God created different men: Americans, Africans, Japanese, Indians, Arabians.
From one man he made every nation of men that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live - Ac. 17:26.
God formed different men out of one man. All these people are created by God. No one is less from than the other. Everyone is equal. Though we are different from one another, we’re one in Christ. So nobody looks down on his brothers because of color and glamour.
Let us see how God created with us much difference.
No man face matches with somebody else.
No man finger prints match with the others.
A man’s odor is different from other. We don’t know that. But dogs find it.
What a genius our God is! Praise be to him! He created different men in mankind.
God created different species in animals.
And God said, “Let the land produce living creatures according to their kinds: livestock, creatures that move along the ground, and wild animals, each according to its kind.” And it was so. God made the wild animals according to their kinds, the livestock according to their kinds, and all the creatures that move along the ground according to their kinds. And God
saw that it was good- Ge. 1:24-25.
God created different species in livestock and wild animals. For instance, there are many types in money: Ape, chimp, gorilla. Like wise there are many different species in a particular species.
God didn’t crate these animals to eat himself. He gave them to us.
Everything that lives and moves will be food for you. Just as I gave you the green plants, I now give you everything- Ge. 9:3.
One of my friends always buys ten kilograms of meat or chicken or pork or beef on sundays. There are only four members in his family: two children and his wife. I couldn’t take in why he buys 10 kg of meat until I asked him. He said that his children eat much meat pieces like they eat candies.
Our heavenly father knew our appetite, so created all these animals for us.
God created different planets and stars.
The sun has one kind of splendor, the moon another and the stars another; and star differs from star in splendor - 1Co. 15:41.
The nine plants in our solar system are different from another. The stars in this universe are different from one another. Star and comets.
He determines the number of the stars and calls them each by name- Ps. 147:4.
The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands- Ps. 19:1.
God’s understanding has no limit. Praise be to our heavenly father.
Thursday, September 30, 2010
Monday, September 27, 2010
Don't let your children fall into hell
Sons are a heritage from the LORD, children a reward from him. Ps. 127:3-4.
We have got a precious reward from God. But how many of us taking care of the reward? Though we take good care about fish in our fish tank, some die and float. This would cause a little pain in our heart.
Our children are more precious than fish. How would we feel if we realized that our children died spiritually and were heading to hell? Nobody can express the pain in words.
If we didn’t teach our Children about God and his commands, they would go astray. Schools and teacher don’t teach about God.
It’s parents’ responsibility to train their children in a good way. Instead of teaching them rhymes and bed time stories, it is better to tell them biblical stories and things about God. Hence Children will know about God from their childhood and adhere to the commands.
Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it- Pr. 22:6.
Some Parents worry about their children when they realized their children are weak in some subjects. To make them perfect in the particular subjects, a few educated parents teach their children about the subjects with special care. Some times they beat their children to make them perfect in the subjects. But they don’t ask whether their children know God or not. They don’t care! They just make sure their children go to Sunday school or not. This is not good.
Parents have to make sure their children are not weak in God and his commands. They ought to tell them about God and his commands, and also the things, which pleases God.
Parents don’t let their children fall into hell with their negligent attitude, assuming that God will save them. It’s not right.
Instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord- Ep. 6:4.
First, parents should do their responsibility toward their children, then God will take care of the rest. In case any parents don’t do this, their children don’t honor them nor follow the rest commands. As a result, the children will go to hell.
So parents must be active to teach about God and his commands to their children.
We have got a precious reward from God. But how many of us taking care of the reward? Though we take good care about fish in our fish tank, some die and float. This would cause a little pain in our heart.
Our children are more precious than fish. How would we feel if we realized that our children died spiritually and were heading to hell? Nobody can express the pain in words.
If we didn’t teach our Children about God and his commands, they would go astray. Schools and teacher don’t teach about God.
It’s parents’ responsibility to train their children in a good way. Instead of teaching them rhymes and bed time stories, it is better to tell them biblical stories and things about God. Hence Children will know about God from their childhood and adhere to the commands.
Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it- Pr. 22:6.
Some Parents worry about their children when they realized their children are weak in some subjects. To make them perfect in the particular subjects, a few educated parents teach their children about the subjects with special care. Some times they beat their children to make them perfect in the subjects. But they don’t ask whether their children know God or not. They don’t care! They just make sure their children go to Sunday school or not. This is not good.
Parents have to make sure their children are not weak in God and his commands. They ought to tell them about God and his commands, and also the things, which pleases God.
Parents don’t let their children fall into hell with their negligent attitude, assuming that God will save them. It’s not right.
Instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord- Ep. 6:4.
First, parents should do their responsibility toward their children, then God will take care of the rest. In case any parents don’t do this, their children don’t honor them nor follow the rest commands. As a result, the children will go to hell.
So parents must be active to teach about God and his commands to their children.
Thursday, September 23, 2010
Be on your guard against astrologists and zodiac signs
If a sculptor made a beautiful lady statue and a man buys it and marries it, how would the sculptor think of the man? Wouldn’t the sculptor take him for s a crazy man?
Millions of people, including Christians, are doing the same thing of this kind. God created these stars and planets. Some useless people, who wanted to make easy money imagined some figures in the stars and depicted them as signs.
Astrology and astrologists have been deviating many people since B.C. If we’re hoping that a good thing will take place, and in case, it didn’t happen, we’ll get disappointed. At this point, astrologists take advantage of our condition. They delude that it will occur when some proceedings are done according to our zodiac sign and astrology. By this way, they cheat naive people.
Israelites also fell in the trap and turned to astrology. God didn’t like it. He spoke to Isaiah about to take them out of the trap.
Let your astrologers come forward,those stargazers who make predictions month by month, let them save you from what is coming upon you. Surely they are like stubble; the fire will burn them up. They cannot even save themselves from the power of the flame. Here are no coals to warm anyone; here is no fire to sit by. That is all they can do for you — these you have laboured with and trafficked with since childhood. Each of them goes on in his error; there is not one that can save you. 47:13- 15.
From the scripture we can take in that the astrologers can’t save us and save themselves. None of the zodiac signs saves a man and change his future. It’s only possible with God.
So don’t believe astrology and the warnings of astrologists. Astrology is rubbish and astrologists are hypocrites, who have been saying the world is going to end by 2012. It’s big a joke. It won’t happen under any circumstances, because many incidents have to take place on the earth to fulfill the scriptures. End won’t come so fast.
Be on your guard against astrologists. They cause you to sin and turn you toward false things.
Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die. Do not be misled: “Bad company corrupts good character. Come back to your senses as you ought, and stop sinning; for there are some who are ignorant of God — I say this to your shame- 1Co. 15:32-34.
Forsake astrology and come to God. Never talk about the signs. Suppose anyone says to you, “what is your zodiac sign,” you’d better say, “I don’t care and don’t believe it.” That’s enough.
God bless you.
Millions of people, including Christians, are doing the same thing of this kind. God created these stars and planets. Some useless people, who wanted to make easy money imagined some figures in the stars and depicted them as signs.
Astrology and astrologists have been deviating many people since B.C. If we’re hoping that a good thing will take place, and in case, it didn’t happen, we’ll get disappointed. At this point, astrologists take advantage of our condition. They delude that it will occur when some proceedings are done according to our zodiac sign and astrology. By this way, they cheat naive people.
Israelites also fell in the trap and turned to astrology. God didn’t like it. He spoke to Isaiah about to take them out of the trap.
Let your astrologers come forward,those stargazers who make predictions month by month, let them save you from what is coming upon you. Surely they are like stubble; the fire will burn them up. They cannot even save themselves from the power of the flame. Here are no coals to warm anyone; here is no fire to sit by. That is all they can do for you — these you have laboured with and trafficked with since childhood. Each of them goes on in his error; there is not one that can save you. 47:13- 15.
From the scripture we can take in that the astrologers can’t save us and save themselves. None of the zodiac signs saves a man and change his future. It’s only possible with God.
So don’t believe astrology and the warnings of astrologists. Astrology is rubbish and astrologists are hypocrites, who have been saying the world is going to end by 2012. It’s big a joke. It won’t happen under any circumstances, because many incidents have to take place on the earth to fulfill the scriptures. End won’t come so fast.
Be on your guard against astrologists. They cause you to sin and turn you toward false things.
Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die. Do not be misled: “Bad company corrupts good character. Come back to your senses as you ought, and stop sinning; for there are some who are ignorant of God — I say this to your shame- 1Co. 15:32-34.
Forsake astrology and come to God. Never talk about the signs. Suppose anyone says to you, “what is your zodiac sign,” you’d better say, “I don’t care and don’t believe it.” That’s enough.
God bless you.
Sunday, September 19, 2010
Satan has taken permission from God to sift believers.
“Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift you as wheat. But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.” Lk. 22:31.
Let’s reason this scripture. Whom Satan has asked to sift Simon as wheat? If we go through the first chapter of Job, we find Satan has to take permission from God for doing anything against man. So, it is obvious that Satan took from God to sift Simon.
As Jesus knew Satan Got permission to sift Simon, he prayed for Simon that Simon’s faith wouldn’t fail. Satan had almost tried to fail Simon's faith :
Simon cut off high priest’s ear as if he weren’t a Jesus disciple.
He disowned Jesus and lied.
He fled while Jesus was crucified.
Satan had almost got positive results, but when Simon realized his mistake, he ventured and spread the gospel. Then set up the first ministry with 3000 people.
