tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-39739082146918547312024-03-20T01:05:17.709-07:00ZoeprojectContending for the Faith
A ministry of zoeproject.comtony10000http://www.blogger.com/profile/05977366058505227985noreply@blogger.comBlogger35125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3973908214691854731.post-12030692219414667512020-09-08T13:09:00.002-07:002024-01-10T21:50:36.669-08:00The Dangerous Co-Mingling of Christianity and Politics<span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">by Tony Thomas<br /><br />As we move into the volatile political season, we are seeing more church leaders taking sides in this election. What is most disturbing is watching the conflation of evangelical Christianity with right wing politics.<br /><br />Pastor John MacArthur wrote in his book: "Why Government Can't Save You: An Alternative to Political Activism": <br /><br />“During the past twenty-five years, well-meaning Christians have founded a number of evangelical activist organizations and put millions of dollars into them in an ill-conceived effort to counteract the secular undermining of American culture. They have used these groups, along with existing Christian publishing houses and broadcast networks, to lobby hard for a “Christian” political viewpoint and fight back against the prevailing anti-Christian culture. Sadly, those believers have often displayed mean-spirited attitudes and utilized the same kinds of worldly tactics as their unbelieving opponents. The problem with this overall approach should be obvious—believers become antagonistic toward the very lost people God has called them to love and reach with the gospel.”<br /><br />This type of thinking has resulted in some faith leaders making the claim that selecting a right wing candidate is proof of your faith in Christ. And so called "value voters" will only vote for a candidate if he or she professes support of certain policies or laws, even if that there is no evidence that support is genuine. That has made it easy for politicians to "game" Christians into supporting them even if their actions do not comport with the Christian standards of morality.</span><div><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">Even more troubling is the identification of political opponents as enemies. They are not the enemy. They are the mission field. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">We must remember the teaching of Paul in Ephesians 6:12 (ESV): </span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">"For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places."</span><span style="font-family: georgia;"> </span></span></div><div><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><br /></div>tony10000http://www.blogger.com/profile/05977366058505227985noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3973908214691854731.post-39743116700274076402016-11-21T09:15:00.001-08:002016-11-21T09:15:12.238-08:00Reconciliationby Tony Thomas<br />
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<i>“All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” (2 Corinthians 5:18-21 ESV)</i><br />
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The Presidential election of 2016 has caused a great deal of division in the Body of Christ. The old wounds of racism have been reopened due to troubling statements made by the Republican candidate during the campaign. As a result, many African-American Christians are very concerned and even frightened because over 80% of white evangelicals reportedly voted for the President-elect. Even some respected Christian leaders sided with a candidate who used troubling code-words and “dog whistles”, thus emboldening those with a racist agenda. Since the election, racist incidents are on the increase and the situation seems unlikely to improve in the coming months. This is a tense time in our nation and a time of great trepidation and uncertainty. Should Christians be concerned?<br />
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<b>Dark Shadows from the Past</b><br />
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If you study history, you will find that many in the Christian church were on the side of slavery during the Civil War. To their shame, some even exhibited overtly racist attitudes during this period and the reconstruction that followed. <br />
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Consider the words of the brilliant Presbyterian theologian, R. L. Dabney, whose theological works are well-respected and studied to this day:<br />
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<i>“It is well known, that, as a general rule, [Negroes] are a graceless, vagabondish set, and contribute very little to the support of the State by which they are protected. They are not citizens, never can become citizens, and wherever found in large numbers they are an expense and a source of trouble…” [1]<br /><br />“The black race is an alien one on our soil; and nothing except his amalgamation with ours, or his subordination to ours, can prevent the rise of that instinctive antipathy of race, which, history shows, always arises between opposite races in proximity…” [1]<br /><br />“When the generation of freed-negroes, which works feebly, has passed away, can the white people of Southside Virginia endure the pilfering of a body of negroes more numerous than themselves, who will work not at all? And when the white people are at last driven to the end of all patience by intolerable annoyances, and the blacks are determined to live and not to work, collision cannot but ensue. What shall we do with that generation of negroes “educated” to be above work? I see no other prospect, humanly speaking, except the beginning of a war of races, which will bring back the provost marshal, and the government of the bayonet, and will, indeed, make us eager to welcome them…“ [2]</i><br />
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It is difficult, though not unimaginable, to believe that such words came from the pen of a man with such a deep knowledge of theology and the Bible. As some have said, somewhat apologetically, ”He was a man of his time“. But, is history repeating itself? Are there deep-seated racist attitudes still harbored by white evangelicals that produced this current crisis? I certainly hope not. <br />
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What was really troubling was the lack of repudiation of the blatant racism, misogyny and xenophobia during the Republican campaign. As many on the left were screaming wildly in protest, there was a deafening silence from much of the evangelical right. At the same time, the opposing party received scathing rebuke. <br />
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And while it is true that most white evangelicals voted for a platform and not for a man, and were primarily concerned with issues such as the right to life for the unborn and future Supreme Court appointments, this brings little comfort to those who are feeling oppressed.<br />
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<b>The Way Forward</b><br />
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We simply cannot tolerate division within the church. <br />
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Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians, 1:10 (ESV):<br />
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<i>“I appeal to you, brothers, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and the same judgment.”</i><br />
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The true church of Christ is composed of people of all races, languages and ethnic backgrounds. We will all stand together before God’s throne (Revelation 7:9-10). They are our true brothers and sisters. Because of this, the church should be at the forefront of promoting racial reconciliation within the Body of Christ. Sadly, I see far more of this from liberal Christians, who deny much of the Bible and its doctrines, than I do from the evangelical church. <br />
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Christians must first be reconciled to one another before they can reconcile others to Christ. We cannot allow politics or social issues to destroy our unity in Jesus Christ! The devil has used them to divide us for far too long! <br />
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The Greek word for reconciliation is <i>“katallage“</i> and it means “the exchange of hostility for a friendly relationship“ [3]. As Paul wrote in the passage cited at the beginning of this article, God has given us all the ministry of reconciliation. First, there must be reconciliation to God, among ourselves, and then of the world to Christ. We are all to be bridge builders. <br />
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Next, we need to realize that because of these divisions and our loyal alignment with political parties, the evangelical church is losing its moral authority, its Gospel witness and its prophetic voice. Satan told Jesus that he could give Him all of the kingdoms of the world if He would just bow down and worship him. Is the true Church now bowing down to politicians and this evil world system to avoid persecution and scorn? Are we increasing the barriers between ourselves and a dying world?<br />
