Posts
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Here are some of the vital topics you will learn about in this thought-provoking book.
Is the Antichrist alive?
•What is the meaning of 666? Read or download
•When does the Millennium begin?
•Should prophecy be interpreted literally?
•When did God stop His prophetic clock?
•How many "great tribulations" are there?
•What does the Bible predict about Rome?
•Who will be left behind when Jesus returns?
•Does God plan another temple in Jerusalem?
•Has Daniel's 70-weeks prophecy been fulfilled?
•Is the "Left Behind" scenario found in the Bible?
The 334 pages of Nobody Left Behind will help you explore major Bible prophecies in depth in language you can understand. Expect your views to be tested. Extensive Scripture and subject indexes will help you quickly find the verses and topics that interest you most. Fifteen pages of illustrations are included as well as quotations from ancient Jewish and Christian writers. Nobody Left Behind offers you a biblical, historical, and sensible Insight into "End-Time" Prophecies.
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Walk as He walked
The centrality of the covenants and their being kept is a given, but Jesus came into the world for far more to teach the world through what he said and did and through the events stated in scipture:
- Abject humility -washing the feet of the disciples
-"Father forive them for they know not what they do"
-Love one another
-The servant is not greater than His master, nor the slave His grand Master-If they perescuted Me tey will prsecute you also.
-He taught us the way of selfessness to G-d
-These are all important as are the covenants . There are no small sins , yet forgiveness based on true rentance is possible for with G-d ,all things are possible.
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If He did not mean what He said, then why didn't He just say what He means? I think He did. Let God be true and every man a liar! After all, if He did not mean what He said, THEN WHO KNOWS WHAT HE MEANT? Throw the Bible away and do and believe whatever you want to! Satan did, and look what it did to him। It cost him heaven!! And if you do that too, it will cost you the same! Jesus is Lord; we must obey and love Him!”
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Your statement is commonsense when the context is plain and yet we have over 2000 denominations, many of them sincere with sincere believers. Holy communion is plain context. Yet we have ellipsis passages such as the one in John which states: If all of the books written about Jesus were known (paraphrase) the whole world could not contain them. There is much to learn about our Lord which we cannot bear at present. We see as through a mirror darkly, but in that day face to face.
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Doth this offend you?
I want to remain spiritually alive. I want eternal life. I want to remain in Him. I want Him to remain in me. I also want the remission of my sins. And that’s why I am not offended by the thought of eating my Savior’s precious body and drinking His precious blood, when the fruit of the vine and the unleavened bread are passed to me during Communion. Please answer Jesus as He asks, “Doth this offend you?”
Why do Christians believe what Jesus said in John 3:16, but feel the need to change what He says in chapter 6? The answer has to lie in the fact that they would reply to Jesus, “Yes, this doth offend me.”
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I enjoy your posts throughout as common sense renderings devoid of the superimposition of metaphysical arguments,the source of the interminable sinful argumentations. Continued offence could spell our being taken over by the spirit of Satan, as offence is not G-dly but divisive, but He prohesied as did Simeon in Lk 2 that His appearing occasioned the rising and falling of many in Israel, and so it will be in His second advent.
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THREE BOOKS G-D CARES ABOUT
I would encourage you to think and be aware of what you are reading or listening to during worship. Be aware of what words are coming out of your mouth during the song service. And last but not least, be aware of where your heart is in your giving to the Lord and in worship.
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Our awareness reflects our sensitivity to sin and our intuitive grasp of what Holiness is and is being taught and is impregnated in the music and lyrics in our midst. If we mouth lyrics unreflectively and in a subliminal manner, we ae really committing egregious sinful errors that G-d can forgive upon our repentance which we do daily.
WE ARE WHAT WE EAT
First off, we feed ourselves spiritually by feasting on the word of God, the Bible. In 2Timothy 2:15; we read that “we’re to study to show ourselves approved.”
If you want God’s approval… study His word. Just make sure that you’re a doer and not just a hearer…you’ll have His approval.
If you want a really good spiritual diet, read the words of Jesus written in red. Rest assured that these words are no fad diet that won’t satisfy. When you close the book, you’ll feel full, but you’ll hunger for more, because it’s the kind of diet that makes you look and feel better the more you digest. Jesus says in John 6:63, “that His words are spirit and that they are life.” There you go; spiritual food to keep the spiritual man alive.
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Feasting is the proper word for studying and meditating on the words of the living G-d. They are truly just simply that.Philip stated: "Shew us the Father", and our L-rd stated, "He who has seen me has seen the Father. The Feasting produces more and more a bonding with the eternal and we become like Him as we read aNd trulY absorb His words. We will have an attunement and craving forthem in due time if we feast regularly. A famous man once stated. "Say little and do much, and greet all men with a cheerful countenance."
DRAWING NEAR MY COMMENT
I learned much from your perceptive article. Drawing near to G-d means, to me, bonding with G-d in the spirit of the humility He taught hroughout His earthly and no less His heavenly course as king. He taught as much by His actions as by commentaries later and by His words.He was born in a manger in Bethlehem to teach us a profound lesson.
God's Word
What the Bible says about Covenant by Mont W. Smith
New Testament History by Gareth L. Reese
Nobody Left Behind by David Vaughn Elliott
New Testament Word Studies by Donald A. Nash
Millennial Harbinger (1830-1870) edited by Alexander Campbell
Keeping Covenant with God by Michael Haas
Thank you as I am so grateful for your listing of books which I shall attend to reading.
You made the point tha G-d's does have limitations but they are self imposed by Him. Still He is limitless and must be so in consonance withhi sovereignt and unlimited providence. He designed it that way for His rays of exuberant light otherwise will nullify the creation, fo He is beyond the creation. If He would but blink, all creation's glory would be nullified. Necessarily He cannot be the author of evil or tempt His creation with such. His sovereignty is ipso fato undiminished but for Hisgoodness to manifest, His limitations had to be self and superimposed.
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orig blog
Friday, December 2, 2011
SIX THINGS GOD CANNOT DO
by Stan Butler
God is sovereign. We say and believe that God is sovereign and although the word “sovereign” is not found in the Scriptures we use that word to mean that He is the Supreme Ruler, He’s all knowing, He’s all powerful, simply that He IS. We say as our sovereign God…He can do anything He wants to. He even says in Matthew 19:26; “with God, all things are possible.” Yet as we read the scriptures we see that this statement seems to contradict itself, because we know that there are many things God just cannot do. How can this be, because in 2Timothy 2:13 it says; “that God cannot deny Himself.” Well, that word “deny” in the Greek means “to contradict.” So how can this be that in one scripture we see that God can do anything, then flip a few pages and read where He cannot do this or that.
Let me give you an example of a scripture that seemed to me at first to be contradictory:
In Proverbs 17:15, we read, “He that justifieth the wicked is an abomination to the Lord.” God does not like to see a wicked person go unpunished. Yet God is a justifier of the wicked, and in order not to contradict himself, God simply saw to it that the penalty for sin was paid. In order for God to demonstrate love and justice, the penalty for all sin had to be satisfied, and the only way for that to happen was for God to offer and indeed let His only Son die for all the sins of mankind.
Can you imagine how God feels about our court system that we have in place today? A rapist, a murderer, a thief goes unpunished because someone forgot to read him his rights! The case is thrown out of court and the criminal goes free… the criminal can say, “it’s just as if I’d never committed the crime.” Oh how Almighty God must hate that.
Let’s look at some other things which God cannot do according to His word:
God cannot deny Himself: 2Timothy 2:13; This has just been explained. God’s word is never contradictory.
God cannot wash away sin without blood: Hebrews 9:22 says, “Without the shedding of blood there is no remission.”
Aren’t you thankful for the waters of baptism? Acts 22:16b; “arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins.”
Aren’t you thankful for the cup you drink from every Sunday? Matthew 26:28; Jesus holding the cup said these words: “This is my blood of the New Testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.”
