The Sabbath - in Conclusion

It is my hope and prayer that you have found this study of the sabbath to be both interesting and informative. It certainly has been for me.

As promised I shall draw some conclusions from our search of the scriptural teaching on the sabbath. Our focus was on command to "keep the sabbath" and so we limited ourselves to the first five books of the Old Testament, the books of the law.

It is interesting to note that the first time the sabbath is mentioned is about the time the Israelites arrived at Mt. Sinai under the leadership of Moses. (Exodus 16:23) The last mention of the sabbath in the books of the law gives the clear reason for its institution. (Deuteronomy 5:15 And remember that thou wast a servant in the land of Egypt, and that the LORD thy God brought thee out thence through a mighty hand and by a stretched out arm: therefore the LORD thy God commanded thee to keep the sabbath day.) One is forced then, by the scriptures, to understand that the sabbath was instituted to assist the Israelites in remembering their servitude in Egypt and their deliverance.

What we have learned.
1. According to the scriptures the sabbath observance began shortly after Israel's departure from Egypt.
2. Its purpose was to cause the Israelites to remember how God led them out of bondage in Egypt according to the scriptures.
3. The sabbath was part of the covenant made with the children of Israel living at the time of the exodus and after as the scriptures clearly state.
4. In order to keep the sabbath properly the Israelites were prohibited from doing certain things and required to make certain sacrifices according to the scriptures.
5. The weekly observance was to be on the seventh day of the week but not all sabbaths were on the seventh day of the week !

Please keep in mind, dear reader, that these observations are not my opinion but rather clear statements from the scriptures. Each of these has been noted in previous posts with the proper references noted.

If this is not what you have been taught then it might be good to reexamine the teaching you have received. If I am incorrect please, please show me how and where!

Meanwhile are there other things you think of that we should note from our study?

The Sabbath #4

Our discussion of the sabbath left off at the end of Numbers. In the next book, Deuteronomy, the sabbath is mentioned only 3 times. Remember that this book is a recapitulation of the Law. It was given to the people near the end of the life of Moses.

Deuteronomy 5 contains the only mentions of the sabbath. Here is the text for your convenience. Deuteronomy 5:12-15 Observe the sabbath day, to keep it holy, as Jehovah thy God commanded thee. Six days shalt thou labor, and do all thy work; but the seventh day is a sabbath unto Jehovah thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, nor thy man-servant, nor thy maid-servant, nor thine ox, nor thine ass, nor any of thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates; that thy man-servant and thy maid-servant may rest as well as thou. And thou shalt remember that thou wast a servant in the land of Egypt, and Jehovah thy God brought thee out thence by a mighty hand and by an outstretched arm: therefore Jehovah thy God commanded thee to keep the sabbath day. In this passage of scripture we learn three things about the sabbath.
1. Observance of the sabbath was commanded by God.
2. The sabbath was to be observed on the seventh day of the week.
3. This is to me the most interesting point. The sabbath observance was commanded for a remembrance of God's deliverance of Israel from Egyptian bondage. Notice again verse 15: And thou shalt remember that thou wast a servant in the land of Egypt, and Jehovah thy God brought thee out thence by a mighty hand and by an outstretched arm: therefore Jehovah thy God commanded thee to keep the sabbath day.

As we are now to the end of the books of the Law, the commands concerning the sabbath are finished. The remaining references to the sabbath in the Old Testament have to do with points of time, reminders of the commands, and what was actually done in keeping the sabbath.

In the next post I will draw some conclusions from this study of the sabbath. Meanwhile, what conclusions have you reached?

The Sabbath part 3

We have been looking at all the mentions of the sabbath in scriptures. As we left off we were near the end of Leviticus. It is there that we pick up our study.

In Leviticus 24:8 the sabbath is given as the time for an offering of bread. This offering was to be made every sabbath. Then in Leviticus 25:2, 4, 6 the term is used of the year of the sabbath. This was to happen every 7th year from the giving of the law on Mt. Sinai. It was to be a time to give the land a rest.

Please keep in mind that we are looking only at the singular term sabbath. If you are looking in your concordance you may also find it used in the plural form. We are however limiting our study to the singular.

The next mention of the sabbath is found in Numbers 15:32 where a man was found gathering sticks on the sabbath day. Remember now that the command to observe the sabbath included the order;"thou shalt not do any work". This fellow in the above mentioned passage failed to properly observe the sabbath. The verses following tell us of the consequences, he was stoned to death.

God in His infinite wisdom gave instructions on how to properly observe the sabbath. To refresh our memories notice the following scriptures. Exodus 20:8-11 "thou shalt not do any work"; Exodus 31:15 "Six days shall work be done, but on the seventh day is a sabbath of solemn rest, holy to Jehovah: whosoever doeth any work on the sabbath day, he shall surely be put to death."
Exodus 35:3 "Ye shall kindle no fire throughout your habitations upon the sabbath day"; Leviticus 24:5-8 "And thou shalt take fine flour, and bake twelve cakes thereof: two tenth parts of an ephah shall be in one cake. And thou shalt set them in two rows, six on a row, upon the pure table before Jehovah. And thou shalt put pure frankincense upon each row, that it may be to the bread for a memorial, even an offering made by fire unto Jehovah. Every sabbath day he shall set it in order before Jehovah continually; it is on the behalf of the children of Israel, an everlasting covenant". While this may not be a complete list of things that observing the sabbath entailed, it should be enough to demonstrate at least part of what God expects of those who would keep the sabbath according to the 10 commandments.

In Numbers 28:9-10 the sabbath is again mentioned. This time it specifies specific sacrifices required to observe the sabbath properly. Modern day sabbatarians would object saying that this was part of the "ceremonial law" and that law is no longer binding upon us.

