Where Is the Scholar?

Paul was asking about the people who think they know something when in reality they know nothing worth knowing.  Jesus despised the manner of the typical Pharisee who "knew" the Scripture (often memorizing the Torah) but didn't recognize their king amongst them.  The Word should open our eyes and be the way God communicates to us.   "You diligently study the Scriptures because you think that by them you possess eternal life.  These are the Scriptures that testify about me" (John 5:39).

We need preachers who have more than just a second-hand knowledge of Christ and don't just quote the so-called authorities or experts like the Pharisees did--what has God revealed to them, not what do the great teachers say. What has God been showing them?  The point of the Holy Writ is to point to the person of Jesus and to aid us in finding our God.  Jesus rebuked them, "You know not the Scriptures, nor the power of God," (cf. Matt. 22:29).  Thus equating the two, but His interpreting of "knowing" the Scriptures was seeing Himself in them and the point is to lead them to Him.

Beware lest we get academic and study the Bible to know the "facts" or the trivia (distinguish between knowledge about the Bible and knowledge of the Bible)  and not the lessons, which are the real doctrines or teachings.  We should study to show ourselves "approved unto God," and that means a basic understanding and ability to interpret what is relevant to us as we apply it; mere knowledge for its own sake is vain and leads to being "puffed up" as Paul warns us in 1 Cor. 8:1 that "knowledge puffs up, but love edifies."  Knowledge of the Word is a means to an end, and not the end or goal per se.   True knowledge of God is vital:  "Therefore, My people go into exile, for lack of knowledge" (Isa. 5:13);  "My people perish for lack of knowledge" (Hosea 4:6).

We can take pride in how much we know and this serves no purpose.  Some of us (e.g., pastors, teachers, and evangelists) have more so-called knowledge as a byproduct, but, for the run-of-the-mill believer, knowing the Author is more important than knowing the Word, however vital that is.   "For the lips of a priest ought to preserve knowledge, and from his mouth, men should seek instruction--because of he a messenger of the LORD Almighty" (Mal. 2:7).   There is a need for theologians, for instance, but in a sense, all believers are theologians because they espouse and believe in certain doctrines; but they have a bad rap and many simply regard their knowledge in a matter-of-fact manner and don't apply what they know.

We are not to despise knowledge per se, because God has repeatedly rejected the priests who have turned against knowledge ("Because you have rejected knowledge, I have rejected you as my priests," says Hosea 4:6).  Proverbs says that the wise "store up knowledge" and "the lips of the wise spread knowledge" (Prov. 15:7).   "A discerning heart seeks knowledge, but a fool feeds on folly" (Prov. 15:24).   "It is not good to have zeal without knowledge" (Prov. 19:2).  "They have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge" (Rom. 10:1).   Therefore, we should not be against knowledge per se, but realize its place and a relative value; the real substance is in knowing Christ;  our relationship is with Christ, not the Word.

We develop a taste for the Word:  "O how I love thy Word, I meditate on it all day long."   "Thy words were found, and I did eat them, and they were the joy of my heart"  (Jer. 15:16).  Personally, I relate to Psalm 119:92 which says, "For if thy law had not been my delight, I would have perished in my affliction."  David says, "Taste and see that the Lord is good..."  (Psa. 34:8).

We learn to love the Word, and there is nothing wrong with being a person of the Book (as believers were once called),  as we seek God's guidance and counsel to us (God is able to speak any way He chooses, but He has promised to speak to us in His Word);   Note Deut. 32:47:  "They are not just idle words for you--they are your life."   We turn to the Word, not to any person for authority.  Sola Scriptura (the Word alone)  was the cry of the Reformation and they took away the authority of the priest, pontiff, or tradition to compete with the sole authority of the Word.  Soli Deo Gloria!

Where Do You Get Your Strength?

We all have a crutch, whether we admit it or not, it could be a spouse, a habit, a drug, an escape, or even religion itself. No man is an "island" nor a "rock" as the song by Simon and Garfunkel goes and the words of John Donne--we all lean on something or someone in a time of stress.  We all know there are no atheists in foxholes.   Man is designed to worship God and get his strength from up above--Sir Francis Bacon said there is a God-shaped vacuum in all of us that can only be filled and satisfied with God Himself.  Ted Turner says, "Christianity is for losers."   Everyone has a god, whether they know it or not; we all worship someone or something.  However, "The name of the LORD is a strong tower, the righteous run to it and are safe"  (Prov. 18:10).

 We can all reach our potential in Christ as we tap into divine power.  "I can do all things through Him who strengthens me"  (Phil. 4:13).   "He gives power to the weak, and to those who have no might, He increases strength"  (Isa. 40:29).   Yes, "Let the weak say, 'I am strong'" (Joel 3:10).  "Once God has spoken; twice have I heard this:  that power belongs to God..." (Psa. 62:11).  We have to remember that this power is at our disposal and it is not intrinsic, but extrinsic:  "'...Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit,' says the LORD of hosts" (Zech. 4:6).

