Sola Scriptura-17

Clean vs unclean is a very important teaching. None of us would come to the dinner table filthy dirty or greasy. Why? Well it would look good or smell good to everyone else. Also, we all know that it may be harmful to us. Is God trying to take something good from us, or spare us from something harmful to us? Let us continue.

For all homeowners, we know that it is almost impossible to see a house that has visible mold. Mold is dangerous to our health and many allergies can be traced to mold. Is God concerned with our health?

Leviticus 14:33  The LORD further spoke to Moses and to Aaron, saying: :34  "When you enter the land of Canaan, which I give you for a possession, and I put a mark of leprosy on a house in the land of your possession, :35  then the one who owns the house shall come and tell the priest, saying, 'Something like a mark of leprosy has become visible to me in the house.' 

There are whole companies now dedicated to mold removal and remediation. They wear masks and white suits as this is dangerous work.

:36  "The priest shall then command that they empty the house before the priest goes in to look at the mark, so that everything in the house need not become unclean; and afterward the priest shall go in to look at the house. :37  "So he shall look at the mark, and if the mark on the walls of the house has greenish or reddish depressions and appears deeper than the surface, :38  then the priest shall come out of the house, to the doorway, and quarantine the house for seven days. 

Houses get quarantined today for a variety of reasons. All to protect everyone near it or near us if we are very ill.

:39  "The priest shall return on the seventh day and make an inspection. If the mark has indeed spread in the walls of the house, :40  then the priest shall order them to tear out the stones with the mark in them and throw them away at an unclean place outside the city. :41  "He shall have the house scraped all around inside, and they shall dump the plaster that they scrape off at an unclean place outside the city. :42  "Then they shall take other stones and replace those stones, and he shall take other plaster and replaster the house. 

You may have seen houses torn apart by removing drywall and even studs up to a certain height. Just the presence of water within a home is potentially dangerous.

:43  "If, however, the mark breaks out again in the house after he has torn out the stones and scraped the house, and after it has been replastered, :44  then the priest shall come in and make an inspection. If he sees that the mark has indeed spread in the house, it is a malignant mark in the house; it is unclean. :45  "He shall therefore tear down the house, its stones, and its timbers, and all the plaster of the house, and he shall take them outside the city to an unclean place. 

The health and well-being of the entire community is at risk and the God, who created mold, knows what needs to be done. We follow these steps today!

:46  "Moreover, whoever goes into the house during the time that he has quarantined it, becomes unclean until evening. :47  "Likewise, whoever lies down in the house shall wash his clothes, and whoever eats in the house shall wash his clothes. 

We all know how contagious some diseases are. For those with 2-3 small children, we know just how fast colds spread thru the entire home.

14:48  "If, on the other hand, the priest comes in and makes an inspection and the mark has not indeed spread in the house after the house has been replastered, then the priest shall pronounce the house clean because the mark has not reappeared. 

God holds the priest responsible for all of this work. As we have read earlier, God is angry with priests who don’t inform and warn the congregation about clean vs unclean and holy vs profane.

:49  "To cleanse the house then, he shall take two birds and cedar wood and a scarlet string and hyssop, :50  and he shall slaughter the one bird in an earthenware vessel over running water. :51  "Then he shall take the cedar wood and the hyssop and the scarlet string, with the live bird, and dip them in the blood of the slain bird as well as in the running water, and sprinkle the house seven times. :52  "He shall thus cleanse the house with the blood of the bird and with the running water, along with the live bird and with the cedar wood and with the hyssop and with the scarlet string. 

14:53  "However, he shall let the live bird go free outside the city into the open field. So he shall make atonement for the house, and it will be clean." 

This sounds more like a sacrifice than a cleansing solution. But in verse 34, we read that God caused the mold. Why we are not told, but to make ourselves right with God, we must follow His requirements. Too often we think we can make up our own responses to a sovereign, omnipotent, omniscient, and omnipresent God. Cain tried it and was criticized for doing it. It made him so angry he killed his own brother Abel.

:54  This is the law for any mark of leprosy—even for a scale, :55  and for the leprous garment or house, :56  and for a swelling, and for a scab, and for a bright spot— 

:57  to teach when they are unclean and when they are clean. This is the law of leprosy. 

Ezekiel 22:26  "Her priests have done violence to My law and have profaned My holy things; they have made no distinction between the holy and the profane, and they have not taught the difference between the unclean and the clean; and they hide their eyes from My sabbaths, and I am profaned among them.

Ezekiel 44:23  "Moreover, they shall teach My people the difference between the holy and the profane, and cause them to discern between the unclean and the clean.

Paul used this same view of obedience in his letter to Timothy.

1Timothy 1:8  But we know that the Law is good, if one uses it lawfully, :9  realizing the fact that law is not made for a righteous person, but for those who are lawless and rebellious, for the ungodly and sinners, for the unholy and profane, for those who kill their fathers or mothers, for murderers :10  and immoral men and homosexuals and kidnappers and liars and perjurers, and whatever else is contrary to sound teaching, :11  according to the glorious gospel of the blessed God, with which I have been entrusted. 

More next Saturday

Sola Scriptura-16

Pastors who want to brush aside God’s Laws are really being disobedient and their members are being deceived. But, do they truly care? I have heard some say that these Laws are no longer in need of being considered valid in our times.

We know how to protect ourselves and besides we have a much more clean and sterile environment to process these foods, and then also in our kitchens, as we prepare them for our meals. This sounds somewhat like rationalizing our sins, just like Israel and Judah had done.

What happened to them? They were captured and taken away into captivity.

Leviticus 13:1  Then the LORD spoke to Moses and to Aaron, saying, :2  "When a man has on the skin of his body a swelling or a scab or a bright spot, and it becomes an infection of leprosy on the skin of his body, then he shall be brought to Aaron the priest or to one of his sons the priests. 

:3  "The priest shall look at the mark on the skin of the body, and if the hair in the infection has turned white and the infection appears to be deeper than the skin of his body, it is an infection of leprosy; when the priest has looked at him, he shall pronounce him unclean. :4  "But if the bright spot is white on the skin of his body, and it does not appear to be deeper than the skin, and the hair on it has not turned white, then the priest shall isolate him who has the infection for seven days. 

:5  "The priest shall look at him on the seventh day, and if in his eyes the infection has not changed and the infection has not spread on the skin, then the priest shall isolate him for seven more days. 

:6  "The priest shall look at him again on the seventh day, and if the infection has faded and the mark has not spread on the skin, then the priest shall pronounce him clean; it is only a scab. And he shall wash his clothes and be clean. 

:7  "But if the scab spreads farther on the skin after he has shown himself to the priest for his cleansing, he shall appear again to the priest. :8  "The priest shall look, and if the scab has spread on the skin, then the priest shall pronounce him unclean; it is leprosy. 

Leprosy is a dangerous and infectious disease. There is a very legitimate reason to identify it and to isolate it from the rest of the community or tribe.

Leprosy is a chronic infectious disease caused by a type of bacteria, Mycobacterium leprae.

• The disease predominantly affects the skin and peripheral nerves. Left untreated, the disease may cause progressive and permanent disabilities.

• The bacteria are transmitted via droplets from the nose and mouth during close and frequent contact with untreated cases.

• Leprosy is curable with multidrug therapy (MDT).

• Leprosy is reported from all the six WHO regions; the majority of annual new case detections are from South-East Asia Region.

Key facts

• Leprosy is a chronic infectious disease caused by a type of bacteria, Mycobacterium leprae.

• The disease predominantly affects the skin and peripheral nerves. Left untreated, the disease may cause progressive and permanent disabilities.

• The bacteria are transmitted via droplets from the nose and mouth during close and frequent contact with untreated cases.

• Leprosy is curable with multidrug therapy (MDT).

• Leprosy is reported from all the six WHO regions; the majority of annual new case detections are from South-East Asia Region.
   

Leprosy, also known as Hansen disease, is a chronic infectious disease caused mainly by a type of bacteria called Mycobacterium leprae. The disease affects the skin, the peripheral nerves, the mucosa of the upper respiratory tract and the eyes. Apart from the physical deformity, persons affected by leprosy also face stigmatization and discrimination. However, leprosy is curable and treatment in the early stages can prevent disability.

Leprosy is a neglected tropical disease (NTD) which still occurs in more than 120 countries, with around 200 000 new cases reported every year. Elimination of leprosy as a public health problem (defined as prevalence of less than 1 per 10 000 population as per World Health Assembly resolution 44.9) was achieved globally in the year 2000 and in most countries by the year 2010.

The reduction in the number of new cases has been gradual. As per data of 2024, Brazil, India and Indonesia continue to report more than 10 000 new cases, while 12 other countries (Bangladesh, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, Madagascar, Mozambique, Myanmar, Nepal, Nigeria, Philippines, Somalia, Sri Lanka and the United Republic of Tanzania) each reported 1000–10 000 new cases. Fifty-five countries reported 0 cases and 117 reported fewer than 1000 new cases.

Is there any doubt that God gave the priests such detailed instructions on how to identify it and treat it? Why would this law be ignored or considered invalid?

Let us now take a brief look and just some of the animals God declared as unclean!

11:41  'Now every swarming thing that swarms on the earth is detestable, not to be eaten. :42  'Whatever crawls on its belly, and whatever walks on all fours, whatever has many feet, in respect to every swarming thing that swarms on the earth, you shall not eat them, for they are detestable. :43  'Do not render yourselves detestable through any of the swarming things that swarm; and you shall not make yourselves unclean with them so that you become unclean. 

:44  'For I am the LORD your God. Consecrate yourselves therefore, and be holy, for I am holy. And you shall not make yourselves unclean with any of the swarming things that swarm on the earth. 

:45  'For I am the LORD who brought you up from the land of Egypt to be your God; thus you shall be holy, for I am holy.'" :46  This is the law regarding the animal and the bird, and every living thing that moves in the waters and everything that swarms on the earth, :47  to make a distinction between the unclean and the clean, and between the edible creature and the creature which is not to be eaten. 

What or which pastor is advocating eating snakes, worms, or insects? No but he loves ham, bacon, shell fish, catfish, and carp. You can’t pick some laws to obey and others to disobey. If animals are now miraculously made clean or edible, then everything God created in Genesis was not good. God would have to recreate animals to make them clean.

