|
1
on: August 20, 2018, 05:02:49 PM
|
|
Started by nChrist - Last post by nChrist
|
_______________________________________________
More Minutes With The Bible
From The Berean Bible Society
Free Email Subscription
For Questions Or Comments: berean@execpc.com
_______________________________________________
The Body's Bodily Resurrection
by Pastor Kevin Sadler
“But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept” (I Cor. 15:20).
To carry the news of the Battle of Waterloo to England, a ship signaled to a man on shore, who relayed the word to another on a hill, and so on across Britain. The first word, “Wellington,” was signaled. The next word was “defeated.” Then a fog closed in, and the message was interrupted. Across England, people wept over the message: “Wellington defeated.” Then the fog lifted. The communication continued with two additional words: “the enemy.” And Englishmen celebrated the victory.
There was great sorrow when the body of Jesus was carried from the cross to the tomb. The signal seemed to say, “Jesus Christ defeated.” But three days later the fog lifted and it was announced, “Jesus Christ defeated the enemy!” Through Christ we have complete victory over our enemies of sin, death, and Satan, and we have new life, a glorious hope, and the certainty of our own resurrection one day. But the subject of resurrection in God’s Word is one that needs to be rightly divided.
“But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ’s at His coming” (I Cor. 15:23).
In the fifteenth chapter of I Corinthians, Paul speaks of the resurrections, both prophetic and according to the revelation of the mystery. In verses 23-28, Paul outlines the prophetic “order” of resurrections, and he begins with Christ’s. As Paul spoke of the gospel of salvation in verses 1-4, he made it clear that Christ’s resurrection was prophesied: “He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures” (I Cor. 15:4 cf. Psa. 16:10). In verses 20 and 23, Paul refers to Christ’s resurrection as being the “firstfruits,” meaning that His resurrection is a foretaste of what is to come. Christ’s bodily resurrection guarantees the great harvest of bodily resurrections yet to come for both the kingdom saints and the Body of Christ.
Notice though how Paul says “they [not “we”] that are Christ’s at His Coming” (I Cor. 15:23), speaking of the resurrection of the prophetic saints after Christ’s second coming. These saints will be raised and ushered into the earthly, millennial reign of Christ. This is the “first resurrection,” and it includes all the saved from the prophetic program, or in other words, all the saved from the past, prior to this dispensation of grace, and all the future martyred Tribulation saints. As Revelation 20:6 states,
“Blessed and holy is 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.”
Following the thousand-year Kingdom, when Christ “must reign, till He hath put all enemies under His feet” (I Cor. 15:25), comes the time when “The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death” (I Cor. 15:26). After the Great White Throne, “death and hell” will be “cast into the lake of fire” (Rev. 20:14) and “there shall be no more death” (Rev. 21:4). The second resurrection, or “resurrection of damnation” (John 5:29), of all the unsaved of all ages will take place at this time, when they will be fitted with bodies to endure everlasting punishment.
After Paul gives this prophetic sequence of events regarding resurrection, in verse 51 he brings up a secret coming and a secret resurrection that wasn’t ever before revealed.
“Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed” (I Cor. 15:51,52).
The “first resurrection” and this secret resurrection are two different resurrections. The prophesied “first resurrection” will take place after Christ’s prophesied second coming. The secret resurrection will take place at Christ’s secret coming, the Rapture (I Thes. 4:13-18). This coming of Christ and its resurrection is part of the “revelation of the mystery” (Rom. 16:25), the message which had been hid in the mind of God and revealed first to the Apostle Paul (Eph. 3:1-9). All the previous resurrections, such as Christ’s resurrection, the first resurrection, and the resurrection of damnation were all revealed in the Old Testament (Isa. 53:10; Dan. 12:2), but not the resurrection of the Body of Christ.
Notice how the personal pronouns change from “they” to “we” here as Paul applies this coming of Christ and resurrection to the Church, the Body of Christ: “We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed” (I Cor. 15:51). The Rapture is the bodily resurrection day for the Body of Christ only, which is not referred to or revealed outside of Paul’s letters. The Rapture and its secret resurrection is part of the mystery program while the second coming and its first resurrection belong to the prophetic program.
