Turned backs on serious study

“Many in the church have turned their back on serious study, and have embraced an anti-intellectualism which refuses to learn anything from scholarship at all lest it corrupt their pure faith. It is time to end this stand-off, and to re-establish a hermeneutic of trust (itself a sign of the gospel!) in place of the hermeneutic of suspicion which the church has so disastrously borrowed from the postmodern world around”

Wright, N. T. (2005). Scripture and the Authority of God (p. 99). London: Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge.

What sort people of faith do we want to be

In this ungodliness world we do find also several people who claim to be Christian but do not seem to worship the God of the Nazarene man Jeshua. They seem caught or tricked by human doctrines or do prefer to belong to the world and its traditions.

We may find ourselves being surrounded by people who do not believe in a god or in the right God above all gods. Though we should be able to find many examples of people of faith in the past. They are mentioned in Scriptures. As such we can read about men and women, like Abel, Enoch, Noah, Sarah and Abraham, Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel, and the prophets Isaiah, Jeremiah a.o. who all heard a Voice of an Unseen person and where not afraid to follow His Guidance and do as He wished.

Many Christians forget to look at those men and women who did not follow other men or worldly or human traditions. Though today so many who call themselves Christian do prefer to keep all those human traditions and do not spend much time in the Word of God nor do not go often to worship services.

Western Europe, where Protestant Christianity originated and Catholicism has been based for most of its history, has become one of the world’s most secular regions. This is proven by the fact that we see many empty churches or churches now being used as libraries, community centres but also as entertainment houses or discotheques.

Big problem in West Europe is that the vast majority of people still let their children being baptised by the Roman Catholic church and get that church still inn the church taxes though they do not have so many active members as other churches which do receive no payment from the government or church tax.

When talking to those people who say they were baptized, today though many do not describe themselves as Christians. Some say they gradually drifted away from religion, stopped believing in religious teachings, or were alienated by scandals or church positions on social issues, according to a major new Pew Research Center survey of religious beliefs and practices in Western Europe.

The survey shows that non-practicing Christians (defined, for the purposes of this report, as people who identify as Christians, but attend church services no more than a few times per year) make up the biggest share of the population across the region. In every country except Italy, they are more numerous than church-attending Christians (those who go to religious services at least once a month). In the United Kingdom, for example, there are roughly three times as many non-practicing Christians (55%) as there are church-attending Christians (18%) defined this way.

Non-practicing Christians also outnumber the religiously unaffiliated population (people who identify as atheist, agnostic or “nothing in particular,” sometimes called the “nones”) in most of the countries surveyed.1 And, even after a recent surge in immigration from the Middle East and North Africa, there are many more non-practicing Christians in Western Europe than people of all other religions combined (Muslims, Jews, Hindus, Buddhists, etc.).

By those non-practicing Christians we do find that the majority are not really believers in the Most High God, but that some might belief in all sorts of fairy tales, like when dying becoming a star or going to heaven or transforming in an animal or in an other person. Not many of them believe that we shall be able to find a Kingdom of God here on earth. Lots of them are doubting that there is such an Eternal Spirit Being that would help them in this life, though some do not mind to believe in a godly man or in God having incarnated and having done that He was tempted (because God cannot be tempted) and who would have faked His death (because God can not die), but do not know or understand why that god would have stayed for three days in hell,because they believe hell is an eternal torture place were all the bad people would come.

Not many of those non-practicing Christians nor many of other Christians have their eyes fixed on the real Jesus who should be the source and the goal of our faith. For he himself endured all that bullying and an impalement until death took place. That Nazarene master teacher thought nothing of its shame because of the joy he knew would follow his suffering. The short period he taught, he declared his heavenly Father and showed people how they could come to God, him being the way. Jesus also spoke often about the way of righteous people and how man could have hope for a better life but also should be careful not to lose it. His many parables should be a warning for us all that though the grace may be given for free, without works our faith shall be dead.

Prophets in the ancient times spoke about the promised one who would come and bring salvation. The first time there was spoken about him in the Garden of Eden. More than once is being referred to that person God was going to send. Many people in ancient times believed in that promise of a sent one from God. But today not many believe or are willing to put their hope on such a guy of which they even doubt his existence. They should know that no matter if they believe or not in God or Jesus, Jeshua or Jesus from Nazareth is a real political figure born in 4 BCE. For those who believe in the Bible to be the infallible Word of God, this man is now seated at the right hand of God’s throne. The world should think constantly of him enduring all that sinful men could say against him and people should have believe in him, accepting his as son of God and not a god son, even when so many would like them to believe differently and want to take away their purpose or their courage. (Hebrews 12:1-3)

After all, the lovers of God and lovers of Christ, who want to fight against sin should know that this battle against sin has not yet meant the shedding of blood. From the survey we may see that not many are interested in God and that many have lost sight of that piece of advice which reminds man of their sonship in God. (Hebrews 12:4-6)

We must look in to the past and remember the many people who did not loose faith. We should see how they did not despise the chastening of the Most High. Even when we are confronted with empty churches and not finding many believing people around us, we should not be discouraged when we are laughed at by acquaintances or people at work. But we should not loose interest in God when we do not directly feel Him or His presence.We also should endure suffering as a way of discipline, looking at it as God dealing with us as sons. For what son is there that a father does not discipline? (Hebrews 12:7)

We must always remember that our ancestors won God’s approval by their faith. (Hebrews 11:2) We also should not be afraid to let others know that we trust the Most High of Who we believe made all things and allows all things to happen.  By faith we understand that the worlds have been framed by the word of God, so that what is seen had not been made out of things which appear. (Hebrews 11:3)

The men spoken off in the bible freely admitted that they lived on this earth as exiles and foreigners. Men who say that mean, of course, that their eyes are fixed upon their true home-land. If they had meant the particular country they had left behind, they had ample opportunity to return. No, the fact is that they longed for a better country altogether, nothing less than a heavenly one. And because of this faith of theirs, God is not ashamed to be called their God for in sober truth He has prepared for them a city. (Hebrews 11:13-16)

So also for us who want to share the same faith as these men, there is the prospect of a city in a better world. by faith we shall be able to live at a time when Jesus shall have send others to their second death.

