Daily Bible Nugget #291, 1 Peter 2:8

Posted on June 17, 2014 by Jerry

The Nugget:

1Pe 2:8 And a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed. (KJV)

1Pe 2:8 and a stumbling-stone and a rock to trip over. They stumble because they disobey the word, as they were destined to do. (NET Bible)

My Comment:

The wicked stumble at the Scriptures (The New Topical Textbook, subheading under the main heading “The Scriptures,” page 240).

There are many who stumble at the Scriptures. They cannot understand the Bible correctly because they do not obey it, as so clearly expressed above by the NET Bible.

Most striking, and terrifying, is the fact that the Greek word underlying the English words “being disobedient” means unpersuasable. Think about it! If you are so committed to your belief, your position, that you will not change no matter what the evidence to the contrary, you are in BIG trouble. The same Greek word appears at John 3:36, “he that believeth not” shall not see life, but the wrath of God abideth on him. Some translations read “he that obeyeth not,” which is a step in the right direction. But the word means unpersuasable. Are you unable to be persuaded when you are faced with irrefutable evidence, evidence that proves your belief or understanding is wrong? To be stuck in a wrong opinion is dangerous indeed (Proverbs 29:1).

We all should be willing to change our mind about something, that is, to correct our mistaken opinion, based on new and better evidence.

There are those who in public and political life as well as in personal life who simply do not care to take the Bible, the Word of God, into consideration.

They are engaged in suppressing the truth to carry out their agenda of falsehood and wickedness (Romans 1:18). Those who support Sodomy disobey the Scripture, and of course are against the Scripture.

Those who support so-called “gay rights” are likewise disobedient to Scripture (2 Chronicles 19:2).

Those who support so-called “same-sex marriage” are likewise in violation of Scripture, and knowingly reject what God has said in His written Word, the Bible on this issue (Matthew 19:4, 5, 6).

Some governments have declared that to support and proclaim the Bible truth on these issues is “hate speech.” Isn’t that too bad. The Bible commands us to hate the sin, but rescue the sinner (Jude 1:23). The Bible also commands us to obey God regardless what civil authorities may require to the contrary (Acts 5:29). The government and its officials better start paying attention to God and the Bible (Psalm 9:17).

There are those who in matters of religion and doctrine, particularly Bible doctrine, plainly stumble at the Word of God because of their disobedience to Scripture, and failure to study the Bible carefully enough to arrive at the correct position taught in the Bible.

Just this morning I listened to a brief ending portion of a message by Dr. R. C. Sproul talking about “Chosen by God,” addressing the subject of predestination. He argued for the validity of that Bible doctrine in the form he believes it on the basis that the world’s five greatest theologians have written on this doctrine and Dr. Sproul agrees with what they teach, and stated all five of these great theologians agreed with each other. The five theologians he mentioned are Augustine, Thomas Aquinas, Martin Luther, John Calvin, and Jonathan Edwards.

No wonder Dr. R. C. Sproul is all mixed up! If studying such men as these is how he formulates and verifies his understanding of Bible doctrine, no wonder he gets much of it wrong whenever he goes off on his favorite tangent of expounding Calvinism instead of the Bible. Don’t get me wrong. Dr. Sproul is a wonderfully gifted and very effective teacher and I enjoy his program when he sticks to the Bible. And even when he veers off course–away from the Bible sometimes, he is still very informative.

Contrary to what Dr. R. C. Sproul said this morning during his program Renewing Your Mind, when he said the “pre” in the word predestination speaks of “before,” and the rest of the word, “destination” speaks of where we finally end up, either heaven or hell, the doctrine of predestination as taught in the Greek New Testament does not address the matter of who has been arbitrarily chosen by God to go to heaven from eternity past, even before the person entered into earthly life, regardless of what they may or may not do.

The Bible doctrine of predestination pertains to the fact that God desires our lives to be conformed to the example and life of Christ in obedience to His written Word found in the Bible. During the portion of the program I was able to listen to today, Dr. Sproul did not cite, far less expound and exegete, a single Scripture. He did discuss at some length that Martin Luther actually wrote more on the doctrine of predestination than John Calvin did. But I will furnish you one or two verses or so to consider so you can see for yourself what the New Testament has to say about predestination. Take a look at Romans 8:29, 30. Paul speaks there of our being predestined to be conformed to the image of God’s Son, not to heaven or hell–regardless of the choices we may or may not make (as wrongly taught by Calvinism).

The subject of predestination is also addressed in Ephesians 1:4, 5, 11. I will cite what Malcolm Lavender has placed as note “a” in his new translation at Ephesians 1:4,

“There is a predestination of Scripture, but not to eternal destiny. Predestination is to holiness, righteousness, and true knowledge (cf. Ep 4:24; Col. 3:10). God determined in eternity that He would have a holy Church, in the image of His Son; a Church with the family likeness (cf. Rom. 8:29; 2 Pet. 1:4).
This is predestination of Divine exaltation, salvation, redemption, and restoration from the Fall, not the heartless decree of Calvinism, carried out by irresistible grace for the elect, and eternal damnation for all others (cf. Rom. 9:15 and note).”

Therefore, in the important matter of Bible doctrine, we need to be careful when we listen to our favorite Bible teachers. We need to be Berean Christians and search the Scriptures to see if what is being taught is actually supported by the Bible (Acts 17:11).

We need to be careful of the very sincere and zealous people who come to our door proclaiming God’s Kingdom, plentifully supplied with literature and talking points. The Jehovah’s Witnesses, who meet in their Kingdom Halls, know nothing correctly about the Kingdom of God as taught by Scripture itself, except perhaps for one thing: they are most correct that God’s Kingdom is here on this earth. Our inheritance indeed is on earth (Matthew 5:5), not the third heaven. Most Bible believing Christians are wrong on this point. Both the Jehovah’s Witnesses and most Evangelical Bible believing Christians are mistaken about the duration of God’s Kingdom on earth, and commonly believe it lasts for only 1000 years, called the Millennium. That is not what the Bible teaches. Our Lord Jesus Christ will rule this earth, seated on the throne of David, from Jerusalem not for 1000 years but forever (Luke 1:32, 33).

Interestingly, a new poster here, probably a Jehovah’s Witness, left a comment at Bible Nugget 287, in the form of a link to an article which is rather a listing of Scripture which the poster’s title suggests supports the idea that “Jesus is NOT Jehovah.”

This morning I went to the link. Immediately I spotted a misuse of Vine’s Expository Dictionary, page 490, cited in support of the mistaken New World Translation rendering at John 1:1, “a god.” Vine does not support this translation at all, and further down the page he specifically addresses that translation error. Watch out when a religious organization like the Watchtower mishandles citations, inferring support when the writer cited certainly does not support their view.

As an experienced English teacher used to checking carefully the research papers written by my students, I give the Watchtower a failing grade for misuse of sources.

I encountered this issue numerous times when I was visited every Monday night for a Watchtower Bible study in my home for four years. I’m sure the local Kingdom Hall Literature Servant (that’s what the position the person teaching me the Bible held was called back then–he was in charge of all literature distribution by his congregation) was most surprised when I brought out a different reference work time after time cited by the Watchtower literature and was able to show the Watchtower was inaccurate or downright deceitful in its citations of scholarly sources.

Thus, the wicked certainly stumble in their handling of the Word of God, and should not be heeded or followed.

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 1458 for 1 Peter 2:8.

