Daily Bible Nugget #784, Psalm 94:14

Posted on October 8, 2023 by Jerry


The Nugget:

Psalm 94:14  For the LORD will not cast off his people, neither will he forsake his inheritance. (KJV)

Psa 94:14 Certainly the LORD does not forsake his people;
he does not abandon the nation that belongs to him. (NET Bible)

Psa 94:14 For Jehovah will not cast off his people, neither will he forsake his inheritance; (Darby translation)

My Comment:

Contrary to the belief of many Christians and their pastors and seminary professors today, God has not and will not cast off His people Israel. You can argue all you please. This is the plain teaching of Scripture, both Old and New Testament. God has not transferred the promises He has given Israel under the Abrahamic and Davidic Covenants to anyone else, not even the New Testament Church. It is about time that Christians opened their Bibles and did some Real Bible Study!

I discovered that I briefly discussed Psalm 94:14 in a comment I wrote in the extensive discussion that follows my post of May 7, 2011. Very few people will ever read that post and the long series of comments which followed, so I reproduce my comment here:

God has not at all given up on His People, the descendants of Abraham, the Jewish people. The Abrahamic Covenant and the Davidic Covenant have not been cancelled.

The absolute evidence for that? God Himself states that the evidence that He has not cancelled His sworn Covenant to Abraham and David is that day still follows night. Until they don’t do so, His Covenants are still in force.

To help you study this issue from the Bible itself, here are the cross references I have provided in The Ultimate Cross Reference Treasury for Psalm 94:14,

Psalms 94:14
For. Psa 36:10; Psa 37:28, *1Sa 12:22, Isa 49:14, 15, Jer 32:39, 40, %Luk 12:46, **Joh 10:27, 28, 29, 30, 31, *Rom 8:30; *Rom 8:38; *Rom 8:39; +**Rom 11:1; +**>Rom 11:2, +*Heb 13:5.

not cast off. Psa 43:2; *Psa 89:28; *Psa 89:33; *Psa 89:37; +**Psa 132:11, **+Lev 26:44, +*1Sa 12:22, +**2Sa 7:15, Job 8:20, +**Isa 41:9; +**Isa 41:17; Isa 42:16; +**Isa 55:3, +*Jer 4:27; **Jer 31:37; +**Jer 33:24, 25, 26, *Lam 3:31, +**Rom 11:1.

his people. +**Deut 32:43.

neither will he forsake. Psa 94:5, Psa 33:12; Psa 36:10; +*Psa 37:25, Deut 32:9, +*1Sa 12:22, Job 8:20, Isa 41:17; *Isa 42:16; +*Isa 60:10, +*Jer 4:27; Jer 10:16; *Jer 51:5, **Zec 10:6, +*Mal 3:6, Eph 1:18, +*Heb 13:5.

his inheritance. Psa 94:5, Psa 2:8; Psa 28:9; Psa 33:12, Exo 15:17; Exo 34:9, Lev 25:23, Deut 4:20; Deut 9:26; Deut 9:29; +*Deut 32:9; +*Deut 32:43, 1Sa 10:1; 1Sa 26:19, 2Sa 20:19; 2Sa 21:3, 1Ki 8:51; 1Ki 8:53, 2Ki 21:14, **Isa 19:25; Isa 63:17; Isa 65:9, Jer 10:16, +*Dan 7:14, Zec 2:12, +**Luk 1:32; +**Luk 1:33, *Rom 8:17, Eph 1:18, +*Col 3:24, Heb 1:2, +*Rev 11:15.

Posted in Bible Promises, Bible Prophecy, Daily Bible Nuggets | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Proper Church Discipline to Promote Spiritual Growth

Posted on October 6, 2023 by Jerry

 

The Nugget:

Pro 18:13  He that answereth a matter before he heareth it, it is folly and shame unto him. (KJV, King James Version)

Pro 18:13 It’s stupid and embarrassing to give an answer before you listen. (CEV, Contemporary English Version)

My Comment:

The best way to avoid the need for church discipline is to follow the instructions given in the Bible about making disciples found in the very last three verses in Matthew as given by our Lord Jesus Christ:

Mat 28:18  And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.
Mat 28:19  Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:
Mat 28:20  Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen. (KJV)

For “teach all nations,” many modern English Bible translations read “make disciples of all nations,” as in the World English Bible,

Mat 28:19  Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, (WEB)

Making disciples involves thorough teaching of the Bible. It requires grounding every believer so that they are:

 

Colossians 2:7  Rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving. (KJV)

Col 2:6 So, just as you once accepted Christ Jesus as your Lord, you must continue living in vital union with Him,
Col 2:7 with your roots deeply planted in Him, being continuously built up in Him, and growing stronger in faith, just as you were taught to do, overflowing through it in your gratitude. (Williams New Testament)

I have placed much material in a five-part series about how to do this on this site. Use the search feature and do a search using the key word “disciple” to find those articles.

On the subject of church discipline I have placed much material in both The New Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (NTSK) and The Ultimate Cross Reference Treasury (UCRT) indexes, notes, and cross references. I have had direct experience as an ordained elder at the Military Avenue UP Church in Detroit as well as experience as an elected union representative at two of the three high schools where I taught, also in Detroit. These experiences required me to search the Scriptures to find God’s directions on how to approach and solve these problems.

The key reference passage or verse (because its cross references will lead to many of the other related Scriptures and notes) is Proverbs 18:13. This is connected to Topic Number 1829 in the NTSK or Topic Number 1830 in the UCRT. I found this verse by using the Subject Index, using the term “Due process, the accused entitled to.”

Pro 18:13  He that answereth a matter before he heareth it, it is folly and shame unto him. (KJV)

Pro 18:13  He who returns a word before he will hear, folly itself belongs to him as well as shame. (LEB, Lexham English Bible)
Pro 18:13  Listen before you answer. If you don’t, you are being stupid and insulting. (GNB, Good News Bible)
Pro 18:13  Whoever gives an answer before he listens is stupid and shameful. (GW, God’s Word translation)

Pro 18:13  It’s stupid and embarrassing to give an answer before you listen. (CEV, Contemporary English Version)

A little side note: we demonstrate care by listening. Paul speaks of his daily “care of all the churches” (2 Corinthians 11:28), and we know that Paul listened carefully by the responses he gave to the questions and concerns of the churches reflected in his letters.

Here are the cross references from the UCRT for Proverbs 18:13,

Proverbs 18:13

that. *Deut 13:14, 2Sa 16:4; 2Sa 19:24-30, Est 3:10, etc. Est 8:5, etc. *Job 29:16, Dan 6:9; Dan 6:14, **Joh 7:24.

answereth a matter. Heb. returneth a word. Pro 17:13; Pro 24:26 mg. Pro 26:16, **Jos 22:16; **Jos 22:21 note. 1Sa 17:30 mg. Jas 1:19.

before he heareth it. T1830, *Pro 18:17, Pro 14:8; Pro 15:22; +Pro 15:28, +*Lev 19:15, Deut 19:15, 2Sa 14:8; 2Sa 16:4; 2Sa 19:24-30, Est 3:10; Est 8:5, Job 18:2; %Job 32:4; %Job 32:10; %Job 32:11, Dan 6:9; Dan 6:14; Dan 6:18, +**Joh 7:51, Act 16:37-39; Act 25:16; Act 25:27; Act 26:1, +**1Ti 5:19 note.

folly. Pro 5:2-3; Pro 12:23; Pro 13:16; Pro 14:1.

shame. Job 20:3, Psa 4:2; Psa 35:26.

The other Bible passage given in the NTSK and UCRT Subject Index for “Due Process” is John 7:51.

Joh 7:51  Doth our law judge any man, before it hear him, and know what he doeth? (KJV)
Joh 7:51  “According to our Law we cannot condemn people before hearing them and finding out what they have done.” (GNB)
Joh 7:51  “Do Moses’ Teachings enable us to judge a person without first hearing that person’s side of the story? We can’t judge a person without finding out what that person has done.” (GW)
Joh 7:51  “Our Law doesn’t let us condemn people before we hear what they have to say. We cannot judge them before we know what they have done.” (CEV)

 

UCRT cross references for John 7:51,
John 7:51
our law. Exo 23:1, Deut 1:17; +*Deut 13:14; Deut 17:6; Deut 17:8, 9, 10, 11; Deut 19:15, 16, 17, 18, 19, Pro 18:13, Zec 7:9, Act 23:3.

before it hear him. FS184C, +Mat 4:9. +*Joh 7:24, Deut 1:16; *Deut 13:14; *Deut 17:4, **Jos 22:10; **Jos 22:11; **Jos 22:12 note, Jos 22:21 note, Jos 22:30, 1Sa 20:32, Ezr 10:16, +*Job 29:16, Psa 94:16, Pro 17:15; +*Pro 18:13; *Pro 31:8, Act 26:1, +**1Ti 5:19 note.

and know what he doeth. +*Deut 13:14, Act 25:16; Act 25:27.

There are instructive notes at Joshua 22:12, 21 and especially 1 Timothy 5:19, 20. I have often thought that my notes at 1 Timothy 5:19 and 1 Timothy 5:20 are too harsh, but my wife and her mother both approved them, so I have not changed them.

Here is the Joshua 22:12 note:

Jos 22:12  And when the children of Israel heard of it, the whole congregation of the children of Israel gathered themselves together at Shiloh, to go up to war against them.

the whole. Note: Supposing they had built this altar for sacrifice, in opposition to the command of God, they considered them as rebels against God, and the Israelitish constitution. Deut 13:15, Jdg 20:1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, +*Joh 7:51, Act 11:2, 3, Rom 10:2, Gal 4:17, 18.

Here is the Joshua 22:21 note:

Jos 22:21  Then the children of Reuben and the children of Gad and the half tribe of Manasseh answered, and said unto the heads of the thousands of Israel,

Then the children. Note: The conduct and answer of these Reubenites and their associates are worthy of admiration and imitation. Though conscious of their innocence, they permitted Phinehas to finish his speech, though composed of little else than accusations, without any interruption; and, taking in good part the suspicions, reproofs, and even harshness of their brethren, with the utmost meekness and solemnity they explain their intention, give all the satisfaction in their power, and with great propriety and reverence, appeal to God against whom they were supposed to have rebelled. %+**1Sa 25:17, Job 33:17, *Pro 18:13.