God wants all the glory and the credit, so to speak:  "You who rejoice in Lo-debar [nothing], who say, 'Have we not by our own strength captured Karnaim [the stronghold] by ourselves?'" (Amos 6:13). Truly "you have done for us all our works" (Isa. 26:12).  "Did we in our strength confide, our striving would be losing...." (says the hymn).   We must bear in mind that "apart from [Christ] we can do nothing"  (John 15:5).  I'm not against good works, just ones done in the flesh in our own power.

Until we realize the power of the Spirit in leading us and the empowerment ministry we are just plodding along in the energy of the flesh and cannot be rewarded.  All our works will be evaluated as to whether they were done in the right spirit and motive.  We must work "with all his energy which he powerfully works within [us]" (Col. 1:29).  He is able to do more than we can ask, "according to the power at work within us"  (Eph. 3:20).

In witnessing it is necessary to get the prompting and the leading and the open door of the Holy Spirit:  "And you shall receive power, after that the Holy Spirit has come upon you..."  (Acts 1:8).  "For it is God who works in you, both to will and to work according to his good pleasure"  (Phil. 2:13).  Knowing that it is God and not us is key and then we come to a knowledge of Christ working in us:  "I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection..."  (Phil. 3:10).

We don't want to be self-confident,  but God-confident and faithfully proclaim, "The joy of the LORD is [our] strength"  (Neh. 8:10).    In summation, let me quote the Apostle Paul, who went on to boast in the Lord:  "I venture not to speak, but of what Christ has accomplished through me"  (Rom. 15:18).   Soli Deo Gloria!

Should We Debate Sin?

"Remember this:  Whoever turns a sinner from the error of his way [unbelief and impenitence]  will save him from death and cover over a multitude of sins"  (James 5:20).  This doesn't mean we go around pointing out our neighbor's sin, but to preach the gospel (our commission) and let God make the seed of the Word grow, leaving the results to God.

Looking back on previous posts, I noticed that several of them deal with whether some practice, such as gambling, smoking, Sabbath-breaking, sex during a woman's period, shaving sideburns, tattoos, etc.,  are sin.  "To his own master, he stands or falls...."   It is not our job to convict of sin, ("Preach the Word") but the sole responsibility and burden of the Holy Spirit--"He shall convict the world of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment" (cf. John 16:8).   If we faithfully preach the Word God, it will not come back void, but God will accomplish His divine purpose, according to Isa. 55:11.

"He flatters himself too much to detect or hate his sin"  (cf. Psa. 36:2).   "...He commits himself to a sinful course and does not reject what is wrong" (Psa. 36:4b).

Jesus came "not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance" (cf. Luke 19:1).  God wants us to admit our guilt and sinful nature, not that such and such is a sin.   "If you, O Lord, kept a record of sins, O Lord, who could stand?" (cf. Psa. 130:3).

"You have set our iniquities before you, our secret sins in the light of your presence" (cf. Psa. 90:8).  Taking the beam out of our own eye, before trying to dislodge the speck in our brother's eye, as Jesus said.   We should be so busy being convicted of our own sins that we don't worry about our neighbor's sins and be like Paul who saw himself as the "chief of sinners."  Thank God, He doesn't treat us as our sins deserve, nor reward us according to our iniquities (cf. Psa. 103:10).

We can miss the point and concentrate on "sins" and not the root problem of "sin" (I mean the problem of the sin nature or tendency to sin inherent in us).   Paul exhorted the Romans to accept him who is weak in the faith, but let each be fully convinced in his own mind.  It is a spiritual fact that something may be a sin to you, and not to others.  Whatever is not of faith is sin, said Paul.  ("He that knows to do good, and does it not, sins"--James 4:17)   Christians have the Law written on their hearts and need no one to tell them right and wrong, for walking in the Spirit trumps all legalism.

Some believers strive to keep the letter of the Law but miss out on the spirit of it. "The Law of the Spirit has set us free from the law of sin and death"  (cf. Rom. 8:2).  In my opinion and experience, it is vain to debate whether something is a sin--we get nowhere fast, creating more heat than light!  What matters most to God, is where the heart is,  He looks at the motives, that we cannot judge or perceive.   Note that there are so-called gray areas that we shouldn't let someone judge us in.

To conclude, virtually anything in excess can be a sin; the vital issue is whether you control it or it controls you.  "...Sin is crouching at your door, it desires to have you, but you must master it"  (cf. Gen. 4:7).   "For a man is a slave to whatever has mastered him"  (cf. 2 Pet. 2:19b).   "'Everything is permissible for me--but not everything is beneficial.  Everything is permissible for me --but I will not be mastered by anything"  (cf. 1 Cor. 6:12).   Case in point:  C. H. Spurgeon said that he would quit smoking when it became a problem!   Psalm 119:133 says, "Direct my footsteps according to your word; let no sin rule over me...."  I have a good question:  Did  Rahab, the harlot of Jericho, sin, who lied to the officials?   Soli Deo Gloria!