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Finally, we need to understand that we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against evil forces of darkness as it says in Ephesians 6. The so-called "Christian Right" has always demonized and marginalized their opponents. This is wrong! We must see them as people made in the image of God for whom Christ died. They are not our enemies. They are our mission field.<br />
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<i><span style="font-size: x-small;">[1] From:"A Defence of Virginia", R. L. Dabney.</span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: x-small;">[2] From: "The Negro and the Common School", R. L. Dabney.</span></i></div>
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>[3] BDAG: Bauer, Walter. A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature. Edited by Frederick W. Danker. 3rd ed. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2000. </i></span></div>
tony10000http://www.blogger.com/profile/05977366058505227985noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3973908214691854731.post-4739120017404463192016-10-23T21:48:00.001-07:002016-10-23T21:48:12.313-07:00Christianity, Politics and Government - Part 2<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">by Tony Thomas<br /><br />The election of 2016 is one of the most tumultuous of all time. Tempers are red hot. Polarization is the norm. Even heated debates are going on between Christians as to which candidate deserves our vote. However, no matter who wins the upcoming election, Christians have the duty and responsibility to both honor and submit to the authority of our new President. <br /><br />The Apostle Paul writes in Romans:<br /><i><br />Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment. For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Would you have no fear of the one who is in authority? Then do what is good, and you will receive his approval, for he is God's servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain. For he is the servant of God, an avenger who carries out God's wrath on the wrongdoer. Therefore one must be in subjection, not only to avoid God's wrath but also for the sake of conscience. For because of this you also pay taxes, for the authorities are ministers of God, attending to this very thing. Pay to all what is owed to them: taxes to whom taxes are owed, revenue to whom revenue is owed, respect to whom respect is owed, honor to whom honor is owed. (Romans 13:1-7 ESV)</i><br /><br />The Apostle Peter provided a similar message:<br /><br /><i>Be subject for the Lord's sake to every human institution, whether it be to the emperor as supreme, or to governors as sent by him to punish those who do evil and to praise those who do good. For this is the will of God, that by doing good you should put to silence the ignorance of foolish people. Live as people who are free, not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil, but living as servants of God. Honor everyone. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the emperor. (1 Peter 2:13-17 ESV)</i><br /><br />These scriptures give Christians zero “wiggle room”. All authorities that exist have been instituted by God as His servants to punish evildoers and to maintain order. If you resist them, you will incur judgment. We are to fear God and honor our leaders. It is that simple. The only exception is, if the authorities force you to do something that is contrary to God’s Word, you have the right (and the obligation) to disobey them and suffer the consequences. (Acts 4:18-21)<br /><br />Paul wrote the book of Romans circa 56-57 and Nero was on the throne. Nero was one of the most diabolical Caesars who ever lived and he blamed the Christians for burning Rome and came up with terrible punishments for them. The Roman historian, Tacitus, wrote:<br /><br /><i>“...Mockery of every sort was added to their deaths. Covered with the skins of beasts, they were torn by dogs and perished, or were nailed to crosses, or were doomed to the flames and burnt, to serve as a nightly illumination, when daylight had expired. Nero offered his gardens for the spectacle, and was exhibiting a show in the circus, while he mingled with the people in the dress of a charioteer or stood aloft on a car. Hence, even for criminals who deserved extreme and exemplary punishment, there arose a feeling of compassion; for it was not, as it seemed, for the public good, but to glut one man's cruelty, that they were being destroyed.”</i><br /><br />You will notice that Paul demanded Christians to honor and to submit to the authority of an evil and sadistic emperor. We are to do the same, no matter how evil the leader is or how much we may dislike him or her. If we do otherwise, we will bring reproach upon Christ and His church. For Jesus told us to love even our enemies and pray for those who persecute us (Matthew 5:44-45).<br /><br />I sincerely believe a time of trial and testing is imminent for all followers of Christ. Yet, we must continue to realize that God is on the throne and He alone is Lord of all. <br /></span><div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">And we should remember Paul’s words from Romans 8:<br /><br /><i>What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? Who shall bring any charge against God's elect? It is God who justifies. Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? As it is written,<br /><br /> “For your sake we are being killed all the day long;<br /> we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.”<br /> <br />No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:31-39 ESV)</i></span></div>
tony10000http://www.blogger.com/profile/05977366058505227985noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3973908214691854731.post-69141289745848282812016-10-19T06:35:00.000-07:002016-10-23T21:41:00.802-07:00Christianity, Politics and Government - Part 1<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">by Tony Thomas<br /><br />Politics and religion are like oil and water. The simply do not mix. <br /><br />Nowhere is that more evident than in the emotionally-charged Presidential election of 2016. This election has created incredible polarization between Christians. The two candidates are not only polar opposites in terms of their policies, they are hugely unpopular and hated by members of the opposing party. <br /><br />While most Christians have aligned with one side or the other, some have decided to vote for neither major candidate for biblical reasons or their unwillingness to compromise. How should Christians think and respond to this election?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>What Does the Bible Say?</b></span><br />
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<li>The Bible makes it clear that God is the one who establishes rulers and removes them. (Daniel 2:19-21) </li>
<li>Christians are not supposed to be conformed to this world, but are to be transformed by the renewing of our minds. (Romans 12:2)</li>
<li>We are to realize that our true citizenship is not on the earth. It is in heaven. And we await the return of our King, Jesus Christ. (Philippians 3:20)</li>
<li>Satan is the god of the world and he has blinded the hearts of those who do not know Christ. However, God is ultimately in control. (2 Corinthians 4:4, Job 1:6-12)</li>
<li>We are not to put our faith in political leaders. (Psalm 146:3)</li>
<li>We are not to love the things of the world, otherwise the love of God is not in us. (1 John 2:15)</li>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Monergism or Synergism?</b><br /><br />While many claim that they must vote for one of the candidates to “save the nation”, this is a naive view. This is synergistic thinking. This is the view that we, in some way, have to “help God” in ruling this world. The truth is God does not need our help. The monergistic view realizes that God is sovereign and in control:<br /><br /><i>Say among the nations, “The Lord reigns! Yes, the world is established; it shall never be moved; he will judge the peoples with equity.” Psalm 96:10 (ESV) </i><br /><br /><i>The Lord reigns; he is robed in majesty; the Lord is robed; he has put on strength as his belt. Yes, the world is established; it shall never be moved. Your throne is established from of old; you are from everlasting. Psalm 93:1–2 (ESV) </i><br /><br /><b>What About the Candidates?</b><br /><br />How should a Christian pick a candidate to vote for? What should we look for in a leader?<br /><br />John MacArthur recently did series on Grace to You called “Who is God’s Candidate?”