Patient listening avoided a battle and prevented the loss of many lives!

 

Here are the notes and references for 1 Timothy 5:19 from the UCRT:

1 Timothy 5:19

Against an elder. Every servant of Christ must exercise diligence in living absolutely above reproach (+*Act 6:3, Rom 14:22, +*1Th 5:22, *Tit 2:8), lest the ministry be blamed (+*2Co 6:3). Yet despite such care, misunderstandings and ugly situations will arise (Luk 16:1 note. *2Ti 3:12), frequently from lack of communication between the accuser and the accused. Words and actions are consistently misread, and wrong motives assigned, which in the imagination of the accuser run wild and rampant with no foundation in reality. And it takes but little effort to find two “witnesses” to agree in a false accusation. Any person in the church, whether elder, pastor, teacher, or custodian, will have repeated and sometimes painful experiences where his words or actions will be misinterpreted, and taken completely out of context. The corrective for such problems is to teach forthrightly the penalty Scripture assigns for the false accuser (*Deut 19:18; *Deut 19:19). Teach the necessity of godly forbearance and suspension of judgment until all concerned parties have been fully heard, the evidence is in, and all due process appeal procedures have been exhausted. Teach the need to keep channels of communication open in both directions (+*1Sa 25:17, +*2Ki 5:13).

Teach the proper response to correction (Psa 25:9; +*Psa 141:5, +*Pro 9:8; +*Pro 9:9, Joh 15:20, 21),

as well as the proper means of offering it (+*Lev 19:17, Pro 27:6, +**Rom 12:8 note. **Gal 6:1, +*Eph 6:9).

Teach the requirement that scrupulous adherence to every principle of due process be maintained (+*Lev 19:13; +*Lev 19:15, +*Joh 7:51, Col 4:1).

Christians in positions of management in the workplace need to follow the same principles in maintaining proper employer/employee relations. +1Ti 5:1; +1Ti 5:17,. +Lev 19:13; +Lev 19:15; +Lev 19:17, Deut 19:18, 19, +1Sa 25:17, +2Ki 5:13, Psa 25:9; +Psa 141:5, +Pro 9:8; +Pro 9:9; Pro 27:6, Luk 16:1, **+Joh 7:51; Joh 15:20-21, +Act 6:3, +Rom 12:8; Rom 14:22, +2Co 6:3, Gal 6:1, +Eph 6:9, Col 4:1, 1Th 5:22, 2Ti 3:12, Tit 2:8, 1Pe 5:1.

receive not. Gr. paradechomai (S# G3858, Mar 4:20). Accusations against an elder which cannot be substantiated by credible, disinterested witnesses upon thorough and careful investigation, must be suppressed, silenced, and the falsely accused exonerated. Gen 9:23, +*Exo 23:1 mg. +*Lev 19:15, *Psa 15:3 mg. +*Pro 18:13, Joh 18:29, Act 24:2-13; *Act 25:16, Tit 1:6.
an accusation. Gr. katēgoria (S# G2724, Luk 6:7). +*Gen 38:19, +*Exo 23:1; +*Exo 23:2, +*Psa 101:5, +*Pro 9:8; +*Pro 13:18; +*Pro 17:10; +*Pro 18:13, **Mat 18:15, +*Luk 16:1 note. +*Joh 7:24; +*Joh 7:51, +*Eph 5:11; +*Eph 6:9, +*Col 4:1.
but. or, except. Gr. ektos ei mē. Literally, without if not. FS184C, +Mat 4:9. A strong expression. Deut 13:14.
before. or, under.
two. Num 35:30, Deut 17:6; **Deut 19:15; **Deut 19:18; **Deut 19:19, +Mat 18:16, Joh 8:17, 2Co 13:1, Heb 10:28.

witnesses. Joh 5:31; Joh 8:14.

When it becomes necessary to offer correction to individual believers, the Bible gives much advice and direction on how this can be done more effectively. On this theme, I would start from the note I have placed at Romans 12:8.

The note at Romans 12:6 explains the literary structure of gifts and their corresponding admonitions:

Romans 12:6
gifts. These gifts may be compared with those listed at 1Co 12:8, 9, 10 and Eph 4:11. There appears to be an intended correspondence between the order of the gifts listed in Rom 12:6, 7, 8 and the admonitions which follow in Rom 12:9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15. Each admonition suits the problem area experienced by persons who possess the associated gift. It is probable that every believer possesses just one spiritual gift (1Pe 4:10). Studying these gifts with the additional clues furnished by the associated admonitions may help individual believers identify their gift. Liddon notes Paul here enumerates or implies seven gifts: he gives nine at 1Co 12:1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12; 1Co 12:28, 29, 30; five at Eph 4:11. *Rom 1:11, *Mat 25:15, *1Co 1:5, 6, 7; 1Co 4:6, 7; *1Co 7:7; *1Co 12:4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11; *1Co 12:28, 29, 30, 31; *1Co 13:2, Eph 4:7; Eph 4:16, Col 2:19, 1Ti 4:14, 2Ti 1:6, Jas 1:17, *1Pe 4:10; *1Pe 4:11.

 

Of course, if our churches were better structured for actual fellowship, the practice of the “one another” ministries (Romans 12:5 references) might reduce the need for church discipline, especially if the principles I call attention to in notes at Hebrews 3:13 and references at Hebrews 3:12 are followed.

Rom 12:5  So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another.

one of another. Gr. allēlōn (S# G240, Mat 24:10). Rom 12:10, Rom 14:13; *Rom 14:19; *Rom 15:5; +**Rom 15:7; Rom 15:14; Rom 16:16, **Mal 3:16, Mar 9:50, *Joh 13:34; Joh 13:35, *1Co 12:25, Gal 5:13; Gal 6:2, Eph 4:2; Eph 4:25; Eph 4:32; *Eph 5:21, *Php 2:3, Col 3:9; Col 3:16, +*1Th 3:12; 1Th 4:9; 1Th 4:18; *1Th 5:11, 2Th 1:3, +*Heb 3:13; *Heb 10:24; *Heb 10:25, Jas 4:11; Jas 5:16, +*1Pe 1:22; *1Pe 4:9; 1Pe 5:5, 1Jn 1:7; 1Jn 3:11.

Note especially my reference to Psalm 9:10 and the extensive list there of cause/effect relationship verses which are very instructive when solving spiritual problems.

Here is the material for Romans 12:8 as given in the UCRT:

 

Romans 12:8

exhorteth. See corresponding admonition in +Rom 12:12, Persons who possess the gift of exhortation might find the study of the cause/effect relationships discussed at +**Psa 9:10 note helpful. It is less offensive and more effective in counseling to approach a person’s problem through a Biblically defined root cause, rather than to directly confront the effect in their life, when attempting to lead them to a Biblical solution to their problem. Rather than provoke resistance to our help by confronting individuals directly about their lack of trust in God, it might be more effective to develop their knowledge of God’s character, a knowledge of which permits us to trust Him. A study of the cause/effect relationships related to counseling problems would prove very fruitful. A good start toward a collection of suitable texts for such a study will be found in the note at +**Psa 9:10 note. Rom 12:1, Luk 4:20-21, *+Act 4:36; +*Act 11:23; +*Act 11:24; Act 13:15; Act 15:32; Act 20:2, *+1Co 14:3; *+1Co 14:31, 1Th 2:3, +*1Ti 4:13-16, 2Ti 4:2, +*Heb 3:13; Heb 10:25; Heb 13:22.

on exhortation. Gr. paraklēsis (S# G3874, 1Co 14:3). +Act 4:36 (consolation).

giveth. or, imparteth. See the corresponding admonition at +Rom 12:13, The obvious close connection of the topic of Rom 12:13 with the gift of giving supports the validity of these correspondences. +Rom 12:13, +Rom 1:11 g. Deut 15:8-11; Deut 15:14, Job 31:16-20, Psa 37:21; Psa 112:9, Pro 22:9, Ecc 11:1-2; Ecc 11:6, Isa 32:5; Isa 32:8; Isa 58:7, 8, 9, 10, 11, +*Mat 6:2, 3, 4; Mat 25:40, Luk 3:11; Luk 21:1, 2, 3, 4, Act 2:44, 45, 46; Act 4:33, 34, 35; Act 11:28, 29, 30; +*Act 20:35, 1Co 12:28; 1Co 16:2, 2Co 8:1, 2, 3, 4,5, 6, 7, 8, 9; 2Co 8:12; *2Co 9:7; *2Co 9:10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, Eph 4:28, 1Th 2:8, 1Ti 6:18, 1Pe 4:9-11.

with simplicity. or, liberally. Gr. haplotēs (S# G572). 2Co 1:12 g. 2Co 8:2 g. 2Co 9:11 g, 2Co 9:13 g. 2Co 11:3 g. Eph 6:5 g. Col 3:22 g.

ruleth. or, presideth. Gr. proistēmi (S# G4291). See the corresponding admonition at +Rom 12:14. If these correspondences are valid, the admonition implies that the gift of ruling (or administration) prompts more than its share of persecution, and delineates the appropriate response. This is no doubt the same as the gift of “governments” mentioned at 1Co 12:28, +Rom 12:14, Rom 13:6, +*Gen 18:19, **Exo 18:14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, Psalms 101, +**Mat 20:26, Act 13:12; +*Act 20:28, +1Co 12:28, **+2Co 1:24; +*2Co 11:28, Eph 4:11, 1Th 5:12 g-1Th 5:14, 1Ti 3:4 g, 1Ti 3:5 g, 1Ti 3:12 g. 1Ti 5:17 g. 2Ti 4:5, Tit 3:8 g, Tit 3:14 g. Heb 13:7; Heb 13:17; Heb 13:24, *1Pe 5:2; *1Pe 5:3.
with diligence. Gr. spoudē (S# G4710, Mar 6:25). T1857, Rom 12:11, +*Exo 15:26; Exo 18:13; +*Exo 20:15 note. Pro 6:10-11; Pro 10:4; *Pro 12:24; Pro 21:5; Pro 22:29; *Pro 24:30, 31, 32, 33, 34, Ecc 9:10, 2Co 7:11, 12; 2Co 8:7, 8; 2Co 8:16, *Col 1:28; *Col 1:29; *Col 4:17, +*Heb 3:12; +*Heb 3:13; Heb 6:11; +*Heb 12:15.
sheweth mercy. Note the corresponding admonition at +Rom 12:15. Perhaps this gift may be associated with the gift of “helps” listed at 1Co 12:28. +Rom 12:15, Exo 25:2, Deut 16:11; Deut 16:14, 15, Psa 37:21, Isa 64:5, Mat 25:36, 2Co 9:7.

with cheerfulness. Gr. hilarotēs (S# G2432). 2Co 9:7. Exo 25:2; Exo 35:5; Exo 35:21; Exo 35:29; Exo 36:2, Jdg 5:2, 1Ch 29:5-6, Ezr 1:6; Ezr 2:68; Ezr 3:5; Ezr 7:16, Neh 11:2, Act 2:46, 2Co 8:12; *2Co 9:7, Phm 1:14.

