Daily Bible Nugget #300, 1 Peter 2:2

Posted on June 28, 2014 by Jerry

The Nugget:

1 Peter 2:2 As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby:

My Comment:

The fourth proof of the Perspicuity of Scripture is found in 1 Peter 2:2, which states the Bible should be desired with the same eagerness that newborn babies desire their milk. Since the Bible is milk for spiritual babes, it must be understandable!

Therefore anyone can take up the Bible, particularly the New Testament, and read it for himself or herself and profit by growing spiritually in their faith in God and Christ.

It is probably best to start reading the Bible using a plain text Bible. That way you are sure to get the unadulterated truth. If you are altogether new to Bible reading, starting with the Gospel of Mark is a good option because it is the shortest of the four Gospel accounts of the life of Christ we are privileged and blessed to have.

After you finish Mark, read the Gospel of John next. The Gospel of John is well worth reading over repeatedly. I used to read three chapters a day from John so that I could finish its 21 chapters each week. In a month I read it four times. My goal was to know the Gospel of John so well that I could think through its contents chapter by chapter and know accurately the main things found in each chapter.

If you are already somewhat acquainted with the Bible and spiritual things, go ahead and read the New Testament straight through from Matthew to Revelation. That is what I did as a teenager, and before I completed my second reading of the New Testament I found and accepted Christ as my Savior while delivering newspapers on Saturday morning, November 7, 1953.

So much for the sincere but mistaken claims of Pope Francis which I just read today. Apparently he does not believe anyone can become a Christian on their own. They cannot become a Christian unless they are part of a church. I think he had in mind part of his church, for he said to be a Christian a person must be baptized, and be taught further by being catechized, and a partaker of the sacraments of his church. I think he has a few things mixed up. His idea is fine for those who want to become Roman Catholics. But being Roman Catholic does not necessarily equate to being Christian unless you have personally come to Christ in repentance and prayer believing His word and promise of salvation. This is not accomplished by baptism or catechism or partaking of sacraments.

To me, the most mistaken aspect of what Pope Francis said was that he did not believe there are any what he called “laboratory Christians.” I think what he meant by that expression is what I would term “independent Christians” who have found true faith in our Lord Jesus Christ simply by reading and believing His written word in the Bible. That is what happened to me, and no words of any Pope can reverse the truth of what happened to me on Saturday, November 7, 1953, where I turned to Christ in faith and received His salvation without the assistance of any other person other than the Holy Spirit speaking through God’s Word.

I am thoroughly disappointed by the remarks of Pope Francis. His statements demonstrate to me that he may have religion, but I am concerned that he may not truly have Christ. No Bible-believing, born-again Christian would claim what he claimed or deny what he denied in those remarks. I am being very kind to Pope Francis. I have long prayed that he might see the light and encourage the members of his church to more regularly and deeply engage in Real Bible Study. More of them would be sure of going to heaven if they did.

Reading the Bible will change your life for the better. It will also change your destiny for all eternity if you will both read the Bible and believe it.

The Bible is most certainly understandable, for it is milk for newborn babes, designed to help them grow spiritually.

If a baby refused to eat any food, without food it would die. So for anyone who thinks they are a Christian. If you do not feed regularly upon God’s Word in the Bible, you either are or will shortly become spiritually dead. Feeding yourself spiritually is far more important than watching television or otherwise finding entertainment. Reading the Bible regularly for yourself is, in the light of eternity, one of the most important things you can do. Start reading your Bible today!

For those who desire to DIG DEEPER into this subject:

(1) Consult the cross references given in Nelson’s Cross Reference Guide to the Bible on page 1457 for 1 Peter 2:2.

(2) Consult the cross references given in The New Treasury of Scripture Knowledge on page 1474 or in Logos 5 Bible software for 1 Peter 2:2.

(3) Lacking access to those two resources, consult the cross references for this passage as I have developed them as given below:

1 Peter 2:2. newborn. Gr. artigennētos (S#738g, only here), just born, that is, (figuratively) a young convert (Strong). The terms Peter uses do not imply he is addressing new converts, but demonstrate how all believers should have the same desire for God’s Word as a newborn baby has for its mother’s milk. 1 P 1:3, 23. Jn 1:13. Ep 4:24. 1 Tim 3:6. babes. Gr. brephos (S#1025g, Lk 18:15). T#1113. *1 P 1:23. =Le 22:11. Is 28:9. 40:11. +*Mt 11:25. *+Mt 18:3. 19:14. *Mk 10:14, 15. Lk 1:41n. 2:12, 16. 9:47. 10:21. +Lk 18:15, 16. Jn 21:15. Ac 7:19. Ro 2:20. *Ro 6:4. *1 Cor 3:1, 2. 14:20. +**2 Tim 3:15. desire. or, earnestly desire. Gr. epipotheō (S#1971g, Ro 1:11), to dote upon, that is, intensely crave possession (lawfully or wrongfully) [Strong]. Peter states we should desire the Word of God just like a newborn baby desires milk. I think a fair inference to be drawn from Peter’s statement is that just like a newborn baby would die if it never gets milk, so anyone who does not feed on the written Word of God in the Bible will die spiritually. A further proper inference no doubt would be that anyone who has no desire to seriously feed on the written Word of God in the Bible is spiritually dead. *Jb 23:12. Ps 42:1. 84:2. 112:1. +*Ps 119:30, 31, 72, 131, 140, 165. Pr 2:1-6. %Is 58:2. Je 3:15. %Je 6:10. **Je 15:16. Mt 5:6. 13:23. *Ac 8:31n. 10:33. **+Ac 17:11. 2 Cor 7:11. Phil 2:26. the sincere. or, spiritual. or, pure. or, guileless. Gr. reasonable. Gr. adolos (S#97g, only here), undeceitful, that is, (figuratively) unadulterated (Strong). ver. 1 P 2:1. *Ps 19:7-10. +*Ps 119:40. +*Mk 4:24. +*Lk 8:18. Jn 10:5. Ro 12:1g. 2 Cor 4:2. milk. Gr. gala (S#1051g, 1 Cor 3:2). Is 28:9. 55:1. 66:11. Jl 3:18. *1 Cor 3:2. 9:7. *1 Tim 4:6. %*He 5:12, 13. 6:1. of the word. Gr. logikos (S#3050g, only here and Ro 12:1, “reasonable”), rational (“logical”) [Strong]; spiritual or rational, as opposed to literal and ceremonial (Vincent). The milk to be found in the Word of God is in the highest sense “reasonable.” See 1 P 3:15 (CB). It is the Word of God, not tradition, “which effectually worketh also in you that believe.” Rather than contending so much for what is clearly not essential to faith in Christ, true Christians, Bible believing ones, encourage others to get into the written Word of God in the Bible for themselves so that they can come to know Jesus Christ in a personal way and have a life-giving relationship with Him that results in genuine belief that brings eternal life. Only the Bible provides the spiritual food necessary for spiritual growth and “works effectually” (1 Th 2:13n) in those who believe. *1 P 1:25. =Ex 16:15. +*Ps 119:50, 140. +Mt 4:4. Lk 8:15, +*Lk 8:18. Jn 3:12. +*Ro 10:17. 2 Cor 2:17. 4:2. Col 1:5. +**1 Th 2:13. 1 Tim 4:6. He 6:9n. +*James 1:21. grow. Gr. auxanō (S#837g, Mt 6:28). T#1048. 2 S 23:5. *Jb 17:9. Ps 19:11. +*Pr 4:18. *Ho 6:3. *Ho 14:5, 7. *Mal *4:2. Mt 13:23. Mk 4:8. Lk 8:15. +*Ac 20:32. Ep 2:21. *Ep 4:15. Phil 3:12. Col 1:6, +**Col 1:10. 2:19. *1 Th 2:13. 4:1, 10. 2 Th 1:3. +**2 Tim 3:16, 17. +*2 P 1:5-11. **2 P 3:18. thereby. Ac 11:14. Ep 4:13. *Col 1:6, 10.

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Daily Bible Nugget #299, 2 Timothy 3:17

Posted on June 27, 2014 by Jerry

The Nugget:

2 Timothy 3:17 That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.

My Comment:

The third proof that the Bible is understandable, proof of the perspicuity of the Scriptures, is what is stated at 2 Timothy 3:17, the Bible equips for every good work.

From the time I first read the New Testament seriously as a teenager, this verse stood out clearly to me. To me this verse showed that the Bible is sufficient to perfectly equip us for all good works.

