Homosexuality (Part III): A Biblical Response

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Abomination, Biblical Authority, Death, Disobedience, eternity, God's Word, Hell, Last Days, Lies, Overcoming, Sin, Truth, Word of God

We have briefly considered the biblical view of homosexuality in the Old Testament. Here, we consider the what the Bible says concerning homosexuality in the New Testament. Rather than beginning with the love of God, Paul begins with the reality that sinful man is under the wrath of God. Specifically, He is clear that the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness (Romans 1:18). Because man rejects the love of God in Christ Jesus, and mocks the sacrifice of Christ, he suppresses what he knows to be true about God and His salvation. Knowingly, forcefully, and repeatedly, man rejects clear truth and revelation concerning God and begins the descent into idolatry. Specifically, man’s rejection of God and descent into vain worship of idols and self, causes God to give him over to a useless mind. This mind begins to participate in vile sins without restraint. Paul addresses what has occurred in the Romans world and is true in the present world:

Romans 1:26 For this reason God gave them over to degrading passions; for their women exchanged the natural function for that which is unnatural,  27 and in the same way also the men abandoned the natural function of the woman and burned in their desire toward one another, men with men committing indecent acts and receiving in their own persons the due penalty of their error.

When the mind becomes hostile and uncontrollably useless toward God, one of its expressions is sexual perversion. Sexual perversion and its desecration of the body is not a mark of man’s liberation. Fornication, adultery, and homosexuality, however justified by nominal “Christians”, the world and the deceived indicates that God has abandoned man because man has abandoned him. Paul appeals to the Creation mandate which proposes that man and woman, under the sanctity and blessedness of marriage is called to ‘be fruitful and multiply’ (Gen. 1:28; 9:7). The creation mandate calls for man to join in blessed union with his wife and bring more image bearers of God into the earth. Instead, man begins to fulfill his own sinful animal passions and lusts. Instead of contentment in the blessed union of man/woman, men and women burn for one another. The blurring of gender distinctions, given as a blessing by God, become optional associations that are able to be tweaked at will. These are one of numerous sins that reveal one is not in the kingdom of God, but incurring the wrath and judgment of God (1 Cor. 6:9; Gal. 5:19-21). Instead of repenting of this rebellion toward God, men and women legislate and celebrate their rebellion as ‘freedom’. Instead of repenting and seeking the glory of God concerning these things, men and women shake their fists at God and seek the approval of society. Society, equally unable to discern God’s will, refashions a ‘god’ of their imagination to approve of their sin and tries to quiet the indicting conscience with more celebrations, more demands of ‘tolerance’ and more descent into debauchery. All the while, society recognizes its protests are limited and temporal. This self-love is consummated by the perversions listed in Romans 1.

There is constant debate concerning the reasons that Rome fell. God’s wrath brings regimes to an end, as quickly as He has raised them to rule (Acts 17:26; Psalm 75:1-7). Paul, however does not merely appeal to a Roman cultural faux pax. Instead, he appeals to an unchanging God who does not tolerate covenant treachery and rebellion. Thus, all sexual perversions are expressions of such treachery toward God’s creation mandate and originates with the ‘father of lies’, Satan. Satan is the chief architect of self-love. He capitalizes on man’s hatred toward God and tempts unbelievers to excuse, justify and pursue those things which are unnatural. Paul’s appeal to that which is unnatural assumes an absolute, natural standard. God made them male and female (Gen. 5:2), with distinctive functions and purposes. So what does the adversary do? He incites fleshly men and women to overthrow these distinctions. He causes them to redefine love, and turn from God’s definition in order that they may create their own. Instead of proclaiming these intrinsic realities plainly, society and a compromising ‘church’ excuses these clear realities. They create a permissive ‘pseudo-christ’ who gives mankind everything desired,  instead of withholding those things that will bring about destruction and punishment. This abandonment of the natural functions by homosexuals is permissive neglect by those who partake of such sin and those who give consent. Paul further expresses chilling words for us to remember:

Romans 1:28 “They know the ordinance of God, that those who practice such things are worthy of adeath, they not only do the same, but also give hearty approval to those who practice them.”
This is not only an indictment against those who practice such things, but to abandon God’s clear prohibition in Scripture leads to giving ‘hearty approval’ to these things that God hates. It is often expressed that ‘God loves gays!’ However, this love is to make provision for sins that will incur His judgment. God’s love is not a mere feeling, but a provision for sinners to flee from their wickedness and turn to Him for cleansing, according to the sacrifice of His Son on the cross. Man does not have the prerogative to define how God loves him. God’s love is defined by the death and resurrection of His Son as an appeasement of His wrath against sinners, because man cannot save Himself (John 3:16-21). God’s love is not a call for permissive sinfulness, but a call for repentance and faith in His beloved Son. The homosexual, fornicators, effeminate, and adulterers must all repent and turn to God by His power. Mere guilt over these things is not repentance. Godly sorrow, the sorrow that comes to the end of self and desires to be cleansed of these sins, leads to repentance and faith in Jesus Christ. The command then is not to tolerate this vileness, no matter how embraced in the modern society. It is as it always has been, flee from these things that will certainly bring God’s eternal judgment and eternal abandonment. The call is to turn from these things to the living Christ. This call is not only to those who participate in these sins, but also those who give consent must repent for their compliance of these wicked deeds. We must no longer call “evil” good and “good” evil (Isaiah 5:20).