God cannot sin: James 1:13; “God cannot be tempted with evil.”
God cannot change: Malachi 3:6; “I am the Lord, I change not.”
God cannot save man without man’s consent: We see this illustrated in Matthew 23:37: Jesus says, “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them that are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not.”
God cannot lie: Heb 6:18; “it is impossible for God to lie.”
Titus 1:2; “which God, who cannot lie.”
How wonderful it is to know that when we read something in His Word, we can absolutely rely on it to be the truth, and always to know that when God says something…it is settled and we can believe it.
Be assured, the things which God says He cannot do are only because of the limitations He has placed on Himself.
Some of the content for this post I got from a sermon preached by Bro. Larry Jamison, evangelist at Oakland Christian Church, Oakland, Kentucky. Larry got the content of his sermon from the Scriptures. I guess that would make God the original author. Enjoy.
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Thank you as I am so grateful for your listing of books which I shall attend to reading.
You made the point tha G-d's does have limitations but they are self imposed by Him. Still He is limitless and must be so in consonance with his sovereignty and unlimited providence. He designed it that way for His rays of exuberant light otherwise will nullify the creation, for He is beyond the creation. If He would but blink, all creation's glory would be nullified. Necessarily He cannot be the author of evil or tempt His creation with such. His sovereignty is ipso fato undiminished but for His goodness to manifest, His limitations had to be self and superimposed.
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Rapture ???
By Stan Butler
http://accordingtothebook.blogspot.com/search?updated-min=2011-01-01T00:00:00-05:00&updated-max=2012-01-01T00:00:00-05:00&max-results=17
A lot of money has been made and is being made with the scare tactics involved with something called the “rapture”. Let’s look at how this “rapture thing” got started, and then spread, and then what the word of God has to say about Christ’s return.
The doctrine of a secret rapture was first conceived by John Darby of the Plymouth Brethren in 1827. Darby, given credit for being known as the “father of dispensationalism, is the inventor of the doctrine known as “the rapture”, claiming that there are two second comings of our Lord Jesus Christ.
In 1830 in Scotland, a 15 yr old girl named Margaret McDonald had a vision that Jesus would return to earth twice. She saw Jesus taking true believers to heaven and then returning again for the last judgment. During a Darby visit to her hometown of Port Glasgow, she shared her vision with John Darby. He then incorporated Margaret’s vision and his own thoughts into a precise end time plot based on passages found throughout the Bible. The centerpiece of his prophetic system—Jesus would rescue believers before the horrors of the book of Revelation. This doctrine was then spread by Darby throughout Great Britain and America and called “the rapture”.
In the early 20th century, Darby’s ideas were taken up by a man named C.I.Scoffield. C.I.Scoffield annotated a Bible based partly on Darby’s end time prophecies. (Annotate—add explanatory notes to a book, document, etc.) He put his notes on the same page as the biblical text and often times readers couldn’t remember if they had read about the rapture in the book of the Bible itself or on the bottom of the page. This Scoffield Bible has sold over 11,000,000 copies worldwide and is still in print in seven different languages.
We’re told in Acts 2:9-11…"And when He had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight. And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel; which also said, “Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.” No secret coming or snatching away here. He’ll return just as He left, with witnesses
Jesus said in Matthew 26:64… that we would see Him coming in clouds of glory. No secret coming or snatching away here. All eyes shall behold Him.
In 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17..."For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with these words." No secret coming or snatching away here either. It’ll be a loud announcement from the start, and then we’ll see the graves opened up and those that are “in Christ” will be caught up with the dead in Christ. Does this describe a secret snatching away (rapture)?
And in Revelation 1:7…"Behold He cometh with clouds and every eye shall see him."
There will be no secret snatching away of just the faithful. (All eyes shall be a witness)
There will be no second chance for the lost to be saved. (Better talk to your loved ones now)
There will be no rebuilding of the temple in Jerusalem with animal sacrifices. Our Jewish friends need to accept and believe that Jesus is their promised Messiah.
Absolutely nothing on earth is preventing or will prevent the second and final coming of our King. All that has to happen is for the Father to look to the right hand side of His throne and speak the words, “Go get ‘em Son.” No future events must take place first. Now is the day of salvation. Don’t be deceived into thinking you have time on your side and many things must happen before Christ can return. Don’t think you can wait till there is a temple being rebuilt in Jerusalem. Don’t think you can wait till some guy with a scar on his face comes into power. Act, and do it now.
Hear the gospel, believe that Jesus is the only Christ and the very Son of God, confess this before men now and till you die, repent of your sins, be baptized for the remission of those sins, and be faithful till death to the Lord and His Table. Put your energy into soul winning instead of arguments about an imaginary “rapture.”
My thanks to Michael, a brother in Christ, who is my corrective grammarian.
Posted by covnitkepr1 at 3:41 PM 43 comments
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I appreciated your article on the Rapture and the points you made, its history and a money making publishing scam. G-d keeps no secrets and all events have been announced and will be openly to the world. The very premise of rapture is as a clandestine event when G-d announces beforehand in plain sight by the prophets and unmistakable passages in scripture.
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Tuesday, October 18, 2011
BE CAREFUL HOW
YOU DRAW
http://www.blogger.com/post-create.g?blogID=6671724644852957271
by Stan Butler
The terms “draw near” and “draw back” are two New Testament terms that we hear little about today. It seems that standing in a pulpit and telling folks that they are not drawing near or that they appear to be drawing back is not a popular thing to do. Do this in some congregations and you could well lose your job. I’m not on the paid staff of any church, so I’d like to speak out a little about drawing near and drawing back.
The 10th chapter of Hebrews is a chapter with a plea for the Christian to remain steadfast in the faith, to draw near. Paul has prepared the Christian a salad in which he uses a lot of “let us”. In verse 22 he says, “Let us draw near with a true heart,” in verse 23, “let us hold fast the profession of our faith,” and in verse 24, “let us consider one another.” This salad is a part of the Christian’s diet. Digest this “let us” every week and you’ll draw near, you’ll not draw back.
Let’s look at the term “draw near”. It means to approach or to come near. There is no time of any given week that you can draw nearer to our great and wonderful God as in the time of Communion on the first day of the week. That’s why we are told in Hebrews 10:25, to “not forsake the assembling of ourselves together.” The main reason the charter members of the church assembled themselves together we’re told in Acts 20:7, was to break bread, to have Communion, to participate in the Lord’s Supper.
Here comes the part that could get a preacher fired.
In the next verse, Hebrews 10:26, it tells us that it is a sin to willfully forsake the assembling of ourselves together. Church attendance is mandatory every week, not just when we feel we should honor God with our presence. How sanctimonious can we get? We stand in awe of His presence, not He of ours. It’s at His table that we partake of our sacrifice for sin, and if we “draw back,” meaning to shun, to withdraw, or to shrink away from His table, verse 26 says, “there remains no more sacrifice for sin.” Verse 27 & 28 let us know that we can look forward to a certain and fearful judgment, and are worthy of death.
Preachers are not afraid to say that we shouldn’t miss church, they aren’t afraid to say that we should attend as much as possible, but there are few and far between that will say, “The word of God says that it’s a sin to willfully miss church and not assemble around His table.” It’s not being around His table that according to verse 29&30, we #1) trod under foot the Son of God (His body) #2) count the blood of the covenant which sanctified us an unholy thing (His blood) and #3) insult the Holy Spirit (who prompts us to be faithful to this covenant renewal.)
In Psalms 73:2 we read, “But as for me, my feet were almost gone; my steps had well nigh slipped.” The psalmist had been watching the wicked, how they prospered, how they had health and wealth, things seemed to go well at every turn for the wicked and they didn’t acknowledge God. He was about to “draw back” when he says in verse 17, “I went into the sanctuary of God; then understood I their end.”