Is it not reasonable to understand that God is specifying what He expects of those who keep the sabbath? Did not the Israelites need instruction on how to keep His commands? Does God give commands and then leave it up to us on how to observe them properly?

The Sabbath part 2

We left our study of the sabbath referencing Exodus 31:16-17 and noting the "perpetual covenant" with the children of Israel. The next mention is found in Exodus 35:2-3 where it is noted as a holy day, a sabbath of solemn rest unto God and no fire was to be kindled.

The sabbath is again mentioned in Leviticus 16:31 in connection with the day of atonement for Israel. It is here called a "statute for ever". Next mentioned in Leviticus 23:3 where it is called a sabbath of solemn rest, a sabbath of the lord. It was to be a day of holy convocation and no work. It is mentioned again in this same chapter in verses 11, 15, 16 but is simply a reference point for counting time.

Again in Leviticus 23:24 it is mentioned as a "memorial of blowing trumpets, a holy convocation" and also in verse 32 it is mentioned 2 times. Then in verse 36 it is again mentioned 2 times. These references in the latter part of the chapter are in connection with the day of atonement.

Please keep in mind that all these references are in the KJV. There is something peculiar about these references in Leviticus 16 and the latter part of chapter 23 which I have never heard modern day sabbatarians discuss. I am sure they have some explanation. The question then is "can you tell me what is peculiar about these references to the sabbath?

The Sabbath

I want to take a moment before I get into the next subject to remind our readers of our purpose for this blog. The following is taken from the description "It is our intent to ask questions, answer questions and carry on a friendly discussion of subjects pertinent to the Christian and the Bible. We will use the Bible as the authority to establish right and wrong and expect those who participate in the discussion to do the same." I wish to emphasise friendly discussion and also that the Bible is our final authority in these matters. We do allow comments from those who may disagree with our teaching and comments. However we do not allow character attacks from anyone, this is a friendly forum. We may ask for more information, scriptural support, or we may directly challenge your statements and you are free to do the same.

The sabbath has been the subject of much controversy for a long time. There are those in the religious world that say that the Sabbath is still binding today, others say the Sabbath was changed from Saturday to Sunday under the New Testament, and yet others affirm that the Sabbath was set aside by the Law of Christ. As divided as the religious world is today there may be even yet other beliefs which are held concerning the Sabbath.

While it is good to know what beliefs are held and why, our purpose in this blog is to consider what the Bible has to say as it is THE authority. So what does the Bible say about the Sabbath?

The word Sabbath in the KJV occurs 137 times. The first of these is in Exodus 16:23 And he said unto them, This is that which the LORD hath said, Tomorrow is the rest of the holy sabbath unto the LORD: bake that which ye will bake today, and seethe that ye will seethe; and that which remaineth over lay up for you to be kept until the morning. The inspired record tells us that Israel has just recently left Egypt and are now in the Wilderness of Sin on their way to Mt. Sinai. From the context we learn that the Sabbath was the seventh day of the week. It was also to be a Holy Day unto the Lord. The term sabbath is used 3 more times in this chapter (vs. 25, 26 and 29). The Sabbath day did not become codified until the Law of Moses was given as recorded in Exodus 20 (see verse 8, also 10, 11). After chapter 20 the sabbath is not mentioned again until chapter 31. At this time Moses is still on the Mt. receiving the Law from God. In Exodus 31:16-17 it is stated that the Sabbath was a perpetual covenant with the "children of Israel".

This shall serve as the basis for our study on the Sabbath. What else can we learn from the scriptures on this important topic?

God Bless America

Recently I heard talk show host Steve Deace go on a tirade on God Bless America. The gist of this rant was the question of "How can we ask and expect God to bless this country when we as a country have abandoned His ways?" This is a good question! While this nation was founded upon christian principles it has since abandoned many of them. We then have the gall to ask our God to bless us! Mr. Deace suggested very strongly that the USA should ask for forgiveness rather than His blessings.

While I agree with the above assesment I think that something very important has been left out. It is something which must preceed the request for forgiveness. For now I will leave it to you to offer your answers of what it should be.

What does America need to do in order to seek God's forgiveness and ask His blessings?

Outstanding scriptures

As we read through the scriptures a certain passage will seemingly reach out and grab our attention. We may have read it a number of times before and not taken note of it. Such happened recently with me.

In reading the prophet Micah I noticed the following passages: Micah 1:4 And the mountains shall be melted under him, and the valleys shall be cleft, as wax before the fire, as waters that are poured down a steep place. What an interesting word picture which we readily understand.

It seems that much of Micah's message is filled with "doom and gloom" there are two more items in the last chapter that offer hope and build our faith. Notice Micah 7:7-10 But as for me, I will look unto Jehovah; I will wait for the God of my salvation: my God will hear me. Rejoice not against me, O mine enemy: when I fall, I shall arise; when I sit in darkness, Jehovah will be a light unto me. I will bear the indignation of Jehovah, because I have sinned against him, until he plead my cause, and execute judgment for me: he will bring me forth to the light, and I shall behold his righteousness. Then mine enemy shall see it, and shame shall cover her who said unto me, Where is Jehovah thy God? Mine eyes shall see my desire upon her; now shall she be trodden down as the mire of the streets. Here Micah expresses his faith in God and his willingness to trust in Him.

Then as the book closes notice:Micah 7:18-20 Who is a God like unto thee, that pardoneth iniquity, and passeth over the transgression of the remnant of his heritage? he retaineth not his anger for ever, because he delighteth in lovingkindness. He will again have compassion upon us; he will tread our iniquities under foot; and thou wilt cast all their sins into the depths of the sea. Thou wilt perform the truth to Jacob, and the lovingkindness to Abraham, which thou hast sworn unto our fathers from the days of old. Here he praises God and offers hope to his hearers.