Longing for a better country, we should put our hope on Christ Jesus to become our King of kings and be grateful that we may look forward to the return of Christ and the entrance to the Kingdom of God for the faithful.

In this world where many hold on the material site of life, do you want to be a lover of human traditions and human teachings, or do you want to be a person who like those men of faith only believed in the One True God of Israel, the God of Abraham, Who is One?

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Please read Hebrews 11-12

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Preceding

Religious matters

People Seeking for God 3 Laws and directions

Seeing or not seeing and willingness to find God

Roman, Aztec and other rites still influencing us today

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Additional reading

  1. Words in the world
  2. Looking to the East and the West for Truth
  3. Looking at an American nightmare
  4. Casual Christians
  5. Being Christian in Western Europe at the beginning of the 21st century #1
  6. Being Christian in Western Europe at the beginning of the 21st century #2
  7. Non-practicing Christians widely believing in a god or higher power
  8. Doctrine and Conduct Cause and Effect
  9. Views on relationship between government and religion
  10. What makes you following Christ and Facebook Groups
  11. Inner voice inside the soul of man
  12. Not following the tradition of man
  13. Focussing on the man Jesus and the relationship with God
  14. Atonement And Fellowship 6/8
  15. To find ways of Godly understanding
  16. Written by inspiration of God for our admonition, to whom it shall be imputed if they believe
  17. Believing in the send one and understanding that one does not live by bread alone
  18. Reasons why you may not miss the opportunity to go to a Small Church

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Related
  1. The Lord’s Way and TimeThe way to GodThe Way of the Righteous
  2. Educate Me; Make My Life Beautiful
  3. Orthodoxy, Religious Beliefs, and God’s Saving Power during Typhoon Ondoy (Ketsana)
  4. Belief & When Americans Say They Believe in God, What Do They Mean? #PewResearch
  5. 18-17 Segment 2: Religion in America’s Prisons
  6. Come Sunday
  7. Massimo Introvigne: Visual Artworks of The Church of Almighty God Convey a Very Deep Message
  8. Hooray! No Taxes For Churches!
  9. Walk with me
  10. Former President Carter Writing Book About Religious Faith
  11. Baptist Army Chaplain Faces Punishment for Religious Beliefs
  12. The biblical definition of ______________
  13. Tell about your father’s spiritual or religious beliefs.
  14. Activity 1-1: How (Dis)Similar Are Muslims and Christians?
  15. One and Only
  16. Pistis ( πίστις)
  17. By faith Enoch
  18. What to do to Grow in the Spirit
  19. Be a God Pleaser
  20. Oh Mighty God! by Penny Chavers
  21. It is impossible to please God without faith. (today’s verse) 
  22. A List Of Ten Things That God Is Pleased About
  23. Please God, and not people
  24. The Seen And The Unseen
  25. When You Want to Step out but You’re Afraid to Fail
  26. Personal Victories
  27. Leadership Insight…
  28. We should learn from each other
  29. Holding on to God
  30. Hey God…
  31. Meditation Monday
  32. Inside the Mind: The Human Soul
  33. Today is One Part
  34. Divine Providence
  35. Lessons from Hopelessness
  36. The Supreme Court Quietly Gives Religious Liberty A Big Win
  37. The Chinese Communist Party Uses “Cult” as a Pretext to Persecute Religious Beliefs | What’s a Cult? | The Church of Almighty God

Faith coming by hearing and sent preacher gift from God

“Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” (Rom. 10:17)

The Apostle Paul in this verse tells us that no one can believe unless they hear. In the same context, he also says that no one can hear unless “a preacher” is “sent.” (vss. 14,15) Thus, without question the “sent preacher” is a gift from Yahweh, the Author of Salvation.

Faith can be considered a gift from Yahweh.

“We have knowledge of Yahweh, and this knowledge, which is granted us as a grace or favor, brings us to the place where we are enabled to exercise faith.”

Faith in a great measure rests upon knowledge. Knowledge reveals Yahweh’s character as our Great Savior, the Divine Revelation makes known to us certain facts respecting Yahweh’s purposes, and we see the purposes thus outlined to be in harmony with the character of Yahweh.

This enables one to believe the promises; and believing them, we are enabled to act upon them.

“This is faith. Our faith, while it is of ourselves in the sense that we must exercise it, is of Yahweh in the sense that He supplies the necessary elements from which that faith is to be compounded.”— What Pastor Russell Said, pp. 266,267

Everything received now, and which the world of humanity will receive in the next age, soon to come, is because of Yahweh’s Grace. Yahweh has given us opportunities to hear about Him through His Word and through those who have explained that Word to us.

And without our Redeemer Jesus, who is Yahweh’s appointed Representative, who Yahweh sent to us to show us the way to Him.

Thus, through Jesus Christ our Head we learn the Almighty Heavenly Father’s Character and come to know the true Savior.

Jesus always pointed us to his God and our God, his Father and our Father. Jesus did the will of Yahweh and willing because he loved his Almighty Creator and died to pay the price required as his part of salvation and we love him for his great sacrifice for our behalf, and not only ours, but the whole world of humanity.