More next Saturday.

Hope you who are in this large winter storm system have been able to prepare for it.

Sola Scriptura-15

What clean laws are still in force? How many do you actually know of or have heard of from the pulpit? I would guess not many. Clean animals were first introduced to us in Genesis.

Genesis 7:1  Then the LORD said to Noah, "Enter the ark, you and all your household, for you alone I have seen to be righteous before Me in this time. 7:2  "You shall take with you of every clean animal by sevens, a male and his female; and of the animals that are not clean two, a male and his female; 7:3  also of the birds of the sky, by sevens, male and female, to keep offspring alive on the face of all the earth. 

God continued to chastise the priests and prophets on their lack of training on clean vs unclean and holy vs unholy.

Lev 10:9  "Do not drink wine or strong drink, neither you nor your sons with you, when you come into the tent of meeting, so that you will not die—it is a perpetual statute throughout your generations— 

Lev 10:10  and so as to make a distinction between the holy and the profane, and between the unclean and the clean, 

Lev 10:11  and so as to teach the sons of Israel all the statutes which the LORD has spoken to them through Moses." 

Aaron and all of his descendants are to teach these distinctions. Holy and profane are just as important as clean vs unclean.

Leviticus 11:1  The LORD spoke again to Moses and to Aaron, saying to them, 11:2  "Speak to the sons of Israel, saying, 'These are the creatures which you may eat from all the animals that are on the earth. 

The list and the characteristics of clean and unclean can be found in Leviticus 11. But is that the extent of clean and unclean?

11:24  'By these, moreover, you will be made unclean: whoever touches their carcasses becomes unclean until evening, 11:25  and whoever picks up any of their carcasses shall wash his clothes and be unclean until evening.

11:32  'Also anything on which one of them may fall when they are dead becomes unclean, including any wooden article, or clothing, or a skin, or a sack—any article of which use is made—it shall be put in the water and be unclean until evening, then it becomes clean. 

11:33  'As for any earthenware vessel into which one of them may fall, whatever is in it becomes unclean and you shall break the vessel. 

11:34  'Any of the food which may be eaten, on which water comes, shall become unclean, and any liquid which may be drunk in every vessel shall become unclean. 

This sounds a lot like common sense for today. We all need to be careful around dead animals as germs, bacteria, and viruses are likely to be present. Who would argue against this clean Law? Also be careful if these dead animals fall onto vessels, which are most often ceramic and porous. Clothing is equally vulnerable to remaining dangerous after coming in contact with a dead animal.

How many of you are careful when cutting up a chicken in the kitchen? Of course you are!

12:1  Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, 12:2  "Speak to the sons of Israel, saying: 'When a woman gives birth and bears a male child, then she shall be unclean for seven days, as in the days of her menstruation she shall be unclean. 

Lev 12:3  'On the eighth day the flesh of his foreskin shall be circumcised. 

12:4  'Then she shall remain in the blood of her purification for thirty-three days; she shall not touch any consecrated thing, nor enter the sanctuary until the days of her purification are completed. 12:5  'But if she bears a female child, then she shall be unclean for two weeks, as in her menstruation; and she shall remain in the blood of her purification for sixty-six days. 

12:6  'When the days of her purification are completed, for a son or for a daughter, she shall bring to the priest at the doorway of the tent of meeting a one year old lamb for a burnt offering and a young pigeon or a turtledove for a sin offering. 12:7  'Then he shall offer it before the LORD and make atonement for her, and she shall be cleansed from the flow of her blood. This is the law for her who bears a child, whether a male or a female. 

For all of you who have the blessing of children know something of the blood involved in birthing. Also, for sometime after the birth, bleeding continues. We are all aware of being careful around this naturally occurring cycle. The menstrual cycle has it’s own set of precautions.

So are the above warnings for our own good? Of course they are! God doesn’t want to keep the good things He has made from us, but He wants to protect us from the daily activities of life that can be harmful.

More next Saturday.

Sola Scriptura-14

Most pastors and people believe that the only clean laws related solely to food and that they are no longer valid. Who decides when the Laws of God can be ignored? Did God not consider what needed to change as our societies change? With all the evil going on around the world, is the problem with God’s Laws or our disobedience to the Laws. God created Laws and boundaries for us to protect us and to provide for us. Also, He created them to be obeyed. All of them.

We will once again begin with the most obvious clean law and the passage which most pastors believe invalidates the Law. It begins with Peter.

Acts 10:1  Now there was a man at Caesarea named Cornelius, a centurion of what was called the Italian cohort, 10:2  a devout man and one who feared God with all his household, and gave many alms to the Jewish people and prayed to God continually. 10:3  About the ninth hour of the day he clearly saw in a vision an angel of God who had just come in and said to him, "Cornelius!" 

This passage also reminds us that Gentiles could believe in God as well as Jews. He was devout, feared God, gave generously, and prayed continually. An example to us as well.

10:4  And fixing his gaze on him and being much alarmed, he said, "What is it, Lord?" And he said to him, "Your prayers and alms have ascended as a memorial before God. 

10:5  "Now dispatch some men to Joppa and send for a man named Simon, who is also called Peter; 10:6  he is staying with a tanner named Simon, whose house is by the sea." 

This could not be more specific. Interesting that Peter was staying with a tanner, whose occupation would render him unclean on a daily basis.

10:7  When the angel who was speaking to him had left, he summoned two of his servants and a devout soldier of those who were his personal attendants, 10:8  and after he had explained everything to them, he sent them to Joppa. 

Cornelius did not hesitate when confronted by the angel. He obeyed. Not a question, not an argument, and no delay.

10:9  On the next day, as they were on their way and approaching the city, Peter went up on the housetop about the sixth hour to pray. 10:10  But he became hungry and was desiring to eat; but while they were making preparations, he fell into a trance; 10:11  and he *saw the sky opened up, and an object like a great sheet coming down, lowered by four corners to the ground, 10:12  and there were in it all kinds of four-footed animals and crawling creatures of the earth and birds of the air. 10:13  A voice came to him, "Get up, Peter, kill and eat!" 10:14  But Peter said, "By no means, Lord, for I have never eaten anything unholy and unclean." 10:15  Again a voice came to him a second time, "What God has cleansed, no longer consider unholy." 10:16  This happened three times, and immediately the object was taken up into the sky.

This is where most pastors end their teaching. They confidently state that now all food is clean. Is this what God was trying to teach Peter? God would then have a problem. He lied at creation that all was good. But, now God would have to recreate all those animals to make them clean. Maybe this was not God’s message.

10:17  Now while Peter was greatly perplexed in mind as to what the vision which he had seen might be, behold, the men who had been sent by Cornelius, having asked directions for Simon's house, appeared at the gate; 10:18  and calling out, they were asking whether Simon, who was also called Peter, was staying there. 

10:19  While Peter was reflecting on the vision, the Spirit said to him, "Behold, three men are looking for you. 10:20  "But get up, go downstairs and accompany them without misgivings, for I have sent them Myself." 

10:21  Peter went down to the men and said, "Behold, I am the one you are looking for; what is the reason for which you have come?" 

10:22  They said, "Cornelius, a centurion, a righteous and God-fearing man well spoken of by the entire nation of the Jews, was divinely directed by a holy angel to send for you to come to his house and hear a message from you." 10:23  So he invited them in and gave them lodging. And on the next day he got up and went away with them, and some of the brethren from Joppa accompanied him. 

No mention of food. Peter, who was the only one given this vision, was perplexed. Immediately upon awakening, Peter was told of three visitors right at the door! He invited the Gentiles into the house and provided for them, all against the law of the Pharisees.

10:24  On the following day he entered Caesarea. Now Cornelius was waiting for them and had called together his relatives and close friends. 10:25  When Peter entered, Cornelius met him, and fell at his feet and worshiped him. 

10:26  But Peter raised him up, saying, "Stand up; I too am just a man." 10:27  As he talked with him, he entered and *found many people assembled. 

Everyone was waiting for Peter. Cornelius invited all of his relatives and close friends to hear what Peter would tell them. How many of us would have done this?

10:28  And he said to them, "You yourselves know how unlawful it is for a man who is a Jew to associate with a foreigner or to visit him; and yet God has shown me that I should not call any man unholy or unclean. 

Not food, but men and women made in God’s image.

10:29  "That is why I came without even raising any objection when I was sent for. So I ask for what reason you have sent for me." 10:30  Cornelius said, "Four days ago to this hour, I was praying in my house during the ninth hour; and behold, a man stood before me in shining garments,  10:31  and he *said, 'Cornelius, your prayer has been heard and your alms have been remembered before God. 10:32  'Therefore send to Joppa and invite Simon, who is also called Peter, to come to you; he is staying at the house of Simon the tanner by the sea.' 10:33  "So I sent for you immediately, and you have been kind enough to come. Now then, we are all here present before God to hear all that you have been commanded by the Lord." 

10:34  Opening his mouth, Peter said: "I most certainly understand now that God is not one to show partiality, 

10:35  but in every nation the man who fears Him and does what is right is welcome to Him. 

Jewish man-made laws did not permit meeting with Gentiles. That sense of separation still exists in some countries today. God does not play with favorites. Even in the Exodus, there was a ‘mixed’ multitude. God allowed both Rahab, the harlot, and Ruth, a Moabite, to be included in the lineage of Christ.

This is the real message of Acts 10, 11,and Galatians 2:11-14. These passages reveal just how hard it is to turn from false doctrines and sinful traditions.

Are there any people in your area of influence that you have a hard time sharing time with or avoid being with? Who could be considered unclean to you?

More next Saturday.

Sola Scriptura-13

Why don’t pastors/shepherds ever teach that Jesus did not abolish the Law? Is it because we are too accustomed to ignoring many elements of the Law that we think don’t apply to us? Which ones are most often ignored or simply considered culturally and historically trapped in history but not in our ‘modern’ society? We will do a brief review of the ‘clean’ laws.

Moses and Aaron were told God’s Laws and commanded to keep them, all of them. How serious is God about keeping His Laws, Commandments, and Statutes?

