A wall or open borders; the choice is yours by Gary Rose

I saw this picture lately and it reminded me of the current stalemate in Washington. For about 12 days or so, the government has been in a status of partial shutdown. The Democratic party wants open borders and will not give our president the funding to build the wall that will protect our country from un-vetted aliens who wish to enter illegally. Many in the Republican party have rallied to the President’s cause and have been encouraging him to stand firmly for wall funding. So- stalemate!

What difference does it make? All the difference in the world, for as a nation we decide who to all into our nation and who should not. If this sounds a bit unfair to some of you, then consider the words of Jesus:

Matthew 7 (World English Bible)

  ¹³  “Enter in by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and many are those who enter in by it.  ¹⁴  How  narrow is the gate, and restricted is the way that leads to life! Few are those who find it.  …

  ²⁴  “Everyone therefore who hears these words of mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man, who built his house on a rock.   ²⁵  The rain came down, the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat on that house; and it didn’t fall, for it was founded on the rock.   ²⁶  Everyone who hears these words of mine, and doesn’t do them will be like a foolish man, who built his house on the sand.   ²⁷  The rain came down, the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat on that house; and it fell—and great was its fall.” 

To paraphrase: it is easy to go to destruction and difficult to into life (eternal life, that is). Later on in this same chapter, Jesus tells us the foundation of a lifestyle that will lead to heaven… heeding and doing what Jesus says to do.

Lastly: Be wise, listen to Jesus- REALLY LISTEN and do something about it; if you don’t you will wish you had. Remember, your everlasting life depends upon what you do!!!

Bible Reading January 2 and 3 by Gary Rose

Bible Reading January 2 and 3

World  English  Bible

Jan. 2

Genesis 2

Gen 2:1 The heavens and the earth were finished, and all their vast array.

Gen 2:2 On the seventh day God finished his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made.

Gen 2:3 God blessed the seventh day, and made it holy, because he rested in it from all his work which he had created and made.

Gen 2:4 This is the history of the generations of the heavens and of the earth when they were created, in the day that Yahweh God made the earth and the heavens.

Gen 2:5 No plant of the field was yet in the earth, and no herb of the field had yet sprung up; for Yahweh God had not caused it to rain on the earth. There was not a man to till the ground,

Gen 2:6 but a mist went up from the earth, and watered the whole surface of the ground.

Gen 2:7 Yahweh God formed man from the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.

Gen 2:8 Yahweh God planted a garden eastward, in Eden, and there he put the man whom he had formed.

Gen 2:9 Out of the ground Yahweh God made every tree to grow that is pleasant to the sight, and good for food; the tree of life also in the middle of the garden, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.

Gen 2:10 A river went out of Eden to water the garden; and from there it was parted, and became four heads.

Gen 2:11 The name of the first is Pishon: this is the one which flows through the whole land of Havilah, where there is gold;

Gen 2:12 and the gold of that land is good. There is aromatic resin and the onyx stone.

Gen 2:13 The name of the second river is Gihon: the same river that flows through the whole land of Cush.

Gen 2:14 The name of the third river is Hiddekel: this is the one which flows in front of Assyria. The fourth river is the Euphrates.

Gen 2:15 Yahweh God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it.

Gen 2:16 Yahweh God commanded the man, saying, "Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat;

Gen 2:17 but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, you shall not eat of it; for in the day that you eat of it you will surely die."

Gen 2:18 Yahweh God said, "It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper suitable for him."

Gen 2:19 Out of the ground Yahweh God formed every animal of the field, and every bird of the sky, and brought them to the man to see what he would call them. Whatever the man called every living creature, that was its name.

Gen 2:20 The man gave names to all livestock, and to the birds of the sky, and to every animal of the field; but for man there was not found a helper suitable for him.

Gen 2:21 Yahweh God caused a deep sleep to fall on the man, and he slept; and he took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh in its place.

Gen 2:22 He made the rib, which Yahweh God had taken from the man, into a woman, and brought her to the man.

Gen 2:23 The man said, "This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh. She will be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man."

Gen 2:24 Therefore a man will leave his father and his mother, and will join with his wife, and they will be one flesh.

Gen 2:25 They were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed.

Jan. 3

Genesis 3

Gen 3:1 Now the serpent was more subtle than any animal of the field which Yahweh God had made. He said to the woman, "Has God really said, 'You shall not eat of any tree of the garden?' "

Gen 3:2 The woman said to the serpent, "Of the fruit of the trees of the garden we may eat,

Gen 3:3 but of the fruit of the tree which is in the middle of the garden, God has said, 'You shall not eat of it, neither shall you touch it, lest you die.' "

Gen 3:4 The serpent said to the woman, "You won't surely die,

Gen 3:5 for God knows that in the day you eat it, your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil."

Gen 3:6 When the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit, and ate; and she gave some to her husband with her, and he ate.

Gen 3:7 The eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew that they were naked. They sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons.

Gen 3:8 They heard the voice of Yahweh God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of Yahweh God among the trees of the garden.

Gen 3:9 Yahweh God called to the man, and said to him, "Where are you?"

