Faith and Reason

Ephesians 2:8 For by grace are ye saved through faith...

Jesus said several times: "Thy faith hath saved thee."

Just what is faith? The Greek word is pistos.  Mr. Strong defines it as trusting, faithful, and believing. It is all those things. The root word is peíthō, meaning persuaded.

Abraham, not "weak in faith",  " ...staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God; 21 And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform. 22 And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness  (Romans 4:20).

Strong faith, it seems, is being "fully persuaded".  Abraham was of the utmost high standard of faith (Romans 4:16). That same verse refers to Abraham as "the father of us all". Not a genetic "father", but a spiritual one.

I'm sorry, Calvinists, but I differ with you. My belief is that when one is born-again, he is not "saved" but "safe" (See. the first definition of sozos in Strong's Dictionary). This is so very important! Why? If faith is only a one-time event, then the born-again person is saved based on one cross-section in time. The "faith of Abraham" endured to the end, and was followed by performance,  or Paul would not have used it to make a point. One can't have faith, get saved, then lose the faith. Being unsaved is illogical! Faith is the keeper of safety until the day of salvation arrives: "...for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed" (Romans 13:11).

Those born-again are still saved by faith. However, faith is a lifetime event.  Paul said, "The just shall live by faith" (Romans 1:7). The "just" are those "justified". Paul said also that Christians are "justified by faith" (Romans 5:1). In other words, our faith is recompense to Jesus for dying in our place. Having the "hope of salvation" (1 Thessalonians 5:8), and  also, "rejoice in hope of the glory of God". (i.e., have hope that we be glorified - saved.)

Christians are to live by faith. This is referred to as "sanctified by faith" (Acts 26:18). "Sanctification" is being set apart from the world, and living righteously. Those Christians are being a "peculiar people" (1 Peter 2:9), and acting like the royal priest that scripture says they are!

Therein lies the difference between Calvinists and me; the way I understand scripture. "Change" is the difference, and that is being "safe by faith" and "living by faith". Of course, Calvinists can still live by faith, and most do. However, many use that one instance of sorrow as an eternal life insurance policy. Because of that one time "thought", many take eternal security to be a ticket to sin. Others just believe that some sort of "crown" in heaven is lost; that it is the one event that is significant.

The doctrine of eternal security disallows that Christians can fall away. Scripture is very clear on "falling away". Apostasy is when one loses his or her "safety" by not "keeping the faith":

2 Timothy 4:7 "I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith..."

Faith is a gift from God (Ephesians 2:8) but it is our gift to do with as we please. Those born-again are to keep the gift of faith. That entails work and perseverance of which Paul often speaks.

I'm not implying that non-Calvinists are more righteous than Calvinists. I am merely saying that their cross-sectional type faith and eternal security does not encourage righteous living. Those of either doctrine will sin! I believe that those who believe in conditional security are more inclined to repent of sin because they know that although they are protected from evil by their faith (2 Thessalonians 3:3),failing is still possible. Possible by either by neglect of God or denial of his Word (blasphemy) for which there is no restoration.

When most Baptist preachers use so often the word "saved" and fail to call it "born-again", it is misleading; a sort of a ploy of Satan for Christians to forget living righteously. The attitude, "I am already saved" can lead to laxity in living righteously.

Jesus said some profound words: "Jesus answered and said unto Nicodemus, V'erily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God' " (John 3:3). Jesus placed importance on being born-again. He didn't say, "you must be saved" because that comes after the new birth - much later most often since it comes at glorification. The new birth is when one is persuaded and have faith for the first time. What is that "logic": I am not God, and am powerless to save me, but Jesus can and will! From there on out, that's the faith Christians must keep. Sometimes they either take God for granted or lose their reasoning.

Logic is used to be persuaded. Although Paul had miracles available - from God of course, he used persuasion.

Well-known is Paul's use of logic to persuade the philosophers at Athens. (Acts 17). However, Paul used the same logic on the Jewish tetrarch - Herod Agrippa, as Agrippa revealed:

Acts 26:28 "Then Agrippa said unto Paul, Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian."

Thus, being born-again results from persuading a non-Christian to be a Christian. The persuasion itself is from God, using us "royal priests" as his instruments of persuasion.  The ability to be persuaded is done using men's reason, and the process is logic. When one concludes that what God says and promises is logical, they see the light, and are born-again.

Persuasion happens at one point in time. That is the "new birth" (aka, second birth; aka born-again experience). Faith is to endure until death. Keeping the faith until death culminates in salvation. At that moment in time, Christians who have enduring faith are grabbed from Satan's hands, and delivered into God's!

Too many people confuse persuasion with salvation! Until we die, if we are faithful, those born-again are children of God. After they are saved from the evil one, they entirely belong to God. That belongingness is being able to face God with no sin. That is called "glorified". That's salvation!

The Devil has his own job assignment. God allows him to exist to test the faithfulness of God's children. The prime example of that is the Book of Job. Please read that book. Job is righteous. He had faith in God. Satan was given limited power by God to tempt Job away. Satan used catastrophes and faulty logic to steal Job from God. His friends used faulty logic in their arguments. Job remained firm in his faith, and was rewarded. Job is a "picture" of Christians, and their maintenance of the faith. Job could have abandoned God in his peril, but he persevered. In the end, God saved him from destruction!

Note that Job is dead. He is now saved from Satan. Before that he was "safe". God put a hedge around him. Death saves Christians from the evil one! We should welcome death because that is the ultimate safety - salvation. Until then, when you say, "I know that I'm saved," implies that you are certain that you will always be faithful enough to be saved. I'm glad you are! However, think on this: one day the anti-Christ will guillotine Christians. To allow oneself to be beheaded requires the faith of Abraham. Do you have that much faith? 

Until you do, you are fine pickings for the wiles of Satan. He tempted perfect Adam, and succeeded because he was man. He tempted Jesus, and failed because He is God! You are not God. Get that into your thick skull right now. Claiming to be beyond falling is just asking to fall. My hope of salvation is more than hoping so. Hope is awaiting with anticipation - not doubting. However, because I am a sinner, my hope sometimes is laced with doubt. That doubt keeps me in close correspondence with God because I don't want to take him for granted.

Without some doubt, there is no need for God's whole armor. We would be foolish to face Satan without God's protection because that's the way he traps. Those with no doubt would merely stand there and face Satan without the sword of God. I propose, that because of doubt, we need that Word.

Claiming to never doubt is vulnerability. Satan will say, "I'll show you!" 

Eternal security is a deception of Satan. Like Alfred E. Neuman, the Calvinists say, "What me worry?" You better worry about Satan, and stand vigilant:

1 Peter 5:8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour...

Christians can be devoured. That is called "apostasy" and results from "blasphemy" - denying Jesus after having accepted his blood sacrifice. The devil is wily. He can use the best logic to confuse. His logic is using God's Own Words poisoned by lies and half-truths. I believe eternal security is illogical based on the Word of God. I just tried using that logic to persuade the reader. Perhaps I failed but that is what I believe to be true.

Pastors, at least start saying "born-again" instead of "saved". Saying the latter is confusing to the listener and may be illogical.

Revolution and Counter-Revolution

"...whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form... (U.S. Declaration of Independence).

Thus, roughly one-third of the people in the American British Colonies fought for Independence. A revolution ensued. The aggrieved were the people - the colonials. The aggravators were the British Parliament. Their citizenship in the British empire was as second-class citizens. The war was not really about taxes but injustice. The excuse for war was taxation without representation.

Several years later the people of the South took that declaration to heart. The North aggravated the South by treating them with perceived injustice. Again, taxation was the excuse - high tariffs at ports, but the reason was that southerners were treated as second class citizens. In 1862 Lincoln successfully turned the tables on the South by making the war about slavery.

During Reconstruction, another Revolution was fought. The South fought against the military dictatorships imposed by the U.S. Government on the second-class citizens.  After Reconstruction ended in 1877, the freed Negroes fought their own war because they too were second-class citizens. Blacks are still fighting their revolution.

