|
21
on: February 18, 2019, 05:19:04 PM
|
|
Started by nChrist - Last post by nChrist
|
________________________________
The Patriot Post Digest 2-18-2019
From The Federalist Patriot
Free Email Subscription
_______________________________
OPINION IN BRIEF
Arthur Milikh: “What we today call ‘Presidents Day’ is in fact [George] Washington’s birthday. Just like a republican people must on occasion be reminded of the need for manly assertiveness and modest gratitude, so too must they be reminded of examples of human greatness. First instituted as a federal holiday in 1879, this day ought to celebrate Washington, not an abstraction called ‘presidents.’ There is no meaning in celebrating ‘presidents’ generally, and for this reason, the holiday today has no real content, being viewed as merely another day off work. To confuse James Buchanan for Washington is to conflate copper and gold.”
SHORT CUTS
The Gipper: “You and I are told we must choose between a left or right, but I suggest there is no such thing as a left or right. There is only an up or down.” —Ronald Reagan
For the record: “Contrary to many of the myths of American economic life, the best measures now indicate that American wages have grown, that compensation has increased with productivity, and that Americans’ most basic standard of living has increased. We have more stuff, we have easier lives, and we live in bigger houses. When it comes to the most basic things an economy can provide, America’s free-enterprise system has worked very, very well, and continues to work well.” —David French
Leadership: “We are going to confront the national-security crisis on our southern border [and stop the] invasion of our country with drugs, with human traffickers, with all types of criminals and gangs.” —Donald Trump on justification for his national-emergency declaration
Friendly fire: “The Green New Deal concentrates power in the hands of the Washington elite in a way nothing has done since World War II. … It used to be Democrats wanted to shift the tax code, shift the regulations in order to steer the market in a more humane direction, and I get that. And that — being that kind of Democrat, you would be for a carbon tax in order to address global warming. This is not that. This is simply the government taking control of large swaths of the American economy, something I don’t think the government is capable of doing.” —New York Times columnist David Brooks
Braying Jackass: “The America I see values basic human decency, not snatching children from their parents or turning our back on refugees at our border. Americans know that’s not right. The American people understand plainly that this makes us an embarrassment. The American people know, overwhelmingly, that it is not right. That it is not who we are.” —Joe Biden while in Germany, of all places
Perpetually unsatisfied: “We’re going to have to do our own investigation, and we are.” —Rep. Adam Schiff when queried, “If [Robert Mueller] finds that there was no direct collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia, will you accept that?”
Non Compos Mentis: “Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, a 2020 candidate, endorsed federal implementation of a third gender listing for Americans who identify as non-binary. Speaking at an LGBTQ-focused meet and greet in New Hampshire on Friday, Gillibrand emphatically said ‘yes’ about recognizing ‘X’ as a third gender marker.” —CBS News
And last… “[Jussie] Smollett may just be the dumbest race hoaxer in history. I mean, if you’re going to invent a hate crime, just invent it. Don’t hire two Nigerian guys to play the part of violent rednecks. And don’t go to the police about it. And for God’s sake maybe drop the sandwich.” —Matt Walsh
https://patriotpost.us/articles/61220-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 |
|
|
22
on: February 18, 2019, 05:17:58 PM
|
|
Started by nChrist - Last post by nChrist
|
________________________________
The Patriot Post Digest 2-18-2019
From The Federalist Patriot
Free Email Subscription
_______________________________
‘Catholic Death Penalty’: Pope Defrocks Cardinal Over Sex Abuse18
Nate Jackson
The Catholic Church has reeled from the fallout of a sexual-abuse scandal in recent months. In August, news broke19 that there were more than 300 “predator priests” in Pennsylvania. Then came revelations of a more secret element: The vast majority of the crime was perpetrated by homosexuals20. Next came a fight in the form of a letter21 written by the Vatican’s former ambassador to the U.S., Archbishop Carlo Maria Vigano, in which he demanded the resignation of Pope Francis over allegations that the latter knew of the sexual abuse perpetrated by Cardinal Theodore McCarrick, the former archbishop of Washington, DC, and Newark, New Jersey.