Gen 3:10 The man said, "I heard your voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself."

Gen 3:11 God said, "Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree that I commanded you not to eat from?"

Gen 3:12 The man said, "The woman whom you gave to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I ate."

Gen 3:13 Yahweh God said to the woman, "What is this you have done?" The woman said, "The serpent deceived me, and I ate."

Gen 3:14 Yahweh God said to the serpent, "Because you have done this, cursed are you above all livestock, and above every animal of the field. On your belly you shall go, and you shall eat dust all the days of your life.

Gen 3:15 I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring. He will bruise your head, and you will bruise his heel."

Gen 3:16 To the woman he said, "I will greatly multiply your pain in childbirth. In pain you will bring forth children. Your desire will be for your husband, and he will rule over you."

Gen 3:17 To Adam he said, "Because you have listened to your wife's voice, and have eaten of the tree, of which I commanded you, saying, 'You shall not eat of it,' cursed is the ground for your sake. In toil you will eat of it all the days of your life.

Gen 3:18 Thorns also and thistles will it bring forth to you; and you will eat the herb of the field.

Gen 3:19 By the sweat of your face will you eat bread until you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken. For you are dust, and to dust you shall return."

Gen 3:20 The man called his wife Eve, because she was the mother of all living.

Gen 3:21 Yahweh God made coats of skins for Adam and for his wife, and clothed them.

Gen 3:22 Yahweh God said, "Behold, the man has become like one of us, knowing good and evil. Now, lest he put forth his hand, and also take of the tree of life, and eat, and live forever..."

Gen 3:23 Therefore Yahweh God sent him forth from the garden of Eden, to till the ground from which he was taken.

Gen 3:24 So he drove out the man; and he placed Cherubs at the east of the garden of Eden, and the flame of a sword which turned every way, to guard the way to the tree of life.

Jan. 1, 2

Matthew 1

Mat 1:1 The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham.

Mat 1:2 Abraham became the father of Isaac. Isaac became the father of Jacob. Jacob became the father of Judah and his brothers.

Mat 1:3 Judah became the father of Perez and Zerah by Tamar. Perez became the father of Hezron. Hezron became the father of Ram.

Mat 1:4 Ram became the father of Amminadab. Amminadab became the father of Nahshon. Nahshon became the father of Salmon.

Mat 1:5 Salmon became the father of Boaz by Rahab. Boaz became the father of Obed by Ruth. Obed became the father of Jesse.

Mat 1:6 Jesse became the father of David the king. David became the father of Solomon by her who had been the wife of Uriah.

Mat 1:7 Solomon became the father of Rehoboam. Rehoboam became the father of Abijah. Abijah became the father of Asa.

Mat 1:8 Asa became the father of Jehoshaphat. Jehoshaphat became the father of Joram. Joram became the father of Uzziah.

Mat 1:9 Uzziah became the father of Jotham. Jotham became the father of Ahaz. Ahaz became the father of Hezekiah.

Mat 1:10 Hezekiah became the father of Manasseh. Manasseh became the father of Amon. Amon became the father of Josiah.

Mat 1:11 Josiah became the father of Jechoniah and his brothers, at the time of the exile to Babylon.

Mat 1:12 After the exile to Babylon, Jechoniah became the father of Shealtiel. Shealtiel became the father of Zerubbabel.

Mat 1:13 Zerubbabel became the father of Abiud. Abiud became the father of Eliakim. Eliakim became the father of Azor.

Mat 1:14 Azor became the father of Sadoc. Sadoc became the father of Achim. Achim became the father of Eliud.

Mat 1:15 Eliud became the father of Eleazar. Eleazar became the father of Matthan. Matthan became the father of Jacob.

Mat 1:16 Jacob became the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary, from whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ.

Mat 1:17 So all the generations from Abraham to David are fourteen generations; from David to the exile to Babylon fourteen generations; and from the carrying away to Babylon to the Christ, fourteen generations.

Mat 1:18 Now the birth of Jesus Christ was like this; for after his mother, Mary, was engaged to Joseph, before they came together, she was found pregnant by the Holy Spirit.

Mat 1:19 Joseph, her husband, being a righteous man, and not willing to make her a public example, intended to put her away secretly.

Mat 1:20 But when he thought about these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, "Joseph, son of David, don't be afraid to take to yourself Mary, your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit.

Mat 1:21 She shall bring forth a son. You shall call his name Jesus, for it is he who shall save his people from their sins."

Mat 1:22 Now all this has happened, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying,

Mat 1:23 "Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son. They shall call his name Immanuel;" which is, being interpreted, "God with us."

Mat 1:24 Joseph arose from his sleep, and did as the angel of the Lord commanded him, and took his wife to himself;

Mat 1:25 and didn't know her sexually until she had brought forth her firstborn son. He named him Jesus.

Jan. 3

Matthew 2

Mat 2:1 Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the east came to Jerusalem, saying,

Mat 2:2 "Where is he who is born King of the Jews? For we saw his star in the east, and have come to worship him."

Mat 2:3 When Herod the king heard it, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him.

