"THE EPISTLE OF JAMES" The Implanted Word (1:21-25)

"THE EPISTLE OF JAMES"

The Implanted Word (1:21-25)

                                
INTRODUCTION

1. This study is based upon Jm 1:21-25, in which we read concerning
   "The Implanted Word" (the KJV uses the word "Engrafted"):

   21  Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of
   naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is
   able to save your souls. 22  But be ye doers of the word, and not
   hearers only, deceiving your own selves. 23  For if any be a hearer
   of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his
   natural face in a glass: 24  For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his
   way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was. 25  But
   whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth
   [therein], he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work,
   this man shall be blessed in his deed. (James 1)

2. Several observations can be made about the Word of God from this
   passage, and the first pertains to what the Word is able to do in our
   lives...

I. THE POWER OF THE WORD OF GOD

   A. NOTICE THE WORDS OF JAMES HIMSELF...
      1. "which is able to save your souls" (1:21)
      2. Stated very clearly, the Word of God has the power to SAVE OUR SOULS!

   [To see how, let's consider some other scriptures...]

   B. ITS POWER TO SAVE IS FOUND IN ITS ABILITY TO...
      1. CREATE ANEW
         a. I.e., to cause us to be born again - 1Pe 1:22-25; Jm 1:18
         b. This is because of what the Word of God contains:  God's
            way of salvation through Jesus Christ!
      2. SANCTIFY
         a. The word "sanctify" means to "set apart for a holy purpose"
         b. David sang of the Word's ability to sanctify God's people
            - Ps 19:7-11
         c. In His prayer, Jesus spoke of the sanctifying influence of
            God's Word - Jn 17:15-17
         d. Thus the Word of God can serve to set us apart for His purpose!
      3. PRESERVE
         a. The young were told to preserve their way by the Word of
            God - Ps 119:9,11
         b. The elders were admonished to keep the church pure by
            the same Word - Ac 20:28-32

[When we take the time to consider the POWER of the Word of God, it
becomes evident that the Word is very important to the Christian!

But the value of "The Implanted Word" can only be realized when
certain conditions are met.  We find those conditions mentioned in our text...]

II. BENEFITING FROM THE POWERFUL WORD OF GOD

   A. THERE ARE THINGS WE MUST LAY ASIDE! (21a)
      1. James mentions such things as "all filthiness and overflow of
         wickedness" (NKJV) - cf. Paul's description of things to
         lay aside - Col 3:5-9
      2. For the Word of God to bear its fruit in our lives, the "weeds
         of sin" must first be uprooted!
         a. We cannot hope to benefit from our study of the Word if we
            continue to dwell on that which is spiritually filthy and to
            engage in wickedness
         b. Could this be why many do not get much out of Bible study?

   B. WE MUST HAVE A PROPER ATTITUDE! (21b)
      1. James says to "receive with meekness" the Word of God
      2. A humble and receptive attitude is essential to get the most
         out of the Word of God
      3. It helps to remain humble if we remember two things:
         a. We are sinners too!
         b. We can be easily deceived also!
      4. We should study, not to learn facts, not to win debates, but to
         learn God's truth to save ourselves and those around us!
      5. Is this prayer of David our own?  "Open thou mine eyes, that I
         may behold wondrous things out of thy law." (Ps 119:18)

   C. THE WORD MUST BE "IMPLANTED" IN OUR HEARTS! (21b)
      1. It is only the "implanted" Word which can truly save our souls
         a. Therefore we must be sure to take the words out of the pages
            and implant them into our hearts!
         b. Otherwise we are no different from the Jews who gave lip
            service to their Words written on stone
      2. A distinguishing feature of the those under the NEW COVENANT
         is that the Word of God is to be WRITTEN IN THEIR HEARTS - He 8:6-13
      3. Where is the Word of God today?
         a. Is it only in ink inscribed on paper?
         b. Or we have we read it often enough, meditated upon it enough,
            that it has become IMPLANTED in our hearts as well?
      4. Is this possible without daily reading of the Bible?

   D. IT MUST BE APPLIED IN OUR LIVES! (22-25)
      1. We must be "doers of the Word and not hearers only"
      2. Otherwise, we deceive ourselves (and usually ONLY ourselves)
         a. God is not deceived
         b. Nor is the devil
         c. Most likely our children will see through us
         d. And so will many others!
      3. Notice that the true blessedness of the Word comes...
         a. NOT by "looking into the perfect law of liberty" ALONE
         b. BUT by "continuing in it," and being "a doer of the work"
      4. Yes, it is not just the READING of the Word which provides JOY,
         PEACE and HAPPINESS, but the actual application of the Word in
         lives through faithful obedience!

CONCLUSION

1. Notice that James calls the Word of God the "perfect law of liberty"
   - Jm 1:25
   a. This is because in its power to:
      * CREATE ANEW
      * SANCTIFY
      * PRESERVE
   b.  ...it provides TRUE FREEDOM:  LIBERATION FROM THE GUILT AND
      DOMINION OF SIN!

2. Of course, what gives the Word this power is the message it contains:
   THE GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST (God's power unto salvation - Ro 1:16)

3. Undoubtedly you have heard it...but hearing it is not enough!
   a. You must lay aside all filthiness and overflow of wickedness - that
      is, to REPENT - Ac 17:30-31
   b. You must receive the message of the gospel with meekness - in other
      words, to BELIEVE - Jn 3:16
   c. You must also be a "doer of the Word" - for example, to OBEY HIS
      COMMAND TO BE BAPTIZED
      1) For Jesus is the author of eternal salvation to those who OBEY
         Him - He 5:9
      2) And in addition to the commands to believe and repent, He calls
         us to be baptized! - Mk 16:16; Mt 28:19; Ac 2:38; 22:16

Receive with meekness these very words of Jesus and His apostles, for
that is how the Word of God is able to save your soul!

Executable Outlines, Copyright © Mark A. Copeland, 2016

 

From “In Place of God” to “God’s Place” by Eric Lyons, M.Min.

http://apologeticspress.org/APContent.aspx?category=12&article=2355

From “In Place of God” to “God’s Place”

by	Eric Lyons, M.Min.

Nearly one year ago we reported that many militant non-believers gathered in La Jolla, California for the first “Beyond Belief” symposium (see Lyons and Butt, 2007), which the scientific journal New Scientist called “an ‘atheist love fest’” (Reilly, 2007, 196[2629]:7). The conference was held to discuss science, religion, and God, and specifically whether science should “do away with religion” (Brooks, 2006, 192[2578]:9). New Scientist writer Michael Brooks summarized the overall attitude of the attendees in the following words: “science can take on religion and win” (p. 11, emp. added). The participants were ready to roll up their sleeves and “get on with it” (p. 11). They were ready to put science “In Place of God,” as Brooks titled his article.