Francis addressed that over the weekend, defrocking the retired cardinal after an investigation concluded that accusations against him were credible. Over the course of many years, McCarrick is alleged to have sexually abused minors and coerced adult seminarians into sex. A Vatican tribunal found McCarrick guilty of “solicitation in the Sacrament of Confession and sins against the Sixth Commandment with minors and with adults, with the aggravating factor of the abuse of power.” (Catholics number the commandments differently from Protestants. Adultery is the seventh commandment in the reckoning of the latter.)
McCarrick had been placed under disciplinary sanctions by Pope Benedict, and yet Francis acted to repeal them, freeing McCarrick to continue his predatory ways. McCarrick resigned from the College of Cardinals last July, and Francis ordered him to observe a life of prayer and penance in seclusion. This latest move is what Crux editor in chief John L. Allen calls “the Catholic equivalent of the death penalty.”
So why defrock McCarrick now? Francis is scheduled this week to meet with the heads of national Catholic bishops conferences to address the global problem of sexual abuse by priests. “The church will never seek to hush up or not take seriously any case,” Francis said. We hope that’s true because it would mark a serious change from past practice by the church as a whole and by Francis in particular, who has at times appeared rather tone-deaf22 to the problem.
https://patriotpost.us/articles/61221-catholic-death-penalty-pope-defrocks-cardinal-over-sex-abuse
ON OUR WEBSITE TODAY
Washington’s Birthday vs. Presidents’ Day23 — To call the day “Presidents’ Day” diminishes George Washington.
Featured Analysis: Bipartisan Debt Is Reckless24 — As U.S. national debt surpasses $22 trillion, it’s time yet again to consider the reasons we’re here.
Challenging Disparate Impact25 — The Trump administration is pushing back against one of Obama’s favorite racial tools.
Doctor Blames Trump for Causing ‘Sex Disorder’26 — Self-described “sex-therapist” asserts that Trump is ruining people’s sex lives.
Video: Green New Deal Is a Bizarre Grab-Bag of Terrible Ideas27 — Veronique de Rugy explains why even socialist countries in Europe don’t try to do this much.
TOP HEADLINE SUMMARY
Tone deaf: “Speaking on German soil 75 years after the U.S. and its allies prepared for D-Day, Joe Biden described America as ‘an embarrassment’ and its trade policies ‘self-defeating.’ … The former vice president was speaking exactly three-quarters of a century after American troops were fighting against Germans at the Battle of Anzio and Allied military staffs were deep into planning for the D-Day invasion of Normandy less than 4 months later.” (Washington Examiner29)
Democrats were expeditious in instigating border-barrier lawsuits. According to USA Today, “At least two lawsuits have been filed in response to President Donald Trump on Friday declaring a national emergency to secure funding for a wall along the southern border with Mexico. The filings are expected to be part of a flurry of legal challenges to the constitutionality of Trump’s decision.” Legal challenges are also anticipated to come from citizens themselves. As Bloomberg reports30, “Some landowners along the U.S.-Mexico line say they see a government land grab in their future.” But Trump senior adviser Stephen Miller this weekend pointed out31, “This is a threat in our country, not overseas. And if the president can’t defend this country, then he cannot fulfill his constitutional oath of office.”
