end of all things is at hand {<i>the Church Age is the “last days”</i>}: be ye <b>therefore</b> sober {<i>of
a sound mind meaning doctrinally sound; understanding the timetable of
the second coming keeps believers from fretting the events and affairs
of the world</i>}, and watch {<i>stay free from intoxicants</i>; <i>keep your mind clear and sober</i>} unto prayer.<sup> 8</sup> And above all things have fervent charity <b>among yourselves</b>: for charity shall cover the multitude of sins.<sup> 9</sup> Use hospitality one to another without grudging.<sup> 10</sup> As every man hath received the gift, <i>even so </i>minister the same one to another, <b>as good stewards of the manifold grace of God</b>.<sup> 11</sup> If any man speak, <i>let him speak </i>as the oracles of God; if any man minister, <i>let him do it </i>as
of the ability which God giveth: that God in all things may be
glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and dominion for ever
and ever. Amen” (I Peter 4:7-11). </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "times" , serif;"><span style="color: windowtext; font-size: 14pt;">In
I Peter 4:7-11 we see several words that describe the overflow of the
Spirit of God that manifest His indwelling power flowing through our
lives. There are seven ministry areas of the Christian life that are
intimately and intricately connected to having a right <b>working </b>relationship with the Lord.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "times" , serif;"><span style="color: windowtext; font-size: 14pt;"></span></span><br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "times" , serif;"><span style="color: windowtext; font-size: 14pt;">Understanding these words is critical to understanding how God releases His power through our lives in ministry to one another. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "times" , serif;"><b><span style="color: windowtext; font-size: 14pt;">1. Sobriety</span></b><span style="color: windowtext; font-size: 14pt;">: from the word <i>sophroneo </i>(so-fron-eh'-o), meaning <i>sound of mind</i> or <i>thinking</i>. Sound mindedness comes from <i>thinking things through </i>and taking into consideration all the Truths of God’s Word as they weigh upon any given subject or situation. <i>Sophroneo </i>was
a word that described a person who did not allow his mind to come under
the influence of alcohol. This is very much what Jesus means when He
says “</span><span style="color: black; font-size: 14pt;">my words abide in you” (John 15:7).</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "times" , serif;"><b><span style="color: windowtext; font-size: 14pt;">2. Watch unto prayer</span></b><span style="color: windowtext; font-size: 14pt;">: the word “watch” is from the word <i>nepho </i>(nay'-fo),
meaning to abstain from wine drinking and connecting sobriety (right
mindedness) with prayer (God-dependency) in power with God in all
matters of life. Contradistinctively, failure in <i>nepho </i>(abstaining
from wine drinking or any similar worldly practice) would disconnect
the believer from power with God. Worldly desires manifest a <i>weak mind </i>(the opposite of a <i>strong </i>or <i>sound mind</i>). </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "times" , serif;"><b><span style="color: windowtext; font-size: 14pt;">3. Fervent charity</span></b><span style="color: windowtext; font-size: 14pt;">:
literally, unceasing sacrificial love for other true believers. The
idea is the willingness to make extreme sacrifices for one another, to
help one another grow in grace, and to escape the <i>shackles </i>of
our own selfishness. The words “charity shall cover the multitude of
sins” in I Peter 4:8 is a quote from Proverbs 10:12. “Hatred stirreth up
strifes: but love covereth all sins.” The idea is that our love is not
constantly stirring up the <i>dunghill </i>of a fellow Christian’s past failures of which he has confessed and that have been forgiven. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "times" , serif;"><b><span style="color: windowtext; font-size: 14pt;">4. Use hospitality</span></b><span style="color: windowtext; font-size: 14pt;">: from the word <i>philoxenos </i>(fil-ox’-en-os), it simply means <i>being fond of guests</i>.
Christians ought to enjoy the company of other Christians and “use
hospitality” to encourage one another. Notice this comes with the
qualifier, “one to another without grudging” (grumbling or complaining
about having to do it). Remember, “God loveth a cheerful giver” (II
Corinthians 9:7). Hospitality costs both time and money. If love does
not cost us something, we have not loved. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "times" , serif;"><b><span style="color: windowtext; font-size: 14pt;">5. Minister “the gift</span></b><span style="color: windowtext; font-size: 14pt;">:” “gift” is from <i>charisma </i>and “minister” is from <i>diakoneo </i>(dee-ak-on-eh'-o).