Emeline Parkhurst began the suffrage movement in Great Britain in 1881. It didn't take long for the movement to spread to America. Concurrent with Parkhurst, Susan B. Anthony fought a gender revolution ending in the Nineteenth Amendment in 1920. Even with success, they are still engaged in a feminist revolution. It too was caused by perceived and real unfairness.

Each of the aggrieved in these revolutions had one thing in common: the government became destructive to the life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness of those who considered themselves second-class citizens. Of course, many of these people were treated unfairly from the beginning, but when they found no help from the government, they rebelled.

In this century, we find that even those with odd behaviors fight their own revolutions. Hence, the LBGT movement. They just won their war with the ruling of the U.S. Supreme Court, but not until they took to the streets to fight their revolution. (No, I don't agree with their cause.)

All the aforementioned revolutions were fought by those who were highly principled. We may disagree with them, but they fought for the things in which they believed!  Speaking of the battleground at Gettysburg, Lincoln said, "...we can not dedicate—we can not consecrate—we can not hallow—this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract." (Lincoln's Gettysburg Address).

Revolutions, according to Lincoln, were fought by brave men. Their willingness to struggle has consecrated the battlefield. It is not a dishonor to fight for beliefs for which one is willing to die! Ironically, our citizens never had to pledge to die for the United States. Only those who were willing to fight for the cause were required to fight, notwithstanding the draft system.

There is another war being fought. Most people are engaged in a Spiritual Revolution. They seek independence from what they perceive as unfairness. The War involves two invisible empires: the Kingdom of God and the Empire of the Flesh. Jesus is the King of the righteous empire, and Satan the Prince of the World. At stake in the Revolution is righteousness. The Prince seeks to overthrow Jesus, and as such pretends to God's throne.

The Law of God is the institution in the Kingdom of God, whereas the revolutionaries desire the law of sin. They feel that God is unfair, and seek to do what us right in their own eyes. The Prince is a libertarian, so he says. He offers complete freedom because in his realm, anything goes. There are no restrictions, and all do as they please. They reject any degree of control by an Invisible Being.

Under the guise of libertarianism, the Prince offers nothing more than slavery. He is unrighteous. Everything he does is for his own sake. While his people engage in any sin that their hearts desire, the Prince even plots to kill them. In the Kingdom of God, people have eternal life. That's a promise. In the Kingdom of the Flesh, with poetic justice, the flesh will die, and the spirit punished forever.

Both sides have their soldiers. Like the American Revolution, the Army of God is few. However, only a few are principled enough to fight. Unlike Lincoln's army, few are brave enough to fight. It seems the enemy has infiltrated the Army of God. The Prince has given their flesh comfort and pleasure. Just like Moses's people, God's Army remembers the comfort of the Pharaoh. God's Army is complacent.

On the other hand, the Prince's libertarians fight for the liberty to sin. They are principled because they enjoy their pleasure mightily. On the other hand, God's Army has the liberty to sin, although God discourages it. They look over at the world, and desire the things of the flesh. Many in God's Army mutiny to the other side to enjoy the spoils used by the tyrant to deceive. What they pleasure in will eventually kill them but they care only for this day.

God promises his army victory. They will be persecuted, humiliated, and have only second-class citizenship in the world because they don't follow the Prince. However, God promises is true to His promises. His army is the Church. Some in the Church sit on backseats so they are camouflaged. It's safe there. There is little chance in being hurt as they are hidden from both God and the Prince, or so they think!

The deny emphatically that there is a spiritual war going on in spite of it being declared:

Ephesians 6:12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

God's Army - the Church is in a war whether they have volunteered or not. Some refuse to be engaged in this war because they feel safe. However, they care little about the fate of others. They watch as their children are enlisted in the Prince's Corpse, and say nothing. They watch as Satan's armies take over all God's institutions, and sit idly by. These Christians are cowards. Not realizing that God is on their side, they cower away from the enemy.

Some in God's Army are always in Church. They are there as emissaries for the Prince. They sow dissension, and live the life of the regular army during the week. They know how to pretend to love God but do the will of the Prince. On Sundays they faithfully follow the Law of God but during the week the law of sin. They symbolically crucify their leader - Jesus all week long!

It is the young who fight revolutions. In this war, the Prince has indoctrinated children from birth. Christians in God's Army have allowed the Prince to train their young to fight in the Army of the Flesh. The Prince uses entertainment of all sorts, the media, and the institutions of the world to indoctrinate his youth corpse. When they are about sixteen, the youth fight mightily for the Prince. Why? They know not what they do! They are offered the Princes armor as David was, and take it. In God's Army, we only need God. He supplies the slingshot and the stones which can kill even giants. Our children, in their ignorance, side with the Prince. Pleasure is so much more enjoyable than righteousness. The Prince knows and uses that!

I choose to be on the winning side. It may not be in my lifetime, but I will still fight for the King! Sometimes it looks bleak but my King is Almighty. However, to win the war, His soldiers will be persecuted, but endure to the end. We may be crucified, beheaded, or boiled in oil, but His brave soldiers are willing to die for His will.

Matthew 10:28 And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.

I fight for God because Satan can't really destroy me. He is a bad totalitarian without the power to meet out his form of "justice". Those who fight for the Prince will be destroyed in the end. Ironically, the Prince's revolutionaries need not die,  but knowing choose death over life! God names those in the Prince's Army:

Revelation 21:8 But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.

It is time for the Christians to be brave. It's time to restore the Monarchy! We must return the to the King because His Kingdom is eternal. The King will never be defeated, and the Prince will be bound and thrown into the fiery pit for a thousand years before he is utterly destroyed. I choose the winning side! The King offers an empire to His victors. His Kingdom will be ours, and the meek shall inherit it! It will be a heavenly Kingdom, and standing in its midst will be a Golden City. Within one of it's mansions, the King has prepared a place for me! It's mine for the having. I must only stand firm in the Army of God. He even provides the weapons and armor for the Spiritual War. I need only wear the whole armor and partake of the Sword - the Word.

In the end, those in God's Army shall be saved unlike those in the Kingdom of the World who will perish.

Romans 8:37 Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us 38 For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, 39 Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

The Prince uses weapons of death. His weapon of mass destruction is hatred. On the other hand, all we Christians need do is fight the enemy with love, and we can't even do that! Sitting in our bunker which we refer to as "church", we hunker down and hate not only our leader in the pulpit, but our fellow soldiers. Because, we can't love everyone, we mutiny against our King. He implores us to love each other; even our enemies. As long as we do that, we shall reign with Him in His Kingdom, but many of those in the church can't even do that. They fail to use the weapon provided by the King!

Have some bravery. Fight for the King! Fight a counter-revolution:

Ephesians 6:11 Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 

Are we living in the Kingdom?

1 Corinthians 4:20 For the kingdom of God is not in word, but in power. 21 What will ye? shall I come unto you with a rod, or in love, and in the spirit of meekness?

The Father wills it, the Word says it, and the Holy Spirit creates it. That's how God works. That's how God created the physical things, and the Spiritual. The world is the material, and the Kingdom of God is the spiritual. Although it took Will, Word, and Spirit to create the kingdom of God, to enter into the Kingdom of God, the ticket is power!

What or where is the Kingdom of God? Mark 4:11 uses the phrase "mystery of the kingdom of God". Nowhere in Scripture do I find the Kingdom of God defined. It was as if when one was born-again, insight would make it obvious. New persons look at things with new eyes. I love the term "bright eyes" because the Light shines on those who are born-again.

Jesus likens things to the Kingdom of God (Mark 4:30), as if the listeners knew all about God's Kingdom. By the way, the Book of Mark speaks most often about the Kingdom, and John doesn't refer to it in those terms at all! Paul doesn't mention it in his letters, although he does refer to "the mystery of Christ" and "the mystery of God".