Is There Real Freedom From the Law?

"Christ is the culmination of the law so that there may be righteousness for everyone who believes"  (Rom. 10:4, NIV).
"[B]y setting aside in his flesh the law with its commands and regulations..." (Eph. 2:15, NIV).


The Law does have a place in the believer's life to be a mirror that  shows us our sinfulness; however, we are not under the authority or tutelage of the Law (Rom. 6:14), which is only a shadow of the real thing--we walk in the Spirit and do the things against such there is no law (Heb. 10:1). I like the J. B. Phillips translation of Rom. 3:20 which reads realistically:  "It is the straightedge of the Law that shows us how crooked we really are."  "By the Law is the knowledge of sin," says Paul. We obey the spirit of the Law, and not necessarily the letter of it.  And we are not to rely on it for our justification nor sanctification because there is a curse on everyone who does (Gal. 3:10).  We don't have to become somewhat "Jewish" to be good Christians, says Chuck Swindoll--not good news to the new "Hebrew movement" sweeping Christendom.

The Law was made for "lawbreakers and rebels" (1 Tim. 1:9) and the unbeliever knows no law, while the believer needs no law. John Calvin said that the believer has the Law written on his heart.  This is part of the New Covenant mentioned in Jer. 31.  The Law should drive us to Christ for mercy and is our schoolmaster to brings us to a grace-oriented way of thinking ("For where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty").

Gal. 2:21 says, "For if justification were through the Law, Christ died for nothing."  The Law and the Old Covenant are now obsolete because Christ abolished it in His flesh "with its commandments and ordinances"  (Eph. 2:15).  Watchman Nee, who founded more than 200 churches in China before being imprisoned for the faith, said that the day he was delivered from the Law was a day of heaven on earth.

What basically is legalism, but adherence to the letter of the Law, without regard to its spirit, according to eminent theologian R. C. Sproul.  The Law (which is a revelation of a perfect code reflecting a perfect God) measures men, it doesn't save them.   When given the Law, Israel promised they would keep it, instead of asking for mercy, not realizing the vanity of it.

The first usage of the Law is to convict of sin and that is why Psalm 19 says the Law is perfect (note that it is God's job to do this--not ours), converting the soul--it is good as an evangelizing tool to show people they are sinners.  John Bunyan says, "The man who does not know the nature of the Law does not know the nature of sin.  The world at large is under the law until they are redeemed from its curse."

Paul warned Timothy in 1 Tim. 1:7 about those who want to be teachers of the Law.  The scribes were experts in the Law and Jesus warned of their "leaven."  "But avoid...arguments and quarrels about the Law" (Tit. 3:9).   The Law has no more authority over us than a deceased husband has over his living wife--death cancels all contracts.  "There is, therefore, no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, to those who are called according to His purpose"  (Rom. 8:1).

The Antinomians (literally against the law),  say: "Free from the Law, O blessed condition, now I can sin all I want and still have remission,"  think the Law has no purpose and is in effect a law unto themselves.  Grace doesn't give us the right to do whatever we think is right in our own eyes nor to do what Scripture condemns or what is plain wrong.  They misinterpret the Scripture that says, "All things are lawful [or permissible]..."  (1 Cor. 6:12; 10:13).

 The antidote to legalism and Antinomianism, according to Sproul is a serious and legitimate study of the Word.  The Moral Law, basically the Decalogue or the Ten Commandments, has not been rescinded, because, except for the Sabbath observance, they are reiterated in the New Testament.  What was moral then is moral now.  Many of the 613 commandments and prohibitions are merely elaborations of the Decalogue and common sense deductions.  Christ specifically voided the kosher laws, et al.

 Paul says the Law is good if one uses it righteously.  The Jews couldn't handle the yoke of the Law and the early church in Acts 15 decided not to burden them.  Obedience from the Christian should be a "want to" and not a "have to."  It is not an "in order to," but a "therefore." The Law is summed up in Gal. 5:14 where it says love is the fulfillment of the Law.  Jesus also said that the greatest commandments were to love God and our neighbor.  The Law adjudicates the sinner (points out his shortcomings and failures), but does not exculpate (free him from guilt) him!  The entire Law is summed up in the command:  "You shall love your neighbor as yourself."

The Formula of Concord (1577), the Lutheran confession of faith, established the so-called three-fold purpose of the Law:  To reveal sin; to establish decency in the society at large; and to provide a rule of life for the regenerated through faith in Christ, according to R. C. Sproul.   It does have a purpose because of all Scripture, according to 2 Tim. 3:16,  is profitable for doctrine, reproof, correction, and instruction in righteousness.  Soli Deo Gloria!

Getting What You Want

It has been said that when the gods are angry with us, they answer our prayers.  Some Greek philosophers taught to only pray for good things because we don't know what good things are!   Many a preacher has done an exposition on unanswered prayer or when God says "no."  Remember that He said  "no" to Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane, so He certainly can do so to us.  Jesus does sympathize with our plight or dilemma. Usually, they say that God is just telling us to wait, or that He has something better;  a negative reply is for our own good.

