This past week has been a revealing one. Throughout the past few decades we have seen a rise in Christian persecution to an extent our forefathers would never have imagined. The city of Houston recently demanded that multiple Pastors hand over their sermons if they contain anything about homosexuality. The first openly lesbian mayor of the city refuses to be criticized about her lifestyle thus she hopes to stifle the Christian community. Sounds a lot like tyranny to me.
Think about it folks. The Pilgrims, the Protestants, the Quakers, the Catholics. All came to America for freedom of religion. The first amendment was specifically designed to protect free speech and religion. Yet this Houston mayor thinks she can stomp on the Constitution and take away our rights as citizens of this nation? She has no constitutional authority, no moral authority, and no physical means of accomplishing this goal, yet she insists on infuriating millions of Christians and constitutional believers throughout the nation. She demands tolerance, acceptance, and encouragement in her lifestyle and she will stop at nothing to get that done. Even if it means ignoring the constitution.
Folks, this is not England under King George the 3rd. This is America! A nation blessed by God with freedom, liberty, and prosperity. This Houston mayor needs to rethink her decisions and understand that our freedoms are not something to be trifled with. Our rights come from God not the government, when the government fails to protect those rights we need to replace those in office.
Friday, October 24, 2014
Tuesday, September 30, 2014
Baptism, is it necessary for your salvation or is it a reflection of your salvation?
That monumental moment of washing away your sins and cleansing yourself of your former unrighteousness. Baptism is a beautiful process that is solely Christian. I was baptized when I was 8 and can remember arising from my immersion to an excited, clapping congregation of supportive church members. It was a moment I will never forget. But for some, baptism occurred when they were an infant. Instead of immersion in water, it was the sprinkling of water. Some believe baptism remove sins. Others believe baptism is simply an outward replication of the inward cleansing you receive from faith in Christ. Millions of Christians believe in both of these views on Baptism. But what does the scriptures say? Let's take an in depth look using scripture to guide our beliefs about this issue.
First let's identify the verses supporting an infant baptism/baptism cleanses sin point of view. "Acts 19:1-6 explains how Paul entered Ephesus and found believers who claimed to not have the holy spirit. How did Paul respond? Well let's take a look starting in verse 2 "He said unto them, have ye received the Holy Ghost since ye believed? We have not so much as heard whether there be any Holy Ghost. (verse 3) And he said unto them, unto what then were ye baptized? And they said, unto John's baptism. (verse 4) Then said Paul, John verily baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying unto the people, that they should believe on him which should come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus. (verse 5) When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. (verse 6) And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Ghost came on them; and they spake with tongues, and prophesied." This verse initially leads us to believe that the holy spirit came once they were baptized in Christ, after all they were already believers and simply lacking baptism in Christ right? I will address this later. Until then, lets look further into scripture. Earlier on in the book of Acts Peter had something to say about baptism. Acts 2:38 says "Then Peter said unto them, repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and yea shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost." Peter clearly stated that repentance and baptism come before receiving the Holy Spirit once again reaffirming the belief that baptism is required to receive the Holy Spirit or Salvation itself. So is this belief correct? After all when Christ was baptized by John the Baptist the spirit descended upon him like a dove. (Luke 3:22)
Before we dive into scripture supporting the contrary, let's respond to a few of these verses. To begin with, the verse in Acts concerning Paul, when looked at from a distance, appears to be supporting baptism as necessary for reception of the Holy Ghost. But, when looked at under a microscope we find it really does not. Take a look at how Paul presents the idea of baptism. He asks to what then were ye baptized? These folks were believers and baptized, but Paul here is indicating that not just any baptism is sufficient. Paul states you must be baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus, not just simply a baptism of repentance. Only then did they receive the Holy Ghost. So what made the difference between the two baptisms they received? It was their faith! They first were baptized with a simple idea of repenting from their former lives, the baptism of John the Baptist. But their second baptism was a result of their faith in Christ. So both baptisms used the same thing, water, but they were motivated by two different faiths. This shows me that the Holy Spirit does not enter a person simply because of baptism, but because of the person's faith motivating them to get baptized. The next scripture I will respond to is the verse from Acts. Peter states that one must repent and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ (the exact same baptism Paul described) for the remission of sins, and yea shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. Once again, we must be baptized in the name of Christ which demonstrates we must have faith in Christ first. Furthermore, Peter describes the Holy Ghost as a gift, which means it is given to us, not earned by any action. Ephesians 2:8-9 says "for by grace are ye saved through faith, it is not of yourselves, but is a gift of God lest any man should boast" a gift as described in this verse is not obtained through anything we can do otherwise we would boast about it. So the Holy Ghost is also a gift! Thus using scripture to interpret Scripture we know that no action earns the Holy Ghost and getting baptized is an action. God gives it to us because of our faith in him. Baptism is going public with that faith. The last example I will respond to is Christ's baptism. First and foremost I see this as a symbol of him beginning his 3 year ministry because Jesus was teaching the religious leaders in the temple when he was a young boy before this moment (Luke 2:41-52) so did Jesus not have the spirit during his first 30 years of life? The fact is, this example can be interpreted either way, but after I present the scripture supporting baptism as not necessary for receiving the Holy Spirit, we will understand that using scripture to interpret scripture that the Holy Spirit comes by faith not by baptism.
To begin with, I will split this next section into two portions. The first being scripture that explains salvation excluding mention of baptism. The second portion I will give scripture explaining how baptism is simply an act of obedience going public with your faith. Let's begin.
