6/16/16

Where Godless Evolution Leads by Dave Miller, Ph.D.


http://apologeticspress.org/APContent.aspx?category=9&article=1460

Where Godless Evolution Leads

by Dave Miller, Ph.D.
What would one expect to be the result of 50 years of teaching young people that there is no God, and that humans are simply “higher” on the evolutionary ladder than other forms of animal life? One example would be PETA’s (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) “Fish Empathy Project.” “Fish are so misunderstood because they’re so far removed from our daily lives,” said Empathy Project manager Karin Robertson. “They’re such interesting, fascinating individuals, yet they’re so incredibly abused” (Crary, 2004). As the director of PETA’s UK office explained: “So many beautiful, thinking, feeling animals—who value their lives as we value ours—needlessly killed because we humans can’t seem to break our addiction to the taste of flesh” (Carr, n.d.). “No one would ever put a hook through a dog’s or cat’s mouth,” said Bruce Friedrich,PETA’s director of vegan outreach (Crary, 2004). In fact, Friedrich questioned why there is popular support for sparing marine mammals—dolphins and porpoises—yet minimal concern for species like tuna, “whose suffering would warrant felony animal cruelty charges if they were mammals” (Crary, 2004). Marine biologist, Dr. Sylvia Earle, agrees: “I wouldn’t eat a grouper any more than I’d eat a cocker spaniel. They’re so good-natured, so curious. You know, fish are sensitive, they have personalities, they hurt when they’re wounded” (PETA’s Fish Empathy…,” 2004).
After creating the animals, God created the first human beings, setting them apart from the animal kingdom by creating humans in His own image (Genesis 1:27). Humans possess a soul—a spirit—that lives on after the death of the body (Ecclesiastes 12:7; Zechariah 12:1; Luke 16:22-31; Hebrews 12:9; James 2:26). Animals do not share this spiritual dimension in common with humans. Animals are not human, and are not to be regarded as such. The Bible speaks directly to the question of the relationship between humans and fish. Humans are to “have dominion (i.e., rule) over the fish of the sea” (Genesis 1:26,28; cf. Psalm 8:6-8). In fact, the Bible declares specifically that, among other things, “all the fish of the sea…are given into your hand…[and] shall be food for you” (Genesis 9:2-3, emp. added).
Atheism and evolution inevitably demean humanity and deify animals. The Bible and Christianity lift humans up and call upon them to measure up to the “image” (Genesis 1:26-27) and dignity bestowed upon them by the Creator. The words of Jesus apply to fish as much as they apply to birds: “Are you not of more value than they?” (Matthew 6:26).

REFERENCES

Carr, Dawn (no date), “They Die Slowly…,” [On-line]: URL: http://www.fishinghurts.com/feat/dieslowly/.
Crary, David (2004), “PETA Campaign Pitches Fish As Smart,” [On-line], URL: http://news.findlaw.com/ap_stories/other/1110/11-16-2004/ 20041116223004_23.html.
“PETA’s Fish Empathy Ad Hits the Airwaves,” (2004), [On-line], URL: http://fishinghurts.com/feat/linda/.

Tolerance, Diversity, and Division by Dave Miller, Ph.D.


http://apologeticspress.org/APContent.aspx?category=7&article=2083


Tolerance, Diversity, and Division

by Dave Miller, Ph.D.
One of the “big myths” of society that surely will go down in history as a significant contributor to the moral decline of America is the incessant clamor by liberals for “tolerance” and “diversity.” They insist that those who oppose same-sex marriage are “intolerant” and lack basic human “compassion.” They maintain that “diversity” and “tolerance” (code words for acceptance of homosexuality) are healthy for society, and that those who oppose homosexuality are merely “demonizing people for political advantage” and “perpetuating division” (Obama, 2004).
Satan is slick. He uses “devices,” “wiles,” and “snares” (2 Corinthians 2:11; Ephesians 6:11; 2 Timothy 2:26) to distort people’s thinking. He is a shrewd master of advancing his agenda by disguising the immoral with a righteous veneer. If people give in to emotional impulse, rather than thinking rationally, logically, and biblically, they will swallow the propaganda and embrace Satan’s ploys.
The fallacy of such “reasoning” is made apparent when placed in syllogistic form:
1. Everyone should be compassionate, tolerant, and accepting of diversity;
2. Homosexuality is one form of diversity;
3. Therefore, homosexuality should be accepted/approved; to fail to do so is intolerant and divisive.
Few would disagree with the first premise. The Bible clearly teaches that God loves every person, and He requires Christians to do the same. However, toleration cannot and must not extend to any practice, action, or behavior that is evil, immoral, and sinful, i.e., out of harmony with God’s will.
Using the above line of reasoning, the tolerance/diversity umbrella ought logically to apply to pedophilia, necrophilia, incest, bestiality, and every other aberrant sexual behavior. Similarly, the same principle ought to apply to murder, stealing, drug dealing, and every other illegal action. Are we simply to cancel all laws in the United States that govern human behavior—on the guise that to enforce them is “intolerant”? Are we to open the doors of all the prisons in the country and free the criminals—on the grounds that to fail to do so is to “perpetuate division”? By such foolish thinking, placing anyone in prison constitutes a lack of “compassion.”
The tolerance/diversity viewpoint is completely nonsensical. If applied consistently and thoroughly, it would lead to social anarchy, rampant lawlessness, and the destruction of society. Opposing homosexuality, abortion, and a host of other social and moral evils is not incompatible with compassion and tolerance. One can oppose and punish murder while still maintaining compassion for the murderer. The overarching, governing principle is the recognition of and submission to the absolute standard of morality given to the human race by the God of the Bible—the God who is love (1 John 4:16). Those who reject that standard, thereby elevating their own fleshly appetites above the transcendent Creator, one day will face the consequences: “He who rejects Me, and does not receive My words, has that which judges him—the word that I have spoken will judge him in the last day” (John 12:48). Those who consider themselves more tolerant and compassionate than God need a healthy dose of humility to alter their skewed perspective:
Thus says the Lord: “Heaven is My throne, and earth is My footstool. Where is the house that you will build Me? And where is the place of My rest? For all those things My hand has made, and all those things exist,” says the Lord. “But on this one will I look: on him who is poor and of a contrite spirit, and who trembles at My word (Isaiah 66:1-2, emp. added).
May we be among “those that tremble at the commandment of our God” (Ezra 10:3).

