7/24/14

Where Did Cain Get His Wife? by Bert Thompson, Ph.D. Trevor Major, M.Sc., M.A.

http://apologeticspress.org/APContent.aspx?category=11&article=1145

Where Did Cain Get His Wife?

by	Bert Thompson, Ph.D. Trevor Major, M.Sc., M.A.

Q.

Genesis 3:20 says that Eve was the “mother of all living.” If that is the case, where, then, did her son Cain find a wife?
A.
Many infidels and skeptics have used this apparent inconsistency as evidence for the allegorical or mythological nature of the early Genesis record, in opposition to plain historicity as advocated by biblical conservatives. While it is true the Bible is not specific on this matter, there is no difficulty in suggesting a reasonable solution that does no violence to Scriptural interpretation.
The most common solution is to propose that Cain married a near relative—perhaps a sister. Initially this may seem a radical idea, but as we will note, it is the most realistic option. We are told in specific terms that Adam and Eve had three sons—Cain, Abel, and sometime later, Seth. However, we also are told that Adam was the father of “other sons and daughters” (Genesis 5:4). Eve had borne Cain and Abel soon after leaving Eden (Genesis 4:1-2), but she could have had other children between their birth and Abel’s death, and between that murder and the birth of Seth. In any case, one female offspring could later have become Cain’s wife. [Some have inquired as to whether or not Cain could have married someone else not of Adam and Eve’s family—viz., a woman of other people whom God had created. In light of Scripture, this is not a possibility. The Bible makes it plain (Genesis 3:20) that Eve was the “mother of all living” (emp. added). If Adam was the first man (1 Corinthians 15:45) and if Eve was the mother of all, then it is clear that there were no “other people” left for Cain to marry. The population of the Earth came directly through the lineage of Adam and Eve.] There would have been no shortage of potential mates. A glance at the rapidly growing population of the antediluvian world (Genesis 4-6) shows that the people of those times were prodigious; they took seriously God’s command to “be fruitful, and multiply” (Genesis 1:28)!
Many people immediately see a problem with marriages that must, of necessity, be incestuous in nature. Remember, however, that incest itself was outlawed only with the coming of the Mosaic covenant (Leviticus 18). There was no need for strict laws on marriage partners in the early Patriarchal Age (apart from the divine “one man, one woman, for life” institution), and for at least one good reason: during this time, man was in a relatively pure state, at least physically, having left not long before the perfect condition in which he was created and the Garden that had sustained his life. Adam and Eve could have lived forever had it not been for their corruption by sin, and their consequent expulsion from Eden (Genesis 3:1-6). Hence, no harmful genetic traits had emerged at this point that could have been expressed in the children of closely related partners. However, after many generations, and especially after the Noahic Flood (Genesis 6-9), solar and cosmic radiation, chemical and viral mutagens, and DNA replication errors, led to the multiplication of genetic disorders. God protected His people by instituting strict laws against incestuous marriages in the eighteenth chapter of Leviticus. Needless to say, more genetic disorders have arisen in the world population since the time of Moses, and thus it is even more important to avoid marrying a close relative. Christianity thus far has insured that such rules have been carried forward into modern laws in the western world.

From Mark Copeland... Paul's Roman Citizenship (Acts 22:22-30)

"THE BOOK OF ACTS"

Paul's Roman Citizenship (22:22-30)

INTRODUCTION

1. As Christians, we enjoy a special citizenship...
a. Our citizenship is in heaven - Php 3:20
b. We are fellow citizens with the saints and members of God's family
- Ep 2:19
c. As such, we are in one sense pilgrims and sojourners in this world
- 1Pe 2:11

2. But we also have an earthly citizenship...
a. As citizens of an earthly nation in this world
b. Thus we enjoy "dual citizenship," if you will

[At times, this "dual citizenship" works to our advantage, as it did for
Paul when his life was in jeopardy in Jerusalem. Turning to our text
(Ac 22:22-30), let's consider some things about...]