(2) Consult the cross references given in The New Treasury of Scripture Knowledge on page 1475 or in Logos 5 Bible software for 1 Peter 2:8.

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

1 Peter 2:8. a stone. FS22L2, +Is 8:14. >Is 8:14. 57:14. Mt 21:44. Mk 12:10. *Lk 2:34. 20:17. Ro 9:32, 33. 1 Cor 1:23. +1 Cor 8:9. 2 Cor 2:16. of stumbling. Gr. proskomma (S#4348g, Ro 9:32). Is 28:13. Je 6:21. *Je 13:16. Ezk 3:20. +*Ezk 14:3. Da 2:45. Ho 14:9. Ro 9:32. +**1 Cor 8:9. Ga 5:11. Re 2:14. of offence. Gr. skandalon (S#4625g, Mt 13:34). This is a composite quotation from Ps 118:22 and Is 8:14 (CB; see Mt 27:9n). =Ex 10:7. Mt 5:30. +Mt 11:6. *Mt 15:12. Lk 7:23. Jn 16:1. Ro 9:33. 1 Cor 1:23. Ga 5:11. stumble. Gr. proskoptō (S#4350g, Ro 9:32). T#1105. Dt 32:35. Ps 69:22. +*Ps 119:155, 171. %Pr 4:12. 28:5. Is 26:9. 28:13. +*Is 66:4, 5. *Je 6:19. 13:16. Ezk 12:2. *Ezk 33:31. *Da 9:13. 11:19. *Da 12:10. Ho 13:6. %+*Mi 2:7. Hab 1:4. +*Mt 5:30. Jn 7:17. **1 Cor 2:14. **2 Cor 4:3, 4. +*2 P 3:16. at the word. Mk 4:17. +Ac 8:4. being disobedient. Gr. apeitheō (S#544g, Jn 3:36), non-persuasable (Wuest). See on ver. 1 P 2:7. %1 P 1:14. 3:1. 4:17. 2 K 18:12. 2 Ch 25:20. *Ezk 33:11. +*Jn 3:19. +*Ac 6:9. Ro 10:21. Ep 2:2. 5:6. He 11:31. whereunto. T#252. +*Ge 50:20. Ex 9:16. +*Is 30:33. Ml 3:2. +*Ac 2:23. 4:27, 28. 13:29. Ro 9:22. 10:16. 1 Th 5:9. *2 P 2:3. Jude 1:4. Re 17:17. appointed. or, they were put aside. Gr. tithēmi (S#5087g). They were put aside translates etethēsan from tithēmi. Gingrich says: “1. put, place, lay-—a. generally lay (away), set up, put (away)….” Tithēmi has a large variety of meanings; BDAG says: “The semantic boundaries of this multivalent verb are quite flexible.” Here tithēmi is normally translated in a pre-destinarian sense—-appointed, destined-—as if God foreordained people to stumble. A. T. Robertson in a quote says: “Their disobedience is not ordained, the penalty of their disobedience is.” God as to His very nature cannot damn apart from judiciary action! People are judicially damned for wickedness, not by decree (cf. Ro 9:15, 18, 22; 11:20, 23 and notes) [LNT, fn s]. 1 P 1:2. Ex 4:21. +*Dt 10:15. Jb 23:14. Pr 16:4. 19:21. +*Pr 21:30. +*Is 30:33. 37:26. 49:6. Mt 24:51. Lk 2:34. 12:46. Ac 2:23. 4:28. Ro 9:17, 22. 16:26. *Ga 6:8. 1 Th 5:9. 1 Tim 2:4, 7. 2 Tim 1:11. *Titus 2:11. He 1:2. Re 17:14.

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Daily Bible Nugget #290, Jeremiah 8:9

Posted on June 16, 2014 by Jerry

The Nugget:

Jeremiah 8:9 The wise men are ashamed, they are dismayed and taken: lo, they have rejected the word of the LORD; and what wisdom is in them? (KJV)

Jer 8:9 Your wise men will be put to shame.
They will be dumbfounded and be brought to judgment.
Since they have rejected the word of the LORD,
what wisdom do they really have?
(NET Bible)

Jer 8:9 The wise men shall be put to shame; they shall be dismayed and taken; behold, they have rejected the word of the LORD, so what wisdom is in them? (ESV)

My Comment:

The wicked reject the Scriptures (The New Topical Textbook, subheading under the main heading “The Scriptures,” page 240).

Clearly in our day a large part of society reject the Scriptures. There are those–surely to be accounted among the wicked–who seek to remove the Bible from any mention in public life. Atheist groups do that, such as the Freedom from Religion Foundation. Other secular groups do the same, such as the Southern Poverty Law Center–a group that likes to pin labels on groups they disagree with, especially Evangelical and Bible believing Christian groups, including the American Family Association.

If one were to check carefully into American history, the evidence is that the Founding Fathers established the Bill of Rights, the first Ten Amendments, the Constitution, and before those wrote the Declaration of Independence upon Biblical principles. One of the Founding Fathers stated, in so many words, that the Constitution was designed to govern a Christian and moral people, and would not work with any other. They specifically did not found a democracy. They were very wisely against democracy. They founded a federal republic, with the goal of drastically limiting the powers and the reach of the federal government. The Founding Fathers did not found a system designed to utterly separate church and state in a manner taught about in some of our schools today, but designed a system that would never establish a state-supported religion or denomination.

Today we have a President who is unwilling to release full documentation to show he qualifies for the office he holds. That means, in essence, we don’t really know who he is! The Democratic Party knowingly and very clearly violated a most important provision of the Constitution when they placed his name in nomination. In my estimation a political party that would do that ought to be barred from any further participation in this nation’s political process for perpetrating a continuing fraud upon the public until they learn to follow the Constitution.

We have an Attorney General who knowingly violates federal law, such as in the “fast and furious” gun-running scandal, such as in failing on purpose to enforce the laws pertaining to border security and illegal immigration. He is also disingenuous when he tries to override attempts by individual states to have voter I.D. laws–perhaps because he wants to continue the election fraud, as “vote early and often.”

We have an IRS that broke the law by singling out conservative and Christian groups–denying them tax-exempt status granted other groups. Apparently the IRS was sent on its vendetta against the conservative groups by the President himself. Just this week the IRS claimed to have lost all the emails of Lois Lerner that pertain to this case because of a computer crash. Well, if not all, just two years’ worth. And maybe just those sent to the White House, Federal Election Commission, Department of Justice, and other federal agencies. In other words, only the most incriminating emails from the person at the heart of this unlawful targeting scandal are lost. How convenient! And a blatant lie. Those who know about how emails are sent and stored and backed up will not be fooled by this nonsense. We do not appear to have any legal force within the federal government with enough moral backbone to call a halt to this continuing outrage. Both the President and his Attorney General are lawless individuals who ought to have no place in our government.

Just as outrageously fraudulent is the so-called “Federal Reserve.” It is neither Federal, nor does it have a reserve. By black-letter law the Federal Reserve is charged to stabilize the currency such that there is NO inflation at all–no change in the purchasing power of the dollar. It violates that central charge and responsibility every day with impunity. It instead has set a “goal” of about 2 or 3 percent inflation. Well, use the rule of 72. At 2% inflation rate, the value of your money is cut in half every 36 years. That does not seem so bad when you do not take a careful look. But it means that to save enough to retire comfortably, you must double the amount of money required to do so in that time. That means that when you retire after having worked for 36 years or more, your money has only half the purchasing power that it started with. At 3% it only takes 24 years to have the same effect. And only the numbskulls at the Federal Government would believe inflation is ever even that low. The so-called “consumer price index” is a fraud, based on things in an hypothetical “basket” like picture frames, but NOT including the price of food or fuel. The Federal Reserve is a banking cartel, and is a private not federal institution with special privileges, including the privilege of not being audited. But you can be sure the bankers are enjoying the profits at our expense.