REFERENCES

Obama, Barack (2004), “Obama on Marriage,” Windy City Times, November 2, [On-line], URL: “http://www.windycitymediagroup.com/gay/lesbian/news/ARTICLE.php?AID=4018.

Breaking the Silence by Eric Lyons, M.Min.


http://apologeticspress.org/AllegedDiscrepancies.aspx?article=2593&b=Mark

Breaking the Silence

by Eric Lyons, M.Min.

Given the fact that Satan is the father of lies (John 8:44), it should be no surprise that one of the most disputed days in history “just so happens” to be the most important day for Christians—the day on which Jesus rose from the dead (1 Corinthians 15:12-18). For centuries, critics of Christ have ridiculed the gospel writers’ resurrection narratives, contending that there are blatant contradictions within the accounts. In his book, Losing Faith in Faith: From Preacher to Atheist, Dan Barker lists no less than 17 “discrepancies” within the resurrection accounts alone (1992, pp. 178-184). In his book Biblical Errancy, skeptic Dennis McKinsey lists 20 alleged discrepancies under a section titled, “The Resurrection Accounts are Contradictory” (2000, pp. 447-454). One of the questions that both of these gentlemen ask is, “Did the women tell what happened?” (Barker, p. 183; McKinsey, p. 451).
Allegedly, Mark’s account of the women who came to the tomb on the morning of Jesus’ resurrection disagrees with what Matthew and Luke recorded. Notice carefully what these three gospel writers penned concerning the women following their visit to the empty tomb.
“So they went out quickly from the tomb with fear and great joy, and ran to bring His disciples word” (Matthew 28:8, emp. added).
“Then they returned from the tomb and told all these things to the eleven and to all the rest” (Luke 24:9, emp. added).
“So they went out quickly and fled from the tomb, for they trembled and were amazed. And they said nothing to anyone, for they were afraid” (Mark 16:8, emp. added).
Since Matthew and Luke indicated that the women brought word of Jesus’ resurrection to the disciples, while Mark specified that the women “said nothing to anyone,” then supposedly the resurrection narratives prove unreliable. Is this true?
Before answering this question, consider what the prophet Isaiah foretold about the silence of the coming Messiah. He wrote (as if it already had happened):
He was oppressed and He was afflicted, yet He opened not His mouth; He was led as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before its shearers is silent, so He opened not His mouth (53:7, emp. added).
Isaiah prophesied that the Messiah would not open His mouth, but would be “silent.” Question: Did Jesus ever speak during His ministry? Certainly, but this prophecy does not characterize Jesus’ entire ministry. Instead, it refers to the particular time when Jesus was tried and crucified. Still, however, Jesus was not completely silent even during His trial and crucifixion (cf. Matthew 26:64; 27:11; Luke 23:28-31,43). So how could Isaiah describe Him as being “silent”? Aside from the fact that “to open the mouth” frequently meant more than simply to speak or not to speak (see Lyons, 2004), Isaiah’s prophecy was fulfilled because there was a particular period of time in which Jesus remained silent. Mark recorded that Jesus, while being falsely accused, “kept silent and answered nothing” (Mark 14:61; cf. Matthew 26:63). The silence of the Sufferer was momentary, and any attempt to force Isaiah’s prophecy to mean more than temporary silence is unjustifiable.
Similarly, the women who visited Jesus’ tomb following His resurrection “said nothing” for a period of time. Barker, McKinsey, and other critics who point to Mark 16:8 as contradicting Matthew 28:8 and Luke 24:9 fail to consider that these verses are incongruous only if the writers were referring to the exact same period of the day. The truth is, initially, the women were afraid and silent, as Mark recorded. Then, later that day, they broke their silence and “told all these things to the eleven and to all the rest” (Luke 24:9). Mark’s narrative does not contradict Matthew and Luke, but supplements their accounts. What’s more, if Bible critics were to examine all of Mark’s resurrection narrative, they would learn that following the women’s temporary silence regarding Jesus’ empty tomb (16:8), Mary Magdalene “told those who had been with Him” (16:10) just as the angel had commanded her and the other women earlier in the day (16:7). Thus, Mark defined what he meant when he wrote “they said nothing to anyone.” They said nothing for a time, and then later bore witness of Jesus’ resurrection to the disciples.

REFERENCES

Barker, Dan (1992), Losing Faith in Faith (Madison, WI: Freedom From Religion Foundation).
Lyons, Eric (2004), “He Opened Not His Mouth,” Apologetics Press, [On-line], URL:http://www.apologeticspress.org/articles/2603.
McKinsey, C. Dennis (2000), Biblical Errancy (Amherst, NY: Prometheus).

