10/9/19

"THE BOOK OF PROVERBS" The Prologue To Proverbs (1:1-6) by Mark Copeland


"THE BOOK OF PROVERBS"

The Prologue To Proverbs (1:1-6)

INTRODUCTION

1. There is a great need for wisdom in our society today...
   a. Lack of wisdom is destroying the lives of many young people, and
      making fools out of some who are older
   b. Marriages are destroyed, friendships lost, souls doomed for lack
      of wisdom

2. The walk of the Christian is to be with wisdom as we go through
   life... - Ep 5:15-17
   a. Because time is fleeting, and the days are evil, we must make the
      best use of our time
   b. Too many today are wasting both their time and their lives by
      failing to exercise wisdom in their daily lives

3. The Word of God equips man unto every good work... - 2Ti 3:16-17
   a. It is only natural to assume that it provides us with sound advice
      concerning daily living
   b. Indeed it does, especially in The Book of Proverbs found in the
      Old Testament

4. The book begins by identifying Solomon, son of David, king of Israel,
   as the author...
   a. Who was granted wisdom by God - 2Ch 1:7-12
   b. Who became famous for his wisdom, and wrote over 3000 proverbs
      - 1Ki 4:29-34

5. The book also contains proverbs and wisdom from other sources...
   a. The words of Agur the son of Jakeh to Ithiel and Ucal - Pr 30:1-33
   b. The words of King Lemuel, taught him by his mother - Pr 31:1-31

[In this lesson, let's introduce ourselves to the book by first
considering the prologue, in which we find...]

I. THE PURPOSE OF THE BOOK

   A. STATED IN THE FIRST SIX VERSES...
      1. "To know wisdom and instruction, to perceive the words of
         understanding"
      2. "To receive the instruction of wisdom, justice, judgment, and
         equity"
      3. To give to the...
         a. Simple (naive) - "prudence"
         b. Young man - "knowledge and discretion"
         c. Wise man - "increased learning"
         d. Man of understanding - "wise counsel"

   B. THE BOOK IS DESIGNED...
      1. To make a person wise!
      2. To learn how to:
         a. Act wisely and righteously
         b. Treat others with fairness
      3. To give...
         a. The ignorant, common sense
         b. The young, sound advice
         c. The wise, even more wisdom

[At this point, it might be appropriate to ask:  "What exactly is
wisdom, and why is it so valuable...?"]

II. THE DEFINITION AND VALUE OF WISDOM

   A. DEFINING WISDOM...
      1. "Wisdom...may be defined as a realistic approach to the
         problems of life..." - 20th Century Encyclopedia of Religious Knowledge
      2. Homer Hailey offered this definition of wisdom:  "Wisdom is
         insight into the underlying causes and significance or
         consequence of things, which insight enables one to apply to
         the best end the knowledge which he has."
      3. To illustrate:
         a. You are yelled at by your boss, wife, or brother in Christ...
            1) You could react in different ways
               a) Strike back physically, or verbally
               b) Do nothing
               c) React with a soft, kind reply - cf. Pr 15:1
            2) Wisdom is that insight which helps you to decide what is
               the best thing to do
         b. Someone makes sexual advances towards you...
            1) Again, you could react in several different ways
            2) But wisdom will enable you to react in the proper way

   B. VALUATING WISDOM...
      1. The first nine chapters of Proverbs are discourses extolling
         the value of wisdom
      2. The virtue of wisdom is seen in the prosperous life it can
         produce - Pr 3:13-18
      3. Its value is also found in guarding us against many pitfalls
         - Pr 3:21-26
      4. Some "pitfalls" frequently warned against in The Book Of Proverbs:
         a. Evil companionship - Pr 1:10-19
         b. The immoral woman - Pr 5:1-14
         c. Laziness - Pr 6:6-11

[Certainly we should be able to see that wisdom is of great value.  But
let's go one step further and notice in particular the value of the book
of Proverbs in regards to having wisdom...]

