Posted by admin on May 8th, 2008 — Posted in Internet Religion Resources
When God’s thoughts were written in the Bible, they didn’t have
the same meaning as how we interpret words. Didn’t He tell us,
“My thoughts are not your thoughts,” Is. 55:8?
Almost every word of significance, within the Bible, has its
own definition given somewhere in the Bible. God hides things
from the wise and prudent, and reveals them to babes, Lu. 10:21.
God is His own commentator. He doesn’t need anything, including
interpreters.
Study to show yourself approved, compare scripture with
scripture, rightly DIVIDING the word of truth. (If you don’t, it
isn’t truth.) It can only be spiritually discerned. He told us
all these things and more. Wasn’t anyone listening!?!
When you seek ME with your whole heart, you’ll find ME. When
you seek MY definition of the words, you’ll find MY heart and
intent. Your knowledge will pass away. My words are forever.
And, My Truth will set you free.
When we’re ready to do away with doctrines of men (gods of this
world) and start over as a little child (letting God be our
teacher), the Bible takes on new life … life more abundantly.
His Spirit will guide us to the truths we need in the moments of
our day and the Spirit can’t lie … God promised, I Jn. 2:27.
God isn’t dead. He’ll walk with you and talk with you, and be
the best counselor you ever had. Trade your thoughts for God’s,
your ways for His. We can live victoriously, when we put our
faith in Him.
Trust in the Lord with all thine heart, and lean not unto thine
own understanding. Proverbs 3:5
© by Joyce C. Lock
http://my.homewithgod.com/blessingsandlessons/ This writing may
be used in its entirety, with credits in tact, for non-profit
ministering purposes.
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Posted by admin on May 2nd, 2008 — Posted in Internet Religion Resources
The Lost. This lesson is intended for the believer and the
unbeliever, that believe that the Bible is the inspired word of
God. Jam 2:19 Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest
well: the devils also believe, and tremble. There are many
passages in scripture that state who will and who will not enter
into the Kingdom of Hevan. In this lesson we will look at the
latter. Who will Not. This message is not to be used to judge
but to inform those who are lost but still believe that the
Bible is the inspired word of God. We cannot touch on every
situation but only give an insight on what God expects from His
Children. Those that die under circumstances that are, shall I
say unusual, we leave up to God to decide. We never
underestimate the Holy Spirit and His work, such as to say that
a death bed confession is useless, for this is not true. God can
save at any time and any where. Salvation is directed by the
will of God to accept or reject that persons act of repentance.
Mat 27:5 And he cast down the pieces of silver in the temple,
and departed, and went and hanged himself. For example; Judas
could have been forgiven but instead of asking for forgiveness
he committed suicide {Self-Murder} and was not forgiven.
[Psa_55:15, Psa_55:23; Mat_27:5] [bloody and deceitful men shall
not live out half their days: Heb. men of bloods and deceit
shall not halve their days. Psa_5:6; 2Sa_3:27, 2Sa_20:9,
2Sa_20:10; 1Ki_2:5, 1Ki_2:6; 2Sa_3:27, 2Sa_20:9, 2Sa_20:10;
1Ki_2:5, 1Ki_2:6; Job_15:32; Pro_10:27; Ecc_7:17; Mat_27:4,
Mat_27:5] This is a listing, according to God, of the types of
people that will not be allowed into His kingdom but are doomed
to spend eternity in Hell. The life of an individual is left in
their hands, to make their own choices and decisions, but the
death of an individual is in the hands of God. Lets Read. 1Ti
1:9 Knowing this, that the law is not made for a righteous man,
but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and for
sinners, for unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and
murderers of mothers, for manslayers, 1Ti 1:10 For whoremongers,
for them that defile themselves with mankind, for menstealers,
for liars, for perjured persons, and if there be any other thing
that is contrary to sound doctrine; Rev 21:8 But the fearful,
and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and
whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall
have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and
brimstone: which is the second death. Rev 22:15 For without are
dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and
idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie. [Gen_19:5;
Lev_18:22, Lev_20:13; Rom_1:26; Jud_1:7] Gal 5:19-21; Now the
works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery,
fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, Idolatry, witchcraft,
hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions,
heresies, Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such
like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in
time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the
kingdom of God. 1Co 6:9-10; Know ye not that the unrighteous
shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither
fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor
abusers of themselves with mankind, Nor thieves, nor covetous,
nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the
kingdom of God. Now lets look at the Biblical Meaning of each.
1. Abominable; Very hateful; detestable; lothesome. This word is
applicable to whatever is odious to the mind or offensive to the
senses. 2. Adulterers; Those that comitt Adultry. 3. Abusers of
themselves with mankind; [Homosexuality] The softness, delicacy
and weakness in men, which are characteristic of the female sex,
but which in males are deemed a reproach; unmanly delicacy;
womanish softness or weakness.Voluptuousness; indulgence in
unmanly pleasures; lasciviousness. 4. Covetous; Inordinately
desirous; excessively eager to obtain and possess; directed to
money or goods, avaricious. 5. Drunkards; One given to ebriety
or an excessive used of strong liquor; a person who habitually
or frequently is drunk.A drunkard and a glutton shall come to
poverty. Prov 23. 6. Defile themselves with mankind;
[Homosexuality] The softness, delicacy and weakness in men,
which are characteristic of the female sex, but which in males
are deemed a reproach; unmanly delicacy; womanish softness or
weakness.Voluptuousness; indulgence in unmanly pleasures;
lasciviousness. Inordinately desirous; excessively eager to
obtain and possess; directed to money or goods, avaricious.
7.Envyings; Envying; being uneasy at another’s possession of
something which we have a desire to possess.GRUDG’ING, n.