Leviticus 10:8  The LORD then spoke to Aaron, saying, 10:9  "Do not drink wine or strong drink, neither you nor your sons with you, when you come into the tent of meeting, so that you will not die—it is a perpetual statute throughout your generations— 10:10  and so as to make a distinction between the holy and the profane, and between the unclean and the clean, 10:11  and so as to teach the sons of Israel all the statutes which the LORD has spoken to them through Moses."

Clearly there are both clean and unclean elements of every society, just as there are holy and unholy/profane elements. The nations surrounding the ‘Promised Lane’ were neither clean or holy.

The entire chapter 11 in Leviticus is devoted to clean and unclean animals. God created both, so how can some be unclean? This could be also considered unhealthy. The animals, fish, birds, and other creatures that are not clean are God’s garbage cleaners. We have heard of fish being bottom feeders. What does that suggest? To keep the earth clean and viable, the ‘garbage and refuse’ needs to be taken care of and removed. Some simply decay, but others are consumed by animals specifically created to digest them. What about buzzards and vultures? Don’t we often see them on the side of the road eating ‘road kill’? This is just one example. God is not arbitrary or confusing.

Leviticus 11:44  'For I am the LORD your God. Consecrate yourselves therefore, and be holy, for I am holy. And you shall not make yourselves unclean with any of the swarming things that swarm on the earth. 

11:45  'For I am the LORD who brought you up from the land of Egypt to be your God; thus you shall be holy, for I am holy.'" 

11:46  This is the law regarding the animal and the bird, and every living thing that moves in the waters and everything that swarms on the earth, 11:47  to make a distinction between the unclean and the clean, and between the edible creature and the creature which is not to be eaten. 

Another example that many may have heard is when someone is called acting squirelly. What does this mean? It is a fast movement, jittery or, twitchy actions much like a squirrel. Squirrels are full of parasites, parasites that often find their way to the brain. People who eat squirrel often begin to show this behavior. Even though the squirrels are cooked, it doesn’t kill the parasites.

Pigs are also full of parasites and all kinds of toxins. They don’t sweat, they have a single stomach and therefore cannot adequately digest food, unlike cattle who have two stomachs. Pigs eat anything. Even when you try to feed them ‘cattle’ feed, the problems remain. So if parasites survive cooking in squirrels, it would seem reasonable that they may also survive cooking in beef.

Does God want to withhold good things from us or protect us from bad/unhealthy things? Well both! Since God created all creatures, He alone can tell us which are best for us.

How serious is God about keeping His Laws?

Levitus 10:1  Now Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, took their respective firepans, and after putting fire in them, placed incense on it and offered strange fire before the LORD, which He had not commanded them. 10:2  And fire came out from the presence of the LORD and consumed them, and they died before the LORD. 

10:3  Then Moses said to Aaron, "It is what the LORD spoke, saying, 'By those who come near Me I will be treated as holy, And before all the people I will be honored.'" So Aaron, therefore, kept silent. 

10:4  Moses called also to Mishael and Elzaphan, the sons of Aaron's uncle Uzziel, and said to them, "Come forward, carry your relatives away from the front of the sanctuary to the outside of the camp." 10:5  So they came forward and carried them still in their tunics to the outside of the camp, as Moses had said. 10:6  Then Moses said to Aaron and to his sons Eleazar and Ithamar, "Do not uncover your heads nor tear your clothes, so that you will not die and that He will not become wrathful against all the congregation. But your kinsmen, the whole house of Israel, shall bewail the burning which the LORD has brought about. 10:7  "You shall not even go out from the doorway of the tent of meeting, or you will die; for the LORD'S anointing oil is upon you." So they did according to the word of Moses. 

10:8  The LORD then spoke to Aaron, saying, 10:9  "Do not drink wine or strong drink, neither you nor your sons with you, when you come into the tent of meeting, so that you will not die—it is a perpetual statute throughout your generations— 10:10  and so as to make a distinction between the holy and the profane, and between the unclean and the clean, 10:11  and so as to teach the sons of Israel all the statutes which the LORD has spoken to them through Moses." 

God repeated His warnings and so as to make a distinction between the holy and the profane, and between the unclean and the clean,  and so as to teach the sons of Israel all the statutes which the LORD has spoken to them through Moses.

Aaron watched as two of his sons died by fire from the LORD. He was not allowed to show any mourning. Keeping God’s commandments applies to all, even to Aaron’s sons.

More next Saturday.

Sola Scriptura-12

Sorry for labeling the last message again as 11. We will now try to understand Peter’s real role in the Church of Jesus Christ. Peter was one of the most vocal of all of the original 12. We can wonder if the rest of the 11 often let Peter speak first as they were unsure of what to day or what Jesus would say back to Peter. Some of us may do the same when controversial subjects are being discussed.

Galatians 2:7  But on the contrary, seeing that I (Paul) had been entrusted with the gospel to the uncircumcised, just as Peter had been to the circumcised 2:8  (for He who effectually worked for Peter in his apostleship to the circumcised effectually worked for me also to the Gentiles), 2:9  and recognizing the grace that had been given to me, James and Cephas and John, who were reputed to be pillars, gave to me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship, so that we might go to the Gentiles and they to the circumcised. 

This passage contradicts those who want us to think that Peter was the first Pope. Clearly he was not, as Paul clearly outlines their respective ministries.

Peter never mentioned any additional role for himself.

2 Peter 1:1  Simon Peter, a bond-servant and apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who have received a faith of the same kind as ours, by the righteousness of our God and Savior, Jesus Christ: 

We studied the term bond-servant and discovered it meant slave or indentured servant. This is our position as well. How did Peter view Paul and was there any reference of who leads and who follows,

2 Peter 3:14  Therefore, beloved, since you look for these things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace, spotless and blameless, 3:15  and regard the patience of our Lord as salvation; just as also our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given him, wrote to you, 3:16  as also in all his letters, speaking in them of these things, in which are some things hard to understand, which the untaught and unstable distort, as they do also the rest of the Scriptures, to their own destruction. 

3:17  You therefore, beloved, knowing this beforehand, be on your guard so that you are not carried away by the error of unprincipled men and fall from your own steadfastness, 3:18  but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory, both now and to the day of eternity. Amen. 

Peter has high regards and affection for Paul. He refers to Paul as a beloved brother. He acknowledges Paul’s writing and how they are at times hard to fully understand. Remember that Paul was the only apostle who had the training of a Pharisee. He was a true scholar. Now all who have the Holy Spirit can write and understand, but Paul had the years of study to aid him.

Philippians 3:1  Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things again is no trouble to me, and it is a safeguard for you. 3:2  Beware of the dogs, beware of the evil workers, beware of the false circumcision; 3:3  for we are the true circumcision, who worship in the Spirit of God and glory in Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the flesh, 3:4  although I myself might have confidence even in the flesh. If anyone else has a mind to put confidence in the flesh, I far more: 3:5  circumcised the eighth day, of the nation of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the Law, a Pharisee; 3:6  as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to the righteousness which is in the Law, found blameless. 

3:7  But whatever things were gain to me, those things I have counted as loss for the sake of Christ. 

Paul felt that he had to make his point clear as many false teachers attacked him wherever he went. But, all of this meant nothing to him in comparison to the grace given to him. Jesus stopped Paul in his tracks as he tried to go to Damascus and Paul was never the same again.

Paul never shied away from correcting anyone who was in error, even Peter.

Galatians 2:11  But when Cephas came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he stood condemned. 

2:12  For prior to the coming of certain men from James, he used to eat with the Gentiles; but when they came, he began to withdraw and hold himself aloof, fearing the party of the circumcision. 2:13  The rest of the Jews joined him in hypocrisy, with the result that even Barnabas was carried away by their hypocrisy. 

2:14  But when I saw that they were not straightforward about the truth of the gospel, I said to Cephas in the presence of all, "If you, being a Jew, live like the Gentiles and not like the Jews, how is it that you compel the Gentiles to live like Jews? 

This event concluded Peter’s first trip outside of Israel when he was called to meet with Cornelius. This story needs to be studied separately, which may come later after this study. The point to make is that Paul confronted Peter to his face in front of others.

What can we learn from this one encounter?

More next Saturday.

Sola Scriptura-11

Prayers are a very important part of true Christian life. In fact, the apostles asked Jesus how to pray. Prayer, praying, and to pray are mentioned repeatedly throughout the Bible, both in the OT and NT. Jesus prayed, the apostles prayed, the church prayed, the prophets prayed, kings prayed, Moses prayed and so did many others. What kind of prayer is not acceptable?

Matthew 6:5  "When you pray, you are not to be like the hypocrites; for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and on the street corners so that they may be seen by men. Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full. 6:6  "But you, when you pray, go into your inner room, close your door and pray to your Father who is in secret, and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you. 

6:7  "And when you are praying, do not use meaningless repetition as the Gentiles do, for they suppose that they will be heard for their many words. 6:8  "So do not be like them; for your Father knows what you need before you ask Him. 

What religion promotes and encourages meaningless repetition in prayers? The rosary is such a prayer. It fails the test for a number of reasons.

1. It is a prayer to Mary

2. It is a mindless repeat of a phrase with no real thought given to its shallowness.

3. It does not resemble any of the prayers in the Bible, especially the Apostles Prayer given in Matthew 6.

Matthew 6:8  "So do not be like them; for your Father knows what you need before you ask Him. 6:9  "Pray, then, in this way: 'Our Father who is in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. 6:10  'Your kingdom come. Your will be done, On earth as it is in heaven. 6:11  'Give us this day our daily bread. 6:12  'And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. 6:13  'And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from evil. [For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.]' 

This is not a prayer to be continually repeated but an example or format for our prayers. There are many examples of exemplary prayers from which we can learn and apply to our individual prayers.

Daniel 9, Solomon in 1 Kings 8, and Jesus in John 17.

A few prayer highlights are listed below.

Luke 6:12  It was at this time that He (Jesus) went off to the mountain to pray, and He spent the whole night in prayer to God. 

Matthew 21:13  And He *said to them, "It is written, 'MY HOUSE SHALL BE CALLED A HOUSE OF PRAYER'; but you are making it a ROBBERS' DEN."