Ultimately, Jeremiah’s statement will prove true even in our current situation: our leaders have rejected God’s Word, demonstrating they have no wisdom. Our leaders lend their full support to ungodly, immoral causes and movements, but rarely, perhaps never stand up for what is right. God declares they will be dumbfounded and be brought to judgment. They will be put to shame.

Anyone who rejects God’s Word in the Bible is devoid of sound judgment and totally lacking in wisdom, and not just in the political sphere. God’s Word in the Bible applies to each of us as individuals, and was written to provide us the moral guidance we need to be successful in life and in eternity. The wisest thing anyone can do is to get better acquainted until they are thoroughly acquainted with what the Bible teaches. The first step in that direction would be to start reading the Bible for yourself.

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 804 for Jeremiah 8:9.

(2) Consult the cross references given in The New Treasury of Scripture Knowledge on page 830 or in Logos 5 Bible software for Jeremiah 8:9.

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

Jeremiah 8:9. The wise men are. or, Have they been, etc. Je 2:8. 6:15. 10:21. 49:7. 50:35. Jb 5:12, 13. Is 19:11, 12. *Ezk 7:26. 28:17. Ro 1:22. 2:23. *1 Cor 1:19, 26-29. 4:10. 1 Tim 1:7. lo. *Dt 4:6. **Ps 19:7. **Ps 119:98-100. +*Is 8:20n. 1 Cor 1:18-29. **2 Tim 3:15. rejected. T#1104. *Je 6:10n, 19. 20:8. 36:23. 2 K 17:15. 2 Ch 36:16. Ps 50:17. Pr 1:30. *Is 5:24. 30:12. Ho 4:6. Am 2:4. Zc 7:12. +*Mk 7:9, 13. Lk 7:30. +**Jn 5:39. Ac 13:46. Ro 3:31. what wisdom. Heb. the wisdom of what thing, etc. Dt 32:28. 2 S 15:31. 16:23. %+*Ps 119:99, 100. Pr 1:7. 14:6. +*Pr 21:30. Mt 6:23. 7:26. Lk 11:35. Jn 3:10. 1 Cor 1:20.

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Daily Bible Nugget #289, Mark 7:13

Posted on June 15, 2014 by Jerry

The Nugget:

Mark 7:13 Making the word of God of none effect through your tradition, which ye have delivered: and many such like things do ye.

My Comment:

The wicked make the Scriptures of none effect through their traditions (The New Topical Textbook, subheading under the main heading “The Scriptures,” page 240).

Notice that in Mark 7:13 Jesus charged the religious leaders of His day with making the word of God of none effect through their tradition, which they delivered–that is, pronounced as authoritative. These religious leaders were the official teaching authority of their day in Israel.

There is a lesson to be learned here. Jesus boldly placed the authority of the Scripture over any supposed authority of tradition imposed or promulgated by the religious authorities.

Jesus never appealed to tradition as the basis for the authority behind anything He taught. Jesus commanded us to “search the Scriptures” (John 5:39), not Tradition!

From the outset of His ministry, Jesus demonstrated for us His use of Scripture to answer and resist the Devil during His forty days of the temptation in the wilderness (Matthew 4:3, 4; 4:5, 6, 7; 4:8, 9, 10). Jesus did not try to answer Satan by using Tradition. Jesus answered Satan by a direct appeal to the Bible.

I think the evidence in the Bible is very clear for anyone who will honestly read what it says with their eyes open. We are to go by the Bible alone and in its entirety. The New Topical Textbook is surely correct when it states, “The wicked make [the Scriptures] of none effect through their traditions (Mark 7:9-13).”

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 1087 for Mark 7:13.

(2) Consult the cross references given in The New Treasury of Scripture Knowledge on page 1108 or in Logos 5 Bible software for Mark 7:13.

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

Mark 7:13. the word. ver. Mk 7:9. +*Is 8:20n. Je 8:8, 9. Ho 8:12. Mt 5:17-20. 15:6. Titus 1:14. of God. Notice the Lord’s claim here for the Mosaic Law (CB). +Lk 5:1. **+Jn 10:35. +Ro 9:6. +Re 1:2. none effect. T#1103. Mt 15:6. Ro 2:23. Ga 3:17. tradition. ver. +Mk 7:3. Mt 15:3. Lk 12:1. which ye have delivered. Note the Past Tense, thus identifying them with their forefathers (CB). 1 K 12:33. Ml 2:9. Mt 23:35. such. Ezk 18:14. Ga 5:21.

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Daily Bible Nugget #288, Mark 7:9

Posted on June 14, 2014 by Jerry

The Nugget:

Mark 7:9 And he said unto them, Full well ye reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your own tradition.

My Comment:

The wicked make the Scriptures of none effect through their traditions (The New Topical Textbook, subheading under the main heading “The Scriptures,” page 240).

Jesus spoke of tradition several times. In the New Testament Jesus always condemns tradition each time He mentions it by name.

Tradition is a very slippery word. Different groups, and different individuals, use the term but often with different meaning. I believe the term “tradition” as it is used by Jesus has reference to additions to what the Bible itself states or contains, additions made by man in the name of religion.

The Bible teaches it alone is the Word of God. No one has the authority to add to or subtract from what the Bible teaches (Isaiah 8:20; Proverbs 30:6; Revelation 22:18, 19).

The Bible teaches that it is a complete revelation, to which no further revelation will be added (Jude 1:3).

The Bible teaches that it contains all that we are required to know about spiritual things (2 Timothy 3:15), and that it equips us perfectly to do what God wants us to do for Him (2 Timothy 3:16, 17).

I fully grant that in some religious circles this is a very controversial subject, and others will strongly disagree with what I have said. I reply, “Chapter and Verse, Please.” Anyone who carefully reads the New Testament in a plain text Bible will clearly understand that in terms of what Jesus Himself explicitly taught, tradition has a very bad name.

Some will claim, like the Roman Catholics do, that since the Bible itself states it does not record everything Jesus said (John 20:30; John 21:25), we must look to the tradition preserved by the Roman Catholic Church outside of the Bible to learn “the rest of the story.” Tradition is preserved in the writings of the Church Fathers, the writings of early Christians after the time the New Testament was written. But the early writers do not claim to be writing divinely inspired revelation from God, and they quote the New Testament as authoritative Scripture, but do not regard their own or the writings of each other on the same level as the New Testament records. Furthermore, there are no additional words of Christ recorded outside the record we have in the New Testament.

Any claim from any church, no matter how ancient, to have preserved “unwritten tradition” from the Apostolic period is bogus.

Remember I said that the word “Tradition” is a very slippery word. When one uses the word “Tradition” but uses it in a way which actually represents distinct meanings for the word as if the word meant just one and the same thing all along, one is committing the logical fallacy of equivocation. I believe that Roman Catholics are guilty of this practice because Roman Catholics understand Tradition to mean the development of Christian doctrine over time–thus a changing content which results in new content. This permits the introduction of new practices and changing doctrine in their church. This contradicts the teaching of the Bible (Jude 1:3) which speaks of an unchanging and complete body of doctrine delivered once for all to the saints.

