"STUDIES IN THE MINOR PROPHETS" Amos - The Country Prophet (1:1-2:16) by Mark Copeland

                    "STUDIES IN THE MINOR PROPHETS"

                 Amos - The Country Prophet (1:1-2:16)

INTRODUCTION

1. In our survey of "The Minor Prophets", we have already considered...
   a. Obadiah, who prophesied of the judgment to befall Edom
   b. Joel, who proclaimed a locust plague as a harbinger of "the day of the Lord"
   c. Jonah, God's messenger to the Assyrian city of Nineveh

2. Our next prophet is Amos...
   a. A shepherd and gatherer of sycamore fruit called by God to prophesy 

       - Am 7:14-15
   b. Who proclaimed God's message concerning eight nations, with an 
      emphasis on the northern kingdom of Israel

3. His book is divided into three sections...
   a. A series of "oracles" concerning sin and judgment of eight nations (ch. 1-2)
   b. A series of "sermons" concerning the sin and judgment of Israel (ch. 3-6)
   c. A series of "visions" regarding the sin and judgment of Israel (ch. 7-9)

[This lesson will examine the first section, with a look at the
"oracles" Amos proclaimed against eight nations.  We begin with a
reading of Am 1:1-2, which serves as an...]

I. INTRODUCTION (1:1-2)

   A. THE MAN...
      1. NAME - Amos means "burden-bearer"
      2. HOME - The village of Tekoa
         a. 12 miles south of Jerusalem, 18 miles west of the Dead Sea
         b. Near the wilderness of Judea, a very rugged area
         -- So while he was Judah, he primarily prophesied against Israel in the north
      3. OCCUPATION - "a sheepbreeder and a tender of sycamore fruit."(Am 7:14)
         a. An outdoorsman, accustomed to the wilds of nature, and of hard, honest toil
         b. It would be easy for him to have little sympathy for the 
            lazy and materialistic conduct of his northern kinsman
      4. CHARACTER
         a. Not known for his sympathy or warmth, but for his sense of
            justice and right
         b. "Not a sob is to be found in his book for the nation of
            wicked apostates, and there is only a sigh for the poor"  (Hailey)
         c. He is reminiscent of John the Baptist

   B. THE DATE...
      1. He prophesied in the days of:
         a. Uzziah, king of Judah
         b. Jeroboam II of Israel
      2. Two years before an earthquake
      3. While the actual date is unknown, 755 B.C. is often suggested

   C. THE PEOPLE...
      1. His audience is primarily the northern kingdom of Israel
      2. Conditions which characterized them at this time:
         a. Wealthy, enjoying great luxury
         b. Morally, religiously, and politically corrupt

   D. HIS MESSAGE...
      1. In Am 1:2, we see a vivid picture of the Lord as a lion
         whose roar to the north reaches all the way to Mt. Carmel
      2. This describes what God is doing through Amos, proclaiming a
         fiery message of condemnation and judgment against Israel and
         the surrounding nations
      3. "The people of Israel were now at the summit of worldly
         prosperity, but were rapidly filling up the measure of their
         sins. The mission of Amos was, therefore, rather to threaten
         than to console.  He rebukes, among other things, the
         corruption of their manners, which kept pace with their
         prosperity; he charges the great men with partiality as
         judges, and violence towards the poor; and he foretells, as a
         punishment from God, the captivity of the ten tribes in a
         foreign country..." - The Bible Handbook, Angus and Green

[With verse 2 as a good preview of the nature of Amos' prophecy, let's
now survey the first main section of the book of Amos...]

II. THE "ORACLES" OF SIN AND JUDGMENT UPON THE NATIONS (1:3-2:16)

   A. DAMASCUS - Am 1:3-5
      1. SIN - cruelty toward the inhabitants of Gilead (the tribes of Gad and Reuben)
      2. JUDGMENT - destruction and captivity
         a. Hazael was the murderer of Ben-Hadad I, and usurper of his
            throne - 2Ki 8:7-15
         b. Ben-Hadad II was the son of Hazel - cf. 2Ki 13:3,22-25
      3. FULFILLMENT - by the Assyrians - cf. 2Ki 16:1-9

