4/1/20

"STUDIES IN THE MINOR PROPHETS" Malachi - My Messenger (1:1-2:16) by Mark Copeland 

                    "STUDIES IN THE MINOR PROPHETS"

                   Malachi - My Messenger (1:1-2:16)

INTRODUCTION

1. With the aid of the prophetic ministries of Haggai and Zechariah...
   a. The temple was rebuilt - Ezra 5:1-2; 6:14-16
   b. What had begun in 536 B.C. was finally finished in 516 B.C.

2. In 458 B.C., another group of exiles returned to Jerusalem, led by Ezra...
   a. A priest
   b. His work was to teach the people the word of God - Ezra 7:10

3. About 444 B.C., a third group of exiles returned led by Nehemiah...
   a. Who became governor
   b. Under his leadership, the walls of Jerusalem were rebuilt (Neh 1-6)
   c. Together with Ezra, he led the people to a great revival (Neh 7-13)

4. Contemporary with Ezra and Nehemiah was another prophet, Malachi...
   a. His name means "My Messenger"
      1) Certainly Malachi was a messenger of God
      2) But he also spoke of God's messengers to come - Mal 3:1
   b. Like Ezra the priest...
      1) Malachi attacked the spiritual and moral decay that was prevalent
      2) Among both priests and people
   c. In so doing, he resorted to a new style of teaching
      1) Known as the didactic-dialectic method of speaking
      2) I.e., making a charge, raising potential objections, and then refuting them
      3) Which later became common in Jewish schools and synagogues

[In this study, we shall consider several examples of this style of
teaching as we survey the first two chapters.  In these chapters we
find Malachi addressing several problems...]

I. THEY WERE DOUBTING GOD'S LOVE

   A. EVIDENTLY THEY WERE QUESTIONING GOD'S LOVE FOR THEM...
      1. After years of captivity, one might understand why they felt this way
      2. Their return from Babylonian captivity was not without difficulty

   B. GOD REASSERTS HIS LOVE FOR ISRAEL...
      1. Note the didactic-dialectic style - Mal 1:2
         a. "I have loved you"
         b. "In what way have You loved us?"
         c. "Was not Esau Jacob's brother?  Yet Jacob I have loved; but Esau I have hated"
      2. God is speaking of Jacob and Esau as the representative of
         their descendant nations; God did not hate Esau personally,
         but did hate what Edom as a nation had become
      3. He goes on to illustrate what He means
         a. Edom (the descendants of Esau) had become desolate; despite
            their claims to the country, it would remain desolate- Mal 1:3-4
         b. But Israel would one day see the Lord magnified beyond its border - Mal 1:5

[If the people only observed how Israel was being restored while Edom
remained desolate, they would know God still loved them as a nation.

But perhaps their doubting of God's love had led to another problem
that was prevalent at that time...]

II. THEY WERE DISHONORING GOD'S NAME

   A. BY OFFERING BLEMISHED SACRIFICES - Mal 1:6-11
      1. Sons honor their fathers, and servants their masters; but they were despising God
      2. When asked in what way, they are told of their defiled sacrifices
      3. They were offering to God what they would be embarrassed to offer men
      4. The Lord would even wish that someone shut the doors so they could not sacrifice
      5. Despite their dishonor, one day God's name would be great even among the Gentiles

   B. BY OFFERING HALF-HEARTED WORSHIP - Mal 1:12-14
      1. They also were profaning God's name by saying His service is contemptible and a weariness
      2. Those who continued to bring blemished sacrifices would fall
         under God's curse, for He is "a great King"

   C. SUCH CORRUPTION WOULD NOT GO UNANSWERED - Mal 2:1-9
      1. Addressing the priests directly, the nature of God's curse is graphically depicted
      2. Because they had failed to live up to what was expected of
         God's priests, He will make them base and contemptible

[As Malachi continues, we also learn...]

