11/23/20

Will There be a "Rapture"? by Dave Miller, Ph.D.

 

https://apologeticspress.org/APContent.aspx?category=11&article=1206

Will There be a "Rapture"?

by  Dave Miller, Ph.D.

The average American is aware of the periodic claim that “the end is near.” When Y2K was approaching, outcries of doom, global disruption, and Armageddon were widespread. Hal Lindsey achieved nationwide attention over thirty years ago with his national bestseller The Late Great Planet Earth (1970). A more recent repackaging of the dispensational brand of premillennialism is the popular Left Behind book series (see “The Official…”). Every so often, a religious figure captures national attention, announcing the impending return of Jesus—even to the point of setting a date—only to fade into the anonymity from which he arose when his claim falls flat, but having achieved his “fifteen minutes of fame” (see Whisenant and Brewer, 1989). The sensationalism sells well and tweaks the curiosity of large numbers of people. Incredibly, this pattern has been repeating itself literally for centuries!

Such is the case with the alleged “Rapture.” It comes from the Latin word “rapere,” which means “to seize, snatch out, take away.” Dispensationalists apply this word to the idea that Christ will come suddenly and secretly in the air to snatch away from the Earth the living saints and the resurrected bodies of those saints already deceased. This rapture is supposed to occur just prior to the seven-year Tribulation period, which, in turn, will be followed by the Millennium.

Proponents claim that the Rapture will be secretive. We are told that families will be shocked by the strange disappearance of a mother, father, or child. Driverless cars will collide in the streets (thus the bumper sticker: “In case of rapture, this vehicle will be unmanned”). A man and wife will be in bed; she hears a noise, turns her head, and finds him gone. Planes will crash with no pilots found. These sensational and dramatic examples illustrate the view that the Rapture will be an invisible coming of the Lord for His saints, leaving visible results of chaos and confusion among the remaining unbelievers.

In reality, the word “rapture” is not found in the Bible, though it is claimed to be the Latin equivalent of harpadzo translated “caught up” in 1 Thessalonians 4:17 (NKJV). Lindsey admitted, “[i]t is not found in the Bible” (1970, p. 126), and noted that the word “translation” is just as suitable. Yet the word “translation” does occur in the New Testament. Paul referred to the fact that God “has delivered us from the power of darkness and translated us into the kingdom of the Son of His love” (Colossians 1:13, emp. added). So when an unbeliever obeys the Gospel, receives forgiveness of sins, and is added to the church of Christ, he is taken out of the world and transferred to Christ’s kingdom. This use of the term is certainly a far cry from the idea that it refers to Christians being raptured from the physical Earth to meet Jesus in the air.

The New Testament uses three terms to refer to Christ’s return. First, parousia is translated “coming, presence, or advent.” Second, epiphaneia is translated “appearing, manifestation, or brightness.” Third, apokalupsis is translated “revelation.” Dispensationalism holds that parousia (“coming”) refers to the “Rapture” that occurs seven years before the epiphaneia (“appearing”) or apokalupsis (“revelation).” Accordingly, at the “Rapture,” it is claimed that Jesus will come for the church only, while at the “Revelation,” Jesus will return with the church, and put an end to the “Tribulation” and “Armageddon.”

The primary passage used to support the idea of a “rapture” is 1 Thessalonians 4:13-17. But this passage was not actually given to deal with the return of Christ. Its purpose was twofold. First, it was designed to reassure Christians that their deceased loved ones would be able to share in the Lord’s return. Second, it informed Christians that those who are still living when Christ returns will have no precedence or advantage over those who have already died. This dual function of the text constitutes a very different emphasis from the one imposed upon it by dispensationalists.

The dispensational distinctions made between the three New Testament terms that refer to Christ’s return are simply untenable (see Boettner, 1957, pp. 163-164). For example, dispensationalists assert that the “coming” (parousia) in 1 Thessalonians 4:15 and 2 Thessalonians 2:1 refers to the “Rapture.” Yet the same word is used in 1 Thessalonians 3:13 to speak of Jesus coming “with” His saints, thereby coinciding with the dispensational concept of the “Appearing” or “Revelation” seven years after the “Rapture.” Dispensationalists apply 2 Thessalonians 2:8 to the “Antichrist,” and therefore must understand this as a reference to the “Appearing” seven years after the “Rapture.” Yet the verse uses the expression “the manifestation (i.e., “brightness”—epiphaneia) of His coming (parousia).” Thus the term “coming” is used in the New Testament to refer to both dispensational concepts of the “Rapture” and the “Appearing,” and the two expressions are, in fact, combined in 2 Thessalonians 2:8 to refer to one and the same event.

The term “Revelation” (apokalupsis) in 1 Corinthians 1:7 is descriptive of what the dispensationalists call the “Rapture,” since Christians await it. But in 2 Thessalonians 1:7, it clearly refers to the “Appearing.” The term “Appearing” (epiphaneia) is used in 1 Timothy 6:14 as the event that terminates Christian activity on Earth, and thus fits the “Rapture” concept. But in 2 Timothy 4:1,8, the references to judgment fit the “Appearing.”

In view of these considerations, the sincere Bible student is forced to conclude that the three words relating to Christ’s return in the New Testament are used synonymously and interchangeably. The New Testament simply makes no distinction between the coming of the Lord for His saints (“Rapture”) and the coming of the Lord with His saints (“Appearing” or “Revelation”). The dispensational dichotomy is in direct conflict with New Testament terminology.