Mat 2:4 Gathering together all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he asked them where the Christ would be born.

Mat 2:5 They said to him, "In Bethlehem of Judea, for thus it is written through the prophet,

Mat 2:6 'You Bethlehem, land of Judah, are in no way least among the princes of Judah: for out of you shall come forth a governor, who shall shepherd my people, Israel.' "

Mat 2:7 Then Herod secretly called the wise men, and learned from them exactly what time the star appeared.

Mat 2:8 He sent them to Bethlehem, and said, "Go and search diligently for the young child. When you have found him, bring me word, so that I also may come and worship him."

Mat 2:9 They, having heard the king, went their way; and behold, the star, which they saw in the east, went before them, until it came and stood over where the young child was.

Mat 2:10 When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceedingly great joy.

Mat 2:11 They came into the house and saw the young child with Mary, his mother, and they fell down and worshiped him. Opening their treasures, they offered to him gifts: gold, frankincense, and myrrh.

Mat 2:12 Being warned in a dream that they shouldn't return to Herod, they went back to their own country another way.

Mat 2:13 Now when they had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, saying, "Arise and take the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and stay there until I tell you, for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him."

Mat 2:14 He arose and took the young child and his mother by night, and departed into Egypt,

Mat 2:15 and was there until the death of Herod; that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying, "Out of Egypt I called my son."

Mat 2:16 Then Herod, when he saw that he was mocked by the wise men, was exceedingly angry, and sent out, and killed all the male children who were in Bethlehem and in all the surrounding countryside, from two years old and under, according to the exact time which he had learned from the wise men.

Mat 2:17 Then that which was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet was fulfilled, saying,

Mat 2:18 "A voice was heard in Ramah, lamentation, weeping and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children; she wouldn't be comforted, because they are no more."

Mat 2:19 But when Herod was dead, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, saying,

Mat 2:20 "Arise and take the young child and his mother, and go into the land of Israel, for those who sought the young child's life are dead."

Mat 2:21 He arose and took the young child and his mother, and came into the land of Israel.

Mat 2:22 But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning over Judea in the place of his father, Herod, he was afraid to go there. Being warned in a dream, he withdrew into the region of Galilee,

Mat 2:23 and came and lived in a city called Nazareth; that it might be fulfilled which was spoken through the prophets: "He will be called a Nazarene."

IRRESISTIBLE GRACE by C. A. Feenstra

IRRESISTIBLE GRACE

Man's words

Canons of Dordt - Third and Fourth Heads of Doctrine

Article 11

But when God accomplishes His good pleasure in the elect, or works in them true conversion. He not only causes the gospel to be externally preached to them, and powerfully illuminates their minds by His Holy Spirit, that they may rightly understand and discern the things of the Spirit of God; but by the efficacy of the same regenerating Spirit He pervades the inmost recesses of man; He opens the closed and softens the hardened heart, and circumcises that which was uncircumcised; infuses new qualities into the will, which, though heretofore dead, He quickens; from being evil, disobedient, and refractory, He renders it good, obedient, and pliable; actuates and strengthens it, that like a good tree, it may bring forth the fruits of good actions.

Article 12

And this is that regeneration so highly extolled in Scripture, that renewal, new creation, resurrection from the dead, making alive, which God works in us without our aid. But this is in no wise effected merely by the external preaching of the gospel, by moral suasion, or such a mode of operation that, after God has performed His part, it still remains in the power of man to be regenerated or not, to be converted or to continue unconverted; but it is evidently a supernatural work, most powerful, and at the same time most delightful, astonishing, mysterious, and ineffable; not inferior in efficacy to creation or the resurrection from the dead, as the Scriptures inspired by the Author of this work declares; so that all in whose heart God works in this marvelous manner are certainly, infallibly, and effectually regenerated, and do actually believe. Whereupon the will thus renewed is not only actuated and influenced by God, but in consequence of this influence becomes itself active. Wherefore also man himself is rightly said to believe and repent by virtue of that grace received.

* * *

"We believe that, to attain the true knowledge of this great mystery, the Holy Spirit kindles in our hearts an upright faith, which embraces Jesus Christ with all His merits, appropriates Him, and seeks nothing more besides Him." (The Belgic Confession, Article XXII)

* * *

"But they do not consider, that when the apostle makes hearing the source of faith, he only describes the ordinary economy and dispensation of the Lord, which he generally observes in the calling of his people; but does not prescribe a perpetual rule for him, precluding his employment of any other method; which he has certainly employed in the calling of many, to whom he has given the true knowledge of himself in an internal manner, by the illumination of his Spirit, without the intervention of any preaching." (Calvin's Institutes, the Westminster Press, Vol. II, page 622)

* * *

"The Calvinist, on the other hand, says that in the last instance the difference lies with God and not with man. In the one man the Spirit is not working in a saving way, and because the man is spiritually dead, he cannot believe, even though he hears the external preaching of the Word and perhaps reads it for himself many times. In another man, however, the Holy Spirit works irresistibly, regenerating him so that he understands fully that he is a sinner and needs God, and therefore, wants to be saved and to believe." (The Five Points of Calvinism, Edwin H. Palmer, Th.D., page 48)

* * *

"Thus the once dead sinner is drawn to Christ by the inward supernatural call of the Spirit who through regeneration makes him alive and creates within him faith and repentance.

