1/20/21

Does God Alone Possess Immortality? by Eric Lyons, M.Min.

 

https://apologeticspress.org/APContent.aspx?category=12&article=3566

Does God Alone Possess Immortality?

by  Eric Lyons, M.Min.

The Bible repeatedly testifies to the fact that this life is not all there is. For the faithful, the best is yet to come (Luke 16:22; 23:43; 2 Timothy 4:8). For the unfaithful, the worst is yet to come (Luke 16:23-24). The unrighteous “will go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into eternal life” (Matthew 25:46, emp. added; cf. Lyons and Butt, 2005). At death, “the dust will return to the earth as it was,” but “the spirit will return to God who gave it” (Ecclesiastes 12:7; cf. Genesis 2:7). Jesus taught: “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die” (John 11:25-26, emp. added). In short, the soul of man is immortal (Romans 2:7; 2 Timothy 1:10; 1 Corinthians 15:53-54).

If the soul of man is immortal, however, some wonder how Paul could truthfully write to Timothy that God “alone has immortality” (1 Timothy 6:16, emp. added)? If God alone has immortality, then how can man also be immortal?

Indeed, both God and man are immortal. God, by His very nature, is eternal (Psalm 90:2), and thus He is not subject to death (Greek thanatos). Only when God, the Word, put on flesh and physically inhabited His natural world did He willingly subject Himself to death (John 1:1-5,14; 19:30; Philippians 2:5-8). Yet, even then, death had no power over Him (Acts 2:22-36; 1 Corinthians 15:21). He defeated thanatos; He is athanatos (immortal). He not only physically rose from the dead, but His Spirit never ceased to exist.

Still, how can God “alone” have immortality (Greek athanasia; 1 Timothy 6:16), if the soul of man is also immortal (1 Corinthians 15:53-54; cf. Matthew 25:46)? The answer is really quite simple: The only reason man is immortal is because God gives man immortality. God created man differently than plants and animals; He chose to make man “in His own image” (Genesis 1:27). Among other things, one of the great blessings of being an image-bearer of God is that humans have an immortal soul (see Lyons and Thompson, 2002). However, in the sense that God’s everlasting nature is immortal, God alone possesses immortality.

Consider a parallel. According to Scripture, both God and His faithful children are pure and holy (1 John 3:3; Matthew 5:8; 1 Peter 1:16). They are pure and holy, however, on different levels. Whereas God is innately perfect (Isaiah 6:3; James 1:13), man can only become pure and holy through the grace of God and the blood of Christ (Hebrews 10:22; Ephesians 1:3-14). God is holy; man becomes holy. Likewise, God “alone [inherently] has immortality” (1 Timothy 6:16), but He has given it to man.

REFERENCES

Lyons, Eric and Bert Thompson (2002), “In the ‘Image and Likeness of God’: Parts 1 & 2,” Reason & Revelation, 22:17-32, March and April.

Lyons, Eric and Kyle Butt (2005), “The Eternality of Hell: Parts 1 & 2,” Reason & Revelation, 25:1-15, January and February.

Do Science and Scripture Harmonize? Yes (Obviously). by Jeff Miller, Ph.D.

 

https://apologeticspress.org/APContent.aspx?category=12&article=5569

Do Science and Scripture Harmonize? Yes (Obviously).

by  Jeff Miller, Ph.D.

It has been said that the Bible and science disagree—they cannot both be true. Those Bible believers who accept such assertions comfort themselves by acknowledging that the Bible is not a “science textbook” and, therefore, would not be expected to speak with accuracy concerning scientific matters. In truth, regardless of whether or not the Bible is a science textbook, geography textbook, history textbook, or any other type of book, if the Bible is inspired by the omniscient Creator of the Universe, it should be accurate in anything it says. When it touches on scientific matters, it should be perfect in its descriptions—and it is.