Acts 1:14  These all with one mind were continually devoting themselves to prayer, along with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with His brothers. 

Acts 2:42  They were continually devoting themselves to the apostles' teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. 

Acts 12:5  So Peter was kept in the prison, but prayer for him was being made fervently by the church to God. 

Ephesians 6:18  With all prayer and petition pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints, 6:19  and pray on my behalf, that utterance may be given to me in the opening of my mouth, to make known with boldness the mystery of the gospel, 6:20  for which I am an ambassador in chains; that in proclaiming it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak. 

Philippians 4:6  Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 4:7  And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Colossians 4:2  Devote yourselves to prayer, keeping alert in it with an attitude of thanksgiving; 4:3  praying at the same time for us as well, that God will open up to us a door for the word, so that we may speak forth the mystery of Christ, for which I have also been imprisoned; 4:4  that I may make it clear in the way I ought to speak. 

James 5:13  Is anyone among you suffering? Then he must pray. Is anyone cheerful? He is to sing praises. 5:14  Is anyone among you sick? Then he must call for the elders of the church and they are to pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord; 5:15  and the prayer offered in faith will restore the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up, and if he has committed sins, they will be forgiven him. 

5:16  Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another so that you may be healed. The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much. 5:17  Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the earth for three years and six months

There are many more examples, but the point is made very clear. God instructs us to pray, encourages us to pray, and gave us numerous examples on how to pray. No two prayers are exactly the same and never repetitive.

More next Saturday.

Sola Scriptura-11

Few pastors truly teach just how much Jesus humbled Himself in coming to earth to take on flesh. When did Jesus become flesh? Was it at His birth? Was it when he went into the Temple at Passover when He was around 12? Or was it when the fertilized egg was implanted into Mary?

Mary, as with all of humanity, was born with a sin nature. Jesus knew no sin and lived a perfect life, something no one else could do or every did. How did Jesus escape the dangerous sin nature which has plagued humanity since the garden?

Luke 1:31  "And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name Him Jesus. 1:32  "He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David; 1:33  and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and His kingdom will have no end." 1:34  Mary said to the angel, "How can this be, since I am a virgin?"  1:35  The angel answered and said to her, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; and for that reason the holy Child shall be called the Son of God.

Conceive in the Greek can simply mean to become pregnant. Surrogate mothers are not rare in our current age of the advances in medical science. The implanted egg may be from the mother or another. The mother may be the wife but cannot give birth on her own. The birth mother may be a stranger, but still can be implanted. The difference, the egg is not her own in any way. This is the only plausible explanation for Jesus being born sinless.

This raises another very important fact, which is how much did Jesus humble Himself, make Himself low, when He left His throne in Heaven?

Philippians 2:5  Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, 2:6  who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, 2:7  but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. 2:8  Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. 

2:9  For this reason also, God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name,  2:10  so that at the name of Jesus EVERY KNEE WILL BOW, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 2:11  and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Becoming flesh was a humbling that far exceeds our minds. God leaving His throne, descended into earth to become a man but remained God. But He did not descend as a man but as a fertilized egg. He left His life entirely in the hands of His Father, as He could not have been conscious of His descent as an egg. He would not begin to restore His consciousness until He had grown at least to the age of 4-6, and then only partly.

Matthew 23:11  "But the greatest among you shall be your servant. 23:12  "Whoever exalts himself shall be humbled; and whoever humbles himself shall be exalted. 

He is our perfect example. He humbled Himself and was then exalted as He returned to sit down at His rightful throne in Heaven.

Acts 1:6  So when they had come together, they were asking Him, saying, "Lord, is it at this time You are restoring the kingdom to Israel?" 1:7  He said to them, "It is not for you to know times or epochs which the Father has fixed by His own authority; 1:8  but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth." 

1:9  And after He had said these things, He was lifted up while they were looking on, and a cloud received Him out of their sight. 1:10  And as they were gazing intently into the sky while He was going, behold, two men in white clothing stood beside them. 1:11  They also said, "Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into the sky? This Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will come in just the same way as you have watched Him go into heaven.

Mat 19:28  And Jesus said to them, "Truly I say to you, that you who have followed Me, in the regeneration when the Son of Man will sit on His glorious throne, you also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel

Hebrews 8:1  Now the main point in what has been said is this: we have such a high priest, who has taken His seat at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens,  8:2  a minister in the sanctuary and in the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, not man. 

Hebrews 12:1  Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,  12:2  fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Revelation 4:9  And when the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks to Him who sits on the throne, to Him who lives forever and ever, 4:10  the twenty-four elders will fall down before Him who sits on the throne, and will worship Him who lives forever and ever, and will cast their crowns before the throne, saying, 4:11  "Worthy are You, our Lord and our God, to receive glory and honor and power; for You created all things, and because of Your will they existed, and were created." 

Revelation 22:1  Then he showed me a river of the water of life, clear as crystal, coming from the throne of God and of the Lamb, 22:2  in the middle of its street. On either side of the river was the tree of life, bearing twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit every month; and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. 22:3  There will no longer be any curse; and the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and His bond-servants will serve Him; 22:4  they will see His face, and His name will be on their foreheads.  22:5  And there will no longer be any night; and they will not have need of the light of a lamp nor the light of the sun, because the Lord God will illumine them; and they will reign forever and ever. 

Jesus will be our judge as well as judge the world from His throne. There are numerous references to His throne and God’s throne. He is the King of Kings and Lord of Lords and He sits on His rightful throne. This clearly magnifies the vast humbling of Jesus as He took on flesh. This makes His sacrifice even more meaningful. The cross is His ultimate example but His entire life is important as well.

More next Saturday.

Sola Scriptura-10

The Church of Rome has created a totally false Mary. This will be a difficult truth to many, but the truth shall set us all free.

John 2:1  On the third day there was a wedding in Cana of Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there; 2:2  and both Jesus and His disciples were invited to the wedding. 

Joh 2:3  When the wine ran out, the mother of Jesus *said to Him, "They have no wine." 

2:4  And Jesus *said to her, "Woman, what does that have to do with us? My hour has not yet come." 2:5  His mother *said to the servants, "Whatever He says to you, do it." 

This event is one of the first recorded events in Jesus’s adult life. While John identifies Mary as the mother of Jesus, Jesus refers to her a ‘woman’.

John 19:26  When Jesus then saw His mother, and the disciple whom He loved standing nearby, He *said to His mother, "Woman, behold, your son!" :27  Then He *said to the disciple, "Behold, your mother!" From that hour the disciple took her into his own household. 

While on the cross, Jesus once again referred to Mary as ‘woman’ yet told John to consider her a mother! This would seem kind of heartless or even inappropriate. Was there no real affection for Mary as His mother?

Matthew 13:53  When Jesus had finished these parables, He departed from there. :54  He came to His hometown and began teaching them in their synagogue, so that they were astonished, and said, "Where did this man get this wisdom and these miraculous powers? :55  "Is not this the carpenter's son? Is not His mother called Mary, and His brothers, James and Joseph and Simon and Judas? :56  "And His sisters, are they not all with us? Where then did this man get all these things?" 

It would seem that everyone knew that Mary was His mother and that he had brothers and sisters. These siblings would have been the result of Mary and Joseph’s union as husband and wife. There is nothing strange or unusual about Mary and Joseph having a family.

Matthew 26:6  Now when Jesus was in Bethany, at the home of Simon the leper, :7  a woman came to Him with an alabaster vial of very costly perfume, and she poured it on His head as He reclined at the table. :8  But the disciples were indignant when they saw this, and said, "Why this waste? :9  "For this perfume might have been sold for a high price and the money given to the poor." 

:10  But Jesus, aware of this, said to them, "Why do you bother the woman? For she has done a good deed to Me.:11  "For you always have the poor with you; but you do not always have Me. :12  "For when she poured this perfume on My body, she did it to prepare Me for burial. 

:13  "Truly I say to you, wherever this gospel is preached in the whole world, what this woman has done will also be spoken of in memory of her."

Of all the women in the Gospels, only this woman is singled out for remembrance. Who is this woman?

John 11:1  Now a certain man was sick, Lazarus of Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha. :2  It was the Mary who anointed the Lord with ointment, and wiped His feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was sick. 

There is not two such events. Mary, the sister of Lazarus and Martha, anointed Jesus with perfume and tears. Of all the women, she alone is to be remembered for this act of compassion.

Mark 15:46  Joseph bought a linen cloth, took Him down, wrapped Him in the linen cloth and laid Him in a tomb which had been hewn out in the rock; and he rolled a stone against the entrance of the tomb. :47  Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joses were looking on to see where He was laid. 

Mary is just mentioned as one who sought to know where Jesus was being buried. She was not one who came to His tomb early in the morning.

Acts 1:12  Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a Sabbath day's journey away. :13  When they had entered the city, they went up to the upper room where they were staying; that is, Peter and John and James and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon the Zealot, and Judas the son of James. :14  These all with one mind were continually devoting themselves to prayer, along with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with His brothers. 

Mary is singled out, but other women were also there in the upper room. This is the last mention of Mary in the Bible.

What are we to come to understand about Mary?

More next Saturday.

Sola Scriptura-9

The biblical Mary is not recognizable to the Mary of the Church of Rome. We have begun to study the vast differences and while many will be angry at the truth found only in the Scriptures, we must be totally committed to the truth.

Luke 2:1  Now in those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus, that a census be taken of all the inhabited earth.  2:2  This was the first census taken while Quirinius was governor of Syria. 2:3  And everyone was on his way to register for the census, each to his own city. 

2:4  Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the city of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and family of David, 2:5  in order to register along with Mary, who was engaged to him, and was with child. 2:6  While they were there, the days were completed for her to give birth. 2:7  And she gave birth to her firstborn son; and she wrapped Him in cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn. 

This is a very familiar passage which details Jesus’ birth. Many have not seriously read farther to discover what Mary did after the required days.

Luke 2:22  And when the days for their purification according to the law of Moses were completed, they brought Him up to Jerusalem to present Him to the Lord 

2:23  (as it is written in the Law of the Lord, "EVERY firstborn MALE THAT OPENS THE WOMB SHALL BE CALLED HOLY TO THE LORD"), 2:24  and to offer a sacrifice according to what was said in the Law of the Lord, "A PAIR OF TURTLEDOVES OR TWO YOUNG PIGEONS." 

