Hissy Fit Store: Why That Name?

Most days when I run, I pass by a children's store named "Hissy Fits". Because I don't have the vocabulary of Daniel Webster, I wondered what that word meant! Because it was the name of a children's clothing store, I assumed that it referred to something childish! I did look in several places and here lies the definition pieced together for Herrin's Unabridged Dictionary:

Hissy Fit: An immature sudden unfounded emotional outburst.

Life is too short for this! I would hope that few children waste their time having hissy fits, but then, many adults still have them because they were never contained in their informative years! I didn't know what they were, for we called them "temper tantrums" in years past. One of my offspring had those tantrums. His anger would be so profound that he would scream until he nearly passed out.

Because I had not yet read all the wisdom of Dr. Spock (sic), I used my own technique to  address my child. Just when the anger was at the right amplitude and the cries at the right frequency, I dumped a glass of ice cold water right in the face of my own child. The temper tantrum stopped dead. This youngster was astounded! The hissy fit  didn't get the compassion and obedience from me which was sought. The face was splashed with an ample dose of ice cold water. Never did my child have a hissy fit again!

"So it worked one time! Big deal." you say. Because it worked once, I tried it again.

No one would babysit my nephew because the moment Momma left, he too would have a temper tantrum. Just as she departed he broke into a hissy fit. I've never seen such anger. He turned purple and nearly destroyed his own idol. Since he wasn't my kid, I couldn't dump a glass of ice cold water in his face! However, I did sprinkle his face. He stopped the hissy fit immediately, eyed me then resumed his tantrum. "I'll show him who's boss!" this 3-year old was surely thinking. I sprinkled him again! This time, just as Pavlov's dog was trained by the bell, this little boy learned from a repeated response to his action. The hissy fit stopped and we had a great evening. He's in his 30's now and I hear that he never again had a hissy fit!

Dr. Spock, maybe you could have learned from me! Sometimes we must be pragmatic. Sometimes we must do something to change behaviors!

Let me now look at the synonym: "temper tantrum" which "is typically characterized by stubbornness, crying, screaming, defiance, angry ranting, a resistance to attempts at pacification and, in some cases, even hitting. Physical control may be lost; the person may be unable to remain still; and even if the "goal" of the person is met, he or she may not be calmed. A tantrum may be expressed in a tirade: a protracted, angry, or violent speech." (Wikipedia)

If this is only for children it would be outgrown by adulthood. If this is true, then why are adults still responding in the same manner? It's anger and the irrational resolution of that anger.

All sin reverts back to Adam and Eve all the time. That's because nothing has changed! "There is nothing new under the sun!" (Ecclesiastes 1:9). It was the seed of our progenitors where we learn of the first hissy fit:

Genesis 4:8 "And Cain talked with Abel his brother: and it came to pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother, and slew him."

This was not premeditated murder. It was not planned and brought to fruition. Cain killed because he was having a hissy fit! "Cain was very wroth, and his countenance fell." (Genesis 4:5b). In effect Cain "got angry" and "lost control"! That, my friends, is a "hissy fit"!

Anger is an irrational attempt to resolve conflict.  It's an emotional way of problem resolution. Guess what? It often works! Think back to my nephew's case: He wanted his Momma back. In the past his anger and loss of control resulted in his mommy staying right there with him! Momma was the "food" in the Pavlov's dog experiment, so to speak. The toddler need only to ring the bell (hissy fit) and the mother responded by giving immediate attention. Most adults still use anger as a way of controlling the behavior of others! Hissy fits are thrown to retain control. Anger is used as a means of remaining in control!

Anger is intimidating. Anger is used as a weapon in all types of warfare. The most often is the name-calling which results when politics or religion is at issue. Thin-skinned people whose arguments are weak result to anger: "stubbornness, crying, screaming, defiance, angry ranting, a resistance to attempts at pacification and, in some cases, even hitting" (Wikipedia). Included in these is name-calling. Even toddlers taunt their parents with mocking such as "nana nana boo boo... nana nana boo boo" as seen on the reality show Supernanny.

Anger is irrational even though it does sometimes get the desired results. People get intimidated and if that's what you're after, it works! Most mature adults should not want to be intimidating. That's not civilized. Dictators rule with intimidation! Sane people should not want this type of relationship!

The irrationality of anger is that mature adults who have the capacity to formulate mature reasoning. should rule anger out of the equation. In some form the serenity prayer is self-control. My version is:

"God... please help me to resolve this conflict. It's not necessary that friends agree on everything and we know that it's Satan's will that we have conflict. God, keep me in good relationship with you by keeping my heart loving and at peace. Because I'm not truly a god, others don't have to appease me. Grant me liberty from myself!" (Larry Herrin, just now).

Therein, I focus on "Me". It's Me that's the problem if I'm the one prone to anger. On the other side of the equation, if you are the angry person it's "You", or your "Me". Anger is the way to protect your idol from harm. For those who get unrighteous anger it's all about "Me". Things that make your flesh crawl is your idol, "the flesh":

Romans 8:1 "There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit."

