All Means All

2 Corinthians 5:14-15 For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead: And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again.

The words of the Lord are pure words (Psalm 12:6-7). Every word of God is pure (Proverbs 30:5; Psalm 119:141). And every word is important. You can teach a lot of false doctrine and support it with the Bible. All you have to do is redefine the words. Either that, or you give the same words many different definitions in order to make sure it lines up with your preconceived system of doctrine.

Case in point. Who did Jesus die for, according to 2 Corinthians 5:14? ALL. Which all? The ELECT all? The CHOSEN all? No, 2 Corinthians 5 calls them the DEAD all. The same ALL as in Romans 3:23 – "ALL have sinned and come short of the glory of God." If you are a sinner who comes short of God's glory, then 2 Corinthians 5 says that One (Christ) loved you enough to die for you. So much for a limited atonement.Here's another one. Mark 16:15, Jesus commands his disciples, "Go ye into ALL THE WORLD and preach the gospel to every creature." Who comprises the world of Mark 16:15? The ELECT world? The CHOSEN world? No, Mark 16 says THE WORLD encompasses EVERY CREATURE.

So if THE WORLD that Jesus died for (1 John 2:2) really means the world of the ELECT, then in Mark 16 Jesus commands his disciples to preach the gospel ONLY to the elect. Now what Calvinist teaches that?

Further, if THE WORLD that Jesus died for (2 Corinthians 5:19; 1 John 4:14) really means the world of the ELECT, then I guess only the ELECT, only the CHOSEN stand guilty before God (Romans 3:19) and lie in wickedness (1 John 5:19). So much for total depravity.

And one more, if THE WORLD that Jesus died for (1 John 2:2) really means those FOREORDAINED from the foundation of the world, then I guess Jesus was wrong when He told us to love the brethren (John 13:34-35; John 15:12, 17; 1 John 3:16; 1 John 4:7) because that same chapter (1 John 2) says love NOT the world (vv. 16-17).

Praise the Lord, our God says what He means and means what He says. No prophecy of scripture is of any private interpretation (2 Peter 1:20-21). So read the Bible. Study the Bible. Live the Bible. Teach the Bible. But leave the words alone. Let the Bible define the Bible. And may God's Holy Spirit lead us into all truth (John 16:13) as He brings God's word to our remembrance (John 14:26). Amen.

TEST

Blog under construction.

2 Corinthians 4.10

2 Corinthians 4:10 Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body.

Here's a powerful statement that is repeated over and over throughout all the NT. The reason God saved you, the reason God saved me, the reason He indwelt us with the Holy Spirit the moment we called on His name is so that Jesus Christ might live through us a life that pleases God and glorifies God.

But the only way for that to be accomplished is for us to identify ourselves with the death of Jesus Christ. The question is, what does that mean? Are we all to go nail ourselves to a cross? Must we all die a torturous death by crucifixion? It can't be that, can it? There must be another, deeper, more significant meaning. And there is. It's a spiritual statement, not a physical statement (and how often we confuse the two).

We bear in our bodies the dying of the Lord Jesus, we identify ourselves with the death of Jesus Christ by dying to self. By reckoning the old mean dead. By mortifying the deeds of our bodies. By denying the desires of this old rotten flesh. Then, and only then, may the life of Jesus be made manifest in our bodies. May God grant it be so!

Romans 6:6 Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.

Romans 6:11 Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.

1 Corinthians 15:31 I protest by your rejoicing which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die daily.

Galatians 2:20 I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.

Galatians 6:14 But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world. Colossians 3:5 Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry:

2 Timothy 2:11 It is a faithful saying: For if we be dead with him, we shall also live with him:What other NT references can you find on this subject?

