If God Works In Mysterious Ways, How Does The Devil Work?

“And no wonder! Even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light!” (cf. 2 Cor. 11:14, CEB).

“… it will happen through Satan’s effort, with all kinds of fake power, signs, and wonders,” (cf. 2 Thess. 2:9, CEB).

“They will pay attention to spirits that deceive and to the teaching of demons…” (cf. 1Tim. 4:1, CEB).

‘Satan has blinded the minds of them that believe not…” (cf. 2 Cor. 4:4).

“… Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour,” (cf. 1 Pet. 5:8).

“We are not ignorant of His schemes” (cf. 2 Cor. 2:11). He uses mind games and psychological warfare. He isn’t afraid to lower the bar and get dirty. The devil is devious and deceptive; there is not truth in him for he is a liar nd a murderer from the beginning and cannot tell the truth. He cloaks his lies in half-truths, misinformation, and disinformation. He’d do anything to perpetuate his lies and deceptions. For propaganda to him is a way to control the masses and to exercise public lies and disseminate his poison. He works just like any of his minions or wicked servants under his influence to tempt and to discourage. . All in all, it is paramount to know our enemy! To win any war, Sun Tzu wrote in The Art of War, “know your enemy!’

But “God works in mysterious ways, His wonders to perform” (cf. Isaiah 45:15), citing the song by Robert Cowper. Mysteries are hidden but can be known, but lies are counter to truth and are destructive to the soul. The finite cannot understand the infinite and our limited minds must realize God is too deep to fathom (“Canst thou by searching find out God?” —cf. Job 11:7). “How unsearchable are His judgments and His ways past finding out,” (cf. Romans 11:33).

The devil is incapable of performing wonders for he is easily perceived as limited and incompetent—he is most predictable and incapable of being original but is fully a slave to himself with destructive habits that control others too. The funny thing is that he overestimates himself! His boasting reveals his insecurities.

Wonders bring glory to God but the devil tries to bring glory to himself and steal God’s glory.—he really desires adoration, fame, attention, and worship. Everything relates to him and revolves around him as a selfish and megalomaniac if you will, for he cannot see the future like God and is near-sighted and short-sighted without any wisdom for the long term (he thought he defeated Christ at the cross—cf. Acts 2:23; 4:28).

Worst of all, he appeals to the lower nature of man and this makes him desirable for he knows our weaknesses and can tempt us and lead us into evil if we let him. Does any of this sound familiar for we all have our own demons. Now that we recognize him, we shouldn’t give the devil an opportunity (cf. Eph. 4:27).

In summation, the devil is not unlike any of his faithful and fallen servants even if they are unbeknownst to them; there is a little devil in all his minions and wicked men—where do you think they got their ideas from (you may not feel you know the devil, but you may find out by looking at his children!)—their father is the devil, who is the “god of this world? [age]”  Soli Deo Gloria!

Why Is Faith Without Works Dead?

Faith and repentance are a gift must produce the fruit of righteousness (cf. Acts 26:20; Matt. 3:8) by which we are judged and known (cf. Matt. 7:16).