Uneasiness at the possession of something by another.Reluctance;
also, a secret wish or desire. 8. Extortioners; An extortioner;
one who compels another to pay more than is legal or reasonable;
one who demands something without pity or regard to justice.He
that demands by authority; as an exactor of oaths.One who is
unreasonably severe in his injunctions or demands. 9.
Effeminate; The softness, delicacy and weakness in men, which
are characteristic of the female sex, but which in males are
deemed a reproach; unmanly delicacy; womanish softness or
weakness.Voluptuousness; indulgence in unmanly pleasures;
lasciviousness. 10. Emulations; The act of attempting to equal
or excel in qualities or actions; rivalry; desire of
superiority, attended with effort to attain to it; generally in
a good sense, or an attempt to equal or excel others in that
which is praise-worthy, without the desire of depressing others.
Rom 11. In a bad sense, a striving to equal or do more than
others to obtain carnal favors or honors. 11. Fearful; Affected
by fear; feeling pain in expectation of evil; apprehensive with
solicitude; afraid. I am fearful of the consequences of rash
conduct. Hence,Timid; timorous; wanting courage. 12.
Fornicators; In a scriptural sense, all manner of lewdness or
unchastity, as in the seventh commandment.In scripture,
idolatry, or apostasy from the true God. Jer 3. 13. Heresies; In
Tit_3:10 a “heretical person” is one who follows his own
self-willed “questions,” and who is to be avoided. Heresies thus
came to signify self-chosen doctrines not emanating from God
(2Pe_2:1). 14. Hatred; Great dislike or aversion; hate; enmity.
15. Idolaters; Those that worship Idols. 16. Lasciviousness; The
softness, delicacy and weakness in men, which are characteristic
of the female sex, but which in males are deemed a reproach;
unmanly delicacy; womanish softness or weakness.Voluptuousness;
indulgence in unmanly pleasures; lasciviousness. 17. Liars;
People that do not tell the truth. 18. Murders; the King James
Version, the Revised Version (British and American) “assassins”)
19. Menstealers; Slave Traders 20. Perjured persons; Willfully
to make a false oath when administered by lawful authority or in
a court of justice; to forswear. 21. Revilers; in modern usage
“against”) anyone is to use insolent or reproachful language
toward one. 22. Strife; Exertion or contention for superiority;
contest of emulation, either by intellectual or physical
efforts.Contention in anger or enmity; contest; struggle for
victory; quarrel or war, Opposition; contrariety; contrast.
23.Seditions; Paul ranks “heresies” with crimes and seditions
(Gal_5:20). This word also denotes divisions or schisms in the
church (1Co_11:19). In Tit_3:10 a “heretical person” is one who
follows his own self-willed “questions,” and who is to be
avoided. Heresies thus came to signify self-chosen doctrines not
emanating from God (2Pe_2:1). 24. Sorcerers; The “magicians” of
Egypt in Gen_41:8, (chartumim, from cheret “a style” or pen,)
were sacred “scribes” of the hieroglyphics, devoted to
astrology, magic, etc.; else from Egyptian chertom, “wonder
workers,” or cher-tum, “bearers of sacred spells.” 25. Thieves;
A person that steals. 26. Thing that is contrary to sound
doctrine; Someone who introduces or preaches nonsound doctrine.
27. Unrighteous ;Not righteous; not just; not conformed in heart
and life to the divine law; evil; wicked; used of
persons.Unjust; contrary to law and equity. 28. Uncleanness;
Foulness; dirtiness; filthiness, Want of ritual or ceremonial
purity. Lev 15., Moral impurity; defilement by sin; sinfulness
29. Unbelieving; Infidel; discrediting divine revelation, or the
mission, character and doctrines of Christ; as the unbelieving
Jews. 30. Variance; Difference that produces dispute or
controversy; disagreement; dissension; discord 31.Witchcraft;
The practices of witches; sorcery; enchantments; intercourse
with the devil. 32. Wrath; Violent anger; vehement exasperation;
indignation 33. Whoremongers; One who practices lewdness. 34.
Last but not least; Mar 3:28 Verily I say unto you, All sins
shall be forgiven unto the sons of men, and blasphemies
wherewith soever they shall blaspheme: Mar 3:29 But he that
shall blaspheme against the Holy Ghost hath never forgiveness,
but is in danger{is bound by an eternal sin.} of eternal
damnation: End Pt.1
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Posted by admin on April 2nd, 2008 — Posted in Internet Religion Resources
There really is a foolproof recipe for true inner peace. It really
is simple if you are one who is determined to use it the way
it is directed. It doesn’t cost money, you don’t have to have
an insurance plan in order to get it. On the contrary, if you
persue this foolproof plan for peace, you will attain the
ulitimate insurance plan for life.
God who is the Creator of everything, has this plan laid out
for all who are willing to receive it. He guarantees it’s
success in bringing peace into your life. But, there are some
requirements that are expected of you in order to activate it.
God is not a God that makes our lives more complicated.
We are the only ones who are to blame for that. God has
lined out a very simple peace plan, in fact it’s so simple, you
could say it’s as simple as your A,B,C’s!
Face it, if you don’t have peace within your soul, you are
living a life of torment. The odds of that happening are
practically 10 to 1. I would say that if you have no trials in
your life, you aren’t living. You would be an exception if your
life was just cruising at a constant pace. But, God knows
this is not the norm for His children and so for all those who
want His perfect peace, He laid down this perfect recipe.
God loves us with an undying love, and He wants us to have
His peace in order to serve Him better while we are still
aliens in this world. So, here it is, very simple, very basic
and is guaranteed to work for all who use it the way He
intended.