Fast forward one year to “Beyond Belief II,” and it appears some of the participants approached the idea of a Supernatural Being more cautiously. Even the title of a recent New Scientist article, which reported on the symposium, changed from last year’s arrogant heading, “In Place of God,” to this year’s more sober title, “God’s Place in a Rational World” (see Reilly, 2007, 196[2629]:7, emp. added). Michael Reilly gave some insight into the meeting by recording what one attendee, Edward Slingerland of the University of British Columbia, openly acknowledged:

“Religion is not going away,” he announced. Even those of us who fancy ourselves rationalists and scientists, he said, rely on moral values—a set of distinctly unscientific beliefs.

Where, for instance, does our conviction that human rights are universal come from? “Humans’ rights to me are as mysterious as the holy trinity.... You can’t do a CT scan to show where humans’ rights are, you can’t cut someone open and show us their human rights.... It’s not an empirical thing, it’s just something we strongly believe. It’s a purely metaphysical entity” (p. 7).

Although some at the conference naïvely believe that “[g]iven time and persistence, science will conquer all of nature’s mysteries” (Reilly, 2007, p. 7, emp. added), it is encouraging to know that at least one person alluded to one of the greatest proofs for God’s existence—the moral argument.

The fact is, morality exists and makes sense only if there is a God, because only God could have created it. All naturalistic explanations for the existence of morality have been shown to be inadequate. What’s more, scientists admit that they still cannot logically explain the existence of morals. In truth, the only logical explanation must be supernatural (i.e., the God of the Bible). [NOTE: To read more on the moral argument for God’s existence, see Jackson, 1995.]

REFERENCES

Brooks, Michael (2006), “In Place of God,” New Scientist, 192[2578]:8-11, November 18.

Jackson, Wayne (1995), “The Case for the Existence of God [Part III],” Reason & Revelation, 15[7]:49-55, July, [On-line], URL: http://apologeticspress.org/apcontent.aspx?category=12&article=362.

Lyons, Eric and Kyle Butt (2007), “Militant Atheism,” Reason & Revelation, 27[1]:1-5, January, [On-line], URL: http://apologeticspress.org/articles/3195.

Reilly, Michael (2007), “God’s Place in a Rational World,” New Scientist, 196[2629]:7, November 10.

Free thought: Not So Free After All by Kyle Butt, M.Div.

http://apologeticspress.org/APContent.aspx?category=12&article=926

Free thought: Not So Free After All

by	Kyle Butt, M.Div.

One of the most popular terms used by atheists and agnostics to describe themselves is the term “freethinker.” Accordingly, their self-styled brand of reasoning, known as “freethought,” is hitting the upper echelons of academia as the in vogue way to think. From the ideas contained in this compound word, its advocates are attempting to lead people to believe that freethinkers are free to think as they like. Supposedly, freethinkers can go where the evidence leads them, since they are not bound by traditional ideas on morality, deity, the inspiration of the Bible, and other “wayward” notions that have “hindered” freedom in the past.

One of the most outspoken defenders of freethought is a man named Dan Barker. Prior to his “deconversion” into freethought, he was a zealous denominational preacher and missionary. In his most famous written work describing his new-found atheism, Losing Faith in Faith: From Preacher to Atheist, he includes an entire chapter titled, What is a Freethinker? At the end of this chapter, Barker says, “Freethought allows you to do your own thinking…. Freethought is truly free” (1992, p. 136). Obviously, Mr. Barker wants everyone who comes in contact with freethought to believe that it is an avenue of thinking that allows each individual to go where his or her thoughts lead.

Upon further investigation, however, freethought is not so free after all. On the very first page of his chapter on freethought, he contends, “No one can be a freethinker who demands conformity to a bible, creed, or messiah.” So, according to Mr. Barker, since he and his group of freethinkers do not think they see enough evidence for the Bible’s inspiration, then all “freethinkers” must reject conformity to the Bible. What happened to the idea that freethought allows “you to do your own thinking.” Again, on the same page he wrote, “Freethinkers are naturalistic” (p. 133), meaning that freethinkers cannot believe in anything outside the realm of what can be measured scientifically using the senses. What if certain evidences compel a person to believe in a supernatural deity? According to freethought, a person is not free to follow that type of evidence. Once again, freethought proves to be much less “free” than we have been told.

Another telling statement from Barker’s pen comes on page 134, where he says, “Individuals are free to choose, within the limits of humanistic morality.” Freethought, then, allows a person to choose freely any set of ethical and moral standards, as long as those standards conform to the “humanistic morality” adopted by Barker and his fellow “freethinkers.” But what if those moral standards fall outside the realm of “humanistic morality?” Then a freethinker must choose some other standard—or cease to be a freethinker.

In one of his concluding paragraphs, Barker states: “A multiplicity of individuals thinking, free from the restraints of orthodoxy, allows ideas to be tested, discarded or adopted” (p. 135). Barker subtly omits the other restraints such as naturalism and humanism, from which freethinkers are not free. In essence, freethinkers, according to Dan Barker, are those people who think like him and his fellow freethinkers. If a person does not think like the humanistic, naturalistic Dan Barker, then that person must be an enslaved thinker, not a freethinker. In reality, “freethought” is a misnomer and is not free after all. In fact, it is one of the “least free” ways to think that is available in the marketplace of ideas. In actuality, the only thing that can ever make a person free is the truth (John 8:32). From the statements quoted above, it is evident that Dan Barker and his fellow freethinkers are not really interested in freedom but, rather, are interested in forming a group of “freethinkers” that toes the party line on such false concepts as naturalism and humanism.

REFERENCE

Barker, Dan (1992), Losing Faith In Faith—From Preacher to Atheist (Madison, WI: Freedom from Religion Foundation).

Following the Toucan’s Nose to a Designer by Kyle Butt, M.Div.

http://apologeticspress.org/APContent.aspx?category=12&article=2053

Following the Toucan’s Nose to a Designer

by	Kyle Butt, M.Div.

The writers and editors of National Geographic are notoriously guilty of saturating their articles with evolution. That is why it is almost humorous to read articles in the periodical that seem to slip by the editors—articles that, if read in a straightforward manner, defy evolution. For instance, in the December, 2006 issue, the editors included a tiny, one-page article titled “Power Beak.” This article discusses the beak of the toucan. John Eliot, the author of the article, interviewed Marc André Meyers, “a materials scientist at the University of California, San Diego.” Meyers believes the unique design of the toucan beak could be used to produce strong, lightweight materials used in vehicles.