Notice the issue Jesus points out about tradition: those who hold to tradition “reject the commandment of God” (Mark 7:9) so that they may keep their own tradition. I think this is very evident in the teaching and practice of the Roman Catholic Church, because that church insists upon the equal authority of tradition and Scripture, and utterly rejects the doctrine of going by the Bible alone.

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 1086 for Mark 7:9.

(2) Consult the cross references given in The New Treasury of Scripture Knowledge on page 1108 or in Logos 5 Bible software for Mark 7:9.

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

Mark 7:9. Full. 2 K 16:10-16. Is 24:5. 29:13. Je 44:16, 17. Da 7:25. 11:36. Mt 15:3-6. 2 Th 2:4. well. FS60A, +Ge 3:22. ver. Mk 7:6. James 2:19. reject. or, frustrate. or, set aside. ver. Mk 7:13. Ps 119:126. +*Je 8:9. Mt 23:14-33. *Lk 7:30. Ro 3:31. Ga 2:21. 3:15g. He 10:28g. the commandment of God. ver. Mk 7:8. Hab 1:4. keep your own tradition. ver. +Mk 7:3. 1 K 18:27. Ec 7:29.

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Daily Bible Nugget #287, 2 Corinthians 2:17

Posted on June 13, 2014 by Jerry

The Nugget:

2 Corinthians 2:17 For we are not as many, which corrupt the word of God: but as of sincerity, but as of God, in the sight of God speak we in Christ.

My Comment:

The wicked corrupt the Scriptures (The New Topical Textbook, subheading under the main topic “The Scriptures,” page 240).

Paul spoke of there being many in his day which corrupt the word of God. In context, much of the second letter to the Corinthians was written to defend his apostleship against the claims of false teachers, namely Judaizers, who did not regard Paul very highly. Paul in 2 Corinthians 13:5 challenges the Corinthian Christians to think more deeply about what they were getting themselves into should they begin to believe these false teachers and turn from Paul’s teaching. Since the Corinthians were brought to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ through the instrumentality of the Apostle Paul, should they determine that he was a false teacher, then how is it they were truly saved?

In our day there are many who corrupt the Word of God. Some teach false doctrines but claim what they teach is the teaching of Scripture. Of course, it is obvious to most Bible readers that groups like the Jehovah’s Witnesses corrupt the Word of God. They have created their own translation called The New World Translation which is anti-Trinitarian. You would never notice, for example, that the Holy Spirit is a person when reading that translation. Yet, in the original language, the Greek text, the fact that the Holy Spirit is a person is clearly there. Even in English one cannot get around Ephesians 4:30, which speaks of grieving the Holy Spirit. It is not possible to grieve a non-person. Therefore this fact alone is enough to establish that the Holy Spirit is a person.

The Jehovah’s Witnesses argue that the “Trinity doctrine” was borrowed from paganism, for the word “trinity” is not to be found in the Bible. Granted the “word” is not there, but the “thing” that “word” names is most certainly there, in both the Old Testament and the New Testament. The Trinity is a necessary inference rightly drawn from a careful study of the Bible text.

The Roman Catholic Church is guilty of corrupting the Word of God found in Scripture. First of all, the Roman Catholic Church adds to the written Word of God what they call Tradition, and hold that Tradition is authoritative in establishing Christian doctrine, and necessary, because the Bible does not contain all God requires us to know and do. Second of all, the Roman Catholic Church holds a view of the Lord’s Supper which is not at all in accordance with what the Bible teaches by (1) holding the belief in Transubstantiation, that the bread and wine are actually transmuted into the actual physical body and blood of Christ, a belief which is based on a misunderstanding or denial of the Figures of Speech in the Bible–as failing to see Metaphor and Metalepsis: when Jesus stood before His disciples and took the bread and said “Take, eat, this is my body”(Matthew 26:26), and when he took the cup and said “This cup is the new testament in my blood, which is shed for you” (Luke 22:20)–clearly both physical elements represent but are not the actual blood and body of Christ, as signaled by the word “is,” and (2) using only one element of the Lord’s Supper rather than both elements as commanded by our Lord Jesus Christ. Third, the Roman Catholic Church teaches salvation through participation in its sacraments, a doctrinal position not to be found in the New Testament, and a most serious error. Fourth, the “Mass” itself is not to be found or hinted at in the New Testament, and as a supposed and claimed repetition of the sacrifice of Christ is directly contrary to the express statement and teaching of Scripture (Hebrews 1:3; Hebrews 7:27; 9:28; 10:10, 12) that the sacrifice of Christ was offered but once and never repeated. One would think that any intelligent reader of the New Testament in a plain text Bible would on a plain reading of that text notice that there is a world of difference between what the Roman Catholic Church teaches and does compared to what the New Testament itself presents as the truth of the Gospel.

A careful study of Scripture, particularly a study of the doctrine of the Atonement of Christ, will demonstrate that what is commonly taught today, the Penal Satisfaction Theory of the Atonement, is utterly unscriptural in the extreme. The Atonement Theory you believe in has far-reaching consequences. R. L. Lavender writes in his introduction to a commentary on the book of Romans by his father, Malcolm Lavender, “There isn’t an error in doctrine or practice that cannot be traced back to erroneous views concerning the Atoning death of Jesus Christ. The way man thinks about the Atonement has everything to do with his philosophy of life, his moral character, and his religious experience. It is, therefore, of the highest importance that our apprehension correspond as nearly as possible to the revelation found in Scripture” (page xv, Introduction to Expository Notes on Romans, Malcolm L. Lavender, 2009).

And again, “The Doctrine of the Atonement is vitally important because one’s view of what took place at Calvary has far reaching consequences. It will clarify or contaminate one’s basic theology concerning the nature of God, salvation, Christian practice, and consequently the nature of the account one will give to God in the final Judgment.”

Mr. R. L. Lavender discusses some central issues by asking: (1) Is salvation non-regenerative, i.e. legal, or regenerative? (2) What is the nature of Christian practice? Are Christians to continue in sin, or stop sinning and live the life of obedience? (3) How does an atonement theory affect one’s eternal destiny? Does God love us all? Even me? What must I do to be saved? Can God save me from my sin, from my carnal nature? Or is full salvation a future experience, after death? If I continue to sin can I still go to heaven? Or do I have to obey God in everything?

The Doctrine of the Atonement is vitally important because one’s Atonement theory determines (1) whether salvation is for the few (the elect) or all of Adam’s fallen race; (2) whether salvation is conditional or unconditional; (3) one’s view of the final Judgment (page xviii, xix). The Biblical view of the Atonement is aptly termed Priestly-Sacrificial Atonement.

We must ever be on our guard against mistaken theology by testing what we are taught, and what we believe, against what is taught in the Bible itself to avoid being among the many who corrupt the word of God.

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 1331 for 2 Corinthians 2:17.

(2) Consult the cross references given in The New Treasury of Scripture Knowledge on page 1353 or in Logos 5 Bible software for 2 Corinthians 2:17.