“President Trump’s pick to be the next United Nations ambassador withdrew from consideration Saturday, the State Department said. The department’s spokeswoman, Heather Nauert, had been tapped to succeed Nikki Haley at the United Nations, but her name was never formally sent to the Senate for confirmation. … The withdrawal is related to the employment of a nanny who was in the country illegally. … But according to a person familiar with Nauert’s situation, the nanny was in the country legally. She was a Jamaican national employed by Nauert and her husband 10 years ago.” (The Washington Post32)
According to Fox News33, “More men and boys from a Somali American community in Minneapolis have joined — or attempted to join — a foreign terrorist organization over the last 12 years than any other jurisdiction in the country. … So what has made the area such a hotbed for such activity? And what has been Rep. Ilhan Omar’s record in addressing the issue — either before she was elected, or since? The answers matter because federal authorities say they remain ‘highly concerned’ about the terrorist connection with the Minneapolis Somalis.” Omar’s anti-Semitism could be emblematic of an even bigger problem.
A majority of Californians are inclined to put down roots elsewhere, new polling reveals34. The catalyst is cost of living, which is particularly pronounced in San Fransisco. Perhaps voters should revisit partitioning the state.
Civics testing in the U.S. is less than mediocre. According to the Washington Examiner35, “A majority in every state except Vermont has failed the U.S. Citizenship test, the latest sign that Americans aren’t very good history students. … More than half of those in every other state failed, and in Washington, D.C., 58 percent failed, said the Woodrow Wilson Foundation, which does the survey. Only one-in-four nationally passed the 20-questions.” This shouldn’t surprise us, though. Schools are more interested in “diversifying” restrooms and locker rooms than they are in fostering education.
A tragic mass shooting occurred Friday in Aurora, Illinois, where five innocent lives were taken and police officers were injured. But like many mass shootings, it could have been prevented via existing laws. Townhall reports36 that the shooter “purchased a Smith and Wesson .40 caliber handgun in 2014 but was later discovered to have been convicted of an aggravated assault charge back in 1995 when he tried to apply for a concealed carry permit. As a result, he should have turned his firearm over to authorities. He didn’t.”
Having your cake and eating it too: “The NFL and lawyers for players Colin Kaepernick and Eric Reid jointly announced Friday that they had settled a complaint of collusion by the players, who claimed football team owners blackballed them,” CNBC reports37. According to The Daily Wire38, “All parties are prevented from revealing details of the settlement, by the settlement’s terms, but various news reports put the settlement between $60 million and $80 million split between the two players.” Furthermore, “Kaepernick’s attorney … told ESPN that he predicts Kaepernick will now be welcomed into the league with open arms.” On the contrary, why would any team want such a toxic charlatan?
Humor: In pushing Amazon out of New York, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez declares victory over the modern-day equivalent of slavery: jobs. (The Babylon Bee39)
Policy: Read why “Amazon’s NYC Pullout Shows Economy Is Rigged, Just Not the Way Most People Think40” at the Foundation for Economic Education.
Policy: “Outsiders should regard purported hate crimes that sound like crafted narratives with skepticism until they’re proven true,” Kyle Smith suggests41 in National Review. “No matter what the era or who is in charge, disaster always looms, and any weird anecdote that supports the larger doom narrative is eagerly, even devoutly, believed.”
For more of today’s editors’ choice headlines, visit In Our Sights42.
https://patriotpost.us/articles/61226-monday-top-headline-summary |
|
|
23
on: February 18, 2019, 05:16:40 PM
|
|
Started by nChrist - Last post by nChrist
|
________________________________
The Patriot Post Digest 2-18-2019
From The Federalist Patriot
Free Email Subscription
_______________________________
The Patriot Post® · Mid-Day Digest
Feb. 18, 2019
https://patriotpost.us/digests/61229-mid-day-digest
THE FOUNDATION
“Justice is the end of government. It is the end of civil society. It ever has been and ever will be pursued until it be obtained, or until liberty be lost in the pursuit.” —James Madison (1788)
https://patriotpost.us/fqd/61227-founders-quote-daily
IN TODAY’S EDITION
Actor Jussie Smollett likely orchestrated the “hate crime” he allegedly suffered.1
Did the DOJ seriously consider removing Trump? McCabe now says, “Not really.”2
Vatican defrocks Cardinal Theodore McCarrick for sex abuse.3
Daily Features: More Analysis4, Columnists5, Headlines6, Opinion in Brief7, Short Cuts8, Memes9, and Cartoons10.