There is a very much neglected little phrase at Romans 12:13 at the end of the verse that is the key to everything:  “given to hospitality.”  Were the hospitality commands found in the New Testament to be followed, we would see a growing, vibrant church. Of the cross references given there, I have worked hardest to assemble the collection at Romans 15:7 on this theme. They are well worth careful study!

To study the cross references to Romans 15:7, place “Romans 15:7” in the search box on this site. I have also written a very extensive commentary on this verse and each of its cross references. You will easily find this by opening the “verse-by-verse studies” “Category” on this site.

Here are the notes and references for Hebrews 3:13 from the UCRT:

Hebrews 3:13
exhort. Gr. parakaleō (S# G3870, 2Co 1:4). Heb 10:25; Heb 13:22, +**Rom 12:8 note. +1Co 14:3.

one another. Our duty towards one another in watching over one another’s spiritual lives (Heb 13:7; Heb 13:17) merits careful study in this context. Prompt action based upon the signs of spiritual decline given in Heb 3:12 is essential. Scripture furnishes much material which should form the basis of exhortation. We should encourage one another in:

(1) receiving one another: +**Rom 15:7.
(2) love: Eph 3:17; Eph 4:15, 16, *1Pe 1:22.
(3) good works: *Eph 2:10, +*Tit 3:8.
(4) regular fellowship: **Heb 10:25 note, Exo 34:24, 1Sa 2:30, *Mat 6:33, *Act 2:42; *Act 2:43.
(5) avoiding willful sin: *Heb 10:26, +**1Co 6:9, 10, 11, *Gal 5:21, Eph 5:5, +*Rev 21:8; Rev 21:27.
(6) maintaining confidence: +*Heb 10:35, +*Act 11:23; *Act 13:43; +*Act 14:22.
(7) the hope of Christ’s coming: +*1Th 4:13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, Tit 2:11, 12, 13, 14, Jas 5:7, 8, 1Jn 3:1, 2, 3, **2Pe 3:14.
(8) stedfastness and perseverance: Heb 10:38, 39, +*1Co 15:58.
(9) not drawing back unto perdition: +*Heb 10:35, +*1Co 15:2, +*1Ti 4:1 note. *2Pe 2:20, 21, 22.

(10) maintaining daily personal independent Bible study: Heb 6:9 note. 2Pe 2:2 note. See the related notes pertaining to exhortation at +**Psa 9:10 and **Rom 12:8 note, and followup evangelism, of which exhortation is a most important component, at +1Th 3:5 note. **Heb 10:24; **Heb 10:25, Gen 11:3, +Psa 9:10 note. +*Dan 11:33 note. +*Act 11:23, +**Rom 12:5, +*2Co 8:16, 1Th 2:11; +1Th 3:5; 1Th 4:18; 1Th 5:11, *2Ti 4:2.

daily. Spiritual needs should not wait until the next stated meeting of the congregation. Exhortation is to proceed on a daily basis, as the need requires, through personal contact (Act 20:20). It is necessary to reach a person before it is too late, and spiritual hardness sets in. See on Heb 3:7, +*Pro 19:18, +*Dan 11:33, +*Mal 3:16, Mat 4:4; Mat 6:11; Mat 24:45, *Luk 19:44, *Joh 12:35; *Joh 12:36, *Act 20:20.

while it is called Today. *2Ch 14:7, *>Psa 95:7, **Isa 55:6, Mat 5:25, *Luk 19:42, Act 2:40; Act 24:25, +**2Co 6:2.

lest. **Joh 3:19, +*Col 3:21, +*Jas 5:19.

hardened. Gr. sklērunō (S# G4645, Act 19:9). Heb 3:8; Heb 3:15, Heb 4:7, Exo 7:13, 1Sa 6:6, 2Ch 36:13, Neh 9:16, Psa 95:8, Isa 48:4, Eze 11:21, *Dan 5:20, Act 19:9, Rom 2:5.
through. 1Ti 6:10 mg.
the deceitfulness. Gr. apatē (S# G539, Mat 13:22). *Gen 3:4-6, Pro 28:26, Isa 44:20, Oba 1:3, *Mar 12:24, *Luk 19:21, *Rom 7:11, Eph 4:22, 2Th 2:10, +*1Ti 6:5, Tit 2:14, Jas 1:14.
of sin. Lev 8:32, *Rom 2:8.

 

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Daily Bible Nugget #783, Mark 1:14

Posted on October 3, 2023 by Jerry

10-3-23 Daily Bible Nugget 783 Mark 1:14

The Nugget:

Mar 1:14  Now after that John was put in prison, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God,

My Comment:

If you will carefully read this post you will learn much about Bible prophecy that you may not have known before. I have been discussing the Bible with some very sincere, polite, and kind Muslims who ask good questions and present helpful challenges.

You may not know any Muslims, but if you are a Christian, I’m sure you know that we need to understand the Bible better so we can answer the questions others may ask about our faith (1 Peter 3:15).

My response to a Muslim claim that “Jesus Didn’t Preach Christianity” (citing Paul Williams in a video clip):

Jesus most certainly did preach and teach what can be called Biblical Christianity. Alleging most historians disagree is a meaningless claim that only shows that they have not carefully studied this matter in depth.

Muslim Moderator Response:

oh how are you. Its been a week or so and you haven’t responded to another post of mines. In which i highlighted that Jesus was preaching the Evangilian and not the Bible of today.

It clearly says in Mark in the English translation that Jesus was preaching the Gospel’s of The Kingdom of God (The Evangilian – Arabic Injeel). Its clear from that, what Jesus was preaching is not what the current Bible teaches. The Evagilian was sent to Jesus from God. The current Bible is mostly man made words. Words that men thought and wrote.

Thats a clear rational and logically civilised reasoning to the matter.

My Response:

Thank you for reaching out to me so we can continue our conversations. I enjoy reading and responding to your challenges and questions.

I have attempted to keep up with responses to my comments. If I missed replying to your comment(s), if I receive a notification I generally do answer. When an answer will take more time to research the subject carefully, it may take me more time to get back to you. But sometimes I lose track of the “notification” and I do not know how to get back to the discussion.

You are right that the Gospel of Mark states that Jesus came preaching the Gospel of the Kingdom of God:

Mar 1:14  Now after that John was put in prison, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God,
Mar 1:15  And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel.

Notice Jesus said at the start of His ministry that “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand.”

Notice also that Jesus preached a message that required an action response on the part of His hearers: “Repent and believe the gospel.”

The message of Jesus that we are to repent and believe the Gospel still holds valid for us today.

The Kingdom of God is no longer (for now) “at hand.” The Jewish leadership at the time of the ministry of Jesus in Israel rejected Him and His claim to be the long-awaited and prophesied Messiah, but rather chose to crucify Him on the cross of Calvary, exactly as Jesus repeatedly predicted was to happen (Mark 8:31. 9:31. Matthew 16:21. 17:22, 23. 20:17, 18, 19. Luke 9:22. 18:31, 32, 33).

Jesus made a remarkable statement about the Kingdom of God that is recorded in Matthew 21:43,

Mat 21:43  Therefore say I unto you, The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof. (KJV)

Mat 21:43 And that, I tell you, is why the Kingdom of God will be taken from you, and given to a nation that does produce the fruit of the Kingdom. (TCNT, Twentieth Century New Testament)

Mat 21:43 Therefore I tell you, the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people producing its fruits. (ESV, English Standard Version)

Mat 21:43  “And so I tell you,” added Jesus, “the Kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people who will produce the proper fruits.” (GNB, Good News Bible)

Mat 21:43 I tell you that God’s kingdom will be taken from you and given to people who will do what he demands. (CEV, Contemporary English Version)

I have given this passage in five different translations to help bring out the meaning of this most important prediction of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Since the Jewish nation did not receive Jesus as their Messiah (John 1:11), the promised Kingdom of God was taken from them and given to people “who will produce the proper fruits,” to people “who will do what he demands.”

This is the fulfillment of Old Testament Bible prophecy found in Micah 5:3 and context. In Micah 5:2 the remarkable prophecy is given that the future Messiah would be born in Bethlehem, the city of David:

Mic 5:2 And you, Beth-lehem Ephrathah, the least among the families of Judah, out of you one will come to me who is to be ruler in Israel; whose going out has been purposed from time past, from the eternal days. (BBE, Bible in Basic English)

Mic 5:3 Therefore he shall give them up until the time when she who is in labor has given birth; then the rest of his brothers shall return to the people of Israel. (ESV)

The prophecy in Micah 5:3 tells us God will for a time “give them up,” which corresponds to what Jesus said, “that God’s kingdom will be taken from you and given to people who will do what he demands.”

When our Lord Jesus Christ returns at His Second Coming, He will rule the whole earth ever after from the Throne of David in Jerusalem, and be the King of Israel, as stated in Luke 1:31-33, as the Angel told Mary, the mother of Jesus:

Luk 1:30  And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God.
Luk 1:31  And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS.
Luk 1:32  He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David:
Luk 1:33  And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end. (KJV)

This is in fulfillment of the Davidic Covenant, the promises of which constitute “the sure mercies of David” (Isaiah 55:3):

Isa 55:3  Incline your ear, and come unto me: hear, and your soul shall live; and I will make an everlasting covenant with you, even the sure mercies of David.

The Kingdom of God is not understood correctly by most Bible readers today because they have failed to “search the Scriptures” (Acts 17:11) carefully to learn what the Bible actually teaches about this subject.