This means that if we learn what the Bible says, we need look to no other authority, no other teaching authority, beyond its pages, as might be claimed to exist in an institution, such as a church or denomination, or religious organization. In a similar vein of thought, John taught the readers of his first letter at 1 John 2:20, 27, that his readers did not have any need to follow the teaching of anyone else. Paul taught his readers in the churches of Galatia that they must not allow any new source of teaching that differed from what Paul had already taught them to influence their belief or practice. Paul placed a strong curse against those who would teach his converts in Galatia any new doctrine (Galatians 1:8, 9). Jude urged his readers to contend earnestly for the faith once delivered unto the saints (Jude 1:3).

To suggest that the Bible does not teach that it is “sufficient” is to contradict what Paul has written here by Divine Inspiration. To attempt to get around what Paul here proclaims by redefining “sufficiency” into “formal sufficiency” and “material sufficiency,” which I first learned of in my discussion here with Dave Armstrong, I believe is reading a distinction into this text of Scripture that is not there, and was not there or understood in such a manner by those to whom this letter was written. I wonder if such a distinction is an idea introduced into the text by a church intent on disobeying the Bible by its inclusion of Tradition in a manner to add to what is in the Bible to justify some beliefs and practices which are not found in or are even contrary to the New Testament.

In order for the man of God, or any Christian believer, to be perfect or complete, thoroughly furnished or prepared or equipped for the work God wants done, the Bible must be understandable, and it most certainly is for those who will read and study it.

For those who desire to DIG DEEPER into this subject:

(1) Consult the cross references given in Nelson’s Cross Reference Guide to the Bible on page 1414 for 2 Timothy 3:17.

(2) Consult the cross references given in The New Treasury of Scripture Knowledge on page 1435 or in Logos 5 Bible software for 2 Timothy 3:17.

(3) Lacking access to those two resources, consult the cross references for this passage as I have developed them as given below:

2 Timothy 3:17. the man of God. Dt 33:1. Jsh 14:6. Jg 13:6, 8. 1 S 2:27. 9:6-8, 10. 1 K 12:22. 13:1, 4-8, 11, 12, 14, 21, 26, 29, 31. 17:18, 24. 2 K 1:9-13. 4:7, 9, 16, 21, 22, 25, 27, 40, 42. 5:8, 14, 15, 20. 6:6, 9, 10, 15. 7:2, 17-19. 8:2, 4, 7, 8, 11. 13:19. 23:16, 17. 1 Ch 23:14. 2 Ch 8:14. 11:2. 25:7, 9. 30:16. Ezr 3:2. Ne 12:24, 36. Ps 90:1, title. See on **Ps 119:98-100. Je 35:4. +1 Tim 6:11. 2 P 1:21. perfect. or, fitted. Gr. artios (S#739g, only here), fresh, that is, (by implication) complete (Strong). Jb 36:4. 2 Cor 13:9. %**+Ep +4:11-14. Phil 3:15. James 1:4. throughly furnished. or, perfected. or, equipped. Gr. exartizō (S#1822g, only here and Ac 21:5), to finish out (time); figuratively to equip fully (a teacher) [Strong]. FS41, Ge +10:1. Holy Scripture is the only source of doctrinal and spiritual authority for the Christian. This passage teaches the sufficiency of Scripture: Scripture furnishes all that the Christian must know to be saved and to grow in grace, and tells us all we need to know to live a life which is well pleasing to God. No source of doctrine or revelation outside of Scripture is valid, for such a source would be adding to the written word of God, which is absolutely forbidden by Scripture (+*Re 22:18). Cardinal John Henry Newman thinks otherwise. He states: “The Church would always be the living teacher. It is a mistake to limit ‘Christ’s word’ to the written word only or to suggest that all his teachings were reduced to writing. The Bible nowhere supports either notion.” And that is not what this text of Scripture claims. This text of Scripture teaches the Bible is sufficient to equip the man of God, and sufficient to bring a person to salvation. Cardinal John Henry Newman is attacking a “straw man” and himself asserting a false claim. This is an example of the heresy Paul warned us against (Ac 20:29, 30). The Church is not our teacher: the Bible is. That is not to say that a church may not teach about Jesus Christ, for genuine churches focus upon the balance of truth given us in the New Testament and Scripture as a whole, but we are to test the truthfulness of all teaching by checking it against what is written in the Bible. Cardinal Newman further states: “It is quite evident that this passage furnishes no argument whatever that the sacred Scripture, without Tradition, is the sole rule of faith; for, although sacred Scripture is profitable for these four ends, still IT IS NOT SAID TO BE SUFFICIENT.” (Newman, Inspiration, p. 131). Apparently, Cardinal Newman simply did not know how to read the Bible accurately. The very passage Cardinal Newman is discussing is the central Bible text which asserts THE ABSOLUTE SUFFICIENCY OF SCRIPTURE! For him to flat-out deny the teaching of this text shows he simply had an axe to grind, and was not properly conveying the meaning and teaching of this Bible text. This is the chief text in the entire Bible on the subject of the sufficiency of Scripture. To deny this, as Cardinal Newman did, shows an inability to read the Scripture and take it for what it most plainly says. The claim of the Roman Catholic Church to possess additional teaching from Jesus Christ in the form of unwritten Tradition not found in the New Testament is not true (2 Th 2:15n). Such a claim by the Roman Catholic Church is heresy. It is also a lie. This very text of Scripture teaches we must go by Scripture alone. This is a position logically derived from the statements of the Bible itself, starting here (see also Ps 119:104, 105, 130. Is 8:20. Je 23:28. Mk 12:24. Jn 5:39. **Jn 20:31. Ac 17:11, 12. 1 Th 5:21n. 1 P 2:2. 2 P 1:19. 3:18). The Bible as we now have it is complete: there are no additional sources available today which contain genuine communications from Jesus, his original twelve disciples, or the Apostle Paul, that are essential and necessary for a person to have saving knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ, words which legitimate scholarship agrees are genuine and from the time of Christ. All we have, and all we need, is contained in the 27 primary source documents of our New Testament, and the 39 books of the Old Testament, and nowhere else. Dave Armstrong, noted Roman Catholic apologist, affirms two types of sufficiency: material sufficiency and formal sufficiency. Roman Catholics affirm material sufficiency: that the Scriptures contain all the truths necessary to believe to be saved, but deny formal sufficiency, that the Bible is the supreme authority in all matters of faith and practice even over the Church and Tradition, which is what Cardinal Newman was denying. T#1112. +*2 Tim 2:21. Ne 2:18. **+Ps 119:104, 113, 128. +**Is 8:20n. *Je 23:28. Mt 13:52. +Lk 6:40. +*Ep 4:11-14. good works. +2 Tim 2:21. Ex 35:29. Mt 20:2. 26:10. +Mk 14:6. Jn 15:16. Ac 9:36. Ro 12:2. *2 Cor 9:8. **Ep 2:10. 1 Tim 5:10. Titus 1:16. **Titus 2:14. 3:1, 8. *He 10:24. +**1 J 2:3n.

Posted in Daily Bible Nuggets, Dave Armstrong Discussions, Doctrinal Discussions, What the Bible says about itself | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Daily Bible Nugget #298, 2 Timothy 3:16

Posted on June 26, 2014 by Jerry

The Nugget:

2 Timothy 3:16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:

My Comment:

The Bible itself declares and teaches that it is understandable or perspicuous. The perspicuity of Scripture is proven because the Scriptures are profitable. The Scriptures would hardly be profitable if they could not be understood!

This does not mean that every verse or passage in the Bible is equally understandable to all readers or students. The subject matter likely to be the most important for every Bible reader, such as basic salvation issues, is surely most clear.

If the Bible is so clear, then why do not all Bible readers see the Bible alike? The Bible declares that there must be heresies as a test to sort out who really believes God and His written Word and who does not (1 Corinthians 11:19).

I have taken the effort here to provide accurate teaching from the Bible, using the Bible itself as much as possible to demonstrate what the Bible teaches. You will notice I have made much use of cross references.

Cross references are essential to Bible study. The Bible does not teach about a subject systematically all in one place. To discover what the Bible teaches, you must take into account all that the Bible says about a subject or doctrine you are studying. A concordance can be used to track down many of the other places where a subject is mentioned, but you will miss many important passages about a subject if you only use a concordance. The carefully selected cross references I have shared here lead to many other passages of Scripture on the same theme which express the subject using different words.

People who have not studied the Bible using cross references cannot begin to imagine the many rich teachings they have missed by not consulting cross references carefully.

Reading the Bible through, and reading the Bible over, even over and over, are good things to do. But just reading the Bible is not the same as Bible study.

People, churches, denominations, and religious organizations that think they have the correct view about what the Bible teaches are actually quite mistaken because they have not done their homework thoroughly enough. That is a big part of why there are those disconcerting differences of opinion about what the Bible teaches. Those differences could be greatly reduced if everyone would subject their preferred understanding against what the Bible itself teaches. If more of us would make the Bible our final authority in matters of doctrine and practice, there could and would be more unity in the body of Christ.