I would like to encourage you to read the entire message of Micah and see what I am speaking of. Then please tell me what has "grabbed" you recently in the scriptures.

How do I value?

People value many different things. The value of anything is relative to our sense of how important it is to us. Picasso was a very famous artist. Some value his paintings greatly being willing to pay hundreds of thousands of dollars for one. Personally I would rather have a Norman Rockwell print. From this it should be obvious that even if I could afford a Picasso I have no interest in them therefore they have little value to me.

Some things are worth more than money! There are some things for which I would not trade all the money in the world. Family is one of these things. Certain memories are priceless. Some years ago I went through an unpleasant job change. We were just getting by only to have our income cut by more than 30%. Christmas time rolled around and there was very little money for gifts. Two of my boys went out into the windbreak around our house and found gifts for me. A used razor blade, a shiny black rock and a couple of other things. I wish I still had them today but all I have is the memory. It is priceless! It always brings a smile to my face and a tear to my eye. Then there is the summer that I got to spend working a new job with those same boys now become teenagers. We would get up early and pile into the cab of an old pickup and drive 60 miles to work. We would sometimes work 12 hours and then have the long drive home. I am not sure that they cherish the time as I do but that doesn't matter. It was the best summer I had had in years.

What does this have to do with our subject of the value of the love of God? Not a lot except that it shows that value is in the mind of the holder. God has already demonstrated the value that He places on us, (John 3:16 Romans 5:8). Have we demonstrated the value we place on His love? Have we demonstrated the value we place on loving Him?

We know what He expects of us. We are to love Him with"all our heart, mind, and soul." "If you love me you will keep my commandments" and others. But what value do we place on His love for us and our love for Him? Two parables of Jesus come to mind. These teachings show how much we are to value the "kingdom of heaven." In Matthew 13:44 and 45 we read of the hidden treasure and the pearl of great price. In both parables the one who found them sold all that they had in order to obtain them. I suggest that this is how much we should value a loving God.

What is it worth?

Ever heard the old saying: "You can lead a horse to water but you can't make him drink"? I am sure you have. Ever try it? Can't do it can you! No matter how hard you try he will not drink if he doesn't want to.

We sometimes equate make and cause as the same thing. Sometimes this is ok. But not this time. The scripture says in Matthew 18:6 But whoso shall cause one of these little ones that believe on me to stumble, it is profitable for him that a great millstone should be hanged about his neck, and that he should be sunk in the depth of the sea. In Merriam-Webster's Dictionary of Law we find the following definition of the word cause "something that brings about an effect or result " With this definition in mind we would understand the above passage like this: whoever does something that results in one of these stumbling would be better off drowning in the sea. In this there is no need to establish motive because the one stumbling is responsible for their own actions. Let me illustrate it in this way. I was at an auction this past Saturday. Someone or something had dug a hole in the yard sometime before the sale. I wasn't watching where I was going and I stepped in the hole and nearly fell. That would have been embarrasing as there were a lot of people around at the time. The hole caused me to stumble but it did not make me stumble. I chose to step where I did. therefore I alone am responsible for stumbling and whatever made the hole is responsible for providing the opportunity for me to stumble. No one made me step there, it was my choice.

Can someone MAKE you sin? Absaloutly not! Can someone force me to do something against my will? NOPE! All they can do is persuade me to do a thing by creating consequences which I would greatly enjoy or strongly desire not to endure. For example I do not like to fill out financial statements. However the bank says that if I want to get a loan from them I will have to fill them out. Do they make me fill them out? NO! So if I choose not to fill them out, I also choose not to get the loan.

We persuade our children to obey by offering rewards and punishment. It is still their choice. God also offers reward and punishment to encourage us to be obedient. We can obey strictly out of a sense of duty or love can be our motive.

In our past posts we have explored God's love for us and also our love for God. I would now like us to consider the value of the love of God. What is the love of God worth to you? Please express this value in both ways, loving us and loving Him. Happy pondering!

Our Love For God

Our love for God is so much more than a warm fuzzy feeling we might get when we sing "O How I Love Jesus"! As has been noted in the comments to this question we are to "love God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength". In other words, our total being. This statement reflects our attitude and level of commitment toward God. We should love and serve with our total being.

In asking the question, what does our love for God look like, I had an answer in mind. Jesus said in John 14:15 "If ye love me, ye will keep my commandments." I know of no passage that more clearly expresses how we demonstrate our love for God than this one! It is one thing to say "I love Jesus" and quite another to demonstrate to God and all the world the truth of that statement.

We have been created for good works according to Ephesians 2:10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God afore prepared that we should walk in them. Jesus taught in the sermon on the mount "Matthew 5:16 Even so let your light shine before men; that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven." The good works that we do in being obedient to God demonstrate our love for Him! This in turn brings the purest form of praise and thanksgiving to Him.

This is a concept that we understand well. As a parent, the hugs and kisses of a child are wonderful. The are cherished expressions of affection. However they fail to express love in the way that obedience does. A child which truly loves their parents expresses that love by doing what is expected and required of them. Hugs and kisses are no substitute for obedience. They are however what we might call the "icing on the cake".

I enjoy doing mindless work sometimes. It provides time to do something visibly productive while affording an opportunity to think or reflect on something totally unrelated. As I was picking apples the other day I was thinking about this subject. Love and obedience, each is the expression of the other. Then I remembered the excuses we offer for not doing what we are supposed to. Years ago it was popular to say "The devil made me do it!" As one thought led to another the question came to mind, "What can someone else make me do?" So that is the question for you to ponder. Have a happy!