IN BRIEF
Demos and MSM Promote Another Hate Hoax11
Nate Jackson
Based on statements from Chicago police about evidence in the case, the supposed “hate crime” attack against actor Jussie Smollett was likely staged12. The black and homosexual “Empire” actor claimed assailants in MAGA hats beat him, tied a noose around his neck, and doused him with bleach, allegedly while yelling, “This is MAGA country, nigger!” and calling him “Empire faggot!” But, as it turns out, it seems Smollett hired two Nigerians to play the part of Donald Trump-loving rednecks. Time to get someone from Central Casting on the line.
Through a statement from his attorneys, Smollett doubled down: “As a victim of a hate crime who has cooperated with the police investigation, Jussie Smollett is angered and devastated by recent reports that the perpetrators are individuals he is familiar with. He has now been further victimized by claims attributed to these alleged perpetrators that Jussie played a role in his own attack. Nothing is further from the truth and anyone claiming otherwise is lying.” He had previously complained that people wouldn’t doubt his story if he “had said it was a Muslim or a Mexican.”
His protests notwithstanding, one would think the Leftmedia might learn some skepticism in the wake of incidents like the Covington Catholic13 phony narrative. But no.
The New York Times, ABC News, MSNBC, PBS, Los Angeles Times, and others all “reported” on the attack as if it were verified fact with nothing more than Smollett’s claims to back it up. GQ magazine even declared, “The racist, homophobic attack on Jussie Smollett is far-right America’s endgame.” So now all conservatives are to blame.
It wasn’t just irresponsible news outlets with a “progressive” ax to grind, either. Multiple Democrat politicians — including members of the 2020 presidential field — unquestioningly took Smollett’s story as gospel truth. Cory Booker insisted, “The vicious attack on Jussie Smollett was an attempted modern-day lynching.” Kamala Harris likewise chimed in, “This was an attempted modern day lynching. No one should have to fear for their life because of their sexuality or color of their skin. We must confront this hate.” Nancy Pelosi lectured, “The racist, homophobic attack on [Jussie Smollett] is an affront to our humanity.” And Joe Biden wasn’t to be left out: “What happened … to Jussie Smollett must never be tolerated in this country.”
A day later, Booker decided, “I’m gonna withhold until all the information actually comes out from on-the-record sources.” Now he tells us.
Smollett’s desperate plea for attention fit neatly within the Left’s hate narrative about the Right. It confirmed preexisting bias, which stems from a history of misinformation from the media. Bottom line: There are hateful people of every color out there. But hate-crime hoaxes undermine real victims.
https://patriotpost.us/articles/61225-demos-and-msm-promote-another-hate-hoax
McCabe vs. Rosenstein on 25th Amendment Coup14
Thomas Gallatin
So, about that 25th Amendment coup talk… Fired FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe claimed in a highly anticipated “60 Minutes” interview15 that such discussions occurred following President Donald Trump’s firing of former FBI Director James Comey. Well, it turns out it was more clickbait than real meat.
On Friday, a media frenzy erupted over released excerpts from CBS’s interview with McCabe, in which he implied that serious talk was raised within the Justice Department about removing President Donald Trump by invoking the 25th Amendment. However, McCabe’s spokeswoman, Melissa Schwartz, pushed back, stating, “Certain statements made by Mr. McCabe, in interviews associated with the release of his book, have been taken out of context and misrepresented. To clarify, at no time did Mr. McCabe participate in any extended discussions about the use of the 25th Amendment, nor is he aware of any such discussions.” Schwartz added that McCabe “was present and participated in a discussion that included a comment by Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein regarding the 25th Amendment.”