In other words, God did not give us the supernatural gift of spiritual
enablement to consume upon ourselves. He has <i>gifted </i>us with
the intent we will use that “gift” and spread it as a resource to the
widest possible scale of our influence “as good stewards of the manifold
grace of God.” Notice, there is a <i>stewardship </i>involved.
Stewardship means we will be held accountable for this “manifold grace
of God.” This accountability defines the Dispensation (stewardship) of
Grace. Salvation is a gift of grace, but with it comes overwhelming
spiritual responsibilities for which we are accountable to God. He
expects “fruit.” </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "times" , serif;"><b><span style="color: windowtext; font-size: 14pt;">6. Speech</span></b><span style="color: windowtext; font-size: 14pt;">: “If any man speak, <i>let him speak </i>as
the oracles of God” (I Peter 4:11). The word “the” is not in the Greek
text in front of the word “oracles.” It should read, “Speak as oracles
of God.” The idea is like the “thus sayeth the LORD” proclamation of
the Old Testament prophets. The idea is that you are not communicating
some philosophical idea or some great thought from your own mind. There
is no option for debate or dissension. Truth is to come forth from the
mouth of the prophet of God, as if God is speaking Himself. Therefore,
when you are speaking forth the Word of God, you are to do so with the
authority of its Author. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "times" , serif;"><b><span style="color: windowtext; font-size: 14pt;">7. Ministry to the glory of God</span></b><span style="color: windowtext; font-size: 14pt;">: “If any man minister, <i>let him do it </i>as
of the ability which God giveth: that God in all things may be
glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and dominion for ever
and ever. Amen” (I Peter 4:11b). We often hear the word <i>charismatic </i>used to describe people who can <i>attract</i> large crowds. Often, these types of people are self-glorifying <i>empire builders</i>. They are like fly paper. The fly was just looking for a place to land to get something to eat and then he found himself <i>stuck</i>. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "times" , serif;"><span style="color: windowtext; font-size: 14pt;">When God uses the word <i>charisma</i>,
He uses it in the context of His supernatural enabling of a believer
for the “work of the ministry.” This gift of grace is never to be used
for some guy to build himself an empire of loyal followers. God’s gift
of grace should be used to make followers of Jesus Christ where all that
we do is intent upon bringing God glory - revealing Him in all His
wondrous attributes to a blind, cursed, and dying world of sinners.
Sometimes there is a narrow line between a man building himself a
kingdom or a man working to win souls and make disciples for the Kingdom
of God. That line is sometimes difficult to discern.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "times" , serif;"><span style="color: windowtext; font-size: 14pt;">In I Peter 4:7-9, God gives an admonition to believers within a local church <i>union </i>about living during the <i>last days</i>.
The Church Age Dispensation will end with the death of every lost soul
on the face of planet earth. Only the lost that enter into the
Tribulation and repent of sin, trust in the finished work of Christ for
their redemption during the seven-year Tribulation, will enter into the
Kingdom Age Dispensation alive. Every other person who has received <i>the mark of the Beast </i>will
be destroyed by the glory of the coming of Christ. With this view in
mind, the believer should carefully follow the admonitions of I Peter
4:7-9. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "times" , serif;"><span style="color: windowtext; font-size: 14pt;">Along
with what we are told in Revelation chapters four through nineteen and
numerous other prophecies, this is the world view of every Christian who
believes in the imminent (any moment) second coming of Jesus Christ.