Additionally, if Christians are to be removed seven years before the “Revelation” or “Coming” of Christ, then no passage should speak of Christians remaining on Earth until the “Revelation.” However, many passages do just that (see Boettner, pp. 165-166). For example, in Titus 2:13, Paul referred to the “blessed hope” and the “appearing” as one and the same event, i.e., Christ’s coming. In the original language, the two substantives, “hope” and “appearing” (epiphaneia) are closely linked by the common article. They are not two separate events, as if to be read: “Looking for the blessed hope and the appearing.” Rather, the text is saying, “looking for the blessed hope and appearing.” The one explains the other. The “blessed hope” of Christians is “the glorious appearing” of Christ. Other examples would be 1 Peter 1:13 and 4:13, where the grace on which the Christian is to set his hope is to be received at the “revelation” (apokalupsei) of Christ, at which time the Christian may rejoice. But, according to dispensationalism, the Christian should rejoice seven years earlier at the rapture.

Further, the use of the word “end” comes from a word that refers to “full end” and, in the New Testament, always refers to the end of the world, i.e., the Judgment day (see Boettner, p. 168-169). In Matthew 28:20, Jesus promised to be with the disseminators of the Gospel message to the very “end.” This means the church will remain on the Earth, preaching the Gospel, until the Judgment Day. But if the church is “raptured away” seven years before the end, she cannot fulfill what Christ commanded her to do! In Matthew 13:39-40, there is no removal of the saints before the “full end.” The righteous and the wicked grow together until the very end. The separation of the two comes at the end (not seven years before the end). The dispensationalist claims that the righteous will be taken out from among the wicked. But the Bible says just the opposite: the wicked will be taken out from among the righteous (Matthew 13:39-40).

The doctrine of the “Rapture” asserts that believers will be raised seven years before the “Revelation,” and 1,007 years before the end of the “Millennium.” But in four separate verses, Jesus Himself said believers will be raised “at the last day” (John 6:39,40,44,54). There can be no other days after the last day. So the believers cannot be raised at an alleged “Rapture” before the last day.

Finally, the Second Coming of Christ is nowhere depicted as secret, as the “Rapture” advocates affirm. In fact, just the opposite is true. Christ’s coming will be accompanied by “blazing fire” (2 Thessalonians 1:7), the sound of a trumpet (1 Corinthians 15:52), a “shout,” the “voice of the archangel,” and the “trump of God” (1 Thessalonians 4:16). In fact, “every eye will see Him” (Revelation 1:7). These passages show that all persons everywhere will see and hear this event. In fact, the very passage upon which the doctrine of the “Rapture” is founded (i.e., 1 Thessalonians 4:16), far from describing a quiet and secretive event, is about the noisiest verse in the Bible!

When one is willing to remove from the mind all preconceived, complex, and sensational theological concoctions, and simply let the Bible present its own portrait of the end of time and the Second Coming of Christ, the dispensational viewpoint of a postulated “Rapture” is seen to be totally unfounded.

REFERENCES

Boettner, Loraine (1957), The Millennium (Phillipsburg, NJ: Presbyterian and Reformed).

Lindsey, Hal (1970), The Late Great Planet Earth (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan).

“The Official Left Behind Series Site,” (2003), http://www.leftbehind.com/.

Whisenant, Edgar and Greg Brewer (1989), The Final Shout Rapture 1989 Report (Nashville, TN: World Bible Society).

Why Humanity Should Serve God by Wayne Jackson, M.A.

 

https://apologeticspress.org/APContent.aspx?category=11&article=230

Why Humanity Should Serve God

by  Wayne Jackson, M.A.

I have no reason to doubt that her question was entirely sincere—however misguided it was. “Suppose you could prove to me that there is a God. So what! Would that necessarily mean that I would be obligated to serve him?,” the young lady asked. “Your God must be on a super ‘ego trip’ if He expects everyone in the Universe to worship Him.” What response should be made to this flippant comment from an intelligent but confused college student?

First, the issue of whether humans should yield their lives to the Creator has nothing to do with the divine ego. God, by definition, is infinite in all of His attributes. He cannot be more powerful than He is. He cannot be wiser than He is. The Lord cannot be any more glorious than He is. Consequently, His “ego” never could be enhanced by human servitude. This is implied logically in the language of Christ’s prayer shortly before His crucifixion. Jesus petitioned that He might be glorified with the glory that He shared with the Father “before the world was” (John 17:5). If it were the case that God’s glory had been inflated by virtue of human devotion across the centuries, the Lord’s prayer surely would have reflected a desire for the current glory of the Father, rather than that possessed before the world was created (cf. Fuller, 1963, p. 23). God’s requirement that we serve Him, therefore, obviously is not for His benefit; rather, it is for ours. Because God is love (1 John 4:8), He wants the best for us. Our true contentment will be found only in living for Him, and that is why He bids us thus to do.

But let us expand this thought with supplemental reasons as to why we, as rational human beings, should be obedient to the Creator of our very being.

THE NATURE OF GOD

A primary reason for bowing before Jehovah has to do with the nature or essence of this Being. God is worthy of human service simply because of Who He is! Exactly what does this suggest?

There are two sources of information regarding the Supreme Being. First, there is the abstract revelation of nature, which argues for the wisdom and power of Deity (Psalm 19:1; Romans 1:20). Jehovah’s power is seen in the vastness of the Universe; His wisdom is reflected in its intricate design. The evidence is so clear that those who survey these data, and yet fail to conclude that “He is,” are “without excuse” (Romans 1:20; Hebrews 11:6). In addition to the abstract revelation of divinity in the book of nature, there is the concrete revelation of Holy Scripture, which affirms the moral attributes of the Lord. These two “volumes” of testimony complement one another wonderfully.

