Isaiah 14:1 - 14:12 (Read verse 9)

Bible Study by Dave Ramey

Isa 14:9 Hell from beneath is moved for thee to meet thee at thy coming: it stirreth up the dead for thee, even all the chief ones of the earth; it hath raised up from their thrones all the kings of the nations.

These 'chief ones' is 'attuwd' in Hebrew meaning 'prepared, i.e. full grown; spoken only (in plural) of he-goats, or (figuratively) leaders of the people' (Strong's no.6260). We've had quite a bit of teaching already from our Father in this Great Book of Isaiah about certain 'leaders of the people'. These are the leaders who willfully mislead, seeking 'reward' remember? (see Isa.3). They represent the 'goats' that are separated by Christ as written in Matt.25, and are put on the left-hand.

The last Chapter of Isaiah gave us a Message about the destruction of Babylon. It was historical with Cyrus and Darius causing a literal destruction of the geographical Babylon, but is given as a blueprint for how it will happen again. But this next time, it will apply to the Babylon 'beast' system spoken of in Rev.13 & 17. That last system is not complete yet today, as it must have their false king present to finish it, and he will come in this last generation of flesh upon the earth, the generation of the fig tree. This fake king is none other than Lucifer, Satan himself, playing the role of 'a spurious Messiah' (Matt.24:24 in the Greek).

This Chapter 14 is going to reveal to us this Lucifer as the false king of the future Babylon, and how he and that 'beast' system will be defeated when Jesus Christ comes with the 'brightness of His coming' (2 Thess.2).


http://members.tnns.net/wordweb/ltr14.htm

The last Chapter of Isaiah gave us a Message about the destruction of Babylon. It was historical with Cyrus and Darius causing a literal destruction of the geographical Babylon, but is given as a blueprint for how it will happen again. But this next time, it will apply to the Babylon 'beast' system spoken of in Rev.13 & 17. That last system is not complete yet today, as it must have their false king present to finish it, and he will come in this last generation of flesh upon the earth, the generation of the fig tree. This fake king is none other than Lucifer, Satan himself, playing the role of 'a spurious Messiah' (Matt.24:24 in the Greek).
Some have tried to teach that The Book of Revelation was not really penned by John the Apostle, but by some other John who lived centuries later. Others have even tried to say that Revelation doesn't belong with our Holy Bible, mainly because of all the different symbology in contrast to the rest of The New Testament. And still others, would even say that Revelation was written by a pagan because of all the symbols! But those of you who have been studying with me here in Isaiah, you know those remarks to be all lies! Even more, those who have taken the time to verify what little documentation I've given from Revelation in this Study of Isaiah, you now could just about teach half The Book of Revelation to others. Add just the first six Chapters of Genesis to it, and you could teach another big part of Revelation. How terrifically silly... those previous false statements about Revelation not being given by Jesus Christ through His Apostle John, now sounds.
This Chapter 14 is going to reveal to us this Lucifer as the false king of the future Babylon, and how he and that 'beast' system will be defeated when Jesus Christ comes with the 'brightness of His coming' (2 Thess.2). We ask a Word of Wisdom from our Father in Christ Jesus' Name, Amen.

Isa 14:1 For the LORD will have mercy on Jacob, and will yet choose Israel, and set them in their own land: and the strangers shall be joined with them, and they shall cleave to the house of Jacob.

'Jacob' here means all twelve tribes of Israel, which does not apply only to Jews. The Jewish people make up only one tribe, i.e. Judah, from all twelve. The 'house of Judah' now resides in the middle-east state called Israel, along with Benjamin and Levi joined with them. The other Ten Tribes were scattered abroad along with other Jews, and most of Judah knows this.
The phrase 'and will yet choose Israel' refers to the putting back together of the scattered ten tribes called the 'house of Israel' in God's Word, and the 'house of Judah', into one Israel again, as it was before the split recorded in I & II Kings (also see Ezek.37). That joining has not happened yet today, as today's nation state of Israel has no 'king' over them (see the Lost Tribes study). The lost tribes, which are not lost to our Father, will be joined back to their 'own land' in Israel. These 'strangers' are the Gentiles who accept Christ as God's Savior also. This is truly what the 'gathering' by Christ at His second Advent means.

Isa 14:2 And the people shall take them, and bring them to their place: and the house of Israel shall possess them in the land of the LORD for servants and handmaids: and they shall take them captives, whose captives they were; and they shall rule over their oppressors.

It's very important to note this term "house of Israel" here. This verse did not completely happen during the time of Cyrus. Do you know why that is true? If you'll remember your Bible history as given in Ezra, only a portion of the 'house of Judah' returned back to Jerusalem after the Babylon captivity. The 'house of Israel' remained in captivity to Assyria and are not mentioned in the Book of Ezra, and were further scattered among the countries and nations, forming the Western Christian Nations of today.
For our future, this verse refers to when God gathers His elect from the four corners of the earth, setting them up as His People again, in the land He gave them. These 'servants and handmaids' refer to the elect Gentiles who become part of that family also, as 'handmaids' is from the Hebrew 'shiphchah' meaning 'to spread out as a family' (Strong's no.8198). Much land on this earth today is not inhabitable, but when this setting up takes place, there will be enough land for all to spread out on. There won't be any more overcrowded cities and such.

Isa 14:3 And it shall come to pass in the day that the LORD shall give thee rest from thy sorrow, and from thy fear, and from the hard bondage wherein thou wast made to serve,

Christ now is our Sabbath, which means 'rest'. But our LORD is not here with us yet, so we will not enter into that full 'Rest' until the 'gathering' back to Christ is accomplished. So when is this going to happen? In 'that day', the Lord's Day'. Then it'll be a wonderful habitation (see Zech.3).

Isa 14:4 That thou shalt take up this proverb against the king of Babylon, and say, "How hath the oppressor ceased! the golden city ceased!

Isa 14:5 The LORD hath broken the staff of the wicked, and the sceptre of the rulers.

So what's a 'proverb'? It's an ethical saying containing wisdom, a poem or maxim. This 'proverb' is against the 'king of Babylon', and for us in today's time, it is Satan and his 'beast' kingdom called again, Babylon. This 'proverb' against Satan the 'wicked one' and his false kingdom covers all the way to verse 21 of this Chapter 14 (note the later end quote). When this cherub Lucifer and his false 'beast' system is defeated, we'll be saying, "How great the overthrow of the false one and his kingdom was by Christ! Lucifer caused the first overthrow 'of old' ('katabole' from 'kataballo' in the Greek), but that time can't compare with God's overthrow of him and his wicked system!"

Isa 14:6 He who smote the people in wrath with a continual stroke, he that ruled the nations in anger, is persecuted, and none hindereth.

This 'He' is Satan. Most people just don't get the 'big picture' when they see potentially good leaders making unethical laws and decisions. They need to re-read Luke 4:5-8 where Satan declares that the kingdoms of the world are given to him during this flesh age.
If one is just seeing the negative political side of God's Plan, and not understanding what our Father would have us do by understanding His Word, then you put yourself in a position to be deceived later. Now this does not just mean we can take law into our own hands as individuals either. We are to follow civil law (Romans 13; 1 Peter 2). If the majority of our leaders had God's Truth and His Law in their minds, then the majority would make righteous judgments in our justice system, removing the evil from among us. Since the majority are deceived today, hence the state of affairs with all the evil around us. Our State and local representatives serve as one method of 'say' where we can make some difference, as the people of America still have that elective power, and our representative's voting records on the issues are the best way to 'cull' those who have 'double-standards'. At the same time, know that our Father has given control to Satan during this time, but it doesn't just mean 'laying down' and playin' dead. Stand up for what's right! Make a difference! Be a little salty! After all, there is a spiritual war going on.

Isa 14:7 The whole earth is at rest, and is quiet: they break forth into singing.

These verses are all during Christ's Millennium reign upon earth, so we're jumping forward in time here. This 'quiet' and 'singing' happens because Satan and his host are cast into the pit when Christ returns to claim all the kingdoms of earth. Most have read or heard Psalms 98 with, "Make a joyful noise unto the LORD...". That 98th Psalm is really about this event here, as the last verse of that Psalm reveals God coming to earth in righteous judgment. This time of spiritual joy is also written of at the last part of Rev.18 and the beginning of Rev.19.

Isa 14:8 Yea, the fir trees rejoice at thee, and the cedars of Lebanon, saying, 'Since thou art laid down, no feller is come up against us.'

Do you remember 'the tree of knowledge of good and evil' which existed in God's Garden Eden? God uses 'trees' as analogies in many places within His Word, as I gave many Scripture references to the 'tree' in my Genesis studies. This verse is referring to Lucifer, i.e. Satan, as the one who is 'laid down', because he's cast into the pit, so he isn't able to 'come up against us' at that time during Christ's Millennium reign. Let's turn to Ezekiel 31 to get a clearer picture:

Ezek 31:3 Behold, the Assyrian was a cedar in Lebanon with fair branches, and with a shadowing shroud, and of an high stature; and his top was among the thick boughs.