III. THE VALUE OF THE BOOK

   A. WISDOM COMES FROM TWO SOURCES...
      1. Trial and error (personal experience)
         a. One's own experiences can certainly be a source of wisdom
         b. But there are disadvantages to gaining wisdom this way:
            1) Much of one's lifetime can be wasted learning through
               trial and error
            2) One must live with the consequences of their errors
         c. Sadly, this is the only way some gain wisdom, and that only
            if they survive their errors!
      2. Counsel from others (proven experience)
         a. This is possible if one is willing to heed the advice of others
         b. There are clear advantages to gaining wisdom this way:
            1) You avoid wasting years through trial and error, thus
               living life to its fullest measure!
            2) You experience life unburdened with the consequences of
               earlier mistakes
         c. Certainly this method of gaining wisdom is far superior!

   B. THIS MAKES THE BOOK OF PROVERBS VALUABLE...
      1. Instead of wasting our short time here on earth trying to
         discover wisdom through the process of trial and error, we can
         go straight to The Book Of Proverbs
      2. There we can find wisdom that is:
         a. Divinely inspired by God!
         b. Proven true by generations of righteous people who lived out
            their lives by it
         c. Expressed concisely in ways easy to remember (Proverb: "a
            short sentence based on long experience"
              - Cervantes in Don Quixote)
      3. Yes, the value of The Book Of Proverbs is that it provides the
         wisdom of God Himself!
         a. This is not to say that it takes little effort to glean from
            this wisdom - cf. Pr 2:1-6
         b. But for those who will look to God through His Word and
            prayer, the promise of God is that wisdom will be granted
            them - cf. Jm 1:5-8
         c. And this is a far better way to find wisdom than the way
            most people do it!

CONCLUSION

1. I hope this introductory lesson has made you want to study The Book
   Of Proverbs in order to glean its treasury of wisdom

2. In succeeding lessons, we will examine The Book Of Proverbs more
   closely by...
   a. Making our way through the discourses on wisdom in the first nine
      chapters
   b. Considering the wisdom it offers pertaining to various themes
      (family, work, God, etc.)

Our next study will focus on the theme of the book of Proverbs...

   "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, But fools
   despise wisdom and instruction." - Pr 1:7

Of course, no discussion concerning wisdom can be complete without
mentioning Jesus Christ...

   "in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge."
                                                         - Col 2:3

Without Jesus Christ in our lives, there is no way to be truly wise.
Have you come to Christ through obedience to His gospel...?

Executable Outlines, Copyright © Mark A. Copeland, 2016

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God’s Ceramics Are More Than Pottery by Kyle Butt, M.Div.



God’s Ceramics Are More Than Pottery

by Kyle Butt, M.Div.