The Holy Spirit by J.C. Bailey


http://www.oldpaths.com/Archive/Bailey/John/Carlos/1903/Articles/holyspir.html

The Holy Spirit

This is a subject of much controversy both in the church and out of the church. I hope we can add something to the educational process, that we might better understand the work of the Holy Spirit. We are instructed to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace (Eph. 4:3). God does something we cannot do. The next verse tells us that there is one Spirit (Eph. 4:4). The Bible reveals that the Spirit is a person, not an influence. It is true that he may influence people but he is a person: "Howbeit when he the Spirit of truth is come...." (John 16:13); "But the Comforter, even the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things" (John 14:26). So this person is to teach the apostles all things and then through their words we will have unity. He is the Spirit of truth (John 16:13). We are sanctified in the truth and God's word is truth (John 17:17). Truth is always in harmony with truth. Therefore the Holy Spirit will not guide, or instruct us, into something contrary to the word. That the teachings of the apostles were the words of the Holy Spirit is made evident in this passage: "Neither for these only do I pray, but for them also that believe in me through their word: that all may be one, even as thou Father art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us; that the world may believe that thou didst send me" (John 17:20-21).
The apostles did not interpret the Spirit to us. They did not tell us what the Spirit meant. They told us what the Holy Spirit said, "But we received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is from God; that we might know the things which were freely given to us of God. Which things also we speak, not in words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Spirit teacheth, combining spiritual things with spiritual words (I Cor. 2:12-13). We read again: "For no prophecy ever came by will of man; but men spake from God, being moved by the Holy Spirit (2 Peter 1:21). We are told that we need the Holy Spirit to interpret the Bible to us. If the Holy Spirit did not tell us what He meant the first time then how would we know that he was telling us the truth the second time? In the Bible there is oneness but when men begin to interpret the Bible we have confusion.
It would be impossible for the Spirit to teach us something different from the word of God, or it is not the word of God that we have. For Truth cannot contradict Truth. Two and two are four. We never learn anything that contradicts that no matter how far we may go in mathematics. So He is the Spirit of Truth. The Bible is the Word of Truth. So they must be in harmony. To make this abundantly clear Jesus said, "It is the spirit that giveth life, the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I have spoken unto you are spirit, and are life" (John 6:63).
We are to keep the unity of the Spirit. The Bible says, there is one God. That we accept. There is one Lord Jesus Christ, that we accept. There is one Spirit. In theory we accept that, but in practice many reject it. The very same verse that says there is One Spirit says that there is One Body (Eph. 4:4). That body is the church but people who claim to be directly guided by the Holy Spirit say that the church consists of many bodies, that the church consists of the various religious bodies or at least certain people within the various religious bodies, that the church is not one body as the Bible teaches and hence the Holy Spirit teaches. The unity of the Holy Spirit has been destroyed and not enhanced as these people would like us to believe. This is one of the remarkable things about those who claim to be directly guided by the Spirit today: immediately they reject what the Holy Spirit said about one body, the church.
The Holy Spirit reveals the church as a glorious thing but those who claim today to be led by the Spirit reject the Bible concept of the church for a fragmented denominationalism. The Bible teaches that as a husband and wife are to live together in true fidelity, so Christ and the church are to live (Eph. 5:25- 26). Not only is there only one Spirit and one body (church) but there is only One Lord. The word Lord means ruler. When you have more than one church you have more than one ruler. Each church has its own system of government and its laws. Then every church with its own government also has its own faith. So the faith is fragmented. The Holy Spirit tells us that the faith was once for all delivered to the saints (Jude 3). So anything newer than the New Testament is not the faith.
Then there is one baptism. As we have more Lords we have more bodies, we have more faiths and we have more baptisms. On the day of Pentecost the Holy Spirit, by Peter, told them to repent and be baptized for the remission of sins. The command is plain. We have no trouble understanding what it says but men have used barrels of ink and tons of paper trying to show that this did not mean exactly what it says. Why? The Lordship has been altered, the faith that has been added teaches something else besides the One Baptism that the Holy Spirit reveals (Acts 2:38). Note this significant statement. "They then that received his word were baptized and there were added unto them in that day about three thousand souls" (Acts 2:41). So this is the one baptism. We hear the word of the Spirit as given on Pentecost and we obey it. God is over this plan and in this plan (Eph. 4:6).
But someone asks the question, "What about Holy Spirit baptism?" Let us see what the Bible tells us about this. In other words, we shall see what the Holy Spirit said about baptism of the Holy Spirit. Jesus gave us the fulfillment of this promise. Here is the prophecy as made by John the Baptist: "I indeed baptize you in water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear, he shall baptize you in the Holy Spirit and in fire." Then John goes right on to tell us what the baptism of fire will be. It is unquenchable fire that shall burn up the chaff (Matthew 3:11-12).
After his resurrection Jesus tells us about the baptism of the Holy Spirit and I want you to study with me very carefully: "The former treatise I made O Theophilus, concerning all that Jesus began both to do and to teach until the day in which he was received up after he had given commandment through the Holy Spirit unto the apostles whom he had chosen: to whom he also showed himself alive after his passion by many proofs, appearing unto them by the space of forty days, and speaking the things concerning the kingdom of God, and being assembled together with them [notice that the antecedent to 'them' must be the apostles and only the apostles] he charged them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father, which, said he, ye heard from me: For John indeed baptized with water but ye shall be baptized in the Holy Spirit not many days hence" (Acts 1:1-5). So Jesus said that the baptism of the Holy Spirit was for the apostles and there was no promise that it would ever be given to any other person.
Now let us note carefully what happened: We quote from Acts 2: "And when the day of Pentecost was now come they [the apostles] were all together in one place. And suddenly there came from heaven a sound as the rushing of a might wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared unto them tongues, parting asunder like as of fire, and it sat upon each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and began to speak with other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance (Acts 2:1-4). When the Holy Spirit came the result was that these people spoke by the power of the Holy Spirit.
