
The purpose of this blog is to provide insights from the Christian perspective. It exists to present the elementary teachings of the Glorious Gospel through conducting apologetics and by providing biblical exegesis. The Scriptures declare, "For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek" (Romans 1:16).
Sunday, April 30, 2017
How To Identify False Prophets
- Introduction:
-Differentiating between the true prophet and the false teacher can be a task that involves plenty of effort and continued devotion. In other words, this task requires diligent work because of the constant possibility of ongoing deception in the church. Learning how distinguish the ways of truth from the ways of error is of utmost importance for the health of the entire church, for the salvation of many precious souls is at stake. It is therefore vital to educate our children in the ways of the Lord so that they possess the ability to contend for the faith which was once delivered to the saints (Jude 3). But how can we identify the characteristics of false teachers? Weeding out false teachers is easier said than done because determining whether a professing Christian is a wolf in sheep's clothing requires personal examination of conscience to reveal current faithfulness to God's will and thorough investigation for possible doctrinal or moral errors of the person in question. In fact, such a process may need historical documentation, scientific analysis, and always a comparison to the teachings found within the written Word of God. In short, the purpose of this article is to identify the most prominent traits of false teachers. Different abhorrent sects maintain different aberrant teachings, which means that the application of the principles found within this article will differ from cult to cult.
- Examining Ourselves To See Whether We Are In The Realm Of Faith (2 Corinthians 13:5):
-It is important to reflect on our past experiences to see whether we stand in agreement to God's will. We need to examine our consciences through personal reflection because devotion to His will pin points the direction of our eternal destinies, which can either be heaven or hell. Those who function in perfect harmony with God's divine precepts are the ones who display their true desire to serve Him, whereas people who stand contrary to His will are the ones who are in danger of eternal hell fire. If we who desire to defend the essential articles of Christianity somehow stand in the wrong on any issues pertinent to eternal salvation, then we are really in no place to speak because we are only deceiving ourselves. We must have knowledge of who we are. In order to be deeply rooted in the mysteries of the Christian religion, we must know what we believe in. The repercussions of blind preaching can only be negative. Our preaching will only drag those who listen in the same spiritual direction that we are going. The conversion of souls is indeed serious matter. Hence, there is a dire need to examine ourselves to see whether we are in the correct realm of faith. A right standing with God will lead to correct spiritual insight, which also forms the basis of correct spiritual discernment.
- A Different Source Of Revelation/Appeal:
-False teachers will always rely on a different source of revelation than what is found in the Bible. They base their doctrines off their own puffed up fleshy minds. In other words, they get all of their unique ideas from their own vain imaginations. Deceivers formulate their own inspired revelation and act as if it originated from God. Do professing Christian preachers appeal to passages of Scripture, or to a different source of revelation to spread their message of what they call "the gospel" (Galatians 1:8-9)?
-Why should we bother to listen to any random message regarding religion or spirituality? What is the emphasis of or the reason behind any preached message? False teachers are focused on what people want to hear, rather than teach what God wants us to know. The message of a false teacher is entirely carnal. They are all focused on popularity, rather than pure gospel holiness.
- The Substance Of The Message:
-Practically every professing Christian claims that the central message of his or her teaching is the Lord Jesus Christ. It is rare to find groups who openly deny that Christ is the Savior of mankind from the ways of sin. Hence, this is the reason that the Scriptures tell us that apostates will introduce their heretical ideas in a "secret" or deceptive manner (2 Peter 2:1). We must listen carefully to how each preacher phrases and articulates his or her teachings. For example, people could preach for the sake of earning money. They could only be concentrated on exalting themselves. False teachers usually do occupy Christian theological terminology to describe completely different concepts that blaspheme God. We must examine the central message of each professing Christian teacher. If Jesus Christ is not quint-essential to the message of a preacher, then he or she is to automatically be deemed false and untrustworthy.
- The Influence That The Message Has:
-While false teachers promise true spiritual freedom, they are in reality slaves to sin (2 Peter 2:19). They have been enslaved to any form of sin that they have chosen to continually partake of. A true Christian is able to escape the selfish lusts of this world because he or she stands in the truth, which sets them free from spiritual bondage (2 Peter 1:3-4).
- The Message's Impact On People's Lives:
-Another way to evaluate the truthfulness of spiritual preaching is to see how it alters people's lives. The true, biblical gospel, which consists of the death, burial, and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 15:1-8), will always influence people to strive for goodness. In other words, people who hear and choose to act in accordance to the principles of the gospel will also seek the characteristics of holiness. They will pursue knowledge, wisdom, kindness, love, hope, meekness, obedience (to legitimate, rightful authorities), patience, perseverance, self-control, and many other aspects of godliness. On the contrary, any false message will lead people in the opposite direction of goodness. Those who are influenced by a false gospel will also be inclined to participate in sin. They will become grandiloquent, disrespectful toward other people, greedy, lustful, and rebellious in nature (2 Peter 2:10-20). These are the general characteristics of counterfeit Christians, who experienced a false conversion to a false version of Christianity through the preaching of a false gospel by a false teacher. Does anybody not see the importance of personal examination of our consciences through personal reflection on past experiences in our lives?