Although the general outward call of the gospel can be, and often is, rejected, the special inward call of the Spirit never fails to result in the conversion of those to whom it is made. This special call is not made to all sinners but it is issued to the elect only! The Spirit is in no way dependent upon their help or cooperation for success in His work of bringing them to Christ. It is for this reason that Calvinists speak of the Spirit's call and of God's grace in saving sinners as being "efficacious", "invincible", or "irresistible". For the grace which the Holy Spirit extends to the elect cannot be thwarted or refused, it never fails to bring them to true faith in Christ!" (The Five Points of Calvinism, Steele and Thomas, page 49)

* * *

Q. Is Calvinism's "Irresistible Grace" true, OR does GOD'S WORD teach that faith comes only by hearing the Word of God?

"So belief cometh of hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ." Rom. 10:17

"Many other signs therefore did Jesus in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book: but these are written, that ye may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye may have life in his name." John 20:30-31

"Neither for these only do I pray, but for them also that believe on me through their word." John 17:20

"But many of them that heard the word believed." Acts 4:4

"For I am not ashamed of the gospel: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek." Rom. 1:16

"Send to Joppa, and fetch Simon, whose surname is Peter; who shall speak unto thee words, whereby thou shalt be saved, thou and all thy house." Acts 11:13b-14

"And he (Paul) reasoned in the synagogue every sabbath, and persuaded Jews and Greeks....and many of the Corinthians hearing believed, and were baptized." Acts 18:4, 8b

"Of his own will he brought us forth by the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures....receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls." James 1:18, 21b

"...I (Paul) begat you through the gospel." I Cor. 4:15c

"Now I make known unto you, brethren, the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye received, ... by which also ye are saved" 1 Cor. 15:1-2

The sower went forth to sow his seed....Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God....And that in the good ground, these are such as in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, hold it fast, and bring forth fruit with patience. Luke 8:5, 11, 15

* * *

Q. Where does GOD'S WORD teach that the Holy Spirit directly, miraculously, and irresistibly opens the hearts of unbelieving, unrepentant sinners, and regenerates them?

Q. According to GOD'S WORD, did God open Lydia's heart by the direct irresistible operation of the Holy Spirit, OR did God open Lydia's heart by the gospel preached by Paul and by Lydia hearing this gospel preached?

"And when he (Paul) had seen the vision, straightway we sought to go forth into Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them ... And on the sabbath day we went forth without the gate by a river side, where we supposed there was a place of prayer; and we sat down, and spake unto the women that were come together. And a certain woman named Lydia, a seller of purple of the city of Thyatira, one that worshipped God, heard us: whose heart the Lord opened to give heed unto the things which were spoken by Paul." Acts 16:10, 13-14

"No man can come to me, except the Father that sent me draw him: and I will raise him up in the last day." John 6:44

Q. Does John 6:44 teach Calvinism's "Irresistible Grace"?

Q. According to GOD'S WORD, in the verse following John 6:44, how does the Father draw men to Christ?

"It is written in the prophets, And they shall all be taught of God. Every one that hath heard from the Father, and hath learned, cometh unto me." John 6:45

"Good and upright is Jehovah: Therefore will he instruct sinners in the way." Psalm 25:8

"...God our Saviour; who would have all men to be saved, and come to the knowledge of the truth." I Tim. 2:3-4

"Jesus answered and said ... Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; ... and ye shall find rest unto your souls." Matt. 11:25, 28-29

"...it was God's good pleasure through the foolishness of the preaching to save them that believe." I Cor. 1:21

"For I am not ashamed of the gospel: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; ... For therein is revealed a righteousness of God from faith unto faith:" Rom. 1:16-17

"So belief cometh of hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ." Rom. 10:17

Q. Does GOD'S WORD teach that the saints at Ephesus had at one time been dead in trespasses and sins?

"To the saints that are at Ephesus, and the faithful in Christ Jesus:" Eph. 1:1

"And you ... when ye were dead through your trespasses and sins, wherein ye once walked according to the course of this world,..." Eph. 2:1-2

Q. Does GOD'S WORD teach that these spiritually dead Ephesian sinners, first heard the WORD, then believed and obeyed the WORD, and were then sealed by and given the Holy Spirit?

"...Christ. In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise." Eph. 1:12-13 AV

"Paul having passed through the upper country came to Ephesus, and found certain disciples ... they were baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus." Acts 19:1, 5

Q. Where does GOD'S WORD teach that the Ephesians or any others, were ever miraculously regenerated by the Holy Spirit before they heard, believed, and obeyed the gospel of Jesus?

Q. Is Calvinism's "Irresistible Grace" true, OR does GOD'S WORD teach that God gives His Holy Spirit only to those who hear, believe, and obey the gospel of His Son?

