Another year has gone by, and now it is Good Friday again - the day most Christians will honor as the day that Jesus Christ was crucified. However, are you believing something that is true or something that is false? Let's take a look at what the Bible - God's Word - has to say about it.
In Matthew 12:40, Jesus said that He would be 3 days and 3 nights in the ground (grave). Simple math shows that He was cruicified on a Wednesday. The next day, Thursday, was a special Sabbath day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread (Leviticus 23:5-7). It was when THAT "Sabbath was past" (Mark 16:1), that the ladies went shopping for spices - which would have been Friday. The following day would have been the 7th day Sabbath (Saturday) when they rested again, and then early the next day, Sunday morning, they went to the tomb and found Christ had already risen from the dead!
So, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday nights make 3 NIGHTS in the grave. Thursday, Friday, and Saturday make 3 DAYS in the grave. So to say today, Good Friday, is the day of Christ's crucifixion is not true! Many have asked me, "Why does that even matter?" Well, it should matter to us as Christians because if ANY part of this prophecy didn't come true - then Christ was not the Messiah (God in the flesh)! He staked His right to claim Messiahship on this prophecy! If we teach otherwise, then that means we are denying the Truth of God's Word and that Jesus Christ is the Messiah, the True and Living God come to earth to offer Himself as a sacrifice for our sins!
How does taking part in false teaching such as this, bring honor and glory to our Lord? Basically, we are saying that He lied! We are also going against the 9th Commandment of God which says, "Thou shall not lie!" So let me ask you, "Are you going to choose to believe God's Truth or are you going to choose to believe a man-made lie?" Whose Truth will you choose to believe?
Friday, March 29, 2013
Sunday, March 17, 2013
What is the Grace of God?
I've been studying the definition of grace this past week. What does it mean to be "saved by grace"? Since my blog is on the topic of "Lawless Grace", I thought maybe it was time to look at the possibility that "the grace of God" being taught in our churches is not "the grace of God" in the Bible.
The word "Grace" in Strong's Concordance means "to favor, to bend or stoop down in kindness to an inferior." The word "inferior" implies "a nobody" - someone who isn't special in any way. Isn't that a wonderful picture of God? Almighty God showed "favor or grace" to us by "stooping down in kindness" through the person of Jesus Christ to someone like me, an inferior or a nobody! I didn't have to be a hollywood movie star to receive the grace of God. I didn't have to be a famous president of a large country or company to receive the grace of God. I didn't have to be anybody special for God "to favor me" and show me His grace! These kind of "credentials" is what "works" means in Eph. 2:8 & 9. The Pharisees in the New Testament had this mindset that they were "somebody special" because they were so strict in following God's Law - therefore, deserving of God's grace and favor.
When I find a new insight, I always like to go to the Bible and check out how it "fits", because if it doesn't make sense or doesn't "fit" with what the other verses say - then I've got it wrong. So let's take a look. In Genesis 12:1 & 2, we find Abram was just an ordinary human being, a "nobody", but all of a sudden God "stoops down in kindness to an inferior" and calls him to be a "somebody" for Him. That's God's grace! God's calling came first (grace/salvation), then Abram's obedience came second (he left his country as God commanded him.).
In Exodus 3:3 & 4, we find Moses out taking care of his father-in-law's sheep. At this point in time, Moses was just a "nobody" - going about his normal business of the day. Suddenly, God calls to him from a burning bush. Almighty God is again "stooping down in kindness to an inferior" and calls him to be a "somebody" for Him. That is God's grace! Again, we see that God's calling came first (grace/salvation), then Moses' obedience came second (he became the one to deliver God's people from slavery to Egypt.).
The last one I want to look at is in Genesis 6:8: "But Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord." A couple verses later it says, God told Noah to build an ark because a flood was coming to destroy the earth of it's lawlessness (disobeying God's laws). Again, we see God calling just an average man to be obedient to Him. That is God's grace! The calling of God came first, and then man's obedience followed.