God also says "yes" to our prayers when He is really saying,  "Okay, have it your way." As they say, "Be careful what you pray for; you may get it!   He alone knows what is best for us and is always interested in our welfare and works on our behalf, whether we want it or not.  Some of the ancient Greeks would only pray for good things because they didn't know what good things were, and they left the option open to God.  Just like wondering why God says "no," we should also wonder why He says "yes," just the same.  Are we praying, "Thy will be done?"

Some people get all they want and still aren't happy.  God has His glory in mind front and center:  We should always respond, "Why me Lord?"  Living hell has been described as the place where everyone gets what they want--and have no capacity to enjoy it.  I've heard of millionaires who have everything to live on and nothing to live for.

Some brethren believe God gives us a carte blanche or a blank check to get from God what we want as long as we abide by the right formula.  God isn't a genie or a vending machine!   Prayer is not to get our way, but to tap into God's will and get done through us. "I venture not to speak of but what Christ has accomplished through me"  (Rom. 15:18).    Psalm 106:15 says, "He gave them what they asked, but sent a wasting disease among them."   Another translation renders it:  "He gave them their request, but sent leanness into their souls."  Think of the parable of the prodigal son who got what he wanted only to finally come to an end of himself and return to God in repentance.   God is really teaching Israel a lesson to trust in Providence.

We should always pray for God's will to be done, not ours; believe me, we would mess up our lives if we always got our way--"Father knows best."  The best prayer we can pray is simply:  "Thy will be done!" Even Jesus had to struggle whether He'd submit to the Father's plan or not.   I am an example of a  person who usually got his own way and now realizes the wisdom of God despite myself.   We need to thank God, that in His wisdom, He denies  some of our requests and we cannot  boastfully say, "I did it my way."   Soli Deo Gloria!

My Spiritual Journey

This is a first-hand account of my religious and/or spiritual pilgrimage, pitfalls and all, without glorifying the past--and sparing the details.   It's an example of a  believer who got his own way and ultimately learned to submit to God's will the hard way of "been there and done that."

I was baptized in California as an infant in a Lutheran church and the pastor was my sponsor--we were corresponding for years.   I was also confirmed in childhood.  I can remember as a youth making a scrapbook of Jesus' life and my pastor showing it to the church, teaching vacation Bible school, and inquiring of my pastor whether I should go into the ministry.  I even went to Bible camp and believed I  knew the Lord mainly because I was fascinated with the book of Revelation (reading Billy Graham's book World Aflame), and then shared insights with my mom.

I recall no particular moment of surrender or spiritual awakening, but my faith was very important to me and I loved the Bible (I recall beginning the habit of underlining favorite verses).  I was a person of the Book as far as I can recall, even buying a children's Bible on my own.  My grandmother became very close to me and told me Bible stories.

I  made the big decision to dedicate my life to Christ in a Billy Graham crusade I heard on TV around my 15th birthday, and then got involved in a Seventh-Day Adventist Church Bible study.  Counseling with my pastor,  he told me to read  Martin Luther's Commentary on Galatians.   I then proceeded to write a paper debunking the sect and defending the Lutheran faith.  I also found out I am not Sabbatarian.   I don't believe in "forsaking the assembly together of ourselves, as is the manner of some." But to affirm that  there are no "hard-and-fast rules" for the Sabbath Day."

I went to Augsburg College (a so-called Lutheran Christian college), and was exposed to "higher criticism"  and liberal theology, finding out I didn't know all the answers. With no more motive to study and being confused in my beliefs, I dropped out to do some soul searching and to find myself--wondering if my experience was to no avail.

Joining the Army and looking for love in all the wrong places, I heard a Billy Graham crusade again, only this time it was from South Korea; it was translated into Korean, so he had to go very slow and not being a good listener, it sunk in that I needed to repent, the missing link in my walk ("Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, and times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord," Acts 3:19; "And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem, Luke 24:47").   I was under grave conviction of my sin and rededicated my life to Christ.   I called my mom and told her she will like the new me; she said she liked the old me!   It seemed like I had made this decision before, but this time it stuck. I had to get to the end of my rope before admitting my need.

Going back I hooked up with the Navigators and was mentored.  Once you've experienced it,  you want to pass it on; so I got the bug to witness.  Witnessing to a  friend, he got saved; we became bosom buddies and hung around together the rest of my stint--I could not have made it through without his companionship and fellowship.   I credit the Navigators for teaching me devotions, witnessing, Bible study, and the discipline of committing Scripture to memory.  Then I taught Sunday School while in Okinawa and made many Christian friends.

I matured in my doctrinal viewpoints and the first doctrine I became interested in was eternal security--I even wrote Billy Graham to ask him his stand.   I perceived that repentance is a continual attitude and not just a one-time event and that God grants it by grace.  I frown upon "cheap grace," which justifies the sin, and not the sinner, as it were; giving a license to sin.  I had thought you could sin as much as you want as long as you confess it!  Repentance is an about-face, in military terms, and "If we regard iniquity in our heart, the LORD will not hear us."  We must get a new attitude, change our mind about our sin.  We can be very bad sinners, but never too bad to be saved ("Come now, let us reason together, says the LORD, though your sins are as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow....").  