   B. GAZA (PHILISTIA) - Am 1:6-8
      1. SIN - engaging in slave traffic
      2. JUDGMENT - total devastation
      3. FULFILLMENT - by the Assyrians

   C. TYRE - Am 1:9-10
      1. SIN - slave traffic; did not remember the covenant of 
         "brotherhood" (between Solomon and Hiram? - cf. 1Ki 5:12)
      2. JUDGMENT - destruction
      3. FULFILLMENT - started by Nebuchadnezzar; finished by Alexander
         the Great

   D. EDOM - Am 1:11-12
      1. SIN - cruelty to brethren - cf. Ob 1:10-12
      2. JUDGMENT - destruction upon Teman (capital) and Bozrah (another chief city)
      3. FULFILLMENT - by the Nabateans, ca 400 B.C.

   E. AMMON - Am 1:13-15
      1. SIN - murder of pregnant women in Gilead (the tribes of Gad and Reuben)
      2. JUDGMENT - destruction of Rabbah (capital) and captivity
      3. FULFILLMENT - by Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon

   F. MOAB - Am 2:1-3
      1. SIN - burned the king of Edom's bones to lime
      2. JUDGMENT - destruction of the chief city of Kerioth
      3. FULFILLMENT - by the Babylonians

   G. JUDAH - Am 2:4-5
      1. SIN - apostasy from the Law
      2. JUDGMENT - Jerusalem (the capital) to be destroyed
      3. FULFILLMENT - by Nebuchadnezzar, 586 B.C.

   H. ISRAEL - Am 2:6-16
      1. SIN - several sins are listed...
         a. Social injustice (slave trade and abuse of the poor)
         b. Immorality (prostitution)
         c. Idolatry (worshipping other gods)
         d. Rebellion against God, who...
            a. Cast out the Amorites before them
            b. Delivered them from the land of Egypt
            c. Gave them prophets and Nazarites, whom they corrupted
         -- The effect of which weighed God down like a cart full of 
            sheaves - Am 2:13
      2. JUDGMENT - their inability to flee when destruction comes upon them
      3. FULFILLMENT - by the Assyrians in 722-721 B.C. - 2Ki 17:5-23

[It is apparent that the focus in this section is primarily upon the 
northern kingdom of Israel, even though Judah did not escape 
condemnation.  What lessons might we glean from these first two chapters...?]

III. LESSONS FROM THE "ORACLES" OF AMOS

   A. GOD HOLDS THE NATIONS OF MEN ACCOUNTABLE...
      1. He was not just concerned with His covenant people of Israel
      2. As we saw with Obadiah and Jonah, God judged the surrounding
         nations as well
      3  As Farrar says of Amos:  "His whole message centers in the 
         common prophetic conviction that God is the sole and righteous
         Governor of the world, judging the people righteously, and 
         when they rebel, dashing them to pieces like a potter's vessel."
      2. The same authority is given to Christ today! - cf. Mt 28:18; Re 1:5; 2:26-27

   B. APOSTASY AND CRUELTY TREATED ALIKE...
      1. God condemned:
         a. The heathens for their cruelty
         b. Judah and Israel for their apostasy from the Law
      2. But their judgments were basically the same!

   C. THE STANDARDS TO WHICH NATIONS WERE HELD ACCOUNTABLE...
      1. The heathen were judged for their violation of basic principles of righteousness
      2. The people of God were judged by their faithfulness to God's revealed Word!
      -- Akin to what we find Paul writing in Ro 2:12-15

CONCLUSION

1. In our next lesson we will continue our study of Amos...
   a. Looking at chapters 3-6, which concentrate on the sins and judgment of Israel
   b. Where more lessons can be gleaned for us to apply today

2. Having read the judgments God pronounced upon the eight nations...
   a. We are reminded that God is a righteous GOD
   b. One who holds men and nations accountable for their actions

Are we ready for that great Day of Judgment, in which we will one day 
be held accountable for our actions?  As Paul wrote:

   "For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that
   each one may receive the things done in the body, according to
   what he has done, whether good or bad.  Knowing, therefore, the
   terror of the Lord, we persuade men..." (2Co 5:10-11a)

Are you willing to let the Word of God persuade you to do what is 
right?