A is for ABIDE
Abide means to live, dwell in something. It’s home and
home is where the heart is. Jesus said, “IF…you keep My
commandments (if you continue to obey My instructions),
you WILL abide in My love and live on it, just as I have
obeyed My Father’s commandments and live on His love.”
(Jn.15:10). Jesus represents love and peace, and He
instructs us to abide in Him in order that we can obtain
these things from Him. The apostle John says, “But as for
you, the anointing (the sacred appointment, the unction)
which you received from Him ABIDES (permanently) in you;
(so) then you have no need that anyone should instruct you.
But just as His anointing teaches you concerning everything
and is true and is no falsehood, so you must ABIDE in (live
in, never depart from) Him, (being rooted in Him, knit to
Him), just as (His anointing) has taught you to do.”(1
Jn.2:27). John even goes on to say that to ABIDE in Him is to
live by truth. Living by truth brings peace, there is no more
condemnation. John also writes (vs.28) that to ABIDE in
Him is to have and enjoy perfect confidence (boldness,
assurance) and we will not shrink and be ashamed from
Him at His coming. Again he tells us in (1 Jn. 3:6) that
anyone who ABIDES in Him can NOT deliberately,
knowingly, or habitually commit sin. Sin is what keeps us
from knowing the perfect peace that God has for us in the
first place. So when you ABIDE in Christ, you will be at
peace from sin! This is to have the nature of God, which is
perfect peace. Simple so far?
B is for BELIEVE
Once we can abide, we will also have the belief in Christ.
This to credit or to expect with confidence. After all,
BELIEVING is the main theme behind God’s Word. Many
miracles were performed for those who believed. Jesus
Himself said, “All things are possible to him who
BELIEVES.” (Mk. 9:23) Jesus said “ALL” things, not just a
few things would be possible. ALL encompasses just
that…EVERYTHING that there is. What does it leave out?
Nothing! Again God made this promise, “that to as many as
received and welcomed Him, He gave aurthority (power,
privilege, right) to become children of God, that is, to those
who BELIEVE in (adheres to, trusts in, and relies on) His
name.” (Jn. 1:12). I don’t know about you, but this brings a
great peace to my soul just knowing that I am a child of
God’s, the God of Peace! If this hasn’t gotten your attention
yet, then how about this. By believing in His name, you will
never perish, but will have everlasting life! God says we will
live forever with Him in His kingdom, (Jn. 3:15). This is truly
a main ingredient for peace, to know that we will never die,
that our lives will live on in another realm with God Almighty.
The Bible is full of these promises from God to those who
are willing to BELIEVE in His Son for attaining eternal peace
and everlasging life.
C is for CHRIST
This is the last ingredient. Actually the first and the last. He
is the Alpha and Omega. He is the Rock, the Savior, The
Comforter and Friend. These names alone should bring you
great peace. Christ alone is the reason we can ABIDE and
BELIEVE in the first place. He is the reason for our salvation,
which spells out peace to perfection. Christ in His own
words tells us that even the person who offers us a cup to
drink because we bear the name and belong to Him will be
rewarded. (Mk. 9:41) Here’s the best assurance of all. Paul
said “Therefore, (there is) now no condemnation (no
judging guilty of wrong) for those who are in Christ Jesus,
who live (and) walk not after the dictates of the flesh, but
after the dictates of the Spirit.” (Rom. 8:1). Just knowing that
Christ will not bring us condemnation of judgement. This
should be adding a great peace to you right now. Christ is
the power of God and the wisdom of God (1 Cor. 1:24) We
are Christ’s just as Christ is God’s (1 Cor.3:23). In fact, the
Bible says that we are INgrafted in Christ (which is receiving
from Him) and we are now “new creatures” altogether. (2
Cor. 5:17) This is a fresh and new way which has come.
The things that hold us back from peace is hanging onto
our old things; such as contempt, sin, pride, stubborness
of unforgiveness. All the things that won’t leave us alone to
ABIDE and BELIEVE in CHRIST. But when we can do these
things, He washes us clean as snow. You have to admit
that there is something magical and pure about a first
snowfall. We describe it as pristine, pure and clean. We
reflect that pristine innocence and beauty when Christ is
done cleaning up our act.
To sum this all up is as Paul stated; “May Christ through
your faith (actually) dwell (settle down, abide, make His
home permanent) in your hearts! May you be rooted deep in
love and founded securely on love.” (Eph. 3:17)
When we ABIDE, BELIEVE in CHRIST, making Him our
permanent residency, (remember; home is where the heart
is) we will be rooted and sercurely grounded in His Peace!
Perfect love, truth, peace is having freedom from sin and
death. It’s having God’s power and wisdom which spells
relief for PEACE.
Now we know our A,B,C’s!!!
Christ invites all to come to Him for eternal life and peace in
this life. If you don’t know Him today, ask Him to come into
your heart and confess your sins to Him. He loves you so
much that He died for them. When you exchange those sins
for His peace, you will know that He is worthy to be praised.
He will be your everlasting JOY, PEACE, COMFORT,
TRUTH, and LOVE in a world where sin is running rampant.
He is all you need. Just ask, listen and receive, it’s there for
the taking!
In order to know PEACE, you must first know God.
Vivian Gordon writes inspirational and spiritual articles
in which to help strengthen the Believer’s walk in Christ.
They are often taken from today’s point of view and
used in conjunction with what God says about certain
situations and how we are to handle them. There is
always an answer for every problem. These articles are
not all about asking God “why?” but in finding the
answers.
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Posted by admin on April 1st, 2008 — Posted in Internet Religion Resources
Lately, the world of reformed Christian churches (often called “Calvinists” and “Presbyterians”) has displayed a fervent preoccupation with a doctrine gaining currency, which bears the name “paedocommunion.” This heterodox notion aspires to usurp the unanimous testimony of the Holy Scripture and the solitary testimony of the confessional reformation, usually identified as “credo-communion.”
