From Mark Copeland... "ISSUES OF DISTINCTION" The All-Sufficiency Of The Scriptures

                      "ISSUES OF DISTINCTION"

                 The All-Sufficiency Of The Scriptures

INTRODUCTION

1. In previous lessons we have briefly considered three "Issues Of 
   Distinction":
   a. The Existence Of God - which differentiates between...
      1) Atheists and agnostics on the one hand
      2) Buddhists, Hindus, Jews, Moslems, Christians, etc., on the 
         other hand
   b. The Identity Of God - which distinguishes between...
      1) Buddhists, Hindus, etc.
      2) Jews, Moslems, Christians, etc.
   c. The Identity of Jesus Of Nazareth - over which there is a 
      difference between...
      1) Jews, Moslems, etc.
      2) Christians

2. It would be wonderful if all who accepted Jesus as "the Christ, the
   Son of God" were one...
   a. Jesus prayed for such unity - Jn 17:20-21
   b. Paul commanded that we be one - 1Co 1:10-13

3. The main reason why there is not unity pertains to another "issue of
   distinction"...
   a. That issue is "The All-Sufficiency Of The Scriptures"
      1) Are the Scriptures sufficient by themselves to lead us unto
         salvation?
      2) Or do we need other sources of authority for what we do in
         matters of religion?
   b. One's position on this issue will greatly affect his or her 
      religious beliefs and practices!

[To illustrate why this is true, allow me to demonstrate how...]

I. MANY DENY THE ALL-SUFFICIENCY OF THE SCRIPTURES

   A. SUCH AS ROMAN CATHOLICS, GREEK ORTHODOX, ETC.
      1. Who accept in ADDITION to the Bible...
         a. Traditions of the church which have arisen over the years
         b. Papal or ecclesiastical decrees
      2. Allowing such "traditions" or "decrees" to take precedence 
         over the Scriptures
         a. E.g., using "Father" as a religious title, though Jesus 
            forbid it - Mt 23:9
         b. E.g., requiring celibacy for bishops, though Paul taught
            otherwise - 1Ti 3:1-2

   B. SUCH AS MORMONS, JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES, PENTECOSTALS, ETC.
      1. Who accept in ADDITION to the Bible...
         a. Latter-day prophets
         b. Modern-day revelations
      2. Who allow their "revelations" to take precedence over the
         Scriptures
         a. E.g., the Mormons' concept of God having a body of flesh 
            - cf. Jn 4:24; Lk 24:39
         b. E.g., the Witnesses' denial of the bodily resurrection of
            Jesus - cf. Lk 24:39-40; Jn 2:19-22
         c. E.g., Pentecostals allowing women preachers - cf. 1Co 14:
            34-37; 1Ti 2:11-12

[When people reject "the all-sufficiency of the Scriptures", appealing
to other sources for their authority in religion, division is the 
natural outcome.  The first step towards unity is to recognize the need
for the same standard of authority, which ought to be the Scriptures
alone!

But are the Scriptures alone an all-sufficient guide?  Consider...]

II. THE ARGUMENT FOR THE ALL-SUFFICIENCY OF THE SCRIPTURES

   A. THE WHOLE COUNSEL OF GOD HAS BEEN PROCLAIMED...
      1. In his address to the Ephesian elders...
         a. Paul said he had proclaimed "the whole counsel of God" 

            - Ac 20:27
         b. He had held nothing back - Ac 20:20
      2. In leaving them, he entrusted them to the Word of God 

         - Ac 20:32
         a. Which was sufficient to "build you up"
         b. Which was sufficient to "give you an inheritance among all
            those who are sanctified"
      -- Note:  Paul did not leave them to "revelations" yet to come,
         but to the Word of God which was sufficient to save them!

   B. WE HAVE ALL THINGS PERTAINING TO LIFE AND GODLINESS...
      1. Peter wrote how God has given us all things necessary for
         spiritual life and godly living - 2Pe 1:3
      2. Note well...
         a. He had not given "some" things, but "all" things
         b. He had not given "some" things now, with "more" things to
            come later
      -- Whatever I need for "life and godliness", I know it has been
         revealed in God's Word!

   C. THE FAITH HAS BEEN REVEALED ONCE FOR ALL...
      1. Jude wrote of "the faith which was once for all delivered to
         the saints" - Jude 3
      2. In the Greek, "once for all" is "one time for all time"
         a. I.e., the faith (that body of knowledge we are to believe)
            was delivered one time for all time
         b. The faith wasn't partly revealed, with more to come through
            later revelations years later!
         c. The faith wasn't revealed just for that generation, with a
            different faith to be revealed for a generation yet future!
      -- Therefore the task we have is "to contend earnestly for the
         faith", not be looking for a new faith to fit our desires or
         expectations!

