In regard to misuse of scripture; we risk two extremes-that being making applications to every event in our lives with any verse that even remotely seems to prove a mindset or agenda or life decision and the contrary; which views the Word as a history lesson; disregarding any application of the supernatural in our personal lives; or in speaking to us in our personal lives.
I would say that it is better to randomly open to a scripture verse to find something applicable than to assign meanings to passages through a deliberate twisting of meanings. We need to differentiate between methods of preaching that are more life application oriented with those that are more focused on hermeneutics, for instance. It is a slippery slope once we start to read into scripture with a message that is more like a self fulfilling prophecy than proper exegesis.
Take; for instance personal examples and life lessons. Those obsessed with the charismatic gifts; for instance often talk of miracles that they have seen; but practically speaking; for instance hearing examples of sharing the Gospel and seeing results is just as much; if not more evidence of a miracle in a supernatural transformation of the heart. Knowing our local pastor should help us to establish trust so that we have assurance that we are not being given unsubstantiated tales of miracles; signs and wonders.
Another example is the verses where we are commanded to raise the dead; heal the sick etc such as found in Matthew 10:8. Surely these acts along with deliverance were continued throughout the time of the book of Acts. We need to matter of factly acknowledge when a miracle appears to occur; but also realize that in some cases it may not be God's will; at least in terms of the fact that we are all mortal beings. We certainly should pray for such things; especially spiritual deliverance for those in bondage to the enemy which all with the Spirit can do.
Oh I know how you feel ! I am so ready , every day I pray Thy Kingdom Come . All day every day all I see is death and pain every where . Only God can save us , from our own selves and from each other . Thy Kingdom Come ! Much love in Christ .
God bless you too , we are in agreement . I believe that often people who continue to do things that they know are not what God wants from them , sin in other words , they don't really believe in God or the works of Christ . Plenty of times ,we read in the Old Testament , Israel saying things like : where is the God of Israel ? God does not see ! This is unbelief , which leads to sinful behaviour . Belief makes a person want to do the right thing , unbelief makes a person continue to walk in the darkness and not mind that they do so Hebrews Ch 11 V 6 . Recognizing our sinfulness comes from believing in God . You are correct that we must be confident and joyful in this life , knowing , believing and rejoicing in God's forgiveness through Christ but in order to do this I think that we must first recognise our sinfulness . Lately I feel that my behaviour in one or two ways has been slipping a bit and I've been excusing myself because I've been under a bit of stress lately . But I don't want to slip ! I want God to remind me that He expects better of me ! Hebrews Ch 12 V 5-29 . I need , I want to be reminded and corrected . I'm lazy and inclined to live by the sight of my eyes .
Please Lord, I come to you broken today. I don't know why I feel lost unless sin is holding me back. But I'm scared, Lord, and I shouldn't feel scared because I know you love me. I believe in you Lord and that you died for me and you gave your blood for atonement for my sins. Please forgive me of my sins and please fix what is hurting me now! Have your way with me, Lord and forgive me of all my sins. Also, open my daughter's heart so that she will come to you, Lord Jesus. Hold me, Lord, and keep me strong so that I can be with you forever in heaven. Change me, Lord, and bring my child to you. Without you, I am nothing. I pray my daughter feels your love. Carry me with you and open her eyes. Forever may I be with you, Lord, and may all those I love also come to you and be saved. You are the Lord of Lords and King of Kings. Hold me Jesus and don't let me go. And soften the heart of my child and do the same. Hallelujah I pray in your name sweet Jesus. Amen.
What do you believe happened at the death and resurrection of Christ?
WERE your sins COVERED (forgiven) by the blood of Christ?
If not, WHEN are you going to be forgiven?
If they are forgiven why do you keep asking for forgiveness?
God ONLY ask that we walk in the TRUTH of HIS WORKS.
You DIED on the cross of Christ, YOU were raised with Christ, a NEW CREATION; HIS FLESH.
YOUR his body, and he is the HEAD of YOU, his BODY.
1 John 3:9 Whosoever is BORN of GOD (raised as ONE with Christ) cannot commit sin, because HIS SEED remaineth IN HIM: and he CANNOT SIN, because HE is BORN of GOD (raised as ONE with Christ).
Man teaches that Christens sin and need to constantly ask for forgiveness.
Sons of God understand the WORKS of the cross of Christ.
REPENTING of sin (unbelief) means turning from deception to truth.
Truth mixed with falsehood (part 2 of introduction outline).
Continuing with my first outline there is a #3 issue. That is not being fully persuaded that the Bible is the inerrant Word of God. This results in various sinful results. We are assured that he who teaches one error and practices it will be the least in the Kingdom of God ( Matt. 5:19). There are more serious issues such as what would be categorized as "damnable heresies" ( 2 Peter 2:1) so this isn't something to trifle with.
One thing that contributes to this scriptural mindset are poor translations of scripture; which can involve a few issues or be wanton disregard to the clear meanings of all source texts in order to propagate teachings of cults.