 

 

 

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Daily Bible Nugget #782, Acts 1:11

Posted on October 2, 2023 by Jerry

10-2-23 Daily Bible Nugget 782 Acts 1v11

The Nugget:

Act 1:11  Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.

My Comment:

In answer to what a Muslim commented to me I wrote:

You quoted in a comment above from an Imam who stated:

“The return of Jesus in the Bible does not mean the return of the prophet’s physical body; Jesus did not see himself as just a physical person, so he was referring to his society (congregation) when he spoke of his “body.””

Unfortunately, this Imam, just like many Jehovah’s Witnesses I have talked to, gets this wrong. The Bible expressly declares that just as Jesus left this earth in His very tangible and visible but glorified resurrected physical body, so He will return in His visible, tangible, resurrected glorified physical body:

The ascension was most visible to the human eye for the disciples of Jesus SAW Jesus ascend from earth to heaven as recorded in Acts 1:9-11,

Act 1:9  And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight.
Act 1:10  And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel;
Act 1:11  Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.

Note that Acts 1:11 specifically states “this SAME Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have SEEN him go into heaven.” (emphasis added)

Jesus declared plainly that His return will be VISIBLE:

Mat 24:30  And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.

Paul in 2 Thessalonians 1:7-8 refers to this future return of the Lord Jesus,

2Th 1:7  And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels,
2Th 1:8  In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ:
2Th 1:9  Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power;
2Th 1:10  When he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be admired in all them that believe (because our testimony among you was believed) in that day.

John in the opening chapter of the book of Revelation directly states this same truth in Revelation 1:7,

Rev 1:7  Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen.
Rev 1:8  I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty.

Therefore, case closed, for the Bible directly states that the return of our Lord Jesus Christ will be visible!

The Imam is most mistaken when he states “he was referring to his society (congregation) when he spoke of his “body.””

The answer is found in John 2:18-22,

Joh 2:18  Then answered the Jews and said unto him, What sign shewest thou unto us, seeing that thou doest these things?
Joh 2:19  Jesus answered and said unto them, Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.
Joh 2:20  Then said the Jews, Forty and six years was this temple in building, and wilt thou rear it up in three days?
Joh 2:21  But he spake of the temple of his body.
Joh 2:22  When therefore he was risen from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this unto them; and they believed the scripture, and the word which Jesus had said.

When my Jehovah Witness friend argued that “His body” is the congregation of His followers, His church, I answered: Just when was the church or temple destroyed and subsequently raised up in three days? He had no answer. He wrote a letter to the Brooklyn, New York headquarters of the Watchtower Society and received a written answer. I took a photograph of the letter when he showed it to me. It claimed that “his body” was the congregation, and I gave the same objection I just gave you–there is no record that the congregation was destroyed and then raised up after three days! Rather, this was the prophecy of our Lord Jesus Christ that he would be killed and would be raised from the dead after three days in the grave (see Mark 8:31 and Luke 24:21).

Mar 8:31  And he began to teach them, that the Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected of the elders, and of the chief priests, and scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again.

Luk 24:21  But we trusted that it had been he which should have redeemed Israel: and beside all this, to day is the third day since these things were done.

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The Gospel of Barnabas

Posted on September 30, 2023 by Jerry

9-30-23 The Gospel of Barnabas

The Nugget:

Pro 30:6  Add thou not unto his words, lest he reprove thee, and thou be found a liar.

Cross reference Bible study for Proverbs 30:6 from The Ultimate Cross Reference Treasury:

Proverbs 30:6

Add thou not. T50, T1032, Gen 3:3, +*Deut 4:2; Deut 12:32, Ecc 3:14, Isa 29:13; +Isa 42:21 (T284). +*Mat 15:9, 1Co 3:12, +*Gal 1:8; +*Gal 1:9, 2Pe 3:15, 16, *Rev 22:18; *Rev 22:19.

and. Gen 3:3, Job 13:7, 8, 9, 1Co 15:15.

My Comment:

Various groups have made attempts to add to the written Word of God as we find it in the Old and New Testaments.

Muslims have added the Gospel of Barnabas and the Injil or Injeel (the revelation of the Gospel by God to the mind of Jesus himself which He subsequently preached and taught, different from the content of the New Testament which some Muslims claim is the very corrupted message of the false apostle Paul).

All such additions are false, and those who promote them represent either mistaken world religions or apostate false cults of Christianity.

Below I share a very small portion of a lively discussion I have been having for the past number of days with some very kind and gracious Muslim individuals about the Gospel of Barnabas and related matters. This is a long read, but if you patiently study our discussion you will learn very much about how to defend your faith (1 Peter 3:15).

The Muslim claim:

“Barnabas taught the truth and he confirmed Jesus was not killed on the cross but Paul lied to the pagan Jinntiles.”

“Muslim scholars reject the Christian canonical Gospels, which Muslims know are not the original teachings of Jesus and which have been corrupted over time. Most scholars have suggested that the original Gospel can only be found in the Gospel of Barnabas.”

“Not just was Barnabas banned but as many as 60 books were removed from the original text by the Council of Nicea”

“Sadly you don’t have the Gospel

According to Barnabas.

If you read it you would see it agrees with Al Quran. Paul was a renegade from the ranks of the Jews. He hated Jesus and he hate the Jinntiles.

What Paul did was create a new Jesus and new teachings which were far far far away from what the tree Jesus originally taught the Jews.

“The closest source to what Jesus taught and his life can be found in the Gospel of Barnabas. If The Council of Nicea had accepted the Gospel of Barnabas they would have found right guidance but they rejected the Gospel of Barnabas to accepted the narratives of the greatest of deceivers Paul.”

A further Muslim comment to me:

From the Qur’an Baqara 2:79

Baqarah 2:79

79

فَوَيْلٌ لِّلَّذِينَ يَكْتُبُونَ ٱلْكِتَـٰبَ بِأَيْدِيهِمْ ثُمَّ يَقُولُونَ هَـٰذَا مِنْ عِندِ ٱللَّهِ لِيَشْتَرُوا۟ بِهِۦ ثَمَنًا قَلِيلًا ۖ فَوَيْلٌ لَّهُم مِّمَّا كَتَبَتْ أَيْدِيهِمْ وَوَيْلٌ لَّهُم مِّمَّا يَكْسِبُونَ

Then woe to those who write the Book with their own hands and then say: “This is from Allah” to traffic with it for a miserable price! Woe to them for what their hands do write and for the gain they make thereby.

________________________________

This verse speaks to the evils of men like Paul. Men who rewrote revealed Books with their owns hands. They traffic it to those who accept it being clueless to the fact it’s message is adulterated.

The worst form

Of adultery is not intercourse between a married person and a person who is not his or her spouse.

The worst form

Of adultery is the intercourse of G-D’s Truth with the lies of devilish men.

MY RESPONSE:

I agree with you that the worst form of adultery is the intercourse of God’s Truth with the lies of devilish men.

I mentioned before that the Gospel of Barnabas is not an authentic record of first century Christianity as founded by our Lord Jesus Christ and officially taught by the Apostles of Christ as now found committed to writing in the 27 first century historical primary source documents in the New Testament.

Ibn Yasin wrote a book, published in 2011, titled The Authenticity of the Gospel of Barnabas.

In the Introduction, on page 9, he states that for Muslim and non-Muslim scholars to project the gospel of Barnabas as the ‘Muslim gospel,’ suggesting that it agrees with Islamic beliefs and doctrines about Jesus … must be investigated by comparing the beliefs of Islam using the Qur’an and the authentic Hadith to those stated in the Gospel of Barnabas. He found that the beliefs stated in the Gospel of Barnabas and that of Islam are radically different, and that the similarities are not as great or significant as the differences which have been found.

Ibn Yasin also states in his introduction on pages 9 and 10 that Islamic belief is based on a system of authenticity which must be followed strictly even when looking at texts like the Gospel of Barnabas that support some Islamic beliefs. He warns that some authors who have lowered their guard and accepted the Gospel of Barnabas at face value have endangered this important process by allowing such a text to be regarded as authentic but carelessly overlooking or abandoning the isnad or chain of transmission, which Islamic scholars have developed over the centuries to safeguard against forgeries and fabricated tales becoming accepted as scripture. Thus, authors and other individuals who continue to support and promote the Gospel of Barnabas are allowing a false history and portrayal of Jesus which is not supported by Islam. They are in fact guilty of intellectual dishonesty and casting serious doubts on Islamic scholarship and the truth-seeking nature of Islam.

You can read Ibn Yasin’s exact words by consulting the limited preview of his book available on the Internet. I have abridged and paraphrased some of his text for brevity and clarity, but what I have shared accurately reflects what he has written.

Muslim Response to me:

Who told you the Gospel of Barnabas was not authentic and the narrative of the liar Paul is true???

My Reply:

Islamic scholars state (as I just quoted one at length above–did you read it?) that the Gospel of Barnabas is not a genuine Gospel from the first century.

You mentioned that you wondered why the Council of Nicea did not include the Gospel of Barnabas. The answer: the Gospel of Barnabas had not been written yet!

Here is a bit more on the Gospel of Barnabas:

The Gospel of Barnabas

In this book, we have with good reason restricted our discussion to the apocryphal writings from the earliest centuries of the church, but we must make an exception in the case of the Gospel of Barnabas. Let us begin by clearing up any possible risk of confusion: this text has nothing to do with the ‘Gospel under the name of Barnabas’ in the Decretum Gelasianum. It was written in Italian or Spanish in the period between the fourteenth and sixteenth centuries. (The Italian manuscript is in the Austrian National Library in Vienna; one of the two known Spanish manuscripts is now lost, but the second—an incomplete text—has turned up again in Sydney.)

What we know, or rather suspect, about the author sounds like the synopsis of a novel. According to the prologue to the Spanish version, a Franciscan named Fra Marino discovered the Gospel of Barnabas in the library of Pope Sixtus V (1585–1590) and stole it. As soon as he had read it, he converted to Islam and fled to Istanbul. This is likely to be an editorial fiction which conceals the true author, perhaps a Spanish Jew who had been forced to convert to Christianity, but later became a Muslim and sought to avenge himself on Christianity with this work. As far as I can see, however, there is no actual evidence to support this hypothesis. There exists a vague possibility—nothing stronger—that the unknown author had genuine access to ancient but otherwise unattested traditions.