Meyers describes the toucan beak as a beautiful structure. He then goes into some engineering detail:

The surface is made of keratin, the same material in fingernails and hair. But the outer layer isn’t a solid structure. It’s actually many layers of tiny hexagonal plates, overlapping like shingles on a roof. The interior is different from the shell, made of bone. It consists of a light yet rigid foam made of little beams and membranes. And some areas of the beak are hollow (Eliot, 2006, p. 30).

On the same page, to the right of Meyers’ comments, the reader can see two pictures from a microscope—one of the hard foam inside the beak and the other of the “shingle” layers of keratin. To the left of the comments there is a toucan head and beak, in which the layers are shown in a cross-section-like diagram. The combined pictures look like they are straight out of an engineer’s portfolio.

What is Eliot’s assessment of the toucan’s beak? In a simple, yet oh-so-telling, sentence, Eliot said: “[T]he toucan’s beak is ingeniously designed to be both strong and light weight.” Look closely at the wording. He says the beak is “ingeniously designed.” The American Heritage Dictionary defines the word “ingenious” as: “Marked by inventive skill and imagination. 2. Having or arising from an inventive or cunning mind; clever” (2000, p. 900, emp. added). Notice that the word “ingenious” implies an inventive or cunning mind. What inventive or cunning mind engineered the beautiful design of the toucan beak? It could not have been the evolutionary process, since evolutionists themselves admit that the process has no ultimate goals and no creative mind powering the system. The only logical answer is the supernatural mind of God. If the editors of National Geographic would only follow the nose of the toucan, they would find the ingenious Designer—and they would stop writing false, evolutionary propaganda.

REFERENCES

American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language (2000), (Boston, MA: Houghton Mifflin), fourth edition.

Eliot, John L. (2006), “Power Beak,” National Geographic, 210[6], December 12.

To Fear The Father by Ben Fronczek

http://granvillenychurchofchrist.org/?p=1586

To Fear The Father

(Luke 12:1-9) “Meanwhile, when a crowd of many thousands had gathered, so that they were trampling on one another, Jesus began to speak first to his disciples, saying: “Be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy. 2 There is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed, or hidden that will not be made known. 3 What you have said in the dark will be heard in the daylight, and what you have whispered in the ear in the inner rooms will be proclaimed from the roofs.

4 “I tell you, my friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body and after that can do no more. 5 But I will show you whom you should fear: Fear him who, after your body has been killed, has authority to throw you into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear him. 6 Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? Yet not one of them is forgotten by God. 7 Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.

8 “I tell you, whoever publicly acknowledges me before others, the Son of Man will also acknowledge before the angels of God. 9 But whoever disowns me before others will be disowned before the angels of God”.

For many of us, when we were children we had what I call a healthy fear of our dads. As much as I loved my dad, and as much as I know he loved me, a small part of me feared him. Even though most people said that I was a good kid and somewhat well behaved, there were times as I was growing up when I needed what I’d like to call a behavior or attitude adjustment, and my dad, and even sometimes my mom help me with those adjustments.

Like when at a very young age I decided to help my dad and dissect his chain saw, piece by piece. Or when I decided to experiment with matches to see what could burn along side the road and what couldn’t and started a brush fire. Or when my parents found out that me and my neighbor were shoplifting candy and small toys from our local country store. My parents didn’t like it to much when my brother and I would not stop fooling around at bedtime after being told to be quiet go to sleep too many times. I remember on night my dad was on his way into our room to warm our bottom and I shoved some kind of clothing down my pants to pad my backside. Nor did they like it very much when I decided my brother needed an attitude adjustment and took it into my own hands to give him one.

For some reason I don’t remember too much about those acts of discipline (or beatings as we use to refer to them) but I know that they had a profound effect: #1, I did my best not to do whatever I did to get that belt or spanking in the first place. And #2, I learned not to tempt fate when it came to disobeying my parents and do something evil or mischievous.

I had a healthy fear because I knew what my dad would do. Back then I don’t ever remember having a ‘TIME OUT.’ And the only reason we were sent to our room was to get spanked in private which was something that usually terrified us. That wait seemed always worst that the beating itself.

By no means do I want you think that my parents were cruel or abusive, they weren’t. As a matter of fact my brother and I knew that our parents loved us and did not want us to grow up without teaching us the difference between right and wrong. Like I said, I don’t remember any of those beatings be much more than a couple of slaps on our butt. But that was all that was needed to make an impression.

And I personally don’t think there is anything wrong with having a little bit of respectful fear to prompt us to do the right things.

As a matter of fact in the book of Proverbs Solomon instructs loving parents to use more than words to discipline your child. (Proverbs 13:24; 19:18; 22:15; 23:14-15; and 29:15)

In Psychology Today, an article on fear says, “There are many things that motivate us. But the most powerful motivator of all is FEAR. Fear is a primal instinct that served us as cave dwellers and today. It keeps us alive, because if we survive a bad experience, we never forget how to avoid it in the future. Our most vivid memories are born in Fear. Adrenaline etches them into our brains..”

Proverbs 23:14-15 says, “Do not withhold discipline from a child; if you punish them with the rod, they will not die. 14 Punish them with the rod and save them from death.”

That’s what discipline is all about. It’s not about being vicious, cruel, or having revenge on our child for what they have done. Rather it’s all about caring so much for our child that we take some drastic steps to modify their behavior wanting to save them from far worst things.

That’s what discipline is all about. As a matter of fact we are told that God does the same with us even as His adult children. The author of Hebrews wrote, in 12:5-11. “And have you completely forgotten this word of encouragement that addresses you as a father addresses his son? It says, “My son, do not make light of the Lord’s discipline, and do not lose heart when he rebukes you, 6 because the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and he chastens everyone he accepts as his son.”

7 Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as His children. For what children are not disciplined by their father? 8 If you are not disciplined—and everyone undergoes discipline—then you are not legitimate, not true sons and daughters at all. 9 Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it. How much more should we submit to the Father of spirits and live! 10 They disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, in order that we may share in His holiness. 11 No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.”

I don’t know about you but to some degree I fear our Father God. Yes, I am absolutely convince He loves me more than any human could, and yes I love Him, but there is still a part of me that fears Him in much the same way I feared my dad as a boy growing up. From scripture I’ve learned; like my dad and even more so, Father God is not someone to mess with.

And that fear of Father God has motivate me to do some things that I may not have done if I had not feared Him.