   D. THE SCRIPTURES CAN MAKE US COMPLETE, EQUIPPED FOR EVERY GOOD WORK
      1. Paul wrote to Timothy of the value of the Scriptures 

         - 2 Ti 3:14-17
         a. Inspired of God, it is profitable for:
            1) Doctrine
            2) Reproof
            3) Correction
            4) Instruction in righteousness
         b. It is capable of making a person "complete, thoroughly 
            equipped for every good work"
            1) Not partial, but complete!
            2) Not some good works, but every good work!
         -- What tradition, decree of man, or modern day revelation do
            any more than the inspired Word of God?
      2. When I turn to the Scriptures, I find that I have all I need
         to...
         a. Believe in Jesus - Jn 20:30-31
         b. Have life in His name - Jn 20:30-31
         c. Have fellowship with the Father, the Son, and the apostles 
            - 1Jn 1:3
         d. Have joy that is full - 1Jn 1:4
         e. Have help when I sin - 1Jn 2:1
         f. Know that I have eternal life - 1Jn 5:13
         g. Understand the revelation of the mystery of God - Ro 16:
            25-26; Ep 3:3-4
         h. Be fruitful in the knowledge of Jesus Christ and have an
            abundant entrance into the everlasting kingdom - 2Pe 1:
            8-11
         -- What else must one know or have?

CONCLUSION

1. There will always be a distinction related to "The All-Sufficiency 
   Of The Scriptures"

2. The distinction becomes apparent as one considers the doctrines and
   practices of any religious group...
   a. Those who accept it are more apt to be like the church you read
      about in the Bible
   b. Those who deny it will quickly evolve into something much 
      different

3. I hope I have given you reasons to place your faith in the Word of
   God, and it alone!
   a. The whole counsel of God has been proclaimed!
   b. We have all things pertaining to life and godliness!
   c. The faith has been revealed once and for all!
   d. The Scriptures can make us complete, thoroughly equipped for 
      every good work!

And so in the words of the apostle Paul...

   "...I commend you to God and to the word of His grace, which is
   able to build you up and give you an inheritance among all those
   who are sanctified." (Acts 20:32)

Executable Outlines, Copyright © Mark A. Copeland, 2015

 

The Messiah at Qumran by Garry K. Brantley, M.A., M.Div.

http://apologeticspress.org/APContent.aspx?category=13&article=359

The Messiah at Qumran

by	Garry K. Brantley, M.A., M.Div.

Since the Dead Sea Scrolls first were discovered, there has been much speculation about the relationship between the early Christians and the Qumran community. Due to the striking similarities between the theological vocabulary of the Dead Sea texts and the New Testament documents, some scholars have suggested that the first Christians either were heavily influenced by, or an outgrowth of, the Qumran sect (see Vanderkam, 1992). The recognition of an important Messiah figure, or figures, espoused in the Qumran materials is a case in point.

Scholars currently disagree whether the people of Qumran believed in one Messiah, or more. One document, called the “Manual of Discipline,” reflected their anticipation that “the Prophet and the Messiahs of Aaron and Israel” shortly would come. From this somewhat obscure text (as most are at Qumran), scholars concluded that the Qumran community looked for both priestly and royal Messiahs. The priestly figure would preside in matters of the Law and ritual, while the royal figure would be a Davidic descendant and lead God’s forces into battle. Other scholars have argued that the Dead Sea community believed in only one messianic figure (see Wise and Tabor, 1992). They do generally agree, however, that the role of Messiah at Qumran involved a militaristic element apparently directed against Rome.

Interestingly, one fragment from Cave 4 speaks of a Messiah whom “the heavens and the earth will obey” (see Eisenman and Wise, 1992, pp. 21-23). This language closely parallels the statement by Jesus: “All authority has been given to me in heaven and in earth” (Matthew 28:18). Further, this text from Qumran apparently describes this Messiah as one who heals the sick, resurrects the dead, announces to the poor glad tidings, and serves as a shepherd for the holy ones. Clearly this language is strikingly similar to the New Testament’s description of Jesus’ ministry (cf. Matthew 11:4-6; John 10:11).

