A few examples of William Watson's findings will have to suffice, given the length of this article.
William Sherwin (1607-1687, minister at Wallington) wrote, "The Saints at the sounding of that last Trumpet at the end of the world shall be changed in a moment, at the twinkling of an eye rapt up to meet Christ in the air." He even refers to the early church fathers' agreeing with him: "This Doctrine many of the ancient Fathers acknowledged Justine Martyr Irenaeus Tertullian even Augustine sometime held it, though by the subtlety of Satan, forgeing lyes to asperse the Millenary opinion, and stirring men up to foist in offensive errours in these latter times hath again discovered it, after so many hundred years of its lying hid for the most part in the Church, to be a doctrine really embraced by his faithful people [who] will doubtless certainly know, that upon their rapture to meet Christ, they shall be perfected in glory evermore in heaven."
Boston Puritan Increase Mather (1639-1723), father of Cotton Mather, wrote, "When Christ comes, Believers shall see the King in all his Glory, and shall go with him to the Land that is very far off. Heaven is the Land that is very far off. Christ has assured believers it shall be thus, John 14.2 . He will not go back to Heaven and leave them behind him. No, they shall sit with him in Heavenly places [later] they shall come down from Heaven . They shall be with him when he comes to Judge the World.
Although there are many references to the Rapture (some pre-tribulational) by published works before his time, we simply do not know if John Nelson Darby was influenced by these works. His writings articulating a pre-tribulation Rapture should not be minimized but fully appreciated. We are indebted to him for his enormous contribution to the subject, setting it forth in a clearer way to a wider 19th-century audience and beyond. Darby did not invent this teaching, nor did the many who taught it prior to his time. He taught it, and they taught it, because the Bible teaches it.
What some fail to take in consideration is some of the early church was being persecuted and thought they were already in the tribulation as Paul emphasized in his writings.
There also early writings that were never translated.
We can't Google search what we think the early church believed and (Shape) our doctrine accordingly and yet when asked to bring forth scripture you can't properly do so.
This type of negligence can hinder growth and it will show up in your theology.
When truly studying Gods word our theology should shape our eschatology, Not our eschatology shape our theology.
John 8:36 assures us that with the Son we are "free indeed". Freedom; in short is opposite of what the world follows as we are slaves or bondservants of Christ ( 1 Cor. 4; 7). To follow the prince of this world and all its temporary pleasures is, in reality; a dead end whereas His riches in glory for those who love Him are eternal for those saints which are already seated with Him in "heavenly places." ( Eph. 2:6).
When seeking His will and petitioning prayers; it is His Covenant promises which we can tenaciously proclaim as it is His binding contract with His people that He has made with His good pleasure. This is certainly different than just seeking those things that seem most convenient to make us more comfortable in this life. It truly is best when His life is the guide to our lives and He can be the "captain" of our salvation ( Hebrews 2:10). It is this or being shipwrecked; as it were which is a warning for those who fall away ( 1 Timothy 1:9 as a general admonition along with specific individuals in other Pauline writings).
It is helpful, therefore to have brothers more mature in the faith as "iron sharpens iron." ( Proverbs 27:17). We should also have our individual walk grow to maturity with our quiet times; prayer life and devotionals. John 6:45 shows that we shall all be taught of God; so we should learn to discern His voice from the cacaphony that rings in our ears.
As adopted sons of God ( Gal. 4:5) we are granted therefore all the blessings and substance of the inheritance. The eternal riches in Glory certainly outweigh any earthly pleasures ( 2 Cor. 4:17). We should strive therefore to remain steadfast and remain in His will. The flesh is dying daily in terms of the outward man (see previous verse 16) but the inward man is being conformed to His image. (see Romans 12:2). To deny ungodliness is true freedom ( Titus 2:12) despite our natural affections that seem to indicate the contrary.
Jesus was amazing. He was willing to be crucified for our sins. How many of us would be willing to do such a thing. It scares me; I would not want to be in his shoes.