I. PAUL'S ROMAN CITIZENSHIP

A. HIS LIFE THREATENED...
1. When Paul defended himself before the mob in Jerusalem...
a. They listened to him quietly until he mentioned being sent
to the Gentiles - Ac 22:1-2,22
b. When they again called for Paul to be put to death - Ac 22:22-23; cf. Ac 21:36
2. The Roman commander, determining to know the truth...
a. Ordered Paul back into the barracks - Ac 22:24
b. Prepared to have Paul examined by scourging - ibid.
c. A form of torture involving beating with leather thongs in
which were inserted rough pieces of bone or metal

B. HIS LIFE SPARED...
1. About to be scourged, Paul asked the centurion a question...
a. Is it lawful to scourge a Roman who has not been condemned?
- Ac 22:25
b. Prompting the centurion to go to the commander, urging
caution - Ac 22:26
c. The centurion's caution reflects the magistrates' fear at
Philippi - cf. Ac 16:35-39
2. The commander questioned Paul about his Roman citizenship...
a. Paul confirmed that he was a Roman - Ac 22:27
b. The commander boasted of his purchased citizenship - Ac 22:28
c. Paul claimed to be a born citizen, evidently a higher status
of citizenship
3. The response to Paul's claim was immediate...
a. Those about to scourge him withdrew from Paul - Ac 22:29
b. The commander was afraid for having bound a Roman - ibid.
4. Knowing that Paul was a Roman citizen, the commander...
a. Was determined to know why Paul was accused by the Jews - Ac 22:30
b. Arranged for a legal hearing before the Sanhedrin council
- ibid.

[Paul certainly used his Roman citizenship to his advantage. But what
are our duties as Christians in regards to our earthly citizenship? Let's
use this opportunity to review what they are...]

II. OUR EARTHLY CITIZENSHIP

A. THE DUTY TO OBEY...
1. As taught by Paul - Ro 13:1-5
2. As taught by Peter - 1Pe 2:13-14
3. Whenever there is a conflict, we must obey God rather than man
- Ac 5:29

B. THE DUTY TO PAY...
1. To pay taxes, customs - Ro 13:6-7
2. To pay respect toward authorities - Ro 13:7; 1Pe 2:17
3. Whether we approve their political or personal behavior (e.g.,
Nero)

C. THE DUTY TO PRAY...
1. For kings and all in authority - 1Ti 2:1-2
2. That we might lead quiet, peaceful, godly lives - 1Ti 2:2; 1Th 4:11
3. Christians who pray in this way serve their country in very
powerful way!
a. God does not hear the prayers of the wicked - 1Pe 3:12
b. If not for the righteous, this world would be in dire
straights!
4. Think of Christians as spiritual chaplains, serving their
country as military chaplains serve their country ministering
to their fellow soldiers

CONCLUSION

1. As Christians living in the world, we have an earthly citizenship...
a. As citizens of the nations granted by birth or other means
b. We must be careful to fulfill our God-given duties as citizens
c. And as did Paul, utilize our rights as citizens when they serve
God's purposes

2. As Christians living in the world, we have a heavenly citizenship...
a. That calls us to be spiritual priests making intercession for all
men
b. That calls us to be peacemakers as we serve the Prince of peace
c. That cautions us to place our heavenly citizenship over our earthly
one

For in the end, we are still pilgrims and sojourners. But properly
discerned and lived, our "dual citizenship" can be a blessing for both
God and country...!

Executable Outlines, Copyright © Mark A. Copeland, 2013

From Gary... Make a daily habit of change

Recently, I had some lunch with friends from New Jersey (a few weeks ago) and during the course of the conversation one of them told me how amazed he was that I was able to write this blog as much as I do. Well, frankly, some days it is just not that easy; however, once I actually sit down to write, usually something comes to me. And this little quote from J.C. Maxwell does apply. Because, well, just the act of writing does change things- it changes me. And I find that the habitual re-consideration of the Bible makes me a stronger Christian for the effort. You might say that I am receiving exhortation myself by my own efforts at exhorting others. Paul puts it this way...

Hebrews 10:22-25 NASB
(22) let us draw near with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.
(23) Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful;
(24) and let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds,
(25) not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near.

When I habitually read the Scriptures, they change me; when I consider them I become more steadfast in the faith and when I think of others more than myself, I am learning to express love.

Gary - repeat verses 22ff. daily; or as often a day as you really desire to go to heaven!!!