In out last lesson we read about King Sennacherib, the king of Assyria who wanted to attack and conquer Jerusalem. Before he attacked he sent a message to King Hezekiah and those in Jerusalem basically telling them to give up and surrender because in his opinion there was no way to get out of the situation, not even with God’s help. In 2 Chronicles 32 16 it says,  “ Sennacherib’s officers spoke further against the Lord God and against his servant Hezekiah. 17 The king also wrote letters ridiculing the Lord, the God of Israel, and saying this against Him: “Just as the gods of the peoples of the other lands did not rescue their people from my hand, so the god of Hezekiah will not rescue his people from my hand.”

And the following night we read that God sent the Angel of the Lord into the Assyrian camp and put to death a185,000 soldiers. Simply put, I don’t think you should mess with Father God. Over and over from the time of Noah on we read how Father God wiped out one evil nation or people after another.

In Hebrews God lets us know that He will discipline those of us who are His sons and daughters just as a parent disciplines us when we start going down the wrong path.

For me one of the scariest verses in all the Bible is seen in Luke 12:4-5; it says, 4 “I tell you, my friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body and after that can do no more. 5 But I will show you whom you should fear: Fear him who, after your body has been killed, has authority to throw you into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear him.”

This tells me that there isn’t anyone on this planet or beyond that I should fear more that God Himself. Not that He doesn’t love us, rather it is because He loves us Father God will not put up with a disobedient, unholy, evil, irreverent son or daughter. And in the end if we don’t turn from such behavior its going to be far worse than a rod to your back, He will not let you into heaven and you will depart to a place where Jesus said there will be torment with weeping and gnashing of teeth. (Matthew 13:42 and 25:30)

Words like that from Jesus scare the Hell out of me; and they have changed my behavior and way of life. You want motivation to do the right thing, to obey His word, to start loving and serving others as He would have you, to stop complaining all the time and start forgiving others. Or the motivation to give up bad or sinful habits and honor Him; then remember: “do not be afraid of those who kill the body and after that can do no more. 5 But I will show you whom you should fear: Fear him who, after your body has been killed, has authority to throw you into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear him.”

For more lessons click on the following link: http://granvillenychurchofchrist.org/?page_id=566

All comments can be emailed to: bfronzek@gmail.com

What does God require of us? Roy Davison

http://www.oldpaths.com/Archive/Davison/Roy/Allen/1940/031-require.html

What does God require of us?

“He has shown you, O man, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you but to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God?” (Micah 6:8).

God has let us know what is good.

Man has a general knowledge of good and evil. According to Romans 1:18-32, man has sufficient knowledge about God and righteousness to be held responsible for his actions. This applies to all men, including those who do not have God’s written word.

In Scripture it is assumed that we can recognize good and evil: “Depart from evil and do good” (Psalm 34:14). “Beloved, do not imitate what is evil, but what is good” (3 John 11). “He who would love life and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips from speaking deceit. Let him turn away from evil and do good; let him seek peace and pursue it. For the eyes of the LORD are on the righteous, and His ears are open to their prayers; but the face of the LORD is against those who do evil” (1 Peter 3:10-12).

Since God has shown us what is good, He holds us responsible: “The eyes of the LORD are in every place, keeping watch on the evil and the good” (Proverbs 15:3).

In judgment we must give account for what we have done. “Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God and keep His commandments, for this is man’s all. For God will bring every work into judgment, including every secret thing, whether good or evil” (Ecclesiastes 12:13, 14).

What does God require of us? “He has shown you, O man, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you but to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God?” (Micah 6:8).

God requires that we do justly.

To do justly means to behave justly. Behaving justly includes treating people fairly in an evenhanded manner, without favoritism, prejudice or self-interest. We all want to be treated justly. So we ought to treat others justly as well. God requires that we do so.

“Thus says the LORD of hosts: ‘Execute true justice, show mercy and compassion everyone to his brother’” (Zechariah 7:9). “For I, the LORD, love justice” (Isaiah 61:8). “To do righteousness and justice is more acceptable to the LORD than sacrifice” (Proverbs 21:3).

“It is a joy for the just to do justice” (Proverbs 21:15). “Blessed are those who keep justice, and he who does righteousness at all times!” (Psalm 106:3). “So you, by the help ofyour God, return; observe mercy and justice, and wait on your God continually” (Hosea 12:6). “Let justice run down like water, and righteousness like a mighty stream” (Amos 5:24).

What does God require of us? “He has shown you, O man, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you but to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God?” (Micah 6:8).

God requires that we love mercy. 

Being merciful means to be kind and compassionate, which results in a forgiving attitude toward others. To love mercy means to be wholeheartedly committed to mercy. Even a selfish person, wants to receive mercy! But someone who loves mercy, is thankful for the mercy God extends to him and wants to pass that mercy on to others. God wants us to be merciful.

“Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy” (Matthew 5:7). “For judgment is without mercy to the one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment” (James 2:13).

Our hope is based on the mercy of God. “The LORD takes pleasure in those who fear Him, in those who hope in His mercy” (Psalm 147:11). “Behold, the eye of the LORD ison those who fear Him, on those who hope in His mercy” (Psalm 33:18). “Let Your mercy, O LORD, be upon us, just as we hope in You” (Psalm 33:22). “I will be glad and rejoice in Your mercy” (Psalm 31:7).

“The wisdom that is from above is ... full of mercy” (James 3:17). “He who shows mercy” is to do so “with cheerfulness” (Romans 12:8).

What does God require of us? “He has shown you, O man, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you but to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God?” (Micah 6:8). 

God requires that we walk humbly with Him.

Our walk is our way of life. To walk with God means to walk in all His ways and to be in daily fellowship with Him. 

“And now, Israel, what does the LORD your God require of you, but to fear the LORD your God, to walk in all His ways and to love Him, to serve the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul, and to keep the commandments of the LORD and His statutes which I command you today for your good?” (Deuteronomy 10:12, 13).

To walk in all His ways requires knowledge of His word and a willingness to do what God tells us to do and to go where God wants us to go. Many people want God to walk with them where they want to go! But to walk with God we must follow His lead and go where He goes!

“Enoch walked with God; and he was not, for God took him” (Genesis 5:24). “By faith Enoch was taken away so that he did not see death” (Hebrews 11:5). “Noah was a just man, perfect in his generations. Noah walked with God” (Genesis 6:9).

A mortal man who walks with God must humbly follow Him. A humble person does not exalt himself. He is meek and unpretentious because he adopts a lowly position. As a psychologist supposedly told one man: “You don’t have an inferiority complex. You really are inferior!” A humble person accepts that in certain ways he is inferior to others. And we certainly are inferior to God! “‘For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways,’ says the LORD. ‘For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts’” (Isaiah 55:8, 9). In our relationship with God, humility is essential!

“Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths” (Proverbs 3:5, 6). As we walk humbly with God, we trust His guidance because He knows the way better than we do.

“Good and upright is the LORD; therefore He teaches sinners in the way. The humble He guides in justice, and the humble He teaches His way. All the paths of the LORD aremercy and truth, to such as keep His covenant and His testimonies” (Psalm 25:8-10). God’s covenant for us is the New Testament, containing the testimony of Christ and the conditions for salvation.

“Humble yourselves in the sight of the LORD, and He will lift you up” (James 4:10). “For the LORD takes pleasure in His people; He will beautify the humble with salvation” (Psalm 149:4). “God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble. Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time” (1 Peter 5:5b, 6).

Jesus did what His Father required of Him. 

“As the Father gave Me commandment, so I do” (John 14:31). Jesus is our example. He showed us how to be just, merciful and humble. It was prophesied that the Christ would “bring justice to victory” (Matthew 12:20, quoted from Isaiah 42:1-4). Often “He was moved with compassion” (see Matthew 9:36 for example). And He gives us this invitation: “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls” (Matthew 11:28, 29).

What does God require of us? 

“He has shown you, O man, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you but to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God?” (Micah 6:8). 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

The scope of sin by Gary Rose

Oh, that our nation would pray like this man! America has become a nation that has willfully forgotten its religious foundations. Our prosperity has led the majority of us to “forget” the God who has blessed us. Collectively, we have sinned and for many of us there seems to be no hope. It seems like it is only a matter of time before God removes our society from the face of the earth. Yet, even if God decided to do this, hope would remain. I know this because it has happened before – to Israel. And, in exile- Daniel prayed...

Daniel 9 (World English Bible)

Dan 9:1, In the first year of Darius the son of Ahasuerus, of the seed of the Medes, who was made king over the realm of the Chaldeans,

Dan 9:2, in the first year of his reign I, Daniel, understood by the books the number of the years about which the word of Yahweh* came to Jeremiah the prophet, for the accomplishing of the desolations of Jerusalem, even seventy years.

Dan 9:3, I set my face to the Lord God, to seek by prayer and petitions, with fasting and sackcloth and ashes.

Dan 9:4, I prayed to Yahweh my God, and made confession, and said, Oh, Lord, the great and dreadful God, who keeps covenant and loving kindness with those who love him and keep his commandments,

Dan 9:5, we have sinned, and have dealt perversely, and have done wickedly, and have rebelled, even turning aside from your precepts and from your ordinances;

Dan 9:6, neither have we listened to your servants the prophets, who spoke in your name to our kings, our princes, and our fathers, and to all the people of the land. (emphasis added)

Pride is the greatest obstacle to admitting our sin. The nation of Israel had to endure being ripped away from their homeland before they would collectively change. I sincerely hope that America does not have to endure a removal from this great land, but if God decides that we should be exiled- it will happen.

What constitutes a nation? Its citizens, my answer. And when we as individuals acknowledge our sins before almighty God, he will listen. If enough of us do this, I am quite sure that God will change things- and for the better.

Pray, not only for the forgiveness of our own sins, but for our country as well!

"THE EPISTLE OF JAMES" Slow To Wrath (1:19-20)

"THE EPISTLE OF JAMES"

Slow To Wrath (1:19-20)
                               
INTRODUCTION

1. In Jm 1:19-20 we find a trio of graces:
   a. "swift to hear"
   b. "slow to speak"
   c. "slow to wrath"

2. From the context, it appears that these admonitions are given in
   regards to our reception of the Word of God - cf. Jm 1:18, 21
   a. Therefore, they are qualities needed especially in times of trial
      when we need most the Word of God
   b. In other words, we need to humbly and calmly be receptive to what
      the Word of God has to say

3. In this lesson, I wish to concentrate our attention on the third
   admonition:  "slow to wrath"
   a. Especially in view of verse 20:  "For the wrath of man worketh not
      the righteousness of God."
   b. And also because "wrath" (and its close cousin "anger") are too
      often excused as "minor" sins

I. AN "OVERALL LOOK" AT ANGER AND WRATH

   A. DEFINING "ANGER" AND "WRATH"...
      1. ANGER - (Greek, "orge")
         a. "Indignation which has arisen gradually and become more
            settled" - THAYER
         b. "ORGE suggests a more settled or abiding condition of mind,
            frequently with a view to taking revenge" - VINE
         c. Anger, then, is a lingering, seething emotion
      2. WRATH - (Greek, "thumos")
         a. "The sudden outburst of passionate anger" - ZONDERVAN
            PICTORIAL ENCYCLOPEDIA OF THE BIBLE
         b. "The blaze of temper which flares into violent words and
            deeds, and just as quickly dies" - BARCLAY
         c. Today we would call this "blowing off steam"

   B. THE OLD TESTAMENT BOOKS OF WISDOM SAY MUCH ABOUT ANGER AND WRATH
      1. In the Psalms:  Cease from anger, and forsake wrath: fret not
         thyself in any wise to do evil. (Ps 37:8)
      2. In the book of Proverbs:
         a. [He that is] soon angry dealeth foolishly (Pr 14:17)
         b. [He that is] slow to wrath [is] of great understanding: but
            [he that is] hasty of spirit exalteth folly. (Pr 14:29)
         c. A wrathful man stirreth up strife: but [he that is] slow to
            anger appeaseth strife. (Pr 15:18)
         d. [He that is] slow to anger [is] better than the mighty; and
            he that ruleth his spirit than he that taketh a city.(Pr 16:32)
         e. A man of great wrath shall suffer punishment: for if thou
            deliver [him], yet thou must do it again. (Pr 19:19)
         f. [It is] better to dwell in the wilderness, than with a
            contentious and an angry woman. (Pr 21:19)
         g. Make no friendship with an angry man; and with a furious
            man thou shalt not go:  Lest thou learn his ways, and get
            a snare to thy soul. (Pr 22:24-25)
      3. In the book of Ecclesiastes:  Be not hasty in thy spirit to be
         angry: for anger resteth in the bosom of fools. (Ec 7:9)

   C. THE NEW TESTAMENT ALSO SAYS MUCH AGAINST ANGER AND WRATH
      1. To the brethren in Rome, Paul wrote:  Dearly beloved, avenge
         not yourselves, but [rather] give place unto wrath: for it is
         written, Vengeance [is] mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.(Ro 12:19)
      2. It is included with those things Paul lists as the "works of
         the flesh" in Ga 5:19-21
      3. To the Ephesians Paul writes:  Let all bitterness, and wrath,
         and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from
         you, with all malice: (Eph 4:31)
      4. In a similar vein to the Colossians:  But now ye also put off
         all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication
         out of your mouth. (Col 3:8)