III. THEY WERE PROFANING GOD'S COVENANT

   A. BY MARRYING HEATHEN WOMEN - Mal 2:10-12
      1. They were dealing treacherously and profaning the covenant
         made with their fathers by marrying pagan women ("the daughter of a foreign God")
      2. This nature of this problem is described in Ezra 9-10; Neh 13:23-24
      3. Malachi prays that the Lord will cut off from Jacob those who
         do this - Mal 2:12; cf. Ezr 10:7-8; Neh 13:23-28

   B. BY DIVORCING THEIR JEWISH WIVES - Mal 2:13-16
      1. Despite their weeping, God was no longer regarding their sacrifices - cf. 1Pe 3:7
      2. For they had dealt treacherously with the wives of the their
         youth (i.e., Jewish wives) by divorcing them
         a. Even though they had entered into a covenant (e.g., "Till death do us part")
         b. Even though God had made them one (cf. Gen 2:24)
      3. Therefore God hates divorce - Mal 2:16
         a. For it covers one's garment with violence (e.g., against the wife and children)
         b. It is treacherous to so deal with one's spouse in that way!

CONCLUSION

1. Israel was showing signs of spiritual and moral decay...
   a. Failing to appreciate God's love for them
   b. Dishonoring God by offering second-best and half-hearted worship
   c. Profaning God's covenant by disregarding it and their wives

2. It is easy for Christians to make application with such verses...
   a. As spiritual priests we are to offer spiritual sacrifices (1 Pe 2:9; Ro 12:1-2)
   b. Is our service honoring God?  Or do we:
      1) Dishonor God by offering less than our best and with half-hearted service?
      2) Profane God's covenant by disregarding the covenant we made
         with Him and our wives when we married them?
      3) Hinder our worship to God by our treatment of our wives?
   c. Are we any better than the priests of Malachi's day?

Let the book of Malachi be a guide as to when one's religion is showing
signs of spiritual and moral decay!   Certainly God is worthy of our
best, and we should do what we can to make sure these words prove true:

      For from the rising of the sun, even to its going down,
         My name shall be great among the Gentiles;
      In every place incense shall be offered to My name,
         And a pure offering;
      For My name shall be great among the nations,"
         Says the LORD of hosts.
                               - Malachi 1:11

Does “Laud” in Romans 15:11 Authorize Clapping in Worship? by Dave Miller, Ph.D.


http://apologeticspress.org/APContent.aspx?category=11&article=4803

Does “Laud” in Romans 15:11 Authorize Clapping in Worship?

by  Dave Miller, Ph.D.