What is paedocommunion [hereafter “PC”]? It is the practice of giving the Lord’s Supper to baptized children, even apart from a rite of passage or criterion such as confirmation or the making of a credible profession of faith. Herein, unless specified more particularly, however, PC refers to the doctrine which advocates the practice of giving the Lord’s supper apart from a prior examination, rather than to the practice itself.
Contrariwise, I will use “credocommunion” [hereafter “CC”] to refer to the doctrine which advocates the practice of requiring a test (criterion) for cognitive and moral maturity (as judged by the elders of a particular church) as a prerequisite for participating in the sacrament of the Lord’s supper. The following provides an excellent and brief overview of the confessional perspective on the Lord’s supper. It is this position I purport to defend at present, though the whole confessional position is much longer, consisting as it does of the Westminster Confession of Faith (1646), chapter 29 and the Larger Catechism, questions #168 - #177. Here is the abbreviated form from WCF chapter 29:
I. Our Lord Jesus, in the night wherein he was betrayed, instituted the sacrament of his body and blood, called the Lord’s Supper, to be observed in his Church unto the end of the world; for the perpetual remembrance of the sacrifice of himself in his death, the sealing all benefits thereof unto true believers, their spiritual nourishment and growth in him, their further engagement in and to all duties which they owe unto him; and to be a bond and pledge of their communion with him, and with each other, as members of his mystical body.
III. The Lord Jesus hath, in this ordinance, appointed his ministers to declare his word of institution to the people, to pray, and bless the elements of bread and wine, and thereby to set them apart from a common to an holy use; and to take and break the bread, to take the cup, and (they communicating also themselves) to give both to the communicants; but to none who are not then present in the congregation.
The title above indicates that the doctrine of PC incurs a “transcendental failure.” What I mean by this maybe better understood with a brief history of the idea of a “transcendental.” This referred with German philosopher, Immanuel Kant, to the most basic categories (i.e. modes, etc) of human perception, or (in more modern terms) ways in which people are “hardwired” to view and interact with the world. A more obscure Dutch theologian, one Cornelius Van Til, used the idea in a novel way by applying these not to people, but to the worldviews — basic units of thought which form an interpretive matrix for understanding what kind of world this is (metaphysics), how we know what we know (epistemology), and how we ought to live our lives (ethics). For Dr. Van Til, transcendentals comprise the most basic parts of a worldview, which woven together properly provide the foundational picture of the world that enables us to make sense out of life’s experiences.
“Transcendentals” thus render human experience intelligible to us. Without them, one’s attempts to account for the different features of what we wake up to in the morning (the unity of our experience and yet the many different kinds of particular things making up that experience, called the “problem of the one and the many” by some) would leave some or all such features of reality unexplained. Thus, transcendentals skillfully interlaced into a cognitive framework — as with the Christian worldview — provide the elemental interpretive components sufficient to “make sense of it all.”
But for the transcendentals to render an account coherent, they must be related to each other in a consistent fashion. For a worldview to accomplish its “interpretive function,” it cannot permit internal dissonance among its many parts, for this would ruin its claim to coherence. Each part of the worldview in question must sweetly comport with the others — both the transcendental, or more basic parts, as well as those more peripheral, in order to manage the “consent of all the parts.” Thus any worldview whose basic elements relate to each other like Larry, Moe and Curly (dissonantly) necessarily cannot provide the transcendentals — for some of its parts would logically exclude some transcendental elements, thus promoting “epistemological chaos.”
Now how is any of this profitable to this discussion? It implies that one may test the veridicality (truthfulness) of any doctrine by superimposing it, as it were, upon the Christian worldview to see if it implies the other parts of that worldview, so that one may see clearly whether it relates to the biblical outlook either by the consent of all the parts (logical coherence) or else by the dissent of many of the parts (logical dissonance). When we attempt this — and we will do so shortly — our exercise clearly falsifies the counterfeit doctrine of paedocommunion, identifying it as an element foreign to the biblical perspective — as we shall see.
Our first test for the PC doctrine finds it wholly incompatible with a biblical doctrine accepted by most advocates of PC, one typically dubbed “postmillenial eschatology.”
A. Paedocommunion v. Postmillenial Eschatology
PC advocates promote as a reason for yielding to their view the idea that the early Christian Church unanimously or generally promoted PC for the first nine centuries of its history. Moreover, they often give various reasons for why the Reformed confessions at present unanimously reject PC in favor of CC. This means that both sides are agreed, at least, that the Christian church’s confessional position presently is CC, not PC.
This places an interesting question before us then. Given postmillenial eschatology’s demand that the Church must grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord Jesus progressively over time (corporate sanctification), which should we tend to favor, that of the early (far less doctrinally mature) or the much later and much more learned church? Or, put differently, which view identifies the era of greater grace and sanctification in the Church, the second or the seventeenth century? By answering the question consistently with the postmillenial outlook, the progress of the corporate sanctification of the Church would require us to favor the CC position.
B. By What Standard? Paedocommunion vs. Theonomic Ethics
Many, if not most, of the advocates for the PC position hold to the biblical position ordinarly dubbed “Theonomy,” the biblical view which maintains the principle of continuity as a rule for distinguishing which of the laws of the Older Testament continue to bind men and women to the performance thereof, and which laws do not, in the Newer Testament. This principle simply affirms that unless abrogated or qualified by a New Testament passage, or by the logical force of several such passages combined, Older Testamental laws continue to bind men to perform them as orginially given.