Here we go with 'the Assyrian' again. Not too far back in this study of Isaiah we came to know this 'Assyrian' as a 'type' for Satan of the future. Likewise, as this reference here in Ezekiel with the Assyrian, it was historical also. But we are going to see some 'markers' that don't fit the historical Assyrian who took the 'house of Israel' into captivity, and who also came up against Jerusalem.
This 'cedar in Lebanon' is referring to Satan when he was a good cherub, before his fall. His 'fair branches' 'of a high stature' shows his position over the other trees in that time 'of old'.

Ezek 31:4 The waters made him great, the deep set him up on high with her rivers running round about his plants, and sent out her little rivers unto all the trees of the field.

These 'waters' represent that 'River' written of back in Gen.2:10 and Rev.22:1 which proceed from The Throne of God and of The Lamb (Jesus Christ). That's how Lucifer originally had this high stature; it didn't originate from himself, but from God. Ezekiel 28 gives more about Lucifer when he was made perfect in beauty, and was perfect in his ways before iniquity was found in him. So I hope you understand; we're going way...back here in time, the time of the first earth age before Lucifer fell.

Ezek 31:5 Therefore his height was exalted above all the trees of the field, and his boughs were multiplied, and his branches became long because of the multitude of waters, when he shot forth.
6 All the fowls of heaven made their nests in his boughs, and under his branches did all the beasts of the field bring forth their young, and under his shadow dwelt all great nations.
7 Thus was he fair in his greatness, in the length of his branches: for his root was by great waters.

This is all deep metaphor, except for the end of verse 6, which I hope you noticed: 'all great nations'. The subject changed from 'trees' to 'nations' in verse 6, and back to 'trees' at verse 7 didn't it? Our Father's just checking to see if we're paying attention. Yes, there were nations which existed in the first earth age. Jer.4 gives more clues of that, mentioning 'cities' while linking to Genesis 1:2 with "without form, and void", a verse that most are taught means the first creation of this earth. Gen.1:2 began the cleansing and renewing of this second earth age, after Satan and his host had turned it into a 'ruin' (tohuw; bohuw-Strong's nos.8414;922).

Ezek 31:8 The cedars in the garden of God could not hide him: the fir trees were not like his boughs, and the chestnut trees were not like his branches; nor any tree in the garden of God was like unto him in his beauty.

We're getting closer.... Cedars stay green year round, so they are good analogies for God and His People in the sense of 'everlasting'. So where's this 'garden of God', I mean, was the historical Assyrian ever there?

Ezek 31:9 I have made him fair by the multitude of his branches: so that all the trees of Eden, that were in the garden of God, envied him.

So, this 'Garden of God' is none other than the Garden of Eden. If you remember back to Gen.2:9, The Tree of Life (Jesus Christ) was there also (also see Rev.2 & 22; Mark8:24). That high cedar in the Garden of Eden was Lucifer, and he is a type for the Assyrian, because we know the historical Assyrian was never in the Garden of Eden near God's Throne and The Lamb.
Now let's go back to Isaiah 14:9:

Isa 14:9 Hell from beneath is moved for thee to meet thee at thy coming: it stirreth up the dead for thee, even all the chief ones of the earth; it hath raised up from their thrones all the kings of the nations.

This word 'Hell' is 'she'owl' in Hebrew meaning 'Hades or the world of the dead' (Strong's no.7585). It's a place of spiritual torment, not a literal burning. And...it is in heaven right now, for that's where Satan now is, and stands as the 'accuser of our brethren' (Rev.12:10). He will be cast out of heaven down to earth in our near future as written in Rev.12:7. Some think that 'hell' is a graveyard lot, others that it's in the center of the earth. Not so. Hell is a place of separation on one side of the 'great gulf fixed' in heaven, and within sight of Paradise where our Father and His Son reside, along with all those who are in Christ that have passed on casting off their flesh body, and are called 'saints' (see Luke 16; Rev.6; Eccl.12:7).
This phrase 'the dead' is 'Rephaim' in the Hebrew Manuscripts, from 'Rapha' and is a proper name.1 These are the fallen angels of Jude 1 which mixed with Adam's daughters, and beget an offspring of 'giants' to be destroyed (Gen.6). This word was mistranslated for 'the dead' in several places in the KJV. These are not our dead relatives who have passed on. The Hebrew words 'muwth' or 'maveth' are used to represent someone who dies in the flesh sense (Strong's no.4191;4194).
Here's all the places in the KJV where 'Rapha' occurs if you're interested. (It is rendered 'dead' seven times: Job 26:5; Ps.88:10; Prov.2:18; 9:18; 21:16; Isa.14:9; 26:19-- It is rendered 'deceased' in Isa.26:14-- It is kept as a proper name 'Rephaim', or the word 'giants' in: Gen.14:5; 15:20; Deut.2:11; 2:20; 3:11; 3:13; Jsh.12:4; 13:12; 15:8; 17:15; 18:16; II Sam.5:18; 5:22; 21:16,18, 20, 22; 23:13; IChron.11:15; 14:9; 20:4, 6, 8; Isa.17:5).
These 'chief ones' is 'attuwd' in Hebrew meaning 'prepared, i.e. full grown; spoken only (in plural) of he-goats, or (figuratively) leaders of the people' (Strong's no.6260). We've had quite a bit of teaching already from our Father in this Great Book of Isaiah about certain 'leaders of the people'. These are the leaders who willfully mislead, seeking 'reward' remember? (see Isa.3). They represent the 'goats' that are separated by Christ as written in Matt.25, and are put on the left-hand.

Isa 14:10 All they shall speak and say unto thee, 'Art thou also become weak as we? art thou become like unto us?'

This 'All they' refers back to the verse we just covered. They are the Rephaim (fallen ones) and the wicked chief rulers of the earth. Well who are they talking to? The fallen angels who are in chains in the pit, along with these false rulers, are talking to Satan as he is powerless when this event of Christ casting him into the pit takes place. It's like, "We thought surely you would triumph Satan, so how is it you're just like us now, weak and cast into chains?" I don't know about you, but I kind of look forward to this seeing this event.

Isa 14:11 Thy pomp is brought down to the grave, and the noise of thy viols: the worm is spread under thee, and the worms cover thee.

Again, this word 'grave' is 'she'owl' in Hebrew, meaning 'the pit, or Hades', the place of separation reserved for the wicked. These 'worms' are in the sense of 'maggots' upon a decaying carcass (Strong's nos.7415;8438). So then, 'Mr. Death' will experience his own 'death'.

Isa 14:12 How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations!

Finally! There is now no doubt, as to whom these verses are speaking about in this Chapter. It is none other than Lucifer, the 'son of the morning', i.e. Satan. This one is also God's 'rod of Mine anger' given back in Isa.10:6, but for our near future. That should be clear now with this verse. Note the phrase 'didst weaken the nations', as its meaning is going to come up in a moment.
The meaning of the name 'Lucifer' and the phrase 'son of the morning' is very important in this verse! The word 'Lucifer' is 'heylel' in Hebrew and it means '(in the sense of brightness); morning star' (Strong's no.1966). Who else is referred to as the 'morning star'? Let's turn to Rev.22:16, as we don't want to miss this:

Rev 22:16 "I Jesus have sent Mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, and the bright and morning Star."

Well, Jesus Christ is 'the bright and morning Star' here, so how can that be? Can there be two? Absolutely not! There's a fake 'morning star', and that one is Satan himself. He is called such because he will come to earth as written, and will try to make the whole world believe that he is that True Morning Star, i.e Christ Jesus. So we see that Lucifer's name is even a portrayal of a major lie, for he is The Lie. Satan has a false sword (Rev.6:8), comes to earth wearing a fake crown of twine and clothing of 'cheap fabric' on a white horse (Rev.6:2 in the Manuscripts), is a false 'rock' (Deut.32:31), a false prince (John 12:31; Eph.2:2; Ezek.28), a false king (of Babylon and Tyrus), and... 'a spurious Messiah' as written in Matt.24:24 and Mark13:22, in the Greek Manuscripts. Those are all 'roles' for Satan trying to be 'Messiah'.
These are all examples from God's Word letting us know about this disguised role of a false messiah, so how can anyone who has studied miss it? Are those who claim to teach God's Word which push 'fly away' "secret rapture" doctrines aware? I mean, they claim and act to the people like they're studied in The Word, so what goes on? I feel blessed by our Father and His Son Jesus Christ because it has been given me to know the difference between the 'fake' messiah and 'The True Morning Star Jesus Christ', and if you also understand, then thank our Father Yehovah for us both.
We're not done with this idea yet, so don't go anywhere. As this Message of Lucifer's fall in that 'time of old', i.e. the first earth age, is hinted at here in Isaiah 14, are there any more clues concerning that event? Compare the two following verses of Revelation:

Rev 12:3 And there appeared another wonder in heaven; and behold a great red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns, and seven crowns upon his heads.
4 And his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven, and did cast them to the earth: and the dragon stood before the woman which was ready to be delivered, for to devour her child as soon as it was born.

Rev 13:1 And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy.