“For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto His glorious body” (Phil. 3:20,21). |
|
|
2
on: August 20, 2018, 05:01:21 PM
|
|
Started by nChrist - Last post by nChrist
|
_______________________________________________
Two Minutes With The Bible
From The Berean Bible Society
Free Email Subscription
For Questions Or Comments: berean@execpc.com
_______________________________________________
The Christian's Prospect
by Pastor Cornelius R. Stam
Those of us who trust in Christ for salvation have a glorious prospect. For the present, while waiting to go to be with Him, “we have redemption, through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace” (Eph. 1:7). In infinite love God has made us to be “accepted in the Beloved” (Eph. 1:6) and has pronounced us “complete in Him” (Col. 2:10).
Our position is now a blessed and exalted one, for God has made us to “sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus” (Eph. 2:6) and has “blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ” (Eph. 1:3).
But this is only the beginning, for, referring to the Christian’s death, Phil. 1:23 tells us that “to depart, and to be with Christ… is far better”; far better, not only than earth’s sorrows and troubles, but far better even than earth’s dearest treasures and joys.
But even this is not all, for the time will come when, the Church, “the Body of Christ,” having been completed, the Lord will come to receive all of its members, living and dead, to Himself. Referring to the resurrection of the deceased believer’s body, I Cor. 15 declares that “it is raised in incorruptibility” (Ver. 42), “it is raised in glory” (Ver. 43), “it is raised in power” (Ver. 43), “it is raised a spiritual body” (Ver. 44), for “as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly” (Ver. 49). And as to those believers who will be alive at His coming, he says: “We shall all be changed” (Ver. 51).
“For… we look for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall change our vile body that it may be fashioned like unto His glorious body according to the working whereby He is able even to subdue all things unto Himself” (Phil. 3:20,21). |
|
|
3
on: August 20, 2018, 04:58:44 PM
|
|
Started by nChrist - Last post by nChrist
|
________________________________
The Patriot Post Digest 8-20-2018
From The Federalist Patriot
Free Email Subscription
_______________________________
Some leftists advocate no more citizens of sovereign nations, shouting, “No borders, no wall, no USA at all.” To eradicate borders is to abandon the need for citizenship. To abandon citizenship means that the government rules over wards (or subjects) of the state.
While the true purpose of diversity is to ensure that talent, skill, human ingenuity, opinion, and experience should add value to an organization or group, Democrats carry the banner of diversity to appear morally superior while using it to bludgeon both majority whites and America as a whole. Though he made a lame attempt to walk back his comments, that’s what Democrat New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo meant when he said29 American “was never that great.”
The diversity club has been used against Trump, too.
In recent months, the open-borders crowd has become “woke” to a policy that was used by George W. Bush and strengthened in Barack Obama’s last term due to human trafficking — the separation of children30 from their law-breaking parent/adult/trafficker. As with other adults who break the law in every other aspect of law enforcement, children are removed to safety until legal proceedings provide a remedy. Trump’s zero-tolerance approach to this policy’s enforcement was due to the massive influx of illegal immigrants seeking safe harbor in sanctuary cities, coupled with the true obstinance of both Democrats and some Republicans to allocate funding for a wall and enforcement of America’s southern border.
Additionally, there was Trump’s travel ban. Trump took the list of nations associated with terrorism itemized during Obama’s tenure and paused travel into the U.S. from these nations until adequate vetting and documentation could occur. But that wasn’t “diverse” enough.
In his April lecture31 to the Hillsdale College National Leadership Seminar, California State University professor Edward Erler asserted, “If [the travel ban had been] signed by any president other than Trump, there would therefore be no constitutional objections.” That’s not based on any material changes of the proposal, but because of the assumed racist intent assigned to Donald Trump by the biased media and rabid Left.
Following the arguments presented by Democrats, Americans must accept all who come to the United States for the supreme attainment of diversity as a defining moral trait that supersedes the value of citizenship or national security. Instead of the greatness of America and any exceptionalism, as Dr. Erler posited, the political Left wants universal persons to live in a homogenous world-state with global interests prevailing. It’s ironic that, using the ideal of diversity, America would be embracing sameness in a borderless society absent the foundations of freedom, right?
In November 2016, Americans supported the candidate who loudly rejected the Left’s attempt to define our American culture as some universal slog of sameness with no exceptionalism based on some manufactured morality of diversity as constructed by Democrats. A constitutional government serves those with a shared desire for independence, self-reliance, and rights that exist not from the State but from one’s being a responsible, decent part of humanity. A constitutional form of government empowers its citizenry that is naturally diverse in its geographic divisions and cultural mix.