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

2 Corinthians 2:17. For we are not. 2 Cor 3:1. 1 Th 2:3, 5. **2 P 1:16n. as many. ver. 2 Cor 2:6. 2 Cor 11:13. Ac 20:29. which. 2 Cor 4:2. 11:13-15. Pr 13:17. Is 1:18. Je 5:31. 23:27-32. Mt 13:39. 22:16. 24:24. 1 Cor 3:12. 1 Th 2:3, 5. 1 Tim 1:19, 20. 4:1-3. 2 Tim 2:6-18. 4:3, 4. +*Titus 1:11. 2 P 2:1-3. 1 J 4:1. 2 J 1:7-11. Jude 1:4. Re 2:14, 15, 20. 12:9. 19:20. corrupt. or, deal deceitfully with. or, adulterate. or, make a trade. Gr. kapēleuō (S#2585g, only here). The word kapēlos, which occurs once in the Septuagint, meant a huckster, tavern-keeper, and then the verb came to mean “adulterate.” See Is 1:22, where the Septuagint reads, “thy wine-sellers mix the wine with water” (CB). T#1102. *2 Cor 4:2. 11:3. Is 1:22. Da 2:9. Mt 4:6. +*Mt 22:29. Mk 12:14. Lk 20:21. Ro 16:18. **Ga 1:7. **Ep 4:14. *Col 2:8. 2 Th 2:10. 1 Tim 5:13. **+1 Tim 6:5. 2 Tim 3:6. Titus 2:7. *2 P 2:3. **2 P 3:16. 2 J 1:9-11. Jude 1:3. the word of God. +*Is 8:20n. +Ro 9:6. **Ro 10:17. **He 4:12. but as. FS160B, +Ge 25:31. of sincerity. *2 Cor 1:12. **2 Cor 4:2. 1 K 22:14. Ac 20:20, 27. 1 Cor 4:2. +1 Cor 5:8. Phil 1:10, 16. He 11:27. as of. FS160B, +Ge 25:31. in the sight of. or, before. Gr. katenōpion (S#2714g). **2 Cor 5:11. 6:4. 7:12. 8:21. 12:19g. +Ro 1:9. +Ro 9:1. Ep 1:4g. Col 1:22g. 1 Th 1:3. Jude 1:24g. speak we. 2 Cor 12:19. 2 Ch 18:13. Jb 36:4. Je 17:16. +**Je 23:28n. 1 Cor 7:25. in. or, of.

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Daily Bible Nugget #286, Colossians 3:16

Posted on June 12, 2014 by Jerry

The Nugget:

Colossians 3:16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.

My Comment:

Let the Scriptures dwell richly in you (The New Topical Textbook, subheading under main heading “The Scriptures,” page 240).

If you let the word of Christ, which is only found in the Scriptures, dwell in you richly, your life experience, and spiritual life, will be the richer for it. Some people struggle with discouragement and depression. Filling your mind with Scripture, and occupying your mind with Scripture will go along way towards improving the health of your thought life. How can you let the word of Christ dwell in you? If you read it regularly and study it, that will help. You might find it helpful and encouraging to memorize some of your favorite passages in the Bible. If you teach to others what you have learned from Scripture, that too will plant God’s Word in your own heart as well as in those you teach.

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 1385 for Colossians 3:16.

(2) Consult the cross references given in The New Treasury of Scripture Knowledge on pages 1404-1405 or in Logos 5 Bible software for Colossians 3:16.

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

Colossians 3:16. the word. Gr. logos, Mk 9:32n. Col 1:5. =2 Ch 17:9. +**Jn 5:39, 40. +*Jn 8:31, 37. *Jn 15:3, 7. +*Jn 17:6. Ac 8:25, 28. 18:24. Phil 2:5. +**2 Tim 3:15, 16. **He 4:12, 13. +**1 P 1:11, 12. +*1 J 1:10. 2 J 1:9. Re 19:10. of Christ. Ps 45:3-5. 110:2, 3. +*Lk 24:44. +*Jn 5:39. Ac 10:43. 1 Cor 14:37. 1 P 1:10, 11. Re 19:10. dwell. Gr. enoikeō (S#1774g, Ro 8:11). T#1101. *Dt 6:6-9. *Dt 11:18-20. +*Jsh 1:8. Jb 22:22. +*Jb 23:12. +*Ps 1:2. **+Ps 119:11, 97. Pr 4:6-8, 13, 21. 16:23. 22:18. +*Je 15:16. Ezk 3:3. Mt 13:20. Lk 2:51. 6:45. 8:15. 11:36. %Jn 5:38. *Jn 15:7. He 10:15, 16. James 1:22-24. %1 J 1:10. *1 J 2:14, 24, 27. 2 J 1:2. Re 10:9. richly. Gr. plousiōs (S#4146g). Dt 17:18-20. 2 K 22:11-13. +*Ps 19:7, 8, 11. +*Ps 119:9, 50, 92, 98-100, 104, 130. Pr 2:4, 5. 6:23. Mt 12:34, 35. 13:44, 52. %+*Mt 22:29. +*Ro 15:4. 2 Cor 6:10. 7:1. Phil 4:19. *1 Tim 6:17g. +**2 Tim 3:15-17. Titus 3:6g,mg. 2 P 1:4, 11g. 1 J 3:2, 3. all wisdom. *+Col 1:9, 28. 2:3, 8. 4:5. +*Jsh 1:8. *1 K 3:9-12, 28. +*Ps 19:7. +*Ps 119:24, 98, 105. *Pr 2:6, 7, 10. **Pr 4:7. 6:22. 7:1-4. 14:8. +*Pr 18:1n. Ec 2:26. Song 5:9-16. +*Is 8:19, 20. *Is 11:2. Mt 13:52. Jn 2:17, 22. Ac 6:9, 10. Ro 16:19. 1 Cor 1:5, 6, 30. *Ep 1:17. *Ep 5:17. 6:17. +*1 Th 5:21. +*James 1:5. *James 3:17. 1 P 3:15. 1 J 2:14. 4:1. teaching. *+Col 1:28. *Ro 15:14. 1 Th 4:18. *1 Th 5:11, 12. *2 Th 3:15. 1 Tim 4:6. He 5:12. *He 12:12-15. admonishing. Gr. noutheteō (S#3560g, Ac 20:31). +*Col 1:28. one another. He 10:24. in psalms. FS173, +Ge 27:44. 2 S 23:1. 1 Ch 16:9. Ps 81:2. *Mt 26:30. *1 Cor 14:26. *+Ep 5:19n. *James 5:13. and hymns. Gr. humnos (S#5215g). Mt 26:30. Mk 14:26. Ro 13:11, 12. Ep 5:14, 19g. 1 T 3:16. and spiritual. Gr. pneumatikos (S#4152g, Ro 1:11). *1 Ch 25:7. *Ne 12:46. *Ps 32:7. *Ps 119:54. Song 1:1. Is 5:1. 26:1. 30:29. +Ro 1:11g. 1 Cor 2:13. Ep 5:19. *Re 5:9. 14:3. *Re 15:3. songs. Gr. ōdē (S#5603g, Ep 5:19). 1 Ch 25:6. Ps 33:3. singing. *Col 4:6. =1 Ch 6:32. =1 Ch 15:22. =1 Ch 25:7. =2 Ch 23:13. *Ps 28:7. 30:11, 12. 47:6, 7. *Ps 63:4-6. 71:23. 95:1. 103:1, 2. 138:1. Song 2:12. Is 35:6. Ezk 40:44. *1 Cor 14:15. *+Ep 4:29. He 13:15. with grace. or, the grace. It is the divine Grace that is implied (WKF, p. 209). Col 1:2. +**1 Cor 15:10. 2 Cor 4:15. Ep 4:29. in your hearts. T#529. +1 S 16:7 (T#333). Ps 111:1. *Is 29:13. 1 Cor 14:15. Ep 5:19, 20. 2 P 1:8. to the Lord. ver. *Col 3:23. Ep 6:1.