These parallels, however, do not imply that early Christians either were influenced directly by, or grew out of, the Qumran sect. These texts simply provide an example of a common messianic hope that the royal Messiah would free Israel from Roman oppression. It appears that before His resurrection, Jesus’ disciples defined His Messiahship from such a perspective—one that did not incorporate His vicarious death (Matthew 16:21-23). Jesus, however, rejected this common view. He redefined His role of Messiah as One Who came to free humanity, not from national tyranny, but from the oppression of sin, which is the root of all injustice (John 8:30-36). Further, early Christians clearly believed in a singular Messiah (Jesus) in Whom the distinct Old Testament roles of prophet, priest, and king would coalesce (Hebrews 1:1-3). While there may be striking parallels between concepts espoused in the New Testament and the Qumran materials, the arresting differences attest to Christianity’s unique understanding of the Messiah.

REFERENCES

Eisenman, Robert and Michael Wise (1992), The Dead Sea Scrolls Uncovered (Rockport, MA: Element Books).

Vanderkam, James (1992), “The Dead Sea Scrolls and Christianity,” Understanding the Dead Sea Scrolls, ed. Hershel Shanks (New York: Random House).

Wise, Michael O. and James D. Tabor (1992), “The Messiah at Qumran,” Biblical Archaeology Review, 18[6]:60-65, November/December.

Science, Common Sense, and Genesis 1:1 by Eric Lyons, M.Min.

http://apologeticspress.org/APContent.aspx?category=12&article=3758

Science, Common Sense, and Genesis 1:1

by	Eric Lyons, M.Min.

The most fundamental question that a person can (and should) ask is: “Where did the Universe and everything in it (including myself) come from?” Before a person seeks answers to questions such as, “Why am I here?” or “Where am I going?” he first needs to know from whence he came? It is fitting that the only God-inspired book in the world—the Bible—answers this very question in its opening statement: “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth” (Genesis 1:1, emp. added). In the subsequent verses, man is informed that not only did God create the heavens and the earth, but He made everything in the heavens and on the Earth (Genesis 1:2-31; cf. Exodus 20:11). According to Scripture, everything that exists in the physical Universe ultimately came from an eternal, omnipotent, omniscient, infinite Creator (Genesis 17:1; 18:14; Psalm 139; 90:2).

The theory that atheistic evolutionists have advanced for several decades now, which supposedly best explains our existence from a purely naturalistic perspective, is known as the Big Bang. It has circulated via science textbooks all over the world. One of the leading publishers of science curricula for many years has been Prentice Hall. In their 1992 General Science textbook, titled A Voyage of Discovery, they included the following section on “The Birth and Death of the Universe”:

How was the universe born and how will it end? Most astronomers believe that about 18 to 20 billion years ago all the matter in the universe was concentrated into one very dense, very hot region that may have been much smaller than a period on this page. For some unknown reason, this region exploded. This explosion is called the big bang. One result of the big bang was the formation of galaxies, all racing away from one another (Hurd, et al., p. 61, emp. in orig.).

Since 1992 the “birth of the Universe” has been shaved substantially (from 18 to 20 billion years ago to 12 to 15 billion years ago—see Biggs, et al., 2003, p. 159), but the theory is more or less the same. Ask an atheist how the Universe came to be and you likely will hear that “it all started with a big bang.”

So which is it? Did everything in the physical Universe come into existence via the supernatural or the natural? Was it caused by a purely naturalistic Big Bang or an infinite Mighty God? How did Earth get here? How did the other seven planets in our Solar System come into being? Whence came the Milky Way and the billions of other galaxies in the Universe? How did the multiplied quadrillions of stars (some of which are hundreds of times bigger than the Sun) come into existence? Although atheistic, evolutionary scientists are fond of ridiculing Genesis 1:1 as being unreasonable and unscientific, the fact is, Scripture’s explanation for ultimate origins is both sensible and scientific.

First, a study of the material Universe reveals that all physical effects must have adequate causes that precede the effects (a truism known as the Law of Cause and Effect). One drop of rain does not flood an entire city, a paper airplane cannot carry an astronaut to the Moon, nor can a fire extinguisher cool the Sun. But what about the effect of the Universe itself? What was its cause? Was the gargantuan Universe caused by an explosion of a minute ball of matter or by an omnipotent Creator? Just as easily as one can know that a paper airplane is unable to transport an astronaut to the Moon, he can know that naturalistic explanations (e.g., Big Bang theory) are not adequate causes for the Universe. But God is.