. In the final sermon in this series, he says:<br /><br /><i>“What kind of leader does God bless? A leader with character, with biblical convictions. A leader who is virtuous; a leader who is virtuous and careful with power, who is a strong advocate for all that honors God, who submits himself to God’s commands and is a worshiper of the true God. There is no – listen – no other way to distinguish a good leader from a bad leader. God’s standards are the only authoritative criteria. A leader without virtue, a leader without character, is like a surgeon who is contaminated; the patient will die.” [1]</i><br /><br />If neither candidate measures up, we have no obligation to vote for either one. In the words of Professor Darrell Bock:<br /><br /><i>“My faith is a third way. Its soul does not belong to either party by default. When it seeks to reflect that faith, my vote may conclude that neither candidate represents the world I hope to see where neighbors love one another. That choice is made while recognizing God holds us all accountable for our choices with a multi-layered standard unlike the world. The choice not to vote for a tornado nor a hurricane reflects a preservation of values about what the church is to be far more important than a four or eight year choice. It is a conscious act intended to speak in the face of injustice coming at us from all sides. There are no musts in this election when it comes to the candidates we have.” [2]</i><br /><br />To that, I say: Amen!<br /><br />________________________________________________________</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">[1] ”Who Is God’s Candidate?” (Part 2) - John MacArthur: <a href="http://www.gty.org/resources/sermons/90-490/who-is-gods-candidate-part-2">http://www.gty.org/resources/sermons/90-490/who-is-gods-candidate-part-2</a><br /><br />[2] "There are No 'Must' Candidates!" -Darrell Bock:<br /><a href="http://www.christianitytoday.com/edstetzer/2016/september/evangelical-views-of-2016-election-no-must-candidates.html">http://www.christianitytoday.com/edstetzer/2016/september/evangelical-views-of-2016-election-no-must-candidates.html</a></span></div>
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tony10000http://www.blogger.com/profile/05977366058505227985noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3973908214691854731.post-10423465870433554212016-10-07T09:43:00.001-07:002016-10-07T09:43:04.578-07:00Losing Faith<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">by Tony Thomas<br /><br />I recently subscribed to Bart Ehrman's blog: "The History and Literature of Early Christianity". It is certainly not for the faint of heart and not recommended if you are new to the Christian faith or not a serious student of the Bible. Still, it has some interesting and thought-provoking content that I find both interesting and informative. And, although he charges $25 a year for access, all of the funds go to charity and support agencies like CARE and Doctors Without Borders to ease the suffering of others. That is certainly a worthy pursuit.<br /><br />Bart was once a professing evangelical Christian who was trained at Moody Bible Institute and Wheaton College. He decided to go to Princeton to study with the great textual scholar, Bruce Metzger, and that is where his faith was undermined through exposure to higher criticism and theology influenced by Schleiermacher, the Tubingen school and modernism. <br /><br />First to go was Bart's belief in the inerrancy of Scripture. While at Princeton, he found a discrepancy in Mark and that produced a domino effect. Little by little and doctrine by doctrine, his faith in Christ was stripped away. By his own admission, he spent many years as a thoroughly liberal Christian who embraced some of the Bible's moral teachings and little else. </span><div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"> To Ehrman, Jesus was a human rabbi and good moral teacher but not the Son of God. Finally, as a result of thinking about the existence of evil and suffering in the world, Bart determined that he could no longer believe in the Christian God. He became an agnostic. He now believes that there is no Creator of the universe, that we are nothing more than an accident and when we die, that's it! We just cease to exist. Poof!<br /><br />As most of you know, besides many scholarly books, Bart turned his attention to writing mass market books that deny the historicity of the Bible and of Christ. Even though he is essentially recycling old modernistic ideas, many readers have been swayed by his top-selling books that include: "Misquoting Jesus", "Jesus Interrupted", "God's Problem" and "Forged". Most people (even Christians) do not know how to respond to his hypotheses which are totally based on microscopic historical analysis of the texts. Although he makes theological assertions, he denies that he is doing anything but history. As an agnostic, he denies the supernatural and his modernistic presuppositions dictate his conclusions. <br /><br />I have watched numerous presentations and debates featuring Bart and his ideas. I have also read some of his books. He is a likeable guy and a brilliant scholar. He has a dry sense of humor and I have memorized most of his jokes. Although he claims that he is happier as an agnostic and no longer wakes up in a cold sweat at night thinking he has made a terrible mistake, I wonder. How can a man who has spent decades reading, studying and even memorizing whole books of the Bible walk away from the faith and feel no remorse?<br /><br />I compare Bart's story to that of Charles Templeton. If you watched Lee Strobel's movie, "The Case for Faith", you will remember that he was an associate of Billy Graham and a fellow evangelist. He went with Graham to Europe to preach and was instrumental in founding "Youth for Christ". He, too, went to Princeton, lost his faith and became an agnostic for the same reasons as Bart. He wrote a book called "Farewell to God - My Reasons for Rejecting the Christian Faith" and some of his thoughts are featured in the movie. When interviewed by Strobel, he spoke quite emotionally about how he missed Jesus and how he adored Him. By contrast, Bart is pretty unemotional about his loss of faith in Christ.<br /><br />I pray that the living God will rekindle Bart's faith through the power of His Holy Spirit.</span></div>
tony10000http://www.blogger.com/profile/05977366058505227985noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3973908214691854731.post-23708597879842887732016-09-11T12:41:00.001-07:002016-10-23T21:40:29.837-07:00The King James Only Movement<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">by Tony Thomas</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">You may have heard about the King James Only Movement.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> Many of its proponents believe that the King James Version is the only preserved Word of God and all other versions have been influenced by Alexandrian gnostics who tried to remove doctrines like the Deity of Christ, the Trinity, and hell from the text.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">There are numerous videos on You Tube from KJVO proponents. Most notable are the ones from Chick Publications and produced by David W. Daniels, a seminarian with an MDiv from Fuller. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I have watched many of these and they are full of circular arguments. They assume that the KJV is God's only preserved Word but give no proof. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">They say that words have been added/removed/changed, but only compared to the KJV, not to any underlying Greek/Hebrew text. Erasamus collated a dozen or less Greek manuscripts to produce the TR (and he translated the end of Revelation into Greek from Latin). What about the other 5,000+? Most of these disagree with the Textus Receptus (the underlying text of the KJV) in some form or another. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The KJV was not some unique translation. It is largely based on the Tyndale translation, the Great Bible and the Geneva Bible. The Geneva Bible was the favorite of the Puritans/Pilgrims, not the KJV. King James dictated that it be translated to conform to the doctrines of the Anglican church and to remove the Puritan influences. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">And finally, none of the KJVO folks I have seen use the supposedly "pure" 1611 text. They use one of the revisions by Blayney, Oxford or Cambridge. It is fine to love and enjoy the KJV version. But maligning Christians that choose to use other versions or the underlying Greek and Hebrew texts is uncalled for and demonstrates that many in the KJVO movement are seriously deceived. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">There is no legitimate scholarship in the movement and it is purely based on faith and not evidence. No evidence of some Alexandrian conspiracy to mangle God's Words. If the Alexandrians that produced some of the older manuscripts were truly Gnostics and wanted to eliminate doctrines like the Deity of Christ from the Bible, they did a poor job! </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The KJVO movement exhibits many characteristics of a cult. It worships and idolizes a single translation: the KJV. While the KJV was a great translation for its time (and is a literary masterpiece), it is no longer the best translation given the changes in the English language since the 17th century and the tremendous advances in the study of ancient manuscripts, many of which were found after 1611.</span><br />
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<i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">For an excellent critique of the KJVO movement, read <a href="http://amzn.to/2cPnN5U" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">"The King James Only Controversy"</a> by James White.</span></i></div>