The Love of God II

We have been discussing love. What does it look like towards its various recipients and God's love for us. God being supreme is also a supreme example. So great is His love for us that it says in Romans 5:8 "But God commendeth his own love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." This verse has always intrigued me. What does God hate? SIN! What was I? A sinner. So from God's point of view I was unlovable yet He sent His son to DIE for me. Now that is hard for me to get my head around. Regardless of my ability to understand, it is true.

Thus far we have been looking at love from a recipients point of view. Now it is time to examine it from a givers side of the equation. What does my love for God look like? Is it enough to sing "O How I Love Jesus" on Sunday morning? What scriptures can you come up with to describe how we are to love God?

Smile, God loves you!

The Love of God

The scriptures are filled with evidence of the love of God. Consider the following text from the word of God " that ye may be sons of your Father who is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sendeth rain on the just and the unjust. " Matthew 5:45. We as humans tend to be respecters of persons in that we freely shower gifts, praise and well wishes on those whom we like. But God sets the example for us in that he freely gives the necessities to all even those who oppose Him. It could be said that God practices what he preaches for He does indeed love his enemies. Luke 6:35 "But love your enemies, and do them good, and lend, never despairing; and your reward shall be great, and ye shall be sons of the Most High: for he is kind toward the unthankful and evil." Wow! what a powerful example of love!

However the most powerful example of God's love is found in John 3:16 "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth on him should not perish, but have eternal life." This is the ultimate show of love for us, His creation.

God With Us

Some of the most decisive verses on the subject of Jesus being God and Man are found in the gospel according to John. Consider: John 1:1-3 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him; and without him was not anything made that hath been made. Then also verse 14 of the same chapter And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us (and we beheld his glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father), full of grace and truth. Then we move to chapter 3 and verse 16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth on him should not perish, but have eternal life. It is clear then that Jesus was indeed God.

I do not claim to understand how He could be 100% God and 100% man. The scriptures plainly state such to be true. The passage cited from Philippians 2 does a good job of describing at least in part what was involved.

If Christ was not totally man he would have been seen as having some sort of advantage over us. Yet he was "tempted in all points like as we are". If He were not totally God then the scriptures would be unreliable for they say of Him "for in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily, Colossians 2:9. Truly what a Savior we have.

We cited John 3:16 earlier in this post. It is a favorite of many people. "God so loved" expresses a sentiment which brings comfort to many people. Have you ever wondered what "love" looks like? Someone once told me "I never saw much love". I would like you to ponder the question "What does love look like?" As you consider your answer please describe it in regards to the "love of God" for us, a parents love for children and our love for another human being. Happy pondering!

"God and Man"

The answers given in response to our question, "Is man totally depraved from birth?" were excellent. In these answers there was one element of great importance which was overlooked.

The scriptures teach that Jesus was man. 1Timothy 2:5 "For there is one God, one mediator also between God and men, himself man, Christ Jesus," (emphasis mine). If man is totally depraved from birth we are forced to conclude that the "Son of man" was also for he was the son of man, and himself man. I think few would be willing to accept that conclusion. Yet it is required by sound logic if man is indeed totally depraved.

As was indicated man is born good, and learns evil through the choices he makes.

Jesus is the subject of our next question. The following phrases all refer to Jesus: Son of man, Son of God, himself man, God with us. Based upon these phrases it seems that Jesus was God and man. How can this be? Was he half God and half man? Maybe 60-40? Happy pondering!

Can God . . .

The last question we posed, "Can God make a rock bigger than He can lift", is one that cannot be answered with a yes or no. It is what is known as a dilemma. Often times skeptics use such questions in an attempt to discredit arguments of faith. The dilemma can be a useful tool in some cases. A good come-back to the skeptic that asks such a question is "Well did you quit beating your wife yet?" To answer this question with a yes or no would be to admit something which you may have never done. The person who has never, ever, beat his wife would instinctively answer no because he had never started. But without explanation a no answer implies that he still does it. You get the idea.

The new "Batman" movie is out. I happened to see a review on the news the other night and it looked to be somewhat interesting. It has been getting a lot of time on the local talk shows. Seems that some think it is perhaps a satire on the war in Iraq or a commentary on the battle of good and evil.

One show that I rarely get to hear all of is the one with Steve Deace on WHO in the late afternoon. I heard bits and pieces of his show on Monday. I have grown to appreciate a good deal of what Steve says on several subjects. However he frequently presents his "Christian world view" of the nature of man. In his view, man is absolutely, totally depraved. I have never heard him defend this position from the scriptures, only imply that all thinking Christians share this view. Now he may have defended this position on some occasion that I was not a part of the audience.

Your new question then is "Is man totally depraved from birth?" Please defend your position.

How did God accomplish this?

God's plan was perfect. Because He knew what man would do He was able to plan accordingly.

Oftentimes we play "what if". "what if man does this, what will I do?" God did not play "what if". His foreknowledge is so great it is not a case if but when! By knowing perfectly what man is going to do, God does not have to manipulate nor micro manage people's lives to accomplish His purpose.
In this way man is still a "free moral agent" with the freedom and power to choose.

God then accomplished His will and His plan by knowing exactly what man would do and planning accordingly. No second guessing, no coercion, no mistakes.

So far we have been dealing with some very serious questions. I wish now to pose one that is serious yet somewhat lighter. This question requires a yes or no answer, and then a defense of that answer. Here goes. "Can God who is all powerful make a rock bigger than he can lift?"