"And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may be with you for ever, even the Spirit of truth: whom the world cannot receive; for it beholdeth him not, neither knoweth him: ye know him; for he abideth with you, and shall be in you." John 14:16-17

"He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, from within him shall flow rivers of living water. But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believed on him were to receive: for the Spirit was not yet given; because Jesus was not yet glorified." John 7:38-39

"And Peter said unto them, Repent ye, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ unto the remission of your sins; and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit." Acts 2:38

"And we are witnesses of these things; and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God hath given to them that obey him." Acts 5:32

"And because ye are sons, God sent forth the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, Abba, Father." Gal. 4:6

"To the saints that are at Ephesus ... Christ: in whom ye also, having heard the word of the truth, the gospel of your salvation, -- in whom, having also believed, ye were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise." Eph. 1:1, 12-13

"This only would I learn from you. Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?" Gal. 3:2

"That upon the Gentiles might come the blessing of Abraham in Christ Jesus; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith." Gal. 3:14

Q. Is Calvinism's "Irresistible Grace" true, OR does GOD'S WORD teach that man can resist the truth and in this way can resist, grieve, and quench the Spirit?

"O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, that killeth the prophets, and stoneth them that are sent unto her! how often would I (Jesus) have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not!" Matt. 23:37

"Now as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so do these also resist the truth...." II Tim. 3:8 AV

"Ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Spirit: as your fathers did, so do ye." Acts 7:51

"Yet many years didst thou bear with them, and testifiedst against them by thy Spirit through thy prophets: yet would they not give ear: therefore gavest thou them into the hand of the peoples of the lands." Neh. 9:30

"But they rebelled, and grieved his holy Spirit: therefore he was turned to be their enemy, and himself fought against them." Isa. 63:10

"Grieve not the Holy Spirit of God" Eph. 4:30

"Quench not the Spirit." I Thess. 5:19

Published in The Old Paths Archive
(http://www.oldpaths.com)

Sam Harris Myths (3) by Jim McGuiggan

https://web.archive.org/web/20160426085817/http://jimmcguiggan.com/nonbelievers2.asp?id=69

Sam Harris Myths (3)

No wonder even fellow-atheists find Sam Harris hard to stomach at times. He's so one-sided. If Christians do bad things (and they do) it's because Christianity is a poison and corrupts the human family but if atheists do bad things (and they do) it's because they're fascists and communists and too like Christians. Yes, see for yourself.

 In that LA Times piece Harris sets out to deflate ten myths that he claims keeps atheists out of positions of political power. The myths he sets up to debunk are of his own making (you have to watch how he phrases things) and when you read the piece you soon see he doesn't deal with the real criticisms of atheism. He ridicules the myth he sets up and immediately moves to attack what Christians believe. Even then he attacks straw men that he has built.

His Myth 7 is that Christians think atheists can't experience what we might call "higher" emotions. He says, "There is nothing that prevents an atheist from experiencing love, ecstasy, rapture and awe; atheists can value these experiences and seek them regularly." I confess I have never in all my life met a Christian who denied this. [He claims this is the kind of thing Christians think and that's what keeps atheists out of the Oval Office.]

You need to understand this. Harris wants to assure us that atheists are as fully human as Christians—they can love and feel and appreciate as much as anyone. No Christian I ever met doubted that; but having said that, on Harris' own terms—he feels and values and seeks because he's "hard-wired" to do so. His atheistic colleague, physicist Steven Weinberg, said that thought and emotions are biochemical reactions—they're all the result of impersonal forces acting on matter (see). Atheists—on their own terms—when they feel and seek and value these things they are doing absolutely nothing more than a mosquito is doing when it sucks blood or what a fungus does when it grows in the dark. Let me repeat, that's not the Christian view—that's Weinberg, Dawkins, Harris and consistent atheism. When they call such human feelings or thoughts or actions "higher" than that of the experience of an intestinal parasite, when pressed, atheists are forced by their faith to admit that they are only "different" and more "complex". It's true that the "higher" human experiences work toward producing a higher or better ecosystem but that assumes that the word "better" has any objective or rational meaning. I doubt if the mosquito or the parasite would share our opinion. "Better" for whom or what and "better" in what way?

 Harris' Myths 1 & 4 are all confusion. He complains that Christians accuse atheists of believing that life is meaningless and arose by chance. He immediately attacks Christians, saying that they believe life is only made meaningful because 1) they believe in life after death and 2) that it lasts forever. At one level or another, this is sheer ignorance. It isn't the length of life that gives it meaning. (See) Furthermore, on atheistic terms the life of a degenerate and cruel scoundrel has as much "meaning" as the life of a family-loving and socially useful atheist. Harris' shoddy and ambivalent use of important terms muddies the waters.

It was an atheist, H.J Blackham, who said that the most damning argument against atheism was its "pointlessness"! It was an atheist, Jean Paul Sartre, who pronounced human life "absurd". It was an atheist,Wolsley Teller, who insisted that the universe knows nothing of meaning or purpose and that it cares neither for our coming or going.

Were these atheists saying that atheists didn't experience warm relationships? Were they saying that feelings of compassion and generosity were non-existent? Not at all. They felt and experienced such things. So what did they mean? They were taking the cosmic view of things: The entire universe, including the human race, simply happened and we'll simply be swept away again—end of story!