America needs and must welcome immigrants. Our nation is great with its diverse culture that varies “from sea to shining sea.” Yet the idea that a constitutional government can truly exist without assimilation to a shared culture is not just foolhardy but impossible.
Those highly functioning teams that lead in health care, sports, the military, business, and every area of life possess individuals of various talents, skills, ethnicity, gender, and socioeconomic status. Yet without a shared commitment to the stated mission of each team, they fail. Diversity is good when valued as part of a culture devoted to common goals. Diversity for the sake of itself and the advancement of politically correct indoctrination is the uniform destruction of America.
https://patriotpost.us/articles/57747-diversity-uniformity-of-destruction-for-america
MORE ANALYSIS FROM THE PATRIOT POST
Reality Winner Reveals Deep-State Rot32 — There is no greater threat to national security than an NSA run by unelected, wholly unaccountable zealots.
ISIS Fighter Exploited Obama’s Lax Refugee Policies33 — An Iraqi terrorist was caught years after entering the U.S. as a refugee in 2014.
Video: Should We Ban Plastic Straws?34 — Will Witt went to Santa Barbara to ask people what they thought of the new law banning plastic straws.
Humor Video: People Are Outraged!35 — Reason’s Remy is OUTRAGED over outrageous outrage. Quite the parody of the media.
Humor Video: A Faux Interview With Omarosa36 — Allie Beth Stuckey says, “My interview with Omarosa was truly unbelievable.”
OPINION IN BRIEF
Gary Bauer37: “After his remark [last] week questioning America’s greatness, New York GOP officials bought Gov. Andrew Cuomo a one-way bus ticket to Canada. Not a bad investment for $55. I love the impulse. Hopefully, Donald Trump’s fighting spirit is beginning to catch on with the rest of the party. But why Canada? Why not send Cuomo to some place where he could gain a better appreciation for how great America truly is? How about Cuba, where socialism often leads to shortages … of toilet paper among other things. Or perhaps Venezuela, where the ‘Maduro Diet’ — that would be starvation as a result of socialism — is helping to fight the obesity epidemic in the West. Since he’s so concerned about helping women achieve their ‘full potential,’ maybe we should send Mr. Cuomo to Iran — where women are persecuted for refusing to wear the veil. But I have a better idea. Being an eternal optimist, I think Mr. Cuomo might still be redeemable. (Unlike Hillary and the rest of the intolerant Left, I don’t want to write off half the country.) I suggest we sponsor a guided tour of Arlington National Cemetery. There Mr. Cuomo can see many, many names of men and women who had no doubt about America’s greatness when they laid down their lives for our country.”
SHORT CUTS
The Gipper: “This is the issue of this election: Whether we believe in our capacity for self-government or whether we abandon the American Revolution and confess that a little intellectual elite in a far-distant capital can plan our lives for us better than we can plan them ourselves.”
For the record: “John [Brennan] is sort of like a freight train and he’s gonna say what’s on his mind. John and his rhetoric have become an issue in and of itself.” —former Director of National Intelligence James Clapper
Backpedaling: “The expression29 I used the other day was inartful, so I want to be very clear. Of course America is great and of course America has always been great. No one questions that. As you know, my family is evidence of American greatness. My grandparents came to this country as poor immigrants and their son became governor and his son became governor. That’s never been a question.” —New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (How modest of him.)
Alpha Jackass: “Remember that baker from Colorado who won the Supreme Court case after he refused to make a wedding cake for the same-sex couple? Well, he’s back in court because of another cake he doesn’t want to bake. … Which is really funny, because this is a guy who spends all day, every day, meticulously designing flowers out of icing. His whole life is gay, okay? I don’t know if he’s worried the wrong cake might bring that to life or what. And I will add, this is Jack Phillips, the totally straight cake baker. You would think that someone who looks like the Reba McEntire version of Colonel Sanders would be more sympathetic to gender identity issues.” —Jimmy Kimmel
Non Compos Mentis: “I think [Donald Trump] might’ve learned the lesson this week [that] sometimes the dog bites back with a book deal. So in the words of my late friend Aretha Franklin, show some R-E-S-P-E-C-T.” —Al Sharpton
And last… “Press too busy explaining how it’s a vital watchdog for democracy to report much on the New Mexico compound or Feinstein’s Chinese spy.” —Twitter satirist @hale_razor
https://patriotpost.us/articles/57745-monday-short-cuts
Join our editors and staff in daily prayer for our Patriots in uniform — Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, Marines, and Coast Guardsmen — standing in harm’s way in defense of Liberty, and for their families. We also humbly ask prayer for your Patriot team, that our mission would seed and encourage the spirit of Liberty in the hearts and minds of our countrymen.