As we look around us today, we see the same thing, prosperous friends and neighbors who treat the Lord’s Day as any other, without even a thought of God and his assembly. It may not seem right to us either but we must remember what Jesus said in Matthew 5:45 that, “For He maketh His sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.” It’s when we assemble in the house of the Lord and around His table that we, just as the psalmist, can see the end of those who willfully neglect “drawing near”. Paul in Hebrews 10:38, says, “But if any man draw back,( meaning “to shun”), my soul shall have no pleasure in him.”
Look closely to what verse 39 has to say. “But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition; but of them that believe to the saving of the soul.” It’s possible to shun or draw back to the point of apostasy (perdition). Miss the Lord’s Supper often enough and you’ll no longer miss it at all, because you’ll no longer think of it at all.
Jesus in Matthew 26:26-28, holding the bread said, “Take, eat; this is my body.” And holding the cup said, “Drink ye all of it; for this is my blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.” And in Luke 22:19, He says, “do this in remembrance of me.”
So as Christians, “let us” eat the salad that Paul offers as we draw near with a true heart, hold fast the profession of our faith, and consider one another by being around His prepared table. Then “let us” partake at His table and commune with Jesus as we eat of the bread and drink of the cup. Jesus did say in John 6:55; “My flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed.” In doing this we’ll “draw near” and not “draw back”, and show His death till He comes, and He has told us, “Surely I come quickly.”
Be careful how you draw.
My thanks to Michael, a brother in Christ, who is my corrective grammarian.
Posted by covnitkepr1 at 4:06 PM 26 comments
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http://accordingtothebook.blogspot.com/search?updated-min=2011-01-01T00:00:00-05:00&updated-max=2012-01-01T00:00:00-05:00&max-results=17
WE ARE WHAT WE EAT
by Stan Butler
Maybe you’ve noticed by looking around that you see people of all different sizes and shapes. Some people wear larger clothes and different colors to try to hide or disguise the way they look in the eyes of those around them. Some eat all they want of anything they want and never seem to change in appearance, while others make an honest effort to eat a food regimen that should cause them to lose weight, but to no avail. So the next time you see a large person and start having thoughts of judgment about them, remember, you can’t always judge a book by its cover.
The food that we eat to stay alive in the physical sense is not what I would like to address at this time though. It’s the spiritual health of a Christian that’s more important than his or her physical being. Unless the Lord returns, we're all going to die and the physical shape that we maintained while on this earth won’t matter one iota. God says in 1Samuel 16: 7; “for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart.” It’s the maintenance of our heart, our spiritual welfare that we must be concerned about. It’s been said, “You are what you eat.” That adage could very well hold true in the spiritual realm.First off, we feed ourselves spiritually by feasting on the word of God, the Bible. In 2Timothy 2:15; we read that “we’re to study to show ourselves approved.”
If you want God’s approval… study His word. Just make sure that you’re a doer and not just a hearer…you’ll have His approval.
If you want a really good spiritual diet, read the words of Jesus written in red. Rest assured that these words are no fad diet that won’t satisfy. When you close the book, you’ll feel full, but you’ll hunger for more, because it’s the kind of diet that makes you look and feel better the more you digest. Jesus says in John 6:63, “that His words are spirit and that they are life.” There you go; spiritual food to keep the spiritual man alive.
If you want to look good as a Christian, study and do what the Bible says. You’ll look like a spiritual body builder, you’ll be strong, you’ll have endurance, and you’ll attract people to you. People will want to know what you’ve been eating.
Speaking of eating, at the Lord’s Table we eat the only physical food known to man that can and does nourish us spiritually. Let’s stick to those “words in red” that we mentioned earlier and see how. In Matthew 26:26-28; Jesus holding the bread says, “Take, eat; this is my body.” And while holding the cup says, “Drink ye all of it. For this is my blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.” Talk about nourishment, how’s having your sins remitted make you feel and look spiritually? How’s obeying his command to “do this” make you feel and look spiritually? How’s the confessing and repenting as you examine yourself make you feel and look spiritually?
In John 6:55, Jesus says that, “my flesh is real food and my blood is real drink.” We know that this real food and real drink nourishes us spiritually because Jesus also said in verse 54, that “except you eat the flesh of the son of man, and drink His blood, ye have no life in you.” It takes food to stay alive and this real food of His flesh and real drink of His blood keeps us alive spiritually. Let’s remember that feasting on His word and dining at His table go hand in hand. We need to read the Book that goes along with the Diet. Lest we forget…We are what we eat.
My thanks to Michael, a brother in Christ, who is my corrective grammarian.
Posted by covnitkepr1 at 5:08 PM 31 comments
THREE BOOKS GOD CARES ABOUT
By Stan Butler
There are three books God cares about that we have in our possession during our assembled worship times.
1) His book… the Bible:
God wrote it…it’s His book…He wants us to use it. He wants your preacher to preach from it. He wants the giver of the Communion meditation to get his words from it. In small groups where two or three are gathered together, He wants His book studied…not books written by Rick Warren, Charles Stanley, Billy Graham, Alexander Campbell, Michael Haas or any other uninspired man.
2) The song book: Songs fall into two categories:
Covenant songs: like, “Thou art worthy”. The song goes like this: “Thou art worthy, Thou art worthy, thou art worthy oh Lord___ to receive glory, glory and honour, glory and honour and power. For thou hast created, hast all things created. thou hast created all things---and for thy pleasure they are created, for thou art worthy oh Lord.”
Now read Revelation 4:11: Thou art worthy, Oh Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.
Now that’s a covenant song written and sung in covenant language.
Existential songs: existentialism says, “I exist! God exists! I have had an experience with God, and that is my authority!”
One thing that the Christian needs to understand is that the words we sing need to be TRUTH if indeed our singing is part of worship. John 4:24 says; “God is a Spirit: and they that worship Him must worship Him in spirit and in truth.” The problem with existential songs is that they may contain untruths. Here are just a few examples.
Example #1: “To God be the Glory”, in verse #2 it says: O perfect redemption, the purchase of blood! To every believer the promise of God, the vilest offender who truly believes, that moment from Jesus a pardon receives. This is in direct opposition to what God’s word has to say about the vilest offender being saved. That book I mentioned earlier…God’s book…the Bible says it takes more that just belief. It also requires repentance, confession and baptism. Acts 2:38; Mark 16:16; John 3:5; Matthew 28:19; Titus 3:5; Colossians 2:12-13; Acts 22:16; Acts 16:30-34; Romans 10:9-10…that should be sufficient.
Example #2: “Victory in Jesus”, in verse #1 it says: I heard about His groaning, of His precious blood’s atoning, then I repented of my sins and won the victory. Again, repentance is not the only requirement to “win the victory.” Same verses above apply here. It takes more than repentance
Example #3: C Austin Miles: in “I come to the garden alone.” In the refrain we find these words: And the joy we (Jesus & C Austin Miles) share as we tarry there, none other has ever known. That’s quite an assumption on Mr. Miles’ part. He’s had this experience with Jesus and experienced more joy than any one else has ever known. In John 15:7, Jesus says, “These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.”
So songs are either about your personal experience fabrication i.e. existential, or they are from the Scriptures and thus in Covenant language and thus complete truth.
3) Your pocketbook: Yep…you read it right the first time.
Psalms 24:1; the earth is the Lord’s and the fullness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein.
Do we believe that? Do we really believe that? Then if that be true…
Do I own the car I drive? NO. I have people comment often…“that’s a nice ride you have there. I always reply back, “Yeah it is, but it doesn’t belong to me, it belongs to God and He lets me drive it.”
How about our pocketbooks? Do we own them? NO This being true…the money that’s in our wallets doesn’t belong to us either now does it?
So when we reach in and thumb through His currency at offering time…we shouldn’t ask ourselves, “How much of the money I’ve earned this week am I going to give to God?” We should ask ourselves rather, “How much of God’s money am I going to withhold from Him and keep for myself?”