The Bible teaches that God is the eternal Spirit Who is the Architect and Creator of the Universe. When did Jehovah Himself originate? He didn’t. God always has existed; He is the eternal “I Am” (Exodus 6:3; cf. Genesis 21:33; Psalm 90:2). Logic demands such. A venerable argument—that remains unanswered to this day—is this: If something is, then something always was. But something is; therefore, something always was. That eternal “something” must be either matter or mind. But it is not matter, for science demonstrates that matter is not eternal. Thus, the eternal “something” is mind. The Scriptures identify this Mind as God.

As to His essence, God is spirit and not flesh (John 4:24; Luke 24:39; Matthew 16:17). He is the Almighty (Genesis 17:1; Revelation 1:8), whose purposes cannot be restrained (Job 42:2). God is infinitely wise (Romans 11:33-36), and His loving, benevolent disposition is breathtaking (1 John 4:8; Ephesians 2:4; James 1:17). The gift of His Son to accommodate the redemption of rebellious humanity provides ample motive for surrendering one’s life to Him.

One of the most profound documents of the Old Testament is the book of Job. An interesting aspect of that narrative has to do with the worthiness of God as an object of human adoration. In a mysterious convocation at which Satan was present, the Lord introduced Job, the patriarch of Uz, as a trophy of human character—a spiritually mature, upright man who was unique among his contemporaries. Satan agreed, but suggested that Job’s righteous demeanor was the result of bribery! In other words, God had blessed Job so abundantly that the sage of Uz would have been foolish not to serve him. In a word, Job knew who buttered his bread!

The subtle and diabolical implication in this charge was this: “You, God, are not worthy of human devotion on the basis of your character; rather, men serve you only because you make it to their advantage to do so. Let us use Job as a test case. Take away his ‘goodies’ and he will abandon you.” And so, for our benefit (not for His own), the Lord accepted the challenge. Thus, Job was deprived of his wealth, his family, his health, his friends, and his prestige. He lost everything. And yet, the devout dignitary never forsook his faith in God. Though he lashed out in anguish at times—because he did not understand what was happening to him—he nonetheless proclaimed triumphantly: “Though he slay me, yet will I trust him” (Job 13:15). The noble patriarch thus demonstrated this proposition: God is worthy of human service on the basis of His own nature—apart from the generous blessings He bestows. As the psalmist expressed it: “I will call upon Jehovah, who is worthy to be praised” (Psalm 18:3). We ought to praise God simply on account of Who He is!

THE RELATIONSHIP WE SUSTAIN TO OUR MAKER

Certain associations carry with them intrinsic responsibilities. One of those is that of the Creator/creature relationship. The “created” thing sustains a subordinate status to that which created it. Paul argued this very point in his letter to the Romans. “Or hath not a potter a right over the clay?,” he asked rhetorically (Romans 9:21). In the Greek text, the query implies an affirmative answer, as suggested by the particle ouk (cf. Matthew 13:55). The term rendered “right” in our common versions is the Greek exousia, literally “authority.” The potter, by virtue of his status, has authority over the vessel he has fashioned.

The historical facts are these. “Jehovah God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and man became a living soul” (Genesis 2:7; cf. 3:19). The inspired writers of both testaments affirmed that the Lord is our “Creator” (Ecclesiastes 12:1; Isaiah 40:28; Romans 1:25), or our “Maker” (Psalm 95:6; Proverbs 14:31; Isaiah 17:7; Hosea 8:14). Hence, by virtue of this Creator/creature relationship, Jehovah has a right to commission human loyalty.

But there always has been a propensity in man to repudiate the Creator/creature relationship in order to justify human self-centeredness. More than anything else, some people want to be their own “God.” Seven centuries before the birth of Christ, Isaiah wrote regarding the rebels of his day: “Ye turn things upside down! Shall the potter be esteemed as clay; that the thing made should say of him that made it, He made me not; or the thing formed say of him that formed it, He hath no understanding?” (Isaiah 29:16). Of this arrogant claim: “He made me not,” Edward J. Young rightly observed: “Words more wrong, more foolish, more soul-destroying have never been uttered by human lips” (1969, 2:325). May we be chastened by the inspired writer: “Know that the Lord Himself is God; It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves” (Psalm 100:3, NASV).

This haughty and independent attitude, of course, is the motive behind the theory of evolution. Foolish man wishes to cut loose from the moral and religious ties that bind him to a sovereign Creator. Hence, he has fashioned gods of his own design—Mother Nature and Father Time—to whom he owes no responsibility. As the late George G. Simpson, the renowned paleontologist and evolutionist of Harvard University, once expressed it: “Man stands alone in the universe, a unique product of a long, unconscious, impersonal material process with unique understanding and potentialities. These he owes to no one but himself, and it is to himself that he is responsible. He is not the creature of uncontrollable and undeterminable forces, but is his own master. He can and must decide and manage his own destiny” (1953, p. 155).

Despite such infidelic protestations, the theory of naturalistic origins is void of proof that man is the “product of a long, unconscious, impersonal material process.” Rather, the evidence suggests that human beings are the result of an Intelligent Cause Who specially designed them (see Jackson, 1993; Thompson & Jackson, 1996). As creatures of divine planning, we have a responsibility to submit to God—and He has the right to require it!

THE HUMAN CONDITION

Another valid reason for serving Jehovah has to do with the “status quo” of the human family. As an old, country philosopher put it: “That’s Latin for ‘the mess we’re in.’ ” Nothing could be further from the truth than the old cliché: “Every day, in every way, we’re getting better and better.” The fact is, as Paul once wrote: “Evil men and impostors shall wax worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived” (2 Timothy 3:13).