Jesus covers us with his Sin Offering merit and without it, we would never be able to grow in the Grace our Heavenly Father so much wants us to have.

May we never lose our faith. It is faith that made us acceptable to Yahweh, and it is faith that insures our ultimate salvation.

“The just shall live by faith: but if any draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him. But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition; but of them that believe to the saving of the soul.”

Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses.”

“This is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith!”
(Heb. 10:38,39; 1 Tim. 6:12;
1 John 5:4)

John Harris (the Word of God is more precious than gold) HeChar

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Additional reading

  1. Faith
  2. Faith and works
  3. Faith moving mountains

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Further reading

  1. The Sin Offering
  2. All That Jesus Is Before God, You Are
  3. Numbers 7
  4. Leviticus 9
  5. SOAP Journal – 02 February 2017 (Leviticus 4:16-18)
  6. 20 February 2017 Bible Reading
  7. Atonement as Liturgy: The Cross Re-examined
  8. Catrina’s Understanding of Leviticus 1-13

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A popular television programme and a new website

Question Time (TV series)

Question Time (TV series) (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Who does not know the popular topical debate television BBC programme “Question Time” based on BBC Radio 4‘s  debate radio programme Any Questions?, which is usually broadcast on Thursday evenings on BBC One after the late news (and slightly later in Northern Ireland). Repeats are usually broadcast in the following days on BBC Two and BBC Parliament. You can also catch up with previous episodes via BBC iPlayer, and listen to the most recent debate in full via BBC Radio 5 live.

David Dimbleby who has presented Panorama, 24 Hours, People and Power, The Dimbleby Talk-In and This Week Next Week, The White Tribe of Africa and An Ocean Apart, A Picture of Britain, How We Built Britain, and Seven Ages of Britain.

In front of a live audience with a single take recording, precisely as if it were broadcast live, David Dimbleby as a major presenter of current affairs programmes and documentaries for BBC television knows to catch his public.

In 2007 the BBC commissioned a new programme called The Big Questions, which has a similar format to Question Time but focuses on ethical and religious issues. It is broadcast on BBC One on Sunday mornings between 10am and 11am and usually presented by Nicky Campbell. Both programmes are produced by Mentorn Media. Each week, in the faith and ethics television programme replacing The Heaven and Earth Show as the BBC’s religious discussion programme, panel and audience debate three ethical, moral or religious topics which featured in the week’s news.

In those shows you might have found notable atheists, like Richard Dawkins, converts to Roman Catholicism like Ann Widdecombe, but also Imam Ibrahim Mogra, Muslim commentator Mohammed Ansar, Scottish philosopher John Joseph Haldane, Bible scholar Francesca Stavrakopoulou, Lord Carey, Jonathan Bartley, Peter Hitchens, Alexander Goldberg, Ian McMillan, Andrew Pinsent, Stephen Law, Tommy Robinson, Michael Nazir-Ali, Samuel Westrop and Decca Aitkenhead.

Questiontime-Vragenuurtje website: 01 December 2016All those big names you probably would not find on the simple new website Qusetiontime-Vragenuurtje from ‘Flanders Fields’.
But at that place there is also made time free for asking questions and is taken time to look at certain or possible answers on many questions humans can have in their head. It is hoped for that several people shall find their way to that place to come up with more questions and answers and would not mind sharing their information on certain subjects around our way of life, ethics, faith and religion. It shall look at monotheistic as well as polytheistic-religions.

To start of the site looked first at the beginning of everything, wondering what caused everything to start coming into existence. It questions if there is something or somewhat or even Some One behind it all. Looking at man and how he tried to find explanations for everything the site can not be blind for the worship of or belief in multiple deities, which are usually assembled into a pantheon of gods and goddesses, along with their own religions and rituals. When looking at history we also can find that there where doubts if there different gods responsible for the different things we can see, or if there was just One Creator God responsible for the Big Beginning or was there just a Big Bang from nothing?

In the 7th and 10th article is discussed how there are many primal ancient gods or creator gods worshipped in the world. When looking at history we can see many peoples have chosen to have mother goddesses and father gods, but we must also be aware that from ancient times there have been people who choose only to believe in One existent Divine True Creator God, Jehovah. It seems that many people had and have an other perception of God.

One of the many tri-une gods peoples worship or worshipped. One of the gods which is spoken about also in the Bible. “The Lord” (הבעל, Ha Baʿal) Baal, Baäl or properly Baʿal, a Phoenician deity and false gods.

Surprisingly also by people who worship one God there  are different names to be found. The most known and worshipped ‘singular’ gods being Yahweh and Jehovah, though for the name Yawheh we must be well aware that there was in ancient times (Iron time: 1200-900 BCE) also the pagan god with that name who was part of a pantheon of Canaanite gods. the same as we may find a tri-une god by several Christians, there have been other bi-une, tri-une and four-une gods.

At the site there shall be looked at how in most religions which accept polytheism, the different gods and goddesses are representations of forces of nature or ancestral principles, and can be viewed either as autonomous or as aspects or emanations of a creator God or transcendental absolute principle (monistic theologies), which manifests immanently in nature (panentheistic and pantheistic theologies).

You are kindly invited to come and have a look at the new site, where you are also welcome to have your say.