By default, there is condemnation for those who walk after the flesh. Just what is "the flesh"? It's any sin! All sin pleasures the self. Of course there are different types of pleasure, but face it, anger is pleasurable! I get road rage at times. When I do that I'm not in favor with God. It's a sin to be angry at innocent people. That's irrational! When things don't go our way, most people get angry. They want "the self" appeased and "the self" demands that others kneel to their god! The Self is "the other god" of all other gods because even idols were to pleasure the Self!

 James 1:20 "For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God."

"Wrath" is anger. It's unrighteous! That's a nice way of saying "you sinned"! I listened to a testimony by a woman who demonstrated righteousness. She made a driving error. The wronged driver made an obscene gesture toward her. The route most taken is road rage. She didn't go there! Her response was "Forgive me God for making that poor man sin!" That takes self control!

 Ecclesiastes 7:8 "Better is the end of a thing than the beginning thereof: and the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit. 9 Be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry: for anger resteth in the bosom of fools."

Patience is a virtue! It's being led of the spirit (of God). Anger is its opposite. It's pride abounding from another spirit. Pride is the attribute of Satan which we inherited from Adam. All our life we will fight pride. Pride gives rise to anger. It's when our god is in jeopardy that anger arises. It's our god's way of protecting his or her self from threat. "We just can't be wrong!" "I've got to have it my way!", etc. are the threats. I like the thought of those who engage in road rage "I have a right to drive here without others getting in my way even if I endanger others!" It becomes "my way or the highway!". That's your god getting angry to get his or her way!

Anger comes from the hearts of the foolish (verse 9). Fools respond as fools are prone to do: without intelligence, without wisdom and stupidly. Fools will also trade away the love they are to have in order to protect their god. It's good for the short term, but fools fail to look at long term consequences! Fools are irrational and seldom use reason when self-evaluating because their god is so self-appeasing that even the God of Reason fails them!

I mentioned that Cain killed Abel in a hissy fit. It wasn't premeditated as I said. It was a natural response of a person living out of the will of God. Their M.O. is the same as the one who deceives them. What did Cain need to do? He needed to have self-control. He needed to keep the devil in check by love. It wasn't a rational person who killed Abel, it was anger, a characteristic of those prideful and hateful!

Truthfully, we all get angry! It's the degree of anger which we manifest that's the problem. Some people don't display anger. How do they do that? It's called "self-control", keeping the Self god in check:

Ephesians 4:26 "Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath..."

All anger needs control, but some degree of anger is normal. Jesus got angry, but it was because he is God that he can. He got angry because people failed to love. We are not god nor God! We don't have the right to anger such as Jesus had unless it's in defense of him.

Anger has variables which are controllable: rationality, validity,  intensity, duration, emotions, and recovery.

Paul tells us to quickly recover. I always start each day afresh. Since we all get angry that will happen. It's a choice we make, but agreeably an emotional choice. We are to have any anger under control by sunset! That's what God wants!

Intensity is another aspect of anger we must control. Hissy fits are the extreme degree of anger short of hate and murder. which God equivocates. Anger, if we have it, should be short lived. Those who dwell in anger become controlled by irrationality. They fill in their version with awful thinking; things which make their own position seem right. That awful irrational thinking is called "awfullizing". An example would be to assume that a child stole many things because he is believed to have stolen one thing. It's also the presumption of guilt for many things because of this one thing! Conspiracy theories are products of awful or irrationally thinking! We all have them! It may not be national in scope, but many people believe others are conspiring against them. Extreme irrational thinking can result in paranoia!

Some people have invalid anger. Their's is based not on reality, but a fiction created in their mind. To make the Self seem different than what it is, the other gods are minimized. What better way to minimize other gods (other than yours), than by creating myths in your own mind, and others, about this person! Discussing false perceptions with negatively-thinking counselors create even more false perceptions. I never ever discuss personal issues with anyone, even my pastor, because I can sway them to appease my god (the Self) or if they're not Christians, their subconscious desire is to have their god on a higher pedestal than your god. People get satisfaction when others are more troubled than what they are!  Some people live a myth and their god loves the myth which they are living. It puts him or her in a comfortable atmosphere beyond reality!

Emotions must be controlled! Anger can make a person stressed and sick. That's where we turn to God to comfort us. That's what his Holy Spirit does! He comforts us if we ask. The serenity prayer said in sincerity submits our problems to God for his assistance in the resolution! We turn our anger over to God and let him deal with it! We need to submit to God as well, because the fault which caused the anger may be self-inflicted. All gods hurt themselves intentionally to get your sympathy. Thin-skinned people bow to their own god of Self with tears in their eyes as they love their Self.

Romans 12:20 "Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head."

Sometimes the angry person is right, but the emotion of anger is still wrong! What are we to do with those who make us angry (the perceived enemy)? We are to do good things for them. We are to serve them nice things to appease their god, their Self. When we do that, then God avenges. That's not our place. We are to love, even the enemy, and let God deal with those who attack, even hate and persecute us!

I think you get the idea. We all have it, but that doesn't make it right or even rational. How we control anger is a measure of how much we love God, because the love we show for others is a measure of how much we love God!