The first proof of the doctrine of the perspicuity of Scripture is that the Bible is understandable even to a child (2 Timothy 3:15). The second proof of the doctrine of perspicuity is that the Bible is profitable (2 Timothy 3:16). No matter what others may claim, the Bible declares it is profitable, and that demonstrates the Bible must be understandable for it to be so.

For those who desire to DIG DEEPER into this subject:

(1) Consult the cross references given in Nelson’s Cross Reference Guide to the Bible on page 1414 for 2 Timothy 3:16.

(2) Consult the cross references given in The New Treasury of Scripture Knowledge on page 1434 or in Logos 5 Bible software for 2 Timothy 3:16.

(3) Lacking access to those two resources, consult the cross references for this passage as I have developed them as given below:

2 Timothy 3:16. All scripture. Each of the NT writings as we have them today were recognized as divinely inspired and authoritative by the original recipients; the canon of the NT did not await the decisions of the Council of Hippo, 393 AD and of Carthage, 397 AD. These Councils did not determine Canonicity but merely affirmed what had already been recognized since the last book, the Book of Revelation, was written. Thus the Roman Catholic Church did not give us either the Bible or the NT. *2 S 23:2. Ps 102:18. +*Ps 119:160. Mt 21:42. 22:31, 32, 43. 26:54, 56. *Mk 12:24, 36. *Jn 10:35. Ac 1:16. 28:25. Ro 3:2. +**Ro 15:4. Ga 3:8. **1 Tim 5:18. He 3:7. **He 4:12. James 2:23. 1 P 2:6. **+2 P 1:19-21. 3:16n. is. FS63B3, +Ge 2:10. This grammatical construction involves two predicate adjectives connected by and. The Revised Version (1881) changes one of these predicate adjectives to an attributive position, which is incorrect. The Revisers do not misconstrue this construction in the other passages where it occurs. For the same grammatical construction see Ro 7:12. 1 Cor 11:30. 2 Cor 10:10. 1 Tim 1:15. 2:3. 4:4, 9. He 4:12, 13. In the Authorized Version text this “is” is given in italics, showing there is no word for it in the Greek, and it has therefore to be supplied. The Revised Version (1881) omits this “is,” and reads “Every Scripture inspired of God is also profitable,” thus suggesting that some Scriptures are not inspired. The American Standard Version (1901) follows the Revised Version (1881); the New American Standard Version (1960) gives this rendering as a possibility in its margin. There are nine other passages which present exactly the same construction in Greek, and not one of these has been altered by the Revisers (of 1881). Had they done so in the same manner as they have done in this case, the result would have been as follows: Ro 7:12, The holy commandment is also just. 1 Cor 11:30, Many weak are also sickly. 2 Cor 10:10, His weighty letters are also powerful. Similarly with the other passages, which are 1 Tim 1:15 (the faithful saying is also worthy of all acceptation). 1 Tim 2:3 (this good thing is also acceptable). 1 Tim 4:4 (every good creature of God is also nothing to be refused), 1 Tim 4:9. He 4:12 (the living word of God is also active), He 4:13 (all naked things are also opened). “It is true that the A.V. rendering is given in the margin of the R.V., but it is difficult to see why that should be disturbed” (Companion Bible). This is another instance where the Scripture’s own teaching about itself has been adversely affected in some modern translations (see Jn 5:39n and Jn 8:31). +*Ps 119:89. Jn 5:39. 8:31. given by inspiration of God. or, God-inbreathed. Gr. theopneustos (S#2315g, only here), divinely breathed in (Strong). The Scriptures found in the Bible alone are absolutely divinely inspired by God. T#40. Ex 20:1. Dt 4:8. *Dt 29:29. 2 S 23:1, 2. 2 K 17:13. 2 Ch 34:21. 36:21. Ne 9:30. Jb 32:8. 36:4. +**Is 8:20n. Je 1:9. *Je 36:1, 2. *Ezk 1:3. Zp 1:1. Zc 7:12. Ml 4:4. Mt 1:22. Lk 1:70. 24:44. Jn 1:23. +*Jn 5:39. *Jn 10:34, 35. 14:26. 16:13. 19:36, 37. 20:9. Ac 1:16. 3:18. 7:38. 13:34. 28:25. Ro 1:2. 3:2. 4:23. 9:17. +*Ro 15:4. 1 Cor 2:4-10, 12, 13. 6:16. 9:10. 14:37. Ga 1:11, 12. 3:8, 16, 22. 4:30. 1 Th 1:5. **1 Th 2:13. He 1:1, 2. 3:7. 9:8. 10:15. **2 P 1:18-21. 3:16. 1 J 4:6. Re 14:13. 22:19. and is profitable. or, useful. or, beneficial. FS52A2. Correspondence (Extended Alternation) F/S 372. Extended alternation when there are still only two series, but each series consists of more than two members. Here, four members may be discerned: The Word of God is profitable (statement) for (A) doctrine, (B) reproof, (C) correction, (D) instruction; therefore (consequence), (A) preach the word, (B) reprove, (C) rebuke, (D) exhort. This figure occurs frequently throughout Scripture, but since the format of the Treasury does not lend itself to the display of this structure, only this example is given. See the margins of the Companion Bible for additional examples. Passages cited as illustrating this figure in F/S 368-372 are Ps ch. 66, 72, 132. Ro 2:17-20. 1 Th 1:2-10 with 1 Th 2:13-16. 1 Th 4:13—5:11. T#1024, T#1111. *Ps 19:7-11. +**Ps 119:97-104, 130. *Je 23:22, 32. +*Mic 2:7. *Ac 20:20, 27. Ro 4:23. +**Ro 15:4. 1 Cor 12:7. Ep 4:11-16. **+1 Th 2:13. +1 Tim 4:8. for doctrine. or, teaching. The teaching we are to believe about Jesus Christ, God, the plan of salvation, all doctrinal teaching, is to be based upon the content God provides in the Bible. A natural corollary ought to be evident: we are not to believe any doctrine that does not correspond with the teaching of the Bible, and we are not to get our doctrine from any source but the Bible (1 Th 5:21n). See on ver. *2 Tim 3:10. Dt 6:4-9. **+Ps 119:97-100. +*Is 8:20n. 28:9. +**Is 29:24. 1 Cor 14:6. **+1 Tim 4:6g, 1 Tim 4:13, 16. *1 Tim 5:17. *Titus 2:12. for reproof. The original word bears the meaning “correction,” “censure,” “conviction.” *2 Tim 4:2. Ps 38:14. 39:11. +*Ps 141:5. *Pr 6:23. 15:10, 31. *Jn 3:20. 16:8-11. Ac 2:37, 38. 16:30, 31. *Ep 5:11-13. 1 Tim 5:20. Titus 1:9, 13. 2:15. He 11:1g. for correction. The word literally means “restoration to an upright or a right state; hence correction and improvement” (Frank E. Gaebelein, The Christian Use of the Bible, p. 33). **+Ps 119:9. *Je 23:29. *Da 12:3. Jn 21:15-17. *Ga 6:1, 2. for instruction. Gr. paideia (S#3809g, Ep 6:4). FS41, +Ge 10:1. Gaebelein cites Thayer (Lexicon, p. 473), “whatever in adults also cultivates the soul, especially by correcting mistakes and curbing passions; hence instruction which aims at “increase of virtue,” thus “education in righteousness” (The Christian Use of the Bible, p. 34). +*2 Tim 2:25. Dt 4:36. Ne 9:20. **+Ps 119:7-11. *Pr 4:10-13. +*Mt 13:52. Ac 18:25. Ro 2:20. +**Ro 15:4. 2 Cor 10:3-6. *Titus 2:11-14. in righteousness. +*Ex 18:21. +**Le 19:2-4, 9-18, 20, 26-37. +*Dt 16:20. +**Ps 15:2-5. +*Is 66:4. +*Je 10:2. 22:13, 16. +*Je 48:10. +*Ezk 16:49. +*Am 8:5. +**Mic 6:8. +**Mal 3:5. +*Mt 23:23. +*Lk 16:10. +*Ac 6:3. +**1 Cor 6:9-11. **Titus 2:11-14. *He 5:13. +*He 12:14. James 2:23. **1 J 2:15-17.

Posted in Daily Bible Nuggets, Doctrinal Discussions, What the Bible says about itself | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Daily Bible Nugget #297, 2 Timothy 3:15

Posted on June 25, 2014 by Jerry

The Nugget:

2Ti 3:15 And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.

My Comment:

Does the Bible teach that it is understandable? Most definitely it does. The Bible must be understandable or it could not be taught to children! That doesn’t mean that a child can understand everything in the Bible. It certainly does mean that a child can understand the Bible well enough to recognize his or her need of salvation, and through faith in Christ Jesus can be made wise unto salvation.