Here's one of many verses in the old testament that suggests a 1000 year reign here on earth.
They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain: for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea.
God night.
And in that day there shall be a root of Jesse, which shall stand for an ensign of the people; to it shall the Gentiles seek: and his rest shall be glorious.
And it shall come to pass in that day, that the Lord shall set his hand again the second time to recover the remnant of his people, which shall be left, from Assyria, and from Egypt, and from Pathros, and from Cush, and from Elam, and from Shinar, and from Hamath, and from the islands of the sea.
And he shall set up an ensign for the nations, and shall assemble the outcasts of Israel, and gather together the dispersed of Judah from the four corners of the earth.
They ask Jesus what shall be the sign of thy coming and the end of the world....Matthews 24:3....And he mentions sorrows....Child birth...b/c i have spoken these words ( his seeds ) sorrows have filled your hearts....A spritual pregnancy...When a woman is in travail she has sorrows but after the Child comes her sorrows are turned into joy....Ye now have sorrows but I will see you again....Whosoever receives one such Child in my name receives me....Its only the H.G. that Child of promise that comes in his name...And he shall be called by a new name that the mouth of the lord will name....Simply b/c Jesus is the father of the Child....As Isaiah refers to Jesus as everlasting father....The Child is the H.G. that Child of PROMISE...Whosoever receiveth one such child in my name receiveth me....Thats y he has to know us...B/c i have spoken these words ( his Seeds ) sorrows have filled your hearts a spiritual pregnancy....The substance of things hoped for the evidence of things not seen....As the Child is the H.G. That Child of Promise.
......When he breathe on them he was regenerating himself with his breath which was his words his Seeds....That was the great Promise i will multiply thy Seed as the stars of heaven....His Seed is spirit....Thats y he was saying....That which is born of the spirit is spirit which is the new born babe the H.G.....The regeneration of Christ Jesus in humanity.....Blessed are them that follow me in the regeneration.... Matthew 19:28....When the sower will go forth to sow his precious seed in humanity as the field is the world... Matthew 13 :18 kjv....Thats y he always refers to himself as the SON OF MAN....Simply b/c mankind has to bring forth fruit unto God... Rev. 12:5 kjv...She brought forth a man child that is gonna rule all nations....The parable of the sower and his precious seed is about the regeneration of Christ in humanity...And the contents of the book that he wrote with his own blood...That book of life that N.C.....ok lemme go.GBU
Psalm 85 gives general promises after some sort of diaspora as to bringing back people from captivity (verse 1); forgiving iniquity (verse 2); and anger (verse 3).
Interestingly after these things are stated matter of factly; it seems there is a petition made for the very same thing (i.e. removal of God's anger) in verses 4 and 5. Verse 6 also seems to be asking for a return from captivity after it already is suggested in verse 1 to have occured.
Verses 7 through 9 show how God grants salvation (v. 7); and the fear of God brings glory to the land (verse 9). Verse 8 warns not to return to "folly" which shows the repeated patterns of rebellion that tend to occur after temporary and short lived repentance in Bible history.
Righteousness and truth mentioned in verse 10 are explained in verse 11 as existing in earth and heaven; without both of these things we cannot have mercy and peace. Verse 12 shows the crops and earth being fruitful; to be especially true in the Millennial Kingdom.
The final verse reminds us of Psalm 119:105 as to God being a lamp unto our feet and light unto our path. The Lord must illuminate our hearts or else all is in vain in our human understanding (see Proverbs 3:5).