I want you to look very closely at the sections in bold and underlined in the verses above. Notice that the number of 'crowns' don't match? Rev.12:3-4 was that first false kingdom of Lucifer's that caused him to fall in that first earth age. He drew 'the third part of the stars of heaven' with him to earth at that rebellion, and tried to set up a false 'one-world-government' of that time, but of course, it failed. That's when Lucifer along with his fallen angels (third part of the stars) 'didst weaken the nations'. Remember I said there were 'nations' setup on earth in that 'time of old, the first earth age? That system was also Lucifer's false kingdom of 'Tyrus' (see Ezekiel 28). This gives more meaning to those analogies of Lucifer being a 'high branch' surrounded by flowing waters, trying to set himself up as God. That's been his whole problem, and of those who follow him. He wants to be God, and not just 'a god', but The GOD. That's the message revealed here in Isaiah 14, Ezek.28, and II Thess.2. Since the deceived haven't understood this Message of how and why Satan fell, they easily believe II Thess.2 is talking about something else.
The next example of Rev.13:1 represents the false 'beast' 'one world government' system Satan's trying to setup on earth again in our near future, and it will have 'ten crowns', not 'seven' as before (see also Rev.17).
So we see that this plan today of 'one world government' is nothing new. All the vast attempts in our past history during this second earth age of flesh have been towards bringing about Satan's second false kingdom upon earth, again; and that, to supplant God's True Kingdom under Christ. But it won't work, nor did it in that first time. God's True Kingdom upon this earth with Christ as KING existed before Satan (Lucifer) rebelled in that first earth age. THIS is what True Salvation by our Christ is about and is His Truth which sets us free, for when we believe on Yeshu'a Messiah Jesus Christ as God's Savior, our spirit RETURNS to that Knowledge in Christ, which we ALL once had before, even before this time of flesh!

Let's pick up the remainder of this Message in Isaiah with the next study. I hope all reading this study that haven't yet come to Christ Jesus, believing on Him as The Savior, will do so, as our Father sent His Son to us, and for us, to get us BACK, returning to YHVH, The Father of all souls Who truly does love us.

Peace be with you in Christ Jesus,
Dave Ramey.

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Why Evangelicals are Returning to Rome

The Abandonment of Sola Scriptura as a Formal Principle

By Bob DeWaay www.twincityfellowship.com

The February 2008 edition of Christianity Today ran a cover story about evangelicals looking to the ancient Roman Catholic Church in order to find beliefs and practices.1 What was shocking about the article was that both the author of the article and the senior managing editor of CT claim that this trip back to Rome is a good thing. Says Mark Galli the editor, “While the ancient church has captivated the evangelical imagination for some time, it hasn’t been until recently that it’s become an accepted fixture of the evangelical landscape. And this is for the good.”2 Chris Armstrong, the author of the article who promotes the trip back to the ancient church, claims that because the movement is led by such persons as “Dallas Willard, Richard Foster, and living and practicing monks and nuns,” that therefore, “they are receiving good guidance on this road from wise teachers.” This he claims shows that, “Christ is guiding the process.”3

Apparently, contemporary evangelicals have forgotten that sola scriptura (scripture alone) was the formal principle of the Reformation. Teachings and practices that could not be justified from Scripture were rejected on that principle. To endorse a trip back to these practices of ancient Roman Catholicism is to reject the principle of sola scriptura being the normative authority for the beliefs and practices of the church. In this article I will explore how modern evangelicalism has compromised the principle of sola scriptura and thus paved smoothly the road back to Rome.

A Biblically based commentary on current issues that impact you

http://cicministry.org/commentary/issue105.htm

New “Reformations” Compromise Sola Scriptura

Today at least three large movements within Protestantism claim to be new “reformations.” If we examine them closely we will find evidence that sola scriptura has been abandoned as a governing principle—if not formally, at least in practice. To have a new reformation requires the repudiation of the old Reformation. That in turn requires the repudiation of the formal principle of the Reformation. That’s where we’ll begin.

Robert Schuller and Rick Warren

In 1982, Robert Schuller issued a call for a new Reformation with the publication of his book, Self Esteem: The New Reformation.4 Schuller issued this fervent call: “Without a new theological reformation, the Christian church as the authentic body of Christ may not survive.”5 He was apparently aware that his reformation was of a different type than the original: “Where the sixteenth-century Reformation returned our focus to sacred Scriptures as the only infallible rule for faith and practice, the new reformation will return our focus to the sacred right of every person to self-esteem! The fact is, the church will never succeed until it satisfies the human being’s hunger for self-value.”6 The problem is that Schuller based much of his self-esteem teaching on psychological theory and did not provide a rigorous Biblical defense of the idea. Thus his reformation was a de facto denial of the Reformation principle of Scripture alone.

For example, Schuller criticized the Reformation for a faulty doctrine of sin: “Reformation theology failed to make clear that the core of sin is a lack of self-esteem.”7 But Schuller does not discuss the many verses in the Bible that define sin. For example: “Everyone who practices sin also practices lawlessness; and sin is lawlessness” (1John 3:4). It is not hard to see that Schuller’s reformation constituted the abandonment of sola scriptura as a formal principle.8

In one sense, since Schuller’s call for a reformation based on self-esteem was made 26 years ago, one could argue that it never happened. Of course the idea of self-esteem is still around and taught by many evangelicals, but it never became the one key idea of the church. In another sense, however, Schuller’s reformation was broadened and transferred to others. In 2005 Schuller claimed the following as noted alumni of his institute: Bill Hybels, John Maxwell, Bishop Charles Blake, Rick Warren, Walt Kallestad, and Kirbyjon Caldwell. Bill Hybels himself credited Robert Schuller as a key person who influenced his ideas.9 Though Rick Warren disputes Schuller’s influence on his theology, he has carried forward Schuller’s idea of creating a church that meets people’s felt needs and thus attracts them.

But what interests us here is that Warren is now proposing yet another reformation:

And we've actually created what we call clinic-in-a-box, business-in-a-box, church-in-a-box, and we are using normal people, volunteers. When Jesus sent the disciples – this will be my last point – when Jesus sent the disciples into a village he said, “Find the man of peace.” And he said, “When you find the man of peace you start working with that person, and if they respond to you, you work with them. If they don't, you dust the dust off your shoes; you go to the next village.” Who's the man of peace in any village – or it might be a woman of peace – who has the most respect, they're open and they're influential? They don't have to be a Christian. In fact, they could be a Muslim, but they're open and they're influential and you work with them to attack the five giants. And that's going to bring the second Reformation.10


The problem is that solving the world’s five greatest problems as Warren defines them11 using anyone willing to help regardless of religion, cannot be justified on Biblical grounds. If sola scriptura were the formal principle in Warren’s theology, then he would provide vigorous, Biblical analysis using sound exegesis to ground his reformation on the authority of Scripture. But his teachings and public statements are not characterized by sound Biblical exegesis.

As I documented in my book on the Purpose Driven Movement, Warren’s reformation compromises sola scriptura in many significant ways.12These include the use of loose paraphrases that go so far as to change the meaning of various passages, the integration of unbiblical, human wisdom, serious misinterpretation of Scripture, and an unbiblical philosophy of ministry. Warren has an orthodox statement about the authority of Scripture on his church Web site. In fact, most evangelicals other than those who convert to Roman Catholicism do not overtly reject Scripture alone. But is it practiced?13

There is reason to believe that Warren’s reformation is the continuation of Schuller’s in a modified form. Warren has made finding one’s purpose the lynchpin of his teachings and practices. Finding purpose may not be identical to finding self esteem, but the idea is at least a first cousin. Also, both concepts derive their power from outside Scripture.

C. Peter Wagner

Another proposed reformation of the church is C. Peter Wagner’s New Apostolic Reformation. As I argued in a recent CIC article,14 Wagner sees the presence of apostles who speak authoritatively for God as the key to the church fulfilling her role in the world. He even speaks approvingly of the “apostles” of the Roman Catholic Church. Wagner and the thousands of apostles and prophets in his movement have shown as little regard for sola scriptura as any non Roman Catholic Christian group apart from the Quakers. So their reformation is a de facto repudiation of the Reformation. Their writings and messages show little or no concern for sound, systematic Biblical exegesis. If they were to adopt sola scriptura as a formal principle and rigorously use it to judge their own teachings and practices, their movement would immediately come to an end.

The Emergent Church

The third (if we count Warren’s reformation as a current replacement for Schuller’s) proposed reformation is that of the Emergent Church. In their case sola scriptura dies a thousand deaths. As we saw in the previous issue of CIC, Rob Bell denies it using the same arguments that Roman Catholics have used. The Emergent Church and its postmodern theology is noteworthy for being a non-Catholic version of Christianity that forthrightly assaults the type of use of the Bible that characterizes those who hold sola scriptura as the formal principle of their theology. The Emergent Church adherents reject systematic theology, and thus make using the principle impossible. For example, defending the doctrine of the Trinity using Scripture requires being systematic. I have read many Emergent/postmodern books as I write a new book, and each of them attacks systematic theology in some way.

The Emergent Reformation rests on the denial of the validity of foundationalism. Gone are the days when Christians debated the relative merits of evidential and presuppositional apologetics—debates based on the need for a foundation for one’s theology. Either one started with evidence for the authority of Scripture and then used the Bible as the foundation of one’s theology; or one presupposed the Bible as the inerrant foundation. But today both approaches are mocked for their supposed naïveté. To think that one can know what the Bible means in a non-relativistic way is considered a throwback to now dead “modernity.” The Emergent mantra concerning the Bible is “we cannot know, we cannot know, we cannot know.” Furthermore, in their thinking, it is a sign of arrogance to claim to know. For the postmodern theologian, sola scriptura is as dead and buried as a fossilized relic of bygone days.