Any fool can tell you that the word "meaningful" can be used sensibly of just about anything. The chance roll of a dice in a game of "Snakes & Ladders" has "meaning"; it fits into the structure of the game we contrived. The pre-mating ritual of sewer rats has meaning. But what does it mean to say we have "meaningful" relationships? Harris doesn't say—he just rolls outs the words. Does he mean emotional responses are exchanged, devotion to one another through life exists or that atheists can feel deep satisfaction with their mates or that they purposed to raise some happy and morally upright children? I've never known a believer who said atheists couldn't experience such things!  (No wonder some fellow-atheists think Harris is over the top.)

Harris keeps forgetting that he is an exceedingly complex organism consisting totally and completely of bio-chemical reactions that came about as the result of blind purposeless evolution. His experiences, individually or in totality as a life, are what they are—to speak of them as having "meaning" is an arbitrary convention. The stink of rotten eggs is what it is—it doesn't have "meaning". The scientist (within limits) can tell us what "stink" is, why that stink is as it is; he can even say in his description of what he sees, "This means…" but in a universe in which everything is nothing more than existing "stuff"—there is no "meaning". Harris knows that so he must also know that he's ducking and diving. [On his terms even the ducking and diving is finally inner "hard wiring" that itself is nothing but existing "stuff". Mind is matter in motion to the atheist!]

He pretends in Myth 4 that he is dealing with something but it's more smoke and mirrors. "Although we don't know precisely how the Earth's early chemistry begat biology, we know that the diversity and complexity we see in the living world is not a product of mere chance. Evolution is a combination of chance mutation and natural selection."

Harris talks as though "natural selection" was magic! "Natural Selection" exists within and is a part of the world that came into existence by chance so NS is itself a chance product. Bless me, if some matter without personal intervention just happened to develop the capacity to "clump" and atoms were born, what followed must have "just happened". Even the impersonal laws of physics just happened when the "singularity" exploded with a Big Bang. (The single Big Bang theory is coming under pressure and there is now talk about numerous Big Bangs.)

So about 13.5 billion years ago we had a big explosion, debris scattered everywhere, evolving with breakneck speed as it went and all that exists evolved out of it. The resultant structures and conditions of the universe included Natural Selection and they all "just happened".

In light of that atheistic faith I'd say everything in their universe arose from chance. Harris says that's a myth foisted on atheists and serves to keep them from the presidency of the United States.

Even giving Natural Selection (the unfit are killed off) its best face, you'd think to hear Harris that NS emptied "chance" of its meaning. Providing a given creature has a trait that has greater survival potential than its competitors we would guess it is more likely to survive and reproduce (if it can reproduce) but how did it get the greater survival trait to begin with? In Harris' words: "chance mutation". NS might explain how the fit survive but it can't explain how the fit arrive! If it weren't for "chance" NS would have nothing to work with and since NS is itself a product of "chance" and everything evolved from both, what's Harris all upset about? Maybe the atheist is right and no one guided or purposed the "upward" climb but if he's right why doesn't he simply say it's all chance? (I suppose because he's afraid it'll keep him out of the Oval Office.) People like Dawkins and Harris want to eat their cake and have it as well.

What do people mean usually when they use the word "chance" or "random"? Of "random" the Oxford English says things like "without aim or design, without conscious choice, without purpose." That's what the rank and file of us generally mean. So when Christians say that atheists believe in a universe that is the result of "chance" Harris knows fine well what they mean but writes as if he didn't.

Here's this opera singer on stage, belting out a dramatic number, head back, eyes closed and mouth wide open. A feather floats down from the ceiling and straight into his throat. No harm done but everyone laughs or at least suppresses it. We call that a "chance" or "random" event and we're perfectly right to do so. What do we mean? We mean that as far as we can tell no one purposed it (not even the pigeon). But the truth is, given an accurate mathematical description of that event the feather would stick in his throat again. When we call a thing "random" or "chance" we don't mean the laws of nature were obliterated—we mean there was no personal guidance in the matter, no one purposed the result. Given the singer's position, the distance between his throat and the ceiling, the timing of the feather's descent and the singer opening his mouth and tilting his head back (and the other contingencies)—the feather couldn't have missed him! In spite of that, the common sense people among us insist that it was a chance event.

And here is this atheist complaining that atheists have no chance of being President because Christians call such things "chance". And here we have him confessing that the only material NS has to work on comes from "chance mutations" and then pouting when we take him at his word.

Oh well.

TO WALK WITH CHRIST by Alfred Shannon Jr.

https://biblicalproof.wordpress.com/2011/07/page/1/

TO WALK WITH CHRIST

Take away our money, and our possessions. Take away our power, prestige, and accomplishments. Take away our earthly knowledge and wisdom, and let us take a good look at what remains. Until we have obeyed the gospel of Christ, and walk in the example of the Lord, we are nothing but an empty vessel. Let us fill up our soul with the wisdom and knowledge of God, and let us become obedient to God’s every commandment. If we truly want to walk with Christ, we must put on Christ, take up our cross and follow Him.