The Gospel of Barnabas is a very lengthy work, with 222 chapters. Its title calls it vero euangelio, the only true gospel of the prophet Jesus, written down by his apostle Barnabas. The identification of Barnabas with Matthias, who took Judas Iscariot’s place, led the Pseudo-Clementines too to number him among the apostles. In the prologue to the Italian version of the Gospel of Barnabas, ‘Barnabas’ at once attacks Paul as the source of the erroneous views held by many Christians: they call Jesus the Son of God (although he understood himself only as a prophet), they no longer practise circumcision, and they make no dietary distinctions, but eat all impure foods. In an author of the first centuries of the Common Era, we would call such a position ‘Jewish-Christian’.

Klauck, H.-J. (2003). Apocryphal gospels: an introduction (pp. 208–209). T&T Clark.

My further reply:

You state:

“There’s a great discrepancy in what’s taught in the Gospel Jesus received and Bible.

“The Gospel Jesus received from his Lord teaches to worship the Lord Creator not him who is a servant of The Lord Creator.”

Kindly share with me the written documentation of “the Gospel Jesus received.”

The only genuine record of the Gospel Jesus taught is found within the pages of the New Testament.

I agree that there is a great discrepancy in what is taught in the supposed Gospel that Jesus received and what is taught in the Bible. When you follow an undocumented alleged “gospel” which is really more properly described as “another gospel,” you are following or believing in “another Jesus,” not the true Jesus of history found in the pages of the New Testament. That is why I invite you to read and re-read the New Testament for yourself. That is the only way you can find out for yourself what the true Gospel is about.

Mark 1:14 Now after that John was put in prison, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God,

Mar 1:15 And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel. (KJV)

Mar 1:14 After John had been put in prison, Jesus went to Galilee and preached the Good News from God.

Mar 1:15 “The right time has come,” he said, “and the Kingdom of God is near! Turn away from your sins and believe the Good News!” (GNB, Good News Bible)

Muslim reply to me:

It’s reported that 75 books that have been removed from the Bible over time.

So please don’t say Bible wasn’t changed. The Bible was produced by Paul and his cohorts.

The Gospel not Bible are the Words of G-d.

My reply to Muslim claim:

Be sure to read my comment above. I accidently posted it before I was finished writing it.

No books have been removed from the Hebrew Bible as used by Jesus when He read from the Hebrew scrolls in the synagogue at Nazareth as reported in Luke 4:15-19,

Luk 4:15 And he taught in their synagogues, being glorified of all.

Luk 4:16 And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up: and, as his custom was, he went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and stood up for to read.

Luk 4:17 And there was delivered unto him the book of the prophet Esaias. And when he had opened the book, he found the place where it was written,

Luk 4:18 The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised,

Luk 4:19 To preach the acceptable year of the Lord.

Luk 4:20 And he closed the book, and he gave it again to the minister, and sat down. And the eyes of all them that were in the synagogue were fastened on him.

Luk 4:21 And he began to say unto them, This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears.

The New Testament has always contained the 27 first century primary source historical documents as it does now. No one disputes the content of the NT who has made a careful study of the subject of the canon of Scripture.

Anyone who reads any of the books which were never part of the first century NT canon would immediately sense the difference and discern why they were not included.

Muslim reply to me:

Masses are worshiping Jesus instead of worshiping the Lord Jesus worshipped.

Matthew 7:21-23

21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.

Matthew 6:9-10

King James Version

9 After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.

10 Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.

Matthew 4:10 NIV

Jesus said to him, “Away from me, Satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.’”

——————————————

You say Lord Jesus while Jesus stated the following :

“Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.’”

The system of belief is loaded with confusion.

My reply to Muslim claim:

You very graciously responded to my request to “Kindly share with me the written documentation of “The Gospel Jesus received” by sharing the following evidence:

Masses are worshiping Jesus instead of worshiping the Lord Jesus worshipped.
Matthew 7:21-23
21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.
Matthew 6:9-10
King James Version
9 After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.
10 Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.
Matthew 4:10 NIV
Jesus said to him, “Away from me, Satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.’”
——————————————
You say Lord Jesus while Jesus stated the following :
“Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.’”
The system of belief is loaded with confusion.

You will recall this was your response–In answer to my challenge:

“The only genuine record of the Gospel Jesus taught is found within the pages of the New Testament.”

My challenge was a response to your claim:

“There’s a great discrepancy in what’s taught in the Gospel Jesus received and Bible.

“The Gospel Jesus received from his Lord teaches to worship the Lord Creator not him who is a servant of The Lord Creator.”

I requested that you:

“Kindly share with me the written documentation of “the Gospel Jesus received.”

Thank you for confirming my claim that the only source we have which contains the original words of the Lord Jesus Christ is the New Testament, for in response to my request to share with me the written documentation of “The Gospel Jesus received,” you quoted the words from Matthew 7:21-23, Matthew 6:9-10, and Matthew 4:10.

I trust you can see the irony of your reply! You are unable to furnish any documented words of “the Gospel Jesus received” unless you get them from the New Testament historical first century record.

 

 

 

 

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Daily Bible Nugget #781, Proverbs 30:5

Posted on September 27, 2023 by Jerry


The Nugget:

Proverbs 30:5  Every word of God is pure: he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him.

My Comment:

I have been responding to a number of Muslim challenges to the truth of the Bible. Here is a short example from today that should be instructive to all where I said to a fine Muslim:

You comment with great insight above that:

“The biggest problem with Bible is the various voices. Some places G-d Speaks. Some places Jesus speaks. Some places wicked men like Paul speaks. Some places the enemy of man speaks.”

This may be a very unique quality of the Bible: it faithfully and accurately records the words of the people it tells us about.

The Bible says this about itself:

Proverbs 30:5
5  Every word of God is pure: he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him.
King James Version

We should have no problem believing what God has spoken in His written word, the Bible.

We should have no problem believing what our Lord Jesus Christ has spoken in His written word recorded in the Bible.

Jesus told us in no uncertain terms that Satan or the Devil is a liar (John 8:44), so we must be very cautious about believing what Satan says, for often when Satan speaks, what he says is untrue, incorrect, or a flat-out lie. But the Bible truthfully records what Satan has said when it quotes him.

Now there are wicked men whose words are also truthfully and accurately recorded in the Bible as a matter of historical record.

However, we must not blaspheme our Lord Jesus Christ by suggesting that what Paul is accurately recorded as saying, doing, or writing is wicked because our Lord Jesus Christ Himself has told us that He chose Paul to be His Apostle to proclaim His truth to the Jews, the Gentiles, and to kings. The historical record in the New Testament shows Paul faithfully accomplished that appointed mission.

Jesus said:

Acts 9:15  But the Lord said unto him, Go thy way: for he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel:
Acts 9:16  For I will shew him how great things he must suffer for my name’s sake.

 

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Daily Bible Nugget #780, Galatians 2:20

Posted on September 22, 2023 by Jerry

The Nugget:

Gal 2:20  I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.

From Ken Sagely’s Facebook post:

9-14-23 Ken Sagely contribution Ga 2v20

LIVING BY FAITH GALATIANS 2.20

Faith is the key to victory in the Christian life (1 John 5.4, 5)

I received Christ as my Saviour by Faith (John 1.12) and in the same way I am to walk and live the Christian life (Col 2.5, 6)

It is not my fleshly trying or struggling, but it is by faith. It is not my working (Heb 4.10) but it is “God working in me” (Phil 2.13 Heb 13.21)

Cross References on Faith

PROVERBS 3.5-6

Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.
6 In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.

GALATIANS 2.20

I have been crucified with Christ, it is no longer who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh: I live by Faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.

COLOSSIANS 2:6-7

AS you have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk you in Him.
7. Rooted and built up in him, and established in the Faith, as you have been taught, abounding with thanksgiving.

HEBREWS 11.6

But without Faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must Believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him.

1 JOHN 5.4-5

For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world; and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our Faith.
5. Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that Believeth that Jesus is the Son of God.

JOHN 1.12

But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe.

Hebrews 4.10

For he who has entered His rest has himself also ceased from his works as God did from His.

PHILIPPIANS 2.13

For it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.

HOW FIRM A FOUNDATION

How firm a foundation , ye saints of the Lord,

is laid for your faith in His excellent Word! What

more can He say to you He hath said–To you,

who for refuge to Jesus have fled? What more

can He say than to you He hath said–To you, who

for refuge to Jesus have fled. AMEN

Dig deeper into God’s Word by studying Galatians 2:20 by means of the more extensive cross references given in The Ultimate Cross Reference Treasury:

Galatians 2:20
crucified with. Gr. sustauroō (S# G4957: Mat 27:44, Mar 15:32, Joh 19:32, Rom 6:6). *Gal 5:24; *Gal 6:14, Jos 4:9, Mar 8:34, *Rom 6:3, 4, 5, 6, 7; **Rom 7:4; Rom 8:3, 4, Eph 2:16, Php 3:10, *Col 2:11, 12, 13, 14; *Col 2:20; Col 3:3, 2Ti 2:11, 1Pe 2:24.

Christ. FS66, +Gen 9:3.

nevertheless I live. Jos 4:3, Rom 6:8, 9, 10, 11; Rom 6:13; Rom 8:2, Eph 2:4, 5, 6, Php 1:22, Col 2:13; Col 3:1; Col 3:3, 4.

yet not I. FS69B, +Pro 6:16. Rom 6:6, **Eph 4:22, 23, 24, Col 3:9, 10.

but Christ liveth. *Jos 5:13, 14, 15, Joh 6:54; Joh 14:19, 20; Joh 17:21, 2Co 4:10, 11; 2Co 13:3; 2Co 13:5, *Eph 3:16; *Eph 3:17, +*Col 1:27; Col 3:1; Col 3:11, 1Th 5:10, 1Pe 4:2, Rev 1:18; **Rev 3:20.

in me. Joh 14:17; Joh 15:4; +Joh 17:23, **Rom 8:9, 10, 11, *Eph 3:17, Col 1:27; Col 2:6, *1Jn 4:13; 1Jn 5:12.

the life. Deut 30:20, 2Co 4:11; 2Co 10:3, 1Pe 4:1, 2.