The grace of God was shown to me when Almighty God, the Creator of the universe, came down to earth and took on a human body and a human name, Jesus Christ. This awesome God "stooped down in kindness to an inferior" like me! He then suffered and died a horrible death as a sacrifice for my sin (my disobedience to His commandments) and rose again. He then called me by name to repent of my disobedience against Him and to come and follow Him through obedience for the rest of my life. This obedience includes His 10 Commandments (including keeping His Sabbath Day holy), following Him in water baptism, and then in whatever other way His Spirit may lead me. Just remember this, though: God's amazing grace and calling comes first. My obedience to His calling always comes second.
"Amazing grace, how sweet the sound - that saved a wretch (inferior) like me;
I once was lost but now I'm found; was blind but now I see."
"For many are called, but few are chosen." (Matthew 22:14)
The word "Grace" in Strong's Concordance means "to favor, to bend or stoop down in kindness to an inferior." The word "inferior" implies "a nobody" - someone who isn't special in any way. Isn't that a wonderful picture of God? Almighty God showed "favor or grace" to us by "stooping down in kindness" through the person of Jesus Christ to someone like me, an inferior or a nobody! I didn't have to be a hollywood movie star to receive the grace of God. I didn't have to be a famous president of a large country or company to receive the grace of God. I didn't have to be anybody special for God "to favor me" and show me His grace! These kind of "credentials" is what "works" means in Eph. 2:8 & 9. The Pharisees in the New Testament had this mindset that they were "somebody special" because they were so strict in following God's Law - therefore, deserving of God's grace and favor.
When I find a new insight, I always like to go to the Bible and check out how it "fits", because if it doesn't make sense or doesn't "fit" with what the other verses say - then I've got it wrong. So let's take a look. In Genesis 12:1 & 2, we find Abram was just an ordinary human being, a "nobody", but all of a sudden God "stoops down in kindness to an inferior" and calls him to be a "somebody" for Him. That's God's grace! God's calling came first (grace/salvation), then Abram's obedience came second (he left his country as God commanded him.).
In Exodus 3:3 & 4, we find Moses out taking care of his father-in-law's sheep. At this point in time, Moses was just a "nobody" - going about his normal business of the day. Suddenly, God calls to him from a burning bush. Almighty God is again "stooping down in kindness to an inferior" and calls him to be a "somebody" for Him. That is God's grace! Again, we see that God's calling came first (grace/salvation), then Moses' obedience came second (he became the one to deliver God's people from slavery to Egypt.).
The last one I want to look at is in Genesis 6:8: "But Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord." A couple verses later it says, God told Noah to build an ark because a flood was coming to destroy the earth of it's lawlessness (disobeying God's laws). Again, we see God calling just an average man to be obedient to Him. That is God's grace! The calling of God came first, and then man's obedience followed.
The grace of God was shown to me when Almighty God, the Creator of the universe, came down to earth and took on a human body and a human name, Jesus Christ. This awesome God "stooped down in kindness to an inferior" like me! He then suffered and died a horrible death as a sacrifice for my sin (my disobedience to His commandments) and rose again. He then called me by name to repent of my disobedience against Him and to come and follow Him through obedience for the rest of my life. This obedience includes His 10 Commandments (including keeping His Sabbath Day holy), following Him in water baptism, and then in whatever other way His Spirit may lead me. Just remember this, though: God's amazing grace and calling comes first. My obedience to His calling always comes second.
"Amazing grace, how sweet the sound - that saved a wretch (inferior) like me;
I once was lost but now I'm found; was blind but now I see."
"For many are called, but few are chosen." (Matthew 22:14)
Thursday, January 24, 2013
"As For Me and My House, Which God Will We Serve?
Almost all of us have viewed on wall plaques, on signs, and heard preachers preach on the Bible verse, "As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord." (Joshua 24:15) Most don't realize that this verse has MUCH more to it than just that phrase.
In fact, this verse really begins with, "And if it seems evil to you to serve the Lord, CHOOSE for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell."