1. Faith expresses itself as knowledge acted on; Abraham obeyed by faith as the father of the faithful (cf. Heb. 11:8).
2. Faith is seen by its fruit; you are known by your fruits; the point of faith is a changed life (cf. Matt. 1:21; 7:16).
3. Faith must be authenticated to be seen as in Heb. 11, called the Hall of faith; Abraham was the father of faith (cf. Gal. 3:7; Matt. 1:21).
4. Faith doesn’t save, what is done with it does; judged by works, not faith (cf. Rom. 2:6).
5. Faith doesn’t save and creeds don’t save, its object does, if it’s Christ (cf. Matt. 1:21 Romans 5:1)
6. Faith is our witness to others as evidence of things unseen. (cf. James 2:18; Heb. 11:1).
7. Faith has the fruit of obedience as proof and faithfulness is applied faith (cf. Heb. 3:18–19); it will be done unto us according to our faith (cf. Matt. 9:29).
8. Faith can be claimed without being genuine and judged by faithfulness (cf. Romans 1:17; Matt. 25:21).
9. Faith in Jesus changes lives with works as proof (cf. Heb. 11:2).
10. Faith is directed towards an object or person; it’s knowledge put to work by definition.
11. Faith cannot be claimed without being authentic; no one can boast of it as a gift (cf. Eph. 2:9).
12. Faith is a sign or evidence that cannot be denied by its action; it’s trusting in what one has good reason to believe in by definition (cf. Heb. 11:1,8).
13. Faith with works is proof of salvation, but works are not a substitute for faith (cf. Rom. 4:5; James 2:14).
14. Faith is the instrumental means of salvation not salvation itself, not the essence of it either but proof of it (cf. Rom. 4:5).
15. Faith without works cannot be rewarded and is suspect (cf. James 2:28), but works by faith can (cf. Rom. 2:6; Psalm 62:12; Prov. 24:12); the two cannot be divorced (cf. Heb. 6:1; Heb. 3:18–19; James 2:26; Romans 2:,
16. Faith and obedience go hand in hand and are equated in Scripture (cf. Heb. 3:18–19; 6:1 Acts 6:7; Romans 1:5).
17. Faith is dead without works (cf. James 2:20) meaning that it has no effects; it’s useless and of no avail by definition; it cannot save! Dead faith goes nowhere.
18. Faith comes by the the hearing of the Word (cf. Romans 10:17).
19. Faith is the gift of God and cannot be boasted of because it’s grace at work (cf. Acts 18:27; Phil. 1:29; Phil. 1:29; Eph. 2:8–9).
20. Faith is knowledge in action or trusting in what one has good reason to believe by definition,
21. Faith is explained: For we walk by faith and not by sight (cf. 2 Cor. 5:7);
22. Faith is commanded: The just shall live by faith (cf. Gal. 3:11; Heb. 10:38; Hab. 2:4; Rom. 1:17);
23. Faith is expected: Without faith it is impossible to please God (cf. Heb. 11:6);
24. Faith is lasting: We must remain grounded in the faith (cf. Col. 1:23)
25. Faith is a fight and battle: And fight the good fight of faith (cf. 1 Tim. 6:12).  Soli Deo Gloria!

What Is Extraordinary Evidence As Seen By Theologians?

 

Many of them are referring to the so-called audacious claims of Christ that He is God, not believing there’s enough evidence. But this is proven fallacious reasoning because it can be demonstrated that if you won the lottery and just turned on the TV and heard your numbers, you would believe without any further confirmation, that it satisfied your requirements for assurance. If you won the lottery, you wouldn’t be skeptical until the CPA actually certified you ticket, you would celebrate before that! You would’ve trusted the TV as a reliable and credible source of news and info.

But Jesus did that to His disciples when He rose from the dead and appeared to them for 40 days to convince them that He was really risen and not some ghost or imposter. They were so convinced that they became martyrs because of it. This is important testimony in a court of law because people usually tell the truth when faced with death. If they had been consummate liars they probably wouldn’t have been willing to die for it. Most sincere or fanatical men will die for what they believe is true, but not for what they KNOW is false. The disciples had such character that we can count them as credible witnesses and the veracity of their claims.

Any such conspiracy theory will not hold water in light of the truth, because it is unlikely that all the disciples would’ve died for a lost cause. The truth would’ve leaked out before that and the movement wouldn’t have gotten off the ground. The Jewish Pharisee Caiaphas predicted that, if the movement were of God, they couldn’t stop it (they would be fighting God); if not, it would go nowhere and not get off the ground. Jesus is known as changing the course of history and not as a liar. Actually, the disciple Thomas said that he wouldn’t believe unless he could stick his hand in Jesus side and feel for himself; this was skepticism and doubt but not unreasonable—Jesus accommodated him.

The point is not what Jesus claimed (to be God or not) according to cults or sects but according to mainline Christianity, but the point is moot because it doesn’t affect the answer.  Soli Deo Gloria!

Do Biblical Values Conflict With Morals Of Today?

 True morality is timeless and absolute morals exist; moral relativism is a false narrative that is believed. Morals are not by consensus but dictated by a sovereign Judge, who is the moral center of the universe. What was wrong morally in the time of Jesus still holds today. Christians believe that most contemporary values have become corrupt and people have grown numb or oblivious to them, even ignoring them and “accepting” them to the point of co-existence or live and let live.

We are living in a similar time to Israel in the day of the Judges: “Each man did what was right in his own eyes, for there was no king,” (cf. Judges 17:6; 21:25). Also, New Age values are popular with youth: “If it feels good, how can it be so wrong? or Postmodern values or truth: “That may be true for you, but not for me.”