Satan’s anger has become doubled at his, and since then it has been working harder to stumble believers.
Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour- 1Pe. 5:8.
It has got permission to sift believers. It is easy for Satan to find them.
So that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe as you hold out the word of life - Ph. 2:15.
It does strike them with terrible force, prompting them to leave their faith. To keep our faith, we must combat with it, praying to God, who gives us strength and spiritual power to triumph over Satan.
In the turbulent days, we shouldn’t do a foolish thing like committing suicide, which leads us straight to hell.
Judas Iscariot committed suicide. But Simon didn’t do that. When he turned back, he lived for God.
At least, don’t become weak in faith during temptation. You have to pay for that with your spirit.
The grave {Hell} below is all astir to meet you at your coming; it rouses the spirits of the departed to greet you — all those who were leaders in the world; it makes them rise from their thrones — all those who were kings over the nations. They will all respond, they will say to you, “You also have become weak, as we are; you have become like us.” Is. 14:9-10
Let’s reason this scripture. Whom Satan has asked to sift Simon as wheat? If we go through the first chapter of Job, we find Satan has to take permission from God for doing anything against man. So, it is obvious that Satan took from God to sift Simon.
As Jesus knew Satan Got permission to sift Simon, he prayed for Simon that Simon’s faith wouldn’t fail. Satan had almost tried to fail Simon's faith :
Simon cut off high priest’s ear as if he weren’t a Jesus disciple.
He disowned Jesus and lied.
He fled while Jesus was crucified.
Satan had almost got positive results, but when Simon realized his mistake, he ventured and spread the gospel. Then set up the first ministry with 3000 people.
Satan’s anger has become doubled at his, and since then it has been working harder to stumble believers.
Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour- 1Pe. 5:8.
It has got permission to sift believers. It is easy for Satan to find them.
So that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe as you hold out the word of life - Ph. 2:15.
It does strike them with terrible force, prompting them to leave their faith. To keep our faith, we must combat with it, praying to God, who gives us strength and spiritual power to triumph over Satan.
In the turbulent days, we shouldn’t do a foolish thing like committing suicide, which leads us straight to hell.
Judas Iscariot committed suicide. But Simon didn’t do that. When he turned back, he lived for God.
At least, don’t become weak in faith during temptation. You have to pay for that with your spirit.
The grave {Hell} below is all astir to meet you at your coming; it rouses the spirits of the departed to greet you — all those who were leaders in the world; it makes them rise from their thrones — all those who were kings over the nations. They will all respond, they will say to you, “You also have become weak, as we are; you have become like us.” Is. 14:9-10
Who is the Holy Spirit?
The Holy Sprit is a son of God. But he’s not Jesus Christ nor his spirit. He is another son of God.
In the beginning God {father} created the heavens and the earth. Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters- Ge. 1:1. This is the Holy spirit.
God said,‘Let us make man in our image, in our likeness- Ge. 1:26.
In our Image? Is somebody with him? If God is alone, he would say, “let us make man in my image, in my likeness”. But he said, “in our image and our likeness”. This means somebody is with him. Who is the somebody? Is it one or two?
The answer is - two persons are with him. One is Jesus Christ and the other one is Holy Ghost. God is telling his two sons to make a man.
God’s first son is Jesus.
For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers- Ro. 8:29.
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God {father}, and the Word was God. He {Jesus} was with God {father} in the beginning. Through him {Jesus} all things were made; without him {Jesus} nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of men. Jn -1:1-4.
God’s Second son is the Holy spirit.
Because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son {It is not Jesus’ SPIRIT} into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, “Abba,” - Ga. 4:6.
Because those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.”- Ro. 8:15.
God’s third son is Adam.
The LORD God formed the man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being- Ge. 2:7.
Neither Jesus nor the Holy spirit took part in man’s formation. The father did everything. So Adam became brother to Jesus Christ and the Holy spirit.
In the beginning God {father} created the heavens and the earth. Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters- Ge. 1:1. This is the Holy spirit.
God said,‘Let us make man in our image, in our likeness- Ge. 1:26.
In our Image? Is somebody with him? If God is alone, he would say, “let us make man in my image, in my likeness”. But he said, “in our image and our likeness”. This means somebody is with him. Who is the somebody? Is it one or two?
The answer is - two persons are with him. One is Jesus Christ and the other one is Holy Ghost. God is telling his two sons to make a man.
God’s first son is Jesus.
For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers- Ro. 8:29.
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God {father}, and the Word was God. He {Jesus} was with God {father} in the beginning. Through him {Jesus} all things were made; without him {Jesus} nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of men. Jn -1:1-4.
God’s Second son is the Holy spirit.
Because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son {It is not Jesus’ SPIRIT} into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, “Abba,” - Ga. 4:6.
Because those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.”- Ro. 8:15.
God’s third son is Adam.
The LORD God formed the man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being- Ge. 2:7.
Neither Jesus nor the Holy spirit took part in man’s formation. The father did everything. So Adam became brother to Jesus Christ and the Holy spirit.
Sunday, September 12, 2010
Things to be done to please God
“You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased- Lk. 3:22.
In the previous post we learnt why God said Jesus is my son. In the same scripture God said ‘with you I’m well pleased.’ Let’s see why God said this.
We know Jesus came into this world to save us from our sins. In order to save us, he should sacrifice his life like a lamb as a ransom for ours sins. That’s why when John saw Jesus coming to him, he said, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world.”
In the old testament, we read, sacrifices were pleasing aromas to God. Here, in the new testament, Jesus’ sacrifice was a pleasing thing to God.
God couldn’t say the word ‘I’m pleased with you’ afer Jesus died on the cross. Know why? Wouldn’t he suffer from the grief caused by his Son’s death? Though he liked the sacrifice, which would deliver people from their sins, he wouldn’t say the word at that time.
Hence because of imminent sacrifice, God said these words earlier: with you I’m well pleased. After that he remained silent for the sake of fulfillment of the scriptures.
To fulfill the scriptures, Jesus sacrificed his life to save us and please God. He died for our sins and made us righteous to make us Children of God. Now we became the children of God.
If we see the struggles Jesus faced to please God, they were unbearable, especially on the cross. As the children of God, we also have to please God, but we needn’t do like Jesus did.
There are not many things to be done to please God. In the new testament, many times it was written: please God.
Find out what pleases the Lord- Ep. 5:10.
We are not trying to please men but God, who tests our hearts- 1Th. 2:4.
And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased- He. 13:16.
Some foolish people who don’t know how to please God do foolish things, thinking God will be pleased in them. On good Friday and Easter we see their foolish things on a few tv channels, like Discovery and National geographic.
The people get crucified. I wonder why they are doing this. Jesus died on the for our sins. Why are these people doing this again? To save whom? It is understood that they really don’t know why God died.
If Jesus had n’t died for our sins, everyone deserved to be crucified. Not knowing this, they are doing these foolish things. I’ve been watching their foolish things for many years, and I’ve never seen at least one man die on the cross.
They get removed from the cross when they are going to peak stage of the pain caused by crucifixion. They don’t do what God commanded us, but they do these things only to humiliate God. Undoubtedly, God won’t be pleased in this. It grieves his heart.
I’m praying to God remove their spiritual blindness, so that they will be able know why God died.
Dear brothern, as the children of God, we always do good things, which please God, who will give us reward for them in heaven. It will be our treasure in heaven.
In the previous post we learnt why God said Jesus is my son. In the same scripture God said ‘with you I’m well pleased.’ Let’s see why God said this.
We know Jesus came into this world to save us from our sins. In order to save us, he should sacrifice his life like a lamb as a ransom for ours sins. That’s why when John saw Jesus coming to him, he said, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world.”
In the old testament, we read, sacrifices were pleasing aromas to God. Here, in the new testament, Jesus’ sacrifice was a pleasing thing to God.
God couldn’t say the word ‘I’m pleased with you’ afer Jesus died on the cross. Know why? Wouldn’t he suffer from the grief caused by his Son’s death? Though he liked the sacrifice, which would deliver people from their sins, he wouldn’t say the word at that time.
Hence because of imminent sacrifice, God said these words earlier: with you I’m well pleased. After that he remained silent for the sake of fulfillment of the scriptures.
To fulfill the scriptures, Jesus sacrificed his life to save us and please God. He died for our sins and made us righteous to make us Children of God. Now we became the children of God.
If we see the struggles Jesus faced to please God, they were unbearable, especially on the cross. As the children of God, we also have to please God, but we needn’t do like Jesus did.
There are not many things to be done to please God. In the new testament, many times it was written: please God.
Find out what pleases the Lord- Ep. 5:10.
We are not trying to please men but God, who tests our hearts- 1Th. 2:4.
And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased- He. 13:16.
Some foolish people who don’t know how to please God do foolish things, thinking God will be pleased in them. On good Friday and Easter we see their foolish things on a few tv channels, like Discovery and National geographic.
The people get crucified. I wonder why they are doing this. Jesus died on the for our sins. Why are these people doing this again? To save whom? It is understood that they really don’t know why God died.
If Jesus had n’t died for our sins, everyone deserved to be crucified. Not knowing this, they are doing these foolish things. I’ve been watching their foolish things for many years, and I’ve never seen at least one man die on the cross.
They get removed from the cross when they are going to peak stage of the pain caused by crucifixion. They don’t do what God commanded us, but they do these things only to humiliate God. Undoubtedly, God won’t be pleased in this. It grieves his heart.