God's Plan According To Foreknowledge

In light of the fact that it is difficult for us to know what will happen in the next 15 minutes, the foreknowledge of God is nearly incomprehensible. How can He know what will happen1000 years from now? The comforting thing in this is that we don't necessarily need to understand fully, only to realize it is true. The scriptures make it unmistakably clear that His plan was formulated before the world was created. II Timothy 1:9

We tend to understand things in light of the human experience. Man does things by trial and error. Ever hear of someone with a "plan B" to use when plan A fails? God is not like that! Since He is all-knowing He knows that His plans will work. He does not need a "Plan B".

Consider that God made His plan before He made the world. Therefore at the appropriate time God gave the Law to Moses. Then when time was full God sent His son to fulfill the law and die on the cross for us. At the proper time Christ will come again! Sounds rather simple doesn't it. Yet that is the plan of God in a nutshell. Because God knew that man would sin of his own free will He made provisions to redeem and reconcile man to Himself.

Thought question: How did God accomplish this?
Happy pondering.

More Foreknowledge

The foreknowledge of God is a perplexing subject. On the one hand it is easily stated. Yet it is difficult when we try to get our finite minds around it.

It has been established that God is omniscient or all knowing. He knows what lies ahead a hundred or even a thousand years. In fact God knows what will happen from now until eternity! This we know but have difficulty comprehending because of our own limitations.

As already stated in these posts and comments God has a plan. Some would have us believe that everything, even to the minutest detail, happens according to God's plan. Such cannot be established from the scriptures. What can be shown is that God formulated His plan according to his foreknowledge

Consider the following question in this regard.
Which of the following statements is true?
God planned on Adam and Eve sinning therefore they sinned according to the plan of God.
He knew that they would sin therefore He planned accordingly.

Let us know what you think. Happy pondering.

The Foreknowlege of God

The scriptures are filled with evidence of the omniscience of God. In everyday vernacular we are talking about the all-knowing nature of God. Consider the following verse: Acts 2:23 him, being delivered up by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye by the hand of lawless men did crucify and slay:. Here Peter is preaching on the day of Pentecost and tells the people that the crucifixion of Jesus was foreknown by God.

A reasonable question arises. How long before it happened did God know that it would take place? It would have been long enough had He known a week or a month before it happened. However consider Isaiah 53 which prophetically describes the crucifixion more than 700 years before it took place. We also see from Psalm 22 another description of this event spoken of by David more than 1000 years prior to the event. If more proof is needed we can go back to Genesis 3 and read of the prediction of this event when man was cast out of the garden.

We said all that to show from the scriptures the foreknowledge of God. Because God knew before creation that man would sin He made a plan for man's redemption. Jesus was crucified to make redemption available to us according to the foreknowledge of God. Praise God!

God's Will - 2

We previously asked the question "Is everything that happens on a daily basis God's will?" Some immediately said "NO" and others responded with the affirmative.

I would suggest to you that it is much easier to demonstrate from the scriptures the negative than the affirmative. Consider the following scriptures: 2Peter 3:9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some count slackness; but is longsuffering to you-ward, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. Ephesians 6:6 not in the way of eyeservice, as men-pleasers; but as servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart; 1Peter 4:2 that ye no longer should live the rest of your time in flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God.

In each of the above scriptures it is clear that there are choices which man must make. He must choose to do sin or the will of God. So when I sin is it the will of God? Absolutely not!! Why? Sin separates us from God (Isaiah 59:1-2) and God does not will that any should perish but serve Him, see the above scriptures again.

Our next question is "Does the fact that God knows a thing will happen mean that He wills it to happen?

What think ye? Happy pondering.

God's Will

A rather thought provoking question come to my mind as a result of a comment about God ruling in the kingdoms of men. Here is the statement made by "anonymous" "what I do know is that it is God's will and He knows what He is doing." Let me say that the last part of the statement is a no brainer, God knows what He is doing.

The thought provoking part of the statement is "it is God's will". Is every thing that happens to us or anyone else at any given moment "God's will"? Interesting question!

This statement was made in reference to the war on Iraq in the context of God ruling in the kingdoms of men. I am unsure what the overall position of the commenter is about the statement. There are some who believe that everything that happens is God's will. So here is our question.

Is everything that happens on a daily basis "God's will"?

If not why not?

If so how can we know?

Happy pondering!

DOES GOD RULE IN THE KINGDOMS OF MEN? II

In answer to our questions, the Scriptures teach very clearly that God does indeed rule in the kingdoms of men. Consider the following scriptures. Jeremiah 5:15 Lo, I will bring a nation upon you from far, O house of Israel, saith Jehovah: it is a mighty nation, it is an ancient nation, a nation whose language thou knowest not, neither understandest what they say. Jeremiah 25:12-13 And it shall come to pass, when seventy years are accomplished, that I will punish the king of Babylon, and that nation, saith Jehovah, for their iniquity, and the land of the Chaldeans; and I will make it desolate for ever. And I will bring upon that land all my words which I have pronounced against it, even all that is written in this book, which Jeremiah hath prophesied against all the nations.

These two passages would be enough but consider also Habakkuk 1:5-11, Isaiah 10:5-11, II Chronicles 36:22-23.

As we read through the Old Testament we see how that God used one nation to execute his judgment upon another. We notice in the prophets that they warned the people that this is what was going to happen and we see in the books of history how it came to pass.

But since we are not bound by the Old Testament today we ask "Does He still rule today?" Again the answer can be found clearly stated in the New Testament. Consider: Romans 13:1 Let every soul be in subjection to the higher powers: for there is no power but of God; and the powers that be are ordained of God. Can any misunderstand this clear statement? In the context we can observe that the powers of which it is speaking are governments and God puts them in place to accomplish His judgment upon evil-doers. It is clear that we are not talking about the final judgment as that job belongs to the Christ our Saviour.