From mostly the parables it seems that the Kingdom of God is "the Kingdom of Heaven". In fact, that is demonstrated by Matthew's use of just the word "kingdom", referring to the children of the kingdom:

Matthew 13:37 He answered and said unto them, He that soweth the good seed is the Son of man; 38 The field is the world; the good seed are the children of the kingdom; but the tares are the children of the wicked one; 39 The enemy that sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the world; and the reapers are the angels.

Therein, three places are named: (1) the world, (2) the kingdom, and (3) the place of the wicked one. Although this is a parable, the good seed and the children of the wicked one are both in the field. Hence, within the world are children of the kingdom, and children of the wicked one. It seems that when one stakes claim on Jesus, then his stake is in the Kingdom of God.

This is reinforced by this passage:

Matthew 18:1 At the same time came the disciples unto Jesus, saying, Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven? 2  And Jesus called a little child unto him, and set him in the midst of them, 3 And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. 

(The Kingdom had yet to exist for the apostle's at that time because they had no idea that Jesus had to die for them. That came later).

Conversion is "turned about".  That happens when the person is born-again. The transformation is from the old person to the new. From mankind's created condition back to it again. From the children of the wicked one to children of the Kingdom!

Heaven is a Spiritual place. It is not bound by physical boundaries. The location of the Center of the Kingdom of God is the Third Heaven. Some man who Paul knew went there:

2 Corinthians 12:2 I knew a man in Christ above fourteen years ago, (whether in the body, I cannot tell; or whether out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;) such an one caught up to the third heaven.

Paul wrote this letter to the Corinthians in 53 or 54 A.D. It is estimated that Jesus died between 30 and 36 A.D. "Fourteen years ago", would have been 38-39 A.D.   Paul's conversion is dated from 31-36 A.D. (All from Wikipedia). Hence, Paul was not speaking of himself, if these dates are correct, but another man. Although the Third Heaven is a specific place, it is not the entire Kingdom of God.

Hence, the conclusion must be that the Kingdom of God is all the souls of all the Christian people:

Luke 17:21 ...the kingdom of God is within you.

It's not that Christians are living in heaven, though, but since the temple of the Holy Ghost is in you, maybe the Kingdom of God has another meaning:

1 Corinthians 6:19 What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? 

However, the Kingdom of God is not in your heart! It's where Jesus is! Those who followed Jesus in His lifetime were in His presence, knew of His saving blood, were in harmony with Him, and hence were citizens of the Kingdom of God. Jesus was the temple. He said that! (John 2:21). The temple is the center of the Kingdom of God. The Kingdom is not of this world, but in this world, and in heaven. With the descent of Jesus in Spirit, wherever His Holy Ghost is, is where the Kingdom of God is. Of course, that includes heaven because Jesus sits there at the right side of God.

I am a "royal priest" in the Kingdom of God (1 Peter 2:9).  To be a royal priest, there must be a kingdom. Hence, those living under the kingship of the King live in the Kingdom of God. It's not heaven though! It's a spiritual world preparing the faithful to full citizenship. Although Heaven is a specific place, and his Kingdom is real, the composition of things in that Kingdom are not of this world. As such, we live in the Kingdom on Visas, which can be rescinded. Our reward comes in Heaven when citizenship in the Kingdom of God is full. The Word naturalizes us when we appear in front of the judge!

Let's go back to the original point of discussion: "the kingdom of God is not in word, but in power". Saying, I believe in Jesus, is not saving.  It takes power to become a citizen of God's Kingdom. Of course, it is not by our own power but God's. It is not by our word, but by God's Word alone. Whereas, our word has no power, His does! By the power vested in Jesus we shall be saved.

Saying is not sufficient. We must have that Power within us. God doesn't force His way into His temple. We must welcome Him in.

Most Americans will say, I believe in Jesus. How many desire to be in the Kingdom of God. Therein things are done differently than in the world. In the Kingdom of God, the flesh is of no importance, not to mention pleasuring it! The key to the Kingdom is the willingness to allow God to work in us. We are to submit our will to God for His will. God's will is Him working within us. If we fail to follow the rules of God's Kingdom, He is not truly our King!

The Meaning of Born-Again

Many proudly declare, I am saved, but fail to understand that to be saved means they must be born-again. John the beloved had a close relationship with Jesus. He knew who Jesus was from the start. Because he knew and loved Jesus, he realized why God came down. It was so that mankind could have a second chance at life - to be born-again. That entails the sacrifice of the old creature, and becoming a new creation. That event is rebirth.

Nicodemus, a Pharisee, asked Jesus what it means to be born-again. It bothered me because Jesus seemed to never answer the question. He seemed to just ask more questions. As a Pharisee, Nicodemus, "a master of Israel" (John 3:10) knew Holy Scripture, and Jesus knew that he did. In effect, Nicodemus was allowed to answer his own question!

I've read John 3 hundreds of times. I have looked intensely for what it means to be born-again. Of course, I believe I have been, but I wanted to make sure I had not missed the experience. Strangely, unlike Nicodemus, I missed the point. I always skipped over the most important part of Jesus's explanation: "as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of God be lifted up."

Nicodemus, I believe, saw the light! He surely considered the serpent and knew what it meant. If he did not, he was an unlearned Pharisee. Let's examine what Nicodemus considered as Jesus was challenging him. Let us also be challenged.

Let's look at it so as to understand because it is a matter of life and death!

John 3:14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up...19 And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. 20 For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.²¹ But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.

John 3 is the place where the rebirth is revealed. Of course, the most famous is John 3:16 which I intentionally left out in the passages above. Why? I wanted to focus on our own status - we don't deserve to be saved.  We cannot approach God with the attitude, I deserve salvation because I'm me. Furthermore, even after we are born-again, we still deserve to die... forever.

First off, let's recount the story of the fiery serpent because Jesus thought that important enough to include in His explanation of the new birth.

Numbers 21: 6 And the Lord sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people; and much people of Israel died. 7 Therefore the people came to Moses, and said, We have sinned, for we have spoken against the Lord, and against thee; pray unto the Lord, that he take away the serpents from us. And Moses prayed for the people. 8 And the Lord said unto Moses, Make thee a fiery serpent, and set it upon a pole: and it shall come to pass, that every one that is bitten, when he looketh upon it, shall live. 9 And Moses made a serpent of brass, and put it upon a pole, and it came to pass, that if a serpent had bitten any man, when he beheld the serpent of brass, he lived.

Of course the serpent represents Satan. Don't blame the serpent in the Garden of Eden. It was Satan who was in that tree speaking through the snake. As a mouthpiece for evil, the serpent was humbled. It's punishment was to crawl on it's belly ever after (Genesis 3:14).

God "saved" the people from Egypt by water. As the waters parted by divine intervention, the Israelites were saved. None deserved being freed from bondage but by grace, God provided safety on the other shore. They were then "safe" but not "saved". Soon afterwards they longed for Egypt again, and the relative comfort it provided. They looked back favorably at the bondage they were once in, and longed for it.

As a punishment for their lack of gratitude, God sent "fiery serpents" which bit the people. Those were poisonous snakes. The "poison" represents sin. It wasn't the poison in the snakes venom which killed the rebellious ones but sin. God once warned: If you sin you will die. (Genesis 2:17). The people sinned, they were bitten by the serpent, just as Adam and Eve were, and like Adam and Eve they died. However, unlike their predecessors, God was fed up with these ungrateful people. He didn't protect them, and as such, the consequences of rebellion was death!

All of the Israelites deserved death. Even the ones who were not bitten, still admitted, "We have sinned, for we have spoken against the Lord, and against thee; pray unto the Lord, that he take away the serpents from us." My dear readers, that is the sinners prayer! The first step in being born-again is "recognition". God convicted the Israelites by punishment. The survivors were convinced - if I don't; confess my sins and seek salvation, I will certainly die! They had just witnessed the power of sin. It kills just as God warned centuries before. The Israelites needed convincing, and God convinced them! Hence, the "evil' snake. once a tool of Satan, was put to good use by God.