In fact, according to the Bible, God Himself instituted the field of science. When God created human beings on day six and told them to “have dominion” over the Earth and “subdue” it (Genesis 1:28), He was commanding mankind to do something that would require extensive scientific investigation and experimentation. If God founded science, why would science be at odds with His Word? When God, through His servant Paul, said in Romans 1:20 that His existence and some of His attributes could be learned from studying His creation, He was putting His stamp of approval on the scientific study of creation—“the things that are made.” When He said in 1 Thessalonians 5:21 to “[t]est all things; hold fast what is good,” He was essentially summarizing the scientific method. By encouraging humans to study “the works of the Lord” (e.g., Creation and the Flood), He was endorsing science (Psalm 111:2). When God wanted Adam to name the animals, He instituted the field of biology (Genesis 2:19). When He highlighted to Job the natural laws that govern the Universe, He was encouraging the study of physics (Job 38:33). Job 12:8-10 emphasizes geology, while Psalm 19:1 and Genesis 15:5 encourage astronomy. Numbers 19 even delineates a basic recipe for antibacterial soap—chemistry in action. Solomon, in his inspired wisdom, endorsed the study of biological science, encouraging the study of eagles and serpents (Proverbs 30:18-19), as well as ants, badgers, locusts, and spiders (Proverbs 30:25-28). Jesus encouraged botany when drawing His audience’s attention to the lilies of the field (Matthew 6:28), seeds (Matthew 13:1-9,24-30), trees and vines (Matthew 7:16-20), and grass (Matthew 6:30); ornithology by pointing to the birds of the air as an illustration (Matthew 6:26); entomology when mentioning moths (Matthew 6:19-20); and zoology when discussing sheep, dogs, and swine (Luke 15:3-7; Matthew 7:6). In God’s sermon to Job in chapters 38-41, He chose to humble Job and instruct him by giving him a science lesson covering geology, cosmology, astronomy, physics, oceanography, nomology, optics, meteorology, and biology, including zoology, ornithology, entomology, herpetology, botany, and marine biology. Bottom line: God founded, endorsed, and even commanded science. Science is not anti-Scripture.

So, why the confusion? Some confusion comes from the nature of observational science: we cannot taste, touch, smell, hear, or see God, Creation, or the Flood. So the conclusion some draw is that biblical Creation is unscientific. While it is true that several aspects of the biblical model cannot be empirically verified since we cannot observe them today, the same can be said of several crucial steps in any naturalistic theory (e.g., the “Big Bang,” origin of life, origin of species, etc.). Such is the nature of “historical science”: deductive reasoning from indirect evidence must be used to substantiate a theory that concerns unobservable historical events, in the same way forensic scientists use science to investigate events that they did not personally witness. The biblical model, similar to any historical model, must be substantiated by indirect evidence, rather than direct. As we have shown elsewhere (see www.apologeticspress.org), the naturalistic model contradicts the evidence and the biblical model is supported by the evidence.

Further confusion comes from a comparison of Scripture with mainstream naturalistic science. It is true that several popular naturalistic theories have been advanced in modern times which contradict the Bible, but it is also true that, upon closer inspection, those models are found to contradict true science in fundamental ways. For example, one cannot be a naturalist and still believe in phenomena that do not happen in nature (e.g., cause-less effects1; the spontaneous generation of the laws of science2; matter/energy3; life4; genetic information5; design6; etc.). A theory cannot contradict itself and still be true. True science will not have internal contradictions like those of naturalistic theories.

The biblical model, however, does not espouse such internally inconsistent, pseudo-scientific theories. Instead, it states unequivocally that the Universe was created ex nihilo by Jehovah, the Grand Designer, in six days—a proposition which does not contradict the evidence, and which is supported by indirect evidence. Several hundred years after Creation week, a global Flood occurred which dramatically affected the Earth. The evidence from science supports the Bible’s narrative of that event as well, including evidence from geology, paleontology, astronomy, biology, and meteorology.7

The biblical model is scientific because it can explain the origin of the laws of science. It is scientific because it can explain the Universe and its characteristics without contradiction. The biblical model is scientific since it accurately stated several of the laws of science before they were even discovered (e.g., the Law of Causality; First and Second Laws of Thermodynamics; Law of Biogenesis).8 The biblical model is scientific since it has made many verified scientific predictions.9 Bottom line: God founded science. When legitimate scientific findings are interpreted properly and fairly, science supports the Bible and Christianity. It certainly is not at odds with Scripture—since they share the same Author!