So the Protestant (if the term even means anything today) world is characterized by reformations that have either rejected or compromised sola scriptura as the formal principle for their theology. No wonder few voices of concern are raised at Christianity Today’s proposed trip back to Rome to find beliefs and practices. Once sola scriptura has been rejected, there remain few reasons not to go back to Rome. If religious traditions can be considered normative, then why not embrace those with the longest history?

Dallas Willard Leads Us Back to Rome

The cover of the CT article reads, “Lost Secrets of the Ancient Church.” It shows a person with a shovel digging up a Catholic icon. What are these secrets? Besides icons, lectio divina and monasticism are mentioned. Dallas Willard, who is mentioned as a reliable guide for this process, has long directed Christians to monastic practices that he himself admits are not taught in the Bible.15 Willard pioneered the rejection of sola scriptura in practice on the grounds that churches following it are failures. He writes, “All pleasing and doctrinally sound schemes of Christian education, church growth, and spiritual renewal came around at last to this disappointing result. But whose fault was this failure?”16 The “failure,” according to Willard is that, “. . . the gospel preached and the instruction and example given these faithful ones simply do not do justice to the nature of human personality, as embodied, incarnate.”17 So what does this mean? It means that we have failed because our gospel had too little to do with our bodies.

The remedy for “failure” says Willard is to find practices in church history that are proven to work. But are these practices taught in the Bible? Willard admits that they are not by using an argument from silence, based on the phrase “exercise unto godliness” in 1Timothy 4:7. Here is Willard’s interpretation:

“Or [the possibility the phrase was imprecise] does it indicate a precise course of action he [Paul] understood in definite terms, carefully followed himself, and called others to share? Of course it was the latter. So obviously so, for him and the readers of his own day, that he would feel no need to write a book on the disciplines of the spiritual life that explained systematically what he had in mind.”18


But what does this do to sola scriptura? It negates it. In Willard’s theology, the Holy Spirit, who inspired the Biblical writers, forgot to inspire them to write about spiritual disciplines that all Christians need. If this is the case, then we need spiritual practices that were never prescribed in the Bible to obtain godliness.

Having determined the insufficiency of Scripture, Willard looks to human potential through tapping into spiritual powers: “It is the amazing extent of our ability to utilize power outside ourselves that we must consider when we ask what the human being is. The limits of our power to transcend ourselves utilizing powers not located in us—including of course, the spiritual—are yet to be fully known.”19 So evidently our spirituality is to be discovered by various means that are not revealed by God in the Bible.

If the Bible is insufficient in regard to the spiritual practices that we need in order to become sanctified, where do we find them? Here is Willard’s solution: “Practicing a range of activities that have proven track records across the centuries will keep us from erring.”20 This, of course leads us back to Rome. Catholic mystics spent centuries experimenting with spiritual practices without regard to the Biblical justification for such practices. If evangelicals are going to join them in rejecting Scripture alone, AGAIN they might as well not reinvent the wheel—go to the masters of mystical asceticism.

Willard admires the monastics and suggests that solitude is one of the most important disciplines. He says, “This factual priority of solitude is, I believe, a sound element in monastic asceticism. Locked into interaction with the human beings that make up our fallen world, it is all but impossible to grow in grace as one should.”21 If it is impossible to grow in grace without solitude, why are we not informed of this fact by the Biblical writers? In Willard’s mind sola scriptura is a false idea, so therefore God failed to reveal to us the most important way to grow in grace! Willard says that solitude is most important even while admitting that it is dangerous:

But solitude, like all the disciplines of the spirit, carries its risks. In solitude, we confront our own soul with its obscure forces and conflicts that escape our attention when we are interacting with others. Thus, [quoting Louis Bouyer] “Solitude is a terrible trial, for it serves to crack open and bust apart the shell of our superficial securities. It opens out to us the unknown abyss that we all carry within us . . . and discloses the fact that these abysses are haunted.”22


This danger was shown by the early desert fathers, some of whom came under demonic torment in their solitude. Before following people whose practices are dangerous and not prescribed in the Bible, wouldn’t we be better off sticking to the safe ground of revealed truth?

Spirituality for the Unconverted

The fact is that the various ancient practices of the Roman Catholic Church were and are not unique to Christianity. The meditative techniques that make people feel closer to God work for those who do not even know God. Thomas Merton (who is recommended by Dallas Willard) went to the East to find spiritual practices. They work just as well for those who do not know Christ, probably better. Many ancient Roman Catholic practices were invented at times when many illiterate pagans were ushered into the church, sometimes at the point of a sword. Those pagans were not exactly the type to search the Scriptures daily in order to find the things of God.

But why are literate American Christians running away from sola scriptura at a time when searching the Scriptures (especially using computer technology) has never been easier? On this point I am offering my opinion, but there is good evidence for it. I believe that the lack of gospel preaching has allowed churches to fill up with the unregenerate. The unregenerate are not like “newborn babes who long for the pure milk of the word” (1Peter 2:2). Those who have never received saving grace cannot grow by the means of grace. Those who are unconverted have not drawn near to God through the blood of Christ. But with mysticism, it is possible to feel near to God when one is far from Him. Furthermore, the unconverted have no means of sanctification because they do not have the imputed righteousness of Christ as their starting point and eternal standing. So they end up looking for man-made processes to engineer change through human works because they have nothing else.

Those who feel empty because of the “pragmatic promises of the church-growth movement” as the CT article calls them, may need something far more fundamental than ancient, Catholic, ascetic practices. They may very well need to repent and believe the gospel. Those who are born of the Spirit will find that this passage is true: “His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence” (2Peter 1:3).

Conclusion

Perhaps the best antidote to rejecting sola scriptura and going back to Rome would be a careful study of the Book of Hebrews. It describes a situation that is analogous to that which evangelicals face today. The Hebrew Christians were considering going back to temple Judaism. Their reasons can be discerned by the admonitions and warnings in Hebrews. The key problem for them was the tangibility of the temple system, and the invisibility of the Christian faith. Just about everything that was offered to them by Christianity was invisible: the High Priest in heaven, the tabernacle in heaven, the once for all shed blood, and the throne of grace. At the end of Hebrews, the author of Hebrews points out that they have come to something better than mount Sinai: “But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to myriads of angels, to the general assembly and church of the first-born who are enrolled in heaven, and to God, the Judge of all, and to the spirits of righteous men made perfect, and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood, which speaks better than the blood of Abel” (Hebrews 12:22-24). All of these things are invisible.

But the life of faith does not require tangible visibility: “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen” (Hebrews 11:1). The Roman Catholic Church has tangibility that is unmatched by the evangelical faith, just as temple Judaism had. Why have faith in the once-for-all shed blood of Christ that is unseen when you can have real blood (that of the animals for temple Judaism and the Eucharistic Christ of Catholicism)? Why have the scriptures of the Biblical apostles and prophets who are now in heaven when you can have a real, live apostle and his teaching Magisterium who can continue to speak for God? The similarities to the situation described in Hebrews are striking. Why have only the Scriptures and the other means of grace when the Roman Church has everything from icons to relics to cathedrals to holy water and so many other tangible religious articles and experiences?

I urge my fellow evangelicals to seriously consider the consequences of rejecting sola scriptura as the formal principle of our theology. If my Hebrews analogy is correct, such a rejection is tantamount to apostasy.



Issue 105 - March / April 2008


End Notes

1. Chris Armstong, “The Future lies in the Past” in Christianity Today, February 2008. I wrote a critique of Armstrong’s article here: http://www.christianworldviewnetwork.com/article.php/3174/Bob_DeWaay
2. Mark Galli, “Ancient-Future People” in Christianity Today February 2008, 7.
3. Armstrong, 24.
4. Robert H. Schuller, Self Esteem The New Reformation, (Waco: Word, 1982).
5. Ibid. 25.
6. Ibid. 38.
7. Ibid. 98.
8. I wrote an article some years ago about Schuller’s self-esteem reformation: Robert Schuller, Your Church as a Fantastic Future, (Ventura: Regal Books, 1986) On pages 227, 228 Hybels testifies of Schuller’s influence.
9. http://pewforum.org/events/index.php?EventID=80 page 16. [Accessed 8/27/2005]
10. The five are spiritual darkness, lack of servant leaders, poverty, disease, and ignorance.
11. Bob DeWaay, Redefining Christianity—Understanding the Purpose Driven Movement, (21st Century Press: Springfield, MO, 2006).
12. My claim is that sola scriptura no longer serves as the formal principle of their theology in practice. This is seen whenever important religious claims (such as the need for a reformation) are not accompanied by rigorous, systematic, Biblical exegesis on the topic at hand. I say that because by implication, Scripture alone means that beliefs and practices are normative if—and only if—they can be shown to be Biblical. Binding and loosing have to be in accordance with the teachings of Christ and His apostles. Warren’s practice belies his statement of faith.
13. http://cicministry.org/commentary/issue103.htm
14. I critique Dallas Willard’s theology as taught in his popular book The Spirit of the Disciplines in CIC Issue 91: http://cicministry.org/commentary/issue91.htm
15. Dallas Willard, The Spirit of the Disciplines, Understanding How God Changes Lives, (HarperCollins: New York, 1991). 18.
16. Ibid. emphasis his.
17. Ibid. 95.
18. Ibid. 62.
19. Ibid. 158.
20. Ibid. 162.
21. Ibid. 161.