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tony10000http://www.blogger.com/profile/05977366058505227985noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3973908214691854731.post-72821861578474635472016-07-17T07:01:00.000-07:002016-09-11T12:45:22.487-07:00Read and Study the Bible!<span id="docs-internal-guid-e7cc75e5-f928-2c53-bba1-7675d39d9daa"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>"All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work." (2 Timothy 3:16 ESV)</i></span><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">So many people want to argue about what the Bible says, but how many people actually read it and study it? </span><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Bible is a rich book. It was written over a period of 1600 years by 40 human authors and it contains one central message: The only way to salvation is through the Messiah, the anointed One -- Jesus Christ, the Son of God.</span><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Instead of reading it and studying it for themselves, so many people are content to have it interpreted by others. They receive its message through the filter of their denomination and their culture. Some receive a severely distorted message through a religious cult. Others even receive the warped interpretations of opponents of the Christian faith.</span><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Bible was not written to be filtered. While we can learn from what others have discovered by reading it and studying it, that is no replacement for reading it and studying it ourselves.</span><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Read the Bible. Study the Bible. Let its words cleanse your soul. </span><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Then, you can proclaim these words of the Psalmist:</span><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">"Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path." (Psalm 119:105 ESV)</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #363030; font-family: "georgia" , "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 17.28px; line-height: 22.464px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span>tony10000http://www.blogger.com/profile/05977366058505227985noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3973908214691854731.post-76568480129802185022016-06-30T06:49:00.001-07:002016-06-30T06:49:46.308-07:00Planting Seeds<i><br />“What then is Apollos? What is Paul? Servants through whom you believed, as the Lord assigned to each. I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth. So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth. He who plants and he who waters are one, and each will receive his wages according to his labor. For we are God's fellow workers. You are God's field, God's building.” (1 Corinthians 3:5-9 ESV)</i><br /><br />I have always believed in planting seeds. Giving away Bibles and great Christian books. Engaging people with truth. <br /><br />A few years ago, out of the blue, I got a call from an acquaintance that I had not heard from in over 30 years. She called to thank me for giving her a Bible . It turns out she accepted Christ, married a Christian man and had two wonderful Christian children. <br /><br />We never know the eternal significance of the seeds we plant.<br /><br />Be faithful and plant seeds. Someone else will water them. And God will make them grow.tony10000http://www.blogger.com/profile/05977366058505227985noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3973908214691854731.post-74989169076961686972016-03-08T20:02:00.001-08:002016-03-09T07:38:26.507-08:00Mortality<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-hSbsd5hObnY/Vt-ffOcLmjI/AAAAAAAADzo/H0wiOmZ8k-A/s1600/2016-03-08%2B22.12.04.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-hSbsd5hObnY/Vt-ffOcLmjI/AAAAAAAADzo/H0wiOmZ8k-A/s320/2016-03-08%2B22.12.04.jpg" width="239" /></a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">As I begin my seventh decade on planet Earth, I am increasingly reminded of my own mortality. Every day, I watch the news and scan the Internet only to discover that another famous person has been translated from time to eternity. Even more surprisingly I often find that a friend, relative or acquaintance is no longer with us.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Of course, this gives me ample reason to pause, reflect and assess my own life. What have I done? What am I doing? Where am I going? </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">All very important--even vital--questions. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Several years ago, I found myself in the hospital with a severe and life-threatening leg infection. Harmful bacteria and invaded my bloodstream. That required the use of some industrial-strength antibiotics and a 10 day stay at the hospital. Ten days alone --flat on your back and looking up--gives you a lot of time to think and reflect.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Back to the questions. Allow me to answer them.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">What have I done?: Not enough I'm afraid. As I look back, I see many wasted years in the rearview mirror. Thankfully, it is not what I have done that matters. It is what has been done for me. Jesus Christ lived a perfect life and imparted his righteousness to me. He died on the cross for my sins and rose from the dead for my justification. He has given me eternal life because I placed my trust in Him.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Next question: What am I doing?: I'm spending as much time as I can telling others about the grace of God and the love of Christ.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Last question: Where am I going?: My next stop will be heaven. Not because I deserve it. I don't. Quite the contrary. Only God's limitless grace has made this possible. Only the blood of Jesus could cleanse my sins.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Now, Some questions for you: What have you done? What are you doing? Where are you going? </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>"What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes." (James 4:14b ESV)</i></span>tony10000http://www.blogger.com/profile/05977366058505227985noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3973908214691854731.post-12166916395230664252016-03-05T06:58:00.000-08:002016-03-05T06:58:32.960-08:00Diversions<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">There are many things that take our eyes off of Jesus. Money. Politics. Sports. Music. Media. Technology. Or so many other things. Instead of thinking about the eternal, we focus on the temporal. Instead of looking all around us and seeing people who will spend eternity in either heaven or hell, we look inwardly and are consumed with ourselves. What pleases us. The next thing we can buy. What we think will make us happy. It is ample evidence of being driven by the flesh. Our fallen nature. What is the solution?:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">"Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God." (Hebrews 12:1-2 ESV)</span><br />
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tony10000http://www.blogger.com/profile/05977366058505227985noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3973908214691854731.post-58033957784089674242015-12-24T19:52:00.000-08:002015-12-24T19:52:00.820-08:00Remember Jesus<a href="https://openclipart.org/detail/188686/nativity-scene-background---no-mask"><img src="https://openclipart.org/download/188686/hintergrund-krippe-nomask.svg" /></a>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">by Tony Thomas</span><br />
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The Christmas holiday is well known as a time for both crass commercialism and unbridled materialism, especially in prosperous countries like the USA. I cringe when I see reports of "Black Friday" brawls in stores and malls over big screen TVs and other material objects that are only temporal and quickly become obsolete.<br /><br />At the same time, so many are quick to forget the real meaning of the season -- the reason why we are celebrating and exchanging gifts:<br /><br /><i>"And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear. And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.” And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!” When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.” And they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger. And when they saw it, they made known the saying that had been told them concerning this child. And all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them. But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart. And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them." (Luke 2:8-20 ESV)</i><br /><br />God, in the form of a man, came to earth to live a righteous life and bear all of our sins on the Roman cross so that we may have eternal life if we trust in Him. So, let us forget about all of the excesses of what traditional Christmas has become and remember the true meaning of what we celebrate every December 25th -- the gift that God have us: Jesus Christ, the King of Kings and Lord of Lords!<br /><br /><i>“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God. And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil. For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed. But whoever does what is true comes to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that his works have been carried out in God.” (John 3:16-21 ESV)</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;"><i>Photo by Mioni - Creative Commons License</i></span></div>