Doron Gladden

Biblical Christ Research Institute

https://bcri.wordpress.com/2015/02/28/homosexuality-part-iii-a-biblical-response/

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Homosexuality: A Biblical Response (Part I)

Tags

eternity, Jesus Christ, Last Days, Salvation, Sin, Solid Scripture, Truth, Word of God

Lev. 18:20 ‘You shall not have intercourse with your neighbor’s wife, to be defiled with her.  21 ‘You shall not give any of your offspring to offer them to Molech, nor shall you profane the name of your God; I am the LORD.  22 ‘You shall not lie with a male as 1one lies with a female; it is an abomination.  23 ‘Also you shall not have intercourse with any animal to be defiled with it, nor shall any woman stand before an animal to mate with it; it is a perversion.

Lev. 18:24   ‘Do not defile yourselves by any of these things; for by all these the nations which I am casting out before you have become defiled.  25 ‘For the land has become defiled, atherefore I have brought its punishment upon it, so the land has spewed out its inhabitants.  26 ‘But as for you, you are to keep My statutes and My judgments and shall not do any of these abominations, neither the native, nor the alien who sojourns among you 27 (for the men of the land who have been before you have done all these abominations, and the land has become defiled);  28 so that the land will not spew you out, should you defile it, as it has spewed out the nation which has been before you.  29 ‘For whoever does any of these abominations, those persons who do so shall be cut off from among their people.  30 ‘Thus you are to keep My charge, that you do not practice any of the abominable customs which have been practiced before you, so as not to defile yourselves with them; I am the LORD your God.’”

The Levitical mandate has been often misunderstood in light of what Yahweh commanded concerning homosexuality. Specifically, the case has been made that these commands are archaic, and that Yahweh has relaxed His standards concerning the prohibitions in the text. The case is also made that Yahweh failed to consider cultural and scientific advancements in the modern world, and thus miscalculated the necessities of modern man. Another argument is that the prohibitions were simply for BC Israel and that any consideration of these prohibitions outside of this context is a laughable imposition.

An exegetical and expositional consideration of this passage in its near and larger context must be examined to engage the aforementioned disagreements. First, it must be considered that God is not lacking in knowledge of His creatures (1 Cor. 2:10-11). It is serious folly and blasphemy to suppose that Yahweh lacks the necessary information or ability to understand the depths of His creatures (Gen. 1:26). Can man stand in accusation against Yahweh, when man is beneath his maker? (Job 38:4-7;  Isaiah 29:16, 45:9; Romans 9:21) Scripture soundly speaks of God’s sovereign control over all things, even men and their affairs (Psalm 24:1).

Considering the Levitical text, it must be said plainly that this examination will reveal that homosexuality is not a mere afterthought in ancient Israel. It is not a cultural prohibition that has been abandoned in the modern day. In fact, it is a prescription for understanding the holiness of God, not a mythological account. The book of Leviticus is a mandate to the sons of Israel through the Levitical priest concerning the holiness of Israel before Yahweh and the nations. The text also reveals that the prohibitions for Israel were not unique to them. They extended to the nations (Leviticus 18:26). This is key because the argument is often made that certain prohibitions in Leviticus are too outlandish for modern society. Therefore, as the argument goes, since those commands are outlandish in our western context, then the prohibition concerning homosexuality and other moral statutes are equally outlandish. Yahweh could not have imposed these things if He considered at all the 21st century. However, this argument collapses on two levels. First, all considerations for Israel in the Old Testament must be understood as Israel is to pursue ceremonial purity and moral purity (Dr. Michael Grisanti, Israel IBEX notes, unpublished).