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Ichabod ... The glory has departed

1Sa 3:11 - 13
And the Lord said to Samuel: "See, I am about to do something in Israel that will make the ears of everyone who hears of it tingle ( to feel a ringing, stinging, prickling, or thrilling sensation )
At that time I will carry out against Eli everything I spoke against his family—from beginning to end.
For I told him that I would judge his family forever because of the sin he knew about; his sons made themselves contemptible,[fn2]and he failed to restrain them.

1 Sa 4:20 - 22
As she was dying, the women attending her said, "Don't despair; you have given birth to a son." But she did not respond or pay any attention.
She named the boy Ichabod,[fn3] saying, "The glory has departed from Israel"—because of the capture of the ark of God and the deaths of her father-in-law and her husband.
She said, "The glory has departed from Israel, for the ark of God has been captured."

1Sa 3:10
The Lord came and stood there, calling as at the other times, "Samuel! Samuel!"

Then Samuel said, "Speak, for your servant is listening."
1Sa 3:11
And the Lord said to Samuel: "See, I am about to do something in Israel that will make the ears of everyone who hears of it tingle.
1Sa 3:12
At that time I will carry out against Eli everything I spoke against his family—from beginning to end.
1Sa 3:13
For I told him that I would judge his family forever because of the sin he knew about; his sons made themselves contemptible,[fn2]and he failed to restrain them.
1Sa 3:14
Therefore, I swore to the house of Eli, 'The guilt of Eli's house will never be atoned for by sacrifice or offering.' "
1Sa 3:15
Samuel lay down until morning and then opened the doors of the house of the Lord. He was afraid to tell Eli the vision,
1Sa 3:16
but Eli called him and said, "Samuel, my son."

Samuel answered, "Here I am."
1Sa 3:17
"What was it he said to you?" Eli asked. "Do not hide it from me. May God deal with you, be it ever so severely, if you hide from me anything he told you."
1Sa 3:18
So Samuel told him everything, hiding nothing from him. Then Eli said, "He is the Lord; let him do what is good in his eyes."
1Sa 3:19
The Lord was with Samuel as he grew up, and he let none of his words fall to the ground.
1Sa 3:20
And all Israel from Dan to Beersheba recognized that Samuel was attested as a prophet of the Lord.
1Sa 3:21
The Lord continued to appear at Shiloh, and there he revealed himself to Samuel through his word.


1Sa 4:1
And Samuel's word came to all Israel.

Now the Israelites went out to fight against the Philistines. The Israelites camped at Ebenezer, and the Philistines at Aphek.
1Sa 4:2
The Philistines deployed their forces to meet Israel, and as the battle spread, Israel was defeated by the Philistines, who killed about four thousand of them on the battlefield.
1Sa 4:3
When the soldiers returned to camp, the elders of Israel asked, "Why did the Lord bring defeat upon us today before the Philistines? Let us bring the ark of the Lord's covenant from Shiloh, so that it[fn1] may go with us and save us from the hand of our enemies."
1Sa 4:4
So the people sent men to Shiloh, and they brought back the ark of the covenant of the Lord Almighty, who is enthroned between the cherubim. And Eli's two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, were there with the ark of the covenant of God.
1Sa 4:5
When the ark of the Lord's covenant came into the camp, all Israel raised such a great shout that the ground shook.
1Sa 4:6
Hearing the uproar, the Philistines asked, "What's all this shouting in the Hebrew camp?"

When they learned that the ark of the Lord had come into the camp,
1Sa 4:7
the Philistines were afraid. "A god has come into the camp," they said. "We're in trouble! Nothing like this has happened before.
1Sa 4:8
Woe to us! Who will deliver us from the hand of these mighty gods? They are the gods who struck the Egyptians with all kinds of plagues in the desert.
1Sa 4:9
Be strong, Philistines! Be men, or you will be subject to the Hebrews, as they have been to you. Be men, and fight!"

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Mocking God and His Guidelines

"Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap." Galatians 6:7
"And many will follow their destructive ways, because of whom the way of truth will be blasphemed. By covetousness they will exploit you with deceptive words; for a long time their judgment has not been idle, and their destruction does not slumber." 1 Peter 2:2-3

"Fools mock at sin, but among the upright there is favor." Proverbs 14:9
"And he [the antichrist or lawless one] was given a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies.... Then he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme His name, His tabernacle, and those who dwell in heaven. It was granted to him to make war with the saints and to overcome them. And authority was given him over every tribe, tongue, and nation. All who dwell on the earth will worship him, whose names have not been written in the Book of Life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world." Revelation 13:5-8

"For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lewdness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness. All these evil things come from within and defile a man." Mark 7:21-23

"...put off all these: anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy language out of your mouth. Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his deeds, and have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him, where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcised nor uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave nor free, but Christ is all and in all. Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering...." Colossians 3:8-12

"I am in derision daily; everyone mocks me.
For when I spoke, I cried out; I shouted, 'Violence and plunder!'
Because the word of the Lord was made to me a reproach and a derision daily.
Then I said, 'I will not make mention of Him, nor speak anymore in His name.'
But His word was in my heart like a burning fire shut up in my bones;
I was weary of holding it back, and I could not." Jeremiah 20:7-9

"Now the men who held Jesus mocked Him and beat Him. And having blindfolded Him, they struck Him on the face and asked Him, saying, 'Prophesy! Who is the one who struck You?' And many other things they blasphemously spoke against Him." Luke 22:63-65

"And they bowed the knee before Him and mocked Him, saying, 'Hail, King of the Jews!' Then they spat on Him, and took the reed and struck Him on the head. And when they had mocked Him, they took the robe off Him, put His own clothes on Him, and led Him away to be crucified." Matthew 27:29-31

"Blessed is the man who
- Walks not in the counsel of the ungodly,
- Nor stands in the path of sinners,
- Nor sits in the seat of the scornful [mockers];
But his delight is in the law of the Lord,
And in His law he meditates day and night." Psalm 1:1-6

For details, please go to
http://www.crossroad.to/HisWord/verses/topics/mockery.htm

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End Time and Apostasy

by Pastor Lee ShawMing   -  www.thekingdompeople.blogspot.com

Dear friends, greetings in Jesus’ Name! I feel the extreme urgency to share with you on end time and apostasy. It is crucial that you try to understand what unfolds below, and, please take the trouble to read the scriptures. If you have a heart that loves the truth, you will indeed know the truth because God desires to share the mysteries of His Kingdom with you. Many, many people who attend church do not have the love of the truth, and thus, are destitute of the truth, becoming prime candidates for the ultimate end time deception: the worship of the antichrist! If you think this is such a far-fetched scenario, let us be reminded that Adam and Eve were created perfect and yet were deceived by Satan while in intimate fellowship with God! Moreover, Jesus and His apostles consistently warned of the end time massive falling away, or apostasy, of God’s people just before His return. The warnings are to help us stay alert, faithful and undeceived. It is s my humble observation and conviction that we have entered into that period of deception in this end time. However, we also watch with great anticipation for the glorious return of our beloved Savior and Bridegroom- Jesus Christ!

For details of this sermon, please go to http://thekingdompeople.blogspot.com/2007/08/end-time-and-apostasy.html

Ps Shaw Ming is currently pastoring a house church in USJ Subang Jaya, Malaysia. He is happily married to May Ling and they have 5 children. Ps Shaw Ming was previously attending a Methodist church for 20 years, where he served as a pastoral staff for the last six years. God called him and his family to be involved in non-denominational house church planting in early 2006, and after praying for a year, they were released by their church to begin the ministry of house church planting in March 2007.

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Mathew 7 : 13 - 27

This is a Shockingly Powerful & Biblical message preached to about 5,000 youth in a day when youth are appealed to through shallow and worldly means.

At one point in this sermon the 5,000 Youth are clapping and yelling BUT THEN the preacher makes a comment that CHANGES THE WHOLE ATMOSPHERE TO WHERE YOU COULD HAVE HEARD A PIN DROP... As you can imagine, the preacher was never invited back.

We believe the whole sermon will be a blessing to many souls. For more info about Paul Washer go to www.heartcrymissionary.com



Mat 7:13 Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide [is] the gate, and broad [is] the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:

Mat 7:14 Because strait [is] the gate, and narrow [is] the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.

Mat 7:15 ¶ Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.

Mat 7:16 Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?

Mat 7:17 Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit.

Mat 7:18 A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither [can] a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.

Mat 7:19 Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.

Mat 7:20 Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.

Mat 7:21 ¶ Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.

Mat 7:22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?

Mat 7:23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

Mat 7:24 ¶ Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock:

Mat 7:25 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.

Mat 7:26 And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand:

Mat 7:27 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.

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Spiritual Adultery

http://www.acts17-11.com/sa.html

Eph 5:31-32 (NIV) "For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh." This is a profound mystery--but I am talking about Christ and the church.

God uses a strong human urge, sex, to describe His relationship with us. Israel is "the Wife" of Jehovah. We, the church, are called "the Bride" of Christ. Most Christians understand that Scripture uses sexual desire to represent the longing and excitement God feels for us, and we should feel for Him. But do we see how God also uses sexual imagery to describe how we "whore" after false religions, worldly "wisdom", and the idols of this world?