Firstly, he used the snake to convict the Israelites of their sins. They acknowledged their guilt, being convinced that justice would be served. Confession is the next step after conviction and convinced, in the new birth. After they confessed, and said the sinners prayer, surely in sincerity, they asked Moses to pray for their "safety". Moses then prayed for them. Moses, symbolic of the Father, lifted up "Jesus" for these sinners.

Moses wasn't the mediator in reality. He knew the promise. It was no secret - salvation was always by grace and by faith in Jesus. Scripture validates that it wasn't Moses who interceded but his prayer to the Word - Jesus Christ:

1 Timothy 2:5 For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus...

In other words, it was by faith in Jesus that saved both Moses and his "household".

Galatians 6:10 As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith. 

The Israelites were kept safe by the faith of Moses. He was in charge. He mentored faith. As such, those in his charge were made safe from sin.  The next step in being born-again is realizing that they had no power over sin. They turned to Moses to intervene with God for them. They recognized that God had he power to save them from the serpent's poison. These Israelites had a little faith. That's all it takes to be born-again.

Notice that it was fear of dying which turned their hearts. They wanted to save their wretched selves, knowing full well that they deserved to die like the others. Those who died are symbolic of the unrepentant thief on the cross beside Jesus. Those who came to Moses were representative of the contrite thief. All it took for that thief to be in Paradise was his faith in the blood of Jesus. He was shackled and nailed so that he could do nothing to save himself so he turned to God for mercy. That is the next step in being born-again - faith is Jesus Christ.

Remember, Moses was not Jesus! However, he was God's representative and messenger. He stood in for Jesus. Where was Jesus? He was there in Spirit and in Truth (John 4:24)!

The Lord - pre-incarnate Jesus told Moses what to do. When God spoke in Scripture, it was the Word who became flesh who spoke. Jesus, as God was to be "called", spoke to Moses. He assumed the status of Emmanuel - God with us.

God was merciful. He had a plan to make the Israelites safe from sin. He instructed Moses to put all their sins on a pole. Jesus Himself was represented by the serpent on that pole. He was there rather than all the snakes on the ground! He was "a fiery serpent", and that poison which was used to kill the Israelites was put up high. That was so the snake bore the sins (fieriness) which could kill them all. Ironically, Jesus, just like the snake, was humble - a servant to all. The snake's crawling on the ground, in this case, represented the humility of Jesus. The serpent was a substitute for Jesus. He served mankind by hanging from that pole. Likewise, the serpent on the pole was a type of Adam. It was he who was responsible for sin, and Jesus who was able to cancel it!

The snake propitiated for that service was a made of brass - technically copper, which represents several things: It is a symbol of insensibility and obstinacy in sin ( Isaiah 48:4 ; Jeremiah 6:28 ; Ezekiel 22:18 ), and of strength ( Psalms 107:16 ; Micah 4:13 ); from biblestudytolls.com.

Obviously the "brass" represented Jesus power over sin. A step in being born-again is recognizing that Jesus has the power to overcome sin but we sinners do not! It was not a man which Moses placed on high but a symbol of lowliness. It wasn't a king who saved the sinners but a servant. When sinners are born-again, they accept the service of Jesus. It is the power of Jesus which provides life.

The brass represented that power:

Hebrews 9:22 And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission.

Brass, their copper, is red. It represented the blood of Jesus! To be born-again, sinners must accept Jesus's blood propitiation for their sins:

Romans 3:24 Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: 25 Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; 26 To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus. 

To be made safe, we put our trust in Jesus, as the Israelites did with the serpent on the pole. They had faith in that bright-shining serpent in the face of deadly vipers. Just like Jesus did for us, the serpent took on sin to defeat sin. The Israelites were redeemed by the symbolic blood on the pole, just as we were by Jesus on His tree.

What do we do to be made safe? Let the serpent on that pole redeem us - allow Jesus to redeem us! As the Israelites had faith in the copper snake and its power, we quit depending on ourselves and let Jesus make us safe! Note that the fiery snakes were still down there and biting but their venom was no longer effective. The Israelites were kept safe by their faith as the serpents (demons) spewed fiery darts.

Ephesians 6:16 Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.

The wicked were the serpents on the ground (in the world). Unlike the brass serpent, those treacherous snakes were of flesh. The flesh kills, but the blood saves. There is power in the brass and power in the blood!

You see, it was faith in the efficacy of the brass serpent which provided safety to the Israelites, and it is faith in the blood which protects Christians from the fiery darts of the wicked ones. Those slimy serpents were still being used for Satan's purpose - to kill off the Israelites whose seed would become Savior! God saved the Israelites that day for a purpose - to serve Him. Jesus saves us for the same purpose - to serve Him!

Therefore, those born-again are reborn to serve Jesus.

Mark 10:44 And whosoever of you will be the chiefest, shall be servant of all. 45 For even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.

Committing to serving Jesus is the crowning at our rebirth. Just as Jesus was King even as a servant, we are "crowned" by serving Jesus and others. That new person reborn is one who loves enough to serve Jesus and others. Being born-again is assuming the role of servant to Jesus Christ. That means for Christians to step above the vipers and follow the Cross - symbolized by the pole.

With the power of the brass snake, the serpent's fiery bite was no longer killing. Rather than standing up by the pole, the Israelites could have served the serpents by crawling on the earth with them - thus emulating their flesh. However, they rose above the temptation to cling to the world. Their eyes were higher than that. They kept their eyes on the brass serpent, and walked in safety. It was looking at the brass serpent which kept them safe. That's the same for us! If we keep our eyes on Jesus, our safety is assured.

The Israelites obeyed Moses. They looked on the serpent above and stepped on the ones crawling. If they did glance down, all they needed to do was to look up at the brass serpent on the pole again, and be made safe. It took diligence and perseverance to keep their eyes up there. We are called to do that as well. Moses didn't ask them to look up once, then quit looking. Scripture says, " It shall come to pass, that every one that is bitten, when he looketh upon it, shall live."

Like the Israelites, we are to keep on looking! It's not a one-time event but for all time - the remainder of our days. That means change. We quit looking at sin in the world and being of the flesh, and look at the Spirit of Jesus up above. He keeps us safe but we have a responsibility to keep on looking. That is enduring faith, and that's what makes us safe until in the end, when we are saved!

Just Marijuana?

I found in the Second Book of Adam and Eve 5:11 "For in our world we have no God; but we all are gods; we all are of the light, heavenly, powerful, strong and glorious."  This "law" is Satan's Law in his kingdom. Paul referred to it by name:

Romans 7:25 I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.

"The flesh" in scripture is much more than the epidermis. It is all the combined desires of mankind. In Satan's realm, the flesh is predominant. In serving Satan, one obeys his "law of sin". His realm is the world. Look at Satan's rules:

1. We have no God.
2. We are all gods.
3. What we believe is truth (we are all of the light).
4. We are all perfect (heavenly).
5. In mankind lies the power.
6. In ourselves is where strength lies. (It is us who are almighty).
7. Mankind is magnified (glorious).

The "law of God", then, is do what you want to do because since you are your own god, there is no sin, and thus no penalty for evil. God acknowledges the law of sin Himself:

Proverbs 12:15 The way of a fool is right in his own eyes: but he that hearkeneth unto counsel is wise.

The law of sin is doing what is right in our own eyes.  That is foolish! Sin is foolish. Fools do the will of Satan and obey his laws. Allegiance is to the Devil and not to God!

When people sin, they rationalize. The word they use is "justify".  For those who smoke marijuana, rationalization is that it is just marijuana. In effect, they are admitting that its not crystal meth or heroin. The word "just" seems to place it in a more benign category. It's like referring to my skin cancer as just basil cell! Basil cell cancer is not "good", but not as bad as carcinoma.

Then, with further "justification", the user propagates the notion that it is good for the user: Medical marijuana alleviates pain and makes life bearable for those with afflictions. Of course, there must be millions of people in pain in California because there is a marijuana store on thousands of street corners! Californians, by their own admission, is really a sick place to live.

Do you know that Satan actually speaks more truth than lies? He knows God's will thoroughly because he rebelled against it. God's will is the "Law of God" (mentioned in the passage above).