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Daily Bible Nugget #285, James 1:25

Posted on June 11, 2014 by Jerry

The Nugget:

James 1:25 But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.

My Comment:

Blessedness of hearing and obeying the Scriptures (The New Topical Textbook, subheading under the main title “The Scriptures,” page 240).

James describes how we are to make use of our Bible. First, we are to look into it. The Bible is a powerful tool to help us grow and thrive spiritually, but if we don’t look into the Bible for ourselves, it will not prove useful for us.

Second, James tells us that God’s Word in the Bible is perfect. That reminds me of Psalm 19:7 which declares God’s word is perfect, converting the soul and making wise the simple. I began reading the Bible for myself in 1953. At the time, my purpose was to learn its content so I would not always appear so dumb in Sunday school class where I rarely knew the answer to a Bible question. I had no idea then that the Bible was designed to convert the soul. I had no idea that I needed converting. But by reading the little pocket New Testament, my whole life was changed because the Bible led me into a personal relationship with our Lord Jesus Christ, and furnished me assurance of salvation in this life. God’s Word is perfect in many other ways. Those who make light of the Bible, who ridicule those who believe it, are not aware of the ignorance of the truth they unwittingly display when they make remarks in person or on the Internet against the Bible.

Third, James tells us the Bible is the law of liberty. Jesus had something to say about that in John 8:32. He promised (John 8:31) that if we continue in His word, we would truly be His disciples. That would result, Jesus said, in our knowing the truth, and the truth would set us free. God’s Word is not a straitjacket designed to burden us at every turn. God’s Word sets us free from the sin that enslaves us. Some read the Bible, and especially the Ten Commandments, and focus on the Fourth Commandment about the Sabbath, and brow-beat everyone else who goes to church on Sunday instead of Saturday with the accusation that they are Sabbath violators. Any church that teaches this false doctrine is in bondage to legalism, failing to recognize that Christ set us totally free from the Jewish law (Colossians 2:14), and replaced it with a new life. The new life Christ gives us does not focus upon obedience to the commandments of the law, but leads us to produce the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22, 23). New life in Christ results from regenerative change (2 Corinthians 5:17; Titus 3:5), wrought by the Holy Spirit (Galatians 5:25). Christ gives us liberty (Galatians 5:1) and He does not place us under the bondage of the Law (Galatians 2:16, 21; Acts 15:10).

Fourth, James tells us we must not merely look into God’s Word, but we must continue in God’s Word. This is a very unpopular doctrine. It is the opposite of the “Once Saved, Always Saved” teaching so popular in so-called Evangelical and even Calvinistic circles. The Bible does not teach unconditional eternal security. Such a teaching is absolutely false doctrine. What the Bible does teach is the absolute eternal security of the believer, not the unbeliever! The Bible teaches we must continue to believe. This is taught by the tenses found in the Greek New Testament, which always teaches the necessity and requirement of continuous belief which will result in salvation, not a one-time momentary “act of faith.” That very truth is obvious starting at John 3:16. See also John 5:24. And don’t miss John 10:27 which must be considered, and its conditions met, before you lay claim to the promise of John 10:28! Take note of Colossians 1:23 too.

Fifth, James tells us we must not be forgetful hearers. The only way not to forget what we hear (or, often as not in our day, what we read) in God’s Word, the Bible, is to continue to read the Bible and make it the object of our study. Remembering what the Bible says does not take place automatically. You cannot forget what you never knew!

Sixth, James tells us that the necessary condition to reap the blessing promised involves being a doer of the work. That is, we must obey what the Bible teaches us. We must put what we learn from the Bible into practice.

Seventh, James tells us that if we do these things we shall be blessed in what we do. As always in Scripture, to receive the promised blessing, we must meet the stipulated conditions.

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 1447-1448 for James 1:25.

(2) Consult the cross references given in The New Treasury of Scripture Knowledge on page 1466 or in Logos 5 Bible software for James 1:25.

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

James 1:25. But whoso. or, he that. looketh. or, became absorbed. Literally, stooped down (to look). Gr. parakuptō [(S#3879g), to bend beside, that is, lean over (so as to peer within) [Strong]: Rendered (1) stoop down: Lk 24:12. Jn 20:5, 11. (2) look: James 1:25. 1 P 1:12]. The mirror is conceived as placed on a table or on the ground (Vincent). Ge 26:8. Dt 27:26. Pr 7:6. 14:15. SS 2:9. Is 2:3. +**Is 8:20n. Lk 12:24, 27. 24:12. Jn 8:31. *Jn 20:5n, 11g. Ac 7:31, 32. 11:6. +**Ac 17:11. *2 Cor 13:5. *He 12:15. *1 P 1:12. the perfect. Gr. teleios (S#5046g, Mt 5:48). James 2:8. Mt 5:48. 1 Cor 9:21. Ga 6:2. law. James 2:12. Dt 33:2, 3. Ps 1:2. **Ps 19:7-10. 40:8. 119:32, *Ps 119:45, **Ps 119:96-105. Pr 6:23. Je 31:33. *Ro 3:27. *Ro 7:12, 14, 16, 22, 23. *Ro 8:2. 1 Tim 1:8. liberty. or, freedom. Gr. eleutheria [(S#1657g): Ro 8:21. 1 Cor 10:29. 2 Cor 3:17. Ga 2:4. 5:1, 13. James 1:25. 2:12. 1 P 2:16, 19]. James 2:8, 10, 12. +*Ps 119:32, 45. Ex 35:5. Dt 28:47. **+Jn 8:32, 36. Ro 6:22. *Ro 8:2, *Ro 8:15. 13:10. 1 Cor 7:22. *2 Cor 3:17, 18. Ga 2:4. **Ga 5:1, 13, 14. 1 P 2:16. 2 P 2:19. and continueth. Gr. paramenō [(S#3887g): Rendered (1) continue: He 7:23. James 1:25. (2) abide: 1 Cor 16:6]. ver. %James 1:24. 1 S 12:14. +*Ps 119:15, 98. +*Jn 8:31. 15:9, 10. Ac 2:42. +*Ac 13:43. 26:22. *Ro 2:7, 8. +*Ro 11:22. +**Col 1:23. *1 Tim 2:15. +*1 Tim 4:16. *1 J 2:24. a forgetful. Gr. epilēsmonē (S#1953g, only here), negligence (Strong). ver. James 1:23, 24. hearer. +*Lk 11:28. but a doer. ver. +*James 1:22. James 4:11. Dt 5:10. 2 K 23:24. +*Ps 119:34. Pr 29:18. Mt 7:24. *Mk 3:35. Lk 6:47. +*Lk 11:28. +*Jn 13:17. this man shall be blessed. Gr. makarios (S#3107g, Mt 5:3). ver. James 1:12. Dt 5:29. 10:13. 11:27. +*Ps 1:1, 2. *Ps 19:11. 106:3. +*Ps 119:1-3. Pr 24:14. Da 6:20. *Lk 6:47, etc. *+Lk 11:28, 36. +*Jn 13:17. +**1 Cor 15:58. +*Re 14:13. 22:14. deed. or, doing. ver. James 1:27. Ro 10:9, 10.

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Daily Bible Nugget #284, Luke 11:28

Posted on June 10, 2014 by Jerry

The Nugget:

Luke 11:28 But he said, Yea rather, blessed are they that hear the word of God, and keep it.