There’s an adage about giving that goes like this: “Give till it hurts.” My personal opinion is that I don’t really think that Almighty God wants us to “give till it hurts.” So here’s an adage and an antidote to “give till it hurts”… “Give till it feels good.”
I would encourage you to think and be aware of what you are reading or listening to during worship. Be aware of what words are coming out of your mouth during the song service. And last but not least, be aware of where your heart is in your giving to the Lord and in worship.
My thanks to Michael, a brother in Christ, who is my corrective grammarian.
3) Your pocketbook: Yep…you read it right the first time.
Psalms 24:1; the earth is the Lord’s and the fullness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein.
Do we believe that? Do we really believe that? Then if that be true…
Do I own the car I drive? NO. I have people comment often…“that’s a nice ride you have there. I always reply back, “Yeah it is, but it doesn’t belong to me, it belongs to God and He lets me drive it.”
How about our pocketbooks? Do we own them? NO This being true…the money that’s in our wallets doesn’t belong to us either now does it?
So when we reach in and thumb through His currency at offering time…we shouldn’t ask ourselves, “How much of the money I’ve earned this week am I going to give to God?” We should ask ourselves rather, “How much of God’s money am I going to withhold from Him and keep for myself?”
There’s an adage about giving that goes like this: “Give till it hurts.” My personal opinion is that I don’t really think that Almighty God wants us to “give till it hurts.” So here’s an adage and an antidote to “give till it hurts”… “Give till it feels good.”
I would encourage you to think and be aware of what you are reading or listening to during worship. Be aware of what words are coming out of your mouth during the song service. And last but not least, be aware of where your heart is in your giving to the Lord and in worship.
My thanks to Michael, a brother in Christ, who is my corrective grammarian.
Posted by covnitkepr1 at 7:29 AM 35 comments
Why didn’t Jesus just say what He meant?
by Stan Butler
It appears that many of the readers of this blog are being self-lead into thinking I am leaning towards accepting the Catholic view of transubstantiation. Others believe I may be about to accept the Lutheran view of consubstantiation. And lastly there is the opinion of some in the church of Christ (to which I have been added) that I have deviated from “their” teaching that the Lord’s Supper is a mere memorial and a commemoration. I want to address all three of these misconception situations so that there will remain no doubt in the readers mind that I hold none of these figments as true.
I have never believed in either the transubstantiation or consubstantiation view of the Lord’s Supper. There was, however, a time early in my Christian walk when my gullibility allowed me to swallow the “commemoration” or “memorial” view that is being preached from the pulpits of most Christian/Church of Christ churches.
I believe every word that the Lord Jesus Christ ever uttered that is recorded in God’s Word. I also exhibit extreme caution not to add to or take away from His statements. Jesus is a very smart individual and is able to speak very clearly. It’s not recorded anywhere in scripture that He spoke with a lisp or any type of speech impediment. When He said something, He spoke clearly and I believe He meant what He said. He does not need my assistance or anyone else’s to explain what He said to make it easier to understand or to fit any theological or doctrinal belief.
A personal friend and follower of this blog, Larry Jamison, evangelist at Oakland Christian Church, in Oakland Kentucky put in the comment section of one of my posts these words which I whole heartedly agree with. He wrote: “If Jesus can wash us in His blood in the waters of baptism, I have no problems with believing He can wash us in His blood in the bread and the cup of the fruit of the vine! I also just believe what Jesus said, and find that much more pleasing and simple than trying to apply metaphysics to it. If He did not mean what He said, then why didn't He just say what He means? I think He did. Let God be true and every man a liar! After all, if He did not mean what He said, THEN WHO KNOWS WHAT HE MEANT? Throw the Bible away and do and believe whatever you want to! Satan did, and look what it did to him। It cost him heaven!! And if you do that too, it will cost you the same! Jesus is Lord; we must obey and love Him!”
Read the following Scriptures in which Jesus is speaking. Then ask yourself, “Did Jesus really mean this?” If the answer is yes and you feel no need to add to His words, then you and I have the same belief about Communion. If you feel the need to try and explain what you think He meant to say, we are not sitting in the same pew.
Matthew 26:26-28; and as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed it, and break it, and gave it to the disciples, and said, “Take, eat; this is my body.” And He took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them saying, “Drink ye all of it; for this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.”
John 6:51; “I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live forever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.”
John 6:53-56; Then Jesus said unto them, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink His blood, ye have no life in you. For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed. He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him.”
Now answer this question: John 6:61; “Doth this offend you?” If your answer is yes, perhaps you are no longer walking with Jesus. (John 6:66)
I simply believe in the Lord’s Supper the way He spoke of it. Nothing added…nothing taken away
My thanks to Michael, a “brother in Covenant”, who is my corrective grammarian.Posted by covnitkepr1 at 10:29 AM 24 comments
Posted by covnitkepr1 at 7:29 AM 35 comments
Doth this offend you?
By Stan Butler
In John 6:48-64, Jesus is telling the Jews and His followers that He is the bread of life, He is the living bread, and that the living bread is His flesh, and to live forever they must eat of it. When Jesus used the word “eat” in verses 49-53, He used the Greek word “phago”, meaning to simply eat, or consume. Those who heard argued among themselves about how a person could eat His flesh, and thought He was espousing cannibalism. He saw their disbelief, so in verses 54-58, He changed His word for “eat” from “phago” to “trogo”, which means to gnaw, to chew on, and gives the idea of a crunching sound. The more persistent their disbelief, the more difficult His language became.
As they continued to murmur, in verse 61, Jesus asked, “Doth this offend you?” He wanted to set them at ease over this matter of eating His flesh and drinking His blood, so in verses 63&64, He explained, “the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit (pneuma, a current of air) (from the root word in the Greek pneo, meaning to breathe hard), and they are life (zoe).” Then Jesus goes on to say, “But there are some of you that believe not.”
The restoration movement has entire congregations who “believe not” and have the same problems with what Jesus has to say about His body and His blood as did the Jews and His followers in times back then. One such congregation in a neighboring state has this to say about the Lord’s Supper and they put it in print for all to see in their bulletin: “We believe in a weekly observance of the communion of the Lord’s Supper as central in worship. The Lord’s Supper does not invoke blessings upon its participants. The Lord’s Supper is a memorial.”
My question to this congregation is, “If you feel there are no blessings involved and if you reduce Communion to a mere memorial, why make it the centerpiece of your worship service?”
From this statement, we can assume that this congregation thinks more of what man has to say, than what Jesus has to say. Let’s listen to the words of Jesus on this matter: Matthew 26:26b &28, “Take, eat; this is my body”. For this is my blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.” If we believe what He said here then we should look again at John 6 and quote our Savior and see what blessings can be invoked at His table, which as far as I know is the only place Christians participate in the Lord’s body and blood. In John 6:53-58, Jesus says, “Unless you eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, you have no life in you”. That sounds like a blessing being invoked to me, if you don’t eat and drink, you have no life, but if you eat and drink and you have life. Let’s go on, “Whoever eats my flesh, and drinks my blood, hath eternal life.” That sounds like another blessing being invoked to me, the blessing of eternal life for eating his flesh and drinking his blood. Let’s see, we were baptized into Christ, (Romans 6:3) (Galatians 3:27) and we know that’s not a “once saved always saved proposition.” So Jesus tells us in John 6:56; that, “whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood, remains in me and I in him.”
I want to remain spiritually alive. I want eternal life. I want to remain in Him. I want Him to remain in me. I also want the remission of my sins. And that’s why I am not offended by the thought of eating my Savior’s precious body and drinking His precious blood, when the fruit of the vine and the unleavened bread are passed to me during Communion. Please answer Jesus as He asks, “Doth this offend you?”
Why do Christians believe what Jesus said in John 3:16, but feel the need to change what He says in chapter 6? The answer has to lie in the fact that they would reply to Jesus, “Yes, this doth offend me.”