After explaining the purpose of the Spirit coming they then preached the gospel to these people. They told them of the miracles of Christ. Jesus did these things that we might be believers and be saved, not by any direct operation of the Holy Spirit, but by believing the miracles that Jesus worked. Let us read carefully: "Many other signs therefore did Jesus in the presence of his disciples which are not written in this book: but these are written, that ye may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and believing might have life in his name" (John 20:30-31). So Peter by the Holy Spirit preached about the miracles of Jesus.
We are to be saved by our faith in the gospel: "And he said unto them, Go ye unto all the world and preach the gospel to the whole creation. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved but he that disbelieveth shall be condemned" (Mark 16:15-16). Paul told us that the gospel was the facts of the death, burial and resurrection of Christ (1 Cor. 15:1-5). Peter ended the first part of his sermon with these words: "Let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom ye have crucified (Acts 2:36). This did not cause people to fall down on the floor. This caused people to ask a question. They believed the message that the Holy Spirit gave and this caused them to ask a question: "now when they heard this, they were pricked in the heart, and said unto Peter and the rest of the apostles, Brethren, what shall we do?" Peter was baptized in the Holy Spirit along with the rest of the apostles and here was the answer. He did not tell them to pray through. He did not tell them that since they had become believers, there was nothing for them to do. Listen to the answer of the Holy Spirit: "Repent ye and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ unto the remission of your sins; and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:38).
He said that the gift of the Holy Spirit would be given to the people who were baptized for the remission of sins. Then we have it made more plain in Acts 5:32. Peter is talking: "and we are witnesses of these things: and so is the Holy Spirit whom God hath given to those who obey him." Here is a promise from the Holy Spirit, the Holy Spirit is given to those who obey. We may not fully understand this but we can believe it and we can learn from the Scriptures something of this at least, if not everything.
As I write I have an electric light beside me. I do not know much about electricity but I can make much use of it. So the Christian has the indwelling of the Spirit and we can make use of it even if our knowledge is not perfect. The New Testament provides us with all that we need to know. Paul wrote to Timothy or rather the Holy Spirit wrote to Timothy and used Paul as his secretary. Here is what he had to say, "and that from a babe thou hast known the sacred writings which are able to make you wise unto salvation through the faith which is in Christ Jesus. Every scripture inspired of God is profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness that the man of God may be complete, furnished completely unto every good work" (2 Tim. 3:15-17). So I can learn the word of God, I can believe the word of God and the Holy Spirit says I am completely furnished unto every good work.
However, we must realize that the mere learning of the Scripture is not enough. Christ by the Spirit, by faith, must dwell in the inner man. We read, "That he would grant you, according to the richness of his glory, that ye may be strengthened with power through his Spirit in the inward man, that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith to the end that ye, being rooted and grounded in love..." (Eph. 3:16-17). So we are grounded by faith in Christ, the Spirit, dwells in the inner man.
This indwelling Spirit is something peculiar to the gospel. We have inspiration in the Old Testament. We have healing in the Old Testament. We had the miracles of creation and we have the miracles that Moses worked. We have miracles that were worked by the apostles during the personal ministry of Christ. But there was something beyond all this, for we learn in John 7:37-39: "Now on the last day, the great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried saying, if any man thirst, let him come unto me and drink. He that believeth on me, as the Scripture hath said, from within him shall flow rivers of living water. But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believed on him were to receive: for the Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not glorified." So the gift of the Spirit was for Christians in a way that others did not receive it. We shall return to this in a moment but we must notice that the Spirit was not given to the world but to the believer: "even the Spirit of truth: whom the world cannot receive; for it beholdeth him not, neither knoweth him: ye know him, for he abideth with you, and shall be in you" (John 14:17). The gospel is the power of God to save the believer (Rom. 1:16). Yet, the people of the world pray that the Holy Spirit will come in converting power to the sinner. Jesus said that the sinner cannot receive the Holy Spirit.
If we do not have the Spirit we cannot lose the Spirit. The Thessalonians were told not to quench the Spirit (1 Thess. 5:19). Jude told us that some so sinned that they did not have the Spirit (Jude 19).
How do I know that I have the Spirit? Because I have the fruit of the Spirit? Paul tells us of the fight that goes on. The flesh lusteth against the Spirit and the Spirit against the flesh and these are contrary to one another (Gal. 5:16-21). Then he says the fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, meekness, self control: against such there is no law (Gal 5:22-23). In order for the Spirit to abide, we must crucify the flesh with its passions (verse 24).
God operates according to law. Miracles were always an exception. He made Adam from dust. He made Eve from a rib and then natural law went into operation and all people come into the world through natural law. Moses turned water into blood. That was a miracle but by natural law in our bodies every day, water is turned into blood. If this were not so, man would soon perish from the earth. Jesus fed five thousand by a miracle. God feeds billions every day by natural law. God must put the life into every grain of wheat, or rice, or any other food. No man can do that. The light and heat of the sun is brought 93 million miles and is not expended. Man cannot do that. God sends the rain. No man can do that. So God's natural laws are far greater than any miracle but these miracles were done to show his power (Mk. 16:29-30; Heb. 2:3-4).
When the New Testament was complete the purpose of these signs was fulfilled. Paul was a great worker of miracles but they had fulfilled their purpose: He said tongues would cease and that prophecy would fail (I Cor. 13:8-9). John tells us that with Revelation, prophecy was complete (Rev. 22:18-19). Paul told Timothy to take some medicine for his sickness (1 Tim. 5:23). The old soldier, the man who had kept the faith, says that he left Trophimus at Miletus sick (2 Tim. 4:20). Even in the midst of His miracles Jesus said the sick need a doctor (Mk. 2:17). The miraculous does not change man. Balaam, the son of Beor, was a prophet but he loved the hire of wrong doing. Caiaphas was a prophet and told of the death of Christ but he was a wicked man. The Corinthian church had many miraculous gifts but the church had many sins. The indwelling Spirit which is the right of every baptized believer will lift up to the better plain. "But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwelleth in you, he that raised up Jesus from the dead shall give life also to your mortal bodies through his Spirit that dwelleth in you" (Rom. 8:11). When the Spirit would come, Jesus said that from the believer would flow living water. The last invitation is to take freely of the water of life (Rev. 22:17).
J.C. Bailey (January 1986, Bengough, Saskatchewan)
Published in The Old Paths Archive
(http://www.oldpaths.com)