A recent contention that has surfaced among some Christians, in an effort to justify handclapping in worship to God, is the notion that the term in Romans 15:11 translated “laud” in both the KJV and NKJV includes the idea of handclapping. Never mind the fact that students of the Bible, scholars, and faithful Christians have been pouring over the text of the New Testament for nearly 2,000 years, with Romans 15:11 having been read and studied by thousands of individuals for centuries; and yet, through all those years, how many concluded that handclapping could be found in the verse? To ask is to answer. Even as proponents of instrumental music have imagined that psallo in Ephesians 5:19 includes a manmade, mechanical contraption, only recently has someone invented the novel notion that “laud” in Romans 15:11 includes handclapping.
Let’s be honest: can there be any doubt that someone had to be looking for a place in the New Testament to impose his bias on the text? Even as a person could read Ephesians 5:19 over and over and over for the rest of his/her life and never see any instrumental music in that verse, even so, reading Romans 15:11 would never lead an unprejudiced person to conclude that God encourages or endorses handclapping in worship. The heart that approaches God’s Word with an agenda—a predisposition to find what he or she wants to find—is by biblical definition a wicked heart (Job 13:7; Jeremiah 23:16; Isaiah 8:20). To then compound that sin by teaching and promoting the concocted viewpoint is inexcusable and unconscionable. Corrupting the pure worship of the Almighty is deadly (Leviticus 10:1-3). Think of the innocent souls endangered by the wolves that advance their wild, unsubstantiated theories. Tragic. Sad, indeed.
The English term “laud” comes from the Latin word laudare (present active infinitive of laudō) meaning “to praise, commend, extol, honor, compliment.” This action is achieved orally with words. It has nothing to do with clapping. On the other hand, the English term “applaud” comes from the Latin word applaudere (from plaudō/plaudere), meaning “to strike, beat, clap.” Hence, “applaud” is defined as “to clap the hands (hit the palms of the hands together) as an expression of approval, appreciation, acclamation, etc.” (Lewis & Short, 1879). Conclusion: “laud” and “applaud” are separate and distinct Latin terms. They are not synonyms. (Interestingly, in Romans 15:11, Jerome’s Latin Vulgate had magnificate, to “magnify” or “extol”—et iterum laudate omnes gentes Dominum et magnificate eum omnes populi).
Of course, the Holy Spirit did not give us God’s Word in English or Latin. So we must go to the original languages to make certain we are grasping God’s intended meanings. The Greek term translated “laud Him” (NKJV) in Romans 15:11 is epainesatosan from epaineo meaning “to praise or commend.” The term occurs only six times in the New Testament, the other uses being Luke 16:8 and 1 Corinthians 11:2,17, and twice in vs. 22 (Moulton, et al., 1978, p. 351). In Luke, the master “commended” the unjust steward because he had acted shrewdly. In 1 Corinthians 11, the term is used to denote the “praise” (or lack of it) that Paul expressed toward the Corinthians—so translated all four times. Hence, in all six occurrences of the word, the idea of clapping is completely absent. Compare the following 20 English translations on Romans 15:11, where the word in question is indicated in bold type and underlined:
“Praise the Lord, all ye Gentiles; and laud him, all ye people” (KJV).
“Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles! Laud Him, all you peoples!” (NKJV).
“Praise the Lord, all ye Gentiles; And let all the peoples praise him” (ASV).
“Praise the Lord all you Gentiles, and let all the peoples praise him” (NASB).
“Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles, and sing praises to him, all you peoples” (NIV).
“Praise the Lord, all Gentiles, and let all the peoples praise him” (RSV).
“Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles, and let all the peoples extol him” (ESV).
“Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles, and let all the peoples praise him” (NAB).
“Praise the Lord, all ye Gentiles; and magnify him, all ye people” (Douay-Rheims).
“All Gentiles, praise the Lord; let all peoples praise him” (NEB).
“Praise the Lord, all you heathen, and let all nations sing his praises” (Goodspeed).
“Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles; let all the nations of the world do him honour” (Knox).
“All you nations, praise the Lord, and all the people should praise Him” (Beck).
“Let all the pagans praise the Lord, let all the peoples sing his praises” (Jerusalem Bible).
“Praise the Lord, all Gentiles; praise him, all peoples!” (TEV).
“Extol the Lord, all Gentiles, let all the peoples praise him” (Moffatt).
“Praise the Lord, all ye Gentiles, and let all the nations extol Him” (Weymouth).
“Praise Adonai, all Gentiles! Let all peoples praise him!” (Jewish N.T.).
“Praise the Lord, all ye gentiles; and let all the people praise him” (Phillips).
“Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles; and sing his praises, all you peoples” (Confraternity).
No known English translation translates Romans 15:11 with the word “clap.” Those who advocate such a meaning apparently think they know more about the original language than the hundreds of Greek scholars who produced our English translations.
Since Romans 15:11 is actually a quotation of Psalm 117:1, one must examine the underlying Hebrew term. That word is shahvach, which occurs eight times (in the Piel) in the Old Testament (Wigram, 1980, p. 1225). The Hebrew authorities (Davidson, 1848, p. 697; Gesenius, 1847, pp. 800-801; Holladay, 1971, p. 358; Brown, et al., 1906, p. 986) identify three meanings:
to soothe, calm, quiet, hush, or still, as in Psalm 89:10 (still the waves) and Proverbs 29:11 (calm one’s anger);
to pronounce happy, commend, or congratulate, as in Ecclesiastes 4:2;
to praise, laud, glorify, as in Psalm 63:4, 117:1, 145:4, 147:12, and  Ecclesiastes 8:15.
It is meaning #3 that underlies the quotation of Psalm 117:1 in Romans 15:11. Like its Greek counterpart, it bears no connection to the meaning “clap.” The Hebrew language had other words for clapping (e.g., tahka—Nahum 3:19; sahphak—Job 27:23; nahcah—2 Kings 11:12; mahchah—Psalm 98:8).
Since the Bible is its own best interpreter, simply turn to Psalm 63:3 where the term is translated “shall praise.” The verse says, “Because Your lovingkindness is better than life, my lips shall praise You.” Would those who insist that the word means “clap” contend that lips clap? That would be an interesting thing to see.
May God help us to be content with simple New Testament worship (John 4:23-24). May we seek to have God’s permission (authority) for everything we do in worship (Colossians 3:17). May we refrain from fleshly expressions that have their origin in human will (Colossians 2:23), human impulse (2 Samuel 6:6), and human pride (2 Chronicles 26:16). May we worship God—not to please ourselves—but to please Him (Galatians 1:10).