A second issue is the leadership selling their own version of "snake oil" in order to facilitate preaching of some sort of "prosperity gospel" which no doubt is cultlike in placing undue emphasis on the charisma of the teacher or ministry as opposed to a balanced church as mandated in the scriptures. Lack of church discipline for pastors and laypersons alike often results; and other times of course legalism can occur; sometimes even alongside the first error. Scripture should never be used to push an agenda that diverts attention from the Great Commission and other key commands; nor should it promote lawlessness or "cheap grace."
The third issue; often tied in with the others mentioned here is other writings being put on too high a pedestal or revered as somehow being worthy of worship or even worth considering from other religions. This can be as innocuous as obsessing on a classic such as "Pilgrim's Progress" or other worthy Christian fiction at the expense of purely studying scriptures to widespread error from espousing some New Age concept and especially Christ being presented as a great teacher and such which those of other religions would espouse apart from His Deity.
Usually some truth is retained which makes error more potent.
I will add that falsehood enters into a believers mindset when;
-they themselves from others and try to go at it themselves as far as learning scriptural doctrines.
-they resist being instructed by others.
-when they deny that the Scriptures mean what they say because they conflict with present day societal mores. i.e prohibition against premarital sexual relations or homosexual relations.
-they lead a compromising lifestyle with the world.
Richard, I think I will go on to letter "M" in our study of who God is. I look forward to hearing more from you.
Thanks for this wise counsel, like David, realized that HE had sinned against God with Bathsheba, did not blame it on her, and was repentant and sought the Lord for forgiveness and to be cleansed from HIS own sin. He did not blame the devil or other persons or circumstances.
Sometimes I hear people excuse sinful behavior in themselves or others by saying, "well we are only human" or "it's o.k., it is human nature to do so." And while this is true that our human nature is the reason we sin, it is who we are and therefore due to our own volition that we give into our sinful nature to disobey God. We can glibly pass over our failure to do as God wishes not just by shrugging our shoulders and saying, "aw, I am just being human" (because there is no admission of or remorse for sin in such a statement), we also fail to confess to God that we have sinned. But as believers, we should take sin seriously no matter how "natural" it is to sin. We should acknowledge that even the slightest sin is a huge offense against God that needed the sacrifice of Jesus to remit it.
As we grow in Christ, we become more and more of these "slight" sins and want to tur from them. We come to recognize the sinfulness of some of our character habits and even our thought patterns. We come to understand more and more and ever more deeply how much we need God's justification in our lives and that this is only through Jesus. We come to treasure so sweetly our Lord and what He has done for us. We come to more profound gratitude for being reconciled to God in Christ. We come to desire His ways more and more and become more determined to walk by the power of the holy Spirit to war against our sinful nature and subdue it to overcome sin in our lives on a daily basis. We desire more and more to have a clear conscience before God, knowing that He knows us totally; more that we know ourselves. And we realize that because he has chosen us for salvation and glory, He will complete it all in us.
This we can understand from the second time God appeared unto the wise king.
"That theLordappeared to Solomon the second time, as he had appeared unto him at Gibeon./And theLordsaid unto him, I have heard thy prayer and thy supplication, that thou hast made before me: I have hallowed this house, which thou hast built, to put my name there for ever; and mine eyes and mine heart shall be there perpetually./And if thou wilt walk before me, as David thy father walked, in integrity of heart, and in uprightness, to do according to all that I have commanded thee, and wilt keep my statutes and my judgments:/Then I will establish the throne of thy kingdom upon Israel for ever, as I promised to David thy father, saying, There shall not fail thee a man upon the throne of Israel(1 Ki.9:2-5)".
This shows the temple built by Solomon ceased to be a temple of God when he fell away from his singleminded devotion because of his many wives."Can two walk together, except they be agreed?(Amos3:3)" King Solomon began well as the nation of Israel did. In their apostasy they ceased to be the apple of His eye and all desolations predicted by Jeremiah became real. Jesus drew away those who did business in the temple courts,"....And said unto them, It is written, My house shall be called the house of prayer; but ye have made it a den of thieves(Matt.21:12-13)".This clearly establishes temples of man hold in themselves no value without establishing the connection with the Word ( John 1:1), in other words, the everlasting covenant.
Our bodies as a temple is an idea and it is valid because of the everlasting covenant. Our individual covenant by blood is carried over into the everlasting covenant. The testimony of Jesus Christ,"Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven"
We read of the ransacking of the temple of God in this last chapter.
Here we have a sad end to what was begun as a glorious chapter in the rise of the nation of Israel. King David would have wished to build a house for God but God was particular that it was left for his son to build the House of God. King Solomon after he had removed the threat of Adoniah set about it. The Ark was brought into it. The Ark of the testimonywhere the two tables of stone signified the everlasting covenant. (Ps.119:89).