Second, from what we observe in nature, matter and energy are neither created nor destroyed. Scientists refer to this fact as the First Law of Thermodynamics. Evolutionists allege that the Universe began with the explosion of a ball of matter several billion years ago, yet they never have provided a reasonable explanation for the cause of the “original” ball of matter. An attempt was made a few years ago in the April 28, 2007 issue of New Scientist magazine titled “The Beginning: What Triggered the Big Bang?” Notice the last line of the featured article: “[T]he quest to understand the origin of the universe seems destined to continue until we can answer a deeper question: why is there anything at all instead of nothing?” (194[2601]:33, emp. added). The fact is, a logical, naturalistic explanation for the origin of the “original” ball of matter that supposedly led to the Universe does not exist. It cannot exist so long as the First Law of Thermodynamics is true (i.e., in nature matter/energy cannot create itself).

Third, since the physical Universe exists, and yet it could not have created itself, then the Universe is either eternal or something/someone outside of the Universe must have created it. Relatively few scientists propose that the Universe is eternal. In fact, there would be no point in attempting to explain the “beginning” of the Universe if atheists believed it always existed. What’s more, the Second Law of Thermodynamics, which states that matter and energy become less usable over time, has led most scientists to conclude that the Universe has not always existed (else we would be out of usable energy; see Miller, 2007). But, if matter is not eternal, and it cannot create itself, then the only logical conclusion is that something/someone outside of nature (i.e., supernatural) caused the Universe and everything in it. Christians call this Someone, “the everlasting God, the LORD, the Creator of the ends of the earth” (Isaiah 40:28).

Finally, not only do the scientific Laws of Thermodynamics and the Law of Cause and Effect support the truth of Genesis 1:1, so also does the fact that design demands a designer. Just as sure as a painting demands a painter and a law a law-giver, the orderly, law-abiding, picturesque heavens and Earth demand, not a random, mindless, unexplained explosion (when have explosions ever caused order and design?), but an intelligent Designer. As the psalmist wrote: “The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament shows His handiwork” (19:1). What’s more, “the whole earth is full of His glory” (Isaiah 6:3). Indeed, both the heavens and the Earth testify day after day and night after night to anyone and everyone who will listen (Psalm 19:2-4) that “He who built all things is God” (Hebrews 3:4).

Naturalistic explanations for the Universe and its laws leave an explanatory void that only a supernatural Being (i.e., God) can fill. If man will only open his eyes and ears, he will discover what both Heaven and Earth reveal: that “the things which are seen were not made of things which are visible” (Hebrews 11:3). Rather, “God created the heavens and the earth” (Genesis 1:1, emp. added).
 

REFERENCES

Biggs, Alton, et al. (2003), Science (New York: McGraw-Hill).

Hurd, Dean, George Mathias, and Susan Johnson, eds. (1992), General Science: A Voyage of Discovery (Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall).

Miller, Jeff (2007), “God and the Laws of Thermodynamics: A Mechanical Engineer’s Perspective,”Reason & Revelation, 27[4]:25-31, April, http://www.apologeticspress.org/articles/3293.

“The Universe Before Ours” (2007), New Scientist, 194[2601]:28-33, April 28.

Dragonfly Flight and the Designer by Dave Miller, Ph.D.

http://apologeticspress.org/APContent.aspx?category=9&article=1796

Dragonfly Flight and the Designer

by	Dave Miller, Ph.D.

More proof of the existence of the Master Designer comes from research conducted by Z. Jane Wang, professor of theoretical and applied mechanics at Cornell University (Gold, 2006). Centering on flying systems and fluid dynamics, Dr. Wang notes that the best way to learn about flight is by first looking at what happensnaturally. Interesting. In order for the complex human mind to comprehend the principles of flight, that mind must focus on the natural order—the Creation. So mind must learn from that which, according to evolutionists, came into being and developed without any mind. Intelligence is dependent on non-intelligence. Who can believe it?

Reporting her findings at the annual meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, Dr. Wang observed that her research calls into question the conventional wisdom that ascribes to airplanes (human inventions) more flight efficiency than the flying creatures of the natural realm. Dragonflies, for example, are “a marvel of engineering” (Gold, 2006). “Marvel of engineering”—without an Engineer? So claims the evolutionist—despite the irrationality of such a conclusion.

Indeed, the dragonfly possesses four wings, instead of the standard two, enabling it to dash forward at speeds approaching 60 kph. Its unusual pitching stroke allows this amazing insect to hover and even shift into reverse. According to Wang: “Dragonflies have a very odd stroke. It’s an up-and-down stroke instead of a back-and-forth stroke.... Dragonflies are one of the most maneuverable insects, so if they’re doing that they’re probably doing it for a reason” (Gold, 2006, emp. added). “For a reason”? But doesn’t “a reason” imply a reasonable mind behind the reason that thinks and assigns a logical rationale to specific phenomena?