John 3:16, Acts 2:21 Acts 16:31, Romans 6:23 Romans 10:13. All these verses and many more explain the path to salvation, and NONE of them include baptism. Let's analyze 2 of them. Acts 16:31 "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved". Here God says a person simply has to believe or put your faith in Christ to be saved. Romans 10:13 "Anyone who calls upon the name of the Lord will be saved". Once again, no baptism, salvation comes through calling out to Christ, one cannot call to something they do not believe exists. So did God forget to add the an important step to salvation? Did he forget to mention baptism??? Did Christ lie? In Luke 23:42-43 the thief on the cross next to Jesus puts his faith in him saying "Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom" Christ replied "Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise". Christ promised salvation to a man who never was baptised. Some would consider this impossible, but Christ proved that the thief's salvation is indeed consistent with what the Scriptures teach. If baptism is required, then the scriptures are fallible and no longer can be considered the Word of God because Paul, John, and Luke failed to mention it, and Christ lied to the thief on the cross. But we can use these scriptures as our foundational belief in how we attain salvation. If we do this, the scripture remains consistent with the scripture mentioned in previous paragraphs. I will explain how this is possible in the next paragraph.
This second portion I will be explaining the way we are to interpret scripture to maintain consistency between salvation and baptism. Ephesians 2:8-9 "For by grace are you saved through faith, it is not through works, but is a gift from God unless any man should boast". This is salvation. It's a gift, not earned, not through works, baptism is a work. Continuing on, modern day baptism can be compared to old testament circumcision. Early church Jews would often argue that in order to be a true believer, to receive salvation, the men must be circumcised as prescribed in old Testament law. Paul refutes this in Romans, and we can use his response as our response to the idea that baptism makes someone a true believer or is necessary for salvation. In Romans 2:29 Paul is responding to those demanding circumcision, he says "No, a person is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is circumcision of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the written code. Such a person's praise is not from other people, but from God". Paul just stated that true circumcision is not by the written code, it is not the physical circumcision that matter, it is the spiritual circumcision. No, you are not cutting your soul's foreskin, you are committing your life to God and setting yourself apart from non believers. See, in the old testament a way for God to separate his chosen people from Pagans was to physically differentiate them through circumcision, but this physical separation FOLLOWED the spiritual separation by dedicating yourself to God. An outward expression of someone's faith. Sound familiar? Yes, baptism is the exact same. Check out Matthew 3:11, John the Baptist is explaining the difference between baptism by water and the baptism offered through Christ. John says, "I indeed baptize you with the water unto repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire." John explained that as he is inferior to Christ, his baptism is also inferior to Christ's. John baptized by water (which holds no spiritual significance just like circumcision) while Christ baptized by fire and with the Holy Spirit. Catch that? Christ baptized with the Holy Spirit John does not. WATER BAPTISM IS NOT BAPTISM WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT. Scripture clearly shows us that there is a definitive separation between the spiritual and the physical. The physical should reflect the spiritual, not the spiritual reflecting the physical. The Old testament Israelites were commanded to be circumcised, they followed this command with obedience because of their already existing faith in God. We are commanded to be baptized following salvation. We should follow with obedience because of our already existing faith.
So this baptism debate can be summarized into two different views on salvation. The first being, certain actions (baptism) produces the faith in us to receive salvation. Or, the second being, we place our faith in Christ and certain actions (baptism) are a reflection of our new found faith. Scripture clearly teaches the latter rather than the former. Remember Ephesians 2:8-9 shows us no works can gain us salvation, only faith can give us the gift of salvation (which includes the Holy Spirit). Remember Paul in Romans 2:29, We must be circumcised of the heart not the flesh. Don't forget John the Baptist in Matthew 3:11 stating that baptism by water is inferior compared to Christ's baptism by fire. Folks, baptism is a great thing, but, it must not become the stumbling block preventing us and others from beginning a relationship with Christ.
First let's identify the verses supporting an infant baptism/baptism cleanses sin point of view. "Acts 19:1-6 explains how Paul entered Ephesus and found believers who claimed to not have the holy spirit. How did Paul respond? Well let's take a look starting in verse 2 "He said unto them, have ye received the Holy Ghost since ye believed? We have not so much as heard whether there be any Holy Ghost. (verse 3) And he said unto them, unto what then were ye baptized? And they said, unto John's baptism. (verse 4) Then said Paul, John verily baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying unto the people, that they should believe on him which should come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus. (verse 5) When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. (verse 6) And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Ghost came on them; and they spake with tongues, and prophesied." This verse initially leads us to believe that the holy spirit came once they were baptized in Christ, after all they were already believers and simply lacking baptism in Christ right? I will address this later. Until then, lets look further into scripture. Earlier on in the book of Acts Peter had something to say about baptism. Acts 2:38 says "Then Peter said unto them, repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and yea shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost." Peter clearly stated that repentance and baptism come before receiving the Holy Spirit once again reaffirming the belief that baptism is required to receive the Holy Spirit or Salvation itself. So is this belief correct? After all when Christ was baptized by John the Baptist the spirit descended upon him like a dove. (Luke 3:22)
Before we dive into scripture supporting the contrary, let's respond to a few of these verses. To begin with, the verse in Acts concerning Paul, when looked at from a distance, appears to be supporting baptism as necessary for reception of the Holy Ghost. But, when looked at under a microscope we find it really does not. Take a look at how Paul presents the idea of baptism. He asks to what then were ye baptized? These folks were believers and baptized, but Paul here is indicating that not just any baptism is sufficient. Paul states you must be baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus, not just simply a baptism of repentance. Only then did they receive the Holy Ghost. So what made the difference between the two baptisms they received? It was their faith! They first were baptized with a simple idea of repenting from their former lives, the baptism of John the Baptist. But their second baptism was a result of their faith in Christ. So both baptisms used the same thing, water, but they were motivated by two different faiths. This shows me that the Holy Spirit does not enter a person simply because of baptism, but because of the person's faith motivating them to get baptized. The next scripture I will respond to is the verse from Acts. Peter states that one must repent and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ (the exact same baptism Paul described) for the remission of sins, and yea shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. Once again, we must be baptized in the name of Christ which demonstrates we must have faith in Christ first. Furthermore, Peter describes the Holy Ghost as a gift, which means it is given to us, not earned by any action. Ephesians 2:8-9 says "for by grace are ye saved through faith, it is not of yourselves, but is a gift of God lest any man should boast" a gift as described in this verse is not obtained through anything we can do otherwise we would boast about it. So the Holy Ghost is also a gift! Thus using scripture to interpret Scripture we know that no action earns the Holy Ghost and getting baptized is an action. God gives it to us because of our faith in him. Baptism is going public with that faith. The last example I will respond to is Christ's baptism. First and foremost I see this as a symbol of him beginning his 3 year ministry because Jesus was teaching the religious leaders in the temple when he was a young boy before this moment (Luke 2:41-52) so did Jesus not have the spirit during his first 30 years of life? The fact is, this example can be interpreted either way, but after I present the scripture supporting baptism as not necessary for receiving the Holy Spirit, we will understand that using scripture to interpret scripture that the Holy Spirit comes by faith not by baptism.