REFERENCES

Brown, Francis, S.R. Driver, and Charles B. Briggs (1906), A Hebrew and English Lexicon of the Old Testament (Peabody, MA: Hendrickson, 2004 reprint).
Davidson, Benjamin (1848), The Analytical Hebrew and Chaldee Lexicon (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1970 reprint).
Gesenius, William (1847), Hebrew-Chaldee Lexicon to the Old Testament (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker, 1979 reprint).
Holladay, William (1971), A Concise Hebrew and Aramaic Lexicon of the Old Testament (Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans).
Lewis, Charlton T. and Charles Short (1879), A Latin Dictionary (Oxford: Clarendon Press).
Moulton, W.F., A.S. Geden, and H.K. Moulton (1978), A Concordance to the Greek Testament (Edinburgh: T.&T. Clark), fifth edition.
Wigram, George V. (1980 reprint), The Englishman’s Hebrew and Chaldee Concordance of the Old Testament (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker).

Does “Baptism into Moses” Justify Infant Baptism? by Caleb Colley, Ph.D.


http://apologeticspress.org/APContent.aspx?category=11&article=1060

Does “Baptism into Moses” Justify Infant Baptism?

by  Caleb Colley, Ph.D.

Those who support infant baptism sometimes appeal to 1 Corinthians 10:2 to justify their position. The passage states that “all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea”—a direct reference to Exodus 14:22. Baptism into Moses is entirely different from baptism into Christ, but those who defend infant baptism assert that, because Paul called the crossing of the Red Sea a “baptism,” many infants and young children must have been “baptized” when the Israelites crossed the Red Sea. What did Paul mean when he wrote that “our fathers” all were “baptized into Moses”?
In 1 Corinthians 10, the inspired apostle did not discuss baptism, how to obtain forgiveness of sin, or entrance into the church. Paul referenced the sins of the children of Israel to warn the Christians in Corinth (see Mare, 1976, pp. 248-249). The meaning of baptism (in 1 Corinthians 10:2) is both literal and figurative. The Israelites were baptized—not in the sense that they were baptized for religious reasons, but in the sense that they were literally surrounded by water, though the water did not touch them. This is a legitimate use of the word “baptism.” When a body is buried in a cemetery, for example, the body is “immersed” in the ground (surrounded by dirt), though a casket prevents any dirt from actually touching the body. In that sense, the children of Israel were submerged in the Red Sea. Paul also wrote of baptism in a figurative sense: the Israelites were “baptized into Moses,” in that they devoted themselves to his leadership and, through him, God’s leadership. G.G. Findlay explained:
The cloud, shading and guiding the Israelites from above, and the “sea” making a path for them through its midst and drowning their enemies behind them, were glorious signs to “our fathers” of God’s salvation; together they formed a washing of regeneration (Titus 3:5), inaugurating the national covenant life; as it trode the miraculous path between upper and nether waters, Israel was born into its Divine estate. Thus “they all received their baptism unto Moses, entering through him into acknowledged fellowship with God; even so the Corinthians in the use of the same symbolic element had been baptized unto Christ (cf. Romans 6:3f., Galatians 3:27)” [n.d., p. 857, parenthetical items in orig.].
Baptism into Christ is not mandated by Exodus 14:22, though the example of the Red Sea crossing metaphorically foreshadows baptism into Christ, as does the water of the Flood (1 Peter 3:20-21; see Lenski, 1937, p. 391). In Exodus 14, however, the children of Israel crossed the Red Sea in order to save their physical lives, not to save their eternal souls (plus, the “baptism” of Exodus 14 was instituted by Moses hundreds of years before the baptism of Christ came into effect). There is no identification of the proper candidate for baptism in either 1 Corinthians 10:2 or Exodus 14:22, so infant baptism cannot be justified by either passage.