This is the looming <i>dark cloud </i>of God’s promise of His
unleashed wrath in His judgment of the nations. This is the theological
foundation of the any moment pending reality to which the words: “<sup>7 </sup>But the end of all things is at hand: be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer.<sup> 8</sup> And above all things have fervent charity among yourselves: for charity shall cover the multitude of sins.<sup> 9</sup> Use hospitality one to another without grudging” (I Peter 4:7-9) are addressed. Perhaps if we truly understood this <i>any moment </i>pending reality, we might begin to take these words seriously.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "times" , serif;"> </span></div>
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<br />
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<i>Numerous studies and series are available free of charge for local churches at:
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<i>Dr. Lance Ketchum serves the Lord as a Church Planter, Evangelist/Revivalist. </i><br />
<i>He has served the Lord for over 40 years.</i>Lancehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04407932936189262291noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6157091893357738408.post-58994105987189590132017-03-27T08:50:00.001-07:002017-03-27T08:50:10.170-07:00One Bible – One Author<i> </i><br />
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="color: #000099;"><strong><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman Bold",serif;"></span></strong></span></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="color: #000066;"><strong><span><span style="font-family: "Bodoni MT Black",serif;">One Bible – One Author</span></span></strong></span></span></div>
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The lost world is floundering within the dark and stifling depths of
their own spiritual ignorance. There is a hopeless despair in
humanity’s lost estate of unbelief in the Bible. Most professing
Christians have never been properly discipled to know the doctrines that
come to us in the depth of understanding God’s inspired Words. Such
people are willfully content to live in the darkness of their ignorance
because within that darkness they never see their own failings or their
moral obligations to live to be light in the darkness. Without the
Bible, humanity would know nothing more of the God than what rationalism
and reason might provide. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">God, Who “commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to <em>give</em>
the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus
Christ” (II Corinthians 4:6). Willful ignorance of the Bible is gross
moral failure. A believer’s willful ignorance of the Bible extinguishes
the <em>light of Truth</em> that God gives to humanity. Jesus spoke to
this issue in Luke 11:29-36 in rebuke to the Jews who continued to want
miraculous proofs from God when God had already given them the
testimony of His Word. The intent of Scripture was to inwardly light
the believer with the intimate knowledge of God.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">“<sup>29 </sup>And when the people were gathered thick together, he began to say, This is an evil generation {<em>the evil was unbelief</em> <em>because they sought for additional sight miracles when they already had God’s written Word</em>}: they seek a sign; and there shall no sign be given it, <strong>but the sign of Jonas the prophet</strong> {<em>God sent a prophet to the Ninevites with the Word of God</em>}. <sup>30</sup> For as Jonas was a sign {<em>the idea is that the messenger and the Message of repentance and redemption was the miracle</em>} unto the Ninevites, so shall also the Son of man be to this generation. <sup>31</sup>
The queen of the south shall rise up in the judgment with the men of
this generation, and condemn them: for she came from the utmost parts of
the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and, behold, a greater than
Solomon <em>is</em> here {<em>refers to Jesus as the incarnate Word of God; John 1:1 and 14</em>}. <sup>32</sup>
The men of Nineve shall rise up in the judgment with this generation,
and shall condemn it: for they repented at the preaching of Jonas; and,
behold, a greater than Jonas <em>is</em> here {<em>refers to Jesus as the incarnate Word of God; John 1:1 and 14</em>}. <sup>33 </sup>No man, when he hath lighted a candle {<em>referring metaphorically to the Word of God</em>}, putteth <em>it</em> in a secret place, neither under a bushel, but on a candlestick {<em>God gave His Word to be read and studied so as to inwardly ‘light’ the believer</em>}, that they which come in may see the light. <sup>34</sup> The light of the body is the eye {<em>the eye brings spiritual understanding into the body through sight and reading God’s Word</em>}: therefore when thine eye is single {<em>having no worldly philosophical input</em>}, thy whole body also is full of light {<em>knowledge and understanding of God</em>}; but when <em>thine eye</em> is evil {<em>mostly worldly philosophical input</em>}, thy body also <em>is</em> full of darkness {<em>ignorance of God</em>}. <sup>35</sup> <strong>Take heed therefore that the light</strong> {<em>knowledge of God</em>} <strong>which is in thee be not darkness </strong>{<em>false doctrine</em>}. <sup>36</sup> If thy whole body therefore <em>be</em> full of light {<em>right doctrine</em>}, having no part dark {<em>false doctrine</em>}, the whole shall be full of light, as when the bright shining of a candle doth give thee light” (Luke 11:29-36).</span></div>
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The first obligation of every believer is to know the Word of God so
that he might know the God Who inspired the Word of God. It is this
intimate knowledge of God and His will for our lives that is the “light”
that comes into us through reading and studying God’s Word. There is a
basic knowledge of God’s existence ingrained within every human being
born into this world (“the true Light, which lighteth every man that
cometh into the world”;</span> <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">John
1:9). However, this ingrained knowledge of God’s existence is
basically ignorant of Who and What God is. This is why the innumerable
types of false worship practices in idolatry and paganism are so
rampant. These types of worship practices usually are satanic <em>traps</em> that imprison people to their own carnal propensities capitalizing on their fears. This is what <em>religion</em> always does. God hates <em>religion</em>. Even the Jews had corrupted the Law to the degree that they made a prison of oppression out its Truths. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">“<sup>31 </sup>Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye <strong>continue in my word</strong> {<em>the idea is to live what God’s Word teaches</em>}, <em>then</em> are ye my disciples indeed; <sup>32</sup> And <strong>ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free</strong>. <sup>33</sup> They answered him, We be Abraham’s seed, and were never in bondage to any man: how sayest thou, Ye shall be made free? <sup>34</sup> Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin. <sup>35</sup> And the servant abideth not in the house for ever: <em>but</em> the Son abideth ever. <sup>36</sup> If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed. <sup>37</sup> I know that ye are Abraham’s seed; but ye seek to kill me, <strong>because my word hath no place in you</strong>” (John 8:31-37).</span></div>
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We must understand that the words “because my word hath no place in
you” (John 8:37), were spoken to the those who professed faith in God’s
Word. They believed they practiced a strict interpretation of the Words
of God. However, their great failure was that they saw themselves <em>righteous in their own works</em>.