A wise person would ask, "Whose will is it that I smoke dope?" The answer should be obvious - it is Satan's will. However, you claim that it is not all bad.

2 Corinthians 11:14 (ESV) And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light.

Angels are messengers from the invisible world to mankind. Light is truth. Hence, an angel of light is a messenger of truth. That is Satan's disguise! He is hideous in appearance and deed but his façade is one of beauty and good.

Satan is predictable. With his law of sin, there is nothing new under the sun. His tools are few!

Genesis 3:1 Now the serpent was more subtil (conniving) than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made. He said, 5 "For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil." 6 And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.

God commanded Adam to not eat of the forbidden tree because it would cause one to die. The fruit was ugly and dangerous; maybe even reprehensible in aroma but Satan made it appear otherwise!  The picture he painted was that it was good for food, pleasant to the eyes, and would make one wise. I submit that it was harmful to the body because it would make one die, it's fruit only seemed to be beautiful, and that it would make one foolish rather than wise! It did because Eve chose the fruit over eternal life!

With "just marijuana" Satan again deceives: Occasional usage is okay, it can control anxiety, and alleviate pain.  What we see in the world is emotional addiction, desperate users, and people in pain who even steal for their habit. Marijuana is much as the forbidden tree! It's fruit is deceptive. One former user told me that he could drive better when he used marijuana. That is foolish. It was only his false perception that he performed better. To the astute non-user, those who are "high" look like they are retarded.

A relative told me that scripture doesn't say anything about marijuana usage. It is true that the word "marijuana" is not used, but neither is "guns". Murder is still murder without even mentioning the weapon, and sin is still sin without using it's name! However, scripture does mention marijuana and any other ingested drug:

1 Peter 5:8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour...

Being "wily" Satan is smarter than you and me! In order to avoid his appetite for more servants, we must be sober and vigilant. Users are far from sober. That's why they smoke the dope - to get away from real life. That's where Satan wants you to be because then your inhibitions are loosened. You are more prone to do his law of sin than the will of God. With marijuana, Satan is the puppet-master and you are his puppet. Think not? Then why are you doing his will?

Admit it if you are a user: you have less qualms in doing wrong when not sober! That's why sexual promiscuous people mix sex and drugs. They can do wrong without remorse. That's why young users graduate from pot to harder drugs. Satan removes their inhibitions, and they are more prone to do the previously unthinkable!

When people aren't sober, they take their guard down. Do you really believe that those high on pot are more defensive in their driving? That contradicts why they use the drug - to get away from reality. Can you imagine having brain surgery from a doctor who just smoked a joint? When he is near that artery, we would hope that he is vigilant! The truth is that he is less aware of danger.

Imagine then, facing the wiles of the Devil. If the mind is clouded by dope, how are you going to outsmart him? He already has you by leading you into temptation. That one joint is the pleasantness which adopts you as his own. After failing God one time, you just may belong to Satan, unless there is repentance.  It's not likely that one living in a false world will even think to repent; hence, Satan has you where he wants you!

How many people do you know who are born-again when they are high? Perhaps maybe dying to God and reborn to Satan, but not being reborn to the Kingdom of God. The Devils' weed instills a feeling of I'm okay. You're okay, when you are not.

Now let's get pragmatic: marijuana usage is not only voluntarily entering into temptation with the consequence of willful sinning, but it is stupid as well. Users are foolish because they deny the dangers of usage. Let's look at some of them:

• As an employer I would never hire a known pot smoker. Their attitude does not fit the technical, managerial, nor motivation model. Their behavior announces the lackluster. Even if they candidate is astute, my perception is that he is not! Perception matters when interviewing. Most employers are wise enough to ask about drug usage. Users deny it, and are liars. Testing will eventually reveal that.
• Pot smokers, as well as other users, are safety hazards about anywhere. In construction and industry, they are a danger to themselves and others. On the highway, they are as dangerous as the truck driver who drives sixteen hours. If I am ever harmed by a user, they will be sued to the extent of the law! Most non-users feel the same way. Pot smokers endanger others!
• Pot is dangerous to the health. It has been reported that it contains eighteen times more tar than even cigarettes. Most of us recognize the marijuana hacking cough, and users give their usage away. Any fool knows that pumping tar into the lungs is stupid, and leads to an early death. But Satan says, "You won't surely die!" Even more of a gamble are the hundreds of untested chemicals being inhaled into God's supposed "temple", because Christians are God's temple! 
• Oftentimes marijuana is doctored to increase profits. Criminal activity is not controlled by the FDA. Even if it was legalized, like cigarettes, killer agents are not always identified until it's too late! When one smokes marijuana it may even be radioactive. Foolish users don't even care.
• The smell of marijuana is pungent and sickening to non-users. For this reason, cigarettes lost their "coolness", although they were never "cool" anyhow. Marijuana smoking is not cool except to the other users who don't care anyway.
• Users lose respect. Many of us feel sorry for those who smoke dope. They are slaves to a habit. They look pitiful, especially when clinging to a roach or water pipe. They are desperate and seek happiness from a weed. Their hope is based on less than nothingness. There is no hope in dope!
• Users are less motivated. That's why they are called "burn-outs". It's easy for astute workers to excel because of users are less motivated. Even socially, users are not motivated. My son used pot at fifteen and lived just to get high. Most fifteen-year olds are driven by sexual desire. Pot eliminated my son's interest in the opposite sex. All he wanted was to get high. Girls could never compete with his  "Mary Jane".
• Face it or not, marijuana is a gateway drug, and anyone who denies that is just uninformed or stupid!
• Heavy users have their emotional growth stunted. The non-caring attitude is, well, non-caring. They don't care what others think, and think only of themselves! I've seen forty-year old lifetime users who are emotionally still middle-schoolers. They never handled their problems maturely, seeking only the comforts of being high. One set of parents admitted that when they used, they cared little for their children. They came home from work and stayed high. Their children were left alone in danger, and lacked parental love. Users are selfish. They care only for how they feel! I assure you, if a lot causes this extreme, even a little is a big problem.
• There is a cultural divide between users and non-users. We like and do different things. If we're Christians, little in the marijuana culture should be attractive. Drug usage is all about "the self". Heavy users find us non-users as intolerant, and indeed, we are! Why should anyone tolerate sin? God doesn't. It's not that we are personally offended but that the culture induced by marijuana is offensive to God. His desire is that "whosoever" go to heaven. Mental and spiritual impedance makes that less likely. God is tolerant and patient with us all, but his patience does have a limit! 
• A tool of users is manipulation. To "justify" their addiction, they manipulate truth to their own benefit. They become as the angel of light - Satan, disregarding the real truth. In order to remain accepted, many users will maintain a degree of denial. As long as they present themselves as caring, they are accepted. Long-term usage results in the user not caring what others think!. If I think, you look pitiful and like a loser, those regular users just don't care. To get their stash, users will manipulate others out of their money. They may "need" the money to pay the utilities, but the end effect is that those manipulated support their habit. People don't like to be used nor manipulated, and eventually they will tire of the users.
• Users claim marijuana is no different than alcohol. It is much different! Although alcohol is much abused and is a tremendous problem, another wrong can't be made right by justifying the original wrong. Alcohol is a big problem but it pales in comparison to marijuana. We can smell the drunk and beware of alcohol's eminent danger. The alcohol odor keeps pilots who are inebriated from flying planes. Who and how will the potheads be monitored? Alcohol leaves the brain in a few hours. THC may dwell therein for a year or more! Alcohol is pure and its ingredient is well-known. No one knows the hidden dangers of marijuana with its cornucopia of ingredients. Because something seems to be a friend to the drunk doesn't make marijuana a friend to the user.
• Their are "industries" which lobby for laws for their advantage, and actually do "studies" which support their contentions. It's no secret - lobbies exist for about everything! For instance, the sugar industry advertises for sugar, and pay powerful people to lobby congress. Many of us are aware of the scariness of aspartame. I believe that scare is a tactic of the sugar lobby. In this age, the marijuana lobby is powerful. They have painted a pretty picture of marijuana. It's leaves even adorn garments. Movies make it sexy, and the joy of the party. They never show the poverty and lack of motivation with its use; they merely show the fun. They never mention the black lungs of the beautiful women but only that they are "easy" scores. Lobbyists use the very method of Satan. They are the evil angels of light whose truth is really falsehoods. People seem to always prefer the lie to truth. It is our nature to believe the lie. Never believe the arguments of those who stand to make money from your weakness. You will become their slave! You have believed the lie if you believe marijuana is beneficial!
• Marijuana users will believe another lie - that it is not addictive. Tell that to the user who has tried to quit for years! They will laugh in your face. Who cares if it is chemically or emotionally addictive. It's extremely hard to give it up either way! Personally, because of scripture, I don't believe in the disease model unless one means that all sins are diseases. Sin is addictive because it provides pleasure. The upside to the behavior model, it offers more hope for quitting than does the disease model. I've seen people try to quit for thirty years. It is addictive, and "trying" is failing. God can deliver from sin, and he has with my friends. I had one who quit cigarettes, alcohol, marijuana, and even hard drugs when God got hold of him. With God, all things are possible. It takes God to rid oneself of addiction because addictions are sins.
• Smoking medical marijuana is a lie! Any other legitimate drug is ingested or injected. Why is it that only "medical marijuana" is smoked? It's because it's for pleasure, not as much for pain. Medical marijuana is a lame excuse for smoking when it comes in many other different forms. Imagine what kids think when they see grandpa smoking a joint for his "ailment". It's just like the drunk who takes a little whisky for his pain! It's a farce propagated by the marijuana lobby.
• I never waste my time in using logic and reason when a person is high. Neither do I warn about the dangers of eternal death. Drug usage masks logic. People who are drug influenced lose part of their capacity to honestly reason. The angel of light disguises truth. Even right now, many users are denying what I write. They prefer the deception of the evil angel who seems to provide light.  

