Rom 8:16-17
The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:
17 And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.
Sometimes I think we get the wrong impression about this statement, "we are children of God." Do we think that because we are children of God that we will not suffer the trials of our flesh? Do sometimes think that because we are the children of God that we wont be effected by our surroundings? Do we think that we are untouchable by the evil of our day simply because we are the children of God?
If my father were a police officer I would still have to obey the law or I could be arrested for breaking it. If my father were a doctor I would still suffer colds and sickness. My point in this is that whatever profession my father were in I wouldn't be exempt from what this life brings!
Sin has destroyed the perfect world and the life that God had created for us and because of sin we suffer, we struggle and life at times can be very difficult.
I am not saying that there is no pleasure in or benefits from serving the Lord. On the contrary, without Him this suffering would be in vain. Yet we are not exempt! I often share my opinion when it comes to battling in this life. To battle this life without Jesus and without His church would be unbearable to me. I have a friend, a counselor and a Comforter in Jesus and though I am not isolated from the pain, I am insulated from its full devastating effects.
Being an heir simply means I have something coming. Its not in my possession but in the end I will obtain it. Had a parent willed something to their child, that child doesn't receive it until the passing of that parent. When I became a child of God I received certain things in my life for this life, other things are promised to be given and I patiently wait for them.
We have become joint-heirs with Christ id so be that we suffer with Hi, that we may be also glorified together.
There is no promise of easy living. The bible teaches that the road to heaven is straight and narrow not smooth and easy. A mathematical question once asked, What weighs more? A ton of feathers or a ton of bricks? It is amazing how many people will respond with the wrong answer. Of course the weight is the same but the perception is not. The weight of the world to those without Jesus would feel more like the bricks. The weight of the world to those with Jesus would feel more like the feathers. Same weight but different effect. Jesus bears our burden but we still have to carry them to Him.
Tuesday, October 31, 2017
Wednesday, September 27, 2017
Church errors!
First let me start off by saying the Church is the greatest living organism on the planet. If not for the church this world would have nothing left to continue on for. Many will say that the church is what's wrong with the world but I beg to differ and would say the church is what's right in the world.
The church is the only thing that the gates of hell cannot prevail against and so it is in the church that I will remain.
However, people make up the body of Christ i.e. the church and with that comes the imperfection that we all can admit to. Like any family, organization or group we may not all agree on everything and our personalities may clash at times but nevertheless we strive for the unity of the Spirit.
These are not the errors that I am referencing however, but pointing out that we are all still human beings after all. The church errors that I am writing today about may be our focus, our purpose and our agendas.
As I had recently preached in a message to the church I made this statement, "The church is not in this community for the churched, The church is in the community for the community." the unchurched is why we are here. Church cannot continue to be the gathering place of the saints but it has to be the church for the sinners.
I love to enter into His presence for worship and praise but ultimately it is the atmosphere that we are creating for the lost that should be our focus. If the service is for the saints then when does the weary soul find their rest.
Jesus demonstrated how He felt about the temple being used improperly. Matt 21:12-14
And Jesus went into the temple of God, and cast out all them that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the moneychangers, and the seats of them that sold doves,
13 And said unto them, It is written, My house shall be called the house of prayer; but ye have made it a den of thieves.
14 And the blind and the lame came to him in the temple; and he healed them.
It wasn't until the house was in order before those with the greatest need would receive their healing from the Lord.
I pray the errors that the church has made will quickly be corrected so that the church can manifest once again its true purpose. The church is not our social club but the place where we serve those in need!
The church is the only thing that the gates of hell cannot prevail against and so it is in the church that I will remain.
However, people make up the body of Christ i.e. the church and with that comes the imperfection that we all can admit to. Like any family, organization or group we may not all agree on everything and our personalities may clash at times but nevertheless we strive for the unity of the Spirit.
These are not the errors that I am referencing however, but pointing out that we are all still human beings after all. The church errors that I am writing today about may be our focus, our purpose and our agendas.
As I had recently preached in a message to the church I made this statement, "The church is not in this community for the churched, The church is in the community for the community." the unchurched is why we are here. Church cannot continue to be the gathering place of the saints but it has to be the church for the sinners.
I love to enter into His presence for worship and praise but ultimately it is the atmosphere that we are creating for the lost that should be our focus. If the service is for the saints then when does the weary soul find their rest.