Scientists all over the world are constantly looking for better materials with which to build things. Companies need stronger metals, more flexible nylon, and tougher fabrics. This intense demand for better “building blocks” often makes it difficult for scientists to originate new ideas fast enough to keep pace. One approach that has greatly enhanced scientists’ ability to supply fresh, practical ideas has been to turn to nature and copy the structures found there. Copying design in nature has become so prevalent that the scientific community has named the field of study “biomimicry.” From the research done in this field, it has become obvious that nature’s Designer is possessed of far more creative ability than anything humanity has been able to produce.
Specific examples of excellent design in nature abound. In an article for Technology Review, Katherine Bourzac recently detailed one such example. In her article, titled “Ceramics That Won’t Shatter,” she mentioned the challenge that materials scientists face when working with ceramics. Ceramics can be an excellent construction material since they are hard and lightweight. One major drawback of using ceramics, however, is the fact that they fracture and break, much like a flower pot or dinner plate. Bourzac summarized this difficulty by saying that scientists are trying to find ceramics “that combine strength (a measure of resistance to deformation) with toughness (a measure of resistance to fracture)” (2008). Interestingly, researchers have discovered exactly what they are looking for in “the porous but resilient material called nacre that lines abalone shells.”
Bourzac explained the marvelous design of nacre, also known as mother-of-pearl. It is a combination of calcium carbonate, which breaks very easily, and special natural glue. Combined, these two substances are “3,000 times tougher than either constituent.” The efficiency of this composite material is amazing. Robert Ritchie, a scientist from the University of California who co-led the research and development of the new biomimetic ceramic, said: “When nature makes composites, the properties are better” (as quoted in Bourzac). The list of possible applications for the new ceramic is virtually endless. The new material could be used to make lightweight automobile frames, airplane hulls, bulletproof vests, and military vehicle armor.
Ritchie and his team are still working to perfect the new ceramic that is based on the natural mother-of-pearl structure. He noted that in nature, the ceramic has structures that are “smaller and closer together,” qualities that the team hopes to mimic in newer versions of their ceramic. The researchers are optimistically hopeful that they can come even closer to designing a ceramic that can be mass-produced, and that combines the strength and toughness of the natural material.
While the discovery of a new, efficient ceramic is interesting, it pales to insignificance in light of the necessary implication that should be drawn from such a discovery. If brilliant scientists have only recently discovered this technological wonder of the natural world, and they cannot mimic the structure as effectively as nature constructs it, then it must be admitted by the honest observer that nature’s Designer possesses superior mental abilities to those of the scientists. And yet, as clear and straightforward as this implication is, millions of people will utilize technology based on God’s original designs, but claim that random, chance processes of evolution should be given the credit.
In the Old Testament book of Job, the Bible records one of the most interesting verbal exchanges in all of human history (chapters 38-42). Job wanted an answer from God about why he was suffering. God spoke to Job with a series of questions that Job could not possibly answer. God asked where was Job when God hung the foundation of the world on nothing (38:4)? Could Job command the morning to occur or cause the dawn to break (38:12)? Could Job count the clouds (38:37) or cause the hawk to fly (39:26)? After God’s intense questioning, Job realized that he could not begin to answer God’s questions, much less possess the power to accomplish the things that are necessary for the Universe to continue to exist. Job responded to God by saying: “I know that You can do everything, and that no purpose of Yours can be withheld from You.... Therefore I have uttered what I did not understand, things too wonderful for me which I did not know” (42:2-3, emp. added). We in the 21st century would do well to learn from Job’s wise response. The fact that we are just now scratching the surface of the technology found in a “simple” abalone shell should force us to humble ourselves and worship nature’s divine Designer.

REFERENCE

Bourzac, Katherine (2008), “Ceramics That Won’t Shatter,” Technology Review, [On-line], URL: http://www.technologyreview.com/energy/21767/?nlid=1561&a=f.

God, Prophecy, and Miraculous Knowledge by Eric Lyons, M.Min.





God, Prophecy, and Miraculous Knowledge

by Eric Lyons, M.Min.


The honest-hearted person who comes to recognize God’s existence and contemplates His marvelous nature cannot help but stand in awe of His omniscience. As the psalmist professed,
O Lord, You have searched me and known me. You know my sitting down and my rising up; You understand my thought afar off. You comprehend my path and my lying down, and are acquainted with all my ways. For there is not a word on my tongue, but behold, O Lord, You know it altogether…. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high, I cannot attain it. Where can I go from Your Spirit? Or where can I flee from Your presence? If I ascend into heaven, You are there; if I make my bed in hell [sheol], behold, You are there (139:1-4,6-8).
The Bible declares that God “knows the secrets of the heart” (Psalm 44:21), that His eyes “are in every place” (Proverbs 15:3), and that “His understanding is infinite” (Psalm 147:5). Simply put, God “knows all things” (1 John 3:20). He has perfect knowledge of the past, the present, and even the future. Job was right to ask the rhetorical question, “Can anyone teach God knowledge?” (21:22).