7/23/14

From Jim McGuiggan... War (2)

War (2)

There is something that I think we should keep clear in discussing a Christian’s living in the world as a part of the body of Jesus Christ. It’s this: the Christian’s ethical judgements and actions are not based on some general moral standard but on life as it was and is lived out by Jesus Christ. The Christian’s ethical response is "gospeling" and not mere morality. When I say "mere" morality I don’t mean to cheapen moral convictions or costly moral decisions. I mean only to make it clear that the Christian is not someone who lives to a "higher moral standard" than the non-Christian but someone who lives out the life of Christ that is in them and to which they have committed themselves by faith. They do not so much live under "moral rules" as in the image of a Person—that is their identity and mission.

Christians are indeed a peculiar people. Simply viewed as "moral beings" they don’t profess to be superior to everyone else. But unlike all other people on earth they have heard the gospel of the redeeming and holy God as he has come to us in and as Jesus Christ and they have committed themselves to him in faith. They have been re-created in Christ’s image and it is his way of living that they commit to fleshing out. Indeed, it is his continuing incarnate life that they live out. They live by a different "rule" than the rest of humanity and they have a mission to the world that is peculiarly theirs.

This is not to say that the only people on earth that are morally upright are Christians! Paul knew of Gentiles who lived out the works of the Jewish Torah (Romans 2:6-16) apart from the hearing of the gospel of Christ. Paul is death on any form of Pelagianism—no one earns a right relationship with God by moral uprightness; but he certainly recognized that there were morally upright people that had not heard the Gospel and were not part of the Jewish nation. And the Old Testament prophets are filled with rebuke for the behavior of Gentile nations that did not live righteously (Daniel 4:27 illustrates). This implies that they knew of moral law and that in their lives they did not give it the homage due to it (or due to the God of it). Peter insisted that non-Christians were capable of recognizing good conduct in the lives of the Christians they were troubling (1 Peter 2:12) so non-Christians are not without a standard.
Nevertheless, Christians still operate on a different ethical basis than the one upright non-Christians operate on. A non-Christian would recognize a Christian husband’s love for his wife as indeed love for his wife but the non-Christian does not operate on the "even as" ground of the love Christ has for the church (see Ephesians 5:25). The non-Christian has not been gathered in by the gospel to faith in Jesus Christ so he does not operate on that basis. But love for wives did not begin with Jesus Christ and his gospel. In union with Christ marriage became something not less but more than it was.

The upshot of all this is that Christians should not discuss an issue like going to war on the basis of some general moral standard that is the same for everyone in the world. To do that is to miss their peculiar position, calling and the One whose body they are. There may be ten thousands reasons why a non-Christian would feel he should not commit adultery against his wife but one of them would not be 1 Corinthians 6:15-20.

Taking it as true that the Church of Christ is to further the redeeming work of Christ and rehearse the gospel about Christ we need to ask if they have any business going to war. The question is not, "Have non-Christians any business going to war?" I think that that is a further question and it might result in a different answer. The question at this point would be, "Is the kingdom of Christ furthered by Christians going to war?" We certainly don’t find it supported in Christ’s personal life and I know of no text which would yield encouragement for them to do so.
I don’t think it is helpful—and it certainly is not a good argument—to note that soldiers were not told to leave their military positions. Nowhere do we find slave owners told they must set all their slaves free. In fact, we could easily argue the reverse since the slave/master relationship was regulated rather than obliterated. I don’t suppose there would be many that would argue on that basis that having slaves is acceptable Christian behavior.

I would presently hold, then, that it isn’t enough for Christians to make "good moral arguments" in support of engaging in war. They must acknowledge who and whose they are and ask if faithfully living that out would lead them to engage in war. I think Christians should not engage in war.

Who Believes in Hell Anymore? by Dave Miller, Ph.D.

http://apologeticspress.org/APContent.aspx?category=11&article=1204

Who Believes in Hell Anymore?

by	Dave Miller, Ph.D.