Sin offerings were introduced in Leviticus as they related to giving birth. If the couple could not afford a lamb, they could bring a pair of turtledoves or pigeons. Innocent people don’t need forgiveness, but we are all guilty of sin including Mary. She obeyed the Law and recognized her unworthiness before a Holy God.

Levitucus 5:6  'He shall also bring his guilt offering to the LORD for his sin which he has committed, a female from the flock, a lamb or a goat as a sin offering. So the priest shall make atonement on his behalf for his sin. 

Lev 5:7  'But if he cannot afford a lamb, then he shall bring to the LORD his guilt offering for that in which he has sinned, two turtledoves or two young pigeons, one for a sin offering and the other for a burnt offering. 

Leviticus 12:1  Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying,  12:2  "Speak to the sons of Israel, saying: 'When a woman gives birth and bears a male child, then she shall be unclean for seven days, as in the days of her menstruation she shall be unclean. 12:3  'On the eighth day the flesh of his foreskin shall be circumcised. 

12:4  'Then she shall remain in the blood of her purification for thirty-three days; she shall not touch any consecrated thing, nor enter the sanctuary until the days of her purification are completed. 12:5  'But if she bears a female child, then she shall be unclean for two weeks, as in her menstruation; and she shall remain in the blood of her purification for sixty-six days. 

12:6  'When the days of her purification are completed, for a son or for a daughter, she shall bring to the priest at the doorway of the tent of meeting a one year old lamb for a burnt offering and a young pigeon or a turtledove for a sin offering. 12:7  'Then he shall offer it before the LORD and make atonement for her, and she shall be cleansed from the flow of her blood. This is the law for her who bears a child, whether a male or a female. 12:8  'But if she cannot afford a lamb, then she shall take two turtledoves or two young pigeons, the one for a burnt offering and the other for a sin offering; and the priest shall make atonement for her, and she will be clean.'" 

The priest shall make an atonement for her with her offering. Mary needed atonement as much as any other mother. Why would giving birth require a sin offering and burnt offering? It is not very clear why, but it is very clear that it is in the Law. Mary and Joseph obeyed the Law.

The Church of Rome declares Mary to be sinless. God declares she needs to provide a sin offering. Only one person who walked this earth was sinless, Jesus the Christ.

More next Saturday.

Happy Thanksgiving

We are traveling for Thanksgiving and will not return until Monday December 1. I will send out the next update by Tuesday the 2nd.

Sola Scriptura-8

Who is the real Mary? Is she the biological birth mother of Jesus? Was she sinless? Did she immediately ascend into Heaven without tasting death? The Church of Rome has created a Mary that never existed and cannot be found in Scripture.

How did this important event begin? Jesus birth is recorded in Matthew 1 and Luke1. We will use Luke 1 as it contains more important detail.

Luke 1:26  Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city in Galilee called Nazareth, 1:27  to a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph, of the descendants of David; and the virgin's name was Mary. 

1:28  And coming in, he said to her, "Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with you." 1:29  But she was very perplexed at this statement, and kept pondering what kind of salutation this was. 

There are only two angels in the Bible that have their names revealed to us! Gabriel and Michael. Actually a third one, who is not an angel but a cherub, was named and his name in Lucifer/Satan.

:30  The angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary; for you have found favor with God. 1:31  "And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name Him Jesus. 1:32  "He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David; 1:33  and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and His kingdom will have no end." 

All the prophecies pertaining to Jesus remind us that Jesus is from the lineage of David, He is the Son of God, and His kingdom is eternal.

1:34  Mary said to the angel, "How can this be, since I am a virgin?" 

This is a very real question from a startled young woman.

1:35  The angel answered and said to her, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; and for that reason the holy Child shall be called the Son of God. 1:36  "And behold, even your relative Elizabeth has also conceived a son in her old age; and she who was called barren is now in her sixth month.  1:37  "For nothing will be impossible with God." 

Gabriel linked the baby to be born by Elizabeth with the baby to be born by Mary.

1:38  And Mary said, "Behold, the bondslave of the Lord; may it be done to me according to your word." And the angel departed from her. 

Mary identifies herself as a bondslave, an indentured servant of the LORD. Neither Gabriel or Mary spoke of her as anything more than a young virgin who had been chosen by God. Finding favor before God, while amazing, is not unique to Mary.

Colossans 4:12  Epaphras, who is one of your number, a bondslave of Jesus Christ, sends you his greetings, always laboring earnestly for you in his prayers, that you may stand perfect and fully assured in all the will of God.

Mary was identified in the femine as a bondslave, while Epaphras is identified in the masculine.

Philippians 2:5  Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, 2:6  who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, 2:7  but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men.

Jesus became a bond-servant, similar to a bond-slave, for us as He humbled Himself.

Mathew 25:14  "For it is just like a man about to go on a journey, who called his own slaves and entrusted his possessions to them. 

We are characterized as slaves to our Master/Lord, as we have been bought for a price from the slave block of sin.

1 Corinthians 7:21  Were you called while a slave? Do not worry about it; but if you are able also to become free, rather do that. 7:22  For he who was called in the Lord while a slave, is the Lord's freedman; likewise he who was called while free, is Christ's slave. 7:23  You were bought with a price; do not become slaves of men. 

Some members of ‘churches’ do not like to be identified as a slave, but a slave does the will of his Master. This is exactly what all of us should do.

1 Corinthians 6:18  Flee immorality. Every other sin that a man commits is outside the body, but the immoral man sins against his own body. 6:19  Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own? 6:20  For you have been bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body. 

Bought with a price that is of infinite worth. We must honor God in all we do, say, and think. Mary must do likewise and she apparently she did.

More on Mary next Saturday.

Sola Scriptura-7

Angels, Cherubim, and Seraphim are all created beings but angels are simply messengers. Cherubim and Seraphim are throne guards who do have wings, angels do not have wings. Every recorded introduction of angels indicate that they appear as male and often as ordinary men. We are first introduced to them in Genesis and then again in Exodus.

Genesis 3:22  Then the LORD God said, "Behold, the man has become like one of Us, knowing good and evil; and now, he might stretch out his hand, and take also from the tree of life, and eat, and live forever"— 3:23  therefore the LORD God sent him out from the garden of Eden, to cultivate the ground from which he was taken. 3:24  So He drove the man out; and at the east of the garden of Eden He stationed the cherubim and the flaming sword which turned every direction to guard the way to the tree of life. 

Exodus 37:7  He made two cherubim of gold; he made them of hammered work at the two ends of the mercy seat; 

37:8  one cherub at the one end and one cherub at the other end; he made the cherubim of one piece with the mercy seat at the two ends. 37:9  The cherubim had their wings spread upward, covering the mercy seat with their wings, with their faces toward each other; the faces of the cherubim were toward the mercy seat.

There are 58 verses in 13 books of the Old Testament that refer to Cherubim.

Psalms 99:1  The LORD reigns, let the peoples tremble; He is enthroned above the cherubim, let the earth shake! 

Isaiah 37:16  "O LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, who is enthroned above the cherubim, You are the God, You alone, of all the kingdoms of the earth. You have made heaven and earth.

Seraphim have only two mentions but both in Isaiah.

Isaiah 6:1  In the year of King Uzziah's death I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, lofty and exalted, with the train of His robe filling the temple. 

6:2  Seraphim stood above Him, each having six wings: with two he covered his face, and with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. 6:3  And one called out to another and said, "Holy, Holy, Holy, is the LORD of hosts, The whole earth is full of His glory." 6:4  And the foundations of the thresholds trembled at the voice of him who called out, while the temple was filling with smoke. 

6:5  Then I said, "Woe is me, for I am ruined! Because I am a man of unclean lips, And I live among a people of unclean lips; For my eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts." 6:6  Then one of the seraphim flew to me with a burning coal in his hand, which he had taken from the altar with tongs. 6:7  He touched my mouth with it and said, "Behold, this has touched your lips; and your iniquity is taken away and your sin is forgiven.

There are a number of references to appearances of angels, some appear as mere men but different, others as heavenly messengers that instill great fear in those who see them. Perhaps the most well known illustration of this is when the LORD visited Abraham.

Genesis 18:1  Now the LORD appeared to him by the oaks of Mamre, while he was sitting at the tent door in the heat of the day. 18:2  When he lifted up his eyes and looked, behold, three men were standing opposite him; and when he saw them, he ran from the tent door to meet them and bowed himself to the earth,

Abraham was a very wealthy and powerful man who was not accustomed to bowing in front of anyone. But, he saw something in these three ‘men’ that was exceptional and supernatural. Was he right in his initial assessment?

Genesis 18:9  Then they said to him, "Where is Sarah your wife?" And he said, "There, in the tent." 18:10  He (the LORD) said, "I will surely return to you at this time next year; and behold, Sarah your wife will have a son." And Sarah was listening at the tent door, which was behind him. 

18:11  Now Abraham and Sarah were old, advanced in age; Sarah was past childbearing. 18:12  Sarah laughed to herself, saying, "After I have become old, shall I have pleasure, my lord being old also?" 

18:13  And the LORD said to Abraham, "Why did Sarah laugh, saying, 'Shall I indeed bear a child, when I am so old?' 18:14  "Is anything too difficult for the LORD? At the appointed time I will return to you, at this time next year, and Sarah will have a son." 

18:15  Sarah denied it however, saying, "I did not laugh"; for she was afraid. And He said, "No, but you did laugh." 

So the LORD revealed himself in a very unique way. But, there is more.

Genesis 18:16  Then the men rose up from there, and looked down toward Sodom; and Abraham was walking with them to send them off. 18:17  The LORD said, "Shall I hide from Abraham what I am about to do, 18:18  since Abraham will surely become a great and mighty nation, and in him all the nations of the earth will be blessed? 18:19  "For I have chosen him, so that he may command his children and his household after him to keep the way of the LORD by doing righteousness and justice, so that the LORD may bring upon Abraham what He has spoken about him." 

18:20  And the LORD said, "The outcry of Sodom and Gomorrah is indeed great, and their sin is exceedingly grave. 18:21  "I will go down now, and see if they have done entirely according to its outcry, which has come to Me; and if not, I will know.