Therefore, they were self-righteous. No one, understanding a strict
interpretation of God’s Word, could ever conclude that he was somehow <em>righteous in his own works</em>. The first Beatitude is “Blessed are the poor in spirit”; meaning those that understand their own bankruptcy in <em>self-righteousness</em>.
God’s Truth is to be known and live, not tread upon by manipulation,
disregard, and disobedience. We do not reverence God if we do not
reverence His Word in a way that sees our lives through His eyes. </span></div>
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Humans are by nature lazy and judgmental people. We look upon the man
who has just come from the pig pen with manure on his boots to venture
into the city for supplies. His looks offend sophisticated senses
exceeded only by the smells coming from him. He is immediately judge as
being uneducated and uncouth. Few will see him as a hard-working
family man trying to support a family and raise his children to be hard
working, respectful citizens. Fewer yet will ever invest the time to
know his heart and to try to understand him as a fellow human being.
Such things take time. Humans are too busy with sports and
entertainment for such things as knowing and loving our neighbors. If
we are too busy to know and love those we see each day, how can we
invest the time needed to know and love the invisible God Who gives us
life? In most part, humans are shallow, superficial beings.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">When
quoting from a particular book of the Bible, we often find ourselves
saying, Moses said” . . ., or “Paul said” . . . Most people credit the
books of the Bible to human authors. Moses is said to have written the
Pentateuch; the first five books of the Bible. That certainly is true –
Moses did <em>write</em> them. However, Moses was not the <em>author</em> of those five books of the Bible. Moses was merely the <em>secretary</em>
that took God’s dictation of the very Words in the syntax that God gave
him. God authored these five books along with the all the other
sixty-one books of the Bible. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16px;">“<sup>12 </sup>Wherefore I will not be negligent to put you always in remembrance of these things, though ye know <em>them</em>, and <strong>be established in the present truth</strong>. <sup>13</sup> Yea, I think it meet, as long as I am in this tabernacle, to stir you up by putting <em>you</em> in remembrance; <sup>14</sup> Knowing that shortly I must put off <em>this</em> my tabernacle, even as our Lord Jesus Christ hath shewed me. <sup>15</sup> Moreover I will endeavour that ye may be able after my decease to have these things always in remembrance. <sup>16</sup> For we have not followed cunningly devised fables, when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, <strong>but were eyewitnesses of his majesty</strong>. <sup>17</sup>
For he received from God the Father honour and glory, when there came
such a voice to him from the excellent glory, This is my beloved Son, in
whom I am well pleased. <sup>18</sup> And this voice which came from heaven we heard, when we were with him in the holy mount. <sup>19</sup> We have <strong>also </strong>a
more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as
unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the
day star arise in your hearts: <sup>20</sup> <strong>Knowing this first,</strong> <strong>that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. <sup>21</sup> For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake <em>as they were</em> moved by </strong>{<em>the agency or means</em>}<strong> the Holy Ghost</strong> (II Peter 1:12-21). </span></div>
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We speak of the verbal, plenary inspiration of the Scriptures and at
the same time give credit of authorship to numerous men. When dealing
with this issue at my ordination, I was asked if God inspired the Bible
or did God inspire the men who wrote the Bible. My answer was yes to
both inquiries. God <em>breathed out</em> the Words of the Bible and
God chose certain men to record those Words exactly as He had breathed
them out. The word “moved” in II Peter 1:21 is what defines God
inspiring men to write down his Words. The word “moved” is translated
from the Greek word <em><span style="color: black;">phero</span></em><span style="color: black;"> (fer’-o), which means <em>to be compelled</em> or <em>driven,</em> like the wind drives the sailboat, “by the Holy Spirit” to speak the Word from Heaven.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"> L.S. Chafer in his Systematic Theology gives three <em>qualifying considerations</em> regarding the inspiration of Scripture. Each should be carefully considered.</span></div>
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<strong><span style="color: black; font-size: 14.0pt;">“</span></strong><strong><span style="color: black; font-size: 14.0pt;">1. Inspiration provides that the exact divine message be given</span></strong><span style="color: black; font-size: 14.0pt;">.