- Judging People By Their "Fruits" (Matthew 7:15-21):
-While genuine Christians experience a drastic life transformation which enables them to continually strive to learn about and seek out God's will for them, false Christians will never have any internal desire to do what is right. They are too focused on worldly matters. They therefore bear no fruits. How easily one can contrast the two different lifestyles described previously! Let us not be naive about anything pertaining to spiritual holiness, but rather educated in the Word of God so that we can truly be fools of His sake.
Saturday, April 29, 2017
Brief Study On Homosexuality
- Introduction:
-It is an undeniable fact that sexual promiscuity has become a major issue in today's society. In fact, one could liken the content from the released videos in theaters to pornography. All that one has to do is browse the internet, turn on the television set, or pick up any random magazine to see this example of declining moral values. Today, we are focusing on one aspect of this sinful delusion which has been polluting the eyes of mankind for centuries: homosexuality. Unfortunately, the minds of many professing Christians have been manipulated to view homosexual behaviors as morally acceptable, and even normal. This is happening because liberal simpletons have taken drastic measures to pervert already established moral perspectives in our society through the use of their own completely biased and hollow propaganda. One must wonder when others will choose to obey the voice of reason, rather than blind emotionalism?
- There Is No Such Thing As "Gay Christianity":
- Our Bodily Design Refutes Homosexuality:
- What About Equal Rights?:
-If the legalization of same-sex marriage means equal rights for members of the LGBT community, then why can't there be equal rights for the people who want more than one partner in marriage? If we have to redefine the concept of marriage to include two homosexual people, then why would it be wrong for our government to also redefine marriage to include more than one person, or even children? How does this decline in morality stop?
-Historically, the definition of "marriage" NEVER meant anything other than the union of a male and female for romantic companionship, up UNTIL recently. Is there really any valid justification for this change in definitions?
-Historically, the definition of "marriage" NEVER meant anything other than the union of a male and female for romantic companionship, up UNTIL recently. Is there really any valid justification for this change in definitions?
- "Love is love?":
- Refuting The "Born Gay" Argument:
-Homosexuality is a behavior, or an action, in the same sense that heterosexual intercourse is. Actions are things that we choose to do. Homosexuality is not in any way analogous to our skin color, height, or gender, which are genetic conditions. Science has confirmed that the primary causes of homosexuality are environment, culture, and freewill (i.e. genetic identity disorder, women getting abused by men, children getting abused by homosexuals, etc.).
-Twins are proof against the "born gay" argument because they always have identical genes or DNA. If genetics can cause homosexuality, then both babies must have the same condition. But this is hardly ever the case with twins. Only one in the pair of children tends to have a same-sex attraction. There is no such thing as a "gay gene". "Gay babies" are simply a preposterous and fictitious idea.
-The gene that can influence alcoholism is known as CREB. Genes can also influence a bad temper, theft, and murder. The point is that being born with the potential to act in a certain manner in no way provides justification for an intrinsically evil behavioral pattern. There is no genetic excuse for homosexuality, any more than there is a genetic excuse for theft or lying. These tendencies, whether they are genetic or not, cannot be justified on the grounds of "being born that way". We can overcome all of these moral difficulties by the use of our reason through the power of our freewill. And why is it that the LGBT community has worked overtime to silence medical research which could help homosexual individuals transition to the heterosexual lifestyle?
- Addressing The Claim That Homosexuality Occurs In Nature:
+Raping other animals
+Eating their young when threatened
+Eat their sex partner
+Injure sexual partners
+Have intercourse with their own children
^The type of argument is simply a form of the fallacy called hasty generalization. If the fact that animals may appear to participate in acts that are similar to those of homosexuals means anything at all, then this statement would also lead to the conclusion that we can justly accept the above described actions of animals occurring in the human race, as well. If this is not true, then on what grounds can this counter-argument be refuted?
-Human beings know better to not act in the same manner as animals, for they have a much higher intellectual capacity, the ability to reason, and freewill. We should therefore have much higher moral standards. If this pro-homosexual argument proves anything at all, then it only demonstrates that homosexuality itself is completely unnatural for us. This would only reveal the animalistic nature of homosexuals.
- Addressing Claims Of "Hate Speech":
Friday, April 28, 2017
Enriching His Love For Us
Christ
died on the cross because of His love,
He
ascended into heaven above.
We
spread His love by the words we teach,
So
others know it is not out of reach.