But what is misunderstood is that we are no longer under the Mosaic Law’s ceremonial or governmental requirements, to obey them. For instance, stoning people for blasphemy, adultery, or breaking the Sabbath. But that doesn’t mean we ought to sanction them as the norm of behavior. Jesus summed up the whole duty of man to God and man as loving God with all our soul and our neighbor as ourselves (cf. Mark 12:30–31).

Ethics is defined as our duty to God and man: “This is the whole duty of man: is to fear God and do His commandments” (cf. Eccl. 12:13). Jesus in the Great Commission (cf. Matt. 28:20) told us to do all He commanded. Certain values do change and Christians are aware of this, but that doesn’t preclude the existence of absolute moral principles.

The awareness of morals and values have evolved such as the evils of slavery and child labor. To the believer, morality is when the motive, means, and end are just and pure in God’s eyes who sees good and evil (cf. Prov. 15:3). ‘The LORD searches every heart and understands every motive behind the thoughts,” (cf. 1 Chron. 28:29). But it was Christ who gave women dignity and the concept of human rights and freedom, contrary to contemporary values of Rome. . In sum, we do live in an era of moral paralysis; we’ve become hard of hearing to moral values; decay has set in!  Soli Deo Gloria!

What Is The Spiritual Meaning Of Salvation

 

1. To have oneself renewed in the image of God.
2. To have the relationship (reconciled) with God’s family restored.
3. To have oneself justified in God’s court of the penalty of sin.
4. To have oneself redeemed (price paid) in the slave market of sin.
5. To have oneself propitiated (the sacrifice made) in the temple of God.
6. To have oneself born again into a new life in Christ to last forever.
7. To have oneself forgiven of one’s past
8. To have oneself a clean slate to start over.
9. To have oneself freed from the power of sin
10. To have oneself given new meaning and purpose in life.

NB: We receive, we don’t achieve!   Soli Deo Gloria!

Does Science Contradict Faith?

 

1. There is no final conflict—apparent difficulties have been reconciled, the Bible proving right after all.
2. Science takes things apart; religion puts them together; many questions cannot be answered by science, but need religion; i..e., the Anthropic Principle.
3. Science is the know-how, while religion is the know-why; science deals in the physical while religion the metaphysical.
4. Science without religion is lame; religion without science is blind.
5. He who thinks there is a contradiction between science and religion understands neither.
6. Christianity is considered the “mother of modern science.”
7. There are dozens of scientific facts in the Bible with no scientific anomalies or contradictions; these facts were before science knew of them and were ahead of their time.
8. Science makes the mistake of ruling out the possibility of the supernatural and believes everything can be explained with natural causes and has an explanation without God in the equation.
9. Virtually all the early modern scientists were professing Christians and founded it upon the Christian worldview that definite laws govern nature (cf. Job 38:33).
10. There is no reason a Christian cannot be a good scientist and a scientist a good Christian—both exist.

NB: Augustine said that “all truth is God’s truth,” and Aquinas added that “all truth meets at the top.” John Locke described reality as that which corresponds with the truth. There can be a contradiction between truth and the God of truth.

The One True Faith With Many Counterfeits...

 Spaces

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Notifications

1. Mine is based in history (my God orchestrates it) and objective fact; ‘it’s historical, from the God of history, or it’s nothing, pointing especially to the objective, historical fact of the resurrection as the climax.
2. Mine has no scientific anomalies but has scientific facts ahead of its time.
3. Mine has subjective evidence of experiencing God personally (“Taste and see that the LORD is good”).
4. Mine is based on the miracle of the resurrection, arguably the most attested fact of antiquity.
5. Mine claims to be the only way to know God (truth is exclusive by nature).
6. Mine has no inherent contradictions, which have not been reconciled by scholars.
7. Mine claims to be knowable, absolute truth from the God of truth that gives the answer from the Answerer.
8. Mine is based on a holy book (the Bible) that is infallible and inerrant, and the only so-called scripture that contains predictive prophecy, even fulfilled ones.
9. Mine is based on a Savior who was without sin but understands us as a human, though still God.—the God-man; Jesus claimed to be God Himself in the flesh—no other religious founder made such claims.
10. Mine is based on inspiration and revelation, not speculation or conjecture.
11. Mine is the only one that solves man’s problem of sin, not ignorance, yet He respects our minds.
12. Mine gives purpose, dignity, and meaning in life, including suffering, and gives us hope for the future.
13. Mine has witnesses and martyrs who have died for its truths rather than deny them.
14. Mine has changed the course of history, even turning Rome topsy-turvy.
15. Mine has had a profound effect on Western Civilization, especially in absolute morals.
16. Mine is the only one that offers salvation by grace as a gift through faith, not of works.
17. Mine is the only one that says we can know God, not just believe He exists.
18. Mine is the only one that says God loves me individually.
19. Mine is the only one that gives me a claim to having human rights as in the image of God.
20. Mine is the only one that has a personal God that knows me and I can know in return.