The presence of evil is apparent universally, and has been acknowledged from time immemorial. The Roman philosopher Seneca said: “We have all sinned, some more, and some less.” A Chinese proverb states: “There are two good men: one is dead and the other is not yet born.” Paul wrote: “For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). And John bluntly noted: “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us” (1 John 1:8).

How is this deplorable condition to be remedied? Man never has been able to concoct a solution. When it was alleged that “education” could provide the answer, we discovered that education, without spiritual values, makes only more skillful criminals. Those who touted “psychology” as the panacea for human woes have lived to see one theory after another disappear into complete obscurity. Ours is now a world of escapists—alcoholics, drug-abusers, and dream-world mystics. [See related article, “I'm Not Guilty, I'm Just Sick.”] A recent news feature suggested that by the end of the next decade, the third leading cause of work disability will be clinical depression. We have more material security than any generation that has gone before us, but generally speaking we are a miserable lot. Is there no help for the human family?

Someone is bound to claim that religion surely is not the answer, for it has been around for centuries, and yet, here we are, in this sordid predicament. Yes, “religion” has been around alright, but it rarely has been tried on a massive scale in its pristine form. If the teaching of Jesus Christ were to be adopted sincerely and pursued rigorously by a significant segment of society, changes so dramatic would occur as to produce utter amazement. There is absolutely no remedy to human distress apart from the divine plan as implemented through the atoning work of Jesus of Nazareth. The Lord declared emphatically: “I am the way, and the truth, and the life: no one comes unto the Father, but by me” (John 14:6). This declaration carries validity because of the solid historical evidence that undergirds Christ’s authoritative claim of being the Son of God.

The truth is, there is no abiding contentment in a world without God. Out of a background of materialism and hedonism, Solomon, an inspired penman, proclaimed: “[T]he way of the transgressor is hard” (Proverbs 13:15). “Fear [reverence] God, and keep his commandments; for this is the whole duty of man” (Ecclesiastes 12:13).

On the other hand, it is a lie which suggests that serving the Creator is all pain and tears. Moses was willing to forsake the temporal “pleasures of sin,” which are but for a season, to identify with the people of God. Why? He did so because he knew that the reproaches of Christ are vastly superior to the treasures of any land (Hebrews 11:24-26). For troubled souls in a world of confusion, the Scriptures offer hope: “And the peace of God which passes all understanding, shall guard your hearts and your thoughts in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:7). In His Sermon on the Mount, Jesus announced: “Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth” (Matthew 5:5). This passage has long perplexed multitudes. It cannot be a prophecy that finds its fulfillment in events following the return of Christ (as some allege), for there will be no Earth at that point (Matthew 24:35; 2 Peter 3:10ff.). Rather, it is a promise for those who yield to God—here and now! Barclay has shown that the “meek” person is the one who has been mastered by God (1974, pp. 240-242). The passage suggests this: As children of Him Who is the God of Heaven and Earth, those who yield to Christ will enjoy this planet’s blessings more than all others. The point is: People ought to serve the Lord for the sheer joy that it brings—not only in eternity, but right now, here on the Earth.

ALL ACCOUNTS NOT SETTLED IN THIS LIFE

Some years ago there was published an edition of Charles Darwin’s revolutionary volume, The Origin of Species. On the back dust jacket were these words: “This book has made a joke of ‘the Day of Judgment.’ ” If there is a joke in this, Jehovah will have the last laugh: “He that sitteth in the heavens will laugh: The Lord will have them in derision” (Psalm 2:4). The laughable thing is that man labors under the illusion that he can thwart the will of the Almighty. If there is no ultimate Judgment—where all wrongs are made right and where justice ultimately prevails—then life is indeed a meaningless riddle.

Consider the plight of Asaph who, according to the superscription, penned the seventy-third psalm. The poet had assumed that if one enjoyed a right relationship with God, his well-being always would be secure. Conversely, it is implied that rebellion against the Creator would bring only woe. That concept is suggested subtly in the opening verse of the narrative. However, as he considered the circumstances of his environment, Asaph was baffled by life’s inequities (73:2-9). In this state of bewilderment, his “steps had well nigh slipped,” i.e., he almost had lost his faith in Heaven’s providential government of earthly affairs. He surveyed the “prosperity of the wicked” and was confused. Though evil men wear pride like a chain around their neck, and their eyes bulge with opulence, they finally seem to die in peace. The godless live as though the Judge of the Earth has no knowledge of what is transpiring on His planet (10). Asaph wondered, therefore, whether his religious exercises had been for naught. He had attempted to serve his Maker, yet he suffered hardship consistently (13-14). What is the answer to this enigma? The writer says that he entered “into the sanctuary of God”—i.e., the place where divine truth was revealed. Delitzsch observed that he became privy to the “holy plans and ways of God” (1978, 5:318). He discovered that the “latter end” of the wicked would be destruction (17-18). He learned this truth: All accounts are not settled in this life! If there is no final Judgment, then it makes no difference at all as to how men live upon this globe. The life of Jesus Christ amounts to no more than that of Adolf Hitler. But who can live with such a senseless philosophy? No one who is rational can do so.

Orin Gifford wrote: “You may juggle human laws, you may fool with human courts, but there is a judgment to come, and from it there is no appeal” (Mead, 1965, p. 259). Men need to serve God because they possess an immortal soul that eventually will give account to the Creator.