Endnotes

1 Jeff Miller (2011), “God and the Laws of Science: The Law of Causality,” Apologetics Press, http://apologeticspress.org/article/3716.

2 Jeff Miller (2012), “The Laws of Science –by God,” Reason & Revelation, 32[12]:137-140.

3 Jeff Miller (2013), “Evolution and the Laws of Science: The Laws of Thermodynamics,” Apologetics Press, http://apologeticspress.org/APContent.aspx?category=9&article=2786&topic=93.

4 Jeff Miller (2012), “The Law of Biogenesis [Part I],” Reason & Revelation, 32[1]:2-11.

5 Jeff Miller (2014), “God and the Laws of Science: Genetics vs. Evolution [Part 1],” Reason & Revelation, 34[1]:2-11.

6 Jeff Miller (2017), “Atheists’ Design Admissions,” Reason & Revelation, 37[12]:134-143.

7 Paul Garner (2011), The New Creationism (Carlisle

8 Jeff Miller (2017), Science vs. Evolution (Montgomery, AL: Apologetics Press).

9 Jeff Miller (2014), “Bill Nye/Ken Ham Debate Review: Tying Up Really Loose Ends,” Reason & Revelation, 34[4].

Suggested Resournces

"THE GOSPEL OF MARK" The Healings In Gennesaret (6:53-56) by Mark Copeland

 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
"THE GOSPEL OF MARK"

The Healings In Gennesaret (6:53-56)
 
 INTRODUCTION

1. Following Jesus' walk on water, other miracles soon followed...
   a. Shortly after anchoring the boat on the shores of Gennesaret - Mk 6:53
   b. When Jesus healed everyone who was brought to Him - Mk 6:54-56

2. "The Healings In Gennesaret" provide an opportunity to make observations about...
   a. The success of Jesus' healing ministry
   b. The purpose of Jesus' healing ministry

[Similar observations can be made about the healing ministries of Peter
and Paul, which can serve to critique so-called healing ministries today
(are they really of God?).  So let's begin by noting...]

I. THE SETTING OF THE HEALINGS

   A. IN GENNESARET...
      1. Where Jesus and His disciples anchored their boat - Mk 6:53
      2. A densely populated and fertile plain south of Capernaum - Hendriksen
      3. About 3 miles along the Sea of Galilee (also called the Lake of Gennesaret, Lk 5:1) - ibid.
      4. Its natural beauty and fertility were most remarkable... the
         plain produced walnuts, palms, figs, olives, and grapes - Josephus

   B. OTHER OCCASIONS...
      1. The healings of Peter - Ac 5:14-16
         a. In Jerusalem
         b. During the early days of the church
      2. The healings of Paul - Ac 19:11-12
         a. In Ephesus
         b. During his extended stay, while on his third journey

[In both rustic and urban settings, wonderful things happened when true
men of God were healing the sick.  But now let's consider carefully...]

II. THE SUCCESS OF THE HEALINGS

   A. IN GENNESARET...
      1. When people heard He was there, they gathered the sick - Mk 6:54-56
      2. Wherever He went, they brought the sick to Him
         a. On beds
         b. Laying them in the market places
      3. Note well:  "as many as touched Him were made well"

   B. OTHER OCCASIONS...
      1. Peter in Jerusalem - Ac 5:14-16
         a. The sick were laid out in the street on beds and couches
         b. People from surrounding cities were brought the sick and possessed
         c. Note well:  "they were all healed"
      2. Paul at Ephesus - Ac 19:11-12
         a. God worked unusual miracles by the hands of Paul
         b. Even handkerchiefs brought from his body to the sick healed them
         c. Note well:  implied is that all who received such ministrations were healed

[The crowds that gathered around Jesus, Peter, and Paul were
understandable.  The success of these three men was remarkable.  Now for an observation or two about...]

III. THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE HEALINGS

   A. IN GENNESARET...
      1. The purpose of the healings was to confirm Jesus' claims - cf. Jn 5:36; 10:25,37-38
      2. People who saw such signs made the connection - e.g., Jn 3:2; 9:30-33
      3. Jesus did refrain on one occasion from doing miracles for lack of faith - cf. Mt 13:58
      4. But note well:  He never failed any miracle that He Himself attempted!

   B. OTHER OCCASIONS...
      1. The purpose of apostolic miracles was to confirm their message - Mk 16:17-20
      2. God bore witness to His Word by the gifts of the Holy Spirit - He 2:3-4
      3. The apostles did not always heal those they knew were sick - cf. 2Ti 4:20
      4. But note well:  the apostles never failed any miracle they attempted!

CONCLUSION

1. Today, there are self-proclaimed faith healers who say God is working through them...
   a. Often large crowds attend their meetings, hoping to be healed
   b. But many people leave such meetings, disappointed that they were not healed
   c. Despite having such healers lay their hands on them, and pray for them

2. When true servants of God healed, everyone was healed...!
   a. Whether it was Jesus, Peter or Paul
   b. The purpose of miracles to confirm they were servants of God
   c. And God left no room for doubt!

3. The fact is, such healing ministries were for a specific purpose...
   a. They were to confirm the message and messengers as being from God
   b. Once the Word of God was completely revealed and confirmed, there
      is no longer a need for such miracles of confirmation - cf. 1Co 13:8-10
   c. Which explains why such miracles are not being done today
   d. Contrary to claims made by false teachers who mislead many

When we carefully study the miracles of Jesus and those of His apostles,
comparing them with the so-called miracle healers of today, we can
easily see the difference...

Executable Outlines, Copyright © Mark A. Copeland, 2016

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Attributes of God From A-Z by Ken Weliever, The Preacherman

 

https://thepreachersword.com/2018/08/16/attributes-of-god-from-a-z/

Attributes of God From A-Z

Yesterday, as Norma Jean and I toured the National Museum of Archaeology  in Athens and viewed the artifacts of the great thinkers and philosophers of Greece and Rome, it occurred to me that with all their intellectual acumen, most did not truly know Jehovah God.

Yesterday’s post discussed Paul’s sermon revealing to the Epicureans and Stoics “The Unknown God” as Jehovah God. Many mocked the apostle’s message. Regardless, God has revealed Himself to us.

The Bible reveals God’s character and nature. Several years ago we did a series of posts describing the nature of God from A-Z. Here’s the “cliff notes” version.

GOD IS……

Awesome. “Out of the North he comes in golden splendor; God comes in awesome majesty.” Job. 37:22

Beautiful. “Behold the beauty of the Lord” –Ps 27:4

Compassionate. “The Lord is good to all, and his compassion is over all that he has made.” Ps. 145:9

Dependable. “God is not a human being that he should lie, or a mortal, that he should change his mind. Has he promised, and will he not do it? Has he spoken, and will he not fulfill it?” —Numbers 23:19, NRSV

Eternal. “The eternal God is your Refuge, And underneath are the everlasting arms.” —Deut. 33:27, TLB

Faithful. “The Lord is faithful to all his promises and loving toward all he had made.” —Ps. 145:13, NIV

Good. “For the Lord is good, and his mercy is never-ending; his faith is unchanging through all generations.” —Ps. 110:5

Holy. “Exalt the Lord our God, And worship at His holy hill; For the Lord our God is holy.” —Ps. 99:9, NKJV

Impartial. “I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism but accepts men from every nation who fear him and do what is right.” —Ac. 10:34-35, NIV

Just. “For I will proclaim the name of the Lord; ascribe greatness to our God! The Rock, His work is perfect, and all His ways are just. A faithful God, without deceit, just and upright is He.” —Deut. 32:3-4, NRSV