I became convinced of believer baptism and was officially dunked in the church--Dr. Johnson knew me and didn't give me a hard time.   I then shared my faith for the first time publically in the church, and had a personal revival and couldn't restrain myself--I had the "can't-help-it's" ( and I couldn't stop reading the Bible).  I was accused of living "under the influence.    And it was so strange that my mom committed me to the mental ward of the hospital for observation (they couldn't find anything wrong with me and released me).  I was accused of going overboard on my religion.   But I was scarred as a result and never got over it.  Afterward, I wandered the state of Texas flat broke, and went down to Mexico, and then committed myself to the VA.

Finally, I decided to move to Minnesota to live with my grandmother.  I gave my spiritual ambitions a rest and took up electronics and got a job at Honeywell troubleshooting torpedoes--I  wanted to pursue this as a career path.

Then I joined the Army again, but had issues with depression and wanted out,  and was given a medical discharge.  Later, I had many personal problems and found a girl who listened to me and fell in love--we were married for ten years.   During those years I was in and out of the mental hospital, being committed by my best friend, and then by my wife several times.  Once I spent 18 months in treatment, but, praise God,  have not had a relapse in over 20 years--but I do take medications,  and am under psychiatric observation, to be safe, considering my track record. 

I thought my hope had perished from the Lord, and  I was destined for mediocrity.   I found a church  where I  could continue to grow  (I learned that one must keep the main thing the main thing and that the purpose of the universal, as well as the local church, is to evangelize and fulfill the Great Commission), and this church had a place for me to serve; however, I wasn't that dogmatic anymore.

Later, after a lot of studies, I started to be concerned about my beliefs  (I became cognizant of the deity of Christ in a real way, and realized the Proverb "without a vision, the people perish"). I knew I had to exercise grace toward those I disagree with, and not be judgmental;   putting Augustine's dictum into practice:   "In essentials unity; in nonessentials, liberty; in all things, charity."

Since then I've had a meaningful relationship and friendship with my mom, who is not ignorant of doctrine, either--neither of us believes ignorance is bliss, and know our way around the block, theologically speaking.  We talk every day and usually have mutually edifying and lengthy fellowship; we are on the same page so we can bounce ideas off each other.

I am not a success in the world's eyes and haven't achieved the American dream:  But I believe what Mother Teresa of Calcutta says, "The Lord calls us to faithfulness, not success."  God isn't interested in our achievements; He's interested in us and our obedience--Isaiah says, "All that we have done [God] has accomplished for us," and Paul says, "I venture not to speak, but of what Christ has accomplished through me"  (Rom. 15:18).

Doctrinally speaking, I am a Calvinist who believes in the gifts of the Spirit--an oddity.  Sometimes we must agree to disagree, and not be disagreeable, contentious, divisive, or argumentative.   Even Paul and Barnabas disagreed and had to go their separate ways:  There are more important things than being right all the time--relationships--our faith is a relationship with a person, not a creed.  We must accept one another in love because we are "accepted in the Beloved" (cf. Eph. 1:6) and always "speak the truth in love."

As far as doctrine goes, a good frame of reference for soteriology, the doctrine of salvation,  is important for witnessing and assurance of salvation.  Like they say,  "God said it in His Word, I believe it in my heart, that settles it in my mind."  I'm not what I ought to be, but thank God I'm not what I used to be! I now live an abundant life with a capital L and am seeking God's Kingdom first.

In summation, I am what I am by the grace of God, and am blooming where God has planted me.  My mission is to the vets, my ministry is my Bible study, and my avocation is blogging to the glory of God--I thank God for my church home!    

My favorite Bible verses are as follows:

"Before I was afflicted I went astray, but now I keep thy word" (Psa. 119: 67).
"He brought me out of a horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my steps"   (Psa. 40: 2).  "Therefore, the LORD longs to have mercy on you, and He waits on high to have compassion on you" (Isa. 30:18).   "I know the plans that I have for you, says the LORD, plans to prosper you, and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future" (Jer. 29:11).  "If thy Word had not been my delight, I would have perished in the way"  (Psa. 119:92).
"The LORD has chastened me severely, but He has not given me over to death"  (Psa. 118:18).

Most importantly:  "The LORD knows the way that I take, when He has tried me, I shall come forth as gold" (Job 23:10).   Soli Deo Gloria!

Importance Of Knowing God

"There is no mercy or truth, or knowledge of God in the land"  (cf. Hosea 4:6).  

I'm not writing as one who has the inside track, has had special revelations or visions or has superior training, but I have studied the subject enough to arrive at some conclusions, mostly thankful to J. I. Packer's book Knowing God.