Jesus demonstrated how He felt about the temple being used improperly. Matt 21:12-14
And Jesus went into the temple of God, and cast out all them that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the moneychangers, and the seats of them that sold doves,
13 And said unto them, It is written, My house shall be called the house of prayer; but ye have made it a den of thieves.
14 And the blind and the lame came to him in the temple; and he healed them.
It wasn't until the house was in order before those with the greatest need would receive their healing from the Lord.
I pray the errors that the church has made will quickly be corrected so that the church can manifest once again its true purpose. The church is not our social club but the place where we serve those in need!
Wednesday, May 31, 2017
Pro Choice
Choice is a God given right. No-one gets to take that away from us. You may not agree with my choices and I may not agree with yours but we have been given the right to choose. With that said, let me quickly rebut what you may be thinking. I am Pro Life but I am also Pro choice.
The debate shouldn't be between life and choice, the debate is between life and abortion. I am not pro abortion. Choice is something that if ever taken away, would cause us to cease to exist as human beings. From the very beginning in the garden of Eden the ability to choose is what separated us from every other living thing. Adam and Eve both chose to disobey God and that was their right to do so. Sure they were punished, not because they had made a choice but because their choice was in direct violation of Gods word. They were even warned what would happen if they made that choice and God didn't stop them from doing so.
When making decisions, there is a lot to consider, and when we fail to consider the outcome of our choices is when trouble may arise. Its cause and effect. There are consequences for every action, good or bad. We as the individual are not the only ones effected by our choices even if were making them for ourselves. One of the first questions that we should ask ourselves before making decisions, especially life altering ones is, Who will be effected?
This blog originated from a recent gathering that I had attended as a police chaplain. We had met a few folks at a coffee shop and amongst them were business owners, retired lawyers, engineers and a couple police officers. As I was being seated, introductions were being made and of course I was introduced as a police chaplain. Immediately a lady at the table says out loud, for all to hear, that so and so is an atheist and I was seated right next to him. Did I rebuke him? No. Did I begin a debate with him? No. What I did was except his right to make that choice. Are there consequences for him if he doesn't change his mind? Yes, but his right to choose is still his.
I may not agree with the law and so I choose to break it, that's my right. You may not believe what the bible teaches and that's your right. You may disagree or even disapprove with the way someone is doing something or how they are behaving but again that is their right. However, our right to choose doesn't declare our innocents nor does it mean that there will not be consequences to our actions.
It is of my opinion that our choices and decisions shouldn't be made on a whim or off the cuff but should be carefully thought out and even include others in your circle of influence.
Proverbs 24:6 For by wise counsel thou shalt make thy war; and in the multitude of counsellors there is safety.
I have made plenty of bad choices in life and had I included others I may have saved myself some headaches. Most of the consequences that we suffer from our choices could be avoided by communicating with others who have been down a similar road before us. Ultimately we make the decision, but in most cases, education is great assistance.
The debate shouldn't be between life and choice, the debate is between life and abortion. I am not pro abortion. Choice is something that if ever taken away, would cause us to cease to exist as human beings. From the very beginning in the garden of Eden the ability to choose is what separated us from every other living thing. Adam and Eve both chose to disobey God and that was their right to do so. Sure they were punished, not because they had made a choice but because their choice was in direct violation of Gods word. They were even warned what would happen if they made that choice and God didn't stop them from doing so.
When making decisions, there is a lot to consider, and when we fail to consider the outcome of our choices is when trouble may arise. Its cause and effect. There are consequences for every action, good or bad. We as the individual are not the only ones effected by our choices even if were making them for ourselves. One of the first questions that we should ask ourselves before making decisions, especially life altering ones is, Who will be effected?
This blog originated from a recent gathering that I had attended as a police chaplain. We had met a few folks at a coffee shop and amongst them were business owners, retired lawyers, engineers and a couple police officers. As I was being seated, introductions were being made and of course I was introduced as a police chaplain. Immediately a lady at the table says out loud, for all to hear, that so and so is an atheist and I was seated right next to him. Did I rebuke him? No. Did I begin a debate with him? No. What I did was except his right to make that choice. Are there consequences for him if he doesn't change his mind? Yes, but his right to choose is still his.
I may not agree with the law and so I choose to break it, that's my right. You may not believe what the bible teaches and that's your right. You may disagree or even disapprove with the way someone is doing something or how they are behaving but again that is their right. However, our right to choose doesn't declare our innocents nor does it mean that there will not be consequences to our actions.
It is of my opinion that our choices and decisions shouldn't be made on a whim or off the cuff but should be carefully thought out and even include others in your circle of influence.