Spiritual Fruit Cake

Recipe for Spiritual Fruit Cake

Ingredients:

• love
• joy
• peace
• longsuffering
• gentleness
• goodness
• faith
• meekness
• temperance

The oven is hot so no need to preheat it.

Process:

1. To the soul add great love. It comes in two flavors. A great measure of God's love topped off with the same amount of brotherly love. This must be pure love, not artificial as some would provide. This love must be sifted and any impurities cast aside because only pure love makes a good cake; the sweet bread of life!
2. Adding the love must be with an emotion of joy. This is a hard to come by ingredient, but when one obtains hope from the top chef, it can be added to the love with joy. The amount of joy which makes this cake good is simple. The more joy, the better the taste of the cake. 
3. After adding love and joy gently blend them together. Don't stir vigorously, but just allow the two to meld together. As you stir, both will blend with harmony and the mixture will be ready long before it heats up. Constantly check such that the cake mixture doesn't boil. We cannot have it cook before it's time!
4. One must be patient when combining the ingredients. Sometimes the love may not be pure and the joy shallow, but without stirring for awhile, just wait for the temperature to cool before proceeding. Longsuffering is worth the wait for a good fruit cake!
5. Stir with gentleness. Although the love and joy is imperfect, they will still be ample if care is used. Gentleness will never stir up trouble. This gentleness when combined with patience will pay off! The best fruit cake results from the combination of gentleness with patience.
6. Now that love and joy are just right, it's time to put in the goodness! Where can that be found? Goodness is what is just right. The top chef knows this secret ingredient and it can be found in his cook book. Hint: If we do the things it takes to get the love, it's products of love which make the good things. One ingredient in the the goodness cornucopia is obedience. If we do things just right, our fruit cake will be the best ever and the top chef will be pleased!
7. As the mixture sets, keep it active by adding a little faith if one wants a mild fruit cake, but much faith if it is desired to have many fruits. Take care because just a little faith may not flavor the cake just right, giving the taste of mild mustard. That's not good in a cake, but much faith provides mountains of flavor!
8. Now it's time to bake the cake. It must be put just right into the oven; very close to where the top chef would be. Shadrack, Meshack and Ebednego baked their cake there and the oven was too hot until the top chef came in to adjust the heat for them. With that mountain of faith the oven will be just right and no harm will come to the fruit cake. It will be made perfect by the top chef! Because you are so dependent on the top chef to make it right, sprinkle a little meekness as it bakes. Tears make a fruit cake moist and preserves the fruit within it! Meekness is a small fruit with a giant flavor. Go for it in large amounts.
9. It's about time now. It's all about over. The fruit is about ready to become a cake! Some would add a bit of bourbon or wine to the top for flavor. This cake won't need that! Rather than messing up the cake with too much of an ingredient which is unnecessary, just remain temperate. And it's not just the bourbon which is not needed, but anything in excess which might overpower the taste of the fruit in the cake. When in doubt, just don't do it!

Eating the Cake:

• Thank God for providing the ingredients. He provided all the fruits. He had his Spirit in them.
• Share the cake with others. Tell them from whom the ingredients came. Show them by your enthusiasm how good the cake is! Manna from heaven can't be any better than this sweet bread!
• Tell them that they can always have cake like this. All they need to do is believe in the top chef and his recipe for hope because with good cake there is much hope!
• This cake never spoils. If one maintains any faith at all, the cake will last forever!
• Not only is this cake good for food, pleasant to look at, but those who partake of this cake are wise.
• This cake is healthy! Large amounts can be eaten! There is no law, even the laws of  energy, which can make this cake unhealthy!  Eat all you want of it!
• This cake cures physical ailments and spiritual decay. When eaten it makes anyone who partakes perfectly healthy and so spiritually vibrant that decay will never be.
• When the cake has aged just the right amount, it goes with you. You will eat of this cake daily and eat it with the top chef. You will sing songs of praise to him by providing the recipe for this fruit cake; The Fruits of the Spirit Cake!
• Don't keep this recipe a secret. Share it with everyone. Shout it from the rooftops!

The Trinity Makes a Joint Appearance

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 persecutest: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks. 7 And the men which journeyed with him stood speechless, hearing a voice, but seeing no man. 10 And there was a certain disciple at Damascus, named Ananias; and to him said the Lord in a vision, Ananias.... 17 And Ananias went his way, and entered into the house; and putting his hands on him said, Brother Saul, the Lord, even Jesus, that appeared unto thee in the way as thou camest, hath sent me, that thou mightest receive thy sight, and be filled with the Holy Ghost. 18 And immediately there fell from his eyes as it had been scales: and he received sight forthwith, and arose, and was baptized."

This is the transformation of Saul to Paul. It's when the bad guy was sacrificed so that the good guy could live! These verses are pulled together to demonstrate a firm belief that I have: That Jesus, although born in the flesh, is transfigured to suit whatever purpose is at hand.

Saul needed to see Jesus! He needed to know that by killing people who were followers of Christ, he was in effect persecuting Jesus Christ. That should be a lesson for people today. When society brands sincere Christians "lunatics", it's Jesus who they accuse of being crazy! When that happens now, we must remember that Jesus took the same verbal abuse!