James 4:4-5 (Phi) You are like unfaithful wives... never realizing that to be the world's lover means becoming the enemy of God! Anyone who deliberately chooses to be the world's friend is thereby making himself God's enemy. Or do you think what the Scriptures have to say about this is a mere formality?

Do we recognize how intense the desire is within us to chase after the latest religious fad, to believe comforting lies, to embrace the world? Scripture uses sexual imagery to show how strong our passions are for these things. God is a jealous God; we are His; and He takes a dim view of our "horneyness" to fellowship with lies, sophistries, and the world. The word of God, the truth--even if painful--will set us free. Brace yourself.

Eze 16:30 (NIV) "How weak-willed you are, declares the Sovereign Lord, when you do all these things, acting like a brazen prostitute!"

When adultery and prostitution are applied to Israel, Babylon, etc., clearly it is the symbolic / spiritual sense. But because the images are so shocking and descriptive, it may take some effort not to miss the point by getting caught up in the "lurid" aspect of these texts. Please keep in mind that except where referring to specific people, adultery is being used in the spiritual, figurative sense in these studies.

Jer 2:20 (NIV) "Long ago you broke off your yoke and tore off your bonds; you said, 'I will not serve you!' Indeed, on every high hill and under every spreading tree you lay down as a prostitute."

While much of God's revelation is on this subject, the following verses should make the point that God is serious about us being loyal to Him with our affections, and Scripture uses the strongest, most graphic language to warn us not to "play the harlot".

The Truth About Us, Revealed By God

Jer 3:1-3 (NIV, all, except where noted) "If a man divorces his wife and she leaves him and marries another man, should he return to her again? Would not the land be completely defiled? But you have lived as a prostitute with many lovers--would you now return to me?" declares the Lord. "Look up to the barren heights and see. Is there any place where you have not been ravished? By the roadside you sat waiting for lovers, sat like a nomad in the desert. You have defiled the land with your prostitution and wickedness... Yet you have the brazen look of a prostitute; you refuse to blush with shame."

Jer 3:6-10 ..."Have you seen what faithless Israel has done? She has gone up on every high hill and under every spreading tree and has committed adultery there. I thought that after she had done all this she would return to me but she did not, and her unfaithful sister Judah saw it. I gave faithless Israel her certificate of divorce and sent her away because of all her adulteries. Yet I saw that her unfaithful sister Judah had no fear; she also went out and committed adultery. Because Israel's immorality mattered so little to her, she defiled the land and committed adultery with stone and wood. In spite of all this, her unfaithful sister Judah did not return to me with all her heart, but only in pretense," declares the Lord.

Looking For Someone Who Loves The Truth

Jer 5:1-6 "Go up and down the streets... If you can find but one person who deals honestly and seeks the truth, I will forgive this city..." O Lord, do not your eyes look for truth?... You crushed them, but they refused correction. They made their faces harder than stone and refused to repent. I thought, "These are only the poor; they are foolish, for they do not know the way of the Lord, the requirements of their God. So I will go to the leaders and speak to them; surely they know the way of the Lord, the requirements of their God." But with one accord they too had broken off the yoke and torn off the bonds... their rebellion is great and their backslidings many.

Jer 5:7-13 "Why should I forgive you? Your children have forsaken me and sworn by gods that are not gods. I supplied all their needs, yet they committed adultery and thronged to the houses of prostitutes. They are well-fed, lusty stallions, each neighing for another man's wife. Should I not punish them for this?" declares the Lord. "Should I not avenge myself on such a nation as this? Go through her vineyards and ravage them, but do not destroy them completely. Strip off her branches, for these people do not belong to the Lord. The house of Israel and the house of Judah have been utterly unfaithful to me," declares the Lord. They have lied about the Lord; they said, "He will do nothing! No harm will come to us; we will never see sword or famine." The prophets are but wind and the word is not in them; so let what they say be done to them.

False Religion Is Worthless; Our Shame Will Be Exposed

Jer 7:8-11 But look, you are trusting in deceptive words that are worthless. "Will you steal and murder, commit adultery and perjury, burn incense to Baal and follow other gods you have not known, and then come and stand before me in this house, which bears my Name, and say, 'We are safe'--safe to do all these detestable things? Has this house, which bears my Name, become a den of robbers to you? But I have been watching! declares the Lord."

Jer 9:2-3 ...For they are all adulterers, a crowd of unfaithful people. "They make ready their tongue like a bow, to shoot lies; it is not by truth that they triumph in the land. They go from one sin to another; they do not acknowledge me," declares the Lord.

Jer 13:22-27 "And if you ask yourself, 'Why has this happened to me?'--it is because of your many sins that your skirts have been torn off and your body mistreated. Can the Ethiopian change his skin or the leopard its spots? Neither can you do good who are accustomed to doing evil. I will scatter you like chaff driven by the desert wind. This is your lot, the portion I have decreed for you," declares the Lord, "because you have forgotten me and trusted in false gods. I will pull up your skirts over your face that your shame may be seen--your adulteries and lustful neighings, your shameless prostitution! I have seen your detestable acts on the hills and in the fields. Woe to you, O Jerusalem! How long will you be unclean?"

The following two "parables" should be as well known as any in Scripture, but few have even read them. They are the big-picture story of God's relationship to man in history.

Parable 1: The Adopted Prostitute

Eze 16:1-5 The word of the Lord came to me: "Son of man, confront Jerusalem with her detestable practices and say, 'This is what the Sovereign Lord says to Jerusalem... On the day you were born your cord was not cut, nor were you washed with water to make you clean, nor were you rubbed with salt or wrapped in cloths. No one looked on you with pity or had compassion enough to do any of these things for you. Rather, you were thrown out into the open field, for on the day you were born you were despised.'"

Eze 16:6-8 "Then I passed by and saw you kicking about in your blood, and as you lay there in your blood I said to you, 'Live!' I made you grow like a plant of the field. You grew up and developed and became the most beautiful of jewels. Your breasts were formed and your hair grew, you who were naked and bare. Later I passed by, and when I looked at you and saw that you were old enough for love, I spread the corner of my garment over you and covered your nakedness. I gave you my solemn oath and entered into a covenant with you, declares the Sovereign Lord, and you became mine."

Eze 16:9-14 "I bathed you with water and washed the blood from you and put ointments on you. I clothed you with an embroidered dress and put leather sandals on you. I dressed you in fine linen and covered you with costly garments. I adorned you with jewelry: I put bracelets on your arms and a necklace around your neck, and I put a ring on your nose, earrings on your ears and a beautiful crown on your head. So you were adorned with gold and silver; your clothes were of fine linen and costly fabric and embroidered cloth. Your food was fine flour, honey and olive oil. You became very beautiful and rose to be a queen. And your fame spread among the nations on account of your beauty, because the splendor I had given you made your beauty perfect, declares the Sovereign Lord."

Eze 16:15-17 "But you trusted in your beauty and used your fame to become a prostitute. You lavished your favors on anyone who passed by and your beauty became his. You took some of your garments to make gaudy high places, where you carried on your prostitution. Such things should not happen, nor should they ever occur. You also took the fine jewelry I gave you, the jewelry made of my gold and silver, and you made for yourself male idols and engaged in prostitution with them."

Eze 16:22,25-26,28-30 "In all your detestable practices and your prostitution you did not remember the days of your youth, when you were naked and bare, kicking about in your blood. Woe! Woe to you, declares the Sovereign Lord... At the head of every street you built your lofty shrines and degraded your beauty, offering your body with increasing promiscuity to anyone who passed by. You engaged in prostitution with the Egyptians, your lustful neighbors, and provoked me to anger with your increasing promiscuity... You engaged in prostitution with the Assyrians too, because you were insatiable; and even after that, you still were not satisfied. Then you increased your promiscuity to include Babylonia, a land of merchants, but even with this you were not satisfied. How weak-willed you are, declares the Sovereign Lord, when you do all these things, acting like a brazen prostitute!"

Eze 16:25 (NAS) "...you spread your legs to every passer-by to multiply your harlotry."

Worse Than A Prostitute, WE PAY For This Abuse!

Eze 16:31-34 "...You were unlike a prostitute, because you scorned payment. You adulterous wife! You prefer strangers to your own husband! Every prostitute receives a fee, but you give gifts to all your lovers, bribing them to come to you from everywhere for your illicit favors. So in your prostitution you are the opposite of others; no one runs after you for your favors. You are the very opposite, for you give payment and none is given to you."

Eze 16:35-41 "Therefore, you prostitute, hear the word of the Lord! This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Because you poured out your wealth and exposed your nakedness in your promiscuity with your lovers, and because of all your detestable idols... therefore I am going to gather all your lovers, with whom you found pleasure, those you loved as well as those you hated. I will gather them against you from all around and will strip you in front of them, and they will see all your nakedness. I will sentence you to the punishment of women who commit adultery... I will bring upon you the blood vengeance of my wrath and jealous anger. Then I will hand you over to your lovers... They will strip you of your clothes and take your fine jewelry and leave you naked and bare. They will bring a mob against you, who will stone you and hack you to pieces with their swords. They will burn down your houses and inflict punishment on you in the sight of many women. I will put a stop to your prostitution, and you will no longer pay your lovers."