   D. HAVING SAID ALL THAT, WE MUST ALSO NOTE THAT...
      1. Paul seems to concede that there is a place for a certain kind
         of anger:  Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down
         upon your wrath: (Ep 4:26)
      2. On several occasions Jesus expressed anger
         a. Towards the money changers in the temple - Jn 2:13-17
         b. Towards the hypocritical scribes and Pharisees - Mt 23:13-36
      3. In both testaments, God is presented as a God of anger as well
         as a God of love
         a. In the Old Testament:
            1) He cast upon them the fierceness of his anger, wrath,
               and indignation, and trouble, by sending evil angels
               [among them].   He made a way to his anger; he spared
               not their soul from death, but gave their life over to
               the pestilence;   And smote all the firstborn in Egypt;
               the chief of [their] strength in the tabernacles of Ham:
               (Ps 78:49-51)
            2) For they provoked him to anger with their high places,
               and moved him to jealousy with their graven images. 
               When God heard [this], he was wroth, and greatly abhorred
               Israel:  So that he forsook the tabernacle of Shiloh,
               the tent [which] he placed among men;  And delivered his
               strength into captivity, and his glory into the enemy's
               hand. (Ps 78:58-61)
            3) Therefore is the anger of the LORD kindled against his
               people, and he hath stretched forth his hand against them,
               and hath smitten them: and the hills did tremble, and
               their carcases [were] torn in the midst of the streets.
               For all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand
               [is] stretched out still. (Isa 5:25)
         b. In the New Testament:
            1) For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all
               ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth
               in unrighteousness; (Ro 1:18)
            2) Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and
               forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the
               goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance?  But after
               thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto
               thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of
               the righteous judgment of God;  Who will render to every
               man according to his deeds:  To them who by patient
               continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and
               immortality, eternal life:  But unto them that are
               contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey
               unrighteousness, indignation and wrath,  Tribulation and
               anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth evil, of the
               Jew first, and also of the Gentile;  But glory, honour,
               and peace, to every man that worketh good, to the Jew
               first, and also to the Gentile:  For there is no
               respect of persons with God. (Ro 2:4-11)

[How do we then reconcile those passages which demand that anger and
wrath is folly and something to be put away, with those that speak of
anger on the part of God, Christ and even the Christian?

A closer look may help provide the answer...]

II. A "CLOSER LOOK" AT ANGER AND WRATH

   A. CONCERNING THE ANGER OF GOD...
      1. God's anger is ALWAYS A JUST REACTION TO EVIL (as clearly
         pointed out in Ro 1:18-2:11
         a. Being Divine, and all-knowing, His wrath is NEVER MISGUIDED
         b. He is therefore capable of properly directing anger and wrath
      2. Man, with his imperfections, is not so capable!
         a. His anger is often misguided (through ignorance, misunder-
            standing, etc.)
         b. Haven't we ever been angry about something, later regretting
            it when we realize we were in error?
      3. Therefore, just because God may display wrath and anger, this
         does not necessarily justify man doing so!

   B. CONCERNING THE ANGER OF CHRIST...
      1. What has already been said of God could also be said of Christ
         a. Especially in light of His ability to read the hearts of
            men - Jn 2:24-25
         b. With such divine knowledge, He could not mistakenly direct
            wrath and anger
      2. Also, in the examples of His anger...
         a. There is nothing of self-interest
         b. Only HOLY ANGER against unrighteousness which is abhorrent
            to God
      3. He was angry, but only for God's honor!
         a. When personally abused, He said nothing - 1Pe 2:21-23
         b. But when it was against God, He displayed "righteous anger"
      4. Again, man with his imperfections often uses anger improperly
         a. For example...
            1) We remain silent when sin is exalted and GOD is dishonored
            2) But then get angry when someone offends US personally!
         b. Too often, therefore, what we justify as "righteous
            indignation" is really "SELF-righteous indignation"!

   C. CONCERNING THE ANGER IN EPHESIANS 4:26...
      1. Whatever our interpretation, it needs to be in harmony with the
         context
      2. Especially with what Paul writes just a few verses later: Let
         all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil
         speaking, be put away from you, with all malice: (Ep 4:31)
      3. I understand this passage, rather than justifying anger, to be
         directing us how to deal with it when it arises in our heart:
         a. First, "DO NOT SIN"
            1) The emotion must be CONTROLLED
            2) Don't allow it to manifest itself in a sinful way
            3) Such as saying or doing something that is wrong
         b. Then, "DO NOT LET THE SUN GO DOWN ON YOUR WRATH"
            1) The emotion must be DISPELLED BEFORE NIGHTFALL
            2) Otherwise, we may be giving Satan ample opportunity to
               tempt us to sin - cf. Ep 4:27
      4. In view of what Paul actually says in Ep 4:26 and then later
         in Ep 4:31, it seems highly unlikely that he is justifying
         anger and wrath

CONCLUSION

1. Concerning the subject of anger and wrath, we would do well to take
   James' admonition to heart and to be "slow to wrath"

2. For though the "wrath of God" may on occasions accomplish the 
   "righteousness of God, it is clearly stated that the "wrath of man"
   does not:

   For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God. (Ja 1:20)

3. Following the example of Christ, there may be a place for anger, but
   if so, ONLY in things pertaining to the honor and will of God!

4. In all other things, we would do well to remember another admontion:

   And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto
   all [men], apt to teach, patient,  In meekness instructing those
   that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them
   repentance to the acknowledging of the truth;  And [that] they
   may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken
   captive by him at his will. (2Ti 2:24-26)

"Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow
to speak, slow to wrath:" (Jm 1:19)

Executable Outlines, Copyright © Mark A. Copeland, 2016

 

Flat or Spherical Earth? Evaluating Astronomical Observations [Part II] by Alana May, M.S. & Branyon May, Ph.D.

http://apologeticspress.org/APContent.aspx?category=12&article=5449

Flat or Spherical Earth? Evaluating Astronomical Observations [Part II]

by	Alana May, M.S. & Branyon May, Ph.D.

[Editor’s Note: A.P. scientist Dr. Branyon May holds a Ph.D. degree in Astrophysics from the University of Alabama. Alana May, his wife and co-author, holds an M.S. in Astrophysics from the University of Alabama. Part I of this two-part series appeared in the August issue. Part II follows below, and continues, without introductory comments, where the first article ended.]

