Category Archives: Teaching

How To Counter Terrorism

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Suddenly now, the big issue is how to counter “terrorism.”

Can we resist evil with evil?

That is defeat within itself. Romans 12:21: “Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.”

This war is an “ideological” war, a war of religions, of ideas, morals and ethics. Can we fight it with guns, tanks, bombs, drones, planes, ‘boots on the ground’? Certainly not. The “eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth” approach can only lead to an escalation of hostilities. It only skims the surface of the issue and makes it worse.

Begin With Repentance

We the people of the United States of America must begin by repenting of our sins. Until we do, we have defeated ourselves by incurring the wrath of God.

We must repent of fornication and adultery which are the root causes of abortions, broken homes, abused and neglected children and all of the other consequences of our vile entertainment and media abuse. We are guilty of the blood of more than 60 million aborted babies. How can we self-righteously accuse others of having “blood on their hands”?

We must repent of our idolatry in supporting the establishment of the anti-Christian nation calling itself “Israel” which has been the festering thorn in the sides of the Middle East. We must also call them to repentance and restitution for all their atrocities during their occupation of Palestine.

We must repent of our covetousness in wanting the cheap resources of oil and gas from the Middle East to satisfy our greed for more and more luxuries and self-indulgence.

We Must Repent of Unjust Wars

We must repent of the unjust wars we have engaged in because of our covetousness: James 4:1-4:
“From whence come wars and fightings among you? Come thy not hence, even of your lusts that war in your members? Ye lust and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not. Ye ask and receive not because ye ask amiss that ye may consume it upon your lusts. Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? Whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.”

This would be only the beginning of our “Counter Terrorism.” But there is no other effective way to begin. In Jesus’ Name, let us begin.

Grace Versus Works?

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Seeing and hearing so much teaching that the Grace of God offered in the New Testament has canceled the requirement for the moral law and its good works, please consider the following exhortations to good works:

Works Matter

God judges our work: “Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter. Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man. (14) For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil,” Ecclesiastes 12:13-14. See also Psalm 28:4; 62:12. Proverbs 24:12, 24. Ezekiel 7:3; 36:19.

The final judgment will be of our works: Revelation 20:11-12: “And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. (12) And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.”

God’s message to each of the Seven Churches  starts by saying: “I know thy works.” Revelation 2:2, 9, 13, 19; 3:1, 8, 15.

1Peter 2:11-12: “Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul; (12) Having your conversation honest among the Gentiles: that, whereas they speak evil of you as evildoers, they may by your good works, which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation.”

Hebrews 10:24: “And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and good works.”

Titus 2:6-8: “Young men likewise exhort to be sober minded. (8) In all things shewing thyself a pattern of good works; in doctrine, shewing uncorruptness, gravity, sincerity, (8) Sound speech, that cannot be condemned; that he that is of the contrary part may be ashamed, having no evil thing to say of you.”

1Timothy 6:17-19: “Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not highminded nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy; (18) That they do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate; (19) Laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life.”

Matthew 5:16: “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.”

Women should adorn themselves with good works: 1Timothy 2:9-10: “In like manner also, that women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety; not with broided hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array; But (which becometh women professing godliness) with good works.”

Grace and Works Again:

Titus 3:1, 2, 8: “Put them in mind to be subject to principalities and powers, to obey magistrates, to be ready to every good work. (2) To speak evil of no man, to be no brawlers, but gentle, shewing all meekness unto all men…. (8) This is a faithful saying, and these things I will that thou affirm constantly, that they which have believed in God might be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable unto men.”

Grace teaches good works: “(11) For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, (12) Teaching us that, denying ugodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world: (13) Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; (14) Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works. (15) These things speak, and exhort, and rebuke with all authority. Let no man despise thee, Titus 2:11-15.

The Creation of Marriage

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The Creation

Genesis 1:27-28: “So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. And God blessed them and said unto them, Be fruitful and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.”

This amazing passage of Scripture gives us the knowledge of God’s original creation and intent. He endowed Mankind, male and female, with the unique ability to create other living souls by multiplication of themselves! By this unspeakably powerful gift of reproduction, they could take dominion over the rest of God’s earthly creation.

God’s Purpose

Jesus referred to this, God’s original creative purpose and endowment, as having never changed from the time of creation: Matthew 19:4-6: “And he answered and said unto them: Have ye not read that he which made them at the beginning made them male and female. And said, For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they twain shall be one flesh? Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder.” (See also Mark 1-:6-9).

These Scriptures define the meaning of marriage: the union of a man and a woman for the intended endowment of the blessed privilege of procreating and filling the earth with Mankind. Every person, then, is a link in the chain of creation from the first man to eternity. It is his contribution to the whole family of humanity.