Ceremonial purity meant that Yahweh commanded certain acts and prohibitions for Israel, for the purpose of their coming to Him in worship. Moral purity was assumed and required to live in the presence of Yahweh as He dwelled among the people in the Jerusalem Temple. Each of these must be understood as calls for Israel to be a kingdom of priests, not as a pious testimony to themselves. These prohibitions and commands were commands to be distinct from the pagan nations. Also, these distinctions served to draw the pagan, Gentile nations to Yahweh and repent of such moral/ceremonial failures (Isaiah 49:6; Exodus 19:6). Paul will make the same case in Romans 1 when he argues that the wrath of God is upon all ungodliness of men, who are truth suppressors (Romans 1). Second, Israel’s distinction and holiness was not only for a specific moment in time. Instead, this holiness was to bear blessing for obedience and cursing for disobedience (Deuteromony 28). By way of reminder, Moses is given the second rendering of law  to the Israelites as they are to inherit the promised land (δευτερος =second,νομος =law). The moral premises are still built within the commandments. They are given, primarily for Israel, however they are simultaneously to serve as a demonstration to the Gentile nations. Yahweh’s name is directly attached to His commands and judgments. His prohibitions and commands in Leviticus 18, serve as a witness of Yahweh’s holy expectation, and as an indictment to those who fail to meet those expectations in the Gentile nations. Especially since Israel is supposed to be a ‘light to the Gentiles’.  The Leviticus context (chapter 18) reveals that defilement and misrepresentation of the Holy One was at stake if the prohibitions were ignored. The Lord did not deal lightly with those who rebelled against His commands. The question remains, in His eyes has the absolute moral standard been lifted because we are in the modern era? Because God is immutable (never changing) in His divine perfections (attributes), to borrow the language of the apostle Paul, “May it never be!” The mandate in Israel was the death penalty for those who committed acts of sexual immorality, specifically those who committed acts of homosexuality (Leviticus 20:13). While the death mandate of theocratic justice for homosexuality has been lifted (we will come back to this), it is still considered an abominable sin before Yahweh, worthy of death. However it is a sin whereby death is deferred as one plummets down the cycle of this sexual sin. The wages of all sin is death (eternal death), while the gift of God is eternal life in Jesus Christ (Romans 6:23). The Levitical mandates are pertinent when we consider Yahweh’s disposition toward sin specifically. He will judge sin. Because He does not immediately administer a death sentence for some sins committed (exceptions include, in some states, murder), it does not mean that Yahweh has become lax in His judgment (Acts 17:30). Israel, specifically, and the Old Testament in general is not an ancient book with which we give a dismissive glance and mock its use for today. It is an example, as Paul mentioned in New Testament Corinthians, for us to heed and learn from its warnings (1 Corithians 10:11). The Old Testament is written for the dual purpose of informing how all must live before Yahweh, while historically/contextually/grammatically informing us concerning His righteous expectations for Israel. The unified corpus of both the Old and New Testament testifies to us which commands have been abdicated and which commands are pertinent for believers today. God determines this in His word, not modern cultural sensibilities, moral relativism, or supposed scientific findings.

(To be continued)….

-Doron Gladden

https://bcri.wordpress.com/2015/02/01/homosexuality-a-biblical-response-part-i/

I Shall Not Be Moved

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Abomination, Biblical Authority, christians, eternity, God's Word, Jesus Christ, Last Days, Preaching, Salvation, Sin, Truth, Word of God

I had decided to make the move to Blogger as a result of this “rainbow” stupidity. However, in giving it much thought, I am staying. Here’s why…You see my issue was that it was imposed. And it was, on Christians who stand for the truth that God created marriage, defines it as one man and one woman, and has given it as an example of Christ and the Church. No one can change that truth and no stupid hijacking of His rainbow can ever change the truth of either God’s covenant rainbow OR His creation of marriage. Nothing ever changes truth. Nothing. (Did you know they are not the first to do it? New Agers did it back in the 60’s and 70’s and the homosexual agenda stole it from them. Who got their britches in an uproar when the proponents of New Age Gnosticism used it? Anyone? Hello??)

So I am rescinding my move. I have decided to stay right where I am. If their agenda is to cause us to leave, it won’t work with this sister. They shall either have to censor my posts or delete my account. This girl shall not be moved.

And so I will still continue to post the truth of God’s word at WordPress, because some stupid rainbow cannot cause me to flee like a little girl with a garden snake being thrust at her….Perhaps some of those lost will read some biblical truth and be saved. Perhaps not. But either way, may God be glorified and may I be found still standing regardless of what wicked people do or do not do. The truth is, it is all about HIM, not about WordPress, the depraved, or anything else. And having a hissy fit about the lost doing what the lost does only serves to make it be about something else. For the one hissying, it is about them, and secondary, it brings too much attention to wickedness when we ought to be speaking truth of God instead. And for the record, God calls homosexuality an abomination, and so do I. And they still need to be saved through the biblical Christ. So keep speaking the truth of it, and never compromise one lost soul for anything or anyone. THAT is biblical love.

 

God’s word on Homosexuality….

Tags

Abomination, Biblical Authority, Death, Disobedience, eternity, Hell, Homosexuality, Sin, Truth, Word of God

And those who choose it, uphold it, promote it….repent and be saved. Before it is too late.

http://www.areyouagoodperson.org/

1 Paul, a bondservant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated to the gospel of God ² which He promised before through His prophets in the Holy Scriptures, ³ concerning His Son Jesus Christ our Lord, who was born of the seed of David according to the flesh, ⁴ and declared to be the Son of God with power according to the Spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead. ⁵ Through Him we have received grace and apostleship for obedience to the faith among all nations for His name, ⁶ among whom you also are the called of Jesus Christ;

⁷ To all who are in Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints:

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Desire to Visit Rome

⁸ First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all, that your faith is spoken of throughout the whole world. ⁹ For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of His Son, that without ceasing I make mention of you always in my prayers, ¹⁰ making request if, by some means, now at last I may find a way in the will of God to come to you. ¹¹ For I long to see you, that I may impart to you some spiritual gift, so that you may be established— ¹² that is, that I may be encouraged together with you by the mutual faith both of you and me.