There's such a thing as knowing someone intimately, and knowing facts about them or knowing about them versus knowing of them.  God is so good that to know Him is to love Him, and knowing Him makes us want to love Him and be like Him.

Anyone who says he knows God (especially on the basis of some experience) and does not obey Him is a liar, according to Scripture (not me).   Knowledge of God, not knowledge about God, is a means to an end and we must apply what we know to relate to our relationship with Him--we long for more than just knowing about Him, which would be like having a theoretical cognition.  We find God (and Pascal says he would not have found Him, had He not first found him), and this is the main pursuit of believers, by seeking His face and searching for Him with our whole heart, mind and soul, and strength.

Our goal is knowing Christ personally, which is eternal life (cf. John 17:3),  and not moral perfection, which is only a side effect or result.   Life's major pursuit is seeking God and the first step is to recognize how little we know Him and need some answers and guidance.  Packer says, "A little knowledge of God is better than a lot of knowledge about God."  Note, knowing God doesn't excuse us from knowing about Him.  The goal, I reiterate, is to know God, not knowing ourselves, as the Greeks would say, "Know thyself."   Hosea says, "Let us know God, let us press on to know Him."  God's peeve or controversy with man is that he doesn't know Him ("And they do not know Me," says Jeremiah of God).   God says through the prophet Jeremiah, "Let not a man boast of his wisdom ... but that he knows Me."   This is a command according to 2 Peter 3:18 is as follows:   "Grow in the grace and knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ."


Job says, "Acquaint now thyself with Him and be at peace"  (cf. Job 22:21).  We do good deeds to grow:  "Bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God"  (cf. Col. 1:10).  Titus 1:16 warns of those who profess to know Him but deny Him by their deeds.

Why know God?

 1)  To know Him is to love Him.
 2)  Shapes morals and ethics.
 3)  It affects our response to life.
 4)  It gives strength in temptation.
 5)  It keeps us faithful.
 6)  It enhances our worship.
 7)  It determines our lifestyle.
 8)  It gives meaning to our life and religion.
 9)  It sensitizes our conscience.
10)  It stimulates hope.
11) It enables us to know what to respect and reject.
12) Is the FOUNDATION.

Five motives to know God:

1)  It gives us a desire to be like Him (Jer. 9:24).
2)   It reveals the truth about ourselves (Isa. 6:5).
3)  It enables us to interpret our world (Dan. 4:33-35).
4)  It makes us strong and secure (Dan. 11:32).
5)   It introduces us to the dimension of God and eternal life (John 17:3).

Loving God is the ultimate response, according to Chuck Swindoll.

He lists four things we cannot apprehend and never probably will:  Trinity (His persona); glory (personhood); Sovereignty (plan); and majesty (position).

What are we going to do with our knowledge of God?

--Do we become conceited?
--Do we see others as poor specimens?
--Does it make us toxic intoxicated and sour, as if not applied?
--Do we turn knowledge about God into the knowledge of God?
--Does it remain theoretical or become practical?
--Does it lead us to lead others to God and know the more?
--Do we meditate (a lost art) on the truths?
Paul said in Phil. 3:10:  "I want to know Christ and the power of His resurrection...."

Two caveats:  We can know a lot about Him as did ever 17th-century gentleman as a hobby, and not know much of Him at all--even getting A's in theology;  we can know a lot about godliness and be religious and not know God--it is not about being good or talking "God-talk", but being alive in Christ.  Christ didn't come to make bad men good, but dead men alive, says someone.

There are four evidences of knowing Christ according to J. I. Packer:

1)  Exhibiting great energy for God (Dan. 11:32).
2)  Having great thoughts of God (Dan. 4:26; 9:4,7,9,14).
3)  Having great boldness for God (Acts 5:29; 20:24).
4)  Having great contentment in God (Dan. 3:16-18).

Soli Deo Gloria!

Systematic Evidence For God's Existence...

"Unless you assume a God, the question of life's purpose is meaningless" (Bertrand Russel, atheist philosopher).

"What you see neither indicates the total absence of God, nor His manifest presence, but rather the presence of a hidden God"  (Blaise Pascal, Christian philosopher).

Note that the existence of God is "open-ended" and God is only pleased with faith--both choices require faith.  (Heb. 11:6).

1)  The Bible assumes it unapologetically and does not try to offer proof (Gen. 1:1).

2) People suppress it (Psa. 14:1).

3) God hides Himself and one must seek Him (Jer. 29:13; Isa. 45:15; 55:6).

4) Changed lives prove the validity of testimony and the veracity of the witness is often validated by martyrdom--people usually tell the truth on their deathbed!

5) There is a God-shaped hole in man's heart (He is made to be fulfilled in Him alone), says Pascal.

6)  There is anthropological proof because belief is universal and all primitive peoples believe in a god or deity.

7)  Cosmological evidence citing the law of causality (cause and effect) which needs a so-called first cause or ultimate causation (Heb. 3:4).

8)  Ontological evidence--where did we get this idea from--it is like a tug or a moving of the tide (Rom. 1:19)--no one is without excuse (Rom. 1:20).