Listen to GOD and LIVE by Gary Rose

I was handed this article from the Tampa Bay Times last night after Bible Study and wanted to share it. I was appalled that he would link Christianity with every other religion. More than that, to say that Christian condemnation of LGBT practices is a matter of "tradition" is to miss the point of religion. If one wants to come to God (which is what the word religion means), then one needs to listen to what HE says. To hear and not obey is more than foolishness; it is a sign of a corrupt mind and a heart that sides with Satan!!!

God has said:

Leviticus, Chapter 18 (WEB)
  22  “‘You shall not lie with a man, as with a woman. That is detestable. 

Deuteronomy, Chapter 22 (WEB)
5 A woman shall not wear men’s clothing, neither shall a man put on women’s clothing; for whoever does these things is an abomination to Yahweh your God.

Deuteronomy, Chapter 20 (WEB)
 10  “‘The man who commits adultery with another man’s wife, even he who commits adultery with his neighbor’s wife, the adulterer and the adulteress shall surely be put to death. 

  11  “‘The man who lies with his father’s wife has uncovered his father’s nakedness: both of them shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them. 

  12  “‘If a man lies with his daughter-in-law, both of them shall surely be put to death: they have committed a perversion; their blood shall be upon them. 

  13  “‘If a man lies with a male, as with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination: they shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them. 

  14  “‘If a man takes a wife and her mother, it is wickedness: they shall be burned with fire, both he and they; that there may be no wickedness among you. 

  15  “‘If a man lies with an animal, he shall surely be put to death; and you shall kill the animal. 
  16  “‘If a woman approaches any animal, and lies down with it, you shall kill the woman and the animal. They shall surely be put to death. Their blood shall be upon them. 

  17  “‘If a man takes his sister, his father’s daughter, or his mother’s daughter, and sees her nakedness, and she sees his nakedness; it is a shameful thing. They shall be cut off in the sight of the children of their people. He has uncovered his sister’s nakedness. He shall bear his iniquity. 

Deuteronomy, Chapter 22 (WEB)
 23 If there is a young lady who is a virgin pledged to be married to a husband, and a man finds her in the city, and lies with her;  24 then you shall bring them both out to the gate of that city, and you shall stone them to death with stones; the lady, because she didn’t cry, being in the city; and the man, because he has humbled his neighbor’s wife. So you shall remove the evil from your midst.  25 But if the man finds the lady who is pledged to be married in the field, and the man forces her, and lies with her; then only the man who lay with her shall die;  26 but to the lady you shall do nothing.

Matthew, Chapter 19 (WEB)
 1 When Jesus had finished these words, he departed from Galilee, and came into the borders of Judea beyond the Jordan.  2 Great multitudes followed him, and he healed them there.  3 Pharisees came to him, testing him, and saying, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for any reason?” 

  4  He answered, “Haven’t you read that he who made them from the beginning made them male and female,  5  and said, ‘For this cause a man shall leave his father and mother, and shall join to his wife; and the two shall become one flesh?’  6  So that they are no more two, but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, don’t let man tear apart.” (Emp. added GDR)

  7  They asked him, “Why then did Moses command us to give her a bill of divorce, and divorce her?” 

  8  He said to them, “Moses, because of the hardness of your hearts, allowed you to divorce your wives, but from the beginning it has not been so.   9  I tell you that whoever divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another, commits adultery; and he who marries her when she is divorced commits adultery.” 

Romans, Chapter 1 (WEB)
 16 For I am not ashamed of the Good News of Christ, for it is the power of God for salvation for everyone who believes; for the Jew first, and also for the Greek.  17 For in it is revealed God’s righteousness from faith to faith. As it is written, “But the righteous shall live by faith.”  18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness,  19 because that which is known of God is revealed in them, for God revealed it to them.  20 For the invisible things of him since the creation of the world are clearly seen, being perceived through the things that are made, even his everlasting power and divinity; that they may be without excuse.  21 Because, knowing God, they didn’t glorify him as God, neither gave thanks, but became vain in their reasoning, and their senseless heart was darkened. 