¹³ Now I do not want you to be unaware, brethren, that I often planned to come to you (but was hindered until now), that I might have some fruit among you also, just as among the other Gentiles. ¹⁴ I am a debtor both to Greeks and to barbarians, both to wise and to unwise. ¹⁵ So, as much as is in me, I am ready to preach the gospel to you who are in Rome also.

The Just Live by Faith

¹⁶ For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ,^[a] for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek. ¹⁷ For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “The just shall live by faith.”^[b]

God’s Wrath on Unrighteousness

¹⁸ For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, ¹⁹ because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them. ²⁰ For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse, ²¹ because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened. ²² Professing to be wise, they became fools, ²³ and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man—and birds and four-footed animals and creeping things.

²⁴ Therefore God also gave them up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts, to dishonor their bodies among themselves, ²⁵ who exchanged the truth of God for the lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.

²⁶ For this reason God gave them up to vile passions. For even their women exchanged the natural use for what is against nature. ²⁷ Likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust for one another, men with men committing what is shameful, and receiving in themselves the penalty of their error which was due.

²⁸ And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting; ²⁹ being filled with all unrighteousness, sexual immorality,^[c] wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil-mindedness; they are whisperers, ³⁰ backbiters, haters of God, violent, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, ³¹ undiscerning, untrustworthy, unloving, unforgiving,^[d] unmerciful;³² who, knowing the righteous judgment of God, that those who practice such things are deserving of death, not only do the same but also approve of those who practice them.

What IS it to be Honest and Truthful?

Tags

Abomination, Biblical Authority, christians, Death, Disobedience, eternity, God's Word, Hell, Sin, sons of Satan, Truth, Word of God

Here’s a brother who gets it. Praise God for the fact that there are more good brothers (and hooray for their blessed wives and families, and anyone in their “sphere” who have them!) than there are sociopathic false professors! Heads up liars…these men show all of us what REAL Saved men live like and what they do, how truth actually works in practice, and what integrity truly is (in case we think we need something other than the word of God, eyes in our heads, the objective truth of mouth and reality not matching up, and that beautiful gut thing that God has given us that is our red flag shaker). All glory to God. As for all liars…Lake of Fire warning. No lie.

 

 

WE MUST BE HONEST AND TRUTHFUL ! The most honest ,upright ,truthful and accountable people on this planet should be those who follow Jesus Christ who said ‘I am the Truth.’ PLEASE READ THE REST OF THIS POST. THANK YOU.
1.Honest people are transparent and have nothing to hide. Be real. Be sincere. Be honest. Do not be deceptive. Do not pretend. Psalm 15:1-2 ‘Lord, who shall abide in Thy tabernacle ? Who shall dwell in Thy holy presence ? He that walketh uprightly, and worketh righteousness, and speaks the truth in his heart.’
Honesty creates trust and trust is the foundation of all relationships. God wants us to be completely honest all the time everyday of the week with all people. Being truthful to yourself is not to excuse your sin and not lying to yourself saying all is well when you know all is not well. If you are honest before God you will be honest before people. Many people are living in self deception.

2.When we are honest and truthful about who we are and the details of our lives we will have a clear conscience, the trust and respect of others and you will have God’s blessing. Relationships will fall apart if there is no integrity ! Many will lie to cover up something wrong that they did, therefore sinning to cover up their sin.
1st Peter 3:10 ‘For he that will love life, and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile.’ Want to enjoy life ? Keep your lips from deceitful words.

3.If you cannot trust a person because they do not walk in Truth then you cannot have a true friendship. Deceit has no place in the life of a child of God !
Colossians 3:9 ‘ Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds.’ If you are truly born again the bible says you are a new creation in Christ and the old you, the old life that ‘told lies’ has passed away.(2nd Cor.5:17)

4.Lying is an abomination to God ! Abominations means that our holy God highly detests the sin of lying. Take note of that ! Remember Acts 5:1-11 as Anananias and Sapphira lied to the Holy Ghost and verse 5 it says,’ Why has you thou conceived this thing in your heart ? Thou has not lied unto men , but unto God’. God struck them dead on the spot !
Being dishonest and telling lies destroys relationships in marriage, at work,in the home and in the ministry. Dishonesty really wounds and hurts and then people lose trust in the one who has lying lips. Lying is deceiving someone.
Proverbs 15:3 ‘A righteous man hates lying.’

5.Determine to tell the truth in all matters of life, big or small. Telling the truth and being honest is the only way to have trust in a relationship. Proverbs 6 says that God hates a ‘proud look and a lying tongue.’ Psalm 101:7 ‘He that works deceit shall not dwell within my house: he that tells lies shall not tarry in my sight.’ Lying has become normal in our society but we must the highest standards of honesty as a reflection of real holy living. When you have biblical convictions you need to be truthful to yourself and live out your convictions and not be a hypocrite. James 1:22 says if you are not a ‘doer of the Word you deceive yourself.’