What the “60 Minutes” interview made crystal clear is that McCabe’s perspectives are entirely influenced by Swamp and Beltway-bubble think. Every conclusion he reached was predicated on anti-Trump bias. At no point did McCabe even consider the possibility of an alternate view regarding Trump’s motivation for firing Comey. For McCabe, Trump is the bad guy, and he’s out to prove it. In fact, what is illuminating is McCabe’s assertion that Rosenstein was serious about invoking the 25th Amendment, and that no one — including McCabe himself — considered it a ridiculous and laughable suggestion on its face. At the very least, does that not expose the degree of bias against Trump that existed within the leadership of the DOJ and FBI at that time?
However, as Mark Alexander noted16 last week, McCabe is “teeing up his book tour. And his "now declaring in a CBS interview that those discussions were serious” is an easy way to promote that book. In other words, it’s all about his bottom line.
Like Comey with his book tour last year17, McCabe is spinning his own anti-Trump, self-aggrandizing yarn. While McCabe may have given articulate and measured responses during his CBS interview, the fact remains that he was fired from the FBI for lying to the inspector general. Can we seriously take him at his word?
On a final note, Senate Judiciary Chairman Lindsey Graham (R-SC) is now floating the idea of subpoenaing both McCabe and Rosenstein to determine if “an administrative coup” was seriously discussed by members of the DOJ and FBI. “We’re going to find out what happened here,” Graham said. “The only way I know to find out is to call the people in under oath and find out through questioning who’s telling the truth because the underlying accusation is beyond stunning.”
https://patriotpost.us/articles/61223-mccabe-vs-rosenstein-on-25th-amendment-coup |
|
|
24
on: February 18, 2019, 08:01:23 AM
|
|
Started by Soldier4Christ - Last post by Soldier4Christ
|
|
The Ordinances of Men
“Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord’s sake: whether it be to the king, as supreme; Or unto governors, as unto them that are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers, and for the praise of them that do well.” (1 Peter 2:13-14)
The phrase “ordinances of man” literally means “human creations.” Since only God can really create, that means we must regard laws of legislatures or presidential orders or even kingly decrees as having divine authority. Therefore, in order to maintain a good witness before men, God expects us to submit to all these man-made laws and directives.
That even includes such unpopular laws as speed limits. Christians should not be tax cheats or anything that tends to undermine legitimate authority, and certainly should never break any of the multitude of laws that are based upon or consistent with the laws or commandments of God. We rightly must honor our leaders, not only great presidents such as Washington and Lincoln, but all who have positions of authority. Remember that “there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God” (Romans 13:1), even though there are occasions when (for good and justifiable reasons) God gives power to unworthy men.
Such ungodly leaders will be themselves judged by God in His own way and time. Our job is simply to “render therefore to all their dues: tribute to whom tribute is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honor to whom honor” (Romans 13:7).
The one great exception to this principle, of course, is when their laws go against the laws of God. Then, “we ought to obey God rather than men” (Acts 5:29) and be willing to take the consequences. “If any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf” (1 Peter 4:16). HMM
|
|
|
25
on: February 17, 2019, 03:56:45 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 Violent Take It By Force
by Pastor Ricky Kurth
"Can you explain Matthew 11:12, especially 'the violent take it by force'?"
"And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force."
The "violence" that the Lord said the kingdom had suffered since John's day was the violent resistance that the unbelieving leaders in Israel waged against the proclamation of the kingdom gospel. These violent rulers made several attempts on the Lord's life as He preached the kingdom of heaven (Luke 4:29; John 5:18; John 7:1,19,25; 8:37,40; 10:31). As the Lord went on to explain, these violent attempts on His life were attempts to take possession of the kingdom by force.