CONCLUSION

There are multiplied thousands of people who are willing to give intellectual assent to the fact that a Supreme Being exists, but who do not see that such an idea bears any relationship to their daily personal lives. Technically, these people are designated as “deists.” They are theoretical theists, but practical atheists. Such people have made a tragic mistake. There are powerful and valid reasons for totally surrendering to the will of God, as such ultimately is made known in the revelation of the New Testament. May we urge our contemporaries to give due attention to such matters.

REFERENCES

Barclay, William (1974), New Testament Words (Philadelphia, PA: Westminster).

Delitzsch, Franz (1978 Reprint), “Psalms,” Commentary on the Old Testament, C.F. Keil & F. Delitzsch (Grand Rapid, MI: Eerdmans).

Fuller, Daniel P. (1963), “God’s Sovereignty in Creation,” Things Most Surely Believed, ed. Clarence S. Roddy (Westwood, NJ: Revell).

Jackson, Wayne (1993), The Human Body: Accident or Design? (Stockton, CA: Courier Publications).

Mead, Frank S. (1965), The Encyclopedia of Religious Quotations (Westwood, NJ: Revell).

Simpson, George G. (1953), Life of the Past (New Haven, CT: Yale University Press).

Thompson, Bert and Wayne Jackson (1996), The Case for the Existence of God (Montgomery, AL: Apologetics Press).

Young, Edward J. (1969), The Book of Isaiah (Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans).


Why did God Want to Kill Moses? by Alden Bass

 

https://apologeticspress.org/APContent.aspx?category=11&article=1279

Why did God Want to Kill Moses?

by  Alden Bass

Moses was eighty years old. He had just stood in awe before the bush that burned but was not consumed, and had received instructions from the Angel of the Lord to appear before the Pharaoh of Egypt and command him in the name of the Great I Am to release the Hebrews from their bondage. After some deliberation and hesitation, Moses accepted the mission, and immediately began making preparations. He obtained permission from his father-in-law to return to Egypt with his family, then packed up his wife and two sons and headed south. It seems they had not gone far, perhaps only the first day’s journey, when a peculiar circumstance arose. As they made arrangements to sleep for the night, the Lord met Moses and sought to kill him (Exodus 4:24). In response to this turn of events, Moses’ wife Zipporah circumcised their uncircumcised son and threw the foreskin at his feet, screaming, “You are a husband of blood!” After this, the Lord “let him go” (4:26).

This story is particularly difficult to understand because of its brevity, and the unusual wording of verse 24: “The Lord sought to kill Moses.” Though the phrasing of the verse may elicit dark images of God slinking about the encampment, waiting to ambush Moses, the fact that God would kill someone is not unusual in other contexts. The wicked were slain by God in the Great Flood because of their violent and ungodly actions (Genesis 6:1-7). The Lord killed Er and Onan, two of Judah’s sons, because of their overt rebellion (Genesis 38:7,10). In Moses’ later years, God would legislate the death penalty for those guilty of disobeying certain laws (Leviticus 20). In these instances and many more, God “killed” a person or persons, albeit indirectly. In Exodus 4, we can be assured that Moses was afflicted because he was guilty of some sin, since disobedience is the only act God punishes with death.

The sin of Moses is not stated explicitly, but the surrounding events give substantial clues as to the nature of Moses’ transgression. God had instructed his messenger to warn Pharaoh to free Israel, or risk losing his firstborn son (Exodus 4:21-23). Moses had been specially groomed by God for eighty years for this mission, and now the time for action had come. Moses was to lead his people out of Egypt, and to be an example to Pharaoh’s house, to the nation of Egypt, and to all the nations that heard of those happenings (Exodus 18:10-11; Joshua 2:10-11). Accordingly, Moses’ personal life had to be in order before he could direct the spiritual lives of the Hebrew people. It seems that Moses had neglected to administer the sacred rite of circumcision, the act that symbolized the Almighty’s covenant with His chosen people. Perhaps this was the result of pressure from his surrogate Midianite tribe; more likely he was persuaded by Zipporah not to circumcise his son, since she apparently found the practice revolting (4:25). This would explain her violent outburst; she felt that she had saved her husband from death by shedding the blood of her son. Whatever the cause, Moses’ outstanding sin made him unfit to serve as a spiritual leader, and the situation had to be rectified before he could carry out his mission effectively. Indeed, as soon as Zipporah performed the act, the Lord “let him go.”

Though the details of this mysterious story are absent, the underlying message is plain. Disobedience, whether by acts of omission or commission, result only in punishment and ultimately death.

"THE GOSPEL OF MARK" Jesus Cleanses A Leper (1:40-45) by Mark Copeland

 

                          "THE GOSPEL OF MARK"

          Jesus Cleanses A Leper (1:40-45)

INTRODUCTION

1. One of the more moving accounts of Jesus' miracles is that of cleansing a leper...
   a. Described by Mark in our text - Mk 1:40-45
   b. Also by Matthew and Luke in their gospels - Mt 8:2-4; Lk 5:12-14

2. There is much that can be gleaned from this miracle...
   a. About the compassion and power of our Lord Jesus Christ
   b. Not only toward the leper himself, but toward us as well!

[In this study, we shall note some similarities between the leper's
condition and cleansing, and that of our own condition and need for
cleansing.  As we begin with Mk 1:40, consider first...]