Gal.2:21...I donot frustrate the grace of God....IF righteousness came by the law ( the letter the lesser light ) Christ died in vain. And the cross was just foolishness....Jesus said I am the light of the world but the nite comes when no man can work....The bible is precious and holy but we had no eternal life from the written word...The bible....Eternal life came by that New Covenant at Calvary in his blood....This is the N.C. in my blood drink ye all of it....The living word which is the H.G. Emanuel which is God with us....But when Jesus said these things are hid from the wise and prudent but only revealed unto babes....That excludes the bible as a teacher of mysteries..As only the anointing can teach us Spritual things....God is greater then paper and ink....Now under this N.C. its the H.G. the greater light that reveals God's KINGDOM....Thats y Jesus was saying that which is born of the spirit is spirit which is the H.G. the greater light....That Child of Promise...The manchild that is gona lead us into all truth....The bible can be molested and has been molested by 100s of religions and writters....Just look at the MANY RELIGIONS AND THEIR BIBLES....Proves the letter is a killer ...They are dead to holiness and righteousness....but alive to materialistic things and money....And the honor that comes from men....The bible is precious and holy but there is a greater bible then paper and ink....Which is that BOOK of life in the fathers right hand....That New Covenant that Jesus wrote with his own blood...That book of life of the lamb of God....Whosoever was not found written in the book of life ( that new covenant in his blood )...Was cast into the lake of fire....Which is that baptism of the H.G. and fire....Which is that FIRE that Jesus wants to bring on all the world....Jesus said i come to bring fire on the earth....As our God is a consuming fire that lake of fire the H.G.
..... Mal. 3:2 Who shall stand when he appears for he shall be as a refiners fire etc.
Chris i disagree with you and David in the spirit of love...The bible is not the sole means to understand the scriptures....As the bible answers to the letter the lesser light....The bible ( the lesser light ) is the reason we have a zillion different Churches on every corner....rendering our world in deep darkness....Its only the Anointing the H.G. that God wants to give humanity that can teach us All things..... 1st John 2:27....Speaks of a New Creature COMING IN HIS NAME the ANOINTING the H.G....As the scriptures the letter is a killer....Its only his words that are spirit and life...Which is the H.G. That Child of Promise..Emanuel
that we receive of him and he abides in us and we need no man teach us....But this Anointing will teach you all things....And you need no man teach you....The gift of the H.G. WILL TEACH US ALL THINGS....He is our internal pastor that will lead us into all truth....Which is the manchild ( mans fruit unto God) The H.G. the Anointing....Thats y Jesus said abide in me and i in you....That good shepherd lives in us....Which is the Anointing the H.G. that wants to be married to us....Its the book in the right hand of the father that Jesus wrote with his own blood that New Covenant in his blood that we need to focus on....We all love the bible with all our hearts but the BOOK in the right hand of the father trumps the bible the letter the lesser light....A killer....Eternal life is only in the living words of our lord....Which are living beings the Children of Promise.
2 Cor.3:6 ....He has made us able ministers of the NEW Covenant....Not of the letter But of the Spirit...For the letter killeth but the Spirit the H.G gives life....The Anointing.....Where shall we go lord thou has the words of eternal life....But we must be bornagain of his incorruptible seed (his living words ) b/f we can interface with his words of life...As our lord said these things are hid from the wise and prudent but only revealed unto babes....Not Paper and ink.
The Lord has blessed me using this chapter today, I am remained that God can use any thing, anyone regardless of weakness or no matter how useless it is to solve my problem or do HIS miracle. It does no matter to HIM.
What you are saying makes perfect sense if we were to approach the Bible as merely a collection of writings by different authors communicating to different audiences in there own words about what they understood God was teaching them and wanted them to communicate.
But that is NOT what the Bible is because that is NOT what the Bible declares itself to be. The Bible declares itself to be the very Word of God Himself. And that God Himself is the Word. We cannot separate the two. The mechanics of how God assured that the human scribes spoke and penned exactly the events and information, using exactly the phrases and words, in the original languages, that God desired is ultimately God's business. But we can know for a certainty that it is so because the Bible, the Word of God Himself, declares it to be so.
So therefore, when determining how we are to approach and interpret scripture, we MUST look to the Bible itself and ONLY to the Bible and to the ENTIRE Bible to instruct us. That is to define our Hermeneutic. And God has graciously accommodated us in this matter.