Eze 16:42-43,47 "Then my wrath against you will subside and my jealous anger will turn away from you; I will be calm and no longer angry. Because you did not remember the days of your youth but enraged me with all these things, I will surely bring down on your head what you have done, declares the Sovereign Lord. Did you not add lewdness to all your other detestable practices?... You not only walked in their ways and copied their detestable practices, but in all your ways you soon became more depraved than they."

Eze 16:58-60,62-63 "You will bear the consequences of your lewdness and your detestable practices, declares the Lord. This is what the Sovereign Lord says: I will deal with you as you deserve, because you have despised my oath by breaking the covenant. Yet I will remember the covenant I made with you in the days of your youth, and I will establish an everlasting covenant with you... So I will establish my covenant with you, and you will know that I am the Lord. Then, when I make atonement for you for all you have done, you will remember and be ashamed and never again open your mouth because of your humiliation, declares the Sovereign Lord."

Parable 2: Oholah and Oholibah

Eze 23:1-7 The word of the Lord came to me: "Son of man, there were two women, daughters of the same mother. They became prostitutes in Egypt, engaging in prostitution from their youth. In that land their breasts were fondled and their virgin bosoms caressed. The older was named Oholah, and her sister was Oholibah. They were mine and gave birth to sons and daughters. Oholah is Samaria, and Oholibah is Jerusalem. Oholah engaged in prostitution while she was still mine; and she lusted after her lovers, the Assyrians--warriors clothed in blue, governors and commanders, all of them handsome young men, and mounted horsemen. She gave herself as a prostitute to all the elite of the Assyrians and defiled herself with all the idols of everyone she lusted after."

Eze 23:8-13 "She did not give up the prostitution she began in Egypt, when during her youth men slept with her, caressed her virgin bosom and poured out their lust upon her. Therefore I handed her over to her lovers, the Assyrians, for whom she lusted. They stripped her naked, took away her sons and daughters and killed her with the sword. She became a byword among women, and punishment was inflicted on her. Her sister Oholibah saw this, yet in her lust and prostitution she was more depraved than her sister. She too lusted after the Assyrians--governors and commanders, warriors in full dress, mounted horsemen, all handsome young men. I saw that she too defiled herself; both of them went the same way."

Eze 23:17-20 "Then the Babylonians came to her, to the bed of love, and in their lust they defiled her. After she had been defiled by them, she turned away from them in disgust. When she carried on her prostitution openly and exposed her nakedness, I turned away from her in disgust, just as I had turned away from her sister. Yet she became more and more promiscuous as she recalled the days of her youth, when she was a prostitute in Egypt. There she lusted after her lovers, whose genitals were like those of donkeys and whose emission was like that of horses."

Eze 23:21-23,25-27 "So you longed for the lewdness of your youth, when in Egypt your bosom was caressed and your young breasts fondled. Therefore, Oholibah, this is what the Sovereign Lord says: I will stir up your lovers against you, those you turned away from in disgust, and I will bring them against you from every side... handsome young men, all of them governors and commanders, chariot officers and men of high rank, all mounted on horses... I will direct my jealous anger against you, and they will deal with you in fury. They will cut off your noses and your ears, and those of you who are left will fall by the sword... They will also strip you of your clothes and take your fine jewelry. So I will put a stop to the lewdness and prostitution you began in Egypt. You will not look on these things with longing or remember Egypt anymore."

Eze 23:28-31,34 "For this is what the Sovereign Lord says: I am about to hand you over to those you hate, to those you turned away from in disgust. They will deal with you in hatred and take away everything you have worked for. They will leave you naked and bare, and the shame of your prostitution will be exposed. Your lewdness and promiscuity have brought this upon you, because you lusted after the nations and defiled yourself with their idols. You have gone the way of your sister; so I will put her cup into your hand... You will drink it and drain it dry; you will dash it to pieces and tear your breasts. I have spoken, declares the Sovereign Lord."

Eze 23:35-37 "Therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord says: Since you have forgotten me and thrust me behind your back, you must bear the consequences of your lewdness and prostitution." The Lord said to me: "Son of man, will you judge Oholah and Oholibah? Then confront them with their detestable practices, for they have committed adultery... They committed adultery with their idols..."

Eze 23:40-41,43-44 "They even sent messengers for men who came from far away, and when they arrived you bathed yourself for them, painted your eyes and put on your jewelry. You sat on an elegant couch, with a table spread before it on which you had placed the incense and oil that belonged to me... Then I said about the one worn out by adultery, 'Now let them use her as a prostitute, for that is all she is.' And they slept with her. As men sleep with a prostitute, so they slept with those lewd women, Oholah and Oholibah."

Eze 23:46-49 "This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Bring a mob against them and give them over to terror and plunder. The mob will stone them and cut them down with their swords; they will kill their sons and daughters and burn down their houses. So I will put an end to lewdness in the land, that all women may take warning and not imitate you. You will suffer the penalty for your lewdness and bear the consequences of your sins of idolatry. Then you will know that I am the Sovereign Lord."

Hosea Lives Out The Painful Truth About Us

Hosea 1:2 When the Lord began to speak through Hosea, the Lord said to him, "Go, take to yourself an adulterous wife and children of unfaithfulness, because the land is guilty of the vilest adultery in departing from the Lord."

Hosea 3:1-3 The Lord said to me, "Go, show your love to your wife again, though she is loved by another and is an adulteress. Love her as the Lord loves the Israelites, though they turn to other gods..." So I bought her for fifteen shekels of silver... Then I told her, "You are to live with me many days; you must not be a prostitute or be intimate with any man, and I will live with you."

Hosea 7:11-13 "Ephraim is like a dove, easily deceived and senseless--now calling to Egypt, now turning to Assyria. When they go, I will throw my net over them; I will pull them down like birds of the air. When I hear them flocking together, I will catch them. Woe to them, because they have strayed from me! Destruction to them, because they have rebelled against me! I long to redeem them but they speak lies against me."

Hosea 4:10-12 "...They will engage in prostitution but not increase, because they have deserted the Lord to give themselves to prostitution... They consult a wooden idol and are answered by a stick of wood. A spirit of prostitution leads them astray; they are unfaithful to their God."

Hosea 7:4,6-7 "They are all adulterers, burning like an oven whose fire the baker need not stir from the kneading of the dough till it rises... Their hearts are like an oven; they approach him with intrigue. Their passion smolders all night; in the morning it blazes like a flaming fire. All of them are hot as an oven... and none of them calls on me.'"

Hosea 2:2-3,5-7 "...Let her remove the adulterous look from her face and the unfaithfulness from between her breasts. Otherwise I will strip her naked and make her as bare as on the day she was born; I will make her like a desert, turn her into a parched land, and slay her with thirst... She said, 'I will go after my lovers, who give me my food and my water...' She will chase after her lovers but not catch them; she will look for them but not find them. Then she will say, 'I will go back to my husband as at first, for then I was better off than now.'"

Hosea 2:8-10,13 "She has not acknowledged that I was the one who gave her the grain, the new wine and oil, who lavished on her the silver and gold--which they used for Baal. Therefore I will take away my grain when it ripens, and my new wine when it is ready. I will take back my wool and my linen, intended to cover her nakedness. So now I will expose her lewdness before the eyes of her lovers; no one will take her out of my hands... I will punish her for the days she burned incense to the Baals; she decked herself with rings and jewelry, and went after her lovers, but me she forgot," declares the Lord.

Hosea 2:14-17,19-20,23 "Therefore I am now going to allure her; I will lead her into the desert and speak tenderly to her. There I will give her back her vineyards, and will make the Valley of Achor a door of hope. There she will sing as in the days of her youth, as in the day she came up out of Egypt. In that day," declares the Lord, "you will call me 'my husband'; you will no longer call me 'my master.' I will remove the names of the Baals from her lips; no longer will their names be invoked... I will betroth you to me forever; I will betroth you in righteousness and justice, in love and compassion. I will betroth you in faithfulness, and you will acknowledge the Lord... I will plant her for myself in the land; I will show my love to the one I called 'Not my loved one. ' I will say to those called 'Not my people, ' 'You are my people'; and they will say, 'You are my God.'"

See also Jer 3:11-4:4 for encouragement to repent from spiritual adultery.

Christ Is Returning For A Pure, Spotless Bride. Will You Be Part?

Mat 16:4 "A wicked and adulterous generation looks for a miraculous sign, but none will be given it except the sign of Jonah." Jesus then left them and went away.

Mark 8:38 "If anyone is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when he comes in his Father's glory with the holy angels."

Rev 19:7 "Let us rejoice and be glad and give him glory! For the wedding of the Lamb has come, and his bride has made herself ready."

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If You Love Christ Then You'll Love Doctrine

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What is Truth?

"Pilate therefore said unto him, Art thou a king then? Jesus answered, Thou sayest that I am a king. To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice. Pilate saith unto him, What is truth?"   John 18:37-38

"What is Truth?" asked Pilate. Men have asked this question from generation to generation without hope of an answer, "Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth."   2 Timothy 3:7

Jesus Christ is the truth, but men do not except Him as truth, and therefore continue in darkness. "Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me."   John 14:6.

The Truth comes to a man only through the Holy Spirit, no man can of himself find it out. "And it is the Spirit that beareth witness, because the Spirit is truth."   1 John 5:6.   "And when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth:"   John 16:13.