I now live. FS147F, +Eze 28:2. *Gal 2:16, Gal 3:11, Joh 6:57, +*Rom 1:17; Rom 5:2; Rom 6:5; Rom 6:10, 11; Rom 6:13; Rom 14:7, +*2Co 1:24; *2Co 5:7; *2Co 5:15, Php 1:21; **Php 4:13, *Col 3:1; *Col 3:17, *1Th 5:10, 1Pe 1:8; *1Pe 4:2.

I live by. Psa 85:13, Rom 6:11.

the faith. Gal 2:16, Jer 17:5; Jer 17:7, Act 20:21; Act 24:24; *Act 26:18, *2Co 5:7, *Heb 12:2, 1Pe 1:5.

of. or, in. The objective genitive, not the faith of the Son of God (Robertson’s Word Pictures. 2Jn 1:9 note. *Rev 14:12 note.

the Son of God. +Mat 14:33, Luk 1:35, Joh 1:49; **Joh 3:16; **Joh 3:35; +Joh 5:25; Joh 6:69; Joh 9:35, 36, 37, 38; Joh 10:36; Joh 11:4; Joh 20:31, **Act 8:37; Act 9:20, Rom 1:4, 1Co 1:9, 2Co 1:19, Eph 4:13, +*1Th 1:10, *Heb 1:2; *Heb 1:3; Heb 4:14; Heb 6:6, *1Jn 1:7; *1Jn 4:9; *1Jn 4:10; *1Jn 4:14; **1Jn 5:10, 11, 12, 13; **1Jn 5:20, Rev 2:18.

who. Gal 1:4, Song 2:16; Song 5:2; Song 5:16; Song 7:10, Mat 20:28, *Joh 10:11; Joh 15:13; Joh 17:26, +*Rom 8:37, Eph 5:2; Eph 5:25, *Tit 2:14, +*Rev 1:5.

loved me. Mar 10:21, +Rom 8:37, Eph 3:18, 19; %Eph 5:25, 2Th 2:16, *1Ti 1:14, %1Jn 4:19, Rev 3:9.

gave himself. Gr. paradidōmi (S# G3860). +Gal 1:4, =Lev 4:3; Lev 7:5; Lev 8:31; Lev 9:17, =Num 8:12, Joh 10:15, Rom 4:25 g. Rom 5:18; Rom 8:32 g. Eph 5:2 g, Eph 5:25 g.

for me. Paul’s use of the first person singular “I” and the singular personal pronoun “me” proves the promise and work of Christ applies to and is valid for each believer as an individual. Compare 1Jn 5:13 (ye, plural) with 2Ti 1:12 (I know, singular). Jud 1:24 (you, plural) with Psa 37:24 (he, singular). The promises of present assurance of salvation and the security of the believer are thus valid for each individual, and not merely to an unspecified group inapplicable or uncertain of fulfillment to particular individuals as some would claim. *2Co 8:9, %Tit 2:14, 1Jn 5:13 with 2Ti 1:12, Jud 1:24 with Psa 37:24.

 

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Daily Bible Nugget #779, 1 Corinthians 10:13

Posted on September 21, 2023 by Jerry


The Nugget:

1Co 10:13  There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it. (KJV)

From Ken Sagely’s Facebook post:

9-19-23 Ken Sagely FB post 1 Corinthians 10:13

GREAT IS THY FAITHFULNESS

1 CORINTHIANS 10.13

No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is Faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it.

1 CORINTHIANS 1.9

God is Faithful, through whom you were called into fellowship with His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord

2 PETER 2.9

then the Lord knows how to rescue, the godly from temptation, and to keep the unrighteous under punishment for the day of judgment.

2 TIMOTHY 4.18

The Lord will rescue me from evil deed, and bring me safely to His heavenly kingdom, to Him be the glory forever and ever. Amen.

DANIEL 3.17-18

17. If it be so, our God whom we serve is Able to Deliver us from the furnace of blazing fire: and He will Deliver us out of your hand, O king

  1. But even if He does not, let it be known to you, O king, that we are not going to serve your gods or worship the golden Image that you have set up.!!

Great is Thy Faithfulness, O God my Father!
There is no shadow of turning with Thee;
Thou changest not, Thy compassions, they fail not:

As thou hast been Thou forever will be
All I have needed thy hand hath provided
Great is Thy Faithfulness, Lord, unto thee!

Cross reference Bible study for 1 Corinthians 10:13 from The Ultimate Cross Reference Treasury:

1 Corinthians 10:13
hath no temptation. +*Jer 12:5, Mat 24:21, 22, 23, 24; Mat 26:41, Mar 4:17, Luk 11:4; Luk 22:31; Luk 22:46, 2Co 1:7; 2Co 11:23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, Eph 6:12, 13, Heb 2:18; Heb 11:35, 36, 37, 38; Heb 12:4, Jas 5:10, 11, 1Pe 1:6, 7; 1Pe 5:8, 9, Rev 2:10; +*Rev 3:10.

common. or, moderate. T722, Gen 22:1, 2, Job 5:7, Gal 4:14, +*Heb 4:15, Jas 1:2, 3, *1Pe 4:12.

but God. *+1Co 1:9, Deut 7:9, +*Psa 36:5; Psa 89:33; Psa 102:2, Isa 11:5; Isa 25:1; Isa 49:7, +*Jer 29:11, Lam 3:23, Hos 2:20, 1Th 5:24, **2Th 3:3, 2Ti 2:11, 12, 13, Heb 6:18; Heb 10:23; Heb 11:11, 1Pe 4:19, **1Jn 1:9, Rev 19:11.

is faithful. 1Co 1:9, Num 4:44 note. +*Psa 36:5, 1Pe 4:19.

who will not suffer you. Gen 42:36, Exo 3:17, Psa 125:3, Isa 27:8, +*Dan 3:17; +*Dan 3:18, +*Mat 6:13, Luk 22:32, **Joh 10:28, 29, 30, +*Rom 8:28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, *2Co 1:10; **2Co 12:8, 9, 10, *2Ti 4:18, *Jas 5:11, 1Pe 1:5, *+2Pe 2:9.

to be tempted. +*Jas 1:13.

above that. Job 1:12; Job 2:6, *Psa 103:14, 2Co 4:8, Php 2:27.

make a way. T725, Gen 19:20, 21; Gen 22:12, 13, +Deut 8:2 (T4). Job 5:19, +1Sa 2:7 (T3). +Psa 23:4 (T6). Psa 71:20; Psa 124:7; Psa 138:7, +*Jer 29:11, Luk 16:26, Act 27:44, +2Co 4:17 (T5). Heb 2:18; Heb 13:7 g. Jas 5:11, *+2Pe 2:9, *Rev 3:10.

to escape. 1Sa 29:10, Psa 71:2, +*Luk 21:36, Joh 18:8, 2Pe 2:7, +*Rev 3:10.

that ye. Psa 125:3.

to bear. or, endure. Gr. hupopherō (S# G5297, 2Ti 3:11). Deut 33:25, Psa 62:2, Eph 6:11, 2Ti 3:11, 1Pe 2:19.

 

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Daily Bible Nugget #778, Hebrews 10:25

Posted on September 17, 2023 by Jerry

9-17-23 Daily Bible Nugget 778 Hebrews 10:25

The Nugget:

Heb 10:25  Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.

My Comment:

My long-time Facebook friend, Pastor Scott Cheatham, posted this comment an hour ago:

“I was glad when they said unto me, Let us go unto the house of the LORD. ”

(Psalms 122:1 RV)

Today is National “Back to Church” Sunday nationwide. It’s a beautiful morning and a good time to return to church if you haven’t been for a while. Come sit with me and my son at the 9 a.m. service at Copper Creek Christian Church in Maryville. There’s a 10:30 service also.

Fall is here. It’s a good time to reconnect with others. I pray many will make it a point to attend somewhere!

My response to Pastor Cheatham and everyone who reads here:

That is very good advice. If you are blessed with having a sound Bible teaching, Bible believing church that you can attend, I suggest that you do so regularly and do what you can as opportunity arises to encourage the pastor and support its ministry.

However, earlier this week, I responded to a Facebook page of another Facebook friend which featured a “meme” on this very topic of church attendance. The meme stated:

“A Christian without a church is like a football player without a team or a soldier without an army. You’re not strong enough to survive alone.”

I commented:

Not always the case! Too many churches fail to obey Romans 15:7. There are no churches close to where I live that I know of that would welcome me. That is unfortunate. There are hospitality commands that are not obeyed, and the result is that the Gospel outreach of such churches is greatly suppressed.

I did not experience this problem when I lived in Detroit.

There is a huge difference between sociologically “village churches” and “camp churches.” You have to be born into village churches to be accepted; people who form “camp churches” are there for spiritual reasons and are eager to study and learn more from the Bible, win others to Christ, and grow spiritually.

My friend responded:

Where 2 or more are gathered…He is in the midst, My Brother. I bet if you start a small group, God will send truth seekers who worship Him in Spirit and Truth. You are a great theologian pour into someone. Im praying right now for God to make a way. If He said we are to not fail to assemble with believers…we need to find a way to do it….even if we have to facilitate it. Blessings to you my brother and co-laborer in Christ.

I replied:

Believe it or not, I have had a small group Bible study in my home in the past. It is ironic, to say the least, that a local pastor, visiting my home, asked what went on at our dining room table. When he learned I held a Bible study around that table, he inquired who attended. When I told him, he responded as best I recall, “Thank God, it is no one from my church.” He, at that same first visit, told me, “Jerry, you talk too much about the Lord and too much about the Bible.”

I continued to attend that church for four more years, hoping to “break the ice.” Instead, I was asked by the pastor to “find a church that believes what you do, and attend church there.”

I served as a “ghost writer” and helped my college friend, Dr. Carl George, write his book, Prepare Your Church for the Future. When he spoke to me on the telephone and I told him about how I was disinvited from a local church, Carl responded, “Why would you even attend such a church–didn’t you learn from editing my book about a “village church” compared to a “camp church”? How could you forget?”

It turns out that the Lord works out everything according to His timing. When I visited a Christian bookstore in Port Huron, I asked the lady in charge if she knew of a Bible-believing church I could attend. She directed me to her own church and explained how to get there. I left the bookstore and went directly to the church. I met the pastor, and it turns out he already had a copy of my book, The New Treasury of Scripture Knowledge, right there in his study.