No one would dispute that we must use proper grammatical rules of the original languages as a start. But we must understand that the Bible is its own dictionary and its own interpreter because it ultimately has only ONE AUTHOR. God Himself. And God may and does use a word or a phrase in one part of the Bible to indicate how we He may be using it in other parts of the Bible. "Jerusalem" is a good example.
In my previous posts I have tried to point out some of the scriptures where God defines what our Hermeneutic should be.
We must keep in mind that God has given us the Bible, not as a history book, but to present HIS PLAN FOR MANKIND AND HIS CREATION. And to DEMONSTRATE HIS GLORY. To show us our relationship to God. To demonstrate His perfect Justice and unfathomable Mercy in Salvation. In other words. the GOSPEL
A call to Revival. for each of us to stir each his/her own heart up in the fear and admonition of the Lord.
God loves us more than any other ever could.
When God's favor over one's life to is absent or is diminished, then we must "strengthen those [points of character] which are as though dying away' [see Letters to
The Churches Rev. 3]
till Jesus can testify that He finds our works to be perfect
from a divine perspective.
Selfish pride is very destructive; through humility we practice mutual Edification as a church.
To become free from sin, self and the world, let us turn our minds and hearts to Him Who gave Himself for us and rose again.
The Lord "opens their ears in affliction" (quote from Job) as depicted in first chapter of Joel
and then we're prepared to be longsuffering, courteous.
Selfishness is not beneficial to the testimony of Christianity.
So as God does a thorough cleansing work in order to purify us as His people, may we remain fervent in love to God and to the brotherhood of Christ
Jesus was not about death but about life as he said my words are Spirit and life...1 st Cor, 2:14 kjv....But the natural man receiveth not the things of God for they are foolishness to him....He only delights in the letter a killer....The literal meaning of the bible...The lesser light...is the letter a killer....Your fathers ate manna from heaven but they are all dead...The law ...This is that manna that if man eats he will neva die...which is the greater light the LIVING WORD ...The New Covenant ...That bread from heaven...A LIVING BEING THE H.G. Our new hearts and new spirits etc That has to be born in us via hearing his living words...The New Birth is all spirit nothin literal about him....The definition of literal means without mataphor or parable....But without a parable speak he not unto them...Impling the real meaning is hid from the wise and prudent but only revealed unto babes....Our new born the H.G. that Child of PROMISE....The spirit of very God....The O.C. was somewhat literal...But there was no eternal life under the O.C..Without the blood of Gods lamb...that New Covenant there is no eternal life.
..When Jesus said my words are spirit and life implies the carnal man cannot receive it...He can only receive the letter a killer a literal meaning which is death as Most All of Churchanity is dead.....They delight in dollars and materialistic things....Simply b/c they are carnally minded....And the spiritual things are foolishness to the carnally minded....1 st Cor.2:14....For the carnal man receives not the things of the spirit for they are foolishness....But how many Churches are teaching we must take the bible literal....They don't realize that Jesus says my words are spirit and life....Satan is now standing in the holy places when you think the bible is all literal....And Jesus says to run to the mountains when you see this great abomination of desolation standing in the holy places..But God is gonna pour out of his spirit on all flesh...amen GB.
The Bible defines humility as "the fear of the Lord" ( Proverbs 22:4 ) Its etymological root is in the Latin word "humus" meaning "of the earth".To be humble is to be face down in the dirt,submitting to the authority of another,without personal pride. This is the Christian's proper position before the Lord.
There are two possible scenarios that are guaranteed to be the end of sanctification for us; either the natural death of the body and our inner man then being present with the Lord ( 2 Cor. 5:8) or being raised up in glory at the rapture (Phillipians 3:21).
As I have brought up in earlier messages; it isn't enough to say that Christ is the center of our lives; He IS our life.
Of course; we have the world; the flesh and the Devil to overcome. ( James 3:15). it is hard; if not impossible to have a clear division or demarcation as to which of these influences is affecting us; no doubt all three need to be dealt with to truly live a Spirit filled life of Holiness. Besetting sins are necessary to overcome; according to the principles of 1 Corinthians 10:13. It is what is behind the sins; the inherent weaknesses in ourselves which tends to be the source we need to examine as well. Some of us have fears; obsessions of various kinds; or personality issues that repeatedly get us into trouble. If we are saved then we need to be mindful that Satan's minions are using the world to draw us in; and sins usually begin in the mind. ( Romans 1:21).