What Are You Seeking? – 12.22.09

Here's a word study on the word "SEEK." It is time to seek the Lord (Hosea 10:12).

seek

1. To go in search or quest of; to look for

2. To inquire for; to ask for; to solicit; to endeavor to find or gain by any means

WHAT WE SHOULD SEEK

• The Lord (1 Chronicles 16:11; Psalm 105:4; Isaiah 55:6; Zephaniah 2:3)
• His face (1 Chronicles 16:11; Psalm 105:4; 2 Chronicles 7:14)
• His strength (1 Chronicles 16:11; Psalm 105:4)
• His house (Psalm 27:4)
• Peace (Psalm 34:14; 1 Peter 3:11)
• Wisdom (Proverbs 2:4-6)
• God's precepts (Psalm 119:145)
• All His commandments (1 Chronicles 28:8)
• The book of the Lord (Isaiah 34:16)
• Judgment (Isaiah 1:17)
• Good and not evil (Amos 5:14)
• Righteousness (Zephaniah 2:3; Matthew 6:33)
• Meekness (Zephaniah 2:3)
• The kingdom of God (Matthew 6:33; Luke 12:31)
• Honor from God not men (John 5:44)
• To do the will of God (John 5:30)
• To enrich others (1 Corinthians 10:24)
• To excel to the edifying of the church (1 Corinthians 14:12)
• To please God not men (Galatians 1:10)
• Those things which are above (Colossians 3:1)
• A heavenly country (Hebrews 11:14; 13:4)

WHAT WE SHOULDN'T SEEK

• Sorcery, witchcraft, astrology, and the like (Leviticus 19:31)
• The desires of our own hearts and eyes (Numbers 15:39)
• Wine (Proverbs 23:30, 35)
• Idols (Isaiah 19:3)
• To hide from God (Isaiah 29:15)
• Love (Jeremiah 2:33)
• A sign (Matthew 12:29)
• Temporal things (Matthew 6:31-32; Luke 12:29-30)
• Self-glory (Jeremiah 45:5; John 8:50)
• To be loosed from a wife (1 Corinthians 7:27)

HOW WE SHOULD SEEK

• Setting and/or preparing our heart and soul to do so (1 Chronicles 22:19; Ezra 7:10; 2 Chronicles 12:14; 19:3; 20:3)
• Betimes – early (Job 8:5; Proverbs 8:17)
• While He may be found (Isaiah 55:6-7)
• In humility (Psalm 10:4)
• With our whole heart (Psalm 119:2; Jeremiah 29:13)
• By prayer, supplications, and fasting (Daniel 9:3)
• Diligently (Hebrews 11:6)

THE RESULTS OF SEEKING

• You will find God (Deuteronomy 4:29; 2 Chronicles 15:2; Matthew 7:7)
• Your heart will rejoice (1 Chronicles 16:10; Psalm 40:16; 70:4; 105:3)
• God will hear from heaven and forgive our sin (2 Chronicles 7:14)
• The hand of God upon you for good (Ezra 8:22)
• You will not lack any good thing (Psalm 34:10)
• Understanding of all things (Proverbs 28:5)
• God's goodness (Lamentations 3:25)
• God's reward (Hebrews 11:6)

Strangers & Pilgrims – 12.17.09

Genesis 4:11-12 And now art thou cursed from the earth, which hath opened her mouth to receive thy brother's blood from thy hand; When thou tillest the ground, it shall not henceforth yield unto thee her strength; a fugitive and a vagabond shalt thou be in the earth.

1 Peter 2:9-11 But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light: Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy. Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul;

Interesting contrast between these two verses. A fugitive has a country but has had to flee that country. A stranger has a country, but is temporarily absent from that country. We are strangers. This world is not our home. Our citizenship is in heaven (Ephesians 1:3; 2:6). We are God's ambassadors, left to represent His cause and preach His gospel on the earth (2 Corinthians 5:21).

A vagabond is a wanderer with no destination. A pilgrim is a traveler who has a destination. The Bible says we are pilgrims. We seek a better country (Hebrews 11:14, 16; 13:4). We press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus (Philippians 3:14). We eagerly anticipate our departure (2 Timothy 4:7) from this world to be present with the Lord (2 Corinthians 5:8; Philippians 1:21-23).