The last part of our question is the most difficult to determine. It falls into the same category as the "providence of God". Often times we cannot see how God was working until well after the fact. This does not take away from God any glory. When we recognize it we then give Him His praise. Keep in mind Romans 8:28 And we know that to them that love God all things work together for good, even to them that are called according to his purpose. We may not be able to see the good that will come from something at the time but upon later reflections we can see how it was in our best interest and did indeed accomplish good.

So am I saying that God used the USA to execute His judgment upon Iraq? What I am saying is that we cannot dismiss this as a viable possibility! Perhaps in time we will be able to see the truth in the matter.

DOES GOD RULE IN THE KINGDOMS OF MEN?

In a recent broadcast on WHO radio the host Steve Deace was condemning President Bush and the war on Iraq. He said the war was unjust and that we had no business perpetrating it. I must also point out that Deace has what he calls a "Christian world view" and has published a book, the title of which is taken from Scripture, "Without A Vision The People Perish". Now I haven't read the book. I mention it only to introduce our next topic of discussion.

As I listened to the broadcast it occurred to me that perhaps Deace had overlooked one important part of a "Biblical world view". This then brings us to our thought question. It is a three part question.

DOES GOD RULE IN THE KINGDOMS OF MEN?

IF SO, HOW?

AND HOW CAN WE KNOW?

I trust you will give careful consideration to your answers. Happy pondering.

Can We Understand the Scriptures? Alike?

In the previous post I asked some questions and promised to give my answers in a later post. Here they are.

1. Can we understand the scriptures?
The short answer is as "Christian" gave it, YES! Consider for a moment the thought "What good would the Bible do the people if you had to have a PhD to understand it?" Some would like that and some actually want you to believe that. It makes it easier to keep people under control if they think that only the priest can understand God's Word. It also makes it simpler for them because they don't have any need to study since they cannot understand it anyhow.

As Paul was writing by inspiration to the Corinthians he pointed out the necessity of speaking so that it was easily understood (I Cor. 14:9). Since this was a God inspired passage we can know that he would hold himself to the same standard. This is not to say that there are no difficult passages. It only points out that God does not give us a revelation which cannot be understood.

2. Can we understand the scriptures alike? Why?
Here again "Christian" gave an accurate response. It is important to emphasize that "God is not the author of confusion". What other term could accurately describe intending for two people to understand the same statement differently. If God intended Christian to understand a command in one way, Saul in another, anonymous in yet another and myself in an even different way wouldn't that be confusion? Perhaps utter chaos would better describe it.

Consider the fact that it is God's word that serves as the standard by which we will all be judged. (John 12:48). If we cannot understand it alike what kind of justice would be issued? The answer of course is that there would be no justice! Yet God is just (Acts 17:30-31). It is therefore not only possible for us to understand the scriptures alike, it is imperative.

3. Are we really going to the same place in different ways?
We could use many things to illustrate this point. Lets use the airport for an example. There are many ways to get to the airport. A person could arrive by bus, taxi, private car, on a bicycle, on foot and the list could go on. Once in the airport you get your ticket and pass through the security area and make your way to the gate. When it comes time to board there is only one way to the airplane and that is through the door. Well so it is with Heaven! We may arrive from different places but all had to enter the same way!

The scriptures teach that Jesus is the only way! (John 14:6). Jesus is the door (John 10:7). In both of these passages it is apparent that there is only one way in and that is through Jesus. You say that we all got there in different ways. That is true, however you do not begin your journey to heaven until you pass through the door! We may arrive at the door in different ways but from that point on there is only one way! Jesus said that "no one cometh unto the Father but by me!" As we have observed already God has only one set of rules for us today. Therefore all must make the same journey, follow the same path in order to arrive at the same place.

Understanding What We Read

In Acts 8 Philip who was one of those chosen to serve the Grecian widows in Acts 6 is sent to meet the eunuch from Ethiopia. The eunuch was reading from Isaiah when Philip approached his chariot. Philip said to the eunuch "understandest thou what thou readest?" What a wonderful and important question.

In this country there are hundreds of different religious organizations claiming to be able to show a person the way to heaven. Many claim to follow the Bible in practicing their religion. I think it is safe to say that there are some, that is a few, points on which most would agree, at least in principle. Such being the case it is also safe to say that there are many points upon which few can agree.

If most claim to follow the Bible, why is there so much religious division? Do we not all have the same road map, guide book, standard? Let me emphasize that the problem is not the Word of God! The Bible clearly teaches that God is not the author of confusion! But God is the author of the Bible. Therefore the Bible is not the problem. What then is the problem?

If you get brave enough to talk about the scriptures with your neighbor you will probably hear things like: "that's your interpretation" or "that is your opinion" or perhaps "we just cannot understand the scriptures" or even "we can read the same passage and you understand it one way and I get something totally different out of it" and finally "we are all going to the same place just on different roads".

With these things in mind, let me ask some questions to get our discussion going on this important topic.
1. Can we understand the scriptures?
2. Can we understand the scriptures alike? Why?
3. Are we really going to the same place in different ways?

I will share my answers in a later post. Looking forward to reading yours.

Summary on Suffering

I, as you, have always known that people suffer. It wasn't until the subject of suffering came up on another blog that I came to realize how much the scriptures have to say about the subject. At that time I was doing research for a lesson on a totally different subject when a number of suffering scriptures just kind of jumped out at me. My first thought was how big this subject is. At that point I think I was only at the hem of the garment so to speak. As I have prepared for this blog it becomes more apparent all the time that it is even larger than I had realized then.

The English term "suffer" is used in a number of ways in the Word of God. We have in these writings confined our discussion to the common usage. It has been noted that we potentially suffer for doing wrong, for carelessness, for chastisement, and for doing what God demands. All will suffer in this life and some will suffer for eternity.