  22  Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,  23 and traded the glory of the incorruptible God for the likeness of an image of corruptible man, and of birds, and four-footed animals, and creeping things.  24 Therefore God also gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to uncleanness, that their bodies should be dishonored among themselves,  25 who exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen. 

  26  For this reason, God gave them up to vile passions. For their women changed the natural function into that which is against nature.  27 Likewise also the men, leaving the natural function of the woman, burned in their lust toward one another, men doing what is inappropriate with men, and receiving in themselves the due penalty of their error. (Emp. added GDR) 28 Even as they refused to have God in their knowledge, God gave them up to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not fitting;  29 being filled with all unrighteousness, sexual immorality, wickedness, covetousness, malice; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil habits, secret slanderers,  30 backbiters, hateful to God, insolent, haughty, boastful, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, 31 without understanding, covenant breakers, without natural affection, unforgiving, unmerciful;  32 who, knowing the ordinance 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. 

One man, one woman, for life. Get it? I am sorry that people died in the Orlando shooting, but to blame it on religion is stupidity. 

The author of the article is arguing with the Word of GOD and is showing his ignorance and his arrogance, for when he uses the title "Reverend" he is using a name of GOD!!!

Psalm 111 (ASV)
 [1] Praise ye Jehovah. I will give thanks unto Jehovah with my whole heart, In the council of the upright, and in the congregation.  2 The works of Jehovah are great, Sought out of all them that have pleasure therein.  3 His work is honor and majesty; And his righteousness endureth for ever.  4 He hath made his wonderful works to be remembered: Jehovah is gracious and merciful.  5 He hath given [1] food unto them that fear him: He will ever be mindful of his covenant.
  6 He hath showed his people the power of his works, In giving them the heritage of the nations.  7 The works of his hands are truth and justice; All his precepts are sure.  8 They are established for ever and ever; They are [1] done in truth and uprightness.   9 He hath sent redemption unto his people; He hath commanded his covenant for ever: Holy and reverend is his name. (Emp. added GDR)

Psalm 111 (KJV)  9 He sent redemption unto his people: he hath commanded his covenant for ever: holy and reverend is his name. (Emp. added GDR)

Psalm 111 (Rotherham) 9 Ransom, hath he sent to his people, He hath commanded, to times age-abiding, his covenant, Holy and reverend, is his Name. (Emp. added GDR)

Last night we studied the book of Jude and the following keeps coming to my mind:

Jude (WEB)
3  Beloved, while I was very eager to write to you about our common salvation, I was constrained to write to you exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints.  4 For there are certain men who crept in secretly, even those who were long ago written about for this condemnation: ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into indecency, and denying our only Master, God, and Lord, Jesus Christ. (Emp. added GDR)

Do not listen to what men say, but rather- listen to God!!! Why? Because God and only God is the one who will save you from the penalty for the sins you have committed!!!  Obey God and live- forever!!!

6/15/16

The Tower Of Babel And The “New World Order” by Allan Turner


http://allanturner.com/article17.html


The Tower Of Babel
And
The “New World Order”

(This article was written when George Bush was President and shortly after the Gulf War.)
In Genesis 11:1-9, we learn of a united human race, one in both language and purpose, determined to build a tower in the Plain of Shinar. The construction of the tower was to serve as a monument to human achievement. The attitude of the builders was indicative of those who had rejected God as their Creator. Dr. Merrill F. Unger, in his well-known dictionary of the Bible, identifies the basic motivation underlying the entire project as “God-defying disobedience and pride” (Unger's Bible Dictionary, p. 114). In his book, New Age Globalism, H. Edward Rowe wrote:
We must not miss the central warning that resounds through the corridors of the long centuries to our time. The tower builders structured a mighty global organization, independent of God. They dedicated it to the establishment of a human unity which would secure them against the prospect of being scattered apart throughout the world (p. 6).
The Bible, of course, teaches us that God was very much displeased with such an effort, and , as a result, “confounded their language” and “scattered them abroad,” the very thing they were trying to prevent!

The New Babel
The descendants of the Babel builders are still with us today. Their plan for creating a “global society” is evident in their various writings. In Humanist Manifesto II, under the heading, “World Community,” we read:
We deplore the division of humankind on nationalistic grounds. We have reached a turning point in human history where the best option is to transcend the limits of national sovereignty as to move toward the building of a world community... We look to the development of a system of world law and a world order based upon transnational federal government.
Elsewhere in the same document, we read:
What more daring a goal for humankind than for each person to become, in ideal as well as practice, a citizen of a world community.
According to this document:
No deity will save us: we must save ourselves.