The Lord illustrated all this with the parable of the "householder" who represented God (Matt. 21:33), "which planted a vineyard" that represented Israel in the Old Testament (Matt. 21:33 cf. Isa. 5:1,2,7). God "hedged" or "fenced" Israel (Matt. 21:33 cf. Isa. 5:2) with an invisible wall of protection from her enemies, but also "digged a winepress" (Isa. 5:2 cf. Matt. 21:33), which indicated He expected to reap a harvest of grapes from his vineyard to press into wine in return for His efforts. But the "servants" that God sent Israel to gather these fruits, the Old Testament prophets, were violently persecuted (Matt. 21:35,36). Last of all, He sent them His Son (Heb. 1:1,2), but when Israel's leaders "saw the son, they said among themselves, This is the heir; come, let us kill Him; and let us seize on His inheritance" (Matt. 21:38), His inheritance being Israel (Isa. 19:25). |
|
|
26
on: February 17, 2019, 03:53:54 PM
|
|
Started by nChrist - Last post by nChrist
|
Dust you are and to dust you will return!
(Charles Spurgeon)
"By the sweat of your brow you will eat your food until you return to the ground, since from it you were taken; for dust you are and to dust you will return." Genesis 3:19
"All go to the same place; all come from dust, and to dust all return!" Ecclesiastes 3:20
Augustine used to say he did not know whether to call it a dying life--or a living death. I leave the choice between those two expressions to you.
This is certainly a dying life--its march is marked by graves.
Nothing but a continuous miracle keeps any one of us from the sepulcher!
Were omnipotence to stay its power but for a moment--we would return to our native dust.
It is a dying life--and it is equally true that it is a living death.
We are always dying.
Every beating pulse we count, leaves but the number less.
The more years we count in our life--the fewer remain.
Are you afraid of dying? Oh! never be afraid of that--be afraid of living.
Living is the only thing which can do any harm--dying can never hurt a Christian.
Christian! You are nearer your eternal home than you thought you were--and every moment you are getting nearer still!
Oh, it would be indeed horrible if we could not die!
Who wants to be chained to this poor life for centuries?
"For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain."
"I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far!" |
|
|
27
on: February 17, 2019, 09:46:49 AM
|
|
Started by Soldier4Christ - Last post by Soldier4Christ
|
|
The Beginning of the Creation
“For in those days shall be affliction, such as was not from the beginning of the creation which God created unto this time, neither shall be.” (Mark 13:19)
The phrase “from the beginning of the creation” or equivalent occurs at least six times in the New Testament, indicating beyond question that the world was created at a definite beginning-point of time. All other cosmogonies, on the other hand, are evolutionary cosmogonies, which deny a real beginning for the space/time cosmos at all.
What almost seems a redundancy in our text is the phrase “the creation which God created.” Evidently the Lord thought it vital to stress the fact of divine creation, especially as the great last-days “affliction” draws near.
That the “creation” mentioned in this verse refers explicitly to the cosmos is evident from the parallel passage in Matthew 24:21, where the same prophecy is rendered as follows: “For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time.” Here “world” is actually the Greek kosmos, referring to the ordered universe of heaven and Earth. Thus, according to the Bible, the entire universe (including even time itself) came into existence at the “beginning” when God created it, as recorded in Genesis 1:1.
Note especially the significance of Mark 10:6 in this connection: “But from the beginning of the creation God made them male and female.” Jesus was here quoting from the account of the creation of Adam and Eve (Genesis 1:27) and included what seemed an almost incidental confirmation that God created them, not after many billions of years of cosmic evolution, but from the very beginning of creation! Man and woman were not divine afterthoughts, as evolution would imply, but were the very reason why God created the universe in the first place. HMM
|
|
|
28
on: February 16, 2019, 04:20:24 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
_______________________________________________
Let Him Be Accursed
by Pastor Paul M. Sadler
"It can't possibly be the correct interpretation that Paul's usage of the term 'accursed' in Galatians 1:8,9 meant believers could lose their salvation. What is your position on this issue?"
"As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed" (Gal. 1:9).
Let us look to Deuteronomy 7:26, which is the first place in our English Bibles that the Hebrew word ghehrem is translated "a cursed thing." This will help us understand Paul's usage of the term. It is important to bear in mind that the apostle had a thorough knowledge of the Old Testament, from which he often borrowed his terminology, even when writing in Greek.