This implies, and Theonomists like the late Dr. Greg Bahnsen state so explicitly in their works, that God judges all men by the one and same standard — the law of God — which may be known by a proper application of the principle of continuity in studying out the various texts — together with other sound rules for properly interpreting the Word of God. So far, so good. But PC advocates quickly run up against an enigma created by one of their very own exegetical necessities.
Now PC proponents need to circumvent the CC requirement for children to show themselves able to examine and assess the moral quality of their lives against the standard of God’s Word as a way of preparing to partake of the Lord’s supper in a worthy manner. The perennially disputed passage in question reads, “But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup . . .” Here, PC adherents quickly point out that this must not apply to children (for it says “man”) and the early typological counterpart (see 1 Cor. 10:1 ff) surely included children without requiring such a test.
If we grant this position, however (simply for the sake of argument), we may quickly note that none of the persons — children OR ADULTS — in the typological shadow of “spiritual food and drink” in the previous chapter had to meet any such cognitive criterion; yet in 1 Corinthians 11, PC advocates expect us to accept the view that God has now chosen to require one communion standard for adults, and a different one (none at all), for children.
But Proverbs 20:10 clearly weighs in against just such ethical bifurcations required by anti-theonomic positions: “Differing weights and differing measures, the Lord detests them both.” I hasten to add here the very next verse, which in context deliberately expands on it — reads, “Even a child is known by his doings, whether his work be pure, and whether it be right.” And since to do what is right means to do what God has commanded, the Bible clearly teaches that children and adults NEVER properly have two different ethical standards applied to them — as the PC position requires in its conflicting interpretations of “one standard for all,” and yet different standards used in 1 Cor. 10 as set over against 1 Cor. 11.
Thus, we find the PC advocate cannot maintain his pet exegtical strategy in 1st Corinthians 11, on the one hand, and the integtrity of a single ethical standard required by his Theonomy, on the other. How did Dr. Bahnsen say it so often … oh yes, now I remember, “You cannot have it BOTH ways.”
C. Paedocommunion vs. the Biblical Doctrine of The Nature of Oaths and Covenants
Next we come to examine whether or not the PC position meshes with the biblical teaching on the requirements for confirming covenants. These, we will see, are different than those required for initiating oaths and covenants in the Bible. First, we note that God has given historically two sacraments as signs and seals of the various administrations of the covenant of grace: the first initiatory and probationary, and the second continuous and confirmatory; in the first, the recipient of grace remains passive and receptive; in the second, the receiver of grace actively participates in the oath-based ritual in question.
The two trees in the garden of Eden provide examples: the trees of life, and of the knowledge of good and evil. The first showed a kind of probation and the other signified and sealed one in righteousness. The Old Covenant likewise displays two sacraments, (initiatory and probationary). Those circumcised into the Mosaic covenant took on this initiatory rite to enter the OT Church, the people of Israel.
Israel’s sacrificial system, summed up in the Passover, continued throughout the life of Israel, confirming the life promised by the covenant Lord. Here, the sacrificer waxed reckless only at his own injury (2 Samuel 6:5-15 and Lev 10:1-3).
The New Covenant also displays two sacraments where Baptism corresponds to circumcision (See Colossians 2:12-13), both of which function as a sign and seal of the covenant of grace. Neither confers grace merely by the elements themselves.
After — and only after (note the biconditional) — one’s probation is fulfilled, he may be confirmed in his rights and priviledges of the second sacrament, which, in the case of the NT is the Lord’s Supper.
These examples, both from the Older and Newer covenants provide instances of a more general point about making and taking oaths (of which covenants are a subset). The making of any oath by one recognized as a domestic inferior in the Bible (i.e. a wife, son or daughter) is subject to judicial review and nullification by the federal head of the house.
Numbers 30:3-5 reads:
If a woman also vow a vow unto the LORD, and bind herself by a bond, being in her father’s house in her youth; And her father hear her vow, and her bond wherewith she hath bound her soul, and her father shall hold his peace at her; then all her vows shall stand, and every bond wherewith she hath bound her soul shall stand. But if her father disallow her in the day that he heareth; not any of her vows, or of her bonds wherewith she hath bound her soul, shall stand: and the LORD shall forgive her, because her father disallowed her.
D. Common Objections to Credocommunion Overcome.
Some have alleged that this position requires an arbitrariness on the part of the elders since the Bible provides no objective way to decide when a child may begin taking the Lord’s Supper. I answer that a non-arbitrary marker of delineating readiness for the Lord’s supper does in fact exist in the Bible: nature itself. With puberty comes physical development, including the ability to think in terms of abstract and moral reasoning. This then provides the obvious point at which elders ought to begin an inquiry for readiness on the part of the child in concert with the assessment of the head of the house.
Moreover, Paul regularly appeals in the Scripture to such markers offered from nature, saying things like “does not even nature teach us…” . In the case of maturity as readiness for communion, the Scripture (Luke 2:41) agrees with this.
“And when he was 12 years old, they went up [to the passover] according to the custom.” That this was Jesus first trip to Passover is manifest from the context, and in this most commentators agree. J. Jeremias, in his landmark Jerusalem in the Time of Jesus, throws some valuable light on this custom. He says, “…we may conclude (from Luke 2:41) that it was custom among people from a distance to bring their children when they reached twelve years of age.” (p. 76) Before twelve years of age, they remained at home.
Some have challenged that all the privileges of membership in the covenant community belong to all the saints, and that covenant children (being saints) should be admitted to the Lord’s Table.
