Read and Understand

“Therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is” (Eph. 5:17).

In a world where there is so much religious confusion, and where there are so many different ways people attempt to worship God, the Bible still demands that we, “understand what the will of the Lord is.”  What this implies is not only CAN we understand the will of God, but also that we MUST understand it.  And one who fails to do this is deemed “unwise.”

But how is this pursuit to understand accomplished? Paul tells us that “faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God” (Rom. 10:17).  You see it is through the message of the “once for all” recorded gospel (Jude 3), the all-sufficient word of God (2 Pet. 1:3), that one is able to come to an understanding of the will of God (2 Tim. 3:15).  If you seek, you will find (Matt. 7:7-8; cf. 2 Tim. 2:7; 1 Thess. 2:13).  And while it is true that the infallible word of God is to be preached and taught by sound Christians whose message is founded solely upon the Holy Scriptures (1 Tim. 4:16; 1 Pet. 4:11), it is also true that we “hear” the will of God through a careful reading of those Holy Scriptures.  In fact, Paul indicates that we are to READ and UNDERSTAND (2 Cor. 1:13; Eph. 3:4; cf. Acts 15:31; Col. 4:16; 1 Thess. 5:27).

It’s sad that there are those who “shut up the kingdom of heaven against men” (Matt. 23:13) by discouraging others from reading the Bible for themselves.  On the contrary, Paul stresses that one must carefully and faithfully study the word of God or one will not be able to come to a proper understanding of it (2 Tim. 2:15; cf. Acts 17:11).

Friends, please read and understand.

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Big Bang

Big Bang Proof Found?

Is it a coincidence that several movies are hitting theaters with religious themes (e.g., Son of God, God’s Not Dead, Noah, Irreplaceable) and the evolutionary propaganda machine is at full throttle? I think not.

Individuals who believe in God are suddenly finding several movies at local theaters that give them hope and do not castigate Christians as ignorant buffoons. So what is the response of those who have held the atheistic microphone for years? Stifle the momentum! Suddenly, we have “proof” for the Big Bang theory. In fact, some in the mainstream media are suggesting this latest proof demands it is no longer a theory. In other words: “Back in your closet Christians—don’t come out and share your beliefs with the world. There is no God—we are the result of a cosmic explosion.”

However, before you lose hope and give up the fight, you might be interested to know this is not the first time the evolutionary propaganda machine has announced such evidence—and it won’t be the last time. Not everyone is buying this latest announcement.

Creation Evolution Headlines has an excellent review in which they pointed out:

“What really happened is that a team with a sensitive detector dubbed BICEP2 in Antarctica found (they claim) some signals of B-mode polarization in the cosmic microwave background (CMB) – a very weak signal that leans on various models and the ability to identify noise to subtract out. They are interpreting swirls on a chart as evidence of gravitational waves (extremely weak and difficult to detect), which they infer were caused by inflation after the big bang, since producing those artifacts would have required very high energy according to theory. They believe they have ruled out foreground artifacts that might have distorted the signal, but that remains to be confirmed.”

Science reporters are going nuts with the announcement simultaneously (showing they are all in cahoots with embargoed news, like horses ready to charge out of the racing gates; this BICEP2 study has been going on for years). Space.com, in particular, is finding creative ways to capitalize on the “spectacular” announcement with advertisement-cluttered video clips, interviews, photo galleries and infographics, obviously prepared in advance for the big publication day.

The ironic thing is none of the big announcements touch on the major problems of the Big Bang. Where did the matter come from for the Big Bang? Who or what pulled the trigger? How does science explain the suspension of so many “laws” of science? Instead they seem to relish in the idea of espousing the Big Bang is no longer a theory—but rather a “fact.”

CEH continues:

“Deeper reading shows it might be appropriate to hold the horses.

First of all, the experiments are highly theory-laden. It’s a bit like reasoning, “Major premise: If space aliens visited Mars, they would have left faces. Minor premise: a face has been found on Mars. Conclusion: Space aliens visited Mars.” Only if cosmologists assume certain things about what inflation might do to the cosmic microwave background can they claim inflation caused what they think they see. This signal, for instance, would have had to be imprinted on spacetime almost half a billion years before the CMB became visible. Confirmation bias is a common problem in science and in everyday life (that’s why Karl Popper proposed falsification as a criterion for science.)

Second, the data are extremely tenuous. Gravitational waves are notoriously weak. Additional support may come from data now being crunched by the ESA’s Planck telescope’s team. But again, interpretations of the reduced data set after signals considered uninformative are tossed out are not free of theory bias. The team is claiming, nonetheless, that the signal is stronger than expected.