What Makes Us Different From Animals

 “There’s something about the way God is that man is.” Though we are in God’s image, we are limited and God is infinite and cannot be limited or described adequately. But man is a creature, God the Creator. Deity in the Bible refers to having divine nature and of being holy, which man isn’t. Man is not divine but can become godly. Man will be glorified in heaven, if save, but not deified. The Deity refers to the person of God in His attributes or essence: God is infinite and man is finite and cannot grasp Him.

Man has always sought to make a name for himself and to dethrone God and deify himself, but this is in vain. Humanists since Protagoras have said that man is the measure of all things (Homo mensura). Man has rights only because they are conferred by God. If one posits man as a mere animal, then when did hominids acquire rights?

There is but one God according to the Bible and one Mediator between God and man, the God-man Jesus Christ, who is the Son of God and equal to Him. Sometimes we refer to the Being of God as the Deity, meaning the whole Godhead or three in one—the Trinity. All the fullness of the Deity dwells in Christ, who is God with skin on.

Man is unique in being created in the image of God and able to fellowship and communicate with Him or to relate and connect with Him. remember, it is because of our image in God that we have human rights, meaning, purpose, and dignity. We are moral, conscientious, rational, intuitive, passionate, self-conscious or sentient beings, but not gods or Gods. We are mortal and God is immortal and eternal. There is much to contrast: We had a beginning at birth, God had no beginning, being eternal and uncaused, for He’s not the effect of anything or anyone. Being without beginning necessitates being without cause and not being the effect of something or someone.

We cannot or could not know God except by revelation; God chose to reveal Himself to us in the person of Christ, the Son of God, co-equal, co-eternal, and co-divine with the Father. The finite cannot contain the infinite, the adage says. We cannot know God exhaustively, but only truly. We cannot fully describe God to fit in our boxes, but we can know Him and have a relationship with Him

Soli Deo Gloria!

All Roads Lead To Romans

Theologians say that Romans is the high point of the Bible and all books lead toward it; while the high point of Romans is in Romans 8, and the high point of verse 8 is verse 28 or that "All things work together for good for those called according to His purpose." Romans is the "clearest gospel of all" according to theologians and its story is about the gospel as the fifth gospel and compendium of Paul's theology. This is the story of Romans simply put: the problem of sin has its solution is condemnation; the problem of salvation in justification the problem of separation is sanctification; the problem of sovereignty in dispensation; the problem of service in glorification. 

The gospel is laid out in simple terms: its power in the Holy Spirit; its purpose unto salvation; its availability to universally; its context in faith; Our righteousness is from faith to faith meaning that we progress and grow in faith. Its freedom is in Christ while its victory through the H.S. We are saved from the penalty of sin (cf. Rom. 5); from the dominion of sin (cf Rom. 6:14); from the Law (cf. Rom 7:4); from indwelling sin nature (cf. Rom. 8:2); and from ultimate judgment (cf. Rom. 8:1) and condemnation. Romans 116-17 is a high point. The gospel is the good news of Jesus; God is the source of life in Christ; the power is in the omnipotence of God; salvation is in deliverance from sin, death, judgment, despair, ourselves, and hell; everyone is affected and the scope is to all; the condition is to believe; the righteousness is the state of becoming right with God; the reward is revealed in heaven.