tony10000http://www.blogger.com/profile/05977366058505227985noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3973908214691854731.post-70890611966770369802015-10-05T06:52:00.000-07:002015-10-05T07:12:09.553-07:00Why I Wrote "Real Christianity"<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">by Tony Thomas</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">My new book, “Real Christianity: Keeping the Faith in a Post-Christian World” was released yesterday on Amazon and Smashwords.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br />I wrote it in response to the hyper-skepticism and new atheism movements that have attempted to undermine belief the Holy Bible and faith in Jesus Christ. The Christian worldview is being actively and aggressively challenged by men like Bart Ehrman, Richard Dawkins, Sam Harris and others.<br /><br />The Bible instructs us to contend earnestly for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints (Jude 3). My goal in writing this book is to provide valuable information and Scriptures that will help every Christian defend their faith.<br /><br />" Real Christianity" covers these topics: The Real Bible, The Real God, The Real Jesus, The Real Holy Spirit, The Real Resurrection and The Real Gospel.<br /><br />I pray that you will buy it, read it and share it with your friends and family.<br /><br />Soli Deo Gloria and Shalom!<br /><br />Tony</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">---------------------------------</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /><br />Here is an excerpt from the book:<br /><br />"A movement called 'new atheism' sprang up after the
9/11 attacks on America as a knee-jerk reaction against all
forms of religious fundamentalism. In its cross-hairs are
the three monotheistic religions: Christianity, Judaism
and Islam. Its message is nothing new. It is just a stale
stew of Darwinism, intellectualism, secular humanism
and scientism served up to appeal to post-modern minds. The so called 'four horsemen of the new atheism', Richard Dawkins, Sam Harris, Dennis Dennet, and the
late Christopher Hitchens, have set out to destroy belief in
God by waging an attack on scientific and moral grounds. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">"Richard Dawkins, the author of 'The God Delusion', said
in his TED Talk: 'In my view, not only is science corrosive to religion, religion is corrosive to science. It teaches people to be
satisfied with trivial, supernatural non-explanations and
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blinds them to the wonderful real explanations that we
have within our grasp. It teaches them to accept authority, revelation and faith instead of always insisting on
evidence.'</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">"Real Christianity does not depend on blind faith. Christians should examine all of the evidence available to
support their faith. And while the new atheists are quick
to critique the Christian worldview, they offer nothing to
replace it with other than an arrogant and elitist
intellectualism. Christopher Hitchens was infamous for railing against the
violence in the Bible, the wars fought in the name of
religion and other perceived moral injustices. The
question is: How could Hitchens make assertions of
impropriety and immorality without being made in the
image of a moral Creator? Where did his morality come
from? </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">"All of new atheists support the theory of macro-evolution
and dismiss the possibility that the universe could have a
Creator. As they cannot go back in time and see the actual
formation of universe and its galaxies, stars, planets and
life forms on this planet, they are merely trading a belief
in theistic creation for the religion of Godless evolution
which has a deficient cosmology."</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>From "Real Christianity: Keeping the Faith in a Post-Christian World" by Tony Thomas. A Zoeproject Book. Copyright 2015 - Tony Thomas - All Rights Reserved. Used by permission.</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Links to “Real Christianity:<br /><br /><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Real-Christianity-Keeping-Faith-Post-Christian-ebook/dp/B0165WFX08">http://www.amazon.com/Real-Christianity-Keeping-Faith-Post-Christian-ebook/dp/B0165WFX08</a><br /><br /><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/582595">https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/582595</a></span></div>
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tony10000http://www.blogger.com/profile/05977366058505227985noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3973908214691854731.post-250118230019704202015-08-03T06:55:00.001-07:002015-08-03T06:55:06.989-07:00Review of "Counter Culture" by David Platt<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br /><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">by Tony Thomas<br /><br />In his new book, "Counter Culture", author David Platt deals with many controversial issues including poverty, same-sex marriage, racism, sex slavery, immigration, abortion, persecution, orphans and pornography. The publisher was kind enough to provide me with a review copy. <br /><br />His assessments of these issues are both powerful and Biblical. He brings scripture to bear on these difficult issues and his solutions are often convicting. He effectively demonstrates how the church has abdicated its role as salt and light in a fallen world. <br /><br />Platt presents many examples from his travels around the world and this helps to reinforce his positions. The accompanying website, www.counterculturebook.com encourages believers to take action by supporting groups that are helping to address these issues.<br /><br />I would urge all Christians to purchase “Counter Culture”. It is an important book. We all need to listen to David Platt’s prophetic call to confront our culture and to spread the message of deliverance that is inherent in the Gospel.</span><div>
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tony10000http://www.blogger.com/profile/05977366058505227985noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3973908214691854731.post-80157689137834876142015-04-21T07:06:00.000-07:002015-05-03T18:24:51.639-07:00Two Roads - Which One Are You On?<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">by Tony Thomas</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">“Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few." Matthew 7:13-14 ESV</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Two roads. Only one leads to life. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Many are on the broad road. It is easy. It is the road of compromise, accommodation and popular opinion. It is politically correct. Socially acceptable. No persecution. Everybody likes you. That road has a big welcome sign. It says enter here. All paths lead to God. Eternal life is available to all. It doesn't matter what you believe. Or you don't have to believe anything at all.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The other road is narrow. It is the road of faith in Jesus Christ. It is a hard road. It is narrow. There is no welcome sign. It requires you to deny yourself, take up your cross and follow Him. It is a road full of suffering and persecution. You will be hated and reviled while on that road. Yet, it is the only road that leads to eternal life. Heavenly bliss. Streets of gold. Walls of jewels. The tree of life. The throne of God. Joy unspeakable and full of glory. Never ending fellowship with the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Jesus said: "I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." John 14:6</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Which road are you on?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">"The invitation is freely given, the proclamation is openly made. My God is not a God of hatred and of anger; he is a God of love. He bids you who are thirsty, who are longing to see his face, he bids you now come; and he tells you, and he confirms the same with an oath - "As I live, saith the Lord God, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked but that the wicked turn from his way and live: turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways; for why will ye die, O house of Israel?" Come now! "The Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely." O Spirit of God! draw sinners to Christ! O glorious One! do thou be pleased now to draw them to the Father, through Jesus Christ, the Son of God." - C. H. Spurgeon "The Way to God"</span></div>