Semper Vigilans Fortis Paratus et Fidelis
Nate Jackson, Managing Editor
Mark Alexander, Publisher |
|
|
4
on: August 20, 2018, 04:57:36 PM
|
|
Started by nChrist - Last post by nChrist
|
________________________________
The Patriot Post Digest 8-20-2018
From The Federalist Patriot
Free Email Subscription
_______________________________
The Patriot Post® · Mid-Day Digest
Aug. 20, 2018 · https://patriotpost.us/digests/57754-mid-day-digest
THE FOUNDATION
“How many observe Christ’s birth-day! How few, his precepts!” —Benjamin Franklin (1743)
https://patriotpost.us/fqd/57753-founders-quote-daily
IN TODAY’S EDITION
The real story in the Catholic Church is “a homosexual culture.”
Prager University is targeted by social media. Again.
Diversity is a great thing, but the Left misuses it as a political weapon.
Reality Winner should never have gotten a job with the NSA. How many more?
An ISIS fighter exploited Obama’s lax refugee policies.
Daily Features: Top Headlines, Memes, Cartoons, Columnists, and Short Cuts.
IN BRIEF
The Cost of Homosexual Catholic Abuse1
Nate Jackson
The sexual abuse scandal that rocked the Catholic Church2 in recent days marked the culmination of seven decades of horrendous wrongdoing by hundreds of priests. But the media would rather ignore one particularly inconvenient truth: The vast majority of the crime was perpetrated by homosexuals.
Monsignor Charles Pope, a Catholic priest writing of previous abuse scandals in the National Catholic Register, makes the case3:
It is evident that the vast majority of the cases involving both the sexual abuse of minors and of adults involve male victims. The 2004 John Jay Report (The Nature and Scope of the Problem of Sexual Abuse of Minors by Catholic Priests and Deacons in the United States4), which was commissioned by the U.S. bishops themselves, found that 81 percent of the victims were male and 78 percent of all victims were post-pubescent. … So, the large majority of cases involved attraction by homosexuals to young men who, though legally minors, were physically and sexually mature males, not little children. This is not pedophilia. It is homosexual attraction.
In the Catholic Herald, Madison, Wisconsin, Bishop Robert C. Morlino likewise writes5 of the current situation, “It is time to admit that there is a homosexual subculture within the hierarchy of the Catholic Church that is wreaking great devastation in the vineyard of the Lord.” He continues, “In the specific situations at hand, we are talking about deviant sexual — almost exclusively homosexual — acts by clerics.”
And Cardinal Raymond Burke, a member of the highest court at the Vatican, the Apostolic Signatura, said, “It was clear after the studies following the 2002 sexual abuse crisis that most of the acts of abuse were in fact homosexual acts committed with adolescent young men. There was a studied attempt to either overlook or to deny this.” He added, “Now it seems clear in light of these recent terrible scandals that indeed there is a homosexual culture, not only among the clergy but even within the hierarchy, which needs to be purified at the root.”
Pope Francis reiterated that the Church’s policy is not to admit to seminary or holy orders homosexuals, those with such deep-seated tendencies, or those who support a so-called “gay culture.” He also wrote6, “No effort must be spared to create a culture able to prevent such situations from happening, but also to prevent the possibility of their being covered up and perpetuated.”
These horrific crimes have cost the thousands of victims more than we can imagine. But how much has this homosexual culture cost the Catholic Church? Obviously, its reputation has suffered greatly. But lay people who give their tithes and offerings must be appalled that, rather than feeding the hungry or providing other ministerial needs, the Church is attempting to compensate victims for the damage done by priests — to the tune of $3 billion.
Finally, the words of the Apostle Paul are especially damning (Roman 2:24): “For, as it is written, ‘The name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you.’”
https://patriotpost.us/articles/57746-the-cost-of-homosexual-catholic-abuse
Facebook Censors PragerU7
Thomas Gallatin
Last Thursday, Prager University issued a public statement alerting its millions of Facebook followers to the fact that “our last 9 posts have been completely censored reaching 0 of our 3 million followers.” PragerU’s Will Witt added, “At least two of our video posts were deleted last night for ‘hate speech’ including a post of our recent video with The Conservative Millennial, Make Men Masculine Again8.”