My Comment:

Jesus expressed the blessedness of hearing and obeying the Scriptures (The New Topical Textbook, subheading under the major topic “The Scriptures,” page 240).

Taking the immediately preceding verse into account will upset some readers who cannot stomach controversy in spiritual things. That is just too bad. In Luke 11:28 notice the word “rather.” That word points back to something that was just said, upon which Jesus was commenting. Here is the previous verse:

Luke 11:27 And it came to pass, as he spake these things, a certain woman of the company lifted up her voice, and said unto him, Blessed is the womb that bare thee, and the paps which thou hast sucked.

Apparently there was already a movement afoot to give undue honor and prominence to the earthly mother of Jesus.

Jesus reacted to this comment by directing attention to the importance of hearing the Word of God, and obeying it, rather than to expressing any religious honor to his mother Mary. Yes, she is blessed according to the written Word of God as expressed in Luke 1:28 (and Luke 1:42), blessed in the sense she was highly favored. She was no doubt highly favored because (1) she was herself faithful to the Word of God, and (2) she was in the direct line of descent of the Davidic line through which the Scriptures had promised the Messiah would come; and (3) therefore became the mother of our Lord. But Jesus called attention to what He said was more important than all this conveyed by the woman who spoke up to publicly give special honor to the mother of Jesus. Jesus said, Yes, rather, blessed are they who hear the word of God and keep it.

It is very important to really hear the word of God as it is recorded for us in the Bible, and nowhere else. Jesus cautioned us to take heed how we hear (Luke 8:18) as well as what we hear (Mark 4:24).

We need to be very careful that we are not fooling ourselves into hearing selectively only what we want to hear (2 Timothy 4:3). Jesus made frequent reference to Isaiah 6:9, 10, which warns not to be among those who hear but do not understand. This verse in Isaiah 6:9, 10 is quoted in the New Testament at Matthew 13:14, 15. Mark 4:12. Luke 8:10. Acts 28:26, 27. Romans 11:8. It is also quoted at John 12:40. In terms of taking care how we hear (Luke 8:18), we must hear with understanding. We need to focus on the truth God presents us in His written Word, the Bible, and make it our sole standard and rule of faith.

We need to take special care in terms of what we hear (Mark 4:24). Are we listening to the wrong voices? There are many voices clamoring to be heard, and in spiritual matters often claiming to be the only true voice. The only true voice is found in Scripture. Some people are listening to false doctrine because it suits their preference. People often are lured into following false cults. False cults are very effective in attracting new adherents. False cults often prey upon genuine Christians who already have an established faith, and attempt to lure a person from the truth to follow the lies of the false cult. Some false cults are attractive to some individuals because they teach against eternal punishment. Some false cults appeal to the unwary by asserting claims of being the original Christian church with a line of leadership which extends unbroken back to the original Apostles of Christ, claiming Peter as their first Pope, or else trace themselves back to John the Baptist through an unbroken line of authorized baptizers. But if you would read a plain-text Bible without any denominational notes in it, you would surely never be led in any of these mistaken directions by what the Bible itself teaches. That is why these false religions make a special effort to (1) declare that you cannot understand the Bible correctly apart from their direction; (2) declare that you cannot go by the Bible alone.

Jesus said it is most important to both hear the word of God, and keep it. To keep the word of God means to obey the word of God. The word of God contains God’s directions for our life. The Bible includes commands from Jesus and commands from God that should guide our morality, our spiritual and religious affiliations, and our lifestyle. Jesus spoke of there being two roads–the broad road traveled by the majority that leads to destruction, and the narrow road that leads to eternal life traveled by the very few who find it (Matthew 7:13, 14). Make sure you are on the right road!

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 1130 for Luke 11:28.

(2) Consult the cross references given in The New Treasury of Scripture Knowledge on page 1152 or in Logos 5 Bible software for Luke 11:28.

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

Luke 11:28. Yea rather. Lk 6:47, 48. +*Lk 8:21. +*Ps 1:1-3. 112:1. *Ps 119:1-6. 128:1. Is 48:17, 18. *Mt 7:21-25. *Mt 12:48-50. +*Jn 13:17. +*James 1:21-25. *1 J 3:21-24. Re 1:3. 22:7, 14. blessed. Gr. makarios (S#3107g, Mt 5:3). T#1100. Ps 32:1. 106:3. +*Mt 5:3. 11:6. 25:34. James 1:25. *Re 1:3. 22:7. are they. *Lk 8:21. Pr 7:4. Mt 11:6. +*Mt 12:50. Mk 3:34. that hear. +**Lk 8:18, 21. Dt 11:27. 28:1. 1 K 10:8. 2 Ch 9:7. Jb 29:11. +*Jb 37:2. Mt 7:24. +**Mk 4:24. **Ro 10:17. +James 1:22. the word of God. +Lk 5:1. Is 2:3. +**Ac 17:11. **1 Th 2:13. and keep. **Lk 6:46. *Lk 8:15. Le 18:26. 19:37. 22:31. Nu 15:40. +*Dt 4:40. 5:29. +*Dt 26:16. 27:1. 29:9. +*Jsh 1:8. Ps 119:105. Pr 7:1, 4. 8:32, 34. 10:17. 19:16. 29:18. Is 56:2. %Ezk 18:11. %*Ezk 33:31. **Mt 7:21. 12:50. +*Jn 13:17. 14:21. Ro 2:13. +**2 Tim 3:15-17. 4:7. **James 1:22. 1 J 2:5.

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Daily Bible Nugget #283, Acts 17:11

Posted on June 9, 2014 by Jerry

The Nugget:

Acts 17:11 These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.

My Comment:

They who search the Scriptures are truly noble (The New Topical Textbook, subtopic under the main heading “The Scriptures,” page 240).

Who are the “these”? This account tells how listeners from a town called Berea responded in a better way (were “more open-minded,” NET Bible; were “much nicer,” CEV) than did those in Thessalonica, a town where Paul and those ministering with him had to flee because of persecution. Notice what the Bereans did: when they heard Paul’s message about the Bible, they searched the Scriptures to verify whether what he was teaching agreed with what the Bible says. When they found the Bible agreed with what Paul was teaching, they believed Paul’s message.

I think there are some very important lessons to be learned from this account of Paul’s ministry and the response of his hearers:

First, they took the time to really listen. They paid close enough attention that they could remember what Paul taught–remember enough so when they checked it out in the Bible they were able to verify the truth of what Paul taught.

Second, the Bereans had access to the Bible for themselves. This means that even back in those days, Bibles were available to the people to read. If you read the New Testament carefully you will find many incidental examples that show just how much the average person in Israel knew, at least collectively. I suspect they knew more than a good many Christians and many of our spiritual leaders do today.

Third, the Bereans were literate enough that they could read the Bible for themselves. This is an interesting and important concept. The greatest motivation for pursuing education in early American history was that it was felt important to teach children how to read so that they could read the Bible for spiritual profit and for their salvation. Now, in the United States, we have foolishly abandoned this motivation in public education by largely removing the Bible from our schools–and we wonder why children and young people and our society as a whole are spiritually and morally illiterate, by and large.

Fourth, the Bible is proven to be understandable, for the Bereans were able to read the Scripture; they were able to confirm the validity of Paul’s message; they came to faith in Jesus Christ as a result.

Fifth, the practical utility of searching the Scripture to arrive at doctrinal truth is demonstrated by the experience of the Bereans.