 

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Find additional reading

  1. A Place for Questions
  2. New platform for questions and answers
  3. The very very beginning 1 Creating Gods

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Further reading

  1. Six Things you might not Know about BBC Question Time 
  2. Question Time event returns
  3. Question Time could be interesting today
  4. Continuing futility | Question time
  5. Question Time Wrath
  6. Well…
  7. Growing old gracefully
  8. Is It Just Me: Horrified After Question Time?
  9. Don’t go to bed angry
  10. Question Time from Stirling.
  11. Question – Who do you look up to?
  12. Can I Question Time?
  13. Starting something futile | Question Time
  14. The Big British Ed Debate: Grammar vs Comp
  15. Question Time
  16. Created
  17. Sunday Short & Sweet – The Beautiful Glory of God
  18. Created in God’s image
  19. In the Image of God?
  20. In God’s Image
  21. Nuggets – God’s Image
  22. My self image vs God’s image of me…
  23. Self image and God image
  24. Our Image
  25. Image of God
  26. There is a difference between God’s “image” and God’s “likeness”.
  27. I Am God’s Impeccable Image
  28. Who Is This God?
  29. Who Is the Real God?
  30. What is God Really Like?
  31. Pagan Gods – The Deities of Powerful Ancient Civilizations
  32. God the Mother
  33. The True God
  34. The One True God?
  35. Christmas Without All The Trimmings
  36. America Worships Pagan Gods
  37. A Christian Testimony and the Norse Gods
  38. “Anti Christ Beliefs and Christian Beliefs Do Not Mix” by Dr.J.
  39. Eve is Mother-in-Heaven
  40. Rawhead Rex: An Answer to my Pagan Prayers
  41. Multiple Gods, Multiple Practices
  42. Using Your Gifts for the Gods
  43. Is Getting Tattoos a Sin against God?
  44. Debunking Anti-Christ Rhetoric Part 1-B
  45. Does Scripture Support Substitution Theology? Part B
  46. “And Yet… ” Part 1, Playing with paganism
  47. Is Hinduism the Truth?
  48. Mormons Have More gods than Hindus
  49. A Fearful Secret
  50. The New Places Of Worship
  51. The gods of our society
  52. Forgetting the Glory of God
  53. Penalty for Serving False Gods

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Save

Good Morning January 25 We are theologians

The world has gone far away from the real study of gods and God, forgetting that the Word of God should be the main guide.

Lots of theologians teaching at colleges and universities have fallen into heresy and other substantial errors on doctrine, having been themselves already formed on the false doctrine of the trinity.

It would be lovely if we could find more theologians who really desire to know the Most High Theos or the Elohim Hashem Jehovah. For them as for all of us this demands works of faith, learning more about Jehovah God, and walking with Him through all the activities of daily life.

As Pastor Irvin Stapf of the Life’s Meaning Ministry correctly notes that

“In this way all Christians are to be theologians”

all those who say they are a Christian should believe in Christ Jesus and follow his teachings. Like Jesus, who did not do his own will, they should do everything to please God.

We too should be as Jeshua’s disciples getting to know Jesus better, following him as the Way to God. It is our faith in him that also should motivate us enough to come to know the heavenly Father of Christ and to do like Christ, doing God’s Will and not ours. Reading the Scriptures and giving ourselves to God shall bring us closer to God and create better relationships between God’s creatures.

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To remember

  • lessons = not always easy
  • many of the circumstances we face in life = tools in God’s gracious hands
  • fruit of the Spirit = nature of Jesus + what God is working to form in us
  • God doesn’t do away with our personality + individuality, => works Christ’s nature into these so that we may be useful to Him and to others.

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Preceding articles:

Mental Enslavement and Sins Syndrome (MESS)

Luther on Being a Theologian: Oratio, Meditatio and Tentatio

The Pastor Theologian

Theology as Discipleship

What Makes a Theologian

 

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Additional reading

  1. Jehovah steep rock and fortress, source of insight
  2. Necessary to be known all over the earth
  3. Bible a guide – Bijbel als gids
  4. A voice and a Word given for wisdom
  5. the Bible – God’s guide for life #2 Needs in life
  6. the Bible – God’s guide for life #3 Fast food or staple diet
  7. the Bible – God’s guide for life #5 What is God like
  8. Counterfeit Gospels
  9. Al-Fatiha [The Opening] Süra 1: 4-7 Merciful Lord of the Creation to show us the right path
  10. To create a great journey
  11. Colour-blindness and road code
  12. We should use the Bible every day
  13. Feed Your Faith Daily
  14. Bric-a-brac of the Bible
  15. What Are You Seeking?
  16. Hang On!
  17. Whoopi Goldberg commandments and abortion
  18. Forbidden Fruit in the Midst of the Garden 4
  19. To know Christ is filling life with meaning
  20. Best intimate relation to look for
  21. God’s wisdom for the believer brings peace

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Life's Meaning Ministry Blog

Thinking about words. We hear the word theologian and we think of someone teaching in a seminary, or writing many scholarly books. This is true. There certainly are such people who have been of great benefit to the church. But look at the word theologian again. The first part theos means God, ology is simply the study of. A theologian is one who studies the nature of God. I consider myself a theologian, but I’m not a well read scholar. I am a parish pastor and a wood worker. You, also, are called to be a theologian, one who seeks to understand more and more about the God we worship, the God who has revealed Himself in the person of Jesus Christ.
As theologians we desire to know our Lord, learning more about Him, and walking with Him through all the activities of daily life. In this way all Christians…

View original post 49 more words

Mental Enslavement and Sins Syndrome (MESS)

Today we came across a blog where was spoken of the Mental Enslavement and Sins Syndrome (MESS), which we would consider concerns all people of this globe.

Pastor ucocsthdm, Founder/Senior Pastor at Universal Church of Christ Seventh Day Ministries

The blog Inward Jews’ Site for Emancipation from Mental and Spiritual Enslavement! (previously Blessupebookstore) is from Redeeming Luv,  a God-fearing Guyanese of African descent, whose name is Wilfred A. Wilson, Pastor of Universal Church of Christ Seventh Day Ministries, INC., and leader of the Inward Jew Nation in Christ (Guyana, South America, an arm of the UCOC7THDM. He came to grips with Jesus in the early 70s and felt saved by him, called and put in the ministry.