Note that the word faith occurs multiple times and is from the Greek pistis and can also be translated as faithfulness; we must not divorce the two! Romans 1:17 is also repeated in Hab. 2:4; Gal. 3:11; and Heb. 10:38. This verse was the wake-up call for Martin Luther and the spiritual birth certificate of the Reformation. We must note also that the Law can not condemn us (cf. Rom. 8:1,3); it cannot claim us (cf. 8:2); it cannot control us (cf. 8:4). This gospel has pardon, purpose, power, and peace as the byproducts and fruit.  

The Law laws down what a man must do, while the gospel what God has done. The purpose of the Law is to expose sin; to measure us, not to save us (cf. Rom. 3:20). The only way we can fulfill the Law is to walk in the Spirit. Love is the fulfillment. Romans 5 has five divisions: sin leading to condemnation; salvation leading to justification; leading to sanctification (we are works in progress); sovereignty leading to dispensation and God's decree; and service leading to glorification and reward. We must take note that in the gospel message, God settled the sn question once and for all with the crucifixion of Christ.

Also, in chapter 5, we see the source of justification as grace; the price as the blood of Christ; the means by faith; ad the proof by the resurrection of Christ. We were saved while we were yet enemies (v. 10, sinners v. 8); and without strength (v. 6). This is why we need forgiveness in two ways: for what we've done and for who and what we are. The problem of sins is solved by the blood and the problem of sin by the cross. 

In chapter 6 we see how we know (vv. 6-9); reckon (v. 11); and yield or commit (v. 13). We have two choices only: obedience and life or rejection and death. We become free to live in Christ, not free to sin. Sin shows our slavery, not our freedom. We become free to bear fruit. There is no good thing in us! (cf 7:17-18). The solution is complete surrender to God. He must work righteousness in us by the ministry of the Spirit: illumination; inspiration, guidance, comfort, deliverance, power, sanctification. With our position in Christ, we progress in sanctification and are works in progress. Soli Deo Gloria!

Awaiting Our Adoption From God

 Adolf Harnack wrote What Is Christianity to articulate and resolve the issue once and for all of the basis of the faith and came up with the universal fatherhood of God and the universal brotherhood of mankind as the reduction of the doctrines in its LCD or lowest common denomination as the affirmation of a creed.  This was too simplistic a breakdown of Christian theology.   This view was respected by theologians until the neo-orthodoxy of Swiss theologian Karl Barth writing Church Dogmatics, a tome in itself of four volumes and over 6 million words and considered one of the most pivotal theological achievements of the twentieth century.  

"Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us that we should be called the children of God!" (cf. 1 John 3:1).    But the Bible says that the unredeemed are the children of the devil, not of God.  We must be born again into God's family.  Reconciliation means restoration of the broken relationship between us and God as family.  God treated us as family and we ought to treat our brethren as members of our true family of God.  

The thing about adoption that makes it so compelling to believe in is that it's permanent and gives equal status as that of the natural-born and equal rights as joint heirs. Also, as a metaphor, have you ever heard of anyone becoming "unadopted?"  Adoption is a badge of honor and it costs to get adopted; God willing paid this price knowing who we are and what manner of person we'd become! Know that when we are with our church family that we are to be treated as family and can expect this in return from our brethren in Christ.  God doesn't treat us as slaves, but as children to whom He has given His will and a Great Commission as ambassadors of Christ. Therefore, we have the spirit in our souls that cries out, "Abba, Father," (cf. Gal 4:6; Rom. 8:15). The word Abba means literally father but Abbi means daddy!  

We are already officially adopted and our fate and destiny are sealed by the seal of the Holy Spirit, but it becomes finalized, completed, and actualized in glory.  What glory awaits our final adoption with all our inheritance as children of God!  We used to be the slaves of sin but now the slaves of righteousness; actually the more enslaved to righteousness we are the freer we become in Christ.  Because we were washed and sanctified and we once sold under sin and its power. 

We must never ask if we measure up or compare ourselves with others as to whether we are better or worse because God is no respecter of persons and didn't choose us because of our merit or works.  We did nothing to deserve it and nothing we can do can take it away; it's a done deal!  This grace of adoption and salvation is free but not cheap! It costs the blood of Christ to redeem us!    

The call to adoption is inclusive in that the general call of the gospel message goes out to all who will listen; however, many are called but few are chosen! Romans 8 tells us that there is an inner calling of God and whoever God calls gets justified and cannot be lost in the shuffle of the chain of redemption in Romans 8:29-30.      Soli Deo Gloria!