A Harris poll found that while 89% of Americans believe in heaven, only 73% believe in hell (Taylor, 1998). However, even this figure is misleading, since people differ in how they define “hell.” When defined as an actual location—a place of actual torment where people will be sent—only three in ten adults (31%) believe in hell (“Beliefs,” 1996). Most Americans believe that Satan is merely a symbol for evil. Only 27% strongly believe that Satan is real (“Religious Beliefs,” 2001).
American culture has sustained a steady assault from humanistic philosophy for several decades now. This constant bombardment of irreligious values has clearly taken its toll. In school, children have been fed a steady diet of atheistic evolution which holds that human beings owe their ultimate origin to rocks, dirt, and the chance forces of nature. Television sets have surely served as a principal medium through which the moral framework has been undermined and seriously eroded. Consequently, many previously unacceptable behaviors are on the increase in society—behaviors that are far more acceptable to the American people than they ever have been in the past.
These behaviors include such things as divorce, homosexuality, premarital sex, and gambling. The use of foul language is prevalent. The average person uses God’s name in vain. Such profanity is very commonplace—especially on television and in the movies. Fundamental values like honesty have given way to dishonesty in the form of lying, cheating, and deception. Americans now pretty much expect their politicians to lie. Pornography has spread across the land through so-called “adult” bookstores, cable channels, magazines, and the Internet. Satanism, astrology, spiritualism, the occult, and New Age religion are on the increase. More and more people are embracing Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, and belief in reincarnation. The courts are literally clogged because of skyrocketing crime rates, and due to the fact that more and more people are retaliating and suing one another. America is no longer a country dominated by church-going peoples—as she was for the first 150 years of her national existence. Where once, Americans were characterized as people who strongly sought freedom for Bible religion, America is more nearly seen today as a culture that strives for freedom from religion. Indeed, forces have been working to eradicate God and the Christian religion from the American way of life.
Despite the fact that Americans in general, and Christians in particular, have many things for which to be thankful, and despite the fact that things usually are not as bad as they seem, nevertheless, much evidence exists to draw the conclusion that American society has become increasingly hedonistic, anti-Christian, and out of harmony with Bible principles. In fact, in many circles in this country the Bible is not even considered to be the verbally inspired Word of God—less than half of all adults (41%) believe the Bible is totally accurate in all it teaches (“Religious Beliefs,” 2001). Indeed, American civilization is deteriorating. The moral, spiritual, and religious foundation of American society—this great nation—is disintegrating.
But there is an antidote, and there is only one antidote. The nation is in desperate need of returning to the Bible—the written instructions of the one God—and to the transcendent Creator of the Universe. The nation must go back to the Bible, back to those life-giving guidelines that will make a nation strong. Only the words of God are capable of sustaining a nation, and getting its citizens through this life in such a way that they will be prepared for life beyond the grave. “Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people” (Proverbs 14:34).
God’s words can change a person’s (or a nation’s) life by generating faith, obedience, and contentment in this life. Those words of God teach that sin is violation of God’s law (1 John 3:4). Sin is the only intrinsic evil in the world today. People cannot sin against God, and yet expect to be acceptable to Him. Sin, once committed, must be forgiven. But sin can be forgiven only under certain conditions that God, Himself, has specified in the Bible. If a person sins against God by violating His written revelation, and then leaves this life in an unforgiven condition, that person will be punished. Those are the facts of the matter. The Bible clearly teaches that those who leave this life with their sins unforgiven will spend eternity in hell. You cannot believe in heaven—and not believe in hell. The same Bible that teaches there is a heaven, also teaches there is a hell.