The more scientists study dragonflies the more they are impressed with these “marvels of flight engineering” (“How Do Things...,” n.d.). They appear to twist their wings on the downward stroke, creating a whirlwind of air that flows across the wings, facilitating the lift that keeps them flying. Even more amazing, one Australian scientist, Akiko Mizu­tani, of the Centre for Visual Science at the Australian National University, has studied dragonflies at length in the past few years. She observes that, while chasing its prey, dragonflies “shadow their enemies in complex manoeuvres that military fighter pilots can only dream of. Their tricks create the visual illusion that they’re not moving” (as quoted in “How Stealthy...,” 2003, 2398:26, emp. added). In fact, according to Dr. Javaan Chahl, the quick aerial movements allow the dragonfly to disguise itself as a motionless object (“Military Looks to Mimic...,” 2003, emp. added). These insights are not lost on the military establishment. They recognize the incredible implications for technological development—from the ability of fighter aircraft to approach the enemy undetected, to greater maneuverability, to enhanced helicopter logistics. Indeed, “scientists believe the insect’s flight control could have applications in new planes and helicopters” (2003). Is it any wonder that one of the very first helicopters produced was named “Dragonfly” (“Sikorsky...,” 2003)? If no one considers the helicopter as the product of time and chance, why would any reasonable person believe that the insect to which scientists are looking for an understanding of principles of flight evolved from mindless, mechanistic forces of nature?

If the human mind, with all of its complexity and ingenious design, is necessary to engineer flight capability (e.g., airplanes), what must be said for the Mind behind the human mind? If scores of intelligent scientists must expend vast amounts of time, energy, intention, deliberation, knowledge, and thought in order to discover the secrets of the “efficient motions” of the dragonfly, what must have been required to create that dragonfly in the first place? Mindless, non-intelligent, unconscious, non-purposive “evolutionary forces”? Ridiculous! Time and chance do not and cannot account for the amazing design found in insects like the dragonfly. The only logical, plausible explanation is that dragonflies were designed by the God of the Bible, and they testify to His wisdom: “You are worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power; for You created all things, and by Your will they exist and were created” (Revelation 4:11).

REFERENCES

Gold, Lauren (2006), “On the Wings of Dragonflies: Flapping Insect Uses Drag to Carry its Weight, Offering Insight into Intricacies of Flight,” Cornell University Chronicle, February 19, [On-line], URL: http://www.news.cornell.edu/stories/Feb06/AAAS.dragonflies.lg.html.

“How Do Things Fly?” (no date), Boeing, [On-line], URL: http://www.boeing.com/compan yoffices/aboutus/wonder_of_flight/dragon.html.

“Military Looks to Mimic Dragonflies” (2003), ABC News, June 5, [On-line], URL: http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200306/s872489.htm.

“How Stealthy Insects Outsmart Their Foe” (2003), New Scientist, 2398:26, June 7.

“Sikorsky HO2S-1/HO3S-1G ‘Dragonfly’” (2003), USCG Homepage, [On-line], URL: http://www.uscg.mil/hq/g-cp/history/WEBAIRCRAFT/AC_Sikorsky_HO3S.html.

Name Changes Omit “Christian” by Dave Miller, Ph.D.

http://apologeticspress.org/APContent.aspx?category=7&article=3595

Name Changes Omit “Christian”

by	Dave Miller, Ph.D.

The YMCA has announced a name change, omitting the word “Christian” from its longtime designation “Young Men’s Christian Association” as founded in England in 1844 and in America in 1851 (Muhlstein, 2010). Likewise, the charitable organization that has long raised funds to aid poverty-stricken children around the world, Christian Children’s Fund, has eliminated “Christian” to become simply “Child Fund” (Price, 2010). The usual politically correct claptrap of sensitivity to “diversity” and “inclusion” accompanied these announcements.

A fundamental sense of shame ought to accompany the foolish desire to distance oneself from anything Christian—a view certainly not shared by Paul (Romans 1:16), nor the Founders of the American Republic. For example, signer of the Declaration of Independence, President of the Continental Congress, and Governor of Connecticut, Samuel Huntington, issued a proclamation to his home state in which he announced:

It becomes a people publicly to acknowledge the over-ruling hand of Divine Providence...and with becoming humility and sincere repentance to supplicate the pardon that we may obtain forgiveness through the merits and mediation of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ (1791, emp. added).