My question is this: "Does it seem evil to you to serve the Lord?" Everytime we make a choice that goes against God's Word or one of His commandments, we are actually saying to God, "It really seems evil to me, Lord, what You are commanding me to do!" By saying that, we have just put ourselves above God Almighty! Also, at that point, we have just fallen into "Moral Relativism".
Moral Relativism is the belief system in the world today that says there are no absolutes of right or wrong - it is all relative to the situation. As Judges 21:25 says: "Everyone did what was right in his own eyes."
The problem is that "...it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment." (Hebrews 9:27) Where there is a judgment, there is a "court of law". The Law we all will be judged by are the Ten Commandments of God. Many Christians are being taught by false teachers that God's Moral Law, the Ten Commandments, has been done away with. However, most of these same Christians believe in a judgment. It is illogical thinking that you can have one without the other!
Every decision we make this day, we will be faced with 2 choices: 1) Will we serve and glorify the One True God Almighty - Jesus Christ, or 2) Will we choose to serve the gods "in whose land we dwell?" Well, what ways do we serve "the gods in this land we dwell in?"
I Corinthians 10:31 says, "Whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God." The foods we eat (and the amount of food we eat), does that reflect us as servants of God or servants of this world system? What about the way we dress - does it "seem evil to you to serve the Lord" by not compromising with the styles that this world is offering to you? Does it "seem evil to you to serve the Lord" by choosing to not go to movies that this world is pressuring you to go see? What about video games, the internet, etc. etc.? "Does it seem evil to you to serve the Lord" when God says it is wrong?
Lastly, what about the last commandment given to us by our God, Jesus Christ, to GO and make disciples of all nations...? Does it "seem evil to you to serve the Lord" because He has commanded that you leave your comfort zone to pass out gospel tracts or to speak with someone about the Lord Jesus Christ?
"If it seems evil to you to serve the LORD, choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the River or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord."
(Joshua 24:15)
In fact, this verse really begins with, "And if it seems evil to you to serve the Lord, CHOOSE for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell."
My question is this: "Does it seem evil to you to serve the Lord?" Everytime we make a choice that goes against God's Word or one of His commandments, we are actually saying to God, "It really seems evil to me, Lord, what You are commanding me to do!" By saying that, we have just put ourselves above God Almighty! Also, at that point, we have just fallen into "Moral Relativism".
Moral Relativism is the belief system in the world today that says there are no absolutes of right or wrong - it is all relative to the situation. As Judges 21:25 says: "Everyone did what was right in his own eyes."
The problem is that "...it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment." (Hebrews 9:27) Where there is a judgment, there is a "court of law". The Law we all will be judged by are the Ten Commandments of God. Many Christians are being taught by false teachers that God's Moral Law, the Ten Commandments, has been done away with. However, most of these same Christians believe in a judgment. It is illogical thinking that you can have one without the other!
Every decision we make this day, we will be faced with 2 choices: 1) Will we serve and glorify the One True God Almighty - Jesus Christ, or 2) Will we choose to serve the gods "in whose land we dwell?" Well, what ways do we serve "the gods in this land we dwell in?"
I Corinthians 10:31 says, "Whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God." The foods we eat (and the amount of food we eat), does that reflect us as servants of God or servants of this world system? What about the way we dress - does it "seem evil to you to serve the Lord" by not compromising with the styles that this world is offering to you? Does it "seem evil to you to serve the Lord" by choosing to not go to movies that this world is pressuring you to go see? What about video games, the internet, etc. etc.? "Does it seem evil to you to serve the Lord" when God says it is wrong?
Lastly, what about the last commandment given to us by our God, Jesus Christ, to GO and make disciples of all nations...? Does it "seem evil to you to serve the Lord" because He has commanded that you leave your comfort zone to pass out gospel tracts or to speak with someone about the Lord Jesus Christ?
"If it seems evil to you to serve the LORD, choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the River or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord."
(Joshua 24:15)
Friday, November 23, 2012
Is Black Friday for Christians?