"There was nothing in the ark save the two tables of stone, which Moses put there at Horeb, when theLordmade a covenant with the children of Israel, when they came out of the land of Egypt./And it came to pass, when the priests were come out of the holy place, that the cloud filled the house of theLord,/So that the priests could not stand to minister because of the cloud: for the glory of theLordhad filled the house of theLord./Then spake Solomon, TheLordsaid that he would dwell in the thick darkness./I have surely built thee an house to dwell in, a settled place for thee to abide in for ever(1 Ki.8:9-13)" Significant is this passage, "When the priests were come out of the holy place, that the cloud filled the house of theLord,/So that the priests could not stand to minister because of the cloud: for the glory of theLordhad filled the house of theLord."
Covenant is between God and man and not by any other intermediary. The cloud represented the cloud of witnesses (Dan.7:14; He.12:1)
The Spirit is establishing the truth:the everlasting covenant was not dispensed by priests. Two tables of stone Levitical priesthood, animal sacrifice and all such laws were shadow of the everlasting covenant established before the foundation of the world. Solomon's zeal to build where God was at rest, was only as good as he was obedient.
What we find in Gaza is man's strivings to carve out enclaves for themselves according to their perceived identities. God has rejected Israel, and never mind, they made their arm their strength. So we shall see much about nothing as peoples are often given some occupation by the powers-that be to keep them from getting in the way. God rjected the city where his Son was crucified.
"Thus saith theLord; Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from theLord./For he shall be like the heath in the desert, and shall not see when good cometh; but shall inhabit the parched places in the wilderness, in a salt land and not inhabited." (Je.17:5-6) God has set his Will and his vengeance on Babylon covers Jerusalem as well. The city shall be left as a rubble and Isaiah says, "For my sword shall be bathed in heaven: behold, it shall come down upon Idumea, and upon the people of my curse, to judgment."(Is.34:5) Edom and Israel of the Patriarchal age even now at each other's throat. It shall strike Gaza and also Jerusalem.
God has already spoken. Bibi decides as a man, whose survival depends on being the most harsh where as the heaven has settled the fate of the city,"And a great slaughter in the land of Idumea./And the unicorns shall come down with them, and the bullocks with the bulls; and their land shall be soaked with blood, and their dust made fat with fatness."(34:5-8) "For it is the day of theLord's vengeance, and the year of recompences for the controversy of Zion."
"Blessed is the man that trusteth in theLord, and whose hope theLordis."(Je.17:7)
"And he led them forth by the right way, that they might go to a city of habitation."
The Spirit in organizing the Salvation Plan gives us a great exodus of men, one to a city of habitation while the other to destruction. This is according to the Core will which is all about His kingdom which ruleth over all. "The LORD hath prepared his throne in the heavens; and his kingdom ruleth over all."(Ps.103:19). As Jesus promised his ministry on the earth was not solely to save those who were dead in sins but to equip them for their city habitation. In short Core will of God covers both fronts both heaven and the earth. "And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also." ( John 14:3)
Salvation program begins in the world of the Spirit, which is a Garden planted by God. At the end of it we have the city which also is prepared by God. "But he answered and said, Every plant, which my heavenly Father hath not planted, shall be rooted up."(Matt.15:13) This tree of life in the Garden is found in this city as well.
After the great flood we are given a great human migration."As they journeyed from the east, that they found a plain in the land of Shinar; and they dwelt there." They began a tower and they began with brick for stone and slime for mortar. "And they said, Go to, let us build us a city and a tower."(Ge.11:4) They were against God so they had to make a name for themselves. Celebrities whose lifestyles are much emulated are the catalyst, -what motion, what a dazzle! and they work tirelessly to make news. This has lead to Babylon which is is hold all for every city made by men. Jerusalem belongs there. How did the city fare? "And a mighty angel took up a stone like a great millstone, and cast it into the sea, saying, Thus with violence shall that great city Babylon be thrown down, and shall be found no more at all."(Re.18:21)
Amen Jema Amen. I have been a Christian for 57 years and everyday I ask for forgiveness. Everyday I pray that I please Him. That everything be for His honor and glory. I, myself, am ready to go home.
Joyce Tremayne Pickett yes partly on Obadiah 1 Esau is the Edomites which are the so called white race but Jacob are the 12 tribes of Israel the so called Blacks Hispanics and Native Indians of Negroid Descent which were divided into to kingdom the Northern Kingdom and the Southern Kingdom the Northern Kingdom is the ten tribes Israel and the Southern Kingdom are the two tribes Judah and Benjamin
Good morning Bennymkje, I am thinking as well Jesus came as rhe second Adam to this world as a Promise sent from the beginning. Similar to Daniel he was subject to the kings of the earth, surrounded by hostilities while containing a pure knowledge of the Will of the Father and preserving the True Temple for worship of the Father, this Temple not made with hands. Babylon suurounds God's children because they like Jesus have no room at the inn, no resting place except in God in Jesus Christ. The Assyrians, Egyptians, Babylinians, Persians, Greeks and Romans have at times surrounded the people of God. Every child of God born into His Spirit while in the world will face hostilities. Only our Hope, Jesus Christ was resurrected into eternal Life into a Heavenly Kingdom by His death on the Cross while in earth, while in the world, while in Babylon. This Kingdom that He introduced by His Blood and water is incompatible with the kingdoms of the earth. Where contact is made (even one saved soul) there will be thunderings and lightenings and earthquakes. Some day, Babylon and all that belongs to her including the beast that was among the eight will be consumed by fire after the appearing of the Lamb once delivered. My morning thoughts by the view from the window towards the Cross.