Genesis 18:31  And he said, "Now behold, I have ventured to speak to the Lord; suppose twenty are found there?" And He said, "I will not destroy it on account of the twenty." 18:32  Then he said, "Oh may the Lord not be angry, and I shall speak only this once; suppose ten are found there?" And He said, "I will not destroy it on account of the ten." 18:33  As soon as He had finished speaking to Abraham the LORD departed, and Abraham returned to his place. 

These men were indeed angels, sent by the LORD to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah and rescue Lot and his family. Abraham recognized them as not being normal men, as did Lot and all the sinful men.

Genesis 19:1  Now the two angels came to Sodom in the evening as Lot was sitting in the gate of Sodom. When Lot saw them, he rose to meet them and bowed down with his face to the ground. 19:2  And he said, "Now behold, my lords, please turn aside into your servant's house, and spend the night, and wash your feet; then you may rise early and go on your way." They said however, "No, but we shall spend the night in the square." 19:3  Yet he urged them strongly, so they turned aside to him and entered his house; and he prepared a feast for them, and baked unleavened bread, and they ate. 

Genesis 19:4  Before they lay down, the men of the city, the men of Sodom, surrounded the house, both young and old, all the people from every quarter; 19:5  and they called to Lot and said to him, "Where are the men who came to you tonight? Bring them out to us that we may have relations with them." 

19:6  But Lot went out to them at the doorway, and shut the door behind him, 19:7  and said, "Please, my brothers, do not act wickedly. 19:8  "Now behold, I have two daughters who have not had relations with man; please let me bring them out to you, and do to them whatever you like; only do nothing to these men, inasmuch as they have come under the shelter of my roof." 

19:9  But they said, "Stand aside." Furthermore, they said, "This one came in as an alien, and already he is acting like a judge; now we will treat you worse than them." So they pressed hard against Lot and came near to break the door. 

19:10  But the men reached out their hands and brought Lot into the house with them, and shut the door. 19:11  They struck the men who were at the doorway of the house with blindness, both small and great, so that they wearied themselves trying to find the doorway. 

19:12  Then the two men said to Lot, "Whom else have you here? A son-in-law, and your sons, and your daughters, and whomever you have in the city, bring them out of the place; 19:13  for we are about to destroy this place, because their outcry has become so great before the LORD that the LORD has sent us to destroy it." 

19:14  Lot went out and spoke to his sons-in-law, who were to marry his daughters, and said, "Up, get out of this place, for the LORD will destroy the city." But he appeared to his sons-in-law to be jesting. 19:15  When morning dawned, the angels urged Lot, saying, "Up, take your wife and your two daughters who are here, or you will be swept away in the punishment of the city." 

19:16  But he hesitated. So the men seized his hand and the hand of his wife and the hands of his two daughters, for the compassion of the LORD was upon him; and they brought him out, and put him outside the city. 

What have we learned?

1. Angels can appear as ordinary men.

2. Angels have tremendous power to use as the LORD commands them.

3. They appear as men, but they are different.

4. The LORD gave them the power and authority to save Lot and destroy Sodom, Gomorrah, and all living things within these two wicked cities.

5. The appeal of the world and sensual desires will blind most.

More next Saturday.

Sola Scriptura-6

Since Jesus is the ‘Passover’ lamb, where did Easter begin and how did we substitute Easter for the Passover? We only need to look into history and discover once again the traditions created by the Church of Rome.

In the Bible, we are introduced to two names for fertility goddesses, Asherah and Astarte. If you do a google image search, you will discover the whole world at one time worshiped some form of a fertility goddess.

King Josiah even had to remove the Asherah from God’s Temple in Jerusalem.

2 Kings 23:4  Then the king (Josiah) commanded Hilkiah the high priest and the priests of the second order and the doorkeepers, to bring out of the temple of the LORD all the vessels that were made for Baal, for Asherah, and for all the host of heaven; and he burned them outside Jerusalem in the fields of the Kidron, and carried their ashes to Bethel. 

The primary fertility goddess mentioned in the Bible is Asherah, who was a major deity in Canaanite religion alongside her consort, the god Baal. Other related figures, like Astarte (the Greek name for Ashtoreth) and the Queen of Heaven (a title for a similar goddess), are also referenced.

Jeremiah 44:16  "As for the message that you have spoken to us in the name of the LORD, we are not going to listen to you! 44:17  "But rather we will certainly carry out every word that has proceeded from our mouths, by burning sacrifices to the queen of heaven and pouring out drink offerings to her, just as we ourselves, our forefathers, our kings and our princes did in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem; for then we had plenty of food and were well off and saw no misfortune. 

44:18  "But since we stopped burning sacrifices to the queen of heaven and pouring out drink offerings to her, we have lacked everything and have met our end by the sword and by famine." 44:19  "And," said the women, "when we were burning sacrifices to the queen of heaven and were pouring out drink offerings to her, was it without our husbands that we made for her sacrificial cakes in her image and poured out drink offerings to her?"

Gross idolatry and disobedience in Israel. But as the other countries of the world had similar goddesses, we discover some continuity in names, although in different cultures and languages.

Asherah, Astarte, were known as Oestra and even Eostre.

Easter originated as a Christian holiday celebrating the resurrection of Jesus Christ, but its name and some traditions have roots in pre-Christian pagan festivals honoring spring and fertility. The name "Easter" likely comes from Eostre, an Anglo-Saxon goddess of spring and dawn, and traditions like eggs and rabbits are associated with these older celebrations of new life.

As was the custom in Israel, as borrowed from their idolatrous neighbors, Asherah poles and fertility goddess worship included child sacrifices.

The Church of Rome adopted Eostre and gradually it became Easter. So it is a pagan celebration of an idol for sexual worship and child sacrifices.

The real question is why do all Protestant Churches still follow this abhorrent, idolatrous practice? Doesn’t anyone care that the Church of Rome is the one who has officially proclaimed which day Easter it to fall on? Anyone can find this out for themselves, but traditions are almost impossible to forsake. This is especially true of centuries of church traditions. No one even questions them.

I recommend that you confirm this for yourselves. Especially the hundreds of images from antiquity. Unfortunately, this has never really stopped.

More next Saturday.

Sola Scriptura-5

Unfortunately, the Protestant Reformation was founded by men who had spent their whole lives being educated and working for the Church of Rome. Therefore, their concerns were primarily focused on indulgences and other abuses by the Church. None of them totally separated themselves from the traditions of men and doctrines of demons implanted into the Church of Rome. Today we will discover yet another idolatrous practice that has been institutionalized throughout the world, which is Easter.

Is Jesus the Easter Lamb of God or the Passover Lamb of God? The first Passover is recorded in Exodus 12 and it is included in God’s Appointed Times in DT 13 and is part of the feast of Unleavened Bread.

Deuteronomy 16:1  "Observe the month of Abib and celebrate the Passover to the LORD your God, for in the month of Abib the LORD your God brought you out of Egypt by night. 

God declared the very day to remember this inaugural event that established the Passover and prepared everyone for when Jesus would become the Lamb of God.

16:2  "You shall sacrifice the Passover to the LORD your God from the flock and the herd, in the place where the LORD chooses to establish His name. 16:3  "You shall not eat leavened bread with it; seven days you shall eat with it unleavened bread, the bread of affliction (for you came out of the land of Egypt in haste), so that you may remember all the days of your life the day when you came out of the land of Egypt. 

The Passover meal is prepared on the Day of Preparation and eaten after sundown, which is the beginning of the Sabbath day celebration of Unleavened Bread.

16:4  "For seven days no leaven shall be seen with you in all your territory, and none of the flesh which you sacrifice on the evening of the first day shall remain overnight until morning. 

16:5  "You are not allowed to sacrifice the Passover in any of your towns which the LORD your God is giving you;  16:6  but at the place where the LORD your God chooses to establish His name, you shall sacrifice the Passover in the evening at sunset, at the time that you came out of Egypt. 

16:7  "You shall cook and eat it in the place which the LORD your God chooses. In the morning you are to return to your tents. 16:8  "Six days you shall eat unleavened bread, and on the seventh day there shall be a solemn assembly to the LORD your God; you shall do no work on it.

Clearly there are more than 52 Sabbaths in a year, as all of these seven appointed times begins and ends with a holy day of rest or Sabbath. As with your own birthdays, these events fall on different days of the week each year, so some will begin on the regular Sabbath.

John 1:29  The next day he (John the Baptist) *saw Jesus coming to him and *said, "Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! 

So how did the Passover Lamb of God become the Easter Lamb of God? We will discuss that next Saturday/Sabbath.

Sola Scriptura-4

Sorry for the delay, but my service I use for my blog was down for a few days. It just came back today. We will now continue in our search for the true ‘Sola Scriptura’.

We must now contend with another idolatrous practice that has permeated the Catholic Church and then the ‘Protestant’ church for centuries. This is how did the Sabbath be replaced by Sunday as our ‘day’ of worship? We need only to go to the Council of Laodecia in 363 AD. The Church of Rome has already established itself as the head of all the other churches established in the Roman empire. Here is what became law in 363 AD.

Canon 29: Christians shall not Judaize and be idle on Saturday, but shall work on that day; but the Lord’s day they shall especially honour, and, as being Christians, shall if possible, do no work on that day. If, however, they are found Judaizing, they shall be shut out from Christ.

Who makes these changes? What can we know about this person or entity?

Daniel 7:23  "Thus he said: 'The fourth beast will be a fourth kingdom on the earth, which will be different from all the other kingdoms and will devour the whole earth and tread it down and crush it. 

7:24  'As for the ten horns, out of this kingdom ten kings will arise; and another will arise after them, and he will be different from the previous ones and will subdue three kings. 

7:25  'He will speak out against the Most High and wear down the saints of the Highest One, and he will intend to make alterations in times and in law; and they will be given into his hand for a time, times, and half a time.

This is our first reference to the coming anti-Christ. Of course, Jesus warned us as well.

Matthew 24:4  And Jesus answered and said to them, "See to it that no one misleads you. 24:5  "For many will come in My name, saying, 'I am the Christ,' and will mislead many. 