I explained how I was disinvited from a church much more local to me, where the pastor and church board had judged that since I went to Bob Jones University, I must be a strict Calvinist, whereas they were staunchly Arminian in their theology, so they disinvited me.

Pastor Steve at Hillside Wesleyan Church welcomed me with open arms. He invited me to attend a Saturday “scholars study” where I met Malcolm Lavender, and we became good friends. I helped edit many of his books and also his Lavender New Testament translation, for which I wrote the preface. Dr. Lavender said more than once that it surely was the hand of the Lord that brought us together at just the time He did.

I was recently asked, “So most of the churches that you’ve encountered no longer receive you? Why is that so?” Here is my answer:

Some have very unbending views on the matter of the mode of baptism. While I do not bring up this issue, they eventually force the matter. As a new believer, I was baptized by sprinkling in the Methodist church. As a Sunday school teacher at Highland Park Baptist Church, I was required to be baptized by immersion. So, whichever mode might be correct, I’ve experienced both as a believer.

Many years later I met an elderly gentleman named “Uncle Frank.” He lived in the hotel that was next door to the apartment building where I lived. When I first met him, he asked me what I believed was the proper mode of baptism. I had come by then to believe immersion was the biblical mode. He asked me if I would be willing to read a book he had by G. W. Hughey titled The Scriptural Mode of Christian Baptism.

I read it at his good suggestion. I have since studied other books on both sides of the issue. It turns out that the Greek word for baptism is a non-modal word–it tells what was done without specifying the manner in which it was done. So in a sense, all modes are acceptable, though strictly speaking the usage in Scripture itself never implies or requires the immersion of persons in water for any religious purpose whatsoever.

So, follow the view of your conviction, your church, and I’m fine with that. But I will not affirm that immersion is the only valid mode when that is not the affirmation of Scripture.

I suspect that is one reason that leads to my being uninvited from any church that is baptistic/immersionist in practice.

I also believe every church must obey Romans 15:7. Many, if not most, churches are not structured for fellowship. This means they are sometimes very resistant to the idea of small group home Bible studies. All teaching must be done or authorized by the pastor.

I believe that real discipleship and learning can take place only in a small group setting. I “ghost wrote” the book by Dr. Carl George, Prepare Your Church for the Future, where these ideas, as taught in Dr. George’s church growth seminars are quite fully explained.

I transcribed Dr. George’s seminar lectures from the recordings he furnished me. I converted his “spoken English” to written English, and produced the basic text from which the final book was produced by others.

But no one today where I am would ever take to heart any  constructive suggestions I might offer on the subject, so my expertise remains untapped.

But when I am given the opportunity to teach a Sunday school class, the class grows in number, the church grows in size, and my classes often ask me to teach a home Bible study group in their homes so they can dig deeper into the Bible.

This threatens some pastors and some Sunday school superintendents. In the latest case in my experience the Sunday school superintendent was a member of my Sunday school class! He often disagreed with my teaching. When I backed up my teaching with more Scripture, appealing to the grammar and principles of Biblical hermeneutics, I suspect he felt some discomfort.

Other members in the class were members of the church board and said they would back me up so I should have no worries. They were true to their word.

I continued having home Bible studies with those members even after I ceased teaching the Sunday school class because of heavy obligations I had teaching English at Denby High School. I was near retirement. I was under a new department head, so I had to be very meticulous in meeting lesson plan requirements, etc.

I was also the Union Representative for the school. I had to handle grievance procedures, where I always won against the administration when the administration failed to honor the provisions of the Teacher Contract and failed to follow the specified due process procedures as required.

As for churches, the fact that I was a Union Representative for the Detroit Federation of Teachers may not have sat well with some. Yet the Bible is replete with instruction on this subject!

So now, I just stay home with my wife and we enjoy studying the Bible together. We are both in good health, are long past the age where we would qualify to be “shut-ins,” and I share my faith and knowledge of the Bible as I answer people’s questions on the Internet.

Some would offer me Hebrews 10:25 to suggest I ought to be attending church. I then carefully draw their attention to the word “together” in that verse, and I point out that sitting in the church pew listening to the pastor teach is not following what this verse teaches!

See the notes and cross references I have placed at Hebrews 10:25 in the Ultimate Cross Reference Treasury. Perhaps I should create a new Real Bible Study post for that verse.

This is that promised post for Hebrews 10:25!

For serious Christians, here are my notes and cross references for Hebrews 10:25 as given in my Ultimate Cross Reference Treasury:

Hebrews 10:25

Not forsaking. Gr. enkataleipō (S# G1459, 2Co 4:9), to leave behind in some place, that is, (in a good sense) let remain over, or (in a bad one) to desert (Strong). The word enkatleipontes conveys the notion not simply of leaving, as no longer taking part in the assembly, but of abandoning, leaving the assembly exposed to peril in the conflict (Westcott, who cites Heb 13:5, 2Ti 4:10; 2Ti 4:16, 2Co 4:9, Mat 27:46). The unsteady professor has no spiritual home. No church is sound enough for him; none wholly molded to his taste. Like the wandering bird, he is always on the wing. Any one place is too strait for him. The accustomed food, even though coming down from heaven, is “loathed as light bread” (Num 21:5). His vitiated appetite leaves him often on the Sabbath morning undecided whom to hear, his own will being his only guide. He is anxious to hear from all; and, as the sure result, he learns from none (2Ti 3:7). In this self-willed delusion the form and substance of the Church is destroyed. It is not a few wandering sheep, but a fold and a shepherd; not a heap of loose scattered stones, but stones cemented, fitted into their several places; and “the building thus fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord” (Eph 2:21, 22). The Church is “terrible” not in her single members, but “as an army with banners” (Song 6:10); close in rank, where each soldier keeps his own place. The individual profession, in the stead of collective unity, is a purely schismatical spirit, the essence of pride and selfishness (Charles Bridges, Proverbs, p. 509, on Pro 27:8). Heb 10:26; Heb 10:29, Heb 2:1; Heb 3:7, 8; Heb 6:4; *Heb 13:5 g. Gen 13:11, Exo 34:24, Neh 10:39, +*Pro 27:8, +*Mat 18:20, Joh 20:19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, Act 1:13, 14; Act 2:1; *Act 2:42; Act 2:46; Act 16:16; Act 20:7, 1Co 5:4; 1Co 11:17, 18; 1Co 11:20; 1Co 14:23, *Jud 1:19.

the assembling. T745, Neh 8:1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, Psa 40:7, 8, 9, 10, *Mat 18:20; Mat 23:37 g. +*Mat 24:31 g. +*Luk 17:37 g. Joh 20:24, Act 11:25, 26; Act 13:14, 15, 16; Act 13:42, 43, 44, 45; **+Act 20:7 note. **1Co 14:26; +*1Co 14:29, 2Th 2:1 g.

ourselves. Gr. heautou (S# G1438). *FS39, +Act 17:27. Westcott notes (on Heb 3:13) that the use of this pronoun suggests the close unity of the Christian body. The similar usage of this pronoun in other places will repay study (Eph 4:32, Col 3:13; Col 3:16, 1Th 5:13, 1Pe 4:8; 1Pe 4:10). The use of this pronoun here fixes attention on the meeting as characteristically Christian (Westcott).

together. Gr. episunagōgē (S# G1997, only here and 2Th 2:1). Some true believers have been improperly shunned and excluded from fellowship when a local church, its pastor, elders or other leadership, and the congregation itself fail to obey the commandment to “receive one another” (+**Rom 15:7). Gen 49:1, Dan 11:33, +Mal 3:16, *Mat 18:20, Act 19:9, 10, +**Rom 15:7, 1Co 14:26; 1Co 14:29; 1Co 16:15, 16; 1Co 16:19, Eph 5:19, 20, 21, *1Pe 4:7, 8, 9, 10, 11, +*2Jn 1:10.

as the manner. or, custom. Luk 1:9, Joh 19:40, Jud 1:19.

of some. Such conduct on the side of the Christians would arise partly from fear lest they should provoke the active hostility of the Jewish authorities; partly from self-confidence, as though they no longer needed the assistance of ordinary common worship where the general average of spiritual life might be counted too low to aid more mature believers. And yet more than this, the Christian assemblies must have appeared insignificant when compared with those to which the Hebrews were accustomed (Westcott).

but exhorting. or, encouraging. Gr. parakaleō (S# G3870, 2Co 1:4). See on Heb 10:24, +*Heb 3:12, 13, 14; Heb 12:5; Heb 13:19; Heb 13:22, +*1Sa 23:16, +*Rom 12:8; Rom 15:14, +1Co 14:3, 1Th 4:18; *1Th 5:11 mg.

one another. A properly functioning local church must provide the opportunity for those gathered for worship and fellowship to have genuine fellowship. Sitting in a pew looking at the pastor and the backs of the heads of those seated in rows ahead doing the same is not fellowship. Few opportunities are given, if any, for mutual sharing of faith and concerns. No one gets to know the person sitting next to them. Churches need to find better ways than those practiced now to encourage actual fellowship. Fellowship cannot occur in groups much larger than eight. See +**Exo 18:21 Note. We must change the culture and structure of our churches to match the divine design for them taught in Scripture. Failure to do so is what is driving down church attendance and successful local outreach to the surrounding community with the Gospel. +**Jon 4:11 note. **+Rom 12:5.

so much the more. Heb 10:26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, +Heb 1:4; Heb 2:1, 2, 3, 4; Heb 9:14, +Act 1:4.

as ye see. Heb 10:37, Mat 24:33, 34, Mar 13:29, 30, *Luk 21:20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, +*Rom 13:11, 12, 13, 1Co 10:11, Php 4:5, *+Jas 5:8, 1Pe 4:7, +*Jas 5:8, *2Pe 3:9; *2Pe 3:11; *2Pe 3:14.

the day. Heb 9:27, 28, +*Isa 2:12, Jer 39:17, Mat 7:22; Mat 10:15; Mat 11:22; Mat 11:24; *Mat 12:36; Mat 24:21; Mat 24:36, Mar 13:32, Luk 10:12; Luk 17:26; Luk 17:30, 31; Luk 21:34, +*Joh 6:39; Joh 8:56, Act 2:20, Rom 2:5; Rom 2:16, 1Co 1:8; *+1Co 3:13; %1Co 4:3 note. 1Co 5:5, 2Co 1:14, %Eph 4:30, Php 1:6; Php 1:10; Php 2:16, 1Th 5:2; 1Th 5:4, +*2Th 1:10; *2Th 2:2; *2Th 2:3, *1Ti 4:1, *2Ti 1:12; *2Ti 1:18; +*2Ti 4:8, 2Pe 2:9; 2Pe 3:7; 2Pe 3:10; 2Pe 3:12, 1Jn 2:8; 1Jn 4:17, Jud 1:6, Rev 1:10 note. Rev 6:17; Rev 16:14.

approaching. Joh 21:21, 22, +*Rom 13:12, Php 4:5, %+*2Th 2:2, Jas 5:8, 1Pe 4:7.