The deleted video in question had no graphic content, bad language, or calls for violence warranting Facebook’s own parameters for its “hate speech” designation. So why were these videos censored? This is now the second instance9 of PragerU being “erroneously” censored on social media over the false designation that its conservative political content was “hate speech.”
On Friday morning, Facebook issued a lame apology: “We mistakenly removed these videos and have restored them because they don’t break our standards. This will reverse any reduction in content distribution you’ve experienced. We’re very sorry and are continuing to look into what happened with your Page.” However, the question remains, how could this mistake happen, especially given the fact that PragerU is a well-known and vetted media organization to which millions of people intentionally subscribed for news and opinion?
Much of the answer lies in the obvious leftist bias of those running these social-media giants. In a recent interview10 on CNN, Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey admitted as much, stating that those at Twitter do indeed have a “left-leaning” bias. Left-leaning? At the same time, he claimed that their bias did not affect how they handled “political ideology or viewpoints.” Dorsey added, “We do not look at content with regards to political viewpoint or ideology. We look at behavior.”
His answer is sly for its presumption of separating ideological content from behavior. Social media exists solely for the public sharing of various thoughts, viewpoints, and ideologies, no matter how trivial or mundane. Yet the social-media gatekeepers have a certain ideological bent that impacts how judgments are made as to what user content constitutes appropriate or inappropriate behavior. Thus, Dorsey’s assertion that his and his employees’ leftist bias doesn’t have an impact on decision-making is dubious at best.
Back to Facebook. Giving no other explanation other than it was a mistake only serves to increase speculation that the pervasive leftist bias within the company was the primary culprit. It’s increasingly clear that Facebook’s post-2016 algorithms are tilted against conservative perspectives, which are too easily flagged by trolls as content containing “fake news” or “hate speech.” As long as millions of Americans seek to get their news from social media, this filtering by the thought police is going to be hugely problematic.
https://patriotpost.us/articles/57751-facebook-censors-prageru
Top Headlines11
U.S. troops to remain in Iraq and Syria to ensure “enduring defeat” of ISIS (CNS News12)
More than 700,000 overstayed visas in 2017 (The Washington Free Beacon13)
Media omit key detail about ICE arresting man who took wife to hospital for C-section — he was wanted for murder (The Daily Wire14)
Democrats are fielding more anti-Semitic candidates for Congress (The Federalist15)
Michael Cohen under investigation for over $20M in bank fraud (The Hill16)
Demand for concealed-carry permits is skyrocketing (The Daily Caller17)
John Brennan’s bellicose anti-Trump rhetoric prompts friendly fire among his own defenders (Washington Examiner18)
Good news: Youth unemployment hits 52-year low (The Wall Street Journal19)
Good news: 100 manufacturers have boosted hiring, expanded, or given raises, bonuses thanks to tax reform (The Daily Signal20)
Humor: Google admits your phone will track you even if you leave it at home (The Babylon Bee21)
Policy: Space force, done right, will move U.S. ahead (The Heritage Foundation22)
Policy: Securing the border is the most humane policy (The Daily Signal23)
For more of today’s news, visit Patriot Headline Report24.
https://patriotpost.us/articles/57752-monday-top-headlines
FEATURED ANALYSIS
Diversity: Uniformity of Destruction for America28
Robin Smith
Diversity is a defining topic of our day. In its simplest form, observing diversity is welcoming the differences and uniqueness of every individual. In principle, this is very good. But that definition isn’t quite what social justice warriors use.
Some of the most effective teams benefit from members’ manifold talents that function in a complementary fashion — to add to an organization or group and to make it better. These effective teams can be found in sports, the military, business conglomerates, schools where a block of teachers function as a unit, health care facilities where sub-specialists work synergistically, and so on.
But in politics, diversity is employed as a tool for division. First, to be of value to the political Left, you’re given an identifier: woman, black, Hispanic, disabled, gender fluid, victim of white privilege, atheist, whatever. Then, according to that identifier, your status is the priority, not your individual rights or Liberty as an American.