"Neither shalt thou bring an abomination [an idol] into thine house, lest thou be a cursed [accursed] thing like it: but thou shalt utterly detest it, and thou shalt utterly abhor it; for it is a cursed [accursed] thing" (Deut. 7:26).
In other words, the idol was to be removed from their presence; it was to be avoided. In like manner, those who reject Paul's gospel are to be avoided lest we be drawn away to another gospel, which is exactly what happened at Galatia. As we know, two cannot walk together in close fellowship unless they are agreed (Amos 3:3).
So Paul isn't speaking about saints who teach another gospel losing their salvation, because we know that those who are saved are eternally secure in Christ. Thankfully, salvation doesn't depend on our actions, but on Christ's finished work at Calvary on our behalf. Clearly the apostle is speaking about separating ourselves from those who deny his gospel. However, there may have been some who believed a false gospel and therefore were not saved in the first place. Those who believed such a false gospel and went on to teach it to others were accursed indeed. |
|
|
29
on: February 16, 2019, 04:18:18 PM
|
|
Started by nChrist - Last post by nChrist
|
Christianity is just the jolliest thing imaginable!
(A.W. Tozer)
Professing Christians think of the world not as a battleground, but as a playground!
We are not here to fight--we are here to frolic!
We are not in a foreign land--we are at home.
We try to rid ourselves of our inhibitions and our frustrations, and live this life to the full.
This, we believe, is a fair summary of the religious philosophy of modern professors, openly professed by millions, and tacitly held by many more millions who live out that philosophy without having given it verbal expression.
The idea that this world is a playground instead of a battleground, has now been accepted in practice by the vast majority of professing Christians. They might hedge around the question if they were asked bluntly to declare their position, but their conduct gives them away. They are facing both ways, enjoying Christ and the world, gleefully telling everyone that accepting Jesus does not require them to give up their fun--Christianity is just the jolliest thing imaginable!
The "worship" growing out of such a view of life, is as far off center as the view itself--a sort of sanctified nightclub without the champagne and the dressed-up drunks. |
|
|
30
on: February 16, 2019, 08:30:40 AM
|
|
Started by Soldier4Christ - Last post by Soldier4Christ
|
|
The Saints
“Salute every saint in Christ Jesus. The brethren which are with me greet you. All the saints salute you, chiefly they that are of Caesar’s household.” (Philippians 4:21-22)
The apostle Paul typically began and ended most of his church epistles with greetings to and from “the saints.” The context in each case shows that this term was applied to all those who were “in Christ Jesus”—that is, all true Christians. The Greek word hagios meant essentially those people or things that are set aside or consecrated to the Lord. It is frequently translated “holy” and can be applied to objects dedicated to the Lord, as in Hebrews 9:24 (“holy places made with hands”).
The term is applied also to Old Testament believers. At the time of Christ’s resurrection, we are told that “many bodies of the saints which slept arose” (Matthew 27:52).
Although “saints” should be altogether godly and righteous as well as set aside to the Lord, that is not necessarily always how they act. Thus, special men have been called by God (i.e., pastors, teachers, etc.) “for the perfecting of the saints” (Ephesians 4:12).
Some of these latter have been given the supposedly exclusive right to be called saints by the Catholic church. Other than “St. Mary” and “St. Peter,” the best known of these may be “St. Patrick,” the so-called “patron saint” of Ireland. Patrick was certainly a very zealous missionary, largely responsible for the conversion of the Irish from paganism back in the early fifth century, and all we know about him would confirm that he was indeed a “saint” in the true biblical sense.
Since the sole biblical criterion to be classed as “His saints” is “them that believe,” that includes us! That being the case, should we not be zealous to see that our lives are such as “becometh saints” (Ephesians 5:3)? HMM
|
|
|