Executable Outlines, Copyright © Mark A. Copeland, 2016

Are All Sins Equal? by Kyle Butt, M.Div. Colton Scott

http://apologeticspress.org/APContent.aspx?category=11&article=2831

Are All Sins Equal?

by	Kyle Butt, M.Div. Colton Scott

At Apologetics Press, we receive numerous questions on various topics. One of the more commonly asked questions is, “Are all sins equal?” In order to answer such a question, we must go to the only definitive source that can speak with authority concerning sins: the Bible. When we do, we see that the answer depends upon the context in which the question is asked.
In one sense, the answer is, “Yes, sin is sin.” James 2:10-11 says: “For whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet stumble in one point, he is guilty of all. For He who said, ‘Do not commit adultery,’ also said, ‘Do not murder.’ Now if you do not commit adultery, but you do murder, you have become a transgressor of the law.” From these verses, we see that any sin is enough to convict a person as a sinner. John said as much when he wrote: “Whoever commits sin also commits lawlessness, and sin is lawlessness” (1 John 3:4). So, even though cultures may view certain sins as more or less important than others, the Bible teaches that any deviation from God’s law is enough to keep an individual from the presence of the Lord if that sin is not forgiven.
This point is further underscored in the story of the rich young ruler (Luke 18:18-27). The rich young ruler explained to Jesus that he had kept all of the commandments from the time of his youth. Jesus responded to him by saying, “You still lack one thing. Sell all that you have and distribute to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven.” At these words, the young ruler left sorrowfully. Though he had kept all of the commandments save one, he was still living in sin, due to the fact that he valued his wealth more than his relationship with God. According to Jesus’ statement, the young man only lacked “one thing,” yet it was still enough to keep him from the presence of the Lord. So, in this context, all sins are the same.
However, the fact that any sin can condemn a person does not mean that all sins are judged the same, or have the same spiritual consequences. The Bible plainly states, in numerous places, that God considers some sins to be “greater,” or more evil than others. For instance, in Exodus 32:21, Moses asked Aaron: “What did this people do to you, that you brought so great a sin upon them?” Obviously, this is comparative language, indicating that Aaron’s sin was more evil, or had greater implications than some other sin. We see this concept carried over into the New Testament as well. In Matthew 5:19, Jesus said that whoever breaks “the least of these commandments, and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven.” Clearly, certain commandments were considered “least” and, by comparison, others must have been considered “greater.” The concept of “greater” commandments is found in Matthew 23:23. There Jesus chastised the Pharisees for “neglecting the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faith.” His point was very clear; the failure to tithe a tiny amount of spices was much less of a sin than the failure to administer justice and mercy to one’s fellow man.
Perhaps the most explicit demonstration of this principle is expressed in Jesus’ conversation with Pilate. In John 19:11, Jesus said to Pilate, “[T]he one who delivered Me to you has the greater sin.” His statement could not be more direct. The individual responsible for delivering Jesus over to Pilate had committed a sin greater than the sin committed by Pilate.
With this in mind, a person may wonder how all sins can cause a person to be lost, but some sins are judged to be greater than others. A simple illustration will suffice to make this situation clear. Suppose that a person borrows money from the bank to buy a $10,000 car. That person pays the bank back $9,000, but stops making payments on the car. What will happen? The bank will repossess the car, even though the person paid off all of the balance except $1,000. Any unpaid balance is enough to lose the car. Now suppose a person borrows $10,000 on a car and does not pay any of it back. What will happen? The bank will repossess the car. In these two cases, does one person have a greater debt than the other? Certainly, the one who still owes $10,000. But are both debts, even though they are of unequal value, enough to cost both borrowers their cars? Yes. [NOTE: At Apologetics Press we have answered related questions such, “Are There Degrees of Punishment and Reward?” (see Butt, et al., 2000), and “Blasphemy Against the Holy Spirit—‘The Unpardonable Sin’” (Butt, 2003).]

CONCLUSION

We can see that the Bible explicitly and clearly tells how God views sins. Sins vary in terms of judgment and weight, yet any one sin is enough to cause a person to lose his or her soul if left unforgiven. In view of this truth, let us all strive to faithfully obey God so that the blood of His Son Jesus Christ can continually cleanse us from all of our sins, from the least to the greatest (1 John 1:7).