I answer that this overlooks the obvious point that one may not necessarily undertake every covenant privileges from the moment of his entry into the covenant community (i.e. Church). Although each person (saint) in principle has every spiritual blessing in Christ from the moment of his or her baptism, yet he does not inherit them all at once in practice — but only in principle. Likewise, he obtains all his spiritual gifts from the moment he is born again, but this does not entitle him to begin preaching the gospel — even if he is so called — without first undertaking intellectual preparation and certification by elders of the church.
Examples of “delayed privileges” in the Bible include the facts that:
* No male can go to war to fight for his country until he reaches the age of 20.
* No minister may begin ministering in an official ecclesiastical post until he reaches the age of thirty, (see the Levitical age requirement and the Lukan account of the age at which Jesus began ministering) even though he receives the gifts for ministry at the moment he is born of the Spirit.
* No one may “practice the theology” (Ahem) of the Song of Solomon until he or she is first married.
E. Paedo-communion vs. Salvation by Grace alone through FAITH alone.
The classical reformed (and biblical) formulation of the grace communicated by the sacraments comes to the heart of the believer who participates rightly via the sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit who indwells every regenerate saint. But the doctrine of PC seeks to circumvent this understanding by making the Lord’s supper efficacious in the life of the UNbelieving saint also — the saint before he is old enough even to understand the gospel, and, therefore (ordinarily) to possess saving faith. The Scripture says plainly enough that faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God [preached]. By making the sacramental grace efficacious APART from the faith-imparting work of the Spirit results in (i.e. implies) affirming the doctrine of “mechanistic grace” common referred to by people addicted to Latin as “ex opere operato.”
But this has the easy and swift refutation that mechanistic grace is a “yes or no” proposition in which it would not be possible to receive baptism in an “unworthy manner” - you either do or do not receive it - and no one would ever die from participitating in such a version of the Lord’ s Supper the wrong fashion. This is because the curse as well as the blessing attending holy communion remain the work of the Spirit of grace.
But since faith is in fact a biblical prerequisite for receiving the blessing of communion, so also is the proper understanding of the gospel (intellectual maturity), since faith comes by hearing and understanding the Word of the Lord.
CONCLUSION: From this brief introduction and internal critique of a counterfeit doctrine and the positions normally associated with it in a Christian (Theonomic-Postmillenial) worldview, it should be apparent almost immediately that the doctrine of paedocommunion contradicts several major features of biblical teaching, denying in principle the consent of all the parts. Therefore, the Bible necessarily teaches the doctrine of credocommunion, and the Westminster divines once again win the day. These were wise men.
Carson Day has written 1.3 gazillion articles and essays with insightful — and sometimes even conventional — viewpoints. But don’t get your hopes up on the conventional part. Carson studied the history of ideas in college, and really likes to study up on the internet, the world wide classroom.
To visit Carson’s websites, go to: http://ophirgold.blogspot.com (The Omniblog) or http://extremeprofit.blogspot.com (Carson’s Day Trading Outpost)
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Posted by admin on March 26th, 2008 — Posted in Internet Religion Resources
Are you making yourself attractive to God? Would you like to make yourself irresistible to God? All you have to do to accomplish this is to become a believer - A Person of Faith.
And just as God will be attracted to be by your side, your faith in him will attract you to the ways of our common Lord.
I think that as a Person of Faith you will find yourself more attractive to all people of good faith as well. Don’t you want to share a common bond with other people of good faith? Don’t you want to feel wonderful?
It’s time for you to step out and fulfill your promise. Do the good works that can benefit those you care about and society in general. It’s time for you to step out and make yourself attractive to God.
Being a Person of Faith is something you can do something about every day. Start to take ‘little leaps’ of faith in order to get closer to God.
Start to become an operative of God. When you do you will gain a sense of satisfaction that you have never known before. You will begin to feel fulfilled. You will begin to feel more secure.
You will be able to cope with the troubles of our time like terrorism and natural disasters. You will begin to follow in the footsteps of God.
Now is the time to go into action, and this is a call to action. Imagine that God is calling you to be all that you can be. Aren’t you attracted to God and to the opportunity to do his good works?
I think to help get you started we should do a little soul searching to determine all the ‘little leaps’ of faith that you can take to help you become attracted to God and a Person of Faith. Are you ready to step out and get started?
Start by making a list of “little leaps” of faith you can take to make you feel closer to God. Start by getting inspired by God. Start by believing. Start by having faith.
Take a ‘little leap’ of faith and discover that you are attracted to God.
Arthur Levine is the author of the Magic of Faith, which can be accessed at http://www.faith123.com and the Faith Patch Manual. To discover more “little leaps” of faith that you can take to help make you attractive to God, please visit:
http://www.faith-patch.com/stp/attracter
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Posted by admin on March 24th, 2008 — Posted in Internet Religion Resources
THE TRUTH SETS US FREE…WHEN WE KNOW IT!
Granted, the rank and file Catholic across the globe has no more grasp of the facts you’ve been reading than the average Mormon does of their cultic teachings or the average Muslim does of their false religion.
Or the average Protestant Christian knows about their faith.
We’re all just as slothful at reading our so-called “inspired” books or researching our own historical backgrounds, Catholics and non-Catholics alike.
In I Corinthians 6:12, Paul stated, “Everything is permissible for me, but not everything is beneficial. Everything is permissible for me, but I will not be mastered by anything.” He was possibly addressing those in the Corinthian church who boasted about being able to get away with anything they pleased as a result of God’s grace. Many still do this today. I recall, as a young Catholic boy, actually hearing friends say they were going to knowingly perform some sinful act, but they would make sure to go to confession the next day. Do not be deceived: God is not mocked. A man reaps what he sows (Gal 6:7).