"A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump." ( Gal. 5:9). Without naming names; it is clear that error has crept in with many if not most churches of sizeable membership today. Here is a summary list of reasons these falsehoods develop and manifest.
1. Misinterpreting scripture. This can be subdivided into several categories:
a. Isolating a text from the greater meaning of surrounding chapters; and/or other cross references that clearly relate to the subject being discussed.
b. Making a literal text fit into the narrative by ascribing the meaning to a figurative description; or more rarely taking figurative language and attempting to find literal meaning to it. (Actually the second error is something that I haven't really seen in any examples that I can think of at present but is theoretically possible).
c. Over OR Underemphasis on the Old Covenant; its laws and the ways God interacted with Israel in the past. This covers several issues; such as the error of teaching that the church has replaced Israel in all former covenant promises; or that we are still to follow all the Old Testament commandments that were purely for Israel (such as the Saturday sabbath law; or perhaps ceremonial regulations for unclean foods; etc. This can slip into the error of trying to emphasize the New Testament with the implication that God somehow isn't the same in regard to God the Father in the Old Testament and Christ in the New Testament.
This fits into an overemphasis of attributes of love today as compared with judgment and wrath in the past. God is the same yesterday; today and forever ( Heb. 13:8).
2. Setting an agenda by using a passage that fits in to an introduced concept; theme or idea. This broad concept would involve gross error of cherry picking verses that on a surface level may seem to verify clearly heretical concepts; or attempting to fit a doctrine into a selected text while ignoring other scriptures.
The three angels message that Babylon has fallen is a warning to God's people to separate themselves from apostate churches. "Come out of her my people". Martin Luther and others believed the Papacy was the Antichrist. The movement to unite all religions is of the devil. We are to be separate. Keep the pure Word of God, undefiled by the doctrine of man.
The state of our soul at death is that it sleeps. The dead soul knows nothing anymore. And, just like when we fall asleep at night and suddenly it's morning, the same will happen when Christ calls us from our sleep at his coming.
Spiritism is false teaching and of the devil. It opens the door to demons. We cannot pray to dead relatives or dead saints. They are sleeping. Anyone seeing their dead relative is actually seeing a demonic impersonator.
Having just read Jeremiah and then Lamentations , for what must be at least the fiftieth time , I am struck again by the absence of a character from those books . The books , as most of you know , tell the story of the end of the Kingdom of Israel and the sorrow of the prophet Jeremiah as he witnesses this awful event . After many warnings from God , through His prophets , Israel as a nation is finally punished for its continued sinful behaviour . Reading carefully we can see just how sinful Israel have been and just how severely God punishes them . Satan / the devil , whatever you wish to call him is absent from this narrative . God makes it very clear that Israel , a nation of disobedient humans , is being punished for their refusal to have faith in and respect for the Holy One of Israel . Israel acknowledge their sinfulness and don't blame anyone or anything for their sinfulness other than themselves . It seems things were much simpler and more honest in those days . Why aren't we as Christians as simple and honest about our own sinful behaviour anymore ? I don't blame anyone or anything for my own sinfulness . I know what I am . Christ is coming , repent , acknowledge your sinfulness , don't try to blame some kind of malevolent phantom for your own sins . God requires honesty and acknowledgement and confession from us . If we want to get to know God we must first know ourselves , what we are . Sinful flesh in desperate need of forgiveness and reconciliation . Only God can give us that through Christ but we must know ourselves and confess our state and ask for forgiveness . We can't ask for forgiveness for our sins if we are not 100 per cent convinced that we and we alone are responsible for them . Humility is required . Genuine humility only comes from recognising what you are , how low we are and how high above us God is . Christ is coming ! Don't be deceived !
Re.your last line,"Babylon is another word for the world by my understanding."
You are correct. The Spirit tells of the fulness of Christ. "For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell."(Col.1:19) God forbade Israel to sell the land for the reason the earth abides forever and it is given to his Son who is the judge. In the Revelation we have names which are judged already for instance Sodom and Egypt. Jerusalem similarly shall be judged for having rejected his Son. When the Spirit narrates the martyrdom of the two witnesses whave the line as given below.
In Re.11:8 The Spirit gives us the hint how we should look at the name of places persons and events, " And their dead bodies shall lie in the street of the great city, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified." In Re.18 we have the fate of Babylon.(18:21)
"And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit." Similarly Jesus is qualified as the last Adam (1 Co.15:45) God 'tempt's Abraham to sacrifice Isaac is set down in order to inform us of our Father in heaven sending his Son to be a sacrifice for us. It is thus every name stands either on the side of the Son or as enemy. The Law of Gradation has thus lists of martyrs ("That upon you may come all the righteous blood shed upon the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel unto the blood of Zacharias son of Barachias,"-Matt.23:35) indicating his own death approaching. This is in condemnation of the nation that did resist the will of God.