We
demonstrate God’s love through our good action,
So
more join Love’s magnetic attraction.
We
show love though generous deed,
So
that putrid sin will therefore impede.
Is Faith Irrational? (Refutation Of Scientism)
- Introduction:
-Atheists commonly portray Christians as establishing their beliefs on an empty shell of faith. In other words, opponents of Christianity argue that the entire religion is based on belief without any substantiated evidence. It is claimed that Christians uphold their beliefs on completely biased and irrational grounds, which means that they are allegedly based on personal feelings and so-called revelations. Many atheists maintain that we must possess "factual evidence" in order to believe in something with any degree of certainty. In summary, they reject the validity of anything that cannot be proven or tested in a laboratory. The people who subscribe to this view, known as scientism, automatically deem things that are beyond the scope of a laboratory to be false. A great deal of atheists and naturalists are quick to rule out the possibility of truth in anything that does not appeal to their five worldly senses.
- Inconsistent Thinking:
- Misrepresenting Biblical Faith:
-Faith in itself is not merely a mental conviction that is founded without evidence. It is not equivalent to blind submission. It is not simply an irrational whim or a form of wishful thinking. There is a relationship between the notions of faith and certainty. We must have certainty beyond a shadow of a doubt in order to truly believe in anything. Our faith must be tested or proven. It must be based on reason, which operates on the basis of our free will. Our faith is based on reason. It is based on what we know to be true. This is what constitutes true, biblical faith in the fundamental tenants of the Christian religion. Faith and reason do not contradict, but rather compliment and supplement each other (Isaiah 1:18). One cannot stand without the other.
- Boundaries Of Scientific Investigation:
-Additionally, it is impossible to examine the truth of everything that we have seen or heard each day. Our lives are simply too short to test the validity of everything that we may have learned, whether we obtained knowledge from experience, education, or from some other source. Neither are we able to possess infallible certainty because our minds are limited by design. We are all liable to error. To doubt the truth behind everything would inevitably result in infinite regression. This would undermine the concept of certainty, as well as it would trust. It would corrode the objectivity of education and court rulings. Humans inevitably have faith, which includes atheists because they claim to have reasons for rejecting the God of the Bible. Faith is necessary for relationships. We can know things beyond a shadow of a doubt. Hence, it is wrong for atheists to charge that any degree of faith is irrational. The real problem is that skeptics are refusing to accept the evidence that Christians present in favor of the biblical worldview, as well as arguments in favor of God's existence.
- Understanding That Scientific Inquiry Has Limitations (And Thereby Refutes Scientism):
-Let us consider for a moment some of the essential features of human life. We have free will. We have conscience. We have rationality. We have intellect. We acknowledge the existence of moral truths. We know that human life has intrinsic value. We know of inalienable rights. We yearn for an ultimate purpose in life. Mathematics consists of several infallible formulas, proofs, and theorems. There exists revelatory knowledge. There are principles of beauty and artistic innovation, which are known as aesthetics. The universe came into being for a reason. Physical constants have a fine-tuning. Science premises themselves are based on major (unproven) assumptions. But if scientism is true, then all of the aforementioned ideas must be rejected as false because they cannot be verified by the scientific method. In fact, science would be self-refuting. From this perspective, none of the previously mentioned notions would be true, let alone applicable to our lives. Contra scientism, truths do exist beyond the scope of the scientific laboratory.
- Everybody Has Faith:
-The truth of the matter is that everybody has an innate sense of trust in a set of values. All people subscribe to some kind of a belief system. Faith is inescapable for all people. Everybody has to believe in something. Otherwise, atheism must be regarded as irrational because people who do not believe in the existence of a supreme deity maintain that their views are correct. Since atheists cannot refute the existence of God, they do indeed base their position on faith. We also cannot prove the truthfulness of scientific laws, though we still accept them as true. In reality, atheists are the ones who embrace many "unproven" ideas (consider, for example, that something can come from nothing, design from chaos, intelligence from non-intelligence, rationality from non-rationality, and consciousness from non-consciousness). The concept of "rational faith" is not an oxymoron. Now, none of this material has been articulated to recommend opposition to scientific progress. This article has been written simply to demonstrate the grievous errors on behalf of the secular world concerning the placement of faith in our lives. In other words, the science laboratory does not contain all the answers to the questions of life. What we are arguing against is the "science only" worldview. Do atheists have faith in their own existence?