GOD’S OMNISCIENCE AND THE DIVINE INSPIRATION OF THE BIBLE

God’s omniscience and proof that the Bible is the Word of God is inextricably woven together. The main, overarching reason that the Bible can be demonstrated to be of divine origin is because the writers were correct in everything they wrote—about the past, the present, and the future. Such a feat is humanly impossible. “With God,” however, “all things are possible” (Mark 10:27). An omniscient, omnipotent God could produce written revelation for His human creation that was flawless in its original production. He could guide uneducated men to write about events that occurred thousands of years before their time with complete accuracy. He could “move” (otherwise) ordinary men (2 Peter 1:20-21) to write flawlessly about any number of contemporary people, places, and things. He could even guide men to write about future events with perfect accuracy. He could—and He did.
Mankind can reasonably come to the conclusion that mere human beings did not pen Scripture because human beings are not omniscient. An uninspired person cannot, for example, foretell the future. Yet the inspired Bible writers did just that—time and again (e.g., Ezekiel 26:1-14,19-21; see www.apologeticspress.org for more information). Is it not logical, then, to conclude that the omniscient Ruler of the Universe gave us the Bible? Interestingly, though the atheist does not accept the Bible as “God-breathed,” even he understands that if the Bible writers predicted the future accurately, then a supernatural agent must be responsible for the production of Scripture (see Butt and Barker, 2009, pp. 50-51).

IS THERE ANOTHER POSSIBILITY?

Some might surmise that a Bible writer practicing pagan divination could also have accurately recorded what would happen in the distant future (in Tyre, Babylon, Jerusalem, etc.) because Satan or some wicked spirit-being revealed the information to him. Such a conclusion, however, is unjustifiable for a number of reasons:
  • First, the prophets condemned all sorts of witchcraft, including divination and soothsaying (Deuteronomy 18:9-14; Jeremiah 27:9-29:9). Thus, they would be condemning themselves if they were actually diviners and soothsayers.
  • Second, since God, by His very definition, is the only omniscient, omnipotent Being (cf. 1 John 4:4), neither the created and fallen devil nor any other non-eternal spirit-being (Colossians 1:16; 2 Peter 2:4) can choose to know whatever he wants. He may be able to acquire knowledge quickly from other beings or from personal experience, but ultimately, wicked spirit-beings can only have knowledge of what the Creator allows them to know (cf. 1 Corinthians 2:11). If, for example, a wicked spirit-being knew of future events, it would be due to the omniscient Ruler of the heaven and Earth granting him such knowledge for His own purposes. “Who is he who speaks and it comes to pass, when the Lord has not commanded it?” (Lamentations 3:37). Simply put, no one accurately foretells the future unless God informs him of it. [NOTE: Diviners may occasionally and vaguely predict something that comes to pass, but such guesswork or weathermen-like predictions are far from the revealed, supernatural foreknowledge of God, which was revealed during Bible times to His true spokesmen.]
  • Third, God revealed throughout Scripture that those who accurately foretell the future are genuine prophets of God. Jeremiah wrote: “When the word of the prophet comes to pass, the prophet will be known as one whom the Lord has truly sent” (28:9). On the other hand, those who prophesy things that do not come to pass, “the Lord has not sent;” “they prophesy falsely” (Jeremiah 28:15; 29:8-9). “‘How shall we know the word which the Lord has not spoken?’ When a prophet speaks in the name of the Lord, if the thing does not happen or come to pass, that is the thing which the Lord has not spoken; the prophet has spoken it presumptuously; you shall not be afraid of him” (Deuteronomy 18:21-22). If non-God-inspired diviners could actually have foretold the future by the power of some wicked spirit-being, then how could the honest-hearted person ever know for sure what and who to believe and obey? Concluding that pagan diviners have been given power by wicked spirit-beings to flawlessly foretell the future contradicts what the true, inspired prophets of God taught, and prevents truth-seekers from being able to know truth.

CONCLUSION

God Almighty is the only omniscient, omnipotent Being. Only He knows everything. Ultimately, He alone knows the future—the revelation of such Divine thoughts being one of the chief ways man has logically concluded that a particular message was actually God-inspired. It seems quite dangerous to conclude that fallen spirit-beings know the future and have revealed such miraculous information to wicked diviners. Yes, uninspired fortunetellers have doubtlessly been tempted and influenced throughout the ages by powerful forces of darkness, but such beings are non-omniscient “deceiving spirits” (1 Timothy 4:1), who take after their “father, the devil,” “a liar” in whom “there is no truth” (John 8:44).
*Originally published in Gospel Advocate, March 2015, 157[3]:27-28.