I could go on and on. I never mentioned the thefts of addicted people who cannot afford their addiction. I for one am not paying for their destruction! I haven't mentioned the health care costs of drug addiction, and the lung and heart damage due to marijuana. Treatment is not free. Users are a burden to non-users! The evil of marijuana overpowers any perceived benefits.

I never mentioned the split families because of addiction. A relative of  mine broke up his marriage because with less inhibitions while he was smoking, his wife caught him kissing a friend of hers. I suspect that many women get pregnant when they are high because of the lack of inhibition. Abortions - people die because of addictions. Who thinks of the reality of abortion when they are living in a false reality. My point is that there may be thousands of hidden consequences. Why chance it?

When the young man was stealing, and shot by police in Ferguson, I told my wife, "He was on something!" Time revealed that indeed he had been smoking marijuana. The addict is a fair criminal profile.

There is a way out! God bought your freedom. Your zealousness for Mary Jane can be turned into zeal for God. He can heal your sins, and return to your "bright eyes". The ones before sin entered your life.

Pride

Galatians 6:3 For if a man think himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself.

This verse explains the fallen nature of mankind! We think we are something when it Is God Who Is Something!

Satan tells much truth in his deception. Who would believe one who lies about everything? No one! Satan speaks mostly truth, then slam-dunks his point with a blatant lie. In the below case, he made a three-pointer:

Genesis 3:5 For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.

This was Satan speaking through the serpent. God knew that mankind would perceive themselves as gods. With disobedience that came about. You are your own god! God wants you to crucify that god by making it a living sacrifice on His cross. You do think of yourself "as something," when you "are nothing."  You are no god; you are a "wannabee". You want to do "what is right in your own eyes" (Judges 21:25).

Why? 

Proverbs 3:7 Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the Lord, and depart from evil.

Self-induced wisdom is evil! It is sinful to have pride in oneself if it is outside God. My main point in this commentary is that Holy Scripture is not about self-esteem at all but Christ esteem!  (See my commentary on self-esteem at http://kentuckyherrin.blogspot.com/2013/07/christ-esteem-answer-to-self-esteem.html).

Hating oneself is not mankind's problem.

Ephesians 5:29 For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church.

Mankind, then, has a divine love for himself. Rather than hating ourselves, mankind indeed, loves himself. Jesus recognized that self-love: "Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself" (Mark 12:31).

Hate is not of God. Satan is called "The Hater". In contrast, Satan never loves! Hence, our love of self is from God. What's the problem then? God is a jealous God (Exodus 20:5). We are to have no gods before Him. (Exodus 20:3). Mankind's problem is that we love ourselves more than God.

We think we're something, but we're nothing! Realizing this fact is meekness. We actually elevate our status with God when we realize our place. God honors that:

Ephesians 4:1 I (Paul)... beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called, 2 With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love...

And Jesus said, "The meek shall inherit the earth (Matthew 5:5).

People get upset when things don't go their way. Even at Christmas time, selfish people demand that Jesus's birth be celebrated their way!  Some say, this and that ruined "my Christmas". That thought is blasphemous - you and I don't "deserve" anything being nothing. Christmas is for celebrating Jesus's gift to us - Himself and eternal life, which He is all about. Yet, what do people do? They buy outlandish and foolish things for others as the Reason for the season is forgotten. Jesus is jealous of us at Christmastime. Rather than smelling the sweet incense of love, the aroma of our worship is rotten.

It's not your Christmas; it's Jesus's. You are not god; Jesus Is. You are nothing, but you think you are something. Remember, that is what Paul said about all of us. I'm just the messenger.

What does it take to be something? Self-sacrifice.

Matthew 6:31 Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? 32 (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. 33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

We are to trust God for what we need.  Seeking excess is divine usury. God is not a genie who we rub three times, and make a bequest. God knows what you need, and cares little for what you want!

I have been blessed all my life, even in my poverty. When I lived from paycheck to paycheck, I was happy because my needs were always met. I remember the McDaniels as church. They were wealthy, lived in an expensive home, and drove luxury cars. At that time, my family lived in a rat-infested farmhouse and I drove a $300 Corvair. My clothing was mostly hand-me-downs and my fashion was high-water pants. In spite of this, the McDaniels welcomed my into their home as family and loved me.

I appreciated their love and acceptance so much that I never one time envied their prosperity. I always had the idea that God gave them what they had, and that's what they realized. I am proud that I grew up meek. (Paul allows pride in righteousness.)

2 Corinthians 3:5 (Christians) Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ...

We are to be as God, not as gods. What are we to do to become something? Cast ourselves away and let God make us His something:

James 4:5 Do ye think that the scripture saith in vain, The spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth to envy? 6 But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble. 7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8 Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded. 9 Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness. 10 Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.

This is our living sacrifice! Let's look at the points:

1. Take Scripture seriously (verse 5)
2. Realize that the evil spirits of lust and envy are in us (verse 5).
3. It's by grace we have anything. We deserve nothing! (verse 6).
4. God shuns those who are proud (verse 6).
5. God gives to those who are humble, and don't feel they deserve anything (verse 6).
6. We are to be submissive to God. We are to do His will, not our own. (verse 7). That is placing God before ourselves.
7. We are to resist the devil, and that includes his temptations (verse 7). That is also with what the devil tempts - pleasure. We are to be grateful that our needs are met, and not focus on pleasuring our own god.
8. Move closer to God (verse 8). Why? He will move closer to you. Rather than doing things your way, your desire will be to be what God wants! With unity of purpose, God communes with those who revere Him.
9. Cleanse your hands. Quit doing evil (verse 8).
10. Recognize that you miss the mark with God - "you sinners" (verse 8).
11. Purify your heart (verse 8). Seek to do God's will, not your own. Stand away from temptation.
12. Realize that you're double-minded (verse 8). You claim to do what God wants but you do what you will. Think clearly about who you really are. You're supposed to be a Christian; be one!
13. Be afflicted (verse 9). When God convicts, feel guilty because you disappoint God.
14. Mourn. (verse 9). Be sorry for neglecting Gods will in favor of your own.  Love is not the refrain: love is not having to say you're sorry. In fact, those who love must say they are sorry and actually be sorry. (I have trouble myself with feeling sorry for those sins I enjoy doing. I'm sure you do as well. We need to reflect on how God feels about our sins).
15. Weep! "Jesus wept" (John 11:35). God cried for us because of our rejection of Him. We should cry for Him for dying in our place. Crying for the grace of Jesus's own blood is worshipful. Tears are the incense God loves to smell (symbolically).
16. Quit laughing when laughter is uncalled for (verse 9). We laugh with the joy and pleasure which we are experiencing, and forget those who are going to Hell.
17. Mourn (verse 9). It must be important; it is said twice. How can Christians even by happy knowing that our fellow man is going to Hell? True love is rebuking and admonishing others to save them from damnation. We should mourn for ourselves also. We are nothing when we disappoint God, and must realize that.
18. Joy turn to heaviness. (verse 9). Realize that we are nothing, that only by the grace of God are we something!
19. Humble ourselves (verse 10). Know our place. We are not gods! In fact, everything we have, we owe to God. Even our ability to exercise our own will is because of God's grace. He gives us the wisdom to even accept or reject Him. Ephesians 2:8 "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God." In fact, being born-again is when we come to realize that we are not gods, and to be saved, only Jesus can do it (John 3)!
20. He shall lift you up (verse 10)! When we come to realize that we are nothing, it is God who will make you something! God transforms you from the old person (nothing) into the new person (something).

Put pride in its place. Without God, we are mere fuel to stoke the fires of Hell! All the positive Christianity taught by false teachers will never do you any good. Without the mercy of God, all is negative. You are nothing unless God makes you something!

Partial or Full Gospel: Believer or Born-Again?

I laugh with our preacher sometimes at the charismatic church near town which proclaims itself, the full gospel church. I ask our preacher, "Are you preaching only half the gospel?" It is no laughing matter but yet it is funny. By definition, the full gospel are the books of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John but our Pentecostal friends are referring to the book of Acts. They are right on one issue though:

2 Corinthians 4:3 ... if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: 4 In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.

My preacher does preach most of the gospel. I say, "most" because in a few areas, we don't see eye-to-eye. Of course, it could be me who doesn't see all his preaching as gospel, but my point is that he does a fine job preaching about the importance of the identity of Jesus, the new birth, and the resurrection. He does preach the full gospel.

However, this commentary is not on the gift of tongues or it's manifestation of the Holy Ghost.  It is on the reception of truth. A preacher can present the gospel day and night, year after year but those with blinded minds will not respond or respond only half-way. The full gospel is preached, but half the gospel is comprehended.

Paul spoke experientially of spiritual blindness. Let's take a look at his life:

Galatians 1:13 For ye have heard of my conversation in time past in the Jews' religion, how that beyond measure I persecuted the church of God, and wasted it: 14 And profited in the Jews' religion above many my equals in mine own nation, being more exceedingly zealous of the traditions of my fathers.

Paul (or Saul), was zealous for God, but the wrong view of God. His spiritual vision was so bad that he destroyed what he professed. Of course, Saul was a legalist Jew but his new identity was Paul the Christian. However, there is but one gospel. Saul, failed to see the gospel in Holy Scripture because with eyes wide open he was blind to truth! His eyes saw clearly but his mind was blind. Then Saul's spiritual eyes were opened as the full gospel dawned on him:

Acts 9:3 And as he journeyed, he came near Damascus: and suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven: 4 And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? 5 And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutes... 6 And he trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do. 7 And the men which journeyed with him stood speechless, hearing a voice, but seeing no man. 8 And Saul arose from the earth; and when his eyes were opened, he saw no man: but they led him by the hand, and brought him into Damascus. 9 And he was three days without sight, and neither did eat nor drink.

Saul, the old person, was blinded by Jesus Christ with a bright light from heaven.  Who or what was the bright light?

John 8:12 ...I (Jesus) am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.

Saul had walked in darkness, and Jesus abruptly changed him. The new creature, Paul, received "the light of life". It is a privilege when Jesus opens ones eyes to the truth. Saul was a zealot for God, but failed to see all the truth about God. God whom he believed in religiously,  was the One he persecuted. Saul "kicked against the pricks" (part of verse 5 which I removed above to avoid confusion). That Greek proverb was used by Jesus to ask, why do you fight a losing battle by being defiant?  It took that accusation for light to be revealed to Saul. At that instant, although Paul remained the zealot, he became a change person - a zealot for Jesus! Paul was the clay remolded from Saul during those three days of blindness.

This time period paralleled Jesus's in the tomb. Jesus died, was symbolically blind for three days, and arose a new creation. He was the resurrected Jesus. Jesus was reborn!  In the gospel, the Son of Man (called Jesus), did all the work ever required to be done for salvation (created a new earth), and then rested three days in the darkness. There alone in the darkness, God's Light shined on Him. Then after three days, Jesus became a new creature: the Son of God. Note, that Jesus changed but it was for us. All our sins were bearing a heavy cross for mankind. Jesus bore them and lost much of his virtue, and had to recuperate. It took Almighty God to bear that burden of sin, and the soul of Jesus felt the loss of some of that Almightiness! That flowing of goodness was mentioned in the gospels:

Luke 6:19 And the whole multitude sought to touch him: for there went virtue out of him, and healed them all.

When Jesus healed anyone, virtue (dynamis) left him.  That virtue was divine power - Almightiness!

That was with a few people. Even with one person, Jesus felt virtue leaving him (Mark 5:30).

When Christians think of the death of Jesus, we think of the injustice of a man being humiliated, beaten, disfigured, and crucified but fail to empathize with the "drainage" of His power from Him. When Jesus cried out, "Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me" (Matthew 27:46)? He was feeling God's divine power weakening Him spiritually. With so much virtue being spent to cancel out all the evil of mankind, Jesus was weakened.

When he died and went to the tomb, God shined Light on Jesus right there in the darkness, and Jesus was both physically and spiritually resurrected. The Son of Man remained but the Son of God was restored. What happened to Saul was a symbolic of what occurred on the cross with Jesus. Paul became a zealot for Christ because he understood the crucifixion of Christ. It was God who died on the cross that day, and gave not only his blood, but spiritual death so that we might live forever in spirit.

What Christians receive is only a portion of the gospel because they are blind with eyes wide open. If we study being born-again as explained to Nicodemus, rebirth is becoming blind to the things of the world, and having Light shine forth in our minds.

John 3:20  For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. 21 But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.

These passages point toward salvation. John 3:16 is half the story: one must believe (trust-in) to have the hope of salvation. However, being reborn entails change: The flesh must be submitted and we must be revived in spirit. That transformation is our own change from son of man to son of God. In order to be transformed, we must welcome the light. If we shield our vision from reproof, we deny the Light of God to shine. God spiritually hides the world from our vision, and its pleasures, so that we allow light to enter. That light shines in the mind's eyes of the spiritually dead, and manifests truth, thus making one spiritually alive.

Those who look back at the pleasures of sin as Lot's wife did, will be left dead. She believed what God said, and fled, but failed to turn her eyes away from a sinful life.

Christians today are much the same. We believe but continue to look on at the pleasures offered to the flesh. In other words, when believers are unable to give up the flesh, the transformation is not accomplished - it is half the gospel they follow!

If I believe, then I am still Larry the believer. However, I must put that belief into practice. I must put the sins of the flesh in God's bright Light, and let him burn them up. I can't hang onto them, and expect to be a new person. It took a spiritual transformation for the Son of Man to be also the Son of God. It takes our own sacrifice to God to make the change from son of the flesh to son of the Spirit. The darkness in which the believer still walks is only partial gospel.

The reason that Christians seem to be merely church-going sinners, is because they have never truly been born-again. They walk around clinging to the flesh - the old person, and unless the old dies, one cannot be made anew. Hence, believers who still live in the flesh are spiritual zombies. We must be born-again!

John 3:3 Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.