Third, even the “discoverers” of the ripples admit it is premature to conclude their favored interpretation (inflation) is correct.”

In other words, these researchers are seeing what they want to see. This is expected from individuals precommitted to ruling out the possibility of God. How many times has an announcement like this one seen a quiet retraction or “correction” months later that is never picked up by the mainstream media? I suspect this will be the case with this latest announcement as well. In fact, Answers in Genesis’ Dr. Danny Faulkner points out that this is the third time that cosmic inflation has been reported, and both times previously the reports were proven to be false, including a claim just last year.

Big news? Not exactly. Big speculation and presupposition would be a better title. At the end of the day Christians should have hope. The very existence of the universe continues to declare the handiwork of an all-powerful God.

Sources: “Has Cosmic Inflation Been Discovered?” Creation Evolution Headlines, Web, http://crev.info/2014/03/has-cosmic-inflation-been-discovered/, 17 March 2014.

Dr. Danny Faulkner, “Has Cosmic Inflation Been Proved?” Answers in Genesis, Web, http://www.answersingenesis.org/articles/2014/03/17/has-cosmic-inflation-been-proved, 17 March 2014.

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God Desires Fellowship

When we look at the religious world at large, many people are confused about religion and Christianity in general. Nevertheless, when we seek counsel from the inspired, revealed will of God, we actually see the desire of our Creator to have fellowship with the crown of His creation—this is the design of God for true religion.

Beginning with the first created man, God desired fellowship with him (Gen. 1:28-31; 2:9, 18). Everything God did for Adam was for having his best interest at heart. Thus, God and man were in perfect fellowship together. Yet, we see that wonderful fellowship broken in Genesis 3:8 with the entrance of sin. Since sin had broken this bond of fellowship, God cast humanity out of the Garden of Eden and away from the tree of life (Gen. 3:22-24). The presence of sin has affected the wonderful fellowship that once existed. Nevertheless, because of the grace of God and His desire to fellowship man, He made a way for man to have a limited amount of fellowship with Him—divinely prescribed worship, beginning with Genesis 4 and the sacrifice of Abel.

Later, we again see this design of God to fellowship His beloved with the construction of a tabernacle, and later, with the temple. As God was leading His children out of Egypt and towards the Promised Land, He gave instructions for the assembly of a tabernacle to Moses. The entire design and purpose of such was for the people of God to approach His presence in fellowship through priesthood and sacrifices: “Then a cloud covered the tent of the congregation, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle” (Exod. 40:34).

Just as we see God fellowshipping with Moses throughout the wilderness journey, we see God fellowshipping with Joshua, his successor: “…as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee: I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee…for the Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest” (Josh. 1:5, 9).

Hundreds of years later, we see God fulfilling His ultimate plan of redemption by coming down to earth in the form of a man (Phil. 2:5-7; John 1:14). Jesus came to become a sin offering for us, but through such, made it possible for man to have that wonderful fellowship with God: “…they shall call his name Immanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us” (Matt. 1:23). This is fellowship!

Before Jesus departed, He left us His desire for God to have fellowship with His creation:

Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also. And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know. (John 14:1-4)

Therefore, the way to have fellowship with God is through Jesus (John 14:6) and through our obedience to Him (Heb. 5:8-9).

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Christ and the Church

CHRIST’S RELATIONSHIP TO THE CHURCH

1. Christ built the Church:

Matthew 16:18, “And I also say unto thee, that thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it.” ASV

2. Christ purchased the Church

Acts 20:28, “Take heed unto yourselves, and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit hath made you bishops, to feed the church of the Lord which he purchased with his own blood.” ASV

3. Christ cleansed the Church

Ephesians 5:23, “For the husband is the head of the wife, and Christ also is the head of the church, (being) himself the savior of the body.” ASV

4. Christ washed the Church

Ephesians 5:26, “That he might sanctify it, having cleansed it by the washing of water with the word,”

5. Christ sanctified the Church

Ephesians 5:26, “That he might sanctify it, having cleansed it by the washing of water with the word,”

6. Christ glorified the Church

Ephesians 5:27, “That he might present the church to himself a glorious (church), not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.” ASV

7. Christ loves the Church

Ephesians 5:25, “Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself up for it;” ASV

8. Christ is head of the Church [There is no other head]

Colossians 1:18 – “And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence.”