If the Holy Spirit did not author a discussion of baptism into Moses in order to authorize infant baptism, why did He write about baptism into Moses? First, observe that when the children of Israel were baptized “into Moses,” they made a conscious decision to completely follow Moses’ leadership. Some Israelites had been quite critical of Moses’ leadership because he brought the people out of Egyptian slavery (Exodus 14:10-12). Others likely admired Moses, and were willing to follow Moses and Aaron out of Egypt, but following Moses across the parted Red Sea necessitated a higher level of trust. It was not a given that all the people would be eager to obey Moses’ command to “go forward” (verse 15). Following Moses’ instruction was not the only option available to the children of Israel (though choosing to disobey Moses meant almost certain death). Before crossing the Red Sea, the children of Israel made a commitment to obey Moses, and, in turn, to serve God. In the same way, people are baptized into Christ when they decide to stop sinning and serve the Lord, i.e., they are separated from the world and consecrated to God (Acts 2:37-38; Acts 22:16; see Kistemaker, 2002, p. 322). This point destroys infants’ candidacy for baptism.
Second, notice that the waters of the Red Sea, in dividing, did not save the children of Israel on its own—water is, by itself, incapable of defying the Law of Gravity. It was only by the power of God, in moving the waters, that Israel was preserved. Similarly, the waters of baptism are not magical or miraculous. It is not the water itself that washes away sin and saves souls. Rather, it is God Who forgives sin when someone is baptized, and He continues to forgive the sins of those who penitently serve Him (Matthew 26:28; Acts 8:13; 22:16; Romans 4:7,8; 1 Peter 3:21; 1 John 1:7). However, God never said that He would forgive the sins of one who did not believe on Him (or could not believe on Him, i.e., those incapable of belief need no forgiveness, because they have not sinned; see 2 Thessalonians 2:14; Romans 10:16; McGarvey, n.d., p. 40).
Third, most of the children of Israel who crossed the Red Sea as a result of their obedience to Moses died in the wilderness because they disobeyed God sometime after they crossed the sea. Similarly, just because someone is baptized into Christ and forgiven of sin, does not mean that he can never lose his salvation or fall out of favor with God. To the contrary, the Bible teaches that one can lose his salvation (Galatians 5:1,4; Hebrews 3:1,12; James 5:19,20).
Fourth, the example of the Israelites crossing the Red Sea should make every Christian more appreciative of the sacrifice of Christ. Just as God provided the only means of physical escape to the captive Israelites, God has provided us with the blood of Christ, which cleanses our souls from sin, providing the only means of escape from eternal spiritual death. God used the cloud and the Red Sea to “separate” an identified people—His chosen people. Today, the church makes up God’s spiritual Israel—those who are saved are members of the Lord’s church (Galatians 3; Ephesians 1:22-23; Hebrews 8).

REFERENCES

Findlay, G.G. (no date), The Expositor’s Greek Testament, ed. W. Robertson Nicoll (Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans).
Lenski, Robert C.H. (1937), The Interpretation of I and II Corinthians (Minneapolis, MN: Augsburg).
Mare, W. Harold (1976), The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: 1 Corinthians, ed. Frank E. Gaebelein (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan).
McGarvey, J.W. (no date), Commentary on Acts (Cincinnati, OH: Standard).


Do We Die to Sin Before Baptism or In Baptism? by Dave Miller, Ph.D.

http://apologeticspress.org/APContent.aspx?category=11&article=1646

Do We Die to Sin Before Baptism or In Baptism?

by  Dave Miller, Ph.D.

Q:

Do we die to sin before baptism or in baptism?

A:

Sometimes this question is asked in an effort to discount the divinely ordained necessity of baptism for the remission of sins. The claim is made that if a person “dies to sin” before baptism, then that person is saved before baptism since “he who has died has been freed from sin” (Romans 6:7). In truth, however, the expression found in Romans 6:6 (“our old man was crucified”) refers to the biblical doctrine of repentance—the “change of mind” that must occur within a person prior to baptism. Another metaphor used in Scripture to refer to the same change is seen in Hebrews 10:22 in the phrase “having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience.” Since one cannot literally sprinkle anything on one’s heart/mind, this is a figurative expression that refers to a person changing his attitude about sin—cleansing his mind concerning the desire to practice sin. Hence, a person must “die to sin” in the sense that he has changed his thinking about sin and disobedience, making a mental commitment to cease sin. He dies to the love and practice of sin. As Paul explained to the Galatians: “And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires” (Galatians 5:24).
Observe, however, that while a person dies to sin at that moment in his own mind, he is not forgiven of sin by God at that point. Forgiveness occurs in the mind of God when the penitent believer allows himself to be lowered into the watery grave of baptism. That is the moment we contact the blood of Christ which was shed in Christ’s death. Hence, Romans 6:3-4 explains that when we are baptized in water, we are baptized into Christ’s death—the contact point for forgiveness. Being “buried with Him through baptism into death” is the point at which we are cleansed of sin, thus enabling us to “walk in newness of life.” According to the sequence stipulated in the passage, we cannot have “newness of life” until after we come up out of the waters of baptism. While many within Christendom have come to reject the role of water in God’s scheme of redemption, the New Testament repeatedly affirms it (e.g., John 3:5,23; Acts 8:36,38-39; 10:47; Hebrews 10:22; 1 Peter 3:20-21). [NOTE: For a comparison of Romans 6 to the parallel teaching of Colossians 2 and 3, see: http://www.apologeticspress.org/APContent.aspx?category=11&article=1232&topic=379.]

UNREASONABLE POSITIONS by steve finnell

http://steve-finnell.blogspot.com/search?updated-max=2017-03-30T17:06:00-07:00&max-results=10

UNREASONABLE POSITIONS by steve finnell


Do some men have unreasonable positions concerning the doctrines of God?

The apostle Paul reasoned with men using the Scriptures, however, all men are not reasonable. Acts 17:1-2 ...they came to Thessalonica...2 Then Paul, as his custom was, went into them, and for three Sabbaths reasoned with them from the Scriptures,(NKJV) The problem was, those at Thessalonica were unreasonable, because they were not fair minded. Acts 17:10-11 Then the brethren immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Berea. When they arrived, they went into the synagogue of the Jews. 11 These were more fair-mind than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness, and searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so,(NKJV)

The Berean Jews were reasonable people, they searched the Scriptures for the truth concerning God's doctrine.

Are men today reasonable or unreasonable in their views of God's doctrine?

1. Matthew 24:27,36 "For as the lightning comes from the east and flashes to the west, so also will the coming of the the Son of Man be. 36 "But of that day and hour no one knows, no not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only.(NKJV)

Some men contend that Jesus Christ is also God the Father, however, Jesus said only the Father knows when He will return. Is it reasonable believe that Jesus is God the Father? No it is not, it is an unreasonable understanding of God's doctrine.

They searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so.

2. Mark 16:16 "He who believes and is baptized will be saved..(NKJV)

Is it reasonable to believe that He who was baptized was saved before baptism because they were saved as soon as they believed? No, that is an unreasonable assumption.

They searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so.

3. John 8:21-24 ...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)

Is it reasonable to deny that Jesus is the one and only Son of God, the only way to heaven, and still have your sins forgiven? No, it is unreasonable to conclude that there are various and sundry Saviors. There is only one Savior for mankind and that is Jesus Christ. Only one way to have sins forgiven.

They searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so.

It takes unreasonable men to search the Scriptures and believe false doctrine.

You have to be unreasonable to believe it took billions of years for God to create the heavens and the earth.

You have to be unreasonable to believe that water baptism is not essential for the forgiveness of sins.

You have to be unreasonable to believe that men today can be saved like the thief on the cross.

You have to be unreasonable to conclude that God preordained a select few for salvation and preordained all those not selected  to burn in hell for eternity.

You have to be unreasonable to believe once a man is saved he can never be lost.

You have to be unreasonable to believe you can worship the Virgin Mary, by praying to her, without facing God's displeasure.

You have to be unreasonable to believe the false doctrine of original sin. Do you really believe men will be sent to hell because Adam sinned? Men will be sent to hell because of their own unforgiven sin, not because of Adam's sin.

Reasonable repentant men who prayerfully search the Scriptures will not reach unreasonable conclusions concerning God's doctrine.

Were the Bereans searching the Scriptures to prove that some denominational doctrine was correct, or were they searching for God's truth?