Last year I posted an article about Black Friday and how it is tied to coveting and being covetous. This year, I think it's important to make clear what exactly God has to say about our actions on this day of the year:
Thus says the Lord, "Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have." (Hebrews 13:5) To me, it doesn't get much plainer than that. Coveting and practicing covetousness is a sin. In fact, it is one of the 10 Commandments of God. Again, if you don't know what sin is, God says in His Word in I John 3:4 - "Sin is lawlessness." Sin is breaking and being disobedient to one or more of His commandments.
Thus says the Lord, "For this you know, that no fornicator, unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things (Covetousness!) the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience." (Ephesians 5:5,6) These are very strong verses as God actually says that you cannot be a Christian and take part in covetous practices. In fact, God says those that do, have no inheritance in the kingdom of God (because he/she is an idolater)!
Thus says the Lord, "Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him." (I John 2:15) As a Christian, I'm not sure how you can be out shopping on this Black Friday and not see that it is all about "the things in the world"! If that is true, are you not WILLINGLY practicing disobedience to God and His Word? Please think about that.
Thus says the Lord, "Do not be conformed to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind...." (Romans 12:2) I read that to mean we are to be different than the world, not joining them in their pagan practices, or even WANTING to take part with them.
As Christians, we are supposed to be a "new creation". We are called to be "law-keepers", not "law-breakers" when it comes to God's commands in His Word. This world needs us to be willing to STAND UP and BE DIFFERENT. We are to be LIGHT in this world of darkness. Light and Dark are not the same, but different! If you are choosing to be like the "darkness" around you, then you are only contributing to the darkness that is in this world.
Do you want to be different? Try obeying the one positive command in Hebrews 13:5 above:
"....be content with what you have." If every Christian would practice just that one commandment, just think of the changes that would come on this world.
Thus says the Lord, "Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have." (Hebrews 13:5) To me, it doesn't get much plainer than that. Coveting and practicing covetousness is a sin. In fact, it is one of the 10 Commandments of God. Again, if you don't know what sin is, God says in His Word in I John 3:4 - "Sin is lawlessness." Sin is breaking and being disobedient to one or more of His commandments.
Thus says the Lord, "For this you know, that no fornicator, unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things (Covetousness!) the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience." (Ephesians 5:5,6) These are very strong verses as God actually says that you cannot be a Christian and take part in covetous practices. In fact, God says those that do, have no inheritance in the kingdom of God (because he/she is an idolater)!
Thus says the Lord, "Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him." (I John 2:15) As a Christian, I'm not sure how you can be out shopping on this Black Friday and not see that it is all about "the things in the world"! If that is true, are you not WILLINGLY practicing disobedience to God and His Word? Please think about that.
Thus says the Lord, "Do not be conformed to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind...." (Romans 12:2) I read that to mean we are to be different than the world, not joining them in their pagan practices, or even WANTING to take part with them.
As Christians, we are supposed to be a "new creation". We are called to be "law-keepers", not "law-breakers" when it comes to God's commands in His Word. This world needs us to be willing to STAND UP and BE DIFFERENT. We are to be LIGHT in this world of darkness. Light and Dark are not the same, but different! If you are choosing to be like the "darkness" around you, then you are only contributing to the darkness that is in this world.
Do you want to be different? Try obeying the one positive command in Hebrews 13:5 above:
"....be content with what you have." If every Christian would practice just that one commandment, just think of the changes that would come on this world.
Thursday, October 25, 2012
Man-made Laws versus God-made Laws
I found an interesting story in I Kings 12:26-33. Jeroboam had been made king over all Israel, even though Rehoboam was the son of Solomon and was the true heir to David's throne.
King Jeroboam was afraid that if the people went to Jerusalem to worship the Lord, they would leave him and go back to Rehoboam. In verse 28, King Jeroboam had two golden calves made. Here we read that King Jeroboam told the people WHAT to worship. In verse 29 it says, "Now this thing became a sin, for the people went to worship before the one as far as Dan." This verse says that Jeroboam told the people WHERE they were to worship. What I want to share with you today, though, is in verses 32 and 33 where King Jeroboam tells the people WHEN to worship.