I beg to differ from your view on the seven seals. you said, "And around 65 years after His ascention, JESUS broke the 7 seals of the secret book of Apocalypse" The Spirit has set the night vision of Daniel. The Ancient of days granted everlasting dominion to the the Son of man (Jesus Christ). Night vision is a clue to signal the reader that we are looking at the divine Will whereas what St John is lookig at the Son as he is set to fulfill the will of his Father. "The judgment was set, and the books were opened." also indicates the Son to whom God has appointed as the Judge. Angelic revolt till the last insurrection shall be covered. ("Know ye not that we shall judge angels? "-1 Co.6:3)It is a promise of Jesus to his disciples.
In the Revelation, it is not a secret book as you say, Only those who want to put to read with a literary inquisitive mind would want to put names to the beast. From Nero to ISIL were suggested. From the Garden of Eden to the holy City of God the Spirit is consistent. So let us stick to the facts. In the Book of Daniel we have the will of the Father expressed. The revelation begins with the risen Christ superimposed over the Ancient of days, ("His head and his hairs were white like wool, as white as snow;" 1:14) and the seven candlesticks in the middle." The body of Christ the church from Ge.2 (creation of Eve) forms part of the narrative till the end.
St John is looking at the same vision of Daniel but from the POV of Christ Jesus as the fulfillment aspect of the Father. Thus the slain Lamb in Ch.7 is introduced to lead the church where the throne of God is also a composite, Throne of God and of the Lamb.(Re.22:1) Read the Bible in the manner the Spirit exhorts you to read. You shall know the truth and escape the traps set for literary minds. They are still around the fleshpots of Egypt and harping on Jerusalem! Let them. We are called to be overcomers. Hallelujah!
In regard to misuse of scripture; we risk two extremes-that being making applications to every event in our lives with any verse that even remotely seems to prove a mindset or agenda or life decision and the contrary; which views the Word as a history lesson; disregarding any application of the supernatural in our personal lives; or in speaking to us in our personal lives.
I would say that it is better to randomly open to a scripture verse to find something applicable than to assign meanings to passages through a deliberate twisting of meanings. We need to differentiate between methods of preaching that are more life application oriented with those that are more focused on hermeneutics, for instance. It is a slippery slope once we start to read into scripture with a message that is more like a self fulfilling prophecy than proper exegesis.
Take; for instance personal examples and life lessons. Those obsessed with the charismatic gifts; for instance often talk of miracles that they have seen; but practically speaking; for instance hearing examples of sharing the Gospel and seeing results is just as much; if not more evidence of a miracle in a supernatural transformation of the heart. Knowing our local pastor should help us to establish trust so that we have assurance that we are not being given unsubstantiated tales of miracles; signs and wonders.
Another example is the verses where we are commanded to raise the dead; heal the sick etc such as found in Matthew 10:8. Surely these acts along with deliverance were continued throughout the time of the book of Acts. We need to matter of factly acknowledge when a miracle appears to occur; but also realize that in some cases it may not be God's will; at least in terms of the fact that we are all mortal beings. We certainly should pray for such things; especially spiritual deliverance for those in bondage to the enemy which all with the Spirit can do.
What do you believe happened at the death and resurrection of Christ?
WERE your sins COVERED (forgiven) by the blood of Christ?
If not, WHEN are you going to be forgiven?
If they are forgiven why do you keep asking for forgiveness?
God ONLY ask that we walk in the TRUTH of HIS WORKS.
You DIED on the cross of Christ, YOU were raised with Christ, a NEW CREATION; HIS FLESH.
YOUR his body, and he is the HEAD of YOU, his BODY.
1 John 3:9 Whosoever is BORN of GOD (raised as ONE with Christ) cannot commit sin, because HIS SEED remaineth IN HIM: and he CANNOT SIN, because HE is BORN of GOD (raised as ONE with Christ).
Man teaches that Christens sin and need to constantly ask for forgiveness.
Sons of God understand the WORKS of the cross of Christ.
REPENTING of sin (unbelief) means turning from deception to truth.
God Bless YOU!
Continuing with my first outline there is a #3 issue. That is not being fully persuaded that the Bible is the inerrant Word of God. This results in various sinful results. We are assured that he who teaches one error and practices it will be the least in the Kingdom of God ( Matt. 5:19). There are more serious issues such as what would be categorized as "damnable heresies" ( 2 Peter 2:1) so this isn't something to trifle with.
One thing that contributes to this scriptural mindset are poor translations of scripture; which can involve a few issues or be wanton disregard to the clear meanings of all source texts in order to propagate teachings of cults.