Proverbs 24:6 For by wise counsel thou shalt make thy war; and in the multitude of counsellors there is safety.
I have made plenty of bad choices in life and had I included others I may have saved myself some headaches. Most of the consequences that we suffer from our choices could be avoided by communicating with others who have been down a similar road before us. Ultimately we make the decision, but in most cases, education is great assistance.
Friday, April 28, 2017
Am I saved?
Let me start out by saying that this post is not to offend or to judge one mans belief or religion over another. Matter of fact this post really isn't for all readers. This post is to those and for those who proclaim Christianity and believe that the Holy Bible is the infallible word of God.
In a former post titled "Christianity has been high jacked " I talk about the way people in all of Christendom identity with the denominations of Christianity rather than with Christ Himself. When people are searching for a church to attend most will look to the represented denomination rather than to the doctrines of the bible. We are looking for a church that will fit our beliefs rather than fitting our beliefs to the word of God! And so with that said, as we have so many denominations of Christianity these perplexing questions arise, Which one is right? What are the differences? And Does it really matter?
From my experience the most highly recognized and even excepted denominations of Christianity all have at least one thing in common. The Holy Bible. So we can deduce from that, that the bible is the foundation of these denominations and it is the bible that we must look to and learn from as we live our lives for Christ.
My post today is not to give you my opinion or theology on the subject of salvation. Today is about self study. One of the greatest concerns that I have for other believers is that they simply believe what they are told rather than look to the scriptures for these truths. I'm going to provide a few verses on salvation and without any interpretation on my part I want you to conclude from what you read as to the necessary steps to being saved. If you find that you have questions on what you have read or you want to share with me what conclusions you have come to, feel free to comment.
#1Heb 11:6
But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.
#2Luke 13:3
I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.
#3Mark 16:16
He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.
#4Acts 2:37-38
Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do?
38 Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.
#5Heb 12:14
Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord:
One last thing. As you read these verses with salvation in mind read them not from a denominational mind set but one that is desiring to know, Am I saved according to the bible?
John 5:39
Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me.
In a former post titled "Christianity has been high jacked " I talk about the way people in all of Christendom identity with the denominations of Christianity rather than with Christ Himself. When people are searching for a church to attend most will look to the represented denomination rather than to the doctrines of the bible. We are looking for a church that will fit our beliefs rather than fitting our beliefs to the word of God! And so with that said, as we have so many denominations of Christianity these perplexing questions arise, Which one is right? What are the differences? And Does it really matter?
From my experience the most highly recognized and even excepted denominations of Christianity all have at least one thing in common. The Holy Bible. So we can deduce from that, that the bible is the foundation of these denominations and it is the bible that we must look to and learn from as we live our lives for Christ.
My post today is not to give you my opinion or theology on the subject of salvation. Today is about self study. One of the greatest concerns that I have for other believers is that they simply believe what they are told rather than look to the scriptures for these truths. I'm going to provide a few verses on salvation and without any interpretation on my part I want you to conclude from what you read as to the necessary steps to being saved. If you find that you have questions on what you have read or you want to share with me what conclusions you have come to, feel free to comment.
#1Heb 11:6
But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.
#2Luke 13:3
I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.
#3Mark 16:16
He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.
#4Acts 2:37-38
Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do?
38 Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.
#5Heb 12:14
Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord:
One last thing. As you read these verses with salvation in mind read them not from a denominational mind set but one that is desiring to know, Am I saved according to the bible?
John 5:39
Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me.
Wednesday, April 5, 2017
Scripturally divided!
John 7:37-43
In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink.
38 He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.
39 (But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.)
40 Many of the people therefore, when they heard this saying, said, Of a truth this is the Prophet.
41 Others said, This is the Christ. But some said, Shall Christ come out of Galilee?
42 Hath not the scripture said, That Christ cometh of the seed of David, and out of the town of Bethlehem, where David was?
43 So there was a division among the people because of him.
I know that there are some who would say that we are divided on the scriptures because everyone has their own translation and interpretation and they may be partially correct. However I want to speak to the subject of what a person believes the bible says verses what the bible actually says. Now I am not writing to debate one persons understanding of the verses but to challenge everyone to read the scriptures (the bible) to know what it actually says.
Jesus in verse 38 says to believe on Him as the scriptures say. So to obey His desire we need to open the pages of the bible and read it for ourselves to gain knowledge and understanding of who He is. I love talking about and hearing about Jesus but I must compare what I hear and learn to what the bible actually teaches.