“The LORD Will Provide” (Genesis 22:14) by Roy Davison





http://www.oldpaths.com/Archive/Davison/Roy/Allen/1940/020-providence.html


 “The LORD Will Provide”
(Genesis 22:14)
 
“Then Abraham lifted his eyes and looked, and there behind him was a ram caught in a thicket by its horns. So Abraham went and took the ram, and offered it up for a burnt offering instead of his son. And Abraham called the name of the place, The-LORD-Will-Provide; as it is said to this day, ‘In the Mount of the LORD it shall be provided’” (Genesis 22:13, 14).

This was after Abraham had been willing to obey God’s command to offer his son, Isaac, as a sacrifice. He was willing to do this because He completely trusted God’s promise that Isaac would be the father of his posterity (Genesis 17:21).

This is explained in the New Testament: “By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises offered up his only begotten son, of whom it was said, ‘In Isaac your seed shall be called,’ concluding that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead, from which he also received him in a figurative sense” (Hebrews 11:17-19).

In this faith, Abraham told his servants, “Stay here with the donkey; the lad and I will go yonder and worship, and we will come back to you” (Genesis 22:5). Although he fully intended to obey God’s command, he was confident that both he and Isaac would return.

In this faith, when Isaac asked him, “Look, the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?” he replied, “My son, God will provide for Himself the lamb for a burnt offering” (Genesis 22:7, 8).

According to the faith of Abraham, God has indeed provided the Lamb for an offering. Like Abraham, we can trust the providence of God. Abraham’s offer of his son prefigured the giving of God’s Son as a sacrifice for the sins of the world. Isaac carried the wood on his shoulder that would be used for him being sacrificed. Jesus bore the cross on His shoulder upon which He would be nailed.

In addition to providing the sacrifice for our sins so we can be saved, the providence of God extends to all aspects of our lives, “for in Him we live and move and have our being” (Acts 17:28).

As Elihu states: “If He should gather to Himself His Spirit and His breath, all flesh would perish together, and man would return to dust” (Job 34:14, 15).

How sad that so many people place their trust in the shifting sands of humanistic philosophy rather than in the word of God. They believe life exists by the providence of mindless materialistic evolution, rather than by the providence of God who in six days “made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them” (Exodus 20:11).

Such people have “exchanged the truth of God for the lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator” (Romans 1:25).

It makes God angry when men, whom He made in His own spiritual image, are ungrateful and deny His providence: “For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them. For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse, because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened” (Romans 1:18-21).

If God withdrew His Spirit and His breath, life on earth would cease. God did not create the universe like a wound-up clock that now runs by itself. The Son of God, through whom the worlds were made, upholds “all things by the word of His power” (Hebrews 1:1-3).

All good that we enjoy is by the providence of God: “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights” (James 1:17).

Although God has given man a choice between good and evil, and although all men choose to sin, God guides the affairs of this world in such a way that good will prevail. He has promised “that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose” (Romans 8:28).

As Joseph told his brothers, who had sold him into Egyptian slavery: “As for you, you meant evil against me; but God meant it for good, in order to bring it about as it is this day, to save many people alive” (Genesis 50:20).

God’s use of their evil action to bring about good does not relieve them of responsibility for their choice.

They requested forgiveness from Joseph: “Now, please, forgive the trespass of the servants of the God of your father” (Genesis 50:17). Joseph was willing to forgive and to leave their final judgment in the hands of God: “Do not be afraid, for am I in the place of God?” ... “Now therefore, do not be afraid; I will provide for you and your little ones" (Genesis 50:19, 21). “And he comforted them and spoke kindly to them.”

This is an example of the providence of God in spite of evil. The very one the evil brothers rejected and sold into slavery, was used by God to provide for them and their children. This prefigures God’s provision of salvation through Christ.

After saving us, God also helps us to avoid evil and walk in righteousness: “No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it” (1 Corinthians 10:13).

God, in His mercy, provides us with all we need to be saved: “Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord, as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue, by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust” (2 Peter 1:2-4).

God’s providence does not mean there is nothing for us to do. Peter continues: “But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love. For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. For he who lacks these things is shortsighted, even to blindness, and has forgotten that he was cleansed from his old sins” (2 Peter 1:5-9).