Many verses in the Bible verify this fact. Jesus said, “And I say to you, My friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do. But I will show you whom you should fear: Fear Him who, after He has killed, has power to cast into hell; yes, I say to you, fear Him!” (Luke 12:4-5). Jesus Christ believed in hell! He warned about violating God’s will, and leaving this life unforgiven (i.e., spiritually unprepared), so that one is required to spend eternity separated from God in hell. Jesus further said: “Do not marvel at this; for the hour is coming in which all who are in the graves will hear His voice and will come forth—those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of condemnation” (John 5:28).
In referring to the end of life on Earth, He declared: “When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory. All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats” (Matthew 25:31). Referring to the disobedient, Jesus explained: “Then He will also say to those on the left hand, ‘Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels’ ” (vs. 41). Earlier in the same chapter He had said concerning the lost, “and cast the unprofitable servant into the outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth” (vs. 30). He concluded the chapter by saying, “And these will go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into eternal life” (vs. 46). To be consistent, a person cannot believe in eternal life, and not believe in eternal punishment. The same Greek word is used in the same verse to describe both of those realms. Just as existence with God after this life is over will be forever or eternal, so separation from God due to disobedience in this life will result in eternal punishment.
Consider another profound, even startling, statement made by Jesus: “[I]f your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and cast it from you. It is better for you to enter into life with one eye, rather than having two eyes, to be cast into hell fire” (Matthew 18:9). Jesus was not teaching that people should mutilate their bodies. He was simply stressing the fact that whatever it takes for a person to be obedient to God in this life—to be conformed to His will, to resist the forces of temptation that try to lure one into their grasp—whatever it takes to be faithful to God, is worth the sacrifice so that the person might enter into eternity qualified to live with God forever, rather than to spend eternity in the fires of hell.
On one occasion, Jesus addressed Himself to the religious leaders of His day. These were religious men, and yet Jesus said to them, “Serpents, brood of vipers! How can you escape the condemnation of hell?” (Matthew 23:33). That was a rhetorical question. Jesus was saying they were so wicked, they were so evil, they were so out of step with God’s will in this life, that He saw no way for them to leave this life without facing condemnation in hell. He also noted: “The Son of Man will send out His angels, and they will gather out of His kingdom all things that offend, and those who practice lawlessness, and will cast them into the furnace of fire. There will be wailing and gnashing of teeth” (Matthew 13:41-42). How can a person possibly listen to those words, spoken by Jesus Christ Himself, and yet say hell does not exist?
The apostle Paul described the fate of those who live out of harmony with God’s will when he spoke of those “who, knowing the righteous judgment of God, that those who practice such things are worthy of death, not only do the same but also approve of those who practice them” (Romans 1:32). He then stated, “but to those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness—indignation and wrath, tribulation and anguish, on every soul of man who does evil” (Romans 2:8).
In Revelation 20:15, we find this declaration: “[A]nyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire.” John further recorded: “But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone” (Revelation 21:8). There will be a hell. There will be eternal punishment for those who leave this life, having sinned against God, having violated His will, and having failed to receive forgiveness for those sins in the appointed way. Hence, it is imperative to know how to be forgiven.
How is forgiveness attained? The Bible answer to that question is—only through Christ. He is the Savior of all those who truly want to be saved. He is the only one who could atone for human sin and provide the antidote. The New Testament gives definitive teaching on how to be saved initially (in order to become a Christian), and how to maintain that saved status.
Jesus said, “[I]f you do not believe that I am He, you will die in your sins” (John 8:24). So the number one prerequisite to being saved and acceptable to God is to believe in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. Jesus further said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me” (John 17:6). Those are Jesus’ own words. His apostles declared: “Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12). These passages teach that Jesus Christ is the only avenue through Whom a person might be saved. A person must believe in the person of Jesus Christ, and in His Word. The writer of Hebrews wrote: “But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him” (11:6). Jesus said, “He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned” (Mark 16:16). So the New Testament teaches that the first thing a person must do to be acceptable to God, and to avoid hell, is to believe in Jesus Christ by trusting in His Word. Faith comes by hearing God’s Word (Romans 10:17).