Jesus in this verse also taught that there would be a manifestation in a persons life when they gain their understanding from the bible. Out of the belly shall flow rivers of living water! When I glean understanding from the Scriptures and learn of Jesus the Spirit then is available to receive!
A persons salvation and transformation doesn't come from a belief in a god but comes from the knowledge of the True God, Jesus Christ. John 8:31-32
Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed;
32 And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.
John 14:6
Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
To know truth is to know Him. To know Him is to know the scriptures.
Division occurs when we have a belief based upon tradition, religion, and even conventional(mans) wisdom and not scripture. For example, and this may seem trivial but it gives us a simple correlation to the subject matter, Eve ate and apple. The bible doesn't say that she ate an apple but the fruit from the tree. Another example, there were three wise men that came to Jesus after His birth. The bible teaches us that there were wise men who offered three gifts. The bible says, God helps those who helps themselves. Now I have read my bible a couple times through and I have yet to find this verse or this type of teaching any where in the scriptures. Its simply not there. Again, trivial? Perhaps, but the point is that we are dealing with division because of beliefs based upon what we have heard or have been told rather than actual knowledge of the scriptures.
This was a problem in bible days as well. Jesus fulfilled every prophecy concerning the Messiah yet the people, because of there own preconceived ideas, failed to see Jesus for who He was!
Pay close attention to the first part of verse 42. Hath not the scripture said? Gen 3:1 ends with very similar verbiage, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden? Had Eve known exactly what God had said maybe she wouldn't have been deceived.
In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink.
38 He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.
39 (But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.)
40 Many of the people therefore, when they heard this saying, said, Of a truth this is the Prophet.
41 Others said, This is the Christ. But some said, Shall Christ come out of Galilee?
42 Hath not the scripture said, That Christ cometh of the seed of David, and out of the town of Bethlehem, where David was?
43 So there was a division among the people because of him.
I know that there are some who would say that we are divided on the scriptures because everyone has their own translation and interpretation and they may be partially correct. However I want to speak to the subject of what a person believes the bible says verses what the bible actually says. Now I am not writing to debate one persons understanding of the verses but to challenge everyone to read the scriptures (the bible) to know what it actually says.
Jesus in verse 38 says to believe on Him as the scriptures say. So to obey His desire we need to open the pages of the bible and read it for ourselves to gain knowledge and understanding of who He is. I love talking about and hearing about Jesus but I must compare what I hear and learn to what the bible actually teaches.
Jesus in this verse also taught that there would be a manifestation in a persons life when they gain their understanding from the bible. Out of the belly shall flow rivers of living water! When I glean understanding from the Scriptures and learn of Jesus the Spirit then is available to receive!
A persons salvation and transformation doesn't come from a belief in a god but comes from the knowledge of the True God, Jesus Christ. John 8:31-32
Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed;
32 And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.
John 14:6
Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
To know truth is to know Him. To know Him is to know the scriptures.
Division occurs when we have a belief based upon tradition, religion, and even conventional(mans) wisdom and not scripture. For example, and this may seem trivial but it gives us a simple correlation to the subject matter, Eve ate and apple. The bible doesn't say that she ate an apple but the fruit from the tree. Another example, there were three wise men that came to Jesus after His birth. The bible teaches us that there were wise men who offered three gifts. The bible says, God helps those who helps themselves. Now I have read my bible a couple times through and I have yet to find this verse or this type of teaching any where in the scriptures. Its simply not there. Again, trivial? Perhaps, but the point is that we are dealing with division because of beliefs based upon what we have heard or have been told rather than actual knowledge of the scriptures.
This was a problem in bible days as well. Jesus fulfilled every prophecy concerning the Messiah yet the people, because of there own preconceived ideas, failed to see Jesus for who He was!
Pay close attention to the first part of verse 42. Hath not the scripture said? Gen 3:1 ends with very similar verbiage, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden? Had Eve known exactly what God had said maybe she wouldn't have been deceived.
Sunday, April 3, 2016
Christianity has been highjacked!
Since the birth of the church there has always and will always be a single church. Jesus said in Matt 16:18
And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.
Jesus has only built one church, the Christian church. The church that is modeled after that of Christ. Its foundation is Eph 2:19-22
Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God;
22 In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.21 In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord:20 And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone;
Notice the singularity in these verses. the household of God, for an habitation of God, the building, an holy temple and Christ being the chief corner stone. The Christian church is a body of believers who hold the bible as the written inspired truth of Gods divine instruction and revelation. There is no other source that is written from which the church draws its directives. The bible is complete and needs no addition, retraction or substitute.