Matthew 24:9  "Then they will deliver you to tribulation, and will kill you, and you will be hated by all nations because of My name.  24:10  "At that time many will fall away and will betray one another and hate one another.  24:11  "Many false prophets will arise and will mislead many. 24:12  "Because lawlessness is increased, most people's love will grow cold.

False teachers, false Christs, and the anti-Christ will lead many astray. It will come in stages as false teachers will gradually change God’s doctrine to the traditions of men and demonic doctrines. The Sabbath was merely one of the first to be changed. God does not change nor does His Word.

There are 116 verses in the Bible that mention the Sabbath. It is the longest of the 10 commandments. Jesus and all the apostles kept the Sabbath.

Jesus kept the Sabbath

Luke 13:10  And He (Jesus) was teaching in one of the synagogues on the Sabbath.

Paul kept the Sabbath.

Acts 18:1  After these things he (Paul) left Athens and went to Corinth. 18:2  And he found a Jew named Aquila, a native of Pontus, having recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla, because Claudius had commanded all the Jews to leave Rome. He came to them, 18:3  and because he was of the same trade, he stayed with them and they were working, for by trade they were tent-makers. 

18:4  And he was reasoning in the synagogue every Sabbath and trying to persuade Jews and Greeks.

Neither Paul or any other apostle began to worship on Sunday after Jesus ascended into Heaven. It was the Roman Church in partnership with the Roman Empire that wanted everyone to honor the venerable Sun God on his day known as Sunday.

More on Saturday

Sola Scriptura-3

Why we believe that Jesus/ birth should be recognized and honored has a long history. But, just the name should cause all true believers to take a closer look. ‘Christ Mas’ indicates a direct linkage to the Church of Rome and their 1500-1600 exclusive control of the ‘church’ and the Scriptures.

We will eventually cover the reality of the ‘catholic mass’ but for today we must continue on the idolatry of Christmas.

Jeremiah 10:1  Hear the word which the LORD speaks to you, O house of Israel. 10:2  Thus says the LORD, "Do not learn the way of the nations, And do not be terrified by the signs of the heavens Although the nations are terrified by them; 

10:3  For the customs of the peoples are delusion; Because it is wood cut from the forest, The work of the hands of a craftsman with a cutting tool. 10:4  "They decorate it with silver and with gold; They fasten it with nails and with hammers So that it will not totter.

This sounds like what the world recognizes as a ‘Christ Mas’ tree. What does this tree have to do with the birth of Jesus Christ?

‘Christ Mas’ is a holiday that the whole world celebrates. Pagans, atheists, Hindus, Jews et. all exchange gifts, decorate, buy presents, and plan parties all around this day.

How much of the ‘christian’ efforts and time is spent in worshiping Jesus versus all the other ‘holy day’ time consuming events and efforts. Songs, movies, stories permeate every air wave from November thru December. They totally drown out any religious efforts to ‘reclaim’ this day. Even in churches we have Santa’s visits. Take a hard look at the time you have spent on these worldly activities versus singing a few hymns in church followed by a short sermon on Luke 1.

These verses in Jeremiah, God warns us of to not learn the ways of the nations. He also has warned us repeatedly not to worship Him as the pagans worship their gods.

Deuteronomy 12:29  "When the LORD your God cuts off before you the nations which you are going in to dispossess, and you dispossess them and dwell in their land, 12:30  beware that you are not ensnared to follow them, after they are destroyed before you, and that you do not inquire after their gods, saying, 'How do these nations serve their gods, that I also may do likewise?' 12:31  "You shall not behave thus toward the LORD your God, for every abominable act which the LORD hates they have done for their gods; for they even burn their sons and daughters in the fire to their gods. 12:32  "Whatever I command you, you shall be careful to do; you shall not add to nor take away from it. 

Ignorance of the law will not keep you from being declared guilty in any U.S. court. Neither will it keep you from God’s righteous judgment.

More next Saturday.

Sola Scriptura-2

We will bring some very uncomfortable truths to light in this study. Most of what churches teach today is truly not biblically correct, but it has been passed down for centuries. First, we must call out the moss gross violations. This brings into question what most would quickly describe as some of most sacred celebrations. We will start with Christmas.

When did Christmas begin to be honored and celebrated? It was not with the church fathers or the early church. It began in the 3rd/4th centuries when the fledgling Church of Rome designated the 25th day of December as the date of the birth of Jesus. But is that correct? Have we ever told by God to celebrate His birth? If this was so important, wouldn’t God’s Word make it very clear and unmistakable?

Who was born at the time of the winter solstice? Actually two sons of the sun gods, Mithras and Tammuz. From these two sons came a plethora of sun gods and idolatry. The ‘halos’ over most of the old masterpieces is actually the acknowledgement of sun worship. There are no ‘halos’ mentioned in the Bible.

From Mithras, comes the sun worship of Mithrasism. According to Wikipedia, it is a pagan religion of sun worship.

“Mithras refers to a Persian sun god whose worship evolved into Mithraism, a secretive mystery religion popular in the Roman Empire from the 1st to the 4th century CE. Followers met in underground temples called mithraea and progressed through a seven-tiered initiation system. The central image of the cult depicts Mithras slaying a bull (tauroctony), a scene whose exact meaning is debated but linked to themes of sacrifice and the triumph of light over darkness. The cult declined with the rise of Christianity and was suppressed by the late 4th century CE.”

Tammuz was the son of Nimrod and Semiramus. This combines both sun worship and fertility worship. What does the Bible say of such worship?

Ezekiel 8:1  It came about in the sixth year, on the fifth day of the sixth month, as I was sitting in my house with the elders of Judah sitting before me, that the hand of the Lord GOD fell on me there. 8:2  Then I looked, and behold, a likeness as the appearance of a man; from His loins and downward there was the appearance of fire, and from His loins and upward the appearance of brightness, like the appearance of glowing metal. 8:3  He stretched out the form of a hand and caught me by a lock of my head; and the Spirit lifted me up between earth and heaven and brought me in the visions of God to Jerusalem, to the entrance of the north gate of the inner court, where the seat of the idol of jealousy, which provokes to jealousy, was located. 8:4  And behold, the glory of the God of Israel was there, like the appearance which I saw in the plain. 

8:5  Then He said to me, "Son of man, raise your eyes now toward the north." So I raised my eyes toward the north, and behold, to the north of the altar gate was this idol of jealousy at the entrance. 8:6  And He said to me, "Son of man, do you see what they are doing, the great abominations which the house of Israel are committing here, so that I would be far from My sanctuary? But yet you will see still greater abominations." 

Eze 8:7  Then He brought me to the entrance of the court, and when I looked, behold, a hole in the wall. 8:8  He said to me, "Son of man, now dig through the wall." So I dug through the wall, and behold, an entrance. 8:9  And He said to me, "Go in and see the wicked abominations that they are committing here." 

8:10  So I entered and looked, and behold, every form of creeping things and beasts and detestable things, with all the idols of the house of Israel, were carved on the wall all around. 8:11  Standing in front of them were seventy elders of the house of Israel, with Jaazaniah the son of Shaphan standing among them, each man with his censer in his hand and the fragrance of the cloud of incense rising. 

Eze 8:12  Then He said to me, "Son of man, do you see what the elders of the house of Israel are committing in the dark, each man in the room of his carved images? For they say, 'The LORD does not see us; the LORD has forsaken the land.'" 

8:13  And He said to me, "Yet you will see still greater abominations which they are committing." 

8:14  Then He brought me to the entrance of the gate of the LORD'S house which was toward the north; and behold, women were sitting there weeping for Tammuz. 8:15  He said to me, "Do you see this, son of man? Yet you will see still greater abominations than these." 

8:16  Then He brought me into the inner court of the LORD'S house. And behold, at the entrance to the temple of the LORD, between the porch and the altar, were about twenty-five men with their backs to the temple of the LORD and their faces toward the east; and they were prostrating themselves eastward toward the sun. 8:17  He said to me, "Do you see this, son of man? Is it too light a thing for the house of Judah to commit the abominations which they have committed here, that they have filled the land with violence and provoked Me repeatedly? For behold, they are putting the twig to their nose. 

8:18  "Therefore, I indeed will deal in wrath. My eye will have no pity nor will I spare; and though they cry in My ears with a loud voice, yet I will not listen to them." 

It this single passage we find worship of Tammuz and the sun. How did such idolatry find its way into God’s people?

Jeremiah called out similar idolatry.

Jermiah 7:17  "Do you not see what they are doing in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem? 7:18  "The children gather wood, and the fathers kindle the fire, and the women knead dough to make cakes for the queen of heaven; and they pour out drink offerings to other gods in order to spite Me. 

Jeremiah 44:15  Then all the men who were aware that their wives were burning sacrifices to other gods, along with all the women who were standing by, as a large assembly, including all the people who were living in Pathros in the land of Egypt, responded to Jeremiah, saying, 44:16  "As for the message that you have spoken to us in the name of the LORD, we are not going to listen to you! 

44:17  "But rather we will certainly carry out every word that has proceeded from our mouths, by burning sacrifices to the queen of heaven and pouring out drink offerings to her, just as we ourselves, our forefathers, our kings and our princes did in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem; for then we had plenty of food and were well off and saw no misfortune. 44:18  "But since we stopped burning sacrifices to the queen of heaven and pouring out drink offerings to her, we have lacked everything and have met our end by the sword and by famine." 44:19  "And," said the women, "when we were burning sacrifices to the queen of heaven and were pouring out drink offerings to her, was it without our husbands that we made for her sacrificial cakes in her image and poured out drink offerings to her?" 

They attributed God’s goodness to an idol and their misfortune to God. They totally ignored Jeremiah’s warnings from God and boldly declared they would continue to worship idols. What blind persistence when confronted by God’s displeasure as revealed by Jeremiah.

What does all of this tells?

1. Traditions are stronger than doctrine

2. People will falsely attribute ‘good’ fortune to idols

3. People would easily follow the world if it makes them feel good about themselves

4. People in the world worship the things of the world

Paul had to speak out about this in his letter to the Romans.

Romans 1:18  For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, 1:19  because that which is known about God is evident within them; for God made it evident to them. 1:20  For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse. 