6.Remember these four scriptures in Proverbs 12:22 ‘Lying lips are a abomination to the Lord:but they that deal truly are His delight.’
Ephesians.4:25 ‘ Wherefore putting away lying,speak every man truth with his neighbor:for we are members one of another.’
Psalm 119:163 ‘I hate and abhor lying:but Thy law do I love.’
Psalm 51:6 ‘Behold, thou desires truth in the inward parts: and in the hidden part thou shall make me to know wisdom.’ An honest heart will speak honest words and will produce honest actions. It all starts in the inner being, the heart. So the heart of the matter is the matter of the heart.~Brother David Cooke

Will You Repent Before It’s Too Late?

Tags

Truth, Word of God

 I just recently had this conversation with a professor who’s life bears absolutely no objective  indication of any true biblical repentance or salvation….A hard conversation to have to be sure, but one that must be had. We must speak until God either opens their ears and hearts to His truth and deafens them to their own self deception, or until He pulls their plug. May God draw these deceived to Himself in HIS definition of genuine repentance and surrender to Christ as LORD, and not just some form of “get out of Hell” card while continuing to live life seeking your own self centered, sinful, rebellious way.

Joel 2

1 Blow the trumpet in Zion, And sound an alarm in My holy mountain! Let all the inhabitants of the land tremble; For the day of the Lord is coming, For it is at hand:

2 A day of darkness and gloominess, A day of clouds and thick darkness, Like the morning clouds spread over the mountains. A people come, great and strong, The like of whom has never been; Nor will there ever be any such after them, Even for many successive generations.

3 A fire devours before them, And behind them a flame burns; The land is like the Garden of Eden before them, And behind them a desolate wilderness; Surely nothing shall escape them.

4 Their appearance is like the appearance of horses; And like swift steeds, so they run.

5 With a noise like chariots Over mountaintops they leap, Like the noise of a flaming fire that devours the stubble, Like a strong people set in battle array.

6 Before them the people writhe in pain; All faces are drained of color.

7 They run like mighty men, They climb the wall like men of war; Every one marches in formation, And they do not break ranks.

8 They do not push one another; Every one marches in his own column. Though they lunge between the weapons, They are not cut down.

9 They run to and fro in the city, They run on the wall; They climb into the houses, They enter at the windows like a thief.

10 The earth quakes before them, The heavens tremble; The sun and moon grow dark, And the stars diminish their brightness.

11 The Lord gives voice before His army, For His camp is very great; For strong is the One who executes His word. For the day of the Lord is great and very terrible; Who can endure it?

12 “Now, therefore,” says the Lord, “Turn to Me with all your heart, With fasting, with weeping, and with mourning.”

13 So rend your heart, and not your garments; Return to the Lord your God, For He is gracious and merciful, Slow to anger, and of great kindness; And He relents from doing harm.

14 Who knows if He will turn and relent, And leave a blessing behind Him– A grain offering and a drink offering For the Lord your God?

15 Blow the trumpet in Zion, Consecrate a fast, Call a sacred assembly;

16 Gather the people, Sanctify the congregation, Assemble the elders, Gather the children and nursing babes; Let the bridegroom go out from his chamber, And the bride from her dressing room.

17 Let the priests, who minister to the Lord, Weep between the porch and the altar; Let them say, “Spare Your people, O Lord, And do not give Your heritage to reproach, That the nations should rule over them. Why should they say among the peoples, ‘Where is their God?’ ”

18 Then the Lord will be zealous for His land, And pity His people.

19 The Lord will answer and say to His people, “Behold, I will send you grain and new wine and oil, And you will be satisfied by them; I will no longer make you a reproach among the nations.

20 “But I will remove far from you the northern army, And will drive him away into a barren and desolate land, With his face toward the eastern sea And his back toward the western sea; His stench will come up, And his foul odor will rise, Because he has done monstrous things.”

21 Fear not, O land; Be glad and rejoice, For the Lord has done marvelous things!

22 Do not be afraid, you beasts of the field; For the open pastures are springing up, And the tree bears its fruit; The fig tree and the vine yield their strength.

23 Be glad then, you children of Zion, And rejoice in the Lord your God; For He has given you the former rain faithfully, And He will cause the rain to come down for you– The former rain, And the latter rain in the first month.

24 The threshing floors shall be full of wheat, And the vats shall overflow with new wine and oil.

25 “So I will restore to you the years that the swarming locust has eaten, The crawling locust, The consuming locust, And the chewing locust, My great army which I sent among you.

26 You shall eat in plenty and be satisfied, And praise the name of the Lord your God, Who has dealt wondrously with you; And My people shall never be put to shame.

27 Then you shall know that I am in the midst of Israel: I am the Lord your God And there is no other. My people shall never be put to shame.