That is plainly what this text of Scripture at 2 Timothy 3:15 says.

There are individuals, groups, churches, denominations, and religious organizations who argue otherwise.

One popular argument is that their church or organization is the only authorized teaching authority available today. Nonsense. The Holy Spirit is the authorized teaching authority when it comes to understanding the Bible.

Another argument is that even among those who believe in the perspicuity of Scripture–the fancy term for saying the Bible says it is understandable to the ordinary hearer or reader–among those who believe this doctrine there are serious differences about what the Bible teaches even about basic issues.

That argument is a non-issue, because when two interpreters of the Bible disagree about what the Bible says or means, the differences can be carefully studied out to determine whose view, if either, is correct. Usually, by doing Real Bible Study as advocated here the correct answer can be found from the Bible.

For example, I have placed 23 Rules of Interpretation in the October, 2010 archives found at the right. A correct interpretation does not violate any of those rules or principles.

A very well-known poster, Dave Armstrong, raised the issue of baptism on this site as an example of an issue upon which sincere people come to different conclusions.

I thanked him for choosing that example (because thanks to my elderly friend, Uncle Frank, I have had the opportunity to study the issue extensively). We discussed issues about baptism for a brief time, and I sincerely believe I demonstrated my point, particularly about disagreements over John 3:5. Mr. Armstrong posted a segment from Marvin Vincent’s excellent work, Word Studies in the New Testament, in refutation of my claim. Well, go read the discussion yourself if you have the patience to follow an extended, detailed argument, or if you have had experience in forensic debates in school or college (it is posted to the right in the Category, “Dave Armstrong Discussions”). I believe I fully refuted the position of Mr. Marvin Vincent on that subject at John 3:5. I was on the debate team for Cass Technical High School when I was a student there and was a member of the two-person debate team which won the city championship in debate. I also participated in debate for four years in college. So I am interested in debate, if you have not already noticed!

My point was, and I believe I demonstrated my point completely, that for most issues about which there are differences, a careful study of the Bible evidence will indicate what the correct view ought to be.

Therefore, I affirm that the Bible is understandable, because the Bible itself says it is understandable, and must be if it can be taught to children such that they can be brought to a saving knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

For those who desire to DIG DEEPER into this subject:

(1) Consult the cross references given in Nelson’s Cross Reference Guide to the Bible on pages 1413-1414 for 2 Timothy 3:15.

(2) Consult the cross references given in The New Treasury of Scripture Knowledge on page 1434 or in Logos 5 Bible software for 2 Timothy 3:15.

(3) Lacking access to those two resources, consult the cross references for this passage as I have developed them as given below:

2 Timothy 3:15. from. *+2 Tim 1:5. Ge 17:7. +*Ge 18:19. 41:38, 46. Ex 10:2. 12:26, 27. 13:8, 14-16. *Dt 4:9, 10. *Dt 6:6, 7, 9, 20-25. *Dt 11:19. 31:13. 32:46, 47. Jsh 24:15. 1 S 1:27, 28. 2:11, 18, 19, 26. 3:1. 17:33, 37. 1 K 18:12. 2 K 10:1. 11:12, 21. 1 Ch 27:32. 2 Ch 24:1, 2. +*2 Ch 26:4. *2 Ch 34:1-3. +*Jb 1:5. Ps 34:11. *Ps 71:5, 17. 74:20. **Ps 78:1-8. 103:13. 105:8, 9. +*Ps 119:9, 33, 105. Pr 1:7. 4:7. *Pr 8:17. 9:10. 13:24. *Pr 17:10. **Pr 22:6. 23:13, 14. 30:17. 31:1. *Ec 12:1, 13. Is 10:19. +*Is 28:9, 10. +*Is 38:19. 49:23. Zc 8:5. Mt 11:16-18. Lk 1:15. *Lk 2:40, 49. Jn 7:14, 15. 21:15. +*Ep 6:4. child. Gr. brephos (S#1025g, Lk 18:15), an infant (properly unborn) literally or figuratively (Strong). T#1071, T#1110. **2 Tim 1:5. Nu 3:15. Dt 31:12. 1 S 1:27, 28. Ps 34:11. Pr 31:28. Song 8:2. Mt 19:14, 15. Mk 10:14. +*Lk 18:15 (*S#1025g, infants). **Ac 16:1, 2. *Ep 6:4n. 1 Tim 5:10. known. Gr. oida, Jn 8:55n. T#1065. +*2 Tim 2:15. **Dt 17:19. 31:12. Pr 18:15. +**Mk 12:24. the holy. Gr. hieros (S#2413g, only here and 1 Cor 9:13), sacred (Strong). **Dt 17:19. *Da 10:21. +Mt 21:42. *Mt 22:29. +*Lk 24:27, 32, 44, 45. +*Jn 5:24, 39, 46. 15:3. Ac 3:18, 24. 10:43. +*Ac 17:2. Ro 1:2. *Ro 10:17. +**Ro 15:4. *Ro 16:26. +*1 Cor 15:3, 4. Col 1:5, 6. *Col 3:16. 1 Th 1:5. **1 Th 2:13. *James 1:18. *1 P 1:23. **2 P 1:20, 21. 3:16. scriptures. Gr. gramma (S#1121g, Lk 16:6). Ps 147:19. Pr 4:4. **+Is 8:20n. Je 8:9. +*Lk 16:29. Ac 8:28. +**Ac 17:11. Ro 2:18. 3:2. Ga 3:8. Col 3:16. which are able. Gr. dunamai (S#1410g, Mt 3:9). *Ps 19:7. +*Ps 119:99. Da 9:2. +**Jn 5:39, 40. +*Ac 10:43. *Ac 13:29, 38, 39. **+1 Th 2:13. +**James 1:21. 1 P 1:10-12. **1 J 5:11, 12. Re 19:10. wise. Gr. sophizō (S#4679g, only here and 2 P 1:16), to render wise; in a sinister acceptation, to form “sophisms,” that is, continue plausible error (Strong). T#1023. *Dt 4:6. +*Ps 19:7. 49:3. 111:10. +*Ps 119:24, 98, 99, 130. Pr 1:2. 2:7. 14:8. 22:20. 28:26. +*Da 11:33. +*Da 12:3. Lk 11:36. +**Jn 5:39. Ro 16:19. 1 Cor 1:30. Col 2:3. James 1:21. unto salvation. **Jn 20:30, 31. +*Ro 1:16. *Phil 2:12, 13n. 2 Th 2:13. 1 Tim 1:15. *1 P 1:8-11. through faith. Ro 3:22. 4:5. **Ro 10:17. **He 11:6. 1 P 1:5. which is in. **Jn 14:6. **Ac 4:12. Ep 1:13. +1 Tim 1:14. Christ Jesus. +Ac 19:4.

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Daily Bible Nuggets #127–296 on The Scriptures Summary Listing

Posted on June 24, 2014 by Jerry

I started the just concluded series of Bible Nuggets on “The Scriptures” on January 1, 2014, completing the last entry on this theme on June 22, 2014. This may be one of the longest-running series of posts anywhere directly about what the Bible says about itself. If you missed reading any of these, feel free to go into either the Archives by date, or into the Category under either “Daily Bible Nuggets” or “What the Bible Says About Itself,” where you will find them all.

I took these directly from The New Topical Textbook, pages 239, 240, a very helpful resource for Bible study. You will find about the same list of topics in Dr. John MacArthur’s MacArthur Study Bible at the back of the Bible. If you happen to have a copy of the printed edition of my book, The New Treasury of Scripture Knowledge, you will find the list in the Topic Number Index on page 1597. You will not find the list in the electronic or digital software edition because the Publisher left that index out.