Redemption of God’s Original Purpose

The original intent was that there would be no death; however, after the original sin which brought the curse of death upon the human race, conception by the woman was to be greatly multiplied, Genesis 3:16.

Christ came to reverse the curse and to give eternal life to as many as would receive it. Ephesians 5:25-33: “Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the Church, and gave himself for it; That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the Word, That he might present it to himself a glorious Church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.

“So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself. For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the Church: For we are member of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones, For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they twain shall be one flesh.

“This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the Church. ”

Marriage Is A Sacred Symbol

Marriage is the natural, physical, expression of the spiritual reality of Christ’s relationship to the Church. It symbolizes and is the image of that relationship. To pervert and prostitute that image is to desecrate a holy thing.

The consummate marriage is depicted in Revelation 21:9-22:5. The Lamb of God, Jesus, takes unto Himself His beautiful Bride, the Church: “And they shall reign for ever and ever.” It is in that relationship that Mankind can have dominion over the earth.  God’s intended purpose from the beginning is being fulfilled in the marriage of Christ and the Church.

Consequences and Remedies For Sexual Perversion

For those who are confused about the issue of “same-sex marriage,” let it be noted that such can never be endowed with the privilege to reproduce and therefore it cannot be a marriage in God’s sight. Although they may make whatever contracts they choose so far as legal, living arrangements, they can never be “married.” If they practice perverted sexual sins, it is not an act of love, but of lust, Romans 1:24-27. God’s judgment is already pronounced upon such sin; the choice brings about its own consequences.

We should not harbor hatred toward them, but compassion and determination to lead them to the Truth and to healing and deliverance. They are simply ensnared by the devil’s lies as are all others who reject the salvation offered by Jesus Christ.  They are fallen human beings, with talents and emotions and great potential, just as all other human beings.

The love of God constrains us to seek to deliver them, but never to consent with them that their sin is legal in the sight of God, Romans 1:32.

Ephesians 5:7, 11: “Be ye not therefore partakers with them…. And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them.”

 

Biblical Instruction on How to Protest

Teaching

First: How To Submit To Civil Authority:*

Rom 13:1: Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God.

Rom 13:2: Therefore whoever resists the authority resists the ordinance of God, and those who resist will bring judgment on themselves.

Rom 13:3: For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to evil. Do you want to be unafraid of the authority? Do what is good, and you will have praise from the same.

Rom 13:4: For he is God’s minister to you for good. But if you do evil, be afraid; for he does not bear the sword in vain; for he is God’s minister, an avenger to execute wrath on him who practices evil.

Rom 13:5: Therefore you must be subject, not only because of wrath but also for conscience’ sake.

Rom 13:6: For because of this you also pay taxes, for they are God’s ministers attending continually to this very thing.

Rom 13:7: Render therefore to all their due: taxes to whom taxes are due, customs to whom customs, fear to whom fear, honor to whom honor.

Rom 13:8: Owe no one anything except to love one another, for he who loves another has fulfilled the law.

Rom 13:9: For the commandments, “You shall not commit adultery,” “You shall not murder,” “You shall not steal,” “You shall not bear false witness,”fn “You shall not covet,”fn and if there is any other commandment, are all summed up in this saying, namely, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”fn

Rom 13:10: Love does no harm to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.

Rom 13:11: And do this, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep; for now our salvation is nearer than when we first believed.

Rom 13:12: The night is far spent, the day is at hand. Therefore let us cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light.

Rom 13:13: Let us walk properly, as in the day, not in revelry and drunkenness, not in lewdness and lust, not in strife and envy.

Rom 13:14: But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts.