I’m praying to God remove their spiritual blindness, so that they will be able know why God died.
Dear brothern, as the children of God, we always do good things, which please God, who will give us reward for them in heaven. It will be our treasure in heaven.
Thursday, September 9, 2010
Explanations to complicated Scriptures
Why would Jesus not let the demons "speak because they knew who he was" (Mark 1:34)?
In Mark 1:34 we read that Jesus "drove out many demons, but he would not let the demons speak because they knew who he was." The parallel account in Luke's Gospel tells us that Jesus "rebuked them and would not allow them to speak, because they knew he was the Christ" (Luke 4:41).
Jesus' purpose not to have His identity established by the testimony of demon spirits, but rather by the messianic signs (miracles) that He performed (see Matthew 11:4-6; Luke 7:21-23). These miraculous signs were predicted of the Messiah in the Old Testament (see Isaiah 29:18; 35:4-6).
Why did Jesus say He came "to bring fire on the earth" (Luke 12:49)?
In Luke 12:49 Jesus said, "I have come to bring fire on the earth, and how I wish it were already kindled!" Scholars have interpreted Jesus' words differently, and all agree that it is hard to know precisely what He had in mind here.
Some scholars point out that in Old Testament times fire often symbolized judgment. This has led some to conclude that when Jesus said, "I have come to bring fire on the earth," He was saying He would bring judgment to the earth. This would fit with John 9:39 where Jesus said, "For judgment I have come into this world."
Other scholars relate the fire to Jesus' work on the cross. The cross was the central focus of all His activities, and all that He did during His three-year ministry pointed toward this momentous event. When Jesus said, "how I wish it were already kindled," perhaps He was expressing His yearning to bring this task to fulfillment.
Why did Jesus say let the dead bury their own dead(Mt. 8:22)?
This phrase refereed to the People, who stick to the out form of the religion. Though they are living, they are spiritually dead inside. So Jesus said to the son of the dead man, ‘follow me. Let the dead bury their own dead.’
It means the spiritually dead people would bury the dead body even if you weren’t there, because they do these out form of religious proceedings without fail. So you needn’t worry about your dead father. They will take care of the corpse and bury it.
Why did Jesus tell his disciples to buy swords(Lk.22:36)?
There was a time when Jesus sent out his disciples among the people (see Matthew 10) and the people looked favorably on them. They needed no moneybag or supply sack. The people helped and supported them. Then verse 36 show that times were different. Jesus knew: the people could no longer help his disciples and give them shelter lest they should be punished for helping them.
So the disciples had no safety heaven except wilderness. Therefore, a sword might have been used back then to protect oneself from a wild animal while walking in the wilderness places. The disciples misunderstood it and cut off a high priest’s ear, when they tired to arrest Jesus. Then Jesus corrected them, saying who draw sword against man will die by it. It states that Jesus warned them not to use sword against man.
Why did Jesus curse the fig tree and miraculously cause it to wither (Matthew 21:19)?
In Matthew 21 we find that Jesus was hungry and saw a fig tree by the side of the road. As He came close to it, He saw that it had no figs on it, so He cursed it and it withered (Matthew 21:19). It may appear that Jesus is just responding in anger to the tree, cursing it in tantrum-like behavior. But this is not the case at all. One must keep in mind the broader backdrop of Jesus' teaching methodology, which often involved parables and word pictures. Scholars agree that Jesus in the present case is performing a living parable -- an acted-out parable -- to teach His disciples an important truth. His cursing of the fig tree was a dramatic "visual aid."
Jesus was illustrating the principle of faith to the disciples. If the disciples had such faith, they too could do such things as withering fig trees and moving mountains (Matthew 17:20). They would need such faith in the hard days to come.
How could Jesus be made sin when He Himself was sinless (2 Corinthians 5:21)?
In 2 Corinthians 5:21 we read, "God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God." Yet other verses tell us that Jesus was "without sin" (Hebrews 4:15; 1 Peter 3:18). How do we reconcile such verses?
To begin, let me emphasize that Christ as God is immutable (Hebrews 13:8; Malachi 3:6), and cannot change in His divine nature. In Hebrews 1:12 the Father says of Jesus, "You remain the same, and your years will never end."
Regarding Jesus being "made to be sin," Jesus was always without sin ACTUALLY, but He was made to be sin for us JUDICIALLY. That is, by His death on the cross, He paid the penalty for our sins and thereby canceled the debt of sin against us. So, while Jesus never committed a sin PERSONALLY, He was made to be sin for us SUBSTITUTIONALLY.
One must also keep in mind the Old Testament backdrop of the concept of substitution. The sacrificial victim had to be "without defect" (Leviticus 4:3, 23, 32).
A hand would be laid on the unblemished sacrificial animal as a way of symbolizing a transfer of guilt (4:4, 24, 33). Note that the sacrificial animal did not thereby actually BECOME sinful by nature; rather, sin was IMPUTED to the animal and the animal acted as a sacrificial substitute.
In like manner, Christ the Lamb of God was utterly unblemished (1 Peter 1:19), but our sin was imputed to Him and He was our sacrificial substitute on the cross of Calvary. Simply because our sin was imputed to Him does not mean He changed in nature. Christ was not sinful personally; He was made to be sin substitutionally.
Why did Jesus respond to John the Baptist's inquiry about His identity by pointing to His miraculous acts (Luke 7:22)?
In Luke 7:20 we read that John the Baptist, now in prison, sent some messengers to Jesus to ask, "Are you the one who was to come, or should we expect someone else?" Jesus replied to them: "Go back and report to John what you have seen and heard: The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is preached to the poor" (verse 22).
As a backdrop to understanding this passage, it was the common viewpoint among the Jews of that time that when the Messiah came, He would deliver Israel from Roman domination and set up His glorious kingdom. In fact, there were very high messianic expectations in the first century, and even John himself may have expected the soon emergence of the kingdom that he had been preaching about.
But now something unexpected happened -- John was imprisoned. Instead of the kingdom, which (it was thought) would be characterized by such things as liberty and freedom, John now found himself locked up in jail and was in danger of execution. So -- what was John to make of this development? John may have expected that Jesus would use more coercive powers as the Messiah/deliverer of Israel. John thus decided to send messengers to Jesus to ask, "Are you the one who was to come, or should we expect someone else?" (Luke 7:20).
Jesus' response is extremely significant. Instead of merely giving verbal assurance that He was the Messiah, He replied to the messengers, "Go back and report to John what you have seen and heard: The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is preached to the poor" (Luke 7:22). Why did Jesus say this? Because these were the precise miracles that were prophesied to be performed by the Messiah when He came (see Isaiah 29:18-21; 35:5-6; 61:1-2). The miraculous deeds alone were more than enough proof that Jesus was the promised Messiah. The miracles were Jesus' divine credentials -- His divine "ID Card," so to speak.
There is another point that bears mentioning. When Jesus told the messengers to go to John and report His miracles, this would indeed cause John to recognize that Jesus was the fulfillment of these messianic promises. We might also observe, though, that Jesus' choice to avoid coming right out and saying "You can rest assured that I am the Messiah" may be because of the popular misconceptions of the Messiah among the masses -- and perhaps even John himself. Perhaps Jesus' intention in sending the messengers to report about the miracles was to indicate to John, "Yes, I am the Messiah -- the true Messiah prophesied in the Old Testament who will deliver people from bondage to sin -- but not the Messiah of popular misconception, the coercive political deliverer that so many are expecting today."
Why do Christians worship on Sunday when the Old Testament commandment sets apart Saturday as the day of worship?
The commandment in Exodus 20:8-11 states that the seventh day of the week, Saturday, is the day which the Lord selected as the day of rest and worship. However, in the New Testament the Christian church began to worship and rest on the first day of the week, Sunday. Are Christians violating the Sabbath commandment by worshipping on the first day of the week rather than the seventh day? I do not think so.
First, the basis for the command to observe the Sabbath, as stated in Exodus 20:11, is that God rested on the seventh day after six days of work, and that God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it. The Sabbath day was instituted as a day of rest and worship. The people of God were to follow God's example in His pattern of work and rest. However, as Jesus said in correcting the distorted view of the Pharisees, "The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath" (Mark 2:27). The point Jesus made is that the Sabbath was not instituted to enslave people, but to benefit them. The spirit of Sabbath observance is continued in the New Testament observance of rest and worship on the first day of the week (Acts 20:7; 1 Cor. 16:2).
Second, it must be remembered that, according to Colossians 2:17, the Sabbath was "a shadow of things to come, but the substance is of Christ." The Sabbath observance was associated with redemption in Deuteronomy 5:15 where Moses stated, "Remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt, and that the Lord your God brought you out from there by a mighty hand and by an outstretched arm; therefore the Lord your God commanded you to keep the Sabbath day." The Sabbath was a shadow of the redemption that would be provided in Christ. It symbolized the rest from our works and an entrance into the rest of God provided by His finished work.