My heart is broken for Catholics because that is where I came from. Many Catholics are fruit-bearing Christians who love Jesus wholeheartedly and it warms my heart to know we will be together forever in Heaven, without any pit-stops in Purgatory (which became Catholic dogma in 1439, Council of Florence). The non-Scriptural acts they perform and the dogmas to which they adhere will NOT keep them from Heaven. No, God looks at the heart (1 Sam 16:7). However, according to what Paul said in I Corinthians 6:12, their religious activity and adherence to manmade doctrine and dogmas won’t benefit them a bit either. Such things do little more, Scripturally speaking, than to keep people busy with seemingly spiritual things, thereby producing a false sense of security while appeasing human nature’s desire to ‘be spiritual.’ Worse, it keeps many from finding the Truth, freedom and salvation and has done so for many centuries. This is true for both the Catholic and Non-Catholic Christians alike.
If you haven’t gathered this by now, from this author’s perspective, the issue is NOT a matter of Catholic vs. Protestant. No, the issue is quite clearly whether we desire Religion or Relationship with our God.
Here’s a concern that must be considered: How many Catholics are NOT bound for Heaven as a result of trusting SOLELY in false religious teachings? How many Catholics are living in bondage to rules and regulations, depriving themselves of the promised freedom Jesus offers them? It’s the same concern all true believers should have for the lost, those claiming Christ or not. Multitudes have been blinded and steered off course by manmade rules and regulations, though they felt assured of Heaven because they believed they were keeping the 10 Commandments, adhered to their group’s doctrine and the like.
They have no personal relationship with Christ and, for many; the lack of spiritual fruit in their lives makes this evident. Yet, they call themselves “Catholic” - or any other group’s label - and believe this to be enough.
Sadly, this describes millions who claim to be believers and followers - disciples of Christ. Many, even after determining for themselves that Rome’s ways are simply incorrect, remain stationary on that Highway to Heaven out of loyalty, due to family pressures, or from emotional ties. Others simply LIKE religious ritual and dare not step outside their religious comfort zones.
As a former Catholic, I can attest to the struggle I had with departing from what we Catholics liked to call “the one true church”(By the way, though I am FIRMLY convinced that Catholicism does NOT represent the one true church, I DO recognize them as being the first of scores of denominations from which all Martin Luther - and every so-called “Reformer” since then - has done little more than to hang a different shingle on another building, thus inviting the ruling spirit, the Spirit of the Pharisees).
As a Non-Catholic, I can also attest to the difficulties I STILL had with an inbred desire to be “religious.” This must certainly stem from the Western cultural desire to win the blue ribbon, get the gold star, and attain the next level of success. It’s very difficult for us to embrace the notion that it’s simply impossible to be ‘good enough’…so, we keep trying.
Fact is, we’re human BEINGS, not human DO-ings. How difficult it is for us to simply BE Children of God and nurture that relationship with Him, all the while building His Kingdom as His Spirit leads, when our humanness cries out that we go and DO something, even something spiritual, in order to earn God’s favor and the adulation of others.
This is simply impossible. Yes, the demonic spirit of ‘Religion,’ the same devil that controlled the Pharisees - the most religious people of their day - still roams planet Earth in search of those he may devour. Too often, those in leadership, overseeing scores of well-meaning Christians, are being fed to that beast. Too often, these believers step willingly, gladly, into that arena only to be consumed.
Jesus warned that we cannot serve two Masters. We will love one and hate the other (Luke 16:13). The question I had to ask myself was this: Did I love Him more than Catholicism? I knew Catholicism; did I know Jesus at all? As I’ve grown in my faith and in the knowledge of my Savior, I see now, like a young girl with two lovers vying for her affection, that there never really was any competition at all.
God bless you and guide you as you seek God’s truth on these issues, keeping in mind that the Truth really matters. Keep the following things in mind as you go forth seeking Truth. Remember, if you choose to become or remain a Catholic, based upon the following facts, you’d better be a good one:
1. You are accursed by the Roman Catholic Church if you deny some of its main doctrines (the phrase you are about to read, “Amathema sit” means “Let him be accursed”). The following are some of the curses lumped on your head by the organization many say they love with all their hearts, straight from Rome’s own Catholic playbook:
BAPTISM: “If anyone says that the Roman Church…does not have the true doctrine concerning the sacrament of baptism, anathema sit…If anyone says that baptism is …not necessary for salvation, anathema sit (Council of Trent, Session 7).
PURGATORY: If any one says, that, after the grace of Justification has been received, to every penitent sinner the guilt is remitted, and the debt of eternal punishment is blotted out in such wise, that there remains not any debt of temporal punishment to be discharged either in this world, or in the next in Purgatory, before the entrance to the kingdom of Heaven can be opened to him; let him be anathema (Council of Trent, Session 6).
PAPAL INFALLIBILITY: The Roman Pontiff… possesses…that infallibility which the divine Redeemer willed his Church to enjoy in defining doctrine concerning faith or morals. Therefore, such definitions of the Roman Pontiff are of themselves, and not by the consent of the Church, irreformable. So then, should anyone, which God forbid, have the temerity to reject this definition of ours: let him be anathema (First Vatican Council).
TRANSUBSTANTIATION: If anyone denies that in the sacrament of the most holy Eucharist the body and blood, together with the soul and divinity, of our lord Jesus Christ and, therefore, the whole Christ is truly, really and substantially contained, but says that he is in it only in a sign or figure…anathema sit (Council ofTrent, Session 12).
SACRIFICE OF THE MASS: If anyone says that the sacrifice of the Mass is merely an offering of praise and thanksgiving, or that it is a simple commemoration of the sacrifice accomplished on the cross, but not a propitiatory sacrifice…offered for the living and the dead, for sins, punishments, satisfaction and other necessities, anathema sit (Council of Trent, Session 12).