tony10000http://www.blogger.com/profile/05977366058505227985noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3973908214691854731.post-63147942519638115642015-04-05T09:59:00.001-07:002015-04-05T09:59:08.452-07:00The Empty Tombby Tony Thomas<br />
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<i>But the angel said to the women, "Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. He is not here, for he has risen, as he said. Come, see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples that he has risen from the dead, and behold, he is going before you to Galilee; there you will see him." Matthew 28:5-7 ESV</i><div>
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Jesus rose from the dead. He defeated death and the grave. He is alive forevermore and is seated at the right hand of the Father in heaven.</div>
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These realities are central to the Gospel. </div>
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What is the Gospel? The Gospel is the "good news" that Jesus Christ, the God-man, came to this earth in human form, lived a sinless life, died on the cross for our sins as a substitute and rose again for our justification.</div>
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The empty tomb is proof. Jesus' body has never been found. Why is this important?</div>
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Paul wrote:</div>
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<i>"And if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain. We are even found to be misrepresenting God, because we testified about God that he raised Christ, whom he did not raise if it is true that the dead are not raised. For if the dead are not raised, not even Christ has been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. If in Christ we have hope in this life only, we are of all people most to be pitied." I Cor 15:14-19 ESV</i><div>
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It is my prayer that you will trust Jesus Christ and receive the free gift of eternal life that He purchased with His own blood for your sins.</div>
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<i> “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him." John 3:16-17 ESV</i><br /><div>
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tony10000http://www.blogger.com/profile/05977366058505227985noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3973908214691854731.post-56500034607543542542015-03-23T07:07:00.001-07:002015-03-23T15:28:20.191-07:00Why The Word of God Matters<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">by Tony Thomas<br /><br />The Word of God is under attack.<br /><br />Many seem to think that it is no longer relevant. They feel it is just an old, dusty book that has no authority over our lives. Even many professing Christians feel this way. Although they give lip service to the veracity and inerrant nature of the Bible, the way they live repudiates its content.<br /><br />Psalm 119 begins with these words:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"Blessed are those whose way is blameless, who walk in the law of the LORD! Blessed are those who keep his testimonies, who seek him with their whole heart, who also do no wrong, but walk in his ways!" (Psalm 119:1-3 ESV)<br /><br />The Bible is no mere book. It is alive, it is active, it is sharper than any two-edged sword. It has the ability to penetrate our soul and spirit. It cuts deep into the thoughts and intentions of our heart and lays them bare. (Hebrews 4:12) In its pages are the words of life - words that not only have the ability to transform our lives, but to transport us from eternal judgement to eternal joy! (John 6:68)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We must therefore defend the Bible, its inerrancy and its authority. We must live in conformity to its words, because it reveals to us the only source of our salvation, the Lord Jesus Christ.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"Teach me, O LORD, the way of your statutes; and I will keep it to the end. Give me understanding, that I may keep your law and observe it with my whole heart. Lead me in the path of your commandments, for I delight in it. Incline my heart to your testimonies, and not to selfish gain! Turn my eyes from looking at worthless things; and give me life in your ways. Confirm to your servant your promise, that you may be feared. Turn away the reproach that I dread, for your rules are good. Behold, I long for your precepts; in your righteousness give me life!" (Psalm 119:33-40 ESV)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>I recommend that you check out the messages of the Shepherd's Conference Inerrancy Summit, available here:</i><br /><i><br /></i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><a href="https://vimeo.com/channels/887255">Inerrancy Summit Messages on Vimeo</a></i></span><br />
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tony10000http://www.blogger.com/profile/05977366058505227985noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3973908214691854731.post-29474768406724133802014-12-24T20:47:00.001-08:002014-12-24T20:47:04.670-08:00The Incarnation and You<br />
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by Tony Thomas<br />
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At this time of year, our thoughts are filled with gift giving, merriment and cheer. However, let us not forget the true reason for the season - the incarnation of the Savior of the world, Jesus the Messiah:<br />
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“But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are too little to be among the clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to be ruler in Israel, whose coming forth is from of old, from ancient days.” (Micah 5:2 ESV)<br />
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“For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end, on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time forth and forevermore. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will do this.” (Isaiah 9:6–7 ESV)<br />
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You may ask, why do we need a Savior?<br />
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The Bible says:<br />
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“But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it— the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction:<b> for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith.<i> </i></b>This was to show God’s righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins. It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.” (Romans 3:21–26 ESV)<br />
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It is my hope and prayer that you will repent from your sins and put your trust in Jesus Christ. After all, He is the real reason for the season!<br />
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<b><i>"The first link between my soul and Christ is, not my goodness, but my badness; not my merit, but my misery; not my standing, but my falling; not my riches, but my need. He comes to visit His people, yet not to admire their beauties, but to remove their deformities; not to reward their virtues, but to forgive their sins." - C.H. Spurgeon</i></b><br />
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<i><b>For more information: <a href="http://zoeproject.com/htlf.html">http://zoeproject.com/htlf.html</a></b></i><br />
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tony10000http://www.blogger.com/profile/05977366058505227985noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3973908214691854731.post-64084696471546362882014-07-29T06:41:00.000-07:002014-07-29T06:57:57.698-07:00Jesus or Jesus?<span style="font-family: inherit;">One of my favorite books to study from is the Bible encyclopedia. When studying about Barabbas, the murderer who was chosen by the crowd for release instead of Jesus, here is what I found: His name really means "son of the father" from the Hebrew words "Bar" (son) and "Abba" (father). Some variants of Matthew 27:17 identify his first name as "Jesus". In fact, the NIV renders it: "So when the crowd had gathered, Pilate asked them, "Which one do you want me to release to you: Jesus Barabbas, or Jesus who is called the Messiah?" So, in God's providence, he gave them the choice between the true Jesus the Son of the Father and the false one. Fascinating!</span>tony10000http://www.blogger.com/profile/05977366058505227985noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3973908214691854731.post-26047978573793470422013-11-10T21:02:00.001-08:002013-11-18T11:00:34.939-08:00"Strange Fire" Book Review by Tony Thomas<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The “Strange Fire” conference, held recently in Los Angeles, has caused quite an uproar among evangelicals and charismatics in this country and abroad. Sponsored by Grace Community Church and the Master’s Seminary, this conference featured speakers including John MacArthur, R.C. Sproul, Steve Lawson, Phil Johnson and Conrad Mbewe. </span><br>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.15; white-space: pre-wrap;">I had a chance to listen to many of the presentations from the conference and found the material to be both compelling and controversial. The speakers attacked the very foundation of the Pentecostal, Charismatic and Third Wave movements and their presentations were hard hitting and not at all nuanced.