28 “And it shall come to pass afterward That I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh; Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, Your old men shall dream dreams, Your young men shall see visions.

29 And also on My menservants and on My maidservants I will pour out My Spirit in those days.

30 “And I will show wonders in the heavens and in the earth: Blood and fire and pillars of smoke.

31 The sun shall be turned into darkness, And the moon into blood, Before the coming of the great and awesome day of the Lord.

32 And it shall come to pass That whoever calls on the name of the Lord Shall be saved. For in Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there shall be deliverance, As the Lord has said, Among the remnant whom the Lord calls.

---

     Will you call out to God in repentance or continue in your obstinate rebellion? Will you continue to stand firm against what you know full well is true? Or will you humble yourself before the sovereign God of the universe?

     Time is running out for the human race. Whether the great and terrible Day of the Lord comes in three months or three hundred years, we will all die eventually and stand before Him in judgment.

     Will you be regarded as a rebel or a friend?

https://paultheslave.wordpress.com/2015/04/13/will-you-repent-before-its-too-late/

Corruption

Tags

Abomination, apostasy, Biblical Authority, christianity, Death, Disobedience, eternity, false converts, Knowledge, Last Days, Lies, Sin, Truth, Word of God

“Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners.”
(1 Corinthians 15:33). All evil companionships “corrupts.”

All evil is contagious, and association with evildoers, whether they are “church members” or ‘open infidels’, has a defiling and debasing effect upon the true child of God. Mark well how the Holy Spirit has prefaced His warning: “Do not be deceived.” Evidently there is a real danger of God’s people imagining that they can play with fire without getting burned. Not so! God has not promised to protect us when we fly in the face of his danger signals.”~
Arthur Pink, “Godly Companions”

Friendship with the world makes you and ENEMY of God. Who’s approval and company do you seek regularly? What is your mind full of? That is what your heart is full of. Proverbs…it’s in the Bible. Along with more warnings about false professors who live like and for the world. Maybe you should let the truth found there cut you to the marrow, perhaps sparing your life…You are what you seek. And unless your conscience is so defiled that you have none, you KNOW what it is you are really seeking. God forbid it be a way out of Hell without submitting to Christ as Lord, being truly reborn in Him, and banking on a form of spirituality that in practice denies it’s power….You ARE how you actually LIVE. THAT is where the truth is found out…objectively and held up against the unchanging, inerrant word of God. You remember Him? The One who calls you His enemy? Repent and throw yourself upon His mercy…more…submit to the counsel of God and His truth. SUBMIT. Lip Service is not enough, you must submit to the word and live BY it and FOR HIM. Knowledge won’t save you. Only true rebirth through the biblical Christ will save you. And in that, your submission will show itself clearly, biblically. But you must SUBMIT. Aye, there’s the rub, eh?

Deliver Him To The Devil!

Tags

Abomination, apostasy, Biblical Authority, christians, church, Disobedience, Last Days, Lies, Truth, Word of God

“…deliver such a one to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus”

1 Corinthians 5.5

Now here’s a hot potato of a chapter for us to study. I have isolated one verse here that seems to be overlooked by the tolerant and cultural church.

How would it work for churches today to excommunicate someone for their unrepentant sin? The churches would be empty. But another problem is, how many pastors are just as guilty as his congregation? How many pastors lead habitually sinful lives and think nothing of it?

Leonard Ravenhill said this, “If Jesus came back to today, He would cleanse the Temple, He would cleanse the pulpit.”

Paul, in fact was saying if a brother or sister was willfully sinning without repenting, that the church was supposed to (by commandment), excommunicate and shun the person straight out the door of the church, and have nothing to do with him. The members were to ignore him until he repented. He was to be delivered into the world so that he would not be under the protective covering of the church. He would either repent or be consumed in his sin. If a biblically saved brother ended up being judged for his sin, at least his soul would be saved.

Do we deal with sin like this today? Of course not. There wouldn’t be many churches still in existence if we did. And of course, when money rules, they only way a pastor can feed his lifestyle, is through paying members.

SO DON’T ROCK THE BOAT!

Protect your lifestyle at all costs, even if it means turning a blind eye to the sin that is spreading around you. Paint over the mold, and cover up the leprosy. Love, love and more love!

Right?

Wrong. For if a pastor allows the leaven of sin to spread amongst the church, then all will be affected by its grasp. You must cut out the cancer before it kills the body. You must cast out the leper before he spreads his disease.

The Bible commands it! Shouldn’t that be good enough? We read in verse 11:

“But now I have written to you not to keep company with anyone named a brother, who is sexually immoral, or covetous, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or an extortioner–not even to eat with such a person”

Don’t even eat or keep company with such a person. This person is not a rank sinner of the world, for Paul said you would have to come out of the world and isolate yourselves. No, this is a fellow believer who has fallen into sin and is non-repentant.

It couldn’t be any plainer.

We must obey or be judged. We must comply or be damned as apostates. Would you want to be blessed as obedient servants obeying your Master’s wishes, or would you rather stand before Him on THAT Day guilty of mutiny?