I. THE LEPER'S CONDITION

   A. HIS CONDITION...
      1. Leprosy was a term for several skin diseases - ESV note
      2. Today it is often applied to Hanson's bacillus, a progressively disfiguring disease - BKC
      3. It is likely this man suffered a pitiful existence - ibid.
         a. Not just from the physical ravages of the disease
         b. But from ritual uncleanness and exclusion from society imposed by the Law of Moses - cf. Lev 13:44-46
      -- The leper was truly a wretched man

   B. OUR CONDITION...
      1. What leprosy is to the body, so sin is to the soul!
      2. Sin progressively enslaves us - Jn 8:34; cf. Ro 7:14-24
      3. Sin separates us from God, and from His people - Isa 59:2; 1Co 5:11
      4. Sin is universal - Ro 3:23
      5. Sin leads to eternal death - Ro 6:23; Re 21:8
      -- As long as we remain guilty of sin, we are truly wretched!

[Should we ever see a leper, let us remember that without Christ our
condition is much worse!  The leper had heard of Jesus' power to heal, and so he came to Him.  We next notice...]

II. THE LEPER'S CRY

   A. HIS CRY...
      1. It was earnest and desperate - "imploring Him"
      2. It was reverent - "kneeling down to Him"
      3. It was humble and submissive - "If You are willing"
      4. It was believing - "You can"
      5. It acknowledged need - "make me clean"
      6. It was specific - not "bless me" but "make me clean"
      7. It was personal - "make me clean"
      8. It was brief - five words in the original
      -- The leper gives us an instructive example of the prayer that God answers (BBC)

   B. OUR CRY...
      1. For forgiveness of sin is first made in baptism
         a. It is how we call upon the name of the Lord - Ac 2:21,37-41; 22:16
         b. For baptism is an appeal for a good conscience - 1Pe 3:21 (ESV, NASB)
         c. Only through the blood of Christ can we truly purify our conscience - He 9:14
      2. For forgiveness of sin is then found through prayer
         a. As Peter counseled Simon after his baptism - Ac 8:13,22
         b. As John counseled his brethren in his epistle - 1Jn 1:9
      -- The gospel describes how we can make our appeal to Christ today!

[We have undoubtedly heard the gospel; have we made our appeal to
Christ? We next read of the wonderful compassion of our Lord as Mark describes...]

III. THE LEPER'S CLEANSING

   A. HIS CLEANSING...
      1. Actuated by the Lord's compassion - cf. Mk 6:34; 9:36
      2. Accompanied by the touch of His hand - cf. Mk 1:31
      3. Accomplished as soon as the Lord spoke, "I am willing, be
         cleansed." - Mk 1:41-42
      -- Through a simple touch and with simple words, the leprosy was gone!

   B. OUR CLEANSING...
      1. Actuated by God's love - 1Jn 4:9,10
      2. Accompanied by the blood of Jesus - Ep 1:7; 1Pe 1:18-19
      3. Accomplished when we are united with Jesus in baptism - Ro 6:3-7; Col 2:12-13
      -- Through a simple act of faith (immersion), our sins are washed away!

[The leper received his cleansing; have we received ours?  Finally, let us note in Mk 1:43-45...]

IV. THE LEPER'S COMMISSION

   A. HIS COMMISSION...
      1. Sent away quickly with a strict warning - Mk 1:43
      2. Told to tell no one anything, but to show himself to the priest - Mk 1:44
         a. To offer what Moses commanded for his cleansing - cf. Lev 14:1-7
         b. As a testimony to them (of Jesus as the Messiah?) - cf. Mt 11:5; Lk 7:22
      3. The leper failed to keep the commission given him - Mk 1:45
         a. Told to keep quiet, he proclaimed what happened so that news of it spread
         b. It forced Jesus away from cities, and forced people to find Him in deserted places
      -- With misdirected zeal, the leper hindered rather than helped Jesus and others

   B. OUR COMMISSION...
      1. Jesus gave His disciples a great commission
         a. To produce disciples of Christ- Mt 28:19-20
         b. To preach the gospel to every person - Mk 16:15-16
         c. To proclaim repentance and remission of sins to all nations  Lk 24:47
      2. The early church was faithful to that great commission
         a. Their words went out to the ends of the world - Ro 10:18
         b. The gospel had gone to all the world - Col 1:5-6
         c. It had been preached to every creature under heaven - Co 1:23
       3. What about the church today?
         a. Are we remaining faithful to that great commission?
         b. Or are we, like the leper, doing what we think best?
         c. Many have the church focusing on social rather than spiritual needs
      -- With misdirected zeal, are we hindering rather than helping Jesus and the lost?

CONCLUSION

1. The cleansing of the leper provides insight into...
   a. The compassion and power of our Lord Jesus Christ
   b. The humble faith needed to receive the benefits of such compassion and power
   c. The danger of misdirected zeal in hindering the cause of Christ

2. We may not suffer from leprosy, but we do face a much greater problem...
   a. The spiritual disfigurement and isolation caused by sin
   b. Which requires the same compassion and power of Jesus
   c. Along with the same humility and faith to receive forgiveness

3. Once we have been cleansed of our sin, shall we not show proper gratitude...?
   a. By fulfilling the commission given to all His disciples?
   b. By directing our zeal in the same manner as did the early church?

May we learn from both the positive and negative examples of the leper...   
 
Executable Outlines, Copyright © Mark A. Copeland, 2016

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7 Things Unchanged by The Supreme Court by Ken Weliever, The Preacherman

 


7 Things Unchanged by The Supreme Court

supreme court2

Even if you’re not a “news junkie” by now everyone has heard that the Supreme Court of the United States ruled Friday that same-sex marriage is legal is all 50 states. 

The reaction has been swift and predictable.  Homosexuals and liberals are ecstatic. Conservatives and Bible Believers have denounced the decision.