Tuesday, April 25, 2017
The Wisdom of The Words of God
The Word of
God is the key and foundation for all wisdom in life. Without it, we would not
have any structure of organization to our daily lifestyles. The Bible is the
infallible compass to all divine truths pertaining to salvation. It feeds the
minds of those who hunger and thirst for the righteousness of God. The words of
the Creator impart wisdom to the simple. "The law of the Lord is
perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the Lord is sure,
making wise the simple. The statutes of the Lord are right,
rejoicing the heart: the commandment of the Lord is pure,
enlightening the eyes" [Psalm 19:7-8]. If the precepts of the Lord are perfect,
then continually studying His words will enrich the mind with valuable lessons
about life and morality. Why would any reasonable person refuse an opportunity
to gain an understanding of what life is truly about? Life is like a book; for
God is the author and we are all the main characters. The Scriptures cover
several vital aspects of life such as gratitude, fear of the Lord, honesty,
self-control, generosity, and how to speak wisely.
People learn many great lessons about wisdom when the Scriptures
are closely examined. One of the most important teachings of the Bible is to
have gratitude for everything we receive on a daily basis. People should be
grateful and remember the magnificent works of the Lord such as the
creation of life, the atoning sacrifice of His Son Jesus Christ, and the
materials that we occupy each day. "Give thanks to the God of heaven, For
His loving kindness (graciousness, mercy, compassion) endures
forever" [Psalm 136:26]. We should reveal much gratitude because of what
He has done for us. "You are the God who does wonders; among the peoples
you have revealed your might" [Psalm 77:15]. We have emphatically been
taught to view the glass of life as being at least half full, rather than as
being half empty. Otherwise, human life will become unable to function properly
because of a lack of compromise and the world would become an absolutely
joyless place. We must give the Lord praise for everything that He has provided
us.
The Lord has instructed us to always be cautious of what we say to
others. We must always remain truthful. We must always choose to act
respectfully. In other words, we must choose to watch our tongues because our
words may be false, disrespectful, or irrelevant to a given situation. “A
perverse man stirs up dissension, and a gossip separates close friends”
[Proverbs 16:28]. How would a person feel if his or her reputation was
ruined simply because of another individual's gossip or misinformation? Can
this standard not be applied to everybody? Those who never think before
they speak are the ones who lack understanding. Conversely, a person who
has genuine wisdom has control over their words. Unwise speech is like a virus,
pass it around and the minds of other people will be infected with the stain of
meaningless thoughts. Those who wish to be wise with their mouths will also
heed to the words of the Lord.
Another moral lesson that we can learn by studying the inspired
words of God is the necessity of remaining honest. We could never trust a
person who constantly spreads falsehood. Furthermore, lying can severely damage
a person's reputation for a very lengthy period of time, if not permanently.
"An honest witness does not deceive; but a false witness pours out
lies" [Proverbs 14:5]. The only reason that a person spreads lies about
others is for selfish motives. People talk behind other's backs because they
want to inflict physical or mental harm. They want to harm an individual's sense
of dignity. Gossip is like a double-edge sword; when it cuts, it harms the
confidence of others and slashes the armor of the perpetrator's conscience. A
lie leaves an everlasting slash on the person who tells it. Dishonesty is only
the springboard for more dishonesty, whether it is about oneself or other
people. Hence, we see the dire need for honesty in the lives of
everybody.
The Scriptures teach the necessity for the spiritual virtue
known as fear of the Lord. A wise person would have fear of the Lord our God
because He is infinitely smarter and stronger than we are. We are all His
creations. Having fear of the Lord keeps our hearts humble. It keeps our moral
thinking on the right track, for it helps us recognize the limits of our
abilities. God will cast all of the unfaithful and unbelieving into the
everlasting fires of hell. He is the One who set all forms of life and non-life
into motion. "In the beginning, God created heaven and earth"
[Genesis 1:1]. "God created mankind in His image; in the image of God He
created them; male and female He created them"[Genesis 1:27]. If we fear
the Lord, then we will also learn to obey His commandments. This is the perfect
message for us blind sinners to heed to.
The Holy Bible repeatedly reinforces our obligation to love and
respect others. "Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one above
yourselves" [Romans 12:10]. Care is what keeps the world turning. It is
the underlying basis for all relationships. It is necessary for human
communication. It is the foundational virtue for the development of all other
virtues. We must choose to help those who are less fortunate than we are. We
must feed the homeless. We must care for the sick. We must offer education to
the illiterate. We must shelter the homeless. We absolutely need to be holy.
"Show proper respect to everyone, love the family of believers, fear God,
honor the emperor" [1 Peter 2:17]. "Love your neighbor as
yourself..." [Leviticus 9:18]. We have been called by God to love our neighbors
as ourselves [Matthew 5:43-48]. This is true wisdom. The Bible instructs us to
be gentle to everybody else, regardless of how they treat us. Hatred is like a
raging fire; let it burn and the house of companionship will collapse entirely.