Finally, although the moral principles expressed in the commandments are reaffirmed in the New Testament, the command to set Saturday apart as a day of rest and worship is the only commandment not repeated. There are very good reasons for this. New Testament believers are not under the Old Testament Law (Rom. 6:14; Gal. 3:2425; 2 Cor. 3:7, 11, 13; Heb. 7:12). By His resurrection on the first day of the week (Matt. 28:1), His continued appearances on succeeding Sundays (John 20:26), and the descent of the Holy Spirit on Sunday (Acts 2:1), the early church was given the pattern of Sunday worship. This they did regularly (Acts 20:7; 1 Cor. 16:2). Sunday worship was further hallowed by our Lord who appeared to John in that last great vision on "the Lord's day" (Rev. 1:10). It is for these reasons that Christians worship on Sunday, rather than on the Jewish Sabbath.
In Mark 1:34 we read that Jesus "drove out many demons, but he would not let the demons speak because they knew who he was." The parallel account in Luke's Gospel tells us that Jesus "rebuked them and would not allow them to speak, because they knew he was the Christ" (Luke 4:41).
Jesus' purpose not to have His identity established by the testimony of demon spirits, but rather by the messianic signs (miracles) that He performed (see Matthew 11:4-6; Luke 7:21-23). These miraculous signs were predicted of the Messiah in the Old Testament (see Isaiah 29:18; 35:4-6).
Why did Jesus say He came "to bring fire on the earth" (Luke 12:49)?
In Luke 12:49 Jesus said, "I have come to bring fire on the earth, and how I wish it were already kindled!" Scholars have interpreted Jesus' words differently, and all agree that it is hard to know precisely what He had in mind here.
Some scholars point out that in Old Testament times fire often symbolized judgment. This has led some to conclude that when Jesus said, "I have come to bring fire on the earth," He was saying He would bring judgment to the earth. This would fit with John 9:39 where Jesus said, "For judgment I have come into this world."
Other scholars relate the fire to Jesus' work on the cross. The cross was the central focus of all His activities, and all that He did during His three-year ministry pointed toward this momentous event. When Jesus said, "how I wish it were already kindled," perhaps He was expressing His yearning to bring this task to fulfillment.
Why did Jesus say let the dead bury their own dead(Mt. 8:22)?
This phrase refereed to the People, who stick to the out form of the religion. Though they are living, they are spiritually dead inside. So Jesus said to the son of the dead man, ‘follow me. Let the dead bury their own dead.’
It means the spiritually dead people would bury the dead body even if you weren’t there, because they do these out form of religious proceedings without fail. So you needn’t worry about your dead father. They will take care of the corpse and bury it.
Why did Jesus tell his disciples to buy swords(Lk.22:36)?
There was a time when Jesus sent out his disciples among the people (see Matthew 10) and the people looked favorably on them. They needed no moneybag or supply sack. The people helped and supported them. Then verse 36 show that times were different. Jesus knew: the people could no longer help his disciples and give them shelter lest they should be punished for helping them.
So the disciples had no safety heaven except wilderness. Therefore, a sword might have been used back then to protect oneself from a wild animal while walking in the wilderness places. The disciples misunderstood it and cut off a high priest’s ear, when they tired to arrest Jesus. Then Jesus corrected them, saying who draw sword against man will die by it. It states that Jesus warned them not to use sword against man.
Why did Jesus curse the fig tree and miraculously cause it to wither (Matthew 21:19)?
In Matthew 21 we find that Jesus was hungry and saw a fig tree by the side of the road. As He came close to it, He saw that it had no figs on it, so He cursed it and it withered (Matthew 21:19). It may appear that Jesus is just responding in anger to the tree, cursing it in tantrum-like behavior. But this is not the case at all. One must keep in mind the broader backdrop of Jesus' teaching methodology, which often involved parables and word pictures. Scholars agree that Jesus in the present case is performing a living parable -- an acted-out parable -- to teach His disciples an important truth. His cursing of the fig tree was a dramatic "visual aid."
Jesus was illustrating the principle of faith to the disciples. If the disciples had such faith, they too could do such things as withering fig trees and moving mountains (Matthew 17:20). They would need such faith in the hard days to come.
How could Jesus be made sin when He Himself was sinless (2 Corinthians 5:21)?
In 2 Corinthians 5:21 we read, "God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God." Yet other verses tell us that Jesus was "without sin" (Hebrews 4:15; 1 Peter 3:18). How do we reconcile such verses?
To begin, let me emphasize that Christ as God is immutable (Hebrews 13:8; Malachi 3:6), and cannot change in His divine nature. In Hebrews 1:12 the Father says of Jesus, "You remain the same, and your years will never end."
Regarding Jesus being "made to be sin," Jesus was always without sin ACTUALLY, but He was made to be sin for us JUDICIALLY. That is, by His death on the cross, He paid the penalty for our sins and thereby canceled the debt of sin against us. So, while Jesus never committed a sin PERSONALLY, He was made to be sin for us SUBSTITUTIONALLY.
One must also keep in mind the Old Testament backdrop of the concept of substitution. The sacrificial victim had to be "without defect" (Leviticus 4:3, 23, 32).
A hand would be laid on the unblemished sacrificial animal as a way of symbolizing a transfer of guilt (4:4, 24, 33). Note that the sacrificial animal did not thereby actually BECOME sinful by nature; rather, sin was IMPUTED to the animal and the animal acted as a sacrificial substitute.
In like manner, Christ the Lamb of God was utterly unblemished (1 Peter 1:19), but our sin was imputed to Him and He was our sacrificial substitute on the cross of Calvary. Simply because our sin was imputed to Him does not mean He changed in nature. Christ was not sinful personally; He was made to be sin substitutionally.
Why did Jesus respond to John the Baptist's inquiry about His identity by pointing to His miraculous acts (Luke 7:22)?
In Luke 7:20 we read that John the Baptist, now in prison, sent some messengers to Jesus to ask, "Are you the one who was to come, or should we expect someone else?" Jesus replied to them: "Go back and report to John what you have seen and heard: The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is preached to the poor" (verse 22).
As a backdrop to understanding this passage, it was the common viewpoint among the Jews of that time that when the Messiah came, He would deliver Israel from Roman domination and set up His glorious kingdom. In fact, there were very high messianic expectations in the first century, and even John himself may have expected the soon emergence of the kingdom that he had been preaching about.
But now something unexpected happened -- John was imprisoned. Instead of the kingdom, which (it was thought) would be characterized by such things as liberty and freedom, John now found himself locked up in jail and was in danger of execution. So -- what was John to make of this development? John may have expected that Jesus would use more coercive powers as the Messiah/deliverer of Israel. John thus decided to send messengers to Jesus to ask, "Are you the one who was to come, or should we expect someone else?" (Luke 7:20).
Jesus' response is extremely significant. Instead of merely giving verbal assurance that He was the Messiah, He replied to the messengers, "Go back and report to John what you have seen and heard: The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is preached to the poor" (Luke 7:22). Why did Jesus say this? Because these were the precise miracles that were prophesied to be performed by the Messiah when He came (see Isaiah 29:18-21; 35:5-6; 61:1-2). The miraculous deeds alone were more than enough proof that Jesus was the promised Messiah. The miracles were Jesus' divine credentials -- His divine "ID Card," so to speak.
There is another point that bears mentioning. When Jesus told the messengers to go to John and report His miracles, this would indeed cause John to recognize that Jesus was the fulfillment of these messianic promises. We might also observe, though, that Jesus' choice to avoid coming right out and saying "You can rest assured that I am the Messiah" may be because of the popular misconceptions of the Messiah among the masses -- and perhaps even John himself. Perhaps Jesus' intention in sending the messengers to report about the miracles was to indicate to John, "Yes, I am the Messiah -- the true Messiah prophesied in the Old Testament who will deliver people from bondage to sin -- but not the Messiah of popular misconception, the coercive political deliverer that so many are expecting today."
Why do Christians worship on Sunday when the Old Testament commandment sets apart Saturday as the day of worship?
The commandment in Exodus 20:8-11 states that the seventh day of the week, Saturday, is the day which the Lord selected as the day of rest and worship. However, in the New Testament the Christian church began to worship and rest on the first day of the week, Sunday. Are Christians violating the Sabbath commandment by worshipping on the first day of the week rather than the seventh day? I do not think so.
First, the basis for the command to observe the Sabbath, as stated in Exodus 20:11, is that God rested on the seventh day after six days of work, and that God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it. The Sabbath day was instituted as a day of rest and worship. The people of God were to follow God's example in His pattern of work and rest. However, as Jesus said in correcting the distorted view of the Pharisees, "The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath" (Mark 2:27). The point Jesus made is that the Sabbath was not instituted to enslave people, but to benefit them. The spirit of Sabbath observance is continued in the New Testament observance of rest and worship on the first day of the week (Acts 20:7; 1 Cor. 16:2).
Second, it must be remembered that, according to Colossians 2:17, the Sabbath was "a shadow of things to come, but the substance is of Christ." The Sabbath observance was associated with redemption in Deuteronomy 5:15 where Moses stated, "Remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt, and that the Lord your God brought you out from there by a mighty hand and by an outstretched arm; therefore the Lord your God commanded you to keep the Sabbath day." The Sabbath was a shadow of the redemption that would be provided in Christ. It symbolized the rest from our works and an entrance into the rest of God provided by His finished work.