There is a need for deliverance for those who are oppressed; and that often doesn't happen until someone is ready to be open about sins and the legal access the enemy has to them. If there isn't any transparency there then of course we risk the warning that seven more demons can come into us ( Luke 11:26). I would add that we need to know who we should and should NOT ask to pray in that regard. Those who have besetting sins or lifestyles of sin are people to avoid; lest whatever is attached to them takes a hold on us. I am firmly convinced that ANY Spirit filled believer is capable of a deliverance ministry; and often people are set free when a congregation in general has a healthy fear of the Lord.
Let us remember as Ephesians 2:6 states we are seated in heavenly places. This world is not our home.
(To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David, the servant of the LORD, who spake unto the LORD the words of this song in the day that the LORD delivered him from the hand of all his enemies, and from the hand of Saul: And he said,) I will love thee, O LORD, my strength.
2The LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower.
3I will call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised: so shall I be saved from mine enemies.
4The sorrows of death compassed me, and the floods of ungodly men made me afraid.
5The sorrows of hell compassed me about: the snares of death prevented me.
6In my distress I called upon the LORD, and cried unto my God: he heard my voice out of his temple, and my cry came before him, even into his ears.
7Then the earth shook and trembled; the foundations also of the hills moved and were shaken, because he was wroth.
8There went up a smoke out of his nostrils, and fire out of his mouth devoured: coals were kindled by it.
9He bowed the heavens also, and came down: and darkness was under his feet.
10And he rode upon a cherub, and did fly: yea, he did fly upon the wings of the wind.
11He made darkness his secret place; his pavilion round about him were dark waters and thick clouds of the skies.
12At the brightness that was before him his thick clouds passed, hail stones and coals of fire.
13The LORD also thundered in the heavens, and the Highest gave his voice; hail stones and coals of fire.
14Yea, he sent out his arrows, and scattered them; and he shot out lightnings, and discomfited them.
15Then the channels of waters were seen, and the foundations of the world were discovered at thy rebuke, O LORD, at the blast of the breath of thy nostrils.
16He sent from above, he took me, he drew me out of many waters.
17He delivered me from my strong enemy, and from them which hated me: for they were too strong for me.
Hello, Eyobed. I saw where you inquired which verse in John 11 is the one disputed over. I believe it could be the shortest verse in scripture or verse 35, "Jesus wept.". There has been some deliberation over time as to why He wept. Hope that answers your question. Have a good day and keep in the Word!
When he said I'll let you see my back parts, some of us need to see God back parts, I see God back parts sick laying in the hospital bed, the miracle that he working with my life right now, thank you God for letting me see your back parts, and know that your Holy Spirit is with me! I'm going to rest in You and trust you through it all in Jesus name, and it is so!
A few examples of William Watson's findings will have to suffice, given the length of this article.
William Sherwin (1607-1687, minister at Wallington) wrote, "The Saints at the sounding of that last Trumpet at the end of the world shall be changed in a moment, at the twinkling of an eye rapt up to meet Christ in the air." He even refers to the early church fathers' agreeing with him: "This Doctrine many of the ancient Fathers acknowledged Justine Martyr Irenaeus Tertullian even Augustine sometime held it, though by the subtlety of Satan, forgeing lyes to asperse the Millenary opinion, and stirring men up to foist in offensive errours in these latter times hath again discovered it, after so many hundred years of its lying hid for the most part in the Church, to be a doctrine really embraced by his faithful people [who] will doubtless certainly know, that upon their rapture to meet Christ, they shall be perfected in glory evermore in heaven."