One’s status is the preeminent driver of the issues discussed and, therefore, your value to the political Left is to be a victim in need of an intervening agency, such as the government, to be your protector, your provider, your equalizer, your defender, your insert-function-here. Thus, Democrats love “diversity” for the purpose of having a variety of needy subjects. And, yes, “subjects” is the right term. |
|
|
5
on: August 20, 2018, 08:52:40 AM
|
|
Started by Soldier4Christ - Last post by Soldier4Christ
|
|
The Truth in Us
“For the truth’s sake, which dwelleth in us, and shall be with us for ever.” (2 John 1:2)
The word “truth” occurs more in the gospel of John than in any other book of the New Testament, and it occurs in the first epistle of John more than in any other book except John’s gospel. Then, it occurs more in John’s two one-chapter epistles (2 and 3 John) than in any other New Testament book save John and 1 John. Surely one of the great themes in John’s writings is truth!
God is, indeed, the God of truth, and His written Word is “the scripture of truth” (Daniel 10:21). “For the word of the LORD is right; and all his works are done in truth” (Psalm 33:4). The Lord Jesus Christ is, in fact, the very incarnation of truth. “I am the way, the truth, and the life,” He asserted (John 14:6).
Surely truth dwells forever in Christ, for He is Himself the Creator and is thereby the very definition of truth. But how can it be that truth dwells in us and shall be with us forever? This is certainly not the case with the natural man.
It can only be by the Holy Spirit, of course, and this is what Christ—who is the truth—has promised. “And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; 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” (John 14:16-17).
That being so, with the Holy Spirit of truth indwelling us forever, our words, and deeds, and our very lives should be characterized by truth and complete consistency. “Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbor” (Ephesians 4:25). “If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth” (1 John 1:6). HMM
|
|
|
6
on: August 19, 2018, 04:39:22 PM
|
|
Started by nChrist - Last post by nChrist
|
_______________________________________________
Two Minutes With The Bible
From The Berean Bible Society
Free Email Subscription
For Questions Or Comments: berean@execpc.com
_______________________________________________
Are You A Token Grace Believer?
by Pastor Ricky Kurth
“We ourselves glory in you in the churches of God for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations that ye endure:
“Which is a manifest token of the righteous judgment of God” (II Thes. 1:4,5).
In 32 years of pastoral ministry, this writer has had the privilege to officiate at many a wedding ceremony. When it comes time for the groom to say “I do,” we initiate this response by asking him, “Do you give your ring, and accept your bride’s ring, as a token that you will keep the pledge and perform the vows that you have made this day?” Since the word token has been defined as “something that serves as an indication or an expression of something else,” we then conclude the ring ceremony by saying, “These gold rings will serve as continual reminders of the lasting and imperishable faith that you have pledged to one another this day.”
In the Bible, we read that God gave the rainbow as a “token” of His promise to never again destroy the world with a universal flood (Gen. 9:11-13). Similarly, circumcision is said to be a “token” of the covenant God made with Abraham (Gen. 17:11), and the blood of the Passover lamb was said to be a “token” of God’s promise to Israel to spare their firstborn (Ex. 12:13).
Here in our text, the apostle Paul says that the patient manner in which the Thessalonians were enduring persecution was “a manifest token of the righteous judgment of God.” That is, their patient endurance of tribulation was a sign that, when God finally does judge the world, “He will judge the world in righteousness” (Acts 17:31), for He will be paying the world back for persecuting His people. As Paul goes on to say in the verse that follows our text,
“Seeing it is a righteous thing with God to recompense tribulation to them that trouble you” (II Thes. 1:6).
You see, when a Christian is persecuted for his faith, an injustice has taken place; an unrighteous thing has occurred. In God’s perfect system of justice, which can leave the debt of no sin unsettled, this injustice must be paid for, and God solemnly vows to right this wrong “when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with His mighty angels,
“In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ:
“Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord” (II Thes. 1:7-9).
Here God vows that He will someday avenge the Thessalonians for the tribulations given to them by their persecutors, beginning with the destruction that He will bring upon the world at His Second Coming. Of course, God knows that He will be charged with unrighteousness, as He always is when He is forced to sit in judgment upon men. This is why the Book of Revelation is sprinkled with affirmations that God’s Tribulation judgments are not unrighteous, that they are rather “just and true” (Rev. 15:3), and “righteous” (16:5-7; 19:2). Similarly, here in our text, Paul is defending the righteousness of the Lord’s Second Coming judgments.