But, second, a person must repent of his or her sin. Jesus said, “but unless you repent you will all likewise perish” (Luke 13:3,5). The biblical doctrine of repentance means that, having come to a belief in Christ and His Word, the individual must change his mind about his past conduct, and his previous erroneous viewpoints. He must put those things behind him, changing his mind in order to bring his thinking into harmony with the Word of God.
Third, the New Testament teaches that a person must confess the deity of Jesus. Paul wrote that “if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes to righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made to salvation” (Romans 10:9-10).
So a person must believe in Jesus Christ and His Word, turn from sin by changing the mind about that sin, and then confess the Lordship and deity of Christ with the mouth. But then the New Testament teaches that a person must be immersed in water in order to contact the blood of Christ and be forgiven of sin. Jesus, Himself, said, “unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God” (John 3:5). What does it mean to be “born of water and the Spirit”? It means to be immersed in water according to the instructions given by the Holy Spirit in the New Testament (cf. 1 Corinthians 12:13; Ephesians 5:26).
Many other passages make this point clear. For instance, Paul told the Galatian Christians: “For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ” (3:27). That is, a person is clothed with Christ in the action of water baptism. Peter said, “There is also an antitype which now saves us, namely baptism (not the removal of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God), through the resurrection of Jesus Christ” (1 Peter 3:21). So water immersion is the point at which a person is saved by the resurrection of Jesus Christ. No wonder Ananias said to Saul, “And now why are you waiting? Arise and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord” (Acts 22:16).
To summarize, these Scriptures teach that in order to become a Christian, a person must hear the word, believe, repent, confess, and be baptized. When that person rises from the waters of baptism, he stands cleansed from sin by the blood of Christ. That person is now a Christian. After becoming a Christian, however, the individual is not given a guarantee that he automatically will be accepted in eternity. It depends upon whether he continues to live faithfully (Revelation 2:10). To remain saved, a person must live the Christian life faithfully, and take advantage of the means by which he may continue to be forgiven of sin. Living the Christian life faithfully includes frequent study of the Word of God in order to know how to live the Christian life, and to receive motivation to comply. When the Christian sins, he must repent of that sin, confess it, and pray to God for forgiveness (Acts 8:22; 1 John 1:9; James 5:20). In this fashion, the Christian may continue to be forgiven by the blood of Jesus while living the Christian life.
Make no mistake. A person dares not leave this life unforgiven and unprepared. The only hope is to commit to Jesus, and be obedient to God in this life. “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether it be good or bad. Knowing, therefore, the terror of the Lord, we persuade men” (2 Corinthians 5:10-11). “It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God” (Hebrews 10:31). After all, “our God is a consuming fire” (Hebrews 12:29). And, “the Lord Jesus will be revealed from heaven with His mighty angels, in flaming fire taking vengeance on those who do not know God, and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. These shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power” (2 Thessalonians 1:7-9).
Is there a hell? Absolutely! The Bible teaches the existence of hell as certainly as it teaches the existence of heaven, God, and Christ. Hell may be summarized as everlasting fire, everlasting punishment, everlasting destruction, outer darkness, damnation, hell fire, and a lake of fire. If a person believes the Bible, or believes in Jesus Christ, or believes in God—he or she must believe in hell.
While perhaps hell may not be the best or the most mature motivation for loving God and for living faithfully to Him, fear of hell certainly is a legitimate reason, and a valid scriptural motive for causing a person to contemplate his conduct in this life, in order to be prepared to leave this life in good graces with God. The reader is urged to bring his or her life into compliance with the God of heaven by believing in His Son, repenting of past sins, confessing the name of Christ, and being immersed in water for the remission of those sins.