If it is God’s Truth which is reported, it is recorded exactly. If it
is Satan’s lie, it is presented as a lie, for inspiration does not
change a lie into truth. If it is history, it is true to the facts. If
it is prophecy, it indicates precisely what will come to pass.</span></div>
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<strong><span style="color: black; font-size: 14.0pt;">2.</span></strong><span style="color: black; font-size: 14.0pt;"> <strong>Inspiration aims at inspired writings and not at inspired men</strong>. The very infallible Scriptures themselves record the sins and failures of the human authors.</span></div>
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<strong><span style="color: black; font-size: 14.0pt;">3.</span></strong><span style="color: black; font-size: 14.0pt;">
Since we depend upon the Bible alone for the knowledge of the most
vital facts of our existence, there is every reason to contend for the
divine accuracy of God’s Word and to be grateful that it is
‘God-breathed’ and therefore not merely as fallible as its human
writers, but <strong>is as infallible as its divine Author</strong>.”<a data-cke-saved-href="#_ftn1" data-cke-saved-name="_ftnref1" href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=931265740727391506#_ftn1" name="_ftnref1" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn1;" title=""><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">[1]</span></a> (bolding added)</span></div>
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The weaknesses and pride of men would corrupt the Scriptures if they
were to choose what was to be recorded as God’s Word. Do we honestly
think David would have written of his many failures if he could have
chosen the record of his own history? The nature of sinful man is to
write history favorable to their own reputations. Most men would mask
their failings behind false piety emphasizing their accomplishments, not
their failures. Would Solomon have written the self-deprecating book
of Ecclesiastes if he could have chosen his own words to record his
numerous Hedonistic failures? In almost every other instance of human
history, the accuracy of that history was manipulated and aggrandized by
those that controlled the writing of it. This is not the case with
inspiration of Scripture as evidenced by the accurate and honest
historical records of Word of God. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">There
are many today, claiming to be fundamentalists, who get angry and
offended at the single Authorship view of Scripture, or what is often
described as the <em>dictation view</em> of inspiration. We do not know
how God accomplished the insurance of His choice of every Word placed
within His chosen syntax. We only know by faith that God did this
because of His statements in the Bible – Autopisticism.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">
The essence of the inerrancy and infallibility of the Bible rests
within the context of the verbal, plenary inspiration of the Bible
according to the singular authorship of God. <strong>Verbal and plenary
inspiration of the Bible is God’s choice of Words within the historical
context of the use of those Words within the syntax that communicates
the <em>exact</em> message that God wants communicated.</strong>
Preservation is God’s promise to preserve those exact Words and syntax
throughout the generations of humanity. Therefore, preservation of His
inspired Words and the syntax in which they are placed is promised only
in the original languages. Translations of the original inspired Words
of the Bible are not a <em>second level</em> or <em>second degree</em>
of God’s inspiration. Although it certainly is apparent that God was
involved in the historical event that brought together the large number
of incredible linguistic scholars that spent seven years translating the
original inspired languages into English through a method known as <em>Formal Equivalency</em>. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">
Another question that is often asked when dealing with the single
authorship of the Bible by God is, “How can you explain the many
different writing styles credited to certain men regarding the books
they wrote?” The point is, we cannot explain these different writing
styles. Simply because we cannot explain something does not mean that
such inability should explain away the Divine Authorship of the Bible.