REFERENCES

Butt, Kyle and Alden Bass and Bert Thompson (2000), “Are There Degrees of Punishment and Reward?” Apologetics Press, http://apologeticspress.org/apcontent.aspx?category=11&article=212.
Butt, Kyle (2003), “Blasphemy Against the Holy Spirit—‘The Unpardonable Sin,’” Apologetics Press, http://apologeticspress.org/apcontent.aspx?category=11&article=1218.

Are All Divorced Persons Eligible to Remarry? by Dave Miller, Ph.D.

http://apologeticspress.org/APContent.aspx?category=11&article=1182

Are All Divorced Persons Eligible to Remarry?

by	Dave Miller, Ph.D.

American civilization is experiencing significant moral decay. “Traditional American values,” i.e., values that were drawn from the Bible, are being jettisoned by a sizable portion of the nation’s citizenry. This spiritual and social deterioration is nowhere more evident than in the breakdown and dissolution of the family. Divorce rates have consistently climbed to higher and higher levels. The marriage relationship no longer commands the respect it once did. This God-ordained institution, though originally intended to be held in honor and sanctity, has been significantly undermined and cheapened.
The religious response to this situation generally has been accommodative, as many within the church find their own families adversely affected by divorce. They have been intimidated by two factors: (1) the large numbers of divorced people; and (2) the emotional trauma associated with divorce. “Rethinking” their understanding of Bible teaching, they have decided to relax the high standards that God enjoined. The various viewpoints now available to those who wish to justify their marital decisions are legion.
The clear teaching of the Bible is that God wants one man for one woman for life (Genesis 2:24; Matthew 19:4-6). The only exception to this foundational premise was articulated by Jesus when He said a person is permitted to divorce the original mate only for the specific reason of that mate’s sexual infidelity. Then and only then may the innocent mate form a second marriage with an eligible partner (Matthew 19:9). Consequently, the primary thrust of Scripture as it pertains to marriage is “God hates divorce” (Malachi 2:16). In fact, He permits it on only one ground.
This divine aversion to divorce refers specifically to divorce that occurs between two people who are scripturally married. Men and women who marry for the first time in their youth should so conduct themselves that they remain together. God does not want that first marriage to dissolve. He hates it when these couples unscripturally dissolve their scriptural marriage. Unscriptural divorce is the kind of divorcing that God hates.
However, not all divorce is contrary to God’s will. Jesus said an individual has permission to divorce the mate that commits fornication (Matthew 19:9). So divorce for that innocent marriage partner is not sinful. In Ezra’s day, exiled Jews had formed illicit marriages and were required to sever those marriages (Ezra 10:3,11). Divorce in that instance was likewise not sinful. John the baptizer informed Herod that when he married Herodias, he was sinning, and would have to dissolve the marriage (Mark 6:17-18). Divorce in that case was not sinful. When Paul identified several Corinthian Christians as having previously been adulterers (1 Corinthians 6:9), the putting away (i.e., divorce) that would have been necessary to end their adultery in order to be “washed” and “sanctified” (1 Corinthians 6:11) would not have been sinful. (The same principle would have applied equally to all other forms of fornication mentioned in the context—including homosexuality). These scriptural examples show that not all divorce is wrong in God’s sight.
On the other hand, much of the divorcing that is occurring today is contrary to the will of God. Any person who divorces their scriptural spouse for any reason, other than fornication, is sinning in so doing. They sin when they divorce! They sin on at least two counts. First, they sin because they have divorced for some reason other than fornication. Second, they sin because they violated the vows they took when they married (i.e., “until death do us part”).
In this divorced condition (i.e., having divorced for some reason other than fornication), the individual has placed himself in a predicament that comes under additional divine restrictions. Paul pinpointed those restrictions in 1 Corinthians 7:10-11 where he insisted that scripturally married couples ought not to divorce. However, should their marriage break up unscripturally, both are to remain unmarried. Some feel this verse does not refer to a technical divorce but merely to a separation. Either way, their breakup (whether by separation or divorce) is contrary to God’s will, and neither of the two is eligible to marry someone else.
People are permitted to participate in marriage only insofar as God says they are eligible to do so. The Hebrews writer insisted that marriage (and the sexual relationship that accompanies marriage) is to be undertaken honorably—i.e., in accordance with God’s regulations. To engage in marriage (and the sexual relations that accompany marriage) out of harmony with God’s regulations is to be guilty of fornication and adultery (Hebrews 13:4). Fornication, by definition, refers to illicit sexual intercourse. Adultery is one type of fornication, and refers to the sexual relations between a man and a woman, at least one of whom has prior marital responsibilities. Adultery, by definition, derives its meaning on the basis of a person’s prior marital connections.
A person does not have to be married in order to please God and go to heaven. All a person has to be is a Christian. He does not have to be an elder, a deacon, or a preacher. He or she does not have to be a father, or a mother, or a parent. These are relationships and roles that God designed to be helpful to the human condition. However, not everyone qualifies to fill these roles, and people can go to heaven without ever occupying these roles. So it is with marriage. All people must meet God’s designated prerequisites before marriage may be had in honor. God nowhere promises anyone unlimited access to the marriage relationship.