For your convenience in reviewing the Scripture references for each of the subtopics, I give the following list from my Topic Number Index:

THE SCRIPTURES

1014. Scriptures given by inspiration of the Holy Spirit. +2 P 1:21.
1015. Christ taught out of. +Lk 24:27.
1016. Names of. +Ro 1:2.
1017. Contain the promises of the gospel. +Ro 1:2.
1018. Reveal the laws, statutes, and judgments of God. +Dt 4:5.
1019. Record divine prophecies. +2 P 1:19.
1020. Testify of Christ. +*Jn 5:39.
1021. Are full and sufficient. +Lk 16:31.
1022. Are an unerring guide. +2 P 1:19.
1023. Make wise unto salvation. +2 Tim 3:15.
1024. Are profitable for doctrine and practice. +2 Tim 3:16.
1025. Scriptures described as pure. +Pr 30:5.
1026. True. +Ps 119:160.
1027. Perfect. +Ps 19:7.
1028. Precious. +Ps 19:10 (desired).
1029. Quick and powerful. +He 4:12.
1030. Written for our instruction. +Ro 15:4.
1031. Intended for the use of all men. +Ro 16:26.
1032. Nothing to be taken from or added to the Scriptures. +Pr 30:6.
1033. One portion to be compared with another. 1 Cor 2:13.
1034. Christ sanctioned, by appealing to them. +Mt 4:4.
1035. Scriptures designed for regenerating. +1 P 1:23.
1036. Scriptures designed for quickening. +Ps 119:93.
1037. Illuminating. +Ps 119:130.
1038. Converting the soul. +Ps 19:7.
1039. Making wise the simple. +Ps 19:7.
1040. Sanctifying. +Jn 17:17.
1041. Producing faith. +Jn 20:31.
1042. Hope. +Ro 15:4.
1043. Obedience. +Dt 17:19.
1044. Cleansing the heart. +Jn 15:3.
1045. Cleansing the way. +Ps 119:9.
1046. Keeping from destructive paths. +Ps 17:4.
1047. Supporting life. +Mt 4:4.
1048. Promoting growth in grace. +1 P 2:2.
1049. Building up in the faith. +Ac 20:32.
1050. Admonishing. +1 Cor 10:11.
1051. Comforting. +Ro 15:4.
1052. Rejoicing the heart. +Ps 19:8.
1053. The Scriptures work effectually in them that believe. +1 Th 2:13.
1054. Letter without spirit, killeth. +2 Cor 3:6.
1055. Ignorance of the Scriptures a source of error. +Mt 22:29.
1056. Christ enables us to understand the Scriptures. +*Lk 24:45.
1057. The Holy Spirit enables us to understand the Scriptures. +Jn 16:13.
1058. No prophecy of the Scripture is of any private interpretation. +**2 P 1:20n.
1059. Everything should be tried or tested by the Scripture. +Ac 17:11.
1060. The Scriptures should be the standard of teaching. +1 P 4:11.
1061. The Scriptures should be believed. +Jn 2:22.
1062. Appealed to. +1 P 1:16.
1063. Read. +Is 34:16.
1064. Read publicly to all. +Ne 8:3.
1065. Known. +2 Tim 3:15.
1066. Received, not as the word of men, but as the word of God. +1 Th 2:13.
1067. Received with meekness. James 1:21.
1068. Searched. +*Jn 5:39.
1069. Searched daily. +*Ac 17:11.
1070. Laid up in the heart. +Ps 119:11.
1071. Taught to children. +2 Tim 3:15.
1072. Taught to all. +2 Ch 17:9.
1073. Talked of continually. +Dt 6:7.
1074. Not handled deceitfully. +2 Cor 4:2.
1075. Not only heard, but obeyed. +Mt 7:24.
1076. Used against our spiritual enemies. Ep 6:17.
1077. All should desire to hear the Scriptures. +Ne 8:1.
1078. Mere hearers of the Scriptures deceive themselves. +James 1:22.
1079. Advantage of possessing the Scriptures. +Ro 3:2.
1080. Saints love the Scriptures exceedingly. +Ps 119:97.
1081. Delight in. +Ps 1:2.
1082. Regard as sweet. +Ps 119:103.
1083. Esteem, above all things. +*Jb 23:12.
1084. Long after. +Ps 119:82.
1085. Stand in awe of. +Ps 119:61.
1086. Keep in remembrance. +Ps 119:16.
1087. Saints grieve when men disobey the Scriptures. +Ps 119:158.
1088. Saints hide Scripture in their hearts. +Ps 119:11.
1089. Saints hope in. Ps 119:81.
1090. Meditate in. +Ps 1:2.
1091. Rejoice in. +*Je 15:16.
1092. Trust in. +Ps 119:42.
1093. Obey. +Lk 8:21.
1094. Speak of. Ps 119:172.
1095. Esteem, as a light. +Ps 119:105.
1096. Pray to be taught. +Ps 119:12.
1097. Pray to be conformed to. +Ps 119:133.
1098. Plead the promises of in prayer. +Ps 119:25.
1099. They who search, are truly noble. +Ac 17:11.
1100. Blessedness of hearing and obeying. +*Lk 11:28.
1101. Let them dwell richly in you. Col 3:16.
1102. THE WICKED corrupt the Scriptures. +2 Cor 2:17.
1103. The wicked make the Scriptures of none effect through their traditions. +Mk 7:13.
1104. Reject the Scriptures. +Je 8:9.
1105. Stumble at. +1 P 2:8.
1106. Obey not. +Ps 119:158.
1107. Frequently wrest, to their own destruction. +2 P 3:16.
1108. Denunciations against those who add to, or take from, the Scriptures. +Re 22:18.
1109. Destruction of the Scriptures punished. +Je 36:31.

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Daily Bible Nugget #296, Jeremiah 36:29-31

Posted on June 22, 2014 by Jerry

The Nugget:

Jeremiah 36:29 And thou shalt say to Jehoiakim king of Judah, Thus saith the LORD; Thou hast burned this roll, saying, Why hast thou written therein, saying, The king of Babylon shall certainly come and destroy this land, and shall cause to cease from thence man and beast?

Jer 36:30 Therefore thus saith the LORD of Jehoiakim king of Judah; He shall have none to sit upon the throne of David: and his dead body shall be cast out in the day to the heat, and in the night to the frost.

Jer 36:31 And I will punish him and his seed and his servants for their iniquity; and I will bring upon them, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and upon the men of Judah, all the evil that I have pronounced against them; but they hearkened not.

My Comment:

Destruction of the Scriptures punished most severely (The New Topical Textbook, last subheading under the major topic “The Scriptures,” page 240).

King Jehoiakim, king of Judah, did not like the message from the Lord that Jeremiah the prophet had committed to writing in the scroll of Jeremiah, so as the scroll was read to him, he cut the leaves like pages three or four at a time as they were read and burned them in the hearth burning before him.

The account reports that all this was done without fear or the least concern.

God enabled Jeremiah to replace the entire book with yet more like words added besides, and we have the result in our Bible even today.

God placed a severe curse or penalty upon the king and his descendants, who would never sit upon the throne of David thereafter. He lost his kingdom and the whole remainder of his nation was carried captive to Babylon by Nebuchadnezzar, where the nation was in captivity for 70 years.

This curse has an interesting bearing upon the genealogy of our Lord Jesus Christ and His legal right to the Throne of David. I have placed a note in a parallel passage to this text at Jeremiah 22:30 in The New Treasury of Scripture Knowledge. The note spells out in some detail the repercussions of this incident in Israel’s history, and the providential provision God made in part through the Virgin Birth to accomplish His purpose in the fulfillment of Bible prophecy. If Jesus is not the true Messiah of Israel, there can never be a Messiah for Israel, since the predicted Messiah must meet specific requirements stated in Bible prophecy, including some time prophecies that have long expired.

There are many since throughout history who have attempted to destroy the Bible. Some have in past history kept the Bible from the people, not allowing them to read a Bible in the vernacular, that is, in their own language, for themselves. As I understand it, the Bible was placed on the Index of forbidden books by one church I know of in past history.

Despite being attacked more than any other book in past history, God has providentially preserved the Bible so that we can read it for ourselves today.

If you are not well acquainted with the Bible, take advantage of its wide availability in many different languages and translations, find a translation you enjoy, and take the time to make it part of your life. If the Bible is true–and it certainly is–you will be grateful through all eternity for every minute you spent in this life getting better acquainted with this greatest of all books, especially if your experience is like mine, where reading the Book made it possible for you to know the Divine Author Himself.

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Daily Bible Nugget #295, Revelation 22:19

Posted on June 21, 2014 by Jerry

The Nugget:

Revelation 22:19 And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.

My Comment:

Denunciations against those who add to or take from the Scriptures (The New Topical Textbook, subheading under the main topic “The Scriptures,” page 240).

Taking something away from the written Word of God is a perilous action, for anyone who does so will lose his part in the book of life, the holy city, and the promises written in the Word of God.

Once again, while this warning is appended to the book of Revelation specifically, its position in the Bible being at the very end of the Bible, may providentially have been designed to have the warning applicable to the whole Book.

The Apostle John was the last living Apostle of Christ. It is possible, but not certain, that the Apostle John was the person God provided in the early Church to certify which writings belonged in the completed New Testament. That is an idea discussed and supported by a most interesting appendix to volume two of Townsend’s Analysis, a nineteenth century Chronological Bible which is very well done.

Just how does this warning not to take anything away from the Word of God apply? The warning might well apply historically to certain heretics of the second century or so who devised their own edition of the New Testament or Gospel account to suit their system of errors. They took out those portions of the Gospel text which recorded miracles and other things they did not like.