To begin with, I will split this next section into two portions. The first being scripture that explains salvation excluding mention of baptism. The second portion I will give scripture explaining how baptism is simply an act of obedience going public with your faith. Let's begin.
John 3:16, Acts 2:21 Acts 16:31, Romans 6:23 Romans 10:13. All these verses and many more explain the path to salvation, and NONE of them include baptism. Let's analyze 2 of them. Acts 16:31 "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved". Here God says a person simply has to believe or put your faith in Christ to be saved. Romans 10:13 "Anyone who calls upon the name of the Lord will be saved". Once again, no baptism, salvation comes through calling out to Christ, one cannot call to something they do not believe exists. So did God forget to add the an important step to salvation? Did he forget to mention baptism??? Did Christ lie? In Luke 23:42-43 the thief on the cross next to Jesus puts his faith in him saying "Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom" Christ replied "Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise". Christ promised salvation to a man who never was baptised. Some would consider this impossible, but Christ proved that the thief's salvation is indeed consistent with what the Scriptures teach. If baptism is required, then the scriptures are fallible and no longer can be considered the Word of God because Paul, John, and Luke failed to mention it, and Christ lied to the thief on the cross. But we can use these scriptures as our foundational belief in how we attain salvation. If we do this, the scripture remains consistent with the scripture mentioned in previous paragraphs. I will explain how this is possible in the next paragraph.
This second portion I will be explaining the way we are to interpret scripture to maintain consistency between salvation and baptism. Ephesians 2:8-9 "For by grace are you saved through faith, it is not through works, but is a gift from God unless any man should boast". This is salvation. It's a gift, not earned, not through works, baptism is a work. Continuing on, modern day baptism can be compared to old testament circumcision. Early church Jews would often argue that in order to be a true believer, to receive salvation, the men must be circumcised as prescribed in old Testament law. Paul refutes this in Romans, and we can use his response as our response to the idea that baptism makes someone a true believer or is necessary for salvation. In Romans 2:29 Paul is responding to those demanding circumcision, he says "No, a person is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is circumcision of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the written code. Such a person's praise is not from other people, but from God". Paul just stated that true circumcision is not by the written code, it is not the physical circumcision that matter, it is the spiritual circumcision. No, you are not cutting your soul's foreskin, you are committing your life to God and setting yourself apart from non believers. See, in the old testament a way for God to separate his chosen people from Pagans was to physically differentiate them through circumcision, but this physical separation FOLLOWED the spiritual separation by dedicating yourself to God. An outward expression of someone's faith. Sound familiar? Yes, baptism is the exact same. Check out Matthew 3:11, John the Baptist is explaining the difference between baptism by water and the baptism offered through Christ. John says, "I indeed baptize you with the water unto repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire." John explained that as he is inferior to Christ, his baptism is also inferior to Christ's. John baptized by water (which holds no spiritual significance just like circumcision) while Christ baptized by fire and with the Holy Spirit. Catch that? Christ baptized with the Holy Spirit John does not. WATER BAPTISM IS NOT BAPTISM WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT. Scripture clearly shows us that there is a definitive separation between the spiritual and the physical. The physical should reflect the spiritual, not the spiritual reflecting the physical. The Old testament Israelites were commanded to be circumcised, they followed this command with obedience because of their already existing faith in God. We are commanded to be baptized following salvation. We should follow with obedience because of our already existing faith.
So this baptism debate can be summarized into two different views on salvation. The first being, certain actions (baptism) produces the faith in us to receive salvation. Or, the second being, we place our faith in Christ and certain actions (baptism) are a reflection of our new found faith. Scripture clearly teaches the latter rather than the former. Remember Ephesians 2:8-9 shows us no works can gain us salvation, only faith can give us the gift of salvation (which includes the Holy Spirit). Remember Paul in Romans 2:29, We must be circumcised of the heart not the flesh. Don't forget John the Baptist in Matthew 3:11 stating that baptism by water is inferior compared to Christ's baptism by fire. Folks, baptism is a great thing, but, it must not become the stumbling block preventing us and others from beginning a relationship with Christ.
Monday, September 1, 2014
Freedom, equality, and tolerance are all Biblical values.
America was known as the great experiment at its conception. Our nation was given this specific title because we did something no other people group has ever done before. Our nation, was formed on the foundation of freedom and equality. Our declaration of independence makes this clear when our founders said "We hold these truths to be self evident that all men are created equal and are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness." This was a revolutionary statement. A statement that would literally shake the foundations of the entire world for the years to come. Equality came forth because all men are created equal by almighty God. Freedom came forth because we are all endowed by God with rights that we are born with which includes liberty or the ability to make our own decisions without government interference. Tolerance is the glue that allows freedom and equality to coexist. All of these values directly originate from the scriptures.