A second issue is the leadership selling their own version of "snake oil" in order to facilitate preaching of some sort of "prosperity gospel" which no doubt is cultlike in placing undue emphasis on the charisma of the teacher or ministry as opposed to a balanced church as mandated in the scriptures. Lack of church discipline for pastors and laypersons alike often results; and other times of course legalism can occur; sometimes even alongside the first error. Scripture should never be used to push an agenda that diverts attention from the Great Commission and other key commands; nor should it promote lawlessness or "cheap grace."
The third issue; often tied in with the others mentioned here is other writings being put on too high a pedestal or revered as somehow being worthy of worship or even worth considering from other religions. This can be as innocuous as obsessing on a classic such as "Pilgrim's Progress" or other worthy Christian fiction at the expense of purely studying scriptures to widespread error from espousing some New Age concept and especially Christ being presented as a great teacher and such which those of other religions would espouse apart from His Deity.
Usually some truth is retained which makes error more potent.
God bless.
:)
I will add that falsehood enters into a believers mindset when;
-they themselves from others and try to go at it themselves as far as learning scriptural doctrines.
-they resist being instructed by others.
-when they deny that the Scriptures mean what they say because they conflict with present day societal mores. i.e prohibition against premarital sexual relations or homosexual relations.
-they lead a compromising lifestyle with the world.
Richard, I think I will go on to letter "M" in our study of who God is. I look forward to hearing more from you.
Enjoyed this morning meditation from you. Thanks for blessing me today.
Thanks for this wise counsel, like David, realized that HE had sinned against God with Bathsheba, did not blame it on her, and was repentant and sought the Lord for forgiveness and to be cleansed from HIS own sin. He did not blame the devil or other persons or circumstances.
Sometimes I hear people excuse sinful behavior in themselves or others by saying, "well we are only human" or "it's o.k., it is human nature to do so." And while this is true that our human nature is the reason we sin, it is who we are and therefore due to our own volition that we give into our sinful nature to disobey God. We can glibly pass over our failure to do as God wishes not just by shrugging our shoulders and saying, "aw, I am just being human" (because there is no admission of or remorse for sin in such a statement), we also fail to confess to God that we have sinned. But as believers, we should take sin seriously no matter how "natural" it is to sin. We should acknowledge that even the slightest sin is a huge offense against God that needed the sacrifice of Jesus to remit it.
As we grow in Christ, we become more and more of these "slight" sins and want to tur from them. We come to recognize the sinfulness of some of our character habits and even our thought patterns. We come to understand more and more and ever more deeply how much we need God's justification in our lives and that this is only through Jesus. We come to treasure so sweetly our Lord and what He has done for us. We come to more profound gratitude for being reconciled to God in Christ. We come to desire His ways more and more and become more determined to walk by the power of the holy Spirit to war against our sinful nature and subdue it to overcome sin in our lives on a daily basis. We desire more and more to have a clear conscience before God, knowing that He knows us totally; more that we know ourselves. And we realize that because he has chosen us for salvation and glory, He will complete it all in us.
This we can understand from the second time God appeared unto the wise king.
"That theLordappeared to Solomon the second time, as he had appeared unto him at Gibeon./And theLordsaid unto him, I have heard thy prayer and thy supplication, that thou hast made before me: I have hallowed this house, which thou hast built, to put my name there for ever; and mine eyes and mine heart shall be there perpetually./And if thou wilt walk before me, as David thy father walked, in integrity of heart, and in uprightness, to do according to all that I have commanded thee, and wilt keep my statutes and my judgments:/Then I will establish the throne of thy kingdom upon Israel for ever, as I promised to David thy father, saying, There shall not fail thee a man upon the throne of Israel(1 Ki.9:2-5)".
This shows the temple built by Solomon ceased to be a temple of God when he fell away from his singleminded devotion because of his many wives."Can two walk together, except they be agreed?(Amos3:3)" King Solomon began well as the nation of Israel did. In their apostasy they ceased to be the apple of His eye and all desolations predicted by Jeremiah became real. Jesus drew away those who did business in the temple courts,"....And said unto them, It is written, My house shall be called the house of prayer; but ye have made it a den of thieves(Matt.21:12-13)".This clearly establishes temples of man hold in themselves no value without establishing the connection with the Word ( John 1:1), in other words, the everlasting covenant.
Our bodies as a temple is an idea and it is valid because of the everlasting covenant. Our individual covenant by blood is carried over into the everlasting covenant. The testimony of Jesus Christ,"Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven"
We read of the ransacking of the temple of God in this last chapter.
Here we have a sad end to what was begun as a glorious chapter in the rise of the nation of Israel. King David would have wished to build a house for God but God was particular that it was left for his son to build the House of God. King Solomon after he had removed the threat of Adoniah set about it. The Ark was brought into it. The Ark of the testimonywhere the two tables of stone signified the everlasting covenant. (Ps.119:89).