Please observe that we have mentioned the suffering of Job as a result of temptation. We have noted that Peter and others suffered for the "Way". It has also been observed that the possibility exists for one to suffer for doing wrong, (I Peter 2:20).

The apostle Paul is credited with writing more of the New Testament than any other writer. God saw fit to use his writings to give us the instructions He wanted us to have. It is because of this that we know more about Paul's life than perhaps any other New Testament character. In II Corinthians 11:23-28 we learn a great deal about what this man of God endured for the "Way" which he had earlier persecuted. Here was a man who knew what suffering was all about. He had given it and received it.

Hear the instructions given to Timothy. "Suffer hardship with me as a good soldier of Christ Jesus." II Tim.2:3. "Be not ashamed therefore of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner: but suffer hardship with the gospel according to the power of God;" II Tim. 1:8. "But be thou sober in all things, suffer hardship, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill thy ministry". II Tim. 4:5. "Yea and all that would live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution." II Tim. 3:12.

One could only conclude that God knows that His faithful servants will suffer in this life. Through the pen of the Apostle Paul, God tells us we need to be aware that it will happen and be prepared for it. It is then safe to conclude that those who obey God according to His word will suffer. Not suffering? Perhaps there are some changes you need to make!

Pertinent Questions on Suffering

In commenting on a previous post a reader made some statements about life being a learning experience and perhaps even continual chastening. In order to better understand their point I asked the following questions:
1. are you saying that living is suffering?
2. are you saying that life is a learning experience therefore we do not suffer?
3. or are you saying that all undesirable things that happen to us is the direct chastisement of God?
Then another reader suggested that I answer my own questions. And so I shall.

ARE YOU SAYING THAT LIVING IS SUFFERING? In this blog we have been discussing the subject of Human Suffering as well as in another blog. Always there seems to be confusion as to what constitutes suffering or a reluctance to accept the clear Bible teaching. In an effort to clarify the subject we have suggested that we sometimes suffer as the result of our own stupidity or carelessness. Allow me to give you a personal example. I do construction work. One late afternoon in October or November a few years ago I and my helper were framing a wall for a friend. As many do I was using an air nailer. You can probably guess what happened. Due to carelessness on my part I nailed my index and second fingers together with a 3" nail. I suffered twice in this ordeal. The pain from the nail and the pain of the hospital bill. But I learned to be more careful. I do not view this as chastisement from God or the kind of suffering He tells us to be prepared for. (I Peter2:19-21) I did nothing sinful.

It has also been suggested that we suffer from the chastisement of the Lord, Hebrews 12:5-10.
When I was a child I was disobedient from time to time and my parents would use the razor strap applied to the seat of learning to discipline me. I suffered some pain from that as well but it was punishment or chastisement for wrong doing. They disciplined me because they loved me. This is as God ordained it to be. God uses family, friends and even governments to chasten us today as we try to walk in His ways. But this is not the kind of suffering He tells us to be prepared for. (I Peter 2:19-21) He does indicate that we should expect this kind of suffering in Hebrews 12 and I Peter 2. This is suffering for wrong doing.

Living is not suffering but all living will suffer. This takes the forms mentioned above, chastisement for doing wrong and suffering for our own stupidity.

2. are you saying that life is a learning experience therefore we do not suffer?
Any who would take the time to reflect upon their life should reach the conclusion that life is a learning experience. I enjoy learning. This is a good thing since I am in many ways like my dad who is fond of saying that" he learns something new every day, usually the same thing he learned yesterday." It is not quite that bad yet but . . . . I enjoy learning new tips on how to do those things which I do, learning how things work and how to do things for myself, and of course things in the Scriptures that I didn't know or perhaps had forgotten. We can learn a lot from life and the things that happen to us. Sometimes these lessons are easy and sometimes we suffer in order to learn. While we need to look at our life and learn from it I do not believe God expects us to nor can we examine every tick of the clock and learn from it. Perhaps Solomon was using an hyperbole to stress the learning aspect of life. Life is indeed a learning experience which involves suffering.

3. or are you saying that all undesirable things that happen to us is the direct chastisement of God? In answer to this question I would have to say no. In the personal example I gave earlier, nailing my fingers together was an undesirable experience but not a chastisement from God. As I indicated I did nothing sinful in this regard. Since we from time to time need chastisement from God, he will provide it. In this sense it is continual but not continuous. There are two types of undesirable experiences. The first are those like the one above which are the result of our carelessness or stupidity. The other is the kind that we are told to be prepared for in I Peter 2. Those times that we suffer for doing what is right. Suffering is an undesirable activity which is a part of living.

May we approach life ready to learn from the suffering that comes from our carelessness and stupidity and that which is the chastisement of God. We must also rejoice when we are "counted worthy to suffer for the Name."

The Proving of Our Faith

After reading our last post the question was asked by a reader "to whom are we proving our faith?" I gave a short answer and promised to develop the idea more fully in another post. Here goes.

The short answer is that we are not proving our faith but rather God is. We had noticed in the last post that God gave Satan permission to tempt or try Job within limits. It was also pointed out that Job maintained his faith and character throughout the ordeal. (read the book of Job). Here is my understanding of how it works, according to the scriptures.

In Job 1 Satan is before God seeking permission to tempt. Peter writes in I Peter 5:8 that the "devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:" These two passages agree fully. Jesus tells Peter in Luke 22:31 that Satan had asked permission to go for Peter that he "might sift you as wheat:" These passages show clearly that Satan must have permission to tempt. It is declared in Job 1, and Luke 22:32 that God sets limits. This is also supported by Paul's writing in I Corinthians 10:13 which states that God will not allow us to be tempted above which we are able to bear.