REFERENCE

Butt, Kyle and Dan Barker (2009), Does the God of the Bible Exist? (Montgomery, AL: Apologetics Press).

God Cannot be Tempted...But Jesus Was? by Eric Lyons, M.Min.




God Cannot be Tempted...But Jesus Was?

by Eric Lyons, M.Min.


According to Scripture, Jesus was Deity in the flesh (John 1:1-5,14; 20:28). He was not sired by man; He was not conceived naturally by woman (Isaiah 7:14; Matthew 1:23). Rather, Jesus came from heaven (John 3:13; 6:38), proved His “mighty God” Messiahship (Isaiah 9:6) through a variety of verified miracles (John 20:30-31; cf. Lyons and Butt, 2006), accepted worship (Matthew 14:33; John 9:38), and claimed a unity with God the Father that even His enemies understood was a profession of Deity (John 10:30,33). Some, however, question the Bible’s consistency of Jesus being God. The argument goes something like this (cf. Wells, 2010): The Bible declares that Satan tempted Jesus (Matthew 4:1), and that Jesus was “in all points tempted as we are” (Hebrews 4:15). Yet, the Bible also declares that “God cannot be tempted by evil” (James 1:13). Therefore, the Bible (allegedly) contradicts itself regarding the nature of Jesus. How could He be God, if God cannot be tempted?

First, Christians freely admit that contemplation of the nature of God is by no means a simple mental exercise. We were created; He has always been (Psalm 90:2). We have flesh and bones; God is Spirit (John 4:24). We are limited in power; He is omnipotent (Genesis 17:1). We can become knowledgeable about some things; God’s knowledge has always been infinite—“too wonderful for me; it is high, I cannot attain it” (Psalm 139:6). The apostle Paul expressed his amazement of God to the Christians in Rome, saying, “Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and His ways past finding out!” (11:33). It is always a humbling mental struggle for mere man to contemplate the wondrous attributes of God.

Still, however, the legitimate question remains: How could Jesus be God, if He was tempted while on Earth? The answer to this question is basically the same for a variety of questions that one may ask about the nature of Jesus. How could Jesus not know something if He was God (e.g., the time of His Second Coming; Mark 13:32)? How could God the Father be greater than Jesus if Jesus was “equal with God” (John 14:28; John 5:18; Philippians 2:6)? The answer to these and similar questions must be understood in light of what the apostle Paul wrote to the church at Philippi concerning Jesus’ self-limitation during His time on Earth. According to Paul, Christ
being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation [He “emptied Himself”NASB], taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross (Philippians 2:6-8, emp. added).
While on Earth in the flesh, Jesus was voluntarily in a subordinate position to the Father. Christ “emptied Himself” (Philippians 2:7; He “made Himself nothing”—NIV). Unlike Adam and Eve, who made an attempt to seize equality with God (Genesis 3:5), Jesus, the last Adam (1 Corinthians 15:47), humbled Himself, and obediently accepted the role of a servant. But, as Wayne Jackson observed, Jesus’ earthly limitations “were not the consequence of a less-than-God nature; rather, they were the result of a self-imposed submission reflecting the exercise of His sovereign will” (1995, emp. added). In the form of man, Jesus assumed a position of complete subjection to the Father, and exercised His divine attributes only at the Father’s bidding (cf. John 8:26,28-29) [Wycliffe, 1985]. As A.H. Strong similarly commented, Jesus “resigned not the possession, nor yet entirely the use, but rather the independent exercise, of the divine attributes” (1907, p. 703).