Mark 3:20 "Then he went home, and the crowd gathered again, so that they could not even eat. 21 And when his family heard it, they went out to seize him, for they were saying, 'He is out of his mind.'"

It's a good thing to be "out of your mind" for Jesus. I'm sure Saul wasn't thinking rationally because Jesus is supraorbital. Saul was able to see Jesus who was outside the realm of physical sight!  The others saw nothing, but heard Jesus speak!

These passages are a demonstration of the Holy Trinity. The unseen God is "the Father".  He glorifies himself by light. Indeed God is light!

1 John 1:5 "This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all."

"But", you say "I thought Jesus is light!"

 John 8:12  "Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life."

These two passages say exactly the same thing about Jesus and God: They both are "light" and in both there is no darkness!" These passages are not contradictory. They merely affirm that Jesus is God!  It was "the Father" seeking Saul.  Saul saw the glory of God, but not his presence. However, when the Light shined forth speech emanated from the Light. That was "The Word" or "The Messenger" which spoke and "angels" are messengers. This messenger is a specific "angel", being that "The Angel of the Lord" is a transfiguration of Jesus.

Jesus spoke to Saul in first person:  "I am Jesus whom thou persecutest." This isn't Stephen speaking. It's Jesus Christ who had arisen and  lives even today. Jesus has the power to appear as Light, as "The Angel of the Lord", as an unrecognizable person (as on the Amaeus walk) or as himself! Two of the three aspects of the Trinity "appeared" to Saul.  Later on in the story Ananias saw Jesus in a vision.  That's just another transformation of Jesus. It's still all him!

Ananias validated the appearance of the two aspects (persons) of God when he said " the Lord, even Jesus, that appeared unto thee..." Although Jesus is Lord, so is God. Ananias specifically clarified two different "aspects" (persons) of God: the Lord; even Jesus (verse 17).

Trinity means "threefold" from the Latin. The three are of the same essence (God), but have distinct "personalities", although in a strict sense, they are not persons, but deity! ("persons" are for our understanding).

Two of the three "persons" have thus far "appeared" by sight and sound. Jesus is "the voice of God" and God was whose glory was the Light that shined.

Another personality came shortly. That "person" is the Holy Ghost (aka the Comforter). The Father is manifested by lighting the darkness, the Son by his voice; passing God's will on to mankind, and the Holy Spirit is a sensory presence, perhaps a sixth sense. Christians can't explain how we sense, but know that we do sense. Maybe the sixth sense is "Comfort" as defined by the twelve gifts or fruits of the Holy Ghost (1 Corinthians 12:7-11 and  Revelation 22:2).

Saul received the Holy Ghost from "the Lord" and "even Jesus". Then he had a change. He once was blind now he saw! He saw the Light literally! God, even Jesus transformed Saul and filled him with their spirit. He didn't get the Holy Spirit at baptism; it was before! Baptism was Saul becoming Paul. It was the testimony that an old bad guy died and a new good guy was born! That's Saul being "born again"!

What Saul "sensed" when the third person of the Trinity came upon him was a need to share. Saul now had hope that he had never had before. He had "the hope of Salvation", and with that hope, things change. Saul wanted to please God and he sure did!

God is not dead. Jesus is not dead. He was resurrected. The Holy Spirit is not dead. He lives in everybody who receives the Spirit of the Lord, even Jesus!

Christmas: Christ and Mass Both Gone

I have great memories of Christmas! Most people consider me a scrooge now, and maybe I am. It's not Christmas, however, which makes me hate the season which I should love.

The "Reason for the Season" is the birth of Jesus who came to demonstrate love by being the gift to mankind. Jesus didn't come to receive, but to give. Does that describe the attitude of Christmas worshipers today? I think not!

Previously, I wrote a commentary on the three gifts brought to Christ (Gold, Frankencense and Myrrh).  Within that commentary is the meaning of the gifts.: they represent Truth, Purity and Eternal Life, the way I understand their significance. They all were gifts Jesus didn't need, for the world belongs to him already since he is King! They represented the purpose of Jesus, (i.e, the reason for the season)!

Now back to my memories. In my childhood I never worried about the giving of gifts on this one day! Because we were poor it never occurred to me that it was a time to give and receive gifts. We were never taught that that was the meaning of Christmas and it is not! The gift that we gave, and we all gave it abundantly, was love. However, it was not merely at Christmastime, but throughout the year. My memories, indeed of daily life, were that our family of nine seldom had altercations. We truly enjoyed the company of each other and loved each other. With but one exception, that is still the case.

Love makes people happy! It's for the benefit of everyone. It's a gift to give and receive. The magi gave gifts to Jesus to honor the King who was born to provide hope. Jesus's gift to mankind was that "hope".  Love is the source of hope, but yet people fail to love Jesus and each other; the greatest commands Jesus made.

Today what emotions are there at Christmastime? Yes, quite a few are into the commercialization and enjoy the season for what they expect to get. Others enjoy it because they like to give.  However, in between lies turmoil. People who cannot afford it go in debt to buy. They get in financial difficulty or maybe just waste money on trivial things. People go in debt to buy electronic games and toys for their children who become acclimated to getting. As adults, when they fail to get that of which they have been accustomed, they carry on the spending trait passed on to them. What's worse, children are treated as "the king" and when they grow up they still have delusions of grandeur!