Next, Paul says that the righteous judgment of God on these persecutors of God’s people will then continue in the Lake of Fire, the “everlasting destruction” of which he goes on to speak of here in II Thessalonians 1:9. Here we see clear evidence that all those in any age who reject God’s provision for their sins will die in their sins (cf. John 8:24), and must themselves be made to pay for their sins.
Of course, the Thessalonians themselves could have retaliated against their persecutors, and forced them to pay for the crimes they committed against them. Surely there were times when they felt like evening the score. However, had they done so, it would then be unrighteous for God to someday recompense tribulation to their persecutors, and God will not be guilty of double jeopardy. As it was, Paul was able to tell the Thessalonians that the “patience and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations that ye endure…is a manifest token of the righteous judgment of God.” If the world should someday ask why God is troubling them, He can reply, “Well, you used to trouble My people, so now, by the same token, I am troubling you!”
There is a lesson that we can learn from this. If we take vengeance on those who trouble us, that means God can’t. What an incentive to leave vengeance to the One whose judgments are always fair and equitable! When we take vengeance, we often retaliate too little, leaving our sense of justice feeling unsatisfied. Or we retaliate too much, creating an additional imbalance of justice that leaves our adversary feeling a need to strike at us again. “But we are sure that the judgment of God is according to truth against them which commit such things” (Rom. 2:2). God will judge all men fairly, for His judgment will be according to truth. No wonder Judgment Day is called “the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God” (2:5).
Are you a token grace believer? Is your patient endurance of those who trouble you a token that, when God judges your persecutors, He will do so in righteousness? None of us would ever knowingly and purposely take something away from God that He says belongs to Him, and yet this is what we do when we take vengeance away from the One who has said, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay” (Rom. 12:19). If you are thinking of making someone pay for what they did to you, why not determine right now to leave it all with Him? |
|
|
7
on: August 19, 2018, 10:01:27 AM
|
|
Started by Soldier4Christ - Last post by Soldier4Christ
|
|
The Living Word
“And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God.” (Revelation 19:13)
This uniquely expressive name assigned to Christ, as He returns to Earth in glory, is used also by John in his gospel (John 1:1, 14) and in his epistle (1 John 1:1), referring both to His primeval work of creation and also to His human incarnation. It is well known that “Word” here is the Greek logos. Six times it is applied by John as a name or title of the Son of God (three times in John 1:1), the second Person of the Trinity. Actually, John used it seven times, assuming that the disputed verse 1 John 5:7 (“the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost”) is really a part of the inspired text.
The Greek word logos is a remarkable word, adaptable to many meanings. It is translated in the King James New Testament by about 30 other words (“speech,” “saying,” “reason,” etc.). The lexicons add still other meanings, and some of the Greek philosophers used it to describe the intelligence behind the universe.
As used by John, it becomes much more specific: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God” (John 1:1). The Jehovah’s Witnesses, rejecting the deity of Christ, like to translate this as “the Word was a god,” but all knowledgeable Greek scholars agree that the King James rendering is correct. Then, says John, “the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us . . . full of grace and truth” (John 1:14). Even though “no man hath seen God at any time” (John 1:18), He has become knowable through His Son who has “declared him.” Consequently, John also can declare Him to others. “That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes . . . and our hands have handled, of the Word of life; . . . That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us” (1 John 1:1, 3). HMM
|
|
|
8
on: August 18, 2018, 04:25:50 PM
|
|
Started by nChrist - Last post by nChrist
|
_______________________________________________
Two Minutes With The Bible
From The Berean Bible Society
Free Email Subscription
For Questions Or Comments: berean@execpc.com
_______________________________________________
A Compelling Reason
by Pastor Ricky Kurth
“I am become a fool in glorying; ye have compelled me: for I ought to have been commended of you: for in nothing am I behind the very chiefest apostles, though I be nothing” (II Cor. 12:11).
The Apostle Paul did not like to “glory” or boast about his apostleship. He would much rather spend his time teaching the great truths of the Mystery, and the Word of God, rightly divided. However, the immaturity of the Corinthians “compelled” him to such boasting. They were so impressed with the boasting of the “false apostles” (11:13) that Paul was forced to speak to them in the only language they seemed to understand—that of boasting.