Now, if all that's true, the passage in 1 Peter says that there are 2 things we should do:

1. We should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. The god of this world has blinded the minds of them which believe not, and they abide in the darkness we have left behind. But God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness has shined in our hearts – why? To GIVE the light of the knowledge of the glory of God – how? By PREACHING not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord (2 Corinthians 4:4-6). It is God's purpose to make us his ministers and his witnesses and to send us into all the world…to open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith (Acts 26:16-18).

2. We should abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul. If we are strangers and pilgrims then we should set our minds on the things of eternity (2 Corinthians 4:18), set our affections on things above (Colossians 3:1-4), and set our hearts on laying up treasure in heaven (Matthew 6:19-21). We should walk in the Spirit so we don't fulfill the lusts of the flesh (Galatians 5:16). We should build our lives on Jesus Christ so that we're left with more than wood, hay, and stubble when this life has run its course (1 Corinthians 3:10-14).

Santa Clause -12.14.09

Let's see what kind of response we can get for knocking another idol off the throne...

1. Bro. James preaches "The Santa Clause Sermon" at The BBC on Sunday, December 13. Click here to listen -- but only if you love the truth.

2. And a more fitting remake of a popular favorite this time of year (with credits also to Jeremy McCormick, Jared Clark, and Kimberly Jacquet) -- "Santa Clause is Going to Hell." See Revelation 19:20; 20:10.

You'd better watch out;
He's a really big lie.
All the kids are gonna cry,
I'm tellin' you why --
Santa Clause is going to hell.

God's making a list --
The book of life.
Santa's not there,
and neither's his wife.
Santa Clause is going to hell.

God sees how he's deceiving;
It's clear that he's a fake.
You've got to start believing
That he's doomed for a fiery lake.

Oh! You better watch out;
He's a really big lie.
All the elves are gonna fry,
I'm tellin' you why --
Santa Clause is going to hell!

Tiger Woods – 12.9.09

Passing along this note sent out by Bro. James yesterday afternoon:

1. No one enjoys seeing an idol fall more than I do. It sickens me to see Americans giving the adoration that should belong to Jesus Christ to mortals, for any reason.

2. The God who said, Thou shalt not commit adultery, also said Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain. Why anyone is surprised that a man who curses the name of Jesus Christ over a poorly hit golf ball would be unfaithful to his wife is a mystery to me. He is what he is; an unsaved man.

3. The jokes are funny. I've told some and laughed at many.

4. That being said, can we not all see that the only possible way a man who has gained the whole world could ever come to know the Lord Jesus Christ as his savior would be to watch that world collapse. Were there ever a chance that a Zach Johnson or other born again man who is an acquaintance of Woods could reach him with the gospel it would be now.

5. What if all of us who are saved would pray for the soul of this man and his wife. Jesus died for him. He may be ready to listen to a message of hope and peace at such a time as this. If he is ever going to get saved it will be through all this ugly mess he has made. Please join me in praying for his salvation.

Some additional thoughts:

1. Only Jesus Christ can satisfy. If what Tiger Woods has achieved and obtained isn't enough to satisfy, why waste your life chasing the very same things (the popularity, the fame, the money, the model, the mansion)?

2. The whole world lieth in wickedness (1 John 5:19). He might lose some endorsements. He might lose some fans. He might become the brunt of some jokes for a while. But at the end of the day, he will still be worshipped and adored. All the sports writers I've read could care less about what he did, they're just mad he's not sharing the gory details. I even heard the "Rev." Al Sharpton condemned Woods, not for what he did, but for leaving out black women when he cheated on his wife. When not spilling your guts in front of the media and a seeming failure to embrace "diversity" are sins and adultery isn't, you know your nation is beyond hope.

Some relevant scriptures to consider:

Matthew 4:10 Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.

Proverbs 27:20 Hell and destruction are never full; so the eyes of man are never satisfied.

1 Timothy 6:17 Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not highminded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy;

Hebrews 13:4 Marriage is honourable in all, and the bed undefiled: but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge.

Numbers 32:23 But if ye will not do so, behold, ye have sinned against the LORD: and be sure your sin will find you out.

Luke 12:2 For there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; neither hid, that shall not be known.

2 Peter 3:9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

Hebrews 7:25 Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.

Philippians 2:15 That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world;