Other people don't buy, but are sad because they can't keep up with the others. We all want to provide for those we love, but when we can't, we feel badly. Kids are taught early to expect things, have little understanding of finances and get angry when they don't get what they want! A child who feels that they deserve gifts are being taught wrong. A parent who gives to children to appease them, are creating wrong-thinking children. The entitlement minded world is a product of people who are accustomed to getting free things!

Christmas became a national holiday in the United States in 1870. What did people do before they were told to celebrate by the government? They did it on their own. Commercialism is a product of government intervention. People did give things before 1870, but since that time, giving and receiving have run amok!  Before that the emphasis was on the family, love and Jesus Christ. What people gave was of themselves. It was sincere feelings of adoration and things they made with their own hands.

Most Christians are really concerned with the taking of Christ out of Christmas. I'm sorry people; it's too late! You have already done that, not by the P.C. Police, but of your own accord. Before we address Christ in Christmas, let's address the "mas". Christmas is "Christ Mass". Mass is a Catholic religious service. They gathered together to "remember" Jesus by the taking of the elements of the Eucharist. They are doing that "in remembrance" (Luke 22:19) of Jesus! That's a good thing.

Protestants don't have "mass" because of doctrinal differences on what the elements are. Most non-catholics do not believe in transubstantiation; that the elements are physically changed into the body and blood of Jesus as they are partaken. However, we do believe in "Communion", remembering Jesus with The Last Supper. Most Christians have already taken the "mass" out of Christmas since many, mostly non-catholic churches, cancel services for the holidays. Few have Christmas Eve services and fewer yet have Christmas services. Worse yet, Christians even, fail to even remember Christ on his birthday! When I prepare a Christmas message for my family, it seems an inconvenience for some.

IAmericans demand that Christmas remain institutionalized, yet fail to honor Jesus; and it's his birthday; not ours!  They don't want to "take the 'Christ' our of 'Christmas'".

The "mass" in Christ Mass" is long gone. Since "the remembrance of him" is gone, I submit that Christ was long ago removed from Christmas because "the remembrance" is gone! We demand that people leave the words in, but the person Jesus is long forgotten. Love has been replaced by greed and charity by commercialization. What should Christmas truly be called? How about "Me-idolization". It's because so many think about the corporate "Me's" that we celebrate Christmas! Our "self" is our god and our flesh is our idol, at least for those who abuse the occasion (If that's not you don't be offended, but if that is you, reflect on it!)

Many of my commentaries are about "other gods". ( See Love Circle). The "other gods" at the time of original sin were Adam and Eve (Genesis 4:23). It was their flesh for which  which they sought good things and pleasure. Their idol was their own flesh! That's our idol too!

Romans 7:5 "For when we were in the flesh, the motions of sins, which were by the law, did work in our members to bring forth fruit unto death."

"The flesh" is "the motions of sins". It's when we pleasure our selves. The flesh, then, is the idol to which we bow, but the flesh represents our other god (Yes, we still acknowledge Jesus too). Scripture does say "when we were in the flesh". When we are born again, that flesh was supposed to be "the living sacrifice", or our gift to Jesus! When we give the flesh, Jesus gives eternal life. Now are you beginning to see what Christmas is all about? It's about Jesus, but the gift from him has already been given, but most have refused it; the gift of eternal life!

For those who have received that gift, some still miss "the reason for the season". I am guilty of that! This Christmas I am not having "mass". I'm not eating of the element (food). I am going to remember. I plan on spending some of the day praying and studying the word. That's a small sacrifice, and others will think I'm a curmudgeon, but I am planning that. It may not be ALL day, but it will be part of the day. That won't punch my ticket to heaven. It has already been punched. That's my "thank you" for the free ticket!

Saul (Hyde): Paul (Jekyll)

Acts 9:1 "And Saul, yet breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went unto the high priest, 2 And desired of him letters to Damascus to the synagogues, that if he found any of this way, whether they were men or women, he might bring them bound unto Jerusalem."

 I hate to continue on the persecution of Christians, but it's evil which made Christianity so appealing! Given the choice of hate and love, love never fails!   Sure, it may appear for a time that evil wins out, but it's short lived.

Saul, the man who was to become the new person, Paul, was animated in his intimidation of the Christians. Picture if you will the anger and animosity of this man toward those whose only crime was to believe in the Jesus who came to share love to the world.

I hate to mix politics and religion; no I don't because we are to turn to the Lord in ALL things, but when I think of Saul at this time, the person who pops to mind is Hillary Clinton. Envision, if you will her blatant intolerance of the things Christians hold dear. Look closely at the disdain and hatred of those things good flare from her eyes. That's how I see Saul. Just as the Lord needs to get a hold of Hillary, that's what Saul needs too!

Saul, not only threatened "slaughter", but was responsible for the killing of many Christians. Saul was a murderer:

1. Saul approved the killing of the first martyr, Stephen. (Acts 8:1)
2. Saul dragged off Christians and put them in prison (Acts 8:3). Surely, where many were put to death and/or died.
3. Saul persecuted many Christians to their death (Acts 22:4).