Admittedly, as with Deity’s very nature, understanding Jesus as being fully human in addition to His divine nature is not a simple concept to grasp. When Jesus came to Earth, He added humanity to His divinity—He was made “in the likeness of men” (Philippians 2:7). He moved from the spiritual realm to put on flesh (John 1:14) and became subject to such things as hunger, thirst, weariness, and pain. Our holy God chose to come into this world as a helpless babe, Who, for the first time in His eternal existence, “increased in wisdom” as a child (Luke 2:52). In order to become the perfect sacrifice and Great High Priest, Jesus willingly submitted Himself to temptation and death. As the writer of Hebrews noted: “[I]n all things He had to be made like His brethren, that He might be a merciful and faithful High Priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. For in that He Himself has suffered, being tempted, He is able to aid those who are tempted” (2:17-18).

In short, the Bible’s depiction of Jesus as God incarnated is not contradictory. As the immortal, invisible, pre-incarnate Word (1 Timothy 1:17), He was God (John 1:1). When the Word put on flesh, He was still by nature God (John 10:30,33; 20:28), though He willingly “humbled Himself” and “made Himself of no reputation” (2:6-8) in order to become the tempted, but perfect Man. Indeed, He “who knew no sin” became “sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him” (2 Corinthians 5:21).

REFERENCES

Jackson, Wayne (1995), “Did Jesus Exist in the Form of God While on Earth?” Reason & Revelation, 15[3]:21-22, March,  /apcontent.aspx?category=10&article=354.

Lyons, Eric and Kyle Butt (2006), “The Very Works that I Do Bear Witness of Me,” Reason & Revelation, 26[3]:17-23, March, http://www.apolo geticspress.org/articles/2857.

Strong, A.H. (1907), Systematic Theology (Old Tappan, NJ: Fleming H. Revell).

Wells, Steve (2010), Skeptic’s Annotated Bible, http://www.skepticsannotatedbible.com/contra/tempt_god.html.

Wycliffe Bible Commentary (1985), Electronic Database: Biblesoft.

GOD'S TERMS FOR PARDON AFTER THE RESURRECTION BY STEVE FINNELL



GOD'S TERMS FOR PARDON AFTER THE RESURRECTION BY STEVE FINNELL


The book of Acts gives the thirty year account of the church of Jesus Christ after the resurrection of Jesus. Jesus said, after His resurrection. (Luke 24:47 "and repentance and remission of sins  should be preached in His name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.NKJV)

The apostle Peter preached the first sermon on the Day of Pentecost; at Jerusalem.  About three thousand were obedient to God's terms for pardon on that day.

THE SERMON

1. Peter preached Jesus a miracle worker.(Acts 2:22) Not one person denied that fact.

2. Peter preached that Jesus was crucified and that God raised Him from the dead.(Acts 2:23-34)

3. Peter proclaimed Jesus as both Lord and Christ, whom they had crucified. (Acts 2:36) Acts 2:37 Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, "Men and brethren, what shall we do do"?NKJV

Not one infant or toddler was cut to the heart, and asked what shall we do.[NOTE: Infants and toddlers are not guilty of sin]

4. Acts 2:38 Then Peter said to them, "Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.(NKJV)

Acts 2:38 Peter said to them, "Repent, and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. )NASB)

Acts 2:38 Peter replied: "Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ so that your sins may be forgiven. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. (NIV 1973)

Peter said "So your sins may be forgiven." He did not say, so you can be forgiven for Adam's sin.

Peter did not say repent and be baptized for the guilt of Adam's sin. 

Peter did not tell unbelieving infants to repent and be baptized.

Not one convert said, "We do not have to be immersed in water, because the thief on the cross was not baptized and he was saved."

Peter did not say, "You were saved the minute you believed, however, you need to be baptized as a testimony of your faith."

Peter did not say, "If you are one of those whom God chose for salvation, then repent and be baptized."

Peter did not say, "All of you who reject Jesus, have been individually chosen by God to burn in hell."

Peter did not say, "Be baptized because your sins have already been forgiven."

Not a single person said, "Moses did not believe Jesus was resurrected from the dead, and he was saved, therefore, we and our non believing infant children can have our sins forgiven without believing that God raised Jesus from the dead."