There really isn’t a choice for the believer. It’s a matter of obedience. 

**********************

As for false professors and religious predators…Shepherds, know who is in your church. Know how they work and keep them out of the flock….guard the sheep from the voracious wolves who love to insinuate themselves into it for their own predatory gain. That is what a good shepherd does…he protects Christ’s flock. No matter what. No matter how the predator will try to make it look or try to be a martyr. Protect Christ’s sheep. The world calls them narcissists, sociopaths, God calls them depraved tares, wolves who will not spare the flock, and who infiltrate with a smile, a knowledge of the word (to an extent…grill them on application, inspect their real lives…). The days are evil, and evil has entered the pews. Know the enemy. And employ the word of God and obey it.

Homosexuals Are Barred From Heaven | Fishing For Men

Tags

Biblical Authority, christianity, Disobedience, false converts, Hell, Jesus Christ, Salvation, Sin, Truth, Word of God

Homosexuals Are Barred From Heaven | Fishing For Men.

Why indeed? And why are any named within this passage being coddled and embraced by the so-called church. That is not The CHURCH, that is Satan’s counterfeit, patting sinners on the head while they sin their way into Hell with out the biblical Christ and the word of God left in context and in application.

“Many will say to Me in that day….”

 

The Depths of Sin

Tags

Abomination, Biblical Authority, Death, Disobedience, God's Word, Knowledge, Word of God

“To repent is more than feeling sorry for your sin. Judas was sorry for betraying Christ and went straight to hell.” – Steve Lawson

Reblogged from Fishing For Men…

The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?

Jeremiah 17.9

Okay…I know that are a ton of false converts out there…way more than biblically saved Christians, but it never ceases to amaze me to see them spouting off about their liberty and how anyone who says anything against them is a legalist. The worst of it is this: They accuse us of not being saved. What?!

So, in light of scripture, can we go wherever we want and do whatever we want? Do we have liberty to live life as we choose or do we have limits and boundaries?

The main point of Christianity is this. We were saved by the work of Christ alone. The Scriptures say that we were bought with a price and we are not our own. Now, this illustration or analogy was used for a reason. Slavery was commonplace then and so when anyone used these expressions, the hearers knew exactly what was meant.

When a slave was bought, he belonged to the owner lock, stock and barrel. He was the owner’s property.

When God bought me, through the price of Christ’s death, He bought me lock, stock and barrel. He bought my rights, life and any future I may have. He also bought my past.

This is why the Greek word doulos: is used more often than any other word to describe the Christian in the New Testament.

Doulos: a slave

Original Word: δοῦλος, ου, ὁ
Part of Speech: Adjective; Noun, Feminine; Noun, Masculine
Transliteration: doulos
Phonetic Spelling: (doo’-los)
Short Definition: a male slave
Definition: (a) (as adj.) enslaved, (b) (as noun) a (male) slave.

1401 doúlos (a masculine noun of uncertain derivation) – properly, someone who belongs to another; a bond-slave, without any ownership rights of their own. Ironically, 1401 /doúlos (“bond-slave”) is used with the highest dignity in the NT – namely, of believers who willingly live under Christ’s authority as His devoted followers.

We do not belong to ourselves. We live submissively under the sovereign authority of Christ.

We do as He does, we live as He would live and act as He would act to bring God the glory He deserves.

This runs up against the misaligned and corrupted view of free will and Christian Liberty.

One points to subservience…the other points to self.

One submits to God and does whatever is possible to live one’s life as a personal thank you for saving him…the other lives his life as a license to do whatever he can to bring himself happiness.

One lives his life as a slave and bows to God as HIS tool…the other uses God as a means to man’s selfish end.

This is what I am seeing in the church today. People are being taught that God saved you to make you happy, successful and prosperous.

And they are also taught that their will is God’s will. If they want it then God wants it. If it makes them happy then OBVIOUSLY it makes God happy.

This is ludicrous and reduces God to an immature child who has limited power and bows to man’s will.

This reduces God to that of a genie who can be swayed by our commands and cleverly constructed prayers.

There is no place for submission and humility in the life of a false convert. he is taught right from the altar, that if you do this and that, then God will give you this and that. If you say this then God HAS to do that. If you use scripture in your prayers, then God is bound to do what you ask.

The arrogance and ego in this is sickening. I can guarantee you one thing. Go back to your “conversion” and try to remember why you came forward. Did the preacher talk about the Law? How about your sin? How about hell?

Did he expose your sin in light of scripture and tell you how bad you really are?

Or was it something like this:

“Dear God, I’m a sinner. I’m sorry for my sins. I want to turn from my sins. I believe that Jesus Christ is your Son. I believe that He died for me. That He rose from the grave. That He’s alive. I want to invite Him to come into my heart to take control. Fill me with your Holy Spirit. From this day forward forevermore. And I pray this in the name of Jesus. Amen”

From the Salvation Army

Dear God in heaven, I come to you in the name of Jesus. I acknowledge to You

that I am a sinner, and I am sorry for my sins and the life that I have lived; I need

your forgiveness. I believe that your only begotten Son Jesus Christ shed His precious blood on the cross at Calvary and died for my sins, and I am now willing to turn from my sin. You said in Your Holy Word, Romans 10:9 that if we confess the Lord our God and believe in our hearts that God raised Jesus from the dead, we shall be saved.