Finally, although the moral principles expressed in the commandments are reaffirmed in the New Testament, the command to set Saturday apart as a day of rest and worship is the only commandment not repeated. There are very good reasons for this. New Testament believers are not under the Old Testament Law (Rom. 6:14; Gal. 3:2425; 2 Cor. 3:7, 11, 13; Heb. 7:12). By His resurrection on the first day of the week (Matt. 28:1), His continued appearances on succeeding Sundays (John 20:26), and the descent of the Holy Spirit on Sunday (Acts 2:1), the early church was given the pattern of Sunday worship. This they did regularly (Acts 20:7; 1 Cor. 16:2). Sunday worship was further hallowed by our Lord who appeared to John in that last great vision on "the Lord's day" (Rev. 1:10). It is for these reasons that Christians worship on Sunday, rather than on the Jewish Sabbath.
Mary and Joseph’s Negligence
The LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you- De. 31:6.
“Can a mother forget the baby at her breast and have no compassion on the child she has borne? Though she may forget, I will not forget you! See I have engraved you on the palms of my hands- Is. 49:15-16.
Mother forget us? You may think that’s impossible. But it is possible. Out biological father also forget us.
While Joseph and Mary were returning home, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem, but they were unaware of it. Thinking he was in their company, they traveled on for a day. Then they began looking for him among their relatives and friends.
Joseph and Mary had no oblivion. And they knew Jesus wasn’t not an ordinary boy; he is the son of most High. Yet they forgot him. They didn’t look around at least once to make sure Jesus coming with them. See their negligence. They left Jesus alone.
Our parents are not greater than they are. Wouldn’t they forget us? They do forget us. But God is not like our parents. He takes care of us every second day and night. Under his protection, we’re living. We do remember this every time.
Even if our parents disown us, God won’t disowns us.
“Can a mother forget the baby at her breast and have no compassion on the child she has borne? Though she may forget, I will not forget you! See I have engraved you on the palms of my hands- Is. 49:15-16.
Mother forget us? You may think that’s impossible. But it is possible. Out biological father also forget us.
While Joseph and Mary were returning home, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem, but they were unaware of it. Thinking he was in their company, they traveled on for a day. Then they began looking for him among their relatives and friends.
Joseph and Mary had no oblivion. And they knew Jesus wasn’t not an ordinary boy; he is the son of most High. Yet they forgot him. They didn’t look around at least once to make sure Jesus coming with them. See their negligence. They left Jesus alone.
Even if our parents disown us, God won’t disowns us.
Wednesday, September 8, 2010
The speculations about Jesus tuned out to be false
Some non Christian people, who planed to save their religion existence from Christianity, created some speculation regarding Jesus Christ. They claim:
1) When Jesus was 13 years old, he went to India and studied the Hindu Vedas, then he returned to Palestine and cited them.
2) Jesus married a woman named Mary Magdalene.
3) Jesus didn’t rise from the death at all.
All these allegations turned out to be false.
JESUS DIDN’T GO TO INDIA AT ALL
There is virtually NO evidence that Jesus studied in India, and there is no proof that Jesus cited the Hindu Vedas.
Jesus from age 12 remained in Palestine:
And Jesus kept increasing in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man- Luke 2:52. This is a convincing truth that Jesus remained in Palestine. His growth was seen by the people around him.
Luke 4:16-22 is a key text to refute the idea that Jesus went to India.
When the devil had finished all this tempting, he left him until an opportune time. Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit, and news about him spread through the whole countryside. He taught in their synagogues, and everyone praised him.
Luke 4:16: He went to Nazareth, where he had been brought up.
Lk. 4:17: The scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him. Unrolling it, he found the place where it is written: “The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” Then he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant and sat down. The eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fastened on him, and he began by saying to them, “Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.” All spoke well of him and were amazed at the gracious words that came from his lips. “Isn’t this Joseph’s son?” they asked.
Those in the synagogue recognized Jesus as a local resident.
What about Da Vinci code?
JESUS HAS RISEN: THE HISTORICAL TRUTH
1. The large stone was moved, in spite of the Roman guards and seal Jesus' tomb was secured in three ways:
(b) A Roman guard unit--which usually consisted of four soldiers--was stationed at the tomb. Roman guards were strictly disciplined fighting men held to the highest standards. Failure often required death by torturous and humiliating methods.
(c) The Roman seal was affixed to the stone that secured the tomb. The seal stood for the power and authority of the Roman Empire. Breaking the seal meant automatic execution by crucifixion upside down. Anyone trying to move the stone from the tomb's entrance would have broken the seal and thus incurred the wrath of Roman law.
2. The tomb was empty
Jesus' tomb was near Jerusalem (John 19:42). Had the tomb not been empty, claims of the resurrection, which were first made in Jerusalem, could not have been maintained for even one hour-- people in Jerusalem could have gone to the tomb to check for themselves. Both Jewish and Roman sources and admit an empty tomb. Those resources range from Josephus to a compilation of fifth-century Jewish writings called the "Toledoth jeshu."
3. There were many witnesses to Jesus' appearances
In studying an event in history, it is important to know how many participants or eyewitnesses were still alive when reports about the event were published. If the number was substantial, the event can be regarded as fairly well established, because the eyewitnesses could have refuted an inaccurate report. For instance, if several people witness a murder, and the police report about it contains numerous lies, the eyewitnesses can refute it.
The apostle Paul wrote that Christ had been seen by more than 500 people at one time. What's more, most of the 500 were still alive when Paul was proclaiming the resurrection, so skeptics could simply question the eyewitnesses:
1 Cor 15:3-6 For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4 and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, 5 and that He appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. 6 After that He appeared to more than five hundred brethren at one time, most of whom remain until now, but some have fallen asleep.
4. New Testament accounts were circulated among people who were alive at the time of the resurrection
Archaeological discoveries have confirmed that New Testament accounts of the resurrection were written within the lifetimes of people who were alive at the time of the resurrection. Those people could certainly have denied the accuracy of the Gospel writers' accounts.
5. The followers of Christ were persecuted and killed for proclaiming the resurrection
Jesus' disciples fled when Jesus was arrested and taken away for trial prior to being crucified. They were apparently afraid that they would be imprisoned or killed for of their association with Jesus. Peter even denied that he knew Jesus.After Jesus was crucified and buried, they remained in hiding, afraid and depressed, until Mary and others came to tell them that Jesus had risen from the dead.
Why would these men, who had displayed such cowardice, risk their lives in going from city to city proclaiming the resurrection, if they did not truly believe that Jesus had risen from the dead? They certainly gained nothing for doing so. The disciples did not receive wealth or prestige for preaching the resurrection; there were no material benefits whatsoever. In fact, they were beaten, stoned to death, thrown to lions, tortured, and crucified for their preaching.
Weakness of theories given to deny the resurrection
1. Maybe the women who reported the missing body had mistakenly gone to the wrong tomb
2. Maybe those who claimed to have seen the risen Jesus were hallucinating
It's difficult to imagine that more than 500 people had the same illusion or hallucination. Here again, the Jewish and Roman authorities could have produced the body to squelch the rumor.
3. Maybe Jesus swooned
The swoon theory is that Jesus didn't die, but merely fainted from exhaustion and loss of blood. Everyone thought he was dead. When He later resuscitated, the disciples thought that he had risen from the dead.3
It contradicts medical science to believe that Jesus could have survived the crucifixion, let alone survived another two days in the tomb, removed the large stone, overpowered the Roman guards, and then convinced His followers that He had conquered death and the grave.3
4. Maybe Jesus' body was stolen
Who would have stolen the body?
As mentioned above, Jesus' disciples fled in fear when Jesus was arrested and taken away for trial prior to being crucified, and then they stayed in hiding until hearing of the resurrection. Why would these men, who had displayed such cowardice and depression, risk their lives trying to overpower the Roman guards and steel Jesus' body? And why would they have wanted to? There was nothing for them to gain by steeling the body. They were persecuted, tortured, and eventually killed for preaching the resurrection, so there was no motive for them to fabricate a lie.
What's more, even if the disciples would have wanted to maintain a conspiracy, they would not have been able.Every conceivable method was used by Roman and Jewish officials to stop them from talking. Self-preservation would have eventually won over the disciples' commitment to a conspiracy. If the resurrection were a concocted hoax, the disciples would have testified against one another before succumbing to beatings or the death penalty.
Think about America's Watergate: The Nixon administration, the most powerful group of men in the world at the time, could not maintain a conspiracy for even a few weeks. They buckled under pressure and chose self-preservation over maintaining a lie to save their leader.
Consider also that the Romans must not have believed that the disciples stole Jesus' body--had the officials believed it, they would have killed them for breaking the Roman seal.
Theft of Jesus' body by Jewish or Roman authorities doesn't make sense either. If the authorities had the body in their possession or knew where it was, they could have produced the body of Jesus and put an end to Christianity. But they didn't.
1) When Jesus was 13 years old, he went to India and studied the Hindu Vedas, then he returned to Palestine and cited them.
2) Jesus married a woman named Mary Magdalene.
3) Jesus didn’t rise from the death at all.
All these allegations turned out to be false.
JESUS DIDN’T GO TO INDIA AT ALL
There is virtually NO evidence that Jesus studied in India, and there is no proof that Jesus cited the Hindu Vedas.
Jesus from age 12 remained in Palestine:
And Jesus kept increasing in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man- Luke 2:52. This is a convincing truth that Jesus remained in Palestine. His growth was seen by the people around him.
Luke 4:16-22 is a key text to refute the idea that Jesus went to India.
When the devil had finished all this tempting, he left him until an opportune time. Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit, and news about him spread through the whole countryside. He taught in their synagogues, and everyone praised him.
Luke 4:16: He went to Nazareth, where he had been brought up.