If we are right his church then belongs to over 500 Sabbath keeping Churches of all different denominations. Some of the largest Sabbath keeping Churches would be the Seventh Day Baptist, Seventh-day Adventist, Church of God and the United Church of God.

The preacher his online presence is due to the fact that because his African descendants, 177 years after their ancestors, were fully emancipated on August 1, 1838, his people, are still enslaved mentally and spiritually, and he feels he is having an inspired Word and message to deliver to his people as well as for the world in a season where souls are ready to be harvested upon hearing the true Gospel of Jesus Christ preached unto them.

He asks coloured people to take back their birthright to the kingdom of God and of Christ, His Son, for the coloured people wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. [Ephesian 5:4]

He writes

The devil got to run when we speak the Word, viz., Jesus, say it again, Jesus, and say it again, Jesus. May God Almighty richly bless you. The Spirit of God gave me a Word which will set free whosoever believes from their Mental Enslavement and Sins Syndrome. (MESS) The inspired New Testament Word is:

“…Pass the time of your sojourning here in fear: for as much as y know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers: But with the precious Blood of Christ, as of a lamb without spot.” [1Peter1:17-19] {Blogging 201: Day 8 Assignment}

Mental Enslavement for sure is something we are all chained by. Wherever we live are minds are taken in by the place where we grew up and by the people who formed us and moulded in the being we are at present in this system of things. The ‘Mental Enslavement’ the pastor considers to be a legacy of slavery. For him it is

the root cause of the current divisions among us, African descendants. {Blogging 201: Day 8 Assignment}

The white English naturalist and geologist Charles Darwin

Nelson Mandela led the ANC in the battle against South African Apartheid.

Caucasians, Asians, they too are divided by their enslavement of their spirit. It is not restricted to the African people. Neither is the Sins Syndrome as a legacy of Adam’s transgression restricted to black people. Perhaps worse, the white people took the innocent black people chained to their world of greed and of unconnectedness with nature. By the commerce of slavery many black people where taken away form their native place where their people were still connected with nature and lived in peaceful communities where there was a certain order of respect. That respect and family order was broken, the mind degraded unto that of an animal. The negro was made into a carnal man which had no rights and was considered as part of the animal world. Carnal white man saw in them an opportunity to enrich themselves and to have some element with whom they could have sex as much and how they wanted it. For many of them it was an element by which no sin could be done. And church looked at it and did nothing against it.

A European map of West Africa, 1736. Included is the archaic mapping designation of Negroland.

We may not forget they all are under the spell of the fall of man, but God did ask each individual to make up their own choice and to go away from that spell. God created the human beings with the possibility to think for themselves. Man has no excuse to point the finger to Adam and Eve. It is not because they sinned, we can not do different. If that would be so that would mean the Divine Creator created human beings who are not able to live according to the rules God gave them. Such a thing would make that God a very Cruel God.

It is true that even today there are lots of Christian preachers who say man is incapable to do good or to do the Will of God, and therefore Jesus has to be God. They are mistaken and have become enslaved to their twisted mind or to the twisted mind of generations of theologians. Those people who call themselves scientists in the knowledge of God took a lot of time to study books of other theologians. Most of their time is spend to reading and studying books of other people of this world, instead of spending more time to reading the Word of God itself, given to mankind by the Book of books.

They and their followers have come enslaved to their minds which are taken in by human doctrines. That ‘Mental enslavement’ is the root cause of the current divisions among so many people, not only for African descendants.

The blogwriter thinks his people, due to years of conditioning, have become strangers one to the other, or at least some act as though they are because of their mindset. He should know all other races are also enslaved to their world which works as a magnet drawing them in all sorts of dreams and adventures.

When you look at this world you will see that man made a big mess of it. As such that Mental Enslavement and Sins Syndrome (MESS) fits clearly our big mess.

Living in this big mess perhaps also being caught by that Mess, we do have to know we can become liberated from any form of slavery. Some two thousand years ago a man was born who proofed that it was all lies that a man could not do the Will of God. That Nazarene Jew managed not to do his own will but humbled himself and gave himself totally to this God and His creatures. That son of man showed the world that each son of man is capable to come to God and do what God wants from him or her. Those who say Jesus is God, because no man is ever able to follow God from himself or herself, are telling lies. They are misleading people and are holding them back from the real God of gods, Who is the Only One True God which all people should come to worship.

The Jew Jeshua, today better known under his falls name which gives honour to the god Zeus, Jesus  (Hail Zeus), had studied the Word of God, proclaimed it, prayed a lot to his heavenly Father and asked also his followers to pray to his heavenly Father, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jakob. That man of flesh and blood gave his body to the world, but kept his mind high up by his heavenly Father and demands us to do the same, as him coming to be united with that only One True God, being one like Jesus is one with Him.

When we do follow Jesus, who is the Way to God, we are able to change our attitude. Yes it

could be changed by the power in the blood of Christ.

How? You have to let go (MESS), and allow God to have His way in you. {Blogging 201: Day 8 Assignment}

We are not a hopeless people, who are unable to become without further sinning. It is true that all of us sin but such a condition has not to continue for ever. For there is hope, hope in the very Christ, whose precious Blood washes away our sins the moment we repent and believe the Word of God from the heart. Such act of coming into believing in Christ, the son of God, will demand work. Then shall come the most important factor to break the chains of enslavement, namely the demand of repentance. When we do not come to see what we have done wrong or what we can do wrong we shall never be liberated. We do have to see what is wrong and what is the right way. Without recognising good and bad we shall not see the light nor become free citizens under Christ.