Acts 2:41 Then those who gladly received his word were baptized; and that day about three thousand souls were added to them.(NKJV)

Who was added to the church on the Day of Pentecost? Those who believed Peter's preaching and were baptized.

No infants nor toddlers believed Peter's preaching, nor were they baptized.

If there were those who did not believe Peter's preaching about about baptism for the forgiveness of sins, then they were not added to the church. Only those who received Peter's word were added to the church.( Acts 2:41,47)  

“Love your neighbor as yourself” Leviticus 19:18 by Roy Davison




“Love your neighbor as yourself”
Leviticus 19:18

Jesus says this is the second greatest commandment in the law (Matthew 22:39).
Neighborly love includes foreigners: “And if a stranger dwells with you in your land, you shall not mistreat him. The stranger who dwells among you shall be to you as one born among you, and you shall love him as yourself” (Leviticus 19:33, 34).
James calls this the royal law! “If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself,’ you do well” (James 2:8).
Why is this command great? Because all of God’s commandments are based on love.
We owe a debt of love to all. Paul writes: “Owe no one anything except to love one another, for he who loves another has fulfilled the law. For the commandments, ‘You shall not commit adultery,’ ‘You shall not murder,’ ‘You shall not steal,’ ‘You shall not bear false witness,’ ‘You shall not covet,’ and if there is any other commandment, are all summed up in this saying, namely, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ Love does no harm to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the law” (Romans 13:8-10). “For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself’” (Galatians 5:14).
Neighborly love is based on fairness. Jesus says: “And just as you want men to do to you, you also do to them likewise” (Luke 6:31); “Therefore, whatever you want men to do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets” (Matthew 7:12).
Loving our neighbor as ourselves means that we treat him as we want to be treated. This form of love is based on our mutual humanity. Eve “was the mother of all living” (Genesis 3:20). God “has made from one blood every nation of men to dwell on all the face of the earth” (Acts 17:26). “For none of us lives to himself, and no one dies to himself” (Romans 14:7).
We are all members of one family, the human race. We are part of a greater whole; we share a common humanity. Thus we ought to love others as we love ourselves and treat others as we want to be treated.
“He who despises his neighbor sins” (Proverbs 14:21). The evil slave who demanded full payment from his fellow, after he himself had been forgiven a huge debt he could never repay, was asked by his master: “Should you not also have had compassion on your fellow servant, just as I had pity on you?” (Matthew 18:33). We owe love to others because of God’s love for us.
We are commanded to empathize with our fellow man, to participate in the feelings of others. “Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep” (Romans 12:15). “Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ” (Galatians 6:2).
“Thus says the Lord of hosts: ‘Execute true justice, show mercy and compassion everyone to his brother’” (Zechariah 7:9).
The law of love is an essential component of ethics, not a substitute for ethics, as is claimed by some. Something built on love may not be torn down in the name of love. Since Gods commands are based on love, they may not be pushed aside in the name of love.
God is the sovereign interpreter of the law of love. He created man. He knows what is good for man and for society. His applications of the law of love are found in the Scriptures.
We need guidance from God to know how to love our fellow man. As John says: “By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and keep His commandments. For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments” (1 John 5:2, 3).
We are able to love others as we should, only when we love God and keep His commandments. Loving God and obeying His commands is an essential ingredient of love for others.
Someone who claims that love allows him to disregard moral principles and commandments of God, does not really love others, but is trying to excuse selfish, unloving or unscriptural behavior.
How did Jesus answer a lawyer who knew God’s requirement but was looking for a loophole?
“And behold, a certain lawyer stood up and tested Him, saying, ‘Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?’ He said to him, ‘What is written in the law? What is your reading of it?’ So he answered and said, ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind,’ and ‘your neighbor as yourself.’ And He said to him, ‘You have answered rightly; do this and you will live.’ But he, wanting to justify himself, said to Jesus, ‘And who is my neighbor?’” (Luke 10:25-29).
This lawyer knew he should love his neighbor, but he wanted a limited circle of neighbors!
Jesus, the Master teacher, responded to his question, “Who is my neighbor?” with one of the most powerful stories ever told.
“A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, who stripped him of his clothing, wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead. Now by chance a certain priest came down that road. And when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. Likewise a Levite, when he arrived at the place, came and looked, and passed by on the other side. But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was. And when he saw him, he had compassion. So he went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine; and he set him on his own animal, brought him to an inn, and took care of him. On the next day, when he departed, he took out two denarii, gave them to the innkeeper, and said to him, ‘Take care of him; and whatever more you spend, when I come again, I will repay you.’ So which of these three do you think was neighbor to him who fell among the thieves?”
The lawyer replied: “He who showed mercy on him.”
Then Jesus said to him, “Go and do likewise” (Luke 10:30- 37).
Did you notice that Jesus did not answer the lawyer’s question, but asked him a more important question? “So which of these three do you think was neighbor to him who fell among the thieves?” (verse 36).
The question is not, “Who is my neighbor?” but “What kind of neighbor am I?”
If we want to inherit eternal life, we must be compassionate, merciful and helpful, like the good Samaritan. We must love our neighbor.