What would modern Christians say about the likes of Saul? "He's too bad to change." "Telling him about Jesus would be a waste of time!" "He's the enemy; damn him." "He'll get his reward in hell." 

What would Jesus say about Saul?  The same thing he said about the wayward women!

Luke 7:47 "Wherefore I say unto thee, Her sins, which are many, are forgiven; for she loved much: but to whom little is forgiven, the same loveth little."

Because Saul was a great sinner, Jesus would say "Saul will love me much because I will forgive him of much!" Jesus looks at sinners through a charitable eye. We look at sinners using critical lenses. Never ever give up on evil people because just because in your opinion, they are too evil to be saved.

Saul's name... by coincidence; really? Saul shared the same name as King Saul. Surely the king was for whom he was named. Because Saul was the first king, I'm sure that there were many Saul's in Judea. His name means "prayed for" in the Hebrew.  How are people changed? Caring people pray for them!

If the disciples were practicing what they were taught, rather than hating Saul, they were praying for him!  Now's the time for some honesty. I have trouble loving, not my enemies, but those who I perceive as enemies of Jesus. Sure, his enemies are my enemies, but it's not personal for me. I am offended when people criticize my Savior! Notice how I denigrated Hillary Clinton. I find her mean-spirited and spiteful. It has been commanded that we love even lour enemies. I find that difficult! Some people find it difficult to even love their "brothers in Christ", let alone an enemy! I'm not sure that I have enough faith to believe if I alone pray for Hillary, that she would change, but what if all Christians prayed for her? There is power in prayer!

Saul was the "chief of sinners" (1 Timothy 1:15). He admitted his iniquity yet Christians deny that any sin even exists in our own lives. If people know that we have a spiritual weakness we fear that others will think less of us! Guess what? Your're right. Christians are quick to indict others of things even lesser than what they do. Their own measurement stick is biased in favor of them!

We have established that Saul was a great sinner. Because he was his name implies that he was
"prayed for" by Christians. I'm sure that the most faithful Christians did pray for Saul to change. They had great faith, standing up for what they believed in the face of martyrdom. Their prayers were likely the power that brought Jesus to knock on his door.

Saul was a zealot for persecution. Guess what? Saul became a zealot for Jesus! His M.O. was useful for destruction and death, but Jesus turned that M.O. into fishing for men! Jesus saw promise in what others saw in exasperation.

Saul, of all things, represented the established church. He was a Pharisee and very religious! Never believe that religiosity and love are the same, because religious people who lack love are dangerous people. We still see that in churches today and that "religiosity" is the hallmark of the end-of-time church.

Revelation 3:16 "So then because thou (the Laodicean Church) art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth."

Religious churches mix Christianity with other things. Saul mixed his religion with even death. Because these folks were perceived to be teaching against his God, Saul was merciless! Modern churches do the same thing. Just as Saul had the blessing of the high priest, oftentimes today it's the high priest (preacher) who is the most heretic. (e.g., the Rev. Barry Lynn). Sure, they preach about Christ, but it's not the Christ of the Bible!

Nowadays it's the progressive churches which allow the greatest sins to thrive right there on what is supposed to be holy ground! Little has changed since Saul's time, and in the end, it will get worse. Beware of false prophets.

Saul is an example of "the old creature" or the "old person". What does he need to do? The answer is "change". Men weren't able to change Saul, but tomorrow we'll see that Jesus did! When he does change, he's called by a new name. Jesus calls him Paul, the Roman equivalent of Saul. New creations need new identities. Saul became Paul. Saul was Mr. Hyde, and when morning came, he became Dr. Jeckyll (Paul)! However, the serum used for the transformation is not a concoction, but Holy Spirit!

How to be Born Again

Acts 8:35 "Then Philip opened his mouth, and began at the same scripture, and preached unto him Jesus. 36 And as they went on their way, they came unto a certain water: and the eunuch said, See, here is water; what doth hinder me to be baptized? 37 And Philip said, If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. 38 And he commanded the chariot to stand still: and they went down both into the water, both Philip and the eunuch; and he baptized him. 39 And when they were come up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip, that the eunuch saw him no more: and he went on his way rejoicing."

Campbellites use these scriptures to define what they call "the process of salvation". This is a BIG issue which was part of the "American Restoration Movement"  by Barton Stone and Thomas Campbell in 1832. At this time many baptists(and others) left their church or converted to this movement in opposition to creeds and denominations. If the reader is unaware of that schism, it was an attempt to restore the faith to where it was in apostolic times. (See Restoration Movement).

One of the most profound distinctions between baptists and Stone-Campbell Churches of Christ, Disciples of Christ or Christian Churches, is whether salvation comes with faith or is finalized by baptism. Both agree in the mode of salvation (deep water and immersion), but the efficacy of baptism is the argument.

For baptists the act of baptism is an "ordinance" and for the Stone-Campbellites, it's a "sacrament". Strangely, the Christian Churches are in agreement with the Roman Catholic Church on the efficacy of salvation, but differ on the the issue of paedobaptism (infant) compared to credobaptism (believer's or adult).