People of all sorts of cultures should know that God is not partial and that He had sent His son for all people. For God nobody should be enslaved and be under the spell of satan, the adversary of God. People should come to believe in the sent one from God, the son of God and

Know that it is the Word that will turn your life around so that you do not have to continue being a slave to sin. and to the devil. [Romans 6:7-23]  If you have doubts about Christ, put your right hand on the region of your heart and say, Father in heaven, help my unbelief. Amen. I guarantee that God the Father will hear your prayer. Amen. {Blogging 201: Day 8 Assignment}

There are still too many Christians who do not believe what Jesus really did, not doing his own will but submitting to the Will of God and giving his body as a ransom for the sins of mankind.

Today there are still too many who prefer following human traditions and human doctrines instead of adhering to sound Biblical teaching and going for the Biblical tradition. We should come to see how everything links together. The Old Testament is inherent to the New testament. The promises given in the Garden of Eden have become a reality by Jesus being the promised Messiah.

Jesus has become the slave who managed to liberate his fellow slaves. His death made an end to the curse of death. In him we are liberated and can put away the chains leading to death. After he had gone his apostles continued doing the work Jesus ordered them to do. Philip also came to bring people as the eunuch to God.

Philip in the awesome presence of the Most High God and under His Sovereignty did not sprinkle water on him, he did not pour water on his head, he did not duck him in the water three times, he did not baptize him in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, but rather, Philip baptized our Ethiopian brother in the name of the Lord Jesus, just as He cayon-sugar-canewas guided by the Holy Spirit to do at Samaria.
It is written, “…they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.”[Acts 8:16, 2:] And for those who may have a problem with the parenthesis in this verse of scripture: Acts 2:38, says,

“Then Peter said to them, Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.”

Proof: Thus at the mouth of two genuine witnesses (the scriptures) baptism in the name of the Lord Jesus is established. Let us give Yahweh praise. {Blogging 201: Day 8 Assignment}

The highly placed person came into the faith and knew he had to do things. He was convinced that it was not enough to have been baptised, but that once having come into the faith the believer had to do works, like spreading the gospel and giving people hope.

Cush or Kush, an ancient African kingdom situated on the confluences of the Blue Nile, White Nile and River Atbara in what is now the Republic of Sudan.

Ethiopia was one of the great kingdoms of Africa, part of which is now called Abyssinia. It is frequently mentioned in Scripture under the name of Cush. But Cush comprehended a much larger region, including the southern part of Arabia, and even sometimes the countries adjacent to the Tigris and Euphrates. Ethiopia Proper lay south of Egypt, on the Nile, and was bounded north by Egypt, that is, by the cataracts near Syene; east by the Red Sea, and perhaps part by the Indian Ocean; south by unknown regions in the interior of Africa; and west by Lybia and the deserts. It comprehended the modern kingdoms of Nubia or Sennaar, and Abyssinia. The chief city in it was the ancient Meroe, situated on the island or tract of the same name, between the Nile and Ashtaborus, not far from the modern Shendi. (Robinson’s Calmet,)

The confidential officer, or counsellor of state, was a Jew, or at least a Jewish proselyte. It was customary for the Jews in foreign lands, as far as practicable, to attend the great feasts at Jerusalem. He had gone up to attend the Passover, and got fascinated by the new teachings of the followers of the Jew Jeshua and humiliated himself going down into the water to get baptised. The conversion of the Ethiopian Eunuch is a milestone in the proclamation of the gospel which spread from Jerusalem. The fact that he rode in a chariot was a demonstration of his wealth and power. One would think he would not share his faith with lower people, but he did. The eunuch “went on his way rejoicing” (Acts 8:39). He went along taking care others also came into the faith, which could spread from Arabia and Egypt to the North of Africa.

All nations should come to see how that important man welcomed the opportunity of ‘emptying himself’ by going down to baptism. He rejoiced in his appreciation of how his Saviour had emptied himself to make it possible for the eunuch, a man who was excluded from the ‘congregation of the Lord’, to draw close to God, no longer being distanced from Jehovah God by sin.

We all may be connected with one or other ‘class’ or ‘profession’, but for god we are all the same and given the same opportunities to come to God. We only should react in the right way when we hear the call.

Like the eunuch we can take the knowledge of the greatness of the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ with us into our everyday lives that will provide a fitting contrast to the aspirations to greatness of those around. This can help us to follow his example of humility and rejoice that we might share the true greatness of the Lord Jesus Christ at his return to the earth.

In the meantime we may not sit still. We do have to do the works of faith. To get away from the ‘Sin Syndrome’ we have to work at our character. It will not come easy to step in the right direction and to always keep to the Word of God.

Like god in the past changed the mindset of many He is willing to change our mindset too. We should take time to see the links from the past as well as those with the future.

The past refers to Yahweh’s Visitation with our African brother (1) and when He miraculously changed His mindset, and moved Him away from those aspects of our Fathers’ tradition which are not in sync  neither Yahweh nor His Word. {Blogging 201: Day 8 Assignment}

The pastor ends

Make it a habit to trace our Biblical history and tradition back to Acts 8:26-39, and believe the Word and teach your children all the Word builds up our confidence, gives us a sense of belonging, a high self worth, and a strong feeling that we are guided by it (the Word), in our journey along a path in Christ— that has continuity.  O let us give God Praise. Amen. {Blogging 201: Day 8 Assignment}

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Preceding articles

Scripture about Creation and Creator Deity

How Many Persons Created the Heavens and the Earth?