Lk. 4:17: The scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him. Unrolling it, he found the place where it is written: “The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” Then he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant and sat down. The eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fastened on him, and he began by saying to them, “Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.” All spoke well of him and were amazed at the gracious words that came from his lips. “Isn’t this Joseph’s son?” they asked.
Those in the synagogue recognized Jesus as a local resident.
Jesus never cited the Hindu Vedas
It is also noteworthy that Jesus read from the Old Testament Scriptures. The Old Testament, for which Jesus often displayed reverence (see Matthew 5:18), warns about staying away from false gods and religious systems such as Hinduism (Exodus 20:2- 3; 34:14; Deuteronomy 6:14; 13:10; 2 Kings 17:35). The Old Testament clearly distinguishes the creation from the Creator, unlike Eastern (Hindu) pantheism, and teaches the need for redemption, not enlightenment.
JESUS IS A CELIBATE. HE DIDN’T MARRY MARY MAGDALENE
Jesus Christ was definitely not married. There are popular myths today that speak of Christ being married to Mary Magdalene. This myth is absolutely false and has no basis theologically, historically, or biblically.
At the crucifixion the gospel of Matthew tells us many women were present, looking from a distance. These were women who had followed Jesus from Galilee (Matthew 27:55), “among whom was Mary Magdalene, along with Mary the mother of James and Joseph, and the mother of the sons of Zebedee” (Matthew 27:56).
It is also noteworthy that Jesus read from the Old Testament Scriptures. The Old Testament, for which Jesus often displayed reverence (see Matthew 5:18), warns about staying away from false gods and religious systems such as Hinduism (Exodus 20:2- 3; 34:14; Deuteronomy 6:14; 13:10; 2 Kings 17:35). The Old Testament clearly distinguishes the creation from the Creator, unlike Eastern (Hindu) pantheism, and teaches the need for redemption, not enlightenment.
JESUS IS A CELIBATE. HE DIDN’T MARRY MARY MAGDALENE
Jesus Christ was definitely not married. There are popular myths today that speak of Christ being married to Mary Magdalene. This myth is absolutely false and has no basis theologically, historically, or biblically.
At the crucifixion the gospel of Matthew tells us many women were present, looking from a distance. These were women who had followed Jesus from Galilee (Matthew 27:55), “among whom was Mary Magdalene, along with Mary the mother of James and Joseph, and the mother of the sons of Zebedee” (Matthew 27:56).
In verse 56 it would have been very easy to identify Mary Magdalene as “the wife of Jesus” if that had been the case. The other women were identified through their motherhood. Mary Magdalene is one of many women, a faithful follower of Jesus, but nothing else. If Jesus and Mary had been married, then we should expect that he would have entrusted her into the care of the Beloved Disciple at the cross, just as he did with his mother (19:27).
Luke 24:9-11 also relates that, “and (the women) returned from the tomb and reported all these things to the eleven and to all the rest. Now they were Mary Magdalene and Joanna and Mary the mother of James; also the other women with them were telling these things to the apostles. And these words appeared to them as nonsense, and they would not believe them.”
The Bible tells us Peter was married. If Jesus had been married to Mary Magdalene we would have been told. It wasn’t embarrassing in any way to disclose it. Note above that in Luke 8:3 Joanna is identified as the wife of Chuza, Herod’s steward. Acts 18:2 tells us that Paul met Aquila and his wife Priscilla in Corinth, fellow tentmakers, and stayed with them.Luke 24:9-11 also relates that, “and (the women) returned from the tomb and reported all these things to the eleven and to all the rest. Now they were Mary Magdalene and Joanna and Mary the mother of James; also the other women with them were telling these things to the apostles. And these words appeared to them as nonsense, and they would not believe them.”
What about Da Vinci code?
The key part of the text is broken at 63:33-36 and reads (Ellipses represent the broken locations in the manuscript and may signify missing words or phrases),
“And the companion of the…Mary Magdalene…her more than…the disciples…kiss her…on her…”.
The kiss is common in eastern lands in salutation, etc., on the cheek, the forehead, the beard, the hands, the feet, but not (in Pal) the lips. Brown adds his own words to this manuscript to support point. Brown uses this manuscript and his imagination to say that Jesus was married to and had sex with Mary Magdalene.
Lk. 7:38 then she wiped them with her hair, kissed them and poured perfume on them.
Lk. 7:45 You did not give me a kiss, but this woman, from the time I entered, has not stopped kissing my feet.
While he was still speaking a crowd came up, and the man who was called Judas, one of the Twelve, was leading them. He approached Jesus to kiss him, but Jesus asked him, “Judas, are you betraying the Son of Man with a kiss?” Lk. 22: 47-48.
In the countries kissing is a ritual or social gesture to indicate friendship, perform a greeting, to confer congratulations, to comfort someone, or to show respect. It does not necessarily indicate sexual or romantic interest. The same ritual or social gesture came into Christianity.
Greet one another{men and women}with a holy kiss- Ro. 16:16, 1Co. 16:20, 1Th. 5:26, 1Pe. 5:14.
“And the companion of the…Mary Magdalene…her more than…the disciples…kiss her…on her…”.
The kiss is common in eastern lands in salutation, etc., on the cheek, the forehead, the beard, the hands, the feet, but not (in Pal) the lips. Brown adds his own words to this manuscript to support point. Brown uses this manuscript and his imagination to say that Jesus was married to and had sex with Mary Magdalene.
Lk. 7:38 then she wiped them with her hair, kissed them and poured perfume on them.
Lk. 7:45 You did not give me a kiss, but this woman, from the time I entered, has not stopped kissing my feet.
While he was still speaking a crowd came up, and the man who was called Judas, one of the Twelve, was leading them. He approached Jesus to kiss him, but Jesus asked him, “Judas, are you betraying the Son of Man with a kiss?” Lk. 22: 47-48.
In the countries kissing is a ritual or social gesture to indicate friendship, perform a greeting, to confer congratulations, to comfort someone, or to show respect. It does not necessarily indicate sexual or romantic interest. The same ritual or social gesture came into Christianity.
Greet one another{men and women}with a holy kiss- Ro. 16:16, 1Co. 16:20, 1Th. 5:26, 1Pe. 5:14.
JESUS HAS RISEN: THE HISTORICAL TRUTH
1. The large stone was moved, in spite of the Roman guards and seal Jesus' tomb was secured in three ways:
(a) A large stone was rolled against it. It was customary to roll big stones against tombs; the stones were generally too big to be moved by just a few men, so levers were used to move them. Some have estimated that the stone that sealed Jesus' tomb weighed 1-1/2 to 2 two tons (1,361-1,814 Kilograms), which is the approximate weight of a midsize car.
(b) A Roman guard unit--which usually consisted of four soldiers--was stationed at the tomb. Roman guards were strictly disciplined fighting men held to the highest standards. Failure often required death by torturous and humiliating methods.
(c) The Roman seal was affixed to the stone that secured the tomb. The seal stood for the power and authority of the Roman Empire. Breaking the seal meant automatic execution by crucifixion upside down. Anyone trying to move the stone from the tomb's entrance would have broken the seal and thus incurred the wrath of Roman law.
On resurrection Sunday morning, the first thing that impressed the people who approached the tomb was that the large stone was moved. Certainly the entire guard unit would not have fallen asleep with torture and death as the consequences. But even if the guards did fall asleep, how could thieves have sneaked by the guards and moved the massive stone without waking them up?
2. The tomb was empty
Jesus' tomb was near Jerusalem (John 19:42). Had the tomb not been empty, claims of the resurrection, which were first made in Jerusalem, could not have been maintained for even one hour-- people in Jerusalem could have gone to the tomb to check for themselves. Both Jewish and Roman sources and admit an empty tomb. Those resources range from Josephus to a compilation of fifth-century Jewish writings called the "Toledoth jeshu."
3. There were many witnesses to Jesus' appearances
In studying an event in history, it is important to know how many participants or eyewitnesses were still alive when reports about the event were published. If the number was substantial, the event can be regarded as fairly well established, because the eyewitnesses could have refuted an inaccurate report. For instance, if several people witness a murder, and the police report about it contains numerous lies, the eyewitnesses can refute it.
The apostle Paul wrote that Christ had been seen by more than 500 people at one time. What's more, most of the 500 were still alive when Paul was proclaiming the resurrection, so skeptics could simply question the eyewitnesses:
1 Cor 15:3-6 For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4 and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, 5 and that He appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. 6 After that He appeared to more than five hundred brethren at one time, most of whom remain until now, but some have fallen asleep.
4. New Testament accounts were circulated among people who were alive at the time of the resurrection
Archaeological discoveries have confirmed that New Testament accounts of the resurrection were written within the lifetimes of people who were alive at the time of the resurrection. Those people could certainly have denied the accuracy of the Gospel writers' accounts.
5. The followers of Christ were persecuted and killed for proclaiming the resurrection
Jesus' disciples fled when Jesus was arrested and taken away for trial prior to being crucified. They were apparently afraid that they would be imprisoned or killed for of their association with Jesus. Peter even denied that he knew Jesus.After Jesus was crucified and buried, they remained in hiding, afraid and depressed, until Mary and others came to tell them that Jesus had risen from the dead.
Why would these men, who had displayed such cowardice, risk their lives in going from city to city proclaiming the resurrection, if they did not truly believe that Jesus had risen from the dead? They certainly gained nothing for doing so. The disciples did not receive wealth or prestige for preaching the resurrection; there were no material benefits whatsoever. In fact, they were beaten, stoned to death, thrown to lions, tortured, and crucified for their preaching.