An "ordinance" is a command and it's purpose is to be obeyed. A "sacrament" is: the outward expression of the receipt of grace. As such "sacrament" implies that grace was received and dispenses salvation. Baptists are firm on sola grata (by grace alone) whereas baptism requires you to do things to be saved (works). (Note that different religious groups have slightly different views of a sacrament). At a later time we shall discuss the efficacy (result) of baptism further.

With that explained let's examine the our text. Philip used scripture and explained to the eunuch Jesus (verse 35). As such it's obvious that the eunuch learned of his own sins, the nature of Jesus, the purpose of Jesus and the grace of Jesus, as well as the resurrection. He was surely told that the reward of being a Christian is to have everlasting life!

After hearing scripture (the Old Testament) and having it explained to him, the eunuch, it is implied, was enlightened. Truth was revealed to him, he understood that truth and he applied it to himself.

Now let's examine this "born again" experience of which all Christians must be!

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."

After he was enlightened he wanted to know what "to do" next. "Doing" is "works".  Baptism was the next activity. It is a "work of faith".

Of course the question "When does the new birth occur?" is still to be resolved, but for now, let's go with when a person first  believes.  That  did occur with the eunuch: "I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God." (verse 37). in the Epistle of Peter above the person changes from corrupt to incorrupt "by the word of God"!  (unchanging and life-giving word).  This verse adequately describes the "born again" experience because a new person emerges from the old.

2 Corinthians 5:17 "Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new."

It can be said that the eunuch, when he first believed, "that Jesus is the Son of God (verse 37), it was at that time the transformation was made and he wondered what to DO next!

It was a creature which would die (corrupt), but the new creature would be eternal (incorrupt).  Not by coincidence this is what is symbolized by baptism:

Galatians 3:27 "For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ."

Being "born again" is the transformation. Baptism is putting on the apparel of the One who was responsible for the transformation. I believe it's a pledge to be as Jesus is. It's a pledge for the Christian to put away the "things of the flesh" and put on a cloak of righteousness. It is serious business, but it's what you promise because of the grace which saved you!

Now speaking of salvation, it's because we believe:

Romans 10:9 "That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved."

"Confess" is to "profess" Jesus. What better way to do that than by obedience. The eunuch wanted to know what to do next. It's to profess his faith. The way to do that is by baptism. Just as circumcision was symbolic of the Abrahamic Covenant, baptism is symbolic of the Covenant of Grace!

"The mouth" expresses the heart's emotion. Of course if you can't speak, you're still saved, but the mouth, if it can speak, is the way to express the emotions of the heart.  I believe that before a person is baptized, they should put their mouth where their heart is. It's imperative that one testify to his/her belief in Christ. It must not be a superficial belief, but an expression of faith.

"Believe" means "committed to" and "to trust" in Jesus. Both of those mean that this new creature which you profess to be, must be a different creature. The biggest failure of any Christian is missing this point: "salvation implies a changed heart and changed hearts have changed behaviors"! Some say "I'll never change for anybody!" and they don't. However, they must change for Jesus or they are not that new person he/she claims to be!

Then the proper method of baptism is used: "they went down both into the water" (verse 39). When we do an ordinance, or sacrament if you prefer, we need to do it correctly! It's not by pouring or sprinkling; they both went down into the water.  To do it more correctly I would even suggest natural flowing water, perhaps a river, creek or stream. This is the correct method and we should endeavor to do the baptism as Philip (and John the Baptist) did!

 Is it a sin to do it otherwise? Scripture doesn't make the method a command, but obedience. Although I have been re-baptized (anabaptism) to do it correctly, salvation is of the heart. Since baptists don't believe that baptism is a dispensation of grace, then the absence of baptism or a less than perfect method is not damning! On the other hand, others who believe baptism is a sacrament would insist that it is a requirement of salvation and must be done by immersion.

Note that no mention of the Holy Spirit was made of the eunuch, but of Philip only: "the Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip". Philip had been filled with the Holy Spirit previously on the Day of Pentecost (Acts Chapter 2). It appears that the eunuch did not get the Holy Ghost with either belief nor with baptism. When did he get it? We'll examine "the filling of the Holy Spirit" later on.

Is being "born again", or salvation, a process or a time of enlightenment? If you're baptized, and that is an obligation, then the question is of no consequence. The believer is born again.

If one is "born again", but does not get baptized, that person is not testifying to the grace he or she has received. It would appear that they miss the importance of being baptized or fail to obey.

The danger lies in those who are baptized without the new person being born again. Being baptized is not "saving". It's belief which saves, but one must remember that it's a belief that transforms! It's a belief that truly changes the heart and brings forth commitment to Jesus! Obedience is what results and the first command to obey is baptism! Don't ever be just a wet-sinner!

Obedience, following God's commands, is how we demonstrate our love to Jesus for saving us! Are you disobeying God at this time in life? Remembering that sin can be by omission: Do you truly love others? Do you pray earnestly and continually? Do you step regularly on Holy Ground by attending church (God's House)? Likewise, are you sober-minded and charitable? Do you love the unloveable?