Some one or something to fear #7 Not afraid for Gods Name

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Additional reading

  1. No other god besides Jehovah who gives all explanation
  2. God of gods
  3. Only One God
  4. God is one
  5. The faithful God
  6. God’s wisdom for the believer brings peace
  7. Necessity of a revelation of creation 9 Searching the Scriptures
  8. Necessity of a revelation of creation 11 Believing and obeying the gospel of the Kingdom of God
  9. Necessity of a revelation of creation 14 Searching the scriptures
  10. God’s forgotten Word 3 Lost Lawbook 2 Modern scepticism
  11. Theologians and a promised Spirit to enlighten us
  12. A god who gave his people commandments and laws he knew they never could keep to it
  13. Self-development, self-control, meditation, beliefs and spirituality
  14. Back from gone #4 Your inner feelings and actions
  15. Our life depending on faith – Looking at the Bible reading for January 28
  16. Faith Alone Does Not Save . . . No Matter How Many Times Protestants Say It Does
  17. January 27, 417, Pope Innocent I condemning Pelagius about Faith and Works
  18. Epicurus’ Problem of Evil
  19. A Living Faith #1 Substance of things hoped for
  20. A living faith #2 State of your faith
  21. A Living Faith #3 Faith put into action
  22. A Living Faith #4 Effort
  23. A Living Faith #5 Perseverance
  24. A Living Faith #6 Sacrifice
  25. A Living faith #7 Prayer
  26. A Living Faith #8 Change
  27. A Living Faith #9 Our Manner of Life
  28. A Living Faith #10: Our manner of Life #2
  29. A Living Faith #11 My place in the body of Christ and my ecclesia
  30. A Living Faith #12 The Love for Jesus
  31. Faith and works
  32. Not making yourselves abominable
  33. The attraction of doing something
  34. Re–forming ourselves
  35. Humbleness
  36. Wired to Connect?
  37. Bearing fruit
  38. Comments to James remarks, about Faith and works
  39. First man’s task still counting today
  40.  He who knows himself, is kind to others
  41. Luther’s misunderstanding
  42. Our life depending on faith
  43. Romans 4 and the Sacraments
  44. Is Justification a process?
  45. Letter to the Romans, chapter 3
  46. Letter to the Romans, chapter 4
  47. Additional comments to the 3rd Letter to the Romans
  48. Additional comments to the Letter to the Romans 4
  49. Missional hermeneutics 5/5
  50.  The sin of partiality
  51. Hope by faith and free gift
  52. Not bounded by labels but liberated in Christ
  53. The meek one riding on an ass
  54. Atonement And Fellowship 7/8
  55. Authority given to him To give eternal life
  56. Reasons why you may not miss the opportunity to go to a Small Church
  57. Being Religious and Spiritual 7 Transcendence to become one
  58. Preparation for unity
  59. Follower of Jesus part of a cult or a Christian
  60. Sharing thoughts and philosophical writings
  61. Looking for True Spirituality 7 Preaching of the Good News
  62. Daring to speak in multicultural environment

 

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Further related articles

  1. A man
  2. My Flesh and My Spirit
  3. What are we asking for? What do we need?
  4. Baptism of the Spirit: my testimony
  5. So, Here Goes…
  6. The Angelic Doctor
  7. Good Morning January 25
  8. Theologian Spotlight: Martin Luther
  9. What Does It Mean To Be a Theologian
  10. What Makes a Theologian
  11. Pulpit Supply: Sunday School: Four Key Concepts to be a better Theologian
  12. Luther on Being a Theologian: Oratio, Meditatio and Tentatio
  13. Who is qualified to write theology?
  14. A Quote from St. Augustine on “The State”
  15. Theology as Discipleship
  16. 43rd of 2015.
  17. No More Sunday School Answers
  18. Between A Father and Son
  19. lifted up
  20. Father, Holy Spirit, & Son: When the Trinity is Out of Order
  21. Have You Seen Jesus?
  22. What does it mean that God is the Ancient of Days?
  23. Review: The Unseen Realm

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Allowing dress code according liberty of religion

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In this contemporary world with many refugees coming into our regions from Muslim countries, lots of people become afraid their culture may take over ours. Undoubtedly the last ten years we have seen the dresses of many women changing to less colourful hip fashionable dresses into monotone long dresses which are associated with Muslim faith.

Français : habillement modeste pour des musulm...

Habillement modeste pour des musulmans et des non-musulmans (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

With the knowledge that observing hijab and covering the woman’s face in front of men would be established in the saheeh Sunnah that explains the Book of Allah according certain groups of Muslims. We should know that not all groups or denominations of the Islam do restrict women with strict dress codes which seem to limit their freedom, according our Western view.

It seems that certain Muslim women are convinced that the words

“and to draw their veils all over Juyoobihinna (i.e. their bodies, faces, necks and bosoms)”

mean that this covering the face came from the Prophet, because he was there and they asked him about everything that they did not understand about their religion.

When we want to live in a free democratic state we should allow to everybody the right to live according to their faith. This means that we also should respect those women who do want to cover their face with a veil, like they consider their religion wanting this from them.

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Preceding articles

The Dress Code for Women in the Quran

Meditating Muslimah on “hijab to be a religious obligation”

Coverings Worn by Muslim Women

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Scientific Evidence for God

By the years scientists had to review their ideas and several certainties or scientific teachings first having to be accepted by all or not receiving your marks to pass exams were later considered totally wrong.

Certain things are not yet be proven but that does not mean they do not exist or cannot exist.
The same for the Most High Being, it seems very difficult to proof His existence, though when people would listen to their heart and look around them they shall be able to find out. Being created in the image of God we have a feeling of that God in us.

