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TEN-FOLD DESCRIPTION OF IDOLS IN PSALM 115

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TEN-FOLD DESCRIPTION OF IDOLS IN PSALM 115
IDOLS

  1. They are silver and gold (Psalm 115:4).
  2. They are the work of men’s hands.
  3. They have mouths, but speak not (Psalm 115:5).
  4. They have eyes, but see not.
  5. They have ears, but hear not (Psalm 115:6).
  6. They have noses, but smell not.
  7. They hands, but handle not (Psalm 115:7).
  8. They have feet, but walk not.
  9. They have throat, but speak not.
  10. They are helpless like their makers and those who trust them (Psalm 115:8).

 Dake

HEALING BY HIS STRIPES, BUT NOT YET.

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HEALING BY HIS STRIPES, BUT NOT YET.

healing

“Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.  But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.  All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.  He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth.  He was taken from prison and from judgment: and who shall declare his generation? for he was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people was he stricken.  And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death; because he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth.” Isaiah 53:4-9

The Lord’s healing ministry validated the Old Testament claims that Israel’s Messiah would, be among other things, the healer. Much of His earthly ministry consisted of healings. As noted, the purpose was to verify that He was their Messiah and King. However, instead of accepting Him, the religious leaders attributed His healings to the devil. “Then was brought unto him one possessed with a devil, blind, and dumb: and he healed him, insomuch that the blind and dumb both spake and saw.  And all the people were amazed, and said, Is not this the son of David?  But when the Pharisees heard it, they said, This fellow doth not cast out devils, but by Beelzebub the prince of the devils.” Matthew 12:22-24.

[perfectpullquote align=”right” bordertop=”false” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=””]…there is healing in His strips, but not yet.[/perfectpullquote]

When Israel rejected their king and the Kingdom of Heaven, the kingdom miracles and ministry began to disappear and did so during the Acts period. God revealed the mystery and ministry of grace to the Apostle Paul. It is evident that apostolic miracles were disappearing. The following will show that trend. “Drink no longer water, but use a little wine for thy stomach’s sake and thine often infirmities.” 1 Timothy 5:23. It is evident that this was real wine, and it had medicinal qualities. Timothy is also told to drink “a little.” That would not be necessary for grape juice.  One wonders why Paul did not use his healing ministry to heal Erastus. “Erastus abode at Corinth: but Trophimus have I left at Miletum sick.” 2 Timothy 4:20. We see the same in the following.” Yet I supposed it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus, my brother, and companion in labour, and fellowsoldier, but your messenger, and he that ministered to my wants.  For he longed after you all, and was full of heaviness, because that ye had heard that he had been sick.  For indeed he was sick nigh unto death: but God had mercy on him; and not on him only, but on me also, lest I should have sorrow upon sorrow.” Philippians 2:25-27. We don’t know what Paul’s thorn was, but his prayers and faith could not rid him of it. God said, “For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me.  And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.” 2 Corinthians 12:8-9. You are not yet healed by His stripes.

If we rightly divide the Word of God, we must acknowledge that Isaiah is addressed to the nation of Israel, and chapter fifty-three is a realization by the nation of Israel that they did not know or acknowledge their King at His first advent. The truth of the passage will be understood by Israel after the rapture of the church, and they are converted. Although the text was written seven hundred years before the birth of Christ, it still is not acknowledged or understood by Israel. The passage will be comprehended by the remnant during the Tribulation or the Millennium. Perhaps the following text will shed more light on the subject. “Thou hast put all things in subjection under his feet. For in that he put all in subjection under him, he left nothing that is not put under him. But now we see not yet all things put under him.  But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man.” Hebrews 2:8-9.  Yes, there is healing in His strips, but not yet.

SATAN IS NOT CRUSHED OR DEFEATED

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SATAN IS NOT CRUSHED OR DEFEATED

By Ken Blue
Satan

“And the God of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen.” Romans 16:20.

Perhaps no other teaching about Satan misleads believers more. Satan is not defeated, nor was his head crushed at the cross. The above verse should make that clear to all who can read. Consider Paul who said, “And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed Into an angel of light.  Therefore, it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works” (2 Cor. 11:14, 15).  “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:  Whom resist steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.” 1 Peter 5:8-9.

There are some who teach that Satan is now chained. If that be so, it is certainly a rubber chain. They preach that there is no need for us to resist one who is crushed and defeated. Don’t be naive or blinded by the teaching that Satan’s head is crushed, and that he has no power over you. That is just one more of his deceitful darts to hurl at the unsuspecting Christian.   

 

WHAT DID IT MEAN TO BELIEVE IN JESUS’ NAME?

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BELIEVING IN JESUS’ NAME

BelieveBy Ken Blue

What did the Jews believe in order to have eternal life during Jesus’ day? We have examples to show what they believed. Below are accounts from John’s gospel, Matthew’s gospel, and Acts:

  1. Nathanael’s Faith

Nathanael answered and saith unto him, Rabbi, thou art the Son of God; thou art the King of Israel.  Jesus answered and said unto him, Because I said unto thee, I saw thee under the fig tree, believest thou? thou shalt see greater things than these.  And he saith unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Hereafter ye shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of man. John 1:49-51

  1. Martha’s Faith

Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live:  And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?  She saith unto him, Yea, Lord: I believe that thou art the Christ, the Son of God, which should come into the world. John 11:25-27