What have we learned?

“You shall love your neighbor as yourself” is the royal law, the foundation of all of God’s commandments on how to treat others. Love is a debt we owe to all because of God’s love for us.
Neighborly love is based on fairness and our mutual humanity. As members of one human family we ought to love others as we love ourselves and treat others as we want to be treated. Love does no harm to a neighbor.
We can love others as we should, only when we love God and keep His commandments. We need God’s guidance to know how to love others.
“What kind of neighbor am I?” is the question.
To inherit eternal life, we must be compassionate, merciful and helpful.
“The first of all the commandments is: ‘Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ This is the first commandment. And the second, like it, is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these” (Mark 12:29-31). Amen.
Roy Davison



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

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

Cold Lightning? by Gary Rose



Sprite Lightning in HD
Image Credit & Copyright: Stephane Vetter (TWAN)
Explanation: This phenomenon occurs in the sky over our heads, not the sea. It is a type of lightning known as red sprite, and rarely has it ever been photographed in this detail. Even though sprites have been recorded for over 30 years, their root cause remains unknown. Some thunderstorms have them, but most don't. These mysterious bursts of light in the upper atmosphere momentarily resemble gigantic jellyfish. A few years ago high speed videos were taken detailing how red sprites actually develop. The featured image was captured last month in high definition from Italy. One unusual feature of sprites is that they are relatively cold -- they operate more like long fluorescent light tubes than hot compact light bulbs. In general, red sprites take only a fraction of a second to occur and are best seen when powerful thunderstorms are visible from the side.

The older I become, the more I realize that I am just an ordinary guy, with all the shortcomings that are associated with growing older. Everything has slowed down in my life, but fortunately, I am not senile, yet. I think what has helped me to keep most of my cognitive abilities is my curiosity. And this picture really made me think. How could lightning be cold? Their explanation sounds plausible enough...but?

I guess this is just another of those instances where I have to just think about it some more and hopefully it will make sense to me. Not to worry, its just lightning after all and it really doesn’t matter, anyway. But, what if I was confronted with teaching from the Bible that was hard to understand; what then? The Apostle Peter says...


2 Peter 3 ( World English Bible )
[15] Regard the patience of our Lord as salvation; even as our beloved brother Paul also, according to the wisdom given to him, wrote to you; [16] as also in all of his letters, speaking in them of these things. In those, there are some things that are hard to understand, which the ignorant and unsettled twist, as they also do to the other Scriptures, to their own destruction. [17] You therefore, beloved, knowing these things beforehand, beware, lest being carried away with the error of the wicked, you fall from your own steadfastness. [18] But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be the glory both now and forever. Amen.
Beware, indeed. We must study and carefully understand what we are reading. The apostle Paul said to Timothy…

2 Timothy 2 ( Modern Literal Version )
[15] Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, an unashamed worker, cutting-straight the word of truth.

The next step – do it!