EVALUATING FIRST-HAND AND PHOTOGRAPHIC EVIDENCE

First-Hand Evidence

In 1961, the Soviet Union shocked the world by sending the first man into space, Yuri Gagarin. This was not only the first manned flight into space, but the first to orbit Earth. Since that time, more than 500 professional astronauts representing 40 countries have traveled into space as pilots, commanders, or crew members of manned spaceflight programs.¹ The three countries from which these astronauts have been launched include the United States, Russia (previously the Soviet Union), and China. It is important to note for those who might consider conspiracy theories that over the years of space travel, the three countries providing the launch abilities have had tentative and even hostile relations. Yet, even though the over 40 countries who have sent astronauts into space disagree on politics, religion, and economics, their recognition of a spherical Earth that is able to be orbited and studied is consistent.

Each of these countries has been fortunate enough to send select men and women to space as first-hand observers and scientists to gather data from above the Earth’s atmosphere. With more than 50 years of time and over 500 first-hand observers from over 40 countries, the view of Earth as a majestic globe has not been refuted or even brought into question by these individuals. While some may claim a Flat-Earth view, their arguments do not include spaceflight testimony from first-hand observers.

Photographic Evidence: Full-Disk Imagery

While there are many amazing and beautiful images of our Earth provided by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), we want to first focus on the photographic evidence available from numerous international sources. The following collection of photographic evidence only includes imagery from full-planet views of Earth. As you will see, the sources of these images come from a range of satellites, operated by different countries with sometimes different scientific objectives.

Let’s begin with photographic evidence from Japan. The Himawari-8 satellite overseen by the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) is currently taking full-disk images of the Earth every 10 minutes, focusing on the region of Japan and its neighbors to the South.² Here is a satellite imagery synopsis from the JMA Web site:

The Himawari series of geostationary meteorological satellites provides constant and uniform coverage of the earth from around 35,800 km above the equator with an orbit corresponding to the period of the earth’s rotation. This allows them to perform uninterrupted observation of meteorological phenomena such as typhoons, depressions, and fronts.³

Credit: Japan Meteorological Agency	Credit: © JAXA

Also the Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) captured a full-disk view from the Hayabusa satellite.⁴ This satellite’s main mission was to study the comet Itokawa, but was able to image the full-disk of Earth from a distance of over 180,000 miles away.

Photographic evidence also comes from the currently operating ELEKTRO-L series of satellites launched by the Russian space agency, Roscosmos.⁵ These geostationary satellites are designed to take meteorological images and monitor weather conditions. The ELEKTRO-L2 satellite is positioned over the Indian Ocean and transmits regular images every 30 minutes.⁶

From India, we have photographic evidence from the INSAT-3D geostationary satellite, managed by the India Meteorological Department.⁷ Launched in 2013, this satellite is “designed for enhanced meteorological observations and monitoring of land and ocean surfaces for weather forecasting and disaster warning.”⁸ New full-disk images are regularly relayed to Earth approximately every half-hour.

Credit: © Research Center for Earth Operative Monitoring (NTS OMZ)	Credit: © India Meteorological Department

From a cooperation of numerous European countries, the Meteosat Second Generation (MSG) satellites take full-disk observations. Operated by the EUMETSAT (European Organisation for the Exploitation of Meteorological Satellites), the Meteosat satellites are in geostationary orbits 22,300 miles above Europe, Africa, and the Indian Ocean. New images are taken every 15 minutes in visible and infrared wavelengths.⁹

 Launched in 2010, South Korea successfully placed into orbit its first geostationary satellite, COMS (Communication, Ocean and Meteorological Satellite). Managed by the National Meteorological Satellite Center, the COMS satellite takes regular full-disk images with the stated meteorological missions of “continuous monitoring of imagery and extracting of meteorological products, early detection of severe weather phenomena, and monitoring of climate change and atmospheric environment.”¹⁰

Credit: ©2017 EUMETSAT	Credit: © NMSC	Credit: © CNSA

From China, we have photographic evidence from the unmanned Chinese lunar explorer Chang’e 5. Thetest module took this photograph on November 9, 2014 at a distance of 336,000 miles above the Earth’s surface.¹¹ Notice the darker Moon (upper left) is clearly shown in contrast to the bright Earth.

Lastly, we add the photographic evidence taken by the United States. Decades of space travel and many diverse projects have generated a host of full-disk images of our planet. Going back to the early Apollo missions (1961-1972) aimed at traveling to the Moon, NASA astronauts were able to take first-hand photographs on film. While there are many photos, here are four from Apollo 8,10,13, and 17.¹²

Credit: Apollo	credit: NASA’s Galileo spacecraft

Later, in 1990, as it began its mission to Jupiter, NASA’s Galileo spacecraft took an image back toward Earth from a distance of about 1.5 million miles.¹³

In 2015, the joint effort of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), NASA, and the United States Air Force launched the Deep Space Climate Observatory (DSCOVR). Located one million miles away, this satellite “will maintain the nation’s real-time solar wind monitoring capabilities” in order to facilitate alerts and forecasts for geomagnetic storms caused by solar flares and coronal mass ejections.¹⁴ Different from geostationary satellites that continually maintain the same view of Earth, the DSCOVR satellite will be able to image all of Earth. Being located between the Sun and Earth, it will be able to watch the fully illuminated Earth rotate, imaging all sides of the spherical Earth.

Credit: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), NASA, and the United States Air Force launched the Deep Space Climate Observatory (DSCOVR).	Credit: NOAA GOES-R satellite

Some of the most recent satellites to take full-disk images are the updated GOES-R series of satellites. These geostationary satellites are managed by NOAA and located to take real-time images of both Eastern and Western Hemispheres of Earth. “The new satellite can deliver vivid images of severe weather as often as every 30 seconds, scanning the Earth five times faster, with four times greater image resolution.”¹⁵

Historically Recognized As Spherical

Many of us might remember feeling a bit shocked in grade school when our teacher announced, “Many scholars and aristocracy in the 15^th century believed that the world was flat and that if you sailed far enough, you’d go right over the edge. And Christopher Columbus set out to prove them wrong.” The problem with this statement is that Christopher Columbus (and most people in the 15^thcentury) did not believe in a flat Earth, but rather understood the world to be spherical. Even as we look back to the B.C. era, the accredited scientists of the day believed and were able to prove that the Earth was spherical.  As far back as 500 B.C., most Greek scholars accepted the idea that Earth was spherical. Pythagoras (500 B.C.) believed Earth was round for aesthetic reasons, because the sphere was thought to be the perfect shape. Aristotle (384-322 B.C.) was one of the first to make application of scientific observations to expected results, given a round Earth: (1) the hull of a ship disappearing over the horizon before the rest of the ship, and (2) Earth’s shadow being round during a lunar eclipse. Through time, ancient scientists would gain a deeper understanding of the physics of our world and begin to be able to explain what they were seeing in nature with mathematical formulas.