Second: When Not To Submit to Civil Authorities:*

Acts 4:1: “Now as they spoke to the people, the priests, the captain of the temple, and the Sadducees came upon them,
(2) being greatly disturbed that they taught the people and preached in Jesus the resurrection from the dead.”
(3) And they laid hands on them, and put them in custody until the next day, for it was already evening.
(4)However, many of those who heard the word believed; and the number of the men came to be about five thousand.
(5)And it came to pass, on the next day, that their rulers, elders, and scribes,
(6)as well as Annas the high priest, Caiaphas, John, and Alexander, and as many as were of the family of the high priest, were gathered together at Jerusalem.”
(7)And when they had set them in the midst, they asked, “By what power or by what name have you done this?”
(8)Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, “Rulers of the people and elders of Israel:
(9)”If we this day are judged for a good deed done to a helpless man, by what means he has been made well,
(10)”let it be known to you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead, by Him this man stands here before you whole.
(11)”This is the ‘stone which was rejected by you builders, which has become the chief cornerstone.’
(12)”Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”
(13) Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated and untrained men, they marveled. And they realized that they had been with Jesus.
(14)And seeing the man who had been healed standing with them, they could say nothing against it.
(15)But when they had commanded them to go aside out of the council, they conferred among themselves,
(16)saying, “What shall we do to these men? For, indeed, that a notable miracle has been done through them is evident to all who dwell in Jerusalem, and we cannot deny it.”(17)”But so that it spreads no further among the people, let us severely threaten them, that from now on they speak to no man in this name.”
(18)So they called them and commanded them not to speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus.
(19)But Peter and John answered and said to them, “Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you more than to God, you judge.
(20)For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard.”
(21)So when they had further threatened them, they let them go, finding no way of punishing them, because of the people, since they all glorified God for what had been done.
(22)For the man was over forty years old on whom this miracle of healing had been performed.
(23)And being let go, they went to their own companions and reported all that the chief priests and elders had said to them.
(24)So when they heard that, they raised their voice to God with one accord and said: “Lord, You are God, who made heaven and earth and the sea, and all that is in them,(25)”who by the mouth of Your servant David have said: ‘Why did the nations rage, And the people plot vain things?
(26)”The kings of the earth took their stand, And the rulers were gathered together Against the LORD and against His Christ.
(27)”For truly against Your holy Servant Jesus, whom You anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles and the people of Israel, were gathered together
(28)”to do whatever Your hand and Your purpose determined before to be done.
(29)”Now, Lord, look on their threats, and grant to Your servants that with all boldness they may speak Your word,
(30)”by stretching out Your hand to heal, and that signs and wonders may be done through the name of Your holy Servant Jesus.”
(31)And when they had prayed, the place where they were assembled together was shaken; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spoke the word of God with boldness.

* Quoted from New King James Version.

“Wise Men” From the East

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Matthew 2:1-12.

“Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem, Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him.”

Who were these “Wise Men from the East”? The Greek word here is from magos, defined as “an Oriental scientist; by implication, a magician: – sorcerer, wise man. [1]

In historical context of the times, however, they were not “Oriental scientists,” nor magicians, but rather the ‘sages’ from the Jewish colony in Babylon, about 500 miles east of Jerusalem. There was still a strong colony of Jews in Babylon dating from the captivity when Nebuchadnezzar captured Jerusalem and Judea in 605 BC. Although, after seventy years, a remnant of them had returned to Palestine, the majority of them remained in Babylon and prospered as international merchants, even in the successive empires that ruled this area.

‘Sages’ Were Wise Men

These were not astrologers, enchanters, practicing astrology, magic and witchcraft as did the Babylonian magos. Certainly not. These were astronomers, having the wisdom of the movements of the heavenly bodies for the purpose of telling time and location. When God created the lights of the heavens, Genesis 1:14-15, they were for the purpose of giving light upon the earth, to divide the day from the night and for signs of seasons, and for days, and for years. God gave the knowledge of these movements to Adam and they were passed down through the generations to the priestly class. This was astronomy, the farthest thing from astrology.

In Babylon, the Jews considered their ‘sages’ to be ‘wise men,’ but not astrologers. These ‘sages’ were the Biblical scholars, or intelligentsia, of their colony. They knew the priestly lore of the time-telling heavens, for determining the times by reference to the stars was one of the duties of the Hebrew priesthood. By reference to the stars, they were to announce the Sabbaths, New Moons, (months), the times for the feasts, and the Sabbatical and Jubilee years. They would then have been able to determine which astronomical events would mark the time foretold for the birth of the Messiah. Thus, they would have recognized the “star” that announced this event. They were expecting it.

These particular ‘wise men’ probably were sincere in their desire to worship the new-born Messiah, Matthew 2:2, 11. They were truly guided by their knowledge of the Scriptures and of the stars and had the spiritual insight to hear and obey the warning of God, (vs. 12). They were, therefore, among the first Jewish converts to Christianity and bore a powerful witness to the deity of Jesus Christ. The very heavens had  declared it unto them, (Psalm 19:1-4). When they returned to Babylon, they would have announced the “Good News” that the Messiah had indeed been born in Bethlehem of Judea, as foretold by the Prophets, and announced by the time-telling heavens.

This scenario would have been much more in keeping with the Biblical record than to think that these ‘wise men’ were “Oriental scientists or magicians”. These men were aware of the message from the stars that the time had come and their Messiah had been born. Matthew 2:10: “And when they saw the star they rejoiced with exceeding great joy.”

[1] Strong’s #3097.