Col 1:10;2 Pet 3:18; 1 Pet 2:21; Gal 3:27; Mt 10:38

HEAVEN BOUND – THE CHRISTIAN’S HOPE by Ben Fronczek

http://granvillenychurchofchrist.org/?p=1341

Heaven Bound

HEAVEN BOUND – THE CHRISTIAN’S HOPE

In my short life as a Christian, I seen some of my brothers and sisters in Christ suffer some pretty tuff ordeals in their own lives. Some were self-inflicted, some were not. Life becomes hard and sometimes we just feel like giving up and we get discouraged. Even going to church some wonder why bother. And so that’s why I want to share a special lesson with you today; one I’ve done before and one I’ll probably do again, because we need to be reminded why we are here

I believe that’s why men like Peter and Paul thought it important to lift the eyes of those first century Christian Heavenward, to remind them of the eternal hope have. And that’s why I why I want to talk about Heaven this morning, because troublesome times are not something new…

Paul wrote to the Romans 8:18  “I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed . “

To the Corinthians Paul wrote  “Do not loose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, inwardly we are being renewed day by day.  For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far out weighs them all.”  I Cor. 4:16-17

To the Ephesians he wrote: ” I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, in order that you may know the hope to which He has called you, The riches of His glorious inheritance in the saints.”       Ephesians 1:18

Sometimes you and I need to open our eyes to the hope we have in Jesus.

Farther Along      (click to listen to Dailey And Vinncent version on Youtube)

The eternal purpose and plan of God is for us to walk with Him in Heaven.

I like what angels had to say to the early disciples after Jesus ascended into heaven…  Read Acts 1:9-11 “After he (Jesus), said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight. They were looking intently up into the sky as he was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them. 11 “Men of Galilee,” they said, “why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven.” 

Did you ever wonder what it will be like on that day, when Jesus returns?

Paul had much to say on the topic as he wrote to the Thessalonians.

I Thess. 413f    ‘Brothers and sisters, we do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in death, so that you do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope. 14 For we believe that Jesus died and rose again, and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him. 15 According to the Lord’s word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. For on that day, the Lord Himself will come down from Heaven a loud command (a shout, a victorious shout), and with the voice of the arch angel and with the trumpet call of God. And those who are dead in Christ and those who are dead shall be raised incorruptible.’   

Anyone and everyone that has died before you,  by just a moment, or by a year, or by centuries, will hear the sounding of that trumpet .

So when the trump is sounded, when the voice of the Arch angel is sounded, the Earth will cast forth her dead.  And every one that is alive at that moment, busy marrying, “and busy giving in marriage, busy cooking, and busy doing things that we must do in this world, will be changed.  In the twinkling of an eye – instantaneously!  (I Cor. 15:50-53)

 When the Roll is called up Yonder   (click on to listen to)

And, I Thess. 4 says that all, will be caught up to meet the LORD in the clouds,

The Bible also teaches that on that day:

The Heavens and earth will pass away with a great noise – a noise like you’ve never heard before!

It will be like that on that day when the stars and the planets, and every thing that is out there, will begin to move away and disappear and be no more.    ‘For before the beginning they did not exist, and at the end of time they will not exist any more’.

2 Peter 3:10 Tells us that this Earth which is so precious to us will be burned up and it will be no more,

So the Earth has cast you forth. We are not on it, we are somewhere out in space – and we will all have new bodies.  Babies have new bodies. Teenagers have a new bodies. Old men and women have a new body … as well as the sick and cripple and hurting.

In 1 Corinthians 15:50-53 Paul wrote “50 I declare to you, brothers and sisters, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. 51 Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed— 52 in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. 53 For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality.”

Our new bodies will be an indestructible, imperishable, glorious, spiritual bodies. And like a babe, you begin to explore that new body; and you will be so happy with what God has given you!

And then maybe you’ll smile when you think about some of the old church songs you sang like   

  I’LL FLY AWAY   (Click on song to hear it)

And as you look you see all the people of the Earth with you,  you may say to yourself, “This must be all the people that ever lived”.

And you remember the verse in Matt 25:31f, “When the son of man shall come in His glory, and all the angels with Him, Before Him will be gathered all the nations of the Earth, and He shall separate them from one another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats”.

So there you will be in the greatest family reunion ever, for we are all related through Adam and Noah

And you see and hear those separating everyone into lines and you look to see what line you are in and you see that you are on His right hand, and are numbered among the sheep – the righteous. And you look and you are amazed, even baffled at the length of the line you are in. More people in it than you ever thought there would be. And you recognize it as a tribute to the majesty and glory of God, and a tribute to the power of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and it’s power to save.

You may say to yourself, “I did not think this many would go to heaven.”So many but then you remember Hebrews 2:10 where it says, “He will call many sons into glory”.

As you behold the great line that you are in, maybe you will also recall what Jesus said, “Let not your heart be troubled, you believe in God, believe in me also, for in my house there are many mansions”.   And you realize those mansion will not be empty.   And maybe you smile and start humming 

Mansion over the Hilltop  (cick on to listen)

Suddenly you are at Judgment, and you look up and you see the eyes of your Lord. You finally see Him face to face.