I wish to express my gratitude to Michael, a “brother in Covenant”, who is my corrective grammarian.
Posted by covnitkepr1 at 12:33 PM 45 comments
WALKING AS JESUS WALKED
by Stan Butler
The one who says he abides in Him ought himself to walk in the same manner as He walked. (1John 2:6)
As a Christian, have you ever had someone say to you, “Sure, I know you talk the talk, but can you walk the walk?” Relating this question to the challenge made in 1John 2:6, I’d like to correlate one way in which we actually can walk in the same manner as Jesus walked. Even though we can’t live a sinless life as He did, raise the dead as He did, or even love as limitlessly as He did, there is an area of obedience that we can have perfection in: That of obedience in “Covenant keeping.”
In the time and age of the Old Covenant, the Israelites (Jews) were God’s covenanted people. To remain in that covenanted relationship, one thing mandated was that they were to “keep the Passover.” The story can be found in Exodus 12, how God initiated the Passover Feast the evening before He delivered the Israelites out of four hundred and thirty years of bondage to the Egyptians. It tells of how they were to sacrifice a lamb and smear its blood over the top and side door posts. They were given exact instructions as to how to prepare and eat that lamb and await their deliverance. Death was to visit Egypt that night in that God was to pass over the land and kill the firstborn of every household, Egyptian or Israelite. But, if they had followed His instructions, if He saw the blood over the door posts, He would “pass over” that house and they would be safe: Thus the Passover and its meaning.
God knew that His deliverance of the Israelites and the events that took place during that deliverance were such a big deal and wanted them to always acknowledge it and never forget, so He spoke to Moses later in the wilderness and told him to tell the people that they were to “keep the Passover” every year and even made a memorial of it. Please notice, God, not man, made the Passover a memorial (Exodus 12:14) “Now this day shall be a memorial to you”… That day would be the fourteenth day of the first month of every year.
As usually happens though, when Almighty God gives a mandate, there are those who want concessions or ways to be excused from keeping it. The Passover was no exception. There were some who asked, “What if we’re unclean because of touching a dead person, or “What if we’re off on a long trip?” What if…what if…what if. So, God spoke to Moses again and said; "Speak to the sons of Israel, saying, 'If any one of you or of your generations becomes unclean because of a dead person, or is on a distant journey, he may, however, observe the Passover to the LORD. In the second month on the fourteenth day at twilight, they shall observe it.” (Numbers 9:10-11)
BUT
“The man who is clean and is not on a journey, and yet neglects to observe the Passover, that person shall then be cut off from his people, for he did not present the offering of the LORD at its appointed time, that man will bear his sin.” (Numbers 9:13)
So, if they willfully neglected to keep the Passover feast, they were no longer considered to be a part of God’s covenanted people and if they died before the next Passover, they would die in their sins. Pretty strong stuff, wouldn’t you say?
We can know through studying the Scriptures that Jesus never missed a Passover. How you may ask? We know that His parents kept the Passover every year and took Jesus along with them. (Luke 2:41-42) So we know that He remained in a covenanted relationship with His Father through keeping the Passover. Jesus walked the walk, and we can do the same.
In this present time and age of the New Covenant, God’s covenanted people are called Christians. (Acts 11:26)(Acts 26:28)(1Peter 4:16) This name was given to us by God Himself. (Isaiah 62: 2); “And you will be called by a new name which the mouth of the Lord will designate.” We as Christians, are no longer required to sacrifice animals or keep the Jewish Passover because when Jesus, our New Covenant (Isaiah 42:6 & 49:8) died on the cross and the curtain in the temple was torn from top to bottom (Matthew 27:51) (Mark 15:38) (to show that God done the tearing) the Old Covenant with all it’s laws, ceremonies, and sacrifices ended and the New Covenant was in force.
The Israelites entered into their Covenant by natural childbirth, where the Christian is reborn into his. (John 3:5) Since Jesus Christ is our New Covenant, a believer must be “in Christ” to be in Covenant with our great God. The Scriptures show that we can get “into Christ” through baptism. (Romans 6:3) Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ have been baptized into His death? (Galatians 3:27) For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. Believing that Jesus is the very Son of God (Acts 8:37) (Romans 10:9-10), confessing it with your mouth (Romans 10:9-10), repenting of your sins (Acts 2:38) (Luke 13:3), and being baptized into Him, (Acts 2:38) (John 3:5) is how a non-Christian (believer) becomes a Christian and enters into a covenanted relationship with God.
Once in Covenant, the Christian must remain “in Christ.”
That’s where Jesus has made it simpler to remain in and keep our New Covenant: Two not ten commandments to follow; “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind. And you shall love your neighbor as yourself.” (Matthew 22:37&39) and we must live God’s way: “You shall be Holy, for I am Holy.” (1Peter 1:16) Now like it or not, that just about sums up what God expects out of us. And as much as I love Jesus, as close as I try to live a Godly and holy life, I FALL SHORT. I sin. And so do you…YES YOU DO. We all do.
But Jesus, knowing that we would sin and fall short also gave us these words of comfort: “This do.” (Luke 22:19) He was referring to the Lord’s Supper…Communion. He knew that without blood…there is no remission of sin, (Hebrews 9:22) and there had to be a way to reach that blood, His blood. He has made that possible through baptism (Romans 6:3) and Communion. (Matthew 26:28)
It’s recorded in John 6 that earlier in His ministry, Jesus had told His disciples that to remain (continuing action) “in Him”, they must eat His flesh (continuing action) and drink His blood. (also a continuing action) That those who did would have eternal life and those that did not would have no life in them. (John 6:53-56) He was showing them how they could do this and remain “in Covenant” or “in Him”. “This do” and keep Covenant. “This do not” and break Covenant.
The Scriptures teach that Communion is to be the main focus of the worship service on the first day of the week. “and upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread.” (Acts 20:7) Members of the early church were steadfast in the breaking of bread. (Acts2:42) The Holy Spirit led the apostles and early church to assemble on every first day of the week and renew Covenant by participating in the body and blood of their Covenant, Jesus Christ. It was therefore a weekly renewal. Remember, it’s a continual eating and drinking that allows us to “remain in Him.”
Memorials are made so that we can remember and never forget a particular person or event. The Israelites were soon forgetting that God had delivered them from slavery with signs and wonders, and He knew that soon they would also forget when and who had performed this miraculous deliverance. So God in His wisdom made the Passover a memorial. Such is not the case with the Lord’s Supper. It is not a memorial as most Christians call it. God knew that those who are “in Christ”, those who were bought with His blood and wear His name could never forget Him. That’s why Jesus said, “do this in remembrance of me,” and not “do this to remember me.” Nowhere in Scripture does it say that Jesus made Communion a memorial as God did with the Passover.
The Passover was only a shadow of the Lord’s Supper in that when God saw the blood of their sacrifice on the doorposts he would save them from certain death. In the Lord’s Supper, as we confess and repent of our sins, drinking from the cup which Jesus said is His blood and for the remission of our sins, God sees the blood that is the sacrifice for our sins, and He honors the death and blood of His only begotten and saves us from a certain death as well, through forgiveness. It is written that, “the wages of sin is death.”(Romans 6:23) but Jesus paid those wages. The last words that Jesus uttered while on the cross, “it is finished” in essence means, “paid in full.”
So, if an Israelite willfully neglected the Passover, a mere memorial, and was no longer considered an Israelite and “bore his own sin” till the next opportunity to observe the Passover again, an entire year later. Knowing this, I would not want to willfully neglect the Lord’s Table, break Covenant with God and take the chance I might not make it to the next Lord’s Day to sit at His Table anew.
I rely entirely on God’s grace week to week till I can contact the blood “that cleanseth us from all sin.” (1John1:7-9) but I do so while in Covenant with Him. God’s grace is one of the riches which He grants “in Christ Jesus” (Ephesians 1:7), and it’s not to be cheapened by being taken for granted. God will not be mocked.