Not only did Jeroboam dictate to the people WHAT they were to worship, and WHERE they were to worship, but he also dictated WHEN they were to worship! This was really fascinating to me. In verse 32 it says, "Jeroboam ordained a feast on the fifteenth day of the eighth month, like the feast that was in Judah..." Verse 33 says, "So he made offerings on the altar which he had made at Bethel on the fifteenth day of the eighth month, in the month which he had devised in his own heart."
The feast that Jeroboam was trying to copy was the Feast of Tabernacles, mentioned in Leviticus 23:34. The problem, though, is that God's Feast was to be celebrated on the 14th day of the 7th month - not the 15th day of the 8th month!! For some reason this made me think of the many ministers today that tell their congregations that the 7th-day Sabbath is now on the 1st day of the week! They are "devising in their own hearts" (like Jeroboam above) the day and time of our worship of God. Not only that, I also know of some who tell their people that "it doesn't really matter what day of the week you worship the Lord on - just so you worship Him!" Wow! Nowhere in the Bible are we told that it is ok "to do what is right in our own eyes"! (Judges 21:25)
I'm beginning to realize just how much Satan hates the number 7!! Many have said that the number 7 is God's holy number. If that's the case, then it doesn't surprise me that Satan has connived to move God's Sabbath Day to the first day of the week instead of the 7th day. The same seems true for the above passage when King Jeroboam moved the 7th month Feast of Tabernacles to the 8th month!
There's a saying that goes like this:
"God's Word says it - I believe it - That settles it!"
Is this true for you or are you "devising in your own heart - doing what seems right in your own eyes?" As I've written in earlier blogs, when God's kingdom is set up here on earth - there will not be two worship days. One will be done away with, and I'm very sure it won't be God's 7th day Sabbath!
King Jeroboam was afraid that if the people went to Jerusalem to worship the Lord, they would leave him and go back to Rehoboam. In verse 28, King Jeroboam had two golden calves made. Here we read that King Jeroboam told the people WHAT to worship. In verse 29 it says, "Now this thing became a sin, for the people went to worship before the one as far as Dan." This verse says that Jeroboam told the people WHERE they were to worship. What I want to share with you today, though, is in verses 32 and 33 where King Jeroboam tells the people WHEN to worship.
Not only did Jeroboam dictate to the people WHAT they were to worship, and WHERE they were to worship, but he also dictated WHEN they were to worship! This was really fascinating to me. In verse 32 it says, "Jeroboam ordained a feast on the fifteenth day of the eighth month, like the feast that was in Judah..." Verse 33 says, "So he made offerings on the altar which he had made at Bethel on the fifteenth day of the eighth month, in the month which he had devised in his own heart."
The feast that Jeroboam was trying to copy was the Feast of Tabernacles, mentioned in Leviticus 23:34. The problem, though, is that God's Feast was to be celebrated on the 14th day of the 7th month - not the 15th day of the 8th month!! For some reason this made me think of the many ministers today that tell their congregations that the 7th-day Sabbath is now on the 1st day of the week! They are "devising in their own hearts" (like Jeroboam above) the day and time of our worship of God. Not only that, I also know of some who tell their people that "it doesn't really matter what day of the week you worship the Lord on - just so you worship Him!" Wow! Nowhere in the Bible are we told that it is ok "to do what is right in our own eyes"! (Judges 21:25)
I'm beginning to realize just how much Satan hates the number 7!! Many have said that the number 7 is God's holy number. If that's the case, then it doesn't surprise me that Satan has connived to move God's Sabbath Day to the first day of the week instead of the 7th day. The same seems true for the above passage when King Jeroboam moved the 7th month Feast of Tabernacles to the 8th month!
There's a saying that goes like this:
"God's Word says it - I believe it - That settles it!"
Is this true for you or are you "devising in your own heart - doing what seems right in your own eyes?" As I've written in earlier blogs, when God's kingdom is set up here on earth - there will not be two worship days. One will be done away with, and I'm very sure it won't be God's 7th day Sabbath!
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