1:21  For even though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God or give thanks, but they became futile in their speculations, and their foolish heart was darkened. 1:22  Professing to be wise, they became fools, 1:23  and exchanged the glory of the incorruptible God for an image in the form of corruptible man and of birds and four-footed animals and crawling creatures. 

1:24  Therefore God gave them over in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, so that their bodies would be dishonored among them. 1:25  For they exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen. 

Two thousand year old traditions don’t become holy from their continued promotion. God still opposes idolatry and sin.

More next Saturday.

Sola Scriptura-1

Pastors declare that they believe and proclaim Sola Scriptura every Sunday around the world. But, is this true? Unfortunately it is not. While more and more pastors are finally waking up to proclaim the true Biblical Truth, most continue to teach what they have been taught and experienced in their lives. Let us start with a passage that most of us have never heard anyone proclaimed or explained.

Matthew 5:17  "Do not think that I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I did not come to abolish but to fulfill. 5:18  "For truly I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or stroke shall pass from the Law until all is accomplished.

This is in the important teaching of the Sermon on the Mount. This is not only one of the first of Jesus’ teachings, it is the longest recorded teaching. It’s importance is not in question, but why are these verses basically skipped?

What does it mean? It means what it says!

Luke 16:17  "But it is easier for heaven and earth to pass away than for one stroke of a letter of the Law to fail. 

Galatians_3:10  For as many as are of the works of the Law are under a curse; for it is written, "CURSED IS EVERYONE WHO DOES NOT ABIDE BY ALL THINGS WRITTEN IN THE BOOK OF THE LAW, TO PERFORM THEM."

James_2:10  For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles in one point, he has become guilty of all.

Romans 2:23  You who boast in the Law, through your breaking the Law, do you dishonor God?

There are many more passages which confirm our need to obey the Law, not so we can earn salvation but to confirm our salvation thru obedience. Why would God negate His Law? God doesn’t change nor does His requirements for us to obey His Law.

John 14:15  "If you love Me, you will keep My commandments. 

Many people will openly confirm that they love the LORD. But, do they know what that requires of them? Most do not and find ways to interpret the Law that fits their worldly lifestyles. Most of the ‘church’s’ problems in this area can be traced back to the ‘Reformation’.

We will continue our study next Saturday.

Godly fathers-ungodly sons-40

This will be our last study on this important biblical analysis of the serious problems with fathers not really spending enough truly quality time with their sons. This is as true today as it was in the lives of these Kings. As has been clearly shown, God has commanded all fathers to train their sons in the truth contained in God’s Word. When this is not done, ungodly sons are the unfortunate result.

There are three prominent Kings of Judah that did right before the LORD until the nation was carried away into Babylon captivity around 597 BC. The ten northern tribes named Israel and then Samaria never had one godly King.

The last three prominent godly Kings of Judah were Uzziah, Hezekiah, and Josiah.

2 Chronicles 26:1  And all the people of Judah took Uzziah, who was sixteen years old, and made him king in the place of his father Amaziah. 26:2  He built Eloth and restored it to Judah after the king slept with his fathers. 26:3  Uzziah was sixteen years old when he became king, and he reigned fifty-two years in Jerusalem; and his mother's name was Jechiliah of Jerusalem. 26:4  He did right in the sight of the LORD according to all that his father Amaziah had done. 

Uzziah was the exception as he passed on the Kingdom to his son Jotham.

2 Chronicles 27:1  Jotham was twenty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Jerushah the daughter of Zadok. Ch 27:2  He did right in the sight of the LORD, according to all that his father Uzziah had done; however he did not enter the temple of the LORD. But the people continued acting corruptly,

Unfortunately this was short-lived.

2 Chronicles 28:1  Ahaz was twenty years old when he became king, and he reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem; and he did not do right in the sight of the LORD as David his father had done. 28:2  But he walked in the ways of the kings of Israel; he also made molten images for the Baals.

The next godly king of note was Hezekiah.

2 Kings 18:1  Now it came about in the third year of Hoshea, the son of Elah king of Israel, that Hezekiah the son of Ahaz king of Judah became king. 18:2  He was twenty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned twenty-nine years in Jerusalem; and his mother's name was Abi the daughter of Zechariah. 18:3  He did right in the sight of the LORD, according to all that his father David had done. 18:4  He removed the high places and broke down the sacred pillars and cut down the Asherah. He also broke in pieces the bronze serpent that Moses had made, for until those days the sons of Israel burned incense to it; and it was called Nehushtan. 18:5  He trusted in the LORD, the God of Israel; so that after him there was none like him among all the kings of Judah, nor among those who were before him. 18:6  For he clung to the LORD; he did not depart from following Him, but kept His commandments, which the LORD had commanded Moses. 

He was an exceptional servant of God, yet his son was one of the most evil sons in Judah’s history.

2 Kings 21:1  Manasseh was twelve years old when he became king, and he reigned fifty-five years in Jerusalem; and his mother's name was Hephzibah. 21:2  He did evil in the sight of the LORD, according to the abominations of the nations whom the LORD dispossessed before the sons of Israel. Ki 21:3  For he rebuilt the high places which Hezekiah his father had destroyed; and he erected altars for Baal and made an Asherah, as Ahab king of Israel had done, and worshiped all the host of heaven and served them. 21:4  He built altars in the house of the LORD, of which the LORD had said, "In Jerusalem I will put My name." 21:5  For he built altars for all the host of heaven in the two courts of the house of the LORD. 21:6  He made his son pass through the fire, practiced witchcraft and used divination, and dealt with mediums and spiritists. He did much evil in the sight of the LORD provoking Him to anger. Ki 21:7  Then he set the carved image of Asherah that he had made, in the house of which the LORD said to David and to his son Solomon, "In this house and in Jerusalem, which I have chosen from all the tribes of Israel, I will put My name forever. 

How is this possible as he underminded everything his father had done?

We now come to the last good king, Josiah.

2 Kings 22:1  Josiah was eight years old when he became king, and he reigned thirty-one years in Jerusalem; and his mother's name was Jedidah the daughter of Adaiah of Bozkath. 22:2  He did right in the sight of the LORD and walked in all the way of his father David, nor did he turn aside to the right or to the left. 

22:8  Then Hilkiah the high priest said to Shaphan the scribe, "I have found the book of the law in the house of the LORD." And Hilkiah gave the book to Shaphan who read it. 22:9  Shaphan the scribe came to the king and brought back word to the king and said, "Your servants have emptied out the money that was found in the house, and have delivered it into the hand of the workmen who have the oversight of the house of the LORD." 22:10  Moreover, Shaphan the scribe told the king saying, "Hilkiah the priest has given me a book." And Shaphan read it in the presence of the king. 22:11  When the king heard the words of the book of the law, he tore his clothes. 

It is always God’s Word that makes the difference in the lives of kings and servants. What did he do next?

23:1  Then the king sent, and they gathered to him all the elders of Judah and of Jerusalem. 23:2  The king went up to the house of the LORD and all the men of Judah and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem with him, and the priests and the prophets and all the people, both small and great; and he read in their hearing all the words of the book of the covenant which was found in the house of the LORD. 

23:3  The king stood by the pillar and made a covenant before the LORD, to walk after the LORD, and to keep His commandments and His testimonies and His statutes with all his heart and all his soul, to carry out the words of this covenant that were written in this book. And all the people entered into the covenant. 

23:4  Then the king commanded Hilkiah the high priest and the priests of the second order and the doorkeepers, to bring out of the temple of the LORD all the vessels that were made for Baal, for Asherah, and for all the host of heaven; and he burned them outside Jerusalem in the fields of the Kidron, and carried their ashes to Bethel. 

23:5  He did away with the idolatrous priests whom the kings of Judah had appointed to burn incense in the high places in the cities of Judah and in the surrounding area of Jerusalem, also those who burned incense to Baal, to the sun and to the moon and to the constellations and to all the host of heaven. 

23:6  He brought out the Asherah from the house of the LORD outside Jerusalem to the brook Kidron, and burned it at the brook Kidron, and ground it to dust, and threw its dust on the graves of the common people. 23:7  He also broke down the houses of the male cult prostitutes which were in the house of the LORD, where the women were weaving hangings for the Asherah. 23:8  Then he brought all the priests from the cities of Judah, and defiled the high places where the priests had burned incense, from Geba to Beersheba; and he broke down the high places of the gates which were at the entrance of the gate of Joshua the governor of the city, which were on one's left at the city gate. 23:9  Nevertheless the priests of the high places did not go up to the altar of the LORD in Jerusalem, but they ate unleavened bread among their brothers. 23:10  He also defiled Topheth, which is in the valley of the son of Hinnom, that no man might make his son or his daughter pass through the fire for Molech. 23:11  He did away with the horses which the kings of Judah had given to the sun, at the entrance of the house of the LORD, by the chamber of Nathan-melech the official, which was in the precincts; and he burned the chariots of the sun with fire. 23:12  The altars which were on the roof, the upper chamber of Ahaz, which the kings of Judah had made, and the altars which Manasseh had made in the two courts of the house of the LORD, the king broke down; and he smashed them there and threw their dust into the brook Kidron. 23:13  The high places which were before Jerusalem, which were on the right of the mount of destruction which Solomon the king of Israel had built for Ashtoreth the abomination of the Sidonians, and for Chemosh the abomination of Moab, and for Milcom the abomination of the sons of Ammon, the king defiled. 23:14  He broke in pieces the sacred pillars and cut down the Asherim and filled their places with human bones. 23:15  Furthermore, the altar that was at Bethel and the high place which Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who made Israel sin, had made, even that altar and the high place he broke down. Then he demolished its stones, ground them to dust, and burned the Asherah.

The nation was full of all sorts of idolatry, evil practices, sexual worship, and child sacrifices. The Temple was full of idols! The high priest had never read the Law!

What have we learned?

1. Kings have responsibility to raise their sons.

2. Kings needed to marry godly wives.

3. We are only one generation away from idolatry.

4. Satan will bring his evil idolatry right into God’s Temple in God’s Holy City.

We need to be aware of this in our own lives, as Satan has never given up on destroying anything that brings worship to God.

Next Saturday we begin our study on Sola Scripture.