Jesus said: “For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words, of him the Son of Man will be ashamed when He comes in His own glory” (Luke 9:26).

REFERENCES

Huntington, Samuel (1791), “By His Excellency Samuel Huntington, Esquire, A Proclamation for a Day of Fasting, Prayer and Humiliation, March 9, 1791” (Hartford, CT: Hudson and Goodwin).

Muhlstein, Julie (2010), “YMCA Logo Change Reflects Changing Times,” HaroldNet, http://www.heraldnet.com/article/20100716/NEWS01/707169911.

Price, Cynthia (2010), “Christian Children’s Fund Name Change to ChildFund International Official,” ChildFund International Press Releases, June 1, http://www.childfund.org/press_releases/.

Inconsistencies About Incest? by Eric Lyons, M.Min.

http://apologeticspress.org/AllegedDiscrepancies.aspx?article=2281&b=Genesis

Inconsistencies About Incest?

by Eric Lyons, M.Min.

On more than one list of “Bible discrepancies” is the allegation that Bible writers erred in their teachings about incest. In Leviticus 18:6-30, 20:11-12, and Deuteronomy 27:20-23, one learns that sexual relations between close family members is sinful and punishable by death: “None of you shall approach anyone who is near of kin to him, to uncover his nakedness” (Leviticus 18:6). Other passages, however, indicate that God tolerated incest among His people, and even blessed those involved in such relationships. Abraham married Sarah, his half-sister (Genesis 20:12; cf. Genesis 17:15-16; 22:17), while Abraham’s son, Isaac, married Rebekah, his second cousin (Genesis 22:20-23; 24:4,15), and Jacob, Abraham’s grandson, married his first cousins, Rachel and Leah (Genesis 24:29; 29:15-30). Even Moses’ father, Amram, “took for himself Jachebed, his father’s sister, as wife” (Exodus 6:20, emp. added; cf. Leviticus 20:19). Critics claim that such passages are contradictory. Were Bible writers really inconsistent when they addressed the subject of incest?

First, one must recognize that simply because Scripture mentions godly men such as Abraham or one of his righteous descendants doing something God forbade elsewhere, does not mean the Bible writers contradicted themselves. Christ was the only perfect man ever to live (2 Corinthians 5:21). Though Noah, Abraham, Moses, etc. were counted faithful to God (Hebrews 11:7-29), they occasionally disobeyed His will (e.g., Numbers 20:1-12). God never blessed their disobedience, only their faithfulness. Consider the harlot Rahab. Whereas God did not condone her harlotry, she was “justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out another way” (James 2:25). “By faith the harlot Rahab did not perish with those who did not believe, when she had received the spies with peace” (Hebrews 11:32). Simply because God graciously saved Rahab from the destruction of Jericho, does not mean that God condoned her past sexual sins. Similarly, just because the Bible writers mention a particular event (e.g., Amram marrying his aunt) without condemning it, does not necessarily mean the Bible writers condoned it.

Second, for one to identify a legitimate contradiction, he must be considering the same time frame. To condemn Thomas Jefferson for not paying Federal income tax would be inappropriate because there was no Federal income tax in the United States during his lifetime. Likewise, to accuse certain righteous men of breaking God’s law prior to the establishment of that law is equally erroneous. The first indication of God forbidding incestuous marriages is not until after the Israelites departed Egypt (when Moses was already 80 years old—Exodus 7:7). Prior to Mosaic Law, men could lawfully marry close family members. Indeed, God blessed Abraham (Genesis 12:1-3) while he was married to Sarah, his half-sister. What’s more, implied in the creation of Adam, the first man (1 Corinthians 15:45), and Eve, “the mother of all living” (Genesis 3:20), is that their immediate offspring married each other and had children. Furthermore, following the great Flood, the entire Earth was repopulated by Noah, his three sons, and their wives (Genesis 9:1). Thus, in the beginning God allowed incest.

There was no need for strict laws on marriage partners in the early Patriarchal Age (apart from the divine “one man, one woman, for life” institution), and for at least one good reason: during this time, man was in a relatively pure state, at least physically, having left not long before the perfect condition in which he was created and the Garden that had sustained his life....[N]o harmful genetic traits had emerged at this point that could have been expressed in the children of closely related partners. However, after many generations, and especially after the Noahic Flood (Genesis 6-9), solar and cosmic radiation, chemical and viral mutagens, and DNA replication errors, led to the multiplication of genetic disorders. God protected His people by instituting strict laws against incestuous marriages in the eighteenth chapter of Leviticus (Thompson and Major, 1987, 7[2]:7).