Weakness of theories given to deny the resurrection
1. Maybe the women who reported the missing body had mistakenly gone to the wrong tomb
This would mean that the disciples also went to wrong tomb.
Also, the Jewish authorities and the Roman guards were not mistaken about the location of the tomb. If the women and the disciples had gone to the wrong tomb, the Jewish and Roman authorities would have immediately produced the body of Jesus from the proper tomb in order to stop the rumor of the resurrection.3
Also, the Jewish authorities and the Roman guards were not mistaken about the location of the tomb. If the women and the disciples had gone to the wrong tomb, the Jewish and Roman authorities would have immediately produced the body of Jesus from the proper tomb in order to stop the rumor of the resurrection.3
2. Maybe those who claimed to have seen the risen Jesus were hallucinating
It's difficult to imagine that more than 500 people had the same illusion or hallucination. Here again, the Jewish and Roman authorities could have produced the body to squelch the rumor.
3. Maybe Jesus swooned
The swoon theory is that Jesus didn't die, but merely fainted from exhaustion and loss of blood. Everyone thought he was dead. When He later resuscitated, the disciples thought that he had risen from the dead.3
It contradicts medical science to believe that Jesus could have survived the crucifixion, let alone survived another two days in the tomb, removed the large stone, overpowered the Roman guards, and then convinced His followers that He had conquered death and the grave.3
4. Maybe Jesus' body was stolen
Who would have stolen the body?
As mentioned above, Jesus' disciples fled in fear when Jesus was arrested and taken away for trial prior to being crucified, and then they stayed in hiding until hearing of the resurrection. Why would these men, who had displayed such cowardice and depression, risk their lives trying to overpower the Roman guards and steel Jesus' body? And why would they have wanted to? There was nothing for them to gain by steeling the body. They were persecuted, tortured, and eventually killed for preaching the resurrection, so there was no motive for them to fabricate a lie.
What's more, even if the disciples would have wanted to maintain a conspiracy, they would not have been able.Every conceivable method was used by Roman and Jewish officials to stop them from talking. Self-preservation would have eventually won over the disciples' commitment to a conspiracy. If the resurrection were a concocted hoax, the disciples would have testified against one another before succumbing to beatings or the death penalty.
Think about America's Watergate: The Nixon administration, the most powerful group of men in the world at the time, could not maintain a conspiracy for even a few weeks. They buckled under pressure and chose self-preservation over maintaining a lie to save their leader.
Consider also that the Romans must not have believed that the disciples stole Jesus' body--had the officials believed it, they would have killed them for breaking the Roman seal.
Theft of Jesus' body by Jewish or Roman authorities doesn't make sense either. If the authorities had the body in their possession or knew where it was, they could have produced the body of Jesus and put an end to Christianity. But they didn't.
Monday, September 6, 2010
God said Jesus is my son.
And a voice from heaven said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased- Mt. 3:17.
God said this in a daylight, in the presence of many people who came to be baptized by John, so that Jesus would no longer continue to be known as Son of Joseph.
God himself disclosed the truth, because he thought that people wouldn’t believe if the truth was revealed by somebody else. Therefore, we don’t need another testimony to believe Jesus is the son of God.
But a doubt might occur in some of your minds. You might say in yourself, ‘We do know Joseph wasn’t the biological father of Jesus. But God said a ruler will come from the descended of David. Didn’t God fulfil it?”
God did fulfill in two ways. In the New Testament, the genealogy of Jesus according to the Gospel of Luke traces Jesus' lineage back to King David through the line of Nathan.
Nathan-Mattatha-Menna-Melea-Ekiakim-Jonam-Joseph-Judah-Simeon-Levi-Matthat-Jorim-Eliear-Joshua-Er-Elmadam-Cosam-Addi-Melki-Neri-Shealtiel-Zerubbabel-Rhesa-Joanan-Joda-Josech-Semein-Mattathias-Maath-Naggai-Esli-Nahum-Amos-Mattathias-Joseph-Jannai-Melki-Levi-Matthat-Heli >MARY.
So Marry was also a descant of David. God enabled Joseph to accept Mary as his wife, for God didn’t not like to expose her to public disgrace.
The Gospel of Matthew traces Jesus’ lineage through Solomon.
When Joseph married Mary and took the unborn child under his protecting care, giving him the title that had come down to him through his ancestor Solomon, the Lord Jesus became his adopted son.
As the adopted son of Joseph, Jesus was the full heir of David. Matthew was concerned with Jewish law, and therefore, emphasized Jesus' inheritance from David through his adopted father Joseph.
From the two points of views the prophecy was fulfilled. Yet, Jesus is neither Joseph’ son nor Mary’s. He’s the son of God.
God himself disclosed the truth, because he thought that people wouldn’t believe if the truth was revealed by somebody else. Therefore, we don’t need another testimony to believe Jesus is the son of God.
But a doubt might occur in some of your minds. You might say in yourself, ‘We do know Joseph wasn’t the biological father of Jesus. But God said a ruler will come from the descended of David. Didn’t God fulfil it?”
God did fulfill in two ways. In the New Testament, the genealogy of Jesus according to the Gospel of Luke traces Jesus' lineage back to King David through the line of Nathan.
Nathan-Mattatha-Menna-Melea-Ekiakim-Jonam-Joseph-Judah-Simeon-Levi-Matthat-Jorim-Eliear-Joshua-Er-Elmadam-Cosam-Addi-Melki-Neri-Shealtiel-Zerubbabel-Rhesa-Joanan-Joda-Josech-Semein-Mattathias-Maath-Naggai-Esli-Nahum-Amos-Mattathias-Joseph-Jannai-Melki-Levi-Matthat-Heli >MARY.
So Marry was also a descant of David. God enabled Joseph to accept Mary as his wife, for God didn’t not like to expose her to public disgrace.
The Gospel of Matthew traces Jesus’ lineage through Solomon.
When Joseph married Mary and took the unborn child under his protecting care, giving him the title that had come down to him through his ancestor Solomon, the Lord Jesus became his adopted son.
As the adopted son of Joseph, Jesus was the full heir of David. Matthew was concerned with Jewish law, and therefore, emphasized Jesus' inheritance from David through his adopted father Joseph.
From the two points of views the prophecy was fulfilled. Yet, Jesus is neither Joseph’ son nor Mary’s. He’s the son of God.
Why hasn’t Jesus come down yet?
Every human being living in this world was born of God’s will. God has no partiality. So, he will send the Good news of Kingdom of God to them. Out of these millions of ungodly people, a few will listen to the gospel and accept it. For the sake the few people, God is doing late to come down again. Hence all we have to do is-to make the gospel spread to them according to God’s will. The people are also our neighbors. We shouldn’t expect their fall at our Lord’s second coming.
When God didn’t punish the People of Nineveh because of the change in them, Jonah was greatly displeased and became angry, as God didn’t overturn Nineveh. Then said the LORD, Thou hast had pity on the gourd, for the which thou hast not laboured, neither madest it grow; which came up in a night, and perished in a night. And should not I spare Nineveh, that great city, wherein are more than sixscore thousand persons that cannot discern between their right hand and their left.
Therefore, we must pray for our neighbors’ salvation and ask God to enable them to accept the gospel.
Saturday, September 4, 2010
Can we really inherit Heaven with faith?
We believed in Lord Jesus and were baptized. Since then we’ve been breaking bread in remembrance of Jesus. However, these don’t lead us into Heaven. Yes, it’s true.
It is widely spread that if anyone believes in Christ and be baptized, he will be a righteous man and inherit Heaven. But It’s false.
For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths- 2Ti. 4:3-4.
Don’t believe such statements. If anybody says to you, ‘You just come into politics, you will be a senator,’ would you believe the statement? You don’t if you’re in sense. We know a lot of hard work to be done to be a senator.
Likewise, if somebody tells us that you’ll inherit heaven since you believed in Jesus and was baptized, should we believe that? How on earth is it possible without doing anything as Lord Jesus commanded?
You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that and shudder- Ja. 2:19.
Demons believe and shudder! Will they also inherit Heaven? Of course, not. Know why? They believe, but don’t do as God told. If we’re also like them, we will be there where they will be after the judgment.
When anybody believes in Jesus and is baptized, he will come under salvation. He ought to remain in the salvation until his demise, doing God’s will. Don’t say, ‘how would I know what is God’s will’. God’s will is nothing but doing as Jesus commanded us.
He replied, “My mother and brothers are those who hear God’s word and put it into practice.”- Lk. 8:21.
“Not everyone who says to me, `Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven- Mt. 7:21.
But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand- Mt. 7:26.
Someone asked him, “Lord, are only a few people going to be saved?” He said to them, “Make every effort{with faith}to enter through the narrow door, because many , I tell you, will try to enter and will not be able to- Lk. 13:23-24.
What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him? Ja. 2:14.
Faith and deeds are two important factors to every believer. Therefore, we must posses the two factors.
Many believers aren’t aware of this. They suppose they will enter Heaven with faith. Hence, to point out their that they are in error, this post was published, so that they will come to their sense and do as God commanded.
It is widely spread that if anyone believes in Christ and be baptized, he will be a righteous man and inherit Heaven. But It’s false.
For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths- 2Ti. 4:3-4.