In our own day the Jehovah’s Witnesses have published The New World Translation which attempts to remove all evidence for the doctrine of the Trinity, the personality of the Holy Spirit, and the deity of our Lord Jesus Christ from the text. This surely would fall under the condemnation of the warning in Revelation 22:19 not to take away from the words of the Bible. This would also suggest that the translators, the organization and its leaders, and any of their followers or adherents who are deceived by this translation into not believing in the deity of Jesus Christ, and the personality of the Holy Spirit, are very likely to be devoid of any hope of eternal life.

I challenge anyone who may be affiliated in any way with the Jehovah’s Witnesses and the Watchtower Society to make a very careful examination of their belief as it compares with the Bible itself, properly translated. I have had Jehovah’s Witnesses challenge me to examine my beliefs with what the Bible teaches, appealing most correctly to Romans 14:12 to justify such a challenge. I say, respectfully, that what is good for the goose is good for the gander. The challenge of Romans 14:12 surely applies to me. But it also applies to everyone else, including every Jehovah’s Witness. Every one of us will have to give account of ourselves to God.

In times past, and just lately here on this website, I have been challenged by Jehovah’s Witnesses who claim “Jesus is NOT Jehovah.” If this is what you believe, I have some rather shocking news for you. A careful comparison of Scripture with Scripture will demonstrate to anyone who will go by what the Bible itself says that Jesus is identified as Jehovah in the New Testament in several ways. There is not space in this post to fully explore this truth, but I will point to where anyone can learn more later in this post, and as necessary, in subsequent posts once my series on “The Scriptures” from the outline in The New Topical Textbook is completed. I have written over 95 Bible Nuggets on the theme of “The Scriptures” from this outline. This outline greatly impressed me in my Bible studies as a teenager about the supreme importance of the Bible in our spiritual lives. I trust you have gained a similar perspective from reading my posts, a perspective that will anchor your faith in the written Word of God.

Some students of the false cults have identified several such groups by the term “Name Cults.” By this term reference is made to the claim of such cultic groups to have a special and more correct focus and understanding of God’s name than the rest of us poor souls. To know God’s names and their meaning is a wonderful study, and taken directly from Scripture, is most instructive.

The Watchtower Society’s New World Translation brings the Divine Name, Jehovah, into the text of the New Testament, which on linguistic and textual evidence in the original manuscripts is invalid, though well-intended on their part. To support such a claim, they provide in an appendix photographic copies of a Greek manuscript of the New Testament which does contain the name Jehovah where our ordinary translations use the word “Lord,” as in New Testament quotations of Old Testament passages which in the Hebrew text do contain the name Jehovah.

There is one very striking exception where the New World Translation fails to apply this general principle. The exception is found at 1 Peter 2:3.

1 Peter 2:3 is certainly a quotation from Psalm 34:8. Equally certain it is that Psalm 34:8 contains a reference to the Divine Name, Jehovah.

The Watchtower arguments to justify an exception here to their general principle are unconvincing. I would rather believe that they are lamely trying to hide the fact that Peter in this quotation from Psalm 34:8 is applying it to our Lord Jesus Christ, and so in some sense equating Jesus with Jehovah. This comparison or equation is quite frequently done. I have provided a rather complete listing of the examples I have found in my note at 1 Peter 2:3 in both The New Treasury of Scripture Knowledge and the same note preserved in Nelson’s Cross Reference Guide to the Bible.

Another text the Watchtower and its followers like to use to reduce the honor we are to give the Lord Jesus Christ (Philippians 2:9, 10) is John 20:17. This verse, the Watchtower claims, proves that Jesus cannot be God, for He refers to “My Father, and your Father, My God and your God.” If Jesus calls the Father “my God,” He can hardly Himself be God. This is hardly the proper inference to be drawn from the words of Jesus here, for later in this same chapter, John 20:28, we have the climax of John’s Gospel, where John records that Thomas in devout worship said to Jesus, “My Lord and my God.”

When we consider John 20:17, I would ask a Jehovah’s Witness, and anyone else who has bought into the same error, “Why did Jesus not more simply say, “to our Father and to our God”?

The correct answer is rooted in a correct understanding of the Person of Christ–something the Watchtower and its followers do not have!

The New Testament reveals that Jesus Christ possessed two natures in His one Person at the same time. Jesus Christ clearly possessed a human nature (Philippians 2:7), something we might expect, having been born of the virgin Mary (Matthew 1:18, 23) in fulfillment of Bible prophecy. Jesus Christ clearly possessed a Divine nature (Philippians 2:6), having been conceived by the Holy Spirit (Matthew 1:18, 20; Luke 1:35).

Therefore, though Jesus Christ was and still is truly a man (Philippians 2:7; 1 Timothy 2:5), he certainly had a relationship with God the Father which is different than we as fallen creatures have, for He was possessed of a perfect, unfallen, and sinless human nature (John 14:30; Hebrews 4:15).

This being the case, Jesus is always cognizant of this difference, so He NEVER EVEN ONCE uses the expression of Himself, “Our Father,” but always speaks as at John 20:17, “say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father, and to my God, and your God” and again at Revelation 3:12, “my God,” but never “our God.”

Therefore, to suggest that Jesus so spoke at John 20:17 to Mary Magdalene who was first to witness Jesus after His bodily resurrection from the dead, that He spoke in this manner so as to deny His Deity is very wide of the mark, and surely a gross misinterpretation of this text, in an attempt to take away a precious affirmation of Who Jesus is and His proper relation in His true humanity to the Father.

Those who take away from the Person of Christ by denying Who He really is are surely in grave danger of having no part in the promise of eternal life with God and His Divine Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, as clearly threatened in Revelation 22:19.

For those who desire to DIG DEEPER into this subject:

(1) Consult the cross references given in Nelson’s Cross Reference Guide to the Bible on page 1521 for Revelation 22:19.

(2) Consult the cross references given in The New Treasury of Scripture Knowledge on page 1538 or in Logos 5 Bible software for Revelation 22:19.

(3) Lacking access to those two resources, consult the cross references for this passage as I have developed them as given below:

Revelation 22:19. And if. FS184C, +Mt 4:9. take away from. See on Re 2:18. *Je 26:2. Mt 19:9n. Lk 11:52. Jn 3:7n. +*Ga 1:8, 9. 1 Th 4:2n. God. See on +*Re 3:5. +Re 13:8. Ex 32:33. **Ps 69:28. shall take. *Lk 8:18. his part. %Dt 18:1. Jsh 22:25, 27. +*Ep 1:11. out of the book of life. Re 13:8. >Ps 69:28. or, from the tree of life. See on ver. Re 22:2, 14. +Re 2:7. >Ge 2:9. >Ge 3:22. and out. See on Re 21:2, 22-27. holy city. Re 21:2, 10. >Is 52:1. +Mt 4:5. *He 12:22. and from. ver. Re 22:12. Re 1:3. 2:7, 11, 17, 26. 3:4, 5, 12, 21. 7:9-17. 14:13. 20:15.

For Further Study:

1 Peter 2:3. If. FS184A, +1 Cor 15:2. 1 P 1:17. Mt 6:30. Lk 12:28. Ro 6:8. tasted. Gr. geuomai (S#1089g, Mt 16:28). Aorist tense, ye tasted. “A taste excites the appetite” (Bengel, cited by Vincent). 2 S 19:35. Jb 12:11. +**Ps 9:10. >Ps 34:8. 63:5. *SS 2:3. Zc 9:17. Lk 5:39. Jn 4:14. +*Ro 12:3. 2 Cor 12:16. *He 6:4-6. *1 J 5:10. the Lord. The Hebrew text underlying this quotation from the Old Testament reads “Jehovah” (Ps 34:8h); this is therefore a very clear instance of the Divine Name of Jehovah being applied directly to Jesus Christ by the apostles in the New Testament, for the following verse (ver. 1 P 2:4) shows unmistakably that this reference is to Jesus (Ac 11:21n). The following pairs of references will show that this identification is very frequently made in the New Testament:

(1) Mt 3:3 with Is 40:3.
(2) Jn 12:41 w Is 6:1.
(3) Ep 4:7, 8n w Ps 68:18.
(4) 1 P 3:15 w Is 8:13.
(5) 1 Cor 2:8 w Ps 24:7, 10.
(6) James 2:1 w Ps 24:7, 10.
(7) 1 Cor 1:30 w **Je 23:5, 6.
(8) Jn 3:31 w Ps 97:9.
(9) Re 1:17 w Is 44:6.
(10) Phil 2:6 w Zc 13:7.
(11) He 13:20 w Is 40:10, 11.
(12) Col 1:16 w Pr 16:4.
(13) Lk 7:27 w Ml 3:1.
(14) He 1:8, 10-12 w Ps 102:24-27.
(15) Titus 2:13 w Ho 1:7.
(16) 2 Tim 4:1 w Ec 12:14.
(17) Re 1:5 and Re 17:14 w Da 2:47.
(18) Jn 1:3 w Is 40:28.
(19) Col 1:17 w +*Ne 9:6.