Notice, then, that in view of God’s regulations, three categories of divorced persons are ineligible to remarry: (1) the person who committed fornication and was divorced for that act by his or her spouse (Matthew 19:9a); (2) the person who was unscripturally divorced (i.e., put away for some reason other than fornication) by a spouse (Matthew 19:9b); and (3) the person who was deserted by an unbelieving spouse (1 Corinthians 7:12-15). In these three instances, the divorced person is ineligible to remarry. Putting the entire matter positively, the only divorced person who is eligible in God’s sight to remarry (while the former mate is still living—Romans 7:3) is the person who divorced his/her original mate for that mate’s sexual unfaithfulness.
Many people feel that such strict limitations are out of harmony with the grace, love, and forgiveness of God. They believe that such high standards make divorce the “unpardonable sin.” But this conclusion does not follow. People can be forgiven of mistakes they make in the realm of divorce and remarriage. Forgiveness is not the issue. The issue is: can they remain in whatever marriage relationship they choose? Can they so sin that they forfeit their right to participate in a future marriage relationship? Jesus made the answers to these questions clear in His discussion in Matthew 19:1-12. All people who divorce their scriptural mates for any reason except fornication continue to commit adultery when they remarry.
However, do we have any indication elsewhere in Scripture that people can so sin that they forfeit their privilege to participate in a state, condition, or relationship that they previously enjoyed—even though they may be forgiven? As a matter of fact, the Bible is replete with such instances! Adam and Eve violated God’s word and were responsible for introducing sin into the Universe. One consequence of their sin was that they were expelled from Eden. Could they be forgiven? Yes! Could they ever return to the garden? No! Their expulsion was permanent. They had so sinned that they forfeited the privilege of enjoying that previous status.
Esau was guilty of profanity when he sold his birthright (Hebrews 12:16). Could he be forgiven for this mistake? Yes! Could he regain his birthright? No, “though he sought it diligently with tears” (Hebrews 12:17)!
Virtually the entire adult population of the nation of Israel sinned when they refused to obey God by proceeding with a military assault against the land of Canaan (Numbers 14:11-12). Could they be forgiven? Yes, and they were (Numbers 14:19-20). Were they then permitted to enter into the Promised Land? Absolutely not! They were doomed to wander in the desert for forty years (Numbers 14:33-34).
Moses allowed himself to be goaded into disobedience on one occasion by the incessant complaining of the nation committed to his keeping (Numbers 20:7-12). Could Moses be forgiven? Yes! In heaven, we will sing the song of Moses and the Lamb (Revelation 15:3)! But was Moses permitted to enter into the Promised Land? No. He was banned permanently from that privilege due to his own sinful choice (Deuteronomy 32:51-52).
Eli failed to manage his family properly, and so brought down upon himself lasting tragedies (1 Samuel 3:11-14). Though Saul acknowledged his own sin, his disobedience evoked God’s permanent rejection of him as king (1 Samuel 15:11,23,26,28). Samuel never visited Saul again. David’s sin, though forgiven, brought several negative consequences that could not be altered (2 Samuel 12:11-14). Solomon’s sin resulted in personal calamity and the division of the nation (1 Kings 11-12).
These biblical examples demonstrate that sin produces lasting consequences, despite the availability of God’s grace and forgiveness. If biblical history teaches us anything, it teaches that people cannot sin and then expect to have things the way they were before. More often than not, much suffering comes upon those who violate God’s will, making it impossible for them to enjoy past privileges—though they can be forgiven and have the hope of heaven.
Many people feel that God would be unkind, unfair, or overly harsh if He did not permit divorced and remarried couples to stay together, regardless of their previous marital choices. Undoubtedly, these same people would feel that God was unfair to Adam and Eve for ejecting them from the garden, making it impossible for them to enjoy the condition that they once sustained! That would mean that God was unfair and harsh toward the Israelites as well as Moses! Such thinking betrays an inaccurate and unscriptural grasp of the nature and person of God. It reflects a failure to possess a healthy fear of God (Exodus 20:5; Ecclesiastes 12:13-14; Luke 12:5; 2 Thessalonians 1:8-9; Hebrews 10:31; 12:29; Revelation 6:16-17).
God elevated the marriage relationship to a high plane when, at the beginning of the human race, He laid down the strict standards that govern marriage (Genesis 2:24; Matthew 19:4-6). Many apparently feel that they have a right to be married regardless of their previous conduct. They feel that God’s high standards ought to be adjusted in order for them to exercise their “right.” Yet, the Bible teaches that the institution of marriage was founded by God to provide cohesion and orientation in life. Unlike one’s spiritual marriage (i.e., to Christ), which will proceed right on into eternity, human marriage is for this life alone (Matthew 22:30). Therefore, marriage is not a right; it is a privilege. People must conform to God’s marriage rules in order for marriage to serve its earthly purpose. Failure to comply neutralizes the ability of the marriage institution to do what it was divinely designed to do. Failure to comply with God’s “directions for use” causes us to forfeit our opportunity to participate in the institution. We must remember: Father knows best.