Laws regarding incest were given only during the Mosaic dispensation. Those living prior to this period or since this age ended (Colossians 2:14) have not been bound by its laws on incest anymore than we are bound by other Mosaic mandates (e.g., refraining from eating pork—Leviticus 11:7). That said, since “more genetic disorders have arisen in the world population since the time of Moses,...it is even more important to avoid marrying a close relative. Christianity thus far has insured that such rules have been carried forward into modern laws in the western world” (Thompson and Major, 7[2]:7). Though it may not be sinful for you to marry your first cousin, you may need to think twice before saying, “I do.”

REFERENCE

Thompson, Bert and Trevor Major (1987), “Where Did Cain Get His Wife?” Reason and Revelation, 7[2]:5-7, February.

From Roy Davison... Let us pursue the knowledge of God

http://www.oldpaths.com/Archive/Davison/Roy/Allen/1940/know.html

Let us pursue the knowledge of God

“Let us know, let us pursue the knowledge of the LORD” (Hosea 6:3).
To pursue is to resolutely strive for something even if it is difficult to obtain.
God placed people on earth “so that they should seek the Lord, in the hope that they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us” (Acts 17:27).

Through God’s creation we know that He exists.
The creation is solid evidence for the existence of God.
“The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament shows His handiwork. Day unto day utters speech, and night unto night reveals knowledge. There is no speech nor languagewhere their voice is not heard. Their line has gone out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world” (Psalm 19:1-4).
“The heavens declare His righteousness, and all the peoples see His glory” (Psalm 97:6).
“For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them. For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse” (Romans 1:18-20).
There is no excuse for anyone not to believe in God. Yet knowing God is much more than just knowing that He exists.

Through the Scriptures we know what God is like.
Knowing a person is different from knowing a fact. You know someone only if you are familiar with his characteristics, if you know what he is like. Effort is required to get to know anyone, so it is not strange that effort is required to know God.
God’s nature is revealed in the Scriptures. God reveals Himself to us as our Maker, our Sustainer, our Ruler, our Lawgiver, our Judge and our Savior. He is the source of life on earth and the source of eternal life. God reveals Himself as Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
Yet knowing God is more than just knowing what He is like. Some things can be known about God through His creation. More can be known through His word. Most can be known through His Son.

Through His Son we can know God. 
To know someone well, one must have a personal relationship with that person. Likewise, we must have a personal relationship with God to know Him well. By sending His Son, the Father has made this possible! Before discussing this, let us examine some fundamentals.

We cannot know God through human wisdom alone.
“For since, in the wisdom of God, the world through wisdom did not know God, it pleased God through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe” (1 Corinthians 1:21).

God has made Himself known through testimony.
Paul did not use human wisdom when he declared “the testimony of God” (1 Corinthians 2:1). “If we receive the witness of men, the witness of God is greater; for this is the witness of God which He has testified of His Son. He who believes in the Son of God has the witness in himself; he who does not believe God has made Him a liar, because he has not believed the testimony that God has given of His Son” (1 John 5:9, 10).

We must be God-fearing truth-seekers to know God.
We must seek knowledge and be open to God’s testimony to find the knowledge of God.
“Yes, if you cry out for discernment,
And lift up your voice for understanding,
If you seek her as silver,
And search for her as for hidden treasures;
Then you will understand the fear of the LORD,
And find the knowledge of God.
For the LORD gives wisdom;
From His mouth come knowledge and understanding”
(Proverbs 2:3-6).
Only those who love truth and seek knowledge accept God’s testimony and find the knowledge of God.
Paul speaks of certain people who are “always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth” (2 Timothy 3:7). This is because they have insufficient respect for God: “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge” (Proverbs 1:7). “For God gives wisdom and knowledge and joy to a man who is good in His sight” (Ecclesiastes 2:26).


Someone who hates knowledge cannot know God.
God does not listen to the prayers of people who hate knowledge: “Then they will call on me, but I will not answer; they will seek me diligently, but they will not find me. Because they hated knowledge and did not choose the fear of the LORD, they would have none of my counsel and despised my every rebuke. Therefore they shall eat the fruit of their own way, and be filled to the full with their own fancies” (Proverbs 1:28-31).
God said about Israel: “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge” (Hosea 4:6).
“How long, you simple ones, will you love simplicity? For scorners delight in their scorning, and fools hate knowledge” (Proverbs 1:22).