When I present the above information to Jehovah’s Witnesses, the reaction I get is the question, “How could Jesus be Jehovah? Is that what you are claiming?” The answer is that in the Bible there is more than one Person in the Triune Godhead who is called Jehovah (**Ge 19:24n; +*Ex 3:2n). For Scripture evidence establishing the divinity or deity of Christ, see Topic Numbers 74-82, the sets of references gathered at Mt 28:19n, and the following related notes and references: (1) Deity of Christ, Col 1:16n. (2) Christ received worship, +*Mt 14:33. +*Jn 20:28, 29n. +*Ac 7:59n. (3) Christ is not a lesser god, or entitled to a lesser degree of worship, +*Jn 1:1n. Phil 2:6n. (4) Jesus called God, +**Jn 20:28, 29n. (5) Charged with blasphemy for his claim to deity, Jn 10:32n. (6) Only a divine Savior possessing full deity could qualify as our substitute, better, sacrifice, in the atonement for sins, He 10:4n. **Je 23:5, 6. gracious. Gr. chrēstos (S#5543g, Ep 4:32), employed, that is, (by implication) useful (in manner or morals) [Strong]; delicious to the taste. Je 24:2-5. Mt 11:30g. Lk 5:39g (better). Lk 6:35. Ro 2:4. 11:22. +*Ep 4:32g.

We must carefully observe that to say Jesus is Jehovah does not mean Jesus is the Father. In the Bible the Father is called Jehovah; the Son is called Jehovah, and it may be (though at this time I have not conducted a study on this aspect) that the Holy Spirit is called Jehovah, but I’ll have to determine by further study whether in fact the Holy Spirit is ever called Jehovah or not. But that the Father is called Jehovah, and the Son is called Jehovah can be proven absolutely from Scripture.

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Daily Bible Nugget #294, Revelation 22:18

Posted on June 20, 2014 by Jerry

The Nugget:

Revelation 22:18 For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book:

My Comment:

Denunciations against those who add to or take from the Scriptures (The New Topical Textbook, subheading under the major heading, “The Scriptures,” page 240).

It seems fitting that at the close of the New Testament this warning against adding to the Scripture should be issued. There are some who argue this prohibition applies only to the book of Revelation. I think otherwise. I believe God providentially arranged this warning’s placement at the close of the New Testament to warn against adding to the now closed canon of Scripture. John was the last writer to pen a New Testament book. John outlived the other writers of the New Testament by as many as 30 years. It is highly likely, though it cannot strictly be proven historically with the evidence in our possession, that John himself finalized and closed the New Testament canon or list of books to be contained in the New Testament. Such is the position argued or presented in an appendix at the end of Townsend’s Analysis, a most helpful arrangement of Scripture in chronological order produced in the nineteenth century. In any case, I agree with his position, or his prejudices, however you may see it!

I think the warning applies to any person or group that would add to the Bible as we have it in its 66 books, 39 in the Old Testament and 27 in the New Testament, additional revelation or Tradition that is regarded as divinely inspired or authoritative on a par with Scripture itself.

There are and have been certain religious groups who claim to have additional books that belong in the Bible or new books of revelatory material which they believe to be specially, even divinely inspired. The Mormons have their Book of Mormon. The Roman Catholics have added a number of apocryphal books to the Old Testament, books present in the Septuagint but not accepted by the Jews in Israel and not named as Scripture by the New Testament writers. The Roman Catholics have also added Tradition into the mix as authoritative, to be considered along side the Bible in formulating doctrine. Other groups have their inspired prophetess (like Seventh-day Adventists and Ellen G. White, or the Christian Science church with Mary Baker Eddy). Other groups claim to be the only source of authoritative Bible teaching, or similarly make the claim to be the one true church. All of these are in danger of violating the command in Revelation 22:18 not to add to God’s Word, the Bible.

I think the best choice is to go by the Bible alone and in its entirety, and seek to have fellowship with others who have the proper regard for the Bible.

For those who desire to DIG DEEPER into this subject:

(1) Consult the cross references given in Nelson’s Cross Reference Guide to the Bible on page 1521 for Revelation 22:18.

(2) Consult the cross references given in The New Treasury of Scripture Knowledge on page 1538 or in Logos 5 Bible software for Revelation 22:18.

(3) Lacking access to those two resources, consult the cross references for this passage as I have developed them as given below:

Revelation 22:18. testify. See on ver. Re 22:16. *Re 3:14. Ep 4:17. 1 Th 4:6. heareth. See on Re 1:3. this book. ver. Re 22:7, 9. Dt 31:24. +Ac 1:20. If. FS184C, +Mt 4:9. add unto these. >Dt 4:2. >Dt 12:32. Jsh 1:7. 1 S 12:19. 1 K 12:11. Pr 19:27. +*Pr 30:6. +**Is 8:20. **Je 23:28, 29. Mt 7:15-20. **Mt 15:6-9, 13. 24:11, 24. 28:20. 1 Cor 3:12, 13. God shall add. T#1108. Re 14:10, 11. 15:1. Re 16:1-3, 8-11, 17, 18, 21. 19:20. 20:10, 15. **Le 26:18, 24, 25, 28, 37. %Pr 10:22. the plagues. >Dt 29:20.

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Daily Bible Nugget #293, 2 Peter 3:16

Posted on June 19, 2014 by Jerry

The Nugget:

2 Peter 3:16 As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction.

My Comment:

The wicked frequently wrest the Scriptures to their own destruction (The New Topical Textbook, subheading under the main heading “The Scriptures,” page 240).

Peter is, in context, speaking of Paul’s letters or epistles, which Peter accounts to be Scripture (as evidenced by his statement, “as they do also the other scriptures”). Peter had just written that we should be “diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless” (2 Peter 3:14). Paul teaches these very truths in his letters. Using a good source of cross references will lead to the passages in Paul’s letters that Peter could be referring to.

For some, in Peter’s day as well as ours, there are things which are hard to understand in Paul’s letters. One of the issues Peter is addressing is the danger of moral apostasy. Some had taken parts of Paul’s message and given those parts a wrong interpretation (see Romans 3:8, where Paul comments that this was taking place). One of the falsehoods both Paul and Peter were confronting is the notion that because we are saved by grace apart from works, it does not matter if we keep on sinning, because God’s grace in Christ will cover it all, so we can freely live as we please. That is known as antinomianism.

It is a very prevalent doctrine among some Christians today too. Antinomianism is a term that literally means “against law.” The idea is, since we are saved by grace, we have nothing to do with law. Since we have nothing to do with law, we are not required to obey it. It is the wrong inference drawn from a misunderstanding of what is meant by our freedom from the law, our liberty in Christ. The title of a good Gospel song is “Free from the Law.” Antinomians have taken this Biblical idea to an extreme.

Some people who have fallen into the antinomian error would even question the possibility of moral apostasy. Some supposedly Bible believing Christians do not believe in the possibility of apostasy at all, moral or doctrinal. The New Testament is filled with warnings against apostasy, but these are either ignored, or are explained away. Most Evangelical Christians will say and teach that if someone appears to have fallen away, they were never saved in the first place, and they cite 1 John 2:19 to make that case. They are driven to that mistaken application by the necessities of their doctrinal system, Calvinism or a weaker variant, for they believe “Once Saved, Always Saved.” But this use of 1 John 2:19 falls into the errors of (1) taking a verse out of its evident historical context; (2) trying to fit all situations into one verse–overgeneralizing and so making the verse apply to more than it really does. By taking such a stance, many Christians who believe the Bible have fallen into the fatal mistake of denying one doctrine (the very real possibility of apostasy) to affirm another (the unconditional eternal security of the believer). In this case, they deny a true doctrine to affirm a false one! And Peter clearly warns us that to do this is to court our own destruction.

The Bible does not teach unconditional eternal security, or “Once Saved, Always Saved,” at all! What the Bible does teach is the absolute eternal security of the believer, not the unbeliever.

There are other ways of wresting the Scripture to our own destruction. It is a very serious matter, even dangerous matter, to fasten our belief-system to a man-made doctrinal scheme, such as Calvinism, or Romanism, or Arianism–perhaps almost any “ism”!

I have more recently learned of another serious example of wresting the Scriptures. Having a mistaken concept of the Atonement of Christ plagues all of us because almost without exception, all English Bibles have been translated from the Hebrew and especially the Greek originals to reflect the Penal Satisfaction Theory of the Atonement, a theological construct which may be traced to Anselm and Augustine. This theory was borrowed whole by the Protestant Reformers from Roman Catholicism. This is one of the areas in theology where the Protestant Reformers did not go far enough in their Reformation. Another area where the Reformers by and large were totally in the dark is the subject of Bible prophecy.