I will be the first to admit that at our nation's conception we did not live out these values. But our founders understood that we had to start somewhere. By making these values clear in our Declaration of Independence, and by protecting these values through the constitution and the bill of rights our founders ensured our nation would be bound by these righteous values and that as a people, if we followed our founding documents, we would make continued progress to perfecting these values. This manifested itself through the Abolitionist movement, the Civil Rights movement, and the Women's Rights movement. All of these movements were driven by God himself, by Christian values of equality, tolerance and freedom. But now as a nation we have seemed to forgotten our founder's intent in writing the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution. They have forgotten how Christianity, and the Bible influenced our founders in creating this great experiment. So let us dive into scripture and reaffirm the reality of our history.
FREEDOM, the idea of free will is a good characteristic God created us all with. Genesis explains that he created mankind in his image, and that mankind should rule over all creation and subdue it. God gave all of creation to us except for the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. So God gave us a choice, he gave us free will to choose him or not. Spiritually God gave us freedom so our founders protected this spiritual freedom in the first amendment of the Bill of Rights. Also God gave us liberty through the Bible. Galatians 5:13 "For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another." John 8:32" And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." 2 Corinthians 3:17 "Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty." Liberty is a Biblical right, with guidelines. To ensure each individual's freedom does not intrude on another individual's freedom we must be a moral people. Using Liberty not to fulfill our sinful fleshly desires as mentioned in Galatians. But we must use our freedom to love one another and build up our unified society. I guess that is why John Adams stated " Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other."
EQUALITY, the idea of true equality can only be upheld in a Biblical society. We know in a Muslim society equality is not upheld (Iraq), in an atheist society equality is not upheld (North Korea) in all societies in history equality fails to be upheld. America and Christian societies are not perfect because we all continue to sin. But equality is protected and upheld in scripture. In Genesis God says we are all created in his image, men and women! Genesis 1:27 "So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them." Did God say only white people are created in his image? Or only men? No, God said all people are created in his image! Therefore we are all created equal in worth. Thus when our declaration mentions how all men are created equal, we know that this statement is legitimate since all were created in the Creator's image.The reality of equality is reinforced in Galatians 3:28 God says "There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus." This statement shows us that the God of the Bible, treats all equally. All are one in Christ Jesus, no matter your cultural background, no matter your occupation, no matter your gender all are equal in created worth in the eyes of the Biblical God! In fact God calls out discrimination of non sinful matters evil! In James 2:1-4 God says "My brothers and sisters, believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ must not show favoritism. Suppose a man comes into your meeting wearing a gold ring and fine clothes, and a poor man in filthy old clothes also comes in. If you show special attention to the man wearing fine clothes and say, 'Here's a good seat for you,' but say to the poor man, 'You stand there' or 'Sit on the floor by my feet,' have you not discriminated among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts". James 2:9 goes on to say "But if you show favoritism, you sin and are convicted by the law as lawbreakers."Now we are also all equal in sin (Romans 3:23) and in equal need of a savior. But speaking from a government perspective equality must be upheld to be a truly God honoring society.
TOLERANCE, the idea of tolerance is the glue that holds freedom and equality together. Tolerance is agreeing to disagree, it is peacefully coexisting with others of different beliefs. It is the opposite of hate! Now lets get one thing straight. Attempting to convert someone or correcting someone is not an act of intolerance. In fact the more interactive discussion and action you have in a society only shows the bountiful amount of tolerance that society has to allow such interaction! But tolerance is scattered all throughout the Bible in Proverbs 10:12 God says "hatred stirs up conflict, but love covers all wrongs". Here Solomon is demonstrating a fact of life. More hate more conflict, more love less wrongs. God hates hate! Another example of this is Proverbs 15:1 "A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger." One final example of God's view on hate is found in 1 John 3:15 "Anyone who hates a brother or sister is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life residing in him." God views hate as murder! Clearly if we applied this same view of hate in our society tolerance would abound and love would flourish. Furthermore Luke 6:29 is a classic way to sum up Biblical tolerance. Christ said "If someone slaps you on one cheek, turn to them the other also. If someone takes your cloak, do not withhold your shirt from them." If you get slapped wouldn't it take a lot of tolerance to turn the other cheek? You better believe it would. Biblical tolerance is derived from love, political correct tolerance is not.
Freedom is a human right since the beginning of creation. We can choose the freedom outside of God and morality which leads to chaos, or we can choose the freedom found in God which leads to peace and prosperity. Where the spirit of the Lord is there is liberty! Equality is only possible in a God honoring society. If there is no god, there is no creator, thus no equal worth in creation. If evolution became our prevalent belief then it is only logical to assume some races are more evolved then others. The God of the Bible created all in his image, all in equal worth, and he demands protection of equality in his Word! Finally tolerance is a clear value upheld throughout all of scripture. God will not tolerate intolerance. We are to hate evil, but correct in love. A society corrected by love, will be a society cured from hate. This type of society can only be found in a Biblical one.
I will be the first to admit that at our nation's conception we did not live out these values. But our founders understood that we had to start somewhere. By making these values clear in our Declaration of Independence, and by protecting these values through the constitution and the bill of rights our founders ensured our nation would be bound by these righteous values and that as a people, if we followed our founding documents, we would make continued progress to perfecting these values. This manifested itself through the Abolitionist movement, the Civil Rights movement, and the Women's Rights movement. All of these movements were driven by God himself, by Christian values of equality, tolerance and freedom. But now as a nation we have seemed to forgotten our founder's intent in writing the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution. They have forgotten how Christianity, and the Bible influenced our founders in creating this great experiment. So let us dive into scripture and reaffirm the reality of our history.
FREEDOM, the idea of free will is a good characteristic God created us all with. Genesis explains that he created mankind in his image, and that mankind should rule over all creation and subdue it. God gave all of creation to us except for the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. So God gave us a choice, he gave us free will to choose him or not. Spiritually God gave us freedom so our founders protected this spiritual freedom in the first amendment of the Bill of Rights. Also God gave us liberty through the Bible. Galatians 5:13 "For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another." John 8:32" And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." 2 Corinthians 3:17 "Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty." Liberty is a Biblical right, with guidelines. To ensure each individual's freedom does not intrude on another individual's freedom we must be a moral people. Using Liberty not to fulfill our sinful fleshly desires as mentioned in Galatians. But we must use our freedom to love one another and build up our unified society. I guess that is why John Adams stated " Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other."