9. Christ is head over [ALL THINGS TO THE CHURCH”]

Ephesians 1:22-23 – “and he put all things in subjection under his feet, and gave him to be head over all things to the church, 23 which is his body, the fullness of him that filleth all in all.” ASV

10. Christ is the foundation of the church

1 Corinthians 3:11, “For other foundation can no man lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.”

11. Christ adds the saved to the church

Acts 2:47, “praising God, and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to them day by day those that were saved.” ASV

12. Christ promised to saved the church

Ephesians 5:23, “For the husband is the head of the wife, and Christ also is the head of the church, (being) himself the savior of the body.” ASV

YOU SHOULD BELIEVE AND OBEY JESUS CHRIST TODAY!

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Rainbow Man

His name was Rollen Stewart. I didn’t know him personally but he was a ever present character in my home when I grew up in the late 70’s and early 80’s. Being reared in a conservative, religious family, we attended Bible class on Sunday mornings and Wednesday evenings and every worship service, without fail. I grew in my knowledge of the Bible and certain inspired truths were deeply seated within my heart at a very young age. I remember well that Sunday morning, as we stood to sing the “Invitation Song,” when I felt once again the turmoil deep within my soul that manifested itself in the form of a Ali/Frazier title fight taking place in my stomach. That morning I was baptized into Christ for the remission of my sins by our preacher, Jim Harbin.

It was about this same time that I really became aware of Mr. Stewart, better known by many as “Rainbow Man.” He would appear at seemingly ever sporting event that was televised wearing a rainbow colored Afro wig and wearing a shirt (or holding a sign) with the message “Believe in Jesus” or simply “John 3:16.” Well I certainly knew that verse, it was one of the first memory verses I ever learned in Sunday School. But this was my first real encounter with what I later learned to be the “faith only” doctrine.

As I grew older and began to question the validity of what I believed to be true (it happens to all of us eventually) I started to see the fallacies and inconsistencies in the denominational doctrines that permeated society. The “faith only” crowd didn’t really believe what they said and contradicted themselves frequently. For example, they would contend that all one had to do was believe that Jesus was the Son of God, but then they would say that it was necessary to repent of your sins. They would say that all you had to do was believe but then say you needed to say the “Sinner’s Prayer” (which isn’t even found in the Bible).

So I began to cement my faith in what the Bible actually said about salvation and the gift of God’s mercy and grace. And this is what I found:

True Faith. It is not merely a mental assent combined with a disposition to truth. It embraces obedience. Faith only, without works (works of righteousness, not merit), is dead (James 2:14–26).

Obedience To Christ Is What God Wants. To take a single, beautiful verse like John 3:16 out of context and distort it is blasphemy! When examined against the remote context of the Bible we can only come to the conclusion that those who refuse to do what Christ has commanded will be lost for eternity. Jesus said, “If you love me, keep my commandments” (John 14:15). The Hebrew writer said that Jesus was the, “…author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him” (5:8–9). And the inspired Paul said that those who do not obey the gospel of Jesus are subject to the wrath of God (1 Thessalonians 1:8).

Repentance Is Necessary. No one can deny that repentance was a main emphasis of apostolic teaching (Luke 24:47; Acts 5:31; 20:21; 26:20; 2 Corinthians 7:9; 2 Peter 3:9). In fact God “now commands all men everywhere to repent” (Acts 17:30). Could one honestly conclude that a soul could go to heaven while openly defying a direct command from God?

Confession Is Required. In His own words we find out that the only way to be confessed by Christ before the Judgment throne of the Father is to confess Him here on earth with our words and with our lives (Matthew 10:32–33). A thoughtful reflection on the gospel of Jesus concludes that confession is fundamental to our salvation. But notice that confession itself doesn’t save us. Romans 10:10 tells us that belief leads to righteousness (it is not righteousness to simply admit to the fact that Jesus is the Son) and that confession leads to salvation.

Baptism For The Remission of Sins Is Essential! Up to this point you get little argument from most but they then bristle at this thought and I honestly do not understand why. The Bible is clear! Baptism is “for the remission of sins (Acts 2:38), baptism puts you into Christ (Galatians 3:27), baptism is where we put off the old man and put on the new man as we submit to the likeness of His death, burial, and resurrection (Romans 6:3–6), baptism saves us (1 Peter 3:21). No honest appraisal of the Scriptures can lead to any other conclusion.

Rollen Stewart “The Rainbow Man” is currently serving three consecutive life sentences in prison. I hope and pray the he, and everyone else, will come to a true understanding of what God wants before it is too late. What about you? Have you been obedient to God? If you have not; why not today? Do it and then remember, be faithful!

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