If we are wise and noble like the Bereans, we will follow their highly commended example and do the same. By way of practical application, readers here would find it helpful to (1) study carefully the cross references I furnish every day; (2) invite others you are in contact with to visit this site regularly to deepen their knowledge of the Bible and how to study it; (3) pay close attention to the Scripture your own pastor uses in his messages, and as time permits, study those verses by means of cross reference Bible study using The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge, my revision and expansion of that classic resource, The New Treasury of Scripture Knowledge and Nelson’s Cross Reference Guide to the Bible; (4) teach high school age young people how to study the Bible using these resources–it will lead to a whole lifetime of understanding the Bible better and will bring them into a closer relationship with God and His written Word.

If we are foolish, as are most of the people in our culture today, we will ignore–at our eternal peril–the message of the Bible, and go about our business using precious time–precious and very short in the light of eternity–for less worthwhile interests and pursuits.

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 1250 for Acts 17:11.

(2) Consult the cross references given in The New Treasury of Scripture Knowledge on pages 1270-1271 or in Logos 5 Bible software for Acts 17:11.

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

Acts 17:11. more noble. or, well-born. Gr. eugenēs (S#2104g). High in rank, hence they were more courteous (CB). T#1099. *Ac 13:7. Ge 34:19. 1 Ch 4:9. *Pr 1:5. 9:9. Je 2:21. Lk 19:12g. Jn 1:46-49. 1 Cor 1:26g. Thessalonica. ver. +Ac 17:1. 1 Th 1:1. 2 Tim 4:10. they received. *Ac 2:41. 8:14. 10:33. 11:1. Ne 8:3. +*Jb 23:12. *Pr 2:1-5. **Pr 4:7, 20-22. 8:10. Ec 5:1. Song 8:2. Je 6:16. *Mt 13:11, 23. Mk 4:8. Lk 10:38, 39. 2 Cor 8:5. 1 Th 1:6. **1 Th 2:13. *2 Th 2:10. **James 1:21. **1 P 2:2. the word. Gr. logos, Mk 9:32n. +Ac 8:4. 10:36. *Lk 16:29. readiness of mind. Ac 10:33. %Ac 14:2. 16:14. %+*1 Samuel 25:17. **Ps 25:9. Mk 12:37. *S#4288g: Ac 17:11. 2 Cor 8:11, 12 (willing mind), 2 Cor 8:19 (ready mind). 2 Cor 9:2 (forwardness). This word is used in the New Testament (1) of a ready desire to hear God’s word, and (2) of a ready desire to give to God’s work (Thomas Walker). and searched. or, examined. Gr. anakrinō, *S#350g. Rendered (1) examine: Ac 4:9. 12:19. 24:8. 28:18. Lk 23:14. 1 Cor 9:3. (2) judge: 1 Cor 2:15, 15. 4:3, 3, 4. 14:24. (3) ask question: 1 Cor 10:25, 27. (4) search: Ac 17:11. (5) discern: **1 Cor 2:14. Thayer defines this word “By looking through a series (ana) of objects or particulars to distinguish (krino) or search after. Hence, to investigate, examine, inquire into, scrutinize, sift, question” (Lexicon, p. 39). Compare “search” at Jn 5:39, the same English but a different Greek word (*S#2045g). T#1069. Le 11:3. 1 Ch 28:8. **Ps 1:2, 3. 119:18, 97-100, *Ps 119:148. Pr 2:2. +*Pr 8:9. *Pr 15:14. +**Is 8:20n. *Is 34:16. *Lk 16:29. *Lk 24:44. *Jn 3:21. +**Jn 5:39n, Jn 5:40. 1 Cor 2:14g. 1 Tim 4:13. +**2 Tim 3:15-16. *1 P 1:10-12. +*2 P 1:19-21. *1 J 4:5, 6. the scriptures. ver. Ac 17:2. Ac 8:28. 26:22, 23. *Ps 119:105. *Ps 138:2. +*Je 15:16. +*Je 23:18, 22, 28, 29. +Mt 21:42. +*Mk 12:24. +*Ro 15:4. 2 Tim 2:15. daily. Ac 16:5. Ex 16:4. *Dt 17:18-20. +*Jsh 1:8. 2 Ch 8:14. Ezr 3:4. *Ne 8:18. +*Ps 1:2. Pr 8:34. Lk 11:3. +*Lk 21:36. +**Col 1:10. +*He 3:13. *He 11:6. *1 P 2:2. *2 P 3:18. whether. or, if. FS184D1, +Lk 22:67. A. T. Robertson notes that the Bereans “were eagerly interested in the new message of Paul and Silas but they wanted to see it for themselves. What a noble attitude. Paul’s preaching made Bible students of them. The duty of private interpretation is thus made plain (Hovey)” (Word Pictures, vol. 3, p. 275). T#1059, T#1121. Ac 8:31n. Dt 13:3. +**Pr 14:15. 15:14. *Pr 18:1n, +*Pr 18:17. +**Is 8:20n. Ezk 14:10n. +*Da 11:30. Ho 6:3. +*Mk 4:24. +*Lk 8:18. Jn 4:42. 7:17. **Ro 14:12. 1 Cor 10:15. +*1 Cor 14:29. *2 Cor 4:2. +*Ga 1:8n, 9. **+1 Th 5:21. 1 Tim 4:1. James 1:19. *2 P 3:16, 17. **1 J 4:1.

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Daily Bible Nugget #282, Psalm 119:169

Posted on June 8, 2014 by Jerry

The Nugget:

Psalm 119:169 Let my cry come near before thee, O LORD: give me understanding according to thy word.

My Comment:

Saints plead the promises of the Scriptures in prayer (The New Topical Textbook, subheading under the main heading “The Scriptures,” page 240).

The Psalmist is praying to God for understanding. We could all use help in that direction. The Psalmist prays for understanding “according to thy word.” That shows he is basing his prayer request on the promises to be found in God’s Word. God does promise understanding to those who ask for it (James 1:5; Luke 11:9; Proverbs 4:7).

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 119:169.

(2) Consult the cross references given in The New Treasury of Scripture Knowledge on page 678 or in Logos 5 Bible software for Psalm 119:169.

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

Psalm 119:169. Let my cry. Note: This is really a fine image; though, from its frequent occurrence, it is little heeded. The Psalmist’s cry for deliverance is here personified; made an intelligent being, and sent up to the throne of grace, to negotiate in his behalf. This prosopopæia is pursued in the next verse; and he sends his supplication in the same way. S#7440h, 1 K 8:28. ver. Ps 119:58, 145. Ps 17:1. 18:6. 30:5 (joy). Ps 42:4. 47:1 (triumph). *Ps 61:1. *Ps 88:2. *Ps 106:44. 126:5 (joy). *Ps 142:6. +*Ex 2:23. 2 Ch 30:27. give me understanding. ver. +Ps 119:27, +Ps 119:34, 73, *Ps 119:104, 108, 144. Dt 4:6. 1 Ch 22:12. 2 Ch 1:10. Jb 28:12, 20. Pr 2:3-5, 7. 8:14. 11:12. 13:15. 14:29. 17:27, 28. Da 2:21. Ep 1:18. 5:17. +**Col 1:9, 10. 2 Tim 2:7. *James 1:5. according to. ver. +Ps 119:25, 28, +Ps 119:41, 65, 170. thy word. ver. +Ps 119:9, 25.

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