Just as Jesus was faithful in keeping the Passover, a memorial and a shadow of the Lord’s Supper, we must and can be faithful also in Covenant keeping and Covenant renewal thru Communion.
The one who says he abides in Him ought himself to walk in the same manner as He walked. (1John 2:6)
I wish to express my gratitude to Michael, a “brother in Covenant”, who is my corrective grammarian.
Posted by covnitkepr1 at 7:32 AM 33 comments
Sunday, June 19, 2011
Nobody left Behind
Nobody Left Behind; Insight into "End-Time" Prophecies separates fact from fiction by looking at Bible prophecies in context. David Vaughn Elliott respectfully examines the prophetic viewpoint underlying the "Left Behind" series, clearly showing that many prophecies proclaimed as end-time prophecies have actually already been wonderfully fulfilled in history.
Here are some of the vital topics you will learn about in this thought-provoking book.
Is the Antichrist alive?
•What is the meaning of 666? Read or download
•When does the Millennium begin?
•Should prophecy be interpreted literally?
•When did God stop His prophetic clock?
•How many "great tribulations" are there?
•What does the Bible predict about Rome?
•Who will be left behind when Jesus returns?
•Does God plan another temple in Jerusalem?
•Has Daniel's 70-weeks prophecy been fulfilled?
•Is the "Left Behind" scenario found in the Bible?
The 334 pages of Nobody Left Behind will help you explore major Bible prophecies in depth in language you can understand. Expect your views to be tested. Extensive Scripture and subject indexes will help you quickly find the verses and topics that interest you most. Fifteen pages of illustrations are included as well as quotations from ancient Jewish and Christian writers. Nobody Left Behind offers you a biblical, historical, and sensible Insight into "End-Time" Prophecies.
To order open the link below:
http://www.nobodyleftbehind.net/order.html
Posted by covnitkepr1 at 12:55 PM 18 comments
Thursday, June 2, 2011
“Get in the box God”
By Stan Butler
Lately, it seems I’m having more conversations with people who lay claim to the title of being a Christian (literally: follower of Christ), but during the course of the conversation when I ask, “Where do you attend church,” they reply, “Oh, I don’t go to church. I’m not religious, but I consider myself very spiritual.” They want no claim or affiliation to “organized religion” even though the scriptures mention the term “religion” five times and the term “religious” twice, and each and every time in a positive context.
And why wouldn’t the Lord’s church be organized, and in fact, well organized? There are leadership roles to be filled, services to be held, missions to be tended to, prayers to be offered, unified singing and teachings to take place, and much more. All this is to be accomplished in an orderly and organized manner in which the leaders will be held accountable for overseeing.
These “independent” but not religious Christians find the Bible to be a perfect instruction book only when they egregiously reinterpret it and force it to fit their own theology. As long as God is in their box, they feel at ease with their situation. But when shown that they in fact need to get into God’s box…they balk. They insist that church attendance is not necessary to have a relationship with and/or to please God. I find that scripture teaches to the contrary. Let’s put to the test if a person can fulfill God’s wishes by setting in a boat somewhere on a beautiful sunny Sunday morning “at one with the Creator,” or sitting on a back patio with a good cup of coffee and their Bible, or some other like scenario instead of being in a church assembly with other Christians on the Lord’s Day.
For starters, in Hebrews 10:25; we read, “Not to forsake the assembling of ourselves together.” This statement alone should be reason enough to silence all excuses, reasonings, and alibis for not being in a fellowship with other Christians on the Lord’s Day. How many times does God have to say something before we are to believe it? It is written in the form of a command, not a request, but here is where these “independent Christians” start saying, “Get in the box God.”
For the most part, they just ignore Hebrews 10:25 as though the passage doesn’t exist. They tell others how much they love and serve God…they just fail to mention how they live in total disobedience to many of the commands that are in His Covenant, and so in their disobedience, they defiantly tell the Almighty… “Get in the box God.” The usual excuse for not attending church is that they don’t want to worship with hypocrites. This excuse doesn’t hold a lot of water because these “independent Christians” buy their gas at the same service stations, buy their food at the same grocery stores, and dine out in the same restaurants these hypocrites do. Some even work directly with them in the work place. They mingle and manage to live with them six days a week in every scenario imaginable but can’t tolerate to worship with them for a couple hours on the Lord’s Day. Perhaps the God in their box will have a special place in heaven just for them where they can spend eternity away from all the fellowship and jubilant rejoicing of the forgiven saints who were once “hypocrites” but washed in the blood of the Lamb.
Many of these “independent Christians” have been lied to, lied about, been wrongfully accused, mistreated, abused, had their reputation harmed and decided to separate themselves from “organized” religion. I have had every instance mentioned above happen to me. I felt like leaving and getting as far as I could from “these” people, but keep in mind that “these” people are God’s elect even though imperfect. So let’s look at what God has to say about these situations and the reasons I had to “buck up” and remain in His box:
Matthew 6:15; "If you forgive not men their trespasses neither will your Father forgive your trespasses." This scripture doesn’t exist for them, because these “independent Christians” believe that they are being forgiven on a daily basis even though they have not forgiven those that have trespassed them. “Get in the box God.”
Matthew 5:44; "Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you and persecute you." “Independent Christians” need to start loving, blessing, and praying for those they feel have wronged them. Putting distance between themselves and an “organized religion” problem while expecting God to love, bless and answer their prayers is just another way of saying, “Get in the box God.”
Jesus commanded throughout the New Covenant that we Christians “Love one another.” How is it showing love to separate and refuse to fellowship with the body of Christ? How would your immediate earthly family feel if you were to say you love them, but refuse to fellowship with them at family gatherings? Actions speak much louder than words. “Get in the box God.”
Here is a short and incomplete list of things which God mandates that an “independent Christian” should do but cannot fulfill by absenting themselves from church services:
Hebrews 10:25; exhort one another. “Get in the box God."
Acts 20:7; take Communion with others. “Get in the box God.”
Acts 2:42; fellowship with others. “Get in the box God.”
Acts 2:42; be steadfast as a part of the body of Christ. “Get in the box God.”
1 Corinthians 16:1; bring ones gifts as God has prospered. “Get in the box God.”
Acts 2:42; join others in prayer. “Get in the box God.”
Colossians 3:16; teach and admonish one another through singing. “Get in the box God.”
The list could go on and on. I think you can see the harm they do to themselves and the body of Christ by their act of sovereignty. Where would the church be if everyone followed their example of separation? They worship and serve a God…but it’s a God of their own making, NOT the God of the Bible. There is just no defense for one of His followers to separate themselves from a body of other imperfect believers and attempting to be a church in/of/and by themselves. Throughout the New Covenant there are mentions of churches in various cities in the first century and no mention that anyone has the right to separate because of hurt feelings and other frivolous reasons.
God has given us His instruction on worship, and we are instructed to worship Him as a church (assembly) on the first day of every week. He tells us as both leaders and individuals how to deal with any problems that arise. To venture off and declare ourselves sovereign from His body (the church) is to manufacture a God of our own making, and He has told us that we are to have no other Gods but Him, and on His terms. Any attempt to make Him something that He is not is to say, I’ve got a box over here God and you’ll fit in it very nicely…now “Get in the box God.”
I wish to express my gratitude to Michael, a “brother in Covenant”, who is my corrective grammarian.
Posted by covnitkepr1 at 11:28 AM 51 comments
Thursday, May 19, 2011
Keeping Covenant with God...a book I highly recommend.
Michael Haas has recently published a short book on Biblical covenant. Years of study have convinced Michael that the way to fully understand God’s plan for humanity is through the concept of covenant. As he sought to tell his friends and family about covenant, he looked for an introductory book that would explain the basics of what he believed.