Joe Ortwert of the Missouri Family Policy Council, called the decision ”a reckless ruling that will have a devastating impact on the future of our nation.  This disgraceful decision is the latest most evident sign of the moral bankruptcy of the U. S. Government, the moral corruption of its leaders, the vile decadence of American culture and society, and the growing godlessness of the American people.” 

Change, however, has been rapidly occurring in the past 20 years.  On September 21, 1996, President Bill Clinton  signed The Defense of Marriage Act, declaring marriage as union between one man and one woman.  Today, President Clinton, as well as Mrs. Clinton, have repudiated that view and favor same-sex marriage. Massachusetts was the first state to allow same-sex marriage in 2003.  Five years ago there were only 6 states where same-sex marriage was legal.

On August 21, 2008, then candidate Barack Obama told Rick Warren, “I believe that marriage is the union between a man and a woman.  For me as a Christian, it is also a sacred union. God’s in the mix.”

Friday the President proclaimed, “This ruling is a victory for America….we’ve made our union a little more perfect….America should be very proud.”

Indeed change has come to America!

 However, Christians need not fear the future.  Some things cannot be changed by either by the Supreme Court or the President.

(1) Our Loyalty to the Lord is Unchanged.

Our true allegiance is not to the flag,  the US government, or a political party.  Our commitment is to Christ. No ruling by SCOTUS can deter Christians from their true loyalty. When Peter and the apostles were commanded to stop preaching Jesus, they resisted that ruling and boldly stated, “We ought to obey God rather than men” (Acts 5:29)

(2) God’s definition of Marriage is Unchanged.

The Supreme Court is not the Supreme Being!  Since the beginning of time our Creator ordained that marriage is between a man and a woman.  Jesus reaffirmed this Truth when he said…

“Have you not read that He who made them at the beginning ‘made them male and female,’  and said, ‘For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh’?  So then, they are no longer two but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let not man separate.”  (Matt 19:4-6)

(3) The Bible condemnation of Sexual Immorality is Unchanged.

“Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God.” 

Our opposition regarding sexual sins is not confined to homosexuality.  It includes adultery and fornication as well.  All are sins in the eyes of God.  That is unchanged.

(4) The Need to Nurture our Marriage Relationships is Unchanged.

It’s easy to bemoan recent attacks on the family unit, as we rail and wring our hands over the SCOTUS ruling. However, there is little we can do about it.  But husband and wives can show the world what real marriage is about.  Men can lead, love and nurture their wives.  And women can fulfil their God ordained role as defined Biblically. We can build our homes on spiritual values.   That is unchanged.

(5) Our Calling to live Righteously is Unchanged.

In a world deceived by the devil, we are called to a knowledge of the Truth.  In a society darkened by sin, we are called to be the light of the world.  In a culture corrupted by immorality, we are called to live “soberly, righteously and godly” (Titus 2:14).  The Bible exhortation is never more needed: “Be not conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds”. (Rom 12:1-2)

(6) My Preaching and my Teaching is Unchanged.

The SCOTUS decision has no bearing on my preaching.  I will preach the Word.  I will be ready at all time to “reprove, rebuke and exhort with great patience and instruction.”  (2 Tim. 4:1-2).

I will not be intimated from teaching the truth on marriage.  Nor will I allow it to become my only focus.  There continues to be a need to “preach the whole counsel of God.”

(7) Our Mission to Share the Gospel Message is Unchanged. 

The world is lost without Christ.  The gospel is the only power to save people from sin.  And Christ has commissioned us to take His message of life and light to the entire world.  Let’s be ready to give a defense for our faith.  Be willing to stand up for truth.  And accurately  with love proclaim the only message that can truly change people for the better.  Both in this life and in the life to come.

Yes, we live in a changing world.  But thankfully we serve an unchanging God.  And find safety, security and solace in an unchanging message.

Some things never change!

YOU SHALL KNOW THE TRUTH by steve finnell

 

https://steve-finnell.blogspot.com/2017/02/you-shall-know-truth-steve-finnell.html

YOU SHALL KNOW THE TRUTH  by steve finnell


Jesus told those who believed in Him they would know the truth. Jesus did not say they would form their personal opinion of the truth.

John 8:31-32 So Jesus was saying to those Jews who had believed Him, "If you continue in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine; 32 and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free." (NASB)

There were two things the disciples had to do to become free. 1. Believe in Him. 2. Continue in His word. Truth and freedom followed belief in Jesus and continuing in His word.

There is no Scripture that states a believer is set free because they have reached their own personal opinion of what is the truth.

JESUS SPEAKS TRUTH ABOUT SALVATION: Mark 16:16 He who has believed and has been baptized shall be saved....(NASB)

Every other view about Mark 16:16 is opinion.

Jesus said, "You will know the truth," He did not say you will dream up a man-made opinion about the truth.

Jesus never said, "You are saved by grace alone," "You are saved by faith only," "You are saved by water baptism only," "You are saved by confession only," "You are saved by repentance only." These are man's opinions of the truth about salvation.

God's terms for salvation: Faith-John 3:16, Repentance-Acts 3:19, Confession-Romans 10:9, Water Baptism- 1 Peter 3:21, Acts 2:38.

ROMANS by Paul Southern

 

https://www.oldpaths.com/Archive/Southern/Paul/1901/rom.html

ROMANS

  1. THE TITLE
  2. This book bears the title "Romans" because it is addressed "to all that are in Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints" (Romans 1:7).