Boston Puritan Increase Mather (1639-1723), father of Cotton Mather, wrote, "When Christ comes, Believers shall see the King in all his Glory, and shall go with him to the Land that is very far off. Heaven is the Land that is very far off. Christ has assured believers it shall be thus, John 14.2 . He will not go back to Heaven and leave them behind him. No, they shall sit with him in Heavenly places [later] they shall come down from Heaven . They shall be with him when he comes to Judge the World.
See part 8.
Appreciating Darby's Contribution.
Although there are many references to the Rapture (some pre-tribulational) by published works before his time, we simply do not know if John Nelson Darby was influenced by these works. His writings articulating a pre-tribulation Rapture should not be minimized but fully appreciated. We are indebted to him for his enormous contribution to the subject, setting it forth in a clearer way to a wider 19th-century audience and beyond. Darby did not invent this teaching, nor did the many who taught it prior to his time. He taught it, and they taught it, because the Bible teaches it.
What some fail to take in consideration is some of the early church was being persecuted and thought they were already in the tribulation as Paul emphasized in his writings.
There also early writings that were never translated.
We can't Google search what we think the early church believed and (Shape) our doctrine accordingly and yet when asked to bring forth scripture you can't properly do so.
This type of negligence can hinder growth and it will show up in your theology.
When truly studying Gods word our theology should shape our eschatology, Not our eschatology shape our theology.
God bless.
When seeking His will and petitioning prayers; it is His Covenant promises which we can tenaciously proclaim as it is His binding contract with His people that He has made with His good pleasure. This is certainly different than just seeking those things that seem most convenient to make us more comfortable in this life. It truly is best when His life is the guide to our lives and He can be the "captain" of our salvation ( Hebrews 2:10). It is this or being shipwrecked; as it were which is a warning for those who fall away ( 1 Timothy 1:9 as a general admonition along with specific individuals in other Pauline writings).
It is helpful, therefore to have brothers more mature in the faith as "iron sharpens iron." ( Proverbs 27:17). We should also have our individual walk grow to maturity with our quiet times; prayer life and devotionals. John 6:45 shows that we shall all be taught of God; so we should learn to discern His voice from the cacaphony that rings in our ears.
As adopted sons of God ( Gal. 4:5) we are granted therefore all the blessings and substance of the inheritance. The eternal riches in Glory certainly outweigh any earthly pleasures ( 2 Cor. 4:17). We should strive therefore to remain steadfast and remain in His will. The flesh is dying daily in terms of the outward man (see previous verse 16) but the inward man is being conformed to His image. (see Romans 12:2). To deny ungodliness is true freedom ( Titus 2:12) despite our natural affections that seem to indicate the contrary.
When we are down to nothing, God is up to something!
They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain: for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea.
God night.
And in that day there shall be a root of Jesse, which shall stand for an ensign of the people; to it shall the Gentiles seek: and his rest shall be glorious.
And it shall come to pass in that day, that the Lord shall set his hand again the second time to recover the remnant of his people, which shall be left, from Assyria, and from Egypt, and from Pathros, and from Cush, and from Elam, and from Shinar, and from Hamath, and from the islands of the sea.
And he shall set up an ensign for the nations, and shall assemble the outcasts of Israel, and gather together the dispersed of Judah from the four corners of the earth.
......When he breathe on them he was regenerating himself with his breath which was his words his Seeds....That was the great Promise i will multiply thy Seed as the stars of heaven....His Seed is spirit....Thats y he was saying....That which is born of the spirit is spirit which is the new born babe the H.G.....The regeneration of Christ Jesus in humanity.....Blessed are them that follow me in the regeneration.... Matthew 19:28....When the sower will go forth to sow his precious seed in humanity as the field is the world... Matthew 13 :18 kjv....Thats y he always refers to himself as the SON OF MAN....Simply b/c mankind has to bring forth fruit unto God... Rev. 12:5 kjv...She brought forth a man child that is gonna rule all nations....The parable of the sower and his precious seed is about the regeneration of Christ in humanity...And the contents of the book that he wrote with his own blood...That book of life that N.C.....ok lemme go.GBU
Interestingly after these things are stated matter of factly; it seems there is a petition made for the very same thing (i.e. removal of God's anger) in verses 4 and 5. Verse 6 also seems to be asking for a return from captivity after it already is suggested in verse 1 to have occured.