After much searching, Michael was unable to find an easy-to-read book that explained how to study the Bible as covenant. Realizing that he was expecting someone else to do the work that he was capable of doing himself, Michael sat down to write the book he was searching for. Keeping Covenant with God: Living by the Blood of Jesus is the result.
Filled with engaging examples straight from the Bible and stories from Michael’s own life, Keeping Covenant with God explains the fundamentals of God’s plan of salvation in simple terms that anyone can understand. You don’t need to attend seminary to understand God’s love for you and see how every piece of the Bible fits together. You don’t need an advanced degree to answer the “hard” questions about Christianity. Reading the Bible through the lens of covenant is all you need.
Available at Amazon.com
Posted by covnitkepr1 at 8:53 PM 29 comments
Thursday, April 21, 2011
Breaking Bread According to the Book
by Stan Butler
Among some professed followers of Christ in the world of Christendom, the thought that believers must conform their way of thinking and/or their way of doing things to the teachings of Jesus, at times is not a popular idea. Furthermore, to conform to these teachings is not usually thought of as a way of being accepted by God. And those who would dare call attention to any discrepancies in the way something is being done contrary to the oracles of God, usually results in the term “legalist” being applied to the attention caller. Well now, please allow me to label myself a “legalist”, at least for the duration of this post.
Jesus promised the twelve disciples: “The Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, He shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said to you.” (John 14:26) And, “Howbeit when He, the Spirit of truth is come, He will guide you in all truth: for He shall not speak of Himself, but whatsoever He shall hear, that shall He speak: and He will show you things to come.” (John 16:13)
In these two passages of Scripture, Jesus is talking to His twelve disciples who walked this earth with Him, talked with Him, ate with Him and physically touched Him, not to any of the leaders of 240 denominational churches, councils, synods, and not to yours truly Stan Butler, and not even to you Mr. or Mrs. John Doe. The promise of the Holy Ghost we (the world) received at our baptism is that “He will reprove (convict) us of sin (what’s wrong), of righteousness (what’s right), and of judgment (the rewards for doing what’s right and the perils for doing what’s wrong).” (John 16: 8-11) He does not give us new revelation on when and what we can change as we please concerning the administration of the Church of the Lord Jesus Christ.
So what the Apostles wrote and we read in the Scriptures concerning the early church and its administration is the direct result of the guidance of the Holy Spirit that Jesus promised His disciples. After reading and discerning the Scriptures, we must conform to how things were done in the Early Church if we are to please God.
The subject at hand is “breaking bread.”
When in the Scriptures does “breaking bread” mean “ a common meal”?
When does “breaking bread” mean “the Lord’s Supper”?
Can we discern the difference?
The world at large does not apply the term “breaking bread” to eating today as they did in the first century church. Therefore, when seeing the term “breaking bread” used in the Scriptures, we must examine the context to determine when a common meal is being referenced or if the verse is speaking about the Lord’s Supper. Let’s look at the examples given in the Scriptures and put them in perspective.
As a common meal the Scriptures show that an actual breaking of bread took place in Matthew 14:19; 15:36, Mark 6:41; 8:6&19, Luke 9:16; 24:30 and in Acts 27:35. And a figurative breaking of bread in Luke 24:35; and Acts 2:46.
As the Lord’s Supper the scriptures show an actual breaking of bread in Matthew 26:26, Mark 14:22, Luke 22:19 and 1 Corinthians 11:24. And a figurative breaking of bread in Acts 2:42; 20:7&11.
Also 1 Corinthians 10:16 describes the “breaking of bread” in the Lord’s Supper as a sharing, a fellowship, a communion, or a participation in the body of Christ.
With minimum study of the Scriptures, a concerned believer can determine both on what day of the week the saints met to eat the Lord’s Supper (break bread) and that it was the main reason they met. We will find Acts 20:7 to be a big aid in that determination. Luke records; “and upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached to them… Paul just happened to be in Troas visiting, so the preaching was secondary. The primary reason for assembling themselves together was to participate in the Lord’s Supper, to break bread. Notice should be taken that this happened on the first day of the week, and would come to be known as the Lord’s Day in the early church. (Revelation 1:10)
This is backed up by Paul’s statement to the Corinthians who when gathered together in one place were scolded for their misuse of the Lord’s Supper. (Corinthians 11:20-34). They were told that if they were hungry…to eat at home.
We find in Acts 2:42 that the early church was steadfast in this practice of breaking bread. We also see that this was done in a church setting as prayers were offered, doctrine was taught, and fellowship was enjoyed. Offerings were also taken up during these Lord’s Day assemblies as is noted in 2Corinthians 16:2
Acts 2:46 lets us know that they met daily in the temple, but ate their common meals breaking bread from house to house and ate their meat with gladness of heart. They did not observed the Lord’s Supper every time they met.
The Lord’s Supper was not just another “nice” thing they did when they assembled. To them it was the very reason why they met, the center piece of the worship service. Many of them were possibly there when Jesus was mocked, beaten, and crucified. They may have seen His blood being spilt. They knew that once cleansed of sin through baptism, that this was the way to participate in that spilt blood for the forgiveness of their sins as believers. There is no doubt in my mind that the Holy Ghost recalled to memory the words of Jesus when He said to His disciples, “Verily, Verily, I say unto you, except you eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink His blood, ye have no life in you. Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up on the last day, for my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed. He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me and I in him.” (John 6:53-56) And no doubt the Holy Ghost refreshed their memory back to when Jesus taking bread in the upper room, broke it and said, “Take eat, this is my body.” (Mark 14:22) and holding the cup said, “Drink ye all of it; for this is my blood of the New Covenant which is shed for many for the remission of sins.” (Matthew 26:27-28) They wanted an ongoing cleansing upon confession and repentance. They wanted to dwell (remain) in Christ their New Covenant, and they wanted Him to dwell (remain) in them as well. Thus they were obedient to the teaching and instruction of the Apostles to gather weekly on the Lord’s Day and renew their commitment to that Covenant.
Can we do any less than the pattern left for us to follow, i.e. offer Communion on a monthly, quarterly, semi annual or annual basis? “Absolutely not!” is the restorer’s cry. “We can do as we please!” is the reformer’s cry.
Can we do any more than the pattern left for us to follow, i.e. offer Communion at weddings, funerals, special services such as Good Friday, and Christmas Eve? “Absolutely not!” is the restorer’s cry. “We can do as we please!” is the reformer’s cry.
As for me and my house, we’ll meet when the church is assembled for worship and/or Bible study and we’ll participate in the Lord’s Supper only once a week, every week, and only on the first day of the week, as was the pattern in the early church.
I now relinquish my label of “legalist.”
I wish to express my gratitude to Michael, a “brother in Covenant”, who is my corrective grammarian.
Posted by covnitkepr1 at 11:36 PM 39 comments
Monday, April 18, 2011
Participation in BLOOD: His way
by Stan Butler
Blood…the sight of it makes some people become light headed and feel as though they are going to faint. Diabetics like me, see our own blood several times each day and don’t give it a second thought. Surgeons, nurses, and hospital staff see other people’s blood on a daily basis without any problem. So we see that the sight of blood affects a variety of people in various ways.
Then there is a group of people that not only want to not see blood…they don’t even want to think about it or hear it mentioned…ever. Many in the religious world are that way. They’re squeamish when it comes to blood. They have joined ranks together and formed a denomination of their own making so they can avoid it altogether. They have hymnbooks in which the word “blood” can not be found, they make no mention about it when preaching from their pulpits, and they don’t teach about it in their Bible studies. If it were possible and could be made intelligently feasible, they’d probably have their own version of the Bible printed up without the word “blood” in it as well.