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.15; white-space: pre-wrap;">As a result of what I had seen and heard, I decided to reach out to Thomas Nelson Publishers to see if I could get a pre-release copy of the book. They were kind enough to honor my request and I read the book with a great deal of anticipation and interest as one who was actively involved in the movement nearly thirty years ago.</span><br>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.15; white-space: pre-wrap;">The complete title of the book is: “Strange Fire - The Danger of Offending the Holy Spirit with Counterfeit Worship” by John MacArthur, Pastor of Grace Community Church in Sun Valley, CA. The book title is a “in your face” precursor to the combustible material found inside. The title is derived from the account recorded in Leviticus 10:1-3 in which the sons of Aaron were destroyed after they made an offering of “strange fire” to the Lord. The premise is that “strange fire” is counterfeit worship of the true God in a way that violates His Word. </span><br>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.15; white-space: pre-wrap;">The book is over 300 pages long with extensive (450 or so ) biblical references and quotes. A helpful “notes” section at the end of the book gives detailed information on each reference for those who are inclined to check original sources. It is a very scholarly work and is well researched with plenty of background information and history. As such, it should be taken very seriously. </span><br>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.15; white-space: pre-wrap;">The three sections of the book are:</span><br>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.15; white-space: pre-wrap;">1. Confronting a Counterfeit Revival</span><br>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.15; white-space: pre-wrap;">MacArthur’s approach throughout the book is to examine each issue in “black and white” with no shades of gray. He sees things as true/false, right/wrong and good/evil. He is a total absolutist. This is in stark contrast with our culture which is unabashedly relativistic. </span><br>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.15; white-space: pre-wrap;">He does an excellent job of contrasting the modern “gifts of the Spirit” with their biblical equivalents. He exposes fallible prophets, phony tongues and failed healings. He reveals theological distortions and scripture twisting. In addition, he exposes the moral failures, scandals, inconsistencies and deceptions that have brought great shame to the movement and the name of Christ. MacArthur sees the movement as a full-frontal attack on the doctrine of Sola Scriptura and one that is infiltrating the evangelical church all over the world. It is a sobering book that is likely to provoke much thought, prayer and hopefully, discussion and debate.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.15; white-space: pre-wrap;">The torrent of shocking sound bites that emerged from the “Strange Fire” conference will likely cause many to pass on reading the book. I think this is a grave mistake. The book is thoughtful, analytical and well-reasoned. It deserves to be read. </span><br>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span>tony10000http://www.blogger.com/profile/05977366058505227985noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3973908214691854731.post-36092644164512850422012-12-25T10:36:00.001-08:002012-12-25T10:36:45.668-08:00God With Us<br />
<i><b>“And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.” (John 1:14 ESV)</b></i><br />
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For many, Christmas is nothing more than getting stuff and an excuse for unbridled revelry. Of course, this obscures its true meaning: the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ.<br />
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The Creator of the universe left eternity and entered time to take on a tent of human flesh and to live among us. Not only that, He came on a rescue mission to save broken men and women from sin and death by living a sinless life and dying in our place on Calvary’s cross. (Romans 5:10)<br />
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In addition, He triumphed over death by rising from the dead for our justification. (Romans 4:25, I Cor 15)<br />
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And He offers to us the gift of eternal life to us as a free gift. (Romans 6:23) All we need to do to receive it is to repent from our sins and place our trust in Him as our Savior and Lord. (Acts 3:19, Romans 10:9-10)<br />
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<i>“Christ has not left going forth yet. And when he goes forth, recollect, he goes to Bethlehem. Have you a Bethlehem in your heart? Are you little? will go forth to you yet. Go home and seek him by earnest prayer. If you have been made to weep on account of sin, and think yourself too little to be noticed, go home, little one! Jesus comes to little ones; his goings forth were of old, and he is going forth now. He will come to your poor old house; he will come to your poor wretched heart; he will come, though you are in poverty, and clothed in rags, though you are destitute, tormented, and afflicted; he will come, for his goings forth have been of old from everlasting. Trust him, trust him, trust him; and he will go forth to abide in your heart for ever.” - Charles Haddon Spurgeon</i><br />
tony10000http://www.blogger.com/profile/05977366058505227985noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3973908214691854731.post-28789041115459205762012-11-11T20:35:00.000-08:002012-11-11T20:35:00.216-08:00Keep Contending!<br />
<i><span style="font-family: inherit;">“Beloved, although I was very eager to write to you about our common salvation, I found it necessary to write appealing to you to contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints.” Jude 3 ESV</span></i><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">We are living in difficult times. There is war, strife and uncertainty. The world is permeated with doubt. Postmodern thought has ushered in an era that champions unbelief in the guise of modesty. Subjectivity is utterly pervasive. However, the Bible tells us to contend for the faith. What faith? The once, for all delivered, faith.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">The Christian faith has a historical basis. Thousands of years of history undergird it. From Adam and Eve in the garden, through Noah, Abraham, Moses, King David, the prophets and all the way to John the Baptist and culminating in Jesus Christ, the Son of God, who died on the cross for our sins and rose from the dead for our justification, the Christian faith is based upon actual events. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Our faith is, therefore, not subjective. It is not only based upon historical facts and substantiated evidence, but that evidence has been documented in the Holy Bible. The life of Jesus Christ is recorded in the four Gospels. The history of the early church is recorded in the book of Acts, and the epistles lay down its doctrinal foundation. Even though it was vilified, censored and destroyed, the Bible has miraculously survived through the centuries. Based upon substantial documentary evidence, the Bible that we have today is over 99% intact and the other less than 1% has no bearing on any major doctrine.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Despite the ever-blowing “winds of doctrine” (Ephesians 4:14), our faith is not amorphous and vacuous. It is clearly defined and unchanging. Despite those who “twist the Scriptures to their own destruction” (II Peter 3:16), Holy Scripture is our only standard for faith. As the writer of Hebrews penned, "the Word of God is alive, powerful and sharper than any double-edged sword". It penetrates all the way to our soul and spirit, the very essence of who we really are. (Hebrews 4:12)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">As a result, we must “earnestly struggle for the system of religious truth that was conclusively transmitted to the believers in Christ”. (Jude 3, literal Greek translation) We have to be ready and equipped to destroy every stronghold of doubt and every lofty human opinion that is in opposition to the true knowledge of God and bring it into conformity with His will and revelation. (2 Corinthians 10:5)</span><br />
tony10000http://www.blogger.com/profile/05977366058505227985noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3973908214691854731.post-10988262543385747352012-08-27T06:32:00.000-07:002012-08-29T09:48:25.232-07:00Thoughts on the Gospel<span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>“Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand, and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you—unless you believed in vain. For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures...”