EQUALITY, the idea of true equality can only be upheld in a Biblical society. We know in a Muslim society equality is not upheld (Iraq), in an atheist society equality is not upheld (North Korea) in all societies in history equality fails to be upheld. America and Christian societies are not perfect because we all continue to sin. But equality is protected and upheld in scripture. In Genesis God says we are all created in his image, men and women! Genesis 1:27 "So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them." Did God say only white people are created in his image? Or only men? No, God said all people are created in his image! Therefore we are all created equal in worth. Thus when our declaration mentions how all men are created equal, we know that this statement is legitimate since all were created in the Creator's image.The reality of equality is reinforced in Galatians 3:28 God says "There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus." This statement shows us that the God of the Bible, treats all equally. All are one in Christ Jesus, no matter your cultural background, no matter your occupation, no matter your gender all are equal in created worth in the eyes of the Biblical God! In fact God calls out discrimination of non sinful matters evil! In James 2:1-4 God says "My brothers and sisters, believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ must not show favoritism. Suppose a man comes into your meeting wearing a gold ring and fine clothes, and a poor man in filthy old clothes also comes in. If you show special attention to the man wearing fine clothes and say, 'Here's a good seat for you,' but say to the poor man, 'You stand there' or 'Sit on the floor by my feet,' have you not discriminated among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts". James 2:9 goes on to say "But if you show favoritism, you sin and are convicted by the law as lawbreakers."Now we are also all equal in sin (Romans 3:23) and in equal need of a savior. But speaking from a government perspective equality must be upheld to be a truly God honoring society.
TOLERANCE, the idea of tolerance is the glue that holds freedom and equality together. Tolerance is agreeing to disagree, it is peacefully coexisting with others of different beliefs. It is the opposite of hate! Now lets get one thing straight. Attempting to convert someone or correcting someone is not an act of intolerance. In fact the more interactive discussion and action you have in a society only shows the bountiful amount of tolerance that society has to allow such interaction! But tolerance is scattered all throughout the Bible in Proverbs 10:12 God says "hatred stirs up conflict, but love covers all wrongs". Here Solomon is demonstrating a fact of life. More hate more conflict, more love less wrongs. God hates hate! Another example of this is Proverbs 15:1 "A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger." One final example of God's view on hate is found in 1 John 3:15 "Anyone who hates a brother or sister is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life residing in him." God views hate as murder! Clearly if we applied this same view of hate in our society tolerance would abound and love would flourish. Furthermore Luke 6:29 is a classic way to sum up Biblical tolerance. Christ said "If someone slaps you on one cheek, turn to them the other also. If someone takes your cloak, do not withhold your shirt from them." If you get slapped wouldn't it take a lot of tolerance to turn the other cheek? You better believe it would. Biblical tolerance is derived from love, political correct tolerance is not.
Freedom is a human right since the beginning of creation. We can choose the freedom outside of God and morality which leads to chaos, or we can choose the freedom found in God which leads to peace and prosperity. Where the spirit of the Lord is there is liberty! Equality is only possible in a God honoring society. If there is no god, there is no creator, thus no equal worth in creation. If evolution became our prevalent belief then it is only logical to assume some races are more evolved then others. The God of the Bible created all in his image, all in equal worth, and he demands protection of equality in his Word! Finally tolerance is a clear value upheld throughout all of scripture. God will not tolerate intolerance. We are to hate evil, but correct in love. A society corrected by love, will be a society cured from hate. This type of society can only be found in a Biblical one.
Friday, August 8, 2014
The evidence is in the prophecy.
Isaiah 41:22-23 "Tell us you idols, what is going to happen....Tell us what the future holds so we may know you are gods..." Ever wonder if something actually comes from God? Many religions make the claim that they hold the words of the true God. But do they really?
The Bible demonstrates a clear requirement for divine inspiration. A requirement I believe we can all agree on. That requirement is that the future must be accurately predicted in order for someone or something to qualify as a god. In fact, Isaiah here in the above verse is challenging his pagan counterparts by demanding their "gods" prove themselves by predicting the future. If they fail to do so they are not gods.This makes sense, after all, only someone who knows the future can predict the future in accurate detail.
So let's apply this requirement to the Bible and see if it passes the test. Reasons to believe ministries have done thorough research into this matter and came up with some truly awe inspiring results. The Bible contains roughly 2500 prophecies throughout the old and new testaments. Upon identifying these prophecies they held it to the utmost scrutiny and used observable evidence and historical records to confirm that an astonishing 2000 of these prophecies have been confirmed to the minutest of details. The other 500 have yet to occur in the future!
A few major prophetic statements include Micah 5:2, Genesis 25:23 and Isaiah 7:14. Micah 5:2 states "but you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times". This is a clear reference to Christ being born in Bethlehem written about 700 years before his birth! Furthermore Genesis 25:23 contains prophecy that can be observed today! Genesis 25:23 is a record of what God foretold about Rebecca's twin sons. This verse says "The Lord said to her,'Two nations are in your womb, and two peoples from within you will be separated; one people will be stronger than the other, and the older will serve the younger.". The younger son was named Jacob later known as Israel and the older son was named Esau later known as Edom. Jacob's descendants became the nation of Israel and Esau's descendants became the nations in current day Palestine. Even today they are still in conflict and Israel continues to be the stronger military and economic power. Israel has been conquered before but never by a nation of the people of Edom. Lastly, Isaiah 7:14 is one of hundreds of prophecies about Christ's life. This verse says "Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel." Not only does Isaiah accurately predict the miraculous virgin birth which is confirmed in the Gospels, but also foretold of a title given to Christ mentioned many times in the New testament!