But like it or not, we serve a God which has always had a use for blood. His use: “it is blood that maketh an atonement for the soul.” (Leviticus 17:11)
Blood then: Under the Old Covenant, God’s people, the children of Israel, were never to consume the blood of any manner of flesh (sacrificed or otherwise) and if they did, they would be considered unclean and be “cut off”(no longer be a part of the Nation of Israel). However, if they disobeyed this mandate, there was a ceremony they could go through to become clean again, i.e., they were to wash their clothes, bathe themselves in water, and would remain unclean until evening. But…if they did not go through this cleansing ceremony… they would not only be “cut off” but they would “bear their iniquity.” (Remain unclean, and if they died, they’d do so in their sin) (Leviticus 17:10-16)
Blood now: Jesus is our New Covenant. (Isaiah 42:1-7)(Isaiah 49:1-8)(Matthew 12:16-21)(Luke 4:16-21)(Ephesians 2:13-15) And under our New Covenant, God’s people who are now called Christians (Acts 11:26) (Acts 26:28) (1Peter 4:16) are to follow the instructions of Jesus concerning the consumption of blood. His instructions were very different from that of His Father’s to the Israelites. Different Covenant…different instructions. His instruction (commandment i.e. “this do”) to the Christian is to drink blood…His blood. (Matthew 26:27-28)
Jesus made a statement early in His ministry that was considered a “hard saying.” Here’s some of what He said; "Verily, Verily, I say unto you, except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink His blood, ye have no life in you.” (Emphasis mine) (John 6:53) And wouldn’t you know it’s considered a “hard saying” yet today. But…it’s only a “hard saying” because people complicate it and make it hard. His disciples knew nothing of the Lord’s Supper at the time He said these words and couldn’t conceive in their wildest imagination what He was talking about. But it all came together for them a few years later in the upper room when He offered them some bread and told them it was His body and to eat it, and He offered them the cup and told them it was His blood, His blood of the New Covenant and to drink it. If you’ve read the story you probably noticed that they didn’t cock their heads to one side and look at Him as if they didn’t know what He was talking about…instead, they took the bread and readily ate it and they took the cup and they readily drank it, and without question. They ate and drank without uttering, “This is a hard saying.”
Many Christians today make it so hard by contesting, “The fruit of the vine” was in the cup…not blood.” Well, these same Christians probably believe every miracle that Jesus performed except for one, His first one…turning water into wine. For me it’s pretty simple, if He can turn water into wine, which He can and He did, then why is it not possible for Him to turn “the fruit of the vine” into blood? I say, He can and He does.
When we read the words of Jesus, we need to put complete trust in what He says to the point to where if we were reading a passage of Scripture and it said, “Your name, get up and run through yonder wall,” that we would immediately get up and take off running and expect Him to have made a hole in the wall by the time we reach it. (I heard that in a sermon one time)
I take Communion as Jesus offered it in the Scriptures, and here’s why. “Verily, Verily, I say unto you, except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink His blood, ye have no life in you.” There is life in the blood. I choose life. How about you?
Footnote: I wish to express my gratitude to Michael, a “brother in Covenant”, who is my corrective grammarian.
Posted by covnitkepr1 at 10:25 PM 40 comments
Friday, April 8, 2011
Why 1John1:7-9?
As I sat in the worship service this past Lord's Day preparing myself to participate in the body and blood of my Savior (1 Corinthians 10:16) by way of the Communion portion of the service, I was reading the passage of scripture found in 1John 1:7-9.
1John 1:7-9; (7) if we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin. (8) If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. (9) If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
“Why 1John 1:7-9 you may ask, for a passage to meditate on before taking Communion?” “What does this passage of Scripture have to do with Communion anyway?” Well, I believe it has everything to do with Communion. Allow me to explain my thoughts on this passage.
First off, Communion is not something I participate in to remember Jesus; I do so because I remember Him. For me, the Bible teaches that Communion is: 1) Covenant keeping (Luke 22:19; Jesus commanded, “This do”) and 2) Covenant renewal (John 6:56; “He that eateth (a continuing action) my flesh, and drinketh (also a continuing action) my blood dwelleth (also a continuing action) in me and I in Him”). By partaking every week, I’m telling Jesus that I want to continue in a Covenant relationship with Him and so I’m renewing that commitment I made when I was baptized into Christ, who is the New Covenant. So 1John 1:7-9 to me is steeped in Covenant, it is soaked in Covenant language, and it shouts Covenant in every word.
Why do I connect Covenant to Communion? That’s easy to understand and explain.
1) Jesus is the New Covenant, (Isaiah 42: 6 & 49:8) and 2) it is the blood of Jesus that is the blood of the New Covenant, (Matthew 26:28) and 3) His blood was shed for the forgiveness of my sins under the New Covenant, (Matthew 26:28) and 4) I must continually confess and repent of my sins to continually to be cleansed with His blood under this New Covenant. (Luke 13: 3&5) (1John 1:9) So, Communion is Covenant connected, or at least to the Covenant minded individual it is.
Here’s more: I feel that I would break the Covenant I entered into and was baptized into if I blatantly missed being at the Lord’s Table for any selfish earthly motives such as, 1) acting on the thought that I need a few extra winks of sleep on any given Lord’s Day, 2) on vacation and not feeling the need to concern myself with such spiritual matters, 3) I have company (house guests) and wouldn’t be a good host if I left them alone to go to church. Such willful actions on my part I feel would cause me to break fellowship with my Lord. For me, there are only two reasons to miss being around the Lord’s Table on the first day of each and every week: 1) Sickness, at which time I would have the bread and cup brought to me. Or 2) Being in a comatose state or dead. It’s just that important.
Let me put it this way and see if 1John 1:7-9 becomes any clearer. Using the Greek word, “koinonia” as translated from the Greek and used in the scriptures. 1Corinthians 10:16, a Communion Scripture, reads like this;
1) The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion (koinonia) of the blood of Christ? KJV
2) Is not the cup of thanksgiving for which we give thanks a participation (koinonia) in the blood of Christ? NIV
3) Is not the cup of blessing which we bless a sharing (koinonia) in the blood of Christ? NASB
This same word (koinonia) is translated “fellowship” in 1John 1:7b.
Thus, this passage could read:
…we have fellowship with one another…
…we have a sharing with one another…
…we have communion with one another…
…we have a participation with one another…
And still be 100% the true word of God.
Thus here’s my thinking when I read 1John 1:7-9.
If we walk in the light, as He is in the light, (that’s pure Covenant terminology: “walking in the light”) we have Communion (koinonia) with one another, (and while doing so) the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin. If we say we have no sin, (claiming we’re perfect and have nothing to repent of or confess) we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. (Jesus is the truth; John14:6) But…If we confess our sins, He is faithful (1Corinthians 1:9; God is faithful) and just (He is the Justifier; Romans 3:26) to forgive us our sins (Ephesians1:7; redemption through His blood and the forgiveness of sins) and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (simply a rewording of the “cleanseth us from all sin” in verse #7)
There’s a very good reason God has told us not to forsake the assembling of ourselves together. (Hebrews 10:25)
There’s a very good reason God calls it a sin to willfully do so. It’s in the next verse. (Hebrews 10:26)
It’s because when we do… we tread under foot the Son of God (Jesus’ body), count the blood of the covenant an unholy thing (Jesus’ blood), and do despite (insult) to the Holy Ghost, who prompts us to be there. (Hebrews 10:29)
In closing, I lovingly ask the question, “If we willfully ignore God on the Lord’s Day, and if we willfully show so little respect for the Lord’s Supper to willfully miss participating in it, do we think that the Almighty God of this entire universe just shrugs it off?
Or do we think that just maybe we have willfully broken fellowship with the One who is able to destroy both body and soul? (Matthew 10:28)
It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God. (Hebrews 10:31)
Written in love…please receive it in the same manner.
In Christ through baptism, remaining in Christ through the Lord’s Supper. (Romans 6:3) (Galatians 3:27) (John 6:56)
I wish to express my gratitude to Michael, a “brother in Covenant”, who is my corrective grammarian.
Posted by covnitkepr1 at 10:27 AM 55 comments