Kind. “Or do you despise the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience? Do you not realize that God’s kindness is meant to lead you to repentance?” —Rom. 2:4, NRSV

Love. “For as the heavens are high above the earth, so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him.” —Ps. 103:11, RSV

Merciful. “Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; and let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.” —Isa. 55:7-8, KJV

Near. “The Lord is near to all who call upon him, to all who call upon him in truth.”– Ps 145:18 (NKJV)

Omnipotent. “It is He (God) who made the earth by his power, who established the world by his wisdom, and by his understanding stretched out the heavens.” –Jer 10:12

Patient. “The Lord is slow to anger and abounding steadfast love, forgiving iniquity and transgression.” –Ps 145:8

Quickens. “But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken (give life to) your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.–Rom 8:11

Refuge. “The Lord also will be a refuge for the oppressed. A refuge in times of trouble.” – Ps. 9:9,10 (NKJV)

Sovereign. “Who told this long ago? Who declared it of old? Was it now I, the Lord? There is no other god besides me, a righteous God and a Savior; there is no one besides me. Turn to me and be saved, all the ends of the earth! For I am God, and there is no other.” —Isa. 45:21-22, NRSV

Trustworthy. “In You our fathers put their trust; they trusted and You delivered them. They cried to You and were saved; in You they trusted and were not disappointed.” (Ps 22:4-5,  NIV)

Unchanging. “You Lord, in the beginning laid the foundation of the earth, and the heavens are the work of Your hands; they will perish, but You remain; and they will all grow old like a garment; Like a cloak You will fold them up, and they will be changed. But You are the same, And Your years will not fail.” (Heb 1:10-12, NKJV)

Victorious. “I do not trust in my bow, my sword does not bring me victory; but You give us victory over our enemies, You put our adversaries to shame.” (Ps 44:60-7, NIV)

Wonderful. “This also comes from the Lord of hosts; he is wonderful in counsel and excellent in wisdom”(Isa 28:19, ESV).

Xristos. (Greek for Christ) “He is the Christ, the chosen of God.” (Lk. 23:35)

Yearning (For Us). “Listen I am standing at the door, knocking; if you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in you and eat with and you with me” (Rev. 3:20, NRSV)

Zealous. “His authority shall grow continually and there shall be endless peace…He will establish and uphold it with justice and with righteousness and from this onward and forevermore. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this.” (Isa 9:7, NRSV)

Emile Calliet, in Alone at High Noon, wrote, “He who consciously or unconsciously has chosen to ignore God is an orphan in the universe.” Don’t be alone in the universe. Believe in and embrace the God of the Bible. He indeed is an Awesome God!

“To God our Savior, Who alone is wise, Be glory and majesty, Dominion and power, Both now and forever. Amen.” (Jude 25, NKJV)

–Ken Weliever, The Preacherman

DID JESUS CONDEMN HOMOSEXUALITY? by David Vaughn Elliott

 

https://steve-finnell.blogspot.com/2017/01/

INSIGHT INTO BIBLE TRUTH #253
DID JESUS CONDEMN HOMOSEXUALITY?
by David Vaughn Elliott 


No, He did not. Nor did He condone it. It is a topic He never discussed. What are we to conclude from this silence? 

This is not the only issue that Jesus did not discuss. For example, we never hear Him condemning idolatry. Jesus was born into the world as a Jew, an Israelite. He "was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel" (Matt. 15:24). Before Jesus, Israel had a long history of idolatry. It is commonly believed that the captivity cured the Jews of this sin. That offers a reason why Jesus did not need to condemn the Jews on the issue. This could also be a clue regarding Jesus' silence about homosexuality. But let's go further.

To say that Jesus never condemned this or that, keep in mind that such statements are based on the record we have in the four Gospels. Is there any record of Jesus discussing sorcery or witchcraft? What of drinking blood? What about drunkenness?  