These are the types of questions that seek to create incredibility and
casts doubts regarding the verbal, plenary inspiration of Scripture.
When these kinds of questions arise, we must simply return to an <em>autopistic</em> belief in II Timothy 3:16 –17; “<strong>All scripture</strong> <em>is</em> given by inspiration of God, and <em>is</em>
profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction
in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly
furnished unto all good works.” </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"> In 1978, the <em>International Council on Biblical Inerrancy</em>
met in Chicago, Illinois and formulated a statement that was entitled,
“Chicago Statement on Biblical Inerrancy.” It was signed by about
three-hundred noted Evangelical scholars. Although, the vast majority
of these men were Reformed in their theology, their statement is a solid
representation of the historical view of verbal, plenary inspiration.
It is as follows:</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-left: .2in; margin-right: .2in; margin-top: 0in; mso-outline-level: 3; text-align: justify;">
<strong><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">A Short Statement </span></strong></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-left: .2in; margin-right: .2in; margin-top: 0in; mso-outline-level: 3; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-left: .2in; margin-right: .2in; margin-top: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<strong><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">1.</span></strong><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">
God, who is Himself Truth and speaks truth only, has inspired Holy
Scripture in order thereby to reveal Himself to lost mankind through
Jesus Christ as Creator and Lord, Redeemer and Judge. Holy Scripture is
God’s witness to Himself.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-left: .2in; margin-right: .2in; margin-top: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<strong><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">2.</span></strong><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">
Holy Scripture, being God’s own Word, written by men prepared and
superintended by His Spirit, is of infallible divine authority in all
matters upon which it touches: it is to be believed, as God’s
instruction, in all that it affirms: obeyed, as God’s command, in all
that it requires; embraced, as God’s pledge, in all that it promises.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-left: .2in; margin-right: .2in; margin-top: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<strong><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">3.</span></strong><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">
The Holy Spirit, Scripture’s divine Author, both authenticates it to us
by His inward witness and opens our minds to understand its meaning.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-left: .2in; margin-right: .2in; margin-top: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<strong><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">4.</span></strong><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">
Being wholly and verbally God-given, Scripture is without error or
fault in all its teaching, no less in what it states about God’s acts in
creation, about the events of world history, and about its own literary
origins under God, than in its witness to God’s saving grace in
individual lives.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-left: .2in; margin-right: .2in; margin-top: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<strong><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">5.</span></strong><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">
The authority of Scripture is inescapably impaired if this total divine
inerrancy is in any way limited or disregarded, or made relative to a
view of truth contrary to the Bible’s own; and such lapses bring serious
loss to both the individual and the Church.<a data-cke-saved-href="#_ftn2" data-cke-saved-name="_ftnref2" href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=931265740727391506#_ftn2" name="_ftnref2" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn2;" title=""><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">[2]</span></a></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-left: .2in; margin-right: .2in; margin-top: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"></span></span><br /></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"></span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"></span></span><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">The
number five statement is particularly relevant to the subject of this
treatise. Certainly “[t]he authority of Scripture is inescapably
impaired” if the inspired texts of original inspired languages are not
preserved. If inspiration does not mean that God superintended over
human <em>secretaries</em>, the inerrancy and infallibility of Scripture
immediate comes under scrutiny for the viability of such claims. Such
is the case mitigated by the many professing Christians who deny both
the <em>dictation view</em> of inspiration or those who deny the verbal, plenary preservation of God’s original inspired Words. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">In that same meeting, the 1978 <em>International Council on Biblical Inerrancy </em>explained and defined the above five statements with twenty-nine <em>Articles of Affirmation and Denial</em>. At least three of these articles pertinent to the subject of this treatise are given below:</span></div>
</div>
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"></span><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .2in;">
<strong><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">Article VI.</span></strong></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .2in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">WE
AFFIRM that the whole of Scripture and all its parts, down to the very
words of the original, were given by divine inspiration.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .2in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">WE