People can learn the virtue of self-control by observing the
words of God. We need an infallible guide in our lives because our minds are
finite and are thus liable to error. Our conscience alone is not an infallible
guide, which means that we need to appeal to an infinite, outside entity who
can give us the necessary knowledge pertaining to life and godliness. All
learning must originate from an outside source, which eventually points to an
ultimate standard that governs every aspect of our lives. That final court of
authority is God. We must learn how to resist the evil temptations of this
world. The wise person would do well to follow the teachings of God. The path
of destruction exists for those who do not obey His words of heavenly wisdom.
We must place our trust in God, rather than the vain desires of the mind. "The
heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know
it?" [Jeremiah 17:9]. Only through Him can we find complete satisfaction
in life. The way of sin is finite and will thus never satisfy the longing human
heart. We must reject our foolish lusts. We learn self-control by learning the
ways of God.
The Holy Scriptures are the cornerstone to all wisdom
because they record the direct words of God. In fact, they themselves are the
inspired words of God which were recorded on to scrolls by the faithful
prophets and apostles. Those who truly hunger and thirst for righteousness will
immediately find satisfaction when they place themselves into His presence.
They gain wisdom when they meditate on His statutes. Without an ultimate
standard of wisdom, human life would be in a constant state of anarchy. The
words of the Lord are pure. They are flawless. They impart understanding to the
simple. There is therefore no valid reason to object to imitating His ways. The
Word of God leads the faithful on the path to all righteousness. God is the
rock of our salvation.
Sunday, April 23, 2017
A Refutation Of Moral Relativism
- Introduction:
- Moral Relativism Is Self-Refuting:
-To say that all truths are relative is to either make a relative or absolute proposition. If relative, then one cannot simply deny the existence of absolutes. If the statement is meant to be an absolute, then absolute statements must exist. This would testify to the existence of objective truths! In this case, not all truths would be relative to the individual.
-Those who claim that no absolute truths exist have subscribed to a completely untenable position, for it is self-contradictory. While denying the existence of absolute truths, moral relativists make an absolute statement: "There are no absolute truths." Can moral relativists be absolutely sure that no absolute standards exist? How do they know that they are not simply deceiving themselves?
-If two (or more) perceptions of truth contradict each other, then how can we know which view is correct? Which perception of truth is more trustworthy? Can truth be self-contradictory? No, such a proposition would be self-refuting. This would mean that either one or both perceptions of reality are in error.
-If moral relativists want to claim that moral relativism cannot be critiqued by any form of logic to search for fallacies within the boundaries of such a mindset, then by what standard or final court of authority can they exclude moral relativism from being critiqued by logic? What criteria was used to exclude moral relativism from being evaluated by logic?
-If moral relativism is true, then how can we judge the actions of people living in different societies? How could we condemn murder, theft, or rape? Is there anything that is morally wrong? If so, then why? How do you know?
Saturday, April 22, 2017
The Major Impact Of The Bible In Society
There has always been a general consensus among scholars that the Holy Bible is the most influential book in the history of mankind. The study of the sacred texts has lead up to the positive life transformation of several million people throughout the centuries. In other words, people have given up their selfish lifestyles by serving the Lord Jesus Christ, which required them to do good for other people. Sinners have become saints because of hearing and embracing the inspired message of the gospel. Their lives were turned upside up by the power of God's sufficient grace. Just consider the example of the twelve apostles. Barbaric civilizations have had the gospel message delivered to them by Christian missionaries, who were more than willing to give up their lives for the cause of Christ.
The Scriptures have been the basis of civil law for nations throughout history, ranging from ancient Israel, to Europe during the middle ages, to the establishment of America. The educational system, government, and the Constitution of the United States was originally constructed on the principles of the Bible, which are liberty, justice for all, and the intrinsic value of human life. The Christian religion has been responsible for the founding of several schools, hospitals, non-profit charitable organizations, and orphanages worldwide. In light of the aforementioned facts, nobody can deny the positive influence of the written Word of God.
The Bible is the most widely bought and read book in the United States. Throughout history, the beauty of biblical literature has been praised by billions of people such as Christians, Jews, and even by pagans. Biblical references can not only be discovered within religious contexts, but can also be found in art, poetry, film, music, philosophy, government, and in many different aspects of life.
The New Testament by itself has withstood many ruthless attempts to destroy, pervert, or conceal its message of salvation to mankind for over two-thousand years. In fact, it has more manuscript evidence than any writings from ancient philosophers such as Plato, Aristotle, and Homer. This factor alone is great proof of the reliability of manuscripts. This is a brief investigation on how the Bible has shaped cultures throughout history.
"Have Tolerance!"