"There was nothing in the ark save the two tables of stone, which Moses put there at Horeb, when theLordmade a covenant with the children of Israel, when they came out of the land of Egypt./And it came to pass, when the priests were come out of the holy place, that the cloud filled the house of theLord,/So that the priests could not stand to minister because of the cloud: for the glory of theLordhad filled the house of theLord./Then spake Solomon, TheLordsaid that he would dwell in the thick darkness./I have surely built thee an house to dwell in, a settled place for thee to abide in for ever(1 Ki.8:9-13)" Significant is this passage, "When the priests were come out of the holy place, that the cloud filled the house of theLord,/So that the priests could not stand to minister because of the cloud: for the glory of theLordhad filled the house of theLord."
Covenant is between God and man and not by any other intermediary. The cloud represented the cloud of witnesses (Dan.7:14; He.12:1)
The Spirit is establishing the truth:the everlasting covenant was not dispensed by priests. Two tables of stone Levitical priesthood, animal sacrifice and all such laws were shadow of the everlasting covenant established before the foundation of the world. Solomon's zeal to build where God was at rest, was only as good as he was obedient.
This is brought out in Gibeon.
What is Jerusalem in the Core Will of God?
What we find in Gaza is man's strivings to carve out enclaves for themselves according to their perceived identities. God has rejected Israel, and never mind, they made their arm their strength. So we shall see much about nothing as peoples are often given some occupation by the powers-that be to keep them from getting in the way. God rjected the city where his Son was crucified.
"Thus saith theLord; Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from theLord./For he shall be like the heath in the desert, and shall not see when good cometh; but shall inhabit the parched places in the wilderness, in a salt land and not inhabited." (Je.17:5-6) God has set his Will and his vengeance on Babylon covers Jerusalem as well. The city shall be left as a rubble and Isaiah says, "For my sword shall be bathed in heaven: behold, it shall come down upon Idumea, and upon the people of my curse, to judgment."(Is.34:5) Edom and Israel of the Patriarchal age even now at each other's throat. It shall strike Gaza and also Jerusalem.
God has already spoken. Bibi decides as a man, whose survival depends on being the most harsh where as the heaven has settled the fate of the city,"And a great slaughter in the land of Idumea./And the unicorns shall come down with them, and the bullocks with the bulls; and their land shall be soaked with blood, and their dust made fat with fatness."(34:5-8) "For it is the day of theLord's vengeance, and the year of recompences for the controversy of Zion."
"Blessed is the man that trusteth in theLord, and whose hope theLordis."(Je.17:7)
"And he led them forth by the right way, that they might go to a city of habitation."
The Spirit in organizing the Salvation Plan gives us a great exodus of men, one to a city of habitation while the other to destruction. This is according to the Core will which is all about His kingdom which ruleth over all. "The LORD hath prepared his throne in the heavens; and his kingdom ruleth over all."(Ps.103:19). As Jesus promised his ministry on the earth was not solely to save those who were dead in sins but to equip them for their city habitation. In short Core will of God covers both fronts both heaven and the earth. "And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also." ( John 14:3)
Salvation program begins in the world of the Spirit, which is a Garden planted by God. At the end of it we have the city which also is prepared by God. "But he answered and said, Every plant, which my heavenly Father hath not planted, shall be rooted up."(Matt.15:13) This tree of life in the Garden is found in this city as well.
After the great flood we are given a great human migration."As they journeyed from the east, that they found a plain in the land of Shinar; and they dwelt there." They began a tower and they began with brick for stone and slime for mortar. "And they said, Go to, let us build us a city and a tower."(Ge.11:4) They were against God so they had to make a name for themselves. Celebrities whose lifestyles are much emulated are the catalyst, -what motion, what a dazzle! and they work tirelessly to make news. This has lead to Babylon which is is hold all for every city made by men. Jerusalem belongs there. How did the city fare? "And a mighty angel took up a stone like a great millstone, and cast it into the sea, saying, Thus with violence shall that great city Babylon be thrown down, and shall be found no more at all."(Re.18:21)
God bless you sister, from your sister in Christ.
The prophecies in Jeremiah were as much for the PROMISED ISRAEL as was it for national Israel.
National Israel was preached the gospel then, as promised Israel is preached the gospel today.
John came preaching the GOSPEL of the Kingdom of God saying REPENT of your SINS.
They didn't understand THEN, as we don't understand TODAY.
Christ was CRUCIFIED from the foundation of the world, the sins of the FLESH God sees NOT, only the righteousness of Christ.
National Israel had this gospel THEN, as well as promised Israel has it TODAY.
Psalms 103:12 As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our sins from us.
So what was John message of REPENTANCE of our sins.
UNBELIEF is the ONLY sin that keeps us from the PRESENCE of GOD.
John 16:8 An when HE (Christ) IS COME (the second time as the Spirit of Truth), he (Christ) will reprove the world of SIN.
John 16:9 Of SIN because they BELIEVE NOT ......
You REPENT of the sins of UNBELIEF.
CONFESS your SINS of not understanding God's word.
ASK and you will RECEIVE.