Verses 7 through 9 show how God grants salvation (v. 7); and the fear of God brings glory to the land (verse 9). Verse 8 warns not to return to "folly" which shows the repeated patterns of rebellion that tend to occur after temporary and short lived repentance in Bible history.
Righteousness and truth mentioned in verse 10 are explained in verse 11 as existing in earth and heaven; without both of these things we cannot have mercy and peace. Verse 12 shows the crops and earth being fruitful; to be especially true in the Millennial Kingdom.
The final verse reminds us of Psalm 119:105 as to God being a lamp unto our feet and light unto our path. The Lord must illuminate our hearts or else all is in vain in our human understanding (see Proverbs 3:5).
..... Mal. 3:2 Who shall stand when he appears for he shall be as a refiners fire etc.
that we receive of him and he abides in us and we need no man teach us....But this Anointing will teach you all things....And you need no man teach you....The gift of the H.G. WILL TEACH US ALL THINGS....He is our internal pastor that will lead us into all truth....Which is the manchild ( mans fruit unto God) The H.G. the Anointing....Thats y Jesus said abide in me and i in you....That good shepherd lives in us....Which is the Anointing the H.G. that wants to be married to us....Its the book in the right hand of the father that Jesus wrote with his own blood that New Covenant in his blood that we need to focus on....We all love the bible with all our hearts but the BOOK in the right hand of the father trumps the bible the letter the lesser light....A killer....Eternal life is only in the living words of our lord....Which are living beings the Children of Promise.
2 Cor.3:6 ....He has made us able ministers of the NEW Covenant....Not of the letter But of the Spirit...For the letter killeth but the Spirit the H.G gives life....The Anointing.....Where shall we go lord thou has the words of eternal life....But we must be bornagain of his incorruptible seed (his living words ) b/f we can interface with his words of life...As our lord said these things are hid from the wise and prudent but only revealed unto babes....Not Paper and ink.
Chris,
Thank you for responding.
What you are saying makes perfect sense if we were to approach the Bible as merely a collection of writings by different authors communicating to different audiences in there own words about what they understood God was teaching them and wanted them to communicate.
But that is NOT what the Bible is because that is NOT what the Bible declares itself to be. The Bible declares itself to be the very Word of God Himself. And that God Himself is the Word. We cannot separate the two. The mechanics of how God assured that the human scribes spoke and penned exactly the events and information, using exactly the phrases and words, in the original languages, that God desired is ultimately God's business. But we can know for a certainty that it is so because the Bible, the Word of God Himself, declares it to be so.
So therefore, when determining how we are to approach and interpret scripture, we MUST look to the Bible itself and ONLY to the Bible and to the ENTIRE Bible to instruct us. That is to define our Hermeneutic. And God has graciously accommodated us in this matter.
No one would dispute that we must use proper grammatical rules of the original languages as a start. But we must understand that the Bible is its own dictionary and its own interpreter because it ultimately has only ONE AUTHOR. God Himself. And God may and does use a word or a phrase in one part of the Bible to indicate how we He may be using it in other parts of the Bible. "Jerusalem" is a good example.
In my previous posts I have tried to point out some of the scriptures where God defines what our Hermeneutic should be.
We must keep in mind that God has given us the Bible, not as a history book, but to present HIS PLAN FOR MANKIND AND HIS CREATION. And to DEMONSTRATE HIS GLORY. To show us our relationship to God. To demonstrate His perfect Justice and unfathomable Mercy in Salvation. In other words. the GOSPEL
God loves us more than any other ever could.
When God's favor over one's life to is absent or is diminished, then we must "strengthen those [points of character] which are as though dying away' [see Letters to
The Churches Rev. 3]
till Jesus can testify that He finds our works to be perfect
from a divine perspective.