As a result of the 1944 Dumbarton Oaks Proposal, as well as the 1945 Yalta and San Francisco Conferences, the United Nations Charter came into force on October 24, 1945. On December 14, 1946, the U.N. accepted a gift of $8.6 million from John D. Rockefeller, Jr., to buy the eighteen acres of land on New York's East River upon which the current U.N. building sits. The next year, the U.S. Congress approved a $65 million interest-free loan to finance the construction of the glass, stone, and steel tower dedicated to the enshrinement of “collective security.” Between 1945 and 1987, the United States contributed $17 billion of the estimated $87 billion spent by this organization. The nonaligned nations, which make up the majority of the United Nations delegations, have voted with the communist line fully 85 percent of the time in the General Assembly. Like the Tower of Babel before it, the United Nations, worshipping the false gods of man, all in the name of unity and security, represents a denial of the Lordship of Jesus Christ, the Creator, Sustainer, and Savior of the world. The builders of this modern-day Tower of Babel place man above God and the Almighty State above man.
The initial optimism with which the world was aglow after World War II has long since faded before the gruesome reality of some three-hundred plus civil and regional wars that have raged since 1945, including Korea and Vietnam (Fred Bruning, “The U.N. At Forty,” The Courier-Journal, September 22, 1985, p. D1). In addition, during these past forty-six years, there have been no shortages of bombings, assassinations, hijackings, and other such demonstrations of man's inhumanity to his fellowman. Although the recent “defeat” of communism and the “one--hundred hour” war to “liberate” Kuwait has bolstered the optimism of some, as we shall see later, these are nothing to get excited about, and have, in fact, caused untold suffering and death for many people.
The Underpinnings Of Both Projects
Obviously, then, both projects—the tower on the Plain of Shinar and the one on New York's East River—convey significant information about the societies they represent. Dr. Rowe, who we mentioned previously, in identifying these indicators as they relate to the Tower of Babel, wrote:
Philosophically, it represents belief in the priority of the materialistic realm over the spiritual.
Theologically, it involves a substitution of a false god for the True and Living God.
Psychologically, it implies confidence in the achievement of security by means of a global man-made unity.
Educationally, it means problem solution based on adequacy of man rather than guidance of God.
Administratively, it exhibits an unfounded assurance of the self-sufficiency of organized man without reliance on God.
Anthropologically, it proclaims the glories of human pride and self-aggrandizement.
Of course, one has little difficulty applying these same indicators to the United Nations.
“Whose Top May Reach Unto Heaven”
The builders of the Tower of Babel were determined to build a tower “whose top may reach unto heaven.” It is interesting, then, that Alvin Toffler, in his popular book, The Third Wave, wrote:
Globalism presents itself as more than an ideology serving the interests of a limited group. Precisely as nationalism claimed to speak for the whole nation, globalism claims to speak for the whole world. And its appearance is seen as an evolutionary necessity—a step closer to a `cosmic consciousness' that would embrace the heavens as well (p. 308).
Quoted in an official brochure of the World Federalists Association, the late Bertrand Russell summed up the case for “One-World-ism” with these words:
Science has made unrestricted national sovereignty incompatible with human survival. The only possibilities are now world government or death”(World Peace Through World Law With Justice...Developing New Avenues To World Order, 1101 Arlington Blvd., Suite S-119, Arlington, Va. 22209).
Lord Beveridge of England put it this way:
World peace requires world order. World order requires world law. World law requires world government (Phillip D. Butler, Parliamentarians for World Order, in The Canadian Intelligence Service, Vol. 33, No. 5, May 1983, p. 41).
Back in June, 1976, Former presidents of the National Education Association (an organization that is a strong supporter of the U.N.) had this to say about educators and their role in developing a new world order or “global community”:
It is with...sobering awareness that we set about to change the course of American education for the twenty-first century by embracing the ideals of global community, the equality and interdependence of all peoples and nations, and education as a tool to bring about world peace” (From the Forward to A Declaration of Interdependence: Education for a Global Community, A summary Report of the NEA Bicentennial Program, an NEA publication dated June 26, 1976).
The title of this document is even more interesting when one considers that on January 30, 1976, the World Affairs Council announced the Declaration of Interdependence, which was signed by 32 U.S. Senators and 92 U.S. Representatives in Washington, D.C., and read in part:
Two centuries ago our forefather brought forth a new nation; now we must join with others to bring forth a new world order.
This document further stated:
To establish a new world order...it is essential that mankind free itself from the limitations on national prejudice....
And again:
We call upon all nations to strengthen the United Nations...and other institutions of world order... (A. Ralph Epperson, The Unseen Hand, p. 371).

Furthermore, we ought not to be surprised that former ambassador to the United Nations, and now president, George Bush, who was between 1977 and 1979, a director of the U.S. Council on Foreign Relations, a body of so-called “wise men” who have dominated foreign policy making by the United States government since before World War II, and who came up with the idea of the United Nations, would fight the Persian Gulf War under the aegis of a United Nations Security Council mandate. On January 29, 1991, during his State of the Union address, President Bush made it clear that the fate of Kuwait was not the main issue:
What is at stake is more than one small country, it is a big idea—a new world order, where diverse nations are drawn together in common cause to achieve the universal aspirations of mankind: peace and security, freedom, and the rule of law. Such is a world worthy of our struggle, and worthy of our children's future.
In his March 6, 1991 address to Congress commemorating the successful conclusion of the Persian Gulf War, Bush said:
Until now, the world we've known has been a world divided—a world of barbed wire and concrete block, conflict and cold war. Now, we can see a new world coming into view. A world in which there is the very real prospect of a new world order.... A world where the United Nations, freed from cold war stalemate, is poised to fulfill the historic vision of its founders.
Then, when the wounded dictator of Iraq, a despot we had helped arm, lashed out against people in his own country, we suddenly refused to intervene. Why? We cannot support the Kurds, we were told, because it is not part of the United Nations mandate.