What church is the true church? The Apostolic church? The Catholic church? The Baptist church? The Lutheran church? The Non-denominational church? Are all or are none?
Christianity has been highjacked by denominationalism! We have denominations of Christianity because there are divisions in what each denomination believes and how they are governed! Christianity is held in bondage by these differences and until each one of us as individuals come to that realization we will not see the impact that Christianity can have on the world.
Here in lies the problem, people identify with their denomination rather than the word of God! I recently preached a message to the church entitled, I'm not a denomination, I am a disciple! I am a student of the word of God. What makes a person a specific denomination is they identify with its doctrine beliefs and traditions! What makes a person a Christian is that they identify with Christ through their faith and obedience to His word.
Take back our faith. That is what the Christian church needs to do. Here is how it begins, forget about the denomination that you identify with and begin to search the scriptures for yourself. If you have a specific belief then you need to make sure it aligns with the bible.
The greatest detriment to our faith is that a high percentage of believers are actually ignorant of what the bible actually says. The Apostle Paul instructed Timothy to study to show thyself approved unto God a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth!
The second step in taking back our faith is to heed the first step. People of every denomination that are reading this blog will say what they believe is the truth and everyone else is in error. The result from this type of thinking is denominationalism rather than unadulterated Christianity! Do our faith a favor and assume you are in error and open your bibles!
In conclusion, Allow me to share an opinion that I have. I do not believe that there is a single denomination or organization that holds the rights to the Christian church. The Christian church belongs to Christ and is made up of those who identify with Him through His word.
I believe there can be Christians in every denomination but I do not believe that any denomination is exclusively the Christian church!
And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.
Jesus has only built one church, the Christian church. The church that is modeled after that of Christ. Its foundation is Eph 2:19-22
Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God;
22 In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.21 In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord:20 And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone;
Notice the singularity in these verses. the household of God, for an habitation of God, the building, an holy temple and Christ being the chief corner stone. The Christian church is a body of believers who hold the bible as the written inspired truth of Gods divine instruction and revelation. There is no other source that is written from which the church draws its directives. The bible is complete and needs no addition, retraction or substitute.
What church is the true church? The Apostolic church? The Catholic church? The Baptist church? The Lutheran church? The Non-denominational church? Are all or are none?
Christianity has been highjacked by denominationalism! We have denominations of Christianity because there are divisions in what each denomination believes and how they are governed! Christianity is held in bondage by these differences and until each one of us as individuals come to that realization we will not see the impact that Christianity can have on the world.
Here in lies the problem, people identify with their denomination rather than the word of God! I recently preached a message to the church entitled, I'm not a denomination, I am a disciple! I am a student of the word of God. What makes a person a specific denomination is they identify with its doctrine beliefs and traditions! What makes a person a Christian is that they identify with Christ through their faith and obedience to His word.
Take back our faith. That is what the Christian church needs to do. Here is how it begins, forget about the denomination that you identify with and begin to search the scriptures for yourself. If you have a specific belief then you need to make sure it aligns with the bible.
The greatest detriment to our faith is that a high percentage of believers are actually ignorant of what the bible actually says. The Apostle Paul instructed Timothy to study to show thyself approved unto God a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth!
The second step in taking back our faith is to heed the first step. People of every denomination that are reading this blog will say what they believe is the truth and everyone else is in error. The result from this type of thinking is denominationalism rather than unadulterated Christianity! Do our faith a favor and assume you are in error and open your bibles!
In conclusion, Allow me to share an opinion that I have. I do not believe that there is a single denomination or organization that holds the rights to the Christian church. The Christian church belongs to Christ and is made up of those who identify with Him through His word.
I believe there can be Christians in every denomination but I do not believe that any denomination is exclusively the Christian church!
Tuesday, April 7, 2015
Bible v. Christian Tradition
Mark 7:7-9
Howbeit in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.
8 For laying aside the commandment of God, ye hold the tradition of men, as the washing of pots and cups: and many other such like things ye do.
9 And he said unto them, Full well ye reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your own tradition.
KJV
Col 2:6-8
As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him:
7 Rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving.
8 Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.
KJV
The more bible studies that I teach and the more I have conversations with professing Christians the more I realize that many of them live their lives based on what others have preached to them and they believe and that they know very little about what the bible actually says.