Don’t believe such statements. If anybody says to you, ‘You just come into politics, you will be a senator,’ would you believe the statement? You don’t if you’re in sense. We know a lot of hard work to be done to be a senator.
Likewise, if somebody tells us that you’ll inherit heaven since you believed in Jesus and was baptized, should we believe that? How on earth is it possible without doing anything as Lord Jesus commanded?
You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that and shudder- Ja. 2:19.
Demons believe and shudder! Will they also inherit Heaven? Of course, not. Know why? They believe, but don’t do as God told. If we’re also like them, we will be there where they will be after the judgment.
When anybody believes in Jesus and is baptized, he will come under salvation. He ought to remain in the salvation until his demise, doing God’s will. Don’t say, ‘how would I know what is God’s will’. God’s will is nothing but doing as Jesus commanded us.
He replied, “My mother and brothers are those who hear God’s word and put it into practice.”- Lk. 8:21.
“Not everyone who says to me, `Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven- Mt. 7:21.
But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand- Mt. 7:26.
Someone asked him, “Lord, are only a few people going to be saved?” He said to them, “Make every effort{with faith}to enter through the narrow door, because many , I tell you, will try to enter and will not be able to- Lk. 13:23-24.
What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him? Ja. 2:14.
Faith and deeds are two important factors to every believer. Therefore, we must posses the two factors.
Many believers aren’t aware of this. They suppose they will enter Heaven with faith. Hence, to point out their that they are in error, this post was published, so that they will come to their sense and do as God commanded.
Thursday, September 2, 2010
God lives in our bodies not in Churches
Do not trust in deceptive words and say, “This is the temple of the LORD, the temple of the LORD, the temple of the LORD!”- Je. 7:4.
Solomon who built the house for him.“However, the Most High does not live in houses made by men. As the prophet says: “`Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool. What kind of house will you build for me? says the Lord. Or where will my resting place be? Has not my hand made all these things?’- Ac. 7:47-51.
The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he
lives with you and will be in you- Jn. 14:17.
For we are the temple of the living God. As God has said: “I will live with them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be my people - 2Co. 6:16.
Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God?- 1Co. 6:19.
God listens to our prayers wherever we pray. Don’t think he listens to prayers only we pray at Church. Church is a place, where we listen to his word.
Offer the parts of your body to him as instruments of righteousness- Ro. 6:13.
CAUTION: If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy him; for God’s temple is sacred, and you are that temple- 1Co. 3:17.
Solomon who built the house for him.“However, the Most High does not live in houses made by men. As the prophet says: “`Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool. What kind of house will you build for me? says the Lord. Or where will my resting place be? Has not my hand made all these things?’- Ac. 7:47-51.
The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he
lives with you and will be in you- Jn. 14:17.
For we are the temple of the living God. As God has said: “I will live with them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be my people - 2Co. 6:16.
Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God?- 1Co. 6:19.
Offer the parts of your body to him as instruments of righteousness- Ro. 6:13.
CAUTION: If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy him; for God’s temple is sacred, and you are that temple- 1Co. 3:17.
It's better to do as God commanded us.
So be careful to do what the LORD your God has commanded you; do not turn aside to the right or to the left- De. 5:32.
If we see some Churches, we notice some of the commands, given by Lord Jesus, derailed. The commands were totally changed. Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life- Jn. 14:6.
I tell you the truth, no-one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit- Jn. 3:5.
Jesus was baptized with water, so that we would follow the same. Right now we have three types of baptism. Sprinkling, pouring, and immersion. These are the perfect baptisms, as water is in them. In some Churches and ministries, they don’t use water at all. They use other things instead of water. I don’t like to write them here. I assume you know what the things they use. And some Churches don’t hold Holy communion.
When they are asked why they don't hold Holy communion and baptize with water, they find faults with the original proceedings and try to prevail. It’s not good for them and for their congregation.
Jesus took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me.”In the same way, after the supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you- Lk. 22:19-20.
We ought to walk in the way, shown by Jesus, because he’s the way. It’s not good for us to walk in other way, paved by somebody else, who invented it to be different from others. If a blind man leads a blind man, both will fall into a pit- Mt. 15:14.
Hence, make sure your Church hold Holy communion and baptize you with water. Without these proceedings, nobody can be called Christian. Even If a man, who doesn’t follow these proceedings, claims that he is a Christian, he can’t be.
It’s good to make reforms in such Churches and ministries rather than doing against to the original proceedings. The congregations of the Churches ask for Changes in their proceedings and do what Jesus commanded us.
If we see some Churches, we notice some of the commands, given by Lord Jesus, derailed. The commands were totally changed. Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life- Jn. 14:6.
I tell you the truth, no-one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit- Jn. 3:5.
When they are asked why they don't hold Holy communion and baptize with water, they find faults with the original proceedings and try to prevail. It’s not good for them and for their congregation.
Jesus took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me.”In the same way, after the supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you- Lk. 22:19-20.
Hence, make sure your Church hold Holy communion and baptize you with water. Without these proceedings, nobody can be called Christian. Even If a man, who doesn’t follow these proceedings, claims that he is a Christian, he can’t be.
It’s good to make reforms in such Churches and ministries rather than doing against to the original proceedings. The congregations of the Churches ask for Changes in their proceedings and do what Jesus commanded us.
Wednesday, September 1, 2010
ABOUT ANGELS
Angels. These are the servants of God. They do different tasks as God commands them. Know what? All the angels don’t do same tasks. If we go through the Bible throughly, we find three types of Angels by their tasks.
The First type: Message carriers.
These angels Carry messages from God to his people
In the sixth month, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David- Luke 1:26-32.
Ge. 16:7 The angel of the LORD found Hagar near a spring in the desert..
The second type: Fighters.
These are invincible Angels.
And there was war in heaven. Michael and his angels{not all the angels} fought against the dragon, and the dragon and his angels fought back- Rev 12:7.
Then the angel of the LORD went out and put to death a hundred and eighty-five thousand men in the Assyrian camp- Is. 37:36.
Out of these Angels God uses some of them for other purposes:
He makes winds his angels, flames of fire his servants- Ps. 104:4.
So remember. Wind is nothing but Angels of God. Some times they get fierce as they are commanded: Tornadoes and at the time of Hurricanes.
See, the storm of the LORD will burst out in wrath, a whirlwind swirling down on the heads of the wicked- Je. 23:19.
The third type :Protectors.
The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear him, and he delivers them- Ps. 34:7.
Are not angels ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation?- He. 1:14.
These are three types of angels, and those are the missions they always do for us and for God. Angels eat food like us. Their food is called Manna.
The devil is also an angel. A beautiful wicked angel.
Your heart became proud on account of your beauty, and you corrupted your wisdom because of your splendour. So I threw you to the earth- Ez. 28:17.
You said in your heart, “I will ascend to heaven; I will raise my throne above the stars of God; I will sit enthroned on the mount of assembly, on the utmost heights of the sacred mountain. I will ascend above the tops of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High." But you are brought down to the grave, to the depths of the pit- Isa 14:12-15.
Michael and his angels fought against the dragon, and the dragon and his angels fought back. But he was not strong enough, and they {He and his angles} lost their place in heaven- Re. 12:8.
God made us above the angels and gave us power to judge them.
Do you not know that we will judge angels?- 1Co. 6:3.
The worship of angels disqualify you for the prize- Col. 2:18.
The worship of angels means the angels in heaven and the angles, which were expelled from heaven. The expelled angel {lucifer} has been worshiped in the world for thousands year, in the form of Idols.
Dear children, keep yourselves from idols- 1Jn. 5:21.
The First type: Message carriers.
In the sixth month, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David- Luke 1:26-32.
Ge. 16:7 The angel of the LORD found Hagar near a spring in the desert..
The second type: Fighters.
And there was war in heaven. Michael and his angels{not all the angels} fought against the dragon, and the dragon and his angels fought back- Rev 12:7.
Then the angel of the LORD went out and put to death a hundred and eighty-five thousand men in the Assyrian camp- Is. 37:36.
Out of these Angels God uses some of them for other purposes:
He makes winds his angels, flames of fire his servants- Ps. 104:4.
So remember. Wind is nothing but Angels of God. Some times they get fierce as they are commanded: Tornadoes and at the time of Hurricanes.
See, the storm of the LORD will burst out in wrath, a whirlwind swirling down on the heads of the wicked- Je. 23:19.
The third type :Protectors.
Are not angels ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation?- He. 1:14.
These are three types of angels, and those are the missions they always do for us and for God. Angels eat food like us. Their food is called Manna.
The devil is also an angel. A beautiful wicked angel.
Your heart became proud on account of your beauty, and you corrupted your wisdom because of your splendour. So I threw you to the earth- Ez. 28:17.
You said in your heart, “I will ascend to heaven; I will raise my throne above the stars of God; I will sit enthroned on the mount of assembly, on the utmost heights of the sacred mountain. I will ascend above the tops of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High." But you are brought down to the grave, to the depths of the pit- Isa 14:12-15.
God made us above the angels and gave us power to judge them.
Do you not know that we will judge angels?- 1Co. 6:3.
The worship of angels disqualify you for the prize- Col. 2:18.
The worship of angels means the angels in heaven and the angles, which were expelled from heaven. The expelled angel {lucifer} has been worshiped in the world for thousands year, in the form of Idols.
Dear children, keep yourselves from idols- 1Jn. 5:21.
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