Apologetics Is Evangelism by Jeff Miller, Ph.D.

http://apologeticspress.org/APContent.aspx?category=11&article=5424

Apologetics Is Evangelism

by	Jeff Miller, Ph.D.

On occasion in our travels, we have heard well-meaning Christians say things like, “As non-profit organizations, apologetics organizations like you guys surely need support! We wish we could help. Apologetics is great, but we want to support mission efforts that are evangelistic—missions that teach the Gospel.” At the risk of sounding self-serving, we wish to gently respond to that line of reasoning—after all, ironically, it’s an apologetics issue.
Kyle Butt, one of our AP authors, said this about apologetics:

You walk up to the man on the street and tell him that Jesus Christ loves him and died so he could receive forgiveness of his sins. You explain that everyone should obey Jesus because He is the Son of God. The man wants to know how you know this information. You inform him that the Bible, the inspired Word of God, declares it to be true. He wants to know two things: (1) How can you prove that there is a God?; and (2) How can you prove that the Bible is His Word? He is not being belligerent or cantankerous; he simply wants some good evidence that would warrant the total overhaul of his life you are asking him to make.

It is now your responsibility to present solid, rational arguments that prove the things you have affirmed. You must defend the propositions you have presented. You are appointed for the defense of the Gospel (Philippians 1:17).¹

Notice: apologetics is crucial to evangelism. When a person engages in apologetics, he is simultaneously evangelizing by exposing error and/or teaching truth.
Several times over the years I have been asked the question, sometimes even with indignance, “Why is your organization called ‘Apologetics’ Press? You have nothing to be apologetic for!” Just a few months ago, we received an e-mail that said, “I am leary of your name—Apologetics—I am a servant of the Living God and have no need to apologize for anything but I am seeking an answer….” Ironically, this individual was inadvertently requesting the very thing she thought she had no need for. The word “apologetics” is derived from the Greek word apologia, which means to give a defense or reply.² Christians are commanded to “always be ready to apologian (give a defense) to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you” (1 Peter 3:15). Apologetics Press, therefore, was founded to assist Christians in following that divine directive: to give a defense of New Testament Christianity—countering attacks by enemies of the cross and providing answers to those sincerely seeking evidence for Christianity.
Apologetics is an important aspect of the Christian’s walk. One does not have to read far in Scripture to find examples of God and His followers defending the truth through logical argumentation and reasoning from the evidence, or those who were supposed to be His followers failing to defend properly the truth and choosing instead to succumb to erroneous doctrines (starting with Adam and Eve). In fact, examples of apologetics are in nearly every chapter of Holy Writ, whether directly or indirectly. Jesus, Himself, was an apologist—the Master Apologist.³ Paul engaged in apologetics constantly throughout his ministry, as did other New Testament evangelists, defending the truth of Jesus’ messiahship, deity, and resurrection.⁴ In fact, it could be argued that apologetics is the primary mode of evangelism used in Scripture. If Christians are commanded by our Ruler to “contend earnestly for the faith” (Jude 3), to “always be ready to give a defense” (1 Peter 3:15), and to “persuade men” (2 Corinthians 5:11), apologetics is central to implementing our Commander’s orders.
The bottom line is that apologetics is crucial in being able to reach others with the Gospel. False concepts must be countered and evidence provided in order to build a foundation for the obedient faith that saves. Regardless of whether or not we as Christians choose to support apologetics efforts, we should all be clear about the fact that God intends for all Christians to be apologists. It is our responsibility to prepare ourselves for that endeavor. Souls are at stake.