DENY that the inspiration of Scripture can rightly be affirmed of the
whole without the parts, or of some parts but not the whole.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .2in;">
<strong><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">Article VII.</span></strong></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .2in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">WE
AFFIRM that inspiration was the work in which God by His Spirit,
through human writers, gave us His Word. The origin of Scripture is
divine. <u>The mode of divine inspiration remains largely a mystery to us</u>. (underlining added)</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .2in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">WE DENY that inspiration can be reduced to human insight, or to heightened states of consciousness of any kind.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .2in;">
<strong><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">Article VIII.</span></strong></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .2in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">WE
AFFIRM that God in His work of inspiration utilized the distinctive
personalities and literary styles of the writers whom He had chosen and
prepared.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .2in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">WE DENY that God, in causing these writers to use the very words that He chose, overrode their personalities.<a data-cke-saved-href="#_ftn1" data-cke-saved-name="_ftnref1" href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=931265740727391506#_ftn1" name="_ftnref1" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn1;" title=""><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">[1]</span></a></span></div>
<div style="mso-element: footnote-list;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 16px;"><span style="font-family: times new roman,times,serif;"> </span></span><span style="font-size: 18px;"><span style="font-family: times new roman,times,serif;">The issue before us is every<em> Word</em> inspiration and preservation of the <em><u>Words</u> of God</em>, not merely the <em><u>Word</u> of God</em>. For many using the terms, there is a subtle form of deception connected to the use of the phrase <em>inspiration and preservation of th</em>e <em>Word of God</em>. This deception is that the vast majority of people using this terminology do not believe in the preservation of the <em><u>Words</u> of God</em> in any Greek text, or even group of Greek texts. The phrase <em>inspiration and preservation of the</em> <em><u>Word</u> of God </em>is the terminology of Textual Reconstructionists who are unwilling to admit they do not believe we have the inspired <u>Words</u> of God preserved for us by God. They believe this preservation exists only in Heaven. The verbal plenary inspiration of the <u>Word</u> of God is a practically meaningless and <em>dead doctrine</em> if the verbal plenary preservation of the <u>Words</u>
of God is not true. There would be no practical reality to which a
believer might cling with surety if the verbal plenary inspired <u>Words</u> of God do not exist anywhere for us to read and study. </span></span><span style="font-size: 16px;"><span style="font-family: times new roman,times,serif;"></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16px;"><span style="font-family: times new roman,times,serif;"> </span></span></div>
<div style="mso-element: footnote-list;">
<div id="ftn1" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: #f6f6f6;">
<a data-cke-saved-href="#_ftnref1" data-cke-saved-name="_ftn1" href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=931265740727391506#_ftnref1" name="_ftn1" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn1;" title=""><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 10.0pt;">[1]</span></span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 10.0pt;"> Chafer, Lewis Sperry. <em><span style="color: black;">Essential Works</span></em><span style="color: black;"> of <em>Lewis Sperry Chafer</em> (1871-1952), president of Dallas Theological Seminary, </span></span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 10.0pt;">SwordSearcher\Modules\LSChafer.ss6book. Module file time: 7/4/2012 1:49:06 PM UTC, 7.02 The Bible: Inspired of God. </span></div>
</div>
<div id="ftn2" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText">
<a data-cke-saved-href="#_ftnref2" data-cke-saved-name="_ftn2" href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=931265740727391506#_ftnref2" name="_ftn2" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn2;" title=""><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 10.0pt;">[2]</span></span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"> </span><a data-cke-saved-href="http://library.dts.edu/Pages/TL/Special/ICBI.shtml" href="http://library.dts.edu/Pages/TL/Special/ICBI.shtml"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">http://library.dts.edu/Pages/TL/Special/ICBI.shtml</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">. link available to whole eight-page statement, <strong>THE CHICAGO STATEMENT ON BIBLICAL INERRANCY</strong></span></div>
</div>
<div id="ftn3" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText">
<a data-cke-saved-href="#_ftnref3" data-cke-saved-name="_ftn3" href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=931265740727391506#_ftnref3" name="_ftn3" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn3;" title=""><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 10.0pt;">[3]</span></span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"> Ibid</span></div>
</div>
</div>
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"> </span></div>
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<i>Numerous studies and series are available free of charge for local churches at:
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<i>Dr. Lance Ketchum serves the Lord as a Church Planter, Evangelist/Revivalist. </i><br />
<i>He has served the Lord for over 40 years.</i>Lancehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04407932936189262291noreply@blogger.com0