And He looks down and you see before Him a great book which is open.  And as you look down and see his hand on the page you notice the nail pierced hand, and it kind of takes you back a bit. Yes it was Jesus Himself. He who was nailed to the cross.

And then He speaks your name. But He speaks as if He knows you. He does not have an angel whisper your name in His ear. He speaks as though He had known you more than a day, or even a year. As He begins to Judge you He says, ‘I was hungry, and you gave me something to eat.  I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink. I was naked and you clothed me.’

And He Judged you. ‘I wanted you to believe in me and you did.  I commanded you to turn from a sinful life style and you did your best. I commanded you to be Baptized in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit for the forgiveness of your sin and you obeyed.”

And He Judged you. ‘You used what talent I gave you. You forsook not the assembly, but gathered and encourage your brothers and sisters unto good works.  You remembered Me as you ate the bread and drank the fruit of the vine each week. He spoke of the gifts you gave week after week, year after year. He spoke of how you did your best to share the Gospel message to all those you came into contact with.’  And He judged you.

And the more He spoke, the more you were amazed at how well He really knew you. Just not your name, but He knew you! It was as if He knew the very hairs on your head and had them numbered. He knew all your successes and failures. And then He looks you in the eyes and said, “Enter into the Glory of your Lord”.

Suddenly you are passing through one of those 12 pearl gates, and you notice the gate is a single pearl. Finally in the city of God, the city you so longed to see. It is far more than you ever expected or dreamed it could be. You can see why Paul said that no human words could express what you saw. And you are thrilled and filled with ultimate joy!

First things first, you want to see God. As you travel, the great street you move on is beautiful, of pure gold, yet transparent like glass. And finally there in the center of the city you see Father God, no temple hiding Him. He’s just there.  Surrounding Him is a number angels and people. They are innumerable, in white.

And you feel so comfortable among them, and start to sing, and sing with great joy and peace and happiness. You sing songs of praise and it sounds so beautiful like you’ve never heard before.

 There is a Habitiation  (Acapella’s version on Youtube)

You really don’t know how long you were there in that worship service, it couldn’t be measured. It is a new dimension of eternity. There’s not clocks, no sun going down because the sun is gone and  there is no need for lamps, because the glory of God enlightens that city.

Then as you are looking at God, it is as if He were looking right at you. And as you see Him face to face, you notice something, there is pleasure on His face, as if He were glad to see you, and your heart jumps with joy. And you realize there is no longer an need to hope, and not longer a need for faith because  you are now living your hope, and your faith has become a reality. And now Love is the one thing remains welling up in you.

  Oh, they tell me of a Home  (cick on to listen)

God speaking through Isaiah wrote: 65:17-19 “Behold, I will create new heavens and a new earth. The former things will not be remembered, nor will they come to mind. But be glad and rejoice forever in what I will create, for I will create Jerusalem to be a delight and its people a joy.       I WILL REJOICE in Jerusalem and delight in her people; the sound of weeping and of crying will be heard in it no more.”

When you see His face and His joy, and the joy of those in that gathering, in His presence, and you never want to move. But there’s more things to see and do. And so as if you knew the city, as if you were programmed with the mind and language that is called ‘Heaven’, you know where your mansion is and seek it out.

As you enter it you are amazed and astonished and the feeling of joy continues to encompass you for it is a mansion in every sense of the word…prepared just for you.

 When we all get to Heaven  (cick on to listen)

You later go out and begin to mingle with other people. You see David, and Moses, and Adam, and Job and Noah, and people you’ve known in the church since you became a Christian.  Everywhere you go you feel welcomed and comfortable, and accepted, and you continue to feel that joy.

Every question you ask is answered, everything you ever wondered is answered, and you begin to understand it all.

And suddenly you may try to remember some of the things from your past, something from your old life and the Earth and the trials you now face. But like the earth itself, those memories will be so dim. You will try to reflect on them and you will not be able to remember why you felt pain. You will try to remember, and then you won’t bother trying anymore.

It will be like that on that day, the day our Lord Jesus returns.  As surely as Jesus came to die for us, He will come again to gather His own and take them home.

We need to remember that this world is not our home. Jesus has one waiting for us in glory!

This world is not my Home   (cick on to listen)

Whether you are on the right hand of Jesus or the left when we meet Him in the air is totally up to you.  Those on His right will live with Him in glory.

Those on His left on the contrary, will be cast forth from God’s presence, into the lake of fire, or Hell. Each day we have to remember that this world is not our home.

Today’s encouragement is this: Yea life is tuff sometimes. You may hurt physically or emotionally, but you have prize awaiting you. As Peter encouraged the first century Christian, I encourage you, he said,              ‘Make your calling and election sure’

   Don’t you Want TO Go to That Land (cick on to listen)

For more lessons click on the following link: http://granvillenychurchofchrist.org/?page_id=566

All comments can be emailed to: bfronzek@gmail.com