Endnotes

¹ Kyle Butt (2001), “What is Apologetics?” Apologetics Press, https://apologeticspress.org/APContent.aspx?category=12&article=826.
² William Arndt, F.W. Gingrich, and Frederick W. Danker (1979), A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature (Chicago, IL: University of Chicago Press), second edition revised, p. 96.
³ Dave Miller (2011), “Jesus Was Rational,” Apologetics Press, http://apologeticspress.org/apcontent.aspx?category=10&article =1245; Dave Miller (2011), “Is Christianity Logical? [Part I],” Apologetics Press, http://apologeticspress.org/APContent.aspx?category=12&article=3869.
⁴ Eric Lyons (2016), “Apologetics and the Growth of the Early Church,” Reason & Revelation, 36[6]:62-71, http://apologeticspress.org/pub_rar/36_6/1606w.pdf.

GOD CAN SAVE WHOEVER HE WANTS TO by steve finnell

http://steve-finnell.blogspot.com/2017/04/god-can-save-whoever-he-wants-to-by.html

GOD CAN SAVE WHOEVER HE WANTS TO by steve finnell

Have you ever heard a preacher say, "God can save whoever He wants to?" The problem with that kind of preaching is it leaves questions unanswered. What about those that God says, He will not save? Did Jesus and the apostles teach God's terms for pardon and then say, "Of course, God can save whoever He wants to?" No, they did not.

John 8:24 "Therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins; for if you do not believe that I am He, you will die in your sins." (NKJV)

Jesus did follow with a modification by saying, "Of course, God can forgive anyone's sins that He chooses."

John 3:5 Jesus answered, "Most assuredly , I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. (NKJV)

Jesus did not say, "You must be immersed in water to enter the kingdom of God, however, God can save whoever he wants to."

John 14:6 Jesus said to him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. (NKJV)

Jesus did not modify John 14:6 by saying, "Of course, God the Father can provide as many ways to Himself as He wishes."

Mark 16:16 "He who believes and is baptized  will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned.(NKJV)

Jesus did not say, "He who believes and is baptized will be saved, however, God can save those who reject water baptism and do not believe, because God can save whoever He wants to."

Ephesians 5:1-5 Therefore be followers of God dear children.....5 For this you know, that no fornicator, unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God.(NKJV)

The apostle Paul did not modify his position by saying,  "Christians can continually live an unrepentant sinful lifestyle, because God can offer an inheritance, in the kingdom of God, to whoever He wants.

Can Christians who sin be forgiven? Of course, but Christians have not been issued a license to sin.

The real question is, do men have the right to offer modifications to God's word where none exist?

NOTE: Did you ever hear a preacher preach the gospel terms for pardon and modify it by saying, "Of course, God can send anyone to hell that He wishes?"

What Is Your Life? by B. Johnson

http://www.oldpaths.com/Archive/Johnson/Edna/Elizabeth/1939/yourlife.html

What Is Your Life?