So lets put it all together. When Satan asks permission to tempt God says ok but only to this point. God knows how much we can stand and he also provides the way of escape to assist us. It could then be said that God has confidence in us. He knows that we can overcome or find the way of escape. Doesn't it give us encouragement to know that God thinks we are able to deal with the temptation in a victorious way!

To whom is our faith being proved? To us! God is all knowing therefore he does not need to have our faith proved to him. People around us will know our faith by our works so they do not need to have it proved to them. (James 2:18, Matthew 5:16) Who is left? Ourselves! In Mark 9:24 Jesus is about to heal the epileptic boy. As Jesus speaks to the father of the child he exclaims to Jesus "I believe, help thou mine unbelief". The boy's father believed but realized that his faith could be stronger. It is my prayer that my faith will also be stronger and yours as well dear reader.

More on Human Suffering

In the previous post I asked the question "Does God cause or allow suffering?". Then I suggested that God allows it and cited Job 1 as a reference. In this place we find God giving Satan permission to tempt Job. However we must also note that God set limits on what Satan could do to Job. The question would follow then "Why does God allow suffering? For what purpose? Are there scriptures to answer these questions? The answer would be found in James 1:2-4.

As we look at this passage in James we find him talking by inspiration about temptation. Such temptation serves to build character. If you haven't already done so get your Bible and read the passage. James uses the phrase "the proving of your faith. . ." . Isn't that what happened to Job?
God told Satan that Job was faithful and strong. Satan said that God had built a fence around Job to protect him. God told Satan to do whatever he wanted to Job only do not touch his body. God set the limits on what Satan could do to Job.

Without question there was much suffering involved in the loss of his family and his possessions. Keep in mind that this was not over a period of time but rather all in one day! There was also temptation involved. Temptation to blame God, to deny God, to curse God for allowing it to happen. Yet Job proved faithful.

When Satan saw Job's response he went to God again. God again set the limits. This time God allowed Satan to afflict Job's person. We find Job on the ash heap scraping the boils on his body with a piece of broken pottery. Again Job was faithful to God.

Job's suffering allowed his character to be seen by all. Not only that, it proved his faith. Would any deny that his faith was tested? This is part of the reason God allows suffering.

We have then established that God allows suffering in part to prove our faith. It should also be noted that we suffer at times in the form of discipline. That is, God disciplining us. Hebrews12:4-13.

The Hebrew writer uses Christ the perfect example to show us how to live, then he quotes the Old Testament prophet to remind us of the necessity of chastening (discipline). Following this we are told that God chastens those whom he loves, much like a father does his children. No one enjoys being chastened. We learn from this passage what we should already know, that chastening is only for "a few days". If we learn well we do not need to have the lesson repeated.

An interesting concept involved in this study is that of "learning obedience by the things suffered." Christ suffered and thereby learned obedience according to the scriptures (Hebrews 5:8).

Here is your thought question. "What type of obedience do we learn by the things which we suffer?"

Human Suffering

The subject of human suffering has stirred much controversy for a long time. I don't even pretend to know all there is to know about it. I took a class one time on a very controversial subject. Early on in the class the instructor said "I don't have all the answers, I don't even know all the questions yet." Such is the case with me.

In this entry we will seek to examine the following: Human suffering, is it real? Will Christians suffer? Does God allow or cause suffering?

Is human suffering real? You are probably saying DUH! We only have to look around us to see that people suffer. People of all sizes, shapes and kinds experience suffering. This suffering comes in many forms. Accidents, diseases, emotional are some of the sources of suffering.
The book of Job probably gives the most in-depth look at human suffering of any book in the Bible. Job suffered the loss of his possessions, his family, and his health. And if that wasn't enough his friends and even his own wife turned on him in his time of suffering. (Read Job 1-5 for starters.)

Will christians suffer? The answer is without question, YES. Some of this suffering is the result of sin (IPeter 2:20). Some is the result of our own stupidity. We all probably know what it feels like to hit your thumb with the hammer. I am reminded of the story of the fellow watching the little boy hit his thumb repeatedly with the hammer. He finally asked the boy why he kept on doing it. The little boy said "Because it feels so good when I quit." We suffer from all the maladies that every human does.

But what about suffering for being a christian? Again the answer is YES! We can look at the book of Acts to find that this is true. Notice Acts 5. Peter and others were imprisoned, brought before the council, and charged to keep quiet. In verse 29 Peter made the statement "We must obey God rather than men." Then when they were released the scripture says that they went away "rejoicing that they had been counted worthy to suffer for the Name." (Acts 5:41). Was this really suffering? Weren't they glad to have been so treated? You can post a comment with your answer or wait until a later time for mine.

What about it, does God cause or allow suffering? I would like to suggest that He allows it. How do I know? If we go to the first chapter of the book of Job we will find the answer. For what purpose does he allow christians to suffer?

Yes you are at the right blog. We changed our name to more accurately reflect our intent and content. If you have a question you would like a Bible answer for please ask it in the comment section. I will publish an article to get us started probably this evening.

Welcome to Doom and Gloom Christianity. It is the purpose of this blog to explore Christianity in light of the Word of God. It is our intent to take a realistic look at living the Christian life. If you are looking for warm fuzzys and feel good without effort kind of stuff, this probably is not the site you are looking for. We hold the word of God, also known as the Bible. as the highest authority and the final authority. By nature this blog may stir up significant discussion about a variety of subjects found in the Scriptures. Rest assured that all who comment will be treated with respect and no attacks on ones person will be permitted.

I might also mention that we do not believe or teach that Christianity is all doom and gloom. Quite the opposite is true, it just depends on where you find your satisfaction. Feel free to make comments in good taste and ask questions. It is how we learn.