REFERENCES

“Beliefs: Heaven and Hell” (1996), Barna Research Online, [On-line], URL: http://www.barna.org/cgi-bin/PageCategory.asp?CategoryID=3.
“Religious Beliefs Vary Widely by Denomination” (2001), Barna Research Online, [On-line], URL: http://www.barna.org/cgi-bin/PagePressRelease.asp?PressReleaseID=92&Reference=A.
Taylor, Humphrey (1998), “Large Majority of People Believe They Will Go to Heaven,” [On-line], URL>: http://www.harrisinteractive.com/harris_poll/index.asp?PID=167.

Mark Copeland... Paul's Defense Before The Mob (Acts 22:1-21)

                          "THE BOOK OF ACTS"

                Paul's Defense Before The Mob (22:1-21)

INTRODUCTION

1. We left Paul barely surviving a beating at the hands of an angry mob 
   - Ac 21:30-36

2. When he appealed to the Roman commander who saved him to grant him an
   opportunity to speak to the people - Ac 21:37-39

[Paul was given the opportunity, and was able to quiet down the mob with
a motion of his hands (Ac 21:40).  The mob quieted down further when Paul
spoke in Hebrew (Ac 22:1-2)...]

I. PAUL'S DEFENSE BEFORE THE MOB

   A. HIS EARLY LIFE...
      1. A Jew born in Tarsus of Cilicia - Ac 22:3
      2. Brought up in Jerusalem - Ac 22:3
         a. At the feet of Gamaliel - cf. Ac 5:34
         b. Taught according to the strictness of the Law (i.e., a
            Pharisee) - cf. Php 3:5
         c. Zealous toward God, just like they were - cf. Php 3:6
      3. His persecution of the church - Ac 22:4-5
         a. Persecuted this "Way" to death - cf. Ac 26:9-11
         b. Imprisoning men and women - cf. Ac 8:3
         c. To which the high priest and council could bear witness - cf.
            Ac 9:1-2
         d. From whom he received letters to synagogues in Damascus to 
            arrest those of the "Way" and bring them to Jerusalem - cf.
            Ac 9:1-2 

   B. HIS CONVERSION...
      1. On the road to Damascus - Ac 22:6-11
         a. Near Damascus, about noon, a great light from heaven shone 
            around him
            1) Falling to the ground, he heard a voice:  "Saul, Saul, why
               are you persecuting Me?"
            2) Paul answered, "Who are you, Lord?"
            3) The voice answered, "I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom you are
               persecuting."
         b. Those who were with him were afraid
            1) They saw the light
            2) They did not hear (understand) the voice - cf. Ac 9:7
         c. The conversation continued between Paul and Jesus
            1) Paul:  "What shall I do, Lord?"
            2) Jesus:  "Arise and go into Damascus, and there you will be
               told all things which are appointed for you to do."
         d. Blinded by the light, Paul was led by the hand into Damascus
      2. In the city of Damascus - Ac 22:12-16
         a. The arrival of Ananias - cf. Ac 9:10-14
            1) A devout man according to the law
            2) Having a good testimony of all the Jews who dwelt in
               Damascus
            3) Who healed Paul of his blindness
         b. The message from Ananias - cf. Ac 9:15-16
            1) "The God of our fathers has chosen you that you should
               know His will, and see the Just One, and hear the voice of
               His mouth."
            2) "For you will be His witness to all men of what you have
               seen and heard."
         c. The command from Ananias - cf. Ac 9:6
            1) "And now why are you waiting?"
            2) "Arise and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling
               on the name of the Lord."

   C. HIS VISION...
      1. Of the Lord, on a later visit to Jerusalem - Ac 22:17
      2. Of the Lord, telling him to flee Jerusalem - Ac 22:18-20
         a. For they would not receive his testimony concerning the Lord
         b. Even though Paul was telling them his persecution of the
            church
         c. Even though Paul participated in the stoning of Stephen 
      3. Of the Lord, telling him to go to the Gentiles - Ac 22:21
   
[At this point the mob refused to listen further, and Paul had to be
taken away by the Roman soldiers (Ac 22:22-24).  Our next study will
continue with what happened next, but for now...]

II. SOME OBSERVATIONS

   A. REGARDING HIS DEFENSE...
      1. Note Paul's politeness under trying circumstances
         a. We saw earlier his polite appeal to the commander - Ac 21:37
         b. Now he addresses a mob wanting to kill him as "brethren and
            fathers" - Ac 22:1
         c. Demonstrating what he later taught others - cf. Col 4:6;
            2Ti 2:24-26
      2. Note Paul's purpose in recounting his conversion
         a. In the context of his earlier history, it was to explain his
            actions
         b. It was not "witnessing" (telling your conversion story) as 
            often done today
         c. In Acts, witnessing is always in regards to Jesus' 
            resurrection - cf. Ac 1:8,22; 2:32
         d. No one ever told their "conversion story" as a method of
            evangelism in the NT
         e. Such "witnessing" encourages one to believe in Jesus based on
            another's experience rather than on apostolic testimony 
            concerning Jesus' resurrection - cf. Jn 17:20
         f. Such "witnessing" calls for people to base their faith on
            subjective and often exaggerated stories rather than in the 
            objective eye-witness testimony of the apostles!