</b></span></span><b style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">--1 Corinthians 15:1-4 ESV</b><br />
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<b style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">I have been reading a lot of Michael Horton lately. I highly recommend his books: “Christless Christianity” and “The Gospel Driven Life”. </b><br />
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<b style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">In them, he emphasizes that the substance of the true Gospel is not what we do, but what has been done for us. The Gospel is not a “to do list”. It is not a list of rules and regulations. That is the law. And, according to Paul, we have “died to the law through the body of Christ...” (Romans 7:4 ESV)</b><br />
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<b style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">It is the fact that Jesus Christ died for our sins, was buried and was raised from the dead. The fact that He lived the righteous life that we are unable to live. The fact that His righteousness is imputed to us. </b><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>A lot of people today are trying to “live the Gospel”. </b></span></span><b style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">This is a concept foreign to the Bible. </b><br />
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<b style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">We can’t live the Gospel, we can only proclaim the Gospel. Of course, Jesus Christ is our example. However, the Gospel is not “What Would Jesus Do?”. It is what Jesus did for all of us if we will only trust in Him.</b>tony10000http://www.blogger.com/profile/05977366058505227985noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3973908214691854731.post-55840648184327177872012-04-07T20:46:00.000-07:002012-08-26T10:39:09.023-07:00Christ Our Passover<b id="internal-source-marker_0.5971141648478806"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Cleanse out the old leaven that you may be a new lump, as you really are unleavened. For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed.” (1 Co 5:7 ESV)</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></b><br />
<b><br /></b><b><span style="font-family: Arial; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">At the beginning of John’s Gospel, John the Baptist makes a stunning announcement: “Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:36 ESV). </span></b><b><br /></b><b><span style="font-family: Arial; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: Arial; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">To those who heard the announcement, these words held a special meaning. During the Passover (or Pesach), a lamb without spot or blemish was sacrificed and the blood of the lamb was sprinkled on the doorposts and lintels so that the angel of death would “pass over” the Jewish households and all of the first borns would live.</span></b><b><br /></b><b><span style="font-family: Arial; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: Arial; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Just as God accepted the sacrifice of the Israelites who sprinkled the blood of the lamb on their doorposts, God sent Jesus Christ, His only begotten Son, to the cross as the perfect sacrifice for our sins. </span></b><b><br /></b><b><span style="font-family: Arial; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></b><br />
<i><b><span style="font-family: Arial; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Why did Jesus Christ have to die? </span></b><b><br /></b></i><b><span style="font-family: Arial; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: Arial; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">According to Hebrews 9:22, without the shedding of blood, there can be no remission of sin. Romans 5:9 and Ephesians 1:7 say that we are redeemed and justified by the blood of Messiah.</span></b><b><br /></b><b><span style="font-family: Arial; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: Arial; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Jesus lived a perfect, sinless life and died on the Roman cross as the perfect sacrifice for the sins of those who would put their faith in Him. </span></b><b><br /></b><b><span style="font-family: Arial; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: Arial; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">God has imputed His perfect righteousness to all believers and has imputed our sin to Christ: “For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” (II Corinthians 5:21 ESV)</span></b><b><br /></b><b><span style="font-family: Arial; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: Arial; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Not only that, He rose again from the dead to demonstrate His dominion over death and to assure us that we will also triumph over death: “For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive. But each in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, then at his coming those who belong to Christ. Then comes the end, when he delivers the kingdom to God the Father after destroying every rule and every authority and power. For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. The last enemy to be destroyed is death.” (1 Corinthians 15:22–26 ESV)</span></b><b><br /></b><b><span style="font-family: Arial; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: Arial; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This should be enough to cause us to rejoice! For Christ is risen! He is risen, indeed!</span></b><br />
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<span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Arial;"><i>"But courage, believer! your body shall rise again. Laid in the earth it may be, but kept in the earth it cannot be. The voice of nature bids you die, but the voice of the Omnipotent bids you live again." C. H. Spurgeon</i></span></span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></b>tony10000http://www.blogger.com/profile/05977366058505227985noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3973908214691854731.post-43930834241790595772011-12-25T22:41:00.000-08:002011-12-26T08:37:35.196-08:00Did We Miss Christmas?The tree was beautifully decorated. Neatly-wrapped presents were placed underneath. Holly was in evidence and mistletoe hung over our heads. There was plenty of food on the table and merriment abounded. But, did we miss Christmas? Did we forget the real reason for the season?:<br />
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The fact that Jesus of Nazareth, the Messiah of Israel, was born of a virgin in the little town of Bethlehem and came to live a perfectly righteous life and to die on a cross for the sins of all those who would put their faith in Him. <br />
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Our crass commercialization of Christmas has all but extinguished the message of the glorious Gospel. <br />
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Many of the songs we sing are largely devoid of meaning. Santa Claus, Christmas trees, yule logs, wreaths, sleighs and reindeer serve to obfuscate the message. <br />
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Even the gifts we give are a poor substitute for the greatest gift ever given to mankind--the hope of eternal life with God and the accompanying joys of heaven. In a world filled with hopelessness, pain, war and suffering, this is good news indeed. <br />
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Let's take a few moments to thank God for the wonderful gift that He gave to us: the gift of His Son:<br />
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“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him."<br />
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(John 3:16-17 ESV)tony10000http://www.blogger.com/profile/05977366058505227985noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3973908214691854731.post-8715193330135308722011-09-26T06:05:00.000-07:002011-09-26T06:21:41.498-07:00Trust in the Lord<script type="text/javascript" src="http://www.freefoto.com/imagelink/?ffid=903-30-7677&s=s" ></script><br />
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"Trust in the Lord with all your heart,<br />
and do not lean on your own understanding.<br />
In all your ways acknowledge him,<br />
and he will make straight your paths." <br />
Proverbs 3:5-6 ESV<br />
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Proverbs 3:5-6 have been my life verses for the last 32 years that I have been a Christian. They have provided me with strength and direction through some difficult times.<br />
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It is often difficult to trust in the Lord. We are constantly warring against our flesh, the world and the devil. These forces continually lead us away from the Lord. <br />
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However, the Bible clearly states that without faith it is impossible to please Him. (Hebrews 11:6) <br />
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We must not depend on our fallible understanding and intellect, but keep our eyes firmly fixed on Jesus.<br />
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"And when you trust God in spite of all outward appearances and surrounding circumstances, it is a comfortable proof to yourself that you are on good terms with God, that you are walking in sweet fellowship with him, and it is one of the most <br />
blessed facts in your whole history." - Spurgeontony10000http://www.blogger.com/profile/05977366058505227985noreply@blogger.com0