And then there is the issue of breaking the Sabbath. During Israel's long history, Sabbath breaking was a frequent issue, even after their return from captivity. Jesus lived under the OT law, so Sabbath keeping was still in force. Luke 4:16 tells us that Jesus "came to Nazareth... and as was His custom, He entered the synagogue on the Sabbath." Although Jesus kept the Sabbath, He was frequently accused of breaking it. On the other hand, there is no record of Jesus accusing others of breaking the Sabbath. In short, there are various sins that Jesus "never condemned."

The Gospels Are Neither Complete Nor Final

We have four Gospels, four biographical accounts of Jesus' life on earth. Some would say that the four should not even be called biographies because they cover so little of Jesus' life. True enough. The fourth Gospel ends with these picturesque words: "There are also many other things which Jesus did, which if they were written in detail, I suppose that even the world itself would not contain the books that would be written." This does not mean that we do not have enough written. John himself said a little earlier, "Many other signs Jesus also performed in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; but these have been written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you may have life in His name" (John 20:30-31). We don't have it all, but we have enough to believe in Him so we can have life.

Only some of what Jesus "did" is recorded. What about what He taught? Well, teaching is doing, so we don't have all He taught either. Here is a specific example. "They went into Capernaum, and immediately on the Sabbath He entered the synagogue and taught. And they were amazed at His teaching" (Mark 1:21-22).  Nothing is said about what He taught on that occasion. 

In short, everything that Jesus did, taught, and said is not recorded. Therefore it is impossible for us to say that Jesus never condemned so-and-so. As in all of life, negative statements are often impossible to prove. We can only say that there is no record of Jesus saying so-and-so. 

But there is more to this.  

In court, we are told to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. In Jesus' ministry as recorded in the four Gospels, Jesus did "tell the truth." He did tell "nothing but the truth." However, He did not – repeat "not" – tell "the whole truth." Wow, what an assertion to make! But it is true. Jesus himself said so. On the night of his betrayal, Jesus said to the eleven (Judas had already left):

"I have many more things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth" (John 16:12-13).

There it is in black and white (maybe red in your Bible). While Jesus was on earth, He did not say everything that needed to be said. Rather, through the Holy Spirit, Jesus' apostles would be guided into "all the truth." Anyone who wants all the truth must look further than Jesus’ words during his earthly ministry – must read more than the four Gospels. 

The four Gospels make up roughly half of our New Testament. According to Jesus' own word, we dare not ignore the second half. Much of the second half was written by the Apostle Paul. Why is it that some people pit what Jesus did not say against what Paul did say? Could it be that those people are really pitting their own preconceived ideas against what the inspired Apostle Paul taught? There are various proofs that Paul was made an apostle by Jesus after Jesus' ascension. Did you ever notice what the Apostle Peter had to say about Paul's writings? "Our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given him, wrote to you, as also in all his letters, speaking in them of these things, in which are some things hard to understand, which the untaught and unstable distort, as they do also the rest of the Scriptures, to their own destruction" (2 Pet. 3:15-16). If we distort what Paul wrote, we are heading for destruction. 

There is no Scriptural basis to justify anything on the basis of what Jesus did not say. Negatives such as "Jesus never condemned..." can never be proven. Furthermore, even if He didn't, the four Gospels are only a portion of God's divine revelation. They are an extremely important portion, but only a portion. We cannot treat the NT as a smorgasbord from which to select the portions we prefer. We must take it all. "All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work" (2 Tim. 3:16-17).

Scripture quotations taken from the NASB._________________________________________
You can now Google my entire site on this page:
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Can We Give an Answer? by Richard Mansel

 

https://www.oldpaths.com/Archive/Mansel/Richard/Dale/1964/answer.html

Can We Give an Answer?

In 1 Peter 3:15 we are told, "Always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason of the hope that is within you." This is a very sobering challenge to all of us as Christians. Do we know what we believe and why? Can we defend it from Scripture?

Frequently you will ask someone to tell you what they believe and they will say, "I don't know, I will have to go ask my..." Naturally, it is acceptable to seek answers from a knowledgeable person. Moreover, "I don't know" is a legitimate answer.