Selfish pride is very destructive; through humility we practice mutual Edification as a church.
To become free from sin, self and the world, let us turn our minds and hearts to Him Who gave Himself for us and rose again.
The Lord "opens their ears in affliction" (quote from Job) as depicted in first chapter of Joel
and then we're prepared to be longsuffering, courteous.
Selfishness is not beneficial to the testimony of Christianity.
So as God does a thorough cleansing work in order to purify us as His people, may we remain fervent in love to God and to the brotherhood of Christ
fruit of knowledge of the fruit ADAM AND EVE DID EAT
..When Jesus said my words are spirit and life implies the carnal man cannot receive it...He can only receive the letter a killer a literal meaning which is death as Most All of Churchanity is dead.....They delight in dollars and materialistic things....Simply b/c they are carnally minded....And the spiritual things are foolishness to the carnally minded....1 st Cor.2:14....For the carnal man receives not the things of the spirit for they are foolishness....But how many Churches are teaching we must take the bible literal....They don't realize that Jesus says my words are spirit and life....Satan is now standing in the holy places when you think the bible is all literal....And Jesus says to run to the mountains when you see this great abomination of desolation standing in the holy places..But God is gonna pour out of his spirit on all flesh...amen GB.
As I have brought up in earlier messages; it isn't enough to say that Christ is the center of our lives; He IS our life.
Of course; we have the world; the flesh and the Devil to overcome. ( James 3:15). it is hard; if not impossible to have a clear division or demarcation as to which of these influences is affecting us; no doubt all three need to be dealt with to truly live a Spirit filled life of Holiness. Besetting sins are necessary to overcome; according to the principles of 1 Corinthians 10:13. It is what is behind the sins; the inherent weaknesses in ourselves which tends to be the source we need to examine as well. Some of us have fears; obsessions of various kinds; or personality issues that repeatedly get us into trouble. If we are saved then we need to be mindful that Satan's minions are using the world to draw us in; and sins usually begin in the mind. ( Romans 1:21).
There is a need for deliverance for those who are oppressed; and that often doesn't happen until someone is ready to be open about sins and the legal access the enemy has to them. If there isn't any transparency there then of course we risk the warning that seven more demons can come into us ( Luke 11:26). I would add that we need to know who we should and should NOT ask to pray in that regard. Those who have besetting sins or lifestyles of sin are people to avoid; lest whatever is attached to them takes a hold on us. I am firmly convinced that ANY Spirit filled believer is capable of a deliverance ministry; and often people are set free when a congregation in general has a healthy fear of the Lord.
Let us remember as Ephesians 2:6 states we are seated in heavenly places. This world is not our home.
Agape; RP
2The LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower.
3I will call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised: so shall I be saved from mine enemies.
4The sorrows of death compassed me, and the floods of ungodly men made me afraid.
5The sorrows of hell compassed me about: the snares of death prevented me.
6In my distress I called upon the LORD, and cried unto my God: he heard my voice out of his temple, and my cry came before him, even into his ears.
7Then the earth shook and trembled; the foundations also of the hills moved and were shaken, because he was wroth.
8There went up a smoke out of his nostrils, and fire out of his mouth devoured: coals were kindled by it.
9He bowed the heavens also, and came down: and darkness was under his feet.
10And he rode upon a cherub, and did fly: yea, he did fly upon the wings of the wind.
11He made darkness his secret place; his pavilion round about him were dark waters and thick clouds of the skies.
12At the brightness that was before him his thick clouds passed, hail stones and coals of fire.
13The LORD also thundered in the heavens, and the Highest gave his voice; hail stones and coals of fire.
14Yea, he sent out his arrows, and scattered them; and he shot out lightnings, and discomfited them.
15Then the channels of waters were seen, and the foundations of the world were discovered at thy rebuke, O LORD, at the blast of the breath of thy nostrils.
16He sent from above, he took me, he drew me out of many waters.
17He delivered me from my strong enemy, and from them which hated me: for they were too strong for me.
18They prevented me in the