Look at Jesus's requirement: He says, truly, truly a man must be born-again! Not half-way delivered from the earth's womb but all the way - crowned by the King as the babe's spiritual head senses the Light!  Seeing the kingdom of God is the divine Light in which the new-born Christian is delivered. Before, the seed of Adam lived in darkness, but the offspring of Jesus lives in the Light.

Jesus emphasized that with:

John 3:6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7 Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.

When one is born-again, the flesh is crucified, leaving a spiritual birth. "The flesh" is the sinner's receptor for sin. We must leave sin behind. By grace, if we allow the Light to shine by looking for truth, God wipes clean the sin in the rebirth.

1 Peter 1:23 Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever. 

"Seed" is the DNA of antiquity. Our DNA is not to be of Adam which Satan corrupts, but with the spiritual DNA of Jesus Christ whose DNA is incorruptible! His DNA is "the Word". John 1 says that in the beginning Jesus was "the Word". Now "the Word" has been made flesh and is called Jesus!

The incorruptible is "the Word of God" - Jesus Christ. It is by the seed of God that we are born-again. It is pure seed, unmutilated DNA from which those born-again are recreated - in the likeness of God!

When we look at others, do we see sons of God or is it sons of men? When we see ourselves in our spiritual mirrors, do we see corruption or do we see virtue. I submit that if we're not blind, most of us most often see corruption in our spiritual mirrors. I don't like what I see, and daily ask God to deliver me from spiritual abortion. Ironically, it is me who kills me!

My entire point is to ask, are you truly born-again? I know - you believe but have you become a new person, or are you really a pillar of salt as Lot's wife was? It is imperative that one be born-again. That experience is measured by obedience. What is it that the new person has? A new heart - one that loves God and others. In faux Christians I just can't see that! Sometimes in myself I can't see that. Jesus can fix the broken Spirit. Go for it!

Jeopardy

There is a gameshow called "Jeopardy". However, jeopardy is not a game but reality. It is putting one in a position to suffer possible loss. When the contestant hits the bell to provide the question for the answer which is given, they jeopardize their winnings.

In life, people jeopardize themselves all the time. The stock market, being volatile, puts any investor in jeopardy. Usually, anything which is a gamble jeopardizes.

In sports, that blind pass behind the back puts the player in jeopardy. If he misses the target, a point may be lost, and the player benched.

In Christianity, we are not to "enter into temptation (Luke 22:40). If we do, we increase the chance of losing - sinning.

James 1:14  But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. 15 Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.

The loss which may occur if we enter into temptation is communion with God. With a life of unrepentant sin, one may jeopardize their safety.

On the other hand, living for God may jeopardize our relationship with the world. That is okay but difficult. Christians are to be different:

Titus 2:14 Who (Jesus) gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works. 

Jesus wants us to be different! In fact, He wants us to be peculiar, even zealots. I am  a Christian fundamentalist. Because my faith is not liberal, of course it follows that I am "right wing".  Being an evangelical Christian is good-standing with God but anathema to the world.

As Jesus overcame the world, Christians are to do so as well:

1 John 5:4 For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world...

How are we to overcome the world? By standing firm in our faith. We are to trust God although it is unpopular.  The outcome of having strong faith, and thus Christian fortitude, is that the zealot for Christ - the peculiar person, is in jeopardy of losing communion with the world. That's not bad. In fact, that is Jesus's intent. The ultimate way of overcoming the world is to sacrifice one's life for Jesus! He doesn't require us to do that, but we are to sacrifice our flesh - the desires of the world:

Romans 12:1 ... present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.

We are to quit living for the world, and live for Jesus. That is "double jeopardy". When one has faith until the end, that is "final jeopardy".  Jesus provided the answer; we must only stand there and accept His answer. We win when we merely stand firm for Him! In fact, we are never to question because we have the answer.

The answer is you (not just you, but plural you). What is the question? Who should not perish? I hear the bell ringing right now:

John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. 

When I write, I take a stand for Jesus. I attack sin. The world does not like that! I just applied for my book, The Skull of Adam,  to be in the local book fair in the spring. I knew it was in jeopardy because of my faith. Since, I was required to submit my Facebook and blog to the scrutiny of their panel, I knew that I was in jeopardy. I knew in advance that the establishment-type board would reject my entry because I am a peculiar person, and a zealot for Christ.

My brother and I discussed this beforehand. He said, "You must not sacrifice your principles for gain." I concurred, and didn't go back and edit my commentary. I stood there in jeopardy with eyes wide open. Just as I predicted, neither of my books were accepted. Am I surprised? Not at all, even though I am a local writer. Of course, in my pride, I believe my books are worthy, but perhaps not! On the other hand, one excuse I received was the quantity of books of that genre. Just how many fiction books on the creation in first person are there out there? Probably none other!

Christians will always be in jeopardy with the world. That's why Christ came. To stand there for us. He knowingly jeopardized and gave his own life for ours. I can stand a little jeopardy for his Name's sake. So be it.

The Wicked One

The Wicked (One) is from the King James Version as follows:

2 Thessalonians 2:8 (KJV) 8 And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming: 9 Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders,  10 And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.

In the Good News Translation (GNT) it is spelled out better as "the Wicked One". Most of the other translations call him, "the Lawless One". Most theologians identify the Wicked One as Satan or the Devil. Not so! His coming is Satan's works.  The GNT specifically delineates that idea with verse 9:  "The Wicked One will come with the power of Satan and perform all kinds of false miracles and wonders, 10 and use every kind of wicked deceit on those who will perish."

Who is the Wicked One since he is not Satan? The pseudepigraphical Book of First Adam and Eve 63:12 concurs with Holy Scripture: "And Satan departed from him. But the wicked One remained behind in the heart of Cain, who sought many a time, to kill his brother."

Therefore, my conclusion is that "the Wicked One" is not Satan but a demonic spirit of some sort since he/it remained in the heart of Cain.  I agree with Matthew Henry. The Wicked One must be the anti-Christ. Paul said that the Wicked (One) shall be revealed.

The "Wicked" is anomos in the Greek, being "the lawless one" - a Gentile who is not subject to Jewish Law. He will be revealed or apokalupto - in the Greek meaning "to take off his cover."  In other words, just as Jesus is the manifestation of God, the Wicked One is the manifestation of Satan. The Word was Spirit until his revealing. Likewise, it makes sense that the anti-Christ is a demonic spirit until it is time for his revealing - to be born from demonic spirits as a Gentile man. 

Since scripture refers to "the spirit of his mouth" that begins to make sense, especially when his character is referred to as "brightness" (both in verse 8 at the top).

2 Corininthians 7:14 says that Satan can transform himself into "an angel of light". This spirit with its 'brightness" seems to be the dark spirit of Satan in mimicry of the Holy Ghost as the Spirit of Jesus.

Cain means "hater". Cain was "the lawless one" when he killed Abel. Cain was also a Gentile, as he preceded Abraham. Perhaps, the spirit of Cain still lives because his "father" was the Devil. Satan is called "the hater" throughout the Books of Adam and Eve. The spirit of Cain "the hater", son of the Hater, is a prime candidate for the revealing of the anti-Christ. What I am implying is that the evil which Satan planted in Cain's heart will be revealed someday. Perhaps the spirit in Cain will manifest itself in some modern person much as the legions of spirits lived in the man of Gaderene (Mark 5).

Who will be the spirit of Satan revealed as the Wicked One? Many have been named from the General Hadrian, to Hitler, and even the Pope. We don't know who he will be or is already, but it seems that the same spirit which Satan left in the heart of Cain will be manifested as the anti-Christ.

Note: The Books of Adam and Eve are not Holy Scripture, but commentary. As such, they are not to be valued as THE Word of God. However, if they were written in the 3rd or 4th centuries B.C., the writer had great spiritual insight, and must have been a prophet. On the other hand, if the books were written in the 4th or 5th centuries A.D., then the writer understood Holy Scripture enough to superbly comment. He would have been "the Matthew Henry" of the Essenes or Ethiopians!