The basis of this writing isn't to judge or even debate ones belief from another but to challenge and encourage all believers to search the scriptures and to align their beliefs with the word of God.
The importance of this is off the scale considering it is the word of God alone that will be our judge when we stand before the judgment seat of Christ.
Adam and Eve had sinned against God when they ate the apple in the garden! Three wise men brought gifts to Jesus at His birth. The bible says God helps those who help themselves. Of these three which one is true? The answer is none of them are true. They ate a fruit, wise men brought gifts and there is no scripture that says anything about God helping those that help themselves!
Far to often do I hear people say, The bible says, followed by a statement that is not in the bible. The problem is that when people hear someone say that the bible says they tend to believe it automatically. The reason for this is sad but true, not enough Christians read their bibles to know what it actually says. No this is not what your pastor, priest or minister is for, they are to preach the word of God, encourage the saints and guide them in life's journey but it is the individuals responsibility to know the word of God for themselves.
The apostolic church of Acts based its teaching on bible doctrine but many of the churches today are teaching based on church tradition. The book of Acts is the history of the first church so the church of today should look and align itself with it as far as biblical teaching, exhorting and even church discipline goes.
Follow along with these next few verses to see the trouble that can arise when we don't know or are unsure what Gods word says. Gen 3:1-3
Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?
2 And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden:
3 But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die.
KJV
Did you catch the mistake. Eve was quoting Gods word but then she added her own belief. God said you shall not eat of it, hear it is, neither shall you touch it. God never said anything about touching it. You can say that that's semantics but that cost Eve her life!
When it comes to salvation and Christian living the word of God is the only source of truth. Mans opinion and even his own belief does not hold a light to Gods written word. When dealing with beliefs you have to ask yourself what does the bible say and is what I believe the same thing. Don't just answer yes because you want them to match up. This is your eternity that were talking about, take the time and search the scriptures!
The word of God has not changed but church traditions have taken much of its place. Just because something is widely accepted doesn't make it acceptable.
Do we believe the bible or are we following the traditions of the church?
Howbeit in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.
8 For laying aside the commandment of God, ye hold the tradition of men, as the washing of pots and cups: and many other such like things ye do.
9 And he said unto them, Full well ye reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your own tradition.
KJV
Col 2:6-8
As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him:
7 Rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving.
8 Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.
KJV
The more bible studies that I teach and the more I have conversations with professing Christians the more I realize that many of them live their lives based on what others have preached to them and they believe and that they know very little about what the bible actually says.
The basis of this writing isn't to judge or even debate ones belief from another but to challenge and encourage all believers to search the scriptures and to align their beliefs with the word of God.
The importance of this is off the scale considering it is the word of God alone that will be our judge when we stand before the judgment seat of Christ.
Adam and Eve had sinned against God when they ate the apple in the garden! Three wise men brought gifts to Jesus at His birth. The bible says God helps those who help themselves. Of these three which one is true? The answer is none of them are true. They ate a fruit, wise men brought gifts and there is no scripture that says anything about God helping those that help themselves!
Far to often do I hear people say, The bible says, followed by a statement that is not in the bible. The problem is that when people hear someone say that the bible says they tend to believe it automatically. The reason for this is sad but true, not enough Christians read their bibles to know what it actually says. No this is not what your pastor, priest or minister is for, they are to preach the word of God, encourage the saints and guide them in life's journey but it is the individuals responsibility to know the word of God for themselves.
The apostolic church of Acts based its teaching on bible doctrine but many of the churches today are teaching based on church tradition. The book of Acts is the history of the first church so the church of today should look and align itself with it as far as biblical teaching, exhorting and even church discipline goes.
Follow along with these next few verses to see the trouble that can arise when we don't know or are unsure what Gods word says. Gen 3:1-3
Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?
2 And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden:
3 But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die.
KJV
Did you catch the mistake. Eve was quoting Gods word but then she added her own belief. God said you shall not eat of it, hear it is, neither shall you touch it. God never said anything about touching it. You can say that that's semantics but that cost Eve her life!
When it comes to salvation and Christian living the word of God is the only source of truth. Mans opinion and even his own belief does not hold a light to Gods written word. When dealing with beliefs you have to ask yourself what does the bible say and is what I believe the same thing. Don't just answer yes because you want them to match up. This is your eternity that were talking about, take the time and search the scriptures!
The word of God has not changed but church traditions have taken much of its place. Just because something is widely accepted doesn't make it acceptable.
Do we believe the bible or are we following the traditions of the church?
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