- Defining The Issues:
-When people are confronted about their erroneous ways, their usual stock rejoinder against Christians is to lay the charge of being "intolerant". These groups of people include, but are not limited to, liberals, atheists, feminists, and the LGBT community. In short, critics of Christianity constantly accuse us of being "bigots". They falsely claim that Christians are insensitive to different points of view. Our opponents have even gone as far as to depict us as being "judgmental" or "hateful" homophobes or Islamophobes. These responses have been generated to shut down opponents. In truth, these empty responses are simply a psychological barrier that has caused the uninformed to stumble into grievous error by the blind relinquishment of morally correct views, in exchange for views that are politically correct. In our modern-day society, people are too afraid to speak out against immoral customs because they are too afraid of "getting singled out". In other words, many Christians are copping out when they attempt to correct the perverted norms of society because they are in reality focused on "fitting in". Generally speaking, people are only focused on emotional comfort, rather than being intellectually grounded by the use of our reason.
- Not Only Are We All Intolerant To Different Perspectives Of Life, But Intolerance In Some Cases Is Absolutely Necessary:
-First of all, the definition of a bigot is a person who forms an opinion that is utterly biased, irrational, unjust, and hypocritical. This sort of mentality has no moral or logical grounds for substantiation. Therefore, it is incorrect to characterize Christians in such a manner because they have been commanded by their Lord to pragmatically present their views in love and kindness (Matthew 5:43-48; 22:39). Furthermore, the burden of proof lies on the person who makes an accusation. Those who affiliate themselves with anti-Christian movements must demonstrate how we are being intolerant bigots. Simply disagreeing with other people is not tantamount to bigotry. It is not morally impermissible to tell somebody that his or her views are wrong.
-Christians do have rational grounds to reject the claims of their critics. which directly refutes the charges of various pseudo-scientific "phobias" (irrational fears). While it is definitely true that some professing Christians are guilty of bigotry, it is fallacious to dismiss every claim of the entire group as being cruel or hateful.
-We must all be intolerant to something. For instance, secular governments agree with Christians that murder is wrong. They would agree that theft is morally wrong, as well. Notice that in both examples, there is intolerance to certain actions. Hence, not only is intolerance to something morally acceptable (depending on the situation), but it is sometimes even necessary for the survival of mankind.
- A Hypocritical Double Standard:
-Why is it that we are forbidden from expressing our views, while critics such as liberals and leftists get to express their views? Why are we forbidden from defending ourselves from attacks on our own religion, when they get to attack us AND defend their views, which stand in direct opposition to ours? Why do opponents of Christianity get to shove their disguising beliefs down our throats? Why do we Christians have to be tolerant of opposing views, while everybody else gets to be intolerant? How is such a standard just?
- The Truth Of The Matter:
-Of course, the source of contention among Christians and differing groups in this world is not really a matter of permanently settling issues of hatred, prejudice, or insensitivity, as critics may very well claim to be the problem. Inquisitive folks can only develop this conclusion, if they only decide to examine the surface of the debate. The real problem that the world has with the Christian Church is the usage of the Bible. Most people have a problem with this sacred religious text because it outwardly condemns their views. It flatly contradicts the beliefs of the world. It provides absolutely no room for worldviews such as liberalism or the LGBT community. People immediately claim that the Bible is nothing more than an antique, outdated, musty book. Consequently, they automatically mock and ridicule those who turn to it as the ultimate spiritual standard to determine truth or reprove error. Christian claims are usually dismissed without any form of consideration.
- Why Do We Turn To The Pages Of The Bible?:
- A Note Of Encouragement To Christian Brethren:
Friday, April 21, 2017
Roman Catholic Confessions To Purgatory Being Unbiblical
- Introduction:
- Check Out This Outright Denial:
- Consider The Words Of Roman Catholic Scholar Richard P. McBrien:
- The Footnotes To The Roman Catholic New American Bible Admit That 1 Corinthians 3:15 Lends No Scriptural Support For Purgatory:
Wednesday, April 19, 2017
Antinomianism Refuted
- Defining The Issues:
-The theological position of antinomianism is usually upheld by advocates of eternal security.
-Opponents of "antinomianism" hold to the theological position known as "lordship salvation". This view teaches that trusting Jesus Christ as our Savior automatically accompanies submission to Him as Lord of our daily lives. In other words, a genuine saving faith in Christ will always produce good works as a result. A faith that justifies us in the sight of God is a faith that obeys His will.
- Antinomianism Refuted:
-We shall know people by their fruits (Matthew 7:15-23). We will be judged according to our own works (Romans 2:6-13; 2 Corinthians 5:10). We demonstrate the reality of our faith by our deeds (James 2:14-26). We shall reap what we sow (Galatians 6:7-9). God is the Author of Eternal Salvation to those who obey Him (Hebrews 5:9). Every nation needs to obey the Lord Jesus Christ through faith in His work (Romans 1:5). If God did not set forth any moral principles to function as the blueprint for our daily lives, then how could any of the previous scriptural teachings be true?