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In this article:

Argument from Origin > a necessary and sufficient cause behind all that exists in the universe > Prime Mover

  • Everything that begins to exist has a cause
  • The universe began to exist
  • Therefore, the universe has a cause

defense of premise

cosmic beginner behind the universe as its ultimate cause

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Argument from Design

exquisite fine-tuning in the universe for life

world of biological complexity within living organisms

modern science uncovering more and more evidence of design > to point back to an intelligent designer

believing and non-believing astronomers >  essentially concluded > conditions in the universe for life are balanced on a “Razors Edge”.

Christian biochemist, Fazale Rana states,

“The information-based systems that define life’s chemistry can be marshaled to make the case that life stems from a Creator…the hallmark features of biochemical systems are identical to those characteristics of human designs that indicate that they must be the work of a mind. Nothing exemplifies this relationship more than the information systems found inside the cell.”

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Preceding:

Pascal’s Possibility

Caricaturing and disapproving sceptics, religious critics and figured out ethics

Science, scepticism, doubts and beliefs

Is faith rational?

Why think there’s a God? (1): Something from Nothing

Why think there is a God? (2) Goldilocks Effect

Why Think There Is a God? (3): Why Is It Wrong?

Why think there is a God (4): And the Rest …

Why think that (4) … God would reveal himself in words

Does He exists?

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Additional reading:

  1. Science and God’s existence
  2. Did the Inspirator exist
  3. Christianity is a love affair
  4. When believing in God’s existence and His son, possessing a divine legislation
  5. Hatred and hostility against God
  6. Daring to speak in multicultural environment

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Not making any remarks based on the intellect or logic

Perak Mufti Tan Sri Harussani ZakariaTan Sri Harussani Zakaria reminded federal ministers yesterday against issuing statements based on logic and intellect when it comes to Islam, claiming that the intellect is influenced by desires and subsequently susceptible to the devil.

In a report carried by Malay daily Sinar Harian, the Perak mufti also warned Muslim ministers against deriding and belittling Islamic laws, as they risk breaching their oath of loyalty that was made in the name of Allah.

 

All religions are based on faith, but Islam is more actively opposed to the intellect and reason than the others. Contrast, for example, these two statements, the first from Christianity’s holy book, and the second from Islam’s:

“Always be prepared to make a defense to any one who calls you to account for the hope that is in you…” — I Peter 3:15

“O you who have believed, do not ask about things which, if they are shown to you, will distress you….A people asked such before you; then they became thereby disbelievers.” — Qur’an 5:101, 102

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and read more about what Jihad Watch writes

Islam is based on the acceptance of an iron dogma that one dare not question. This forms habits of mind that make it well-nigh impossible for its most fervent adherents to take up the cudgels of rational debate in any effective way, even when they wish to.

> Malaysian mufti: “Islam is based on faith…Don’t make any remarks based on the intellect or logic”

Oratory Style

All followers of Christ have received the call by Christ, Jeshua, the Son of God, to be worthy children of God, obeying God His commandments and making His Name be known all over the world.

We do have to be genuine children in the faith who love out of a pure heart, and a good consciousness, and unfeigned faith, knowing that the law is laid down not for the just one, but for the lawless and disorderly, for the profane and sinful, for the wicked and unholy, for the patricides and matricides, for manslayers, for fornicators, unchaste, man-stealers, liars, the perjured, and if there be any other thing opposed to sound doctrine. Though all having are little and bigger faults, we should try to live a righteous life in the eyes of God.

We may have many tasks to fulfil, like reading and studying the Word of God, one of doing good works of faith is spreading the Good News of the Kingdom of God, that we may testify to the truth like Jesus did without shame and without hesitance.
Let us not demur what Jesus is expecting from his followers but make use of every occasion to preach the Gospel.

Out of love we should be ready to let others know the truth and send them a message of love. It is only right that we do what we can to help others gain salvation and show no impartiality in trying to reach others with the Bible message, even when we may encounter on our road people who do not like us proclaiming the Word of God.

As long as Jehovah continues to be patient, we have the responsibility to give them the opportunity to “attain to repentance” and thus come in line for salvation. (2 Peter 3:9).
Let us share the good news with others regardless of their race, social status, or financial standing and thus give all who will listen an opportunity to hear and respond to the good news. (Romans 10:11-13).

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Additional reading:

  1. Frank risks taking
  2. Evil Never Ceases
  3. The work I do, let it be done good
  4. Al-Fatiha [The Opening] Süra 1: 4-7 Merciful Lord of the Creation to show us the right path
  5. The Acts Of The Sent Ones Chapter 1
  6. The Right One to follow and to worship
  7. Necessity of a revelation of creation 11 Believing and obeying the gospel of the Kingdom of God
  8. Necessary to be known all over the earth
  9. Silencing Women – Of God or Men ?
  10. Writers needed to preach to non-believers
  11. Sharing thoughts and philosophical writings
  12. What Should I Preach ?
  13. How should we preach?

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etsop95

Powerful preaching of the gospel is an attractive thing. Exactly what is meant
by that varies with the individual. What is generally in view is strong belief
in the word of God, forthrightly delivered, delivered passionately, and with
much confidence. With that being done, it is still possible for another to not
like that style of preaching; to them, it might sound arrogant, condescending,
or even bullying. However it might be interpreted, the point of emphasis for
God’s preacher is not in his delivery style, but the content of preaching
coupled with the life lived. Paul said, “For Christ did not send me to
baptize, but to preach the gospel, not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of
Christ should be made of no effect”
(1 Corinthians 1:17, NKJV). Paul said
he wanted to preach the gospel, with the power being in the gospel of the cross,
not the…

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