 

“Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away” (James 4:14).
Poverty is a litmus test for a preacher and his wife. There is no doubt that some good-looking, charismatic preachers may be able to earn more than the average scientist or doctor, but this is far from the norm. These men may demand an unreasonable salary from large churches, while the average evangelist is earning less than the minimum wage for much harder work. Is the wife willing to live on the salary the poor preacher provides? Is the family able to live and pay bills and be self-respecting? When a couple is young and just beginning a work, who can know what the future holds? The very real possibility of poverty needs to be considered.
Preachers often are forced to move from place to place when they and the congregation do not agree. Breaking up housekeeping and moving to an unknown area can be traumatic. In fact, it can tear a family apart. Many times preachers’ wives or children may be emotionally unstable because they have no roots, no security. Preachers’ wives sometimes refuse to move from place to place which ultimately forces the preacher to find other employment. In those cases, the wife’s attitude toward this nomadic existence takes yet another preacher out of the pulpit.
I can vouch that selling a house and moving is a heartrending job. It is natural not to want to dig up roots. I knew I had to do it though, and I had to be able to just close my eyes and walk away. I finally have been able to say to our children, “Take what you really need and give the rest to the poor.” It is like watching what happens to your things after your own funeral. So much of what we have will be thrown away and I know it. It is not truly valuable to anyone but us, but we know we cannot be bound to material things and be pleasing to God. We need to remember that the important things are not material. This world is not our home.
“And (Job) said, Naked came I out of my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return thither: the LORD gave, and the LORD hath taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD. In all this Job sinned not, nor charged God foolishly” (Job 1:21-22).
Solomon said, “As he came forth of his mother’s womb, naked shall he return to go as he came, and shall take nothing of his labour, which he may carry away in his hand (Ecc 5:15).”
When we consider what is really important in life, anything material is not it. Remember that we must be like those described in Matthew 25:34-46 to be pleasing to the lord.
“Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me. Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink? When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee? Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee? And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me” (Matt 25:34-40).

Beth Johnson

The Scripture quotations in this article are from
The King James Version.

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

Half truths are whole lies by Gary Rose

Recently I found this picture on the INTERNET. The statement is true; but Abraham Lincoln did not say this. When Abraham Lincoln was alive there was no INTERNET. Lincoln was born on February 12, 1802, our 16^th president from 1961-1865 and assassinated in April 1865. The INTERNET as we know it today came into being about 1990. Unfortunately, schools no longer teach history, so many younger people would not know these things and accept the picture as true.

This picture is symptomatic of much of the media today. It is obvious we are being lied to, deceived and only being told half-truths (whole lies). People who own most of the media are left wing Democrats and direct those employed by them to “spin” the truth to foster the advancement of their leftist agenda. And the Republicans are not much better. Only Fox news sometimes allow both sides of the story and sometimes I even wonder about them. In an age where viewpoint makes “truth”, is there anything that we can trust? Yes, there is; our Bible and specifically Jesus, for he is the only one capable of saving from sin. Jesus says…

John 8 ( World English Bible )

   ^[54]  Jesus answered, “If I glorify myself, my glory is nothing. It is my Father who glorifies me, of whom you say that he is our God.   ^[55]  You have not known him, but I know him. If I said, ‘I don’t know him,’ I would be like you, a liar. But I know him, and keep his word.   ^[56]  Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day. He saw it, and was glad.” 

  ^[57]  The Jews therefore said to him, “You are not yet fifty years old, and have you seen Abraham?” 

  ^[58]  Jesus said to them, “Most certainly, I tell you, before Abraham came into existence, I AM. ” 

  ^[59]  Therefore they took up stones to throw at him, but Jesus was hidden, and went out of the temple, having gone through their midst, and so passed by. 

During this “discussion” between the Pharisees and Jesus, it is obvious that Jesus is saying that God is his father and that Jesus is the “I AM”; in other words- GOD (see Exodus 3:13-14). And then the Jews tried to stone Jesus. Why? Because they did not really believe in God, they believed only in the Torah. Jesus’ miracles, his truth, his testimony, his future sacrifice meant nothing to them. They would not listen and would not believe any proof because of their preconceived ideas.

Sound familiar? Don’t be like the Jews, seek truth based on evidence and believe it. I don’t care what friends, relatives, or “authorities” may tell you, learn from the Bible, obey Jesus and follow only HIM! But, if you don’t want to do this- then you can always believe that picture that quotes Lincoln, regardless of the facts.