Tuesday, April 18, 2017
The Intercession Of The Holy Spirit
- What The Bible Says About The Intercession Of The Holy Spirit:
- The Purpose Of The Holy Spirit:
Monday, April 17, 2017
The Intercession Of Jesus Christ
- What The Bible Says About The Intercession Of The Lord Jesus Christ:
- The Overall Perfection of Jesus Christ:
Sunday, April 16, 2017
Roman Catholics In The Philippines Re-Enact The Crucifixion Of Jesus Christ Annually!
"Cultures and peoples around the world are celebrating festivals of rebirth and renewal on Easter weekend. In the Philippines, men are whipped with metal chains and nailed to crosses to remember Christ's suffering. In Jerusalem, people also carry wooden crosses through the streets to remember the miracle resurrection."
Refuting Practical Objections To Sola Scriptura
- Defining The Issues:
- General Points Of Consideration:
-The authority of Scripture is not determined by the intelligence of the human race, the availability of the Scriptures, or by how healthy people are.
- Concerning High Illiteracy Rates In The Early Church:
*Scripture can be taught orally by those who are literate.
*Scripture can still be memorize or recited from memory.
*Scripture can still be studied, though it may take more time to grasp the meaning behind certain passages of Scripture.
*The Scriptures were read in the Synagogues and churches. In fact, the heretics of the early church would use Scripture to engage orthodox members of Christianity.
-While it is true that illiteracy rates can pose a problem for the transmission of biblical doctrines, they have nothing to do with the alleged insufficiency of Scripture or the need of an infallible teaching authority. The ruthless persecution of Christians hinders the spread of the gospel, but that does not in any way suggest that hearing and accepting the preached message is somehow unnecessary for salvation or of less importance to mankind.
-If, as Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox apologists claim, that Jesus Christ passed on infallible, extra-biblical oral traditions that were meant to be heard by the "common Christians", then what about the people who are deaf? If illiteracy rates disqualify Scripture from functioning as the only inspired rule of faith for the church to operate on, then the Catholic/Orthodox "rules of faith" must also be disqualified because deaf people cannot hear oral teaching.
- What About The Invention Of The Printing Press In The 1400's?:
- Concerning Malnutrition In The Early Church:
-It is highly improbable that the leaders of the early church had a "higher ability" to learn than the "common people" because they all ate the same basic diet.
Friday, April 14, 2017
The Biblical Basis For The Trinity
- The Trinity:
2.) Each person is divine.
3.) There is only one God (Deuteronomy 32:39; Isaiah 43:10-11; 44:6-8).
- Further Explanation Of The Trinity:
-Each person is distinct at the same time.
-The three persons are related to each other but are distinct at the same time.
-The Doctrine of the Trinity is known as one of the "mysteries" of the Christian religion.
- Biblical Texts Demonstrate The Unity Among The Three Divine Persons Of The Trinity (John 10:30; Matthew 28:19; 1 Corinthians 8:6-8; 12:4-6; 2 Corinthians 13:14; Isaiah 42:1; Isaiah 48:16; Ephesians 4:4-6; Jude 20-21).
- Jesus Christ Is Eternal; Co-Eternal With The Father (John 1:1-3; Colossians 1:15-17; Micah 5:2; Isaiah 9:6; John 8:56-59; 17:5; Hebrews 1:1-3; Revelation 22:13).
- Jesus Is God In The Flesh (Colossians 2:9; 1 Timothy 3:16; Romans 9:5).
- Jesus Is Called Emmanuel, Which Is Translated To Mean "God Is With Us" (Matthew 1:23).
- Jesus Christ Has Two Wills---Human And Divine; He Is Both Fully God And Fully Human (Philippians 2:5-7).
- "Let Us Make Man In Our Image, After Our Likeness..." (Genesis 1:26):
- Jesus Has Deity Because He Is The Son Of God (John 5:18; 19:7).
- Jesus was Called The Lord Our Righteousness (Jeremiah 23:5-6).
- Only God Can Forgive Sins, But Jesus Christ Also Has The Power To Forgive Our Sins (Mark 2:5-7). So He must also be God.
- The Only Way That You Can Honor The Father Is If You Honor The Son, As Well (John 5:23).
- Thomas Called Jesus Christ "God" (John 20:28):
-If Thomas was speaking blasphemy, then why did Jesus Christ never rebuke him for making such a statement? Instead, Thomas' profession of Jesus' identity as God was accepted (John 20:29).
- To God And Jesus Every Knee Shall Bow And Tongue Confess (Isaiah 45:23; Philippians 2:9-11).
- The Holy Spirit Is A Person; Is God (John 4:23-24; Acts 5:3-5; 2 Corinthians 3:17).
- Jesus Christ And The Holy Spirit Pray For Us/ Can Answer Our Prayers (Romans 8:26-28; Hebrews 7:25).
- Titles Shared By The Father And The Son Jesus Christ:
- Identical Functions Of God And Jesus:
Why Do We Hope?