 

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Daily Bible Nugget #777, Philippians 2:6

Posted on September 16, 2023 by Jerry

 

The Nugget:

Php 2:6  Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: (KJV)

Php 2:6 Though He was existing in the nature of God, He did not think His being on an equality with God a thing to be selfishly grasped, (Williams NT)

My Comment:

Ten days ago I wrote in my post here (on September 6, 2023):

  1. The Bible teaches that our Lord Jesus Christ, being–subsisting, or being essentially–in the form–essential form–of God (Philippians 2:6), took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men (Philippians 2:7). Therefore Jesus existed from eternity past as fully God yet came to earth and took upon Himself the form of a man, and so was truly and fully human, for the purpose of becoming “obedient unto death, even the death of the cross” (Philippians 2:8).

This passage in Philippians 2:6, 7, 8 is one of the most important passages in the Bible. This passage directly asserts the Deity of our Lord Jesus Christ. Many Bible scholars believe this statement Paul placed in his letter to the Philippians comes from a much earlier statement of faith that has been written in the form of a hymn. If this is the case, and I believe that it is, then this demonstrates that the earliest Christians believed in the Deity of Christ from the very beginning of the Church or Christian movement. Paul did not invent Christianity. Paul learned the Gospel directly from our Lord Jesus Christ, as Paul explicitly affirms in Galatians 1:11, 12,

Gal 1:11  But I certify you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached of me is not after man.
Gal 1:12  For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ.

Jesus Himself in person commissioned the Apostle Paul:

Acts 9:15
15  But the Lord said unto him, Go thy way: for he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel:
King James Version

Acts 26:16-18
16  But rise, and stand upon thy feet: for I have appeared unto thee for this purpose, to make thee a minister and a witness both of these things which thou hast seen, and of those things in the which I will appear unto thee;
17  Delivering thee from the people, and from the Gentiles, unto whom now I send thee,
18  To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me.
King James Version

Paul taught the Deity of our Lord Jesus Christ:

Php 2:5  Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:
Php 2:6  Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:
Php 2:7  But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:
Php 2:8  And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.
Php 2:9  Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name:
Php 2:10  That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth;
Php 2:11  And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

For yet deeper study of this important subject, I share below notes and cross references from The Ultimate Cross Reference Treasury for your consideration:

Philippians 2:6
Who. +*Joh 1:1 note.

being. or, subsisting, or being essentially. Gr. huparchō (S# G5225, Luk 9:48). Joh 1:15.

in the form. The essential form, including all the qualities which can be made visible to the eye. Gr. morphē (S# G3444). Php 2:7 g. Exo 39:27, Lev 16:23, +*Isa 7:14; Isa 8:8; +*Isa 9:6, +*Jer 23:6, Dan 7:13, +*Mic 5:2, +*Mat 1:23; Mat 17:2, Mar 9:2; Mar 16:12 g. *Joh 1:2; *Joh 1:18; **Joh 17:5, +*Rom 9:5, *+2Co 4:4; 2Co 8:9, +*Col 1:15; +*Col 1:16, *1Ti 1:17; *1Ti 3:16, *Tit 2:13, *Heb 1:3; *Heb 1:6; *Heb 1:8; +*Heb 13:8.

of God. This is a clear assertion on Paul’s part of the deity of Christ.

Daniel Waterland gets to the crux of the controversy by setting forth two series of texts. The first series includes Isa 43:10; Isa 44:8; Isa 45:5; Isa 46:9, which declare that God is one, and to him none can be likened.

The second series includes Joh 1:1, Rom 9:5, Php 2:6, Heb 1:3; Heb 1:8, which declare that Jesus Christ is God.

The consequences of the Arian scheme [Jehovah Witnesses are the modern day Arians] are that if the texts of Isaiah exclude the Son, he is altogether excluded, and is no God at all. He cannot, upon Arian principles, be the same God, because he is not the same Person: he cannot be another God, because excluded by the Isaiah texts. If, therefore he be neither the same God, nor another God, it must follow, that he is no God. This is the difficulty which lies against the Arian scheme, and which Arians have not sufficiently attended to.

It will not do to make Jesus Christ “a god” in a lesser sense, reserving only to the Father the title of supreme God, for neither Isaiah, nor the first commandment, allow for such a distinction.

If they had allowed such a distinction, then in what sense would the worship of Baal and Ashteroth be considered idolatry, if they were merely looked upon as inferior deities, and served with a subordinate worship?

The Old Testament texts cannot mean that there is merely no other Supreme God; but absolutely no other: and therefore our blessed Lord must either be included and comprehended in the one Supreme God of Israel, or be entirely excluded with the other pretended or nominal deities.

In no case have the Arians proved—what must be proved if their understanding is to be received as correct—that texts which designate God the Father as the “only true God” (Joh 17:3) or “one God” (1Co 8:6) are meant to teach that the Son is absolutely excluded also from such designations, just as the Son is emphatically designated one Lord (Eph 4:5) without design to exclude the Father from being Lord also (see Daniel Waterland, Works, vol. 1, pp. 275-280).

Waterland observes that the tactics of Arians in his day were to industriously run from the point, misrepresent our sense, and artfully conceal their own—characteristics which have not changed from his day to ours. Jesus must either be entirely excluded by the Isaiah texts, or not at all: and if he be not excluded, he is comprehended in the one Supreme God, and is one with him.

Arians produce texts to show that the Father singly is the Supreme God, and that Christ is excluded from being the Supreme God: but I insist upon it, that you misunderstand those texts; because the interpretation you give of them is not reconcilable with other texts; and because it leads to such absurdities, as are too shocking even for yourself to admit. In short, either you prove too much, or you prove nothing (Waterland, vol 1, p. 278, 281).

Subsisting in the form of God proves his nature and essence to be divine. John Daille states “As then the Lord Jesus, before He took our flesh, was in the form of God, it necessarily follows that He was truly God, no one being able to have the glory of God but He who had His nature also. And what the apostle adds, that He was “equal with God,” clearly also determines the same thing; it being evident that if the Son were a creature, He could not be equal to God; every creature being of necessity infinitely below the nature, power, and majesty of the Creator” (Comm. on Philippians, Sermon 9, pp. 91, 92). Isa 43:10; Isa 44:8; Isa 45:5; Isa 46:9, Joh 1:1, Rom 9:5, Heb 1:3; Heb 1:8.

thought. or, reckoned. Same word as “esteem,” Php 2:3. *Gen 32:24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30; *Gen 48:15; *Gen 48:16, *Exo 3:2, 3, 4, 5, 6, *Jos 5:13, 14, 15, *Hos 12:3, 4, 5, +*Zec 13:7, +**Joh 5:18; Joh 5:22; Joh 5:23; **Joh 8:58; **Joh 8:59; +**Joh 10:30; Joh 10:33; Joh 10:38; *Joh 14:9; +**Joh 20:28, Heb 5:5, *Rev 1:17; *Rev 1:18; *Rev 21:6.

not robbery. or, counted it not a prize. The Greek word harpagmos may bear either of two meanings:

(1) in the active sense, the act of seizing, robbery;

(2) in the passive sense, a thing held as a prize.

The orthodox position may accept of either meaning, but the Arian position requires the latter meaning only, which is the reason they contend so strongly for it.

The former meaning may be understood in the sense “Who because He was subsisting in the essential form of God, did not regard it as any usurpation that He was on an equality of glory and majesty with God, but yet emptied Himself of that co-equal glory”; the latter meaning may be understood in the sense “Who though He was subsisting in the essential form of God, yet did not regard His being on an equality of glory and majesty with God as a prize and a treasure to be held fast, but emptied himself thereof” (Vine, Expository Dictionary, vol. 3, p. 216, citing Gifford, The Incarnation, pp. 28, 36).

Waterland offers the following explanatory paraphrase for the second view: “Who being essentially God (and consequently having a rightful claim to be honoured equally with God), yet did not covet or desire to be so honoured, did not insist upon his right; but, for the greater glory of God, and for the good of others, chose rather (in the particular instance of his incarnation) to wave his pretensions, and, in appearance, to recede from them” (Works, vol. 2, p. 110). +*Joh 5:18; *Joh 10:33; %+*Joh 14:30.

equal with. FS45, +Isa 40:31, FS24G, Gen 1:9. i.e. on an equality with God. This is what the first man grasped at, tempted and deceived by the Old Serpent. But Christ, the second man, the last Adam, did not think it a matter to be grasped at in this way, “but humbled Himself,” and through suffering and death reached His exaltation (F/S 496). Seven steps downward in the Saviour’s humiliation are followed in verses 9, 10, 11 by seven steps upward in His glorification (F/S 433). Psa 89:19, Isa 40:25; Isa 45:5; Isa 46:5, Zec 13:7, Mal 3:6, Mat 12:42, +*Joh 5:18 note. Joh 10:18; %*Joh 14:28, 2Co 4:6, Rev 1:17.

with God. Joh 8:49; Joh 10:30; Joh 17:21, 1Co 11:3.

Note that just as Jesus is declared to be “made in the likeness of men” (Philippians 2:7) and was “found in fashion as a man” (Philippians 2:8), and so was most certainly and truly a human being, Jesus was also “in the form of God” (Philippians 2:6) and “equal with God” (Philippians 2:6). The purpose for our Lord Jesus Christ being truly man is so that he could be “obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.” Only in this way could our Lord Jesus Christ become the Priestly-Sacrificial Atonement for our sins.

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