Today we covered 3 of the possible 2000 confirmed prophecies in the Bible! No other religious book can accurately predict as many prophecies to such detail as the Bible. The God of the Bible exceeded the requirement laid out in Isaiah 41:22-23 and stands alone in the sheer quantity of prophecy and quality of prophecy compared to other religions. Therefore the evidence of the Bible being the true Word of God is in the prophecy!
The Bible demonstrates a clear requirement for divine inspiration. A requirement I believe we can all agree on. That requirement is that the future must be accurately predicted in order for someone or something to qualify as a god. In fact, Isaiah here in the above verse is challenging his pagan counterparts by demanding their "gods" prove themselves by predicting the future. If they fail to do so they are not gods.This makes sense, after all, only someone who knows the future can predict the future in accurate detail.
So let's apply this requirement to the Bible and see if it passes the test. Reasons to believe ministries have done thorough research into this matter and came up with some truly awe inspiring results. The Bible contains roughly 2500 prophecies throughout the old and new testaments. Upon identifying these prophecies they held it to the utmost scrutiny and used observable evidence and historical records to confirm that an astonishing 2000 of these prophecies have been confirmed to the minutest of details. The other 500 have yet to occur in the future!
A few major prophetic statements include Micah 5:2, Genesis 25:23 and Isaiah 7:14. Micah 5:2 states "but you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times". This is a clear reference to Christ being born in Bethlehem written about 700 years before his birth! Furthermore Genesis 25:23 contains prophecy that can be observed today! Genesis 25:23 is a record of what God foretold about Rebecca's twin sons. This verse says "The Lord said to her,'Two nations are in your womb, and two peoples from within you will be separated; one people will be stronger than the other, and the older will serve the younger.". The younger son was named Jacob later known as Israel and the older son was named Esau later known as Edom. Jacob's descendants became the nation of Israel and Esau's descendants became the nations in current day Palestine. Even today they are still in conflict and Israel continues to be the stronger military and economic power. Israel has been conquered before but never by a nation of the people of Edom. Lastly, Isaiah 7:14 is one of hundreds of prophecies about Christ's life. This verse says "Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel." Not only does Isaiah accurately predict the miraculous virgin birth which is confirmed in the Gospels, but also foretold of a title given to Christ mentioned many times in the New testament!
Today we covered 3 of the possible 2000 confirmed prophecies in the Bible! No other religious book can accurately predict as many prophecies to such detail as the Bible. The God of the Bible exceeded the requirement laid out in Isaiah 41:22-23 and stands alone in the sheer quantity of prophecy and quality of prophecy compared to other religions. Therefore the evidence of the Bible being the true Word of God is in the prophecy!
Saturday, July 12, 2014
The Bible condones slavery? Think again.
Some folks now days try to shame Christians into apologizing for their faith and their nation's past time. I recently ran into a fellow who was not afraid in the slightest to obnoxiously express his opinion that slavery is condoned and even encouraged in the Bible. As I held back some acid reflex that resulted from hearing the absurdity of this claim, he continued stating that the confederates in the Civil War were Christians who used the Bible to justify the continued enslavement of the African American people. The idea that this could be a main stream belief concerning the Scriptures and our nation's past time inspired me to put pen to paper (or fingers to keys) and create this article not just rebutting such claims but correcting and upholding the integrity of the Word of God and our nation's past time.
For starters lets examine my counterparts first claim that the Bible condones and even encourages slavery. I'll give my friend some credit and assume he has read the Bible, so my guess is that he is referring to 1st Peter 2:18-20. (For sake of space I will not type the verse word for word) These verses tell slaves to submit to their masters, even the harsh ones for it is commendable to bear unjust suffering to honor God! So here, Peter is telling slaves to work for God not their masters and if their masters treat them badly it is honorable for the slave is being persecuted for honoring Christ! So that is what the Bible says concerning slave behavior but how should the master's behave? My friend must not have read the rest of the Bible or just omitted the parts concerning slave masters. Colossians 4:1 gives us the guidelines on how masters should treat their slaves, this verse says "Masters, provide your slaves with what is right and fair, because you know that you also have a master in Heaven". So clearly Paul is telling us here that everyone has a master, even slave owners. So earthly masters should treat their slaves as Christ, our master, treated us, with what is right and fair. Also in Philemon Paul desperately pleads for love and compassion to be shown to a slave, Onesimus, that he may be treated as a dear brother in the Lord and no longer a slave. So the Bible is crystal clear when it comes to slavery. That Masters should treat their slaves with the respect, and love that Christ shows them, if not, then I would say that a slave is more than justified in fighting for his freedom. It is best summarized in this passage of scripture, Ephisians 6:5-9 "Slaves, obey your earthly masters with respect and fear, and with sincerity of heart, just as you would obey Christ, Obey them not only to win their favor when their eye is on you, but as slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from your heart. Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not people, because you know that the Lord will reward each one for whatever good they do, whether they are slave or free. And masters, treat your slaves in the same way. Do not threaten them, since you know that he who is both their Master and yours is in heaven, and there is no favoritism with him".
Now let us address my friend's second claim that the Confederates used the Bible to justify racial slavery. This is true, but it was an intentional misinterpretation, and misrepresentation of Scripture stemming from them cherry picking different verses to help their pro slavery agenda. Kind of like how the pro gay community tries to manipulate Scripture to support homosexual relationships. Frederick Douglass said it best concerning slave holders using and abusing Scripture to fit their opinions. Frederick said "I love the pure, peaceable, and impartial Christianity of Christ: I therefore hate the corrupt, slave holding, women-whipping, cradle-plundering, partial and hypocritical Christianity of this land. Indeed, I can see no reason, but the most deceitful one, for calling the religion of this land Christianity. I look upon it as the climax of misnomers, the boldest of all frauds, and the grossest of all libels." Mr. Douglass understood the Bible and clearly saw the pro slavery "Christians" as hypocrites, frauds, and liars. True Christianity is what inspired the abolitionist movement! Tens of Millions of Christians fought to end the practice of slavery BECAUSE OF THE BIBLE! Famous Christian abolitionists include: Ida B. Wells, Harriet Tubman, Fredrick Douglass, Sojourner Truth, Harriet Beecher Stowe, Angelina Grimke and the list could go on forever going as far back as many Founding Fathers and going as far forward as Martin Luther King Jr. and the Civil Rights Movement! These warriors for God ordained equality probably used many verses to drive their abolitionist views. Verses such as: Exodus 21:16 "Anyone who kidnaps someone is to be put to death, whether the victim has been sold or is still in the kidnapper's possession." Or how about the whole book of Exodus where God rescues the Hebrews from racial inspired slavery! Honestly, Galatians 3:28 is enough to convince me to support equality, it says "There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus." That says it all right there, Christ created us all equally and any other view concerning humanity is a clear deviation from Scripture.