The purpose of this reflection paper is to provide a concrete
answer to the question of why human beings possess hope. In other words, this
article is being written to demonstrate how hope is a quint-essential facet to
our daily lives. Without it, we
would have no inner source of strength to persevere through every dark corner of
our physical, psychological, and spiritual struggles. We would have no ultimate sense of
fulfillment. So it is vital to raise and ponder the following questions. Why
does society need hope in order to continue functioning? What would life be
like, if the concept of hope did not exist? Is such a longing of the human heart of major
significance? What is hope, anyway? How can we obtain an ultimate
sense of fulfillment in our lives?
In short, to hope means to have a strong desire for a specific
cause, effect, or condition in life. This emotion is the yearning or aspiration
for the best results or an ultimate purpose in life. It is not simply a form of
wishful thinking, but rather, a component of our faith. Hope is a part of
faith. Both realities are interrelated, which means that hope is faith that
looks beyond the view of the present. Hope looks into the future. In
Christian theology, to hope means to have trust in God because of His divine
promises. For example, we trust in God for salvation because that is what He
has promised to those who have believed from the heart that His Son Jesus Christ is the risen Messiah.
“But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with
patience wait for it” (Romans 8:25).
Without hope, all things, whether they are perceptible or
imperceptible, would appear remarkably meaningless, pointless, and dull. In other words, our portrait of life would have no color without hope. Everything would appear as either black or white to our minds. If the idea of hope was only a practical illusion created
by the mentally deranged, then there would be no sense in accepting cultural
diversity or striving to accomplish goals because we would have no
internal sense of ongoing inspiration. Neither would we be able to describe any
degrees of perfection. It would be impossible to formulate distinctions among
the categories of good, better, or best. It would be highly illogical to make
comparisons or even create analogies to simplify sophisticated concepts because the
explicit boundaries of concrete and abstract would be blurred.
If no standard of perfection exists to govern every lifetime aspect, which can range from the recognition of objective truth to the formation
of fallible, subjective opinions of the human mind, then how could we possibly describe things as being imperfect or incomplete? How would spiritual
discernment even be possible? If the concept of hope is not an independent
reality of our lives, then life itself would not make any sense. In fact, everything
would be self-defeating. In order for rational creatures to continue
thriving in a peaceful order, they need an ultimate source of fulfillment,
which can only be found in the gospel.
Our purpose in this life is to know, love, and serve God in this
world so that we may be with Him eternally in the afterlife. Because of our
longing to be in complete unity with God the Father in the heavenly sanctuary,
we are able to strive through every sort of dilemma that the world throws at us. By the
power of God's sufficient grace, we are able to overthrow the sinful
distractions prompted by the devil. We may even defeat the snares of spiritual
desolation by learning how to identify its causes, reflecting on past experiences for the sake of learning, and by steadily acting
contrary to sources of struggle.
But hope is the spiritual soil in which the fruits of Christian
self-sacrificing love grow. If we trust in God to care for us daily, then we
will not be focused so much on ourselves. Instead of us focusing on our own
needs daily, we need to give all of our troubles to God. In that case, we will
be enabled to act selflessly because we know that God is ultimately in control of things.
Only through our hope in God can we discover our ultimate purpose in
life. Only then can we begin to possess hope, and make any sense out of life.
Thursday, April 13, 2017
The Bronze Serpent And Justification By Faith Alone
- Introduction:
- The Purpose And Creation Of The Bronze Serpent:
- New Testament Parallel--The Begotten Son Jesus Christ:
- Explanatory Notes:
Wednesday, April 12, 2017
The Deception Of Universalism
- Defining The Issues:
- Biblical Refutation Of Universalism:
2.) The theme throughout the Bible is that sin will ultimately lead up to spiritual death, if not repented of and forgiven by God (i.e. Genesis 2:17; Ezekiel 18:1-5; 9; 20-24; Matthew 10:28; 13:49-50; 25:31-46; Mark 9:43-48; Luke 8:10-18; 16:19-31; John 3:15-21; 36; Romans 1:18-32; 6:23; 1 Corinthians 6:9-11; Ephesians 5:5-7; Galatians 5:19-21; 2 Thessalonians 1:8-10; James 4:4; Revelation 20:4-21:5; 22:14-15).
3.) Few people are doing God's will, and those who are not remain unsaved (Matthew 7:15-23).
4.) We are saved trough the power of the gospel, IF we hold fast to its teachings (1 Corinthians 15:2). It does not matter whether we like this fact or not, but 1 Corinthians 15:2 says we are saved through the transforming power of the gospel IF we abide by its teachings. Clearly, salvation is conditional. Any "gospel message" (which includes the message of universalism) that is different from what is taught in Scripture is to automatically be rejected (Galatians 1:8-9).
- The Application Of Common Sense:
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