  1. Peter’s Faith

And they said, Some say that thou art John the Baptist: some, Elias; and others, Jeremias, or one of the prophets.  He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am?  And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. Matthew 16:14-16  

  1. The Ethiopian Eunuch’s Faith

And the eunuch answered Philip, and said, I pray thee, of whom speaketh the prophet this? of himself, or of some other man?  Then Philip opened his mouth, and began at the same scripture, and preached unto him Jesus.  And as they went on their way, they came unto a certain water: and the eunuch said, See, here is water; what doth hinder me to be baptized?  And Philip said, If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. Acts 8:34-37

[perfectpullquote align=”right” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=””]…John 3.16 has nothing to say for salvation today.[/perfectpullquote]

The above testimonies have a common thread. What one believed for salvation during Jesus’ earthly ministry and shortly afterward, what “believing in Christ” meant during this time was believing Jesus was Israel’s Messiah and the Son of God. When we read the following passage we must understand what it meant at the time. John wrote:

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.  For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.  He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. John 3:16-18

This passage is probably familiar to more people than any other passage in Scripture. Most misunderstand it, however. The gospels reveal that Jesus ministered to Jews only (Matthew 10:5-6; John 12:20-26) with two exceptions (Matthew 15:21-28; 8:5-13; cf. Luke 7:1-10). In context, this passage has to do with Jewish salvation, the gospel of the kingdom, not Gentile salvation. Interpretatively, John 3.16 has nothing to say for salvation today. It becomes meaningful today in light of Paul’s gospel (1 Corinthians 15:1-4).

(THE ERROR IS READING PAUL’S WRITINGS BACK INTO THESE AND OTHER TEXT LIKE THEM.)

ARE THEY LOST OR ARE THEY SAVED?

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ARE THEY LOST OR ARE THEY SAVED?

Comments on 1 Cor. 6:9

“Observe here, 1. Our apostle’s positive assertion, and categorical proposition, That the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God; whereby unrighteousness, is meant injustice and injuriousness towards our neighbour, as appears by the context, which speaks of defrauding: unrighteousness will as certainly shut out of heaven, as ungodliness.

Observe next, The large catalog of sins which the apostle reckons up, that will shut out of heaven: uncleanness, idolatry, inordinate love of this world, drunkenness, etc. For the confirmation of his proposition, he proceedeth to the enumeration of the several sins destructive of salvation: which are not to be understood copulatively, but disjunctively: not as if he only who is guilty of all these shall miss of heaven, but he that lives in any one of these unrepented of; if he doth not forsake his wicked course of life, he shall never see the kingdom of God: whoever allows and tolerates himself in any one sin, is certainly in a state of damnation.-William Burket’s notes

“Know ye not, etc. By unrighteousness here you may understand what is opposed to strict integrity. The unrighteous, then, that is, those who inflict injury on their brethren, who defraud or circumvent others, who, in short, are intent upon their own advantage at the expense of injuring others, will not inherit the kingdom of God. That by the unrighteous here, as for example adulterers, and thieves and covetous, and revilers, he means those who do not repent of their sins, but obstinately persist in them, is too manifest to require that it should be stated. The Apostle himself, too, afterwards expresses this in the words employed by him, when he says that the Corinthians formerly were such The wicked, then, do inherit the kingdom of God, but it is only in the event of their having been first converted to the Lord in true repentance, and having in this way ceased to be wicked. For although conversion is not the ground of pardon, yet we know that none are reconciled to God but those who repent. The interrogation, however, is emphatic, for it intimates that he states nothing but what they themselves know, and is a matter of common remark among all pious persons.” –John Calvin

“The unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom – The unrighteous, αδικοι , those who act contrary to right, cannot inherit, for the inheritance is by right. He who is not a child of God has no right to the family inheritance, for that inheritance is for the children. If children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ, Ro 8:17. There are here ten classes of transgressors which the apostle excludes from the kingdom of God; and any man who is guilty of any one of the evils mentioned above is thereby excluded from this kingdom, whether it imply the Church of Christ here below or the state of glory hereafter.

Several of the evils here enumerated will not bear to be particularly explained; they are, however, sufficiently plain of themselves, and show us what abominations were commonly practiced among the Corinthians.”-Adam Clark

“…their tricking and defrauding of one another, with other sins they were guilty of; which, if not repented of, would show, that notwithstanding their profession, they were destitute of the grace of God, were unfit to be in the kingdom of God, in a Gospel church state here below, and would be shut out of the kingdom of heaven hereafter.” –John Gill

“He puts it to them as a plain truth, of which they could not be ignorant, that such sinners should not inherit the kingdom of God. The meanest among them must know thus much, that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God (1Co 6:9), shall not be owned as true members of his church on earth, nor admitted as glorious members of the church in heaven. All unrighteousness is sin; and all reigning sin, nay, every actual sin committed deliberately, and not repented of, shuts out of the kingdom of heaven.” –Matthew Henry

“And he presses the point that they were to cherish no illusions as to this, for none of the characters pointed to in verse 9 and 10 should ever dwell with God.”-Georg Williams

“Those who practice such sins are not Christians.”- William McDonald

“The kingdom of God. Cannot be saved; cannot enter into heaven. Cmt. on Mt 3:2. This may refer either to the kingdom of God in heaven, or to the church on earth–most probably the former. But the sense is the same essentially, whichever is meant. The man who is not fit to enter into the one, is not fit to enter into the other. The man who is fit to enter the kingdom of God on earth, shall also enter into that in heaven.”- Albert Barns