We may not reject the knowledge of God.
Deceitful people refuse to know God: “‘Your dwelling place is in the midst of deceit; through deceit they refuse to know Me,’ says the LORD” (Jeremiah 9:6).
Just claiming to know God is not enough. Of certain people Paul wrote: “They profess to know God, but in works they deny Him, being abominable, disobedient, and disqualified for every good work” (Titus 1:16).
Much evil emanates from a rejection of the knowledge of God: “because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Professing to be wise, they became fools, and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man - and birds and four-footed animals and creeping things. Therefore God also gave them up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts, to dishonor their bodies among themselves, who exchanged the truth of God for the lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever” (Romans 1:21-25).
They who do not know God will be punished when Jesus is “revealed from heaven with His mighty angels, in flaming fire taking vengeance on those who do not know God, and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ” (2 Thessalonians 1:7, 8).

To be God’s people we must know God.
Under the New Covenant one cannot be a part of God’s people unless one knows God: “No more shall every man teach his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying, ‘Know the LORD,’ for they all shall know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them, says the LORD. For I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin I will remember no more” (Jeremiah 31:34).
Under the Old Covenant, God’s people were a regular nation that included people who knew God and people who did not know God. The faithful encouraged the others to know God.
Under the New Covenant, God’s people are a spiritual nation consisting only of those who know God. “Then I will give them a heart to know Me, that I am the LORD; and they shall be My people, and I will be their God, for they shall return to Me with their whole heart” (Jeremiah 24:7).

In Christ we know God.
Jesus Christ has made God known: “No one has seen God at any time. The only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him” (John 1:18).
If we are in the Son, we have a personal relationship with the Father: “We know that the Son of God has come and has given us an understanding, that we may know Him who is true; and we are in Him who is true, in His Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God and eternal life” (1 John 5:20).
“And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent” (John 17:3).
Being “in Christ” involves being an active member of His body, the church (Ephesians 1:22, 23). We are “baptized into Christ” (Romans 6:3; Galatians 3:27). “For as the body is one and has many members, but all the members of that one body, being many, are one body, so also is Christ. For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body” (1 Corinthians 12:12, 13).
Paul explains that Christians have a personal relationship with the Father because the Spirit of His Son is in their hearts: “And because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying out, ‘Abba, Father!’ Therefore you are no longer a slave but a son, and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ” (Galatians 4:6, 7).

Our knowledge of God must increase.
Paul prayed that the Colossians might “walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God” (Colossians 1:10).
Peter admonishes us to “grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 3:18).

Knowledge of God must be put into practice.
We can know God only if we love one another and keep His commandments: “Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments. He who says, ‘I know Him,’ and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him” (1 John 2:3, 4). “Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. He who does not love does not know God, for God is love” (1 John 4:7, 8).

Pursue the knowledge of God.
Through God’s creation we know that He exists. Through the Scriptures we know what God is like. Through the Son we can have a personal relationship with God.
Although we must seek wisdom and knowledge in general to find the knowledge of God, we cannot know God through human wisdom alone. We must be God-fearing truth-seekers who accept God’s testimony. Someone who hates knowledge cannot know God. We may not reject the knowledge of God. They who do not know God will be punished. We must know God to be His people. God’s Son, Jesus Christ, has made Him known. In the Son we have a personal relationship with the Father through His Spirit within us. Our knowledge of God must increase and must be put into practice.
“Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord” (2 Peter 1:2). Amen.
Roy Davison

The Scripture quotations in this article are from
The New King James Version. ©1979,1980,1982,
Thomas Nelson Inc., Publishers unless indicated otherwise.
Permission for reference use has been granted.

Published in The Old Paths Archive
(http://www.oldpaths.com)

From Gary... Scaling back and remembering God

This won't do any good; Turkey day fat is almost a certainty. If you overeat you will get fat (Oh, how I know this one). So, this Thanksgiving day- enjoy yourself, but try not to do anything you will regret when today's intake becomes tomorrows fat. And most of all...

Ecclesiastes, Chapter 5 (WEB)
18  Behold, that which I have seen to be good and proper is for one to eat and to drink, and to enjoy good in all his labor, in which he labors under the sun, all the days of his life which God has given him; for this is his portion. 19 Every man also to whom God has given riches and wealth, and has given him power to eat of it, and to take his portion, and to rejoice in his labor—this is the gift of God.

Remember where your blessings come from!!!

Gary- remember to scale back your portions- not your scale!!!