CONFESSION: If anyone denies that the sacramental confession was instituted, and is necessary for salvation, by divine Law; or says that the manner of confessing secretly to a priest alone, which the Catholic Church has always observed from the beginning and still observes, is at variance with the institution and command of Christ and is a human invention, anathema sit (Council of Trent, Session 14).
(SOURCE: The Council of Trent, the 19th ecumenical council of the Roman Catholic church, held at Trent in northern Italy between 1545 and 1563. It marked a major turning point in the efforts of the Catholic church to respond to the challenge of the Protestant Reformation and formed a key part of the Counter-Reformation. The need for such a council had long been perceived by certain church leaders, but initial attempts to organize it were opposed by Francis I of France, who feared it would strengthen Holy Roman Emperor Charles V, and by the popes themselves, who feared a revival of Conciliarism. The council eventually met during three separate periods (1545-47, 1551-52, 1562-63) under the leadership of three different popes (Paul III, Julius III, Pius IV). All of its decrees were formally confirmed by Pope Pius IV in 1564. ADDITIONAL SOURCE: The First Vatican Council, the 20th ecumenical council of the Roman Catholic church, is best known for its decree affirming the doctrine of papal Infallibility. After a lengthy series of deliberations by preparatory commissions, it was opened by Pope Pius IX in Saint Peter’s Basilica on Dec. 8, 1869. Nearly 800 church leaders representing every continent attended, although the European members held a clear majority. Apparently the pope’s primary purpose in convening the council was to obtain confirmation of the position he had taken in his Syllabus of Errors (1864), condemning a wide range of modern positions associated with the ideas of rationalism, liberalism, and materialism.)
2. The Roman Catholic Church demands your mental submission to the teaching of the magisterium…whether you believe it or not.
While the assent of faith is not required, a religious submission of intellect and will is to be given to any doctrine which either the Supreme Pontiff or the College of Bishops, exercising their authentic Magisterium, declare upon a matter of faith or morals, even though they do not intend to proclaim that doctrine by definitive act. Christ’s faithful are therefore to ensure that they avoid whatever does not accord with that doctrine (Canon Law, 752).
While not infallible in their teaching, [Catholic bishops] are the authentic instructors and teachers of the faith for Christ’s faithful entrusted to their care. The faithful are bound to adhere, with a religious submission of mind, to this authentic Magisterium of their Bishops (Canon Law, 753).
(SOURCE: Canon Law, the body of laws and regulations made by or adopted by ecclesiastical authority, for the government of the Roman Catholic Church and its members. Canon is derived from the Greek kanon, i.e. a rule or practical direction (not to speak of the other meanings of the word, such as list or catalogue), a term which soon acquired an exclusively ecclesiastical significance.)
3. As a Christian, you are called to walk according to the truth. If, by the grace of God, you know the truth of the Gospel and you are now trusting in Christ, your Lord and Savior, it is only natural that you should turn away from every falsehood and embrace the doctrines of Christ. How can you remain in fellowship with an organization that upholds so many doctrines that are proven to be false? If that’s the case where you, dear reader, are concerned, why not seek and join a Christian community where the Gospel of Jesus is faithfully taught?
As for me, I could not remain a member of a church that cursed me. That in itself did NOT remind me of the Jesus I was coming to know. I could not consider myself a faithful Catholic since I disregarded and disobeyed the magisterium’s claim of supreme teaching authority. That NEVER sat well with me either, even in Parochial school. I could no longer conscientiously follow the One who IS Truth personified while living a lie. I pray that isn’t your situation.
Serving Christ is now an adventure as I see lives changed daily as the Holy Spirit works through me. I’ve found my purpose and it’s thrills me to life! I have truly entered into the Joy of my salvation. I’m having the time of my life serving God! Jesus said, “Those who the Son sets free are free indeed.” Thank you, Jesus…I’m FREE!
UPDATE: Only a few days after broadcasting this 3-part series, I saw a news story regarding a bleeding statue of the Virgin Mary as well as a TV report showing people lining up to pray and pay homage to a hole in a tree that the faithful say displays the image of the Blessed Virgin.
Bleeding statues, cloud formations resembling Mary, burned images of Christ’s face in a taco shell…The hundreds of apparitions and numerous unexplainable phenomena that has been reported are nothing more than Satan’s devises as he draws precious souls away from a deeper knowledge of Jesus Christ. the enemy is a great counterfeiter. He devises false teachers and false prophets (2 Peter 2:1), false apostles with false gospels (2 Cor 11:1-15) and false miracles (2 Thess 2:9). In the end times these will result in a powerful deception that will even seem to threaten the existence of the Church itself.
Scripture states seven times that false miracles will mislead many (Matthew 7:21-23, 24:24, Mark 13:22, 2 Thess 2:8-12, Rev 13:13,14, 16:14,19:20). Those deceived will believe they are serving God in the name of Jesus when in fact they are “workers of iniquity”. Be aware of these deceptions and ask God for the grace to exercise discernment.
PLEASE REQUEST PART 4 OF THIS SERIES. Scroll to the bottom to FORWARD, COMMENT, or RATE this article.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Pastor Michael is founder of t.e.a.m. ministries (team1min@aol.com). His eMail broadcasts, known as “Your Town for Jesus” (SEARCH it!) are reaching tens of thousands WEEKLY. He ministers by way of email and Instant Message, too. Write him at team1min@aol.com if you’d like to SUBSCRIBE to receive his messages directly.
Michael’s mission is to bring Discipleship and Encouragement to the Body of Christ. Michael is the author of numerous booklets on a variey of subjects that will interest the thinking Christian. Since 1999, he has written and broadcast hundreds of inspirational articles and a dozen booklets, all designed to accelerate the process of spiritual development in God’s people.
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