I am not so naive as to think that President Bush allowed himself and American to be used by the United Nations. In fact, it is the other way around. Bush effectively manipulated the United Nations apparatus to do what he wanted it to do. We, of course, have strategic interests in this very unstable part of the world, and Saddam Hussein needed to be taught that he could not exercise his military muscle without serious consequences. The military might that was exercised in the Persian Gulf War belonged to America, not the United Nations. The United Nations did what our government wanted it to do, and some will argue that this is good because our cause was just. But, suppose it had not been just? This, of course, is one of the problems with world government. A world government apparatus can be, and eventually will be, used by tyrants and imperialists to manipulate the greater masses for even greater evil. Interestingly enough, Isaiah Bowman, at a U.S. Council on Foreign Relations meeting in May 1942, suggested a United Nations body as a way for the United States to exercise its strength to assure “security” in the world, and at the same time “avoid conventional forms of imperialism” (Memorandum T-A25, May 20, 1942, CFR,War-Peace Studies, Hoover Library on War, Revolution, and Peace, Stanford, CA).
Nevertheless, should we not see the irony in an united mankind (viz., the United Nations) in the name of “collective security” assembling once again in the very place where mankind was originally scattered abroad by God because of their ungodly and ill-conceived unity platform?
Globalism And One-World-Ism Is
A Man-Made Delusion
The apostle Paul taught a “oneness” of mankind that can only be recognized by those who understand that Jehovah is their Creator (Acts 17:22-31). Nationalism, which has been ordained by the Creator-God, cannot be abridged by man's devices without serious consequences. Ultimately, the solution to mankind's problem is of Divine and not man-made origin. All nations are to seek the Lord (Acts 17:26,27). He, and He alone, is the Savior. His house, the church of Christ, has already been established and “all nations [must flow] unto it” in order to be saved (Isaiah 2:2,3). It is only in this everlasting spiritual kingdom that men out of every nation on the face of the earth will “beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks,” and “nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore” (Isaiah 2:4).

"THE FIRST EPISTLE TO THE CORINTHIANS" Chapter Three by Mark Copeland 


                "THE FIRST EPISTLE TO THE CORINTHIANS"

                             Chapter Three

OBJECTIVES IN STUDYING THIS CHAPTER

1) To see the proper place of preachers and teachers in relation to
   their work

2) To appreciate God's view of the church as the temple of God

SUMMARY

Paul continues to deal with the problem of division in this chapter.
Its seriousness is seen in its carnality, which prevented Paul from
being able to speak as to spiritually mature people (1-4).   To help
them see the folly of exalting preachers over each another, Paul shows
their relation to one other and to their work, which is building the
temple of God (5-17).  To the warning not to defile the temple of God,
Paul adds another not to glory in the wisdom of this world nor in men
(18-23).

OUTLINE

I. THE CARNAL NATURE OF DIVISION (1-4)

   A. CARNAL CHRISTIANS AT CORINTH (1-2)
      1. Prevented Paul from speaking to them as to spiritual people
         (1a)
      2. Their carnality indicated that they were still babes in 
         Christ, unable to receive solid food (1b-2)

   B. EVIDENCE OF THEIR CARNALITY (3-4)
      1. The envy, strife, and divisions among them (3)
      2. As expressed in their calling themselves after men (4)

II. RELATION OF PREACHERS TO THEIR WORK (5-17)

   A. PREACHERS ARE SERVANTS, USED BY GOD (5-7)
      1. Ministers given the opportunity to serve God in various ways
         (5-6a)
      2. But it is God who gives the increase (6b-7)

   B. THEIR RELATION TO ONE ANOTHER AND THEIR WORK (8-17)
      1. United in their  work, though their labor and rewards may
         differ (8)
      2. Fellow workers with God, they work on God's building (9)
         a. Laying the foundation (as Paul did) of Jesus Christ (10-11)
         b. Building upon the foundation, using various materials to be
            tested at the Last Day (12-15)
      3. A strong warning, since this building is the temple of God and
         indwelt by the Spirit (16-17)

III. AVOID GLORYING IN WORLDLY WISDOM OR MEN (18-23)

   A. REASONS NOT TO GLORY IN WORLDLY WISDOM (18-20)
      1. You will only deceive yourself (18)
      2. The wisdom of this world is foolishness with God (19-20)

   B. REASONS NOT TO GLORY IN MEN (21-23)
      1. All things (including men) are yours (21-22)
      2. You are Christ's, and Christ is God's (23)

REVIEW QUESTIONS FOR THE CHAPTER

1) List the main points of this chapter
   - The Carnal Nature Of Division (1-4)
   - Relation Of Preachers To Their Work (5-17)
   - Avoid Glorying In Worldly Wisdom Or Men (18-23)

2) What prevented Paul from speaking to the Corinthians as unto
   spiritual people? (1-3)
   - They were carnal, still babes in Christ

3) What manifested their carnality? (3-4)
   - Their envy, strife, and divisions, as manifested in calling
     themselves after men

4) Who was more important, he that planted, or the one that watered?
   (6-7)
   - Neither, it was God who gave the increase

5) Upon what foundation is the church built? (11)
   - Jesus Christ

6) When will the work of ministers be fully made manifest? (13)
   - At the last Day

7) If those converted by preachers are lost, will the preachers be
   lost? (14-15)
   - No, but their reward will not be as great

8) What sort of building is the church? (16)
   - The temple of God, indwelt by His Spirit

9) What is the wisdom of this world to God? (19)
   - Foolishness

10) Why should we not glory in men? (21-22)
   - Because they are but instruments of God used to benefit us

11) And to whom do we belong? (23)
   - Christ


Executable Outlines, Copyright © Mark A. Copeland, 2016

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