John 9:41 ... If you were BLIND, you would have NO SIN, but because you say I SEE, your SIN (not understanding) remaineth.
You may have to read the WORD fifteen hundred times as LIGHT is shined into DARKNESS: our carnal mind of misunderstanding.
These words are meant for encouragement, not condemnation, we are all being JUDGED by the WORD.
Each of us STAND or FALL by those WORDS.
Look at yourself as GOD sees YOU, a NEW CREATION.
Philippians 2:5 Let this MIND be IN YOU, which was ALSO in Christ Jesus,
Philippians 2:6 Who being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal to God.
God Bless YOU!
"A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump." ( Gal. 5:9). Without naming names; it is clear that error has crept in with many if not most churches of sizeable membership today. Here is a summary list of reasons these falsehoods develop and manifest.
1. Misinterpreting scripture. This can be subdivided into several categories:
a. Isolating a text from the greater meaning of surrounding chapters; and/or other cross references that clearly relate to the subject being discussed.
b. Making a literal text fit into the narrative by ascribing the meaning to a figurative description; or more rarely taking figurative language and attempting to find literal meaning to it. (Actually the second error is something that I haven't really seen in any examples that I can think of at present but is theoretically possible).
c. Over OR Underemphasis on the Old Covenant; its laws and the ways God interacted with Israel in the past. This covers several issues; such as the error of teaching that the church has replaced Israel in all former covenant promises; or that we are still to follow all the Old Testament commandments that were purely for Israel (such as the Saturday sabbath law; or perhaps ceremonial regulations for unclean foods; etc. This can slip into the error of trying to emphasize the New Testament with the implication that God somehow isn't the same in regard to God the Father in the Old Testament and Christ in the New Testament.
This fits into an overemphasis of attributes of love today as compared with judgment and wrath in the past. God is the same yesterday; today and forever ( Heb. 13:8).
2. Setting an agenda by using a passage that fits in to an introduced concept; theme or idea. This broad concept would involve gross error of cherry picking verses that on a surface level may seem to verify clearly heretical concepts; or attempting to fit a doctrine into a selected text while ignoring other scriptures.
The dragon is the devil
The beast is the papacy
The lamb-like beast is the United States
The three angels message that Babylon has fallen is a warning to God's people to separate themselves from apostate churches. "Come out of her my people". Martin Luther and others believed the Papacy was the Antichrist. The movement to unite all religions is of the devil. We are to be separate. Keep the pure Word of God, undefiled by the doctrine of man.
Spiritism is false teaching and of the devil. It opens the door to demons. We cannot pray to dead relatives or dead saints. They are sleeping. Anyone seeing their dead relative is actually seeing a demonic impersonator.
Saturday, the seventh day of the week, is the Sabbath.
It is God's sign. It is God's mark.
Re.your last line,"Babylon is another word for the world by my understanding."
You are correct. The Spirit tells of the fulness of Christ. "For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell."(Col.1:19) God forbade Israel to sell the land for the reason the earth abides forever and it is given to his Son who is the judge. In the Revelation we have names which are judged already for instance Sodom and Egypt. Jerusalem similarly shall be judged for having rejected his Son. When the Spirit narrates the martyrdom of the two witnesses whave the line as given below.
In Re.11:8 The Spirit gives us the hint how we should look at the name of places persons and events, " And their dead bodies shall lie in the street of the great city, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified." In Re.18 we have the fate of Babylon.(18:21)
"And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit." Similarly Jesus is qualified as the last Adam (1 Co.15:45) God 'tempt's Abraham to sacrifice Isaac is set down in order to inform us of our Father in heaven sending his Son to be a sacrifice for us. It is thus every name stands either on the side of the Son or as enemy. The Law of Gradation has thus lists of martyrs ("That upon you may come all the righteous blood shed upon the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel unto the blood of Zacharias son of Barachias,"-Matt.23:35) indicating his own death approaching. This is in condemnation of the nation that did resist the will of God.
In the Revelation, it is not a secret book as you say, Only those who want to put to read with a literary inquisitive mind would want to put names to the beast. From Nero to ISIL were suggested. From the Garden of Eden to the holy City of God the Spirit is consistent. So let us stick to the facts. In the Book of Daniel we have the will of the Father expressed. The revelation begins with the risen Christ superimposed over the Ancient of days, ("His head and his hairs were white like wool, as white as snow;" 1:14) and the seven candlesticks in the middle." The body of Christ the church from Ge.2 (creation of Eve) forms part of the narrative till the end.
St John is looking at the same vision of Daniel but from the POV of Christ Jesus as the fulfillment aspect of the Father. Thus the slain Lamb in Ch.7 is introduced to lead the church where the throne of God is also a composite, Throne of God and of the Lamb.(Re.22:1) Read the Bible in the manner the Spirit exhorts you to read. You shall know the truth and escape the traps set for literary minds. They are still around the fleshpots of Egypt and harping on Jerusalem! Let them. We are called to be overcomers. Hallelujah!