  3. THE WRITER
  4. This book was written by Paul (Romans 1:1). Tertius was his stenographer (Romans 16:22). Little is known of Paul's family. His father was of the tribe of Benjamin (Philippians 3:5), and a Pharisee (Acts 23:6). In Acts 23:16 reference is made to Paul's sister and her son in Jerusalem. The New Testament nowhere mentions Paul's mother. He was a native of Tarsus in Cilicia, but was educated in Jerusalem under the great teacher Gamaliel (Acts23:3). The date of Paul's birth is unknown, but it is thought that he was a little younger than the Lord. Our first introduction to him in the New Testament is in Acts 7:58, where he was encouraging the stoning of Stephen. In Acts 9 (also 22 and 26) we read of his conversion. From this point on the book of Acts is filled with his activities. He probably died a martyr at Rome (II Timothy 4:7,8).

  5. TIME AND PLACE OF WRITING
  6. Scholars generally agree that the book was written from Corinth about A.D. 58 during Paul's second visit in Greece (Acts 20:1-3; Romans 1:11,13,15: 15:23-33; 16:1,2,21,23; Acts 19:21,22; 24:17). It is thought that I and II Thessalonians, Galatians, I and II Corinthians preceded Romans in time. Romans probably comes first in order among the letters in the New Testament because of its theological importance. As with all New Testament scriptures, the contents are of far greater importance than time and place of writing.

  7. TO WHOM WRITTEN
  8. The book was written to the saints at Rome (Romans 1:7) where there were several congregations (Romans 16:5,15). Their origin is obscure. Some of those present on Pentecost could have carried the gospel back to Rome (Acts 2:10). When the Jerusalem church was scattered following the death of Stephen, some disciples could have gone to Rome (Acts 8:4; 11:19). The membership in Rome included both Jews and Gentiles (Romans 1:6-15; 7:1).

  9. OCCASION OF THE LETTER
  10. Paul had long cherished a desire to go to Rome (Acts 19:21). According to Romans 15:24-33, he soon hoped to go. Perhaps he wanted them to know of his teaching before his arrival. With a burning thirst for souls, he probably felt that the great city of Rome would be a fruitful field of labor. Furthermore, he had just written Galatians, stressing the human side of redemption. Romans stresses the divine side. The purpose of the letter was to present a systematic exposition of the gospel, and to justify Paul's mission to the Gentiles. Phoebe, a servant of the church at Cenchreae, probably carried the letter to Rome (Romans 16:1,2).

  11. THE THEME
  12. The gospel "is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek" (Romans 1:16,17).

  13. ARGUMENTS PRESENTED
    1. Jews and Gentiles alike are guilty before God.
    2. Therefore all men need a Savior.
    3. Christ died for all men.
    4. All can be saved through faithful obedience to Christ.

  14. EXERCISES FOR STUDENT ACTIVITY
    1. Study the Epistle to the Romans in the light of the following analysis:
      1. Following a personal introduction, Paul states the fundamental thesis (1:1-17).
      2. All men, both Jews and Greeks, are under condemnation and need God's righteousness (1:18-3:20).
      3. Righteousness is not achieved by keeping the Law but by complete trust in Christ (3:21-4:25).
      4. God's grace through Christ is sufficient to save (Chs. 5-8).
      5. The rejection of Israel is explained in its relation to God's purpose (Chs. 9-11).
      6. In view of God's grace a Christian is obligated to live a life of practical devotion (12:1-15:13).
      7. In the concluding section Paul presents a number of personal matters and bids them farewell with some timely warnings (15:14-16:27).
    2. What is the relation between the Old and the New Covenants?
    3. What does the Epistle to the Romans teach concerning sin?
    4. Discuss the similarities and contracts between Adam and Christ.
    5. With Romans 12:1-15:13 as a source, write a paper on "The Practical Duties of a Christian."
    6. Study the meanings of the following key words as they are used in Romans: sin, power, righteousness, justification, atonement, redemption, adoption, propitiation, predestination, election.

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

When things are all screwed up... by Gary Rose


 

I have a confession to make- I am not handy around the house. Yes, I can do some things, but only if they are not complicated. And, sometimes even the simplest of things can drive me crazy; like this problem. Phillips head screws often will get stripped and if that happens, then what do you do? This picture has a good answer to that problem- something as simple as a rubber band. It works, believe it or not; it really does.


Question: What do you do when you have a problem that you simply cannot solve? Ask for advice or directions or perhaps post a question on a social website? OK, you do that, but no one has an acceptable solution, then what? You find an expert and ask again. Still no answer, well, you get a friend to solve your problem or pay someone to do it for you.


Another Question: But what if you question is spiritual in nature? Do you go to a priest or a spiritual leader and ask that person? What if that person’s answer just doesn’t solve your problem? Then what?


Answer: Go to Jesus, there is absolutely nothing he can not solve, nothing beyond his power, for all authority in Heaven and on Earth has been given to HIM! ( Matthew 28:18ff.) Consider the following passage…



Hebrews 4 ( World English Bible )

14 Having then a great high priest, who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold tightly to our confession.

15 For we don’t have a high priest who can’t be touched with the feeling of our infirmities, but one who has been in all points tempted like we are, yet without sin.

16 Let us therefore draw near with boldness to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy, and may find grace for help in time of need.



The rubber band fix works fine, but in spiritual matters we need Jesus. No other person on the planet can do what HE has done; offer himself for your sin. Not just a little sin, but anything you can think of. Any sin can be forgiven and you can enter Heaven if you truly repent. Now, the consequences of what you have done will still have to be dwelt with in the here and now, but Heaven can be had by all who truly look to Jesus for salvation and obey HIM.


I wonder- Jesus was a carpenter by trade; I wonder what he would have done to solve the problem of stripped screw?


Foolish me, they didn’t have Phillips head screws in the first century!