   B. REGARDING HIS CONVERSION...
      1. We learn that Paul was not saved on the road to Damascus
         a. Perhaps converted in the sense of having his view of Jesus
            changed
         b. But after arriving in Damascus, he was still in his sins!
            - Ac 22:16
         c. Despite three days of praying and fasting (faith and
            repentance) - cf. Ac 9:9,11   
      2. We learn that Paul's sins were washed away in baptism
         a. As the Lord had Ananias tell Paul "what to do" - Ac 22:16;
            cf. Ac 9:6
         b. As the Spirit-led Peter told both Jews and Gentiles - Ac 2:38; 10:48
         c. Jesus' blood washes away sin at the point of baptism - Ro 6:3-7; Col 2:12-13
      3. We learn how one calls upon the name of the Lord (Ac 22:16)
         a. One is saved by calling upon the name of the Lord - Ac 2:21;
            Ro 10:13
         b. Peter told people how to call upon his name:  via baptism! 
            - Ac 2:38
         c. Peter wrote that baptism saves:  as an appeal to God for a 
            clean conscience - 1Pe 3:21

CONCLUSION

1. Paul's defense before the mob is the first of several; he will defend
   himself...
   a. Next, before the Sanhedrin council (Ac 23)
   b. After that, before two Roman governors (Felix, Ac 24, Festus, Ac 25)
   c. Then, before Herod Agrippa (Ac 26)
   d. Ultimately, before the Roman emperor Nero

2. Luke's record of Paul's defenses may have served several purposes...
   a. To help whoever ("most excellent Theophilus"? Lk 2:4) handled
      Paul's appeal to Nero 
   b. To help all better understand Paul's conversion and ministry as
      an apostle of Christ

As we continue in our study of Acts, may such understanding serve us
well regarding our own conversion and ministry as servants of Christ...!

From Gary... 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10... zzzz's

Counting your blessings

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DXKxazgio2s

Each and every day I see what is new on FACE-BOOK. As I read the various articles and looked at the posts since yesterday, it struck me how much brother Ed Healy has been posting on a daily basis for a long time now. If you have never been to his website (http://theabidingword.com/logos/index.html), please do. You will find some wonderful posts there. So much so, that I have re-posting them to my own blogs for what must be several years now!!! And, after I left face-book and started reviewing my jpegs, it occurred to me how much I am blessing by his work (and many others as well)!!! So, it should come as no surprise that I thought of a song from that old movie starring Bing Crosby- White Christmas. Please do click on the link above (Counting your blessings) and then take a few minutes to actually think about them; I think you will be pleasantly surprised by how much God has richly blessed you in the here and now!!! But what about the there and then after the "now". That's where the Bible comes in....

Ephesians 1:1-23 NASB
(1) Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, To the saints who are at Ephesus and who are faithful in Christ Jesus:
(2) Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
(3) Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ,
(4) just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him. In love
(5) He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will,
(6) to the praise of the glory of His grace, which He freely bestowed on us in the Beloved.
(7) In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace
(8) which He lavished on us. In all wisdom and insight
(9) He made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His kind intention which He purposed in Him
(10) with a view to an administration suitable to the fullness of the times, that is, the summing up of all things in Christ, things in the heavens and things on the earth. In Him
(11) also we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to His purpose who works all things after the counsel of His will,
(12) to the end that we who were the first to hope in Christ would be to the praise of His glory.
(13) In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation--having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise,
(14) who is given as a pledge of our inheritance, with a view to the redemption of God's own possession, to the praise of His glory.
(15) For this reason I too, having heard of the faith in the Lord Jesus which exists among you and your love for all the saints,
(16) do not cease giving thanks for you, while making mention of you in my prayers;
(17) that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of Him.
(18) I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you will know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints,
(19) and what is the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe. These are in accordance with the working of the strength of His might
(20) which He brought about in Christ, when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places,
(21) far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come.
(22) And He put all things in subjection under His feet, and gave Him as head over all things to the church,
(23) which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.

Well, blessings are not just for the "then", its also the "now"(for those who are Jesus' disciples Christians). I am not going to list all the blessings that are found in this chapter- you should really read and reflect on this one yourself. As always, you have a choice of whether or not to think about such things, but I hope you do-

AND COUNT YOUR BLESSINGS

(SLEEPING IS OPTIONAL)!!!!!