Truth must be sought after, "Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened."   Matthew 7:7-8

Truth can be attained, "If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free."   John 8:31-32.

Truth is a hard way to follow, therefore few men go on to perfection. "Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it."   Matthew 7:13-14

Truth is infinite, it is deeper than you know. "O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out! For who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been his counseller? Or who hath first given to him, and it shall be recompensed unto him again? For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen."   Romans 11:33-36

A warning for those who would reject truth, "For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness;   Who changed the truth of God into a lie..."   Romans 1:18,25. "That they all might be damned who believed not the truth..."   2 Thessalonians 2:12.   "...men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth..."   1 Timothy 6:5.

Read "I am the Way, Truth, Life" by A. W. Pink at http://www.theoldtimegospel.org

"I am the way." Christ spans the distance between God and the sinner. Man would fain manufacture a ladder of his own, and... climb up to God. But that is impossible. That is the way which seems right unto man, but the end thereof are the ways of death (Proverbs 14:12). It is Satan who would keep the exercised sinner on his self-imposed journey to God.

What faith needs to lay hold of is the glorious truth that Christ has come all the way down to sinners. The sinner could not come to God, but God in the person of His Son has come out to sinners. He is the Way, the Way to Heaven, the Way to eternal blessedness.

"I am the truth." Christ is the full and final revelation of God. Adam believed the Devil's lie, and ever since then man has been groping amid ignorance and error. "The way of the wicked is as darkness; they know not at what they stumble" (Proverbs 4:19). "Having their understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart" (Ephesians 4:18).

A thousand systems has the mind devised... "There is none that understandeth" (Romans 3:11)... Truth is not to be found in a system of philosophy, but in a Person, Christ is "the truth;" He reveals God and exposes man. In Him are hid "All the treasures of wisdom and knowledge" (Colossians 2:3). What tremendous folly to ignore Him! ...with all your learning have you bowed before Him who is the Truth?"

"I am the life." Christ is the Emancipator from death. The whole Bible bears solemn witness to the fact that the natural man is spiritually lifeless. He walks according to the course of this world; he has no love for the things of God. The fear of God is not upon him, nor has he any concern for His glory. Self is the center and circumference of his existence.

He is alive to the things of the world, but he is dead to heavenly things. The one who is out of Christ exists, but he has not spiritual life... The one who believes in Christ has passed out of death unto life (John 5:24). "He that believes on the Son has everlasting life" (John 3:36). Then turn to Him who is the Life.

"I am the way." Without Christ men are Cains, wanderers. "They are all gone out of the way" (Romans 3:12). Christ is not merely a Guide who came to show men the path in which they ought to walk: He is Himself the Way to the Father. "I am the truth." Without Christ men are under the power of the Devil, the father of lies. Christ is not merely a Teacher who came to reveal to men a doctrine regarding God: He is Himself the Truth about God.

"He that hath seen Me hath seen the Father." "I am the life." Without Christ men are dead in trespasses and sins. Christ is not merely a Physician. . . "I am come," said He, "that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly" (John 10:10).

"No man comes unto the Father but by Me" (John 14:6). Christ is the only way to God. It is utterly impossible to win God's favor by any efforts of our own (Exposition of the Gospel of John).

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Tithe : Dialog & Commentary

An email excerpt from Dean VanDruff 

This may be a challenging read for some, but it is submitted for your reflection, consideration, and to test with Scripture yourself.

"The tithe" as part of the Law is no more applicable to us than making a pilgrimage to Jerusalem three times a year is. It is mentioned in the New Testament only a couple of times, generally in the context of rebuke to the Pharisees concerning fastidious observance of the ceremonial Law.

If God had intended to carry tithing over into the New Covenant, then the chance was missed in Acts 15. You will note tithing is not mentioned in the Acts 15 Jerusalem Council rulings; though for modern legalists this is a favorite extra-biblical "exception" or "carryover" from the Old Covenant Law.

Christians in general reject the idea that we are "under the law", yet tithing somehow gets exempted. But it is all or nothing, when it comes to the law, is it not?

Gal 5:1 (NKJ) Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage.

Gal 3:10 (NRS) All who rely on observing the law are under a curse, for it is written: "Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the Book of the Law."

Gal 4:21 (NIV) Tell me, you who want to be under the law, are you not aware of what the law says?

The tithe is perhaps one of the most artificially twisted doctrines in the modern church. 

Beyond debunking modern misconceptions, understanding the tithe properly makes for a richer understanding of scripture. As you read Deuteronomy 14 and see the concepts of "throwing a feast", and "not forgetting the poor" and making sure to invite "the Levites (who have no allotment or inheritance of their own) and the aliens, the fatherless and the widows"... does this not have a familiar ring with teachings of Jesus? ( Luke 14:13 )

The New Testament teaching is much more radical than the paltry Old Testament tithe. 

To read the entire article, click HERE or go to http://www.acts17-11.com/dialogs_tithe.html

The verse that most sums up the New Testament teaching on giving is: 2 Cor 9:7 (NAS) Let each one do just as he has purposed in his heart; not grudgingly or under compulsion; for God loves a cheerful giver. (NIV) Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.

Tithing is no more appropriate for believers than killing a bull in our front yards next Saturday as an "offering" with the idea that "Hey, it is commanded in the Bible, isn't it?" (Isa 66:3). God has no interest in such (Ps 50:8-9,13) and to hanker after things like the tithe may well be an indication that we like the old wine better than the new (Luke 5:39).

Gal 5:9 (NRS) A little yeast leavens the whole batch of dough.

James 2:10 (NIV) For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it.

Click HERE for an entire Bible study on Money posted--accurate to the proportionate emphasis on how money is spoken of in Scripture, at: http://www.acts17-11.com/money.html.

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Understanding Rhemas

http://billgothard.com/bill/teaching/rhemas/

“Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word [rhema] that proceedeth out of the mouth of God” (Matthew 4:4). Jesus also stated, “The words [rhema] that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life” (John 6:63).

This understanding of rhema has allowed me to apply the promise of John 15:7–8 and experience marvelous results from it. “If ye abide in me, and my words [rhema] abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you. Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples.”

To read the entire article, click HERE or go to
http://billgothard.com/bill/teaching/rhemas/

In the New Testament, the Greek words logos and rhema are both translated word. However, they are not synonyms for the same idea, but each have precise Biblical meanings, as do all words in Scripture. Logos is generally used to refer to the totality of the Word of God as well as the person of Jesus Christ, Who is the living Logos. The following references illustrate this: “The seed is the Word [logos] of God” (Luke 8:11). “Holding forth the word [logos] of life” (Philippians 2:16). “Rightly dividing the word [logos] of truth” (II Timothy 2:15). “For the word [logos] of God is quick, and powerful” (Hebrews 4:12). “Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word [logos] of God” (I Peter 1:23). “As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word [logikos, from logos], that ye may grow thereby” (I Peter 2:2).

Scripture generally uses the Greek word rhema to refer to the spoken word given by a living voice and is used to describe particular messages that were given to individuals for their personal application. The following passages are examples of this:

* Jesus told Peter he would deny Him—“Peter remembered the word [rhema] of Jesus, which said unto him, Before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice” (Matthew 26:75).
* The angel told Mary that she would have a child—“Mary said, Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word [rhema]” (Luke 1:38).
* Simeon was told he would see Christ before he died—“Now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word [rhema]” (Luke 2:29).
* God gave John the message he was to preach as a forerunner to Christ—“The word [rhema] of God came unto John” (Luke 3:2).
* Jesus told Peter where to cast his nets—“Master, we have toiled all the night, and have taken nothing: nevertheless at thy word [rhema] I will let down the net” (Luke 5:5).
* God reminded Peter of His Word—“Then remembered I the word [rhema] of the Lord, how that he said, John indeed baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost” (Acts 11:16).

Those who hear the Gospel receive a special message from the Holy Spirit, for no man can call Jesus Lord, but by the Holy Spirit. “No man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost” (I Corinthians 12:3). Therefore, it is appropriate for the message of salvation to be a rhema. “The word [rhema] is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word [rhema] of faith, which we preach; That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved…. So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word [rhema] of God” (Romans 10:8–9, 17; see also Acts 5:20).

Rhemas are not separate from Scripture, but a part of the whole of God’s Word. Every word of God is inspired, and “all scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness” (II Timothy 3:16). It is the Holy Spirit Who illuminates particular Scriptures for application in a daily walk with the Lord.

The words of Jesus are significant on this point. “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word [rhema] that proceedeth out of the mouth of God” (Matthew 4:4). Jesus also stated, “The words [rhema] that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life” (John 6:63).

This understanding of rhema has allowed me to apply the promise of John 15:7–8 and experience marvelous results from it. “If ye abide in me, and my words [rhema] abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you. Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples.”

Vine’s Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words states the following on page 683. “The significance of rhema (as distinct from logos) is exemplified in the injunction to take ‘the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God,’ (Eph. 6:17); here, the reference is not to the whole Bible as such, but to the individual scripture which the Spirit brings to our remembrance for use in time of need, a prerequisite being the regular storing of the mind with Scripture.” (Read the full definition online from Vine’s Expository DictionaryOffsite Link.)

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