God provides all we need to be saved. It will never be God’s fault that anyone is lost. But notice the word “if,” “if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful.”

Our calling and election leads to ultimate salvation only if we make use of the spiritual resources God provides. Peter continues with this conclusion: “Therefore, brethren, be even more diligent to make your call and election sure, for if you do these things you will never stumble; for so an entrance will be supplied to you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 1:10, 11). Notice the word “if” again, “if you do these things you will never stumble.”



Who controls your life? “A man's heart plans his way, but the LORD directs his steps” (Proverbs 16:9). If things do not work out exactly as you planned, do not worry. God knows what He is doing.

Go ahead and make your plans, but keep in mind that God may have something completely different in store for you. “Come now, you who say, ‘Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, spend a year there, buy and sell, and make a profit’; whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away. Instead you ought to say, ‘If the Lord wills, we shall live and do this or that’” (James 4:13-15).

Like Abraham, let us fully trust in the providence of God. “In the Mount of the LORD it shall be provided” (Genesis 22:14).

 Prophetically, the Mount of the Lord represents the church of Christ. Isaiah said of the Messianic reign:
“Now it shall come to pass in the latter days
That the mountain of the LORD's house
Shall be established on the top of the mountains,
And shall be exalted above the hills;
And all nations shall flow to it.
Many people shall come and say,
‘Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD,
To the house of the God of Jacob;
He will teach us His ways,
And we shall walk in His paths.’
For out of Zion shall go forth the law,
And the word of the LORD from Jerusalem”
(Isaiah 2:2, 3 // Micah 4:1).

This was fulfilled in the first century when the church was established and the gospel went forth from Jerusalem into the whole world.

“But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, to an innumerable company of angels, to the general assembly and church of the firstborn who are registered in heaven” (Hebrews 12:22, 23).

In the church of Christ we are provided with all we need to be saved, and God has promised that if we seek His kingdom and His righteousness first in our lives, He will provide for all our daily needs as well (Matthew 6:33).

“The LORD will provide” (Genesis 22:14).

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 Arc


Got your ears on? by Gary Rose



I don’t know what this animal is called; my best guess would be some sort of fox. If you know its name, please contact me, I would like to know. This “Fox” is an attractive little creature; I love its coloring, those whiskers and especially those EARS! My first thought about them is that they are BIG! They may in fact be designed to dissipate heat, but I like to think that they would allow that “Fox” to hear pretty good as well. 

Hearing has been on my mind lately, as last month I bought my first set of hearing aids. For the first time in our 51 year marriage, I am often asking my wife to “TURN THE TV DOWN”, or asking her to speak a little more softly. It truly is amazing to hear things that I haven’t heard in decades. And the last time I actually went to church (some time ago- due to the pandemic) I actually heard everything that was said.

Now that I think about it, hearing is far more than the physical ability to hear, but the attitude to do it. The “why” of a persons attitude varies. Jesus spoke a parable about “hearing”…


Matthew 13 ( World English Bible )
  [1] On that day Jesus went out of the house and sat by the seaside.  [2] Great multitudes gathered to him, so that he entered into a boat and sat; and all the multitude stood on the beach.  [3] He spoke to them many things in parables, saying, “Behold, a farmer went out to sow.  [4]  As he sowed, some seeds fell by the roadside, and the birds came and devoured them.   [5] Others fell on rocky ground, where they didn’t have much soil, and immediately they sprang up, because they had no depth of earth.   [6]  When the sun had risen, they were scorched. Because they had no root, they withered away.   [7]  Others fell among thorns. The thorns grew up and choked them.   [8]  Others fell on good soil and yielded fruit: some one hundred times as much, some sixty, and some thirty.   [9]  He who has ears to hear, let him hear.” 


In short, he says… Some have hardened hearts, others are superficial and do not really pay attention, others are preoccupied with their own interests or desires. But, there are some who really, really listen and actually do what God desires ( the good soil ).

Today, I arose early and rushed through my daily routine because I only a little time to do everything before my appointment with my doctor. Half-way through my dog-walk, I realized I had forgotten to put on my hearing aids. I said to myself- Gary, you forgot to put your ears on!

I wonder, how many out there can say the same thing in regard to hearing God’s word.
Question:
Do you have your spiritual ears on?
Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)