Posts filed under ‘salvation’
Bible Warns of Apostasy and Persecution: Birth Pang 2
This is actually Birth Pang #2 because this began occurring officially in 1948. What about the rest of the text, you would do well to ask? It hasn’t happened yet! This is a process that God is doing with Israel to get them ready for the final remnant to enter into the Millennial Kingdom where Jesus will reign. Isaiah 11-12 discuss this same thing, much of it dealing with the results of God regathering Israel, sprinkling them with water to purify them, giving them a new heart, and bringing them into the Land where they will finally and fully enjoy all the Land that was promised to them via Abraham. But it is clear from Scripture that this is a process that doesn’t happen overnight. In fact, the regathering itself of Jews to the Land has taken decades and even a few generations and it is still ongoing!
Expect Even Less Discernment as the End of the Age Approaches
It is the same with our relationship with Jesus. You know what I always think as being a bit strange? During worship services, you’ll see people wiping their eyes, getting out their handkerchiefs, and crying. I’m assuming it’s because of how much these folks know and believe they are loved and maybe how much they love God in return for what He’s done. There’s nothing necessarily wrong with that except that too often, people can come to rely on those feelings and when they are not there, they begin to doubt the truth, which is clearly stated in His Word throughout. It can be a form of Cultural Marxism that has crept into the church, teaching people to rely on the way they feel about things.
Lack of Discernment is Astounding in Some Churches
The pastor seemed to want to instruct us on everything from tongues to healings to other gifts that Christians are supposed to evidence in their lives so that people will know they are Christians. It got convoluted very fast, jumping from John 1, to John 8 to Acts 1, to Acts 8 and then to Romans 12. The emphasis was seeing real change in people as evidence that they were actually saved. I would argue that change only really comes to Christians who enter into and maintain fellowship with God in Christ and while salvation offers this path, not all Christians take it.
Christianophobia? Not Enough Lions? What?
If the world loves us, then we may well be doing something wrong as they may very well see little to no difference between their lives and that Christian’s life. If there is no difference, then the “love” those Christians believe they are evidencing in their lives toward the world may not be love at all, but more of an act of self-survival. It’s simply some nebulous feeling that does nothing more than make those Christians feel good about themselves. That cannot truly save anyone because there’s nothing there beyond feelings. There’s no real truth in it.
Bible Warns of Apostasy and Persecution, Part 4
It is important to grasp the fact that they actually asked Jesus three individual questions here. They wanted to know when the Temple would be destroyed (“not one stone will be left on another”), they wanted to know what signs might be associated with the Second Coming, and finally, they wanted to know what sign(s) might be connected with the end of the age. It is also very important to understand that according to rabbinic sources, there are only two ages: this age in which we currently live and the coming age when Messiah will reign. When this current age ends, it will do so because the Messiah will return and start the new age.
Bible Warns of Apostasy and Persecution, Part 3
I believe Paul speaks of an apostasy from “the truth” here. If we see society now, we see that truth has become quite relative. There is nothing absolute about anything now. Much of what people consider to be “truth” is simply the latest fad or fashion defined solely by how people feel about something. Many to most decisions made today are based largely on emotional virtue, which is nothing more than political correctness or Cultural Marxism. Determining truth based on these things really creates a moving palette of “truth” that changes based on new “information” or “evidence.” Those who refuse to accept this new “truth” are often ostracized and denigrated, pushed to the outer fringes of society and often referred to as “haters.” Whatever will work to silence them is what is done.
Is Jesus Our Heavenly Handyman?
The best thing I can hope for in this life is that God will grant me the ability to see what I can control regarding my own quality of life (health). I can’t eat whatever I want to eat and believe that God is responsible for “healing” me. Poor health can contribute to depression, anger, anxiety, and a host of other things, including the constant pain and inflammation of Fibromyalgia. God is under no obligation to fix these things and they should not necessarily be part of the gospel presentation. Certainly, God wants us as healthy as possible but our health is often in our own hands.
Continue Reading February 29, 2016 at 9:35 AM Leave a comment
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