Grace believers are often accused of boasting too much about the apostleship of Paul, and to this we plead guilty. We too would much rather spend our time teaching the great truths of the Word of God, rightly divided. However, the sorry state of modern Christianity is such that we too are “compelled” to boast about Paul’s apostleship. The immaturity of contemporary Christianity has caused them to overlook Paul as “the apostle of the Gentiles” (Rom. 11:13), and presents us with a compelling reason to emphasize his apostleship.
Paul found the Corinthian situation especially disappointing, since as he told them, “I ought to have been commended of you.” As the one who had begotten them in the gospel (I Cor. 4:15), they should have been singing the praises of his apostleship, instead of forcing him to defend it. And so it is today. All who are saved in the dispensation of Grace are saved by grace through faith apart from works (Eph. 2:8,9), a gospel that is exclusive to the Apostle Paul. And so in a very real sense, all who are saved today are begotten of the Apostle Paul, and should be singing the praises of his apostleship, instead of forcing us to defend it.
The false apostles in Corinth were probably protesting, “Why, Paul isn’t even one of the twelve apostles! We have as much authority as he has!” This forced Paul to declare that he was “not a whit behind” the very chiefest apostles, i.e., James, Peter and John. But if Paul only claimed he wasn’t “behind” the twelve apostles, why do we insist on emphasizing his epistles ahead of the epistles of James, Peter and John?
Ah, Paul’s apostleship was equal to theirs, but he was the apostle of a different group of people. As he told the Galatians, “He that wrought effectually in Peter to the apostleship of the circumcision, the same was mighty in me toward the Gentiles” (2:8). All state governors are equal in authority; no governor is a whit behind any other. However, if I am wise, I must recognize the authority of the governor of my state. And if we are wise as Christians, we must likewise recognize the authority of “the apostle of the Gentiles.” |
|
|
9
on: August 18, 2018, 04:22:34 PM
|
|
Started by nChrist - Last post by nChrist
|
__________________________________________
From Grace Gems - Free and Public Domain:
Very Old - But Beautiful and Timeless Treasures.
http://www.gracegems.org/19/literature.htm
FREE E-mail Subscription:
http://www.gracegems.org/
___________________________________________
The remedy of all our miseries!
(Stephen Charnock)
"For there is one God and one mediator between God and men--the man Christ Jesus!" 1 Timothy 2:5
God, apart from Christ, is an angry, offended Sovereign.
Unless we behold God in and through Christ, the only Mediator--the terrors of His Majesty would overwhelm us.
Because of our sins--we dare not approach the Father, except in Christ.
We first fasten our eyes upon Christ, then upon the Father.
If Christ does not bear our guilt and reconcile us unto God, we must surely perish everlastingly!
Before any man can think . . .
to stand before the face of God's justice,
be admitted to the secret chamber of God's mercy,
or partake of the riches of His grace--
he must look to one the Mediator, Christ Jesus.
Let us look upon a crucified Christ, as the remedy of all our miseries.
His cross has procured our crown.
His passion has expiated our transgressions.
His death has disarmed the law.
His blood has washed our sinful souls, spotless.
His death is . . .
the destruction of our enemies,
the spring of our happiness, and
the eternal testimony of divine love! |
|
|
10
on: August 18, 2018, 09:06:25 AM
|
|
Started by Soldier4Christ - Last post by Soldier4Christ
|
|
Follow Righteousness
“Follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace, with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart.” (2 Timothy 2:22)
The word “follow” is frequently translated “persecute” in other passages. Jesus used the word this way: “The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you” (John 15:20). The connotation of the Greek term includes a dogged and relentless effort.
Anyone who wants to serve the Lord Jesus faithfully must be determined to pursue righteousness. Those who “hunger and thirst after righteousness” are promised both happiness and fulfillment (Matthew 5:6). Those who seek “first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness” have the promise that God will supply all their earthly needs (Matthew 6:33).
Perhaps a quick review of some of the passages that require “pursuit” of a godly lifestyle would be helpful.
“Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another” (Romans 14:19).
“Follow after charity, and desire spiritual gifts, but rather that ye may prophesy” (1 Corinthians 14:1).
“I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 3:14).
“See that none render evil for evil unto any man; but ever follow that which is good, both among yourselves, and to all men” (1 Thessalonians 5:15).
“But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness” (1 Timothy 6:11).
“Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord” (Hebrews 12:14).
Even this short list should keep all of us on our knees asking both for forgiveness and for strength to obey. HMM III
|
|
|