Right now I confess Jesus as the Lord of my soul. With my heart, I believe that God raised Jesus from the dead. This very moment I accept Jesus Christ as my own personal Savior and according to His Word, right now I am saved. Thank you Jesus for your unlimited grace which has saved me from my sins. I thank you Jesus that your grace never leads to license, but rather it always leads to repentance. Therefore Lord Jesus transform my life so that I may bring glory and honor to you alone and not to myself. Thank you Jesus for dying for me and giving me eternal life.

Not bad, but still has roots set in claiming something to come to pass, because we says so. If I say this then God has to do this…right?

How about this one from T.D. Jakes’ Ministries?

I ask you to come into my life, to be my Lord and Savior. I believe You died for my sins and rose victorious over death. I ask You to forgive me of all my sins. I turn from my sin today, only to follow Jesus Christ all the days of my life. Lord, I give you all of my pain, all of my hurts, all of my fears, and all of my infirmities. Today, I receive total and complete healing in my life. Because of the shed Blood of Jesus Christ, from this day forward, I am a new creation in Christ Jesus.

Thank you Lord!

Well, that was easy! Nothing of repentance just form. No brokenness, no remorse, no turning from my wicked ways. Instead the focus of this prayer is hurts, fears, infirmities…hmm, I guess sickness and fear is a result of the unsaved, sinful nature of man?

Prayer of Salvation by Kenneth Copeland

Pray this prayer with me. If you’ve never made Jesus the Lord of your life, now is the time. If you’ve gotten away from God, it’s time for you to come on home, brother, where you belong. Just pray it, “Oh God in Heaven, I believe with all of my heart that Jesus has been raised from the dead. I receive your Word, and I repent of sin. I renounce the past. Come into my heart, Lord Jesus. I receive my forgiveness. I receive the new birth, cleansed and washed in the Word and in the precious blood of Jesus. Fill me with Your Spirit, in Jesus’ name. Amen.”

There’s nothing about my sin and your sin nailing Christ to the cross. There’s nothing about our guilt and rebellion, there’s nothing about our arrogance in thinking we can do it ourselves.

You see, salvation brings us to the end of ourselves. It throws open the curtains of our heart and reveals our pathetic attempts to clean ourselves up.

Altar calls are specifically designed to comfort and encourage and to make the convert feel accepted and loved. But you cannot have the Good News without the Bad News.

Why on earth would a church call out its members and attendees and call them evil and bad if they are having money problems? Calling the congregation wicked does not pay the bills.

This is precisely why we have churches full of false converts, doing the ‘church thing’, and burning out and becoming ‘back-sliders’. This is why we have churches putting on seminars and conferences to find out how to reach out to the community and how to keep them coming back. Do you know what they are being told?

GIVE THEM WHAT THEY WANT!

Is church a circus? Is it an amusement park for people to go to turn off their brains and be entertained? Is this what church has become?

I guess with dead people you have to give them something to keep the farce going. Kind of like the old movie star who stares at herself in the mirror and sees the lines and wrinkles, and demands someone do something! So with many face-lifts under her belt, and a face full of collagen, she fakes being young, when down deep she knows better.

False converts down deep seem to know something’s wrong, but spend much of their day filling their minds with stuff, happenings and fluff in hopes that gnawing feeling stays down and quiet. I have had a few people come to me worried that they are not saved. They confide in me, their fears and misgivings and ask for advice and prayers.

But…they always slowly disappear and I never really hear from the again. You would think, that if someone was afraid that he wasn’t saved, he would spend as much time as is possible in the presence of God in prayer until he knew for certain he was saved. But this never happens. Why? Because they push the mute button again and try to ignore the feeling down deep.

The clock is ticking. None of us are getting any younger. The Bible says today is the day of salvation and we’d better heed this. For tomorrow? Who knows?

I guess the point of this whole post was the scripture I started with. Our hearts. Without Christ, our hearts are wicked through and through. We think about nothing but our self, and whatever we do we do it for ourselves. There is none who does right…no not one!

But when Christ saves us, He puts a new heart in us. A heart of love and service to Him who saved us.

When we see false converts doing things, going places and living life the way they do, it’s because there has not been a heart change. They still have that old, wicked heart. Their desires are still rooted in self. Their love and treasure is still ME.

No wonder they get so defensive when confronted, for when you do confront them you are actually threatening their love. When you confront a believer, he will accept your rebuke and see if it applies to his life. That’s the difference.

Something to think about…

https://paultheslave.wordpress.com/2015/02/03/the-depths-of-sin/

 Steve Lawson bonus coming up! 🙂