If you come up short on any of these or even more, then perhaps the reader should examine just who this new person is! Was the born-again experience heart-felt? Only you know... and God! Just allow him to speak and that requires for you to listen and understand. The eunuch did. You can too!

Reading and Understanding

Acts 8:27 "And he (Philip) arose and went: and, behold, a man of Ethiopia, an eunuch of great authority under Candace queen of the Ethiopians, who had the charge of all her treasure, and had come to Jerusalem for to worship, 28 Was returning, and sitting in his chariot read Esaias (Isaiah) the prophet. 29 Then the Spirit said unto Philip, Go near, and join thyself to this chariot. 30 And Philip ran thither to him, and heard him read the prophet Esaias, and said, Understandest thou what thou readest? 31 And he said, How can I, except some man should guide me? And he desired Philip that he would come up and sit with him. 32 The place of the scripture which he read was this, He was led as a sheep to the slaughter; and like a lamb dumb before his shearer, so opened he not his mouth..." (Isaiah 53:7).

When the apostles and Jesus refer to "scripture" it is the Old Testament (OT) to which they are referring.  We read the New Testament  (NT) looking backwards to what occurred, while they of patriarchal times read the OT and looked forward to what will occur. Obviously, it takes more belief for what will be than what was. In apostolic times they read what was prophesied as it was happening. Even with the reading of past events,  most people don't even believe what did happen!

Some throw out the OT as unnecessary scripture of The Law, and it is no longer applicable to the "Covenant of Grace".  My contention is that salvation was always by grace, then and now! (Read my blog Grace and The Law). Grace is not a new thing with its own new covenant. Salvation was always through Jesus Christ. Many souls have been saved in apostolic times by mere hearing and reading of the OT.  Everything therein is about Jesus. It's a picture of him who is to come and it's always his shadow providing grace to all who hear and understand!

An eunuch was reading scripture. Is it significant that he was a man who was sterile by nature or by force? Yes. Because eunuch's were dedicated to the queens they served. They became the eyes and ears of royalty. If the eunuch believed, being close to the queen, it's likely that the queen, not named Candace, but titled Candace, heard about Jesus. This area in Africa is not present-day Ethiopia, it's likely Nubia (See Candace, Queen of the Ethiopians for more detail). This encounter may have contributed to the "Great Commission", because one black man wanted to know more about Jesus! This points toward Nubia (Ethiopia) being the southern extremity of Christianity in apostolic times!

Philip chanced nearby and the spirit spoke to him! (verse 29). Unlike Jonah, Satan didn't plant rejection in the heart of Philip. Because of the Spirit, Philip ran to his prey! He beat Satan to the draw!  (He was fishing for men!). He didn't worry about offending or "correctness"; he just obeyed!  This eunuch was a powerful administrator in the queen's court, but Philip wasn't intimidated!

The eunuch was reading scripture, but failed to understand! Does that sound familiar? It should because we have all "been there and done that!". Scripture can be hard to understand, but if one remembers one thing it makes it easier" "Scripture is always about Jesus!" Let me explain.

One day while driving I had an epiphany. I was thinking on the sacrifice which Abraham was about to make of Isaac as directed by God. I thought "How cruel! To have him sacrifice his own son!" That one thought was followed by the "voice of the spirit", the same voice which spoke to Philip, which through HSP (Holy Spirit Perception; my coined term), illuminated me. "This is a picture of God's sacrifice of his own son!!" I was then clear: "Scripture is all about Jesus!" Thereafter, when I read the OT it was no longer reading, but UNDERSTANDING!  Everything that I read, I ask "What's this got to do with Jesus?"

Ask that question of Acts 8:32 above.  It's Isaiah 53:7 written hundreds of years before and still pertinent! What is it about? "It's all about Jesus!"

Jesus was the lamb of God. He was the sheep who was led to the crucifixion.  He was innocent, but he (Jesus) was to make no defense. This OT verse is "all about Jesus" and Philip explained that to the eunuch!

Philip guided the eunuch, explaining the OT to him. It was the OT which led the eunuch, not only to salvation, but to baptism! Reading scripture alone isn't as effective as having it taught! The job of preachers is to preach the truth! Those failing to teach the truth of the OT are amiss in their training. Just knowing that the OT is "all about Jesus" increases my faith. Christianity wasn't and isn't a new thing nor a modern invention. Christianity is the completion of God's plan for mankind!  It makes me more confident when I realize that Isaiah worshiped Jesus just as I do! It assures me that Isaac was a type of Jesus who would have been a sacrifice for me, if he could have been!

We must not only read scripture, but understand it. Many preachers fail to teach what The Word has been from the beginning! It seems that most fail to do that. My commentary for the most part is to impart understanding that salvation was always through Jesus and always will be! Nothing has changed. There is no new covenant. The Covenant of Grace has always been the Way to salvation!

It's good that the plan of salvation is preached. Most baptists have an altar call every Sunday. That's good, but confidence and faith is instilled by teaching scripture fully. The eunuch incident demonstrates that OT scripture does draw people to Jesus Christ because it truly is "all about Jesus"!