9) The moral compass of man like a mathematical table, not like social evolution (Rom. 2:15).

10) Teleological proof means that there is order, purpose, harmony, and intelligence (design), which point to a designer or grand thinker or author. If things are in order, someone had to put them that way!

11)  The Big Bang implies that the cosmos had a beginning, so who pulled the trigger?  There must be a "Beginner."

12)  The personhood of man proves God must be a person, for He must be greater than us, as His "offspring" (Acts 17:29).

13)  Can't prove a universal negative--that He doesn't exist (can't even prove there are no little green men!).

14)  Infinite time plus chance is bogus reasoning and is called "junkyard mentality"  This is like hoping a blind person can solve Rubik's Cube (would take 1.35 trillion years).  (Even if the whole universe were filled with junkyards and a tornado went through all of them, a 747 would not be assembled by chance, and this is an analogy).

15)  There is more evidence for than against--it is the hardness and unwillingness of the heart that doesn't want to believe; there is plenty of evidence and sound evidence at that.

16) Atheism can't account for Big Bang, the universe's fine-tuning, anthropic design of earth, the origin of life, the resurrection of Christ, the Bible's confirmation, changed lives, DNA, biogenesis,  et al.

17)  Archeology has never controverted the Bible though many have tried to disprove it and failed.

18)  Miracles and prophecy of the Bible are consistent and unaccountable by any other explanation.

19) Pascal's wager says that you are wiser to bet there is a God and find out you are wrong than take your chance that there isn't one and end up in hell--there's a lot to lose!


20)  The moral argument shows that God cares a lot about right and wrong and ethics and where did fair play, good faith, altruism, goodwill, integrity, et al., come from?

Creation implies a creator; design, ipso facto a designer; order, ergo an Orderer; and art, therefore an artist! This is plain logic and common sense:  if you found a watch, wouldn't you say someone made it?    "God doesn't believe in atheists," some have well said.  Norman Geisler said, "I don't have enough faith to be an atheist!"  There is more evidence for God than against--in fact, what evidence is there really that there is no God?

You can experience Christ personally and God challenges you: "Taste and see that the LORD is good"  (Psa. 34:8).   It takes faith; if you could rationalize God or prove Him, it wouldn't take faith and He would be not worthy of our worship!

Finally, it is not egotistical to assert that there is a God, and Jesus is the only way to Him because He made that claim and we just take His word for it--it is not us saying it!
  Soli Deo Gloria!

Should We Respect All Authority Figures?

"Render to all what is due them:   tax to whom tax is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honor to whom honor"  (Rom. 13:7).  Honor all people, love the brotherhood, fear God, honor the king.  Servants, be submissive to your masters with all respect, not only to those who are good and gentle but also to those who are unreasonable" (1 Pet. 2:17-18).  "Submit yourselves for the Lord's sake to every human institution, whether to a king as the one in authority, or to governors as sent by him for the punishment of evildoers and the praise of those who do right"  (1 Pet. 2:13-14, NASB).

"Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers.  For there is no power but of God:  the powers that be are ordained of God.   Whoso resisteth the power resisteth the ordinance of God...  For he is the minister of God to thee for good...(Rom. 13:1-2,4a, KJV)."

The Word says to fear (respect) all that fear is due (I learned this pretty fast in the Army saying my first "Yes, Sir!"), but does this mean it is up to us to decide whether they are worthy of our respect or not?  All authority is given by God and established by Him and it would not have any power over us except that God has given it.  Disrespecting authority is a way of disrespecting God (e.g., parents are in loco Dei or in the place of God as the first authority figures a child has to learn to obey, and disobedience to parents was a crime worthy of death, according to Romans 1) and only when they ask us to do some evil or sinful act are we entitled and obligated to disobey, and even do civil disobedience--there is a limit to our obedience (Shall we obey God or man? is asked in Acts 4:19).

But just as the judge demands respect from the court, even if they disagree, so in the military services one respects positions of authority regardless of the personal opinions or whether one likes them--it is the office they hold that is the key.  When the judge enters the courtroom, all rise out of respect and call him "your honor."

 We are to honor all people because they are in the image and likeness of God, no one deserves contempt or inhumane treatment as if they weren't human or deserved any rights.  We believe in the basic dignity of man and that is why capital punishment is appropriate because a person in God's image has been killed.  In a church, we have an organization, though the church is an organism of believers.  Elders, deacons, and pastors and teachers are a chain of command and are there by God's decree.  It is vain to believe we can reform our church to our image and agree with our way of thinking--Martin Luther tried this and failed to change the Vatican, getting excommunicated in the process and having to start his own denomination, which was not his intent.

 Rebellion is a sin and so is sowing discord among brothers.  Being divisive, factious, or contentious is a fruit of the flesh and to be avoided and disciplined by the church body  (cf. Gal. 5:20).  We are not trying to start our little own following, revolution or movement to be counterproductive to the system--we want to church's blessing on our endeavor.    As an example, I have this blog and made sure that my pastor didn't object to my sharing it; I gave him a sample of my doctrine so he knows where I stand, and that I'm not way out there in some heresy or something, and dangerous to the church.  This is done in the "up and up" and not in secret--no hidden agenda. 