Credit: Wikimedia.org (Cmglee) 2016 license CC-by- sa-4.0

Eratosthenes of Cyrene (276-194 B.C.) was known as one of the greatest scientists of his time and in the year 240 B.C., King Ptolemy III of Alexandria appointed him chief librarian of what was then considered the hub of learning and the world’s greatest library: the Great Library of Alexandria. Probably one of Eratosthenes’ most well-known contributions to science was his calculations of Earth’s circumference. He was also a leading cartographer of his day and was able to map large regions. But to make a complete map he wanted to know the actual size of Earth. One year, on the Summer Solstice, while he was in Syene (today known as Aswan, Egypt) he noted that the Sun shone directly into the bottom of a well at noon, indicating that it was directly overhead. He realized that since the distance between Syene and Alexandria was known (approximately 5,000 stadia), he could extrapolate that data and determine Earth’s circumference. Back in Alexandria, on the following year’s Summer Solstice, Eratosthenes set up a tent pole of known height and measured the shadow cast by the pole at noon.  Using trigonometric calculations, he found the angle of the shadow to be about 7°, which correlates to about 1/50 of a complete circle.  With this data, he calculated Earth’s circumference to be about 250,000 stadia.¹⁶ There has been some disagreement on what a stadia represented, but it is estimated to be somewhere between 500 and 600 feet. Using these numbers, we see that Eratosthenes’ calculation gives the circumference to between 23,000 miles and 29,000 miles. Modern science gives an equatorial circumference of 24,900 miles.¹⁷

While Eratosthenes’ method and calculations were somewhat crude, one can see the simplicity and significance that his calculations have provided to the scientific community. It is notable that the belief, investigation, and calculation of Earth’s shape and size predate modern efforts, such as those of NASA, by thousands of years.

CONCLUSION

In this day and age of readily available information, sometimes just enough “truth” can be given to allow an idea to be plausible and believable in one’s mind. Sometimes an idea is given more credence because a celebrity endorses it. Other times, it might take hold because of a rebellion against the norm and someone wanting to be considered a “free-thinker.”  Whatever the reason a person has for believing something, its source needs to have credibility and must be backed by provable, validated data—evidence.

While the origin of the recent interest in Flat-Earth ideas may not be fully known or pinpointed, we can see that a spherical Earth is the one that has the scientific backing. While we did not consider many other evidences of the Earth’s spherical nature, such as Earth’s magnetic poles, GPS triangulation and satellites, the Coriolis effect, time zones, distant horizon curvature, Arctic and Antarctic exploration, and circumnavigation, we were able to evaluate numerous easily accessible observations. From our assessment of the shapes of other celestial bodies, observations of the Sun and Moon, consideration of historical perspectives, and examination of modern, first-hand and photographic evidences, we can see for ourselves that the scientific data supports a spherical Earth.

ENDNOTES

¹ “List of Astronauts by Name,” https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_astronauts_by_name; “Timeline of Space Travel by Nationality,” https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timeline_of_space_travel_by_nationality.

² “Satellite Imagery” (2017), Japan Meteorological Agency, Otemachi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 100-8122, Japan; Image shown: http://www.jma.go.jp/en/gms/smallc.html?area=6&element=1&time=201706270300.

³ “Meteorological Satellites,” Japan Meteorological Agency, http://www.jma.go.jp/jma/jma-eng/satellite/introduction/satobs.html.

⁴ “The Earth Pictured by Hayabusa” (2004), Institute of Space and Astronautical Science, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, http://www.isas.jaxa.jp/e/snews/2004/0519_new.shtml.

⁵ Anatoly Zak (2016), “Russia to Introduce A New Generation of Spacecraft,” http://www.russianspaceweb.com/elektro.html.

⁶ “ELEKTRO Geostationary Hydrometeorological Spacecraft (In Operation)” (2011), Research Center for Earth Operative Monitoring, http://eng.ntsomz.ru/ks_dzz/satellites/complex_electro); Image shown: ftp://ftp.ntsomz.ru/ELECTRO_L_2/2017/May/24_05_2017/24052017_10%2030.jpg.

⁷ http://satellite.imd.gov.in/insat.htm; Image archive: http://satellite.imd.gov.in/archive/INSAT-3D-IMAGER/3D-FULL-DISK/. 

⁸ http://www.isro.gov.in/insat-3d/insat-3d-advanced-weather-satellite-completes-two-years-orbit.

⁹ https://www.eumetsat.int/website/home/Satellites/CurrentSatellites/Meteosat/index.html; Image shown: http://oiswww.eumetsat.org/IPPS/html/MSGIODC/RGB/NATURALCOLOR/FULLRESOLUTION/.

¹⁰ http://nmsc.kma.go.kr/html/homepage/en/chollian/choll_info.do. 

¹¹ “Earth and the Moon from Chang’e 5 T1” (2017), The Planetary Society, http://www.planetary.org/multimedia/space-images/earth/earth-and-the-moon-from-change5t1-2.html.

¹² “Western Hemisphere” (2009), NASA, https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/apollo/40th/images/apollo_image_26.html; “May 18, 1969 - Apollo 10 View of the Earth” (2017), NASA, https://www.nasa.gov/image-feature/may-18-1969-apollo-10-view-of-the-earth; “View of Earth from Apollo 13,” Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum, https://airandspace.si.edu/multimedia-gallery/5429hjpg?id=5429; “Blue Marble - Image of the Earth from Apollo 17” (2007), NASA, https://www.nasa.gov/content/blue-marble-image-of-the-earth-from-apollo-17.

¹³ “PIA00076: Earth - Full Disk View of Africa” (1996), NASA/JPL, https://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA00076.

¹⁴ “DSCOVR: Deep Space Climate Observatory,” National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, https://www.nesdis.noaa.gov/content/dscovr-deep-space-climate-observatory; Image shown: https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/IOTD//view.php?id=86257. 

¹⁵ John Leslie and Connie Barclay (2016), “NOAA’s GOES-R Weather Satellite Readies for Historic Launch,” https://www.nesdis.noaa.gov/sites/default/files/asset/document/goes-r-l-30-press-release_oct6.pdf.

¹⁶ Alan Chodos, ed. (2006), “June, ca. 240 B.C. Eratosthenes Measures the Earth,” APS News, 15[6]:2, June, https://www.aps.org/publications/apsnews/200606/history.cfm. wiki/File:Eratosthenes_measure_of_Earth_circumference.svg.

¹⁷ “Geodesy for the Layman” (1984), Defense Mapping Agency, http://earth-info.nga.mil/GandG/publications/geolay/TR80003A.html.