Now, I cannot give you Chapter and Verse for my idea that God is not going to require us to pass a seminary level final test on systematic theology to be able to enter His heaven, but since the New Testament nowhere suggests our need to pass such a test, the simple faith represented by Paul’s response to the question of the Philippian Jailer, “What must I do to be saved?” still has the valid and simple answer, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved, and thy house” (Acts 16:30, 31).

But this does not in any way excuse any of us from the responsibility to check everything we believe and have been taught against the Scripture, just as the Bereans did in Acts 17:11.

For those who desire to DIG DEEPER into this subject:

(1) Consult the cross references given in Nelson’s Cross Reference Guide to the Bible on page 1470 for 2 Peter 3:16.

(2) Consult the cross references given in The New Treasury of Scripture Knowledge on page 1488 or in Logos 5 Bible software for 2 Peter 3:16.

(3) Lacking access to those two resources, consult the cross references for this passage as I have developed them as given below:

2 Peter 3:16. in all. The Pauline Epistles were by this time become the common property of all the churches. The “all” seems to imply they were now completed (JFB). See on 1 P 1:1. speaking. +*Ro 8:19. *1 Cor 15:21, 23, 24. *Col 3:4. +*1 Th 4:14 18. *1 Th 5:1 10. *1 Tim 6:14. *2 Tim 1:7, 8. +*2 Tim 4:1, 8, 18. *He 9:28. 10:23-39. of these things. ver. 2 Peter 3:14. 2 K ch. 1. Col 3:4. 1 Th 4:13. 5:11. 2 Th 2:16. some things. Notice Peter says some things, not all. The difficulty some readers and interpreters find in understanding parts of Scripture is no argument against perspicuity, the doctrine that Scripture declares it is understandable (Ps 119:130) to the ordinary reader (T#1110—1122). This furnishes no basis for those denominations, churches, and religious organizations, even some false cults (some of which appeal to Mt 16:16 or Mt 24:45 to assert their authority), to claim they are the exclusive source for authoritative teaching of the Bible. Peter warns, in context, that those he speaks of are deficient in their knowledge and have a character problem. He urges us not to be led away with the error of the wicked. We are urged to grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ (2 P 3:18). The only source of this knowledge is the 27 primary documents we have in the New Testament. We need to make it our habit to regularly study the Scriptures, and feed on God’s Word (+1 P 2:2n). Ps 119:97. hard to be understood. Gr. dusnoētos (S#1425g, only here), difficult of perception (Strong). 1 K 10:1. Pr 1:6. +**Pr 28:5. Jn 6:60. Ro 3:5-8, 20-28. 4:15. 5:20. 6:1. 7:4-11. 8:29, 30. 9:18 20. 11:33. 14:1-6 with Acts 15:29. 1 Cor 2:13, 14. Ga 3:10. 2 Th 2:1-12. 2 Tim 2:17. *He 5:10, 11. 6:4-9. unlearned. Gr. amathēs (S#261g, only here), ignorant (Strong); lacking in the moral qualities of a balanced judgment (Strachan). This is the central issue, the major problem: people who ought to know better are virtually Biblically illiterate. Jn 17:3. Ac 4:13. 1 Cor 14:16. 2 Tim 2:23. He 5:11, 12. 6:9n. 1 P 2:2n. unstable. Gr. astēriktos (S#793g, only here and 2 P 2:14). Refers more to conduct, those whose habits are not fully trained and established (see Strachan). 2 P 2:14. Ge 49:4. 2 Tim 3:5 7. +*James 1:8. wrest. Gr. strebloō (S#4761g, only here), to wrench, that is, (specifically) to torture (by the rack), but only figuratively to pervert (Strong). T#1107. Ex 23:2, 6. Dt 16:19. 2 S 22:27g. Ps 56:5. +*Je 8:8mg. Je 23:36. Hab 1:4. Mt 4:5, 6. 15:3-6. 19:3-10. 22:29. Ro 8:21. 1 Cor 5:9-11. +*2 Cor 2:17. 3:17. +*2 Cor 4:2. Ga 5:13. 2 Tim 2:18. 1 P 2:8. as they do. Is 28:16. the other. Gr. loipoi (S#3062g, Mt 22:6), remaining ones (Strong). The Greek word has reference to others of the same kind. Mt 15:3, 6. 22:29. *Mt 25:11. *Ac 2:37. *Ro 1:13. *1 Cor 9:5. *2 Cor 12:13. *Ga 2:13. *Phil 4:3. +*1 Tim 5:18. +*2 Tim 3:16. scriptures. Gr. graphē (S#1124g, Mt 21:42). Note that St. Paul’s epistles are called “Scriptures” (CB). In its fifty occurrences, this term is always applied to the Old and New Testament sacred writings. Men in each Church having miraculous discernment of spirits (1 J 4:1; 2 Th 2:2n) would have prevented any uninspired writing from being put on a par with the OT word of God; the apostles’ lives also were providentially prolonged, Paul’s and Peter’s at least to thirty-four years after Christ’s resurrection, John’s to thirty years beyond them, so that fraud in the canon is out of the question. The three first Gospels and Acts are included in “the other Scriptures” (1 Tim 5:18), and perhaps all the NT books, save John and Revelation, written later (see JFB). 2 P 1:20, 21. +Mt 21:42. **1 Cor 14:37. Col 4:16. 1 Th 5:27. +**2 Tim 3:15-17. 1 P 2:6. unto their own. 2 P 2:1. +*Phil 3:19. 1 P 2:8. Jude 1:4. destruction. Gr. apōleia (S#684g, Mt 7:13), ruin or loss (physical, spiritual or eternal) [Strong]. ver. 2 P 3:6, *2 P 3:7, 9. 2 P 2:1, 3. Dt 4:2. 12:32. Is 28:13. 1 Tim 5:15. Re 22:19.

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Daily Bible Nugget #292, Psalm 119:158

Posted on June 18, 2014 by Jerry

The Nugget:

Psa 119:158 I beheld the transgressors, and was grieved; because they kept not thy word.

My Comment:

The wicked obey not the Scriptures (The New Topical Textbook, subheading under the main topic “The Scriptures,” page 240).

The Psalmist was grieved when he beheld transgressors, people who did not obey God’s Word. That should grieve us too.

There are solutions to this major problem of so many people paying no attention to God’s Word in the Bible, thinking they can violate it with impunity (Galatians 6:8, 9; Psalm 82:5).

It would be a good idea to pray for them that they might find the Lord, that they might become open to hearing, really hearing, the Gospel.

It would be a good idea to become an influence for good, an influence upon someone we know who has not accepted the truth of the Gospel, and share the Gospel as God provides us the opportunity to do so.

The need is out there today, just as it has been in the past. We each must do what we can to get the Gospel out to those who have not yet responded in faith to its message.

There are transgressors who do not keep God’s Word. In the past, God has used His Word to change the lives of such people. His Word is still valid. It will do powerfully what it has always done, change the world for the better (Romans 1:16). Don’t be guilty of suppressing the truth (Romans 1:18) by keeping the Gospel a secret.

For those who desire to DIG DEEPER into this subject:

(1) Consult the cross references given in Nelson’s Cross Reference Guide to the Bible on page 634 for Psalm 119:158.

(2) Consult the cross references given in The New Treasury of Scripture Knowledge on page 678 or in Logos 5 Bible software for Psalm 119:158.

(3) Lacking access to those two resources, consult the cross references for this passage as I have developed them as given below:

Psalm 119:158. beheld. ver. Ps 119:53, 136. Je 3:20. Ezk 9:4. Mk 3:5. the transgressors. Ps 101:3, 4. +Pr 2:22. Je 9:2. was grieved. T#662, T#1087. ver. Ps 119:53n, 104, 113, 136. Ps 26:5, 9. +Ps 79:9 (T#538). Ps 139:21. Ge 6:6. Dt 7:26. 1 S 15:35. Ezr 9:2-5. 10:6. Jb 1:1. 21:16. 42:6. Pr 8:13. 29:27. Is 42:24. Je 13:17. 14:17. *Ezk 9:4. Mt 18:31. 23:37. *Mk 3:5. Lk 19:41. +*Ac 17:16. +*Ac 20:31. Ro 9:1-3. 2 Cor 2:4. +*2 Cor 12:21. Ga 1:8, 9. 2:14. 5:12n. Ep 4:26. *Phil 3:18. 2 P 2:7, 8. Jude 1:22, 23. kept not. T#1106. ver. Ps 119:5, %+*Ps 119:63, 85, 136. +*2 Ch 19:2. +**Is 8:20. Ep 5:6. thy word. ver. +Ps 119:11, 50. Is 42:24.

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