We are to work with the system God has set up and respect all authority, even if we don't like them.   Remembering Jesus' words to Pilate:  "You would have no authority over me, except it had been given from above." Jesus never showed any signs of lack of respect, though he didn't really cooperate as expected.  As Protestants we can take advice from Martin Luther who dared to stand up to heresy and take the consequences, saying:  "I dissent, I disagree, I protest."

 Summing up, we don't have to agree with everything, but in everything we do we must show respect and disagree in the right way:  Augustine's dictum, "In essentials, unity; in nonessentials, liberty; in all things, charity" applies, but that also means we are to leave room for disagreement from the church, and not just them leaving room for our disagreement.  There should be unity, but not uniformity in the body. "Being diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace" (cf. Eph. 4:3).  Soli Deo Gloria!

Are You An Antinomian?

"Everyone did what was right in his own eyes" (Judges 21:25).  We are not free to do what we want, but what we ought! 

A word to the wise is sufficient from Romans 14:1-5 as follows:  "Accept one who is weak in the faith, but don't argue about doubtful issues.  One person believes he may eat anything, but one who is weak in the faith eats only vegetables.  One who eats must not look down on one who does not eat, and one who does not eat must not criticize one who does,  because God has accepted him. Who are you to criticize another person's household slave?  Before his own Lord, he stands or falls.  And he will stand.  For the Lord is able to make him stand... Each one must be fully convinced in his own mind"  (HCSB).

My goal is to refute those who have become a "law unto themselves."  I want to emphasize that the unbeliever knows no law in effect, however, the believer needs no law in effect--a paradox.

We should never label our brothers, but for the sake of argument, let's analyze the issue.  Antinomianism refers to "anti-lawism," or being against law.  It is sometimes called libertinism, hedonism, or living by the philosophy that says, "Freed from the law, Oh blessed condition, now I can sin all I want and still have remission." It refers to moral liberty run amuck or moral laxity to the extreme.    We don't have the right to do as we want as believers and we are not a law unto ourselves--the Bible doesn't sanction a license to sin.  We never have the right to do what is wrong, and we believe in absolute right and wrong, defined by the Word of God, not our conscience--we are not lawless!  Certain of the more than 600 laws are now obsolete and don't matter to Christians, such as tithing,  cutting our sideburns,  mixing fabrics, or charging interest, but if it is serious it is reinstated in the New Testament in some manner.  Recall that Paul said love is the fulfillment of the Law.    We don't have to become Old Testament scholars to be good Christians--you can never go wrong by placing emphasis on the New Testament.

When we strive to obey the Law, we have "fallen from grace."  We don't have to become somewhat Jewish to become a Christian.  Neither justification nor sanctification is through the Law; instead, we are subject to the Law of the Spirit of life in Christ (Rom. 8:1-2).  The Pharisees were guilty of obeying the letter of the Law, and not the spirit of the Law--"As many as are led by the Spirit are not under the Law [how clear can the Bible be?]," says Gal. 5:18. The difference between a Christian and a non-Christian is that the former needs no law, and the latter knows no law.   Yes, all the Law can be summed up in loving your neighbor as yourself (Gal. 5:14).

There is a question of definition and morality. Some say are obliged to obey the moral law (in fact we are not "lawless", but have an inner law given by God), as opposed to the ceremonial or governmental codes.   There are many moral precepts laid down in the Law that are relevant and are merely addendum's to the Decalogue and are spelled out to a dense nation that didn't know right and wrong.  There are plenty of sins to worry about already, that we don't have to find some obscure one to preach about--we should always keep the main thing the main thing and preach salvation and deliverance from the Law.  

I have heard it said that if we are under the Ten Commandments (except for the Sabbath observance, which is not repeated in the New Testament). and this has not been rescinded.  There are plenty of sins mentioned in the New Testament (see Romans 1 Mark 7,  or Gal 5:20-21), that we don't need a longer "to-do list" or "not-to-do-list," as it were (Christianity isn't a rulebook if you will).

It is a sound interpretation of Scripture that the New Testament trumps the Old and we should interpret each in light of the other.  The fault of legalists is that they see "sins" and not "sin," or the root problem.  The Pharisees strained at a gnat and swallowed a camel!   They neglected the important areas of love, justice, and mercy while being overly legalistic and demanding about the Sabbath, making it a burden to dread, not a joy.

Remember,  Jesus said, "My yoke is easy and my burden is light."  The early church (referring to the Jerusalem Council in Acts 15) did not desire to burden the early church with a yoke their fathers couldn't bear and did not require them to follow the Law of Moses.  Christianity is a new faith and the fulfillment of, and not an extension or continuation of Judaism, which the early church struggled about.  Judaizers were an early heresy and Hebrews was written to combat this.  Soli Deo Gloria!