This was one of my lengthier posts, but I appreciate you muscling your way through it and hopefully absorbing every detail! The facts speak for themselves. Christianity doesn't condone forced slavery, it condemns it. Christianity didn't keep slaves in shackles, it inspired the Civil War to end it! Christianity is the only means in which we can achieve true equality, for we are all one in Christ.
For starters lets examine my counterparts first claim that the Bible condones and even encourages slavery. I'll give my friend some credit and assume he has read the Bible, so my guess is that he is referring to 1st Peter 2:18-20. (For sake of space I will not type the verse word for word) These verses tell slaves to submit to their masters, even the harsh ones for it is commendable to bear unjust suffering to honor God! So here, Peter is telling slaves to work for God not their masters and if their masters treat them badly it is honorable for the slave is being persecuted for honoring Christ! So that is what the Bible says concerning slave behavior but how should the master's behave? My friend must not have read the rest of the Bible or just omitted the parts concerning slave masters. Colossians 4:1 gives us the guidelines on how masters should treat their slaves, this verse says "Masters, provide your slaves with what is right and fair, because you know that you also have a master in Heaven". So clearly Paul is telling us here that everyone has a master, even slave owners. So earthly masters should treat their slaves as Christ, our master, treated us, with what is right and fair. Also in Philemon Paul desperately pleads for love and compassion to be shown to a slave, Onesimus, that he may be treated as a dear brother in the Lord and no longer a slave. So the Bible is crystal clear when it comes to slavery. That Masters should treat their slaves with the respect, and love that Christ shows them, if not, then I would say that a slave is more than justified in fighting for his freedom. It is best summarized in this passage of scripture, Ephisians 6:5-9 "Slaves, obey your earthly masters with respect and fear, and with sincerity of heart, just as you would obey Christ, Obey them not only to win their favor when their eye is on you, but as slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from your heart. Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not people, because you know that the Lord will reward each one for whatever good they do, whether they are slave or free. And masters, treat your slaves in the same way. Do not threaten them, since you know that he who is both their Master and yours is in heaven, and there is no favoritism with him".
Now let us address my friend's second claim that the Confederates used the Bible to justify racial slavery. This is true, but it was an intentional misinterpretation, and misrepresentation of Scripture stemming from them cherry picking different verses to help their pro slavery agenda. Kind of like how the pro gay community tries to manipulate Scripture to support homosexual relationships. Frederick Douglass said it best concerning slave holders using and abusing Scripture to fit their opinions. Frederick said "I love the pure, peaceable, and impartial Christianity of Christ: I therefore hate the corrupt, slave holding, women-whipping, cradle-plundering, partial and hypocritical Christianity of this land. Indeed, I can see no reason, but the most deceitful one, for calling the religion of this land Christianity. I look upon it as the climax of misnomers, the boldest of all frauds, and the grossest of all libels." Mr. Douglass understood the Bible and clearly saw the pro slavery "Christians" as hypocrites, frauds, and liars. True Christianity is what inspired the abolitionist movement! Tens of Millions of Christians fought to end the practice of slavery BECAUSE OF THE BIBLE! Famous Christian abolitionists include: Ida B. Wells, Harriet Tubman, Fredrick Douglass, Sojourner Truth, Harriet Beecher Stowe, Angelina Grimke and the list could go on forever going as far back as many Founding Fathers and going as far forward as Martin Luther King Jr. and the Civil Rights Movement! These warriors for God ordained equality probably used many verses to drive their abolitionist views. Verses such as: Exodus 21:16 "Anyone who kidnaps someone is to be put to death, whether the victim has been sold or is still in the kidnapper's possession." Or how about the whole book of Exodus where God rescues the Hebrews from racial inspired slavery! Honestly, Galatians 3:28 is enough to convince me to support equality, it says "There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus." That says it all right there, Christ created us all equally and any other view concerning humanity is a clear deviation from Scripture.
This was one of my lengthier posts, but I appreciate you muscling your way through it and hopefully absorbing every detail! The facts speak for themselves. Christianity doesn't condone forced slavery, it condemns it. Christianity didn't keep slaves in shackles, it inspired the Civil War to end it! Christianity is the only means in which we can achieve true equality, for we are all one in Christ.
Tuesday, June 24, 2014
Salvation comes from grace, not from works.
The low information religious observer might believe that all religions are the same. That all these deities and prophets simply add up to the same end goal; salvation. But once we dive into the details of each religion and establish the contrasts between each one, we find that the idea that all religions are the same couldn't be further from the truth.
To begin with, the idea that all religions strive for salvation is true. But, it is how we attain that salvation that differentiates the faiths. Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism and every other religion in the world, besides Christianity, relies on some sort of work based salvation that requires the person to complete certain actions to earn his or her salvation. The god must be satisfied with the person's efforts to reach the level of achievement to acquire the salvation.