But, I am talking about very simple questions we should be able to answer. Can you imagine going to a mechanic with twenty years experience and asking him a simple question about how an exhaust system works and hearing him say, "Um, I'm going to have to ask my boss."

What if you were at the mall and saw a friend you had not seen in a year. In "catching up" you find out that she is engaged. You ask, "What is your fiancee like?" She says, "Um, I don't know, I'll have to go ask his Mother."

These examples are easy to understand. Yet, we sometimes fail to apply the same principle to Christians who have been attending Bible classes and hearing sermons for years and can't tell someone what they believe or answer questions about the Bible. They just say, "Well, I'm not a preacher." Instead, they ought to be hanging their heads in shame.

We all have the same Bible. Attending seminary or Bible college does not give someone a special understanding of Scripture. All it does is provide the student with the tools to study the Scriptures in greater depth. Yet, the basics are there for everyone. We can all understand Scripture. John 8:31-32 says, "If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed, and you shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free."

We all must be more diligent Bible students if we wish to know God. If all you know about God is what you hear in Bible classes and sermons you will not know Him well. You must spend time studying the Word to become well acquainted with the Father and the Son.

Start today.

Richard Mansel

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

Upward and inward by Gary Rose

 


The following is From the Golden dictionary, which is quoting from Wikipedia…

Anticrepuscular rays, or antisolar rays,[1] are meteorological optical phenomena similar to crepuscular rays, but appear opposite of the Sunin the sky. Anticrepuscular rays are essentially parallel, but appear to converge toward the antisolar point, the vanishing point, due to a visual illusion from linear perspective.[2][3]

Anticrepuscular rays are most frequently visible around sunrise or sunset. This is because the atmospheric light scattering that makes them visible (backscattering) is larger for low angles to the horizon than most other angles. Anticrepuscular rays are dimmer than crepuscular rays because backscattering is less than forward scattering

Anticrepuscular rays can be continuous with crepuscular rays, curving across the whole sky in great circles.[4]

These two pictures show Anticrepuscular rays, which are an example of light scattering from a point opposite the sun. The top one was taken from Florida and the bottom from Colorado. Beautiful aren’t they?

I have always had an interest in the sky and all things relating to it. And, I am not alone in this, for ever since man has looked upward, he has wondered about the heavens.

The Bible has much to say about the heavens, but today I thought of this passage from the book of Matthew...


Matthew 16 ( World English Bible )

1 The Pharisees and Sadducees came, and testing him, asked him to show them a sign from heaven.

2 But he answered them, “When it is evening, you say, ‘It will be fair weather, for the sky is red.’

3 In the morning, ‘It will be foul weather today, for the sky is red and threatening.’ Hypocrites! You know how to discern the appearance of the sky, but you can’t discern the signs of the times!

4 An evil and adulterous generation seeks after a sign, and there will be no sign given to it, except the sign of the prophet Jonah.” He left them, and departed.



We understand far more about the weather than they did in Jesus’ day, but I wonder: Do we understand the signs of the times? The Pharisees and the Sadducees saw much but understood very little. Although they were educated in the Law (Pharisees) and were of the ruling class (Sadducees) they just didn’t understand Jesus. They could predict the weather somewhat but were close-minded to what God was doing for them through his son.


The sign of the prophet Jonah foretold of Jesus’ death, burial and resurrection, but they couldn’t (or perhaps, wouldn’t) listen. They were an evil and adulterous (because these Israelites had forgotten their one true husband, God) generation who wanted more than the law, prophets and the psalms- they wanted signs, portents from heaven and spectacular events before they would listen. And, the humble son of God just didn’t give them their hearts desire. Today, people are really no different than those of the first century. Oh, we have better tools, but sin has not really changed at all. God must be first, his word our guide and Jesus our example.


Having said all this, go ahead, look upward and wonder about the sky and all the heavens above and having done this, look inside and ask yourself if you are really right with God. Unsure? Open your Bible, the answer is right before you… just listen, learn and obey!