This is where Christianity separates itself from the group. The Christian God set a standard for his creation to enter heaven and that standard is perfection, for God is righteous, no sin can be let into heaven thus perfection is the requirement for someone to enter heaven. But as Romans 3:23 states "for all have sinned and have fallen short of the glory of God". Since we all are sinners, none of us can live up to God's perfect requirement for entrance into heaven. But the God of the Bible, unlike all other deities, refused to leave us in the calamity of our failure. No, God himself came down to earth to do what we could not. God came down in the form of a human named Jesus Christ and lived the perfect life we couldn't. Christ paid the price on the cross that we should have paid. Romans 6:23 states "For the wages of sin is death but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord". Once a human sins they are deemed unrighteous and must bear the penalty for sin which is death. Christ paid that price for us and took our penalty on the cross!
So in conclusion, all religions are not the same! Christianity is the ONLY religion who's God came to earth and satisfied God's requirement for us. Christianity offers salvation through grace not through works. Christianity stands alone in the comparison of world religions and I praise God for that every single day.
To begin with, the idea that all religions strive for salvation is true. But, it is how we attain that salvation that differentiates the faiths. Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism and every other religion in the world, besides Christianity, relies on some sort of work based salvation that requires the person to complete certain actions to earn his or her salvation. The god must be satisfied with the person's efforts to reach the level of achievement to acquire the salvation.
This is where Christianity separates itself from the group. The Christian God set a standard for his creation to enter heaven and that standard is perfection, for God is righteous, no sin can be let into heaven thus perfection is the requirement for someone to enter heaven. But as Romans 3:23 states "for all have sinned and have fallen short of the glory of God". Since we all are sinners, none of us can live up to God's perfect requirement for entrance into heaven. But the God of the Bible, unlike all other deities, refused to leave us in the calamity of our failure. No, God himself came down to earth to do what we could not. God came down in the form of a human named Jesus Christ and lived the perfect life we couldn't. Christ paid the price on the cross that we should have paid. Romans 6:23 states "For the wages of sin is death but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord". Once a human sins they are deemed unrighteous and must bear the penalty for sin which is death. Christ paid that price for us and took our penalty on the cross!
So in conclusion, all religions are not the same! Christianity is the ONLY religion who's God came to earth and satisfied God's requirement for us. Christianity offers salvation through grace not through works. Christianity stands alone in the comparison of world religions and I praise God for that every single day.
Saturday, June 21, 2014
Christian persecution becomes a normality in a society run by liberal philosophy.
Persecution and tolerance are the exact opposites of each other. Tolerance was invented to prevent or end persecution. Yet ironically, the liberal movement in America clings to the idea of "tolerance" but as they come into power and enact their so called "tolerant" laws we see a rise in Christian persecution. Truly tolerant laws do not increase persecution, but decrease it. Therefore we can gauge how tolerant a policy or person is based off of how much persecution the policy or person causes. As we see liberal judges, lawmakers, and leaders take hold of American government I can't help but notice these champions of "tolerance" have brought forth an unprecedented rise in Christian persecution.
Let's take a closer look at just a few of the numerous examples of Christians being persecuted for their first amendment right to freedom of religion. Throughout the country Christian business owners have been systematically forced to give up their religious liberty to make room for the radical (and sinful) homosexual activist agenda. No longer is homosexuality simply an act in the bedroom, it is now an artificially created right that follows them into the workplace, military, and wedding ceremonies in which everyone else has to conform to their lifestyle preference no matter the convictions or faith driven beliefs that might object. Compromise is not an option. Roughly half the country voted through state referendums or state legislatures to define marriage as one man and one woman, yet rogue liberal judges have overstepped the people, state constitutions, and democracy to put homosexuality on a pedestal and brand it into our daily lives. Christian bakers and photographers have been bullied into complying with these rulings. In fact, several Christian business owners have lost their businesses because they exercised their first amendment rights to freedom of religion! A pro football player who expressed distaste for watching two gay men kiss on national television was forced to not only apologize but to begin taking sensitivity training to cure his view of Biblical relationships. Is this tolerance? Did homosexuals lose their jobs when Christians were in power? Did homosexuals lose their first amendment rights while Christians were in power? Absolutely not! But we see Christians losing their rights and jobs when "tolerant" liberals are in power.
When water is applied to a fiery furnace the flames decrease. When tolerance is applied to a persecuted society we see the persecution decrease. Based off the clear assessment of the recent shift in cultural views and how liberal philosophy has grown in government, we see persecution on the rise! Simple logic dictates us to conclude that Liberals are not concerned about tolerance, but simple and brutal, Christian discrimination.
Let's take a closer look at just a few of the numerous examples of Christians being persecuted for their first amendment right to freedom of religion. Throughout the country Christian business owners have been systematically forced to give up their religious liberty to make room for the radical (and sinful) homosexual activist agenda. No longer is homosexuality simply an act in the bedroom, it is now an artificially created right that follows them into the workplace, military, and wedding ceremonies in which everyone else has to conform to their lifestyle preference no matter the convictions or faith driven beliefs that might object. Compromise is not an option. Roughly half the country voted through state referendums or state legislatures to define marriage as one man and one woman, yet rogue liberal judges have overstepped the people, state constitutions, and democracy to put homosexuality on a pedestal and brand it into our daily lives. Christian bakers and photographers have been bullied into complying with these rulings. In fact, several Christian business owners have lost their businesses because they exercised their first amendment rights to freedom of religion! A pro football player who expressed distaste for watching two gay men kiss on national television was forced to not only apologize but to begin taking sensitivity training to cure his view of Biblical relationships. Is this tolerance? Did homosexuals lose their jobs when Christians were in power? Did homosexuals lose their first amendment rights while Christians were in power? Absolutely not! But we see Christians losing their rights and jobs when "tolerant" liberals are in power.
When water is applied to a fiery furnace the flames decrease. When tolerance is applied to a persecuted society we see the persecution decrease. Based off the clear assessment of the recent shift in cultural views and how liberal philosophy has grown in government, we see persecution on the rise! Simple logic dictates us to conclude that Liberals are not concerned about tolerance, but simple and brutal, Christian discrimination.
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